He hovered over her, a rare, playful smile on his lips. His fingers traced lazy patterns on her sides, eliciting soundless giggles from her.
The sight of her joyous, silent laughter was a balm to his hardened heart. Here, away from the judging eyes...
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The grand hall of the Han estate in Shanghai was silent, save for the steady tap of polished shoes against the marble floor.
Han Shuren strolled in, his mere presence enough to send shivers down the spine of anyone unfortunate enough to be in the same room.
His eyes, dark and piercing, scanned the gathering of board members with a predatory gleam.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen” Shuren greeted, his voice smooth and laced with a hint of mockery. “I trust everyone is well?”
There was a collective murmur of assent, though no one dared to meet his gaze. Shuren's lips curled into a smirk as he sauntered to the head of the table, leaning casually against it.
“Well, let's get down to business, shall we? We don't have all day. Especially not you, Mr. Zhang,” he added with a mischievous glint in his eyes, “I hear your heart isn't what it used to be.”
Mr. Zhang, a frail, elderly man, paled visibly and fumbled with his cane. Shuren's smirk widened.
The old man had been filling his father’s ears with tales, as he learned from one of his informants. Judging by the current state of affairs, the greezer should begin counting his remaining days.
“Now, now, don't be so nervous. I'm not here to kill you. Not today, at least,” Shuren continued, his tone almost playful. He straightened up, his gaze sweeping over the assembly. “I just want to ensure we're all on the same page.”
One of the younger board members, gathering a sliver of courage, cleared his throat. “Young Master Han, we... we need to discuss the proposed merger with the Hwang Corporation.”
Shuren's eyes narrowed slightly, but the smirk never left his face. “Ah, the Hwang Corporation. Such a charming group of individuals. But tell me, why should I waste my time with a merger when I can simply take what I want?”
The room fell into a tense silence. The board members exchanged uneasy glances, but no one dared to challenge him.
Shuren began to pace, his steps deliberate, his gaze never leaving the group.
“You see, gentlemen, I prefer the more... direct approach. Why negotiate when intimidation works so much better?” He chuckled, a sound that was both chilling and oddly charismatic. “After all, what's the point of power if you don't use it to get what you want?”
Another board member, older and clearly more seasoned, spoke up. “But, Young Master Han, such tactics could draw unwanted attention from the authorities.”
Shuren stopped in his tracks, his smirk widening as he turned to face Mr. Chen, who had dared to bring up the authorities.
“By authorities, do you mean my father?” he asked, his tone dripping with disdain. “Oh, come on, what do you think? How much time do you think my old man has left before he’s out of the picture?”
