The Domineering CEO's Vain Trophy Husband 15

Wisps of mist curled and drifted, spreading up to the world beyond.

Although Ji Shuangcheng's invitation this time had been somewhat abrupt, he was in no hurry to get straight to the point. His acting was leagues above Hu Tong's, and naturally he opened with what seemed like an unrelated topic.

Lin Zhi actually rather enjoyed talking with this sort of person. Though the conversation had seemed to wander randomly, it was all part of the game — a familiar dance where everything had room to breathe.

Lin Zhi had entered the female side of the guest pool.. After all, the Hot Spring Villa staff believed they were receiving three men and one woman this visit. So they had specially scattered osmanthus blossoms in the female pool.

A faint fragrance of osmanthus drifted through the air, pale golden petals gently swaying with the rippling surface of the water.

Ji Shuangcheng glanced toward the dividing screen, able to see only Lin Zhi's silhouette, turning over topics in his mind as he carefully advanced the conversation. When Ji Shuangcheng mentioned a certain key phrase, Lin Zhi finally understood what today's performance was all about.

The Ming Family and the government had recently confirmed a cooperation — a project that was just beginning to take off, and word had only just started to leak out. Qiming Real Estate and Ji Shuangcheng's side had apparently caught wind of it, and so they had come to sound him out.

No matter the era, getting ahead of the information curve meant gaining more opportunities and advantages. Fall behind by a single step, and you might miss everything entirely — which was precisely why they had staged this whole affair today.

Lin Zhi had heard something about this matter and could piece together a rough picture, but he wasn't privy to the finer details. Though he was Ming Yao's secretary, he was not his right-hand man, and many confidential matters were kept from him.

Even so, Lin Zhi didn't expose Ji Shuangcheng's intentions. Instead, he kept deflecting with practiced vagueness.

System No. 01 suddenly spoke up in his mind: [Host, Host! The Mission Target has arrived! His coordinates are moving in our direction — he's already entered the villa. What a coincidence!]

A coincidence?

Lin Zhi had never believed in coincidences. Though this did seem rather convenient on the surface, a moment's thought revealed something off.

Given Ming Yao's intensely territorial nature, how could he possibly agree to meet someone at the Hot Spring Villa for business? With his legs being less than fully functional, the chances of him coming to a place like this were already low. No one with any social awareness would suggest such a venue.

Lin Zhi's brow arched faintly. It seemed there was really only one plausible explanation. Whether this was a coincidence or not, he would make it into one.

The opportunity had delivered himself to his doorstep — why not seize it? Lin Zhi had originally planned to strike while the iron was hot tonight when he returned. Since Ming Yao had come here himself, then here is also just as good.

System No. 01's voice grew increasingly excited: [The Mission Target's room is right next to yours! Host, shouldn't we head back?]

Lin Zhi: [Wait a little longer.]

Lin Zhi idly trailed his fingers across the surface of the water. A single osmanthus petal drifted along with the ripples, passed over his palm, and he closed his hand around it.

Whatever had brought Ming Yao here — whether business or a moment's respite, whether the possessiveness born of his obsessive nature or something more — he would not be leaving so easily.

If Ming Yao wanted to leave, Lin Zhi had his ways of stopping him.

Lin Zhi had performed countless false displays of feelings in the business world, hiding behind that harmless face of his. He was well-practiced at setting the stage for others to play their parts. He could make both Hu Tong and Ji Shuangcheng feel perfectly at ease — smoothing things over for Ming Yao would be no different.

There was no need to rush. They would meet.

A chance encounter was certainly entertaining, but the waiting — mind divided between two things at once — would be all the more exquisite.

The rising mist blurred Lin Zhi's features, and his smiling eyes curved like crescent moons.

It wasn't until Ji Shuangcheng pressed more directly that Lin Zhi finally let his evasions unwind, steering the conversation toward what Ji Shuangcheng actually wanted to hear.

"About that matter... it's just that this isn't really the area I handle, so I may not be entirely clear on the details. But..."

Ji Shuangcheng's interest was piqued by Lin Zhi's 'it's just' and 'but,' waiting for him to continue — only to see Lin Zhi's silhouette beyond the screen rise to his feet.

"Leaving the pool already, Mr. Lin?"

"I'm feeling a bit tired. If you don't mind, Mr. Ji, shall we continue as we walk?"

Lin Zhi's voice carried a hint of languid fatigue. He slipped on the villa robe, wet feet leaving damp prints on the wooden floor.

Eager to hear what came next, Ji Shuangcheng rose quickly, pulled on his robe, and fell into step behind Lin Zhi.

Their rooms were in opposite directions — at one particular corridor they ought to have parted east and west — but Ji Shuangcheng, absorbed in conversation with Lin Zhi, naturally followed his footsteps without thinking.

Being a high-end hot spring, naturally the privacy and soundproofing were excellent — but this only applied between rooms. When someone stood in the doorway talking, voices inevitably carried inward.

Kaifeng's manager glanced nervously toward the door, then back at Ming Yao sensing a bit of danger. The table between them held elegant tea cakes and confections, though he had barely touched them, straining to win cooperation opportunities for his company.

The man seated in the wheelchair listened without much change in expression, only occasionally cutting to the quick with a few questions that made the manager's palms sweat.

"President Ming, we..."

Ming Yao raised his hand slightly, and the Kaifeng representative fell silent at once.

The faint sounds of laughter and chatter drifted in from outside the door. Ming Yao had lost all patience for continuing the conversation. Though he had used the other party as a means to an end, Ming Yao had never intended to simply agree to a cooperation. Sincerity was one factor, but business was not charity work — that alone was never enough.

"Regarding the several points I raised earlier, your company is welcome to give them further consideration. We have many options available to us. I hope your side can tell me exactly where the value in cooperating lies. Please."

Ming Yao raised his hand in a gesture of dismissal.

The Kaifeng representative nodded repeatedly. He had thought he was well-prepared, but under the other man's toneless questioning, he had grown increasingly flustered. At least Ming Yao's phrasing suggested that they would have another opportunity to talk.

The Kaifeng representative pushed open the door, saying his farewells to Ming Yao as he stepped out — and turned to find two people standing in the corridor. He instinctively smiled.

The moment the door opened, Ming Yao's gaze landed with precision on Lin Zhi.

Lin Zhi was wearing a cream-colored villa robe. Under the warm lighting, his already striking face appeared even softer. Flushed from the heat of the hot spring, or perhaps not quite having toweled off properly, his calves still carried a faint sheen of moisture — like the snow-dusted osmanthus confections on the table beside him.

Ming Yao slowly looked him over from head to toe, then he shifted his gaze, casting an expressionless glance at the man beside him. Exactly as he had expected.

"President Ming, what a coincidence!"

Lin Zhi feigned surprise, greeting him with the polite distance one might use when running into a boss outside of working hours.

Ming Yao gave a brief nod in acknowledgment, the look in his eyes cooling by a few degrees. He's perfectly formal and distant with him, yet laughing and chatting freely with Ji Shuangcheng.

The Kaifeng representative had no intention of lingering, offering one more farewell to Ming Yao before nodding to Lin Zhi and Ji Shuangcheng and departing down the corridor.

"Good evening, President Ming. I've long admired you."

Ji Shuangcheng greeted him promptly — even without Lin Zhi's introduction, he recognized that face. If he could get on good terms with this man, everything would surely go more smoothly.

This President Ming was truly just as the rumors described — at a glance, he seemed utterly unapproachable.