Chapter 106: He Jiansheng Refuses to Save Face

He Tian looked deeply aggrieved, and his expression carried that grievance to the very limit.

With a single line—saying he had done nothing at all—he neatly kicked the ball straight back to Lord Hai.

Lord Hai also knew that He Tian really had done nothing.

In fact, aside from the public relations department of the Dreamsoft Apparel Group itself working frantically, even Wang Xinmeng had made no move at all.

Though Dreamsoft Apparel Group was not a large enterprise, Wang Xinmeng still had quite a network. If she truly intended to resist, at the very least things would not have ended up like this.

But they had done nothing.

So if Lord Hai wished to play the peacemaker, there was only one path left: he had to persuade He Jiansheng.

"Jiansheng," Lord Hai said, looking at He Jiansheng. "My young friend has a car race at the end of the year. You should know very well what that race means."

Lord Hai spoke as though he were defending He Tian.

Yet the implication beneath his words was equally clear.

He Tian is only temporarily needed by me. I do not want him troubled by anything else right now.

And beyond that, the meaning was even simpler: once the race is over, He Jiansheng can do whatever he pleases.

He Tian narrowed his eyes slightly, but he was not surprised in the least by what Lord Hai had said.

After all, their relationship with Lord Hai was built only upon the bond of that race. It was hardly deep.

And as for He Jiansheng?

No matter what, he was still a direct descendant of the He family. His bias was plain enough. To express that bias so openly before He Tian and He Jiansheng both—now that was a very clever move.

He Jiansheng set down his chopsticks.

He swallowed the food in his mouth, then took another sip of wine.

"Lord Hai, I'll give you face. But I guarantee this will not affect Mister He's mood. Besides, you heard him yourself—Mister He is very fond of a rainbow after the rain. How could I possibly fail to meet Mister He's wishes?" He Jiansheng said with a faint smile.

Lord Hai's expression immediately turned dark.

He Jiansheng's words had utterly kicked Lord Hai's meaning right back where it came from—he would accept none of it.

He would still do as he pleased.

How could that possibly leave Lord Hai in a good mood?

It was easy enough for Lord Hai to keep his emotions off his face. But now, since he made no attempt to hide them, the scene became all the more intriguing.

This was pressure, openly applied to He Jiansheng.

"Hahaha! Fine! Let us put this topic aside. Come, drink!" Lord Hai stared at He Jiansheng for a long while, but He Jiansheng showed not the slightest sign of backing down.

"Drink," He Tian said with a faint smile, lifting his cup.

"Forgive me, I must take my leave. I still have matters to attend to." He Jiansheng was quite direct, rising at once to excuse himself and leave.

"Kun, see Young Master He out," Lord Hai said indifferently, setting down his cup.

"Stay your step, Lord Hai. For the sake of a mere driver, is it really worth this much?" He Jiansheng said with a faint smile, then departed without another glance back.

He Jiansheng had left.

And left very elegantly.

He knew perfectly well that he had shown Lord Hai no face at all.

But such a trifling matter could hardly be enough to make Lord Hai move against him. However foolish He Jiansheng might be, he still had a firm grasp of the relations among the great and powerful families.

If Lord Hai were to act against He Jiansheng over something so small, then leaving aside the fact that the He family was no soft persimmon, Lord Hai's own displayed magnanimity would be enough to make the other young lords look down on him.

Besides, the reason He Jiansheng was so certain in denying Lord Hai face was because he believed he already had He Tian firmly in hand.

What ability would He Tian still have after calling Lord Hai in as a peacemaker?

Yet he still did not know how to soften his words.

In He Jiansheng's eyes, such a person simply needed to be taught a lesson. Since he had no choice, he would play this role and let He Tian properly understand who could never be offended.

That said, one had to admit He Jiansheng was rather overconfident.

He thought Lord Hai's mediation this time was due to He Tian's request. Such a conclusion was entirely off the mark.

He had no idea that he had missed the one and only chance to salvage everything.

"I scarcely know what to say. He Jiansheng can afford not to give me face, and I can do nothing about it." Lord Hai spread his hands and looked at He Tian with a wry smile.

A flicker of confusion passed through He Tian's eyes... and He Tian could guarantee that Lord Hai saw it.

Given the background He Tian had displayed, he could not possibly understand the ways and principles of the upper-class families. His confusion was the perfect proof of that.

"Brother Hai, there is no need for you to get involved. I have my own methods. Rest assured, I can guarantee that the car race at the end of the year will in no way be delayed. When the time comes, just send me word, and I will be there whenever you call." He Tian said with a faint smile. After showing confusion, he also needed to express his confidence and demonstrate his strength.

