Two families' painstaking efforts

  The night air is somewhat cool and thin.

  The haze that lingered in the sky made the moonlight thin, leaving only a faint glow spilling into the study. The temperature in the study was very low, and under the moon's embellishment, it felt chilling to the bone.

  Nian Baiyan sat on the sofa, with a soothing tea in front of him. The coolness of the tea dissipated the tension in the room, and all that was left in his eyes was an unchanging calmness.

  "Nian Baiyan, I didn't expect that after all these years we would meet again in Beijing. It's been so long since we last saw each other, and yet I really miss you." On the other end of the phone was a half-true, half-false mocking laugh.

  Nian Baiyan picked up the teacup with one hand and took a light sip, his lips remaining calm as ever. "It's an honor for me, Nian, to be remembered by Master Ji."

  The other end of the phone fell silent, and Yan Bo also didn't speak up.

  "Yan Bojian, this time I want your life." After a while, a cold and calm voice came out of the receiver, no longer joking.

  Nian Baiyan slightly raised an eyebrow, the hot mist of the clear tea covering up a hint of gloom that flashed at the bottom of his eyes, and then he spoke in a light and airy tone, "If you have this skill, come and take it."

  The conversation ended, and the room fell silent in a terrifying way.

  Until the silence was broken by an old man who sat in a rocking chair in front of the window. "Who has such a big tone?" The old man's voice was soft, like calm lake water that could bring people a sense of tranquility.

  "Ji Dongyan." Bai Yan put down his teacup, leaned back against the sofa and closed his eyes, rubbing his brow with one hand. "Old Master Ji is seriously ill, it's only a matter of time before he returns to take charge of the Asian region."

  "He returned to the country and set up this jewelry club, Xi Hui, with great fanfare. It seems he's going to compete with us." The old man let out a light sigh, picked up his cane, sat down beside the tea table, poured himself a cup of tea, and looked at Nian Boyan with a mix of emotions, "A good friend, what a pity."

  Nian Baiyan remained silent, his eyes were an unfathomable black, and after a long time, he spoke faintly, "So, Ji Dongyan's target was never the Jing Shi, but me alone."

  "The reason why Jing Shi Group can develop for a long time is that it combines the two shares of Yan and Ye families. You, representing Jing Shi, dare to be reckless, I, Ye He Feng, am the first to disagree." The old man was somewhat agitated, putting his teacup heavily on the table.

  Old Master Ye He Feng is the chairman of Jing Shi Group, and his father was a lifelong friend of Year Bai Yan's father. The Year family made their fortune by supplying diamonds, while the Ye family focused on retail, and the two families formed a deep friendship through cooperation. However, during a financial crisis in the early years, both the Year and Ye families' businesses were affected, and Year Bai Yan's father fell ill with a heart attack and passed away after making the decision to merge the assets of the two families. After his death, his mother soon followed him, leaving behind Year Bai Yan, who was still in school, and his younger brother. If not for Ye He Feng's help, Year Bai Yan would not be where he is today.

  Jing Shi Group is the brainchild of two companies, but it was inconvenient to name it after either Ye or Nian. After Nian Baiyan joined the company, they decided to rename it Jing Shi Group. The gems and diamonds they produce are all unique masterpieces, which is also the origin of the name "Jing Shi". Nian Baiyan started from the grassroots and began developing diamond mines in recent years, doing everything steadily until leading the company to go public, which is also what Ye He Feng appreciates about him. Therefore, he handed over all matters of the group to Nian Baiyan to handle, leaving only the chairman position for himself, allowing him to enjoy a leisurely life.

  "I'm very familiar with Ji Dongyan, so don't worry." Yan Baiyan's words were few but carried weight, as he got up to refill Ye He Feng's tea cup, his movements calm and unhurried.

  "I can rest assured that you'll handle things." Ye He Feng took a sip of tea, "It's just that the Ji family is intentionally competing for diamond mines in South Africa. You're not unfamiliar with the situation over there, Bo Yan. I'm old and can't bear to see all that fighting and killing anymore."

  Nian Baiyan smiled faintly, "In a civilized society, we use laws and regulations. In a barbaric society, only violence can be used, survival of the fittest." He stretched out his hand, his slender fingers lightly stroking the edge of the teacup, "When necessary, seeing some blood is also normal." The last sentence was spoken lightly, but it revealed a chilling ruthlessness.

  "Alright, it's your young people's world, you have to fight for yourselves and know your limits." Ye He Feng said slowly, "However, Xiao Yu has a timid heart, don't scare her."

  Nian Baiyan's fingers paused for a moment, and soon returned to their usual calm state. He nodded, without saying much.