Facing Zhan Mohan's gloomy expression, Jiang Siyu stammered, "Isn't it the end of the month? I was bored at the hospital, so..."
"If I recall correctly, I warned you last time not to play these unnecessary tricks in front of me. My patience is limited."
He had no more patience to play these back-and-forth games with Jiang Siyu. He had made himself clear, and it was up to her to be sensible.
Of course, if Jiang Siyu were truly sensible, she wouldn't have been causing trouble time and again.
In response to his warning, Jiang Siyu looked at him pitifully, her voice filled with utter grievance, "Ahan, what are you talking about? I just wanted to discuss work with you."
"Work?" Zhan Mohan scoffed. "Siyu, I prefer straightforward people. It's not a good thing to be too blunt about some matters."
Jiang Siyu was quite intelligent, and Zhan Mohan's words were not subtle. She knew perfectly well, but those who pretend to be asleep can never be woken.
"Ahan, I don't understand why you're so angry as soon as you arrive. If it's a mistake in my work, then I accept your criticism. But I hope you don't have any prejudice against me because you've heard gossip."
Sometimes, talking to intelligent people is exhausting. She knew she was alluding to Wei Yumeng, but she couldn't say it directly, or they would have to fall out. Similarly, Jiang Siyu gambled that Zhan Mohan wouldn't.
However, on this issue, Zhan Mohan did the opposite.
"If you want to say that Wei Yumeng said something bad about you to me, you can just say it directly. I can also tell you responsibly, she wouldn't stoop to such a level."
This heartfelt defense almost made Jiang Siyu's aggrieved expression crack.
With one word, "stoop," Wei Yumeng was effortlessly elevated to an untouchable height, as if her own schemes were merely to highlight Wei Yumeng's purity.
"The photos exposed by the media, you released them, didn't you?"
Rather than a question, it was a statement of fact.
Especially Zhan Mohan's calm eyes made Jiang Siyu unable to even deny it. After several attempts to speak and then stopping, she could only default to silence.
"You don't need to put on a show for me. I've told you before, our relationship is at most a partnership." The man's voice was firm and resolute, and these words were forced into Jiang Siyu's ears without any room for negotiation.
"If you remain stubborn, I don't think we need to continue this partnership."
With that, Zhan Mohan left without waiting for her to concoct further explanations. The thin door panel completely blocked her sight.
Sitting on the bed, Jiang Siyu furiously swept the vase on the table to the floor. This was probably the most she had ever spoken to Zhan Mohan, yet every word was in defense of Wei Yumeng.
Wei Yumeng, what makes you better than me? Even if Ahan knows the child in your belly isn't his, he still protects you like this.
With a burning anger she couldn't release, she uncontrollably smashed the room's furnishings. Sitting amidst the mess on the floor, she gasped for breath, finally calming down a little.
Recalling the band-aid on Zhan Mohan's jaw today, she felt a suspicion in her heart and immediately dialed a number.
"Help me find out where he went today and how he got injured."
Zhan Mohan's act of angering and hitting a business partner for Wei Yumeng was not kept secret, and the news quickly reached Jiang Siyu.
In her eyes, Zhan Mohan was calm and wise, never letting personal feelings negatively affect his work. However, this time, the man had completely overturned that image.
For Wei Yumeng, he could even abandon a project that had been with the company for so long. Could he abandon the entire Zhan Group for this woman in the future?
No, she would never allow such a thing to happen. Wei Yumeng's delay of the company's project was a major oversight she had to seize.
However, Zhan Mohan's warning still echoed in her ears, so naturally, she wasn't foolish enough to court disaster again.
For this matter, someone who could control Zhan Mohan had to step forward to deal with Wei Yumeng.
Not long after, Elder Zhan was leisurely drinking tea at home when Feng Shiming, who was out on business, rushed over.
"Grandpa, this Wei Yumeng is driving me crazy."
As soon as she entered, she forcefully threw her bag onto the sofa, breathing heavily as if truly furious.
When the old man heard Wei Yumeng's name, his brow furrowed, looking as if bad news was imminent. "What has Wei Yumeng done now?"
"She insisted on going with Brother Mohan to discuss a project. The negotiation was going smoothly, but because she was flirting with the other party, Brother Mohan got angry, hit the other party, and the cooperation fell through."
Before she arrived, she had already coordinated with Jiang Siyu, so of course, all blame had to be placed on Wei Yumeng. After all, the old man already disliked Wei Yumeng, so saying this would not arouse any suspicion. It would also solidify the accusation of Wei Yumeng being promiscuous, a win-win situation.
Upon hearing this, Elder Zhan couldn't even savor his tea and immediately called the butler, "Help me schedule an appointment with Wei Yumeng. I have something to discuss with her."
Wei Yumeng was already feeling uneasy at home, constantly pondering Zhan Mohan's attitude. When Cen Yuan knocked on her door and invited her to see the elder, she knew it wouldn't be good. The project had failed, and someone was bound to seize the opportunity. This time, however, she didn't want to be passive.
"Please wait a moment, I'll get ready and come right over."
Following Cen Yuan to the place chosen by the elder, inside the private room, the elder's expression was even worse than she had imagined, completely unwilling to show any pleasantry.
"Grandpa Zhan, you were looking for me?" Since they were divorced, the address should reflect a reasonable distance. She knew clearly that the elder in front of her didn't just "dislike" her.
As she expected, Elder Zhan didn't even offer her a seat and went straight to the point. "Do you know why I asked you here?"
"Because of today's project."
Unlike Jiang Siyu, Wei Yumeng disliked beating around the bush. Since they had already reached this point, it was better to be direct.
The elder snorted, "You speak directly, so I won't waste words. Mohan is a junior I've painstakingly nurtured. I won't allow anyone to ruin him. You can name your price. As long as you're willing to leave and stop pestering him."
Wei Yumeng felt a sense of amusement. The elder was truly disgusted with her, willing to offer her terms to stop her from pestering Zhan Mohan.
"I don't want any conditions."
Hearing this, Elder Zhan's expression grew colder. "Are you saying you're unwilling to leave?"