Feng Yi left home early the next day, rushing around to handle the compensation payments for several collaborating companies.

It wasn’t until three in the afternoon that he managed to snatch a quick meal. After a brief rest, he immediately hurried to the last company: the Rongcheng Branch of Qianli Group.

Qianli Group owned multiple major domestic clothing brands. Feng Yi had only worked with one of them and, given his current status, he couldn’t possibly meet with the senior executives who held real power within the group.

However, just as he finished settling the debts and was preparing to leave, Feng Yi was informed that someone wanted to see him.

The person was Lu Yue, the head of the Qianli Group’s Rongcheng Business Development Team, and a graduate of the same university as Feng Yi. Feng Yi knew of him because Lu Yue had been invited back to give a speech during Feng Yi’s sophomore year.

Qianli Group was a family business, and Lu Yue, despite being under thirty, already held significant sway within the corporation. To reach this position at his age was not solely due to blood ties.

Still, Feng Yi was surprised that a busy person like Lu Yue would take the time to meet with a junior he didn’t even know. Feng Yi’s studio problem, while massive to him, wasn’t major enough for someone of Lu Yue’s caliber to personally intervene.

Feng Yi wasn’t wrong. Had it been any other time or person, Lu Yue wouldn’t have given it a second thought. It just so happened that today, while discussing a project, Lu Yue heard mention of Feng Yi’s studio.

Lu Yue was aware that the partner had screwed Feng Yi over and absconded with the funds. Since he happened to hear that Feng Yi was there to settle the compensation, and he rarely had a bit of downtime and was in a good mood, he decided to be benevolent. He had someone call Feng Yi upstairs, intending to chat with the junior, impart some life wisdom, and perhaps express a winner’s pity for a failed entrepreneur.

Lu Yue inwardly sighed over the situation of his junior. But that was the nature of the business world; sympathy didn’t buy much. He wondered if Feng Yi could ever recover from this setback. A total compensation amount of over twenty million was indeed a huge pitfall for someone just starting a business. He hadn’t heard of this junior having any notable background, yet the ability to fill that massive hole, regardless of the method, was a skill in itself.

Everyone has their secrets and difficulties they can’t speak of.

Lu Yue was considering how to console the junior without hurting his pride when he saw Feng Yi enter the office and was immediately taken aback.

First, he was surprised by the junior’s handsome appearance.

Second, and more importantly to Lu Yue, Feng Yi’s current mental state was excellent. There was no trace of resentment or dejection in his eyes; he didn’t look like a person whose career had just suffered a severe blow.

“Director Lu…” Feng Yi began.

“What’s with ‘Director Lu’? Call me Brother Lu. I’m only a few years older, and we went to the same school; there’s no need to be so formal!”

Lu Yue’s smile became much warmer, instantly switching from “stranger alumnus” mode to “potential business partner” mode.

Just as he thought, Feng Yi’s ability to cross this hurdle, no matter how he did it, was a display of capability. Therefore, deepening this alumni connection was necessary.

Under the intentionally created friendly atmosphere, Lu Yue covered everything from the school anniversary celebration to employment rates, from entrepreneurial experience to business philosophy.

Most of the time, Lu Yue did the talking while Feng Yi played the attentive audience.

In front of Feng Yi, Lu Yue clearly felt superior, his words dripping with the concern and guidance of a life winner addressing a junior who had faced a business failure.

Having finished what he wanted to say, Lu Yue raised his wrist to check the time.

Feng Yi understood it was time for him to leave.

“I’ll remember your words, Brother Lu. Thank you, Brother Lu, for taking the time…”

Just as he was speaking, Feng Yi’s eyes narrowed, and the words of farewell caught in his throat.

Noticing Feng Yi’s strange behavior, Lu Yue followed his gaze down to his own wrist and chuckled.

“Nice, right? It’s D&B’s new watch. My girlfriend gave it to me. It was a boxed set, came with a matching wallet. Limited edition, hard to get,” Lu Yue said smugly, extending his wrist toward Feng Yi to show off his new, limited-edition timepiece.

Of course, Feng Yi knew the D&B brand, a global top-tier luxury brand that had risen during the period of climate abnormalities and had even surpassed many long-established powerhouses. Once it claimed the high ground in the market, it never backed down.

Given that it was a top-tier luxury brand and a limited-edition item, the watch on Lu Yue’s wrist wouldn’t be cheap.

But that wasn’t what Feng Yi was focused on.

Observing Lu Yue’s reaction, Feng Yi hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Brother Lu, may I see your watch?”

It was the first time Lu Yue had encountered such a request. After a moment of surprise, he unclasped the watchband and handed it over, not wanting to embarrass Feng Yi.

Feng Yi pulled a napkin from the side table and used the tissue to receive the watch, holding it delicately.

Lu Yue: “…”

I’m not so petty that I won’t let someone touch my watch, and I don’t have a cleanliness fetish. But this junior is quite particular; that’s fine.

Just as he thought that, Lu Yue watched as Feng Yi slightly bent the watch strap, bringing it closer for a detailed look, and even sniffed it.

Lu Yue: “…”

Awkward.

It’s not that serious. Really, it’s not!

While it was a limited-edition luxury item and hard to buy, there was no need for this kind of behavior!

Lu Yue sat there, his face stiff, completely confused by Feng Yi’s actions. He wanted to speak but stopped himself, instead picking up his teacup to drink water to relieve the tension.

