Chapter 94: East Meets West

Yang Chen, reluctantly dragged towards the tennis court, wore a conflicted expression as he innocently asked Mo Qianni, "If you're going, then go ahead. I'll find somewhere else to hang out. I'm not a VIP, so there's no need for me to butt in."

Mo Qianni shot him a glare and whispered, "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You want to go to the pool to check out women, right? Let me tell you, most of the VIPs here are well-known figures in the business and political circles of Zhonghai. Since you're our PR for Jade International, you must network with these people more. Each connection could be a key to success. Remember the advice of our leaders!"

"I was just going to buy breakfast. My previous job was selling lamb skewers. I feel like those things are a bit distant from me."

"Not distant at all. The tennis court is right ahead."

"..."

The scene at the Maple Leisure Center was indeed grand. As they entered the tennis court, Yang Chen felt like he was on a football field. This made him feel like he was in one of those developed Western countries where tennis is popular. After all, having such a large space for playing tennis in the hot summer, when tennis isn't that popular, was quite special—though he could accept it more if it were ping pong.

The tennis court, meticulously crafted with red and green synthetic materials, already had several people dressed in tennis attire swinging their rackets. Among them were some striking ladies, while the men cheered on from the sidelines.

Following Tang Wan all the way to the southeast corner of the court, they found even more luxurious facilities there. Apart from the leisure seats on the sidelines, there were several waitresses serving tea and drinks. Excellent quality speakers played bluesy tunes in the background.

Inside the court, many men and women were chatting and laughing, but only two young girls were actually playing. To Yang Chen, a tennis layman, the two girls had graceful postures and charming figures, but their skills were lacking. They couldn't even catch slow balls, basically just hitting the ball back and forth.

"Tang CEO, you've finally arrived. We've been waiting for you." A handsome man with a smiling face greeted them.

"I didn't expect Director Xu to be here too. What a pleasant surprise." Tang Wan shook hands with the man gracefully.

"If Tang CEO didn't come, our game wouldn't be as fun." Another middle-aged man with a protruding belly chuckled.

Tang Wan smiled warmly, "Mr. Shao is joking. Today is about everyone gathering to play tennis. It's not a big deal if Tang Wan is absent."

"You can't put it that way. Without the host, we'd lack a backbone," a gracefully beautiful woman flattered.

A group of wealthy individuals warmly exchanged greetings, but not a single word they uttered was genuine.

Mo Qianni and Yang Chen, appearing together with Tang Wan, naturally drew attention. Among them, some immediately recognized Mo Qianni, who had some reputation in the shopping mall, and came up to greet her.

"I didn't expect Miss Mo to be here too. It's been a while. Miss Mo, you're as radiant and charming as ever," a middle-aged man who considered himself refined approached Mo Qianni and praised her, seeming genuinely sincere.

Mo Qianni smiled gracefully, "Mr. Huang, you're too kind. It just so happened that Tang CEO mentioned there's a tennis match here, so I came to join in the fun."

Following this, many people approached Mo Qianni for a chat, creating a pleasant atmosphere. However, they almost naturally left Yang Chen aside, neither rejecting nor approaching him. The gaze of these elites in the business and political circles was quite sharp; they could easily tell that Yang Chen's true identity wasn't particularly important. Most of them directly speculated that Yang Chen was some kind of assistant to Mo Qianni, possibly with some hidden connections underground—such occurrences weren't uncommon in this circle.

So, Yang Chen comfortably sat aside, watching the two women chat with a group of strangers.

"Miss Mo, I heard that your company's CEO, Miss Lin, was unwell and hospitalized a few days ago. Is that true?" Finally, someone brought up the matter of Lin Ruoxi.

Mo Qianni nodded with a hint of concern, "Yes, Director Zhao, but our CEO should be discharged next week. She's already in good health."

Director Zhao expressed his relief, "That's good to hear. The leaders in the government agencies have always highly praised your company's performance over the years. Miss Lin is truly remarkable. She's young but has been able to lead Jade International to such outstanding achievements year after year. She has more courage than the old CEO and is truly an indispensable young pillar for the Zhonghai Chamber of Commerce. I remember her demeanor when she was awarded the title of one of Zhonghai's top ten entrepreneurs a year ago; it was truly unforgettable..."

As they talked about Lin Ruoxi, everyone praised her again, and several young promising men seemed to admire her even more.

Yang Chen couldn't help but wryly smile. It seemed like Lin Ruoxi's aloof demeanor was inevitable. If she were a bit more approachable, men who had thoughts about her would indeed be knocking on her door.

After the conversation seemed to wind down, Tang Wan suggested, "Today, we're here to play tennis. Let's put business aside for now. Who wants to warm up on the court first?"

"Haha, well said, Tang CEO. Then, let me, Old Liu, go up first and show off a bit. Who's up for a match with me?" A hearty middle-aged CEO laughed as he picked up a tennis racket.

"I'll go." A slightly chubby woman, who seemed to have maintained herself well, smiled as she picked up a racket. "Please go easy on me, Brother Liu. I just gave birth a few months ago and my body hasn't fully recovered."

"Of course, of course..."

