"So it's sister-in-law. My apologies, my apologies..." Wang Shaoyang smiled awkwardly. Now that he understood the relationship between Bai Huamei and Jiang Che, he felt the need to apologize for his previous actions. After all, it wouldn't be wise to be at odds with Jiang Che over this matter. If he offended Jiang Che, his plans to bid for the Chengdong Development Zone would be ruined.
Bai Huamei snorted coldly and ignored Wang Shaoyang, instead focusing on adding more food to Jiang Che's bowl.
"Mr. Jiang, let me pour you a drink." Wang Shaoyang poured a glass of wine for himself and Jiang Che, then raised his glass as a gesture of goodwill. He quickly drank from his glass.
"Young Master Wang, I heard that you came to Jiangbei City to cause trouble for Bai Huamei?" Jiang Che didn't drink right away but asked with a sneer.
"Where? Where?" Wang Shaoyang waved his hands quickly, looking nervous. "Jiang Shao is just joking! How could I possibly trouble Miss Bai?"
Although he had thought about it at first, upon realizing Bai Huamei's connection with Jiang Che, he refrained from pursuing that course of action. He wasn't foolish; he could see that Bai Huamei and Jiang Che had a strong relationship. Offending Bai Huamei would be akin to courting death, especially in Jiangbei City where Jiang Che had substantial influence.
"Is that so?" Jiang Che asked, a half-smile on his lips, clearly skeptical of Wang Shaoyang's words.
"Of course it's true! I, Shaoyang, can guarantee it with my own character." Wang Shaoyang spoke earnestly, his expression serious.
Jiang Che curled his lips in disdain; someone like Wang Shaoyang didn't have much character at all! However, he chose not to engage with Wang Shaoyang on this topic. Initially, Jiang Che had considered blackmailing Wang Shaoyang, but now he had other ideas.
"Then what is the purpose of your visit this time?" Jiang Che softened his expression and asked knowingly.
"To be honest, I'm here regarding the Jiangbei City East District project in Jiang Zongmin's hands," Wang Shaoyang said, a smile on his face as he revealed his intentions.
"The Wang family has heard about the development and renovation of Jiangbei City, and they have many connections."
"Mr. Jiang, you're joking. My connections in Sichuan are nothing compared to yours," Wang Shaoyang replied, shaking his head.
His statement was true. Since the Jiang Group had taken over the cosmetics market shares in Jiangbei City, the Wang family had been left far behind. Moreover, Jiang Che now had the Beauty Pill and a project in the Chengdong Development Zone, which would surely double the market value of the Jiang Group in no time.
"It's not impossible, but it might be tricky to handle," Jiang Che said, frowning and pretending to be hesitant.
Upon seeing Jiang Che's demeanor, Wang Shaoyang's expression suddenly changed. "Jiang Shao, just name your price, and I will pay any amount!" he said boldly, trying to portray himself as powerful and wealthy.
"You misunderstand. I can't handle this alone," Jiang Che clarified. "The authority to invite bids or not lies with the Su Group. I need to discuss this matter with the president of Su Group."
"So that's how it is..." Wang Shaoyang nodded, understanding Jiang Che's position. The project in the Chengdong Development Zone was a joint effort between Jiang Che and the Su Group. If he wanted to get involved, he would need their consent.
"Then I will leave this matter to you, Mr. Jiang. Please send a message to the people of the Su family on my behalf. Once this matter is settled, I will definitely express my gratitude." Wang Shaoyang assured him, even changing how he addressed Jiang Che.
"I will see what I can do," Jiang Che replied ambiguously, not giving Wang Shaoyang a clear answer.
"Mr. Jiang, let me toast you..." After they finished eating and drinking, Jiang Che left directly with Bai Huamei.
Wang Shaoyang saw them off at the gate of Changteng Garden before returning to the box, maintaining a low profile.
