Chapter 200 The Flaw in a Cup of Coffee
As night falls in Beijing, the city lights begin to twinkle.
Inside the Moscow restaurant, the melodious sound of a violin flowed beneath the crystal chandelier, and the air was filled with the aroma of borscht and toast. Those who could afford to dine here were undoubtedly wealthy and powerful.
When Bai Shu arrived, the man named Andrew Liu was already there.
He was dressed in a well-fitting gray suit, and his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses gave him a gentle and refined air. He was holding a cup of coffee and quietly watching the bustling traffic outside the window.
Bai Shu wore a bright red dress today, the hem falling just above her knees, revealing a section of her fair and slender calves. Her long hair was loosely tied back, with a few unruly strands falling beside her cheeks, making her already radiant face even more dazzling.
She walked over in her high heels without making a sound on the carpet.
"Mr. Liu, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." A clear voice rang out behind the man.
Andrew Liu turned around and saw Bai Shu. A look of amazement flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a polite smile. He stood up and gentlemanly pulled out a chair for Bai Shu.
"It is my honor to meet such a beautiful woman as Ms. Bai." He spoke Mandarin clearly and distinctly, with a touch of the accent unique to overseas Chinese.
"Mr. Liu is quite the talker." Bai Shu sat down, put her handbag aside, and looked at the other person with great interest through her peach blossom eyes.
"Manager Du told me that Mr. Liu is very interested in my 'Tangdi Pharmaceutical'?"
“It’s more than just interest.” Andrew Liu’s smile was genuine. “Chairman Bai’s business acumen puts even someone like me, who has been working on Wall Street for many years, to shame. The future of ‘Tangdi Pharmaceuticals’ is limitless.”
In the time that followed, Andrew Liu demonstrated all the qualities of a top businessman.
He spoke wittily, discussing everything from the international economic situation to subtle changes in domestic policies. His analysis of business prospects was eloquent, logical, and based on detailed data, as if he had actually conducted incredibly thorough market research.
Bai Zhu wore a perfectly measured smile, nodding occasionally in agreement, seemingly completely captivated by the grand vision described by the other party.
"...Therefore, I believe that as long as we cooperate, within three years, 'Tangdi Pharmaceuticals' will be able to open the door to Nasdaq!" Andrew Liu said, picking up his coffee cup with his eyes full of anticipation for the future.
"Mr. Liu really painted a very rosy picture for me," Bai Shu chuckled, picking up the lemonade in front of him and taking a sip.
"However, having a blueprint alone is not enough. In business, distribution channels are the most important thing. Take Shanghai for example, that place is very complex and murky. Without connections, you can't even get your goods out there."
As if chatting casually, she casually remarked, "I heard that things have been rather unsettled in Shanghai's black market lately. Even 'Huang the Cripple's' territory was raided. Have you heard about this, Mr. Liu?"
"Huang the Cripple" was a name she made up on the spot.
Andrew Liu, holding his coffee cup, didn't pause for a moment. He smiled naturally and said, "I've heard a little about it. But don't worry, Chairman Bai, our chamber of commerce operates through legitimate channels and never deals with anything shady."
The answer was flawless.
Bai Shu sneered inwardly, but on the surface he showed a hint of agreement: "Mr. Liu is right. I was being too optimistic. But then again, overseas trade is not easy, especially the South American route. I heard that nowadays you have to rely on the 'Red Scorpion's' docks, otherwise cargo ships can't even leave the port."
She'd heard about "Red Scorpion" from her mother's former associates—a smuggling ring that'd been wiped out three years ago. If they were truly knowledgeable about overseas trade, they couldn't possibly be unaware of this.
Andrew Liu's expression remained unchanged. He put down his coffee cup, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and said, "Chairman Bai's information network is truly impressive. However, our chamber of commerce's business is mainly concentrated in North America and Europe; we haven't really gone deep into South America."
He easily deflected it again; this man was like a slippery eel.
Bai Zhu stopped probing and, as if completely convinced, showed some willingness to cooperate.
"A single conversation with you is worth more than ten years of study. I have felt Mr. Liu's sincerity."
"So what does Director Bai mean?" A hint of eagerness finally appeared in Andrew Liu's eyes.
"I can consider the investment," Bai Shu said, then sighed, feigning difficulty.