Yang Chen watched as the plump woman with a wiggling backside went up to the man to play, chatting and laughing. He couldn't help but inwardly laugh; was this really about playing tennis?

Not long after the tennis warm-up began, another group of people arrived. Leading the group was a man wearing sunglasses and a vibrant pink tennis outfit. His face was fair, and although he wasn't particularly tall, there was a certain charm about him that ordinary men lacked, giving him a slightly effeminate allure. If it weren't for the prominent Adam's apple, he could easily pass as a young girl dressed in a gender-neutral style.

The man was followed by two or three attendants carrying sports equipment and four well-dressed bodyguards. Despite the sun beating down, they remained impeccably dressed, their sharp gazes scanning the surroundings, indicating their high level of professionalism.

Their arrival immediately caught the attention of others present, but their demeanor was somewhat different from when they had greeted Tang Wan earlier. Although they smiled, their eyes revealed a hint of fear.

"I didn't expect Young Master Zhou to be here too. What a pleasant surprise," Tang Wan stepped forward first, welcoming them as the host.

The young man named Zhou smiled gently, took off his sunglasses, revealing captivating single-lidded eyes, and shook hands lightly with Tang Wan before letting go, politely saying, "Ms. Tang is too kind. I, Zhou Dongcheng, am fortunate to know everyone here thanks to my father's connections. As long as you don't mind my interruption, that's all I ask."

Hearing the name "Zhou Dongcheng," Yang Chen furrowed his brows and tugged on Mo Qianni's arm, asking quietly, "This Zhou Dongcheng, is he from the Dongxing Group?"

Mo Qianni gave Yang Chen a strange look and chuckled, "Didn't expect you to know about the Dongxing Group. Seems like you're not entirely clueless. Yes, he's the only son of Zhou Guangnian, the heir to the Dongxing Group. I advise you to stay away from him, it could be dangerous."

"Dangerous? He seems polite enough," Yang Chen remarked. It was his first time seeing Zhou Dongcheng in person, and he hadn't expected the son of the Zhou family, potential enemies of the Rose, to be such a delicate young man. Moreover, he couldn't discern any signs of his underworld background from his courteous demeanor.

Mo Qianni's expression turned somewhat strange, and she whispered in Yang Chen's ear, "When I say dangerous, it's because he doesn't like women..."

He doesn't like women, then what does he like?

That's right, men!

Yang Chen shuddered all over. No wonder Zhou Dongcheng seemed reluctant to shake hands with top-tier individuals like Tang Wan—it wasn't about politeness, but his dislike for interacting with women!

Seeing Yang Chen's reaction, Mo Qianni chuckled softly and said in a low voice, "What are you afraid of? With your appearance, he wouldn't be interested in you anyway!"

But Yang Chen wasn't paying attention. Suddenly, he remembered rescuing Chen Bo during a late-night snack session not long ago. Chen Bo had mentioned being asked by a boss with the surname Zhou to serve clients. The surname Zhou, capable of making Guo Ziheng, a small underworld boss, vigorously pursue people, must be Zhou Dongcheng!

With this thought, many things started to make sense. He had been wondering who had sent those strangers to track him in a black Honda a few days ago. It seemed Zhou Dongcheng might be involved. After all, he had told Guo Ziheng to tell his "boss" to approach "me" if there were any issues. Sure enough, after Zhou Dongcheng exchanged a few words with a group of influential figures, he casually glanced at Yang Chen and even flashed him a "charming" smile.

Yang Chen thought that was the end of it. But then, after conversing with a few important figures, Zhou Dongcheng, amidst the surprised gazes of the crowd, emitted a strong scent of women's perfume as he approached Yang Chen and confidently took a seat.

"Excuse me, sir, do you mind if I sit here?" Zhou Dongcheng's face resembled that of some male Korean celebrities, with thin lips and a fair complexion. Up close, his skin appeared especially delicate.

Although Yang Chen had seen many men of this type abroad, it was the first time he had been approached so closely. He smiled awkwardly, feeling a bit restrained. "You're already seated. Why ask me?"

"Sitting down is my prerogative. Asking you is to know your opinion."

"Can I stop you from sitting here?"

"No." Zhou Dongcheng replied bluntly.

As the two conversed, seemingly familiar yet unfamiliar to each other, some people around them revealed strange smiles. They naturally assumed that Zhou Dongcheng, the favored son of the Zhou family, had taken an interest in the male secretary Mo Qianni had brought.

Mo Qianni also looked stunned and couldn't find the words to say. She had just mentioned that Zhou Dongcheng wouldn't be interested in Yang Chen, but her words seemed ineffective. Seeing Yang Chen's embarrassed expression, Mo Qianni couldn't help but almost burst out laughing.

Their conversation wasn't particularly quiet, and many people around them heard it.

At this point, Zhou Dongcheng politely asked, "May I know your name, sir? I'm Zhou Dongcheng, Executive Vice President of the Dongxing Group."

Acting oblivious? Yang Chen felt uncomfortable. He pursed his lips and said, "My surname is Yang, and my given name is Xi. Yang Xi! I'm the top male PR officer at Jade International. Just to add, there were two male PR officers competing for the position..."