Chapter 55: Strange smoothness
Xu Si walked through the casino area, her mind still preoccupied with finding Chen Mo. The waiter had said he would help her get in touch but hadn’t specified a time, so she found a rest area to sit and wait.
Ever since encountering the silver-haired man, she’d noticed a subtle change in how the staff treated her; it was considerably better, though the shift was faint. No sooner had she sat down than someone served her a cup of spice-infused honey water and an assortment of intricately crafted desserts, also asking if she needed a room prepared for her rest. Xu Si speculated that the silver-haired man in black held a high position within the Triad Society. His accidental assistance must have led the staff to believe she had a good relationship with him. A common misunderstanding. If this were Hong Kong Island, Xu Si might have found it bothersome. But this was Underground City, and Xu Si felt no disturbance whatsoever. When away from home, your identity is what you make of it. In this perilous place, one could lose their life in the blink of an eye for offending the wrong person, so being mistakenly perceived as having a powerful backer was certainly better than having none. Moreover, this ’beautiful misunderstanding’ seemed to make them incredibly efficient.
Within ten minutes of her sitting down, Chen Mo, who had kept her waiting, hurried over. The fine sweat on his face revealed he had rushed from a great distance. Upon seeing Xu Si, he pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his forehead and nose, saying, a touch of apprehension still in his voice, "Miss Xu, I heard you were looking for me?"
When asking for help, one must adopt the right attitude. Xu Si was just about to stand up to speak to him.
"Miss Xu, please stay seated, no need for formalities," Chen Mo quickly raised his hand to stop her. His smile was insincere yet eager, with a trace of wariness in his eyes. "It’s my fault for not giving you my business card last time. It was Lord Hei Shi who informed me; otherwise, I wouldn’t have known about this."
Lord Hei Shi? Xu Si silently noted this name, her gaze cool, and her tone strictly business. "Indeed, I do have a matter to discuss. I wish to seek assistance from the Sanlian Chamber of Commerce, and I wonder if Mr. Chen could be of help."
"Of course, tell me what it is," Chen Mo settled comfortably, pulling out a cigarette case. After a second’s hesitation, he politely offered one to Xu Si. "Do you smoke?"
"Yes."