CHAPTER 195: 186: AH-SHI ASKED ME TO COME OVER TO DISCUSS COOPERATION WITH YOU_3

After a moment.

A man dressed in a black long trench coat followed behind Chen Cai, stepping into the president’s office at an unhurried pace.

His physique was impeccably proportioned, and his looks were exceptionally striking, especially those amber phoenix-shaped eyes hidden behind gold-rimmed glasses.

When he cast a faint glance, it carried an invisible pressure, yet its mysterious allure drew others like moths to a flame, ensnaring them entirely.

Their gazes briefly intersected in the air. Shi Weiqing’s hand tightened around the lighter, but as the man sat down, he nonchalantly moved his fingers across the roller.

"Mr. Shi." Wen Renche subtly took stock of Shi Weiqing, his emotions buried deep, with no visible fluctuations.

He introduced himself briefly, placing the folder in his hand on the table and nudging it forward. "Ah-Shi sent me over to discuss the molybdenum mining collaboration with you."

Upon hearing that nickname again, Shi Weiqing’s mood subtly shifted. Suppressing an inexplicable emotion stirring in his chest, he responded in a low voice: "You’re Zhizhi’s friend?"

Wen Renche nodded, his pale jaw slightly tilting toward the folder, looking every bit businesslike. "This is a provisional contract. If there are any issues, we can revisit them."

He reached into his pocket and retrieved a cigar, striking a match with a sharp hiss. The small flame rose, casting a fiery glow across the glasses perched on his face.

Shi Weiqing glanced away, casually flipping through the document. When his eyes fell on a line indicating the company’s address, his dark pupils flickered briefly.

"Mr. Wen, were you in Australia previously?" He closed the folder, lighting the cigarette pinched between his fingers in a calm, deliberate manner.

In an instant, wisps of greyish-white smoke rose, intertwining in the air, partially veiling the expressions of the two men seated opposite each other.

"Yes. Any concerns?" Wen Renche placed his hands casually at his sides, his gaze coldly fixed on the other, revealing no trace of emotion.

Shi Weiqing silently locked eyes with him for several seconds, before the corner of his lips tugged upward. His long, dark lashes fluttered slightly as he lowered his gaze, stirring faint ripples like scattered light.

He tapped the cigarette gently against the ashtray, flicking off traces of ash. "The molybdenum mining deal isn’t urgent. I’ll reach out to you once things are confirmed."

"Alright." Wen Renche exhaled a stream of smoke, a subtle hint of amusement flickering in his amber eyes.

He rose from his seat, placing a black brocade box on the table. "I almost forgot to give this to Ah-Shi. Could I trouble Mr. Shi to hand it to her?"

With those words, Wen Renche swiftly concluded this brief interaction, lasting no more than ten minutes.

The president’s office fell quiet once more, the lingering smoke in the air yet to dissipate, and the ashtray gained an abrupt trace of residue.

Shi Weiqing glanced toward the doorway, his gaze sinking deeper, dark and bottomless like an abyss, so obscured it seemed unreachable.

He opened the blue brocade box, and as his eyes landed on a priceless blue crystal necklace, a harsh scoff escaped his lips.

*

*

By six o’clock, several street vendors had already gathered at Shengde’s entrance, pushing carts filled with goods ready for sale. After setting up their stalls, they sat on stools chatting away.

The faint hum of their lively chatter reached the black Maybach parked across the street.

The man seated in the driver’s seat threw a casual glance outside, pressing the button to close the window, sealing himself off from the noise.

He lit a cigarette, his gaze shifting repeatedly to the black brocade box. In his mind, the memorable image of that man’s cheerful silhouette as he departed resurfaced.

Despite only a fleeting encounter, though there seemed no trace of affection in the man’s eyes while mentioning the young woman, Shi Weiqing couldn’t help but sense an overwhelming, instinctive threat crashing upon him.

That threat stirred a violent restlessness deep within him, an uncontrollable urge to break free from the cage he had locked himself in.

"Shi Weiqing?"

A clear and distinctive feminine voice suddenly rang in his ears, pulling his scattered thoughts sharply back to reality.

Turning his head, he found himself facing an enlarged face.

"Why are you ignoring me?" Yu Zhi asked, her puzzled eyes fixed on him.

From the moment she had gotten into the car and taken the passenger seat, she had called out to him at least three or four times, yet he seemed utterly absorbed in his thoughts, lost in a trance.

Shi Weiqing gently stroked her cheek, his gaze darkening like ink, becoming increasingly profound.

He cupped the back of her head, saying nothing, and pressed his lips to hers, fiercely drawing warmth from the softness he so desperately sought at that moment.

Only when his mouth flooded with that familiar sweet fragrance did he finally feel like he had come alive again.