Chapter 50: Tasting Wine

"In truth, our return to the country this time is merely for a simple assessment..."

The head of the Leno family initiated a business discussion.

Beside him, his eldest son, Jin, nonchalantly bargained, "There are other options for partnership as well."

Though they spoke with arrogance, both were attentively observing Ji Min's expressions.

The Ji family's strength was not to be underestimated.

Now that the Leno family aimed to shift their business operations domestically, assistance from the Ji family would save them much effort.

Moreover, due to some internal company matters, they could no longer afford to delay.

From the moment they sat down at the negotiation table, they had been diligently probing the depths of this young Ji family head.

However, Ji Min's consistent calmness had left the initially confident duo with lingering doubts.

Especially when Ji Min takes the initiative to leave the table and make his way towards the restroom.

Golden, who had taken the initiative to challenge Lu Ran, felt a jolt in his heart.

Thought I had done something foolish.

It was unforeseen that the disabled head of the Ji family, when subjected to mocking remarks about his injured leg, would remain as steady as a rock.

But would he simply leave the negotiating table just because someone by his side was being pressured?

His father also instantly shot him a reprimanding glance.

But that was fine.

As Jin saw the wine in front of him, his worries gradually subsided.

This Ji Family head seemed quite amenable to cooperating with them.

Going to the restroom was likely just to persuade the embarrassed Shen family member to apologize to them.

A smile tugged at Jin's lips once more.

He raised the cup to savor another sip of the "wine" poured by Lu Ran. He drank with deliberate slowness, striving to exhibit the elegance befitting his family's noble status.

As he drank, he kept an eye on Ji Min's expression across from him.

He was trying to discern any weakness in the man's demeanor that could serve as a breakthrough in their negotiation.

But to his surprise, Jin noticed that this very same Ji Min, who had just been cold and composed, with an unyielding poker face,

was actually...

daydreaming?

Jin was momentarily puzzled.

Involuntarily, he followed Ji Min's line of sight.

Ji Min's gaze fell on his younger brother... the wine glass in his hand.

This younger brother of Jin's was clueless about the family business.

He was merely here to make an appearance, so he couldn't contribute to the conversation and only kept his head down, sipping his wine.

By now, the glass Lu Ran had poured for him was nearly empty.

And Ji Min wore a peculiar, indescribable expression as he watched Yang and the glass in his hand.

Noticing that Jin Gangang had also picked up his own glass, the head of the Ji family cast a glance their way.

The head of the Ji family didn't respond to Jin Gangang's remark.

Instead, he pondered for a moment before turning to Yang, who wasn't part of the discussion, and asked, "Second Young Master, what do you think of this wine?"

His question came out of nowhere, seemingly unrelated to the ongoing conversation.

It left Jin and Lino, the family heads, somewhat flustered and unable to respond adequately.

Jan Lino, sensing his chance to shine, promptly swayed his wine glass. He first tossed back the entire contents in one swift gulp, then smacked his lips, "Fine wine, I didn't expect to find such a rich red here in our country."

Jin and Lino exchanged skeptical glances.

Could it be that this Ji Family head had an interest in wine?

Adapting to one's interests during negotiations was a common tactic.

So Jin also lifted his own glass, savoring its taste carefully.

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but he felt that this glass of wine tasted slightly different from usual.

Yet, he couldn't quite put his finger on how.

It must be the unique characteristic of the brand.

Old Linno found the man sitting across from him increasingly enigmatic, and thus restrained his impulsive behavior.

He lowered his head, raised his glass, and first examined the color of the wine meticulously.

Then, he swirled it gently, inhaling the aroma.

Finally, he took a small sip.

After going through the entire process of appreciating wine with great care, and seriously savoring half a glass, he sincerely remarked:

"The aroma is rich, and on the palate, it's sweet with a subtle bitterness. There's also a rare yet familiar scent."

In conclusion, he assessed, "The flavors are complex and layered; indeed, it's an excellent wine."

Having praised the wine, Old Linno hurriedly steered the conversation back to business: "Regarding the promotion of this project..."

