France, Paris.

At the entrance of an apartment in the city center.

In a van, Ah Jiao, Lao Hei, and Ah Jie sat, their eyes occasionally glancing at the window on the second floor of the apartment.

"Let's act directly, I don't think they'd expect us to come after them again," suggested Lao Hei.

But Ah Jiao didn't rush into a decision. Last time, they were too hasty and fell into a trap. If Niu Da hadn't protected them from the shadows, they probably would have all been captured.

"Let's not move yet, just keep watching, and we won't show ourselves."

Upon hearing this, Lao Hei nodded silently, without further comment.

Ah Jie, in the driver's seat, turned to look at Ah Jiao and asked, "Are you saying the boss sent us reinforcements?"

"Yes." Ah Jiao checked the time on her watch. "They should be here soon. Let's keep watching for now."

Ah Jie nodded as well, and the few of them fell silent once more.

Meanwhile, in a van 300 meters away, the bearded man who tried to block Ah Jiao earlier and Bert, who had recently escaped from Hong Kong Island, were both inside.

...

At 9 PM, in a very private restaurant in Niaoshi.

Inside a private room, Qi Yun sat down and looked around. The walls were inlaid with old wood from poplar trees, and the dark brown grain was interspersed with a few pieces of glossy Gobi jade. Paintings of Western Regions murals adorned the screens, giving the whole place a sense of style.

"This place is pretty nice."

"Heh, right?" Shao Yuewen picked up the teapot, smiling as he poured tea for Qi Yun. "This 'Huyang Villa' was recommended to me by someone else—the food is quite good, and it's quiet."

"Today I've really gotten to see it for myself. I've heard others talk about this place, but never managed to find the entrance." A middle-aged man beside him jokingly pulled out a cigarette case and handed a cigarette to Qi Yun. "Here, have a smoke."

The seemingly casual joke seemed to carry an underlying meaning.

Shao Yuewen set down the teapot and introduced, "Qi Laodi, this is Xia Shaohua, Xiao Qing's uncle, Old Xia."

Upon hearing "Xiao Qing's uncle," Qi Yun immediately recognized the man's status, slightly surprised that he would come, given that he's just an uncle, not a direct relative.

Still, regardless of his thoughts, Qi Yun maintained a polite smile, stood up, and extended his hand as he accepted the cigarette: "Director Xia, a pleasure to meet you."

Xia Shaohua also stood up and shook Qi Yun's hand. "Don't call me Director Xia now, it's not work time. If you don't mind, you can call me Xia Laoge or just Old Xia."

"Yesterday, I heard from Xiao Qing's father that, thanks to you, their two kids were saved. Otherwise, we parents would have been worried sick."

"Haha, you're too kind, Xia Laoge. It was just a small favor," Qi Yun chuckled.

Shao Yuewen chimed in, "Indeed, this time we really owe it to Qi Laodi. Old Xia, you must have a good drink with him later."

As they chatted, there was a knock on the door outside the private room.

"Come in," Shao Yuewen called out, looking up.

The wooden door creaked open, and a woman in her thirties walked in. She wore a sharply tailored business suit, her black hair styled into a low bun, with a Hetian Jade Hairpin slanted through it, exuding an extraordinary aura.

This woman wasn't just conventionally beautiful; it was her unique presence that stood out.

"Minister Shao, you're here. We have a lot of guests today, sorry to keep you waiting." Her voice was magnetic, her gaze briefly settling on Qi Yun's face before moving to Xia Shaohua. "This must be Director Xia?"

Xia Shaohua did not seem surprised she recognized him immediately and simply nodded slightly.

Shao Yuewen raised his hand to introduce, "Yes, this is Old Xia. Next to him is a friend of ours, Qi Yun, President Qi."

The woman showed a hint of surprise in her eyes, then extended her hand to shake Xia Shaohua's before reaching out to Qi Yun again, smiling as she greeted, "Hello, President Qi. Be sure to visit often if you have the time."

Though she didn't quite know Qi Yun's identity yet, given Shao Yuewen's introduction, she certainly wouldn't be careless.

Shao Yuewen then pointed to the woman, speaking with familiarity, "This is Lu Zhaoxue, President Lu. This is her turf."

"President Lu, a pleasure to meet you." Qi Yun politely shook her hand, inwardly speculating about Lu Zhaoxue's background.

If she were just an ordinary restaurant owner, Shao Yuewen wouldn't be so enthusiastic given his stature.

Lu Zhaoxue withdrew her hand and placed a bottle of white liquor on the table: "This wine just arrived. Try it and see how it tastes."

Shao Yuewen smiled, "President Lu, you shouldn't have."

Lu Zhaoxue waved her hand, "Minister Shao, you're too polite. Enjoy your chat; I'll check on the kitchen." She added before turning to leave, "If you need anything, just call me anytime."

Xia Shaohua looked towards the doorway, picking up the wine bottle to inspect the label: "This wine looks quite special, where's it from?"

"They say it's private brew from the Northern Border." Shao Yuewen poured drinks for the two of them. "Give it a try. If it's good, I'll have her put a case in your cars later."

Qi Yun raised his glass, giving Shao Yuewen a sidelong glance.

That casual remark revealed something intentional about his relationship with Lu Zhaoxue—certainly not simple.

Xia Shaohua took a sip of the wine, its sweet, mulberry aroma lingering: "Tastes good, quite unique."

"Right?" said Shao Yuewen, setting down his glass. "By the way, Qi Laodi, the city is planning to organize an entrepreneurial workshop soon. There's a learning exchange in Shanghai—interested?"

Qi Yun paused: "A learning exchange?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.