52: Chapter 53 Father Yin——Yin Hanhai.

Yu Bo's gaze turned toward the man on the sofa who had remained as steady as a mountain, never once rising.

Yin Hanhai.

He looked younger than his actual age, roughly in his early fifties, and had maintained his physique well, showing no signs of putting on weight. His hair was meticulously combed, with some graying at the temples that added to his majesty. He had a square face, thick eyebrows, and eyes as sharp as an eagle's; even just sitting there, he naturally exuded the oppressive aura of someone long accustomed to a high position. He wore comfortable loungewear and held a financial newspaper in his hand. When Yu Bo entered, he merely lifted his eyelids, his gaze sweeping over Yu Bo like something tangible—deep, calm, and unreadable.

"Hello, Uncle Yin. I am Yu Bo." Yu Bo stepped forward and greeted him respectfully once more, offering a gift as well. "I heard you like tea, so here is a little tea leaf, a small token of my respect."

Only then did Yin Hanhai put down the newspaper. His gaze landed on Yu Bo's face, lingering for a few seconds before sweeping over the tea leaves and the purple clay teapot in his hands. He let out a nearly inaudible "mm" from his nose as a response. Then, he gestured to a nearby servant: "Put it away." His voice was low, carrying his habitual commanding tone.

There were no extra words, nor any polite pleasantries regarding the gift. The atmosphere instantly became somewhat stagnant due to Yin Hanhai's attitude.

Lin Wanru hurriedly tried to smooth things over, pulling Yu Bo down to sit and instructing the servant to serve tea. She then began enthusiastically asking about everything from Yu Bo's work and family to his daily hobbies, her tone gentle as she tried to liven up the atmosphere. Yin Tianxue also chimed in from the side, sharing some interesting stories about Yu Bo's entrepreneurship and the recent achievements of "Listening to the Waves."

Yu Bo responded appropriately, neither humble nor arrogant. He was polite and thorough when answering Lin Wanru's questions, confident and clear when speaking of his career, and his gaze was tender yet firm when mentioning his feelings for Yin Tianxue. He could feel that Lin Wanru had a good impression of him, as the affection and approval in her eyes gradually increased.

As for Yin Hanhai, he hardly spoke throughout the process. He either continued reading his newspaper—though Yu Bo suspected he wasn't actually processing any of it—or sipped his tea slowly, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the group in conversation. Especially when Yu Bo spoke, he would linger for a moment, but his eyes were too deep to guess what he was thinking. He was like a silent mountain standing there, invisibly affecting the air pressure of the entire living room.

Dinner proceeded in a similarly subtle atmosphere. The dishes were exquisite, clearly prepared with care. Lin Wanru constantly served food to Yu Bo, her tone affectionate. Yin Tianxue also tried to find topics, chatting about light family matters or industry anecdotes. Yu Bo maintained perfect etiquette and conversation throughout, being neither overly eager to please nor coldly impolite.

Yin Hanhai ate quietly, his movements slow and deliberate. He hardly participated in the conversation, only offering a brief comment or two when Lin Wanru or Yin Tianxue mentioned a certain business event. His remarks were often incisive, revealing his seasoned perspective. His attitude toward Yu Bo remained that of a detached observer.

For Yu Bo, this dinner was not easy. Yin Hanhai's silence was more pressuring than any interrogation. He knew that this future father-in-law was calmly scrutinizing everything about him in his own way—his behavior, speech, knowledge, character, and his attitude toward his daughter.

After dinner, they moved to the small living room for tea. Lin Wanru pulled Yu Bo aside to talk for a while longer, mainly advising him and Yin Tianxue to take care of each other and so on. Yin Tianxue could see Yu Bo's struggle and tried to find an excuse to end it several times, but she was held back by Lin Wanru's enthusiasm.

Finally, the consistently silent Yin Hanhai put down his teacup. The porcelain made a crisp clinking sound as it touched the wooden coffee table. The living room instantly fell silent.

Yin Hanhai raised his eyes, his gaze falling directly on Yu Bo. That gaze was calm, yet it carried an unquestionable weight.

"Yu Bo," he addressed Yu Bo by his full name for the first time. His voice wasn't loud, but it made everyone hold their breath. "Come with me to the study for a moment."

Having said that, he stood up and, without looking at the others, walked straight toward the study. His back was straight, and his pace was steady.

It was time.

Yu Bo felt a chill in his heart, but his face remained calm. He looked at Yin Tianxue, giving her a reassuring look, then nodded politely to Lin Wanru: "Auntie, I'll head over first."

A trace of worry flashed in Lin Wanru's eyes, but she still nodded with a smile: "Alright, you two go ahead and talk. Tianxue, come, stay and talk with Mom."

Yin Tianxue squeezed Yu Bo's hand and whispered, "Don't be afraid, my dad just doesn't talk much."

Yu Bo smiled, withdrew his hand, straightened the hem of his suit, and then squared his shoulders. He followed behind Yin Hanhai toward the study that symbolized the core of the Yin Family's power and was destined to be anything but easy.

The heavy solid wood door closed gently behind him, cutting off the light and whispers from the living room outside. The study was large, with two walls covered by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves packed with various books and documents. Behind a massive mahogany desk sat a wide, high-backed chair. The air was filled with the faint scent of cigars and old books, as well as an invisible majesty belonging to a decision-maker.

Yin Hanhai had already sat down behind the desk and pointed to the chair opposite him: "Sit."

Yu Bo sat down as instructed, his back straight and his hands naturally folded on his knees, his gaze calmly meeting Yin Hanhai's. Only a single desk lamp was lit in the study, casting shadows across Yin Hanhai's face and making his already majestic features appear even deeper.

Yin Hanhai didn't speak immediately. Instead, he picked up a cigar box from the desk, slowly took one out, clipped the cap, lit it with a long-handled match, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled the pale blue smoke. The smoke curled in the lamplight, making his expression somewhat blurred.

"Yu Bo," Yin Hanhai finally spoke, his voice coming through the smoke with a steadiness and directness born of long experience. "Tianxue bringing you back shows she's very serious about you. I'll get straight to the point."

Yu Bo nodded slightly, indicating he was all ears.

"Tianxue has been well-protected by us since she was a child; she has high standards and a proud nature. For her to take an interest in you, you naturally have your extraordinary qualities. 'Tinglan Capital,' I've heard of it. Recently, you've made significant moves in the hard-tech investment field, and your vision is accurate. Being able to reach this stage in such a short time proves you have some skill and are willing to work hard."

Yu Bo didn't respond, knowing this was just the opening.

"However," Yin Hanhai's tone shifted, the red tip of his cigar glowing and fading in the darkness. "Business is business, and personal feelings are personal feelings. There are some things I need to lay out clearly on the table for you."

He paused, his sharp gaze fixed on Yu Bo: "Originally, Tianxue's mother and I were in favor of Yang Junyi of the Yang Family."