Chapter 107 The Prey Delivers Itself to Their Door

7 p.m., Regent Hotel banquet hall.

The crystal chandelier was dazzling, and the champagne tower gleamed with gold.

Amidst the elegant attire and swaying hair, Fang Che felt like a wild duck that had blended into a flock of swans.

The floral shirt choked me, the gold chain felt heavy, and the fake beard was uncomfortable.

The most serious problem was his back. In order to maintain the "wealthy businessman's demeanor," he had to straighten his back, but his old injury was relentless, causing waves of throbbing pain.

Thirteen Sister linked her arm with his, her voice sweet and cloying: "Godfather, that's Boss Zhao over there. The one in the gray suit, the bald one."

Fang Che followed his gaze.

Zhao Yongchang, in his early fifties, had a round face and a smile as he exchanged pleasantries with someone. He looked like an amiable businessman, but Fang Che knew that anyone who could cooperate with Jiang Tianqi was definitely not a good person.

He took a breath, composed himself, and walked over with the wine.

"Boss Zhao..." Fang Che began, his voice a mix of Northeastern accent and broken Cantonese, "I've heard so much about you! I'm Charlie Chen, just got back from Indonesia!"

Zhao Yongchang turned around, saw Fang Che's attire, a look of surprise flashed across his eyes, then he smiled and said, "Mr. Chen? It's a pleasure to meet you. Judging from your accent... are you an overseas Chinese from Southeast Asia?"

"Yes, yes!" Fang Che forced a smile. "I'm in the rubber business in Indonesia, and I'm back to invest in real estate. I heard Boss Zhao has a big project, it's very interesting!"

Thirteen Sister chimed in at the right moment, her shoulders trembling slightly as she tried to suppress her laughter: "Boss Zhao, my godfather's Mandarin isn't very good. He just came back from Southeast Asia. Please forgive him."

"No, not at all." Zhao Yongchang sized up Fang Che, his gaze lingering on the gold chain and Rolex. "Mr. Chen, are you interested in real estate?"

"I'm super interested!" Fang Che leaned closer and lowered his voice, "Mr. Zhao, to be honest, I've seen future trends in Southeast Asia! These shopping malls in Hong Kong are so old-fashioned!"

"Oh?" Zhao Yongchang raised an eyebrow.

Fang Che pulled out a hand-drawn sketch from his pocket. He had rushed to finish it last night, bringing the concept of a shopping mall from more than ten years in advance.

“Look!” he pointed to the sketch. “This is a ‘one-stop shopping and entertainment complex’! It combines shopping, dining, cinemas, and an ice rink! Young people will love this fashion!”

Zhao Yongchang was stunned: "The ice rink is in the shopping mall?"

"Yes, that's right!" Fang Che gestured. "You can go ice skating in winter, hold exhibitions in summer, and open a KTV next door... Boss Zhao, this is the kind of place that young people in Hong Kong will love in the next ten years! If you invest now, you'll be making your first pot of gold!"

He spoke with animated gestures, his Cantonese interspersed with English.

His back was hurting terribly, so while Zhao Yongchang was looking at the picture, he secretly nudged his lower back with his elbow.

This movement did not escape the eyes of those in the distance.

In another corner of the banquet hall, Jiang Tianqi held a wine glass, his gaze fixed on "Charlie Chen".

He felt that the person looked familiar.

Especially the eyes. Even through the lenses, you can still make out some of their outlines.

They look so alike.

Like that person who should have died in Thailand.

But Charlie Chan's demeanor was completely different: floral shirts, gold chains, speaking broken Cantonese, and a face full of nouveau riche fawning.

Jiang Tianqi frowned and beckoned to his bodyguard: "Investigate Charlie Chen. He's an Indonesian Chinese businessman in the rubber industry. I need detailed information."

"yes."

The bodyguards withdrew. Jiang Tianqi strode away.

Fang Che was playing his flute with great enthusiasm when he caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of his eye. His heart tightened, but his smile widened.

"Mr. Zhao! Your project is really perfect! But I think it can be even more perfect! For example, add a food court here, with Southeast Asian flavors, I'll take care of importing it!"

Jiang Tianqi approached, smiling gently: "Uncle Zhao, who is this?"

“Mr. Charlie Chen, a returned overseas Chinese from Southeast Asia,” Zhao Yongchang introduced. “Mr. Chen, this is Young Master Jiang Tianqi, the heir of the Dongsheng Society, and my business partner.”

Fang Che turned around and met Jiang Tianqi's gaze.

My heart was pounding like a drum.

His smile remained unchanged; he even exaggeratedly extended his hand, exclaiming, "Young Master Jiang! You're young and promising!"

Jiang Tianqi gripped his hand firmly, his eyes scrutinizing him: "Mr. Chen, your accent is quite distinctive. Where did you learn Cantonese?"

"I learned it on my own!" Fang Che withdrew his hand and rubbed his wrist. "I learned it from Hong Kong sailors in Indonesia. I'm only half-baked, please excuse my ignorance."

