Leng Qingqiu's eyes shimmered with tears, but this time, they were tears of happiness.
"Chengwen, do I look beautiful?"
At this moment, Lu Chengwen wasn't driven by lust but rather felt a pang of heartache.
*[This girl, is it worth going to such lengths for a man? I'm nothing special, not worth it at all!]*
Leng Qingqiu smiled softly. "Chengwen, I'm yours now. From today onward, your dreams will be my dreams; your ambitions will be my goals. If you want me, I'll give you my body. If you want my abilities, I'll help you with any task. As long as you don't abandon me, I'll stay by your side, supporting you, taking care of you, forever and without regret."
Lu Chengwen's expression was somber.
He sighed, picked up a towel, and draped it over her shoulders.
"You're the queen of this city. Just be yourself."
"I may be a queen to others, but to you, I'm just a woman—one who longs for your love, your care, and your protection."
Lu Chengwen had no words to respond.
He was determined to secure Snow City and would never yield it to Long Aotian.
*Long Aotian, you may be formidable, but Snow City will never be yours! If you want to rise, find another place to start over.*
Lu Chengwen said, "I won't take Qianfeng. Qianfeng is yours, always will be."
"But I am yours."
Lu Chengwen sighed again.
*[This girl is beyond reasoning now, dead set on tying herself to me.]*
*[Arguing about this is pointless. For now, let's focus on resolving the Qianfeng situation.]*
"Then listen to me," Lu Chengwen said. "I'll transfer all the shares to you and help you reclaim Qianfeng Group."
"That's not the best strategy. You and I both know it, and so does everyone else outside. If you want to achieve great things, you can't afford to be soft-hearted. Even I support this move, so why hesitate?"
Lu Chengwen grew impatient. "Why must you argue? If I say you'll continue managing Qianfeng, then fight for it with everything you've got! Didn't you say you'd listen to me? If even you are mine, what difference does it make whether Qianfeng is in your hands or mine?"
Leng Qingqiu was taken aback. "Oh! Wow, Chengwen, your vision is truly broader than mine! How did I not see that? Right, right—I was stuck on legalities and rules, but you're thinking on a human level! I understand now."
"Interpret it however you want. Just focus on reclaiming Qianfeng!"
"Yes! I'll do whatever you say! From now on, while I'll appear to be managing Qianfeng, in reality, it's all yours—including me. Every decision at Qianfeng will follow your lead."
Lu Chengwen couldn't be bothered to argue further. "Get dressed. Where are your clothes?"
"You really… don't want me? Now?" Leng Qingqiu asked timidly.
"Business first."
"Okay."
---
"Lu Chengwen!"
Huo Wendong strode in with a hearty laugh, walking briskly toward him.
Lu Chengwen extended his hand for a polite handshake, but Huo Wendong pulled him into a hug, patting his back enthusiastically.
After separating, the two sat down and exchanged pleasantries.
"Chengwen, what a magnificent office!"
Lu Chengwen smiled. "It's nothing compared to yours, Young Master Huo."
"Come on, no need for formalities! I mean it. Honestly, among our classmates, there are plenty of wealthy ones, but you're the one I admire most. Know why?"
"Honestly, I don't."
"You've got guts! Unlike the others, who may come from wealthy families but think like petty accountants—no vision, no boldness."
Lu Chengwen glanced at the person Huo Wendong had brought along—Luo Shiyin.
Huo Wendong noticed and grinned. "Don't remember her? The one from the other day! Heh, I took her on as my secretary now. Let me tell you… her skills are top-notch!"
Huo Wendong smirked suggestively, completely ignoring the presence of Jiang Shihan and Luo Shiyin beside them.
Luo Shiyin cooed flirtatiously, "Young Master Huo, what are you saying? So embarrassing!"
"Hahaha!" Huo Wendong eyed Jiang Shihan, stroking his chin. "Chengwen, no wonder you've been so indifferent to beauties lately. People say you've been acting like a simp these past few years, and I couldn't figure out why you'd lay low like that. Turns out… haha! What's this little secretary's name?"
"President Huo, I'm Jiang Shihan."
"Ah, Shihan—lovely name! Fits a lovely person!"
Huo Wendong's gaze roamed over her without restraint.
For wealthy young masters like him, there was no need to hide their interest in women—it was all too easy for them to get what they wanted.
Most women who caught their eye didn't find it offensive; instead, they saw it as an opportunity and played along eagerly.
But Jiang Shihan was different. With Lu Chengwen by her side, she had no reason to cater to someone like Huo Wendong, who saw women as mere playthings.
She offered a polite smile, her eyes betraying a hint of discomfort and distaste. Ironically, this only piqued Huo Wendong's interest further—he found her intriguing.
*There's a delicate vulnerability to her… seems like she'd be fun to tease.*
Huo Wendong leaned closer to Lu Chengwen. "Lucky man. This secretary must be a handful in bed, huh?"
