Arranged marriage, love blossoms; a fiercely devoted soldier dotes on her alone.

"Brother, have you finished talking with Xiao Zhan?"

At this moment, Deng Ying, having changed her clothes, gracefully walked over and asked.

Deng Zhi saw his younger sister and immediately showed a loving expression, laughing, "Haha, we just finished talking. What's wrong, little sister? Why are you in such a hurry to talk to Xiao Zhan?"

"Alright then, I'll leave Xiao Zhan to you."

"Xiaoying, I think you two should talk things out face to face. You're not getting any younger, don't make your family worry."

Deng Zhi then turned to Xiao Zhan and said, "I'll call and arrange things with Xunda Technology Co., Ltd. right away. Don't worry, it's what we agreed on. I won't take a penny more than I'm entitled to. Also, I'll give you a big gift. I'll have someone give you detailed information about Ishida Mako. Hehe, I have more information than Xia Keke does."

Xiao Zhan asked in surprise, "You know Xia Keke?"

Deng Zhi nodded and said, "Of course I know her. Didn't she come with you? She's in the Maybach outside. The social circles in Beijing are both big and small, but in Beijing, if I want to know someone's identity information, it's a matter of minutes."

"Alright, you two can talk now."

"Xiao Zhan, don't bully my little sister!"

"Otherwise, I won't let you off the hook, hahaha..."

After saying this, Deng Zhi smiled and walked away with light steps...

When Xiao Zhan saw Deng Zhi looking like he had won a battle, he felt that something was amiss.

"Brother Zhan, what are you thinking about?"

At this moment, Deng Ying walked up to Xiao Zhan and asked softly.

Xiao Zhan turned his gaze to Deng Ying, and his eyes lit up immediately. What came into view was a full and three-dimensional face with fair and tender skin. Every smile and frown was full of girlish charm. In particular, her eyes, which were full of affection as she looked at him, made Xiao Zhan's heart tremble violently.

Then he saw Deng Ying change into an elegant dress and stand gracefully in front of him.

Xiao Zhan's deep eyes traveled down Deng Ying's face. Her slender figure had not an ounce of excess fat, her breasts were full and firm, her waist was slender enough to be grasped in one hand, and her buttocks looked round and bouncy. With such a beautiful and outstanding appearance, if anyone saw her and said they wouldn't make a mistake, then they must have something wrong with their body.

"Gurgle!"

Xiao Zhan involuntarily swallowed.

He's no longer a virgin; he's tasted the sweet, unforgettable flavor of love between men and women.

Deng Ying heard Xiao Zhan swallow, his Adam's apple bobbing.

She said softly, "Brother Zhan, is your throat sore?"

"Let me pour you some tea."

Xiao Zhan quickly covered it up, saying, "I am a little thirsty. The sun is really strong today. Deng Ying, how have you been living these past few years? You look even younger and more beautiful than you did seven years ago, and you have an added intellectual beauty of a mature woman."

Deng Ying blushed and muttered, "No way, I'm just an old maid nobody wants."

Xiao Zhan joked, "You're practically the Heavenly Child Granny, possessing an uncanny, ageless appearance!"

As Deng Ying poured tea, she said, "Brother Zhan, please stop talking, my face is all red."

Xiao Zhan: "Alright then!"

Deng Ying handed Xiao Zhan a cup of tea and asked, "Brother Zhan, you must be working very hard in the army. I heard from my older brother that special forces often carry out dangerous missions."

Have you ever failed?

"Thud!"

After finishing his tea, Xiao Zhan lit a cigarette and said thoughtfully, "For us special forces soldiers, failure means death."

Deng Ying exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, that was so dangerous! Luckily you came back. Were you ever afraid of failure?"

Xiao Zhan smirked and said, "My life has no failures, because I either succeed or grow. I have no enemies; everyone I meet is a teacher. I either gain something or learn something. No path in my life has been wasted. I celebrate when I'm right and improve when I'm wrong. I will never be defeated by anyone or anything. I allow everything to happen and firmly believe that everything that happens will be for my benefit."

"Because failure is death to me."

"Haha, tell me about your life these past few years."

