Zhou Shiqing stared at the contract in Shen Muyun’s hands, then glanced sideways at Xiao Chen, who was standing to the side with his head bowed. His expression was hidden, but Zhou Shiqing looked as if he wanted to scream; he was furious at how unreliable someone could be, wondering what kind of bad luck had struck him today.
Zhou Shiqing truly wanted to slap Xiao Chen across the face, but now was not the time.
Zhou Shiqing’s mouth twitched slightly as he arched his finger and tapped the table beside him. “Just because the contract is drafted does not mean it will be signed smoothly. Even if it is signed, who knows if accidents will occur during its execution? Don’t you think so, Shen Muyun? Do not be so arrogant.”
Shen Muyun smiled. “You are right. When it comes to contracts, everything depends on timing, location, and people; if one is missing, it will not work. As for the execution of the contract, I do not think the Shen Corporation will have any issues, so you do not need to worry about such trivial things. Xiao Chen, the meeting is about to start. Are you not going?”
“Oh, oh, right away, right away. I am going now.”
As Shen Muyun turned to leave the pantry, he heard a thud behind him, as if a cup had fallen to the floor.
When he arrived at the meeting room, there were only three or four people present. Shen Liuyun’s expression was rather poor, likely still reeling from the contract incident. It was well known that Shen Liuyun was a meticulous person, and having such a mishap occur was incredibly frustrating. As for Lu Huainan, he maintained his usual refined and gentle demeanor, smiling at Shen Muyun.
Shen Muyun placed the contract on the table beside Shen Liuyun. “Mr. Shen, these are the documents you requested. I have corrected the errors inside. Please take a look.”
Shen Liuyun’s expression eased slightly. He picked up the contract and flipped through a few pages. The errors had indeed been corrected, and he nodded with satisfaction, his complexion improving significantly compared to earlier.
“Mr. Lu, I apologize for keeping you waiting for so long. My new assistant is not familiar with the company’s procedures, and there were some small flaws in the contract. Fortunately, it did not take long to fix.”
Lu Huainan looked at Shen Muyun, who was sitting in the corner, with great interest. “Hmm, it is nothing. Just as you said, it did not take long. If it is convenient, let us begin.”
Shen Liuyun opened the pre-prepared presentation, and the content appeared clearly on the screen.
This turn of events left Shen Muyun stunned. Damn it, he thought. There was already a perfectly normal contract? They let me run around in a panic for so long, and it even cost me the tokens I worked so hard to save! His mood plummeted instantly; this felt like a cruel joke.
“Mr. Lu, this is our basic plan. Regarding the development of the land north of the city, there is a lack of a strong commercial hub, so the construction of a shopping district is imperative.”
Lu Huainan looked at the presentation, then glanced in Shen Muyun’s direction again.
“Doing this will not only contribute to commercial development but also help boost employment rates. The Jiangcheng Municipal Government has always been committed to youth employment, so we can consider this our contribution. Furthermore, we could build an amusement park here; the target market is quite good, as it is aimed at children.”
Lu Huainan kept his head down, holding a fountain pen and scribbling on paper as if taking notes. Occasionally, he would look up at the presentation, then cast a glance toward Shen Muyun. Seeing him looking drowsy, the corner of Lu Huainan’s mouth curved into an arc.
“Over here, we can build a school. However, it will require attracting investment, which depends on the specific plans of your Lu Corporation. Education cannot be overlooked.”
Lu Huainan nodded as he listened to Shen Liuyun’s explanation. After flipping through the contract a few more times, he said, “Mr. Shen, I think this proposal is quite good. Let us finalize the contract as it is.”
Shen Liuyun paused, surprised that the contract could be signed so easily. The Shen and Lu corporations had engaged in negotiations before, but they always ended in nothing. Perhaps the title of “family friends” was just a title; as competitors, interests always came first.
“Very well, then the contract shall be finalized. We will need to continue drafting documents for the specific follow-up plans, but for now, it is a pleasure to cooperate.”
Shen Liuyun and Lu Huainan signed the contract and stamped it with the official seal. The process was as smooth as flowing water. Shen Muyun was tongue-tied. Is this not a script already arranged by the system? What is my role in all this?
He stretched his limbs in the corner and took a casual look around. If he had known it would be this simple, the anxiety he felt earlier was truly not worth it. The CEO of the Lu Corporation seemed to keep looking his way.
Is the system telling me to target him? He was indeed handsome and exactly Shen Muyun’s type, but was it really going to be that easy?
“Since the deal is signed, shouldn’t we have a meal? Let us call it a victory banquet.” Lu Huainan flipped through the files with his head down.
“That sounds great. It has been a while since we gathered like this. Lately, work has been so busy that there has been no personal space.”
Lu Huainan closed the files and placed them on the table. “Alright then, let us say 8:00 PM. You are welcome to bring family.”