He Tian wanted Lord Hai to abandon any other intentions and raise He Tian to the level of a true partner, rather than constantly thinking of bringing him under control for his own use.

Only by making Lord Hai place him on an equal footing could He Tian truly gain more opportunities to interact with him—and uncover more things.

"Good. Take care. Though He Jiansheng has some power at his disposal now, it isn't much. Still, he once served as an outer steward for the He family. The strength he has kept for himself is not weak." Lord Hai glanced at the silent Cat and suddenly smiled. "However, if he insists on taking an unusual road, he is bound to run into a wall. On that, I am certain."

"Haha, brother, let us not talk about this today. It spoils the mood... drink!" He Tian said with a smile. "Such fine wine must not be wasted."

"That is simple enough. We will drink till we are satisfied, and later you can take a few bottles with you... it's not that I do not want to give you more, but this wine has become terribly hard to get now," Lord Hai said with a smile.

"Then let us drink until we can drink no more!" He Tian raised his cup.

—-

Lord Hai personally escorted He Tian out.

Only after He Tian's car had driven far beyond the Seaside Villa District did Lord Hai finally turn back.

Kun followed behind him. He was Lord Hai's most loyal bodyguard and protector.

"Kun, what do you think of the man beside He Tian?" Lord Hai asked, looking at him.

"Young Master, that man is extremely strong, and extremely dangerous," Kun answered truthfully.

"Oh?" Lord Hai became interested. He entered the villa, sat down on the sofa, and motioned for Kun to continue.

"I can say with absolute certainty that man is a practitioner of internal energy. His level should be at the fourth stage, and he ought to be on the same tier as Senior Brother and Old Master Lin," Kun said solemnly. "I call him dangerous because, unlike Senior Brother and Old Master Lin, who have long preferred to enjoy life and conceal their锋芒 while slowly improving themselves, that man has both hands stained with blood. I am certain he is a killer with no regard for human life, a person overflowing with ferocious aggression."

Kun did not mention that the very first instant he met Cat's gaze, he felt his whole body tremble. Such an embarrassing feeling was not something he dared say aloud. He could only express Cat's strength in another way.

Lord Hai fell briefly into thought.

"To think He Tian has such a powerful expert by his side. Interesting. Truly far too interesting." Lord Hai smiled faintly, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Kun sensibly remained silent. Knowing Lord Hai well, he understood perfectly: this was the moment when Lord Hai considered all manner of questions. Best not to disturb him.

Lord Hai was indeed pondering He Tian's matter.

From the information he had gathered so far, He Tian should possess considerable influence overseas. Moreover, it was very possible that he had connections within the country as well. Otherwise, there would be no way for He Tian to move about domestically with such ease and even bring his people here, arranging everything so properly.

Thinking thus, Lord Hai was somewhat moved.

A man who could operate abroad, with power and influence, and who very likely had respectable connections at home as well—such a person had, in a sense, already overturned Lord Hai's original understanding of He Tian.

"It seems some plans must be changed," Lord Hai murmured.

Just as He Tian had expected, once he revealed his strength and the possible background behind it, the final choice Lord Hai would make, amid that ambiguity, unfolded exactly as He Tian had anticipated.

He Tian's grasp of the psychology of men at Lord Hai's level was truly excellent.

Lord Hai had no idea that He Tian's understanding of certain things in the upper reaches was in fact no less than his own.

Without that, it would have been impossible to make Lord Hai truly improve the way he treated him in their relationship.

"Kun," Lord Hai called softly.

"Young Master," Kun answered at once, proving he had been listening all along.

"Has there been no shipment from that side for quite some time?" Lord Hai asked in a low voice.

"By the rhythm of one batch every three days, it has now been interrupted three times," Kun said softly.

"Any message passed along?"

"Not a single word."

"Hmph... they have seen through the weak point of our overseas power," Lord Hai said, rising to his feet, his expression darkening.

Kun said nothing, merely standing up carefully as well.

"So then, the assassination attempt on Wang Xinrou, while it forced He Tian to act, was followed by their own interruption," Lord Hai muttered.

"Young Master... can you be sure it is He Tian investigating?" Kun asked quietly.

"Wang Xinrou was assassinated, He Tian was there, and he saved her. Afterward, the assassin was found, and suspicion even fell upon me! Combine that with He Tian's cooperation with me... he thought he had done everything flawlessly. But the greatest flaw was precisely that perfection." Lord Hai said coldly. "He wants to get more surprises from my side. Judging from the forces now appearing around him, I am even more convinced of it."

Lord Hai had seen through He Tian's intention.

Yet he could never have guessed that He Tian's true purpose in drawing near him was to investigate the Dragon Fang incident...