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It wasn’t that Shen Tang didn’t trust Xiao Dongkai; she needed to be cautious about how to proceed after acquiring these shares. Chairman Xiao wouldn’t offer her a free lunch.
She was afraid of inadvertently signing a contract that would be disadvantageous to Jiang Chengyu.
Xiao Dongkai gave her time to consider. He opened the menu; it was his first time at this restaurant, and he asked Shen Tang, “What would you like to eat?”
“A vegetable salad for me, no dressing.”
“...”
Xiao Dongkai made a note of it.
He simply ordered a few signature dishes, and Xiao Dongkai motioned to the waiter that they didn’t need him in the private room.
Shen Tang’s bodyguards were at the door, so Xiao Dongkai wasn’t worried about eavesdroppers. “No matter what, you won’t lose out by taking Xiao Ning’s shares.”
“Not necessarily.”
Shen Tang had already finished two and a half glasses of water but still hadn’t given Xiao Dongkai a final answer.
Xiao Dongkai was not in the mood for alcohol tonight. Like Shen Tang, he didn’t order any drinks, only poured a glass of plain water. He occasionally glanced at his quiet cousin.
Shen Tang rested her chin on one hand, gazing at the night view outside the window.
He noticed that Shen Tang was just like his aunt; that stubbornness was deeply ingrained in her, and a few words from others simply couldn’t persuade them.
“What are the conditions?” Shen Tang suddenly turned to look at him.
“The conditions for getting Grandpa’s shares?”
“Yes.”
Xiao Dongkai wasn’t clear on the details; he was merely conveying his grandfather’s message, trying his best to persuade Shen Tang to accept the shares. He wasn’t concerned about anything else.
If Xiao Donghan hadn’t caused such a big commotion, he wouldn’t have bothered trying to persuade Shen Tang.
“This concerns Xiaoning Group’s business secrets; Grandpa didn’t disclose them to me.” He conveyed Chairman Xiao’s original words, “If you’re willing, go to London to see him.”
Shen Tang slowly nodded.
Xiao Dongkai wasn’t sure if her nod meant agreement or merely that she understood the situation.
“If you decide to go, I’ll apply for the flight route for you. I’ll be in Beijing for a while, so the private jet won’t be in use for now.”
“Thank you,” Shen Tang declined his offer. “I’ll go by myself.”
This meant she was willing to consider accepting his grandfather’s shares.
One of Xiao Dongkai’s objectives for this Beijing trip was finally successfully completed.
He didn’t waste a moment, sending an email to his grandfather to report the situation and also to tell his grandfather to prepare, as Shen Tang would be going to London to see him soon.
“Do you and Aunt plan to never interact again?” Inevitably, the conversation turned back to Xiao Zhen.
Shen Tang didn’t answer directly, instead asking, “Over one meal, you’re not trying to be a peacemaker for two people, are you?”
Xiao Dongkai: “I just hope you have family, that’s all.”
“I have family.”
Xiao Dongkai looked at her.
Shen Tang: “Jiang Chengyu is my family. Others are irrelevant to me.”
“Others” referred to Xiao Zhen and Chen Nanjin.
When the ordered dishes arrived, Xiao Dongkai stopped there.
________________________________________
The meal with Shen Tang ended in less than forty minutes. Xiao Dongkai didn’t get home until ten o’clock. He lived in the villa the Xiao family had purchased in Beijing, and Xiao Donghan also resided there.
Tonight, without any social engagements, Xiao Donghan was swimming in the outdoor pool.
He couldn’t remember how many laps he had swum; his mind was solely focused on the acquisition.
A car drove into the courtyard. Xiao Donghan emerged from the water, grabbed a bath towel to wipe his face, and went inside to change clothes.
The housekeeper had already prepared cigars and red wine, along with several glasses of ice water, on the table by the pool.
Xiao Dongkai got out of the car and waited for Xiao Donghan in the yard.
He rarely smoked cigars, but he had one tonight.
“Shen Tang accepted Grandpa’s shares?” Xiao Donghan had changed and emerged from the villa at some point. Click, the lighter ignited.
He took a cigar himself.
Xiao Dongkai: “You’ll have to ask Shen Tang about that. No one else can guess.”
Xiao Donghan had no time to dwell on whether Shen Tang would agree or not; he had already made all preparations for her acceptance.
The courtyard was unusually silent, filled with swirling smoke. The two brothers were lost in their own thoughts.
“The funding for your project is a mystery.” Xiao Dongkai pointed out. Xiao Donghan had come to Beijing claiming to start a project, but in reality, under the guise of the project, the money that came in was not for developing the project itself.
