Capítulo 69: Chapter 69: A Fateful Connection That Can't Be Shaken Off
"Based on the current evidence, there are numerous doubts surrounding your son's case. I can't identify the murderer yet, nor can I definitively categorize this as a homicide."
"Oh? So, it seems there's been some progress?" Huang Boyuan asked keenly as he casually picked up his teacup.
I refrained from answering hastily because I was likely the only person in Jiangcheng who knew that Huang Guanxing's death was tied to the Hell Show. As one of the hosts of that show, it is my greatest secret. Even if the name Hell Show were ever exposed, it could never come from my lips.
"You're hesitating—are you thinking of something? Could it be that the killer's identity is too sensitive for you to speak freely?" The conversation had only just begun, yet I already felt overshadowed by Huang Boyuan's aura. This man had been navigating the business world for decades; he had likely encountered more schemes than I could ever imagine. "Let me be clear: Qianding Pharmaceuticals is behind you. No one in Jiangcheng would dare to trouble you."
"Your company is indeed a commercial giant in Jiangcheng, but I doubt it's omnipotent." I couldn't let myself follow his lead. Doing so would only allow him to steer the conversation and rob me of any initiative.
"I didn't come here today to discuss the cause of Huang Guanxing's death. I'm here to talk about a business proposition."
"A business proposition?" Huang Boyuan laughed as he glanced at the clock on the wall. "You've got eight minutes."
His words carried a clear hint of disdain. The subtext was obvious: You, a small-time adult shop owner, think you're qualified to negotiate with me, the chairman of a listed company?
I caught the subtle contempt but didn't let it get to me. I calmly placed my insulated cup on the table and unscrewed the lid.
As the lid opened, a rich, intoxicating aroma of wine filled the room.
"Good wine!" Even Huang Boyuan, who had tasted fine wines from across the country, was visibly impressed. His eyes lit up.
From the moment I entered, he had been reclining in his chair. But as soon as the fragrance wafted toward him, he instinctively leaned forward and sat upright.
"Now we're getting somewhere." I pushed the insulated cup toward him. "Take a drop and try it."
"Who drinks wine by the drop?" He chuckled, retrieving a set of ceramic cups from a decorative shelf.
Clearly, he was a wine enthusiast. He poured two small cups, then brought one close to his nose. "Fragrant but not overwhelming, mellow but not harsh."
He brought the cup to his lips, intending to savor it slowly. Yet this small cup seemed to have a strange power; the moment the liquid touched his lips, his body reacted instinctively, and he drained the entire cup in one gulp.
"This wine is dangerously enchanting—it's irresistible." After savoring the flavor in his mouth, he glanced at the other cup, which was meant for me.
Judging from his expression, it was clear he didn't want to part with it.
"Take your time, Huang. Savor it slowly. This wine is brewed with a variety of medicinal herbs and offers significant health benefits," I reminded him.
My words brought his attention to the warm sensation spreading through his abdomen. He closed his eyes to enjoy it fully, and when he opened them again, five minutes had passed.
"This wine is extraordinary!" Although Huang Boyuan was physically robust, he had lingering issues with poor blood circulation in his legs due to an old injury. After sitting for long periods, he would often feel soreness. Yet after just one cup of this wine, the poor circulation seemed to have cleared, as if countless gentle hands were massaging his meridians.
His eyes greedily fixed on the insulated cup before him. A simple $10 thermos from a street stall had transformed into a coveted treasure due to its contents.
"How much for this wine? Name your price!" His tone was eager.
Internally, I chuckled. Even the slyest fox can't outwit a good hunter.
Calmly, I smiled and raised one finger. "One thousand per drop, ten thousand per mouthful!"
The exorbitant price brought him back to his senses. As a seasoned businessman, he instinctively began evaluating its worth. "That's too expensive. Even nationally reserved wines cost about the same."
"Nationally reserved wines might be accessible if you pull the right strings and spend enough money. But this wine? It's one of a kind. I'm the only person who can supply it."
I closed the insulated cup and held it in my hand. "Besides, I'm not planning to sell it. I'm here to propose a collaboration."
"What kind of collaboration?"
"I'll provide the raw brew, and you'll analyze its composition. Once the wine is successfully developed, it will become one of your company's flagship products."