"However... I'm sorry I can't provide the 'Haitang Technology' information that Mr. Liu wants to see. That's our core secret. Not to mention you, even within our company, very few people have access to it."
Just then, the waiter came over to refill their water.
Andrew Liu picked up the small silver spoon on the table and gently stirred the coffee.
Bai Shu's gaze fell on his hands.
It was a pair of very clean hands, and the way he stirred the coffee was perfect. The silver spoon glided along the inside of the cup without making a sound. Then, he placed the silver spoon steadily in the groove of the saucer.
The entire process was smooth and fluid, characterized by an almost demanding precision and stability.
This is not a habit that a businessman would have.
This almost superhuman control over hand muscles can only be found in two types of people—top surgeons, or… agents who have undergone the most rigorous training.
Bai Shu's heart sank, but he pretended to be touched and said with some apology, "Well then, Mr. Liu, to express my apology, I will give you a small gift from my own pocket."
She took a beautifully packaged brocade box from her handbag and pushed it in front of Andrew Liu.
"This is a sample of our flagship product, 'Xugu Gao,' which is about to be launched by Tangdi Pharmaceutical. Mr. Liu can take it back and try it out; consider it a small token of our sincerity before our cooperation."
A fleeting hint of disappointment crossed Andrew Liu's eyes, but he quickly regained his smile and gladly accepted the "gift."
"Then I'll accept it without hesitation. I'm really looking forward to its effects."
Unbeknownst to him, a tiny tracker, smaller than a grain of rice, was working silently inside the hidden compartment of the brocade box.
The meal ended in a friendly and warm atmosphere.
At the restaurant entrance, the two shook hands and said goodbye, each with their own thoughts.
"It's a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Bai."
"It's a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Liu."
Bai Shu watched as Andrew Liu got into a black sedan and disappeared into the night. The smile on his face vanished instantly, leaving only a cold expression.
Qin Zheng appeared out of nowhere, standing behind her like a shadow.
“Follow him,” Bai Shu said to him.
"Yes." Qin Zheng's figure silently disappeared into the shadows outside the restaurant.
......
That evening, in Tangdixuan.
Qin Zheng brought back the latest news.
"Boss, the target hasn't returned to the hotel."
“He went into a private tailor shop called ‘Milan Style’ and never came out again.”
“What about the tracker’s signal?” Bai Shu asked.
"The signal was lost." Qin Zheng's voice was low. "The last known location was in that tailor shop. I suspect there's a signal jamming device inside."
Tailor shop... tailor...
Bai Zhu understood.
That seemingly inconspicuous tailor shop was the "Eagle's Nest's" base in Beijing.
"Have our people been discovered?"
"No. I was just keeping an eye on things from the outside."
“Very good.” Bai Shu stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the deep night outside.
"Don't alert them. Send our most trusted men to keep a 24-hour watch there. I need to know who goes in and out every day, their license plate numbers, and their physical characteristics—not a single one can be missed."
at the same time.
The basement of the "Milan Style" tailor shop was brightly lit.
This place is less of a basement and more of a small biochemistry lab. Various sophisticated instruments are operating silently.
Andrew Liu, codenamed "The Tailor," had taken off his sharp suit and put on a white research coat. The gentle smile on his face had disappeared, replaced by the focus and fervor unique to researchers.
He was carefully applying a little black ointment to a white mouse with a broken leg.
Through a high-powered microscope, he could clearly see that the broken bone cells were proliferating and healing at an abnormally fast rate.
In less than ten minutes, the white mouse, which had been on the verge of death, miraculously stood up and was jumping around in the cage.
“Oh my God…” The “tailor” took off his glasses and rubbed his incredulous eyes.
This isn't just an ointment, it's a walking gold mine!
He immediately rushed to the encrypted communication device and sent an emergency report to his superiors.
[Target 'Bai Shu' has completed its probing. The target is extremely vigilant, and no core information about 'Haitang Technology' has been obtained.]
[However, an unexpected gain was made: a sample of "Healing Plaster" from 'Tangdi Pharmaceutical'. Preliminary analysis indicates that this medicine possesses epoch-making medicinal value, and its formula value is immeasurable.]
[Recommendation: The organization should immediately adjust its strategic focus, shifting its primary objective from stealing 'technical data' to seizing 'drug formulas'!]
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