Chapter 19: The Defeated Opponent

Beijing Suburbs Summit, VIP lounge area.

Shen Yanhui had just finished exchanging pleasantries with a few officials when someone else walked toward him.

The person approaching was Wang Dong, the president of Jingzhou Bank; he held a wine glass and said with a smile, "Mr. Shen, it has been a while."

Shen Yanhui gave a slight nod, "Chairman Wang."

Wang Dong: "Regarding the matter of the Southern City Technology Park last time, I really owe it to your mediation."

"You are too kind, Chairman Wang." Shen Yanhui's expression was indifferent, neither overly warm nor lacking in courtesy.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, and Wang Dong's gaze shifted to Gu Chen, who was conversing with someone not far away, and he took the opportunity to say, "As it happens, that young man from the Gu Family is also here. He has unique insights into the emerging technology sector, and I have always wanted to introduce the two of you."

Shen Yanhui's gaze followed.

Gu Chen happened to finish his conversation and turned around; their gazes met briefly in the air.

Gu Chen had naturally heard of Shen Yanhui. The actual helmsman of the Shen Family, cold and firm in his methods, sparing with words, and rumored to be extremely difficult to approach.

Now that the person himself stood before him, he appeared even more composed than the rumors suggested, and possessed an even greater invisible pressure.

Gu Chen composed himself and stepped forward steadily. Chairman Wang introduced them with a smile: "President Gu, this is Mr. Shen Yanhui."

"Mr. Shen, I have long admired you." Gu Chen reached out, his posture steady.

Shen Yanhui's gaze fell upon his face and paused for a moment.

Immediately, he extended his hand and shared a brief handshake with Gu Chen. His fingertips were slightly cool, and his grip was firm.

"President Gu." He spoke in a languid voice.

He is not as completely unapproachable as the rumors say, but it only goes as far as etiquette, Gu Chen thought to himself.

Wang Dong smiled as he looked Gu Chen over, his tone as familiar as if speaking to his own nephew: "Busy as you are, is everything well at home? How is your sister? That girl is so eccentric; the last time I saw her was at her grandfather's birthday banquet, and she has become even more elegant."

Mentioning Gu Yan, the stern lines on Gu Chen's face softened noticeably, and a helpless yet indulgent smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

"Everything is well. She cannot sit still; she just went to Yunqi Jian a few days ago, saying she wanted to go into seclusion."

Yunqi Jian.

Shen Yanhui raised his eyes, picked up a wine glass from a waiter's tray, and took a light sip.

She runs off after stirring things up; she certainly knows how to pick a place.

Wang Dong nodded with a smile, "That is a good place, with beautiful mountains and clear waters, suitable for quiet recuperation. The young lady has a good eye."

Gu Chen: "I let her be. In any case, with the old butler and reliable people looking after her, the family is at ease."

"It is a good thing for young people to have their own ideas," Chairman Wang laughed, naturally steering the topic away slightly, "Unlike us old fellows, who follow the rules."

He turned to Shen Yanhui, as if asking casually: "Mr. Shen, wouldn't you agree?"

Shen Yanhui withdrew his gaze and gave a faint "Mm."

Wang Dong was incredibly perceptive; seeing that he had no intention of a deep conversation, he said a few more polite things with a smile and then left on the pretext that someone was looking for him.

The corner became quiet for a moment.

Just as Gu Chen was about to take his leave, Shen Yanhui suddenly spoke: "I heard that the Gu Corporation recently made a breakthrough in data fusion algorithms for autonomous driving road testing."

Gu Chen felt slightly surprised. This project belonged to the core research and development scope of the Gu Corporation and had not been publicized in a high-profile manner.

"Mr. Shen is well-informed. It is still in the verification stage; I would not dare call it a breakthrough."

Shen Yanhui: "You are being modest. We should cooperate if there is an opportunity."

Gu Chen: "It would be an honor."

He had originally taken it as a mere pleasantry, but who would have thought that the very next day, people from the Shen Corporation would come to visit to discuss the specific details of the cooperation.

After Gu Chen left, Shen Yanhui called out in a low voice: "Chang Su."

Chang Su immediately stepped forward, "Sir."

"Was the invitation from the Jingxi Ecological Management Bureau declined?"

