"If Uncle Gao really feels guilty, then just give me this box of antique ink," Su Yu said with a smile, her eyes curved like the moon behind her large black-framed glasses, charming and delicate.

This beauty was completely different from the slightly stiff, somewhat haughty image of the secretary she had projected moments before.

This was why they said that sometimes, beautiful women are born actors, displaying different charms at different times, making them intriguing and difficult to grasp.

Of course, just as Wang Guan had set a trap for Su Wenyi earlier, Su Yu was now setting a snare for Gao Dequan. But unlike Su Wenyi, Gao Dequan, relatively speaking, seemed devoid of desire or craving; how could he be so easily fooled?

After a slight chuckle, Gao Dequan replied, "A gift can certainly be arranged later; I absolutely won't disappoint my niece. However, this box of antique ink is not mine; it's not for me to decide."

"I understand." Su Yu nodded slightly, then suddenly smiled sweetly at Wang Guan, "Mr. Wang, the coffee downstairs is good; how about you treat me to a cup?"

"Uh!"

Wang Guan was taken aback, clearly recognizing this as a honey trap. The issue was, for a man, if he didn't feel even a flicker of interest at a moment like this, he should probably question if he needed to visit a certain military hospital.

Moreover, noticing Su Wenyi's genial smile, one of clear approval, made Wang Guan feel something was off.

Wang Guan wasn't so narcissistic as to believe he was devastatingly handsome, attracting a beautiful woman to throw herself at him, to the extent that even Su Wenyi considered him the ideal son-in-law.

Although he had indulged in such daydreams before, now, he suddenly felt that Su Yu was intentionally trying to draw him away, so that Su Wenyi and Gao Dequan could discuss matters privately.

Vaguely understanding the situation, Wang Guan also showed discretion, nodding with a smile, "It would be my honor."

"Yes, young people should certainly communicate more," Su Wenyi chimed in, fulfilling his role as a father with a gentle smile. "Feibai, you and Yu'er seem to be meeting for the first time. Come to think of it, you've lived here for two years now, making you the host. You must take good care of her for me."

The words were perfectly reasonable, akin to a loving father worried about his daughter going out to socialize with a young man, so he specifically asked her cousin to accompany her to ensure she wasn't taken advantage of.

However, neither Wang Guan nor Yu Feibai, while not geniuses, were fools. If all three of them left, it would leave Su Wenyi and Gao Dequan precisely the private space they needed to negotiate sensitive matters.

"Then we'll head down."

The three knew the game well enough and obligingly opened the door and stepped out, going along with the pretense. As soon as they were out, Yu Feibai deliberately lagged behind Wang Guan by a few steps, winking at him, "Should I make an excuse to leave later?"

"No need," Wang Guan gently shook his head. "Do you think she won't change her expression soon?"

"How do you know?" Yu Feibai asked, somewhat surprised.

"Can't you read faces?" Wang Guan lowered his voice. "The moment we stepped out, the smile vanished from her face. I suspect she only became so enthusiastic because she needed an excuse to pull us out of the way for her father."

"Mmm, that's the temperament of rich girls," Yu Feibai agreed emphatically, sounding as if he had personal experience. "When they need you, they're compliant in every way. Once they've used you, they toss you aside without a second glance."

"Oh?" Wang Guan looked surprised. "Even a young master like you gets ignored?"

"That's... Hmph!"

Yu Feibai snapped his response, then suddenly realized what he'd implied, glaring. "I wasn't talking about me; I meant a brother of mine."

"I see, I see."

Noticing Yu Feibai was merely putting up a brave front, Wang Guan decided not to press the issue. Instead, he expressed curiosity, "I just wonder what kind of business your uncle and Uncle De are discussing that requires such secrecy."

"I'm not sure about that," Yu Feibai admitted. "You know my relationship with my uncle isn't exactly close; he wouldn't tell me everything. And Uncle De hasn't dropped any hints either..."

"I'll ask Uncle De later. But if it’s their private business, we shouldn't pry too much," Wang Guan replied.

Just then, Wang Guan noticed the light, quick footsteps ahead had stopped. He saw Su Yu turn back, her sweetly smiling demeanor completely gone, replaced by the aloof posture of the beautiful secretary.

"Mr. Wang, I think we can discuss the antique ink now," Su Yu said, displaying a decisive briskness, radiating the aura of a capable businesswoman, getting straight to the point. "Look, how about one million five hundred thousand?"

Wang Guan was momentarily stunned, sighing internally at how quickly the woman's demeanor had shifted.

Despite the shock, Wang Guan quickly ran the numbers in his head. The box of antique ink was of mixed quality; some top-grade sticks could be worth tens of thousands. But the broken or incomplete pieces were worth at most a few hundred or a thousand. Overall, one million five hundred thousand was a slightly high price.

"Deal!"

Wang Guan hesitated only briefly before nodding in agreement.

One shouldn't be too greedy, he consoled himself, while simultaneously admitting that if the seller hadn't been a beautiful woman, he might have attempted to negotiate a higher price, instead of agreeing immediately.

"Cash or check?" Su Yu asked, delicately adjusting her black-framed glasses. A look of knowing satisfaction flickered in her beautiful eyes.

"Either is fine," Wang Guan replied with perfect composure. Money offered readily, as long as it didn't cross legal or moral boundaries, was never something he refused.

"One moment." Su Yu moved with efficiency, opening her handbag, retrieving her checkbook, and rapidly scribbling something.

"Here!"

Twenty to thirty seconds later, Su Yu cleanly finished writing, tore off a check, and handed it over.

"Thank you."

Wang Guan took it casually. A slight breeze stirred, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible fragrance.

"You're welcome, goodbye!"

As she spoke, Su Yu turned and left, her movements graceful, like a slender willow, each step alluring.

At this point, Yu Feibai adopted a look of 'I knew it,' whispering quietly, "See? I told you she’d ignore us once the job was done."

Wang Guan paid him no mind, holding the check up to the light. It was his first time handling such an item, and he wasn't sure how to verify its authenticity. But he reasoned they wouldn't stoop to such a low level of fraud, would they?

"Stop staring at it blankly," Yu Feibai said with a wry smile. "They are incredibly wealthy; they wouldn't risk damaging the Su family's reputation over a small sum like this."

"One million five hundred thousand is certainly small change to you folks," Wang Guan countered. "But to me, it's a huge amount of money. Caution is always warranted, no matter what." After a final inspection, he carefully tucked it close to his person.

"Are you mocking me?" Yu Feibai pouted. "You're earning millions a month now; your net worth has surpassed mine. What more do you want?" He finished the last sentence with a near shout, thick with an earthy, local accent.

.................................. Thanks to book friends 120323134745744, 13877223161, Lingyunwushui, Yuzui, Yanyangtianjiu, and Xiexie1972 for the tips. Still requesting collections and recommendation votes. Please continue to support. C