Shen Lian put away his phone and turned to head back.
Just then, a group emerged from the building's main entrance. Most were over thirty, with only one or two younger faces among them, bearing down like a heavy bank of dark clouds.
Shen Lian glanced over and recognized the outfits of several people he remembered seeing from the sightseeing elevator.
He didn't know any of them, so naturally, he had no reason to say hello.
But barely two steps later, he caught several black-clad bodyguards running toward him out of the corner of his eye. A second later, they blocked his path.
Shen Lian stopped, his expression indifferent.
Footsteps approached, and he turned his head.
The man wore a gray-and-white casual outfit and white sneakers. His bulging belly suggested he ate well; viewed head-on, his ears almost disappeared. He smiled with narrowed eyes like a Laughing Buddha, yet Shen Lian found him deeply unsettling.
It was as if that appearance were merely a human skin draped loosely over flesh and blood, ready to reveal something dark, foul, and sharp beneath the slightest tug. Those seemingly harmless eyes were half-closed only to conceal the desire and greed threatening to spill out.
Even in the bright sunshine, Shen Lian felt as though the man stood shrouded in shadow.
"Teacher Shen, right?" the man began. He smiled, looking a little awkward and bashful, even wiping his hand lightly before offering it. "My name is Jin Lei. I'm a fan of yours."
Shen Lian was usually accommodating toward fans, but right now, he showed no intention of shaking hands.
After waiting a few seconds, Jin Lei sheepishly withdrew his hand. He didn't get angry, merely saying, "That was presumptuous of me."
Shen Lian nodded, indicating that yes, it certainly was, then said, "Goodbye."