Chapter 43: Subtle

The villa's private dining room was not luxurious, yet every detail exuded quiet refinement. A small dining table, exquisite tableware, soft lighting, and the hazy night light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows together created an intimate and tranquil atmosphere.

Xia Yunge sat across from Qin Feng, a world apart from the radiant pop star on stage. She sipped delicately at the exquisite dishes prepared by the villa's top chef, her movements elegant, yet her slightly flushed earlobes and occasional furtive glances at Qin Feng betrayed her inner unease.

Those mere ten minutes felt infinitely stretched for her; every second was worth treasuring.

"Mr. Qin," Xia Yunge set down her silver fork, deciding to seize this precious moment, "beyond gratitude, there's something else I wish to mention—I'm not sure if I should say it."

"Speak." Qin Feng wiped his lips with a napkin, his posture casual yet radiating invisible pressure.

"I… while sorting through my grandmother's belongings recently, I found a very ancient musical manuscript." Xia Yunge chose her words carefully. "It's strange—the notation is utterly unlike modern sheet music, more like… ancient symbols. And whenever I tried to interpret or even play it conventionally, it felt sluggish, devoid of any beauty."

She paused, her eyes filled with confusion and a hint of inquiry: "But for some reason, when I saw that manuscript, I suddenly remembered that day at the café—when you touched the piano and gave me that… indescribable feeling, as if you'd touched the very essence of music. I can't shake the sense that this manuscript isn't ordinary, and you… might be the only one who can unlock its secrets."

An ancient manuscript? Strange symbols?

Qin Feng's mind stirred. The Source Technology Imprint primarily carried technological knowledge, but the truths of the universe were fundamentally unified—music, in a sense, was also an expression of rules and vibration. Gu Qingcheng's specialized research project involved ancient relics and lost technologies. Could this manuscript be connected to phenomena beyond modern scientific explanation?

"Did you bring the manuscript?" Qin Feng asked.

Xia Yunge shook her head: "No, it's extremely fragile—I dared not bring it out. If… if you're interested, I could invite you to my home… to see it." Her voice trailed off, and the blush that had just faded reappeared on her cheeks. Inviting a man she barely knew into her home was something unimaginable in her past.

Qin Feng glanced at her but did not answer immediately. He sensed her sincerity, and the potential value hidden in the manuscript. But right now, he had too many matters to handle.

"I understand this matter," Qin Feng neither accepted nor refused. "I'll have my Assistant, Gu Qingcheng, contact you. She handles this kind of research—she'll conduct the preliminary appraisal."

"Gu Qingcheng?" Xia Yunge blinked, committing the name to memory.

The ten minutes passed in an instant.

Su Wenqian appeared at the dining room door like the most precise clock, smiling at Xia Yunge: "Miss Xia, time's up. Mr. Qin has other arrangements ahead."

Though reluctant, Xia Yunge rose at once, displaying impeccable manners: "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Qin. Then… I'll take my leave." She cast one last grateful, lingering glance at Qin Feng, then followed Su Wenqian out of the dining room.

Qin Feng remained seated, his fingertips lightly tapping the table. Xia Yunge's appearance and the mysterious manuscript were an unexpected interlude, adding an unpredictable variable to his plans.

At that moment, the miniature communicator hidden in his ear delivered Lin Xuan's cold, clear voice, shattering the brief silence.

"Boss, they're here."

"Explain."

"Two agents claiming to be from the Abnormal Events Investigation Bureau presented official credentials and requested to meet you regarding recent incidents of 'internet rumor creators mysteriously vanishing.'" Lin Xuan's tone remained flat, as if reporting something unrelated to her. "They directly approached the outer perimeter sentries. Their attitude… was polite, but firm."

Of course they came. Lin Xuan's cleanup was clean and efficient—but eliminating multiple targets simultaneously with such precision and no trace could not go unnoticed by specialized departments. The "Strategic Security and Abnormal Events Investigation Bureau"—just from the name, its authority was clearly immense, specializing in areas beyond conventional law enforcement.

"Show them into Conference Room One. I'll be there shortly." Qin Feng ordered.

"Understood. Should I make any 'preparations'?" Lin Xuan's words carried weight.

"No. Receive them normally." Qin Feng's tone was calm. What must come will come. Contact with forces of this level was inevitable. The key lies in grasping the precise "balance."

He rose, smoothing an imaginary wrinkle on his collar, his gaze deep.

On one side: the popular actress, pure-eyed, bearing a mysterious manuscript. On the other: agents of state power, motives unknown.

Building a commercial empire, breaking through technological barriers, uncovering ancient secrets, maneuvering among various powers—all these threads wove together into a vast, subtle net.

And he stood at its center. Every move, every response, demanded perfect precision.

Subtle balance is often decided by the smallest details.