Five minutes ago.

Secretary Xiaoqi walked out of the cafe and the winter sun shone on her face, warming it. Her smile was brighter than the rays of the sun, and she was in a mood as light as light. She was already fantasising about the benefits this exchange would bring her, like a promotion, or a reward of over a million.

Xiaoqi was not paying attention and she bumped into a man. The briefcase in her hand dropped to the ground and she fell backwards.

The man moved forward and caught her by the waist. His arms were strong and he did not let her fall to the ground.

Xiaoqi then saw the man clearly. His handsome face… and the little bit of stubble on his upper lip, plus his healthily buff body. This man was mature and sexy. What’s more, he was dressed in a Giorgio Armani suit and he had a limited edition Patek Philippe watch on his wrist. He was full of elegance and class.

Their gazes met and Xiaoqi’s heart started to thump loudly in that instant.

Mature sexiness, elegant handsomeness, successful - women would be after him even if he were squatting by the roadside eating pancakes. A man like this would find it easy as pie to get a woman’s heart.

“Are you all right, miss?” asked the man in concern. He still kept his arm around her waist. They looked like they were doing a latin dance and had frozen in this pose.

“I’m all right. You…” Xiaoqi’s face turned red. This man kept her in this position all this while and it made her heart flutter. She was a little nervous too.

“Oh, sorry.” The man helped her up.

While he did that, he slipped a small flat thing into the back of her suit. He was quick, and Xiaoqi didn’t feel a thing.

Xiaoqi suddenly remembered something and she picked up the briefcase from the ground.

The man smiled warmly. “Miss, you look like a friend of mine. Could I ask for your phone number?”

Xiaoqi paused. She could barely contain the joy in her heart but she tried to keep a straight face. “Sir, is this how you pick up girls? We don’t know each other and you’re asking for my number? I’m not the sort of woman you think I am.”

The man’s face was full of sincerity. “I’m not lying to you. I’ll show you something.”

“What?” Xiaoqi was intrigued.

The man took out a wallet and opened it. A very old-looking photo was pressed in its folds, and it showed a man and a woman smiling, with their heads together. The Egyptian pyramids were behind them. It was easy to tell that this was a picture from a holiday.

Xiaoqi’s gaze went to the woman in the picture and she was struck dumb. This woman looked about 70 to 80% like her. The only difference was that the woman in the photograph looked a little older than her.

The man sighed, and his eyes filled with hurt. “Miss, to be honest, her name’s Kyouka Minako. She’s my girlfriend… but we were attacked two years ago in Iraq and she lost her life.”

“Your girlfriend’s Japanese?” Xiaoqi looked surprised.

The man suddenly bowed to Xiaoqi. “I am Japanese too. My name is Katou Takasuke. I do international trading and I’m here in China for business. I didn’t expect to meet you, Miss. I was reminded of Kyouka Minako when I saw you. Please give me a chance to be your friend, Miss.”

Xiaoqi giggled. “Sir, you’re so fluent in Chinese but you’re actually Japanese. It’s quite unexpected.”

The man then spoke in Japanese. “I’ve always liked Chinese culture since I was a child and I started learning Chinese from a young age. I am also half-Chinese because my mother is Chinese. This is why I feel a natural fondness for Chinese women.”

Xiaoqi stared blankly at his little speech; she did not understand a thing.

The man repeated what he’d said in Chinese, then added, “Miss, please give me a chance to get to know you.”

“All right, I’ll agree since you’re being so sincere. This is my business card. I get off at five today.” Xiaoqi handed the man a card.

The card had her full name, Ye Xiaoqi, and her phone number.

The man put the card away and bowed to Xiaoqi again. “Thank you, Miss Ye.”

Ye Xiaoqi pursed her lips in a laugh. “Just call me Xiaoqi. I’ll wait for you to call. I have to go to work now, so goodbye, Mr Katou Takasuke.”

The man smiled and nodded. He watched Ye Xiaoqi cross the street and enter the Hanwu Weapons building.

Ring ring ring, ring ring ring went the man’s phone.

The man took out his phone and accepted the call. He said just one line. “Give Hu Hui 400,000, then make yourself scarce.”

This sexy, mature man was none other than Xia Lei.

Ye Kun and Mu Jianfeng were playing a spy game with him, and they had made two moves in the game already. It was now the third time and Xia Lei was tired of playing passive defence. He was going to go on the offensive now.

They liked to play spy games, didn’t they? It would be a real embarrassment if the ace of Bureau 101 didn’t show his hand, then.

Xia Lei had researched who Ye Kun’s current secretary was, and the photograph in his wallet had been photoshopped. The Katou Takasuke identity had just been put into use a little earlier than scheduled. Besides, he had to use this identity when going to Japan later.

