Fatal Desire

Chapter 15 Seven-Cue Club
No one can learn something from just one viewing.

It's not like a robot that can solve everything by simply inputting a command.

“No.” Song Xi shook her head.

Zhao Yansen casually toyed with a golf club in the other hand, his hand in his pocket with one hand: "My IQ hasn't improved over the years; instead, I've become more naive."

In her teenage years, Song Xi was so confident that even a dog wouldn't pick her up if she threw her on the ground.

If she wants to achieve her goal, fate should cooperate obediently.

"Humility is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation," Song Xi said meekly. "I have only learned the basics, so I cannot make such a boast that I can completely defeat my brother."

Zhao Yansen was very tall. The cold light shining down from above made his pupils appear even darker and his bones even more muscular.

"After eating foreign food for several years, you can't even distinguish between humility and being realistic anymore?"

"I can tell the difference," Song Xi said. "But my brother always lost to me before, so it's not wrong for me to say I'm being modest, is it?"

Zhao Yansen raised an eyebrow slightly, his voice casual and indifferent: "Is that so?"

“Yes.” Song Xi put her hands behind her back and smiled brightly.

"Yansen really has the leisure and inclination to care for children here."

A warm, deep voice with a hint of a smile came from behind.

Song Xi turned her head and saw Meng Boyu and Chi Wang walking towards them.

Meng Boyu is Meng Weixian's older brother. He is calm, steady, and somewhat old-fashioned, with a refined, scholarly air about him. The news of his engagement to his younger brother's ex-girlfriend, Jiang Shangxue, has been widely circulated.

The marriage between the Meng and Jiang families was already a powerful alliance, and the fact that the younger brother's sister-in-law became his wife only added to the buzz.

"Is it strange for this gentleman to occasionally show kindness?" Chi Wang said nonchalantly. "Even if you do a lot of bad things, you'll be afraid to walk alone at night. Showing kindness can offset the guilt."

Others arrived one after another, and seven or eight distinguished young men from prominent families were scattered across the golf course. They were all prominent figures from the Kyoto aristocratic families.

When Song Xi first arrived at the Zhao family, due to the class divide, she always kept her distance from the capricious young master.

However, Zhao Yansen, as the crown prince from a legitimate high-ranking family, was used to being above everyone else and doing whatever he pleased.

Song Xi had followed him around like a little tail since she was a child. After more than ten years of being influenced by what he saw and heard, she had long since become shrewd and was no longer at a loss.

"You probably don't know, do you? This is Song Xi, the younger sister of the Zhao family." Chi Wang introduced her familiarly, "Younger sister, this is Meng Boyu."

"Brother Boyu," Song Xi greeted with a smile, neither humble nor arrogant.

Meng Boyu looked at Song Xi, clearly recognizing her: "Wei Xian's friend?"

Song Xi nodded: "We were high school classmates."

Upon hearing this, Chi Wang turned his head and asked, "Then my sister should also know Jiang Shangxue, right?"

“We know each other,” Song Xi said with a slight smile. “We are high school classmates.”

Song Xi, Meng Weixian, and Jiang Shangxue attended the same high school. Their relationship wasn't close, but it wasn't unfamiliar either; it was fairly standard. Meng Weixian and Qin Fanghao interacted more frequently.

"Hey." Chi Wang raised his chin, gesturing to the rest area not far away, "She's here too."

Song Xi looked over and, sure enough, saw Jiang Shangxue sitting diagonally opposite Zhou Ji'an, drinking tea with a cup in her hand.

Zhou Ji'an always seems a bit cold when he's not wearing glasses, which is a little unusual, but when he wears them, he appears gentle and refined.

When Song Xi first met him, she whispered to Zhao Yansen that Zhou Ji'an appeared refined and gentle on the surface, but might actually be a gloomy male ghost behind the scenes.

Zhao Yansen was amused by her words.

...My brother looks so handsome when he smiles.

Recalling this, Song Xi turned her head to look at Zhao Yansen, who indifferently picked out a new golf club. He looked good even without smiling.

"Where's my sister's cue? How can she play golf without a cue?"

As soon as Chi Wang finished shouting, the caddy came over and handed Song Xi a fine golf club with both hands.

"Miss, that cue wasn't quite right for you. Would you like to try this number seven?"

"Thank you." Song Xi took the cue stick, turned her head to look again, but the man was no longer there.

She asked Meng Boyu, "Brother Boyu, where's my brother?"

"Back to the annex." Meng Boyu stood on the tee box, slightly bent over, and swung his club with elegant movements. "Can't play?"

Song Xi has a kind of magic, regardless of whether she is a member of the Zhao family or not; she always makes people unconsciously feel the urge to take care of her.

Although she hated how Zhao Yansen always treated her like an immature child.

Song Xi said, "I'm a beginner and not very good at it."

Chi Wang was very considerate of his younger sister: "It's okay, if there's anything you don't understand, just ask your brothers. Not to mention anything else, we're experts at golf, you'll be able to learn it in a day!"

In the time that followed, Song Xi put everything else aside and focused entirely on learning to play golf. She was a quick learner and soon mastered most of the techniques.

Meng Boyu was taciturn, while Chi Wang was talkative. Song Xi was sometimes amused by Chi Wang's rambling and sometimes by Meng Boyu's stern face.

I had expected many obstacles when I went to the club today to discuss cooperation, but it turned out to be quite pleasant. It was an unexpected bonus.

*
High-end private clubs in Beijing have very high entry barriers. They are not in business for profit, but rather for resource exchange and personal relationships.

Compared to other established clubs, this golf club is relatively new, with a younger membership. Over time, old money has gradually gravitated towards this location. Times change, guests come and go, but the owner remains the same—the same surname, Zhao, for decades.

The club appears ordinary yet luxurious on the outside, but inside it is a hidden gem, with palace lanterns, ancient locust trees, carved railings, and antique calligraphy and paintings designed by industry leaders and hanging on the walls.

Inside the private room, fragrant mist drifted in the air, light and elegant like a veil of clouds, while the rich aroma of tea filled the entire space.

Zhou Ji'an opened the brown paper bag, took out the documents inside, and flipped through a few pages: "When did she return to China?"

“Not long ago.” Zhao Yansen leaned back on the sofa, his tone indifferent, concealing a hint of indescribable emotion.

The smile on Zhou Ji'an's face disappeared, and his eyes were filled with emotion, as if he was suppressing some kind of anger that was about to erupt.

A few seconds later, he slammed the file bag in his hand hard against the celadon vase containing a bouquet of fresh flowers. The flowers were destroyed by the force, and a few petals fell to the ground.

"You didn't get enough time in the ICU back then, and you want to stay there for another year or two?!"

Zhao Yansen's eyes suddenly darkened.

The surrounding air pressure dropped rapidly, making people shiver with cold.

Before Zhao Yansen could speak, Zhou Ji'an already realized he had brought up something he shouldn't have. After calming down from his anger, he asked, "What does she want to do now that she's back?"

"Work," Zhao Yansen said succinctly.

"And you?" Zhou Ji'an pressed.

Zhao Yansen's Adam's apple slid down slowly, his voice low and husky, as if tinged with the morning mist: "What could possibly happen between us?"

Zhou Ji'an was taken aback.

Song Xi just now seemed to be well-behaved and had no bad intentions.

But... is that really the case?

(End of this chapter)