He turned around.
Street stalls steamed with white mist, and pedestrians bustled past, but she was nowhere to be seen. To be fair, Shen Jinghe was a remarkably beautiful woman. If she were within sight, she would have been recognized instantly.
Jiang Ye typed a message on his phone, "Didn't see you. Where are you?"
Shen Jinghe: "Just kidding. I'm not near you, but I'd like to meet and talk tonight at eight o'clock. At your hotel, room 606."
Jiang Ye: "How did you know I left the hotel?"
Shen Jinghe: "I was standing right outside your room door and knocked for a long time, but no one opened it."
Jiang Ye: "How did you know where I was staying? Isn't this an invasion of privacy? I'll consider taking you to court."
Shen Jinghe: "Lord Jiang, please calm your anger. We were also forced into this. If we don't gather some information, we can't complete our company leaders' tasks. It's difficult for us. Let's meet tonight and talk. A lavish dinner will be prepared for you. There won't be a large entourage this time; we'll talk one-on-one. I hope you'll honor us with your presence."
Jiang Ye stared at his phone, frowning.
Generally, he had a good impression of beautiful women.
But with this Shen Jinghe, his feeling was one of disgust, though he couldn't pinpoint why.
Cen Yemeng leaned over to look at his phone screen and then looked up at Jiang Ye, "Are you still going to talk with her?"
"There's no need. We've already secured victory. What's there to talk about?" Jiang Ye said. "Want to go out in the city tonight?"
"With victory secured, we have more confidence in negotiations. Maybe we can gain something?"
"I have a feeling it's a Hongmen Banquet," Jiang Ye rubbed his nose.
...
Eight o'clock in the evening.
Jiang Ye walked out of the elevator, holding his pistol, and scanned the corridor.
The carpet had golden-red patterns, and there was a lush green potted plant every five meters. The ceiling had a single long light, shining brilliantly, giving it a palatial grandeur.
No one was there.
It was so quiet that he could hear the faint hum of the central air conditioning.
Jiang Ye walked forward with his pistol, found room 606, stepped to the side, and gently knocked on the door.
But as he knocked the first time, the door moved inward slightly... it wasn't locked!
The sound of a television drifted out.
Jiang Ye entered, still holding his gun.
The room was dark, but the eighty-inch television on the wall was on, broadcasting an interview program.
The person being interviewed was none other than Shen Jinghe. She was exceptionally photogenic, her face appearing delicate and beautiful on the screen. Dressed in a business suit, she spoke eloquently with a smile, exuding an aura of intellectual grace.
"This is a program from my previous exclusive interview with the first television station of Planet Asak," Shen Jinghe's voice rang out. "It aired during prime time and had very high viewership."
Jiang Ye turned his head. She had just emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a white bath towel, drying her wet long hair with a white towel. Water droplets still clung to her shoulders.
"Why did you bring a gun in? Do you want to shoot me?" Shen Jinghe chuckled.
"I'm here on time. Shouldn't you be on time to change into formal attire and adopt a professional demeanor for our discussion?" Jiang Ye asked.
Shen Jinghe seemed not to have heard him. She gestured towards the coffee table, "Take a look at those."
The coffee table was piled high with newspapers and magazines. Jiang Ye walked over to look. There were titles like "Business Weekly," "Economic Trends," "Asak Planet Morning Post," "Biographies," "Money Monthly," and many other miscellaneous names, totaling over forty publications.
Several magazines featured Shen Jinghe on their covers, all depicted as business executives or professional white-collar workers, exuding nobility, composure, and intelligence, with an exceptional aura.
The newspapers also contained numerous photos of her. In this era, there were no black-and-white newspapers; all photographs were beautiful color prints.
The headlines of the reports were increasingly sensational:
"Super Beauty Scholar Shen Jinghe Earns Four Top Master's Degrees in Ten Years"
"Youngest Senior Executive Representative of Noise Company: What Makes This Young Scholar Stand Out?"
"Record Set for Highest Score in Global Management Exam: 18-Year-Old Candidate Shen Jinghe Deducted Only Five Points"
"Noise Company Annual Meeting Host Shen Jinghe: The Quintessential Workplace Warrior"
"You are very capable, but what is the purpose of showing me this?" Jiang Ye looked up at her. "I've met many capable people. These magazines and newspapers, bought and paid for, won't intimidate me. You won't win the lawsuit. If this negotiation is about persuading me to give up, then it's over. I'm going back to sleep. If this negotiation is about you begging for mercy, I might listen."
"Don't be so aggressive. Do you have to be so fierce? Please put your gun away. Even if the muzzle isn't pointing at me, a ricochet could still injure me," Shen Jinghe walked over slowly, emitting a faint scent of shampoo.
Jiang Ye tucked his pistol back into his waist and stared at her coldly.
"Please, have a seat," she reached out to take Jiang Ye's arm, her tone gentle.
Jiang Ye took a step back. "Let's talk standing."
Shen Jinghe's expression faltered, and she frowned slightly. Jiang Ye's reaction was likely different from what she had anticipated, leaving her somewhat at a loss.
"It's a bit difficult to say... I'm still single, and I've never had a boyfriend before," she lowered her voice. "What do you think of me? What's your impression?"
"Whatever you are, it has nothing to do with me. I already have a wife," Jiang Ye replied indifferently.
This script was not going as planned.
Shouldn't this be a sharp negotiation, filled with aggressive threats and intimidation?
Why had it veered into a discussion about male-female relationships?
"But many wealthy people have several girlfriends," Shen Jinghe said softly, her eyes glistening. "I won't tell your wife. This will be our little secret."
Shen Jinghe suddenly took two steps closer and reached out to embrace Jiang Ye.
"Don't try that!" Jiang Ye recoiled sharply. "The negotiation is over. Please conduct yourself properly!"
"No one will ever know! If you're worried this place isn't suitable, you can take me somewhere else," Shen Jinghe's expression changed slightly. "This has nothing to do with the negotiation; it's our private matter."
"I don't know you, and I have no private matters with you." Jiang Ye left without looking back, slamming the door shut.
Shen Jinghe looked crestfallen, staring at the door with gritted teeth for a moment. She walked over to the television, unplugged it, removed the small camera hidden inside, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it fiercely until it was pulverized.
...
Jiang Ye returned to the penthouse suite, his forehead covered in sweat.
Cen Yemeng was watching television. She turned her head and asked with concern, "Why was the negotiation so quick? What did she say to you?"
"A Hongmen Banquet," Jiang Ye unloaded his pistol and sat wearily on the sofa.
Cen Yemeng automatically nestled into his arms, her face filled with anxiety, "Hongmen Banquet? Those tall, burly men in black suits from before? Should we call the police?"
"She used herself as a weapon, broadcast her programs on television, and created many magazines and newspapers featuring her on the cover, forcefully enhancing her charm," Jiang Ye stroked her head. "She even met me wrapped in a bath towel, wearing perfume and shampoo, smelling incredibly fragrant."
Cen Yemeng was furious, "Bitch! She looked like a decent person, but how can she be like that in private?"
Jiang Ye burst into laughter.
"What are you laughing at?" Cen Yemeng punched his chest.
"You're very amusing when you're angry," Jiang Ye said.
"How can I not be angry when she's trying to steal my husband?"
"She's not trying to steal me; she's trying to control me. I suspect there were hidden cameras or recorders. Her methods are too laughable," Jiang Ye shrugged. "Using such tactics shows she's run out of options. Just wait for the court hearing."