Chapter 43: Inviting Luosha

A car identical to Lu Chen's Rolls-Royce slowly pulled up to the entrance of Sun Manor.

Steward Zhao stepped forward, opened the car door, and held the frame.

Luosha, in a red dress and holding a clutch, stepped out of the car with a smile.

"Old Sun, why did you come out? I could have just gone in myself."

Luosha glanced at Lu Chen, a charming smile on her face, and took two steps forward to take hold of Old Sun's other arm.

"You calling me over this time, surely you aren't planning to introduce me to..."

Luosha's gaze once again drifted past Old Sun and landed on Lu Chen.

Her gaze seemed to carry a hint of playfulness, mixed with something indistinct and hard to define.

"You girl, being pushy again. Rest assured, this time I'm just introducing young Lu to you so you can get to know each other. As for..."

Old Sun chuckled, his body paused, he lowered his cane to pat Luosha's arm, and cast a glance at Lu Chen.

He picked up his cane again, slowed his pace, and then continued.

"Let's go, let's sit in the reception hall and chat. Young Lu, follow along."

Lu Chen silently glanced at Steward Wang, who was helping by the car, and Old Hou, who seemed to be conversing with Steward Zhao.

He straightened his suit, then followed beside Old Sun, a faint smile on his face, though a flash of gravity crossed his eyes.

He did not speak to join the conversation, but walked silently, only his hand tightening slightly.

"Girl, since you and Lu Chen know each other, I won't over-introduce you."

After returning to the reception hall, Old Sun sat in the main seat and tossed a Cigar to Lu Chen, while in front of Luosha, lady's cigarettes and some pastries and fruits had already been laid out.

"Old man that I am, I'm getting on in years, so I won't chat with you young people. You wouldn't be comfortable with me here anyway. I'm going to go check on my little darlings."

Old Sun looked at the two of them with a smile, stood up, and walked toward the backyard, leaning on his cane.

"People, you know, once you get old, you just can't sit still."

Not until Old Sun closed the wooden door of the reception hall did the entire space seem to freeze the moment the door shut.

Sunlight shone through the window onto the wooden floor; it wasn't glaring, but instead illuminated the specks of dust in the air, drifting with the breeze.

"It seems you haven't opened the letter I gave you yet. Why, are you looking to get involved in the Nitan now?"

Luosha stood up, walked with elegant steps, took the coffee pot from the side bar, poured a cup of coffee for Lu Chen, and placed it in front of him.

She poured one for herself, set the coffee pot on the coffee table, took a cigarette from the pack, lit it, sat back on the sofa, and crossed her legs.

After slowly exhaling the smoke, her eyes held a hint of playfulness, and her face still wore a charming smile.

"The coffee is very good."

Lu Chen picked up the coffee, took a sip, and shrugged his shoulders.

He resumed preheating the Cigar, his movements still fluid without the slightest pause, though his slightly shaking leg instantly went still.

It seemed even his body stiffened slightly as he looked up at Luosha.

A smile hung on Luosha's exquisite face, her eyes seemed to carry a hint of appreciation and a touch of complexity, her movements elegant.

She looked just like a young girl with no strength to truss a chicken.

"It's just that I didn't expect Old Sun to invite Miss Luosha over directly."

The smile on Luosha's face did not change, only her eyebrows arched a bit more beautifully; her hand holding the cigarette paused slightly, and she took another slow drag.

Her deep red nail polish reflected the light slightly, and her every movement was extremely elegant.

"Then don't you want to open it and see? Who knows, there might be an unexpected surprise?"

Her tone seemed to carry a hint of seduction, yet it was also as refreshing as a spring breeze, scratching at Lu Chen's ear.

"It's not the right time for the letter."

Lu Chen's hand preheating the Cigar paused slightly, nearly scorching the wrapper, so he immediately resumed heating the Cigar evenly.

Not until he finished preheating the Cigar, took a puff, slowly exhaled the smoke, and took another sip of coffee, did he lean back on the sofa.

He adopted a rather lazy posture, resting his arm on the armrest and crossing his legs.

The smile on his face seemed somewhat stiff, but after slightly shifting his expression, he put the smile back on.

A flash of gravity crossed his eyes.

"Miss Luosha, I invited you here today specifically for the matter of the Nitan."

"Then, Mr. Lu Chen, what is it you want to do in the Nitan?"

Luosha was slightly taken aback, a flash of surprise crossed her eyes, the corners of her mouth lifted, and she shifted her crossed legs to the other side.

She took an elegant drag of her cigarette, cleared her throat, and then spoke in a cold, clear voice.

Her voice seemed to carry a hint of satisfaction, and her tone rose just a tiny bit.

"I have no intention of being an enemy to all of Xianggang, but the Nitan is indeed very important to my plan."

Lu Chen withdrew his previous lazy posture, and his whole demeanor became serious.

His eyes held a glimmer of light, his tone was firm and powerful, and though slightly hoarse, it remained steady.

He uncrossed his legs, leaned his whole body forward, and looked up at Luosha.

"The Nitan has been chaotic for too long... My plan is to build a factory... to give those small-time thugs a place to settle down and make a living. As for your plans, I don't care, nor will I participate. We can maintain the status quo."

Lu Chen puffed on his Cigar while describing his blueprint, his hands gesturing in the air from time to time.

His tone remained steady throughout, with very little fluctuation.

During Lu Chen's explanation, Luosha rested her chin on her palm, and something seemed to be flowing between her beautiful eyes.

Not until Lu Chen finished speaking did Luosha uncross her legs and lean her body forward as well.

"Mr. Lu, that is a very bold choice. But do you understand the Nitan?"

Luosha relit her cigarette, then leaned back into the sofa and crossed her legs once more.

Her head was supported by her palm, revealing a small, bright red earring hanging from her fair earlobe.

"I have already said, I will not interfere in your affairs; as for how to achieve it, isn't that your business, Miss Luosha?"

Lu Chen's lips curled up slightly, he crushed the Cigar with force, took a sip of coffee, and pulled out another Cigar to preheat it.

"As compensation, twenty percent of the future shares will be yours."

Lu Chen did not look up, but spoke in a low, hoarse voice.

"I will not cause you any trouble; settling in any other region of Xianggang does not have as much potential as in Nitan."

Luosha still wore a smile on her face and did not immediately agree or refuse.

Instead, she just watched Lu Chen like that, silently smoking her cigarette.

Her red lips gently exhaled a pale blue mist of smoke, and the entire reception room fell into silence.

Only the sound of Luosha inhaling and the sizzling sound of Lu Chen's Zippo lighter preheating the Cigar remained.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

A knock on the door interrupted the silence between the two; after a few minutes, Butler Zhao pushed open the heavy wooden door.

"Mr. Lu, Miss Luo, the master has prepared lunch for you both."

Butler Zhao bowed slightly and spoke softly.

"Shall we go, Miss Luosha?"

Lu Chen nodded slightly and let out a sigh of relief.

He stood up, letting his stiff body loosen up a little.

He bowed, making a gesture of invitation.

Luosha rolled her eyes at Lu Chen, stood up, and walked directly toward the dining room.

"Mr. Lu, I have to say your proposal is very interesting, but..."

Luosha paused slightly and spoke softly beside Lu Chen.

Before finishing her sentence, she continued walking with an elegant gait.

Lu Chen was slightly stunned, his lips curled up slightly, and he stretched before slowly following behind Luosha.