Fang Ming Qian spotted Jiang Shao too and thought, Why does this guy keep haunting us? He didn’t come here specifically to cause trouble again, did he?
Qi Mu, meanwhile, stared intently at Jiang Shao.
They were only a few meters apart.
A light breeze suddenly blew past, carrying with it the faint scent of alcohol.
Qi Mu grew even more nervous.
Jiang Shao had been drinking again?
He immediately remembered Jiang Shao’s drunken rampage last time. Long Aotian was already difficult enough to deal with when sober; a drunken Long Aotian was practically a nuclear weapon. Qi Mu could almost feel his neck beginning to ache again. And this time they were out in public. He silently prayed that Jiang Shao would stay calm.
Jiang Shao stood there without moving.
Only a few meters away.
He watched the expressions shift across Qi Mu’s face—from guarded seriousness at first to nervous unease, as though Qi Mu were ready to turn and flee at any moment.
Jiang Shao’s heart, already soaked cold by the river water, seemed to be frozen all over again by the frost of deep winter.
After a long while, he tugged self-mockingly at the corner of his mouth.
He had actually still been clinging to a sliver of hope before, thinking that perhaps Qi Mu would not blame him. But Qi Mu already disliked him this much now. Once he learned that Jiang Shao had deceived him, how could he possibly not blame him?
If Qi Mu knew him a little better—if he knew what kind of person Jiang Shao really was—he would surely despise him even more than he did now.
He would regret not firing him sooner.
Jiang Shao stared steadily at Qi Mu with his dark eyes, then suddenly started walking.
Qi Mu’s heart instantly leaped into his throat.
He watched Jiang Shao approach.
The young man stopped in front of him with both hands in his pockets, standing there with his usual lazy ease. He glanced at Qi Mu and lifted the corner of his mouth. “I just came out for a walk.”
Then he gave the two of them a faint nod. “I won’t disturb you.”
With that, he walked straight past Qi Mu.
The faint trace of alcohol left with him and was soon scattered completely by the river breeze.
As though what had just happened really had been nothing more than a chance encounter.
Qi Mu stood there blankly for a long while, unable to recover.
Jiang Shao had really just… left without making a scene?
Hadn’t he come here deliberately?
Had Long Aotian suddenly turned over a new leaf?
Qi Mu frowned in thought. Recalling Jiang Shao’s expression just now, he could not explain why his heart suddenly felt as though something had gently squeezed it. There was a dull, uncomfortable tightness in his chest, yet he could not say what was wrong.
Nothing had even happened, had it?
“Qi Mu, are you all right?”
Fang Ming Qian’s concerned voice came from beside him.
Qi Mu turned to him and smiled. “I’m fine.”
With the interruption, that strange, inexplicable feeling vanished almost immediately.
It was best if Long Aotian did not cause trouble. Qi Mu should be happy about that.
…
The next day, Qi Mu arrived at the company and made preparations to receive Fang Ming Qian.
At ten in the morning—
Fang Ming Qian arrived precisely on time.
This time he did not come alone. He brought two assistants with him, all three formally dressed in suits, every gesture carrying the polished air of business elites.
Qi Mu received him with equal formality.
The conference room had already been prepared, with someone assigned specifically to make tea. Zhan Xiao Hui sat beside Qi Mu with the documents in hand, watching the two company presidents converse with effortless professionalism.
She figured President Qi must already know President Fang. After all, someone had seen Fang Ming Qian come to find Qi Mu the night before last.
Otherwise, why would Fang Ming Qian, president of Tuoyuan Power, come straight to Qi Corporation looking to cooperate?
Having a boss with connections really was great.
Look at that—a major deal just walked right through the door.
Qi Mu first met with Fang Ming Qian in the conference room and showed him materials detailing some of the company’s achievements, then invited him to tour the R&D center.
