Reply to Keats - Chap 36
Chap 36
Da Hong Pao
Chen Wan was not sure whether Zhao Shengge was being polite, so even though he really wanted the gift, he just said politely: “It’s okay, Mr. Zhao, don’t think so. You have already hired a security guard and an aunt to take care of me.”
Zhao Shengge shook his head and said, “Those are what I should have done. It’s not really a thank you.”
Before Chen Wan could say anything else, the waiter came in and placed one dish after another on the tea table.
It’s tea cigarette.
Silver needle and single-cone Tieguanyin tea, lined up in a row.
After having fun the last time, everyone became interested and started to play, except Zhao Shengge.
Chen Wan asked: “Mr. Zhao, would you like to try it? Their tea is pretty good. It’s roasted very dry, but it won’t burn your throat.”
Zhao Shengge looked at the various teas, wondering what he was thinking about, and shook his head.
Chen Wan didn’t know what was wrong, and said sympathetically: “Are you afraid of getting your hands dirty? If you don’t mind, I’ll roll one for you?” He was pretty good at rolling cigarettes.
Zhao Shengge finally raised his eyes to look at him, and after a moment, asked, “Will you give me the roll?”
Chen Wan nodded.
Zhao Shengge leaned over to look at the teas, his elbows resting on his knees, one hand supporting half of his face, leaning towards him: “What are you rolling?”
“You can roll anything you want.” Chen Wan said good-temperedly.
Zhao Shengge turned back to look at the tea. After a moment, he lowered his head, not knowing whether he was talking to Chen Wan or himself, and said, “Da Hong Pao.”
Zhao Shengge looked at him and repeated in a low voice: “Da Hong Pao.”
Chen Wan was stunned for a moment.
Although he originally intended to give Zhao Shengge a roll of Da Hong Pao, he asked this question expecting to receive a response of “whatever you want”.
Because Zhao Shengge never reveals his likes, dislikes and hobbies.
In the past, Chen Wan had to guess, check, observe, reason and dream to infer that Zhao Shengge liked Dahongpao, but this time it was Zhao Shengge who said in person that he wanted Dahongpao.
Chen Wan smiled and said yes, put on disposable gloves, rolled up a Dahongpao cigarette and handed it to him. Zhao Shengge did not take it, but lowered his head slightly and took the cigarette directly from his fingers.
He opened his lips, bit his teeth, took a sip, put the tip of his tongue on the cigarette holder, and moved the whole cigarette up and down.
Chen Wan was a little slow to react. Zhao Shengge’s actions were too natural, as if it was supposed to be that way.
The warm breath sprayed directly onto Chen Wan’s fingers, the base of the fingers became very hot, and then burned all the way to the palm and arm, and then one end of his heart began to burn.
Zhao Shengge held the cigarette between his teeth and looked up at Chen Wan. Chen Wan then took out his lighter and respectfully lit it for him. His expression and actions seemed very generous and natural.
The moment the fire started, Zhao Shengge’s face was illuminated, and Chen Wan felt like he was lighting a birthday candle.
But he no longer had any other wishes.
Chen Wan felt so satisfied, she had never felt so comfortable in her heart. She rolled the cigarette herself, lit it herself, and Zhao Shengge inhaled it into his lungs bit by bit.
Chen Wan lit one for herself and held it between her lips.
Tieguanyin.
The fragrance spread all the way to his heart and lungs.
Zhao Shengge looked at his lighter: “New?”
Chen Wan bit the cigarette, said nothing, and just nodded.
Zhao Shengge held the cigarette between his index and middle fingers and said, “Very special.”
Chen Wan wanted to say, “Then I’ll give it to you,” but felt it was too abrupt, so he just took the cigarette away, said the name of the brand, and put the lighter back in his pocket.
“…”
Wherever Tan Youming and Zhuo Zhixuan were, it was very lively, so lively that it was a bit noisy. After Zhao Shengge was interrupted several times when he wanted to say something serious, he suddenly knocked on Chen Wan’s tea bowl with his knuckles and whispered, “Come out with me for a moment.”
Chen Wan didn’t understand.
Others were playing cards and chatting, so I thought they were going to the bathroom or to get rid of the alcohol and didn’t pay any attention.
Open-air terrace.
Zhao Shengge leaned against the railing with his hands on the horizontal bar. The wind blew his shirt loose, and he looked very relaxed.
“Mr. Zhao.”
The light was dim and Chen Wan could not see his expression clearly. She could only vaguely see his sharp eyebrows and high nose bridge.
“Come here.” Zhao Shengge said softly.
Chen Wan walked over obediently.
The Dahongpao in Zhao Shengge’s mouth was still thick. The rich aroma of the rock tea drifted in the wind, intertwined with the light Tieguanyin, and drifted far away.
Chen Wan didn’t know what Zhao Shengge wanted to say to him, so he just stood quietly side by side with him.
The hotel was built in a mountain villa. Outside the open-air terrace were dark mountains, the sound of cicadas was dense, there were endless pine waves, the moonlight was like frost, and the night wind brought the chirping of insects and birds. The two people didn’t say anything, but they didn’t feel awkward.
After enjoying the mountain breeze for a while, Zhao Shengge tilted his head and asked, “Chen Wan, are you an energy transfer agent?”
“Yes,” Chen Wan said, not knowing why Zhao Shengge was suddenly interested in his profession, “Mr. Zhao, if you need any help in this regard, you can come to me.”
