Chapter 15: Ah Yan Never Misses A Shot When Hunting

Hanshan Temple is located in the suburbs of Tongcheng, several dozen kilometers away from the city center where Junyue is.

When the car entered the financial district, it was rush hour, and traffic was backed up with no way through. It wasn’t until nightfall that Jiang Se finally arrived at the underground parking lot of Junyue.

Lu Huaiyan had arrived before Jiang Se. He stood at the entrance to the elevator lobby, watching as Jiang Se got out of a small purple electric car.

In the past, Jiang Se drove cars worth millions in North City, but this little electric car seemed entirely out of place with her entire aura.

Yet she drove it with composure, without a hint of awkwardness.

Earlier in the afternoon, at Hanshan Temple, she had noticed his gaze scanning the small electric car. She had even smiled and asked him, “Mr. Lu, would you like to ride in my car to Junyue?”

Lu Huaiyan had politely refused, “Maybe next time.”

Jiang Se wasn’t surprised by his answer.

With his height approaching 1.9 meters, it would be hard for him to even stretch his legs in the car.

Moreover, this young master never did anything that would lower his own status.

When they entered the elevator, Jiang Se thought Lu Huaiyan would head to the hotel lobby first and take the dedicated elevator to the top floor from there. However, as soon as he stepped in, he pressed the button for the seventh floor.

“Let’s eat dinner first.”

“I’ll eat at home,” Jiang Se pressed the button for the top floor and said with understanding, “Mr. Lu, your time is valuable, so I won’t keep you for too long.”

Seeing this, Lu Huaiyan didn’t insist. He gave her a glance, then walked straight to the farthest corner of the elevator, speaking lazily, “I spent two hours accompanying you back here from Hanshan Temple just to show you the blueprints. Now you’re starting to worry about my precious time? Isn’t it a bit too late for that?”

The elevator walls were a deep golden color, so reflective that one could almost see their own reflection. As the doors closed, Jiang Se found herself looking directly into the man’s eyes, which were filled with an expression that seemed both mocking and amused.

She curved her lips slightly and gave a graceful smile at her reflection in the elevator doors. “So, I really can’t afford to take up more of Mr. Lu’s time.”

“…”

She then took two steps to the left, standing next to the elevator buttons, keeping the furthest distance from Lu Huaiyan, who was standing at the right back corner.

The elevator reached the lobby on the first floor, and suddenly, a group of ten or so people entered, chatting and laughing.

The spacious elevator now felt cramped.

Jiang Se didn’t like being touched by others, so she instinctively stepped back.

At the same time, Lu Huaiyan, standing on the opposite side, subtly shifted his position, blocking her path with his body, creating a physical barrier between her and the crowd.

A faint fragrance of incense surrounded them.

It was his unique warm and fragrant scent.

Jiang Se looked up, and in the reflection in the elevator, she saw that the previously half-smiling corners of Lu Huaiyan’s mouth were now tightly pressed into a straight line.

He was clearly impatient.

They both shared the same aversion to physical contact from others.

A young girl in front of him had taken a large step back to give her companions some space, but she ended up bumping into Lu Huaiyan’s elbow. Realizing it, she hurriedly turned around and said, “Sorry—”

When her gaze met the man’s face, her cheeks flushed bright red, and the “sorry” died on her lips.

“It’s alright.”

Lu Huaiyan answered gently, his deep voice carrying a tone of refined courtesy in the confined space.

Only Jiang Se could sense the patience hidden behind his elegant voice.

The girl, perhaps feeling embarrassed, quickly turned her head away, but her gaze couldn’t help but drift toward the reflection in the elevator.

Lu Huaiyan pretended not to notice, half-closing his eyes, and glanced at the reflection to the left, where the girl he was protecting stood with lowered lashes, offering a faint, gentle smile.

When the elevator reached the fifth floor, the group of people who had entered earlier quickly exited.

As the girl passed in front of him, she turned back to glance at him. Just as the elevator doors closed, Jiang Se could hear her voice faintly, speaking to someone nearby: “At the seven o’clock position, can you see the handsome guy behind me? Too bad he has a girlfriend, but this lady is also beautiful!”

“…”

Once the crowd left, the once cramped space returned to its original spaciousness and calm.

The two of them stood where they were, without moving to another location.

The elevator climbed floor by floor.

Jiang Se kept her eyes lowered, only raising them slowly when she heard the “ding” sound.

Lu Huaiyan stepped forward to press the door open button, glancing at her, waiting for Jiang Se to exit the elevator before releasing the button and following her.

The top floor of the hotel had only one presidential suite. Lu Huaiyan took out the room key to open the door. Inside, the curtains were drawn tightly, and as the door closed behind them, the entire room was plunged into complete darkness.

The man didn’t seem in a hurry to turn on the lights. In the stillness of the room, he lightly chuckled and said, “Do you know what your brother called you when he called me last time?”