"Young Master Wang, is it really necessary for you to treat that guy named Jiang Che like this?" one of the two middle-aged men asked, puzzled. They had never seen Wang Shaoyang show such deference to anyone before, especially considering his domineering reputation in Tianhai City.
"You two don't get it!" Wang Shaoyang exclaimed. "Do you know why I'm here?"
"I'm here to discuss cooperation with Jiang Che. Why would I offend him?" He continued, feeling slightly exasperated. "And this isn't Tianhai City; we're outsiders here."
Wang Shaoyang felt that his usual arrogance had left a strong impression on these two men.
"Ha ha..." the two middle-aged men nodded in agreement, scratching their heads. "What Young Master Wang said makes sense."
"Let's go back to the hotel and rest," Wang Shaoyang yawned. After settling the bill, he took the two men with him.
As they drove back, Bai Huamei, sitting in the passenger seat, looked at Jiang Che curiously. "Are you really planning to get involved with Wang Shaoyang?" Bai Huamei asked.
"The development and renovation project in the eastern part of the city is a huge opportunity. Are you really going to hand it to him?"
"What do you think?"
"Do you think I would just give it to him?" Jiang Che asked rhetorically.
"Then why did you say those things to Wang Shaoyang earlier?" Bai Huamei pressed, still puzzled. While Jiang Che's response had been vague, he did imply that he wouldn't block Wang Shaoyang's entry into the game but would need to consult the Su Group first.
"people like me have their own tricks," Jiang Che said mysteriously, already planning to draw a big cake for Wang Shaoyang while having his own agenda in mind.
"What's your relationship with the president of the Su Group?" Bai Huamei asked next, intrigued. "Boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"Yes, she is my girlfriend," Jiang Che confirmed, feeling no need to hide it.
"So you just said I was your girlfriend too. What a show-off!" Bai Huamei rolled her eyes at Jiang Che, surprised by his candidness.
She had expected him to deny it. However, she considered the social landscape; in a world where wealthy people often had multiple partners, it was not uncommon.
"She's my girlfriend, and you're my sweetheart. It's different," Jiang Che said with a serious tone.
"Puff!" Bai Huamei burst out laughing at his shamelessness. This guy's audacity was something else!
"Which one is more important to you—your girlfriend or your sweetheart?" Bai Huamei leaned closer, her breath tickling Jiang Che's ear.
"Of course, you are important," Jiang Che replied without hesitation. He understood the nuances of the moment and answered accordingly.
"Your sweet mouth!" Although Bai Huamei knew Jiang Che was just saying what she wanted to hear, it still made her happy. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
After dropping Bai Huamei off, Jiang Che returned directly to Kuo Shan Villa, where he spent a quiet night without incident.
The next morning, Jiang Che washed up and, upon descending from the second floor, spotted Tiansha standing at the entrance of the living room.
As expected, Tiansha had completed the task Jiang Che assigned him within a single day and night.
"Master, here's the evidence on this phone. All the individuals on the list are included," Tiansha reported respectfully, handing Jiang Che a mobile phone.
Jiang Che picked it up, curious. He first opened the photo album, which contained various mosaiced images, then opened several recordings.
"Master, this evidence shows that Lin Xuan misappropriated Lin's public funds," Tiansha explained. "In total, he has embezzled one billion across five separate incidents over the years."
Jiang Che nodded in satisfaction. "Nice job! Very impressive!" He hadn't anticipated that Tiansha would gather such significant information.
"You've worked hard all night; you should rest now," Jiang Che said, waving his hand to dismiss Tiansha.
Jiang Che then drove to the Lin Group headquarters, intending to present all this evidence to Liu Qiyue for her to take action. Upon arriving at the Lin Group, he pressed the elevator button for Liu Qiyue's CEO office. He had already informed her of his visit by phone.
