The First Step (Thanks to the reader Who Can't Pick a Name for becoming a League Leader again

The signing ceremony glittered under the lights.

Huai Shi took the pen from Yuan Yuan and, amid the reporters' frantic shutter clicks, signed his name on the contract and stamped it with Tanba Group's official seal.

The three parties exchanged five copies of the contract, held respectively by Tanba Group, Australia Greenery Mining, Tateyama Group, and Eternal Group representatives under the Ivory Tower and Continuance Institute as witnesses.

A preliminary agreement for strategic cooperation between all parties.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The dust had settled.

He extended his hand to the smiling woman beside him. "Ms. Gwendoline, thank you to Your Grace and you for your support. I also hope our friendship will endure forever."

"We are merely taking what we each need and helping one another. Greenery Mining is honored to have an ally like you."

Gwendoline gripped his hand firmly. Under the reporters' spotlights, the two displayed an image of seamless cooperation. But after releasing his hand and returning backstage, Gwendoline seemed hesitant, as though she had something she wanted to say.

"What is it?" Huai Shi asked curiously. "Do you have questions about the contract terms, or have we not hosted you properly?"

"No, it is only a personal request."

After thinking for a moment, Gwendoline studied the man far younger than herself and asked embarrassedly, "Could you... say that line to me again?"

Huai Shi was baffled. "Which line?"

Feeling Yuan Yuan's suddenly subtle gaze from behind him, he could not help growing nervous.

Gwendoline immediately looked excited and reminded him in a low voice, "The one you said to the Tanba Inner Circle before. That one..."

As she spoke, she even struck a pose, trying to jog Huai Shi's memory.

Huai Shi stood there blankly for a long while, scratching his head