When Wentworth gave his answer, not only did Zhao Fangxu, the chairman himself, freeze in shock, but even Xu Xiang and his father Xu Si, who had been eavesdropping nearby, exchanged bewildered looks.
Seeing their expressions, Wentworth raised a curious eyebrow.
"What's the matter? Isn't China always welcoming foreign investment? Am I not welcome?"
At his words, Zhao Fangxu's face immediately lit up with a dazzling smile. He replied without hesitation:
"Of course, of course! You're more than welcome! It's just that… Mr. Grindelwald, your answer caught us a little off guard. Are you really here to invest?"
Even as he spoke, Zhao Fangxu couldn't quite conceal his disbelief.
But Wentworth nodded calmly, replying with complete composure:
"Absolutely."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Fangxu beamed and immediately took his seat again, barking an order:
"Xu Xiang, tell the waiter, bring two more bottles of Maotai!"
Then he turned back to Wentworth, his eyes gleaming:
"Mr. Grindelwald, let's drink and talk!"
That night, the guests and hosts thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Even as the evening wound down, Zhao Fangxu, thoroughly drunk, was still clapping Wentworth on the shoulder, slurring with misty eyes:
"Brother Grindelwald! I'm counting on you to help me hit my investment targets this year!"
Wentworth thumped Zhao Fangxu's chest with equal gusto and responded heartily:
"Leave it to me, big brother! If there's one thing the Alliance isn't short on, it's people, money, and influence!"
It took all the effort of Xu Xiang and Xu Si to finally separate the two. Even as they were being pulled apart, they reached out, calling after each other loudly:
"Brother!"
"Little brother!"
"Brother!"
"Little brother!"
Only when they were led off in opposite directions did the two finally quiet down.
Watching Zhao Fangxu's flushed face slowly return to normal, Xu Xiang shook his head and muttered irritably:
"Old Zhao, come on, at your age, is this kind of partying really necessary?"
Zhao Fangxu grunted and retorted:
"You wouldn't get it! Do you know why I'm the chairman, even though I've got the weakest qualifications?"
Xu Xiang shook his head.
Zhao Fangxu grinned meaningfully.
"Because I've got the right awareness."
Meanwhile, on the other side, Xu Si pulled out a pack of cigarettes, offered one to Wentworth, and after a moment of hesitation, Wentworth accepted.
Cough, cough! "Haven't smoked in ages… almost couldn't handle it."
Xu Si rolled his eyes.
"Oi, how old are you exactly? Saying stuff like 'haven't smoked in ages'? What was the last time you had a smoke, when you were still on milk?"
Wentworth pondered this and responded with a touch of detachment:
"In my last life."
Cough, cough!
This time it was Xu Si choking on his smoke.
After they finished their cigarette, Xu Si suddenly asked:
"Heard you stirred up quite a mess over in Japan. Why?"
Wentworth's hand, halfway to his mouth with another cigarette, paused midair. He was silent for a long time before answering quietly:
"For a woman."
Xu Si blinked in surprise, then shot him a strange look.
"You're still just a kid… But when I read the report, I nearly fell off my chair. You've got some fire in you, don't you?"
Wentworth took a long drag and exhaled a smoke ring before asking coolly:
"Since you know what I did in Japan, how do you plan to deal with me?"
Xu Si snorted.
"Deal with you? We're letting you eat well and have a good time, what more do you want? A hero's medal? Or maybe a Key to the City?"
"But after tonight's dinner, I'd say your treatment might need to be upgraded again. By the way, what gave you the idea to win over Old Zhao with an investment pitch?"
Wentworth only smiled and didn't respond. He couldn't exactly tell Xu Si that his soul from a past life had told him this was the golden period for national-level investment recruitment.
Over the next few days, under Zhao Fangxu's arrangement, Xu Si took Wentworth all over Beijing, under the pretense of "site inspections." In truth, they spent their time eating, drinking, and thoroughly enjoying themselves.
At first, Wentworth was a bit self-conscious. But Xu Si waved it off, saying:
"Relax. Eat what you want, drink what you like. If you just up and left, Old Zhao would be sleepless with anxiety! He finally ran into a magical investor… err, a wizard who might actually help him hit his quotas. Let the old man enjoy a few peaceful days!"
"Besides, if you really feel guilty, you can always invest a little more later."
After hearing that, Wentworth's reservations vanished completely.
That evening, Xu Si brought Wentworth to Sanlitun. The moment they sat down and ordered drinks, Xu Si's phone rang. After taking the call, he turned to Wentworth and said:
"Something's come up at the company, I need to step out for a bit. You go ahead and start without me. I'll send someone to keep you company."
Wentworth simply nodded, not thinking much of it, and Xu Si quickly took his leave.
Moments after he was gone, a young woman with long, fiery red hair walked into the bar.
The entire place fell deathly silent.
Every man's eyes followed her as she glided through the room, a dazed, enraptured look on their faces.
With every smile and glance, she seemed to ignite the desire of every man present. Her eyes swept across the bar, and the moment they locked onto Wentworth, they gleamed. She began to sway her way toward him.
Wentworth noticed her the moment she entered. A sudden heat surged in his gut, his breath grew heavier. He quickly picked up his beer, sipping in small gulps, as though trying to mask his unease.
The woman noticed his reaction and smiled even more sweetly. No one, however, noticed that as Wentworth raised his glass, a faint shimmer appeared, he'd discreetly added something to his drink.
The woman sauntered up and dropped into the seat opposite him. She leaned forward, resting her generous assets on the table, and purred:
"Are you Mr. Wentworth Grindelwald?"
Wentworth glanced at her curves and swallowed hard before nodding.
She picked up a glass from the table, her voice soft and honeyed:
"I'm here to take Xu Si's place. Tonight, I'll be keeping you company."
In that moment, a single thought crossed Wentworth's mind:
This company... are they sure they're legit?
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This fanfic has been fully translated!