They were standing not far away, and Zhao Shengge would accidentally touch Chen Wan’s elbow when he took the cigarette. He asked, “Do you like doing this?”
Chen Wan was stunned for a moment. No one had ever asked him what he liked since he was a child, so he thought for a moment and answered Zhao Shengge very seriously: “I like it.”
“Technology or business?”
“There’s more technology.”
However, without sales and public relations skills, there is no technical support at all, so he is now mainly responsible for the commercial sector.
In fact, Chen Wan has strong scientific research capabilities. He had already applied for several patents when he was an undergraduate. If he could stop socializing and using connections and just focus on technology, he would now be a senior engineer.
Zhao Shengge asked him some other questions. It was not a formal conversation, but more like a relaxed and casual chat between friends.
There were few moments like this between them, when the two of them could just come out and chat alone in a group gathering.
Chen Wan answered all the questions patiently and spoke sincerely without hiding anything.
Every question Zhao Shengge asked received a very detailed answer, but no duplicate questions were received.
Chen Wan didn’t seem to be very interested in Zhao Shengge’s affairs and didn’t try to find out about him at all.
Therefore, this is more like a one-sided “interview” rather than a two-way communication.
Zhao Shengge waited for a while, and Chen Wan really didn’t seem to have this intention, so he said, “Your resume is very impressive.”
“Minglong Baoliwan is going to do a derivative project, the offshore oil tunnel, which requires a faster transfer and installation project for oil storage and production. Are you interested?”
Chen Wan looked at him in surprise. A project like Minglong was like a godsend to Kexiang. More importantly, it was a collaboration with Zhao Shengge. Chen Wan was very tempted, but still very cautious. After thinking for a few seconds, his face became serious. “Mr. Zhao, thank you very much for thinking of me. However, Kexiang is a small company that has only been established for a few years. I am afraid that we will not have enough funds, reserves, experience and stamina to participate in such a large project. You should be cautious.”
Zhao Shengge looked at Chen Wan quietly. Many people racked their brains and tried their best to get close to Minglong, but only Chen Wan said that you should be cautious.
The corners of Zhao Shengge’s lips seemed to bend slightly, but it seemed not to be, because he was biting the cigarette.
Chen Wan couldn’t be sure.
Zhao Shengge twisted his fingers and took the cigarette out of his mouth. Wen Chen asked, “Chen Wan, are you questioning my judgment?”
“…” Chen Wan hurriedly explained, “No, I just said–”
“Minglong has a very professional evaluation team.” Zhao Shengge had seen Chen Wan’s stubbornness and stubbornness. After thinking about it, he changed his way of speaking. “I am just asking you to participate in the bidding. Whether you win or not is up to the evaluation team. I will not interfere.”
Zhao Shengge has conducted a background check on Kexiang, a typical high-tech small and medium-sized enterprise. It is low-key but has strong strength and is engaged in high-tech projects.
“This line was originally in the hands of Baihetang, but now Minglong and the Xu family have taken over. I don’t trust anyone else.”
This kind of project has a long deadline and high risks, and technology is the key. Zhao Shengge is suspicious and has a strong desire for control, so he must have someone like Chen Wan with good character and a gentle temperament to satisfy him.
“Besides,” Zhao Shengge looked at him directly, took a step closer, his eyes dark, lowered his voice, and said meaningfully, “You bumped into me by yourself.”
Chen Wan suddenly realized that she had accidentally gotten herself involved in this matter when she was helping Xu Zhiying that day, but she was still a little worried: “I’m afraid Ke Xiang can’t keep up with this…”
“With Minglong backing you up, what are you afraid of?”
Such a normal sentence, when spoken from Zhao Shengge’s mouth, suddenly had a bit of the meaning of “What are you afraid of when I’m backing you up?”
Zhao Shengge was the person Chen Wan found most difficult to refuse in this world, but he still did not agree immediately.
Zhao Shengge held the cigarette in one hand and flicked the cigarette butt. The wind blew his hair into a mess, making him look casual and uninhibited, like a movie poster.
He tilted his head in the night wind: “You dare to cross three lanes and the central green belt and directly hit the giant Jeep and Grand Cherokee engine, but you don’t dare to accept Minglong’s invitation?”
Chen Wan was stunned.
How did Zhao Shengge know?
It was too dark at the time and he was not very clear about the specific details.
“Huh?” Zhao Shengge didn’t let him go.
On the night of the accident, he immediately asked someone to check the road conditions and clues, and he also drove that road himself.
Chen Wan sometimes acts like a gentleman and sometimes like a madman. He is particularly good at disguising himself with a gentle and soft appearance. It is not that fatal when he really goes crazy.
The hearing was one time, and the high-speed drive around the sea came again.
What’s next?
Zhao Shengge doesn’t want to see it again.
“Don’t rush to answer me, think about it carefully.” Zhao Shengge grew up around the negotiation table. He knows how to advance and retreat, and how to use both kindness and force. He speaks with ease. Such a big thing doesn’t sound like a big deal when he talks about it. “Don’t think that I’m compensating you. I just suggest that you give it a try. If you really win the bid, Minglong will also be a very strict party A.”
“The person in charge of this project is also very difficult to deal with. If you fail to deliver satisfactory solutions and results during the cooperation, you will be held accountable and compensated.”
He bit his cigarette again and said vaguely, “Call me when you’ve thought it through.”
After a pause, he glanced at her and said, “You have my phone number, Chen Wan.”
