Chapter 126: Someone Very Important to Me

Lu Sinian nodded. "Fine, I'll order."

He quickly selected the dishes, and the waiter retreated, leaving only the three of them in the private room. Li Ze hesitated for a moment, unsure whether he should speak. Although Mu Yinyin was here at Lu Sinian’s invitation, the setting felt slightly inappropriate. Their collaboration was meant to be confidential, and since Mu Yinyin was from the Fanxing Group, having the sensitive details overheard by a competitor was not ideal. For a moment, he truly did not know what to do.

Mu Yinyin sat quietly in her seat. After all, Lu Sinian had already instructed her that there was no need for her to say anything, so she simply waited.

Lu Sinian, however, sensed Li Ze’s apprehension. He smiled and said, "You don't need to worry about anything; feel free to speak."

The implication was clear. Mu Yinyin would not steal their trade secrets, and being too blunt would only make everyone uncomfortable.

Li Ze’s eyes flickered, and he coughed awkwardly. "It’s not that I’m worried about that. I was just waiting for the waiter to finish serving the food."

Lu Sinian raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Since this collaboration involved both their companies, and Lu Sinian was far sharper than him, there was no reason for him to be so defensive if Lu himself wasn't. Besides, offending Lu Sinian could jeopardize future cooperation. A woman, after all, was far less important than a business partner; he knew where to draw the line.

Mu Yinyin’s expression remained calm, as if she hadn't heard a word of their exchange. In truth, she hadn't wanted to come for this very reason, but given Lu Sinian’s insistence and the situation with Gu Xiaoqi, she didn't have much of a choice.

After waiting a while longer, the waiter brought in all the food, and silence returned to the room. Now, they could discuss the partnership properly.

Li Ze smiled, stood up to pour wine for Mu Yinyin and Lu Sinian, and said cheerfully, "It is truly an honor to host Mr. Lu. Let me toast you first."

This was the icebreaker. Once the toast was finished, they could get down to business. Lu Sinian had already reviewed the general proposal; this meeting was merely to refine it and check for any potential loopholes.

They all raised their glasses. Li Ze turned to Mu Yinyin with a smile. "It is also my honor to dine with Ms. Mu for the first time. To the two of you, cheers."

With that, he downed his glass. Mu Yinyin and Lu Sinian took a few sips but did not drink as much as he did.

Shortly after, they set their glasses down, and Li Ze refilled them. He coughed lightly and said with a hint of embarrassment, "I am aware that you might be reluctant to take on this project, Mr. Lu, because the margins are thin and it requires significant resources. But... I believe there is great potential for the profits to double later on. It’s an investment for the future, don't you think?"

Although phrased as a question, the tone was one of earnest pleading.

Mu Yinyin kept her head down. If the situation hadn't been so formal, she would have started scrolling through Weibo on her phone.

Lu Sinian spoke naturally. "I’ve reviewed the proposal. As you said, there may be opportunities down the road."

Li Ze’s eyes lit up. Was there a chance? He nodded eagerly. "Exactly! The bet is on the long term. The initial phase won't lose money, and though it might take some time, the future is what matters."

Li Ze paused. He had wanted to compliment Lu Sinian on his shrewdness, but he feared it might come across as insincere or annoying, so he held his tongue.

Lu Sinian squinted, remaining silent.

Li Ze occasionally cast glances at Mu Yinyin. She didn't seem interested in their conversation at all, focusing instead on her chopsticks and eating quietly, as if she were genuinely there just to enjoy the food. She looked quite relaxed.

Lu Sinian picked up his chopsticks and began placing food on Mu Yinyin’s plate, attending to her with great care.

Li Ze’s eyes narrowed. There was definitely something going on between them!

"Try more of this; their version of this dish is quite good," Lu Sinian said softly after serving her.

Mu Yinyin nodded at him. "Thank you."

Lu Sinian curled his lips slightly, his gaze toward her growing exceptionally gentle.

Li Ze thought to himself: *Could he actually be falling for her?*

He had never seen Lu Sinian act this way with any other woman during business negotiations.

Li Ze didn't realize that Lu Sinian was doing it on purpose. Their coordination was calculated; even though they often communicated this way, Lu Sinian wanted Li Ze to clearly see how much he cared for Mu Yinyin. This would help Li Ze make his own judgments later.

After a pause, Lu Sinian looked at Li Ze and said calmly, "This collaboration is like a bland meal—not worth much, but a shame to throw away. However, out of respect for our years of working together, I am willing to go through with it."

Li Ze’s eyes brightened. If Lu Sinian said that, it was as good as done. He didn't mind playing the sentiment card—everyone did it in this industry.

Before he could respond, however, Lu Sinian added, "But there is one condition for this partnership that I’d like you to consider carefully."

"What condition? Please tell me, Mr. Lu," Li Ze said, appearing very accommodating. He assumed Lu Sinian wouldn't ask for anything unreasonable. He was willing to do whatever it took, not because this specific project was vital, but because he valued the prospect of endless future collaborations with the Lu Group. For greater profits, he was naturally willing to concede.

Mu Yinyin’s gaze flickered. She remained silent, knowing that Lu Sinian was finally getting to the point. While business dinners often required a lot of time, everyone preferred to cut to the chase—unless they were the type who just loved to drink.

Lu Sinian fixed his eyes on Li Ze. "We can cooperate, and I will continue to look out for the Li family in the future, provided that you give up one item at the upcoming auction."

Li Ze froze, looking at Lu Sinian in surprise. "You want to bid for it, Mr. Lu?"

"Not me. Someone very important to me wants it." As he spoke, he looked toward Mu Yinyin.

Mu Yinyin’s eyelashes fluttered; she parted her lips, but still, she said nothing.