Mu Yin Yin nodded, intending to sit opposite the man's previous seat. To her surprise, the man made no move to return to his original position, instead sitting right beside her.
He glanced at Yun He and Meng Tao, then raised an eyebrow. "It'll just be the two of us here next. Shall we have them leave?"
Meng Tao's expression shifted slightly. She was well aware of this man's character. If he wanted the two of them gone, it was so he could make his move! How could she possibly feel at ease?
Mu Yin Yin's gaze flickered, and she spoke with a smile, "Isn't it good to have them both here? We can discuss things together."
"Hey—" The man's tone wasn't a question but a rebuttal. A moment later, he smiled and spoke again, "Matters like this are for us to decide. Assistants merely follow our orders. What do they have to say?"
The man's voice dripped with disdain, almost stating outright that an assistant was merely a dog, incapable of making decisions for their master.
Meng Tao pursed her lips, remaining silent. She dared not speak rashly at this moment.
Mu Yin Yin's gaze shifted as she looked at Gao Zhu Sheng. Gao Zhu Sheng, on the other hand, half-closed his eyes. "The setting today is quite nice, and the atmosphere is good too. Does President Mu want these two to stay and continue to disrupt this mood?"
Mu Yin Yin's eyelashes fluttered. She wasn't foolish; she understood the threat in Gao Zhu Sheng's words. If she didn't let the two assistants leave, it would show she wasn't cooperating. He would then be displeased, and there would be no point in discussing anything further.
The purpose of arranging this meal was clear to everyone. If there were no specific business, no one would suggest a meal. The person extending the invitation was the one with something to discuss, and naturally, they held a weaker position. This was why Gao Zhu Sheng could act so wantonly. If someone delivered themselves to his doorstep, why would he ever let Mu Yin Yin escape? What a joke!
Meng Tao instantly looked at Mu Yin Yin with some concern, but she couldn't say anything. She had been aware of the entire process of this visit, and at such a crucial juncture, she dared not say anything more.
"President Mu?" Seeing that Mu Yin Yin had not yet responded, Gao Zhu Sheng reminded her again with a smile.
Mu Yin Yin's gaze flickered, and only then did she look at Meng Tao. "You can go."
Meng Tao's expression changed. "President Mu..."
"Go," Mu Yin Yin said, but her expression conveyed her meaning clearly: do not displease Gao Zhu Sheng; the matter of Xiao Qi is very important.
Meng Tao opened her lips but ultimately said no more. She rose and walked out, looking back repeatedly. Seeing this, Yun He also said nothing further and walked out.
The moment the door closed, only the two of them remained in the private room. Gao Zhu Sheng's smile widened, his eyes filled with satisfaction. It seemed this woman was quite perceptive and knew how to please him. Things would be much easier then.
He chuckled. "I didn't expect President Mu to be such a beautiful lady. I had heard of your company before, but I hadn't seen you. As expected, you've been hiding your brilliance."
Mu Yin Yin's eyes flashed, and she replied with a smile, "President Gao, you are too kind."
"Hey, there's no need for such politeness. I'm speaking the truth. I've never seen a woman as beautiful and elegant as President Mu." As Gao Zhu Sheng spoke, he scrutinized her from head to toe, as if he wished he could see through her clothes.
If these words were spoken by Lu Si Nian, they would undoubtedly be elegant and charming, even more so captivating. But now, coming from this greasy middle-aged man, it was truly nauseating, enough to ruin one's appetite. Mu Yin Yin's ability to maintain her smile was a testament to her incredible patience and composure.
After a pause, she spoke softly, "Thank you." With just those two words, she didn't elaborate further. Besides, it was only the beginning, and it wasn't appropriate to say too much.
"Come, let's eat." As the man spoke, he picked up chopsticks and offered them to Mu Yin Yin. Mu Yin Yin felt a strong sense of aversion, even disgust. But she still didn't say anything and took the chopsticks. She had no intention of eating anyway.
Gao Zhu Sheng felt an insatiable desire at that moment, wanting to get straight to the point. However, he still needed to maintain his image and consider his interests. This woman was too beautiful, too elegant, and too captivating. He didn't want to miss out on future opportunities after just this one encounter. Furthermore, this woman was no ordinary person; if he couldn't win her over now, he wouldn't get another chance to taste the "sweets."
Next, he poured a glass of wine for Mu Yin Yin. Mu Yin Yin's expression instantly froze. Alcohol. This was perhaps what she feared most. Gao Zhu Sheng, unaware of her poor tolerance for alcohol, raised his glass with a smile. "President Mu, meeting is destiny. That we are sitting here dining together now proves our destiny is even more marvelous." Marvelous. He spoke these four words with a hidden meaning.
Mu Yin Yin's eyes flickered. She smiled and said, "President Gao, we haven't eaten yet, and suddenly drinking, I'm afraid I might not be able to handle it. My stomach has never been very good. Could we, perhaps..."
Gao Zhu Sheng immediately put down his wine glass with understanding. "Oh, is that so? Then we can chat and eat something before drinking. It's not too late." Mu Yin Yin secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If she could delay things, she would. Before she could figure out what to say, Gao Zhu Sheng changed his approach, looking at her with a smile. "You asked me to come here, so you must have something on your mind. Why don't you tell me?" Since she was unwilling to cooperate in various ways, he decided to get straight to the point, making her feel hopeful, and then cooperating with him in a series of actions. This approach had succeeded many times before.
Mu Yin Yin looked at him and sighed softly. "This time, I do have an impertinent request."
"Tell me~" The man's lips still curved into a smile, and it was evident that his intentions were filled with calculations. Mu Yin Yin could only pretend not to notice and slowly spoke to him, "You came here to attend the auction, and you wanted to obtain the Qing Zhu, didn't you?" Gao Zhu Sheng was genuinely surprised at this. He had thought that Mu Yin Yin seeking him out was perhaps to establish some form of cooperation or for the company's development. But he hadn't expected that Mu Yin Yin's reason for coming was this. He smiled. "What does President Mu mean? Do you also want this item?" Mu Yin Yin nodded apologetically. "The Qing Zhu this time is truly very important to me. I know this might be difficult for you, but I can provide you with alternative assurances." "Alternative assurances?" Gao Zhu Sheng narrowed his eyes. Although he wanted to devour this woman before him, he was also a person who highly valued his interests.