C10 One Mountain Cannot Tolerate Two Tigers

She majored in chemistry in college. It wasn't because she had a particular passion for it; she chose chemistry out of necessity. She dreaded memorization and was a bit lazy. Although she got into a prestigious university, she didn't get her first choice and ended up in the less popular chemistry department. After graduating and not working in a chemistry-related field for years, she probably forgot most of what she learned.

"I heard Bai Chongyuan landed two major projects again. The Bai family is thriving under his leadership."

"Yeah, and they say he's young and handsome. I wonder if that's true."

"I also heard he's a bit eccentric. Who knows what's real?"

"You're just jealous. I've heard he's quite the eligible bachelor. And that Fu Yuanyi is impressive too. I heard he..."

Lin Ci overheard the conversation between a man and a woman. She paused and leaned in, "Excuse me, are you reading a financial magazine?"

"Yes," the man replied, blushing. "Do you want to take a look?"

Lin Ci smiled warmly, "Yes, please."

"Here you go."

"Thanks, I'll return it shortly."

As Lin Ci started flipping through the magazine, Qin Shuangning looked at her suspiciously, "Ci, you usually don't like reading these kinds of magazines."

"Didn't you hear them mention Bai Chongyuan?"

Though she skimmed over the sections about Bai Chongyuan, she focused intently on the articles about Fu Yuanyi.

“Fu Yuanyi? Do you know him, Ci?” Qin Shuangning asked, puzzled.

“No, I don’t.”

She wasn't lying; in this lifetime, she truly hadn’t met Fu Yuanyi. But in her past life, she had.

“Apparently, this Fu Yuanyi is quite a formidable figure. Rumor has it he's an illegitimate son of the Fu family, who single-handedly seized control of the family and doubled its size in just two years!”

“Hmm.”

“But, I’ve heard that no matter how impressive he is, he still falls a bit short compared to your husband.” Qin Shuangning lowered her voice, speaking with a hint of mischief.

Lin Ci was well aware of this. Two powerful figures can’t coexist peacefully. In her past life, they were bitter rivals. Yet, this very rival of Bai Chongyuan had extended a helping hand to her and her family during their toughest times. She never got the chance to thank him before she died.

Now, she had a second chance at life. To truly change her fate, she couldn’t rely solely on herself. She needed an ally, a powerful one, to shield her from the influence of Bai Chongyuan and Lin Ya. Fu Yuanyi was the perfect choice for this role.

She had to find the right opportunity to meet with Fu Yuanyi.

Around noon, after finishing her class, Lin Ci headed to a five-star hotel next to the school for a buffet lunch. She knew this hotel was owned by Fu Yuanyi and was aware that he would likely be there for an inspection at this time.

Before her rebirth, Fu Yuanyi had been a formidable rival to both her and Bai Chongyuan, so she had meticulously gathered all the information about him. Now, she needed to find a way to meet him without arousing Bai Chongyuan's suspicion, as he was constantly monitoring her.

Lin Ci entered the hotel lobby. Pretending it was her first visit, she approached the front desk to ask which floor the buffet was on. She was aware that Bai Chongyuan had people following her every move to keep her under control, so she had to act as if it was her first time there to avoid raising any suspicions, which could jeopardize her next steps.