As he entered Liu Qiyue's office without knocking, she was busy processing documents. When she was interrupted, she was interrupted, she felt very upset. But as she raised her head and saw it was Jiang Che, her expression became a bit complicated. She wasn't quite sure how to feel about him after what had happened last night. Although Jiang Che never forced her into anything, their interactions had changed the dynamic of their relationship.
"Miss Liu, what are you thinking about?" Jiang Che asked, pulling out a chair and sitting directly across from her. He noticed Liu Qiyue was lost in thought, and he couldn't help but tease her.
Her complexion appeared much rosier than before, which made Jiang Che reflect on his own abilities and their effects. He couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction—after all, they had shared an intimate moment.
"What brings you here?" Liu Qiyue asked as she regained her composure, her cold demeanor returning. Jiang Che had only informed her about his visit but hadn't specified his purpose.
"Of course, I have something important to discuss and I bring you what you wanted," Jiang Che replied, pulling out Tiansha's mobile phone and handing it to her. "Here is the evidence you need. It should be sufficient for you to take control of the Lin Group."
"Really?" Liu Qiyue's expression turned skeptical, as Jiang Che's claims seemed almost too good to be true.
"You'll find out when you look at it," Jiang Che said, maintaining an air of mystery.
Skeptically, Liu Qiyue opened the photo album on the phone, and the first thing that caught her eye was a mosaiced video. Her face flushed with embarrassment, thinking Jiang Che was mocking her. Just as she was about to express her anger, she realized the man in the video resembled Lin Hao, the manager of the R&D department.
With that realization, Liu Qiyue's skepticism faded, and she began to trust Jiang Che more. As she watched more videos, the evidence he had provided became undeniable.
"Where did you get this video and audio?" Liu Qiyue asked, looking at Jiang Che with a mix of shock and admiration. The contents of the phone were truly astonishing.
Although she had always been suspicious of certain individuals, she never had the concrete proof she needed. Now, Jiang Che had gathered all this information in just one day.
"I told you I could help, and I always deliver," Jiang Che shrugged, a hint of pride in his voice.
"Thank you..." Liu Qiyue replied, her expression a mixture of gratitude and complexity. With this evidence and her influence, she could easily gain full control of the Lin family.
"We need to thank in our relationship?" Jiang Che raised an eyebrow playfully, his tone teasing.
"If you really want to thank me, just give me a kiss."
"You...!" Liu Qiyue's eyes widened in disbelief. "You shameless rogue!"
Although she had initially felt touched by his help, Jiang Che's remark made her feel exasperated. It dawned on her that he had a knack for taking advantage of situations.
"I've helped you a lot. Can't you at least fulfill my small request?" Jiang Che sighed dramatically, pretending to feel very lonely.
Liu Qiyue rolled her eyes at him, then said in a low voice, "I'll satisfy you this time..."
She looked at Jiang Che, her eyelashes trembling slightly, her gaze a mixture of anticipation and shyness.
Without hesitation, Jiang Che leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips.
"Mmm..." After a moment, he pulled back, allowing Liu Qiyue to catch her breath. Her face flushed red, and she looked a bit helpless, having nearly suffocated from the kiss.
In contrast, Jiang Che appeared unaffected, his demeanor calm.
"You have a way of getting what you want!" Liu Qiyue said, a mix of annoyance and admiration in her voice.
Jiang Che laughed lightly, observing Liu Qiyue, who was still dressed in her professional attire—a beige shirt and black stockings.
"I will copy the video and audio from these phones, and this will create a significant shift within Lin's," Liu Qiyue stated, putting away the phone with the evidence of Lin Wenxuan's embezzlement. She finally felt a sense of relief; with these trump cards in her possession, she now had the confidence she needed to take action.
"By the way, I'll be back tomorrow," Jiang Che mentioned suddenly, a sly smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"What are your plans?" Liu Qiyue asked, narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously. She sensed that Jiang Che had something more in mind and was not to be underestimated.
"I'll go to the Lin family later; I'll go with you," he replied nonchalantly.