Xia Lei ended the call and went into the cafe. He walked straight to the table where Wu Bin had made the exchange. He sat down and ordered a latte. After the waitstaff walked off, Xia Lei retrieved a pinhole camera from the plant by the table and put it in his pocket.

He had instructed Wu Bin to pick this location and arranged for him to sit in this spot for the exchange.

The exchange between Wu Bin and Ye Kun’s secretary had been recorded on this pinhole camera, and this footage would play a major role in Xia Lei’s plans.

The waitstaff brought a latte.

Xia Lei drank the coffee and looked at the Hanwu Weapons building opposite. Ye Kun was in that building but he could not find him in the building which was dozens of storeys high. However, he had slipped a listening device on Ye Xiaoqi and that device was going to give him what he wanted.

Xia Lei took a sip of coffee and put his earphones in, waiting quietly for Ye Xiaoqi to meet Ye Kun.

Ye Xiaoqi walked out of the lift and to the chairman’s office of the Hanwu Weapons building. She couldn’t help thinking of the handsome man she’d met and she smiled. ‘Is this my lucky windfall? I got a new opportunity in my career and I also met a big fish. He’s in international trade, and judging by his outfit, he must be a billionaire at least. He’s also so handsome and so sexy… Today must be my lucky day.’

Ye Xiaoqi reached out a hand and knocked on the door of Ye Kun’s office.

“Enter.” Ye Kun’s voice came from behind the door.

Ye Xiaoqi took a deep breath and focused her thoughts on work. She pushed the door open and walked in. “Chairman Ye, Elder Mu, I’ve brought the items back. I’ve checked and they’re real.”

“Quick, bring them over here. Let’s take a look.” Ye Kun could sit still no longer and he went over in excitement.

The drawings from the suitcase were placed on Ye Kun’s desk. It was the design plan for the Gust assault rifle, and the relevant technical numbers.

Ye Kun and Mu Jianfeng drew close to the desk and they flipped through the drawings.

A few minutes later, Ye Kun abruptly laughed aloud. “That punk Xia Lei is our rival but I have to give it to him. He’s a weapons genius. I can tell - just these drawings have already far surpassed what assault rifles we’ve designed in Hanwu Weapons.”

Mu Jianfeng was fairly reserved in the beginning and cautious too, but he believed that the drawings were authentic after he saw them. He and Ye Kun had climbed up from lower ranks in the industry and they both had technical knowledge. This technical knowledge also let him smell the great opportunity to be had from this.

“No need to get the professionals to verify this, Ye Kun. This gun can be produced,” said Mu Jianfeng. “This is the new assault rifle our two companies produced through a collaboration. You pick a new name for it.”

Ye Kun looked blankly at Mu Jianfeng. He was silent.

“Teacher, no, this…” Ye Kun did not want to parcel out the gains he had gotten, but he could not reject Mu Jianfeng; he was not just his teacher but his benefactor.

Mu Jianfeng spoke evenly, “Both of us bribed people to be spies in Thunder Horse Military Factory. Your spy succeeded, but mine didn’t. How about this, then? Hanwu Weapons take 60% and China Industrial Group takes 40%.”

Ye Kun hesitated, but nodded in the end. “We’ll do that, then. You’re my benefactor after all.”

“Hahaha, I’ve always favoured you. It wasn’t a waste of me helping you rise through the ranks since you’re thinking of me in times of success now,” said Mu Jianfeng with a laugh.

“Teacher, since it’s a collaboration between our companies, I’ll name this assault rifle ‘Shenwu’. The name comes from one word from each of our companies,” said Ye Kun.

“Shenwu, Shenwu… I like it. Let’s name it Shenwu.” Mu Jianfeng was very happy. “I’ll call the patent office right away. We’ll get this patented and cut off Xia Lei’s chance of an advantage.”

“Swift and resolute, as expected of Teacher!” Ye Kun flattered Mu Jianfeng.

Mu Jianfeng used the phone on the desk to make the call.

Ye Kun glanced at Ye Xiaoqi and said flatly, “What are you still doing here? Go do your work.”

“I…” Ye Xiaoqi started to say something, then stopped.

“Oh, right, you did well this time. I’ll get the finance department to give you 50,000 as a reward.” Of course Ye Kun knew why she was still standing there.

“50,000?” Ye Xiaoqi’s fantasies came crashing down around her.

Ye Kun wrinkled his brows. “You’re complaining that it’s too little?”

“No, no, no… I’ll go do my work now. Thank you, Chairman Ye.” Ye Xiaoqi turned and left, cursing Ye Kun’s family as she went. ‘Fuck you. I helped you get your hands on such important drawings and you gave me just 50,000 as a reward? Am I a beggar to you? Curse your whole family! May they all die! May you meet with an accident after work. Get crushed by a truck - your head, arms and legs all jumbled up! Die in pieces!’

Women had the most poisonous hearts.