The man wore a black suit, his face sharply defined and so exquisite it seemed unreal.
His brow appeared habitually slightly furrowed, his complexion pale, even his lips lacking color.
Only the faint red at the corners of his eyes hinted at an inescapable, lingering ferocity.
His icy demeanor easily overshadowed his striking appearance, making others hesitant to look too closely.
As he passed through the hall, people greeted him with a mix of eagerness and caution, addressing him as “Young Master Jiang.”
But he only gave occasional slight nods, not uttering a word, and gestured behind him with a raised hand.
Two men in black suits and sunglasses strode forward—one guiding him to the sofa in the farthest corner, the other going to pour him a drink.
Only then did the crowd dare to whisper among themselves.
“To think they managed to invite him—unbelievable.”
“Weren’t you always looking for a chance to meet Young Master Jiang? This is your opportunity.”
“I wouldn’t dare. Who knows what he likes or dislikes? If I accidentally cross him, it’s over.”
Yan Sui curiously leaned forward to look.
She saw him cross his legs, lower his head slightly, a few strands of hair falling over his brow.
He raised his hand, accepting the glass offered by the man in black.
His long, slender fingers gently swirled the drink twice before he slowly lifted his gaze, scanning the room—
His narrow, bloodshot eyes met Yan Sui’s curious almond-shaped ones.
In an instant, the surrounding noise faded away.
Their eyes met for only a moment.
Yet it felt like a surging, dark wave crashing toward her.
Yan Sui’s heart skipped a beat, as if she saw his pupils suddenly constrict, his entire body tensing like a wild beast sensing a threat.
She found his reaction a bit strange.
Just as she was about to look again, he had already lowered his gaze once more.
Then, he seemed to say something, and the man in black standing beside him shifted his position, blocking the line of sight between them.
The young girl blinked in confusion.
He was different from everyone else here, an invisible barrier surrounding him, as if—
A delicate, fragile figurine of a beauty encased in a transparent display box.
The thought inexplicably crossed Yan Sui’s mind.
She wanted to lean forward for another look.
But Zhou Jin stopped her.
The man moved even closer, and Yan Sui caught the strong scent of his cologne, almost overwhelming.
“That’s right, he’s Jiang Yuan from the Jiang family. Don’t stare, or he might have your eyes gouged out,” Zhou Jin said, his expression tense.
Yan Sui: “Huh? How could that be?”
“Who knows? He’s a… madman.” He didn’t voice the last two words, only mouthing them to Yan Sui.
“But everyone seems to respect him.”
“Because no one wants to offend a madman. Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore, Miss Yan. Shall we find a place to sit?”
He moved closer, his hand about to wrap around Yan Sui’s waist.
The young girl took a step back, avoiding him, and smiled. “No need, it’s fine right here.”
Her clear refusal caused Zhou Jin’s smile to fade slightly.
“What’s wrong, Miss Yan? Unwilling to accept my invitation?”
Lin Jian, who had been nearby, walked over, his expression displeased as he looked at Yan Sui:
“What did I tell you before we came?”
Zhou Jin tried to smooth things over with a smile. “It’s fine, she’s probably just not used to this kind of setting, being here for the first time.
“A girl should be more open and generous, not so reserved.”
His eyes wandered up and down before settling on Yan Sui’s slender waist, and he moved closer again:
“Come on.”
His hand reached out once more.
Yan Sui continued to step back, her face still wearing a sweet smile.
Impenetrable.
Even if she panicked or frowned in refusal, Zhou Jin would have ways to manipulate her.
But she was just like this, smiling as she stared at him.
For some reason, Zhou Jin always felt that beneath those innocent almond-shaped eyes was a hint of disdain, as if looking at something filthy.
“You’re pushing your luck, Yan Sui,” Zhou Jin finally lost his patience.
Then he turned to Lin Jian: “Mr. Lin, your daughter has quite the personality.”
Lin Jian glared fiercely at Yan Sui.
But soon, he understood Zhou Jin’s look and smiled:
“Yes, she’s a bit immature. By the way, I have something to attend to. I’ll trouble you to educate my unruly daughter.”
With that, he turned and left.
Zhou Jin looked at Yan Sui, his eyes filled with a mix of admiration and mockery.
“So, why pretend to be reserved? If you still don’t understand, I don’t mind spelling it out for you.
“No one is protecting you now. Your father needs something from me, and pleasing me is your only choice.”
Yan Sui’s smile grew even sweeter.
With Lin Jian gone, it suited her perfectly—no need to act anymore.
“Mr. Zhou, you know what?” Her voice was soft and gentle.
“You look filthy and stinky, and you might even be diseased. Someone as lowly as you isn’t even worth a stray dog on the street.”
Zhou Jin froze completely.
For a moment, he even thought he was hallucinating.
“You! Say that again?!” His face instantly flushed a deep purple, and his perpetually half-closed eyes widened in shock.
The young girl took a step back as if frightened, blinking innocently:
“Is your ear clogged with gutter oil from your brain?”
Zhou Jin was so angry he felt a rush of heat surge to the top of his head.
“You bitch, you asked for this!”
He grabbed Yan Sui’s wrist and dragged her straight toward the guest room!
A tall, grown man overpowering a slender girl was effortless.
The girl let out a soft gasp, her eyes reddening.
“Mr. Zhou, please don’t do this.”
People around them glanced over, their eyes filled with disgust and pity, but no one stepped in to stop it.
Zhou Jin watched the girl struggle, her strength pitifully weak, and felt a surge of satisfaction.
“Your mouth was so sharp earlier? Let’s see if you can still talk later!”
Yan Sui stumbled as he dragged her along, lowering her head and curling the corner of her lips.
Suddenly, a slightly hoarse voice rang out.
It wasn’t loud, but it pierced everyone’s ears.
“Zhou Jin.”
Zhou Jin stiffened all over, feeling as if his boiling blood had instantly turned ice-cold.
He involuntarily let go, straightened up, and instinctively put on a flattering smile:
“Young Master Jiang, you… called me?”
Yan Sui rubbed her wrist and stood up straight, also surprised.
At some point, one of the men in black who had been standing beside Jiang Yuan had moved behind Zhou Jin, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Without another word, he dragged Zhou Jin over.
The man on the sofa pressed his fingertips hard against his temples, veins bulging on the back of his hand:
“Zhou Jin, you tampered with the contract between Zhixing Group under the Jiang Corporation in April.”
He seemed to struggle with speaking such a long sentence, his tone stiff and strange, as if holding something back.
Zhou Jin’s legs gave way, and he knelt before Jiang Yuan, trembling with fear.
How did he know? He had covered everything up perfectly.
And such a minor issue wouldn’t even be noticed by the higher-ups at Jiang Corporation, let alone taken seriously.
But of course, the one who discovered it was this living devil!
“You have two choices. Within one month, the group’s legal department will prepare all evidence to sue and completely block Jin Hui.
“Or—” He raised his eyes coldly and made a gesture.
Zhou Jin trembled like a sieve, without even a chance to beg for mercy.
Two men in black stepped forward, quickly pressing him to the ground—
Everyone present felt their hair stand on end, falling silent as cicadas in winter. Some couldn’t help but retch, while others staggered away from the scene.
Jiang Yuan still kept his head slightly lowered, his eyes downcast, watching the unconscious Zhou Jin as he said hoarsely:
“Throw him out.”
His fingernails dug deeply into his palms as he struggled to restrain the violent frenzy within. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to raise his eyes.
But rather, he didn’t dare.