Chapter 03
As Shen Minglou pushed open the door, the first thing that caught his eye was Qin Zhichen standing by the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the busy commercial district. Qin Zhichen taken off his suit jacket, revealing a black vest over a white shirt.
"Hello, Mr. Qin," Shen Minglou greeted.
Upon hearing Shen Minglou's greeting, Qin Zhichen stood up and personally pulled out a chair for him to sit.
"Please, have a seat."
In person, Qin Zhichen was even more stunning than his photos. His sharp eyebrows and narrow phoenix eyes, along with his prominent nose and naturally upturned mouth corners when not smiling, contrasted with his healthy tanned skin. Paired with the shirt he was wearing, he looked efficient and charismatic.
Shen Minglou looked at him in silence for a moment before sitting down. "Thank you, Mr. Qin..."
"You're welcome," Qin Zhichen replied as he returned to his seat. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his well-toned forearms.
He handed a menu to Shen and asked, "What would you like to eat?"
Shen Minglou politely smiled and said, "Anything is fine, I'm not picky. Just order according to your taste."
However, Qin Zhichen did not want to indulge Shen Minglou or accept his courtesy. He flipped through his menu and said in a soft tone, "Even if you're not picky, everyone has their favorite dishes. Just pick what you usually like."
"This meal is my treat, so please don't hold back."
Turning a page in the menu, Qin Zhichen looked at Shen Minglou with his narrow eyes. "This hotel is the best in B City, and its culinary skills are widely acknowledged."
With Qin Zhichen's words, Shen Minglou had no choice but to agree, "Alright..."
It was Shen Minglou's first time at this place, and the menu in his hands felt heavy, with a leather-bound cover. As he flipped through the pages, he found the imported seafood section on the first page.
After browsing a few more pages, he felt a pang in his heart at the prices but was also eager to try them – after all, Qin Zhichen was treating him to dinner.
He could at least enjoy a little.
Qin Zhichen sat across from him, seemingly focused on choosing dishes but actually keeping a close eye on Shen Minglou. Seeing Shen flip through the menu without making a choice, Qin took the initiative, "Do you have any dietary restrictions?"
Shen replied, "None."
"Then let's start with their seafood dishes," Qin suggested.
He continued, "I heard from Shen Shanhe that your mother is from C City."
Shen Minglou was slightly surprised to hear Shen Shanhe bring up his mother and even mention her hometown.
"Yes, my mother is from C City," he replied.
Qin Zhichen pondered for a moment, "C City is by the sea, with a focus on braising and steaming dishes. How about trying a signature dish from C City?"
Shen Minglou's heart was filled with a mixture of surprise and apprehension upon hearing Qin's suggestion. He was pleased that Qin remembered to inquire about his mother's hometown on their first meeting, a level of thoughtfulness that few people showed.
Yet, he was also wary as it was their first encounter and Qin seemed overly prepared to deal with him.
Wasn't this too much for a first meeting?
Suppressing the strange feeling in his heart, Shen Minglou couldn't help but think that if he fell into Qin Zhichen's trap, he would be devoured without a trace left.
Indeed, Qin Zhichen's ability to climb to the position of CEO at such a young age was commendable.
"Of course," Shen Minglou agreed.
The restaurant operated without the need for waitstaff to take orders. Embracing technological advancements, the upscale establishment had adopted a smart ordering system.
Although Qin Zhichen initially suggested that Shen Minglou order for himself, it was Qin Zhichen who led and recommended dishes during the ordering process. Together, they settled on the selection of dishes.
Both men had hearty appetites, resulting in a sizable order of dishes.
As the dishes required time to be prepared, and Qin Zhichen had to return to work at the company in the afternoon, they opted for a pot of tea instead of alcohol for lunch. In the meantime, a plate of pastries and several small snacks were served to pass the time.
After ordering, a brief silence fell between them. Qin Zhichen seemed unable to bear the silence and spoke up, "I heard from Shen Shanhe that you graduated from B University."
Caught off guard by this sudden casual topic, Shen Minglou nodded and said, "I recall that you also graduated from B University, Mr. Qin. What a coincidence, we're alumni."
Upon hearing his words, a faint smile appeared on Qin Zhichen's usually aloof face. He lowered his gaze to hide the smile in his eyes and replied, "Indeed, quite a coincidence."
"You were in the business school, right? I remember hearing about you when I first entered the school," Qin Zhichen added.
Shen Minglou listened to Qin Zhichen calling his biological father's name in their conversation, and he suspected that Shen's family had contacted Qin Zhichen, which was why Qin Zhichen came to invite him to dinner to inquire about the situation.
In order to leave Shen's family, he could only temporarily bear their contract and try to please Qin Zhichen as much as possible.
As for Shen Minglou steering the conversation towards university topics, it was just to pass the time and make their conversation less awkward.
He could tolerate the awkward silence of not talking, but not the awkwardness of money.
Shen Minglou studied at the College of Sciences, which was half a campus away from the Business School. His social circle was narrow, and because of his eye problems, he didn't dare to enjoy the campus charm freely.
Every day, he followed a routine of going between the teaching building, cafeteria, and library, and all the university gossip had nothing to do with him.
He only mentioned hearing about Qin Zhichen frequently because he had heard his cousin's girlfriend complain about him.
Qin Zhichen became interested when he heard this and his eyes held a smile that he couldn't hide from Shen Minglou's eyes.
"Oh, I see. So that's how it is," Qin Zhichen said.
The smile in Qin Zhichen's eyes made Shen Minglou uneasy. He smiled lightly on his face, but wondered what was so funny about what Qin Zhichen said.
As they continued talking, time passed quickly, and Xiao Li knocked on the door from outside. "Mr. Qin, the food is ready."