"Yes," Chang Su received such invitations almost every month, and according to the master's usual practice, they were naturally to be declined, "Does Sir have a question?"

Shen Yanhui: "Tell them I will go personally."

Chang Su nodded in agreement.

If he had been a little surprised at first, by now he was completely unperturbed.

It was surely for that young lady of the Gu Family again.

——

Gu Yan and Lin Wei came to the forest park again.

"I refuse to believe we won't see it today!" Lin Wei gripped her binoculars, full of fighting spirit.

Gu Yan followed slowly behind her, smiling: "Your persistence regarding the crested ibis is truly touching."

"This is called seeing things through to the end!" Lin Wei did not look back, expertly turning toward the wetland area indicated by the staff where the crested ibis might inhabit, "Keep up!"

"You go ahead, I will just walk around." Gu Yan stopped in her tracks.

She was spontaneous.

Watching birds was a matter of fate, and so was taking a walk.

Lin Wei did not force her, waved her hand, and soon disappeared into the depths of the forest path.

Gu Yan chose another fork in the road; the sunlight filtered through the towering dawn redwoods, casting dappled light, and the air held the fresh scent of soil and decaying leaves.

It was very quiet.

There was only the sound of birds and her own footsteps.

She walked aimlessly until she saw an open, gentle slope; below the slope was a shallow stream with a clear bottom, flowing with a gurgling sound.

Memories of her childhood welled up; she walked to the side of the stream and sat down, imitating her childhood self by taking off her shoes, throwing them aside casually, and dipping her feet into the slightly cool stream water.

She kicked the water, splashing it up.

The shoe that had tipped over to the side fell into the stream with a "plop," and the current immediately swept it away.

Gu Yan tilted her head to look; the shoe had already drifted a few paces away, slowly spinning in a small whirlpool.

She sighed and simply kicked the other shoe, which hadn't been washed away, into the water as well.

Might as well, she didn't want either of them.

She closed her eyes and leaned back slightly, letting the wind kiss her cheeks. In her mind, those chaotic lines seemed to have gained vitality.

Sunlight fell through the forest, landing on her.

Her posture was languid, like a cat basking in the sun.

Shen Yanhui thought.

He walked a few steps closer and spoke lazily, "Isn't the water cold?"

Hearing the familiar voice, Gu Yan opened her eyes and turned her head, and sure enough, she saw her "defeated opponent."

The corners of her mouth curved up, "Shen Yanhui, are you Doraemon? Do you carry an Anywhere Door in your pocket? How are you everywhere?"

Shen Yanhui walked over slowly, looking down at her from above.

"Someone provoked me and then snuck off here to hide; what do you say I should do to punish her?"

Gu Yan tilted her head, feigning thought, "How about we don't punish her?"

Pushing her luck.

Shen Yanhui let out a low laugh, "Not punishing her is fine, but... you have to let me collect some benefits, right?"

Gu Yan's eyes shifted, and she reached out a hand toward him, "Then carry me up."

Shen Yanhui didn't move.

"Didn't you see my shoes got washed away by the water? How am I supposed to go back like this?"

Of course he had seen them; in the small pool not far away, her two shoes were just floating there.

Gu Yan's outstretched hand remained in mid-air; seeing he didn't react, she didn't pull it back, but instead shook it, urging, "Hurry up, the water is cold."

Arrogant and entitled, as if ordering him to do things was only natural.

Shen Yanhui finally moved.

He bent down, his arms passing under her knees and behind her back, and with a slight exertion of force, he lifted her up steadily.

Gu Yan let out a low, soft cry, subconsciously wrapping her arms around his neck.

Stream water slid off her ankles, dripping onto his polished leather shoes and spreading into dark, wet marks.

Shen Yanhui seemed not to notice, turning while holding her and stepping onto the gentle slope.

Gu Yan patted his arm, "Alright, you've collected your benefits, put me down now."

A classic case of crossing the river and burning the bridge, performed to perfection.

"However, if you could pick up my shoes too, then you would be the... in this world..."

The most handsome man...

Before she could finish her sentence, Shen Yanhui walked away while holding her.

"Hey, my shoes!"

"Forget them, we'll buy a new pair."

Capitalists certainly have the confidence to speak like that; those shoes were a limited edition she had waited a long time to snag, with only two pairs in the entire world.