The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

Not long after the two finished speaking, a deep car engine sound came from outside the banquet hall, and the stretch Lincoln came to a steady stop at the entrance.

Zoro quickly took out a small mirror from his pocket, combed his shiny hair, and then sprayed perfume lightly all over himself.

Just as he withdrew his hand, the carved doors of the banquet hall were slowly pushed open.

Xu Xi, dressed in a long black dress, walked slowly in. Her cool and beautiful face was covered with a layer of indifference that kept people at a distance. She had an aura of aloofness about her. Surrounded by Long Teng and others, she stepped into the banquet hall.

The moment she stepped onto the stage, all eyes were instantly drawn to her. The dazzling lights overhead seemed to lose their luster, and even the bouquets of flowers on the table seemed to lose some of their beauty, making her appear like a black rose blooming alone in the dark night, cold and stunning.

Zoro immediately suppressed the distracting thoughts in his eyes, put on a gentle and refined demeanor, quickly stepped forward, and bowed slightly in greeting.

"Miss Xu has come from afar. I apologize for not greeting you properly."

Xu Xi coldly raised his eyes, glanced at his hypocritical appearance, and smiled faintly: "Young Master Solong is busy with affairs and business, and can even leave a banquet in the middle. How could I dare to trouble you with my affairs?"

Upon hearing the words "left midway through the meeting," Zoro's smile instantly froze, and his expression darkened.

In just a moment, he suppressed his displeasure, hiding all his emotions deep inside, while maintaining his composure on the surface.

"Miss Xu is too kind. You are my honored guest, and no matter how busy I am, taking good care of you is my top priority."

His gaze unconsciously fell on Xu Xi's hands, which were always tucked into his pocket. His throat tightened slightly, and a restlessness rose in his heart.

He suppressed his emotions and extended his hand to her, saying, "Then I wish us success in achieving a mutually satisfactory collaboration."

With Xu Nian not by her side, she had no reason to refuse to shake hands this time.

He pondered this in his mind, feeling a little smug.

Whenever he imagined the feel of those soft, tender little hands, his heart would flutter uncontrollably, as if being gently plucked by a delicate string.

Xu Xi remained standing with his hands in his pockets, his expression calm, a faint smile on his face.

Yang Ming, who was behind her, quickly stepped forward and reached out to grasp Zoro's hand, which was suspended in mid-air.

"Hello, I am Yang Ming, the Executive Director of the Hawaii region of Sinian Group. Our General Manager Xu values ​​this cooperation with your company very much and specifically requested that I accompany him."

"Thank you for your kind words, Young Master Sauron. I believe that tonight our two families will be able to reach a mutually beneficial and win-win project."

Seeing that his hand was firmly held by Yang Ming, and his carefully laid plans had failed, Zoro's face instantly darkened.

If Yang Ming had X-ray vision, he would definitely be able to see the teeth that were clenched tightly in his mouth.

He remained silent for a moment before managing to force a kind smile.

"It seems Miss Xu doesn't trust me, Zoro, bringing so many people with her to a banquet."

His gaze fell on Long Teng and the others, and he felt a burning hatred in his heart.

Presumably, these are the men that Xu Nian lavishly entertained with his money.

Xu Xi's eyebrows twitched slightly, and the smile on his lips faded a bit: "Young Master Solon is overthinking it. I once heard a Russian proverb: 'We welcome friends with fine wine, but we meet wolves with hunting rifles.'"

She looked up at Zoro, her gaze cool and detached, and asked calmly, "I wonder if fine wine or a hunting rifle awaits me tonight?"

A single sentence, spoken lightly, instantly reversed the situation. Zoro, who was originally being questioned, was now the one being asked to prove his own intentions.

Zoro paused for a moment, then quickly replied, "Of course it's fine wine. I've known Miss Xu for many years, and even if we couldn't reach an agreement on the collaboration, we'll always be friends."

After saying that, he turned slightly to the side and bowed, making a gesture of invitation.

Under his guidance, Xu Xi led Yang Ming, Long Teng, and the others straight to the main table inside the banquet hall.

Zoro took the seat at the head of the table, while Xu Xi and Yang Ming sat directly opposite him.

Long Teng and the others stood guard behind the two, their expressions wary, their eyes fixed on Zoro with undisguised vigilance and warning.

Feeling uncomfortable under such intense gazes, Zoro couldn't very well shoo them away directly. He could only force a friendly smile and say to Long Teng and the others, "Since you're all here, you're guests. Please don't stand on ceremony and come sit down for a meal."

Long Teng and the others merely glanced at him indifferently, their steps unwavering, their expressions full of disdain, leaving Zoro in an awkward position.

"Young Master Zoro, please have a seat."

Xu Xi picked up the wine glass in front of him, gently holding the stem with his fingertips, and slowly swirled the wine in the glass, his tone calm.

Upon hearing her instruction, Long Teng and the others exchanged glances, broke the stalemate, pulled out chairs on both sides of the dining table, and sat down steadily.

After everyone was seated, waiters pushed food carts forward one by one, bringing out a variety of exquisite dishes to each table: caviar, foie gras, deep-sea sashimi, Wellington steak... The table was filled with delicacies, and the abundance was in no way inferior to the hotel banquet the night before.

Zoro picked up the wine bottle, poured himself a small glass, raised his glass to Xu Xi, and said with a smile, "Miss Xu, before we formally discuss cooperation, I would like to extend my hospitality and apologize for the poor reception last night."

Xu Xi gave a faint reply, picked up his wine glass, and clinked it against his in the air.

After putting it down, she neither took a sip of the red wine in her glass nor picked up the knife and fork beside her, maintaining her upright posture with a calm and unwavering expression.

Looking at the table full of delicacies, Long Teng and the others felt hungry and their appetites were being whetted.

Seeing that Xu Xi hadn't moved an inch, everyone immediately sat up straight, placed their hands properly on their knees, and looked solemn.

Seeing this scene, Zoro's smile completely vanished, and his expression became increasingly awkward.

He couldn't help but say, "It seems Miss Xu still harbors resentment towards me and can't put her mind at ease."