Chapter 25: The King of Plum Blossoms

The meeting with He Shengyuan took place as scheduled, set in a restaurant on Xiaotan Mountain, with an entire floor reserved.

Chen Wan was the first to arrive, though it wasn’t his event, but he always preferred to be fully prepared.

Some people from the other side had also arrived, all seasoned players in the world of business and social climbing, quickly warming up the atmosphere before the main characters arrived.

Surprisingly, Zhao Shengge was the first among the main guests to arrive, but he didn’t come early—he was punctual and alone.

Noticing the absence of Tan Youming and Shen Zongnian, Chen Wan stepped forward to greet him and introduced the present guests to him.

Zhao Shengge shook hands with each of them.

Among these people were friends of He Shengyuan and industry veterans, none of them were insignificant, all poised to play crucial roles in tonight’s semi-social, semi-negotiation meeting.

The guests noticed that the rumored powerful scion of the Minglong Group, or rather, the current head, was not as aloof and unapproachable as they had imagined, but much younger and more handsome than they had thought.

After exchanging greetings, Zhao Shengge turned to look at Chen Wan.

Chen Wan had just raised his glass in a distant toast and turned around to meet Zhao Shengge’s composed gaze.

“Mr. Zhao,” he greeted him with a smile.

Chen Wan was happy. It had been some time since their last meeting during the dinner with Shi Zhangmin, and Chen Wan had thought of Zhao Shengge many times.

During the late nights in Central, when the last departing ship blew its horn, when both body and mind seemed to reach their limits, sending out signals of distress, Chen Wan would think of Zhao Shengge.

Every time he saw Zhao Shengge in person, he felt as if his body would automatically produce light, cheerful bubbles.

But he quickly remembered his situation and the fact that the atmosphere at their last dinner wasn’t particularly pleasant, so his excitement quickly subsided.

Zhao Shengge noticed that Chen Wan, usually sociable and charming, had become slightly reserved, appearing gentle and humble, yet still reserved.

It was starkly different from the description in the secretary’s report, as if they were not the same person.

So, what sort of person was Chen Wan?

Zhao Shengge felt like he was meeting him for the first time.

Every time he observed, scrutinized, and analyzed Chen Wan, he would get many wrong answers. Zhao Shengge’s seemingly subtle observations and scrutiny failed to capture even a fraction of the real Chen Wan, but they fully revealed his own indecisiveness and lack of understanding.

Nevertheless, Zhao Shengge didn’t quite agree with this approach. He stepped closer to Chen Wan, but before he could say anything, Shen Zongnian, Tan Youming, and He Shengyuan entered together, having met downstairs.

Zhao Shengge had to go and shake hands with them, during which he glanced back at Chen Wan.

Chen Wan sensed that Zhao Shengge’s gaze was somewhat serious, recalling the misunderstanding during the last dinner with Shi Zhangmin, so he stayed very restrained throughout the evening, trying to keep a low profile.

Occasionally, Zhao Shengge would glance towards the corner, only to see a black-haired head turned away, talking to others.

Chen Wan’s back of the head was quite round.

Round heads, always stubborn.

The discussions went relatively smoothly. Although He Shengyuan had established his roots in Haishi, he had plans to shift his main focus to new routes in Northern Europe in recent years. Building good relations with the Zhao and Shen families could reduce future worries.

He Shengyuan was in high spirits. These young masters were not as difficult to deal with as he had imagined. Halfway through the drinks, he called over some young men and women to accompany and entertain, without any overly vulgar activities, just playing bridge, dice, and drinking to liven things up.

Even Chen Wan had a beautiful girl sitting next to him. This was not a situation where he could refuse, and He Shengyuan was not someone he could refuse.

The waitstaff had cleared the dining table, transforming it into a card table.

Chen Wan was eager to take on the role of a tea-serving assistant, but Tan Youming slipped an arm around his shoulder and whispered, "Tonight, you’ll have to be the 'good cop.' I can’t rely on Zhao Shengge and Shen Zongnian to play the part." Tan Youming was practically beside himself with worry.

Chen Wan chuckled and agreed.

Though it wasn’t a formal negotiation, it was still a business deal. On the surface, it was calm, but beneath it, tensions were brewing. It wouldn’t be right for Zhao Shengge and Shen Zongnian to play the 'good cop,' as it would weaken their position.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have brought so many people into this.

The dealer dealt the cards, and Tan Youming was thrilled. The first round went exactly as he’d hoped, letting him push the opponent’s limits.

Unexpectedly, He Shengyuan also burst into laughter. He liked Chen Wan and, holding an unlit cigarette, motioned for him to sit down, saying cheerfully, "This is like a storm brewing in a teacup." Chen Wan was going to play against Zhao Shengge, and it promised to be an interesting show.