As they walked, Qi Mu explained, “Qi Corporation has always placed great importance on research and development. The products we’ve developed independently…”
When Qi Mu spoke about these matters, he was serious and professional, his tone calm and measured.
Afterward, he had the heads of the R&D center come over to answer Fang Ming Qian’s questions. The two assistants Fang Ming Qian had brought were professionals as well, and the questions they raised were pointed and crucial, but the department heads were able to answer them all competently.
After they finished touring the R&D center—
Qi Mu took Fang Ming Qian to the factory to inspect the company’s production lines in person.
The busy day passed quickly.
Before leaving, Fang Ming Qian said approvingly, “I’m already looking forward to working together.”
Qi Mu smiled. “Don’t say that too soon. There’s still the competitive bidding process.”
Tuoyuan Power was a major publicly listed company with strict rules and procedures of its own. It was nothing like a smaller company such as Dong Wei’s, where everything could be decided casually by the boss alone.
Fang Ming Qian winked at him. “I have a lot of confidence in Qi Corporation.”
Qi Mu laughed at that.
Still, he really was in a good mood. If Fang Ming Qian was willing to say something like that, the cooperation was almost certainly in the bag.
He checked the time and saw that it was already dinnertime.
Qi Mu politely invited him, “Dinner together tonight?”
This time, however, Fang Ming Qian shook his head and sighed. “I’d love to stay, but I’ve been here for several days already and somehow managed to rack up a whole list of dinner appointments I still owe people. I really can’t tonight.”
Qi Mu understood completely.
Given Fang Ming Qian’s status, there was naturally no shortage of people wanting to invite him to dinner. In fact, he had already given Qi Mu a great deal of his time, and Qi Mu’s invitation had only been a courtesy in the first place.
He escorted Fang Ming Qian out.
Then he returned to the company.
Qi Mu was not the only person who had been busy all day. Everyone in the company had been on their toes preparing for Fang Ming Qian’s visit, and they only finally relaxed after he left.
Zhan Xiao Hui rubbed her calves. After standing all day, both of her legs were aching. As she massaged them, she complained, “Where did Jiang Shao disappear to? Wasn’t he coming to work so diligently these past few days? How come there wasn’t even a glimpse of him today?”
Someone beside her said, “No idea. I didn’t see him either.”
Zhan Xiao Hui snorted. “That guy really knows how to slack off.”
The two complained casually for a few more sentences, then packed up and prepared to go home.
Qi Mu silently turned around and went back to his office.
Only then did he realize—
He really had not seen Jiang Shao even once today.
His thoughts suddenly returned to the previous night.
Jiang Shao had stood in the shadows watching him, his gaze dark and inscrutable, deeper than the night and darker than the river itself.
It had stirred a faint ripple in Qi Mu’s heart, one that had vanished almost as soon as it appeared.
Qi Mu slowly let out a breath.
It probably did not mean anything. There was no need for him to care so much.
Long Aotian was simply too good at causing trouble. The way he had behaved before was what had been abnormal. Now that Jiang Shao had finally returned to normal, wasn’t that a good thing?
…
Qi Mu’s life remained as busy as ever.
The following evening, he prepared to leave for the conference.
City C was a major, economically developed city whose GDP ranks among the highest in the country. It was home to businesses large and small, and commercial events were common, but this particular conference was an important one.
It was being organized by the local authorities. The mayor was reportedly attending, along with many well-known entrepreneurs, and a number of significant new initiatives were expected to be announced.
The conference was being held at a garden hotel partway up the mountain. The property had originally been a guesthouse used to receive VIPs. It consisted of three buildings—one main building and two auxiliary ones—set amid beautifully landscaped grounds. With its distinctive surroundings and unusual character, it was later contracted out and converted into a business hotel.
The main building was where tonight’s conference was being held. Most major local events were hosted there.
The two smaller Western-style villas behind it were not open to the public.
When Qi Mu arrived, there was still some time before the conference began. Everyone was speaking quietly among themselves and had yet to take their seats.
