Chapter 82: The Sickly Tycoon Versus the Proud Young Lady—Their First Encounter!

“Hm? I’m Chen Luo, and you are?”

Looking at the young woman in the white dress before him, Chen Luo tried to recall if he’d ever met her, but found no trace of recognition.

Yelena picked up all the scattered documents and gave Chen Luo a sweet smile. “It’s only natural you don’t remember me. I visited your milk tea shop just yesterday. I was so taken aback by the unique style of your place that your name stuck in my mind.”

Hearing this, and taking in the girl’s appearance, Chen Luo found it hard to believe she was the type to enjoy anime culture. Still, keeping in mind the importance of repeat customers, he replied with a few perfunctory pleasantries.

“Thank you for visiting my shop. Are you a student at Hangzhou University, or do you work nearby?”

Seeing that Chen Luo hadn’t grown suspicious, Yelena decided to seize the moment. “No, I’m not a student—I’m already working. But I really love your milk tea. Could we add each other on QQ? That way I can easily order delivery from you in the future.”

As long as she could add him, no matter how well he concealed his movements, she might be able to glean some clues from his online presence.

Before Chen Luo could respond, a cool voice cut in. “I’m sorry, that’s not convenient.”

Wen Wan stepped in front of Chen Luo, subtly shielding him behind her. “Ms. Ye, isn’t your group quite busy these days? I’m surprised you have the leisure to vacation at my resort.”

There was a faint warning in Wen Wan’s tone, regardless of whether Yelena’s presence was truly a coincidence. The mere fact that Yelena had approached Chen Luo and asked for his contact information was enough to set Wen Wan’s alarm bells ringing.

Yelena was no ordinary rival. As the eldest daughter of the Ye family, she was not only exceptionally capable but also deeply shrewd. In recent years, Wen Xiu had never managed to gain the upper hand against her and was, in fact, subtly at a disadvantage.

To be fair, though Wen Xiu was ultimately bested by Wen Wan, he was never a fool—his abilities and depth of character were respectable. His defeat stemmed from his unwillingness to risk everything; he valued his own life too much to go all in, and thus lost from the start.

“Ms. Wen, this is our first meeting, isn’t it? A pleasure.” Yelena extended her hand, the innocence on her face replaced by the subtle pressure of someone accustomed to power.

The sudden shift in her demeanor did not escape Chen Luo’s notice. Clearly, this woman was no mere customer or ordinary girl.

Wen Wan reached out, and their hands clasped tightly, both their faces adorned with polite smiles.

“It is indeed our first meeting, but your reputation precedes you, Ms. Ye. For someone of your stature to grace my resort—should I expect some business negotiations?” As she spoke, Wen Wan tightened her grip, her eyes keenly observing Yelena’s reaction.

Yelena felt the force but remained unruffled, responding in kind with her own firm handshake. “No, no, Ms. Wen, you overthink. I’ve been overwhelmed with work lately and simply decided to relax in the hot springs on a whim. I trust I’m still welcome?”

Wen Wan raised an eyebrow. Yelena’s words made it clear her presence today was mere coincidence. But Wen Wan had her doubts. If she hadn’t witnessed Yelena’s attempt to approach Chen Luo, she might have believed it, but now she couldn’t help but be wary.

“Of course, you’re most welcome.” Wen Wan released Yelena’s hand and turned to Chen Luo. “Come, darling, let me introduce you—this is Yelena, eldest daughter of the Ye family in Beijing. We’ve been acquainted in spirit for quite some time.”

“Hello, Miss Ye.” Chen Luo greeted her coolly. “Since you’re a friend of Wen Wan’s, next time you visit the milk tea shop, the best drink will be on me.”

“Thank you in advance. Well then, Ms. Wen, I’ll excuse myself to enjoy the hot springs.”

Before leaving, Yelena cast an unreadable glance at Chen Luo, a look that Wen Wan caught immediately.

“Come, love, let’s head in and get checked in.” Wen Wan took Chen Luo’s hand and led him into the hotel. Noticing the concern on her face, Chen Luo asked softly, “Is the Ye family your enemy? Do you need my help?”

Though he didn’t fully understand the current dynamics in Beijing, from their brief exchange, he could tell that Wen Wan and Yelena were anything but friends.

“It’s fine, don’t worry. Today is for relaxation—we’ll set everything else aside. Let’s not spoil our mood.”

Chen Luo wanted to say more, but seeing Wen Wan’s expression, he simply nodded. “Alright. When you’re done, come back early. I’ll wait in our room.”

With Chen Luo reassured for now, Wen Wan had them settle into their room before quietly summoning Mo Lan.

“Yelena has turned up at the resort. Keep a close eye on her. If anything unusual happens, report to me immediately.”

“Yes!” Mo Lan dispatched staff at once to monitor Yelena’s movements.

“My instincts tell me Yelena’s presence isn’t a coincidence—she must have a reason for coming,” Mo Lan said.

“I know. Keep an eye on her. I need time to think of a response.”

Once Mo Lan left, Wen Wan sat in the lobby, contemplating the situation. “Yelena, your timing couldn’t be worse.”

It wasn’t that Wen Wan particularly feared Yelena. As the most outstanding daughters of their respective families, Wen Wan was confident she could handle any move Yelena might make. But it was clear Yelena’s target was Chen Luo.

The question was whether her intentions were malicious. Did she mean to harm Chen Luo, or steal him away? The two possibilities were worlds apart.

Now, the contest between the Ye and Wen families for dominance along the southeast coast had reached a fever pitch. If the other side intended to use Chen Luo as leverage, Wen Wan would be at a severe disadvantage.

Anything involving Chen Luo required utmost caution. She would never allow a repeat of his previous kidnapping. Wealth and power meant nothing if, upon defeat, the enemy simply eliminated Chen Luo—then all would be lost.

“I need to uncover Yelena’s motives without drawing Chen Luo in, and without letting it dampen his mood or cut into our time alone together.”

“Given these three concerns, I need to send someone ahead to probe and counter the enemy.”

Wen Wan began running through candidates in her mind. After a minute, a small smile played on her lips, and she headed for the elevator to the guest rooms.

Stepping out, she walked to a particular door.

“Ding-dong!”

The door opened, revealing Zhou Mei in a long dress, looking surprised to see Wen Wan at her threshold.

“Ms. Wen, is there something I can do for you?”

“It’s nothing much. I heard you’re conducting an observational study on Chen Luo. Would you be interested in adding a control group?”