OFR – Chapter 323 Eye contact.

“Alright, alright, Mr. Mu, take care.”

Faced with such a blunt refusal, Li Shan didn’t try to push his luck by keeping Mu Bai any longer. He also managed to suppress his curiosity quite well.

“Mm, okay.”

Seeing that Li Shan and the others didn’t insist on him staying, Mu Bai withdrew his gaze, with no intention of saying more or holding any grudges.

With a calm expression, and under the polite gaze of the sales staff, he simply nodded and prepared to drive his Koenigsegg out through the exclusive luxury car lane.

But just as Mu Bai opened the Koenigsegg’s door and was about to get in, the previously quiet corridor in the distance suddenly became noisy!

And the noise was approaching at a walking pace.

A group of security personnel were the first to arrive, quickly clearing out the entire corridor.

Then, the students from Nanda University, who had just been admiring the luxury cars and sexy car models in the exhibition halls, all surged forward. Some of them shouted excitedly, “President Chen is here!” “Look, it’s Qingyan Chen!” “The role model for young entrepreneurs! I hope President Chen picks me this year!”

From their words, it became clear to Li Shan and his group that the main star of today’s joint car show had arrived.

So, Li Shan and the others didn’t bother trying to keep Mu Bai any longer. They all hurried toward the corridor, followed by the senior sales staff.

Unlike Mu Bai, they were visibly excited.

After all, someone of Qingyan Chen’s A12-level status was a big deal in Nanjing. To see him in person—even without getting a photo or speaking to him—just snapping a picture from afar and sharing it on social media would be bragging rights for a long time.

Qingyan Chen’s identity, status, and financial background far surpassed that of even the most famous celebrities.

During the group’s rush to get closer, Lanlan—perhaps still upset from earlier, or maybe with lingering thoughts about the cold and aloof Mu Bai—looked back with a complicated expression.

As she turned around, she saw that Mu Bai had also paused at the car door. He didn’t follow the crowd, nor did he do anything further.

He simply stood by the door, slightly turned, his gaze fixed on the corridor.

Even with all the noise and the arrival of Nanjing’s elite, his delicate face remained expressionless and calm.

Just as Lanlan was about to wave to him and signal him to come watch with them, her boyfriend Li Shan suddenly shouted excitedly, “Hey, Lanlan, look! President Chen is here—that’s my uncle!”

Startled by his voice, she turned back absentmindedly to look in the same direction as him.

Sure enough, a group of key figures was slowly making their way through the crowd.

At the very center of attention was none other than Qingyan Chen himself.

He was currently the undisputed giant of Nanjing’s internet-based private equity scene.

To the youth of Nanjing with entrepreneurial dreams, Qingyan Chen was not just a symbol, but a mentor and an idol to strive toward.

Unlike other elites in Nanjing who rose to power with the help of family or powerful backing, Qingyan Chen was the only one known to have built everything from scratch.

Back in the late 20th century, when the internet first emerged in China, he seized the opportunity and rode the wave of the digital age.

It took him just over ten years to rise from poverty to prominence.

From a commoner with no background, he leapt to become one of the city’s most powerful figures.

This might not sound too impressive when compared to all the miraculous tales we see in TV dramas and online novels—some even more fantastical than this.

But real life is not a fantasy. There are no shortcuts, no magic logic.

Anyone who’s struggled for years in society knows: jumping from one class to another isn’t something that happens in a generation—it takes several.

Take someone earning just two or three thousand a month—how long would it take for them to earn hundreds of thousands annually?

Probably never. Most people are just treading water, and whatever income growth they see is usually just inflation.

In all of Nanjing, only Qingyan Chen has truly made that leap from poverty to privilege.

In a city of millions, only one man did it. That shows just how slim the odds are—and just how harsh reality really is.

“Hello, everyone.”

The corridor wasn’t short, but they walked quickly. Within a minute or two, the elegant Qingyan Chen and his entourage arrived. Among them was Li Shan’s uncle, Li Yuncheng.

After arriving, Li Yuncheng scanned the area and spotted his nephew. Smiling, he waved and turned slightly to introduce Li Shan to Qingyan Chen.

“Oh? The nephew you said was quite knowledgeable about cars and sports models?”

After greeting some Nanda students with a smile, Qingyan Chen turned slightly to look in the direction Li Yuncheng was pointing.

Li Shan, though plain in appearance, had spent enough time in second-gen circles to carry a bit of presence.

Now, seeing Qingyan Chen looking his way, he looked elated, respectfully nodding nonstop.

Qingyan Chen prepared to return the courtesy, but just as he was about to move, a familiar figure caught his eye.

About 30 to 40 meters behind Li Shan.

To get a better look, Qingyan Chen slightly raised his gaze, and a clear image of a young man appeared.

The young man was tall and delicate-featured, looking barely twenty, with the clean look of a boy next door.

But when Qingyan Chen, this top-level tycoon of Nanjing’s elite, saw his face clearly—his relaxed expression instantly turned solemn, and his steps came to a halt.

When he stopped, the large entourage behind him also stopped.

His abrupt pause and sudden seriousness instantly silenced the entire scene. The previously noisy corridor became eerily quiet.

There were about fifty meters between the corridor and the exhibit hall.

And in that fifty meters of space, Qingyan Chen’s gaze met the young man’s.

Nobody knew why he had stopped, but everyone instinctively followed his gaze.

Maybe because the boy was far away, or because Li Yuncheng was smiling at his nephew, everyone assumed Chen was focused on Li Shan and didn’t look further.

But just a few seconds later, even Li Yuncheng was shocked by what happened next.

Qingyan Chen—the very definition of power and status in Nanjing—gave a solemn, respectful nod toward the distance.

And from his demeanor, it was clearly not a casual or polite gesture. This was a formal show of respect—something only exchanged between equals, or even someone of higher standing.

Only Li Yuncheng, standing closest, noticed this subtle but significant difference.

Everyone else assumed the nod was meant for Li Shan.

Li Shan himself, feeling seen, was overwhelmed with joy.

Those around him looked on enviously. No one expected someone in their midst to be so highly regarded by President Chen.

Except for Lanlan, who couldn’t help but glance back toward Mu Bai once again. No one else noticed.

At that moment, 30 to 40 meters away from the crowd, the boy who had also nodded in return slowly withdrew his gaze.

Then, with a calm expression, he turned, got into the billion-yuan Koenigsegg, and quietly drove away down the special lane reserved for luxury cars.