22: She has a beautiful smile.

Lan Yanran: "???"

She was stunned at first.

Those sharp eyes, which usually orchestrated grand schemes and saw through people's hearts, now held a rare trace of bewilderment.

Then, she could no longer maintain her composure.

"Pfft—"

"Hahahaha!"

Her bell-like laughter erupted without warning in the quiet private room, crisp and pleasant, like wind chimes echoing through a valley.

Lan Yanran laughed so hard she doubled over, one hand clutching her stomach and the other waving weakly, a crystalline tear even welling up in the corner of her eye.

Lin Chao was completely mesmerized.

The Lan Yanran before him had shed all the disguises of Lantu Group's icy CEO.

She was no longer that aloof queen of the business world whose every word was calculated.

At this moment, she was like a girl next door, her smile like a blooming flower, bright and moving.

Her usually frost-cold face was now tinged with a lovely crimson, like peach blossoms on a branch in March, delicate and vibrant.

Her phoenix eyes curved into crescent moons, shimmering and radiant, as if the stars in the sky had been crushed and scattered within them.

Lin Chao's heart skipped a beat.

Lan Yanran finally managed to stop laughing. She raised her hand to wipe the tear from her eye, and as she looked up, she saw Lin Chao staring straight at her.

That gaze held no lust, only pure wonder and admiration.

She tilted her head curiously.

"What is it?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Lin Chao's Adam's apple bobbed. He rubbed his nose sheepishly, but his gaze remained sincere.

"It's nothing."

"I just think... CEO Lan, you look really beautiful when you smile."

Lan Yanran was stunned once again.

This time, the blush on her face spread from her cheeks to her fair earlobes at a visible speed.

She turned her head away awkwardly and gave Lin Chao a reproachful glare, but her tone carried a hint of bashfulness she hadn't even noticed herself.

"Smooth talker!"

"As expected of your company's Gold Medal Salesperson, you really know how to make people happy."

Lin Chao looked at her with unusual seriousness and said word for word, "Every word is true."

His clear eyes were filled with nothing but sincerity.

Lan Yanran's heart felt as if it had been gently nudged by something, and a strange emotion began to spread within her.

Her face grew even redder. She picked up her chopsticks and haphazardly grabbed some food.

"Hurry... hurry up and eat!"

"The food is getting cold!"

...Lunch ended, and Lan Yanran resumed her CEO persona as she returned to the Lantu Group headquarters.

Lin Chao sat in his brand-new "flying fox" SUV, gripping the steering wheel, unable to calm his emotions for a long time.

Excitement!

Unprecedented excitement!

A million-yuan private bonus, Lan Yanran's soul-stirring smile, and the grand drama about to unfold... he felt as if his entire body's blood was on fire!

He immediately took out his phone and dialed Xie Mengya's number.

The call was answered almost instantly.

"Hello?"

"President Xie, it's me, Lin Chao."

Lin Chao got straight to the point.

"I want to meet with you. There's something very important."

Xie Mengya was silent for two seconds on the other end before giving a crisp and decisive answer.

"Alright."

"Jingxin Tea House, Heaven Room No. 1. I'll be waiting for you here."

Lin Chao hung up and immediately started the car, speeding toward the address on his navigation.

Jingxin Tea House was located in a quiet garden within the bustling city center, with gray bricks, black tiles, and upturned eaves. There wasn't even a sign at the entrance, only two waitresses in elegant qipaos standing quietly by the door.

It was a members-only establishment, a place where money alone might not guarantee entry.

Lin Chao gave Xie Mengya's name, and a waitress bowed slightly, leading him through a winding corridor.

On both sides of the corridor were meticulously maintained dry landscape gardens, and the air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood, bringing peace to the mind.

The waitress led him to a private room named "Listening to Rain," gently pushed open a heavy mahogany door, and then withdrew silently.

Inside the room, Xie Mengya was sitting cross-legged in front of a low table, brewing tea herself.

Today, she wore a plain linen tea outfit, her long hair casually held up by a wooden hairpin, looking less sharp than she did in the business world and more gentle and serene.

"Sit."

She looked up at Lin Chao and gestured to the seat opposite her.

Lin Chao sat down as instructed.

Xie Mengya picked up a small purple clay teapot and slowly poured a stream of amber tea into the small celadon cup in front of Lin Chao.

A strange orchid fragrance instantly filled the air.

The tea was clear, and a few unfurled buds shaped like sparrow tongues were faintly visible at the bottom of the cup.

"Try it, top-grade Jin Jun Mei."

She pushed the teacup toward Lin Chao with elegant movements, without any unnecessary pleasantries.

She looked up, her beautiful eyes quietly watching Lin Chao, and asked directly.

"Did you meet with Lan Yanran yesterday?"

"And told her about Zheng Guangzhi?"

Lin Chao's hand, holding the teacup, suddenly froze!

His face was full of shock as he blurted out.

"President Xie... how did you know?!"

Xie Mengya set down the purple clay teapot, the spout tracing a graceful arc in the air before coming to a steady stop.

She looked at Lin Chao, her eyes full of mirth. "Lan Yanran called me yesterday afternoon."

"She gave you quite a bit of praise."

Lin Chao knew immediately that his massage skills must have been acknowledged.

Xie Mengya seemed to see through his thoughts, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"She said you were very professional and that it really didn't hurt as much after the massage."

"It's a good thing you told her." Xie Mengya picked up her own teacup and took a small sip, her tone carrying a hint of relief.

"I didn't expect that old fox Zheng Guangzhi to suddenly move the cooperation meeting forward to this morning."

Hearing this, Lin Chao's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm on the surface, instead showing a simple and honest smile.

He scratched his head and said sheepishly.

"President Xie, you've misunderstood."

"I did go to give CEO Lan a massage yesterday."

"But..."

He paused, looking at Xie Mengya with absolute sincerity.

"I didn't mention Zheng Guangzhi."

Xie Mengya's hand, holding the teacup, paused slightly.

Lin Chao explained, "After all, I just met CEO Lan. I couldn't find a suitable reason to suddenly bring up the chairman of another company."

Xie Mengya was slightly taken aback.

Her beautiful willow-shaped brows furrowed slightly.

"You didn't mention it?"

"Then why did Zheng Guangzhi's cooperation deal fail this morning?"

Her intelligence network showed that Lan Yanran had berated Zheng Guangzhi mercilessly during the meeting today, causing the cooperation to stall directly, and she even stated that talks would continue tomorrow.

This was clearly an unexpected turn of events!

The smile on Lin Chao's face suddenly turned somewhat mysterious.