Chapter 268: Chapter 268
At the end of January in Beijing, the blizzard was rampant, the strong wind made people tremble, and they stayed at home unwilling to go outside.
After Rong Zhi and Tang Xuyun signed the contract, the two exchanged a glance, and Tang Xuyun smiled, stood up, and extended his hand, "Third Young Master, looking forward to our cooperation."
Rong Zhi politely returned the handshake, "Looking forward to our cooperation."
Lan’er Sanatorium announced in January this year its partnership with RH Group to jointly operate SL Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, marking RH Group’s shift to a diversified international business model, including the establishment of RH Fragrance Company.
The latest news in Beijing’s business circles is that RH Group’s chairman, Rong Zhi, is planning to go abroad to negotiate cooperation with a renowned perfume family in O State.
If this cooperation succeeds, RH Group will surpass the Shen Family and Jun Family steadily over the next three years, becoming one of the most influential companies domestically after Huajing Group.
Shen Junze sent a message to Rong Zhi to inquire about the truth, but received no response for a long time. After calling, he found out the phone was turned off.
Meanwhile, Ying Fan managed to contact Young Master Yu, who had previously agreed to return to Beijing after the New Year, which relieved his anxious heart somewhat.
Gazing out at the clear sky through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Ying Fan’s grip on the phone was tense and pale, his expression gloomy.
The airport lobby was empty in the early hours, people hurriedly pushed luggage carts back and forth, the cleaning lady began her work, the security patrol just started their shift, and only a couple of shops were open.
The sound of an arriving flight echoed from the broadcast.
A few minutes later, several people emerged from the spacious VIP passage.
A boy wearing a mask and playing on his phone sat in a small luggage cart, his long legs lightly swinging outside, the faint light highlighting her delicate eyebrows and eyes, imparting a bit of chill. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on nοvelfire.net
A man with a stature like jade steadily pushed the small cart along.
He slightly lifted his head, the top light moving along, his sharply defined jawline sliding into a graceful curve.
"Shall we stay at a hotel, and go there tomorrow?"
Perhaps not rested well on the plane, the man’s voice carried a low raspy quality, like a bass exploding in the ears, making the whole body numb.
Just as he finished speaking, Ying Yunlin, who had picked up his luggage, emerged and spoke in a deep voice, "The housekeeper has arranged a car, the Winner has rooms, you can go to the hotel yourself, Little Nine will come with me."
Bai Su raised his eyebrows in apparent displeasure, with Ying Yunlin ignoring him and instead looking at Rong Zhi on the cart.
With a neat motion, she supported herself with a wrist and stepped off the cart, showing not a bit of discomfort.
"Let’s stay at the hotel, we’ll go tomorrow."
She calmly made the decision, Bai Su’s frown immediately eased, his lips slightly curved as he glanced at Ying Yunlin, "See you tomorrow, second brother. Good night."
Ying Yunlin’s mouth twitched.
"Good night, my foot!"
They exited directly from the VIP passage, where a business car marked with the Winner’s family crest was already waiting outside, the well-dressed old butler Yorker respectfully bowed upon seeing familiar figures.
Only then did Rong Zhi look up from her phone, responding politely to the old butler.
Yorker’s eyes reddened instantly.
His family had followed the Winner for generations, sent to be trained by the Winner in his childhood, and had remained with Ying Ji ever since, being both servant and friend. To Ying Ji, he was like a familiar presence, having watched these children, including Rong Zhi, grow up, forming deep relationships.
He felt affection and kindness towards the suddenly emerged Miss Rong Zhi.
Upon learning they were going to stay at a hotel, Yorker was puzzled but refrained from asking further, arranging a car to send them there.
After they left, he asked Ying Yunlin in confusion, "Second Young Master, was the person just with Miss Nine her boyfriend you’ve been mentioning?"
He had noticed earlier that the other’s face was rather handsome, radiating an impressive aura, a sense of oppression, which he had only felt in Ying Ji before.
Having been annoyed by the little couple earlier, Ying Yunlin took out a cigarette, lit it, took a deep drag, and said, "At most, a rumored boyfriend, Little Nine hasn’t agreed yet."
Yorker nodded, appearing somewhat understanding.
After Rong Zhi and her group left, they didn’t head to the hotel but instructed the driver to head to another destination. Hearing the address, the driver hesitated and turned back as if to confirm, "That place is the most chaotic war zone in O State, are you sure you want to go there?"
Due to divided influences, the Royal Family’s power gradually weakened and they had to cede a corner of O State to those forces, subsequently declaring it a forbidden zone, with nobody allowed to enter.
Only five years ago did the Royal Family, with the aid of a Divination Master, start rejuvenating and attacking the forbidden zone, but the forces there consisted of desperadoes who fought fiercely, making it impossible to reclaim the lost land to this day.
As a result, O State’s international influence and voice gradually became replaced by Y State.
The forbidden zone became the most chaotic war zone, with constant gunfire, discouraging anyone from approaching.
Rong Zhi had heard about this, but her base of power was in A State; O State was the base of Night Wanderer Mercenary Group and Hacker Alliance, beyond her reach, but Underground Moon Group’s adjacent Y State was known to her.
During that time, Fu Yaoyao complained to her that perhaps the Divination Master aiding O State’s Royal Family was an undercover from the Underground Moon Group, aiming to incite war for profit.
Rong Zhi agreed with this reasoning.
Otherwise, how could it be so coincidental that as soon as war erupted in O State, Y State rose rapidly?
By the time O State’s Royal Family realized, their powers had been consumed utterly by other states.
She had mentioned wanting to meet the top executive of Y State when she had time, only to be delayed by a pile of matters.
Rong Zhi pondered, deciding to look for an opportunity later, as there was no urgency now.
She casually tapped her forehead, responding nonchalantly to the driver, "Yes."
The driver dared not disobey her orders and had to veer off the path.
Rong Zhi gazed at the scenery speeding by outside as the driver drove further and further into remote areas, until the view became desolate—ruined walls and skeleton-like children by the roadside, their black hands reaching into steaming trash piles to find food.
A pair of well-defined hands reached from behind to cover her sight.
Rong Zhi’s eyes half-closed, the sound of the wind rushing by disappeared, the car window rolled up, blackness shrouded the bleakness.
"If you don’t want to see it, don’t look anymore."
The man’s voice remained as gentle and lazy as ever, Rong Zhi agreeing softly and closing her eyes to sleep.
Where there’s war, displacement and rivers of blood are commonplace.
She did not ask Bai Su why he brought them here; wherever they went wouldn’t matter, as no one could harm them anyway.
Nearing the border inspection area, Bai Su instructed the driver to drop them off and then leave on his own.
Due to the state of war, the inspection area was essentially useless, the driver sought Rong Zhi’s opinion before driving away, reporting back to Winner.
Stepping on the dry land below, Rong Zhi expressionlessly put on a mask, Jiang Gujun stood beside making a phone call, and a few minutes later, three Hummers stopped neatly in front of the three of them.
The smooth black body of the cars bore the emblem of the O State Royal Family, not particularly concealed, visible upon close observation.
Rong Zhi’s gaze paused, then she turned slightly to look at Bai Su.
The man’s brows were dignified and elegant, he gently rubbed her forehead, and softly instructed Jiang Gujun to fetch clothes, immediately handing it to her.
"I’ll explain once we’re in the car; there’s still some distance to our destination, and we might encounter attacks on the way, put on this bulletproof vest first."