Xu Xuejiao was very nervous. The man was waiting outside, and they had to make a decision here.
"Brother Chengwen, secretly meeting with a foreign leader in private doesn't follow protocol."
"I know."
Lu Chengwen took out his phone and dialed an encrypted number. "Esteemed Minister, a Tianzhu leader wants to meet with me in secret."
There was a brief pause on the other end, but the minister did not sound particularly alarmed or surprised. He blurted out, "What do you think?"
"If I refuse to see him, I'll be offending him, and that could affect the upcoming negotiations. But if I meet him, I can learn his intentions beforehand, which would be very beneficial to us."
The minister weighed it for a moment.
He did not know Lu Chengwen all that well. Lu Chengwen and Xu Xuejiao had only joined the delegation at the last minute. And Lu Chengwen was a businessman—at a critical moment, would he trade national interests for his own gain?
Or would he prioritize his personal interests and reach some secret agreement with the other side?
Both were entirely possible.
But after giving it some thought, he felt this might be an opportunity.
Besides, from his brief observations of Lu Chengwen, he had found that while the man seemed unserious and somewhat unreliable, his character was fundamentally sound.
So he immediately nodded and approved it. "Fine, you may proceed. But remember that you are Chinese. Do not disgrace us Descendants of the Dragon, and do not be tempted by foreign interests."
"Rest assured, Minister. Cheng Wen has his country in his heart."
"Good."
Inside the meeting room.
The Vice President shook hands with Lu Chengwen and sat down.
Lu Chengwen said, "Ah, Tianzhu's scenery is truly wonderful. I'm delighted to meet you, Mr. President."