Gu Yining had intended to head straight back to her room, but when Fu Hanyan called her, she reluctantly stopped in her tracks and followed him into the study.
Fu Hanyan's study was spacious and well-equipped, with an attached lounge, walls lined with bookshelves, and an array of high-end multimedia equipment. It was clearly a space designed for both comfort and serious work.
Once inside, Fu Hanyan powered on his computer and sat down in the large, comfortable swivel chair. His long fingers flew across the keyboard at lightning speed, and a stream of code began to roll across the bright computer screen.
Gu Yining peered over his shoulder, watching the cascade of information flash by. It was complex—high-level hacker code that only professionals could decipher. She was genuinely surprised. She had no idea that Fu Hanyan possessed such advanced hacking skills. His expertise clearly surpassed hers, which was saying something, given her own talents in that field.
Within minutes, the screen displayed several animated facial reconstructions, each paired with personal account details. It didn't take her long to realize what she was looking at—these were the profiles of the three men who had kidnapped her, along with their bank account transactions.
Each of the three had received a transfer of one million yuan on the day of the incident. And the sender's name? None other than Zhao Yanan.
"How did you do this?" Gu Yining asked in awe, her eyes practically sparkling with admiration. "I spent the whole night trying to dig up any evidence linking Zhao Yanan to those men, but I couldn't find a trace."
In the world of hackers, Gu Yining rarely encountered anyone whose skills she could truly admire. But today, she had to admit, Fu Hanyan had earned her respect.
"All of Zhao Yanan's accounts are heavily encrypted with multiple layers of firewalls and security protocols. Almost no one could break through," Fu Hanyan explained, his voice casual as if this level of hacking was child's play for him.
"Then how did you manage it?" Gu Yining pressed, her curiosity piqued.
"All of Fu Corporation's banking systems use the same encryption protocols. I happen to have the decryption keys. It was only a matter of time before I got in."
Gu Yining couldn't help but pout. *So, in the end, it wasn't just about skill—it was also about having the right connections and resources.* No matter how talented she was, she couldn't compete with someone who had access to the highest levels of security simply because of his powerful background. If only her bank account came with special encryption, maybe she wouldn't have to work so hard for results.
"Could you print out this information for me?" Gu Yining asked after a moment.
Fu Hanyan nodded and slid his chair closer to her. His long arm reached around her, grabbing the mouse as he navigated to the print command. As his chest pressed lightly against her back, she could feel his familiar, intoxicating scent envelop her. The proximity, coupled with his commanding presence, left her momentarily flustered.
The pressure of his body against hers made her feel trapped—yet, strangely enough, she didn't entirely mind. It was as though his mere presence was enough to shield her from the world outside.
Soon, the printer whirred to life, and the pages with the incriminating information spilled out. Gu Yining took the papers in hand, and as she turned to face Fu Hanyan, her eyes met his deep, piercing gaze.
"I'll head back to my room now," she said softly, her tone uncharacteristically polite. "Thank you for helping me investigate this."
Fu Hanyan inclined his head slightly. "If Zhao Yanan denies it, have Li Feng arrange for someone from the bank to testify. The police will cooperate."
Gu Yining clutched the printed documents tightly, taken aback by how thoroughly he had thought everything through. He had handled the situation with such precision that it left her feeling both grateful and slightly bewildered. She wasn't used to someone else taking care of things so completely on her behalf.
"Alright. I'll go now," she said, heading for the door. She opened it but paused when she heard Fu Hanyan's voice behind her.
"Close the door behind you. I still have work to finish."
"Okay," she replied obediently, gently pulling the door shut behind her.
As soon as she was alone in the hallway, Gu Yining leaned her back against the door, her heart pounding. A smile slowly crept across her face, and she felt a lightness in her chest, as though her feet weren't quite touching the ground. *So this is what it feels like to be protected by Fu Hanyan,* she thought.
She had never imagined it, but the sensation of being under his protection wasn't bad at all. In fact, it was quite... wonderful.
Just as she was about to walk away, Tang Tiantian appeared at the top of the staircase, carrying a tray. On it was a pot of Dragon Well tea and a plate of delicate peach blossom pastries she had made herself.