At this moment, elsewhere.
Mark had just finished summarizing the day’s work when his phone received a message.
He relayed it truthfully to Pei Yuzhou. “Sir, Miss Meng is asking about you.”
The man was dressed in a bathrobe, the collar loose and open. He leaned lazily against the sofa, holding a red wine glass in his hand and gently swirling it.
Mark asked, “She probably wants to know where you are. Should I tell her?”
Pei Yuzhou took a light sip, the red wine moistening his throat. His tone lifted slightly. “What benefits did she give you?”
Mark immediately clarified, “I wouldn’t dare. I’m your man, sir.”
His phone vibrated twice more in succession.
Pei Yuzhou pressed his long fingers against his temple and gave a slight nod of his chin. “What did she say?”
Mark lowered his head to look at the messages.
“When will he be free?”
“Or you can give me his contact information, and I’ll ask him myself.”
“Miss Meng is asking when you’ll be free. She also wants your contact information.”
“She certainly knows how to think.” Pei Yuzhou curved his lips. “Tell her I’m not free.”
Mark did as instructed and replied to Meng Shuyao: “Sorry, sir isn’t free.”
The next moment, her call came through.
Mark looked to Pei Yuzhou for instructions.
The man raised a brow. “Answer it.”
Only then did he press accept and turn on speaker.
The girl’s clear, gentle voice came through the receiver. “Is Mr. Pei really not free?”
Mark: “Mm.”
Meng Shuyao sounded dispirited. “How can your sir not keep his word? That day, he clearly promised me…”
Before she could finish, she was suddenly cut off. “What did I promise you?”
His voice was low, mellow, and clear, wrapped in a magnetic quality—simply a blessing for anyone obsessed with voices.
Meng Shuyao hadn’t expected him to be listening beside Mark. She froze for a few seconds, then finished in a small voice, “You promised to give me a chance.”
Pei Yuzhou asked lazily, “When?”
“That was clearly what you meant that day.” Meng Shuyao bit her lip. “Anyway, you can’t go back on your word.”
Pei Yuzhou set down his wine glass. “Then what do you want?”
“Are you free this weekend? Can we have a meal together? Or do something else, that works too.”
He said indifferently, “I’ve arranged to discuss business with someone.”
Meng Shuyao sighed helplessly. “All right…”
Just as the last note of her voice was about to fall, she heard him say, “Xita Resort.”
It was a small town near Chicago, about a two-hour drive away.
Meng Shuyao’s eyes instantly lit up, and a smile spread across her lips. “I understand. Thank you, Mr. Pei.”
Through the phone, just from the sound of her voice, Pei Yuzhou could imagine the bright smile on her face.
-
Xita Resort was a newly developed tourist area this year and had not yet officially opened to the public.
Some time ago, Meng Shuyao had come across its promotional video online. It boasted lakeside scenery, a quiet environment, and lush greenery.
Seeing it in person, she realized the pictures hadn’t been filtered. It really was beautiful.
Rows of vintage-style buildings stood one after another, each with its own private courtyard and exceptional views.
As soon as she arrived, a staff member came to ask for her identity and then took her to her room to settle in.
Along the way, the staff member also introduced the place to her. “There’s a wildlife park nearby, where you can feed small animals up close, interact with them, and take photos. Dusk is best for boating on the lake—that’s when the scenery is at its finest. There are also many specialty snacks and handicraft shops in town…”
The weather in April was very suitable for outdoor activities—not cold, not hot, just right.
The villa was adjacent to the lake. Standing on the balcony and looking into the distance, the faraway mountains were like dark-green ink, and the blue waves shimmered.
In the afternoon, Meng Shuyao had nothing to do, so she took her drawing board and paints to the lakeside to sketch from life.
On the lake was a pair of swans, one black and one white, their beaks touching. Their long necks together formed a heart-shaped curve, reflected beautifully in the water.
It would truly be a waste not to sketch such a scene.