Deng Ying's expression changed slightly, and she hesitated for a moment before saying, "After you left to join the army, I went to the UK to study for a combined master's and doctoral degree after graduating from my undergraduate degree. I graduated last year and came back. Currently, I run a chain tea restaurant called Anxiang."

Xiao Zhan exclaimed in surprise, "So you own the Dark Fragrance Tea Restaurant that's been all the rage in the capital lately!"

Deng Ying nodded and said, "We've just opened five chain stores, and we plan to open ten by this year. After accumulating experience, we'll start expanding next year and launch a franchise model."

Xiao Zhan gave a thumbs up and said, "Deng Ying, I didn't expect you to be so amazing now! I really admire you!"

Deng Ying blushed and said, "What's the big deal? It's all thanks to my family and my older brother's connections."

"Xiao Zhan, I heard you're engaged to Lin Ruoxi, but my older brother says it's a fake engagement. What's going on?"

Xiao Zhan spoke frankly: "The engagement banquet is real, but it's impossible for Lin Ruoxi and me. Sigh, it's a long story."

"do you have a boyfriend?"

Upon hearing Xiao Zhan's question, Deng Ying's eyes immediately reddened. She gazed at Xiao Zhan with a wistful expression and said, "Brother Zhan, don't you know how I feel?"

"You served in the army for seven years and never called or texted me once. I finally managed to get your phone number from someone, but when I called, they either said they didn't know you or that you were on a mission."

"I asked you when you could come back? The other party said it was a secret and then hung up the phone."

As Deng Ying spoke, two crystal-clear tears rolled down her cheeks…

Xiao Zhan knew, of course, that his unit was a highly classified unit, and that he could only make phone calls when he was on rest. It was really difficult for anyone to call him.

Xiao Zhan: "Deng Ying, I'm sorry. To be honest, I don't even know how long I have left to live. I'm afraid I won't be able to give you happiness."

Deng Ying suddenly looked up at Xiao Zhan, tears welling in her eyes, and said, "People always interpret happiness as 'having'—having a house, a car, money, and power. But I believe happiness is 'not having'—being free from worries, anxieties, illness, and disaster. 'Having' is mostly for others to see; 'not having' is what you truly possess."

"I just want to be with you, even if it's only for a day, a month, or a year, I'll be content."

Hearing Deng Ying say this, Xiao Zhan felt a pang of pain in his heart. He gritted his teeth and said, "Deng Ying, I'm sorry. At that time, I really didn't know if I could come back alive. In fact, you can love each other for a lifetime even if you're not husband and wife, and you can grow old together without marriage. There is a kind of longing called not disturbing, and there is a kind of love called not contacting."

Deng Ying smiled wryly and said, "Is this what you told me?"

Xiao Zhan was speechless. Before leaving to join the army, he had told Deng Ying that this parting might be for life.

Xiao Zhan didn't want to talk about such a heavy topic.

So he asked, "Deng Ying, what exactly is your older brother doing now? It seems like he's in business, or maybe he works in some special government department."

This was also a question in Xiao Zhan's mind.

Before he came, he asked the old man why Deng Zhi was asking him for benefits. The old man did not answer, but only said that he would understand in the future.

Deng Ying thought for a moment and said, "I really don't know what my brother does exactly. I once overheard him on the phone saying he was going to investigate someone and that he would step in to mediate between the two parties. When he saw me, he stopped talking."

"I guess my older brother is probably in some kind of secret service."

Xiao Zhan heard Deng Ying say that.

Suddenly, it was as if he had an epiphany.

Xiao Zhan suddenly thought of how the Jiajing Emperor spent his days cultivating Taoism, firing celadon, and neglecting court affairs, yet he always maintained a firm grip on the court. Like a puppeteer, he manipulated several powerful ministers and factions to fight, struggle, and consume each other, thus maintaining political balance and equality of interests.

Thinking of this,

Xiao Zhan now has a completely new interpretation of Deng Zhigang's request for 30% of Xunda Co., Ltd.'s assets...

He thought to himself, "So Deng Zhi asked me for 30% of Xunda Company's shares, claiming it was a 'whoever sees it gets a share' deal. He's actually playing mind games; he's the real mastermind!"