The first day of every week is the most painful and difficult day for office workers. After the weekend, they face the first working day of the week, starting the endless weekly routine. On this day, major exchanges begin to operate normally. When the stock market opens, many ordinary people flock in, hoping that the first day's opening will bring them new hope, perhaps even a new high, especially after falling below 1,000 points last week.

Given the current trend in domestic economic development, only a few stocks will emerge as a Black Horse, and those who want to make a big splash in the stock market are very few. Watching from the sidelines and acting cautiously is a daily phrase in stock discussions; following the trend often leads to miserable outcomes.

'Rhein,' after attracting the first wave of early birds, gradually entered a steady period. It is expected that today is Xia Xue's first self-created brand store opening ceremony. Xiao Lin did not expect her moves to be so swift. In just over a month, she managed to contact some famous designers to support her self-created brand. Although it doesn't have the flamboyance of top brands, it has the trendiness of the new generation to lead fashion.

At the long-prepared opening ceremony, there will be a small fashion show to showcase the secret weapon from the past month. Even he himself doesn't know this secret, but it doesn't matter. As long as Xia Xue is happy with what she's doing, he doesn't mind. Besides, Xiao Lin, who usually doesn't care much about clothing, enjoys this rare peace in a coffee shop alone. He indeed needs more time to think and put these fragments together.

In Liger City, nothing has changed so far. However, judging by Hua Muyun's urgent need to see him, there are quite a few variables during this period. He can't say for sure who's playing tricks. What kind of storm will the third brother's appearance stir? He really can't say.

The third brother seems to be the most harmless person in the entire Xiao Family, always smiling, maintaining neutrality towards people and situations. The so-called person who stands outside the circle to watch the world is probably like him. The person with the least power in the Xiao Family is the third brother, yet only Xiao Lin knows that all this is just a facade. Just because he doesn't stand in the midst of disputes doesn't mean he doesn't have the ability to get involved in them.

Xiao Lin couldn't help but make a hissing sound. If he could, the last enemy he'd want to face is this person. He took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth.

With a click, the flame flared up before his eyes.

"Lin!" The cigarette almost fell out, but Xiao Lin inconspicuously pinched it with his hand, took a puff, his eyes staring intently at the person in front of him.

"You don't seem surprised, just astonished." Xiao Mu put away the lighter, sat down across from Xiao Lin, and ordered a cup of black coffee and a slice of cheesecake.

Xiao Lin stirred his coffee, lowering his eyelids. "Is there a difference between the two, third brother?"

Xiao Mu maintained his usual smile, putting his high-quality wool coat on the back of another chair. He was half a head taller than Xiao Lin. His natural frame made him look good in a suit. The surprise of being half-siblings made him look quite different from Xiao Lin. Xiao Lin took after their father, handsome yet lacking no masculine charm, while Xiao Mu inherited his mother's Western features, a well-defined face, deep-set eyes that easily caught a woman's gaze.

"My appearance only astonishes you, but doesn't surprise you, indicating you already knew I was in Yanjing. You are astonished because of where I appeared at this moment." Xiao Mu cut a piece of cake and put it into his mouth.

"Mm, seeing it in Zhang Teng's eyes, I knew you had arrived." Xiao Lin put down the spoon in his hand and drank the sour coffee.

"Ah!" Xiao Mu couldn't help but exclaim. "It seems I wasn't careful enough."

"Third brother wants my life?" Xiao Lin came straight to the point, with no need to circle around the bush with this person. Going in circles never reaches the endpoint, apart from wasting time, there are no other effects.

Xiao Mu laughed softly. Xiao Lin was considered one of the people who understood him better. He liked this younger brother, yet there was an indescribable hatred mixed in, a complex feeling that became apparent too late, engulfing him in this inextricable contradiction.

"Your life isn't so easy to take. If it were that simple, our father wouldn't have valued only you." Xiao Mu left his question unwrapped. It was impossible to tell whether his remarks were true or sincere, always so unassailable, leaving others no angle of attack.

"The Wang Family, I must eliminate them. It's difficult for me to act with you caught in between, third brother."

"What is the taste of coffee with cigarettes?" Xiao Mu smiled, curious why people who like coffee always associate it with cigarettes. Is it because they like cigarettes they drink coffee, or after having coffee they think of smoking?

"Bitter!" Xiao Lin did not continue to press the previous question. If Xiao Mu doesn't want to answer, don't try to dig it out, because the answers obtained are usually false, merely a perfunctory response to your questioning.

"You used to smoke very little." Xiao Mu also took out a cigarette from the pack, and Xiao Lin lit it for him.

"Got used to having something in my hand." This is one reason for his growing addiction to smoking. Used to having something between his fingers, just as he's accustomed to carrying Silver Needle with him, it's simply a personal habit.

"Ah, that's a good thing. At least you don't always have your needle in your hand. If I'm not careful, I'll get pricked by you. This crisis has always been held over me since I was a child."

Xiao Mu seemed to be reminiscing about the past, with a floating and illusory look in his eyes. Many people were hurt by Xiao Lin's Silver Needle, whether they were part of the Xiao Family or not. Anyone near him would suffer varying degrees of harm. His coldness led to a long time in the Xiao Family being referred to as the Demon, with everyone staying far away from him, probably because he was the only one unafraid to approach this younger brother.

"Talk about your purpose!"

"I heard today is your sister-in-law's grand opening, so I specially came to congratulate her." Xiao Mu pushed a box towards Xiao Lin. "This gift, please pass it on for me. Knowing your character, you probably won't reveal your details to the other party. My sudden appearance might be a bit abrupt."

"Mu, I won't allow you to make a move on Xiaoxue." Xiao Lin looked at Xiao Mu warily, still unable to figure out what he wanted to do.

"Hehe, Lin, you're too nervous." With his usual smile, Xiao Mu patted Xiao Lin's hand. "While you still have free time, spend more time with that woman."

"What do you mean?"

"You really don't know?" Xiao Mu blinked with amusement at Xiao Lin's bewilderment, suddenly feeling a bit sympathetic to the woman. "Not knowing is okay too." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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