Inside a luxurious private room, a group of business tycoons were engaged in lively conversation.
Incredibly, the person sitting at the head of the table was a young man, a whole generation younger than everyone else present. Yet, no one dared to show him any disrespect.
“Dear nephew Ishii, how is your father doing these days?”
“My father is very healthy. Thank you all, my uncles, for your concern.”
“Ha ha ha ha, we all became sworn brothers together; caring for one another is simply our duty.”
At that moment, an old man who had been quiet all along suddenly spoke up: “Well, looking at the time, it’s almost here. Why hasn’t Mr. Nishimura’s person arrived yet?”
“This Mr. Nishimura sure puts on airs, daring to keep our nephew Ishii waiting this long. We should give him a piece of our mind when he gets here.”
“That’s right. If our nephew is being mistreated, we elders absolutely have to help him vent his anger.”
Mr. Nishimura was one of Nishimura Koishi’s titles in the business world. Not many people knew that this ‘Mr. Nishimura’ was actually the Vice Leader of the Samurai Sect, or else no one would dare gossip about him like this behind his back.
“Maybe something came up and he got delayed. We can just wait a little while longer,” the young man said.
Hearing this, the others dropped the subject and moved on to discussing other matters.
Then, someone suddenly suggested calling for a beautiful girl to help Mr. Ishii relax a bit.
As soon as the words left his mouth, the private room door was pushed open.
A wave of fragrant scent washed over them as Su Mo made his dazzling entrance.
The moment he stepped in, his eyes met those of the young man sitting at the head of the table. They both froze simultaneously: Why him (her)?
Su Mo had never imagined that the ‘Mr. Ishii’ he was meeting this time would actually be an acquaintance.
For a moment, he felt awkward, and the other person felt the same.
Three days ago, he had turned down this very person’s request to watch a movie together.
That’s right, Mr. Ishii was Takeda, the teacher from Kotaro’s school.
He had been pursuing Su Mo for over half a month…
Takeda’s heart was a mix of emotions: The goddess he considered unattainably aloof was meeting him in a situation like this.
“Which one of you is Mr. Ishii? I’m Chiba Maika, sent by Mr. Nishimura.” Awkward as it was, Su Mo remained calm and composed.
Learning that Su Mo was there to sign the contract with him, Takeda suddenly felt relieved. He smiled at Su Mo and said, “That’s me.”
Su Mo walked over to his designated seat, which happened to be right next to Takeda.
Only then did the others understand why the seats in the private room had been arranged this way.
So this Mr. Nishimura had his own intentions.
Throughout the banquet, Takeda’s heart pounded incessantly. Although he prided himself on having strong mental fortitude, being in front of the person he liked made it hard not to be a little flustered.
The elders around them, however, didn’t see it that way. In their eyes, their nephew seemed very satisfied with the ‘gift’ Nishimura Koishi had sent him…
“Miss Chiba is so beautiful, and our nephew Ishii is the cream of the crop among the younger generation. Truly a perfect match made in heaven!”
“Mr. Nishimura is so thoughtful! Coming to discuss business is one thing, but he even sends such a beautiful future daughter-in-law to our big brother Ishii (Takeda’s father).”
…
Hearing everyone say such things, Takeda glanced towards Su Mo. Seeing that she showed no sign of refusal, he was actually happy inside.
But a strange feeling lingered in his heart nonetheless.
She clearly doesn’t like me, yet she has to humble herself because of business…
Thinking of this, Takeda suddenly became gloomy and silent.
Everyone present was sharp and perceptive. Seeing Takeda’s mood dip, they assumed it was because their presence was hindering him from making a move. So, one after another, they made excuses and left.
Only Su Mo and Takeda remained in the private room.
With the chatterboxes gone, Su Mo picked up his chopsticks and started devouring the food with gusto, specifically targeting dishes he’d never tried before.
Takeda decided not to overthink it anymore. Instead, he sat quietly beside her, watching her eat, a smile gradually forming on his face.
Su Mo wasn’t feeling great either. How could he describe his current feelings?
It was like a straight guy eating a meal, while another guy stared at your face with loving, almost tangible affection.
Buddy, what would you be thinking?
Takeda suddenly asked, “I never expected you to work at Mr. Nishimura’s company. I always thought you were at the Zhongyi Dojo.”
“I was at the dojo initially, but today was my first day on the job.”
Takeda exclaimed in admiration, “Entrusted with such an important task on your very first day. Truly, as expected of…”
He trailed off mid-sentence.
A pretty girl, sent on her very first day to have dinner with a male client, dressed up to the nines – he knew all too well what that implied.
He was relieved that it was him here today, and not his father. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
“The contract, give it to me, I’ll sign it.” Takeda reached out his hand.
Su Mo handed over the folder. Takeda read it through carefully before signing his name.
“That’s it? You’re just signing it?”
“You didn’t think I would try to threaten you, did you?” Takeda said with a wry smile.
Su Mo was happy with this outcome, but Nishimura Koishi certainly wouldn’t be satisfied with the contract being signed so easily.
Su Mo reminded him, “We should probably still go through the motions, you know.”
Takeda naturally understood what ‘the motions’ referred to, and simply responded with an “Oh.”
The two left the restaurant and got into the car that had been waiting outside.
The car sped through the streets, eventually stopping in front of the Red Rose Hotel.
They went up to the room that had been reserved earlier. The moment the door closed behind them, someone outside immediately reported into their earpiece.
Inside the room.
Takeda looked at the romantically charged setting and at Su Mo in her beautiful attire. His throat bobbed involuntarily.
The person he liked was right in front of him. If he wanted to, she could become his at any moment.
However, he didn’t make any untoward moves. Instead, he walked over to the sofa, sat down, and said to Su Mo, “The bed is yours, I’ll take the sofa. When you go out tomorrow, remember to make it look convincing.”
With that, he lay down on the sofa and pretended to fall asleep instantly.
In Takeda’s view, the woman you love must be won over by your own efforts, not through despicable means. Otherwise, you don’t deserve to be called a man.
Su Mo discreetly put away the spray hidden in her hand and silently gave him a thumbs-up.
The spray was given by Wei Yueyan, who had quietly instructed her to use it if the man tried anything untoward: spray him, strip him naked, and toss him on the bed. The dream state would provide him with a vivid yet hazy memory of the night.
But Su Mo never expected that the ‘Mr. Ishii’ she came to meet would be Takeda, the teacher living undercover, and that he would actually possess such integrity.
If the person here today really was a woman, she’d probably be captivated by his charm.
She had always thought of Takeda as a bit of a lovesick puppy before, but looking at it now, he was at least far better than many hypocritical, sanctimonious types.
The night stretched on endlessly.
Neither of them slept, and both knew the other was also awake.
…
Early the next morning.
Su Mo pushed the door open and stepped out. The traces of tears on her face weren’t even dry yet when another large teardrop rolled down her cheek.
She bit her lip tightly, as if holding back a torrent of grievances. After holding it in for a long time, she finally let out a choked sob: “I’m not pure anymore…”