Saturday morning, the sun was bright and clear.
In the eastern suburbs of Xijing City, a private club named “Orchid Pavilion” stood with white walls and dark tiles, winding paths leading to secluded spots. It was truly the city’s top-tier private gathering place, offering excellent confidentiality.
Wen Yan followed behind her grandfather and parents, stepping along the bluestone-paved path, her mood more complex and tense than ever before.
Her attire today had been carefully selected by her mother—a modified qipao dress in a hazy blue hue, elegantly tailored. It was neither overly formal nor overly casual, highlighting the gentle grace and scholarly air of an Eastern woman.
Her long hair was loosely tied up at the back, revealing a smooth forehead and a slender neck.
She knew that this outfit was less about meeting her “blind date” and more about appeasing her elders, especially her enthusiastic grandfather.
Pushing open the door to the private room, a faint scent of sandalwood mixed with the aroma of fresh tea greeted her.
Inside the room, an elderly man stood by the window and turned around at the sound. It was the founder of the Li Group, Li Yanzhou’s grandfather, Old Master Li Hongyi.
His face was lean, and his eyes were sharp.
Seated at the redwood round table was another person.
It was Li Yanzhou.
He did not look toward the door but instead lowered his gaze slightly, focusing on fiddling with the lid of the celadon teacup in front of him. The lines of his profile, softened by the gentle light filtering through the carved wooden window, appeared exceptionally distinct and coldly detached.
He wore a high-quality new Chinese-style jacket, which, compared to his usual sharp-suited image, seemed less severe but more aloof and distant.
Though seated there, he seemed separated from the warm, rustic surroundings by an invisible barrier.
“Old Li!” Grandpa Wen’s booming voice broke the silence as he stepped forward with a smile. “Sorry to keep you waiting!”
“Old Wen!” A genuine smile spread across Old Master Li’s face as he stepped forward to shake hands with his old comrade. His gaze then fell on Wen Yan, and his eyes lit up instantly.
“This must be Yan Yan, right? Wonderful, truly wonderful! Her temperament and appearance are indeed first-rate! Come, sit, sit!”
Wen Yan quickly stepped forward, greeting him politely, “Hello, Grandpa Li.”
Her voice was clear and graceful, her demeanor poised and natural.
“Ah, good, good!” Old Master Li nodded repeatedly before turning to his grandson. “Yanzhou, come and greet Grandpa Wen, Uncle, and Auntie. This is their daughter, Wen Yan.”
Only then did Li Yanzhou set down the teacup lid and slowly rise to his feet.
His posture was as straight and tall as a pine tree, his demeanor cool and distinguished.
His features were even more striking and profound than in photographs—sharp eyebrows, starry eyes, a high-bridged nose, and thin lips slightly pressed together, forming an overwhelmingly handsome picture.
Wen Yan’s gaze instinctively drifted toward him.
Just one glance.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
She had, of course, seen photos and videos of Li Yanzhou before—in financial news, business magazines, and even some candid shots circulating online.
She knew he was handsome, the kind of striking, distinctive handsomeness with sharp angles and deep-set eyes that fit every imagination of a “business elite” or “domineering CEO.”
But she had never seen him in person, up close like this.
What kind of eyes were those? Deep, calm, like a bottomless cold pool or a starry night sky.
When that gaze fell clearly and unobstructed upon Wen Yan, she felt her breath catch for a moment.
Her heart felt as if it had been lightly struck by something—not heavy, yet exceptionally clear.
Immediately after, an unfamiliar, tingling sensation carrying warmth quietly spread from her chest, flowing through her limbs and entire body.
She had never in real life encountered a man with such an overwhelming presence, yet one who paradoxically exuded a fatal allure.
He was merely standing there quietly, not even speaking or moving, yet it felt as though he already controlled the very air in the room.
That innate, complex aura—a blend of coolness, detachment, authority, and an indescribable, pure masculine charm—enveloped her like an invisible yet dense net.
So this was what he was like in person.
Beyond her imagination… no, surpassing all her imaginings.
Love at first sight.
These four words suddenly appeared clearly in Wen Yan’s mind, but she immediately and instinctively suppressed the thought.
What a joke? Wen Yan, have you lost your mind? Falling in love at first sight with a business magnate you’ve just met, one who is rumored to have no interest in women?
She hurriedly averted her gaze, trying to arm herself with reason.
It must be nerves, it must be his overwhelming presence, it must be an illusion… she told herself, struggling to calm her suddenly erratic heartbeat and the warmth on her cheeks.
At this moment, the turmoil in Li Yanzhou’s heart was no less intense than Wen Yan’s.
