Chapter 81: Schemes! All Schemes! One Must Play the Game Even Better!

As soon as the dragon amber was lit, an enticing fragrance spread throughout the office. Immersed in this delicate scent, Huang Bin felt as if his entire being entered a mystical state—calm, focused, and inexplicably refreshed. The sensation was truly remarkable.

He immediately realized it must be the incense and instinctively asked, “Chu Lin, what kind of incense is this?”

Chu Lin explained, “That’s dragon amber, and not just any kind—this is a rare grade of white dragon amber. It takes centuries to saponify. In ancient times, only the royal family could afford it, and now, only the wealthiest magnates can even hope to use it.”

Of course, it was one thing for the wealthy to have access, but whether they could consistently obtain such a rare grade of white dragon amber was another matter entirely—its scarcity was truly extreme.

“This is dragon amber?” Huang Bin was astonished.

He’d certainly heard of dragon amber and its legendary reputation, but he’d never seen it himself—nor could he have imagined its effects would be so extraordinary.

Just from his current experience, he could tell it was something special.

Huang Bin also understood now that Chu Lin was looking for clients for this dragon amber, so he hastily inquired, “Chu Lin, this dragon amber must be expensive, right?”

Chu Lin didn’t hide anything. “On the market, a gram of rare white dragon amber goes for five thousand.”

“Damn…” Huang Bin couldn’t help but exclaim at the price. People always said dragon amber was as valuable as gold, but lately, gold was only about five hundred per gram—this incense was ten times that.

“I’ll submit a resource request to the company tomorrow. I’ll help you find a buyer as soon as possible. But you’ll have to give me some incense; otherwise, I won’t be able to persuade anyone.”

Although their company functioned as a broker, not all resources were open to every employee. The more exclusive the client resource, the higher the clearance required. Only managers and above could access clients affluent enough to burn dragon amber for pleasure. At his level, Huang Bin could only submit an application for the resource database; if it was approved and signed off, he’d be granted access to that client list.

Naturally, if he succeeded in this, it might well earn him a promotion.

“Alright, I’ll give you some.” Chu Lin smiled, wrapped a pinch of dragon amber powder in paper, and handed it to Huang Bin. After Huang Bin carefully placed it in his car, Chu Lin added, “Let’s go swimming—don’t keep the ladies waiting.”

When the two of them returned to the bay, Liu Yan was already back in the water, while Li Qian was lounging on a beach chair, taking selfies on her phone.

Chu Lin and Huang Bin each found their own companion, and a new round of playful splashing began, pausing now and then until the sun finally set.

After changing, Chu Lin invited, “Let’s move the barbecue inside. Stay for some seafood tonight before heading home.”

“That’s a treat,” Huang Bin readily agreed. “With your seafood and some good wine, it’ll be perfect. Looks like I’ll need a designated driver.”

They wasted no time and soon had all the equipment inside.

Liu Yan was eagerly anticipating this meal. After all, her young boyfriend had said the famous Zhenzhen prawns were supplied by none other than President Chu, and that he had other seafood just as delicious.

Recently, the Zhenzhen prawns had become so famous they were now reservation-only.

There were also the premium oysters, also supplied by President Chu. She’d heard these oysters were particularly beneficial for men—selling out every day at two hundred yuan apiece, so much so that many couldn’t even get them.

She’d taken her boyfriend to try them the other night, and the evening’s experience had truly been delightful.

But it wasn’t just the men who benefitted—women did too.

As Liu Yan pondered this, she watched her young boyfriend and President Chu, both slyly washing oysters.

She instantly caught on and, without thinking, squeezed her legs together.

Before long, Chu Lin and Huang Bin had cleaned the Atlantis oysters. Huang Bin took over from there—his culinary skills, honed for impressing women, were more than adequate.

Besides the Atlantis oysters, they also prepared some Atlantis prawns, as well as a few Atlantis clams and scallops.

Stocks of the latter two were running low, and as for the Atlantis sea cucumbers, Chu Lin had already eaten them all.

After consuming about fifty, he did feel his constitution had improved somewhat.

Before long, a spread of seafood was ready, courtesy of Huang Bin’s skills, and the beer they’d ordered had arrived at the farm.

Chu Lin asked Huang Bin to set aside a share for Liu Xiao, who was on night duty. Then the meal began.

“Qian, try this!” Chu Lin, ever the gentleman, served a scallop to Li Qian.

With just one bite, Li Qian began to praise it.

Liu Yan had to admit, apart from the prawns, the scallops and clams were just as delicious.

It could be said that Chu Lin’s seafood was the best in the entire city of Min.

If not for her boyfriend’s connections, she’d never have tasted such delicacies in Min, no matter how hard she tried.

Huang Bin uncapped a beer and said to Chu Lin, “It’s been a while since we drank together—let’s start with a bottle.”

