Bright, blinding chandeliers and dazzling crystal lights—a scene of sheer, decadent extravagance!
As Andy looked across the grand ballroom at the crowd of corporate elites frantically jostling to toast the powerful and wealthy, a wave of profound disorientation washed over her.
"What? Not accustomed to this tier of social gathering?"
Tan Zongming finally managed to break free from the sea of sycophants and flatterers, stepping up to her side with a champagne glass in hand.
"Old Tan, you know full well that I am completely unsuited for these useless social events!" Andy replied, rubbing her temples as a dull headache began to throb behind her eyes.
Andy possessed an intensely sensitive, highly analytical personality matrix. Her brain functioned like a biological supercomputer when processing high-level mathematical algorithms and corporate financial figures. However, when navigated toward common interpersonal relationships, her emotional quotient was as fragile as a child's.
More critically, she harbored a deep-seated physical aversion to men; the slightest physical contact from a male would send a shudder of intense panic through her nervous system.
"I know," Tan Zongming smiled reassuringly. "You'll notice I didn't push you to attend our corporate annual gala, but tonight's private summit is an event you absolutely had to attend!"
As a dominant financial titan in Shanghai, Tan Zongming was typically the absolute focal point of any high-society gathering. Yet tonight, he was clearly playing a secondary role.
"Isn't tonight merely a Fortune Forum networking gala? Why was my presence required as CFO?" Andy asked, glancing around the noisy ballroom.
"Because there is a specific individual I need to introduce you to later," Tan Zongming explained smoothly. "He currently holds total control over two massive corporate groups that he intends to liquidate and offload. As the Chief Financial Officer of Shengxuan Group, how could you possibly absent yourself from an acquisition of this scale?"
As a premier tycoon in the Shanghai financial ecosystem, Tan Zongming's personal liquid wealth exceeded 20 billion yuan, while the total asset portfolio of Shengxuan Group crossed the 100-billion-yuan mark.
A multi-billion-dollar conglomerate might not sound utterly astronomical by modern standards, but in this specific era—before massive monetary inflation inflated corporate valuations—even tech giants like Tencent commanded a market cap of around 200 billion yuan. Across the entire mainland market, the individuals holding greater capital than Tan Zongming could be counted on one hand.
"Who is this mysterious seller?" Andy asked, a flicker of genuine curiosity crossing her face. "Does his stature truly require you, Mr. Tan, to personally act as his escort?"
"Andy, this is China, not Wall Street," Tan Zongming offered a helpless, bitter smile. "Admittedly, on pure financial paper, my capital is virtually unmatched in the private sector. However, within the domestic landscape, private wealth alone never translates to supreme authority."
This was precisely why so many ultra-wealthy entrepreneurs desperately sought overseas migration; in a system where political authority reigned absolute, private capital was merely a tool, never the master.
Of course, as an iconic corporate figurehead, Tan Zongming was entirely safe from common interference so long as he refrained from reckless political blunders.
"Well then, I am certainly eager to see the man who commands such deference from you, Old Tan."
"Miss He flatters me far too much. Mr. Tan has always been a distinguished titan in my eyes!"
Adrian stepped smoothly into their conversation, holding a glass of aged red wine, a charming smile gracing his features.
As a dominant financial figure, Tan Zongming had naturally drawn the attention of dozens of onlookers. But seeing him engaged in private conversation with the stunning woman at his side, the surrounding socialites wisely refrained from interrupting. After all, flattery was an art; intruding upon a tycoon's private leisure was a fast track to disaster!
"Young Master Li! You've arrived," Tan Zongming greeted promptly, stepping forward with noticeable respect.
Navigating top-tier corporate business in the domestic market inevitably required maintaining relationships with the highest political circles. With Tan Zongming's immense wealth, common second-generation political scions didn't even warrant his personal attention. However, Young Master Li's background was anchored at the absolute pinnacle of state authority in Beijing. Even if Tan Zongming typically disliked catering to political heirs, he was required to play the game impeccably.
"Young Master Li, allow me to introduce Ms. Andy He, Chief Financial Officer of our Shengxuan Group. Andy, this is Young Master Li."
"Miss He, it is a pleasure to meet you," Adrian extended his hand smoothly.
Andy hesitated, her heart skipping a nervous beat as her deep-seated male phobia flared. But observing Old Tan's exceptionally respectful posture, she forced her anxiety down. She couldn't afford the extreme arrogance of rejecting an introduction with an individual of his stature.
'It's merely a standard professional handshake...' she reminded herself, extending her slender, manicured hand.
"Miss He appears somewhat tense?" Adrian noted, his grip warm and brief before releasing her hand.
After the brief formal introductions, Tan Zongming excused himself smoothly. Managing an event of this scale demanded his presence elsewhere, and he naturally wouldn't remain as an unwanted third wheel.
Adrian sat opposite Andy at a small cocktail table, his dark eyes critically evaluating her.
Conventional wisdom dictated that a woman's aesthetic peak occurred between sixteen and twenty-five. Beyond twenty-five, biological charm gradually tapered, dropping sharply past thirty. While this rule applied to the vast majority, rare exceptions existed—women whose allure only truly bloomed into full maturity upon reaching full adulthood.
Take classic mature archetypes... or in this case, Andy He!
Prior to attending the banquet, Adrian had thoroughly reviewed her intelligence file. While she had certainly been a striking beauty during her university years, her current aura was on an entirely different tier.
If twenty-year-old Andy possessed an aesthetic score of 90—a beauty found once in a thousand—then thirty-year-old Andy commanded an absolute visual rating of 97!
She was clad in a sharply tailored, gray-black executive women's suit, her long hair draped in effortless, elegant waves over her shoulders. Beneath the structured blazer, the subtle fringe of a white lace silk camisole peeked through.
The stark contrast of black executive tailoring paired with delicate white lace would look disastrous on an ordinary woman, yet Andy executed it with absolute, breathtaking perfection—exuding a restrained, highly intellectual sexiness beneath her sharp corporate uniform.
An authoritative, ice-cold executive dressed in such exquisite tailoring inevitably stirred dark, possessive thoughts in a dominant man's mind.
"I simply find these noisy, chaotic environments somewhat overwhelming," Andy replied quickly, pulling her hand back to her lap under his intense gaze.
"I hold zero interest in socializing with these corporate sycophants either," Adrian stood up smoothly. "Let us find a quiet, exclusive space to discuss our business."
"OK," Andy agreed without hesitation. A chaotic banquet hall was unsuitable for reviewing complex corporate liquidations.
The two took the private elevator directly to the revolving glass dome restaurant situated at the summit of the luxury hotel.
Underneath the brilliant, unfiltered starry sky, the massive, ultra-luxury dining room stood completely empty, illuminated by soft ambient lighting.
"When did this venue become so silent?" Andy asked, a flash of genuine surprise in her eyes. As one of the most prestigious, high-end landmarks in Shanghai, securing a table at the dome restaurant typically required months of advance reservations. When had it ever been deserted?
"When conducting high-level corporate business, an exquisite, private environment is a fundamental requirement," Adrian smiled warmly, pulling out a leather chair for her at the premier table directly in the center of the glass dome. "I deemed this venue suitable... so I had my security detail clear the entire floor."