The scent of conspiracy

"Luo, that's a sparrow. You can't tame one. Are you sure you can get it to fly onto your shoulder?" Huang Cheng knew that bird and was the first to voice his doubts.

Hu Bufei joined in the fun, saying half-jokingly, "Brother Luo, if you actually pull it off, I'll do a one-handed handstand for you."

Luo Yang offered no reply. He smiled faintly and called softly, "Bird, come onto my shoulder."

The sparrow suddenly stood up in its nest and glanced their way. Then it flapped through the window and perched on Luo Yang's shoulder.

The four others in the private dining room stared, dumbfounded.

Luo Yang added, "Bird, say hello to everyone."

The sparrow chirped a few times, then flew outside and returned to its nest.

Zhang Lianfeng slapped his thigh and exclaimed excitedly, "Incredible! This is the first time in my life I've seen such an amazing feat. What an eye-opener!"

"I don't believe it. Brother Luo, that was a magic trick, wasn't it?" Hu Bufei still refused to believe it.

Ye Yiming said, "Hu, you just don't want to do that one-handed handstand, do you?"

"Uncle Ye, you have to allow dissenting opinions." Hu Bufei gave him an ingratiating smile.

Luo Yang smiled. "Then I'll have the bird bring me a leaf. Would that still count as a magic trick?"

Hu Bufei said, "If you really get it to bring back a leaf, I'll do a one-handed handstand right away."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sparrow emerged from the nest it had just returned to. It landed on the ground, picked up a fallen leaf in its beak, and flew back into the room. It placed the leaf right in front of Luo Yang, chirped at him twice, then flew back to its nest.

"Impressive, Luo. I've never seen anything like that." Thoroughly convinced, Huang Cheng gave Luo Yang a thumbs-up.

Ye Yiming glanced at Hu Bufei. The meaning in his eyes needed no words.

Hu Bufei took the hint. He immediately stood, moved his chair aside, and went straight into a two-handed handstand. Then he lifted his left hand, turning it into a one-handed handstand.

As Luo Yang watched, he discreetly heightened the super-sense state of his Ancestral Witch Spirit Body. It wasn't because Hu Bufei's one-handed handstand had astonished him. Rather, he had sensed something unusual on Hu Bufei, but wasn't quite sure what it was, so he wanted an answer.

Spiritual power circulated through his entire body, instantly raising Luo Yang's senses to a superhuman level. He could see even Hu Bufei's pores clearly, hear his heartbeat and the movements of his stomach and intestines, and detect every scent on his body.

The answer soon emerged.

Hu Bufei was carrying a gun. It wasn't tucked into his waistband, but strapped to his calf. Luo Yang could not only make out its exact shape, but also smell it, including the lingering scent of gunpowder in the barrel.

Luo Yang was inwardly startled. He even carries a gun when he goes out drinking. Who exactly is this Hu Bufei?

Hu Bufei's trouser leg was about to slide down to his calf and expose the gun when he pushed off with one hand, driving through his waist and legs. In an instant, he flipped out of his handstand and landed upright.

"Whoa! You're in great shape, Hu!" Zhang Lianfeng praised him.

Hu Bufei smiled and said, "You're too kind. I haven't been working out much lately. I'm getting rusty."

Just then, Luo Yang's ears suddenly picked up a familiar voice.

"President Liu, you asked me to meet you here. What did you want to discuss?" It was Song Haichang's voice.

Luo Yang was surprised. He hadn't expected Song Haichang to be here as well. He wondered whether the President Liu that Song Haichang mentioned might be Liu Youshui, but thought it unlikely. Back when Liu Youshui wanted Luo Yang to treat him, he had thrown the Song father and son out of Ye Zi's home right in front of Luo Yang. Later, Luo Yang had obtained the video of Song Dongming raping a female college student from Liu Youshui and used it to force Song Dongming to his knees. That practically made them mortal enemies. How could the two men possibly sit down to a meal together?

Yet just as he was thinking this, he picked up another familiar voice.

"There's plenty we can discuss. The lithium mine in Qingdi, your daughter-in-law Ye Zi-we can talk about either."

It really was Liu Youshui's voice. He was here too.

"Brother Luo, can you give us a little hint about how you got that bird to obey you?" Back in his seat, Hu Bufei tried to strike up a conversation with Luo Yang.

Luo Yang stood. "Excuse me. I need to use the restroom."

Hu Bufei watched Luo Yang walk briskly away. Only after he had left the room did Hu Bufei ask, "Is Brother Luo upset?"

Ye Yiming said, "No. He's very good-natured, though he sometimes behaves a little strangely. Just offer him a few more toasts later. He won't hold it against you."

Zhang Lianfeng asked with a smile, "Song, when do we get to attend Ye Zi and Luo's wedding feast?"

"Oh, knock it off. There you go stirring things up again." Ye Yiming looked thoroughly annoyed.

Turning left outside the door, Luo Yang strode toward the source of the voices he had just heard. He could have listened to Liu Youshui and Song Haichang's conversation from his own room, but the others would have kept talking to him. Ignoring them would have been rude, while responding would have distracted him, so he had used a trip to the restroom as an excuse to leave.

Liu Youshui had invited Song Haichang here to discuss Ye Zi and the lithium mine in Qingdi. His instincts told him nothing good would come of it.

The source of the voices drew closer. It was a private dining room named Jianlan at the end of the corridor. Luo Yang immediately spotted Jiang Yue standing at the door. She wore an army-green graphic T-shirt with tight jeans, and her long, shapely legs were particularly eye-catching.

In his super-sense state, Luo Yang suddenly detected movement in Jiang Yue's neck muscles and immediately stepped behind a pillar.

Jiang Yue glanced in his direction. Seeing no one, she looked away again.

Luo Yang went no farther. From where he stood, he also picked up a third person's breathing and scent inside the room.

He identified the scent. Song Dongming was in that room too.

After a brief silence, Song Dongming sneered. "President Liu, that bastard Luo got hold of the video and made me kneel at the Thatched Cottage of Du Fu. Do you know how I felt at the time? Don't tell me he didn't get that video from you."

"He did get it from me," Liu Youshui admitted without hesitation.

Song Dongming snorted. "Then what else is there to discuss?"

Liu Youshui smiled. "Cooperation."

"What could we possibly cooperate on?" Song Dongming asked.

"Dongming! Who do you think you are, speaking to President Liu like that? Think before you speak!" Song Haichang snapped.

Song Dongming fell silent.

Liu Youshui smiled and said, "Ye, it's all right. I actually admire Dongming's personality. Back then, I only embarrassed the two of you for the sake of my legs. The same goes for that video. Now that my legs are cured, that kid is of no use to me anymore. Rest assured, I won't fail to make amends, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

After a brief pause, Liu Youshui continued, "We can discuss that later. Let's get down to business. I want to buy a stake in the Green Mountain Energy Company. I'm not greedy. I only want to be the second-largest shareholder."

"Ha ha ha..."

Song Haichang and his son Song Dongming both laughed.