Page 47

"It's getting late. I won't disturb President Shen's rest any longer." Gu Jiuque decided to forcefully end the conversation. He nodded to Shen Heng, then turned and walked into the elevator.

Shen Heng stood where he was, smiling as he watched Gu Jiuque's briskly departing back and watched him leave without once looking back. His long, jade-like fingers pressed hard on the elevator button, their tips flushing faintly red beneath everyone's eyes. A moment later, the gleaming elevator doors opened with a ding. That man stepped inside impatiently, and until the doors slowly closed, he never looked up at Shen Heng again.

"How heartless!" Shen Heng sighed theatrically. His gaze remained fixed on the elevator display as he watched the numbers slowly change before finally stopping at a certain floor. Shen Heng smiled slightly, his eyes still resting on the tightly shut elevator doors as he casually instructed the line of assistants behind him, "Go find out what my cold old acquaintance came here for."

The elite-looking assistants nodded in acknowledgment. Only then did Shen Heng wipe the smile from his face and push open the door beside him expressionlessly before walking inside.

After Shen Heng's interruption, Gu Jiuque simply gave up on checking the hotel surveillance footage. Given his current abilities and connections, there was no way he could secretly access a hotel's surveillance footage in Country B, thousands of miles away, without alerting the auction organizers.

That was presumably why the Jin family had gone to such lengths to lure Grandpa Gu abroad. They must have already woven the tightest possible net, waiting for their prey to take the bait.

Once he thought of it that way, Gu Jiuque was no longer in a hurry. He already possessed Jade Celestial Pivot's X-ray vision. Though the number of times he could use it was currently limited, if used well, it could still allow him to discover Zhou Mu and Pei Liujun's tricks in time.

What Gu Jiuque needed to consider now was how to connect Zhou Mu and Pei Liujun to the High-End Auction House hosting this auction.

Gu Jiuque planned to wait and see, exposing the two men's little schemes the instant they made their move. As for the Jin family lurking behind the scenes, they would not be getting away unscathed this time either.

The next morning arrived quickly. Zhou Mu had said after they got off the plane that he would show the Gu grandfather and grandson around Fog City. He had not gone back on his word. Even though the auction preparations were complicated and tedious, he still intended to set aside an afternoon to take Grandpa Gu and Gu Jiuque to several of Fog City's famous attractions.

Grandpa Gu was old and had little interest in going out sightseeing. Besides, he still needed to adjust to the time difference and make good use of the time before the auction began to study the auction catalog sent by the organizers. Upon hearing Zhou Mu's suggestion, he politely declined at once.

Gu Jiuque had only intended to play the part of a good prey adapting to the local customs. Seeing that his grandfather was uninterested, he lost the inclination to keep up pretenses with Zhou Mu as well and planned to remain at the hotel to review the materials with his grandfather.

Zhou Mu was beside himself with anxiety. He had always thought taking a beauty out was a romantic affair, only having an old man along was inconvenient. Now that Grandpa Gu had taken the initiative to bow out, would that not mean he and Gu Jiuque could go out alone? How could he possibly miss such a wonderful opportunity?

"This is your first time in Fog City, isn't it?" Zhou Mu urged him sincerely. "Wouldn't it be a pity to pass up such a good opportunity to look around?"

"You rarely get the chance to travel abroad. Don't you want to bring some gifts back for your family?"

Grandpa Gu looked at his grandson. Gu Jiuque was young, and it was rare for him to travel abroad. Forcing him to stay in the hotel to keep an old man like him company would be far too cruel. So he added, "You young people have good stamina and plenty of energy. There's no need to waste your time in the hotel. Go out and have some fun. Pick up some gifts for your grandmother and your parents while you're at it."

Only then did Gu Jiuque agree.

He followed the ecstatic Zhou Mu out of the hotel, only to run into Shen Heng the moment they stepped outside.

"Well, well, my dear compatriots." Shen Heng smiled as he looked at the two leaving together, though his sharp gaze settled squarely on Zhou Mu. "Where are you two headed?"

Seeing Shen Heng's height of nearly six foot three and his obviously extraordinary bearing, Zhou Mu's heart skipped a beat. He blurted out, "Who are you?"

"I'm an old acquaintance of Mr. Gu's." Shen Heng smiled at Gu Jiuque. "Isn't that right?"

Gu Jiuque: "..."

Shen Heng asked again, "Where are you two headed?"

Zhou Mu looked at Shen Heng warily. "Where we're going has nothing to do with you, does it?"

Shen Heng looked at Zhou Mu. Though his expression barely changed, Zhou Mu could still sense a faint trace of danger in Shen Heng's cold gaze.

Zhou Mu's heart jolted, and he instinctively changed his tone. "We're going out for a walk."

Shen Heng smiled again at that. He glanced at Gu Jiuque, then said with an affable smile, "A chance encounter is better than an invitation. I'll come with you."

Gu Jiuque: "..."

Zhou Mu: "..."

Zhou Mu forced himself to refuse. "That won't be necess—"

Before he could finish, Shen Heng had already summoned the car assigned to him by the hotel. He got in first. "Get in."

Zhou Mu's pupils suddenly contracted when he saw the license plate. The next second, he paid no attention to Gu Jiuque's reaction at all and eagerly climbed in, taking a seat opposite Shen Heng.

"May I ask how to address you, sir?" Zhou Mu beamed at Shen Heng and made small talk. "My name is Zhou Mu. I'm the founder of an internet company."

As he spoke, Zhou Mu took out his business card and handed it to Shen Heng with both hands.

Shen Heng accepted the card absentmindedly, but his gaze remained on Gu Jiuque, who was still standing outside. "Aren't you getting in? Your companion is already inside."

Gu Jiuque looked coldly at Shen Heng. Sitting in the car, Shen Heng tilted his head up slightly and continued to look at Gu Jiuque with a genial smile.

After a long while, Gu Jiuque got into the car without saying a word.

Zhou Mu looked at Gu Jiuque curiously and secretly asked, "Young master, do you know this gentleman?"

Gu Jiuque said nothing. Instead, Shen Heng introduced himself with impeccable courtesy. "My surname is Shen. Shen Heng."