Bank representative Moro stared at Jiang Lin.
"Mr. Jiang, you are very good at causing trouble."
"Is that so?"
Alan printed out the screenshot of the transfer record and tucked it into a folder.
He looked at Moro.
"Mr. Moro, on behalf of Mrs. Montclair, I formally request that your bank suspend the enforcement proceedings. Your bank must explain the significant undervaluation in the valuation report."
Moro slowly closed the file.
"Mr. Alan, your side is being very irrational."
"Compared to letting my client sign an agreement that would inevitably cause her to lose the winery in three months, this is quite rational."
Moro finally looked at Isabella.
"Madam, I hope you truly understand what you are doing."
Isabella stood in the center of the hall.
The morning light fell on her shoulders.
"I am very clear on that."
Moro nodded.
"Let's go."
The asset appraisers immediately packed up their documents.
They had arrived with great momentum, but left dejected.
Pierre was still standing where he was.
He was unwilling to give up.
"Do you think you've won just like this?"
Jiang Lin looked at him without speaking.
"The Montclair family will not accept an outsider meddling in the winery, and they certainly won't accept a man standing by Isabella's side."
Jiang Lin walked up to him.
"Are you representing the Montclair family, or Lemaire Wine, who gave you two hundred thousand euros?"
Pierre's face turned pale.
"If the Montclair family is left with only people like you, then the winery really does need someone new to guard it."
"You will regret this."
"I've noted that."
He took the transfer record from Alan and slipped it into the breast pocket of Pierre's suit.
"Take your two hundred thousand euros and get out of her winery."
"You..."
"Do you need security to escort you out?"
Pierre looked at Isabella.
"Isabella, are you just going to watch him treat me like this?"
Isabella finally spoke.
"Martin, see Mr. Pierre out."
The butler bowed.
"Yes, Madam."
Pierre's face turned a mixture of pale and livid as he squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth.
"You won't last long."
After saying this, he turned and strode away.
The main door opened and closed again.
Isabella turned to the staff.
"Martin will register the names of those who participated in the inventory. Bonuses will be issued within a week. Go back to work."
The staff dispersed one after another.
Alan stepped forward with the documents.
"Madam, we must hurry."
Isabella regained her composure.
"What do you need?"
"Authorized signatures, loan documents from the past two years, the valuation report, and the draft contract for the Asian buyer."
After Alan finished speaking, he looked at Jiang Lin.
"I need to confirm the terms of the prepayment contract. Ownership of goods, delivery, and breach of contract liabilities must all be clear."
Jiang Lin nodded.
"I will draft the first version of the contract."
A few minutes later, everyone moved to the study on the second floor.
The long table was soon covered in documents.
Loan contracts.
Inventory lists.
Payment confirmations.
Legal letters.
Staff signature records.
Jiang Lin sat at the table and used Isabella's computer to draft the Asian pre-sale contract.
Cargo batches.
Delivery locations.
Nature of the prepayment.
Winery authorization.
Customs documents.
Transport insurance.
Right of first refusal for additional orders.
Every item was clearly written out.
Isabella sat opposite him, watching Jiang Lin quietly.
"The phone volume was loud; I heard 'passport.' Are your documents in someone else's hands?"
"Temporarily. My visa has thirteen days left."
Alan frowned.
"This is very troublesome. If the bank investigates you, they will quickly latch onto this point."
"That's why we need to do one more thing today."
"What?"
"Have Montlais Winery give me a formal employment contract under the title of'Special Consultant for the Asian Market'."
Isabella did not agree immediately.
"So you calculated this step from the very beginning?"
"You save the winery, I save myself. Thirty percent equity, management rights for the Asian market, and endorsement from high society."
"Mr. Jiang, your appetite is bigger than I imagined."
"You can refuse."
"What if I really refuse?"
"I will help you get through these forty-eight hours."
"And then?"
"I will leave."
"Are you willing to just walk away?"
"Of course I'm not willing, but I won't bet my life on someone else without a contract."
"That sounds like something an old aristocrat would say."
Jiang Lin typed the final period.
"I prefer to call it the experience of a poor man."
He forwarded the contract draft to Alan.
"Take a look. If there are no issues, send it to the buyer."
Alan began to review it.
Isabella stood up and walked to the window.
The vineyard gradually became clear from the morning mist.
She turned around.
"Alan, prepare a letter of intent for equity cooperation."
Alan looked up.
"Madam?"
"Mr. Jiang shall be granted the right of first refusal for thirty percent equity in Montlais Winery. The specific terms and capital injection plan will be officially signed after the forty-eight-hour crisis is resolved."
Alan wanted to say something, but he did as he was told.
Isabella walked back to the long table and looked at Jiang Lin.
"Formal equity transfer requires valuation, tax, and family charter audits. You won't get thirty percent today."
Jiang Lin nodded.
"I know."
"But I can give you the employment contract for the special consultant of the Asian market and the letter of intent for equity cooperation first. You can stay at Montlais Winery."
Jiang Lin looked up.