"You want to sell the recipe?" Huang Boyuan couldn't hide his interest. The depth of Chinese wine culture meant that a product like this would have limitless potential.
"Name your terms."
"I want 50% of the profits," I stated firmly.
"That's a big ask. I'll be contributing the technology, resources, and distribution channels. You're just providing the formula, yet you want 50%?"
He retrieved a stack of documents from his drawer. After an hour of back-and-forth negotiation, we reached a basic agreement: I would supply the raw brew, and once the wine was successfully developed, I would receive 10% of the total profits.
It might have seemed like I was getting the short end of the deal, but in reality, I was reaping rewards without much effort—just half a bottle of raw brew.
As we were about to sign the agreement, a voice came from outside the door. "Chairman Huang, your next appointment has been waiting for a while."
"Tell them to wait. I'm in the middle of an important deal," Huang replied dismissively.
Before his voice had even faded, a woman's voice rang out. "Your company is awfully arrogant! We've been waiting in the reception area for an entire hour. Are you deliberately trying to humiliate Jiangjin Realty?"
"Miss Jiang, Chairman Huang is indeed meeting with an important guest right now. You cannot go in at the moment."
"And you think I'll just wait because you said so? I'd like to see what kind of guest is so important that Chairman Huang ignores an appointment and leaves Jiangjin Realty waiting in the lobby for an hour!" After saying this, she was about to push the door open when another woman's voice interrupted.
"Feifei, stop! Chairman Huang must be meeting with someone important. Don't interrupt him."
"Sis, we've already been waiting for an hour! I think Huang Boyuan is doing this on purpose to make things difficult and doesn't want to see you." With that, she forcefully pushed open the office door.
The faint aroma of wine still lingered in the room. Seeing no alternative, Secretary Zhang led the two women inside.
"Chairman Huang, the project manager from Jiangjin Realty and Miss Jiang Fei are here."
Hearing the name Jiang Fei, I felt an immediate wave of irritation. Why is she everywhere I go? This thread of fate tying us together really won't let go, will it?
"Let me see who your important guest is. Tsk, tsk, what a unique fashion sense!"
Jiang Fei was about to walk over when the other woman suddenly recognized me. Her surprised voice rang out, "Gao Jian?!"
That voice was all too familiar.
"Ye Bing?"
Turning around, I was met with an awkward scene.
"It's you! The man who bullied me at the bank!" Jiang Fei exclaimed, covering her mouth. "Sis-in-law, the mysterious man I met at the bank that day—it's him!"
Ye Bing appeared even more shocked. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't have imagined that Huang Boyuan's important guest would be me.
In her mind, I should still be idling away my days in some adult shop, just scraping by. But reality had dealt her a harsh slap.
The person she regarded as a useless nobody was now a valued guest of Huang Boyuan. For the sake of discussing business with me, he had broken an appointment, leaving her and Jiang Fei waiting for an hour.
Forcing a smile, Ye Bing looked at me in astonishment and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I was just discussing something with Chairman Huang." The deal was essentially finalized, so I placed the thermos on Huang Boyuan's desk and extended my hand to him. "If this venture succeeds, I'll bring even better things in the future."
Huang Boyuan stood up and shook my hand. "Pleasure working with you. Qianding Pharmaceuticals won't let you down."
With business concluded, I turned to leave, walking away without a second glance at Ye Bing or Jiang Fei.
"Hey, wait a minute." Ye Bing was still reeling from the shock, but it was Jiang Fei who chased after me, following me all the way to the end of the corridor.
"So your name is Gao Jian, huh?" She caught up with me in her high heels, slightly out of breath.
"Miss Jiang, we're not acquainted. Please keep your distance from me." Standing by the elevator, I waited for it to arrive. Jiang Fei, whether intentionally or not, stood unusually close to me. I could feel her warm breath on the back of my neck.
The ticklish sensation made me instinctively step away from her.
"Am I really that scary?" Jiang Fei widened her eyes at me. Today, she wore only light makeup. Though her outfit wasn't as daring as it was at the bank, her stunning figure made even a simple business suit exude an indescribable allure.
I ignored her completely, focused solely on getting into the elevator and leaving as quickly as possible.
Estado de energía semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Piedra de
Poder