119 Olive Branch

  Yahui and Kexin were holding longans, asking the owner of the baozi shop and the uncles buying night snacks to eat, chatting and laughing with them. Then there was a woman whose family ran a mahjong hall, who pulled Yahui aside and said she wanted to introduce her to her own child, making Yahui's face turn red.

  Tang Ke Xin also covered her mouth and smiled, peeling longan and putting it on a white porcelain plate, giving it to the old lady next to her to eat.

  "Alright, I won't say anymore." Yahu quickly walked out from the group of aunts and was about to leave when an old man chuckled and said: "Yahui, when are you going to brew some more grape wine? After we drank it last time, we all slept much better."

  "Really?" Ke Xin heard, then laughed warmly and said: "Okay, next time we'll brew some for you. Or, wait a minute, when we're having dinner at home, we can open a bottle of red wine and bring half a bottle down for you to try?"

  "Alright, alright, alright", said the old man with a smile.

  "Let's go back first. Hurry up and eat that longan, it's sweet." Yahuai and Kexin said, then stood up together and walked towards home. While walking, Yahuai said to Kexin: "Next time you make grape wine, make more, if the old men like to drink it, send some more."

  "Got it. Later when I open the bottle, I'll bring it down and invite them to drink. By the way, what wine did you bring this time?" Ke Xin asked Ya Hui with a smile.

  "Guess what?" Yahuai mysteriously smiled, her face suddenly changed, stopped under the magnolia tree, her eyes tensely stared forward, as if she saw something very frightening and terrifying.

  "What's wrong with you?" Ke Xin looked at her like that and asked curiously: "What happened?"

  Yahui suddenly remembered that when she sent Ke Xin downstairs this morning, while taking milk from the refrigerator to drink, due to too much food inside, she almost broke a bottle of 2000 New World red wine on the floor. She carefully placed the red wine in the cabinet inside the kitchen and her heart suddenly felt cold, with fearful light trembling in her eyes.

  "What's wrong with you?" Ke Xin looked at Ya Hui and suddenly asked with a bit of trepidation.

  Yahui suddenly turned around and looked at Kexin, saying: "Trouble!! I stored the red wine from the refrigerator to another place this morning. Just now, I asked Xiaoyu to take out the red wine from the refrigerator, I was afraid she couldn't find it... and then..."

  Tang Ke Xin was taken aback, remembering the bottle of red wine stored in the living room. Her face turned pale instantly, and she exchanged a glance with Ya Hui before both of them rushed upstairs like mad!

  "It won't happen, it won't happen, it's impossible, it's impossible!" Tang Ke Xin's eyes were red and swollen as she rushed up the stairs, desperately arriving at the front door. She took out her key, trembling as she inserted it into the keyhole, frantically twisting it, and with a loud "bang", the door swung open. The two of them burst into the house, immediately seeing Xiao Rou just about to cut the wine bottle cap with an opener...

  "Don't———" Tang Ke Xin suddenly cried out in a shrill voice.

  Xiao Rou was startled and her hands suddenly went limp, she turned around and looked at Ke Yin.

  Tang Ke Xin excitedly ran over, tears streaming down her face, and threw herself in front of Xiao Rou. In one swift motion, she grabbed the red wine and opener from Xiao Rou's hands, and with a loud "pop", the bottle opener pierced Tang Ke Xin's palm. She let out a blood-curdling scream as she stared at the fresh blood gushing out of her palm.

  Presidential Suite.

  Zhuang Huanran suddenly opened his sharp eyes, lifted his head, and gazed at the surroundings. His cold face stared intently at a certain point in front of him, as if he had seen something that happened many years ago. His body was secretly aching with hidden pain. His eyes searched for a thread from many years ago in this quiet space, but there was nothing to be found.

  He slowly relaxed his stiff body, lying on the snow-white bed sheet, gasping for a moment before finally sitting up. The snow-white sheets slightly covered his abdomen, revealing his sensual and robust chest muscles, sturdy arms placed aside, with fists clenched, sweat dripping from his forehead, his facial expression tense, as he tried to recall that fleeting image in his mind, but still couldn't grasp it...

  The doorbell rang.

  His eyes flickered, looking at the tightly closed door, picked up a white shirt and put it on...

  A faint rustling sound came from inside the room.

  "Come in..."

  Cao Yingjie, finally changed into a hotel uniform, wearing a pink suit, with a hint of a smile, and Lin Chuyan, wearing a black suit, walked in with a cold expression. Just as they saw Zhuang Huangran about to walk into the bathroom, Zhuang Huangran turned his head and looked at Cao Yingjie, with an expression that seemed like a smile but wasn't quite, saying: "You scared me, I thought you were a woman."

  "Pffft!" Lin Chuyan, a humorous and witty man who was briefly married to the daughter of an English viscount, is now single.

  "What are you laughing at? You can't even have a face like mine! This is jealousy!" Cao Yingjie deliberately stared at him.

  "Good, you are as beautiful as a flower." Lin Chuyan smiled and the two of them walked together towards the living room to the left of the bedroom. Not a single servant came in to serve them, they sat comfortably on the sofa, chatting about how earlier when they arrived, the butler and servants were all waiting outside, not daring to make a sound. Zhuang Hanran had always disliked being served by too many people.

