Chapter 30 So-So

Although Xu Zhihong made it clear that he was trying to please Lin Ruoxi, when it came to discussing business, he was both yielding and assertive. He knew when to offer benefits and when to seize opportunities.

In fact, Xu Zhihong was well aware that simply flattering a woman like Lin Ruoxi wouldn't work. As a businessman himself, he knew he had to use convincing methods to gain her trust. If a man could abandon his career for the sake of a woman, how could he win the heart of a strong woman like Lin Ruoxi?

Similarly, once the formal negotiations began, Lin Ruoxi became more talkative. She wasn't good at socializing in private settings, but when it came to business matters, this outrageously beautiful woman also had a touch of gossip, often arguing her point and striving for the greatest benefit before relenting.

As a result, after about an hour of boredom, Yang Chen had no choice but to exchange glances with Maoqiu, who was equally idle.

Maoqiu seemed to be somewhat interested in Yang Chen and occasionally looked at him provocatively.

To be honest, Yang Chen didn't particularly like this rough man. Although at first glance, Yang Chen could tell that this guy was formidable, being a standard elite international mercenary, and probably even a Marine Corps instructor in the military. However, such individuals could only be considered "ordinary people" in Yang Chen's eyes; they didn't meet his standards of a "warrior."

So, when Maoqiu cast his teasing and disdainful glances at him, Yang Chen felt an urge to slap him awake. But then he remembered that he was now considered a white-collar worker, so it was better not to resort to violence and consider his wife's business.

Thus, Yang Chen could only sit in his chair, take out the phone Lin Ruoxi had given him, and earnestly start playing a game of "Bubble Shooter" downloaded from the internet.

"Great, I hope Mr. Xu can keep his promise. With your company's stage design and our autumn collection, we're bound to have a broader market prospect for this year's autumn fashion show." Lin Ruoxi finally finished signing the modified contract. Due to the long conversation, her cheeks flushed with a rare hint of gentleness.

Seeing this scene, Xu Zhihong's gaze remained stunned for a moment before he nodded solemnly. "Certainly, I hope we have a pleasant cooperation."

With the exchange of documents, they finally sorted out the work matters. It was already past seven in the evening.

"Now that business is done, I believe you must be a bit hungry, Ruoxi. Let's have dinner now," Xu Zhihong suggested.

Lin Ruoxi was indeed feeling hungry. Like many other women, she only had a small sandwich for lunch to maintain her figure. After working until this late hour, her stomach was growling, so she nodded gently.

Xu Zhihong clapped his hands, and the waiter at the door immediately smiled and got busy.

Dinner was a traditional Western meal. As a full set of Western cutlery was placed on the table, Lin Ruoxi looked at Yang Chen anxiously. It was obvious that the sudden switch to Western cuisine was meant to embarrass him.

"What's your surname, sir?" Xu Zhihong asked Yang Chen with a smirk.

"Surname Yang, given name Chen," Yang Chen yawned. He was both tired and hungry. Seeing it was Western cuisine, he couldn't help but think that a bowl of noodles would have been more satisfying.

"Mr. Yang, since it's our first meeting, I don't have any special gifts, but I've specially ordered a bottle of 1992 Nebbiolo. I hope Mr. Yang will enjoy it," Xu Zhihong said, gesturing for the waiter to bring over a beautifully packaged bottle of red wine.

Yang Chen sneered inwardly but didn't say much. He lightly raised the tall glass on the table with three fingers, allowing the waiter to pour the sweet red wine into it.

The waiter only poured a tiny amount before stopping.

Yang Chen wasn't surprised and withdrew the glass. He gently swirled it, took a sniff, and then tilted the glass to sip a small mouthful, as if he were tasting it with the tip of his tongue.

Seeing this, Lin Ruoxi, who had been somewhat nervous, relaxed a bit. It made sense after all. This rascal had grown up in the United States; he must be familiar with traditional Western cuisine. She just hoped he wouldn't talk nonsense and embarrass himself, especially regarding famous red wines like Nebbiolo.

Xu Zhihong's eyes flickered with surprise as he smiled and asked, "Mr. Yang, how does it taste?"

"The main ingredient of Nebbiolo mainly comes from the Piedmont region of Italy, including the Barolo and Barbaresco regions. If we were to compare it to something of the highest level, it would be like an average Bordeaux wine. However, this wine has fragrances of cloves, pepper, licorice, plum, dried cherries, and rose petals. More importantly, it has a taste reminiscent of bitter chocolate, making it quite unique," Yang Chen explained calmly, as if he were the one who crafted the wine.

This surprised Xu Zhihong. Even though he often drank this kind of wine, he couldn't provide such detailed information. He couldn't believe that Yang Chen just happened to know all of this. After all, every action of Yang Chen's adhered to the standard etiquette of upper-class gentlemen dining in Western restaurants.

"Mr. Yang, you truly have remarkable knowledge. No wonder Ruoxi insisted on having you accompany her," Xu Zhihong said with a strained smile.

"Quite average," Yang Chen replied, uninterested in engaging further with this hypocritical man. He continued straightforwardly, "Without some skill, how could I be Ruoxi's husband? Right, darling?" He glanced at Lin Ruoxi beside him with a teasing expression.

Lin Ruoxi's sweet cheeks instantly turned crimson. Although she knew Yang Chen was trying to fend off Xu Zhihong's advances, being called "darling" in such a setting still made her heart flutter uncomfortably, pounding in her throat. She stiffly nodded and let out a soft, almost inaudible "Mm," before hurriedly lowering her head to sip the wine, trying to conceal her embarrassment.

Xu Zhihong never expected the man before him, who sold lamb skewers, to confront him so directly and join Lin Ruoxi in acting to deceive him. Gripping the crystal glass tightly, his veins bulged slightly as his face turned slightly purple. He forced a dry laugh and said, "So it seems you two are already married. My apologies for the misunderstanding."

"Not at all," Yang Chen replied nonchalantly with a generous smile. "I know my worth. To marry Ruoxi, it's like a flower in cow dung. It's understandable that Manager Xu didn't see it. I don't really mind. I was even worried about not having enough money in my pocket to take my wife out for a nice meal, but luckily Manager Xu generously offered to treat us. How considerate of you." His words implied that Xu Zhihong was nothing more than a money spender.

Suppressing his anger, Xu Zhihong took a sip of wine before forcing a smile. "Mr. Yang jests. How could someone appreciated by Ruoxi lack funds? Let's proceed with the meal."

"Great, let's dig in," Yang Chen exclaimed, seemingly oblivious to Xu Zhihong's fiery glare. He cheerfully picked up his knife and fork, prompting the waiter behind him to place the appetizers on the table, and began eating heartily.

Lin Ruoxi couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive upon hearing Xu Zhihong's words dripping with anger. However, seeing Yang Chen's carefree demeanor as he voraciously devoured his food and drank wine, she couldn't help but find it amusing.

This man, despite being well-versed in fine dining and Western culture enough to impress even herself, deliberately chose to exhibit such uncouth eating habits. It was truly baffling.

Gradually, Lin Ruoxi's worries dissipated. Whatever, she thought to herself. Things had already unfolded this way, and she would just go with the flow. With that in mind, she felt her hunger grow and began to wield her knife and fork as well.