Jiang Se looked in the direction of his voice, glancing at his silhouette in the dark, and casually asked, “What did he call me?”

“Little Devil.”

“…”

As his voice fell, several lights in the room gradually flickered on.

The first light to come on was the crystal chandelier in the entryway.

The soft light fell in thin, delicate strands, illuminating the eyes of both of them, locked on each other.

Jiang Se could clearly see the faint hint of mockery in his eyes.

She expressionlessly lowered her gaze, walking toward the white sofa in the living room while saying, “Could you open the curtains?”

On the opposite side of the sofa was a semicircular floor-to-ceiling window.

The dark green curtains slowly parted to reveal the stars, the moon, and the neon lights outside.

The view of Tongcheng’s most bustling night scene stretched out before them.

The stars flickered, and countless lights spread far and wide.

The dimmest light came from the Wangchuan’s edge in the distance, faint and scattered like the glow of fireflies in the dark night.

Lu Huaiyan’s style was always to look at the most prosperous scenery from the highest vantage point.

Yet, at this moment, he didn’t even glance toward the window. After washing his hands at the counter, he walked straight to the open kitchen, took a plate of delicate desserts from the French-style refrigerator, and placed it in front of Jiang Se.

“Eat something to settle your stomach first.”

Jiang Se glanced at the small cakes on the marble coffee table, furrowing her brow and pressing her lips together. Just as she was about to refuse, the man sitting opposite her seemed to predict what she was about to say, slowly speaking first, “If you don’t eat, there’s nothing to look at.”

“…”

On the rectangular golden tray, there were three pieces of cake in different colors—green matcha, orange mango, and bright red strawberry.

The presidential suite had a dedicated butler who would come every half day to replace the fresh fruits and snacks.

These cakes must have been brought in recently, as the strawberries on top of the cream looked as if they had just been picked, their vibrant red fruit and half-green leaves creating the most vivid colors, evoking the primal desire in humans.

Appetite.

Jiang Se had spent the entire afternoon drinking tea at Han Yin’s place, so she was indeed hungry.

“I’ll have a cup of black tea. The second steep of Tongmuguan Jin Junmei tea leaves, brewed into tea soup, with one crushed rose rock candy, a pinch of rose salt, and a slice of lemon.”

Jiang Se never deprived herself.

Since he insisted that she eat, she would do so without hesitation.

There was a time to be pampered, and she would take advantage of it.

Lu Huaiyan glanced at her, stood up, and dialed an internal hotel phone in the entryway. Then, he went to the wine cabinet, picked out a bottle of whiskey, opened it with one hand, and returned to the sofa.

The bottle was small, only about the length of a palm. Its slender, vintage design clearly indicated it was a bottle of aged antique liquor.

The man didn’t rush to drink. His long fingers casually held the bottle’s neck, the cool mist dripping from the bottle’s mouth as his hand lazily hung over the armrest of the sofa.

When the butler delivered the black tea Jiang Se requested, he leisurely took the first sip of his whiskey.

Jiang Se stirred the crushed rock candy at the bottom of her tea with a small spoon, then gently took a sip from the teacup.

The mildly sweet and slightly sour tea slid down her throat.

It was good, the flavor she always liked, though perhaps just a bit worse than what Tong Bo brewed.

She set the bone china teacup down and picked up the matcha mousse cake from the tray. Using the dark gold dessert fork, she lightly cut a tiny piece and placed it in her mouth.

Lu Huaiyan watched her as he held the bottle of whiskey.

She ate in silence, her movements slow, with an elegance that resembled brewing tea in the spring.

Most people, when eating cake, would get cream on their lips, but not her.

When the fork reached her mouth, the tip of her pink tongue, hidden behind her pearly teeth, gently lifted the fork, and her red lips barely pressed together. The matcha-flavored cream melted on her lips and tongue.

They say that red and green are the most garish colors in the world.

At this moment, however, he thought that the pale pink, rich white, and vivid green intertwined together made for the most garish combination.

And the garishness of the world was always tied to desire.

Lu Huaiyan’s rare craving for a cigarette resurfaced.

---

The cake was small, only two centimeters wide and four centimeters long. As Jiang Se neared finishing the piece, Lu Huaiyan’s antique bottle of liquor was almost empty.

He set the bottle down, stood up, and went to the room to grab a file. He placed it on the coffee table beside Jiang Se, saying, “You read it, I’ll go outside for a cigarette.”

It was only when he pushed open the sliding door of the floor-to-ceiling window that Jiang Se realized there was a long, curved glass corridor outside.

The corridor had glass railings on three sides, each about one and a half meters high, making it feel as though one were suspended in the air between heaven and earth.

The man leaned against one curved glass railing, opened the cigarette case, and took out a cigarette that was slightly shorter than the usual kind.

Jiang Se’s hand, holding the teacup, paused when she saw the cigarette.

Lu Huaiyan seemed a little surprised too. After a brief pause, his rough fingers slowly caressed the cigarette filter, which had been singed by the flame, before he leisurely placed it in his mouth.