Li Qian quickly interjected, “Chu Lin can’t really hold his liquor, don’t drink too much.”

“What?” Huang Bin was taken aback. “I can’t outdrink Chu Lin—he can’t drink? Qian, are you sure you’re not misjudging your man’s capacity?”

Li Qian, equally baffled, turned to look at Chu Lin.

She distinctly remembered him passing out after only two cups, then lying dazed in her lap in the car.

Facing Li Qian’s questioning gaze, Chu Lin smiled awkwardly.

But there was no need to keep up the act. He simply clinked bottles with Huang Bin and, with practiced ease, drained his beer.

Li Qian’s eyes widened in shock.

She understood now.

It was all a setup.

She’d been played by Chu Lin.

She’d worried about him getting drunk and insisted on taking him home, only for him to sleep with her in the end.

The most outrageous part was how convincing he’d been—acting completely unaware the next morning, asking her what had happened.

Scoundrel.

The worst kind of scoundrel.

Li Qian cursed Chu Lin inwardly.

But then she considered how well he treated her—he must really like her, and that was why he’d gone to such lengths. He’d wanted her, and this was his way of getting her.

Thinking this, her heart softened, and she gently reminded him, “Chu Lin, don’t drink too much.”

Chu Lin couldn’t help but smile smugly.

Who could truly understand his methods?

By the time they finished eating and drinking, night had fallen.

Huang Bin and Liu Yan called for a driver and left.

Chu Lin, meanwhile, led Li Qian to his bedroom. As soon as they entered, Li Qian grew nervous. First, she was trespassing in Chu Lin’s girlfriend’s home—what if she returned unexpectedly? And secondly, she knew Chu Lin was not one for ordinary antics.

She instinctively placed her hands behind her back.

“I’m going to shower,” she announced, hurrying to the bathroom.

Chu Lin chuckled.

He found such women delightful.

Not long after, Li Qian emerged, wrapped in his bath towel, her fresh-out-of-the-shower charm impossible to ignore.

Embarrassed by his gaze, Li Qian urged, “You should go shower too.”

Chu Lin smiled and headed to the bathroom.

After an afternoon in the sea and a hearty meal, he was in dire need of a wash.

Li Qian, meanwhile, calmed herself and looked around the room. She noticed women’s toiletries and a wardrobe full of women’s clothes.

Chu Lin had bought all these before picking her up, so she’d believe he didn’t live alone—otherwise, she might get too comfortable and want to move in.

He wanted visits only when he desired them—not whenever she pleased.

For some reason, the presence of women’s items made Li Qian even more nervous, yet also sparked a bold idea—not only was she sneaking into Chu Lin’s girlfriend’s home, she was about to use her things.

Her gaze settled on several sets of women’s nightgowns in the wardrobe, and she called out toward the bathroom, “Chu Lin, I didn’t bring pajamas. May I borrow your girlfriend’s?”

Blushing, she clapped her hands over her face.

Wasn’t this just the sort of thing a bad girl would do?

She was suddenly beset by self-doubt.

Chu Lin, hearing this, laughed. “Go ahead!”

There was no girlfriend, of course.

Those nightgowns had never been worn.

But didn’t that make things even more amusing?

With permission, Li Qian went to examine the nightgowns and was stunned. “Why are they all Barbie-style?”

Barbie-style meant they were designed for young girls—an adult woman would look childish and a bit embarrassed in them, with so little fabric.

Li Qian couldn’t believe Chu Lin and his girlfriend had such tastes.

Her cousin’s words came to mind—competing with Chu Lin’s girlfriend meant mastering everything she could and doing it even better.

Chu Lin, after a thorough shower, came out to find Li Qian sitting bashfully in a Barbie-style camisole nightdress.

Damn.

He hadn’t paid attention when buying—these were for daughters, not girlfriends.

Had he just exposed himself?

But somehow, this childish nightdress on her had a powerful visual impact, especially as she sat coyly on the floor, looking up at him.

“Daddy, do I look pretty in this?” Li Qian suddenly asked in a coquettish tone.

Just as her cousin advised—if his girlfriend would play, she’d play an even bolder version.

“What?” Chu Lin was dumbfounded, a rush of exhilaration flooding him.

“Daddy, I asked if I look good,” Li Qian repeated, her voice as sweet as honey.

Good heavens.

Who could have guessed she’d be so bold?

Chu Lin strode over, thoroughly pleased. “Come, let Daddy show you the wild path up the back hill!”

…

Time slipped by as Chu Lin continued his explorations.

The next morning, he was awakened by an alert that the Atlantis map had refreshed. No sooner had he risen than Huang Bin’s urgent call came through.

As soon as he answered, Huang Bin’s apologetic voice sounded, “Chu Lin, something unexpected has happened!”