A quarter of an hour earlier, while Hu Yuanyuan was meeting with Fu Yanxiong, Li Feng left the training base and headed to Fengyuan Group.
If it weren’t for arranging matters for Bu Meng, Li Feng would have gone straight to Fengyuan Group upon returning to Tianhai City. After all, Tianlang and Zhong Shuhui were merely subordinates, but Fengyuan Group had Hu Yuanyuan, his woman. The gains from his trip to the Hundred Thousand Mountains could only be shared with her for now.
As for Xu Qing and Liu Ruyan at Fengyuan Group, they were just potential partners in his eyes. Until their relationships were confirmed, Li Feng wouldn’t reveal his secrets to them.
Driving into the city, he looked at the bustling streets, his eyes gleaming. There was a saying: “Three years in Africa, and even a sow looks beautiful.” For him, it was much the same. The days in the Hundred Thousand Mountains felt like living as a monk. Though Ge Ying, a beautiful woman, had been by his side, she was just a friend. Even when they embraced under the waterfall, he had no ulterior thoughts.
On Tianhai City’s streets, despite the chilly weather, the women wore revealing outfits, their flawless legs on display, captivating passersby.
Of course, Li Feng wasn’t so distracted as to be immobilized. To him, it was merely eye candy. Sometimes, he thought that without all the schemes and troubles, living peacefully in Tianhai City would be a happy life.
Unfortunately, even if he didn’t seek trouble, trouble found him. If he didn’t fight back, he’d face an abyss.
Now, it wasn’t just his personal crisis. Fengyuan Group was at a critical juncture. Because of Smart One, numerous foreign forces were watching. And that was just foreign forces. Li Feng didn’t believe domestic forces weren’t interested in Smart One.
Sun Xipeng was a prime example. Setting aside his pursuit of Hu Yuanyuan, Li Feng didn’t believe Sun Xipeng’s moves against his company were unrelated to Smart One. A man who built Sun Group from nothing wouldn’t be swayed by mere emotions.
Beyond Sun Xipeng, there were his enemies: Diwang Pavilion, Qin Feng, Fu Yanxiong, even Song Zhiyuan. Were they uninterested in Smart One? Impossible. Even the government might want to control it.
Smart One alone had made so many enemies. If he developed other new products, wouldn’t the trouble grow?
Fengyuan Group was now a juicy piece of meat, and many wanted a bite. Li Feng refused to let his hard-built company become someone else’s prize.
This led him to think of the upcoming business networking event, a platform for distributing Tianhai City’s commercial resources. Was the Liu family’s invitation to Fengyuan Group an attempt to carve it up too?
The idea seemed absurd, but Li Feng didn’t dismiss it. Fengyuan Group was decent but only a month-old conglomerate with assets under ten billion, still digesting the Sun Group acquisition. In Tianhai City, many companies were stronger. Why did the Liu family invite them?
Before, he thought little of it—a networking event, no big deal. But now, learning from Zhong Shuhui that foreign forces were eyeing Smart One, he wondered if the Liu family’s invitation had the same motive.
The timing was too coincidental. The signs suggested something fishy.
The event was tomorrow night. Refusing to attend could harm the company, so he’d have to adapt to the situation.
His car soon reached Fengyuan Group. Looking at the majestic Tianfu Building, Li Feng’s ambition surged. This was his company, and he wouldn’t let anyone ruin it.
“President Li.”
“Greetings, President Li.”
Entering Tianfu Building, he was met with greetings. Smiling and nodding, he was surprised how many recognized him after just a few visits.
Scanning the lobby, he didn’t see Liu Ruyan and felt a twinge of disappointment. Teasing her would’ve been fun, but it wasn’t to be.
With no choice, he headed to Hu Yuanyuan’s office, where Xu Qing and Hu Yuanyuan were.
“President Li.”
In the elevator, a familiar voice called out.