Lu Chengwen knew Huo Wendong was trying to mend fences—starting with a hug, then reminiscing about university, and now talking about women—all to make it seem like they'd always been close friends, smoothing over their recent clash.
For now, Lu Chengwen didn't want to antagonize him. "I'm not like you. I don't dip my pen in company ink."
"Cut the crap!" Huo Wendong grinned. "How about this? Let's swap secretaries for a few days."
Lu Chengwen was stunned. "What did you say?"
"Don't play dumb! I've swapped with plenty of classmates—it's thrilling! A whole different kind of fun."
He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Lu Chengwen rubbed his temples. "Not my thing."
"Oh!" Huo Wendong pointed at him. "Right, after swapping, the novelty wears off anyway. Enough small talk. Chengwen, you probably know why I'm here, right?"
"No idea." Lu Chengwen poured tea for Huo Wendong.
"I know you hold about 20% of Qianfeng Group's shares. Sell them to me, name your price—I won't haggle."
Lu Chengwen smirked. "You want Qianfeng?"
"Of course." Huo Wendong leaned back. "Qianfeng Group hasn't been performing well lately, but it's got a solid foundation. I figure if I take it over and shake things up, there might still be potential. Worth a shot! The way things are going, it'll keep sinking. If you sell now, I get management control, and you get a hefty payout. Win-win."
Lu Chengwen replied, "Let's skip the games, Wendong. If Qianfeng weren't valuable, would you be throwing money at it?"
"Hahaha! Chengwen, still sharp as ever. Fine, I'll cut the crap."
Huo Wendong's tone turned serious. "Truth is, I need a foothold here. Starting from scratch would cost too much, and you know how it is—market competition would be fierce. Taking over Qianfeng gives me ready-made talent, infrastructure, and clientele. That's how I'll establish myself here."
He quickly added, "Don't worry! Once I take over Qianfeng, I'll partner deeply with Dasheng Group. We'll avoid competition and aim for mutual benefit. Later, we can team up to swallow the Xu and Chen families. After that, Snow City will be ours!"
Lu Chengwen nodded. "Makes sense. But I refuse."
"Why? Name your price—I won't bargain!"
"I know you've got deep pockets," Lu Chengwen poured more tea, "but I'm in love with Leng Qingqiu. The whole world knows it. If I make a move on Qianfeng now, what kind of man would I be?"
"Pfft! So what? If I take over Qianfeng and kick Leng Qingqiu out, she'll have nowhere to go. You swoop in then—how could you *not* get the girl?"
"Wendong."
"Yeah?"
"How about this? Sell me your shares instead."
Huo Wendong laughed, pointing at him. "You sly dog! All this talk, and you're the one who wants to swallow Qianfeng whole! Hahaha! With Qianfeng in your hands, Dasheng Group could take on the Xu and Chen families single-handedly. And Leng Qingqiu would probably fall into your lap too. You're ruthless!"
"Since you get it, as friends, why not help me out?"
Huo Wendong sighed. "Chengwen, it's not that I'm not loyal, but Qianfeng's a mess right now. Executives are jumping ship left and right. If you take it over, it'll be a nightmare. Better to—"
"But I've made up my mind."
Lu Chengwen's voice was firm. "I'm taking Qianfeng."
Huo Wendong's smile vanished, replaced by undisguised disappointment.
"No room for negotiation?"
"None."
"Lu Chengwen, you haven't changed—always competing with me!"
"No." Lu Chengwen shook his head. "I've never competed with you. Name your price for the shares you hold."
Huo Wendong stared at him. "A hundred billion."
Lu Chengwen's eyes widened. "You bought them for thirty-something billion and now want a hundred?"
"Yep. Say the word, and we'll sign the contract."
Lu Chengwen chuckled. "You can't swallow Qianfeng. I won't sell my shares to you, Leng Qingqiu won't, and Leng Tianhao won't either. Qianfeng Group either falls into my hands, or we all watch our shares turn worthless together."
Huo Wendong shot to his feet, pacing agitatedly. "What's the point? I'm offering you a golden opportunity, and you're throwing it away! I know all about that shantytown project of yours—you made a quick buck in the stock market, but how long will that last? Today's gains might be tomorrow's losses! You bought those shares for under thirty billion. I'll add five billion—a quick profit of billions in days. Isn't that sweet?"
Lu Chengwen shook his head. "Leng Qingqiu is just too damn sexy. I'll take Qianfeng *and* her!"
"You—! You're hopeless! A damn simp!"
Lu Chengwen set down his teacup with a smile. "I *am* a simp—one willing to spend billions for the woman I love."
"Damn it, you—"
Suddenly, Luo Shiyin interjected, "President Huo, don't be upset. How about… I speak with President Lu alone?"
Huo Wendong felt a slight dizziness. "Sure, you talk to him. I'll take a look around. Shihan, show me the way."
Lu Chengwen tensed, his eyes locking onto Luo Shiyin.
*This is bad. Big trouble.*