Pre-Mission Briefing
The first Strategic Hangout—the visit to the Imperial Star Art Museum—was treated with the military precision usually reserved for a major merger or a General Staff meeting.
Li Tianyi stood in the Lakefront Villa's drawing room, reviewing the logistics with his staff.
Long Wei (Security): "The museum's ventilation system will be temporarily controlled by the Shadow Contingent for thermal scanning. All major entrance points are secured by the New Dawn team, disguised as museum staff."
Su Qingyao (Logistics): "The exit route is optimized for immediate evacuation in under thirty seconds. We have also prepared an alias—'Elara Dubois, European Art Acquisition Specialist'—which is registered on the museum's guest list."
"Excellent," Li Tianyi concluded. "The goal is zero unplanned interactions and maximum cultural camouflage. Remember, any chaotic engagement, however minor, results in immediate retreat."
Then Elara appeared, completely shattering the controlled atmosphere. She wasn't wearing an efficient, predictable gown. She wore a flowing, antique gold silk dress—chosen not for function, but for stunning visual impact.
"It's not elegant, Li Tianyi," she stated, spinning slowly to demonstrate the garment's impracticality. "It's beautiful chaos. It forces people to look at the dress, not the face. Perfect distraction."
Li Tianyi frowned. "The material is prone to wrinkles and the color is aesthetically aggressive. Highly inefficient."
"It's working," Elara smirked. "You're distracted."
The Art Gala and The Mother's Inspection
They arrived at the museum via an underground service entrance, bypassing the messy red carpet. The exhibit, promoting ancient Chinese imperial art, was packed with Dragon City's elite, all eager to impress Wang Liling (Mother, Media/Art Pillar).
Li Tianyi, adhering to the plan, moved Elara through the crowd with the efficiency of a guided missile, steering her only toward neutral, non-critical exhibits.
Then, the true test: Wang Liling approached them.
Li Tianyi flawlessly executed the introduction. "Mother, may I present Miss Elara Dubois, a European expert on art acquisition and ancient textiles."
Wang Liling, the master of social and media influence, assessed Elara instantly—noticing the flawless posture, the expensive but wildly impractical dress, and the alert intelligence in her eyes.
"Miss Dubois," Wang Liling purred, her smile sharp. "You have an adventurous taste in silk. It is charmingly inefficient, but memorable."
Elara met her gaze, exhibiting the competitive composure of someone raised in a royal court. "Thank you, Lady Wang. I find perfection to be predictable, and predictable art is boring. I understand you feel the same way about media control."
Wang Liling paused, her eyes widening slightly in approval. This was not a typical social climber; this was an equal. She laughed, a low, powerful sound. "My son is usually surrounded by impeccable efficiency, Miss Dubois. It's refreshing to see someone introduce a little calculated risk into his environment."
The Unplanned Flirtation
The most dangerous part of the evening was the one Li Tianyi hadn't anticipated: the simple act of standing together.
As they examined a piece of calligraphy, Elara leaned in close, pretending to analyze the brushstrokes, her voice a low murmur only Li Tianyi could hear.
"You know, this is rather fun, Li Tianyi," Elara whispered. "Pretending to be a glamorous, powerful couple in your perfect world. You are much less boring when you're forced to interact with chaos."
"We are not a couple, Princess," Li Tianyi hissed, acutely aware of the surrounding eyes. "We are executing an HVIEO—"
"High-Value Information Exchange Operation," Elara finished, leaning even closer, their arms brushing. "Yes, I know. But if we are supposed to look like a pair, you should act less like a financial prospectus and more like a man who actually wants to be here."
She reached up quickly, making a show of adjusting the cuff of his perfect suit jacket. Her touch was brief, electric, and utterly unnecessary.
"Relax, Dragon King," she murmured, pulling back with a triumphant look. "You're too tense. That's a security flaw."
Li Tianyi felt a strange, unprecedented flicker of internal disruption—a reaction that was completely unscheduled and highly inefficient. He couldn't deny the competitive charge between them was exhilarating, but it was also a mess.
The moment the mandated time limit for the engagement was reached, Li Tianyi immediately signaled the retreat. "Qingyao, execute Protocol Delta. Immediate evacuation."
The first Strategic Hangout was a political and social success, securing his mother's approval and providing good data. But Li Tianyi realized, as he sat in the silent sedan next to the elegant, smiling Elara, that she was introducing an entirely new, dangerous variable into his life: competitive, romantic chaos.