But before he could finish his sentence, he noticed the usually composed and aloof man across from him touch his eyebrow with his finger.

He chuckled softly under his breath.

His deep voice echoed for a while before it finally subsided.

The three men across from Ji Min were all taken aback by his reaction.

They couldn't tell if his laughter was a good or bad sign.

Seeing that the negotiation was turning unfavorable, they could only follow suit and laugh as well.

Ji Min laughed for quite a while.

Even Chen Butler, standing beside him, raised an eyebrow in surprise.

It took the man great effort to suppress the itch in his throat and finally stop laughing.

He picked up the glass of water in front of him, intending to take a sip.

For some reason, however, his fingers hesitated, and he put the cup back on the table.

He then resumed the business discussion, "You don't have a clear understanding of the domestic situation..."

The negotiation proceeded as usual.

However, Ji Min's mindset was vastly different from his previous business talks.

This was the first time he had lost focus during a commercial negotiation.

And also the first time he had laughed out loud at the negotiating table.

...

The negotiation reached an impasse, with both parties stubbornly standing their ground.

Old Leon stood up, still hoping to sway the situation in his favor.

Ji Min, however, glanced at the time and firmly declined.

The translator beside him quickly echoed, "Mr. Ji mentioned that your scheduled time has ended, and he has other commitments."

Unmindful of the few individuals who abruptly stood up behind him.

Ji Min maneuvered his wheelchair away from the round table, remotely controlling its movement.

He turned back for a glance but didn't spot Lu Ran's figure.

The organizer hurried to guide him along.

Ji Min proceeded to a secluded corner of the banquet.

Thereupon, one beheld the youth ensconced in a corner sofa by the wall, with a grand floor-to-ceiling curtain draping lazily beside a window mere inches away.

Despite having just been involved in something monumental, this youngster was crouching behind the curtains with the cautious demeanor of a stray dog avoiding pedestrians.

"Stop hiding, it's time to go," Ji Min said.

There was no movement behind the curtains.

Ji Min cast a glance at the person in charge.

The supervisor gently drew back the curtains.

There, Lu Ran was seen with his knees drawn to his chest, blissfully asleep against the back of the sofa, eyes closed.

His light-colored sweater and faded jeans still bore the stains of red wine.

The residue had diffused into a purplish tinge.

The soft flesh that the young man had recently gained rested on the sofa.

Like a pliable stress-relieving toy, it was slightly deformed under pressure.

The other half of his face exposed to the air bore a faint flush.

It was striking against his milk-white skin.

Ji Min gazed at the boy's unusually long and dense eyelashes for a while before realizing that the child had just consumed a glass of wine.

The red wine had a considerable alcohol content.

At this age, one should be unable to resist sleep after drinking.

The supervisor reached out to wake the person up.

Ji Min, however, made a gesture to stop them.

The supervisor quickly withdrew their hand.

Ji Min remained still as well.

He gazed at Lu Ran just like that, with undivided attention.

The young lad slept in an endearing manner.

Yet, upon remembering what this person had just done, that peculiar sense of absurdity welled up within Ji Min once more.

Not merely because of what the child had done.

All the more because of his indulgence in Lu Ran's affection.

After a long while, Ji Min averted his gaze.

He spoke calmly to the supervisor, "Ask someone to carry him up gently."

The supervisor hastily called over a security guard.

This was the first time the security guard had been assigned such a task.

In the past, his job had always been to haul people out forcefully; he had never been in a situation where he needed to carry someone with care.

So, my approach might be a bit forceful.

Gently yet firmly, he scooped the person into his arm.

The young man doesn't have many pounds on him.

The few that existed might have even been cultivated in the past few days.

Supported in the arms of the security personnel, he unexpectedly revealed an unspoken vulnerability.

He furrowed his brow uneasily at the sight of the security personnel's movement, as if he were about to awaken.

Ji Min sat in his wheelchair.

He had to tilt his head back in order to glimpse the youth nestled securely within the arms of the security detail.

For some inexplicable reason.

Ji Min found the scene rather disconcerting.

It was an inexplicable discomfort.

