Chapter Sixty-One: Conversation

Duan Rui sat beside Fang Nian, staring in disbelief at the mountain of crab shells piling up in front of him. She had met plenty of gentlemen in her life, but never had anyone so unabashedly devoured his food in her presence.

She had always heard stories about people with enormous appetites, but only upon meeting Fang Nian did she truly witness what that meant. She could scarcely believe that the man who had just forced himself through a speech had now revealed himself like this.

"Hey, does the Xia family mistreat you? Do they not feed you?" she asked.

Fang Nian had just cracked open an Alaskan crab leg and was pulling out the meat when Duan Rui’s question left him a little embarrassed.

"Uh… I was just a bit hungry, that’s all. Sorry if this looks bad," he replied with an awkward chuckle.

Duan Rui shot him a disdainful look, clearly annoyed to be sitting beside him.

The others at the table were even more irritated, wishing nothing more than to drive Fang Nian away. If people saw that their plates were licked clean after this meal, wouldn’t that be humiliating?

Wei Jin watched Fang Nian eat with utter contempt, muttering under his breath, "Country bumpkin."

But to Fang Nian’s surprise, Tan Hong seemed unfazed by his appetite. Instead, she smiled warmly and offered him more dishes, introducing each one as she placed it on his plate.

"Try this, brother. This snail meat has been marinated in red wine, making it tender, smooth, and deliciously sweet. It’s really special."

"And this—these garland chrysanthemum greens were flown in fresh from Zone 7 just yesterday, still frosted when they arrived. Taste how fresh they are!"

Fang Nian was a little overwhelmed by her kindness. The heavy fragrance Tan Hong wore was unexpectedly pleasant, and he had to admit she was quite a formidable woman.

"Thank you, President Tan," he said.

Tan Hong smiled, then suddenly asked in a low voice, "Brother, I hear your relationship with the Xiao family isn’t so good—is that true?"

Fang Nian hesitated, realizing the conversation had turned serious. He had eaten his fill, so he set down his chopsticks and answered, "It’s true. In fact, it’s very bad."

Tan Hong understood immediately and her smile grew more seductive.

"That’s refreshingly straightforward, brother, so let me be just as candid. The Xia family’s hunting grounds have always collaborated with the Xiao family in mechanism and gadget supplies. Though there have been rumors of discord, they remain your closest partners."

Here, Tan Hong’s tone shifted.

"While our Tan Group may still trail the Xiao Group in certain capabilities, in terms of price and access to new products, we believe we can offer your Xia family better service. What do you think—?"

Before she could continue, Fang Nian raised his hand to cut her off with a wry smile.

"President Tan, you may be overestimating me. In the Xia family, I’m merely a live-in son-in-law. I don’t wield nearly enough influence to sway any of their decisions."

Hearing this, Tan Hong’s expression darkened; she knew well enough Fang Nian’s position. To outsiders, his status was even lower than Wei Jianshe, the head of Xia’s R&D center.

Tan Hong rubbed her aching temples and forced a bitter smile. Perhaps it was the tremendous pressure her business was currently facing from the Xiao Group that had made her desperate enough to pursue this conversation, forgetting Fang Nian’s limitations.

Fang Nian, however, was a shrewd man. Since acquiring the Insight skill, he had become adept at noticing subtle details. Tan Hong’s every gesture was under his watchful gaze.

Reading her expression, Fang Nian sensed his opportunity.

"President Tan, have you ever heard of Hunter’s Cloud Pavilion?" he asked softly.

Tan Hong paused to think, then recalled, "Isn’t that the camp currently at odds with the Xiao family?"

Fang Nian nodded earnestly. "To be honest, I hold a stake in Hunter’s Cloud Pavilion."

A spark lit in Tan Hong’s eyes. Though Hunter’s Cloud Pavilion was not large, it had recently stirred up quite the commotion in their circles. Not only had it gained considerable influence openly, winning many supporters, but it had also carved out a significant share of the underground market. Its momentum was formidable.

Naturally, this had drawn the ire of the Xiao family, who would never allow such an upstart to rise unchecked.

Seeing that Tan Hong was tempted, Fang Nian stoked the fire further.

"President Tan, I’ll only say this once, so listen carefully. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The Xiao family has monopolized the hunter camp industry in Zone 16 for long enough; their dominance has become habitual. Personally, I believe the time has come for a change."

Tan Hong gazed at him in astonishment, never expecting to hear such words from the man who moments ago had been gorging himself on crab.

"The Xiao Group’s recent suppression of our Hunter’s Cloud Pavilion should be no secret to you, President Tan, and we’re well aware of the predicament your Tan Group faces. If you plan to continue swallowing your grievances, I’d wager that within three years, both you and I will be nothing more than stepping stones for the Xiao Group’s ascent. The only way to change this situation is—"

"To join forces?" Tan Hong interrupted.

Fang Nian nodded.

But Tan Hong suddenly abandoned her confidante’s warmth for the demeanor of a true leader.

"And what do you bring to the table, exactly? That little Hunter’s Cloud Pavilion of yours? I doubt you have the capability."

Fang Nian met her gaze without flinching; in fact, he appeared even more confident.

"President Tan, sometimes pretending too much becomes overkill. I think you know our strength quite well—you’ve surely investigated us. Right now, you won’t find a better ally than us. This is your only chance to turn the tables."

With that, Fang Nian picked up his teacup and sipped the now lukewarm tea, adopting the air of a decision-maker.

"As I said, I’ll only say this once. President Tan, you can weigh the offer as you wish. If you’re interested, come discuss the details at Hunter’s Cloud Pavilion within three days. If not, we won’t insist. But let me remind you: once this opportunity is gone, it won’t come again. Opportunities wait for no one."

Having said his piece, Fang Nian didn’t linger. He stood and excused himself to the restroom—a classic move of playing hard to get. Though he spoke boldly, he was also bluffing; as a hands-off shareholder, he wasn’t entirely sure how well Hunter’s Cloud Pavilion was really doing.

Upon his return, Fang Nian found the atmosphere in the hall had grown lively—apparently the auction was about to begin. He planned to sit and watch the excitement.

Just then, however, the lights in the hall suddenly dimmed. A spotlight snapped onto Fang Nian, his figure projected in three-dimensional relief on the auction stage’s holographic screen.

In an instant, he became the center of attention, and Fang Nian was utterly bewildered.

"I just went to the restroom—what on earth is happening now?"