A Letter from Keanu Reeves

Chen Wan wasn’t sure if Zhao Shenge was just being polite. So, even though he really wanted that gift, he only responded courteously, “It’s okay, Mr. Zhao, don’t think that way. You’ve already helped me by arranging security and an attendant to take care of me.”

Zhao Shenge shook his head and said, “That was something I should have done anyway, it’s not a form of gratitude.”

Just as Chen Wan was about to speak again, a server entered and began setting up various tools on the tea table.

It was tea cigarettes.

Silver Needle, Dan Cong, Tie Guan Yin—lined up in a row.

After their last indulgence, everyone was intrigued and eager to try again. Only Zhao Shenge remained unmoved.

Chen Wan asked, “Mr. Zhao, would you like to give it a try? Their tea leaves are quite good—dried thoroughly but not harsh on the throat.”

Zhao Shenge looked at the different types of tea, seemingly lost in thought, and shook his head.

Chen Wan wasn’t sure what was wrong. Thoughtfully, he asked, “Are you worried about getting your hands dirty? If you don’t mind, I can roll one for you.” He was quite skilled at rolling tea cigarettes.

Zhao Shenge finally lifted his gaze to him, paused for a moment, and asked, “You’ll roll it for me?”

Chen Wan nodded.

Zhao Shenge leaned forward, looking at the tea leaves. Resting his elbow on his knee, he propped up one side of his face with his hand and slightly inclined toward Chen Wan. “Which one?”

“You can have whichever you like,” Chen Wan replied good-naturedly.

Zhao Shenge turned his gaze back to the tea leaves. After a moment, still looking down, he muttered, as if to himself, “Da Hong Pao.”

Then he looked at Chen Wan and repeated in a low voice, “Da Hong Pao.”

Chen Wan was momentarily taken aback.

Although he had intended to roll Da Hong Pao for Zhao Shenge, he had expected to receive a casual “whatever” in response.

Because Zhao Shenge never revealed his likes or preferences.

In the past, Chen Wan had to guess, investigate, observe, deduce, or even dream about what Zhao Shenge might like. But this time, Zhao Shenge had explicitly stated he wanted Da Hong Pao.

Chen Wan smiled and agreed, putting on disposable gloves and rolling the Da Hong Pao tea into a cigarette. He handed it to Zhao Shenge, who didn’t take it. Instead, he lowered his head slightly and directly took the cigarette from Chen Wan’s fingers with his lips.

His lips parted, gripping it between his teeth. He pressed it slightly, his tongue nudging the filter, causing the entire cigarette to shift up and down.

Chen Wan was momentarily stunned. Zhao Shenge’s actions were so natural, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

The warmth of his breath brushed over Chen Wan’s fingers, heating them from the base all the way to his palm and arm—until a certain corner of his heart also began to burn.

With the cigarette in his mouth, Zhao Shenge looked up at Chen Wan. Chen Wan immediately pulled out his own lighter and lit it for him, his expression and actions poised and composed.

The moment the flame flickered, illuminating Zhao Shenge’s face, Chen Wan felt as if he were lighting a birthday candle.

Except, he had no more wishes left to make.

Chen Wan felt completely satisfied—more content than he had ever been. A cigarette he had rolled himself, a fire he had lit personally, and Zhao Shenge inhaling it bit by bit into his lungs.

Chen Wan lit one for himself too, holding it between his lips.

Tie Guan Yin.

Its fresh aroma spread into his heart and lungs.

Zhao Shenge glanced at his lighter. “A new one?”

Chen Wan bit down on his cigarette without speaking, only nodding.

Zhao Shenge held the tea cigarette between his index and middle fingers, saying, “It’s quite unique.”

Chen Wan wanted to say, ‘Then I’ll give it to you,’ but felt that would be too abrupt. Instead, he simply stated the brand name and put the lighter back into his pocket.

…

Wherever Tan Youming and Zhuo Zhixuan were, the atmosphere was always lively—sometimes even overly so. Several times, when Zhao Shenge tried to discuss serious matters, he was interrupted. Finally, he tapped Chen Wan’s tea cup with his knuckles and said in a low voice, “Come outside with me for a moment.”

Chen Wan was puzzled.

The others were busy playing cards and chatting. They assumed the two had simply stepped out to use the restroom or get some fresh air and didn’t pay much attention.

The Open-Air Terrace

Zhao Shenge leaned against the railing, hands resting on the bar. The wind ruffled his shirt, giving him a relaxed demeanor.

“Mr. Zhao.”

The dim lighting made it difficult for Chen Wan to discern his expression. He could only make out the sharp contours of his brows and the high bridge of his nose.

“Come here,” Zhao Shenge said softly.

Chen Wan obediently stepped forward.

The cigarette between Zhao Shenge’s lips was still burning, the rich fragrance of rock tea dispersing into the night air. It intertwined with the light aroma of Tie Guan Yin, drifting far into the distance.

Chen Wan had no idea what Zhao Shenge wanted to discuss, so he simply stood quietly beside him.

The hotel was situated in a mountain resort. Beyond the terrace lay darkened hills, the chorus of cicadas thick in the air. The endless expanse of pine trees swayed, bathed in moonlight as crisp as frost. The night wind carried the chirping of insects and the distant calls of birds. Even in silence, there was no awkwardness between them.

After a while, as they enjoyed the mountain breeze, Zhao Shenge tilted his head slightly and asked, “Chen Wan, do you work in energy transfer?”

“Yes.”

Chen Wan wasn’t sure why Zhao Shenge was suddenly interested in his profession. He said, “If Mr. Zhao ever needs assistance in this area, feel free to reach out to me.”

They weren’t standing too far apart. When Zhao Shenge moved to take a drag from his cigarette, his elbow occasionally brushed against Chen Wan’s.

