C18 The Daughter of the Bai Family Bai Xinyan Died in a Fire for No Reason!

Rumor has it that with just a flick of his finger, Ninth Master Huo can cause a major upheaval in the business world. While such claims might be exaggerated for others, they hold true for him without a doubt. The recent chaos at the engagement party is a perfect example.

The engagement between the Huo and Lin families was disrupted, which should have been big news in Yuejiang City. Yet, no one dared to mention a word about it, and the entertainment media and online platforms remained eerily silent, as if nothing had happened. This silence speaks volumes about Ninth Master Huo's influence in Yuejiang.

Despite being over fifty and having spent many years in the business world, Lin Huaizhong felt a sense of pressure in the presence of this younger man in a wheelchair. He licked his dry lips, maintaining a polite smile on his face. "Ninth Master, is there something you need from Lin's?"

Ninth Master Huo had been in the office for ten minutes without saying a word, just sitting there quietly. Lin Huaizhong couldn't help but speak up, but as soon as he did, Huo Yinyao interrupted him.

"Mr. Lin, you and my fourth uncle seem to be quite close, considering... ahem!" The distinguished man only got halfway through his sentence before raising his hand to his lips and coughing lightly, his long fingers curling into an elegant arc. "Considering you thought of using marriage to become even closer to my fourth uncle."

After speaking, Huo Yinyao paused for a moment, his breath slightly uneven, and looked across at Lin Huaizhong. His cool eyes held a barely noticeable hint of mockery.

Lin Huaizhong was taken aback, quickly stood up from his office chair, and approached Huo Yinyao. Bowing low, he said, "Ninth Master, what do you mean by 'keeping it in the family'? I don't quite understand. Oh, I was an old acquaintance of your fourth uncle, but we haven't been in touch for a long time. It's just that my daughter, Yuerong, has been admiring you lately, so I asked your fourth uncle to play matchmaker. Please don't misunderstand."

Misunderstand?

Huo Yinyao's handsome, thin lips curled slightly, almost as if he were smiling. "Mr. Lin, do you remember the marriage arrangement I made three years ago?"

Lin Huaizhong's first thought was that Huo Yinyao was reminiscing about someone from the past and didn't want to marry Lin Yuerong. He pondered for a moment, a look of regret crossing his face, and he tried to console him, "Ninth Master, that was indeed unexpected, but the past is gone, and we must look forward. My daughter Yuerong may not be extraordinary, but she is the leading socialite in the city. Don't you think...?"

Huo Yinyao's cool eyes glanced at Lin Huaizhong. He coughed lightly into his hand, his pale fingers tapping idly on the armrest of his wheelchair for a moment before he spoke slowly.

Three years ago, the Bai family's daughter, Bai Xinyan, died unexpectedly in a fire. She was about the same age as your daughter, Mr. Lin. The Bai family is more powerful than the Lin family, and even their daughter wasn't safe. Tell me, Mr. Lin, how can you ensure your daughter will be safe in the Huo family?

Lin Huaizhong was taken aback by these words. He stared at Huo Yinyao, unsure if it was just his imagination, but he thought he saw a hint of ruthlessness and indifference in the man's striking eyes.

Lin Huaizhong's fingers tightened involuntarily. He couldn't determine if Huo Yinyao was implying that the Huo family was dangerous, that the girl's death was suspicious, or if there was some other meaning he couldn't grasp.

He gazed at Huo Yinyao, his heart pounding with a growing sense of unease. Earlier, he had been swayed by Fourth Huo's persuasion to marry off Lin Yuerong as a way to undermine Ninth Master Huo and seize his shares.

At the time, he was convinced it was a surefire plan and never considered that Lin Yuerong might be in danger.