Reaching a Consensus

Lin Hai got up and headed toward the clinic's front hall.

Just as expected.

Pepper Potts, waiting in the front hall, wore a well-tailored light gray suit that made her look capable and elegant. Beside her stood her stocky, stern-faced bodyguard and driver—Happy Hogan.

A polite smile appeared on Lin Hai's face as he stepped forward to greet them. "Good afternoon, Miss Potts, Mr. Hogan."

Happy smiled and nodded to Lin Hai in greeting, his attitude friendly.

Pepper returned the greeting as well. "Good afternoon, Dr. Lin. Vanessa should have told you yesterday that I'd be coming today."

Having already approached them, Lin Hai nodded. "That's right, Ms. Potts. Ms. Vanessa did pass along the message yesterday. She said you were very interested in her bracelet."

At the same time, he took two exquisite little cloth bags from the inner pocket of his jacket. They had red backgrounds and golden patterns and had been prepared in advance. Their style and material were similar to the ones he had previously given Kingpin's family, though the colors and designs were slightly different.

Pepper's gaze immediately fell on the two little bags. She accepted them from Lin Hai, and the first thing she noticed was the smooth texture of the fabric. She opened one of them first and took out a delicate multi-loop bracelet made from 5-millimeter sandalwood beads, similar to Vanessa's.

Pepper held the bracelet in her palm, pinching it first and then weighing it in her hand. Finally, she brought it close and inhaled. A fresh sandalwood fragrance, mixed with an indescribable and strangely calming scent, entered her nose.

Merely smelling that fragrance made Pepper feel as though the nerves that had been tense for some time had finally relaxed. It was exactly the same feeling she had experienced from Vanessa's