“Yu Xiangdong, it’s you?” Li Feng was surprised to encounter Yu Xiangdong, the eccentric man he’d met on his second visit to the company.
“Yes, President Li,” Yu Xiangdong said, looking uneasy. Last time, he’d boasted about looking out for Li Feng, not knowing he was the vice president—his boss. Talking about “taking care” of the boss was mortifying.
Though he’d become the investment department manager, he worried Li Feng might hold his words against him.
“You seem scared of me?” Li Feng said suddenly.
“No, no, I…” Yu Xiangdong stammered, unsure how to respond. Scared? Of course, Li Feng was the boss. Who wouldn’t be? Especially after his reckless words last time.
*Ding!*
The elevator arrived, and the doors opened.
“Not bad, not bad. Promoted, I see,” Li Feng said, glancing at Yu Xiangdong’s badge and nodding approvingly. “Keep up the good work. I’m rooting for you.” He stepped out.
Yu Xiangdong froze, then clenched his fist excitedly. “Oh yeah!” He understood Li Feng’s words. Being backed by the boss filled him with enthusiasm.
“President Li.”
At Hu Yuanyuan’s office door, Xu Qing stood respectfully.
“Good morning, Assistant Xu,” Li Feng said, smiling at her. Dressed in a professional suit, with her hair neatly pinned, a smooth forehead, arched brows, long lashes, expressive eyes, sharp nose, and full red lips, Xu Qing was striking. Her office attire was undeniably alluring.
No wonder bosses liked female secretaries—no one could resist such charm.
“Is President Li here to see President Hu?” Xu Qing asked, uncomfortable under his intense gaze, feeling exposed.
After the last incident, Li Feng’s intentions were clear, unsettling her. She’d been anxious, fearing meeting him, but his absence had spared her the awkwardness. Yet, oddly, she felt a hint of disappointment.
“Yes, but no rush,” Li Feng said, smiling faintly. “Xu Qing, how’ve you been? The Zheng Haoyuan incident must’ve shaken you. If I hadn’t been out of Tianhai City, I’d have checked on you sooner.”
“I’m fine,” Xu Qing said, shaking her head. But the incident had affected her, giving her nightmares.
Thinking of them, she blushed. In her dreams, when danger struck, Li Feng appeared to save her, and afterward, she’d throw herself into his arms, offering passionate kisses.
Once or twice, she could brush off, but recurring dreams worried her. They say what you think by day haunts your dreams. Was she thinking of Li Feng?
Though reluctant to admit it, she knew it was true. Whenever she had a moment, her thoughts drifted to him.
But he was her boss, and with his relationship with Hu Yuanyuan, anything between them was impossible. She wasn’t the type to be a mistress or secret lover.
“Look at you, so tired. You must not be resting enough,” Li Feng said, feigning concern. “Work’s important, Xu Qing, but your health matters more. Don’t let work wear you out.”
Taking a deep breath, Xu Qing said, “President Li, if there’s nothing else, I need to work.”
She didn’t dare continue the conversation, fearing what he might say next. This was the workplace, a public space. She didn’t want gossip, especially not reaching Hu Yuanyuan’s ears.
“Then I won’t keep you,” Li Feng said, smiling lightly. He knew when to stop. Xu Qing wasn’t Hu Yuanyuan; building a connection with her would take time, and this wasn’t the place for romance.
“Is President Hu in her office?” he asked.
“Yes, she’s meeting a guest,” Xu Qing replied, relieved he’d backed off.
“A guest? Who?” Li Feng paused, intending to barge in but realizing it would be rude if Hu Yuanyuan was with someone.
“Someone named Fu Yanxiong, I think,” Xu Qing answered.
“Fu Yanxiong?” Li Feng’s expression faltered, his face darkening. Why was Fu Yanxiong at Fengyuan Group, meeting Hu Yuanyuan?
With that thought, he pushed open her office door, just in time to hear Fu Yanxiong say the company should be called Yuanyuan Group instead. Letting out a cold snort, he walked in.
