Chen Wenzhou was a cautious man, and since Lu Yi had always sided with Shen Heyu and opposed him, he wouldn’t so easily believe that Lu Yi was sincerely defecting.
"If cooperating with Mr. Lu could happen, that would naturally be a good thing. However, I’m worried that Mr. Lu isn’t genuinely looking to cooperate with me," Chen Wenzhou didn’t hide his concerns. If he were truly coming to him for cooperation, he would surely make his intentions clear.
Chen Wenzhou’s suspicion of Lu Yi was expected; Lu Yi, not caring, smiled slightly. "President Chen, you don’t have to worry about that. I will naturally prove my sincerity to you. If you have time, we could meet tomorrow to discuss some matters in person."
"I’ll send you the time and place on your phone. Don’t miss it tomorrow."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Yi’s heartbeat accelerated. He raised his hand, feeling his own pulse.
He and Pei Yansi had always been on opposing sides. This time, Lu Yi was merely reaching out to Pei Yansi’s archenemy. Why did he feel like he was betraying Shen Heyu? Lu Yi furrowed his brow tightly.
"It’s just the two of us tonight, no need to cook too much."
Shen Heyu’s voice suddenly came from behind Lu Yi.
Lu Yi turned around sharply as if struck by lightning, his face pale as he looked at Shen Heyu, who wore a gentle smile.
"When did you get here?" Lu Yi couldn’t help but tighten his grip on his phone. He had just been on the phone with Chen Wenzhou; could Shen Heyu have heard it?
The thought struck him hard; scrutinizing Shen Heyu’s face, he immediately dismissed his speculation.
No, Shen Heyu definitely hadn’t heard his conversation with Chen Wenzhou; otherwise, Shen Heyu wouldn’t wear such a gentle smile.
Shen Heyu didn’t answer Lu Yi’s question. Lu Yi felt like his heart was stuck in his throat—neither able to rise nor settle, an uncomfortable feeling.
Lu Yi smiled absentmindedly. He put his phone aside on the central island and walked towards Shen Heyu, studying his expression more intently.
"It’s nothing. I was just thinking about what to cook tonight and got a bit lost in thought. I didn’t even realize when you showed up at the door."
Lu Yi laughed, not revealing the truth to Shen Heyu, who, upon hearing his lie, merely smiled helplessly.
"I just came over to remind you, I didn’t startle you, did I?" Shen Heyu asked, looking at Lu Yi with his beautiful eyes.
Lu Yi had already tested Shen Heyu several times and was now fairly certain she hadn’t heard his phone conversation.
He could relax now. He moved his hand to Shen Heyu’s shoulder, gently turning her around and ushering her out of the kitchen.
"Leave the kitchen matters to me; you just wait patiently for dinner."
After sending Shen Heyu out of the kitchen and watching her leave his sight, Lu Yi visibly tensed and sighed in relief.
Luckily, Shen Heyu hadn’t heard the conversation. If she knew that he had chosen to side with Chen Wenzhou against Pei Yansi, she would surely be angry and might even dislike him.
Lu Yi turned to grab the bell peppers and opened the tap to continue rinsing them.
He had to keep this from Shen Heyu, even if he knew she wouldn’t want him to do it. He had to tread this path.
Because more than the Chen Family, he was desperate to separate Pei Yansi and Shen Heyu.
The next day, Lu Yi arrived on time at the restaurant he had arranged to meet Chen Wenzhou, only to find that Chen Wenzhou had arrived even earlier.
"You got here before our agreed time?"
Lu Yi checked the time and, to show his commitment, had come a few minutes early. He hadn’t expected Chen Wenzhou to be even earlier.
"I value this collaboration with Mr. Lu greatly, so I came early to demonstrate my sincerity," Chen Wenzhou put down his coffee cup and gave Lu Yi a meaningful smile.
Lu Yi’s expression was neutral. "Yesterday over the phone, I mentioned some matters. I hope you’ve seriously considered them, as working together would be the best outcome for us both."
"I genuinely considered your proposal after thinking it through all night and decided to meet you," Chen Wenzhou replied.
"Yesterday, I already explained over the phone that I need to see Mr. Lu’s sincerity before deciding whether to collaborate with you."
Lu Yi chuckled as a waiter approached and handed him a menu; he ordered a coffee and then nonchalantly returned the menu to the waiter.
His gaze deep, he looked at Chen Wenzhou sitting across from him. Although Chen Wenzhou was young, his years in the business arena had made him a shrewd fox.
"What kind of sincerity do you need me to show?"
Lu Yi stared into Chen Wenzhou’s eyes, suspecting he must have premeditated what he wanted Lu Yi to do.
"The sincerity I need from Mr. Lu is to prove that working with you would be valuable and would multiply our efforts,"
Lu Yi grinned, an admirable old fox indeed with his ambiguous words.
"I suppose you’ve heard about my marriage registration with Shen Heyu by now. That alone should prove to you that collaborating with me would be valuable."
Chen Wenzhou didn’t deny Lu Yi’s claim and nodded.
Considering the efforts of the Chen Family, breaking up Pei Yansi and Shen Heyu alone wouldn’t be enough. With Lu Yi on board, the task would be easier.
"How can I be sure you’re not a double agent?" Chen Wenzhou was skeptical of Lu Yi, worrying he might be from Pei Yansi and Shen Heyu’s side.
Chen Wenzhou sipped his coffee slowly, pondering the issue.
"I have an opportunity here that could allow you to prove your sincerity. I wonder if Mr. Lu is willing to accept it?" He had a plan in mind, waiting for Lu Yi’s performance before deciding what to do.
"What opportunity?" Lu Yi’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing Chen Wenzhou’s words, feeling uneasy. He had dealt with Chen Wenzhou before, but La was not a well-familiar acquaintance.
"The relationship between Pei Yansi and Shen Heyu has been strained for a long time. Since Pei Yansi went to the abandoned warehouse alone, their relationship has softened," Chen Wenzhou continued, "Although I don’t need to tell you, Mr. Lu, you’ve probably sensed this already."
"I have felt it," He clenched his fists in anger.
Seeing his furious appearance, Chen Wenzhou smiled with satisfaction and added, "The opportunity I mentioned is related to this matter."