Reply to Keats - Chap 7

However, on the opening day of the conference, Chen Wan did not see Zhao Shengge’s seat and signature on the podium.

Zhao Shengge has become increasingly low-key in recent years, and even when he occasionally attends meetings, he follows the three “no” principles – no speaking, no appearing on camera, and no accepting interviews.

There is a consensus among financial journalists and the media industry that even if he is present, no one would be so fearless as to try to point the camera or microphone at him.

The synagogue is a Roman-style circular structure with thick carpets and warm-toned chandeliers, which is very grand.

There were a lot of people attending the conference this time and security was extremely strict, so Chen Wan was arranged to sit in a more remote location at the very back.

He glanced around the venue and confirmed that Zhao Shengge was not there.

He is in a high position with great power, but he never sits in the hall, hidden among the crowd, like an eye looking down from mid-air, a hand controlling the overall situation behind the scenes.

The vice chairman of the Chamber of Commerce listed several preferential policies that will be piloted in the Bay Area in unstandard Mandarin, encouraging innovators to seize the opportunity and be the first to try it out.

Chen Wan very sensitively captured a few key words and quickly wrote them down in her notebook, planning to go back and study them carefully with her partner later.

The intermission lasted for half an hour. Zhuo Zhixuan walked across most of the venue to the back to chat with Chen Wan. He did not have any business of his own, and he came to this boring meeting entirely because of family pressure.

The hall was set up to block signals, and the few hours without the ability to touch his phone was almost driving Zhuo Shao crazy.

“You actually took notes,” Zhuo Zhixuan glanced at the words Chen Wan wrote down and said casually, “It would be faster for you to find Shen Zongnian instead of waiting for this draft to be implemented.”

Zhuo Zhixuan lowered his voice slightly: “The Chamber of Commerce has no say in the affairs of Jieyu Island. It’s the Zhao family’s territory.”

There is no need to think about contacting Zhao Shengge directly, but Shen Zongnan may be able to help.

“No need.” Chen Wan said.

Zhuo Zhixuan: “Don’t be naive.”

Preferential policies have promoted resource flow and fairness to a certain extent, but they are too slow. The real good things have already passed through the top people, leaving some scraps for the people below to snatch.

Chen Wan took a sip of black tea and still shook his head.

Zhuo Zhixuan laughed angrily: “What are you talking about, Chen Wan.”

It’s embarrassing to talk about it. To them, many things are just simple and insignificant matters. Chen Wan just refused to say anything and had to go through so much trouble to explain them.

Those casual acquaintances who had only had a few drinks with Tan Youming and Shen Zongnan and had met him once had already started to show off their power by taking advantage of the power of others. They had never seen anyone as miserable as him.

Zhuo Zhixuan was unhappy that all the good things were going to outsiders, and his voice couldn’t help but get a little louder: “Chen Wan, can you come up with some plans?”

Chen Wan was in a good mood, smiled, and said in a carefree tone: “Don’t worry about me.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

Zhuo Zhixuan just couldn’t communicate with him. Chen Wan looked easy to talk to, but he was very opinionated and would stick to his principles once he made up his mind.

Zhao Shengge did not appear during the two-day meeting.

Maybe the meeting between people really depends on fate, but it also depends more on hard work.

Opportunities always come to those who are prepared. Even if Chen Wan fails nine times, he will be able to recharge himself the tenth time if he succeeds.

The tenth time was at the auction house, far away.

Zhao Shengge is very low-key and has never been followed by a large group of bodyguards or assistants. Today, he didn’t even bring an assistant with him. He walked over alone and sat in the middle seat prepared by the organizer.

Each viewing seat is far apart from each other, so people sitting next to each other will not disturb each other.

Chen Wan was sitting in a very remote and dark corner, looking from afar. Zhao Shengge was leaning against the back of a chair with his legs folded, looking down at a booklet. Chen Wan couldn’t help but think of him as a lion that looked at everyone nonchalantly. He seemed calm, but was actually lazy and a little bored. Occasionally, he would look up at you, then lower his head and immerse himself in his own world.

The dim light made the people’s silhouettes look very quiet, and it felt a bit lonely at high places.

The other party was not quite the same as Chen Wan remembered. Even Tan Youming and Shen Zongnan, who grew up together, might not be able to notice the difference. But Chen Wan loved observing Zhao Shengge so much that he was infinitely close to the truth. It was the other party who was using his increasingly majestic and decisive killing to cover up the fatigue in the corners of his eyes and eyebrows.

When you give a person power, you also impose certain shackles.

Zhaosheng Pavilion is like a mountain that stands firm in the face of danger. Its imperceptible weariness is like fallen leaves drifting in the valley, insignificant and unnoticed by anyone except the birds that fly to the mountain every day.

I admire the lofty mountains and Chen Wandang is like a flying bird, circling for years.

The auction had not started yet, and the guests around were chatting in low voices, so Chen Wan could hear some of them.

“He jumped from the Financial Building, on the 78th floor. The pool in Huajing Park was dyed red with blood. Many people saw it.”

“The police station came and quickly cleaned up the place, and did not allow the media to go in to film. Mrs. Mai cried every day and even went to Ming Lung Building to protest against her injustice.”

“I heard that it wasn’t because of the bad debt. It was because Mai Jiahui was dishonest and played tricks on the Hua family. He also wanted to join forces with the Hua family. Later… he became impatient and was even more hard-hearted than his father.”

“…You can’t mess with him… He signed a charity donation contract for disabled children while forcing his wealthy enemy to go bankrupt and jump off a building…”

That person is like Voldemort, who must not be named. Everyone knows about him and keeps him a secret.

There was a slight commotion not far away. The staff made a mistake when serving tea to Zhao Shengge’s table. The people around him fell silent for a moment, lowered their heads and pretended not to notice.

But Chen Wan saw Zhao Shengge raised his hand gentlemanly to the other party and said calmly that it was okay, his voice was also very polite and gentle.

Chen Wan thought that even if Zhao Shengge himself heard the gossips from those people just now, he would not be angry.

Zhao Shengge is actually easier to talk to than many people. Although he has a strong aura, he is always calm, gentle but stern, powerful but not fierce.

But the brutality of the means is another matter.

Chen Wan didn’t listen carefully to what was exhibited at the auction.

All I know is that Zhao Shengge bid for a Wanli Blue Lotus Vase from the Ming Dynasty. Because the auctioneer called out the price once and the deal was sold, no one would bid against Zhao Shengge.

At the end, Zhao Shengge walked out with a middle-aged man. The other man was much older than Zhao Shengge, but perhaps because of his height, the Hai City official with a familiar name standing next to him also lost some of his aura.

The two occasionally talked, and Zhao Shengge spoke less and listened more.

When Chen Wan walked out of the exhibition hall with a colleague, they briefly brushed shoulders with Zhao Shengge, but did not stop and their eyes did not meet.

Chen Wan was not surprised at all that the other party did not recognize him or notice him.

Even though he had participated in several dinner parties with Tan Youming and Zhuo Zhixuan thanks to their connections, Zhao Shengge would not remember an outsider.

Chen Wan has always been self-aware.

He doesn’t care. He doesn’t ask for it.