Isabella continued.
"For the next forty-eight hours, you must be somewhere I can find you at any time, in case you run off with the winery's data."
"Reasonable."
"Mr. Jiang, I don't truly trust you yet."
"I know."
"But I am willing to invest in you for forty-eight hours."
"You will find it worth the investment."
10:47 AM.
The contract was printed out.
The old butler brought over a fountain pen.
Isabella signed her name first.
Isabella de Montreuil.
The handwriting was elegant and forceful.
She handed the pen to Jiang Lin.
Jiang Lin signed his name in the position of Party B.
After signing the last page, pale golden text appeared before his eyes.
【Stage task completed】
【Forty-eight-hour crisis progress: 35%】
【Target trust level increased: 25 → 42】
【Obtained temporary status: Special Consultant for the Asian Market, Montlais Winery】
【Obtained temporary reward: Hidden intelligence for the Paris auction】
【Hidden intelligence unlocked】
【In twenty-four hours, a painting misjudged as a 19th-century imitation will appear at a small art auction at Drouot in Paris】
【True value: Tens of millions of euros】
【Recommended investment level: Grade A】
Drouot auction in Paris.
The misjudged painting.
Tens of millions of euros in value.
This would be his first true personal fortune.
The winery equity was not yet in his pocket.
The consultant salary was just a status.
The Asian prepayment belonged to the winery.
He needed a sum of money that belonged to him.
With that money, he could change from a pawn into a player.
Isabella noticed his pause.
"What's wrong?"
"I need to go back to Paris this afternoon."
"Now?"
"First, to handle the court and buyer contracts. Before tonight, I need a sum of usable funds."
"For what?"
"To bid on a painting."
Alan was organizing documents and looked up when he heard this.
"A painting?"
"There is a small art auction tomorrow, and there is something in it that has been undervalued."
Isabella looked at him.
"You also know art?"
"I know a little."
Alan couldn't help but say, "Again with 'know a little'?"
Jiang Lin glanced at him.
"It's enough."
Isabella did not rush to deny him.
"How much money do you need?"
"At least two hundred thousand euros."
Alan immediately frowned.
"The winery's money cannot be moved casually. The prepayment is bound by contract."
"I know."
Jiang Lin looked at Isabella.
"So I am borrowing it from you personally."
"Mr. Jiang, the most valuable thing on you right now is probably only the contract you just signed."
"This is also an investment. You invested in me for forty-eight hours; now you can add two hundred thousand euros to the stake."
Alan reminded her.
"Madam, this is not appropriate. Although Mr. Jiang helped us, two hundred thousand is not a small amount."
Isabella walked to the wine cabinet and took out a small box.
Inside was a sapphire brooch.
The style was classic, the inlay was delicate, and it was quite valuable.
"This was left to me by my mother."
Alan's expression changed slightly.
"Madam."
Isabella ignored him and looked at Jiang Lin.
"It can be pawned for at least three hundred thousand euros."
"Are you sure?"
"This does not belong to the winery's assets."
Isabella pushed the box forward an inch.
"Jiang Lin, I will invest in you one more time."
"I will pay you back within three days."
"If that painting is really valuable, I want to know everything."
"Understood."
"If you deceive me..."
"You will destroy me with your own hands, as you said last night."
12:00 PM.
Alan took the documents and rushed to the court.
The formal contract for the Asian buyer was sent out.
Martin arranged for staff to continue inventorying the wine cellar while contacting a jeweler to handle the pawn of the brooch.
Isabella was forcibly examined by a doctor.
Having not truly rested for over twenty consecutive hours, her body could no longer hold up.
After the doctor left, Martin stood at the doorway of the study.
"Madam, you must rest for two hours."
Isabella rubbed her temples.
"I still have things to do."
"Mr. Jiang also needs to change his clothes and have a meal."
Only then did Isabella look at Jiang Lin.
From last night until now, he had barely closed his eyes.
"Martin, arrange a room for Mr. Jiang."
"It has already been prepared."
The butler looked at Jiang Lin.
"Mr. Jiang, please come with me."
Jiang Lin stood up.
Isabella called out to him.
"Jiang Lin."
"Hmm?"
She sat behind the desk, sunlight falling on the side of her face.
"Will you come back?"
Jiang Lin looked at her.
"I haven't gotten the thirty percent equity yet."
Martin led Jiang Lin through the second-floor corridor.
The walls were hung with many old photos of the Montclair family.
The owners of the manor in the 19th century.
The heir in military uniform during World War I.
The couple who rebuilt the winery after the war.
And the wedding photo of Isabella and her husband.
The Isabella in the photo was much younger.
Wearing a white wedding dress, standing in front of the vineyard, her smile was bright.
The man beside her was gentle and handsome.
Jiang Lin only glanced at it before withdrawing his gaze.
In his past life, he had also seen this photo.
Later, it was placed in the winery's showroom by Lemaire Wine.
The guide said this was part of the romantic history of the Montclair family.
No one cared what the woman in the photo had lost.