He was no stranger to beautiful women. Those who surrounded him or tried to approach him through various means were diverse in their charms, each with their own appeal.
But he had always been sparing with his attention and even more so with any superfluous emotions.
Yet this woman before him…
Her attire today was clearly carefully chosen. The modified haze-blue cheongsam dress accentuated her graceful figure, giving her a gentle, refined, and scholarly elegance.
Her features were delicate and lovely, free of heavy makeup yet picturesque, especially her eyes—clear and bright, now slightly widened in surprise, like a startled deer, carrying an innocence untouched by the world, strangely blending with the poised and composed demeanor she exuded.
She was entirely different from the contrived or overly eager “blind date” he had anticipated.
He had seen too many meticulously dressed socialites with obvious intentions, their beauty often tainted by deliberate artifice and clear agendas.
But this Wen Yan before him—her beauty was fresh and natural, carrying the capable undertones of a professional woman, yet strangely without sharp edges, instead possessing a soothing softness.
An extremely unfamiliar feeling of “pleasing to the eye” swiftly passed through his heart.
Liking her? Impossible. How could he, Li Yanzhou, develop such an irrational, uncontrollable emotion as “liking” for a woman he had just met?
Thus, he quickly concealed the fleeting, unusual glimmer in his eyes, returning to his usual calm and unruffled demeanor, even deliberately adding a touch of the cool detachment befitting the “forced blind date” scenario.
Li Yanzhou first inclined his head slightly in greeting to Wen Yan’s elders, his voice deep and steady:
“Grandfather Wen, Uncle, Auntie, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Then, his gaze turned to Wen Yan as he extended his hand, his voice equally deep and steady: “Miss Wen, a pleasure to meet you.”
“Mr. Li, hello,” Wen Yan replied, reaching out to shake his hand lightly.
The two pulled apart almost instantly, yet it felt as though a faint electric current had shot through the skin where they touched.
Wen Yan was preoccupied with the thought that this was an awkward, forced blind date with an “iceberg.”
Li Yanzhou was preoccupied with the thought that this was a tedious, obligatory routine to appease his grandfather.
Neither of them dwelled on the strange, fleeting sensation that had flickered in their hearts during that first encounter.
Perhaps it was merely the human instinct to appreciate something beautiful.
They categorized it as an objective acknowledgment that “the other person is indeed exceptionally attractive” or a mild surprise that “this isn’t what I expected.”
Then, with reason, with their understanding of the nature of this blind date, and with the high walls they had each built in their hearts, they completely buried, ignored, and even denied that tiny, budding, and still too faint to recognize spark of “attraction.”
Thus, this first meeting progressed seemingly calm and uneventful, set against the backdrop of the two protagonists’ complicated emotions and the enthusiastic encouragement of their elders.
Only the sunlight outside the window quietly illuminated the man and woman who had been forcibly brought together in the private room, silently sealing away the fleeting flash of admiration and subtle ripple in their eyes during that first encounter, preserving it in that specific moment in time.
Everyone exchanged pleasantries and took their seats.
Naturally, the conversation revolved around the glorious years of the two grandfathers’ youth and the changes their families had undergone over the years.
It was clear that Old Master Li was extremely pleased with Wen Yan, frequently steering the conversation toward her, his words filled with admiration.
Wen Yan maintained a perfectly appropriate smile throughout, answering questions with both professional competence and the humility of a junior, occasionally even cracking a few witty remarks that made the two elders laugh heartily.
As for Li Yanzhou, he remained the quietest and most out-of-place presence at the table.
He spoke very little. Only when his own grandfather directly addressed him or when the Wen elders politely inquired about the company’s recent affairs would he offer brief, concise responses, never elaborating or initiating any topics himself.
Most of the time, he simply ate in silence.
Wen Yan thought to herself, truly living up to the “iceberg” reputation, as expected.
Old Master Li clearly noticed Li Yanzhou’s silence and said with a smile to Old Master Wen, “Old Wen, this grandson of mine has his mind completely set on work.”
“Over the years, so many people have tried every trick to match him up, but he hasn’t taken a liking to any of them. I’m truly at my wit’s end! Seeing Yan Yan today, I genuinely like her from the bottom of my heart! This child is steady and dignified, completely different from those flashy, flighty types!”
Upon hearing this, Old Master Wen immediately responded:
“Yanzhou has it tough, carrying such a heavy burden at such a young age. It’s good for a man to prioritize his career, but he still needs someone by his side who understands and cares for him.”
Hearing the two elders’ almost blatant conversation, Li Yanzhou’s expression remained unchanged. He simply picked up his teacup and took a small sip.