Shuhuai Shao sat on the sofa, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, with an air of composure, sipping coffee.
Just a moment ago, when the attractive female receptionist asked him whether he’d like tea or coffee, he had chosen coffee.
In reality, he didn’t bitter beverage, but coffee symbolized style, it symbolized taste.
About four or five minutes passed.
Both alumni of the same school, Shuhuai Shao naturally had heard of this beautiful and talented "campus belle" of the art school, but this was his first time being so close.
He couldn’t help but size her up.
He knew she was still an undergraduate, yet her demeanor was utterly incomparable to that of those girls, especially the womanly charm about her.
He couldn’t resist envying Jiang Chen’s good fortune again.
Even now, he had some trouble understanding how a notoriously contemptible sycophant, a laughingstock, could have transformed so completely?
Of course, whatever his inner thoughts, Shuhuai Shao didn’t show any sign. Instead, he rose as a gentleman should, smiling as he greeted her.
In this, he displayed a sophistication beyond his peers.
Li Shuru nodded, fitting the cool and distant reputation that followed her around the school.
Her response wasn’t exactly unfriendly, but Shuhuai Shao with a smile on his face still felt a little offended, as though his warm greeting had been met with cold indifference.
Not to mention that he was her senior, at the very least as the guest, a smile wouldn’t be too much to ask for.
Even back at Hamolei, none of the big bosses had given him such a cold shoulder.
As he watched her sit down, Shuhuai Shao involuntarily felt a twinge of dissatisfaction.
He certainly knew that she was the campus goddess, pursued by countless admirers, her haughty and proud attitude as someone who lives amidst flattery and fawning was understandable.
But he had to remember, he was not one of those disgraceful sycophants!
Annoyed as he was, Shuhuai Shao didn’t storm off in a childish huff; he sat down too, although the smile on his face gradually faded.
Li Shuru seemed oblivious to his emotional change and asked indifferently, "Why hasn’t Wei Chuyin come instead?"
Shuhuai Shao, convinced that he wasn’t a sycophant, didn’t indulge her. Instead, he adopted a more unyielding stance when dealing with such girls, to distinguish himself from those sycophantic sorts.
"The company has assigned me the task of dealing with the dispute between us," he said in a businesslike manner.
In fact, mentally, he was reluctant to take on this task, otherwise it wouldn’t have been Wei Chuyin handling it initially. But now with Wei Chuyin on leave, Hamolei couldn’t find a more suitable replacement than him, leaving him no choice but to step in.
"Hasn’t the matter already been settled?"
Li Shuru’s tone was neither salty nor sweet, "We already conveyed our stance to Wei Chuyin, didn’t she report to you?"
"Three million is too little."
Shuhuai Shao said sternly, "We cannot accept it."
Li Shuru looked at him, and then she said something that completely caught Shuhuai Shao off guard.
"Then what are you doing here?"
Shuhuai Shao was momentarily at a loss, unsure of how to respond to that exquisite and cold visage.
What did she mean by that?
Before he could collect himself, Li Shuru continued, "If your company cannot accept our proposal, then there’s nothing to discuss. See you in court."
Is this what negotiation looks like?
It was simply too overbearing!
Shuhuai Shao was at a loss, his unpleasant emotions quickly turning into intense humiliation. As she was about to leave, he wanted to slam the table in frustration, but rationality reminded him he couldn’t be so impulsive.
Ultimately, Mr. Lei really didn’t want to go to court, whether he liked to admit it or not. The virtual romance game had taken off; just this one game might surpass their entire company’s revenue from all their game projects.
She wasn’t some minor pawn they could easily bully.
With a lawsuit as ambiguous as this, the final victory was uncertain. If they lost, and the other side retaliated by suing them for defamation, then things would be very different.
It was a simple logic to understand, except that Tianci Capital’s previous forbearance had led them to be overconfident. Shuhuai Shao couldn’t understand why, when everything had been fine before, everything suddenly changed the day he came over.
Finally, Shuhuai Shao chose to swallow his pride for the time being, his fists clenched, "I want to talk to Jiang Chen."
Li Shuru’s reply was still straightforward.
"With your status, you don’t qualify to meet him."
Shuhuai Shao’s face froze instantly, turning from pale to flushed.
Wei Chuyin could see him, but when it was his turn, he wasn’t qualified?!
Although there was no hint of mockery in Li Shuru’s tone, the matter-of-factness of her voice hit him like a hammer, shattering his most cherished sense of pride.
He had some cunning about him, but only just some.
He struggled to contain his emotions, his hands balled into fists.
"Don’t push people too far!"
Li Shuru replied calmly, her expression unchanged, from a superior stance, "Whether the virtual romance game has plagiarized or not, you’re aware, and we’re aware. We wanted to settle this peacefully because we all come from the same school, and there’s no need for ugliness, but that doesn’t give you the right to take advantage."
"Since that’s the case, there’s nothing left to discuss."