Shen Siyao struggled a couple of times, couldn’t break free, and then obediently settled down. Now she wasn’t swaying at all.
The hotel was magnificent, with a sculpture of Buckingham standing to the side. Jiang Yi used the room card Shen Siyao handed over to push open the door, not looking around, to avoid seeing anything she shouldn’t.
Having delivered the person, Jiang Yi felt awkward again: “Um.”
Shen Siyao’s eyes glinted dangerously as she said viciously, “Try walking out. I dare you.”
This was her client Jiang Yi couldn’t afford to offend her. She seemed to have guessed Shen Siyao’s purpose, thinking only that if all this effort was just to humiliate her, then she would simply endure it.
Seeing that Jiang Yi had no intention of leaving, Shen Siyao felt a bit more at ease. With a cold snort, she ducked into the bathroom herself.
Jiang Yi, following the memories in her head, called room service and had someone prepare some medicinal ingredients. There was a kitchen here, so she cooked a bowl of hangover soup. It was force of habit too many business banquets meant hangovers and headaches the next day. She didn’t know whether Shen Siyao would get one, but it was better to be prepared; cooking a bowl couldn’t hurt.
Shen Siyao sat on the sofa, looking at the bowl on the coffee table. She pinched her nose and took a sip, feigning disgust, but it actually tasted pretty good, sweet and tangy.
The refined Eldest Miss sat on the sofa in a bathrobe, her hair half-dried, draped over her shoulders, one leg casually crossed over the other. Without her makeup she looked even more exquisite and delicate, having lost the sharp edge she’d had during the day. Her voice was faintly nasal, yet there was something quiet and probing in the way she seemed to study her.
Beside her sat a black box. She spoke: “Don’t you have anything to say to me? Any explanation?”
She was waiting for her to speak. But apparently Jiang Yi’s mouth was sealed with glue, she clearly knew what Shen Siyao cared about, yet stubbornly refused to say a word.
If she would just apologize, Shen Siyao thought, she wouldn’t not mind, but it would make her feel a bit better.
Jiang Yi sat on the other side, her eyes on the floor, zoning out a little, her mind completely blank: “No.”
Maybe there was something, but it would be pointless anyway.
Fine. She had given her a chance, and she refused to take it. Shen Siyao lifted her chin, so angry she sneered, calling her by name directly: “Fine. Very good. Excellent.”
Her gaze was piercing, as if trying to probe the depths of her heart, demanding: “Jiang Yi, did your President Song not make things clear to you?”
Jiang Yi obediently raised her chin, her eyes focusing as she gathered her thoughts: “She said to send you back to the hotel and take good care of you.”
Shen Siyao’s eyes glinted with interest. “Take care of me? You don’t understand?” Her chin lifted slightly as she looked at her: “Come here and please me.”
Jiang Yi’s expression froze, she couldn’t believe these words had come out of Shen Siyao’s mouth. Although Shen Siyao looked like someone who loved to play around, Jiang Yi knew how reserved and innocent she used to be.
The flicker of surprise when she raised her head did not escape Shen Siyao’s notice, and she observed her with amusement.
It seemed like a long while before Jiang Yi, her brows slightly furrowed, gave no response.
Shen Siyao lifted her jawline: “I know what your situation is right now. Let me be honest with you Baige is under my control now, but it doesn’t have to be Aurora.” Her tone was spoiled and willful, but not unpleasant; Jiang Yi knew she was stating the facts. “And your Aurora, if it wants to establish itself domestically, can only partner with Baige. But what if I just can’t stand the sight of you?”
Jiang Yi met her gaze, and the anger, struggle, and obsession in those eyes made her chest begin to ache.
She had known Shen Siyao didn’t want to see her, her appearance today was an accident. Though she didn’t want Shen Siyao’s impartial judgment compromised by her presence, clearly, Jiang Yi was the least qualified person to say such a thing, and Shen Siyao was telling her as much, openly and unmistakably.
As long as it was her Jiang Yi, the answer was no.
Bitterness spread from the depths of her heart. Reining in her thoughts, she rose to leave. “Sorry, Shen.”
Hearing that form of address, Shen Siyao gritted her teeth in fury. “Stop right there.”
Shen Siyao wanted to see her go mad, but clearly, the one going mad right now was her. She opened the case, pinched up a stack of cash, and slapped it straight onto Jiang Yi’s face.
Jiang Yi wished she would throw more, if it would make her happy.
“I just hate that high-and-mighty act of yours scheming inside while playing the innocent, pitiful victim. Wasn’t that exactly how you fooled me back then? Was I stupid? Or did I just have no brain at all, to believe it so foolishly?” As if remembering something, she choked up, the rims of her eyes reddening. The money struck Jiang Yi’s face until it stung.
Still, Shen Siyao found it wasn’t enough. “Don’t you want money? Didn’t you leave me for money? Isn’t money what you love? I really should let your President Song see you like this disgraceful conduct in private, morally corrupt, a person rotten to the core.”
“What gives you the right to act like everything’s in the past, all forgiven? Jiang Yi, you’re the one who wronged me, seven years gone without a single word,” she said, fury suppressed in her eyes, like weeping blood. “If I hadn’t seen you today, I’d truly have thought you were dead.”
Jiang Yi bore it all. A red mark had been knocked between her brows by those banknotes, but the words were like being sliced apart piece by piece at her heart. The one who was truly hurting was Shen Siyao. Shen Siyao was right, she had left her because of money, but not only because of money.