They only cared if the story could make a bottle of wine sell for two hundred euros more.
Martin opened the guest room door.
"Mr. Jiang, this is the room Madam has prepared for you."
The room was large, and the window faced the vineyard.
The bed was tidy, and there was a single sofa by the fireplace.
On the table were clean clothes, a towel, and a simple lunch.
A pair of new leather shoes was placed beside the wardrobe.
"Your clothes have been sent for cleaning. The size may not be a perfect fit, so please make do for now."
Jiang Lin looked at the clothes.
"Thank you."
Martin stood at the door without leaving.
Jiang Lin looked at him.
"Anything else?"
The butler was silent for a moment, then bowed slightly.
"Mr. Jiang, everyone at the winery should thank you."
"I received compensation."
"But you truly saved Madam."
Jiang Lin did not respond.
Martin continued.
"After Sir passed away, Madam has been holding on all by herself. She rarely asks for help and rarely truly trusts anyone."
"Are you trying to remind me not to hurt her?"
Martin's gaze was gentle but carried the firmness of an old-school retainer.
"I want to remind you that Mrs. Montclair looks very strong, but she has already lost a lot."
Jiang Lin walked to the window and looked at the vineyard outside.
"Mr. Martin, do you know why I dared to barge into that reception room last night?"
"Because you knew there was a problem with the contract."
"There is another reason."
Jiang Lin turned to look at him.
"A woman who has been pushed to the edge but has not lost her composure is worth a gamble."
Martin was slightly taken aback.
"Rest assured, I need her right now, and I also need the winery."
This statement was very utilitarian, which actually made Martin feel a bit more at ease.
"Lunch is on the table. You can rest for two hours. At 3:00 PM, Madam will be waiting for you in the study."
"Understood."
Martin retreated.
The door closed.
After showering, he changed into a dark shirt and gray trousers.
They were slightly loose, but much more presentable than his old trench coat.
Just as he had eaten a few bites of lunch, his phone vibrated.
Zhao Hong sent a message.
【Jiang Lin, who the hell did you latch onto?】
【I helped you check on that money from Pierre, and I sent you the stuff. When are you giving me the twenty thousand euros?】
Jiang Lin looked at the screen and replied.
【Returning to Paris tonight. We'll handle the money and the passport together.】
【You want to get your passport? Fine, bring fifty thousand euros. Don't even think about it if you're a cent short.】
【Wait for me.】
He put down his phone.
The pale golden text appeared again.
【Side quest triggered: Retrieve passport】
【Task objective: Break free from the control of the Chinese agent Zhao Hong, eliminate identity risks】
【Task reward: Control over Paris's underground gray channels, cash reward of fifty thousand euros, one target intelligence card】
Control over gray channels.
This was exactly what he needed.
European high society has its own doors.
The underclass has its own paths.
He needed people on both sides.
People like Zhao Hong are dirty and greedy, but they can be used.
3:00 PM.
Jiang Lin returned to the study on time.
Isabella was sitting there.
She had changed into a dark blue dress, her hair was tied up again, and her complexion was better than in the morning.
On the table was the sapphire brooch box and a pawn confirmation letter issued by the jeweler.
Two hundred and fifty thousand euros, to be credited before 5:00 PM.
Seeing Jiang Lin enter, her gaze paused on him for a moment.
"This outfit is better than last night's."
Jiang Lin walked to the table.
"Martin has good taste."
"He rarely compliments people."
"He complimented you just now."
Isabella was slightly taken aback.
"Complimented me on what?"
"He said you were very strong."
Isabella was silent for a moment.
"Strength is sometimes just having no other choice."
Jiang Lin did not respond to this.
Isabella pushed the box to him.
"The pawn funds will arrive at 5:00. Your employment contract and identification documents will be sorted out by tomorrow at the latest."
Jiang Lin took the box.
"I'm returning to Paris tonight."
"Who are you taking?"
"Just myself."
"Zhao Hong has your passport, and you are also taking my brooch's pawn money to Paris."
"Do you think I would let you go alone?"
"Are you going to send someone to watch me?"
"To protect you, and also to protect my investment."
She pressed the bell on the table.
The door opened quickly.
A tall man walked in.
In his thirties, with short hair, a dark jacket, and sharp eyes.
"Luca, the winery's security chief. He used to serve in a mercenary group."
Luca looked at Jiang Lin and nodded slightly.
"He will go to Paris with you tonight."
Jiang Lin did not refuse.
Having someone who could fight by his side would make dealing with Zhao Hong much simpler.
Isabella stood up and straightened his shirt collar.
"Don't die in Paris."
"I still need to come back to get the equity."
5:20 PM.
The pawn funds arrived.
Luca drove a black Mercedes and carried Jiang Lin away from Montlais Winery.
As the car drove out of the manor gate, Jiang Lin looked back.
The phone screen lit up.
【Main quest: Stop the bank's forced debt collection within forty-eight hours】
【Investment quest: Bid on the hidden painting in Paris】
【Side quest: Retrieve passport, eliminate identity risks】