Fatal Desire

Chapter 17 What Happened Again, My Little Princess?
Dishes that looked and smelled delicious were served one by one.

The soup-filled yellow croaker uses expensive and rare wild yellow croaker. The dish perfectly combines the tenderness of the fish meat with the deliciousness of the soup, resulting in a rich and layered taste.

Song Xi took a bite, and as she put down the spoon, her arm unconsciously bumped into the man on her right.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and saw that Zhao Yansen ate very elegantly, and every move he made exuded the nobility nurtured by power.

Song Xi looked down at the fish in the bowl, inevitably recalling the past.

In the third year after she moved into the Zhao family home, Zhao Yansen raised several valuable goldfish in the pond in the courtyard.

On a summer night, he sat alone in a grand chair, lazily scattering fish food into the pond.

Ripples spread across the calm water as fish scrambled for food, their tails leaping and thrashing about, creating quite a lively scene.

In late summer, Zhao Yansen was not at home, and Xiao Songxi volunteered to help her brother feed the fish.

She excitedly threw food into the pond, and because she was worried that the fish would starve, she fed them several times. But the goldfish couldn't take it and died from her antics.

This is my brother's favorite fish.

Song Xi was both frightened and annoyed.

She sat in the cradle, waiting for Zhao Yansen to return while holding a funeral for the goldfish.

When Zhao Yansen returned home that evening, he strolled over and saw the girl crying quietly and pitifully.

"What is it now, my little princess?"

Upon seeing who it was, Song Xi cried even harder, large tears streaming down her face like glistening pearls.

"elder brother……"

The maid told Zhao Yansen what had happened, and he smiled indifferently, "If he dies, just buy a new one, why cry?"

"It's all my fault that the fish died." Song Xi said, her eyes red and her voice choked with sobs. "If I hadn't fed the fish, they wouldn't have died, sob sob sob."

"Oh dear, the fish's time to die is up. It'll die even if you don't feed it." Zhao Yansen's eyes gleamed with arrogance and conceit. "Besides, so what if you feed it to death?"

After saying that, he patted her head and teased her, "You're lucky, you're mine, so you're allowed to do whatever you want."

Song Xi understood.

It doesn't matter if Zhao Yansen's people turn bad.

Zhao Yansen was a powerful and influential man, a true prodigy, but she was different. Song Xi wasn't used to being the center of attention; as an outsider living in the Zhao family, she always felt like a dependent.

He was there for her in the dark, peeling a scalding hot candy, mending her sensitive youth.

*
After the meal, the young men drank tea and enjoyed themselves. Exquisite Suzhou embroidery was casually placed on the sofa covered with silk. The sound of conversation drifted over, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

Seeing Chi Wang enthusiastically playing golf with Song Xi and considerately having the waiter bring her juice, the young master next to him joked, "Young Master Chi, you keep calling her 'little sister,' anyone who didn't know better would think she's your real sister."

Chi Wang, leaning on his golf club, said, "My little sister is harmless and always smiles at everyone. She's so lovable."

Upon hearing this, Meng Boyu glanced at Song Xi.

Song Xi practiced golf in the morning and is currently practicing independently. Although she looks thin and slender, she swings her number seven club with a flexible yet powerful feel.

She took a clean shot, the ball rolled a few times on the green, and landed precisely in the hole.

"Beautiful!" Chi Wang clapped generously. "Little sister, did you really not learn this before? That shot was perfect! The power and the arc were just right!"

"I haven't learned it." Song Xi smiled slightly in the light. "That shot just now, I was imitating you. It seems the imitation was very successful."

This is tantamount to praising Chi Wang's ball skills as equally perfect.

During the break while the caddie was changing the white ball, Jiang Shangxue said to Meng Boyu, "She was very popular in high school."

Meng Boyu, dressed in a crisp polo shirt with classic stripes on the collar, maintained his usual solemn expression: "And you?" Their two families had arranged a marriage without any emotional foundation; their interactions and conversations were rather formal, unlike Jiang Shangxue and Meng Weixian, who were childhood sweethearts and each other's first love. Unfortunately, Meng Weixian wasn't the heir to the Meng family, and only the person in power could become Jiang Shangxue's legal husband.

"Neither good nor bad," Jiang Shangxue said coldly.

The question-and-answer session concluded.

Song Xi did not forget the purpose of her visit. She played golf for a while, handed the club to the caddie, glanced around, and walked straight to the rest area.

She bypassed the lacquered screen depicting birds and animals and spotted her target, Zhou Ji'an. Upon seeing her, the smile in his eyes subtly faded.

Those in positions of power often look down on others, but Song Xi's status was different. Zhou Ji'an and Zhao Yansen were the same age, making Zhou Ji'an her elder, and elders usually look at younger people with affection, just like how Chi Wang treated Song Xi.

But Zhou Ji'an's gaze towards her was neither condescending nor loving; it was indifferent and subtly contained hatred.

Song Xi couldn't figure out when she had offended him.

She quickly composed herself, putting on a flawless smile.

"Mr. Zhou."

Mr. Zhou, we're here to discuss cooperation.

Zhou Ji'an understood perfectly.

Zhao Yansen leaned back lazily on the single sofa like an old man, his eyelids slightly lifted as he silently sized up the girl whose eyes were crinkling with laughter.

The man's appearance and demeanor were too striking; Song Xi noticed him as soon as she entered the room. However, she was there to discuss work seriously, not to reminisce, so she didn't engage in lengthy, pointless conversation.

"Mr. Zhou, may I take up ten of your precious minutes?"

Song Xi got straight to the point, explaining Morningside's advantages and the benefits Ruengeng would gain from the cooperation in a more concise and clear manner than before.

Zhou Ji'an is a businessman who won't do a losing business that only spends money and doesn't earn anything. To persuade him, Morningside needs to offer more favorable terms than its competitors.

“Chenxing’s specific antibody has already obtained multiple regulatory approvals, and the product technology is mature. Mr. Zhou doesn’t need to worry about losing everything.” Song Xi’s eyes were slightly upturned and her pupils were clear and bright. “In addition, if Mr. Zhou is still worried, we can sign a performance-based agreement. If Chenxing fails to meet the conditions by the due date, the antibody patent will be unconditionally transferred to Zhongrui.”

She spoke at a measured pace, clearly and thoroughly addressing the concerns of both China and Switzerland.

There were even unexpected surprises.

As the decision-maker at Morningside Ventures, she is both decisive and has great courage.

Zhou Ji'an replied, "Say it all in one breath so I can shut up?"

"No," Song Xi said with a smile, "it's to save you time talking, so you don't get tired."

Zhou Ji'an wanted to find fault, but he immediately fell silent upon hearing this.

I hadn't seen her for several years and almost forgot how sweet-talking she was.

Zhou Ji'an is not someone to be trifled with. Last time, he left Chenxing waiting for three hours at the Sino-Swiss headquarters, and he will definitely cause trouble this time as well.

Song Xi was well aware of this, but she wasn't worried.

With a soft 'click,' the cup was set down.

Zhao Yansen leaned lazily against the sofa, his posture quite relaxed. He held his phone in one hand, his eyes downcast, seemingly texting someone.

Song Xi glanced in that direction.

Zhao Yansen happened to be looking over, and their eyes met unexpectedly. Before Song Xi could look away, she heard the man say casually, "Where is Morningside's other partner?"

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(End of this chapter)