The wind outside was strong, and he tilted his sharp jaw slightly. His hands cupped the flame, and after a long while, he finally managed to light the cigarette.

As smoke billowed from the corner of his lips, he lifted his gaze towards the room, looking at Jiang Se.

In the depths of his pitch-black eyes, there was a darkness even deeper than the night.

Jiang Se swallowed the remaining tea and slowly lowered her gaze.

When the cigarette was finished, Lu Huaiyan came back in, took off his coat, which smelled faintly of smoke, and casually tossed it near the glass door.

Jiang Se had already started to flip through the regional planning maps.

When he approached, he still carried the cool air from outside.

And, faintly, the scent of sandalwood.

His gaze swept over one street on the map. Jiang Se raised her eyes and said, “Aunt Han is in seclusion at Hanshan Temple. I thought you wouldn’t include the area around the temple in the old district renovation plan.”

Lu Huaiyan lowered his gaze and looked at the map for a moment before saying, “My mother never stays in one place for more than two years. She’ll leave Hanshan Temple next spring. Why? Are you very interested in this area?”

Jiang Se replied calmly, “No, I was just admiring President Lu’s exceptional ability.”

Jiang Se was somewhat familiar with the operational model of the old district renovation. The Lian’an old district near Hanshan Temple was one of the oldest areas in Tong City, rich in cultural heritage and old buildings.

For instance, Jinxiu Lane used to be a famous street for qipao during the Republican era.

Such areas were ideal for old district renovation, transforming vast areas of desolate land into historic commercial districts. In the past, there had been attempts to renovate it, but the Tong City government never approved the project.

Earlier, the Cao and Han families submitted a proposal for a film and television city, ambitiously planning to take over this area, but the city government rejected their proposal.

However, things were different now that Lu Corporation was involved.

Lu Corporation had successfully transformed the most chaotic area in the North City, the Zhuhe Old District, into a landmark cultural and arts district. They preserved the old architecture while incorporating traditional Chinese art with business, successfully developing a commercial area that stimulated public consumption.

The Zhuhe Old District was once notorious for its dilapidation. Before the renovation, Lu Corporation bought up large nearby plots of land. Now, tall buildings stood there, and it had become one of the most valuable areas in the North City.

Though Lu Corporation’s focus was no longer on the real estate industry, as long as they were willing to get involved, the Tong City government would quickly approve the redevelopment, given Lu Corporation’s success in previous projects.

Jiang Se gazed at the map thoughtfully.

Since Lu Corporation had taken on the old district renovation project, then the stores in Jinxiu Lane might no longer exist after next spring.

Including “Zhang Xiu.”

As she pondered, she liked to lower her gaze.

Her thick eyelashes cast heavy shadows beneath her eyes.

Lu Huaiyan’s gaze lingered on the shadows under her eyes for a moment. “Didn’t sleep well last night?”

Jiang Se took a while to realize what he was asking.

She had only applied light makeup when she left the house, which couldn’t conceal the dark circles under her eyes.

She gave a half-hearted response, “…Mm.”

She had seen what she needed to, and learned what she wanted to know.

Without hesitation, Jiang Se closed the planning book, put it back in place, and stood up to leave. “My family is waiting. I won’t take up more of your time, President Lu.”

Whether or not she had disturbed him, both of them knew well enough.

These polite, courteous words were indeed a display of superficial politeness.

Lu Huaiyan knew that once Jiang Se said she was leaving, she would definitely go.

He raised his chin slightly, directing her to the private elevator, and asked, “To save my precious time, do you really not need me to take you to the parking lot?”

“…No,” she replied.

Lu Huaiyan gave a faint, almost imperceptible smile. He stood up and escorted her to the elevator, saying, “I’m flying back to Europe tomorrow afternoon to handle some matters. I’ll be gone for at least a few days. My mother doesn’t know many people in Tong City. If you have time, please spend some more time with her. Thanks.”

His words sounded very considerate.

When he genuinely cared about someone, he was indeed very thoughtful.

Jiang Se nodded in agreement. “I will.”

She lowered her hand to press the door close button. When she looked up, Lu Huaiyan was still standing outside the elevator, hands in his pockets, eyes lowered as he watched her.

It was inexplicable.

Jiang Se couldn’t help but recall the way he had looked at her earlier when he was smoking on the balcony.

This man rarely showed his emotions, but even through the glass window and thin lenses, she could sense the undercurrent of darkness in his gaze.

When his eyes stirred with that much darkness, it somehow made her feel that the next moment, she might be consumed by him.

The elevator door slowly closed, severing the lingering gaze between them.

As the elevator started descending, Jiang Se lowered her eyes in silence, and in a fleeting moment, she remembered a joke that Cen Li had once made a long time ago.

“Do you know why we never compete with Ah Yan for projects?”

“Because when Ah Yan plays the hunter, he’s never missed a shot.”

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