  Zhuang Hanran finished washing up, wearing only a simple short-sleeved white shirt and black casual pants. His face looked slightly solemn, and he walked out of the bathroom with a slow and lazy pace. Despite his simple attire, he exuded an elegant and gentlemanly demeanor. He had once been mistaken by British conservative officials for being a typical Eastern man, reserved and deep. Yet, under the sunlight, he smiled proudly. The slender man continued to carry himself with a lazy attitude, allowing two subordinates to chat and laugh while he silently walked up to the bar, poured himself a glass of whiskey on the rocks, and gazed at the ice cubes floating in the amber liquid...

  Lin Chuyao turned his head and looked at Zhuang Haoran's silent back, smiling and saying: "What's wrong with you?"

  Zhuang Haoran remained silent, picked up the whiskey and turned around, sat on the European-style sofa, took a small sip, letting the liquid stay in his mouth for a few seconds before tilting his head back, leaning against the sofa, allowing the mellow flavor to spread throughout his body.

  Lin Chuyao looked at him and said softly: "Chivas 12?"

  "18..." Zhuang Hao Ran closed his eyes and said.

  Cao Yingjie looked at Lao Da and asked strangely: "What's wrong with you? Why are your eyes closed? Haven't you woken up yet?"

  Zhuang Haoran remained silent for a while before slowly saying, "I don't want to see your face that looks like a woman's. I'm afraid I won't be able to bear it..."

  "Pffft!" Lin Chuyan couldn't help but lower his head and burst out laughing again.

  Cao Yingjie finally couldn't help but say: "What can't you bear to do?"

  "I'll beat you up." Zhuang Hao Ran said with relish. 14887356

  Lin Chuyao couldn't help but laugh again, yet he looked at her still leaning back on the sofa with her eyes closed, and that silent state made him involuntarily ask: "What's on your mind again?"

  Zhuang Haoran closed his eyes and murmured: "I heard a faint cry, like the sound of the wind..."

  Cao Yingjie looked at Zhuang Huangran and said in a puzzled tone: "Three years ago, don't you have any impression of it at all?"

  Zhuang Huangran suddenly sat up, holding the whiskey in his hand, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes. He no longer pursued what happened three years ago, but asked in a low voice: "How's the situation in England?"

  "After you came back, the stock market fluctuated several times." Lin Chuyao said with a smile.

  Zhuang Haoran remained silent and still.

  Lin Chuya continued to say: "I recently noticed that in a certain American magazine, there is a female journalist named Ruth who has been following and reporting on you for a long time. She is an American of Chinese descent. Regarding your return to China and cooperation with President Chiang this time, at 12 o'clock American time, she released a message saying that your cooperation with President Chiang seems like a step into a new era, but in fact it's a terrible war. This has also triggered a series of Oriental threat theories, and even mentioned the incident where we invested in Lakemont last summer as an example to illustrate the threat theory, making politicians from both the US and UK have reason to suspect that we are spies."

  Zhuang Haoran suddenly looked at Lin Chuyao with great interest and smiled: "A girl?"

  "Hmm." Lin Chuyan nodded, also smiling: "A very beautiful and moving woman, with an oriental face, fair skin, but dyed golden hair, extremely sexy. She often moves in high society and the parties of high-ranking officials. She has been trying to get close to you, but at that time, there was a beautiful female painter by your side, so she didn't have a chance. From then on, she set her sights on you."

  "Is it that cruel?" Cao Yingjie said in a somewhat unbelievable tone.

  Lin Chuyao turned her head and smiled at Cao Yingjie: "Staying in the Yu Zun restaurant, did you get stunned? She's doing things for people."

  Cao Yingjie looked at Lin Chuyan, furrowed his brow, and didn't understand.

  "So-called journalist, just a smoke bomb. This should be a political hacker, someone who was bought with a lot of money. She once threw an olive branch to our big boss, maybe she really took a liking to our great Director Zhai. If someone is willing to use their sexy physique to entice her, maybe she'll let up and even give them some benefits. She might even turn around and do things for Director Zhai, what a pity..." Lin Chuyao couldn't help but laugh again.

  "Check out her background." Zhuang Hao Ran picked up his whiskey and took a sip.

  "I've already investigated, let me find out who did it, I'll play a good game with them. However... there's some interesting news... Lin Chuyao looked at Zhuang Haoran and smiled: "I heard that President Jiang and Miss Ren seem to be rushing to get married, increasing the shareholding of Shui Xian Hotel, this time, President Jiang seems to be determined."

  Zhuang Haoran heard this and a hint of a smile floated into his eyes.

  Cao Yingjie let out a loud laugh and said, "It seems that another great General Chiang has decided to go back on his word and annex the globe after all."

  Lin Chuyao smiled and said, "People are born with the emperor's appearance, naturally having a wild ambition to unify the world. This is nothing to be ashamed of. After so many years of mutual restraint, who has not been stifled? However, this news will not be bad for Lao Da."

  "What's going on? Is it because I've been away for three years and we don't have an understanding anymore? You never give me a straight answer!" Cao Yingjie was somewhat angry.

  Lin Chuyao looked at Cao Yingjie and smiled: "Have you ever played cards?"

  Cao Yingjie nodded.

  "Do you know how to completely defeat your opponent?" Lin Chuyao smiled and asked Cao Yingjie.

  Cao Yingjie thought for a moment and suddenly looked at Zhuang Huanran with a bright expression. Huiya eats children.

  Zhuang Huanran stood up alone at this moment, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looked out at the sky outside, and thought about another thing in his hometown.

  Sorry about that, this chapter didn't pass review earlier and was delayed. Apologies. Tomorrow at 9 o'clock will make up for today's promised additional chapter.