Following that, Li Zhonglou, led by Yue Hai, met Tian Mei.
It had to be said that with his experience of having seen all sorts of beauties, Tian Mei’s charm made Li Zhonglou’s eyes light up.
She possessed an ineffable aura. If one were to only look at her face, Tian Mei might not be the most beautiful, or perhaps the most perfect, but in every glance, every smile, every movement, she exuded endless charm!
As the saying goes, the soul surpasses appearance, and Tian Mei’s demeanor was one that directly touched the soul! This, in turn, made her beauty appear infinitely enhanced by this contrast.
In a word, she was stunning!
However, Li Zhonglou’s gaze ended after just one second. He calmly looked into Tian Mei’s eyes.
“Hello, Miss Tian Mei. My name is Li Zhonglou, and I am their leader.”
Li Zhonglou politely extended his right hand. She, in turn, kept staring into his eyes and slowly extended her slender hand.
After a soft clasp, Li Zhonglou spoke first, “I’ve heard from them about what happened. Thanks to your help, we managed to turn misfortune into good fortune. Is there anything I can do to help you, Miss Tian Mei?”
His intention was clear: he was not one to take advantage of others, nor did he wish to owe anyone a favor. If possible, they should settle their accounts.
However, to his surprise, Tian Mei merely chuckled in response.
“Mr. Li is too kind. Setting aside the fact that your subordinate saved me once, the incident also occurred on my territory, so it is naturally my obligation to resolve it.”
The implied meaning was that the favor did not need to be repaid urgently; it could be owed for now.
Having navigated the world for so many years, Li Zhonglou naturally understood her meaning and, for a moment, his brow furrowed slightly.
But it soon smoothed out completely, and he said calmly, “We can’t put it that way. Yue Hai only saved you, but you saved my entire team.”
“How about this? Does your establishment have any funding needs recently? I can invest a sum.”
Saying outright payment would be too common, so Li Zhonglou used the word "invest," implying he wanted to settle things with money.
Tian Mei chuckled again, “Mr. Li, although my Mei Cheng is not what it used to be, we are getting by. Furthermore, my late father did not wish for any outsiders to meddle in Mei Cheng’s affairs. So, I thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Li.”
Well, that meant this matter could not be resolved with money.
But he couldn’t just let himself owe this favor. Li Zhonglou was momentarily unsure of what this beautiful woman before him truly desired.
From their conversation, he could sense that she was also a seasoned veteran of the world. Logically, she should understand his intention, but Tian Mei’s current demeanor was that of someone completely unyielding.
Money was originally the easiest solution. They were merely strangers meeting by chance; you profit, and I repay the favor. It should have been the best way.
But…
Li Zhonglou suddenly couldn't understand her intentions.
Just then, Tian Mei spoke proactively, “Actually, Mr. Li doesn’t need to overthink it. What happened before was just a small effort. As the elders say, those who gain the Dao are helped by many. Isn’t it better for us to have this opportunity to become friends?”
“Talking about money would be too hurtful to our feelings.”
Li Zhonglou instantly understood, but he became even more perplexed.
He didn't know much about Mei Cheng's history, but the fact that she could stand firm in Shang Jing for so long and possess such formidable experts clearly indicated she was no ordinary force.
And what he was currently displaying was merely a small group. Unless she had investigated him, what was there on his side that was worth coveting?
No, the key point should be where did this trust come from?
However, Li Zhonglou did not voice these questions for the moment. They were both intelligent individuals; the things that could be said had already been said, and there was no need to go through so many twists and turns here.
After a period of silence, Li Zhonglou finally nodded and cupped his hands in a bow towards Tian Mei, saying, “Then thank you, Miss Tian Mei, for now. If you need any help in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Tian Mei revealed a sweet smile and said lightly, “Mr. Li is too kind. If you have time in the future, come here to relax. Although Mei Cheng is not a major establishment, our techniques are quite good.”
As if afraid Li Zhonglou might misunderstand, Tian Mei added, “Please don’t misunderstand, Mr. Li. The techniques I’m referring to are massage techniques. We also regularly take in disabled individuals for specialized training, giving them a skill to survive.”
Li Zhonglou smiled and nodded, then prepared to take his leave.
Tian Mei did not try to detain him. However, before the two departed, she suddenly offered a reminder.
“Oh, right. Regarding Young Master Huang of Huang Bao, from what I know, he is a petty person. Be mindful that your subordinate offended him; don’t let anything bad happen.”
Li Zhonglou paused and thanked her, “Thank you, I will be careful.”
Only then did the two leave Tian Mei’s room.
Upon exiting, Yue Hai, who had been afraid to interrupt, finally couldn't help but ask, “Brother Li, will you return here in the future?”
He lacked experience and couldn't grasp the nuances in their conversation. He only knew that when Tian Mei invited him to relax sometime, Li Zhonglou hadn't refused.
In his mind, he had hoped to completely sever ties with Mei Cheng. After all, the longer the contact, the more likely it was that his secret would be exposed.
Li Zhonglou was unaware of Yue Hai’s complex feelings and merely nodded, saying, “This Mei Cheng is not simple. An ordinary woman like her being able to command two experts suggests there are many secrets.
“However, none of that is important. What is important is, as she said, the current situation in Shang Jing is complicated, and it’s good to have one more friend.”
Li Zhonglou was actually quite satisfied with Tian Mei’s choice. After all, if she had truly demanded money, his company would have been in a difficult situation.
As long as she didn’t have any ulterior motives and genuinely wanted to find a friend to cooperate with, it would naturally be a win-win situation!
Seeing this, Yue Hai didn’t say much more.
However, he then thought that since he had promised her he would return to see her sometime, establishing contact between both sides would make his future visits more natural.
This seemed like it might even help conceal matters better!
“Alas, it’s a pity about my virginity. I had originally intended to save it for my future girlfriend or wife…”
In this regard, Yue Hai’s earliest exposure was to Hai Yan. Although his time with Hai Yan at Black Blade was not long, she had taught him many things, especially regarding matters of love and relationships.
The most important among them were loyalty and chastity.
Hai Yan had repeatedly emphasized to him that a man must never fool around. It was not only irresponsible to oneself but also irresponsible to one’s future partner!
At this moment, Li Zhonglou’s thoughts had returned to the company, so he didn’t notice Yue Hai’s unusual demeanor.
With such a major event occurring, Li Zhonglou’s plans had immediately undergone some changes.