Having cursed enough, Shen Siyao sat back down, her voice tinged with cold. “I didn’t come here for a reunion either. Do as you please.”
“But you still don’t seem to understand your position. As long as I’m satisfied, all of this can be yours.”
Jiang Yi lowered her eyes and asked Shen Siyao, “Is this what you want?”
An undercurrent of tangled emotion flashed through the depths of Shen Siyao’s eyes.
Jiang Yi knew, then. Her voice was soft, yet heavy, like a hammer dropping onto her heart with an aching weight: “Alright.” She began to undo her own buttons, from her collarbone downward her wrists fair as jade, her five fingers slender as bamboo, her nails like crescent moons tinged with pink.
Her fair skin invited endless imaginings.
The moment the third button came undone, a storm of unreadable emotion surged in Shen Siyao. Unable to catch her breath, she simply flipped the table over, the porcelain and jade bowls splashing onto the carpet at her feet. “Get out!”
The bedroom door slammed shut with a bang, shutting Shen Siyao who had moments before been sitting on the sofa, inside along with it. The living room lay in ruins: overturned hangover soup, mingled with scattered banknotes and the case, and a stain blooming across the opulent white carpet.
Jiang Yi gave a bitter smile, her fingers still frozen in the motion of undoing the third button, her emotions oddly flat. Then she buttoned herself back up. She had wanted to quell Shen Siyao’s resentment, but once again, she had gone about it the wrong way.
When Shen Siyao woke up in the morning, the floor had already been fitted with a new carpet, pristine white, and the mess from the spilled items had long been cleaned up. Last night’s argument felt almost like an illusion, yet she irritably raked her fingers through her hair.
When Cheng Le knocked and came in, she found Shen Siyao scowling first thing in the morning. Though the young Miss Shen had a bad temper, she rarely actually lost it in front of others in her words, they weren’t worthy of it. But clearly, Deputy GM Jiang last night had provoked Shen to the point of explosion, one thing after another.
Cheng Le held the bid documents in her arms details compiled from last night’s negotiations with Aurora, along with future planning, for Shen Siyao to review.
Standing beside her, Cheng Le reiterated her thoughts: “Based on this, from the overall data analysis, Aurora’s promising development in opening up the tech market will lead the industry into a new era.”
Shen Siyao was flipping through the pages when her hands stopped. Her attitude was unreadable as she abruptly asked, “What’s for breakfast?”
Cheng Le faltered, struggling to process what she meant. “What would you like to eat, Shen?”
Shen Siyao continued turning pages as she spoke, “Aurora’s market background check shouldn’t be limited to just a promising tech company.”
For example, just as when a celebrity endorses a major brand, one has to find out whether there’s any dirt on them or how their private reputation stands, and whether the company’s overall conduct poses any risks, a thorough background assessment is required. The relationship between the two is not merely that of partners, but of shared risk.
Cheng Le’s expression turned serious as she thought for a moment. She understood.
Aurora Tech Tower
Chen Hangliang: “Have you heard? Last night’s partnership meeting went really badly. Seems like Shen from Baige has some issue with our Deputy GM Jiang.”
Zhao Zhao was a bit skeptical: “Huh, no way. Our Deputy GM Jiang has such a good temper, how could that be possible?” In their impressions, Deputy GM Jiang was always composed and unhurried, never losing his temper.
An employee from another department chimed in: “I think it’s true. I was right next door yesterday. That Shen, when she looked at our Deputy GM Jiang, her face was sour, like he owed her eight million. Maybe there really is some private grudge. But I have to say, she’s really gorgeous. The two of them standing together is quite a sight.”
Zhang Tingting had just clocked in and stuffed the last bite of her bun in her mouth when Zhao Zhao grabbed her as she passed: “Tingting, tell me, I believe you. Weren’t you at dinner with Deputy GM Jiang last night? Are they telling the truth?”
Zhang Tingting lowered her eyes: “I don’t know. I’m almost late for work, Zhao Zhao.” She knew some things shouldn’t be said. Zhao Zhao couldn’t get anything out of her and felt a bit deflated.
Zhou Zhengguang came by to inspect, adjusting his tie, and saw the crowd huddled together: “What’s all the chatter about? So lively.”
Chen Hangliang, ever blunt, raised his hand upon seeing him: “Brother Zhou, everyone’s saying Shen and our Deputy GM Jiang don’t get along. She wouldn’t make trouble for our Aurora, would she?” Then he went on: “But it should be fine. After all, with Aurora’s current technology, I have to say we’ll be number one in the world sooner or later. If anyone takes a loss, it won’t be us at Aurora.”
Zhou Zhengguang wanted to cover his mouth. Gossip was unavoidable, but words could be dangerous. He reprimanded him: “That’s enough. This isn’t something you should be worrying about. Everyone just focus on your own work. You can say this stuff in front of me, but once you’re out there, don’t embarrass Aurora. Keep a low profile.”
Chen Hangliang put on an ingratiating smile and made a zipping-his-lips-shut gesture.
Jiang Yi stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of her office. Today she wore a sleek black business jumpsuit, paired with a small square-faced brown watch on her wrist. With her height of 176 centimeters and flawless waist-to-hip proportions, she looked all the more striking slim waist, long legs, and a perfectly poised figure.
At this moment, one hand tucked in her pocket and the other holding a cup of Americano, the faint veins and pulse visible on her wrist, she stood before the window, her expression unreadable, betraying no hint of emotion.