“That’s enough.” This was Xiao Dongkai’s advice to Xiao Donghan.
Xiao Donghan shrugged. “I’ve already gone easy on them, otherwise, her entertainment company wouldn’t have survived until today?”
Xiao Dongkai hadn’t checked where that money went. Just now, Xiao Donghan mentioned Shen Tang’s film and television company, so it must be related to Shen Tang.
“Did you use that money to deal with Shen Tang’s company?”
Xiao Donghan exhaled smoke, remaining silent.
He tacitly admitted it.
Xiao Dongkai wasn’t used to cigars. After a few puffs, he tossed it away, picked up a glass of ice water, and poured it over the still burning cigar. He drank the remaining half glass of ice water himself.
“You’re not using that money to help Chen Yinuo win against Chu Ran, are you?”
This was his guess.
And his intuition was always very accurate.
Xiao Donghan looked at his brother and chuckled.
Still, he didn’t deny it.
“Xiao Donghan,” Xiao Dongkai called him by his full name, “You know how much Aunt dislikes Fan Yu and Chen Yinuo, yet you’re using such a large sum of money to help them against Shen Tang. Where does that leave Aunt?”
“Don’t escalate this. No one is targeting Aunt, and I’m not helping Fan Yu personally. Fan Yu herself doesn’t even know that the funding behind her now comes from me.”
He was simply using the variety show with Chen Yinuo and Chu Ran to distract Shen Tang from the acquisition.
Shen Tang, with her strong competitive nature, would never allow Chu Ran to lose to Chen Yinuo.
If Chen Yinuo was pre-determined as the winner, Shen Tang would go to great lengths to make Chu Ran shine on the show and strive to win first place in the audience’s hearts.
That would inevitably consume most of Shen Tang’s energy.
Even if Shen Tang accepted Grandpa’s conditions, she wouldn’t be able to focus on properly utilizing those 3% shares.
“Brother, whose side are you on?”
Xiao Dongkai: “I’m on the side of Xiaoning Group.”
Xiao Donghan scoffed.
“When are you returning to London?” Xiao Dongkai asked his brother.
“I quite like Beijing,” Xiao Donghan replied evasively, took a glass of red wine, and returned to his room.
________________________________________
At 10:25 PM, Shen Tang got off the ring road.
She had just driven herself, taking a spin around the ring road.
Leaning by the roadside, she sent an email to Chairman Xiao’s secretary: [This Friday, we’ll meet at the manor.]
Shen Tang leaned back in her seat. She had decided to accept the shares gifted by Chairman Xiao, as long as the conditions weren’t so stringent that she couldn’t accept them.
“I’d like to hire you as my legal advisor. For this negotiation with Chairman Xiao, please help me secure the greatest benefits and also scrutinize the relevant contract that Chairman Xiao will sign with me.”
She sent Xiao Dongkai a voice message.
Afterward, she added another message: [Your role as my legal advisor is also one of the conditions for me to accept Chairman Xiao’s shares.]
After listening to the two voice messages, Xiao Dongkai was speechless. “...”
He remained silent for a long time.
Finally, he smiled helplessly.
Shen Tang was truly the most ruthless one, going all-in, making him discover any potentially unfavorable clauses his grandfather might have hidden in the contract.
Now, he was the spear, pointing directly at his grandfather.
And his grandfather’s shield might not be able to withstand him.
Shen Tang’s third voice message came in: [If you don’t reply within half an hour, I’ll consider that you’ve given up. And I will also cancel this trip to London.]
An undisguised threat.
Xiao Dongkai’s initial intention was to have Shen Tang join Xiaoning Group to fundamentally check Xiao Donghan.
His goal was simple: he hoped Xiaoning Group would go further, instead of getting bogged down in internal family disputes, which would benefit competitors.
Even if he didn’t care who ultimately controlled Xiaoning Group, his law firm, Kasi Law Firm, was closely linked to Xiaoning. As the eldest grandson of the Xiao family, with the backing of Xiaoning Group, Kasi Law Firm could command vast business in the industry.
A rising tide lifts all boats.
And his grandfather exploited this mindset, knowing that he hated internal strife within Xiaoning Group the most, which was why he sent him to persuade Shen Tang.
Whether it was him, Xiao Donghan, or his grandfather, everyone had their own agenda.
No one was more noble than the other.
Xiao Dongkai replied to Shen Tang: [My hourly rate is very expensive.]
Shen Tang was listening to music in the car. She waited eleven minutes before receiving Xiao Dongkai’s message.