Thus, the wheelchair moved a few steps before abruptly coming to a halt.

Ji Min turned the wheelchair around to face the security guard.

His voice was slightly cold as he said, "Give it to me."

The security guard was taken aback by the command.

He was well aware that the person in front of him was a formidable figure with a less than pleasant temper.

However, Ji Min was still seated in his wheelchair, so he immediately cast an inquisitive glance at the person in charge beside him.

The supervisor was also perplexed.

Even Housekeeper Chen fell silent.

Ji Min's gaze fell upon the youth nestled in the security guard's arms.

He unfolded the blanket across his lap and repeated, "Give him to me."

The security guard glanced at the supervisor again and finally understood Ji Min's intention.

He bent down with utmost care, intent on settling the youth nestled in his arms onto Ji Min's wheelchair.

At this moment, upon closer inspection, they noticed that Ji Min's wheelchair was unusually wide.

Due to his tall stature, he used a custom-made wheelchair tailored to his needs.

Initially, he hadn't felt anything peculiar about sitting firmly in his seat.

Now, in comparison to the youth's frame, the man's shoulders and back appear all the more broad and sturdy.

Even with a disability, even confined to a wheelchair, one could still shield and protect another with utmost care.

Ji Min paid no heed to the gazes around him.

He reaches out to unfurl the dark sapphire cashmere blanket, gently draping it over the youth in his arms.

In an instant, the youth was left with nothing but a soft, fuzzy head peering out from beneath the covers.

His cheeks took on an even healthier pallor against the cool indigo backdrop.

It imbued the man with pale skin and lifeless eyes behind him with an inexplicable vitality.

With a gentle embrace, Ji Min steered the wheelchair forward, holding the person close to his chest.

A few people trailing behind him followed with downcast eyes, seemingly lost in their own thoughts.

Proceeding towards the elevator.

"Mr. Ji, please stay a moment!"

After some discussion, the three from the Lino family decided to follow.

Old Leon said, "Mr. Ji, regarding the details of the project, we can discuss further. When would you be available to..."

At that moment, the man at the negotiation table, who had been calm to the point of gentility, underwent a change in disposition.

He furrowed his brow, casting a sidelong glance at the sleeping youth in his arms.

Without responding to Old Leon's question, he instead whispered softly, "Keep your voice down."

What if he wakes up in anger and is forced to drink from the toilet bowl?

Old Leino looked at him, then at the person in his arms.

His eyes were filled with uncontrollable astonishment.

Ji Min lifted his gaze, his voice still soft.

He replied fluently in Italian, "Mr. Lino, I take great offense when someone speaks disrespectfully about the people around me."

The three from the Lino family instantly froze.

Recalling their whispered conversation during the negotiation, their faces twisted in discomfort.

Ji Min carried the person into the elevator.

Manager Chen looked at the Lino trio with a warm smile and responded in Italian, "Excuse me, my master does not discuss business during his rest time."

They all entered the elevator.

The elevator doors closed gently, hiding the array of emotions on the Lino family's faces behind them.

The project manager, who had observed the entire negotiation, sneered inwardly.

He particularly disliked the Linos.

Acting like a fake foreigner when you're clearly Chinese, and even hiring an interpreter for show. Now and then, Italian phrases slip out of your mouth.

Isn't your Mandarin good enough now?

These three have been away from the country for too long; they probably aren't aware of Mr. Ji's habits.

The Ji family only exhibits politeness during negotiations, presenting an impeccable image in formal settings.

But once the negotiating table is left behind, they turn a cold shoulder to others.

Trying to gain any personal advantage from them is virtually impossible.

Yet...

Today, Ji Min surprisingly responded with just one Italian phrase, refraining from using his icy tone to strip the Lenos of their pretense.

Indeed, he had shown remarkable restraint.

Had the Lino family suffered a significant loss during the negotiations?

So much so that Ji Min couldn't bear to retaliate?

The supervisor pondered in his heart.

Suddenly, Ji Min casually instructed, "Remember to dispose of all the cups used by the Lino family today."

"Dispose of them entirely," Ji Min added.