Chapter 0030 The Spirit of That Moment

Though it was already July, a light rain had fallen tonight, leaving the air slightly damp. The breeze blowing in carried a faint chill. Shen Qingwu rubbed her arms and said, "Green Source Group, Su Wanyue."

Chen Liuhe was momentarily stunned, but then he seemed to recall such a person. A breathtakingly beautiful face surfaced in his mind, and he let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head without saying a word. He had nearly forgotten about this woman.

"Brother, when did you have any connection with Green Source Group, one of the top hundred companies in the country? And it's their general manager, Su Wanyue—the only daughter of Su Weiye—who's been asking around about you," Shen Qingwu asked curiously.

"Heh, we made a deal once, so I guess you could say there's some history," Chen Liuhe said with a smile. "But this woman's pretty persistent. It's been so long, and she's still looking for me?"

Chen Liuhe vaguely remembered how, back at the southwestern border, he had rescued Su Weiye from the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group. Afterward, the father-daughter duo had offered to hire him as a bodyguard, an offer he had bluntly turned down.

He hadn't expected them to still be hung up on it after all this time.

"Brother, since there's a connection, don't you plan to meet her?" Shen Qingwu asked.

"A troublesome woman with her nose in the air—what's there to meet about?" Chen Liuhe replied indifferently.

Shen Qingwu said, "Brother, this Su Wanyue isn't simple. At just twenty-four, she was appointed general manager of Green Source Group. Sure, her father Su Weiye played a role, but you should know that in a conglomerate worth over ten billion, none of the shareholders are pushovers. Su Wanyue's appointment was unanimously approved by the board. The implications of that are worth pondering."

Chen Liuhe took a calm sip of his drink, showing no ripple of emotion. Shen Qingwu continued, "The outside world calls Su Wanyue a prodigy in the business world. Since she took over as general manager, Green Source Group's profits grew by ten percentage points in just one year. It might seem unremarkable, but the higher up you go, the more you realize what that ten percent represents—pure genius!"

"More importantly, Green Source Group has a red background," Shen Qingwu added, leaving it at that.

Chen Liuhe looked at her with a teasing grin. "Little sister, are you trying to get your brother to sell his looks?"

"I know you'll head north to the capital someday, Brother. I just hope you'll have more cards to play," Shen Qingwu said.

Chen Liuhe asked, "So, what do you think my odds are if I go to the capital?"

This time, Shen Qingwu fell silent, her clear, pure eyes flickering with hesitation. After a long pause, she looked up at Chen Liuhe. "I've never doubted that you could stir up a storm in that ancient city, but killing and scheming are two different things. I'm afraid you might not come out unscathed."

Chen Liuhe started laughing, his laughter growing louder. "In the vast land of Yanxia, the number of people who could hold me back wouldn't fill a single hand!" His sudden burst of dominance made Huang Baiwan's heart clench violently. He didn't dare meet Chen Liuhe's gaze and lowered his head deeply.

Shen Qingwu still shook her head quietly. "It's not the same." She never doubted Chen Liuhe's power and had absolute faith in this man who could make even the spoiled elite tremble like he was a venomous snake. But the waters of Yanjing ran too deep—deep enough to swallow a mountain without leaving a ripple.

"Heh, who can say what'll happen years from now?" Chen Liuhe said nonchalantly. He never felt cornered or at a dead end. The road ahead was long, and this game of chess had only just begun!

What Chen Liuhe was truly thinking, or what trump cards he held, no one knew—not even Shen Qingwu, the person closest to him, could fully decipher his thoughts at times.

Shen Qingwu fell silent, Chen Liuhe said nothing more, and Huang Baiwan didn't dare speak. The three of them sat quietly under the night sky in this strange atmosphere…

The next few days passed uneventfully. Chen Liuhe and Huang Baiwan went to work as usual, while Shen Qingwu lived her monotonous life of studying and part-time jobs. There were no grand events or dramatic upheavals.

That day, after dropping Shen Qingwu off at school, Chen Liuhe headed to the entertainment club. After a few days of mingling, he had become like a fish in water there. From department managers to waitresses and escorts, there wasn't a soul Chen Liuhe wasn't familiar with.

Teasing the waitresses in their silk stockings and cheongsams or flirting with the bold escort girls, Chen Liuhe's days were colorful enough.