Jiang Tianqi's gaze fell on his waist: "Mr. Chen, is your back uncomfortable?"

Fang Che cursed inwardly, but sighed outwardly: "I fell in the rainforest when I was young. I was being chased by a gorilla, and I was running too fast, so I fell into a ditch. It left an old injury that hurts on rainy days."

"Ape?" Jiang Tianqi raised an eyebrow.

“Yes! It’s the Indonesian rainforest, you can find anything!” Fang Che gestured. “That gorilla was huge, with long fur, and it chased me for three miles! Luckily, I ran fast…”

He spoke so vividly that Thirteen Sister was practically bursting with suppressed laughter.

Jiang Tianqi looked at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed: "Mr. Chen is quite humorous. But I know an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor who specializes in treating back injuries. Would you like me to introduce you?"

"No need, no need!" Fang Che waved his hand. "My injury is beyond the healing power of even a god! It's all fate!"

As he spoke, he rubbed his lower back, and the movement was a bit too exaggerated, causing the edge of his fake beard to stick up slightly.

Jiang Tianqi's eyes sharpened instantly.

Fang Che reacted even faster, pretending to sneeze, covering his mouth with his hand, and pressing his beard down in the process.

"Sorry! The air conditioning was too cold, I caught a chill!" He wiped his nose. "Mr. Zhao, Young Master Jiang, you two chat, I'm going to the restroom!"

He pulled Thirteen Sister away and ran off.

Walking into the restroom, Fang Che closed the door, leaned against the wall, and let out a long breath.

"Damn it..." He loosened his collar, "Jiang Tianqi's eyes looked like he wanted to skin me alive."

Thirteen Sister checked his beard: "It's alright, nothing's fallen out. But that gorilla story you just told... wasn't it a bit too far-fetched?"

“The more ridiculous the better,” Fang Che splashed water on his face. “The more ridiculous the better, the more he will think I’m a good-for-nothing rich businessman and won’t think too much about it.”

Even so, he was still worried.

Jiang Tianqi is too shrewd.

After a brief moment of adjustment, the two returned to the banquet hall.

Jiang Tianqi was still talking to Zhao Yongchang, but his gaze kept sweeping over them.

Fang Che gritted his teeth and continued to negotiate.

His back pain worsened, so he made an excuse to get some wine and walked to the dining table, where he leaned against the counter to ease the pain.

At that moment, someone approached.

The perfume smells familiar.

Fang Che looked up and saw Li Ruoxue.

She wore a black dress and had exquisite makeup, but there was weariness in her eyes.

I looked at him, holding my cup, my eyes filled with complex emotions.

“Mr. Chen?” Li Ruoxue asked softly.

Fang Che immediately got into character: "And who is this young lady?"

Li Ruoxue stepped forward, her voice extremely low: "Fang Che, I know it's you."

Fang Che's heart skipped a beat, but his smile remained unchanged: "Miss, you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm Charlie Chen, I just returned from Indonesia."

"Stop pretending." Li Ruoxue's eyes reddened. "I recognize your eyes. Jiang Tianqi is suspicious. Stop now, it's not too late to leave."

Fang Che looked at her, and after a few seconds, his smile faded: "Li Ruoxue, whose side are you on?"

“I stand with the Li family,” Li Ruoxue said, her voice trembling. “But I don’t want to see you die. Fang Che, leave Hong Kong. Jiang Tianqi… he really will kill you.”

“He can’t kill her.” Fang Che put his smiling mask back on, took a glass of champagne from the waiter’s tray, and handed it to her. “Because Charlie Chen is going back to Indonesia tonight. Have fun, miss.”

He turned to leave.

Li Ruoxue grabbed his wrist and quickly slipped a note into his hand.

“Be careful of Boss Zhao’s secretary,” she whispered in his ear. “He’s one of Jiang Tianqi’s men.”

Fang Che tightened his grip, hiding the note in his palm.

He didn't turn around, but walked back into the crowd.

In another corner, Jiang Tianqi held up a camera, and on the screen was a profile picture that had just been taken.

He zoomed in to examine it closely.

The glasses obscured his features, the mustache altered the shape of his lips, but those eyes…

Jiang Tianqi's eyes were gloomy.

He dialed the number: "Where's the information?"

"Found him, Young Master Jiang. Charlie Chen, an Indonesian Chinese, three generations of his family have been in the rubber business, clean background, entered the country from Jakarta last month."

“Too clean.” Jiang Tianqi sneered. “Clean to the point of being unreal. Continue the investigation. I need all his movements over the past three months.”

He hung up the cell phone and stared at the photo.

If it really is Fang Che...

He didn't die; he returned disguised as a wealthy businessman, his target clearly Zhao Yongchang.

Jiang Tianqi suddenly laughed.

interesting.

The prey came to them.

He put away his cell phone, straightened his suit, and walked towards Zhao Yongchang.

We need to keep Boss Zhao calm first.