He asked, “Do you like this line of work?”

Chen Wan was taken aback for a moment.

No one had ever asked him what he liked before. He pondered for a moment, then seriously replied, “Yes.”

“Are you more inclined toward technology or business?”

“More toward technology.”

However, without sales and public relations, there wouldn’t be any technology to work on. So now, his primary responsibilities were in the business sector.

Actually, Chen Wan was highly capable in scientific research. By the time he was an undergraduate, he had already applied for several patents. If he could avoid social engagements and networking, and simply focus on technology in peace, he would already be a senior engineer by now.

Zhao Shengge asked him a few more questions—not in a formal manner, but more like a casual and relaxed conversation between friends.

Such moments were rare between them—just the two of them stepping out for a private chat in the middle of a group gathering.

Chen Wan patiently answered each question, speaking sincerely without hiding anything.

Zhao Shengge received detailed answers to every inquiry, yet he was never asked similar questions in return.

It seemed like Chen Wan wasn’t particularly interested in Zhao Shengge’s affairs, nor did he make any attempt to probe into them.

As a result, this felt more like a one-sided “interview” rather than a two-way conversation.

Zhao Shengge waited for a while, but since Chen Wan showed no intention of reciprocating, he simply said, “Your credentials are impressive.”

“Minglong Poly Bay is launching a derivative project—an offshore oil tunnel. It requires a faster oil storage and transfer system as well as installation engineering. Are you interested?”

Chen Wan looked at him in surprise.

A project like this from Minglong was nothing short of a godsend for Kexiang. More importantly, this would be a direct collaboration with Zhao Shengge.

Chen Wan was deeply tempted, but he remained cautious. After a few seconds of thought, his expression turned serious.

“Mr. Zhao, I really appreciate you considering me,” he said, “but Kexiang is a small company that was only established a few years ago. When it comes to funding, reserves, experience, and long-term sustainability, we might not be sufficient for a project of this scale. You should be careful in your decision.”

Zhao Shengge quietly studied him.

So many people had racked their brains, schemed, and plotted just to latch onto Minglong. Yet, Chen Wan was telling him to be careful.

The corners of Zhao Shengge’s lips seemed to curve slightly—or maybe not—because he still had a cigarette between them.

Chen Wan couldn’t be sure.

With a slight twist of his fingers, Zhao Shengge took the cigarette from his lips and asked in a deep, steady voice, “Chen Wan, are you questioning my judgment?”

“…”

Chen Wan hurriedly explained, “No, I just meant—”

“Minglong has a professional evaluation team,” Zhao Shengge had seen Chen Wan’s stubbornness before. After thinking for a moment, he rephrased his words.

“I’m only inviting you to participate in the bidding process. Whether you win the contract or not will be up to the evaluation team—I won’t interfere.”

He had already conducted a background check on Kexiang. It was a classic high-tech small enterprise—low-profile but exceptionally strong, handling only cutting-edge projects.

“This project was originally in Baihetang’s hands. Now that Minglong and the Xu family have taken over, I don’t trust anyone else with it.”

Projects like this were large-scale, long-term, and high-risk. Technology was the lifeblood. Zhao Shengge was naturally suspicious and had a strong need for control. Only someone like Chen Wan, with both integrity and a mild temperament, could put him at ease.

“Besides—”

Zhao Shengge looked at him directly, stepping closer, his dark eyes unwavering. He lowered his voice, speaking with hidden meaning, “You walked into this yourself.”

Chen Wan suddenly realized—so this was all because of that day when he helped Xu Zhiying out?

He had accidentally stirred up the waters.

Still, he hesitated. “I’m just worried that Kexiang won’t be able to keep up with—”

“With Minglong backing you, what are you afraid of?”

Such a normal sentence, yet coming from Zhao Shengge, it somehow carried a different implication—

With me backing you, what are you afraid of?

Zhao Shengge was the hardest person for Chen Wan to refuse in this world, but he still didn’t agree right away.

Holding the cigarette between two fingers, Zhao Shengge flicked the ashes away. The wind tousled his hair, making him look effortlessly untamed—like a scene straight out of a movie poster.

He stood there in the night breeze, tilting his head slightly.

“You had the guts to cut across three lanes of traffic, cross a central greenbelt, and crash head-on into a Grand Cherokee and a Giant Beast Jeep—but you don’t have the guts to accept Minglong’s invitation?”

Chen Wan froze.

How did Zhao Shengge know?

It had been too dark that night—he himself wasn’t even sure about all the details.

“Hmm?”

Zhao Shengge wasn’t letting him off the hook.

The night of the accident, he had immediately ordered an investigation into the road conditions and available clues. He had even driven that stretch of road himself.

Chen Wan sometimes acted like a gentleman, sometimes like a madman. He was exceptionally skilled at disguising himself with a gentle, unassuming exterior—but when he truly went crazy, he didn’t seem to care about his own life.

The hearing was one instance. The high-speed chase on the Huanghai Highway was another.

What would be next?

Zhao Shengge didn’t want to find out.

“No need to rush your answer,” he said.

Having grown up at the negotiation table, Zhao Shengge was a master of balancing pressure and persuasion—controlling every move with the perfect mix of push and pull. Even such a major decision sounded light and effortless when it came from him.

“And don’t think of this as me making it up to you. I’m merely suggesting that you give it a try. If you do win the bid, Minglong is a very demanding client.”

“The project leader is also extremely difficult to deal with. If your team fails to deliver a satisfactory plan and results, any penalties or compensation will be enforced as they should be.”

He put the cigarette back between his lips and said indistinctly, “Think it over and call me.”

After a pause, he glanced at him sideways.

“You have my number, don’t you, Chen Wan?”