"President Qin, Secretary Du—please, come in."
He Ting was already waiting at the door, his smile a shade too bright, too eager.
Without so much as a glance sideways, Qin Yichen turned and entered. Secretary Du followed, closing the door behind them.
Zhou Shunhao slowed, eyes resting briefly on the door that had just closed. Something unreadable flickered across his face, gone in the space of a breath.
His mistress tugged him forward, "What happened ?"
"Nothing," Zhou Shunhao shook his head as he let her lead, his polished shoes clicking away down the corridor.
---
Azura Veil Club, Third Floor – Private Suite
Inside, the atmosphere was quieter, the dim lighting subdued, the air faintly heavy with smoke. A man sat waiting across the low table, posture straight, a trace of wariness hidden behind his polite smile.
Qin Yichen's gaze swept over the room once before settling on the man opposite. His expression darkened instantly.
"Where is Cao Zhiyu?" His tone was calm, but the displeasure beneath it was impossible to miss.
The man opposite stiffened, surprise flickering across his face before he quickly stood. He Ting hurried forward, his palms damp.
"President Qin, this is Wu Zekai," he said, voice overly respectful, "Manager Wu is… representing Young Master Cao tonight."
Wu Zekai inclined his head with a smile that sought to ease the tension. "President Qin, I apologize for the sudden change. Cou—Young Master Cao had an urgent matter to attend to, so he left me here in his stead."
Secretary Du frowned, his voice clipped but measured. "Then why did Young Master Cao not inform us beforehand? A collaboration of this scale… does he truly intend to treat it so lightly?"
The smile on Wu Zekai's lips did not falter, but the lines at the corners of his eyes betrayed the pressure he felt under Qin Yichen's gaze. "Of course, Young Master Cao is very serious about this cooperation. He has already authorized me to review the terms and sign on his behalf. If President Qin or Secretary Du have doubts, we can always renegotiate until both parties are satisfied."
Qin Yichen's gaze cooled as it lingered on Wu Zekai.
This collaboration wasn't another cold business deal. He had already given up the race track once in his life—for the Qin name, for family obligations. Now, building his own team was the only chance he had to reclaim that dream.
And Cao Zhiyu was supposed to be the cornerstone.
His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest, steady but edged with disappointment.
"You expect me to build a team on empty promises?" Qin Yichen's lips curved into a sneer. "If Young Master Cao can't even show up for his own future, then why should I take this collaboration seriously?"
A cold sneer tugged at Qin Yichen's lips. His presence pressed down like a blade, invisible yet suffocating.
"So this is his sincerity?"
The words struck sharper than glass. He Ting, standing between them, felt his back dampen with sweat. His smile froze, as if afraid even a wrong breath might shatter the fragile balance.
Qin Yichen's gaze lingered on the empty seat across the table, his expression dark and unreadable.
For weeks, he had pushed aside his schedule, even braved endless whispers from the Qin family elders who disapproved of his plans, all for one reason—Cao Zhiyu.
That man wasn't just any racer. He was the racer. The one who had once made Qin Yichen watch a track not with cold calculation, but with burning anticipation.
And yet, tonight, after all his effort, the chair before him was filled by someone else.
Wu Zekai felt the shift in the air, subtle but suffocating. He straightened quickly, his smile carrying both deference and urgency.
"President Qin, I understand your disappointment," he said smoothly. "But please don't misunderstand—Young Master Cao truly values this cooperation. It is precisely because he does that he entrusted me to handle matters in his stead. He would not have done so otherwise."
Qin Yichen said nothing, only swirling the untouched glass of wine before him.
Wu Zekai leaned forward slightly, his tone softening as though coaxing a storm. "I know Young Master Cao's absence might seem abrupt, but his confidence in this project is absolute. He's already instructed me on every detail. If there's any clause you feel unsatisfied with, we can adjust it immediately."
He Ting jumped in, eager to ease the tension. "Yes, President Qin, Manager Wu is someone Cao… that Young Master Cao relies on heavily. I believe his presence here is just as good—"
A sharp glance from Qin Yichen silenced him instantly.
Secretary Du, ever calm, tapped the folder before him. "So we're to take it that Young Master Cao authorizes you fully to sign in his place?"
Wu Zekai's smile widened, though faint sweat beaded at his brow. "Exactly. In fact, once the papers are signed, I can assure you that Young Master Cao will personally reach out. His trust in President Qin is unwavering. If there were even a hint of hesitation, would he have let me sit here?"
The room quieted, the weight of Qin Yichen's silence pressing down on all three men.
Finally, he set the wine glass aside and leaned back, his sharp eyes locking onto Wu Zekai.
"Manager Wu," his voice was low, edged with steel, "you've said a great deal about Cao Zhiyu's sincerity. But tell me…"
The corner of his mouth curved in a humorless smile.
"…how am I to believe in this so-called sincerity when I haven't even met him in person?"