Putting aside all the petty matters of the past, Xu Fang was now even openly snatching such an important client. However, because the two of them had previously appreciated each other and their collaboration on the project was a perfect match, Shen Wanli couldn’t completely burn bridges yet. She could only continue to give lukewarm, perfunctory responses, planning to suppress the Xu family as soon as these contracts were fulfilled.
It was precisely for this reason that Shen Wanli wanted to pursue the pheromone project. If this project succeeded, funding in the future would be completely unproblematic.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Rou’s expression turned even colder. She never expected that she had only been abroad for these past few years, and yet so many buzzing flies had already surrounded Shen Wanli. It was truly infuriating.
Xu Fang’s phone calls continued to ring with relentless persistence. Jiang Rou looked coldly at the caller ID and said to Shen Wanli, “Answer it.”
“But.” Shen Wanli hesitated slightly. Without even thinking, she knew Xu Fang was likely inviting her out again under the pretext of the contract. Yet, right now was the critical phase of the project, and she couldn’t afford not to go.
However, having just been intercepted by Xu Fang, Shen Wanli had no desire to see this person either.
Seeing through Shen Wanli’s hesitation, Jiang Rou took her hand. “It is fine. If she looks for you again, I will go with you.”
As soon as Shen Wanli answered the call, Xu Fang said, just as expected, “President Shen, there are some issues in the middle of this project. I wonder if you have time tonight to come out and discuss it together.”
Knowing this would be the outcome, Shen Wanli told the person on the other end, “Name a place.”
After hanging up, she looked at Jiang Rou’s still somewhat swollen foot and asked, “Xiaorou, is your foot going to be okay?”
Jiang Rou, however, didn’t mind it at all; her foot had long since been fine.
When she sprained it that day, she had measured her actions, so it only looked terrifying. She had merely looked for an excuse to get a little closer to Shen Wanli, never expecting that plan to be disrupted by what happened that day.
Fortunately, that medical certificate had made the two of them move in together, so Jiang Rou had no intention of using her foot as an excuse anymore, as it would severely limit her range of movement.
“It is fine, it does not hurt anymore,” Jiang Rou said.
This made Shen Wanli feel a bit more at ease. After all, when Jiang Rou had cried out in pain every day at the beginning, it had scared her out of her wits.
That evening, the two of them arrived at the restaurant as promised. Knowing that Shen Wanli would certainly not be able to avoid drinking today, given that Xu Fang always made a great show of putting on appearances and had also invited several other business partners, Jiang Rou went to park the car herself, telling Shen Wanli to go upstairs and wait for her first.
“Why is President Shen only just arriving? You have really kept us waiting.” Shen Wanli heard Xu Fang’s sarcastic voice the moment she stepped inside.
Xu Fang was also an alpha, and being solidly built and taller than Shen Wanli, her presence commanded the entire space the moment she stood nearby.
“I was delayed a bit by something,” Shen Wanli explained indifferently.
Who knew whether these business partners truly lacked social awareness or emotional intelligence, but they had deliberately left the very seat next to Xu Fang vacant.
Unexpectedly, Shen Wanli didn’t demur as she usually did; instead, she sat right next to Xu Fang, which caught Xu Fang somewhat off guard.
Usually, Shen Wanli avoided her like a plague victim, so she never imagined Shen Wanli would sit right beside her without saying a word.
As soon as she sat down, Shen Wanli hurriedly called over a waiter. “Add another seat.”
With that, she smiled at the various partners and Xu Fang. “I brought someone along. You all do not mind, do you?”
The group looked at one another, then collectively looked at Xu Fang, before hastily waving their hands to indicate they did not mind.
Just as they had been chatting for a short while, Jiang Rou walked in.
Jiang Rou’s breathtaking beauty instantly made everyone hold their breath, and they cast meaningful, knowing glances at Shen Wanli.
Shen Wanli wasn’t surprised by their reactions; after all, this wasn’t the first time.
From the outside, Jiang Rou was truly as pretty as an omega. Even though she was now taller than Shen Wanli herself, everyone simply assumed she was just on the taller side.
“President Shen is truly blessed to have such a gorgeous omega.”
The group showered Shen Wanli with flattery, and Shen Wanli responded with a polite, agreeable smile.
Standing up, Shen Wanli introduced her to everyone: “This is Jiang Rou.”
While the two sides were still shaking hands, only Xu Fang’s face was as dark as charcoal.
She had finally managed to trick Shen Wanli into coming out, only for her to bring someone else along, and an omega at that. Fantastic.
Perhaps because the aura of anger radiating from Xu Fang was too intense, the conversation wrapped up quickly after just a few rounds of drinks, and the various partners successively made excuses about having matters at home and requested to leave early.
In an instant, only Shen Wanli, Jiang Rou, and Xu Fang remained at the table.
“Then I will be leaving as well,” Shen Wanli said, preparing to stand up and bid farewell, only to be stopped abruptly by Xu Fang’s voice.
“Do not be in such a hurry to leave, President Shen. I still have some questions I need cleared up.”
Xu Fang suddenly spoke up, blocking Shen Wanli and Jiang Rou just as they wanted to leave.
“What is it?” Shen Wanli asked, frowning.
Xu Fang raised an eyebrow and looked at Jiang Rou, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Just a little omega. Is this your type?”
Hearing the mockery in Xu Fang’s tone, Shen Wanli didn’t care in the least. “What about it?”
“Since President Shen asks like this, then I, Xu, will speak plainly. President Shen must know that the painter you have been trying to sign has already arrived at my company, right? I hear that President Shen places great importance on this project. I have a proposal here; I wonder if President Shen would like to hear it?”
Xu Fang’s tone was full of seductive enticement.
“Oh?” Shen Wanli actually wanted to hear what kind of scheme Xu Fang was plotting after stealing her business.
“President Shen’s time is tight. Why do you not spend a night with me, and I will return this project to President Shen? How about that?”
Xu Fang’s tone was extremely smug, as if she had already won Shen Wanli over.
Shen Wanli maintained a completely expressionless face, but Jiang Rou, standing right beside her, couldn’t help letting out a laugh.
“What are you laughing at?” Xu Fang’s tone turned unpleasant. Although she had indeed felt a bit jealous when Jiang Rou first walked in, she had never taken Jiang Rou seriously, viewing her simply as a pretty omega who relied entirely on alphas.
“I am laughing at how foolish you are, stupid as a pig. Hearing people in the business world call you an old fox, I actually thought you were someone smart,” Jiang Rou said, her tone filled with ridicule.
“What do you mean by that?” Xu Fang never expected a mere omega to dare speak to her like this.
“I am laughing at you for trying to catch Wanli-jie’s attention by stealing her business, and attempting to obtain Wanli-jie through this kind of transaction. But I can only tell you that you will end up with nothing for your pains. You do not need to worry about the art exhibition; I will naturally help her.”
“Just because of you?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Fang released her pheromones, attempting to crush Jiang Rou with them. After all, an alpha’s pheromones would cause an omega to experience physical discomfort.
Suddenly, Xu Fang’s face turned pale and her breathing grew labored, the clear consequence of having her own pheromones suppressed. This woman standing right in front of her was actually an alpha? Watching Xu Fang break out in a continuous cold sweat, Jiang Rou curved her lips into a smile. “That is right, just because of me.”