[With those 3% shares, I’ll be someone on the rich list. Can’t I afford your hourly rate?]
Xiao Dongkai smiled. Business was business. [I’ll send you the specific remuneration and retainer agreement via email.]
Shen Tang started the car and drove along the main road.
After three turns, she inadvertently found herself at the entrance of Jiang Chengyu’s villa.
The villa was brightly lit, with all the lights on in the living room on the first floor.
Jiang Chengyu was working overtime in the living room. Three laptops were open, and one belonged to Yan Heyu.
After working all night, Yan Heyu put down his mouse and drank a cup of coffee to refresh himself.
Originally, they should have been in the study, but Jiang Chengyu wanted to wait for Shen Tang downstairs, and he wasn’t even sure if Shen Tang would come to the villa tonight.
The video conference had actually ended an hour ago, and he could have gone home earlier. He stayed up working overtime, hoping to see Jiang Chengyu make a fool of himself.
Yan Heyu checked his watch. “It’s almost 11:30. Shen Tang probably isn’t coming.”
Jiang Chengyu glanced at him. “Don’t assume everyone is like you, unable to wait for Wen Di.”
“...” Yan Heyu’s thoughts were exposed.
He had often waited downstairs at Wen Di’s house recently, and nine times out of ten, he wouldn’t see Wen Di come home. He didn’t know if she was on a date with her boyfriend or busy writing scripts.
The coffee in his mouth tasted twice as bitter as before.
Yan Heyu put down his coffee cup and changed the subject. “How do you plan to arrange the management of the target company?”
Jiang Chengyu’s computer screen displayed a list of executives. He had just reached this part. “Their CEO and a few of the CEO’s trusted associates cannot stay, but the other fifteen executives will remain.”
Among the fifteen, several had technical backgrounds. He had eyed this management and technical team even before the acquisition.
In the courtyard, the sound of a car echoed.
Yan Heyu became completely silent, packing up his laptop, ready to leave.
As he reached the door, Shen Tang walked towards him.
As Wen Di’s ex-boyfriend, he was a thorn in Shen Tang’s eye, intolerable.
As Jiang Chengyu’s partner, Shen Tang grudgingly gave him a glance and nodded at him.
Yan Heyu paused. “Is Wen Di very busy lately?”
Shen Tang: “I’m not sure.”
Having asked in vain, Yan Heyu stood there for a moment. At this moment, his longing for Wen Di was stronger than ever.
Wen Di had said that her happiest thing was to see him as soon as she got home.
From behind him, he heard Shen Tang’s coquettish voice directed at Jiang Chengyu. He walked away.
Shen Tang gripped Jiang Chengyu’s arms with both hands, standing on her tiptoes, trying to kiss him.
She tiptoed several times but still couldn’t reach him.
It would have been effortless if she were wearing high heels, but now in slippers, she wasn’t tall enough.
Jiang Chengyu stood tall and straight, gazing steadily at her.
“Don’t move, I can definitely kiss you.”
Shen Tang kicked off her slippers, placed her hands on his shoulders, and leaped up, aiming for his lips, and sucked once.
Jiang Chengyu encircled her waist with one hand, lifting her onto the sofa, where she looked down at him.
He slightly raised his head, his right hand supporting the back of her head, pulling her lips towards his.
After not seeing each other all day, they flirted and kissed.
“Did you miss me?” After the lingering kiss ended, Shen Tang asked him.
Jiang Chengyu: “And you?”
“My answer is the same as yours.” Shen Tang unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. “Why are you working in the living room today?”
Jiang Chengyu closed his laptop. “Waiting for you to come home after your social engagement.”
Shen Tang habitually hugged him from behind, clasping her hands.
She loved the feeling of strength around his waist.
“Xiao Dongkai and I left the restaurant around 7 PM.”
“Did you go to the studio to work overtime again?”
“No. I drove a loop around the ring road.” Shen Tang kissed his black shirt on his back. “I’m going to London in a few days.”
Jiang Chengyu didn’t ask her what she had discussed with Xiao Dongkai, or what agreement she was going to reach in London. The fact that she drove her car onto the ring road meant that this agreement must have caused her immense internal conflict.
However, she ultimately decided to sign this agreement.
“I want to use your private jet.”
“Okay, I’ll tell my secretary in a moment to apply for the flight route for you.”
Jiang Chengyu put away his laptop. He turned his head. “Want to play a game of chess with me?”
Shen Tang wasn’t skilled at chess; she was a beginner.
“Then you have to go easy on me.”
“I don’t really understand the rules either,” Jiang Chengyu wasn’t telling the truth. He went to get the chessboard.
