Chapter 50: The Pursuit

My mouth was stuffed with noodles. “Alright, alright, long live, long live, may you live ten thousand years.”

Once I’d sent my father on his way, I slipped the cufflink into my pocket, left the house, and hailed a taxi to Lan Feng Group.

The receptionist glanced at me, her smile perfectly rehearsed. “Hello, do you have an appointment?”

Seriously? If I had an appointment, would I be standing here wasting words with you?

Seeing that I didn’t answer, she smirked dismissively. “Miss, our president is very busy—not just anyone can see her.”

I got straight to the point. “Just tell me, is your president in the office? I promise I won’t bother her.”

She decided to tease me. “Why don’t you guess?”

I grinned, pulled out my phone, and opened a photo. “Tell me and this is yours.”

Her eyes widened in shock. “How… how do you have a photo of our president? What’s your relationship?”

That did the trick. Honestly, eight out of ten girls are hopeless romantics. She glanced around nervously, as if afraid someone might overhear, then tried to bargain. “If I tell you, you have to give me all the photos.”

I hesitated, waving my phone. “But I only have three.”

Her cheeks flushed with excitement. “That’s enough, really, that’s plenty.”

Three photos bought me the information that Luo Ange was in a company meeting—quite the bargain, really. The receptionist was lost in a dreamy daze, clutching her phone as I slipped on my sunglasses and headed out. I found a strategic spot in the café next door to wait for my fish to take the bait.

A little after four, Luo Ange’s Bentley emerged from the underground garage. I quickly got up, left the café, and waved down a cab to follow.

Doing this a second time, I clutched the cufflink so tightly my palm was slick with sweat. Two questions circled in my mind: if it really was him, what then? If not, what would I do?

The Bentley stopped at a private restaurant on the southern outskirts. The taxi driver slowed and asked if I wanted to keep following.

I told him to pull over. I watched Luo Ange get out, trailed by Zhu Bang and a middle-aged man.

They entered the restaurant. I glanced at the sign—such an elegant name: Spring Begins.

I paid the driver, got out, and followed them in. The courtyard was a labyrinth of rock gardens, ponds, green trees, red flowers, and arched bridges over flowing water—straight out of a painting. I watched for ten seconds, long enough to see Luo Ange’s figure appear on the third floor of a small villa behind a bamboo grove.

Once I was sure he’d entered the third room, I feigned the air of a casual diner and walked in.

I’d lived in Kangcheng for twenty years and never knew there was such a palatial private restaurant here. The waitresses glided by in uniform dresses and tiny steps, just like palace maids in old imperial courts.

I made it to the third floor without a hitch. After confirming no one was watching, I strode confidently into the corridor.

I was just beneath the second private room’s window when I heard Luo Ange’s voice: “Fourth, you lost. Pay up.”

A man replied, “Boss, look at Luo Ange—bullying me all day. Hurry up and find him a woman!”

Another man chuckled. “Well, well, Luo Ange, why are you dressed so formally today? Not meeting the in-laws, are you?”

“Sixth, get your hand off me.”

“Oho, Luo Ange, what happened to your neck? Who scratched you? That’s pretty ruthless. Don’t tell me you forced yourself on a girl who refused you?”

The room erupted in laughter. Luo Ange swore, “Shut up or I’ll beat you.”

“Aw, big bro’s angry! Come on, tell us, which girl is it? Wait—don’t tell me it’s that underage one? Are you obsessed? Wasn’t it just a chance meeting in Beijing years ago? Is it worth all this pining, even giving up the Moscow deal?”

I pressed my ear against the door, listening intently, but after all that, there wasn’t a single useful piece of information.

My legs were going numb. Just as I considered taking the direct approach and asking Kirin for help, a voice sounded behind me: “What are you doing here?”