Between the red lacquered pillars, countless women dressed as palace maids hurriedly moved, carrying blue and white porcelain trays with exquisite dishes, orderly bringing them into the spacious private hall at the end of the corridor.
The decor was as grand as that of an emperor’s banquet, with more than twenty dishes already laid out on the dragon table.
The mountain and sea delicacies were almost all served, but unfortunately, the large dragon table seemed a bit lonely, with only two distinguished guests seated.
Dong Enyu and Huo Ai.
“Three more minutes,” a deep, hoarse voice came, causing Dong Enyu to pause as she checked her watch.
The woman slightly turned her head, and beside her, Huo Ai sat calmly like a meditating monk.
For this meeting, Huo Ai had fully embraced her classical elegance, wearing a finely embroidered purple qipao and using a jade hairpin to hold up her long black hair in a meticulous style.
The tear mole at the corner of her right eye added to her allure and authority.
Even without speaking, Huo Ai’s poised figure, sitting with her legs crossed on the carved chair, made people instinctively step back.
There was only one thought in mind: this woman… is not to be trifled with!
“You decide,” Dong Enyu brushed her arm, turning the watch face down, suppressing a hint of anxiety.
She hadn’t gone to the lengths Huo Ai had in dressing up, attending in a simple suit to distance herself from Huo Ai, indicating she was merely running errands for the manager and had no need to compete for attention.
Dong Enyu was well aware of this.
Her black suit was elegant and appropriate for any occasion, but to show her respect for this meeting, she paired it with a set of elegant earrings and a ladies’ watch, adding a touch of sophistication without being too conspicuous.
As Dong Enyu looked up, the previously closed large door slowly opened.
The palace maids who had served the dishes had long left, and the two women knew that the person entering was today’s honored guest.
Wutang Boss.
A wave of tension surged, and Dong Enyu instinctively clutched her skirt.
Behind the vermilion door was Wutang Boss… finally…
“Here, right on time,” Huo Ai stood up gracefully, her perfume exuding a subtle elegance.
Right on time? As Dong Enyu stood up, she glanced at her watch.
Eight o’clock, indeed, not a second off.
Not flattering nor arrogant, Wutang Boss was willing to show up, surely for the sake of making friends and doing business, right? This was a good start, half the success… right?
“It’s a great honor to have you here despite your busy schedule.
My surname is Huo, representing Coral Reef Group.” As Huo Ai stepped forward, Dong Enyu also straightened up, seeing a silhouette in the backlight through the opening vermilion door… No, three silhouettes…
“Nice to meet you, Manager Huo,” the person in the middle spoke.
A young man who seemed to have just come of age, wearing a high-end tailored suit, with a youthful face that carried an air of cunning beyond his years.
His hair was dyed in a dazzling array of colors, exuding a carefree attitude.
This was the Wutang Boss, protected by layers, holding the reins of the North District entertainment center, drug trade, and illegal human trafficking…
Wutang Boss?
Dong Enyu raised an eyebrow, not out of doubt, but surprise.
If Huo Ai hadn’t been so respectful to this young man, she might have mistaken him for a wealthy Young Master who had wandered into the wrong venue.
“Please, everyone, have a seat first,” Huo Ai smiled, gesturing to the seats beside her, inviting the guests at the door to sit rather than stand and talk.
Besides Wutang Boss, there were two other guests.
Luo Ye, who was the intermediary between Haijiao and Wutang, and…
“Zhao Han,” Dong Enyu’s gaze darkened as she carefully observed Zhao Han standing beside Wutang Boss.
The woman seemed to have dressed meticulously for the meeting, wearing a sapphire evening gown adorned with rhinestones that accentuated her slender waist, her fair collarbones clearly visible.
Her black-framed glasses were her trademark, and her hair was tied up in a deliberately messy yet orderly style.
If Huo Ai was the queen exuding Asian classical charm, then Zhao Han was the queen radiating European opulence.
Equally matched.
“Who is Dong Enyu? Is she here?” Before taking a seat, Wutang Boss suddenly broke the silence, as if he remembered something.
His demeanor didn’t seem like he was looking for trouble, but simply wanted to see this woman, Dong Enyu.
