EBE Chapter 515 Are you asleep?
Chapter 515 Are you asleep?
Passing through the elegant banquet hall, Fang Li walked along the soft carpet deeper into the corridor.
The further you go in, the more the noise seems to be filtered through layers of invisible barriers, until only the soft sound of your own heels tapping on the ground echoes faintly in the empty corridor.
The Xu family's banquet was already a rare grand event in Haicheng, not to mention that it would be impossible to see or gather all the people who attended the banquet on ordinary days.
Everyone was eager to use this banquet to make more connections and boost their business.
Therefore, the dozen or so rest rooms that Xu had prepared behind the scenes were like a secret realm forgotten in the folds of time, a place that no one ever set foot in.
The Xu family's exclusive VIP lounge is hidden at the very end of the corner. If it weren't for the eye-catching gold-plated "Xu" character on the doorplate, one would almost overlook this pear wood door that blends seamlessly with the wall.
When the heavy door was pushed open, the hinges turned almost silently, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility here.
The fragrance of fir wood and white tea wafted over her, refreshing yet warm, instantly soothing the irritation between Fang Li's brows.
The lounge was surprisingly large, three times the size of a typical living room. The marble floor was so shiny it reflected the countless points of light refracted by the crystal chandelier, as if the entire starry sky had been crushed onto the floor.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the night was deep and dark. The heavy velvet curtains were drawn, leaving only a narrow gap for ventilation, thus isolating the area from all the noise of the outside world.
The walls inside are adorned with priceless Impressionist paintings, and a piece of agate carved from a single piece stands in the corner. Even the greenery in the corner is a rare jacaranda, with fine water droplets left by artificial spraying on its leaves, as if it had just been transplanted from the tropical rainforest.
An ivory-white tablecloth covered the long dining table, with tassels hanging down the edges and gently sweeping across the floor.
The candles in the silver candlesticks were not yet lit, but they were already neatly trimmed. Next to them was a row of crystal glasses, from champagne glasses to whiskey glasses, and even bone china cups for drinking warm water were prepared.
On the gilded trays in the cold buffet area, oysters gleamed with a lustrous sheen, smoked salmon was rolled into delicate flower shapes, and macarons of various colors resembled an overturned palette.
The Burgundy red wine chilled in the ice bucket, its vintage label enough to make collectors take notice, while the purified water in the water dispenser next to it is kept at a pleasant temperature.
Fang Li glanced around briefly, poured herself a glass of warm water as she passed the bar, and then walked to the sofa by the window.
The sofa was so large that it could completely envelop a person, and its texture was as delicate as flowing clouds. When she sank into it, the springs made a barely audible creak, and then steadily supported her body.
With my back gently supported, my aching lower back finally got a moment of relief.
Fang Li leaned back on the sofa and let out a soft sigh of relief.
Outside the window, the shadows of the hotel's back garden stretched out, and beyond that, the city's blurry neon lights shone. Yet, it was so quiet here that I could hear my own heartbeat.
Perhaps it was too quiet, but Fang Li's thoughts were quickly drawn to the man in the distance.
I wonder how his situation is going?
The Han family's mining area was managed by the fourth master of the Han family for half his life, and no one knows how many of them still bear the real surname Han.
Fang Li had heard many rumors about that land and could guess how dangerous Han Xi's trip would be.
Those old men who were loyal to Han Shuo were outwardly respectful to Han Xi, the leader of the Han family, but behind the scenes they were probably plotting some conspiracy.
With Han Shuo absent, Han Xi ventured in alone, as if stepping into a deep sea full of hidden reefs.
Fang Li curled her fingers, her nails digging deeply into her palm.
My phone was digging into my thigh in my bag, like a hot iron.
When she pulled it out, the screen reflected the anxiety in her eyes.
The dialog box remained stuck on the previous message, "Take care of yourself." She typed it, deleted it, and typed it again.
"Reached?"
So much time has passed, they must have arrived by now.
Fang Li frowned and deleted each word carefully before retyping it.
"be safe......"
Was her slight pause too direct?
It's like a reminder that he's in a dangerous situation, and that it might not be good if someone around him saw it.
She pressed the delete button again and deleted everything.
Looking at the still blank input box, she thought, "Should I send an emoji?"
She looked through the emoji list for a long time, but found that none of the emojis could capture the emotions surging within her at that moment.
With her fingertip hovering over the send button, Fang Li could hear her own breathing echoing in the empty room.
Then I couldn't help but wonder if sending it would cause him trouble?
What if he's dealing with those old foxes? If his phone rings, wouldn't that give them leverage against him?
But if I don't send it, this heart that's been hanging in my throat will probably stay in my throat all night.
Finally, she closed her eyes and pressed send, sending only three words: "Are you asleep?"
When the notification popped up that the message had been successfully sent, Fang Li suddenly clutched her chest, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to shatter her ribs.
She stared at the screen for three seconds, then suddenly slammed the phone face down on her lap, as if that would stop the impending unknown.
The gilded patterns on the sofa armrests were digging into my arm, but the cool touch couldn't stop my fingertips from trembling.
Meanwhile, in the management building restaurant of the Mamba mine, the pale light of incandescent bulbs shone harshly on everyone's faces.
At the end of the long dining table, Han Xi lightly touched the porcelain plate with his silver fork, the crisp sound of which made the mine manager across from him swallow.
A red silk banner reading "Welcome Young Master" hung on the restaurant wall, but the smell of gunpowder in the air was even more pungent than the sulfur smell in the mining area.
As Deputy Mine Manager Zhang, sitting on the left, put down his wine glass, the force of the glass hitting the table carrying a barely perceptible probing: "It's almost Chinese New Year, and the young master's sudden arrival at this time, without any prior notice, has left us unable to prepare properly. We hope the young master won't mind the simplicity."
As soon as he finished speaking, the security director on his right immediately chimed in, "Yes, with Fourth Master not here, we're all clumsy. If there's anything we haven't done well in our hospitality, please forgive us, Young Master."
These words were spoken humbly, but the scrutiny in his eyes was like a poisoned needle.
Han Shuo has been operating the mining area for so many years that these people have long regarded this place as their own territory.
The way they looked at Han Xi was like sizing up a strange beast that had intruded into their territory; every word they spoke was a probing hook, trying to lure out the purpose of his trip.
Han Xi picked up the teacup, the rim of the bone china cup touching his lips, a gesture so elegant it seemed out of place with the rough surroundings.
"It's alright, everyone, feel free to come and take a look. I just decided to come and check it out on a whim."
His voice was not loud, but it carried a penetrating power: "My father often said that Mamba is the foundation of the Han family, and as his son, I should come and see for myself."
He only brought two people with him: the refined and cultured Deng Xiulin and the young and inexperienced Jiang Bei, who didn't seem to pose any threat.
The two were sitting at the end of the table, eating casually, seemingly oblivious to the subtle atmosphere at the table.