When Chi Wan didn’t speak, Song Baihan produced another docunt from out of nowhere and handed it to her.
Chi Wan took it. It was a dical report.
Reading the diagnosis, Chi Wan looked up with a dawning sense of realization.
’Song Baihan... he has terminal liver cancer... No wonder I always sensed a faint air of death about him, an indifference to everything.’
’Perhaps that’s exactly why he’s acting so recklessly. He knows he doesn’t have much ti, so he sought out directly based on a single phone call he couldn’t have fully verified.’
’He even laid all his weaknesses bare for to see.’
Chi Wan’s mind raced. She looked up at Song Baihan. "As you know, no one likes to be threatened."
Song Baihan smiled as he put the dical report away. "I understand that, of course. Please forgive my earlier offense. After all, a desperate man must resort to drastic asures to get what he wants."
Chi Wan remained noncommittal, simply asking, "If we’re going to cooperate, shouldn’t you show a bit more sincerity?"
As if he had anticipated this, Song Baihan took a USB drive and a business card from his pocket and handed them to Chi Wan. "Then here’s to our successful partnership. I’ll help look after your family and friends, too."
Chi Wan had a good idea of what was on the drive. "So," she asked, her curiosity piqued, "what do you need to do?"
Song Baihan let out a soft chuckle and leaned back in his chair, his entire body seeming to relax. "I want to see the entire He Family uprooted. It’s just that what I have on them isn’t quite enough.
"If He Yunzhen were ruthless enough, she could cut her losses and save the rest of the He Family. That’s why I’ve never made a move. But this crisis facing the main branch of the family is a massive opportunity.
"Unfortunately, my reach doesn’t extend that far... Miss Chi, as you know, my ti is running out. You detest He Lingfeng’s behavior and want him to be punished. But did you know that compared to the utter filth of the He Family, He Lingfeng’s little sches seem almost childish and quaint?
"Why should a family like that even be allowed to exist? I’ve wondered for years, but I could never find a way to bring them down. In He Yunzhen’s eyes, my attempts were nothing more than petty squabbles. She never even paid them any mind.
"But that gives an opportunity, doesn’t it? Miss Chi... may I call you Wanwan? We’re allies now, aren’t we? I can sense that you hold dangerous secrets, and I... I just want to take one last gamble before my life ends.
"After all, I’ve been waiting for a very, very long ti."
It had to be said, Song Baihan’s words now were far more persuasive to Chi Wan than his earlier threats.
Especially since Chi Wan had always sensed that Song Baihan held no real malice toward her.
If an old man like Song Baihan was willing to be so candid and stake everything on one last gamble, Chi Wan had no reason to back down either.
She extended her hand. "In that case, here’s to a successful partnership."
Song Baihan finally broke into a genuine smile. "Here’s to a successful partnership. And don’t worry, I will never reveal what you and Professor Zhang discussed. As for those insignificant little loose ends you left behind, I’ve already taken care of them for you.
"Now, I’ll be waiting for the results of your discussion with Professor Zhang. I hope we can both find the answers we’re looking for."
Chi Wan, however, waved her phone. "And the wiretap?"
Unexpectedly, Song Baihan suddenly looked apologetic. "About that... I lied. I didn’t hijack your communications, because you never clicked on any of those spam texts. So, I really did overhear that call by chance.
"An orchid I was raising had so issues, so I went to your university to see a professor. I happened to see you and... well, I eavesdropped. My apologies."
Chi Wan was speechless. ’...This old fox!’
She said with a deadpan expression, "Grandpa Song, you truly are the epito of a cunning old fox. Tricking a naive young woman like must be second nature to you."
Song Baihan sounded a little helpless. "Wanwan, I had no other choice. If I didn’t have a single bargaining chip, why would you have agreed to work with an old man like ? I promise, it will never happen again."
Chi Wan couldn’t really say anything more to that. She could only bla herself for being taken in by Song Baihan’s harmless appearance.
After a mont’s thought, she asked one last question. "He Yunzhen... what exactly did she do back then?"
The smile on Song Baihan’s face faded slightly. "It’s just a very lodramatic story. If you want to know, I’ll tell you soday when I have the chance. You should go. Mr. Xu must be looking for you."
Seeing this, Chi Wan didn’t press further. She nodded, stood up, and walked out.
As she left the small booth, however, she couldn’t resist looking back. Song Baihan’s gaunt figure sat at the intersection of light and shadow, a perfect image of a man who had spent decades trapped in He Yunzhen’s shadow, now struggling to break free.
He hadn’t seed weak when revealing his vulnerabilities, not even his illness. If anything, it had made Chi Wan feel a certain fondness for him.
’He’s a pitiful man, a victim of circumstances, I suppose.’
But more than pitying Song Baihan, Chi Wan was curious about what was on the USB drive he had given her.
She hadn’t been walking for long before she ran into Mr. Xu Sr., who was looking for her.
"Wanwan, my dear! Did you enjoy the exhibit? A few of my old friends invited to lunch and insisted I bring you along. They’re all dying to know what kind of young lady could cultivate a Ghost Orchid. Ha! This old man is walking tall today, hahaha..."
Chi Wan had seen Mr. Xu Sr. interacting with his friends and knew they were an interesting bunch, so she nodded in agreent. "I’m just your little shadow today, Grandpa Xu. Wherever you go, I’ll go."
Mr. Xu Sr. bead. "Wonderful, wonderful! Then let’s go. As it happens, Ah Yu is in Beijing City on business. He should be at the entrance by now."
’Xiahou Yu is here too?’
’Perfect,’ Chi Wan thought. ’I can ask him to check my phone and see if he can install a reliable firewall or sothing.’
Even though Song Baihan said he hadn’t hijacked her communications, she still felt uneasy.
When they reached the entrance, they saw that Xiahou Yu had sent an extended executive van this ti. After they got in, they saw him wearing a headset and facing his laptop, clearly in the middle of work.
Chi Wan and Mr. Xu Sr. exchanged a look and, with a silent understanding, fell quiet, waiting for Xiahou Yu to finish his eting.
A mont later, Xiahou Yu took off his headset. Looking at the old man and young woman sitting primly side-by-side, he said with an amused chuckle, "Are you two practicing how to sit still and proper?"
Seeing he was finished, Chi Wan grinned. "We wouldn’t dare interrupt our dear CEO’s billion-dollar deals, now would we?"
Xiahou Yu just handed Chi Wan a container of sliced fruit. "Here, eat your fruit."
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