As he shook hands, Xiang Wan subtly glanced at Irving.

He had calluses on his index finger and the base of his thumb, his finger joints were very flexible, he was tall and slender, his muscles were hidden under his suit, he wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, his slicked-back hair was neatly combed, and a thin braid hung down to his shoulders.

Judging by his appearance alone, it's easy to mistake Irving for a middle-aged artist, or even someone with the air of a teacher. Perhaps this is his protective shell, completely unrelated to what he does.

They found a relatively quiet corner and sat down. Owen opened a few bottles of beer and invited Xiang Wan and Cui Shiwan to drink with him.

There are private rooms here, but those who go there are usually accompanied by bodyguards to prevent others from accidentally wandering in and causing trouble. As for what kind of transactions are taking place, the bar management doesn't care, and naturally, no one interferes.

"It's rare to meet like this, let's drink until we drop?" Owen raised his bottle and urged Cui Shiwan to drink.

In general, if you bring a male companion to such a meeting, it's usually the male companion who will drink the drinks on your behalf.

Because Owen wasn't familiar with Xiang Wan, he was ostensibly advising Cui Shiwan, but in reality, he was advising her.

Xiang Wan understood that they must have something to say, and it would be best if she could get him drunk so that it would seem like she hadn't been hiding anything from him, and that the important matter would be settled.

Now that we're here, we should cooperate. Xiang Wan picked up the bottle and started drinking with Owen.

The original owner had a high alcohol tolerance, which was probably developed after entering the industry, but there was still a gap compared to Irving.

I didn't see him drink a whole bottle without even breaking a sweat.

If you can't win, you have to give up.

“Irving, we’re just meeting up today, there’s no need to get him drunk.”

Cui Shiwan stopped Xiang Wan from picking up the wine bottle again.

"My rules, can they be changed whenever I want?" Owen's tone was somewhat displeased, but his expression remained unchanged.

Cui Shiwan smiled and gestured. This was a code word used within their industry, similar to sign language, yet quite different. Interpreting it directly using sign language would be nonsensical; only those within their circle truly understood its meaning.

In their presence, Xiang Wan was like a blind man, because their gestures were not even recorded in writing, and even the system didn't know them, so how could she possibly know them? But that didn't stop her from having Xiao Qi record the details of their conversation so she could study them carefully and figure out their deeper meaning.

But one thing is certain: the message they are conveying is definitely not good.

Xiang Wan feigned curiosity and said, "I didn't expect you to know sign language. I'm really impressed."

Cui Shiwan remained unmoved upon hearing this until Owen nodded slightly. Only then did she turn around and explain to Xiang Wan, "Having a wide range of interests and learning more is always a good thing."

Xiang Wan nodded, eager to try, and said, "Could you teach me? It looks quite interesting."

"Your friend, are you still a student?"

Owen interjected at the opportune moment, interrupting Xiang Wan, so she stopped talking about the previous topic and replied, "Among three people walking together, there must be one who can teach me. It's never a bad thing to learn more."

"Little friend, this is not a school, and we are not your teachers. If you want to learn, you have to see if we agree."

“I thought a teacher like Mr. Owen would be happy to take on students, after all, you don’t seem to be any less capable than those professors.”

No one dislikes flattery.

There was obvious pleasure in Irving's eyes. Whether he was faking it or not was no longer important. What mattered was that he seemed to really enjoy being told that he was a knowledgeable person.

"That's right. Compared to those dry and boring theoretical knowledge, I prefer to put it into practice with my own hands and feet. For example, what I hear most often is about South Africa. People often think that it's a very poor place and that the people are uncivilized. Only when you go there can you truly understand what it means to be optimistic and accept your fate, and how knowledge can change your destiny. And Africa, with its vast land and inexhaustible resources, how can it be described in just a few words?"

"Mr. Irving is very knowledgeable and insightful. I admire you greatly and respect you!"

Xiang Wan wore a look of longing on her face, but in reality, she felt quite disdainful.

Just because she hadn't been to those places didn't mean she didn't know what Owen was talking about. South Africa has a huge black market where people are deported without anyone finding a trace, because it's a one-off transaction; once the money and goods are exchanged, the buyer and seller have no further contact.

Africa was the slaughterhouse where Irving dealt with those he wanted to eliminate. If a person was carried off and eaten by an animal, the chances of finding them were extremely slim. After all, who would bother searching for someone on the African savanna? Even returning alive was uncertain.

"Miss Wan, I'm very curious, how did you get to know such a knowledgeable writer as Mr. Owen? Why wasn't I so lucky?"

"Hehe, so curious? Why don't you take the initiative and see if you can win Mr. Owen's favor? Perfect, let me see your skills too."

Cui Shiwan whispered the last sentence close to Xiang Wan's ear. She wanted Xiang Wan to reveal herself willingly, like a lamb entering a tiger's den.

This suited her perfectly; Xiang Wan had been hoping to snatch something from the jaws of defeat.

Xiang Wan's eyes widened, and she retorted defiantly, "You said it yourself."

Before Cui Shiwan could answer, Xiang Wan sat down next to Owen, about a hand's width away from him.

"Mr. Owen, have you ever heard of the White Horse?"

"Nightclubs? I've heard of them."

"People say that place is an entertainment venue for the rich, but in my opinion, it's nothing more than a decadent den of debauchery, far less interesting than this bar."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"That place reeks of money, while here, there's a comfortable, lived-in vibe. Look at those burly men over there, shouting like their heads are off, drinking like it's free, but the one next to them, the quiet, scarred-face guy, is the real star of their group. Do you know why?"

"Does a dog that bites not bark?"

"Wrong. He's a man who works tirelessly for his wife, children, and elderly parents. He can fight, he can be ruthless, but he can't afford to lose his life. As long as you're alive, as long as you survive to the end, that's what makes you the protagonist of your life, don't you think?"

Owen chuckled, his eyes gleaming. "It's also possible that it was just a disguise. Besides, in their line of work, only those who are willing to risk their lives can survive."

"Are they your men?"

The sudden question caught both Cui Shiwan and Owen off guard. Owen's eyes flickered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure, while Cui Shiwan lowered her eyes, lost in thought.

"Are you sure?" Irving remained noncommittal.

Xiang Wan scoffed and laughed, "How could that be? It was just a joke to lighten the mood."

Irving silently held the bottle, his fingertips pressing against the bottle with varying pressure.

"Mr. Owen, it seems we can't be friends anymore."

I like to joke, you're too serious. We're not a good match.

Xiang Wan's expression was serious, but there was no sign of disappointment, as if none of this mattered.

Cui Shiwan nearly spat out her drink. She never expected Xiang Wan to use such an ambiguous tone to tell Owen that they weren't a good match. Anyone who didn't know better would think she was rejecting a lover.

Owen reached out and patted Xiang Wan on the shoulder, speaking directly in front of her, but only Cui Shiwan could understand what he was saying.

"It's not up to standard. Draft a new one, the more specific the better."