It wasn’t even from the same bank.
Because the woman sitting on the VIP lounge sofa was Jiang Wanqing.
Jiang Wanqing seemed to have a preference for white. Today, she was once again dressed in a white lace-trimmed gown. She carried a champagne-colored Lady Dior handbag, her long hair draped over one shoulder and pinned to one side with a pearl hair clip. Her makeup was light yet flawless, giving her the image of a gentle, elegant heiress—the kind of unattainable “white moonlight” countless men dreamed of.
No wonder Zhou Jiayan was so hopelessly infatuated with her, willing to play the role of her devoted backup admirer.
Still oblivious to the situation, Wang Shanlou smiled at Jiang Wanqing.
“Miss Jiang, President Shen is here.”
Jiang Wanqing looked up and smiled warmly at Shen Shuhe, as though nothing unpleasant had happened at Lu Mingshu’s birthday party the day before.
“Miss Shen, we meet again.”
Shen Shuhe stopped in her tracks instead of walking closer. Lifting her gaze, she asked bluntly,
“What do you want?”
They had parted on bad terms yesterday. If Jiang Wanqing had come looking for her today, it certainly wasn’t for anything good.
Shen Shuhe couldn’t help regretting that she hadn’t first confirmed with Wang Shanlou whether the visitor was really from Beijing Bank.
Sensing something was off, Wang Shanlou’s eyes darted back and forth between the two women.
“Oh, nothing,” Jiang Wanqing replied sweetly, blinking her long curled lashes. “I was just shopping nearby and remembered Jiayan was coming to your company this afternoon to withdraw the investment. So I came to wait for him, and after he’s done, we’ll have dinner together.”
With an innocent smile, she continued,
“I only planned to wait downstairs, but your staff were so hospitable that they insisted on bringing me upstairs.”
Wang Shanlou’s expression changed dramatically. Looking apologetically at Shen Shuhe, he hurriedly explained,
“I saw that she was the daughter of Jiang Bank’s president, so I assumed she had come to discuss a loan for Shen Group… I’m sorry, President Shen. I misunderstood!”
He knew the Zhou family was pulling their investment. If Shen Group wanted to survive, it had to secure new funding.
Even the reception staff had naturally assumed that the bank president’s daughter visiting the company must be there to discuss financing, so they had escorted her directly to the finance department.
And because Jiang Wanqing claimed she knew Shen Shuhe, Wang Shanlou had thought she was one of Shen Shuhe’s connections.
Shen Shuhe simply shook her head, signaling it wasn’t his fault. Then she looked at Jiang Wanqing, completely unruffled, and said with obvious disappointment,
“Oh. I thought Miss Jiang had come to sincerely discuss compensation for my emotional distress. Turns out I was mistaken.”
She deliberately emphasized the words “emotional distress compensation.” Combined with her teasing smile, the sarcasm hit just as hard as the victorious smile she’d given Jiang Wanqing while leaving Xishan Villa in the elevator yesterday.
Jiang Wanqing’s smile stiffened.
Yesterday’s scene flashed uncontrollably through her mind—Lu Yanzhou openly favoring, protecting, and defending Shen Shuhe. It stabbed at her heart like countless needles.
She simply couldn’t swallow that humiliation.
She had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, before coming to Shen Group today to create trouble.
Yesterday, Shen Shuhe had humiliated her in front of so many guests and ruined Lu Yanzhou’s impression of her.
Today, she intended to make Shen Shuhe lose face in her own company—to turn every Shen Group employee into an audience and make Shen Shuhe dread coming to work.
Jiang Wanqing sneered,
“Shen Shuhe, are you really that desperate for money?”
“Absolutely,” Shen Shuhe admitted without hesitation. “Since Miss Jiang isn’t short on money, why don’t you pay me the compensation?”
Jiang Wanqing’s chest rose and fell as she suppressed her anger. She glanced at Wang Shanlou, then deliberately raised her voice after noticing the VIP lounge door hadn’t been closed.
“Yesterday Jiayan said your company could barely afford payroll. I thought he was exaggerating. But now you’re even trying to squeeze money out of me. Looks like you’re truly obsessed with money.”
Wang Shanlou moved to shut the lounge door.
Shen Shuhe casually stopped him.
When it came to verbal sparring, she’d never lost.
If Jiang Wanqing wanted to embarrass her, it remained to be seen who would end up humiliated.
Maintaining her composure, Shen Shuhe had already won the emotional battle. Raising an eyebrow, she replied,
“Being desperate for money is still better than being desperate for a man—and running around making a fool of yourself because of it.”
She continued leisurely,
“You caused a scene at Miss Lu’s birthday party yesterday, and today you’re making another scene at my company. And both times, you’re doing it under the banner of being the daughter of Jiang Bank’s president.”
She clicked her tongue.
“I wonder if President Jiang knows how embarrassing his daughter has been outside?”
“You—!”
Jiang Wanqing exploded in fury.
“What nonsense are you talking about?!”
“Nonsense?” Shen Shuhe smiled.
“I only broke off my engagement with Zhou Jiayan the day before yesterday, yet the two of you are already openly involved. Who knows how long you’ve really been sneaking around together?”
Since the door remained open, every employee watching outside heard the gossip loud and clear.
Shen Shuhe was well-liked throughout Shen Group. Everyone admired their beautiful, capable president, who never acted like a spoiled heiress.
When news spread that Zhou Jiayan had called off their engagement at the ceremony, everyone had already guessed there must have been another woman.
Now that Jiang Wanqing had actually shown up, the bolder employees couldn’t resist adding their own sarcastic remarks.
“Seriously, who chooses to be a mistress when they could’ve stayed a respectable heiress? If my daughter did that, I’d disown her and kick her out with nothing!”
“Some people are just shameless. They think stolen things taste sweeter.”
“Here’s hoping the cheating scumbag and the homewrecker stay together forever. Please don’t let them back onto the dating market to ruin anyone else’s life!”
Jiang Wanqing’s blood boiled with rage, but no words came out. Her eyes turned red.
Shen Shuhe drove the point home.
“Miss Jiang, if you’re going to cry, you should do it in front of your little circle of girlfriends—or all those men wrapped around your finger. What’s the point of crying here?”
She smiled coldly.
“Miss Jiang, everyone here is on my side. No one’s going to stand up for you.”
She had realized it yesterday—someone like Jiang Wanqing wasn’t good at arguing.
She relied on her innocent appearance and pitiful expression to make everyone else fight her battles.
Having said her piece, Shen Shuhe no longer cared to waste another second.
The smile vanished from her face, replaced by undisguised disdain.
“I really don’t have time to entertain your drama, Miss Jiang. If you’re looking for Zhou Jiayan, then go to Zhou Group. This is Shen Group, not a public lounge. Please leave.”
“I already told you—Jiayan is coming to Shen Group this afternoon to withdraw the investment…”
“And what does that have to do with you?” Shen Shuhe interrupted mercilessly. “Are you Mrs. Zhou? Or are you an executive at Zhou Group?”
Then she delivered the final blow.
“Business negotiations require face-to-face meetings. Terminating a partnership doesn’t.”
“Even if Zhou Jiayan himself came here, Shen Group wouldn’t welcome him.”
“So what makes you think we’d welcome you?”