Wang Zhixin, age 32, founder and CEO of Wang's Global Tech Company.
Jian Qingshan certainly seen him mentioned in finance magazines. They talk about him like he's some kind of tech wunderkind.
At this point, it's a familiar pattern. Every time WGTC announces a new product. It revolutionizes the industry. Loyal customers all over the world 'ohh' and 'ahh' over its features.
High-spec smartphones may be the norm now, but Wang Zhixin was the driving force that spread them all over the globe.
That alone says a lot about what he's done.
Customers rush to stores when his new products go on sale. In China, people famously queue up to two weeks in advanced for a WGTC release.
It's easy to see why WGTC has the largest share of global technology market. He revolutionized the industry as a young man. His appearance on the world stage changed everything. That means people all over the world are watching his every move.
"He always looks so cold and indifferent, even in pictures." Jian Qingshan mumbles while looking at his profile.
"How are you getting along, Jian Qingshan? Lovely night, isn't it?"
All of a sudden, a new window opens on her monitor and a man's face appears.
Reacting to the voice of the man she respects so much; she looks back at him and nod.
"I was looking over the intel. Your target for this mission seems to be a pretty big deal. I know the whole country's been bubbling with excitement over Wang Zhixin's arrival to China, but I didn't expect him to be the target of the mission."
"It's not all that strange. He is the CEO of Wang's Global Tech Company, after all. While they obviously make smartphones and computers, they also make the newest, most advanced tablets and voice recognition AI's. WGTC's rise to prominence put a whole new wave of surveillance technology on the market."
True. If anyone were to stop a person on the street, there is a 50% chance they'd be using a WGTC phone for tablet.
"He's a rich, powerful and handsome man. Be careful not to get your heart stolen."
Although the boss's tone is joking, Jian Qingshan can't stop her shoulders from slumping in exasperation.
"Boss, I'm an FBI agent and a professional. Give me some credit here."
"I only joke with you because I know how capable and reliable you are. Now then, you're going to be heading to a member's only restaurant located within Heaven's Gate Resort. The site of WGTC's headquarters. And once you're there—"
"—I'm to get 'acquainted' with the target, right?"
"Ha-ha, good luck tonight."
The window with the video call closes, and the window with the data on Jian Qingshan's target returns.
She locks eyes with the picture of Wang Zhixin on the screen.
A chiseled, well-balanced face and all of that power. She was sure he has women falling in love with him on a regular basis, but at the end of the day, he's just a target for her, not a possible love interest.
The profile includes information on the target's inner circle:
Xi Yuanjun, the third richest person in China, and owner of Heaven's Gate Resort.
Jing Ke, it says he works in diplomatic relations, but there are no further details on his professional history. Looks fishy.
Jian Qingshan commit the faces and names of Wang Zhixin's associates to memory.
It looks like they've known each other since university. She wonders if those two will be there tonight. There's a possibility the target will be in their vicinity.
As the car begins to slow down, Jian Qingshan closes her laptop and takes out an atomizer. With one spritz of perfume on the back of her left thigh, she can feel herself switched into work mode.
From that moment onwards, her gestures, facial expression and way of speaking will all change.
"Time to get to work."
-
Enjoying the leisurely clicking of her own heels on the floor, she struts into the restaurant as a live jazz band performs.
The mask on her face does nothing to dull the shine of the glamour around her. She has just stepped into a whole new world.
An extravagant masquerade party where the guests are all masked. Jian Qingshan gets the feeling that what's really being hidden here isn't the people's faces.
Now. She needs to look for her target. She'll have to identify him based on his clothes.
Wang Zhixin always wears dark clothing, both in the pictures that came with his FBI target profile, and also in the photos she seen of him in the finance magazines.
Evidently, that's his trademark.
Experts says people who constantly wear the same outfits are utilitarian pragmatists, but it strikes her as somewhat weird. Regardless, she found a good spot to camp out and wait for her target.
Jian Qingshan slides up to the impeccably polished bar and catch the bartender's eyes.
"Dry martini—"
The intuitive part of her shudders when a deep voice speaks in perfect unison with her own.
Putting on an air of importance, she turns towards the voice, and her hunch proves correct.
Simply dressed, radiating an aura of indifference even with a mask on. There was no doubt about it. The man was Wang Zhixin.
She didn't even have to wait to speak to him. Tonight was already going her way.
Instead of celebrating her luck, she reminds herself to stay sharp.
It was time to show the guy what she's got. She needs to put on her mental mask too.
Both locks eyes, and he gives her a good, long stares as the bartender pours alcohol into two perfectly chilled glasses.
