The consultation fee for this time lasted from when Song Qiao arrived at the villa until the evening.
As he pulled back the curtains and gazed at the inky blackness outside, Song Qiao fell silent for a moment before sighing.
Just as he expected.
Another day had passed.
Turning back to look at Alice, who was still fast asleep, Song Qiao let out a wry smile.
In fact, upon closer reflection, it wasn't hard to notice that every time he came here, he was "exploited" by Alice for the entire night, and it always lasted for a long time.
Thinking of the madness of the previous night, Song Qiao winced, his eyes filled with emotion.
"Women from snowy countries are truly formidable; beyond my capabilities."
Alice had only fallen asleep after nearly a full day, and his body now felt a bit sore and unable to withstand such exertion.
It seemed he would have to be more restrained in the future, otherwise, he would surely suffer.
"However, I still need to give serious thought to Madam Shen's situation. If they really cooperate with the Guo family, it will be quite troublesome. If I can get advance notice and resolve it early, it would be a great thing."
He murmured to himself, looking out at the scenery, still feeling the need to stay here for a while.
At the very least, since they were in the same complex, he could make the best decisions in the shortest possible time if anything were to happen.
If things really turned for the worst, there would be nothing he could do but make some compromises.
With this thought, Song Qiao sighed, his heart becoming exceptionally complex.
This matter was not as simple as it appeared on the surface.
"It seems I'll have to stay here for the next couple of days to observe things first."
Thinking of this, Song Qiao felt a splitting headache, overwhelmed with concerns.
And the most important thing now was Madam Shen's assistant.
If that assistant hadn't appeared, the outcome of the matter would have been obvious.
Just as Song Qiao was contemplating these things, Alice on the bed suddenly let out a soft groan and turned over. Not finding anything, she opened her eyes in a daze, looked at Song Qiao sitting on the sofa, and said softly.
"Song."
"Awake? Don't you want to sleep a bit longer?" Song Qiao smiled, raising an eyebrow, and chuckled.
Alice shook her head, knelt up from the bed, and beckoned to Song Qiao. Song Qiao walked to the bedside and looked down at her.
Their eyes met. Alice hugged Song Qiao's waist, tilted her head slightly, and rested her face on his lower abdomen, her eyes filled with affection.
He let out a breath, Song Qiao smiled gently and ruffled Alice's hair.
"It's getting late. Get up and put on your clothes. I'll go see how Madam Shen is doing shortly."
"Guo Can?"
"Mm."
Blinking her eyes, Alice released Song Qiao and stepped back a short distance.
"Then you must come back early. I'll cook dinner and wait for you at home."
Since it was important business, Alice never obstructed him.
Besides, they were in their own neighborhood. Song Qiao smiled and nodded, reminding her that if he was late, she didn't have to wait for him and could eat first.
Afterward, Song Qiao went to the door of Guo Can's house but heard no sounds from inside.
He frowned immediately.
"Could they have already left?"
He grinned at the thought, hoping they would come back in a couple of days so he could understand the situation better.
However, for two consecutive days, Madam Shen's assistant did not reappear, clearly indicating that the cooperation between the two parties had not been successful.
"What a pity."
Song Qiao sighed, frowning.
According to Alice, he should try to get along well with Madam Shen, as it would be beneficial to him.
With this thought, Song Qiao left the house, intending to go out for a stroll to clear his mind.
It was at this moment that he saw Madam Shen arriving at the complex.
Madam Shen's face was etched with worry, and she appeared to be in a bad mood.
Upon seeing Song Qiao, she forced herself to cheer up, a smile appearing on her face.
"Mr. Song, we meet again."
"Was the negotiation unsuccessful?" Song Qiao asked, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
How much time had passed? Madam Shen's face looked much more haggard than before, suggesting she hadn't rested well during the two negotiations.
Hearing this, Madam Shen frowned, but her brow soon relaxed. She sighed, raised a hand to rub her forehead, and gave a wry smile, nodding.
"Yes, it's truly impossible. His personality is rather difficult to manage."
Hearing this, Song Qiao chuckled and said mysteriously, "Madam, if you don't mind, I might be able to offer you some guidance."
This made Madam Shen's spirits lift slightly. She looked at Song Qiao, her eyes brightening.
"You have a way?"
"Of course," Song Qiao smiled, glancing at Guo Can's location, and chuckled.
"This fellow loves to play Go the most. If you want to impress him, why not approach him from this angle?"
"Approach him through Go?" Madam Shen's eyes were filled with confusion. She looked at Song Qiao, completely bewildered, not quite understanding.
How could she possibly use this to her advantage?
She couldn't possibly just say, "I'll give you a Go board," could she?
Seeing her confused expression, Song Qiao sighed helplessly and said softly.
"The Go board. He really likes Go boards. You could give him such a thing. As for the specifics, I won't elaborate. I believe you already have a clear idea in mind."
Upon hearing this, Madam Shen took a deep breath and looked at Song Qiao, her eyes filled with gratitude.
However, she quickly concealed her emotions, bowed slightly to Song Qiao, her eyelids lowered, and said softly.
"Thank you."
"Hahaha, no problem."
Madam Shen nodded, turned to her assistant, and instructed.
"Get it done immediately. The best Go board."
"Yes!"
Song Qiao chuckled and returned home after they left.
With these words, he figured Madam Shen's next visit should go smoothly.
Thinking this, Song Qiao's mood improved considerably.
The next morning.
When Song Qiao saw Madam Shen again, her assistant was carrying a large item.
"It really is a large Go board."
The Go board was not small and appeared to be quite old.
Looking closer, Song Qiao twitched the corner of his mouth, unable to help but marvel inwardly.
This thing, rather than being called a Go board, was more like a Go stone container.
It was an antique!
As he was thinking this, Madam Shen approached him and smiled.
"How is this, Mr. Song? I spent eight million to acquire an ancient Song Dynasty Go stone container."
Song Qiao blinked a couple of times, nodded, and chuckled.
"Excellent, no problem. Don't worry, with such a significant investment, you're bound to succeed this time."