He had loved playing chess since he was a child, and he was considered top-tier among amateurs; sometimes even the old master couldn’t beat him.
Shen Tang went back to her room first to shower and change into a clean, comfortable pajama set.
Jiang Chengyu brought the chessboard into the bedroom and set it up on the coffee table.
Two jars of chess pieces. Jiang Chengyu let her choose between white and black pieces.
“Which one do you like?” Shen Tang asked.
Jiang Chengyu pointed to the white chess jar.
“I’ll choose the one you like,” Shen Tang hugged the white chess jar to her lap.
Jiang Chengyu held the black chess pieces. She didn’t care where Jiang Chengyu placed his pieces; she visually surveyed the entire chessboard, thinking about how to arrange her white pieces.
She pointed to several intersection points. “You can’t go to these; they’re mine.”
She hadn’t even placed a single piece yet, and she was already marking territory.
Jiang Chengyu suddenly felt that his mother wasn’t that unreasonable after all. His mother only occupied one position when playing chess, while Shen Tang occupied a large area at once.
Shen Tang played each of her pieces with genuine emotion. An hour later, the game was over.
It seemed Jiang Chengyu truly didn’t understand chess; she had won against him, and his moves were a mess.
As she prepared to gather the pieces, she paused.
From her perspective, the black pieces on the chessboard spelled out “520.”
Shen Tang put down the few white pieces she had picked up. She couldn’t bear to disturb the board. “From now on, this chessboard stays like this. You’re not allowed to put it away.”
Still not at ease, she planned to write a sticky note and place it beside the chessboard, reminding Auntie to be careful with it when cleaning the room.
Jiang Chengyu watched her hurry to the study to get paper and pen, kneeling on the coffee table, seriously writing something.
He walked around to her side. “You don’t need to write it specifically. If it gets messed up, I’ll put it back together.”
“The meaning is different.” Shen Tang wrote two lines, signed her name, and added today’s date. She took out her phone to photograph the numbers on the chessboard.
“Keep it as a memento. It’s rare for President Jiang to be romantic.”
If he had spelled out “520” when he proposed, perhaps the outcome would have been different.
Jiang Chengyu pulled her up from the carpet. “Help me prepare an outfit for tomorrow.”
Shen Tang asked, “Is it a special occasion?”
“The first executive meeting after the target company’s merger and acquisition.” Jiang Chengyu took his pajamas and went to the bathroom.
It was indeed a very important day.
Shen Tang prepared a business suit for him: a white shirt, a black suit, and then chose her favorite pair from dozens of cufflinks.
With everything ready, she picked up her tablet and opened it, leaning against the headboard, waiting for Jiang Chengyu.
Having been busy all night, Shen Tang hadn’t had time to check the trending topics. The variety show team had officially announced the six popular female stars participating in the show.
Chu Ran and Chen Yinuo were both in the top trending topics. Because of her, the two were bound together, and the comments section was a chaotic mess, unbearable to read.
The show hadn’t started filming yet, so Fan Yu hadn’t yet unleashed her online trolls to attack Chu Ran.
With filming in mid-July, she had enough time to deal with it.
Her phone vibrated. Sister Li sent her a message: [The program director called me. The show is moving up by two weeks, starting next week. If artists have conflicting activities, the production team will cover part of the breach of contract fees.]
“Not sleeping yet?” Jiang Chengyu came out after his shower.
Shen Tang put her tablet aside. “I met a very wealthy production team, not feeling sleepy anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing, the production team has money,” Shen Tang smiled.
The lights were turned off.
Shen Tang rested her head on his arm; his embrace was a safe harbor, wrapped within it, she didn’t have to worry about anything else.
She had something on her mind, so Jiang Chengyu didn’t bother her further, just held her close. He had sensed her low spirits when she came home that night, which was why he had deliberately arranged the “520” for her later.
“Goodnight, President Shen.”
Shen Tang smiled and kissed him. “Goodnight.”
The next day, the sky was overcast, the sun trapped by thick clouds.
Jiang Chengyu and Xie Yucheng arrived at the target company’s building at 8:50 AM. All the executives were waiting in the conference room.
The door opened, and the executives turned their heads. Jiang Chengyu’s powerful aura created a sense of unease.
Before the meeting even began, an executive representative from the target company brought a stack of resignation letters and placed them before Jiang Chengyu.
Jiang Chengyu calmly opened and read each one.
The fifteen executives he had valued had collectively resigned and moved to another company.
In the Xiao family villa on the other side of the city, Xiao Donghan told Xiao Dongkai, “This is just the first little surprise for him.”
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