Fan Shengmei took a deep breath; she knew she couldn't give up like this. Watching the mysterious man's retreating figure, she made up her mind to get closer, no matter what, to obtain more clues. She whispered to Su Ran, "I'm going to try again. Help me." Su Ran nodded firmly. The two of them walked casually toward the mysterious man, an even more tense confrontation about to unfold.
In the rest area of the event venue, soft music flowed like a gentle stream, and the air was filled with the faint aroma of coffee. Elegant sofas and coffee tables were arranged around, and small groups of people were either chatting quietly or flipping through magazines. Fan Shengmei's gaze was fixed on the mysterious man in front of her. He was sitting alone on a sofa, twirling a pen in his hand, his eyes warily scanning his surroundings.
Fan Shengmei, quick-witted, picked up a glass of champagne and deliberately walked near the mysterious man. She pretended to accidentally bump into a nearby table, spilling some champagne. "Oh dear, I'm so sorry," she said coquettishly, successfully attracting the mysterious man's attention. Su Ran played along, quickly stepping forward to ask with concern, "Are you alright, Shengmei?"
The mysterious man frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes. Fan Shengmei quickly looked at him apologetically, "Sir, I'm so sorry, did I disturb you? There are quite a few people here, I was just lost in thought." The mysterious man sized up Fan Shengmei and coldly replied, "Be more careful next time."
Su Ran smiled and smoothed things over, "Sir, would you mind if we sat here? There aren't any other seats available in this rest area." The mysterious man hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Fan Shengmei and Su Ran sat down, and Fan Shengmei began to subtly strike up a conversation with the mysterious man, "Sir, judging from your extraordinary demeanor, you must have achieved great success in the business world, right?"
The mysterious man's lips curled into a slight smile, revealing a hint of smugness: "You flatter me, it's just a small business." Fan Shengmei was secretly delighted and continued to steer the conversation: "Business is tough these days, especially for large companies like the Fu Group, which occupy a significant market share. That must put a lot of pressure on your competitors, right?"
The mysterious man's eyes narrowed as he looked at Fan Shengmei warily: "What is your relationship with the Fu Group?" Fan Shengmei's heart tightened, but she quickly calmed down and smiled, saying, "I work at the Fu Group, but I'm just a small employee, struggling to make a living. Recently, the company has been under a lot of competitive pressure, so I was curious about how other companies are dealing with it."
Su Ran chimed in at the opportune moment, "Yes, Shengmei works very hard, she just wants to learn more about industry trends. Sir, if it's convenient for you, could you tell us about it?" The mysterious man's expression softened slightly upon hearing this. He picked up his coffee, took a sip, and slowly said, "The Fu Group is indeed difficult to deal with, but even the most powerful company has its weaknesses."
Fan Shengmei's heart skipped a beat, and she pressed on, "Oh? You mean someone is plotting against the Fu Group?" The mysterious man realized he had let something slip, and his eyes instantly turned cold. "I was just saying, don't overthink it." Fan Shengmei knew she couldn't push him too far, so she smiled and changed the subject. "Haha, that's true, I was just being curious. But seriously, business competition is so fierce these days, it's tough for everyone."
However, Fan Shengmei's clever guidance still worked. In the ensuing conversation, the mysterious man inadvertently revealed, "The forces behind them have been preparing for a long time. A larger operation against the Fu Group is about to begin. The Fu Group is probably doomed this time." After saying that, he seemed to realize that he had said too much and suddenly stood up: "Sorry, I have something to do. I'll be leaving now."
Fan Shengmei was shocked, realizing the urgency of the situation. Watching the mysterious man's hurried departure, she knew she couldn't delay any longer and had to inform Meng Yanchen as soon as possible. She gave Su Ran a wink, and the two got up and left the event.
The streets were brightly lit at night, with cars flowing by and the cacophony of horns and crowds blending together. After leaving the event, Fan Shengmei looked around, feeling like she was being watched. She whispered to Su Ran, "I think I'm being followed." Su Ran frowned, calmly observing their surroundings. "Don't panic," she said, "let's split up and distract them."
Fan Shengmei nodded, and the two walked in different directions. Fan Shengmei quickened her pace, her high heels clicking rapidly on the ground. She looked back and saw a man in a black trench coat following her at a leisurely pace. Fan Shengmei felt nervous. She turned into a small alley, dimly lit and filled with a damp atmosphere, the walls on both sides covered with moss.
The man who had been following her also entered. Fan Shengmei's heart raced. She spotted a trash can ahead and, on a sudden impulse, threw her bag at it, making a loud crash. The man who had been following her was startled and instinctively looked towards the trash can. Taking advantage of the moment, Fan Shengmei turned and ran in another direction. Her breathing became rapid, and she could only hear her own heartbeat and footsteps.
However, the man who had been following her quickly realized his mistake and continued to chase her. Fan Shengmei saw a convenience store ahead and hurriedly ran inside. The bright lights inside made her feel slightly more at ease. She hid behind a shelf, peeking through the gaps at the store entrance. The man who had been following her lingered at the entrance for a while, then went inside and looked around. Fan Shengmei didn't dare breathe; her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her throat.
Just as the man following Fan Shengmei was about to reach the shelf where she was hiding, a convenience store clerk approached him: "Sir, do you need any help?" The man hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'm looking for someone." The clerk asked in confusion, "There's only me and this lady here; I don't see anyone else." Realizing he might have lost her, the man cursed and turned to leave the convenience store.
After he left, Fan Shengmei came out from behind the shelf and said gratefully to the clerk, "Thank you." The clerk smiled and said, "You're welcome. You seem quite scared. Did you run into some trouble?" Fan Shengmei shook her head: "It's nothing, it's all resolved." After saying that, she walked out of the convenience store, cautiously observing her surroundings again. After confirming that no one was following her, she hurriedly headed towards Meng Yanchen's company.
Will Fan Shengmei be able to shake off the pursuers and successfully deliver the message to Meng Yanchen? What bigger operation is the mysterious investment group planning? Everything remains to be seen…
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com