A chill ran down her spine as everyone’s gaze turned to Dong Enyu.
Huo Ai’s eyes showed no expression, Zhao Han’s gaze was cold, and Luo Ye’s was sharp as a wolf’s…
Even without anyone speaking, Wutang Boss could guess clearly.
“Hello, my surname is Dong, and I am the Dong Enyu you’re looking for.” She introduced herself graciously, taking a step forward, but the Boss didn’t give her face, sitting down directly, leaving Dong Enyu awkwardly caught mid-step.
Was the Boss giving her trouble?
“Enyu, on such a fine day, have the waiter bring a good bottle of wine,” Huo Ai gave Dong Enyu an order as she sat down, also giving her a way out.
Dong Enyu was quite grateful for this, smiling back and walking straight out of the venue until her figure disappeared behind the door, avoiding the overly intense gazes of Luo Ye and Zhao Han.
When Dong Enyu returned with a bottle of Maotai, the atmosphere had noticeably warmed up, with laughter and conversation at the table, though the topics were all off-point, only slightly touching on the main subject after a round of drinks.
Dong Enyu hadn’t touched her chopsticks, only sipping her drink twice, mainly because she had no status to attend this meeting, as Zhao Han’s stern gaze confirmed her thoughts.
Since the food was tasteless, she simply didn’t eat, lest she get in the way of “someone.”
“Oh, if I had known it was a beauty inviting me, I would have agreed long ago.
So, is it a case of meeting too late?” Wutang Boss Di Wei laughed with a roguish air, lacking the steadiness a Boss should have, instead resembling a hotel gigolo, speaking slickly and off-topic, which Dong Enyu found quite distasteful.
She guessed this Boss was probably only eighteen or nineteen.
“It’s not too late, but if you miss this chance, it might really be too late,” Huo Ai said as she opened the briefcase beside her, taking out detailed data and contract documents.
“Whether you can catch the last train depends on your decision.”
Suddenly, the venue fell silent.
The data was spread out in front of Di Wei, with five people seated around the round table, and the number of bodyguards outside… unknown.
Five minutes later, Di Wei had an idea.
He swept the data off the table, scattering the papers, while Huo Ai and Dong Enyu remained expressionless.
“Your asking price is twice as high as others.
How can I cooperate? And why should I trust you? Trust Haijiao?”
An illegal transaction hidden under a legitimate business, how is that substantial?
In Di Wei’s eyes, this was a cowardly approach, which Dong Enyu could understand, but she didn’t agree with the young Boss’s rude behavior of sweeping the data off the table.
“This is the confidence of our Coral Reef Group.
You might think of it this way: we have the assurance of providing goods with twice the quality you usually receive.”
Dong Enyu, merely an assistant, spoke up.
“Oh?” Di Wei rested his chin on his left hand, holding a wine glass in his right, looking skeptical.
“Can you really do it? If you can stabilize the supply, maybe I’ll consider it.” His leather boots stepped on the contract papers, making a rustling sound that was quite grating.
This was no longer just rude, but…
“Of course,” Dong Enyu smiled and nodded, glancing at the crumpled papers underfoot.
Arrogant, Wutang Boss was definitely an arrogant Young Master who didn’t know the heights of the sky.
“Don’t worry, our goods can definitely withstand the test of time,” Huo Ai smiled, easing the atmosphere, drawing the focus back to herself.
She stood up and bowed slightly, politely saying, “You have two days to consider.
If you really don’t like it, you can decline then.
After all, you’ve had quite a bit to drink tonight.
Rest a bit and decide later.
We’ll be waiting for your good news.”
The meeting ended on a sour note, neither good nor bad, but the goal was achieved.
The Wutang Boss, who had been hiding behind the curtains, also showed up.
Although he was just a kid, after leaving the venue, Dong Enyu watched Zhao Han and Di Wei head towards a black sedan.
Since the conversation ended, Zhao Han hadn’t glanced at her once, leaving Dong Enyu puzzled.
She guessed Zhao Han knew the Boss, but didn’t expect their relationship to be beyond her imagination…
Intimate?
“Heh,” a cold laugh escaped her lips as Dong Enyu brushed her wind-tousled hair, recalling how she had previously insisted on meeting the Boss.
