"Hello, Wu Kai. I really appreciate all your hospitality," Mavi said as he glanced at the surrounding Dongfeng Mengshi off-road vehicles, particularly the military license plates on their bumpers. These vehicles on the road were so imposing that even traffic police wouldn't dare stop them—truly a display of power.
"You're too kind, Mr. Mavi. As our honored Russian guest, it is our duty as hosts to ensure your comfort," Wu Kai responded with a polite smile before continuing, "By the way, Mr. Mavi, the major sent by the Ukrainian Navy—when is she expected to arrive?"
Wu Kai was referring to Sheknya. After thinking for a moment, Mavi gave a simple response: "She should be arriving soon, probably in just a little while."
Sure enough, less than ten minutes later, a pure white Airbus A320 landed precisely on schedule at Qingdao Airport. The Ukrainian flag printed on the aircraft made it obvious who the visitor was.
"Mr. Wu Kai, let me introduce you. This is Major Sheknya of the Ukrainian Navy," Mavi said as he watched Sheknya step off the plane.
Today, her attire was different from before. Instead of her usual naval uniform pants, she wore a military skirt, which not only highlighted her sharp and commanding presence as a Ukrainian officer but also accentuated her elegance and charm.
Aside from the change in uniform, Mavi also noticed that Sheknya had applied light makeup, subtly enhancing her already delicate features. This made her a striking sight at Qingdao Airport, drawing discreet yet admiring glances from many soldiers.
After exchanging pleasantries at the airport, Wu Kai had the driver bring over the Hongqi luxury sedan that had been arranged for Mavi's welcome. The driver was instructed to personally open the doors for Mavi and Sheknya as a sign of respect.
"Mr. Mavi, Miss Sheknya, please," Wu Kai gestured politely with his right hand.
"Thank you," Sheknya replied before gracefully stepping into the car.
—
As the Hongqi sedan slowly started moving, smoothly exiting the tarmac, both Mavi and Sheknya, seated in the back, quickly noticed something peculiar—there wasn't a single other vehicle on the road. The emptiness was almost surreal.
"Mavi, why aren't there any cars on the road? Could it be...?" Sheknya had already figured it out—this was clearly the highest level of military courtesy.
"Yeah, seems like it," Mavi responded casually as their Hongqi sedan, escorted by the Dongfeng Mengshi military vehicles, made its way smoothly to the airport terminal road without any obstacles.
Outside the terminal, a large crowd of curious onlookers had gathered. As soon as they saw the Hongqi sedan appear, the spectators started pointing and discussing excitedly.
"Wow! A military escort? Whoever's in that Hongqi sedan must be an important figure!"
"No wonder there are so many soldiers guarding the airport! They must be here for the person inside that car!"
"Amazing! I think I just saw two foreigners in the back of that car—both Caucasian. One of them, a woman, was even in a military uniform. Maybe they're high-ranking foreign military officials?"
—
While the crowd outside buzzed with speculation, Mavi couldn't hear them from inside the car. However, he could easily guess from their expressions and gestures that they were likely discussing him and Sheknya.
Since Sheknya was wearing her formal military skirt today, her fair and well-proportioned legs were clearly visible in Mavi's peripheral vision. With the car's subtle movements, those two strikingly pale limbs swayed ever so slightly.
There was no denying it—the allure of a military uniform was powerful. The strict and dignified appearance only seemed to intensify the desire to break through that stern exterior.
"Mavi, do you think this deal will go through?" Midway through the journey, Sheknya suddenly turned toward him, her breath warm as she asked.
"What deal? I'm just here to build international friendships," Mavi replied, his face calm and composed.
Hearing this, Sheknya was baffled—why was he still being so tight-lipped? It seemed like she might need to put him in shackles, lock him up, and interrogate him the hard way.
"Oh? Really? Then let's see if you truly don't discuss any business later," Sheknya challenged, growing slightly annoyed. She was eager to see just how long Mavi could keep up his act.
However… just as Mavi had said, throughout the military reception, no business deals were discussed at all. Not even a single mention of the word "aircraft carrier." It was purely a diplomatic visit centered on strengthening Sino-Russian relations.
Senior Officer Wu Kai led Mavi and Sheknya on a tour of the Northern Defense Fleet Command Center and Qingdao Base. He even showed Mavi some of the naval forces they possessed.
This included the Type 051 guided missile destroyer (NATO designation: Luda-class), the Type 035 conventional submarine (NATO designation: Ming-class), and the Type 053H3 guided missile frigate, among others.
Seeing all this, Sheknya was utterly confused! She couldn't figure out what exactly Mavi was up to.
The tour lasted the entire afternoon. By the time evening approached, Officer Wu Kai escorted Mavi and Sheknya to a designated four-star military hotel. With enthusiasm, he extended an invitation:
"Mr. Mavi, Miss Sheknya, tonight our Northern Defense Fleet has prepared a grand welcome banquet in your honor… We hope you'll attend."
Sheknya, however, felt an immediate urge to retreat to her room. As a Ukrainian naval officer, she had always harbored great ambitions. Her current priority was reviving the Black Sea Shipyard and securing a future for the Ukrainian Navy.
Yet here was Mavi, who had spent $100 million acquiring the shipyard, now wasting time on international diplomacy instead of discussing business. Couldn't he do this some other time?
"I'm a bit tired. I won't be attending the banquet—apologies," Sheknya declined outright, making the situation a bit awkward for Wu Kai, who hadn't expected their Ukrainian guest to be so blunt.
"No problem, I'll attend," Mavi interjected, saving Wu Kai from further embarrassment. He figured he might as well go and watch the military entertainment troupe perform.
"Thank you, Mr. Mavi. I'll have someone come pick you up later," Wu Kai said gratefully. If both foreign guests had refused to attend, it would have reflected poorly on him.
"You're welcome. See you later," Mavi replied with a smile, shaking Wu Kai's hand and expressing his appreciation for the day's arrangements.
That evening, the welcome banquet commenced—just as expected, only Mavi attended. Meanwhile, Sheknya stayed in her room, sulking. Clearly, she was frustrated with Mavi's carefree attitude.
---