A Twisted Love Affair-Chapter 177: I really like you." -176_1

Shen Jing heard that Zhou Luchen had visited, and she also heard that he had already gone to Switzerland.

The salary for the 5th never arrived; perhaps that severance pay signified a definitive end.

Once the Spring Festival passed, another wave of cold air swept in.

Away from the heating, it felt cold no matter how many layers one wore.

These past few days, Shen Jing had been tackling the tasks assigned by her manager. She genuinely failed one negotiation after another. Cups of strong liquor were forced to her lips, followed by groping hands trying to take advantage of feigned drunkenness.

Watching the waiter clear away the bottle of high-proof liquor, Shen Jing pushed aside the man’s wandering hand. "Sorry, I don’t drink."

The portly, middle-aged entrepreneur’s eyes turned cold, his gaze fixed on the liquor spilled on the back of his hand.

"Miss Shen, with such little sincerity, you still expect to partner with me?"

Shen Jing picked up the contract and her coat. "Mr. Zhang, aren’t you also lacking sincerity? Why can’t cooperation begin with assessing each other’s capabilities, rather than your blanket criteria of drinking capacity and financial power?"

Mr. Zhang leaned his bulky frame back against the wooden chair, shaking with laughter. "You must be new to finance. You’re quite naive." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Shen Jing turned and left. "I’m not naive. I understand what the Cheng Family is implying."

Both the Cheng Family and the Xie Family were deeply displeased with her because of that video. She felt she had thoroughly offended the Cheng Family. As for this contract, it was better left unsigned; the outcome would be the same regardless.

The night was particularly cold. Old Liang, who came to pick her up, couldn’t help but ask, "The Old Master said that if you can’t secure the deal, don’t force it. Wait for the Eldest Miss to return from her honeymoon. When she has time, she’ll help you find other companies to collaborate with."

Shen Jing hummed in acknowledgment.

As Old Liang drove, he remarked, "The Fourth Miss is actually very capable."

Shen Jing’s fleeting sense of pride quickly turned to bitterness.

"Is that so? Capable enough to make the Cheng Family despise me?"

Old Liang, amused by her words, whispered a reminder, "It’s just that you’ve been losing several major corporate partners recently, and it seems the First and Second Branches have opinions about you. You should visit their households less often."

"I know."

Lately, Shen Jing had been especially drowsy. Looking at the red circle on her calendar, she realized her period was four days late.

It shouldn’t be. Could it be because my routine has been irregular lately?

That’s even less likely. I took precautions every time. Isn’t that supposed to be foolproof?

Anxiously, she went to the pharmacy and bought a handful of pregnancy tests.

Just as she entered the restroom, a colleague from her department knocked on the door.

"Ajing, what are you doing in there? The client has arrived. The manager wants you to receive them. Don’t keep them waiting."

"Got it."

Shen Jing stuffed them all into her bag, planning to test secretly when she got home.

When she pushed open the door to the reception room, Cheng Jinchuan was there, sitting in an office chair as if he owned the place.

The manager was serving tea with a beaming smile.

As soon as Shen Jing entered, the manager, looking greatly relieved, instructed her, "Take good care of Director Cheng. You have the proposal ready, right?"

Shen Jing maintained a forced smile until the manager closed the door behind him.

Only then did she slowly approach Cheng Jinchuan.

"Didn’t you say no cooperation? Weren’t you going to ruin all my clients?"

Cheng Jinchuan propped his feet up on the desk. "It was your company that invited me to inspect your work attitude. If I’m satisfied, we can discuss cooperation. If I’m not..."

He even trailed off, toying with her.

Shen Jing chuckled. "Then what? Is the Shen Family going bankrupt by dawn, Director Cheng?"

Cheng Jinchuan pressed his tongue against his lower jaw, smirking. "You think I can’t do it? I can make sure no one in Beijing’s entire industry cooperates with you."

Shen Jing leaned forward, her tone earnest. "In that case, do as you please, as long as you’re happy. If it’s a relationship you want, I’m not interested. Tomorrow, I’ll report you to the authorities. I’d really like to see how, right under the nose of the Imperial City, Director Cheng can so brazenly flout the law and try to coerce a common woman."

She was three parts demure, six parts feigning weakness, and the remaining part was sheer defiance.

As they say, this delicate rose indeed had thorns.

Cheng Jinchuan stroked his chin, looking her up and down. "Interesting. This is getting more fun."