How did Zhao Han view her then? Probably as a woman making unreasonable demands, right? The answer was right in front of her, yet so far away.
Reality was indeed cruel.
Dong Enyu stood outside, feeling irritated by the wind, while Huo Ai was still on the phone with He Xuan at the restaurant entrance.
She opened the car door and sat in the front passenger seat.
As soon as she settled in, she heard the sound of the back door opening.
Before she could turn around, a pair of arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind.
“What are you doing?” The momentary surprise faded, and Dong Enyu leaned back in her seat, allowing the person behind to lean close to her ear.
Even without turning, she knew who it was.
The military jacket that never changed, it could only be Luo Ye, no other woman could be so persistent.
As usual, silence.
Luo Ye caressed Dong Enyu’s cheek, smoothing the stray hair by her ear.
“You always knew Zhao Han and the Boss…”
“No,” Luo Ye uncharacteristically interrupted, “I only found out today.”
She clearly stated that she had never hidden this from Dong Enyu, and she only learned about Zhao Han and Wutang Boss’s relationship today.
Perhaps Dong Enyu’s surprise was no less than Luo Ye’s, as they had both been through Wutang, risking their lives for the same Boss.
Dong Enyu shrugged, choosing to believe Luo Ye’s words.
Honestly, even if she doubted, it wouldn’t do any good.
Glancing outside, Huo Ai seemed to be finishing her call.
Dong Enyu shifted, intending to have Luo Ye let go, but the woman suddenly lifted Dong Enyu’s left hand.
The sound of fabric rustling reached her ears, followed by a cool sensation on her wrist, and her eyes were filled with a dazzling piece of jewelry.
“A gift for me?” A vine-shaped silver bracelet, encrusted with countless sparkling diamonds.
Dong Enyu turned her head, only to be intentionally kissed by Luo Ye.
The slightly cool lips overlapped, without any passionate moves, just a kiss.
The warm breath lingered at the corner of her lips, and Dong Enyu squinted her eyes, tilting her head to create some distance from Luo Ye, only to be pulled closer by the woman’s arms, leaving no room for refusal.
“Three million,” a single sentence made Dong Enyu’s heart skip a beat.
The woman showed no outward signs of emotion.
“Thank you, I really like it,” she expressed her gratitude without hesitation.
Luo Ye’s expression was completely hidden under her cap, so Dong Enyu couldn’t tell if she accepted the thanks, but Luo Ye didn’t say much.
She took Dong Enyu’s left hand, now adorned with the bracelet, and placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand before finally letting go.
Looking out from the car window, Luo Ye walked away while Huo Ai approached.
The two passed by each other but didn’t exchange glances.
Were they deliberately avoiding each other? Dong Enyu quietly questioned in her heart, but unfortunately, no one could give her an answer.
After getting in the car, Huo Ai didn’t start the engine immediately.
Instead, she turned to look at Dong Enyu for a moment and said calmly, “What did he say?” Although she was on the phone with He Xuan, it didn’t mean she wasn’t aware of Luo Ye sneaking into the car.
She wanted Dong Enyu to confess what happened during those few minutes behind the tinted windows.
Huo Ai’s calm demeanor intrigued Dong Enyu.
She raised her left hand to show off an expensive bracelet and smiled, “He gave me a gift.” Along with a few perfunctory kisses.
Dong Enyu didn’t intentionally hide anything; she just felt there was no need to provoke Huo Ai.
Whether her answer was accepted by the other woman was unclear, as Huo Ai efficiently started the engine and drove back to the company.
Perhaps the dinner had exhausted Huo Ai, as she didn’t glance at Dong Enyu much along the way, only occasionally freeing her right hand to hold Dong Enyu’s.
In the distance, Dong Enyu could already see the building of Haijiao Headquarters…
“Zhao Han is the Boss’s lover.” Without warning, Huo Ai broke the silence.
Her low, husky voice was so calm that it spared Dong Enyu from being eighty percent surprised.
“Is it credible?” The remaining twenty percent was doubt.
Huo Ai withdrew her right hand from Dong Enyu’s, turned on the indicator, and said softly, “Unless Di Wei intended to deceive me.”
