“Not at all, how could that be?”
Fang Mian exaggerated with a pained expression: “I just can’t bear the thought that this phone will be deducted from my salary.”
“Secretary-General, I was only accompanying him for work when I got into danger and accidentally broke the phone. Shouldn’t the company reimburse me for this expense?”
“President Gu is being too stingy with me, isn’t he? I’ve been with him for over two years, and he won’t even reimburse me for a single phone.”
The Secretary-General listened and couldn’t help but chuckle.
He adjusted his glasses and spoke earnestly: “Assistant Fang, it’s not that I’m criticizing you, but how much is a mere phone worth? Do you know how much financial, material, and human resources President Gu mobilized to find you?”
Fang Mian was stunned.
“He deployed three traffic police teams, one SWAT team, 500 drones, ten professional racing teams, 1,000 taxi drivers, and five radio stations… You could say that last night, half the people in Li Country were out on the roads, desperately searching for you!”
How could that be?
Fang Mian was completely dumbfounded.
Her eyes stared blankly into space.
“Preliminary estimates show that President Gu spent at least 10 million last night. So, deducting just the cost of a phone from you really isn’t much.”
“Perhaps he wants you to remember this experience through this phone, to learn your lesson and not make the same mistake again!”
Was it really as the Secretary-General said?
Fang Mian still found it hard to believe.
There was no deep bond between her and Gu Tingye that could justify spending 10 million overnight.
The most significant connection they had was nothing more than spending one night together.
In Gu Tingye’s eyes, could that one night be worth 10 million?
Fang Mian lowered her gaze and scanned herself from head to toe.
Even if she sold all her organs, she would be worth at most a few million.
Was Gu Tingye insane?
“Assistant Fang? Assistant Fang? What are you daydreaming about?”
Fang Mian snapped back to reality.
The Secretary-General instructed: “Eat well on your own. I have things to attend to and must leave now. Call me if you need anything.”
“Alright. Thank you, Secretary-General!”
After seeing off the Secretary-General, Fang Mian stared at the lavish spread of dishes on the table and fell into deep thought…
Gu Tingye was a businessman.
Businessmen valued returns on investment above all else.
What could she possibly offer Gu Tingye in return?
Her body?
It seemed that from the very beginning, Gu Tingye had been particularly… lustful toward her.
Would he spend 10 million without a word just for her body?
He couldn’t be that vulgar, could he?
If not her body, then what else could he want from her?
Love?
Would he lack love?
Chutian Entertainment Club.
Inside the private room, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was hard to breathe.
President Chen and his four subordinates had been kneeling for over half an hour.
Gu Tingye elegantly crossed his long legs, leaning lazily against the sofa.
He was resting with his eyes closed, yet his imposing presence still dominated everything around him, leaving no room for argument.
A phone rang.
President Chen was terrified of hearing phone rings now, but he had no choice but to answer.
“Hello… What? The bid failed? Wasn’t it already promised to us? Did you find out what happened? Who took it? Tian…”
Tianyu!
After hanging up, President Chen broke into a cold sweat from anxiety.
Yet Gu Tingye didn’t even lift an eyelid, and he dared not rashly disturb him.
The phone rang again.
President Chen felt like he was about to have a heart attack.
“What! The warehouse caught fire? Hurry up and call the fire department to put it out! What good does calling me do? Have you figured out what caused it? Spontaneous… spontaneous combustion?”
After hanging up, President Chen was so terrified that his hands trembled uncontrollably, nearly dropping his phone.
In just one day, his headquarters and branches had encountered problems everywhere, one mishap after another.
In these brief twelve hours, he had gone from enviable, bountiful success to complete and utter ruin!
He refused to believe that all of this was mere coincidence.
If things continued like this, not only would he lose everything, but he might also be buried under massive debts and his reputation would be utterly destroyed.
All that glory had been the result of over twenty years of hard work!
And now, Gu Tingye had effortlessly crushed it all. His heart ached!
With no other options left, President Chen could only kneel on the floor, kowtowing repeatedly. “President Gu! I beg you to show mercy… please spare me. I truly don’t know any Miss Fang.”
“I gave you the surveillance footage, I handed over the suspect. Didn’t I even send help yesterday to assist in the search? Could President Gu please show some leniency and let Tianyu back off?”
“I implore President Gu to show mercy. I would be eternally grateful. Please, President Gu, show mercy…”
Finally, Gu Tingye slowly opened his hawk-like black eyes.
He stretched his arms and moved his shoulders.
Then he twisted his neck, which had grown stiff from sleep.
Finally, he lazily took a sip of the fine red wine.
As the bottom of the glass tapped against the table, it emitted a crisp sound.
“Does President Chen think he’s innocent?”
President Chen looked up, his eyes darting nervously. “What do you mean, President Gu?”
Gu Tingye smiled faintly. “I’m a straightforward man. I treat women this way, and I treat men the same. I prefer things to be simple, direct, and uncomplicated. It’s just a shame that President Chen’s heart refuses to be even half honest with me.”
President Chen panicked. “That’s a misunderstanding, President Gu! I really don’t know how I’ve offended you to make you so unhappy! Here… let me punish myself with three drinks.”
After three drinks.
President Chen, his face flushed red, fawned, “President Gu, look, I drank every last drop—that’s straightforward enough, right? Could you… please show a little mercy and let my company catch its breath? If you keep pushing, I’ll truly have no way out!”
“I’m pushing you? Heh heh heh…”
Gu Tingye’s low, eerie laughter sent chills down one’s spine.
“President Chen, you’ve misunderstood me. I’m a busy man. I don’t have the time to push someone I don’t even care about. The one who pushed you to this point… is actually yourself.”
“Me?”
Gu Tingye fixed his sharp, cold gaze on him. “Tell me, who is that person?”
President Chen continued to play dumb. “Which person are you referring to, President Gu? I really don’t know.”
“Fine, don’t say it!”
Gu Tingye picked up his phone and dialed a number. “Keep going…”
President Chen wailed loudly, “No, President Gu, you really can’t keep going! If this continues, I’m truly finished!”
Gu Tingye stood up, straightened the wrinkles on his suit, and said unhurriedly, “How boring. I can’t be bothered to play with you anymore! Even if you don’t say anything, I can still find out with just a little more time.”
Gu Tingye turned to leave.
Three.
Two.
One.
“I’ll talk, I’ll talk!”
Gu Tingye sneered coldly.
In his pitch-black, obsidian-like eyes flowed a cruel, bloodthirsty light.