That was why the secretary had said that appointment rules and attempts at rescheduling did not apply to their visitor. Lu Yi was not a frequent visitor to the place, but everyone feared him because of his special status.
Lu Yi was difficult to deal with as he was impossibly stoic: he was not the type to be moved by either persuasion or coercion. He was also a man of great authority; a personal visit by him usually meant that he had found a problem so serious it would crush most people once exposed.
Zuo Fanrui wiped the cold sweat from his brow as he wondered what he had done recently to warrant a personal visit from Prosecutor Lu. He combed through his memories, but could not think of anything: he was careful with the law and was confident he had not committed any kind of criminal offense.
He quickly calmed the rapid beating of his heart as his fingers tugged at his tie to loosen it. He realized then that the back of his shirt clung to his skin; like his brow, his back had broken out in a cold sweat as soon as he had heard of Lu Yi’s visit.
A moment later, Lu Yi, dressed smartly in a suit, walked into the room with large, confident strides. His handsome, sharply defined face was devoid of all expression—everything about him said: “Approach at your own risk.”
“Prosecutor Lu, I can’t express how honored I am by your visit.”
Zuo Fanrui quickly stood up and extended his hand to Lu Yi. The prosecutor merely stared at the outstretched hand impassively; he made no move to shake it.
Zuo Fanrui hastily withdrew his hand before Lu Yi’s razor-sharp gaze could lop it off at the wrist. He tried his best to resist buckling under the icy feeling of dread and terror Lu Yi’s presence evoked.
“Prosecutor Lu, please, have a seat,” Zuo Fanrui said in his most humble, obsequious manner. He wanted to get the visit over with as soon as possible and see the mighty Buddha before him to the door.
Lu Yi seated himself, but continued to stare expressionlessly at Zuo Fanrui, causing the man to squirm in his seat. Zuo Fanrui felt as though his chair had transformed into a bed of needles.
“Prosecutor Lu, may I ask the purpose of this…” Zuo Fanrui opened his mouth to ask why Lu Yi wanted to see him, but forgot the rest of his question when he saw the frosty look in Lu Yi’s eyes.
He fell silent. Lu Yi, for his part, continued to stare at him without saying anything. Zuo Fanrui wondered if he was now expected to engage in a silent staring contest with Lu Yi for the rest of the meeting.
He wiped the sweat from his brow. This was why most people shield away from “socializing” with Lu Yi. It was impossible to tell what the man was thinking; the strange, oppressive aura he exuded was, to most people, a form of torture.
Lu Yi, on the other hand, was completely unaffected by the uncomfortable atmosphere he created wherever he went.
The temperature around them continued to drop. It was now so cold Zuo Fanrui began to wonder if he would eventually see his own breath mist in the air.
“Lu…”
Zuo Fanrui had just opened his mouth to say something when Lu Yi interrupted him.
“What are you trying to do to Yan Huan?” Lu Yi asked flatly.
Yan Huan? It took a moment for Zuo Fanrui to recall the name. He was puzzled: was Lu Yi referring to the little known actress Xiao Rongrong had asked him to deal with? What was Lu Yi getting at? Why was he bringing up Yan Huan’s name now?
As far as Zuo Fanrui knew, Yan Huan was an insignificant actress with no connections to speak of. Her family was neither rich nor powerful; she was a painfully ordinary girl. Zuo Fanrui, at Xiao Rongrong’s behest, had coerced Yuelun Entertainment into “icing” the new actress because he knew he would be able to get away with it. Within a few years, the public would forget all about Yan Huan; it would be impossible for someone like her—a nobody without any kind of power or influence—to stage a comeback at that point.
But Zuo Fanrui had not expected to hear Lu Yi mention Yan Huan’s name. What was going on?
The temperature around them was so cold now Zuo Fanrui actually saw his breath mist in the air. But the icy temperature did nothing to stop the sweat from pouring from his brow.