She found a good spot, set up her easel, adjusted her palette, and sat down to focus on painting.
Landscapes were her strength. She even restored the layers of light and shadow among the feathers so vividly they seemed alive.
Once she started, she painted for three hours.
She stopped, rubbed her aching arm, asked the staff for feed, and ran over to feed the swans.
From the terrace of the villa behind her, a tall, slender figure stood by the railing, taking everything in.
“You know that girl?” asked the middle-aged man beside him, whose hair was combed back.
Pei Yuzhou withdrew his gaze and did not answer. “The cooperation proposal is finalized. Mark will handle the follow-up matters from beginning to end.”
“I’m not worried about that.” Peter took the initiative to suggest, “Let’s have dinner together tonight, to wish our cooperation success in advance.”
“Successful cooperation” was an insincere phrase. Working with Kerwin meant having the profit points pressed down again and again. As expected of the person in power of the Hers family, his negotiation methods were unmatched. It was impossible to gain even the slightest advantage from him.
And yet, even so, there was still no shortage of people begging to work with him.
After all, the connections, resources, and cash flow in his hands were enormous, capable of reducing project risks to the minimum.
Pei Yuzhou’s voice was indifferent. “I’ll have someone arrange a restaurant.”
Peter nodded with a smile. “Then I’ll go back to my room and change first. I got a coffee stain on myself earlier. See you later.”
Before she realized it, it was already five o’clock.
Meng Shuyao crouched by the shore, boredly watching the swans peck at their food.
After feeding out the feed in her hand, she clapped her hands, took out her phone from her pocket, and sent Mark a message: “When will Mr. Pei be done?”
Two minutes later, the other side replied: “It’ll be nighttime.”
“If Miss Meng wants to have fun nearby, you can ask a staff member to accompany you.”
Meng Shuyao: “All right, I understand.”
It really was difficult to see him.
Putting away her phone, she turned back to pack up her drawing board and paints.
The staff member was very perceptive and came forward to help, sending everything back to her room for her.
Meng Shuyao had gotten paint on herself, so she took a shower before going out for dinner.
The sky had darkened. Colorful lights illuminated the road, and when the wind blew, tree shadows swayed, pleasant and comfortable.
She walked slowly, stopping now and then, and took quite a few photos.
The staff had recommended she come try the French cuisine here.
Only after entering did she realize that the place was decorated in a French-Chinese style.
Elegant wooden doors and windows, carved column capitals, and screens painted with ink wash paintings gave it a strong Eastern atmosphere.
Brass branch-shaped lamps were spaced at intervals along the walls. The side windows faced the lakeside, offering an excellent view.
Since it was still in the trial operation stage, there were very few guests.
Meng Shuyao walked farther in to look for a seat.
Unfortunately, the seat with the best view was already occupied.
A man and a woman—probably a couple on a date.
Her peripheral vision swept over them, then suddenly froze.
That sharply defined side profile was unmistakably Mr. Pei.
Sitting opposite him was a girl with big waves in her hair and striking features. She wore a purple puff-sleeved, cinched-waist dress and had an elegant bearing.
So when he said he was busy, he meant he was accompanying another girl on a dinner date.
Pei Yuzhou sensed something unusual and turned his eyes toward her.
Their gazes met.
The air fell quiet.
There was no expression on his face, forever calm and unruffled.
“Miss, which seat would you like?” a server came over to ask.
Meng Shuyao pressed her lips together and shifted her gaze away. “Anywhere is fine.”
She casually pulled out a chair and sat down.
The server handed over the menu.
Meng Shuyao had lost all appetite. She casually ordered two dishes, plus a bottle of Burgundy wine.
“All right. Please wait a moment.” The server turned and went back to the bar to get the wine.
Meng Shuyao reached out and fiddled with the small potted plant on the table, unconsciously plucking off several green leaves.
In her peripheral vision, the two people over there were chatting and seemed to be having a very pleasant conversation.
P.S. The reference images used in the book are all sourced from the internet and will be removed upon request.