Her voice remained soft. "Director Cheng, can’t you find your own amusement? We all need to make a living. The company has employees waiting for the Shen Family to do business so they can get paid."

Why is she so dense? Cheng Jinchuan began to doubt himself. Am I not handsome? Don’t I have money? Isn’t my career successful?

Or does she think... I’m not capable in *that* department? His face darkened ominously.

Shen Jing poured him coffee, speaking politely, "You’re capable, you’re impressive. You’re Beijing’s number one tough guy."

Cheng Jinchuan didn’t rush to take the coffee, his eyes drifting, intentionally or not, to her long, fair fingers. It was said she played the pipa beautifully. He wondered what she would look like playing the pipa in a qipao.

"I genuinely like you."

"I already have someone in my heart," Shen Jing stated, setting the coffee down with a loud BANG.

He had a temper. Cheng Jinchuan smiled as he picked up the coffee and took a light sip. "That doesn’t matter. People’s hearts change easily."

This overbearing CEO was certainly persistent.

That didn’t stop Shen Jing from silently agreeing with his last statement.

"You’re single, I’m single. How will we know if we’re compatible without trying? What if I’m your destiny? What if you end up wanting to marry only me, right? I’m very self-respecting; I promise to be completely devoted to you."

How did this supposedly love-struck CEO manage to build up the Cheng Group and make its operations flourish so spectacularly?

Come to think of it, she herself had once foolishly thrown herself entirely at Zhou Luchen.

Shen Jing’s eyes curved into a slight, mocking smile. "How do you want to ’try’?"

He said, "Date me. Fall in love with me. We’ll sign the contract shortly, a three-year cooperation with the Shen Family. And I’ll make those CEOs, Zhang and Wu, who offended you, apologize."

"Why don’t you consider other women? I’ve just gone through a breakup and haven’t quite moved on."

Cheng Jinchuan put his legs down. "Who are you heartbroken over?"

She didn’t want to explain her past.

Cheng Jinchuan sensed her evasive tactics and rejection, and his expression soured.

The patience of this ’overbearing CEO’ had its limits. The more he was rebuffed, the more irritable he became.

"Fine, live your life like that then! I wanted to help you, and you’re still playing holier-than-thou. You were kept by a man in Shanghai, weren’t you? Been a secret mistress for quite some time, huh? What about that man? Did he dump you?"

Shen Jing sneered, "You’re certainly well-informed."

He yanked at his tie and stormed out, convinced she was thoroughly unappreciative.

When she saw the manager again, the smile had vanished completely from his face.

"It fell through?"

"It fell through," Shen Jing nodded.

She didn’t explain the details. "Could you give me another chance? I’ll find another company."

The manager snorted and walked away. "I went to great lengths to invite him here, and you chased him off! You... you..." He was at a loss for words. "Go ask your grandfather yourself!"

As a mere junior employee, she was being targeted relentlessly.

Shen Jing could only lie back at her workstation like a salted fish, a book spread open over her face, ignoring the world outside.

That Cheng fellow was serious. Even the Shen Family’s minor, long-standing collaborations with Cheng Family subsidiaries were severed.

That damn bastard.

When the manager came by on his rounds, he seemed to take pity on her and placed a business card on her desk. "Here’s a card. If this doesn’t work out, you might as well transfer to the cultural media department next door."

"HUH?" she exclaimed, lifting the book from her face, her posture still lazy.

"Are you serious?"

As she spoke, she lifted her eyelids, looking at her manager, an elite-looking man.

"Wasn’t the ’serious’ prospect the one you just angered away?"

The manager was busy and didn’t chat with her for long.

Shen Jing glanced at her desk and picked up the business card.

Wang Dafu.

The name sounds quite respectable, she thought.

Shen Jing left work early. She hadn’t been able to secure an appointment with him. He was a self-made man, a nouveau riche who’d struck it rich from property demolitions. Recently, he had ventured into investments, starting an angel investment company, which only made him wealthier and more passionate about investing.

Shen Jing called, addressing him respectfully as "President Wang."

He was reportedly entertaining guests at a hotel and didn’t have time to see her then.

"Miss Shen, if you can wait, please do. President Wang is currently tied up."

"Okay, I can wait."

"Then you wait."

She hung up. This job is far more exhausting than working at the teahouse, she thought.

She waited from noon until 8 p.m. but still hadn’t seen this President Wang. When she inquired at the hotel’s front desk, they told her, "President Wang left with his girlfriend around 5 p.m. They took the side exit from the parking lot."