A Duck and a Gilded Invitation

earnings. Shen read it three times. “Why isn't this an investment contract?” “Because being bought is not what you need most right now,” Lin said. Before leaving, she placed a heavy envelope on the table. One line was embossed in gold: Private Dinner of Mr. Gu Tingchuan. “He ate your father's food once,” she said. “He heard about the duck. He wants to meet you.” Shen knew Gu Tingchuan. His face appeared on finance magazines. He had acquired restaurant chains, logistics platforms, and half the storefronts in an old district. His name was like an elegant carving knife: wherever it fell, things became neat and expensive. “Can I refuse?” “Yes.” Lin met his eyes. “But he already knows unit seventeen is with you. If you don't go, he will come.”