Unsurprisingly, Qi Mu spotted Cheng Huai Song.
Cheng Huai Song was the president of the local Chamber of Commerce and a highly respected figure. Quite a few people had gathered around him in conversation.
Qi Mu went over to greet him as well.
Cheng Huai Song smiled at Qi Mu, noticeably warmer toward him than toward the others. “President Qi, we meet again.”
Qi Mu replied, “Chairman Cheng, have you been well?”
Cheng Huai Song laughed heartily and said he had.
Qi Mu exchanged a few respectful pleasantries with him. He was the younger man, and Song’an Group was not only Qi Corporation’s largest client, but Cheng Huai Song had later introduced him to Fang Ming Qian as well. Qi Mu was sincerely grateful to him.
After greeting Cheng Huai Song, Qi Mu saw that plenty of people were still surrounding him, so he did not linger. Instead, he moved to the side and chatted casually with some acquaintances nearby.
Suddenly, a slight stir ran through the crowd ahead.
Fang Ming Qian had arrived.
Fang Ming Qian was currently one of the hottest rising stars in the technology sector, and he was not even from City C. Naturally, his appearance as an invited guest attracted considerable attention.
People quickly crowded around him to say hello.
Qi Mu did not go over and add to the commotion. He merely smiled at Fang Ming Qian from a distance. Fang Ming Qian caught his eye, winked at him, then silently made a helpless expression.
Qi Mu could not help laughing.
He was not surprised that Fang Ming Qian was attending. Fang Ming Qian had already told him about it.
Not only that, he had also told Qi Mu that the mayor would announce Tuoyuan Power’s plans to establish a production line in City C during the conference today.
At the time, Qi Mu had laughed and asked, You’re just telling me inside information like that?
Fang Ming Qian had replied indifferently that everyone would know in a few days anyway, so how could it count as inside information?
When only a little over ten minutes remained before the conference—
Everyone began finding their assigned seats.
Qi Mu found the place bearing his name card. After sitting down, he exchanged pleasantries with a familiar company president beside him.
The man leaned closer and gossiped quietly, “President Qi, have you heard that Erwin Group from Country M is planning to invest here?”
Qi Mu nodded. “I’ve heard a few rumors.”
Erwin Group was a multinational behemoth with more than a century of history, its businesses spanning technology, pharmaceuticals, energy, and numerous other fields. Rumors that it intended to invest and cooperate in City C had circulated for some time, though the details were far beyond anything people at their level would know.
The president beside him said, “Apparently someone saw Erwin’s CEO here. No idea whether it’s true.”
Qi Mu merely smiled without commenting.
It had nothing to do with him anyway. Before long, the conference began.
The opening proceedings were relatively dull. First the host took the stage, followed by speeches from various officials.
“…Last year, our city achieved excellent results in XX… What we have accomplished today would not have been possible without everyone present. Every one of you has contributed to City C’s development…”
The boilerplate at the beginning really was tedious.
Qi Mu listened somewhat absently. His seat was beside a window that had not been completely shut.
Threads of cool air slipped in through the narrow gap.
They helped temper some of the stuffiness inside the hall.
Outside, the streetlights illuminated the garden in hazy silhouettes, while tall trees swayed in the nighttime wind.
Two roads extended behind the hall, leading toward the Western-style villas at the rear that were closed to the public.
Cars were not ordinarily permitted to drive in here.
So the roads outside were perfectly quiet.
And yet Qi Mu thought he heard the sound of an engine.
It was muffled by the window and not particularly clear, but the sound still caught his attention. He casually turned his head to look outside.
A black sedan was driving in.
The sedan continued smoothly toward the rear.
Then it disappeared from his sight.
But Qi Mu remained frozen for a long moment, his expression stunned.
Why did he feel as though he had just seen Jiang Shao…
Sitting in the back seat of that black sedan?
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