Still half-looking at the bartender, her eyes flit to him and he gives her yet another silent look.
"Here you are."
"Thanks."
After exchanging a look with the bartender, Joan Qingshan accepts the glass. She swirls the glass in her hand. The olive swims about in the gin and vermouth, and she smile at him.
"You surprised me just now, when you ordered at the same time as me. For a moment I thought, 'since when has my voice sounded so much like a man's?'"
"…"
The man was just as difficult as he looks. He wasn't giving her anything. She could use her femininity as a weapon with some men. Guys like those are usually easy to approach.
Regardless, her goal for the night is to make his acquaintance. She'll have to chat with him just enough to leave an impression.
While her brain is working to select their next topic of conversation, she brings the glass to her lips, and suddenly a woman barged in.
"Zhixin!"
Jian Qingshan and Wang Zhixin both look at the direction of the voice who was approaching closer to them.
"Why didn't you show up yesterday?! I waited for you all night!"
"Work. I told you that."
"I know, but yesterday was my birthday. If you loved me at all…"
"Love?" His voice, indifferent even at the best of times, sounds more mocking and sardonic than ever. "I told you from the beginning not to expect anything like that.
"B-but…"
"I have no more use for you. Don't ever contact me again, not even if it's the apocalypse."
Once he made that declaration, Wang Zhixin never looks back at the woman.
Talking about merciless. The guy is cold-blooded.
"This isn't right." The woman's eyes were forming tears.
Jian Qingshan thought this was bad. If an argument breaks out and the man leaves, she won't be able to do her job.
Rising from her seat, Jian Qingshan takes her still-unsipped martini and offer it to the woman, who seems to be on the verge of tears.
"Don't cry."
"…"
"You can have this if you want. It might calm you down a little."
"But I still haven't gotten a chance to say anything."
"I know, but you probably don't need to. There's no point in talking to a man that heartless. Even with that mask on, I can tell you're lovely. Don't waste your time with someone like him."
"Ha-ha. It sounds like you're hitting on me. If I were into women, I'd give you a shot." With tears still in her eyes, the woman smiles and takes an elegant sip of the martini.
She, the woman still knows how to conduct herself with class, even in this situation.
Jian Qingshan thought if she was with Wang Zhixin then she's probably some kind of socialite.
"Thank you. I would've hated to start crying and make a scene." The woman turns to face the man, "Goodbye. Don't worry, I won't contact you ever again."
The woman leaves, and the minor commotion that had sprung up around them calms down as well.
When Jian Qingshan sits back down, she meets Wang Zhixin's gaze.
What? Was he interested in her now?
She could try to start talking to him, but if he thought she was hitting on him, that would probably just turn him off.
"You've got a talent for pissing women off."
"If you ask me, it's just that woman get upset too easily. People who let their emotions control them are nothing but trouble."
She was pretty sure one could say the same about pedantically logical people too. Be that as it may, he seems to feel like she was worth talking to.
After making that harsh comment, he wets his delicate lips with his martini.
She observes his devil-like aura out of the corner of her eye and sigh despite herself.
He drove a woman to tears but couldn't care less. What a cruel man.
The woman thought of the guy as her boyfriend, but to him she was just a hookup.
"You look like you have something to say."
"Is it enough for you? Dating people you don't have feelings for, I mean—"
"Whether you love the person or not, the things you do don't change."
"Pfft… you poor thing."
"What?"
"If you were looking for something you could do to feel good without talking to people, you should've just stuck to drinking alone."
"…" Falling quiet for a moment, Wang Zhixin turns back to the bartender. "I'll take a Manhattan."
"Yes, sir."
A few moments later, a glass slides in front of her. Jian Qingshan thought if this was supposed to be a thank you for defusing the situation earlier. But he ordered a Manhattan this time.
"This seems like your drink. More so than a martini anyway."
Manhattan, a sweet drink. Jian Qingshan was guessing this was his way of mocking her for saying sentimental things.
"I see what you did there. Very sardonic, but I'll accept the drink all the same. Thank you."
More silence came from the man. Was this a challenge?
She didn't need more, but she wants something.
"Ohh…"
She 'accidently' spills the drink on her chest.
After a brief pause, a sinewy hand offers her a handkerchief.
"How considerate of you. Maybe you're the one who's surprisingly sweet, after all."
She accepts the handkerchief, and Wang Zhixin gets up from his seat without reacting to her quip.
Jian Qingshan now has an excuse to see him again. She's got what she needed for the night.
"This was fun. Well, I'll see you later."
Wang Zhixin, of course, says nothing. Unbothered, she smiled and polish off the rest of the drink.