Zhang Ziwen took a while to regain his composure and had to deal with Liu Zhan in front of him. He approached and put his arm around Liu Zhan's shoulder, speaking mysteriously, "Mr. Liu, the goods I've ordered this time are obtained through many connections in Russia. Buyers from the Middle East and Africa have already wired the advance payment to my account. It's not convenient to reveal which countries want my goods right now, but you will naturally find out later. As for what I've ordered in Russia, I can tell you." Zhang Ziwen glanced around carefully again and left Liu Zhan hanging before continuing, "Like I said, today's matters cannot be leaked by you or me, whether we cooperate or not. Otherwise, I'm finished, and you're in big trouble too. If something goes wrong, the Russian KGB won't let us off, nor will the Israeli MSD. Don't blame me for not warning you when trouble comes."
Liu Zhan felt uneasy upon hearing this. This business seemed terrifying, involving two of the world's most famous intelligence agencies. Liu Zhan was scared and thought about backing out of this deal, but it was too late. Zhang Ziwen had already mentioned the name of the goods ordered in Russia.
"S-300 air defense missile system, SA-18 surface-to-air missile, Iskander-E guided missile, Hurricane 220 rocket launcher, AN-94 automatic rifle, AEK-971, AN-94, AK-74M elite assault rifles, totaling $500 million worth of military equipment. $200 million deposit, remaining payment upon arrival at the destination."
Zhang Ziwen added at the end, "Once your funds are in place, I'll also order two Su-27 fighter jets."
As Zhang Ziwen listed these missiles and conventional weapons, they were all cutting-edge weapons from Russia today. Except for conventional light weapons, these missile systems fell under arms embargo.
When Liu Zhan heard all this, he almost fainted on the spot. If Zhang Ziwen hadn't supported him, he might have collapsed.
Seeing Liu Zhan turn pale and sweat profusely, Zhang Ziwen was amused. He thought to himself, "Damn, I haven't even gotten my hands on intercontinental missiles yet. If I had a couple of nuclear warheads, you'd really be scared shitless."
Zhang Ziwen had planned that if this arsenal didn't scare Liu Zhan off, he would immediately change the fictional buyers Syria and Iran to the terrorist tycoon LD. Now seeing Liu Zhan looking terrified, he didn't need to resort to that backup plan.
Today's mission as He Li's fake boyfriend was successfully completed. As for pretending to be a tycoon, that was even more unquestionable. A super arms dealer—this deal was huge.
The marine business with Liu Zhan was a bust. Zhang Ziwen looked regretful, but Liu Zhan, claiming to feel unwell, trembled and staggered off to some rest room to recover from his shattered courage.
Not knowing where He Li had gone, Zhang Ziwen couldn't find her in the crowd, nor could he see Yang Qian anywhere.
Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and birthday song music slowly played. A small cart with a nine-layer cake split the crowd, its candles casting a soft glow.
Yang Qian, tonight's banquet star, appeared with infinite charm in the banquet hall. She wore a dignified smile on her face, gracefully greeting and socializing with the guests. Undeniably, she was beautiful, her figure stunningly complemented by a moon-white evening gown, sexy and charming.
With a coy smile, He Li stood elegantly beside her, her exquisite face, curvaceous body, and graceful demeanor shining in contrast with Yang Qian, radiating beauty that surpassed all others.
Women were like this. No matter how much they disliked each other or engaged in hidden battles, they maintained a certain harmony on the surface.
Liu Zhan, who had been scared witless earlier, seemed to have recovered well. He was now sandwiched between the two beauties, basking in his success and making others envious. Although Zhang Ziwen knew that He Li wasn't interested in Liu Zhan, he still felt a bit annoyed seeing this second-generation rich kid's smug look.
Quietly slipping out of the crowd, Zhang Ziwen strolled onto the balcony outside the hall. It was spacious, with a dozen or so elegant white tables and chairs. There wasn't a soul on the balcony; everyone was inside the hall, celebrating Yang Qian's birthday.
Zhang Ziwen lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled slowly. The smoke dissipated gently in the breeze.
Inside the hall, applause and cheers erupted, probably blowing out the candles. At this moment, Zhang Ziwen thought of his own birthday. Both were celebrating birthdays—one surrounded by flowers and applause, the other in the cold, lonely watchhouse. Such was life, with such vast differences, so inexplicable, so frustrating.