As soon as Xiao Li spoke, the door opened, and the fragrant dishes were brought in by the waitstaff and placed on the table.
They worked quickly and soon all the dishes were served before quietly leaving and closing the door behind them.
Qin Zhichen said, "The dishes are all served, let's eat."
*
After finishing the meal, Shen Minglou finally understood what it meant to get value for money and what was considered outstanding.
Qin Zhichen watched Shen Minglou wipe his mouth and asked, "Are you full?"
"Yes, this hotel really lives up to its reputation as the best in city B."
"Let's have the dessert later," Qin Zhichen delayed the serving of desserts, saying, "Some things are better said after a meal."
Upon hearing this, Shen Minglou felt a sense of relief in his heart. He wondered why Qin Zhichen was being so good to him, realizing that he must have something to discuss with him.
"Shen Minglou, what do you think of the Shen family?" Qin Zhichen's direct use of his name made Shen Minglou's heart tremble.
Why was he asking him about his opinion of the Shen family?
How should he respond, should he lie and say everything is good or should he speak his mind and say he really dislikes them?
Qin Zhichen didn't press Shen Minglou for an answer and continued, "Has Shen Shanhe told you why I chose to form a business alliance with you?"
"To protect you from those who bother you...?"
"Then why would I choose a small family like the Shen family? Are there not many people more powerful than the Shen family?"
Shen Minglou fell into silence, realizing that Qin Zhichen's words had struck a chord with him.
Why did Qin Zhichen choose the Shen family and then choose him?
"I chose the Shen family because I want to swallow up Mountain River." Qin Zhichen's words hit Shen Minglou like a bolt from the blue.
"Mountain River is growing rapidly now, and it needs a company with a strong foundation as a support to ensure steady growth. That's why they chose the Qin family."
"But I don't want to be used as a stepping stone for their ascent."
Shen Minglou reconsidered his thoughts about Qin Zhichen and Shen Shanhe contacting each other beforehand.
If they had, why would Qin Zhichen reveal all this to him now?
Qin Zhichen must have known his standing in the Shen family and chose him because he could help him take over Shanhe.
What could be simpler than persuading a discarded son of a family?
Qin Zhichen laid it all out, answering all the questions that had been plaguing Shen Minglou.
Why did he want to form an alliance with the Shen family? To take over Mountain River.
Why choose to form an alliance with him? Because Shen Minglou was the black sheep of the Shen family.
Qin Zhichen had thoroughly investigated the Shen family, gathering all the necessary information.
"Do you want to see Mountain River rise to the top, and Shen Mingxin completely erasing any traces of you?"
Shen Minglou: "..."
"I'll get straight to the point," Qin Zhichen said seriously, "The reason I invited you here today is to join forces in taking over Mountain River, and eliminating the Shen family."
"I can help you drive out the three members of the Shen family from Mountain River. Mountain River is not just about Shen Shanhe, right?"
"Your individual strength is too weak, so you can only choose to leave the Shen family."
Qin Zhichen was a cunning wolf, setting traps for prey and then delivering the final blow.
"But once you choose to cooperate with me, you won't have to leave. You can reclaim what rightfully belongs to you."
Qin Zhichen's words struck a chord with Shen Minglou. He was right. Because of his own weakness, not only in terms of eyesight but also in terms of inheritance rights which had long been taken away by Shen Mingxin, he had chosen to escape.
If he had the capability to compete against Shen Mingxin and Shen Shanhe, would he have been estranged from his birth mother for over a decade, expelled from the family home, and forced to relinquish his possessions?
No, he wouldn't.
Now, Qin Zhichen was presenting an opportunity for reversal to Shen Minglou. It was up to Shen Minglou to seize it or not.
"How do we cooperate?" Shen Minglou asked.
"Marriage," Qin Zhichen said, "You marry me, and we divorce after a year."
"During this year, I will seize control of Mountain River, while you need to stabilize the situation with the Shen family, make them believe they have me trapped, and after a year, you can gain better resources."
"Of course, I won't mistreat you."
Qin Zhichen handed a document to Shen Minglou, "You help me fend off people, stabilize the Shen family, and I will help you regain control of Mountain River. After the dust settles in a year, not only will I give you half the power of Mountain River, but also thirty million in liquid assets, and two villas in the city center of B under your name."
"Anything you obtain in the Qin family will be yours, and I won't interfere."
Thirty million.
Two city center villas.
The Shen family's five million.
Even a fool would know which to choose.
Shen Minglou was very tempted, extremely tempted.
He despised the Shen family, so if Qin Zhichen could break them apart, it would be a good thing!
Despite being strongly tempted, Shen Minglou composed himself and coolly asked, "How can I trust you?"
Qin Zhichen anticipated Shen Minglou's question and tossed a car key to him from the side.
"This is a deposit, and later Xiao Li will hand over the car to you."
"But I have one condition, we cannot engage in any physical actions."
"Otherwise, everything will fall apart, and I will reclaim the thirty million and the house."
Shen Minglou was somewhat surprised by this request, "Is that all?"
"That's all."
"Okay, I agree."
Shen Minglou didn't care about the request Qin Zhichen made, as he saw it as unnecessary.
No one would sleep with their business partner.
At least he wouldn't.
Compared to the Shen family, Shen Minglou trusted Qin Zhichen, whom he had only met once.
Feeling as if he were intoxicated, he recklessly and boldly no longer carefully examined the document for pitfalls to avoid jumping into. He took the pen handed to him by Qin Zhichen and quickly signed his name.
Shen Minglou asked, "When do we get the certificate?"
Qin Zhichen's eyes curved with satisfaction at his speed.
"Three days from now."
Shen Minglou also smiled, a genuine smile from his heart, "I'll be waiting for you."