Chapter 101: Luring the Snake Out of Its Hole

Upon arriving at school, Lin Yu immediately contacted Wang Yan, Dai Peng, and Zhang Zhilong. The four gathered to devise a strategy to deal with the "invisible stalker." They agreed that since an open spear is easy to dodge but a hidden arrow is difficult to guard against, the best approach was to lure the snake out of its hole and seize the initiative.

On a personal level, Lin Yu felt uneasy knowing that a repulsive predator was targeting Yang Zhilin—a girl he held in high regard. He was eager to capture the stalker, though he knew better than to be rash. He decided on a long-term plan to catch the big fish.

For the following week, Lin Yu and his brothers kept the matter quiet, refraining from chasing the few leads they had. Wang Yan and Dai Peng continued their usual activities. Meanwhile, Lin Yu, Qi Yue, and Yang Zhilin remained inseparable. When Yang Xiong or Xia Ling were home, Yang Zhilin stayed at her house; otherwise, the three of them stayed at Qi Yue’s. Following Lin Yu’s advice, the telephone line at Yang Zhilin’s home was disconnected, and any gifts or postcards that arrived were ignored. By doing this, the stalker could not reach her without revealing himself, effectively turning the tables on him.

During these ten days, Lin Yu advised his mother, Wang Chunhua, to close the small twenty-square-meter shop across from the high school. She sold her newly purchased Santana 2000 to raise 130,000 yuan in capital, then spent 60,000 yuan to lease a seventy-square-meter, two-story shop across from the school, investing another 30,000 yuan in renovations. After hanging a sign that read "Qiao Brothers Restaurant," she closed the doors and left it idle.

Wang Chunhua attempted to purchase a secret recipe from the owner of "Waguan Zhang" to pursue a franchise model. However, the owner was stubborn, insisting his recipe was an ancestral secret and dismissing the idea of franchising out of fear that a master would be outdone by his apprentice. After being rejected five or six times, the headstrong Wang Chunhua bought food from the shop daily, tasting it at home in an attempt to replicate the flavor.

Seeing his mother struggling, Lin Yu used the search system in his mind. After a difficult search, he found a recipe for clay-pot seasoning that, while different from Waguan Zhang’s, was excellent. Under his mother’s experimentation, they confirmed the recipe was cost-effective, had a unique flavor, and was difficult to imitate. Knowing of the future competition between major herbal tea brands, Lin Yu had his mother apply for a patent and formulate a franchise plan: a one-time franchise fee of 30,000 yuan, with 10,000 yuan per year for the supply of their proprietary seasoning, keeping the formula strictly confidential.

With help from Lin Tiancheng, Yang Xiong, and Ye Tian, they quickly secured the business license and handled the taxes, bringing Qiao Brothers Restaurant to its final stages of preparation. Over the next week, Lin Yu, his brothers, Qi Yue, and Yang Zhilin thoroughly taste-tested the menu. Once they were certain the food was delicious and affordable for high school students, they began hiring staff.

Of course, the restaurant was merely a front. Its primary goal wasn't just to profit from students, but to attract countless franchisees once the business took off. A single franchise fee of 30,000 yuan represented a significant profit. Although Lin Yu possessed a magical search system, he knew he wasn't a superman; he had to remain grounded, building his wealth step by step.

On October 21, 2002, the day the plan was set in motion, Lin Yu skipped the physical education class with the others. Instead, he snuck onto the rooftop of the teaching building, using binoculars to monitor the campus while coordinating the others via mobile phone. He sensed that after a week of being ignored, the culprit would be desperate to make a move. To his surprise, he spotted over ten boys frequently glancing toward Yang Zhilin.

Realizing the intensity of Yang Zhilin’s charm among high schoolers, Lin Yu worried the location wasn't isolated enough. He texted Qi Yue: "Xiao Yue, pretend to go to the restroom and leave Zhilin alone in the Purple Bamboo Grove. Tell her to walk toward the most secluded area possible and recite poetry to herself."

"Is it safe?" Qi Yue hesitated, but she trusted Lin Yu implicitly and followed his instructions.

Yang Zhilin, heart racing, feigned composure and whispered verses of poetry, looking like a refined scholar bathed in the dappled sunlight. A breeze caught her hair, adding to her ethereal, graceful appearance. Not knowing the true intent behind the plan, she walked deeper into the bamboo grove, trusting Lin Yu completely. The dense foliage obscured the view from the playground.

As she walked, Yang Zhilin felt a sense of unease, as if someone were watching. She fought off the growing fear, channeling Lin Yu’s calm demeanor. Suddenly, Lin Yu spotted a slightly chubby figure moving toward the grove, heading straight for Yang Zhilin. As the figure entered the trees, he began to run.

"That's him! Move!" Lin Yu commanded.

Dai Peng and Zhang Zhilong, hiding in the brush, burst out like panthers. "You bastard! Don't run!" Zhang Zhilong roared. The chubby figure, startled, bolted toward the playground with surprising speed. Dai Peng and Zhang Zhilong gave chase.

As Yang Zhilin watched the figures disappear, she exhaled in relief. But just then, she heard the soft sound of footsteps behind her—the crunch of a dry branch. Her heart leaped into her throat; a sudden, chilling sense of foreboding washed over her.