Chapter 15 Song Xianghan

Chapter 15: Song Xianghan

The next morning, after personally thanking his two older brothers, Shen Shiyan dropped Shen Ci off at school.

He rushed to the company just as the fortune teller hired by Miss Qi was arriving.

The man looked extremely professional, dressed in a yellow Taoist robe with a long white beard. He was hung with various items—a bronze mirror, talismans, a Bagua yin-yang symbol—and carried a peachwood sword at his waist, its hilt tied with a dark brown gourd worn to a glossy patina.

He measured the entire company with his steps before finally deciding on a placement: directly opposite the entrance, shifted 1.4 inches to the right, with two potted plants on either side.

Qi Zizhu jotted down the instructions in her notebook before tasking two male colleagues with setting it up.

As Shen Shiyan was about to turn away, the fortune teller glanced around and fixed his gaze on him. “Sir, is there someone you're close to?”

Someone close?

Shen Shiyan’s mind flashed to his mother’s face, then briefly to Shen Sinian and his grandmother… These images passed quickly until his thoughts settled on Shen Ci.

His fingers trembled involuntarily. Before he could answer, the fortune teller nodded as if understanding, stroking his beard with a mysterious air. “I feel a slight connection with you, so let me offer a warning: keep those close to you away from this jade Guanyin.”

Shen Shiyan wasn’t particularly superstitious, but after a moment’s thought, he asked, “Why?”

“This object attracts fortune but carries a malignant aura. The original owner gifted it to you not with blessings but with harmful intent.”

The fortune teller then pulled a yellow talisman from his robe, used the inkpad from Shen Shiyan's desk to dab his finger, and scribbled symbols on the paper before handing it over. “If someone close to you draws too near, gazing upon or touching it daily, their lifespan will be shortened.”

Shen Shiyan accepted the talisman with both hands.

Scratching the back of his neck, the fortune teller headed out, leaving a final remark: “It wouldn’t normally harm anyone, but I fear this person is your weakness.”

Shen Shiyan stood there frozen for a long moment. By the time he uttered “Thank you,” the man had already vanished.

He tucked the talisman into his meeting notebook. From his office door, he could just make out the jade Guanyin—a hazy, unsettling silhouette.

But Shen Shiyan had no time to dwell on it; his schedule was packed.

At noon, the CEO of Xingtu Technology invited him to talk business at Yuncheng Restaurant. The contract was ready, and Shen Shiyan had Miss Qi accompany him.

Wearing high heels that day, it wasn't convenient for Qi Zizhu to drive, so she sat with Shen Shiyan in the back seat.

“Mr. Shen, Xingtu is a tech company that rose to prominence seven years ago. Their main focus is new medical technology. Over the past three years, their revenue compound growth rate exceeded 70%, with net profit increasing by over 280% year-on-year. After going public, they captured 35% of Yuncheng’s market share, making them second only to the Shen Group in the city. The current CEO, Song Xianghan, is 26 years old.”

Miss Qi gave a detailed briefing, hitting the key points for Shen Shiyan.

“I see.”

Since this was a collaboration, they needed to show full sincerity. They arrived half an hour early.

Yuhe, a small company that had only recently entered the upper tier of the business world, was a puzzling choice for Xingtu’s partnership. At the front desk, Shen Shiyan selected a moderately priced red wine, but as he took the bottle, his gaze drifted upward along the wine cabinet. Finally, gritting his teeth, he swapped it for one worth six million.

Song Xianghan’s high heels echoed as she entered the private room precisely at noon.

She had a mature air, with tasteful makeup and wavy hair cascading to her waist. Her eyes were bright, her teeth white, but there was no feminine softness in her bearing, only ambition.

Her glossy lips parted, her voice steady yet clear. “Mr. Shen, a pleasure.”

Shen Shiyan gave a slight bow, briefly shaking only her fingertips before withdrawing. He pulled out the main seat’s chair and gestured politely. “The pleasure is mine, President Song.”

Song Xianghan didn’t decline, sitting directly and handing her white overcoat to her assistant. She smiled. “Mr. Shen is quite young.”

The dishes arrived quickly. Miss Qi perceptively poured the wine. Shen Shiyan handed a glass to Song Xianghan, saying, “President Song is the one who’s remarkably young.”

Though not the only child in her family, Song Xianghan had a sharper business acumen than her brothers. Since her student days, she had worked tirelessly, clearly aiming for the Song family enterprise. Despite obstacles from siblings and relatives, her immense ambition paved a swift path to power. She seized control of Xingtu and held it firmly for three years, with the company’s profits doubling annually—silencing all critics.

Relaxed, she took a sip of wine. “Excellent wine.”

Shen Shiyan replied honestly, “Still not quite worthy of President Song.”

Song Xianghan chuckled, setting her glass gently on the table. She gestured to her assistant, and the contract was soon spread before them.

Both companies had prepared contracts, but Shen Shiyan didn’t present his. For Yuhe, partnering with Xingtu was already a stretch. Though Xingtu’s motives were unclear, the opportunity was too valuable to miss.

Dispensing with further pleasantries, Song Xianghan got straight to the point. “Mr. Shen, I don’t need to introduce Xingtu. In recent years, we’ve nearly monopolized new medical technology. However, R&D cycles for new tech are long. Many coastal companies in Yuncheng have begun developing intelligent monitoring systems for deep-sea oil and gas, where micro-optical fiber sensors are key. Xingtu has mastered most of the core technology but needs to collaborate with energy firms’ operational models to achieve cross-industry industrial applications. I’ve heard you’ve established a small-scale tech factory. I wonder if Yuhe is interested in joining Xingtu to make waves in the maritime sector.”

Long before entering the company, Shen Shiyan had familiarized himself with Yuncheng’s and the nation’s industries and trade. He knew well the immense profits of deep-sea oil and gas projects. If they monopolized the core technology, Yuhe wouldn’t just climb a step higher—it could carve out its own territory in Yuncheng, even surpassing or replacing the Shen Group’s established energy technology.

Shen Shiyan pressed his lips together, meeting Song Xianghan’s eyes. They were clear and bright, revealing no hint of conspiracy.

His brow twitched slightly as he withdrew his probing gaze and spoke softly. “President Song, Yuhe is still a small company barely surviving on the fringes of the energy sector. I truly can’t understand why Xingtu wouldn’t approach Chonghe or directly ally with the Shen Group.”

The dishes on the table remained untouched. A plate of emerald-hearted vegetables steamed faintly before Song Xianghan.

The tender greens were crisp and refreshing, lightly seasoned to preserve their original flavor. Song Xianghan picked up a few bites with her chopsticks before setting them down. “Shen Wenzhou is overly ambitious. Partnering with him would leave Xingtu picked clean, not even bones remaining.”

A playful glint entered her eyes as she added, “As for Chonghe… I don’t enjoy working with old men.”