Chen Wan smiled and, without hesitation, took a seat next to He Shengyuan.

A young man sat next to Zhao Shengge, who gave him a casual glance but didn’t object.

Chen Wan and Zhao Shengge had played together before but never against each other.

Zhao Shengge sat across from Chen Wan. In the haze of smoke around them, he was the only one not lighting up. He glanced at Chen Wan and casually signaled for him to begin.

Chen Wan scrutinized his cards, not planning to hold back. Phoning it in would be an insult to He Shengyuan. Moreover, Zhao Shengge’s card skills matched his own, and Chen Wan had to stay sharp to compete.

As Chen Wan pondered his cards, he accidentally brushed against someone's shoe under the table, very lightly. He reflexively drew his leg back a bit.

After a few cards were played, the tablecloth moved again, and he accidentally brushed against someone's pant leg, even though he had been very careful.

The leg that was brushed against seemed to twitch in response.

Chen Wan couldn't see it, but he could feel that it was a long leg, accidentally touching his ankle and calf, very lightly and fleetingly.

Chen Wan felt both sorry and awkward, so he straightened his legs, vowing not to repeat the mistake.

However, his ankle and calf were very sensitive areas, and that feather-light touch sent a shiver through his nerves, leaving his whole leg tingling.

A spectator gently reminded him, "Chen Wan, it’s your move."

Chen Wan snapped back to attention and looked up.

Zhao Shengge watched him quietly and slid a King of Clubs his way.

Chen Wan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately focused on playing his card.

This round was still won by Zhao Shengge, though he hadn't played aggressively. Compared to their last game at sea, he was practically being kind.

He Shengyuan leaned over to count Chen Wan's lost cards and joked, "Chen Wan, it seems like you're physically here but mentally elsewhere."

Chen Wan just smiled and shook his head, saying, "I'm simply outmatched. I concede defeat."

Having lost, he was responsible for shuffling the cards.

Midway through, Zhao Shengge took out his phone to check and reply to a message.

A card slipped from Chen Wan's fingers and fell to the ground. He softly apologized and bent down to pick it up.

Zhao Shengge was looking down and probably didn't hear him.

As Chen Wan bent down, he saw that the fallen card was a King of Clubs. He wondered if it was the same King of Clubs Zhao Shengge had used to turn the tables on him earlier.

The image of Charlemagne on the card shimmered faintly under the tablecloth, while the legs of the guests assumed various postures beneath it.

Even among the equally refined suit pants and black leather shoes, the pair of legs directly opposite stood out remarkably.

A pair of long, slightly bent legs, laid-back yet still dignified, encased in black suit pants. The folds around the thigh area hinted at the strength and resilience of the leg muscles, exuding a commanding presence akin to their owner.

The straight trouser legs revealed a section of black socks, wrapping around prominent ankles and extending into polished black leather shoes, showing a careful mix of restraint and sexiness.

This person's shoes and pants were not the most expensive at the scene, but they were the most eye-catching, the most tempting to reach out and touch...

What would it feel like to be touched by such legs? To be stepped on? What kind of thrill would that bring...

Chen Wan felt a rush of heat, thinking he was crazy and feeling embarrassed. He fought to rein in his wandering thoughts and sat up straight.

Even by the second round of dealing, he was still overthinking. Based on the position, distance, and tactile sensation, it was unlikely that he had accidentally touched...

It was good that it wasn't.

His distraction almost made him deal the wrong card, but his quick recovery went unnoticed. Zhao Shengge suddenly looked up, his gaze calm and gentle, causing Chen Wan's heart to skip a beat. Chen Wan pushed aside his jumbled thoughts and focused on dealing the cards.

Although the stakes on the table weren’t high, businessmen cared a lot about good luck.

From the second round, He Shengyuan sat right next to Chen Wan, acting as his strategist.

He was really into the game. Although Chen Wan didn’t go easy in the first round, he still lost, feeling somewhat embarrassed. He occasionally chimed in, respecting He Shengyuan’s advice when playing cards.

He Shengyuan was probably from Xiguan, speaking fast with slang that Chen Wan couldn’t quite catch, so he had to lean in and guess.

They sat side by side, both furrowing their brows as they studied the cards.

Zhao Shengge ditched the gentle approach from the first round, going all out aggressively. That same King of Clubs, fierce and dangerous, devoured the points Chen Wan had painstakingly accumulated.

Chen Wan shot Zhao Shengge a puzzled look. He knew the other was playing the villain, but this was too much.

The kind player from before had turned into a ruthless demon, leaving Chen Wan totally unprepared.

Zhao Shengge was now looking down at his cards. The young boy sitting next to him handed him a soft drink, which Zhao Shengge accepted without refusal, taking a sip. The boy’s lips curled into a pleased smile.