One morning, after bantering with a moderately attractive waitress, Chen Liuhe returned to his office alone.

He hadn't been sitting long when someone unexpected walked in, catching him slightly off guard.

Zhang Yongfu, a man he'd only met once!

"Heh, what wind blew the ever-busy Boss Zhang to my humble abode? Should I say 'your presence honors my home'?" Chen Liuhe was all smiles and courtesy, stepping out from behind his desk to greet him. Until the masks came off, they were both playing the game.

"Haha, Brother Chen, you're too polite!" Zhang Yongfu laughed heartily, shaking Chen Liuhe's hand with enthusiasm before turning to his lackeys behind him. "What are you following me for? Get out and wait! Do I need to worry about my safety in Brother Chen's place? No manners!"

"Heh, Boss Zhang sure has style—always surrounded by an entourage. Makes a little guy like me jealous," Chen Liuhe said with a grin that didn't reach his eyes.

Zhang Yongfu waved it off. "No choice, Brother Chen. You know how it is in our line of work—more enemies than friends. If you're not careful, you never know when your life might be over."

"Boss Zhang plans ahead and thinks far—admirable," Chen Liuhe nodded repeatedly.

They sat down on the sofa, and Zhang Yongfu continued, "If Brother Chen really likes the feeling of being surrounded, it's simple. Join me, and I'll guarantee you a life of luxury and indulgence every day."

"Boss Zhang, you're joking. I don't have that kind of talent. Forget the luxury and indulgence—I'd be content just living as an ordinary citizen," Chen Liuhe chuckled.

"What a pity—such a waste of talent! For someone like you, Brother Chen, to not flex your skills and make something of yourself—it's practically an insult to your abilities," Zhang Yongfu said, slapping his thigh in exaggerated regret.

Chen Liuhe didn't take the bait, instead steering the conversation elsewhere with a smile. "Boss Zhang, a big shot like you wouldn't visit without a reason, right? What's on your mind?"

"Brother Chen, that's too distant! I was just passing by with nothing to do, so I thought I'd drop in to see you. Oh, and check if that useless son-in-law of mine has been causing trouble lately. I'd hate for him to upset you," Zhang Yongfu said grandly.

Ever since Qin Ruohan transferred twenty percent of the shares to the Black Dragon Society, Zhou Yunkang had made a token appearance at the 'Golden Jade Palace' club, even getting his own office. Chen Liuhe didn't interact with him much—keeping too close on the surface wouldn't do any good. Zhou Yunkang came and went as he pleased, but Chen Liuhe knew the man had reverted to his greedy, lecherous ways. In just a few days, he'd already cycled through several of the club's escorts.

"Heh, Boss Zhang worries too much. Aside from being a bit of a playboy, Zhou's fine. We get along well as colleagues," Chen Liuhe said diplomatically.

"That good-for-nothing—sorry you had to see that, Brother Chen," Zhang Yongfu grumbled. Chen Liuhe waved it off, saying nothing more.

Zhang Yongfu glanced around the office decor and suddenly asked, "Brother Chen, are you satisfied with this office?"

Chen Liuhe sneered inwardly, sensing the real topic was coming, but he kept his face neutral. "Very satisfied."

"Really? From what I hear, Qin Ruohan's office is far more luxurious than this. Don't tell me you're not even a little interested in that position?" Zhang Yongfu asked with a smile.

Chen Liuhe laughed. "Contentment brings happiness."

"Brother Chen, do you know how much pure profit this club makes in a year?" Zhang Yongfu asked. Chen Liuhe looked at him silently, waiting.

Zhang Yongfu answered himself, holding up one finger. "At least this much—ten million!" Staring at Chen Liuhe, he said gravely, "And that's without any shady income. If we brought in some off-the-books stuff, the profits would double at least."

"Let me ask you, how much does Qin Ruohan pay you?" After a pause, Zhang Yongfu sneered, "A hundred thousand? Two hundred thousand? Maybe three?"

Chen Liuhe smiled, still silent, watching Zhang Yongfu perform like it was a one-man show.

"Your measly salary of a few hundred thousand compared to twenty million in profits—it's nothing! Brother Chen, don't tell me you're not tempted at all?" Zhang Yongfu pressed, staring at him.

Chen Liuhe gave a carefree smile, answering honestly, "Of course I'm tempted. Who doesn't like money?"