Shen Liuyun lost his focus for a moment, then smiled bitterly. “What family? I have always been single. Does Mr. Lu have someone in mind?”
“It counts as someone, and it also does not. Mr. Shen, family members are fine too. We will see you there, 8:00 PM tonight.”
Shen Muyun ruminated on what had just happened. He volunteered to take on the task of cleaning up the meeting room. Shen Liuyun did not stop him and left after giving a few instructions. Shen Muyun casually wiped the dust off the table and left the room.
Before he could even return to his office, he bumped into Zhou Shiqing, who had not left yet, at the corner of the hallway.
“Zhou Shiqing, the contract is now a done deal. Is there anything else you want to say? Besides, this is the Shen Corporation. Are you just strolling down the street?”
Zhou Shiqing gritted his teeth, looking at Shen Muyun’s smug expression. He wanted to fight, but he could not win, and he could not out-argue him either.
“Shen Muyun, it is just a contract; it is no big deal. In business, there are always ups and downs. Besides, the company’s heir is your brother, not you. Shen Muyun, other than using violence to solve problems, what else can you do?”
“Oh? How do you know I am just a follower? I have been following my brother since I was a child. Whatever he says, I do. Who says we cannot be close? Are you jealous? This is something you cannot buy. What, are you trying to wedge yourself between us brothers?”
Zhou Shiqing kicked the wooden wall paneling with force, and perhaps because of the angle, it cracked.
“Whoa, Zhou Shiqing, that is destruction of public property. The interior design of the Shen Corporation is consistent, and if I recall correctly, this paneling was imported from Italy. What are we going to do about this?”
“What to do? I will pay for it! It is just a wall. Shen Muyun, do not get too smug.”
Zhou Shiqing turned and left directly.
Shen Muyun shrugged at his back. “Incompetent; just relying on borrowed power.”
The more Zhou Shiqing thought about it, the angrier he became. Why did everything good happen to Shen Muyun? The plan to swap the contracts had been flawless, yet it seemed his pawn, Xiao Chen, was unreliable. The Chen family had been with the Shen Corporation for decades; this was a catastrophic strategic error. But this Shen Muyun, I need to think of a way to teach him a lesson. Otherwise, this frustration is stuck in my chest and it is unbearable.
Zhou Shiqing checked his WeChat; Shen Liuyun was still pinned at the top. “Brother Liuyun, congratulations on signing the contract so smoothly.”
Shen Liuyun glanced at his phone, saw Zhou Shiqing’s message, and replied casually, “Thank you.”
He then tossed his phone further away and began to handle his work.
Seeing Shen Liuyun’s cold reaction, Zhou Shiqing finally understood that the Shen Corporation was determined to cut ties with the Zhou Corporation. So what? The tides turn; this is only the beginning.
When Shen Muyun returned to his desk, he slumped into his chair, feeling inexplicably tired. Hearing footsteps, he looked up.
“Young Assistant Shen, Mr. Shen mentioned that you should not be late for the victory banquet tonight.”
Shen Muyun grunted. “Mhm, I know. Xiao Chen, you have been with the company for so many years, so you should know the rules. I can turn a blind eye to what happened earlier, but that is only out of respect for your father. Uncle Chen is a hero of this company.”
Xiao Chen, sitting at his desk, was stunned by Shen Muyun’s words for a moment. “Uh, that… yes, my father was a partner back then.”
“I will assume you were momentarily blinded by greed in the pantry. As for the contract, consider it my mistake. I hope you understand that this is the Shen Corporation, and the Shen family has treated you well. That slap should balance out your mistake. What do you think?”
Without Zhou Shiqing as his backing, Secretary Chen naturally dared not say more and could only submit.
“Young Assistant Shen, thank you for your magnanimity. I… yes, I was momentarily blinded. If it had not been for your slap, I would not have realized my mistake.”
“There is a victory banquet tonight; you can leave work early.”
Xiao Chen nodded awkwardly. “Understood, Young Assistant Shen. See you tomorrow.”
Seeing that Shen Muyun had nothing more to say, Xiao Chen felt relieved. He scrambled out of his seat as if fleeing for his life.
Shen Muyun closed his eyes to rest, but a buzzing sound filled his ears. “Host, host! It is terrible! Zhou Shiqing’s favorability rating has collapsed!”
Shen Muyun rubbed his eyes. “System, did you not say the favorability rating does not really matter?”
“Well… well, Host, that only applies if the rating remains within a certain range. Now, I see that Zhou Shiqing’s favorability is at negative one hundred. You must be on your guard against him! He might not do it himself, but who knows what kind of heinous things he might do!”
“Hey, System, you never told me this before.”
The system replied righteously, “Well, Host, you never asked! This is my professional oversight, but, regardless, the system truly hopes you can stay safe.”