She went to the wrong table on a blind date and ended up getting married to a billionaire CEO.

Shen Zejun invited Mario and his wife to have dinner at his old family home.

The two were indeed old friends.

Many years ago, the two men were both spirited young men, and both jewelry brands were also very young, yet at the peak of their development.

The two met at an industry exchange exhibition and hit it off immediately, having endless topics to discuss.

Because it's a foreign country, there's no business competition, nor the complex interpersonal relationships of a shared social circle.

Therefore, the two people can be completely honest with each other, exchange their views, business ideas, opinions on jewelry, and business problems.

At that stage, they were each other's right-hand men, advisors and strategists.

They supported each other in building their businesses.

Although both of their businesses later did well and gradually stabilized, and the companies were able to hire more professional managers, their priorities shifted, and their contact became less close.

But that deep affection still holds weight in each other's hearts and is very precious.

So even though Mario had already made up his mind to cooperate with Canshiyuan and had signed a cooperation agreement with Chenxing, he still had to give Shen Zejun face by having a meal together and catching up.

Of course, his feelings were also complicated.

At this time, Shen Zejun's contact with him couldn't have been without expectation. He was also aware of the competition between Gentlemen's Jewelry and Chenxing in the Chinese business world.

During our last meeting, Shen Zejun's daughter, Shen Qingge, seemed to harbor considerable hostility towards Gu Tingyu's wife.

He and Pei Rong initially thought it was just business competition; however, after the MISS Y plagiarism incident came out, the internet was abuzz with news of Shen Qingge's secret love affair with Gu Tingyu.

Mario and his wife only then realized that there was more to the story.

Shen Zejun's personal intervention at this critical juncture is undoubtedly aimed at reaching a cooperation agreement with El Encanto de España.

Mario, however, has already signed a cooperation agreement with Chenxing, a competitor of Shen's Jewelry.

But Mario still had to keep the appointment. He mentally prepared himself, explaining that keeping the appointment was a matter of friendship, but business decisions couldn't be entirely dictated by personal relationships.

If Shen Zejun harbors resentment because of this and loses this friend, he can only accept it. Besides, such friendships are unlikely to last.

Having made up his mind, he said goodbye to Xiao Mohan and Gu Tingyu, saying he had to go back to see his friends and sign the contract the next day.

Xiao Mohan wasn't too surprised and didn't ask any questions. He simply arranged for a car to take Mario and his wife back to their hotel.

Mario and his wife had just left by car.

Gu Tingyu then spoke up: "Are they going to see Shen Zejun tonight?"

Xiao Mohan nodded.

Lin Manlin was getting impatient: "Why is Shen's Jewelry targeting Chenxing every day? And then they suddenly show up and interfere at this crucial moment."

Su Maiqi remained calm: "It's alright, we've already signed a contract with Chenxing. Even if we hadn't, Mario might not have chosen Shen's Jewelry."

Gu Tingyu nodded: "Yes, Mario and Shen Zejun are friends, and he will meet with him. But as a mature businessman, Mario will not disregard business logic because of this friendship."

"The contract with Canshiyuan will definitely be signed as scheduled tomorrow."

After chatting, everyone felt relaxed and decided to have dinner together to celebrate.

Mario and Perrin returned to the hotel, rested for a while, and then washed up and changed into slightly more formal clothes.

Mario chose an exquisite gray Zhongshan suit, with a well-fitting cut and smooth lines. The collar and cuffs were cleverly incorporating Spanish-style embroidery, which retained the solemnity of the East while revealing a touch of Western elegance.

A pair of gleaming black leather shoes complemented the Zhongshan suit perfectly, giving him a mature and composed look.

Pei Rong wore a deep red cheongsam embroidered with delicate violet patterns, which not only reflected the traditional beauty of China but also incorporated the passion and exuberance of Spain.

The slit in the cheongsam is just right, maintaining elegance while revealing a touch of sexiness.

He wore a gray wool coat over his outfit, with delicate Spanish-style patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs, which complemented Mario's Zhongshan suit perfectly.

Shen Zejun sent a car to pick up Mario and his wife at the hotel entrance. To show his sincerity, Shen Qingshuo also came along and got off the car early to wait in the hotel lobby.

Seeing Mr. and Mrs. Mario come down from the elevator, I quickly went up to greet them: "Mr. Mario, Mrs. Perrin, my father has prepared dinner and asked me to come and greet you."

After exchanging pleasantries, Shen Qingshuo guided Mario and his wife into the car and drove towards the Shen family villa.

In a quiet place on the outskirts, the car arrived at dusk, and golden sunlight shone on the lawn.

The villa, which blends modern design with traditional elements, appears both luxurious and understated under the golden light.

Behind the tall iron gate, a winding driveway leads to the main building, with carefully arranged flower beds and sculptures on both sides.

As soon as the car drove into the gate, Shen Zejun and his wife opened the villa gate to greet them.

Shen Zejun wore a dark blue custom-made suit, well-tailored, with simple and elegant lines.

Mrs. Shen wore a Chinese-style long dress made of traditional silk, featuring a classic stand-up collar and slanted placket design. The dress was embroidered with peony patterns symbolizing wealth and good fortune, and was decorated with vibrant colors.

This was a banquet that both sides attached great importance to.

Shen Zejun warmly shook hands with Mario; the two old friends were both very excited to see each other again.

This was Mrs. Shen and Pei Rong's first formal meeting, but they knew each other before and were aware of their past relationship, so they exchanged pleasantries warmly.

But deep down, there was some regret. This meeting wasn't just a simple reunion; everyone's feelings were complicated, and there was some unease.

The dinner was also meticulously prepared and very lavish, featuring both traditional Chinese delicacies and Spanish specialties.

The table was covered with a snow-white tablecloth, on which were placed exquisite silverware and crystal wine glasses. Each set of tableware was carefully selected to complement the patterns on the plates.

The dessert was tiramisu made by Mrs. Shen herself, blending classic Italian flavors with the Shen family's unique innovations.

This demonstrates the importance and respect they place on their guests.

Shen Zejun didn't say much, but warmly invited Mario and his wife to eat.

Shen Qingshuo, however, was getting restless and fidgety. Several times he tried to say something, but then he didn't.

Mario, seeing this, finally spoke up: "Brother Shen, I didn't want to bother you during my trip to Yuncheng. Firstly, I was thinking that you and your wife were recuperating and it wouldn't be convenient to disturb you; secondly, I came to Yuncheng to discuss a contract. El Encanto de España wants to develop in China and has already signed a contract with Chenxing."

I'm actually quite regretful. We were brothers, supporting each other's growth and development, but in the end, we didn't have the opportunity to cooperate. This cooperation was discussed and agreed upon with the board of directors before I came to China.

I know that Chenxing is a competitor of Shen's Jewelry in China. Although business is business, I still feel very apologetic. I'd like to propose a toast to Brother Shen.