A Beauty in the 80s Goes on a Blind Date with Her Child, Captivating the Military Compound - Chapter 102

Meilan Coffee Shop offered the best vantage point from its window-side seats overlooking the street.

Shen Sisi gazed at the gentle man sitting across from her. Dressed in a sharp western suit with his hair slicked back, his Mandarin carried a distinct Hong Kong accent. He looked as though a leading man from a classic Hong Kong cinema flick had stepped right off the screen.

His name was Wen Rong. His father was a prominent figure in Hong Kong, with family industries as numerous as cattle hair—primarily focusing on finance and real estate, though their reach extended into almost every facet of daily life.

As sunlight spilled across Wen Rong’s refined features, he looked every bit the elegant scion of a noble family. Shen Sisi observed him calmly; a gentleman raised in such opulence possessed an undeniable air of nobility, yet remained remarkably polite and polished.

Wen Rong, in turn, could not tear his eyes away from Shen Sisi’s face. He hadn’t expected to find someone of her caliber in Jiangcheng. She was as beautiful as a hibiscus rising from the water, yet her temperament was reserved and sharp—the kind of beauty one admires from a distance but dares not trifle with.

“Miss Shen, hello. My name is Wen Rong.” He rose to shake her hand. Shen Sisi’s fingertips brushed his briefly in a polite gesture.

“Hello, I am Shen Sisi.”

After their polite greetings, they took their seats.

“This is my chief manager, Jin Shan,” Shen Sisi introduced. “Beside him is my associate, Boss Cao Hua, and my younger associate, Dong Xiaojiang.”

Wen Rong nodded at them with a smile. “Boss Cao and Brother Xiaojiang, we’ve already met. I didn’t expect to make a new friend today as well. A pleasure!”

He then introduced the man in the black suit and glasses beside him: “My assistant, Xie Sili.”

Shen Sisi acknowledged him with equal friendliness. After the brief pleasantries, they got straight to business.

“Miss Shen, I must thank you for your medicated oil; it was a massive help to me. To be honest, we have many brands of oils and balms in Hong Kong, and I’ve tried nearly all of them. None are as effective as your ‘Golden Phoenix’ brand.”

Despite the flattery, Shen Sisi remained composed, showing no signs of vanity. She replied calmly, “Our oil is indeed different from what’s on the market. The formula was passed down to me by an old practitioner of Chinese medicine before he passed away. It is one of a kind.”

Wen Rong looked enlightened. “I see. He must have been a divine physician. It’s a pity he has passed; otherwise, I would have loved to visit him with you.”

“Indeed…” Shen Sisi felt a pang of melancholy thinking of the poor old doctor. “If the elderly gentleman were still alive, he surely would have produced more formulas to benefit the world.”

Wen Rong grew slightly animated. “I never expected to find a kindred spirit so far from home! Miss Shen, my philosophy is the same as yours. Whether one earns a lot or a little money is secondary; what matters most is benefiting society.”

“Oh?” Shen Sisi arched an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. Could a Hong Kong businessman investing in the mainland really be uninterested in profit?

“Of course, it’s only natural for businessmen to prioritize profit,” Wen Rong said, slowly stirring his coffee. “But once you hear about the career I want to build, you’ll understand…”

Wen Rong was the youngest son of the Chairman of the Wen Group in Hong Kong. He had an older brother and an older sister. Unlike his siblings, who preferred high-profit industries, he wanted to focus on the health industry—specifically Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and wellness.

“Currently, the mainland is opening up and the economy is taking off. People’s lives are improving. Once economic conditions reach a certain level, people will pay more attention to their health and longevity.”

In this era, most people preferred “fast money,” diving into the black market or high-profit trades. Yet Wen Rong was taking the opposite path—one that likely wouldn’t see returns for years. In the 1980s, the concept of “wellness” hadn’t yet taken hold; everyone was focused on survival and basic growth.

Shen Sisi pointed out the flaws in his plan with surgical precision.

Wen Rong wasn’t offended. Instead, he looked at her with admiration. “Exactly. My industry is a long-term, sustainable one. It’s hard to see benefits in the short term, but this project is for the welfare of humanity, not just commerce. Unfortunately, my father and brother don’t understand. They’ve been hesitant to let me open a factory on the mainland.”

Wen Rong explained that he had been searching for a health-related venture with a quicker turnaround. After stumbling upon Shen Sisi’s medicated oil, he saw his path forward.

“You want to buy Sisi’s oil?” Cao Hua interjected.

Wen Rong shook his head. “I hope to collaborate with Miss Shen to develop and manufacture this oil together!”

Shen Sisi offered a faint smile. “I’m afraid I must decline, Mr. Wen. If you want to buy the finished product, I can make you a distributor. But as for joint manufacturing—I’ve just acquired an oil mill. I am perfectly capable of doing it myself.”

Even after being rejected, Wen Rong remained unruffled. He only paused his stirring for a moment. “And… what about the medicinal ingredients?”

Shen Sisi’s fingers tightened on her cup. He was right. She couldn’t always rely on random purchases or foraging. While her current orders were small, a large-scale operation would face a massive supply shortage. She had planned to address this after the official opening, but she hadn’t expected Wen Rong to be so sharp as to spot her weakness immediately.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

Wen Rong smiled. “To be honest, I own a very large Chinese medicinal herb company. If Miss Shen agrees to cooperate, the supply of ingredients will be my responsibility.”

Shen Sisi was surprised by the breadth of his business. Just as she was worrying about finding a supplier, one had dropped right into her lap. Internally she was excited, but she kept her face a mask of calm. “Mr. Wen, I have very high standards for my ingredients. That’s why the oil is so effective. I’m not sure you’ll have exactly what I need.”

Wen Rong beckoned his assistant. Xie Sili produced a contract and handed it over with both hands. Wen Rong slid it across the table to Shen Sisi.

“Take a look, Miss Shen. This is the largest medicinal herb company in the Southwest region, which I recently acquired. It has thousands of acres of herb fields and over a thousand varieties of plants.”

Shen Sisi didn’t stand on ceremony. She flipped through the contract; it was indeed a massive operation located near Jiangcheng.

“It’s so large, yet I’ve never been. If Mr. Wen doesn’t mind, perhaps you could take me to see it.”

Shen Sisi narrowed her eyes mischievously. Hearing is one thing, but seeing is believing. Since it wasn’t far, she might as well check it out.

Wen Rong had no objections; in fact, he welcomed the visit. “How about tomorrow, then?”

Shen Sisi thought for a moment. Gu Chengfeng wouldn’t be back tonight. She could stay up late to finish the blueprints, hand them to Jin Shan in the morning, and then she’d be free. “Fine. See you tomorrow!”

She smiled gently, and for a moment, Wen Rong was dazed by her beauty. The way her dark eyes met his was so intense it felt as if they were “spinning silk”—a lingering, magnetic gaze.

Seeing this, Cao Hua stepped forward abruptly, blocking Wen Rong’s line of sight. He said coldly, “President Wen, we’ll be going now.”

Before they had walked even a hundred meters, Shen Sisi whispered to Jin Shan, “Xiao Jin, please look into this Wen Rong. I want to know his full background.