Zhang Ziwen quietly puffed on his cigarette, the pale smoke curling in the night sky. A gentle breeze carried a faint fragrance mingling with the smoke—a mysterious scent, reminiscent of orchids or musk, subtly enticing. Zhang Ziwen sniffed lightly, searching for this elusive aroma.
Nearby, on a spacious balcony, appeared a graceful woman. She leaned against the railing, her head slightly tilted back, eyes half-closed as if enjoying the gentle night breeze. The wind lifted the hem of her skirt, and Zhang Ziwen's heart trembled. Four words flashed through his mind: peerless beauty.
Zhang Ziwen watched her silently, admiring her captivating charm. Time passed quietly, and without realizing it, the cigarette in his hand burned down to its end. The air seemed still, everything so tranquil and serene in the intoxicating night, with this dream-like woman.
The woman's slender figure moved slightly, and her beautiful eyes gently opened. She seemed to sense Zhang Ziwen's gaze, turning her head slightly. Their eyes met briefly, causing Zhang Ziwen's heart to skip a beat. Was it her? The elegant woman he encountered that night in the lingerie shop? How could she be here? Zhang Ziwen hadn't expected to meet her here.
The elegant woman seemed to recognize him too. A faint blush colored her fair, beautiful face. What was she thinking? Perhaps she hadn't expected to encounter the man who sold her sexy lingerie here.
The elegant woman nodded slightly, slightly shyly, acknowledging him. A charming smile graced her exquisite face. Zhang Ziwen's heart trembled; was she greeting me?
Zhang Ziwen smiled slightly in response, reciprocating her greeting. A hint of brightness flickered in the woman's eyes. Their silent exchange conveyed mutual appreciation, neither wanting to disturb the tranquil and somewhat romantic atmosphere.
"Hey, you little brat, hiding out here has made it hard for me to find you." He Li's fiery voice rang out.
Zhang Ziwen was startled, withdrawing his gaze and turning to see He Li approaching. Her flirtatious eyes were filled with teasing, and just with that look, Zhang Ziwen's heart began to tense.
Sure enough, as soon as He Li approached, she reached out and twisted his ear with her jade-like hand. "Hmph, I've been bothered by a bunch of perverts inside, and you've run here to hide and relax." He Li complained, "You throw your soul away here and don't even react when I come near."
After saying that, her beautiful eyes roamed, catching sight of the elegant woman on the adjacent balcony. He Li was slightly stunned, "So beautiful, so elegant."
He Li averted her gaze, reluctantly releasing Zhang Ziwen's ear. She muttered under her breath, "No wonder you looked so lost. You've never seen a beauty before."
Zhang Ziwen smiled bitterly. The wisest choice was to take it without hitting back, to endure and accept whatever He Li threw at him. Otherwise, this beautiful cousin's torment would be endless, without even a chance to surrender.
Zhang Ziwen sneakily glanced at the elegant woman. Her face had turned back to the front, seemingly enjoying the night breeze brushing against her. But the smile at the corner of her mouth betrayed her; she seemed on the verge of bursting into laughter at the scene of He Li twisting his ear. Zhang Ziwen felt embarrassed, greatly admiring He Li's ability to always appear at crucial moments and hit him right where it hurt the most. Today, he had really embarrassed himself.
"Let's go in." He Li glared at him angrily. "Still reluctant to leave this place? Are you going to leave your sister hanging in there and let those annoying ghosts pester her to death? Have you forgotten who you're supposed to accompany tonight?"
Zhang Ziwen muttered under his breath, "Do you think I'd dare to forget?"
"Hmph, good that you don't dare. Let's go, stop dawdling."
The crystal chandeliers in the hall had been extinguished, leaving only a few exquisite wall lamps casting dim and soft light. The music was soft, and the gentlemen and ladies in the hall were paired off, embracing each other in the dance music. No one was dancing elegantly, just swaying lightly to the soothing melody, enjoying the romantic yet slightly provocative atmosphere.
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Encounters—a thing every man dreams of, and I'm one of them, always hoping that some encounter will happen to me. Day and night, thinking about it, as for the consequences of such an encounter, who cares about that? Afraid of being raped? Just that kind of encounter, I wonder how many years I'll have to wait for it?