Chapter 53: Business Opportunity
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Shi Lu didn’t care if Tan Jing looked down on him. However, he was unhappy when Tan Jing said that about Yuan Shu.
Just as he was about to retort, Yuan Shu raised her hand and touched his arm gently. Then, he took a step back and exposed Yuan Shu.
Yuan Shu raised her eyes and looked at Tan Jing. There was a smile on her face, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Young Master Tan, what do you mean by hiding? 1 only hide when dealing with uninvited guests. Young Master Tan, do you think that you are an uninvited guest or not?”
Tan Jing was at a loss for words. He had forgotten that this woman was extraordinary. He had fought with her for so many rounds but he had never won. He was really asking for trouble.
Tan Jing bent down slightly so that the two of them were closer to each other. Then, he apologized. “Madam, you are still as sharp-tongued as ever. This toast is for you. 1 said something wrong, so I’ll accept my punishment.” Then, he finished the cocktail in his glass in one gulp.
“Madam, I wonder if 1 have the honor to invite you to sit over there for a while so that we can talk about Yuan An?”
Shi Lu frowned. “Young Master Tan, if there’s anything you want to talk about, you can tell me. My sister-in-law is already tired. I’m afraid she can’t…”
Tan Jing ignored him and interrupted him. “When did the second young master become the master of the Shi family?”
“You!” Shi Lu had indeed been very low profile in the Shi family.
However, Yuan Shu retorted sharply, “He’s a member of my family, so his words naturally count. Don’t tell me we have to listen to an outsider regarding our family matters?”
Shi Lu was stunned. He had always been sensitive, but he had never shown it in front of others. It wasn’t that he didn’t know what outsiders said. He was an illegitimate son of a mistress and a silkpants of the Shi family who wasn’t doted on. He always pretended not to care about the mockery and ridicule in order to shut them up.
Yuan Shu had given him enough respect tonight, so much so that he suddenly felt that it wasn’t bad to be protected.
Tan Jing knew that Shi Lu wasn’t favored, so he mocked him. However, he didn’t expect Yuan Shu to be so protective of him. This made him suspect that his investigation of the Shi family in the past few months was wrong.
He felt a little embarrassed and could only smile awkwardly. Then, he stiffened his back and asked Yuan Shu to find a place to have a good chat at.
Yuan Shu didn’t want to go at first. The relationship between the two families wasn’t good, and he had scolded Shi Lu many times, so there was no need to show him any respect.
But when Tan Jing mentioned Yuan An, Yuan Shu was curious about what he wanted to say.
After Yuan Shu brought Shi Lu to the round glass table in the corridor on the second floor, she looked at Tan Jing and went straight to the point. “Young Master Tan, if you have anything to say, just say it.”
Tan Jing also became serious. “Something happened to Yuan An. Although the Shi family managed to solve it in time, the capital chain was affected. I have a project to replenish the funds quickly but 1 don’t know if the Shi family is interested.”
“Please speak.” Yuan Shu made an inviting gesture.
The light on the second floor was relatively dim and the seats were set up in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Every glass table was placed with small night lights covered by a special glass cover and emitted a comfortable glow.
As the light cast shadows on Yuan Shu’s face. Her eyes looked even deeper set, and her slender eyebrows looked elongated. Everything around her seemed to pale in comparison.
Yuan Shu listened carefully and closed her eyes. After she slowly opened them again, she said, “I understand what you mean, but the Shi family will not cooperate with the Tan family on this matter. Thank you for your kind intentions.”
Tan Jing was indignant after being rejected. “Madam, aren’t you being too rash?”
Yuan Shu lowered her eyes and smoothed out the creases in her skirt as she said calmly, “If you want to start this project, there definitely won’t be a problem with the funding. My family has other arrangements, so this really isn’t the best time to cooperate.”
“But…” Tan Jing wanted to continue.
Yuan Shu had already changed the topic. “I wonder if you’re satisfied with the fruits I gave you previously?”
“Satisfied!” The topic changed too quickly. Before Tan Jing could react, Yuan Shu had already chased him out. “Prepare another box for Young Master Tan before you leave. Please accept it.”
Tan Jing felt depressed. He had been in the business world for so many years, but he had never felt so helpless as when he was facing Yuan Shu. This aroused his desire to win. He thought to himself, “Yuan Shu, just wait and see..”