“Ahem, do you… Want to see the matching wallet? It was part of the same gift box.”

Hearing this, Feng Yi nodded. “If you don’t mind.”

Lu Yue’s feelings were complex.

I just thought this junior was thoughtful; what is with this behavior? I just offered, and you actually accepted!

Sighing internally, Lu Yue took his wallet from his pocket and handed it over.

A wallet was a personal item that one didn’t casually show to others, even if there was nothing embarrassing inside.

The wallet had an excellent design; the snake skin texture was delicate yet hinted at a certain wildness. The scripted logo embellished the surface, giving it a luxurious yet casual and rebellious feel popular with younger people.

The texture of the fine, high-grade leather, coupled with the international top-tier brand aura, gave the whole thing a scent of money.

But again, this was not what Feng Yi was interested in.

After carefully inspecting the outer surface of the wallet, Feng Yi returned it to Lu Yue, his expression serious. “Brother Lu, the leather on both the watchband and the wallet it’s real leather. Real snake skin.”

Lu Yue’s expression froze, as if he had heard something unbelievable. Then he burst into laughter. “That’s bionic leather! Medusa Seventh-Gen Bionic Snake Skin. Just search it on your phone, you’ll see.”

“Medusa” was the name a company specializing in bionic leather had given to its snake skin line of materials, which was highly favored by major brands.

After the strictest animal protection laws were introduced, bionic leather companies rose to prominence, soaring on the back of the environmental trend. Rapid technological innovation followed market competition, and by the time the seventh generation came out, it was claimed that even experienced artisans would struggle to tell it apart from real leather, and some lower-end machines couldn’t accurately detect the difference.

“You probably haven’t paid much attention, so mistaking it is understandable; don’t feel embarrassed. I appreciate the sentiment, hahaha. We at Qianli Group, being in clothing and accessories, pay closer attention to these new materials. There were widespread reports when ‘Medusa Seventh-Gen’ first came out. Bionic leather is incredibly advanced now!”

“Besides, the bionic leather company supplying D&B is top-tier globally, and D&B’s reputation speaks for itself. They absolutely would not use real snake skin.”

The climate abnormalities over the last two decades have led to the extinction or endangerment of many species. Following the introduction of the strictest protection laws, market supervision became extremely tight, forbidding the sale of goods made from the hides of animals like snakes, crocodiles, and ostriches. As various luxury brands made public statements, the materials they used also transitioned to bionic animal skins. Whether for new market appeal or political correctness, the reality was that real animal skin was rarely seen in the luxury market.

New materials had risen too quickly and dominated the market too rapidly. After mass marketing and promotion by businesses, consumer attention shifted to favoring the new materials.

Therefore, in this context, if a luxury item was found to be using real snake skin, it would undoubtedly be a counterfeit!

When Feng Yi said it was real snake skin, he was telling Lu Yue that the watch and wallet in his possession were fake!

Lu Yue, of course, did not believe it!

Feng Yi’s expression was earnest. “I’ve been able to distinguish real snake skin from fake since I was a child. I might mistake bionic cowhide, simulated lambskin, or rabbit fur, but I won’t mistake snake skin. I bought a product made with the Medusa Seventh-Gen material last month and am aware of this new bionic snake skin material’s existence.”

“Brother Lu, your watch and wallet are made with real snake skin.”

Lu Yue looked at Feng Yi as if he were a stubborn, ignorant child. He shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. “Alright, alright, I get it. Young man, read more news, look at the latest scientific developments, and don’t think a little skill lets you see through the whole world!”

Though he spoke these words, Lu Yue’s expression was purely dismissive. He then put on a politely detached smile and escorted Feng Yi out of the office, watching him step into the elevator. He then exchanged greetings with employees passing by before returning to his office and closing the door.

The moment the door shut, all traces of a smile vanished from his face.

Lu Yue locked the door, returned to his desk, and stared intently at the wallet and watch, his expression shifting between shades of doubt and anger.

He then took a utility knife from his drawer, cut a piece from the inner and outer lining of the wallet, and a piece from the watch strap. He carefully placed the samples into a small, opaque paper bag, folded and rolled it up, and slipped it into the inside pocket of his jacket.

The luxury limited-edition gift set he had just shown off to Feng Yi was unceremoniously rolled up and stuffed into an empty black thermos cup.

After securing everything, Lu Yue placed the thermos cup in the drawer beneath his elbow, pulled out his phone to make a call, cleared his desk, unlocked the office door, and resumed work as if nothing had happened.

It wasn’t until the end of the workday that Lu Yue, just like any other day, carried his thermos cup and left with a smile, exchanging greetings with his employees.

Lu Yue had been traveling recently and had fallen ill, still having a slight cough. He had several meetings scheduled, so he had been using this thermos cup for throat-soothing tea and carried it everywhere; everyone was already accustomed to it.

Half an hour after leaving the company, Lu Yue handed the small paper bag from his inner jacket pocket to the person he had called. “Test this. Get me the results as soon as possible!”

Meanwhile.

Feng Yi, who had left the Qianli Group Rongcheng branch, was unaware of what transpired after his departure.

He had said what he needed to say. Whether the other party listened was beyond his control, but at least speaking the truth gave him peace of mind.

Putting all that aside, Feng Yi’s spirits lifted. All his debts were settled!

Time to set off! To Snake Mountain!.