Qin Changsheng avoided Ning Yuan's gaze, his tone even colder: "I said I don't know Rong Zhaonan or Xiang Ziying. What do I care if these two people live or die?"
Ning Yuan leaned back in her chair, staring coldly at Qin Changsheng: "Is that so?"
The coincidence that Xiang Ziying appeared before Anan's accident made her feel that Rong Zhaonan's accident was related to Xiang Ziying.
Even her fourth uncle couldn't escape her suspicion, after all, Shanji was the last person to see Rong Zhaonan, which was one of the reasons she chose to cooperate with her fourth uncle.
Qin Changsheng suddenly threw a thick envelope on Ning Yuan's desk. The envelope was bulging and clearly contained a lot of money.
"Seventh Miss, if there's nothing else, I'll be going now. This is a congratulatory gift that Fourth Uncle asked me to bring." His tone was impatient, as if saying even one more word would be a waste.
Ning Yuan didn't even lift her eyelids, and said indifferently, "Fourth Uncle has already sent the opening bonus."
Qin Changsheng clicked his tongue impatiently: "Do I have to spell it out so clearly? Or are you brainless, Miss Seven? This is compensation for Dafei and the others causing trouble. If you don't accept it, according to the rules, you'll have to compensate them with Dafei and the others' ears or hands."
He paused, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "Seventh Miss, surely a pregnant woman like you wouldn't like this last gift?"
Ning Yuan's gaze lingered on the envelope for a moment before she looked up and stared directly into Qin Changsheng's eyes.
She uttered two words crisply: "Okay!"
Qin Changsheng was stunned. He sneered, his tone full of sarcasm: "How dare Miss Seven call me cold-blooded? The most cold-blooded one is clearly you!"
Ning Yuan sat down, supporting her slightly protruding belly, her tone eerily calm: "I was never a good person to begin with, otherwise I wouldn't have known Fourth Uncle."
She looked up at Qin Changsheng and said coolly, "I've received many people with three or six holes in their bodies as gifts, and I like them very much. So naturally, I don't mind receiving other people's ears and hands as gifts."
Qin Changsheng's face instantly darkened.
"Three cuts and six holes" is a gang rule. If someone commits an irreparable mistake and asks for forgiveness, they must use a sharp blade to pierce three holes in their own body.
Ning Yuan's expression wasn't fierce when she said these words, but he knew she wasn't exaggerating.
Her eyes were calm to the point of being cold.
Ning Yuan, observing Qin Changsheng's ever-changing expression, suddenly curled her lips slightly: "Don't look at me like that. For Fourth Uncle's sake, I'll take the money this time, but next time..."
She looked at him, her tone suddenly turning cold: "If you dare to cause trouble in Shanghai and Beijing again, or if I find out that Anan is in trouble, you'll be involved..."
Ning Yuan paused and said softly, word by word, "I will not only take your ears and hands as gifts, I will take your life as a gift."
The air seemed to freeze instantly, and the confrontation between the two was as tense as a drawn sword.
Qin Changsheng clenched his fists involuntarily, and the veins on the back of his hands stood out.
Ning Yuan remained unmoved; her gaze was calm yet cold, silently declaring her resolve.
Qin Changsheng took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the anger in his heart.
He turned and strode toward the door, but stopped abruptly as his hand touched the doorknob.
"Miss Ning Qi, do you really think you are omnipotent?" he asked without turning his head, his voice filled with a dangerous undertone.
Ning Yuan chuckled lightly, her tone laced with sarcasm: "I never thought so, but Qin Changsheng, the fact that I've reached a point where even Fourth Uncle looks up to me is a testament to my superiority over you!"
Qin Changsheng's body stiffened visibly for a moment, then he abruptly opened the door and left the office without looking back.
The door was slammed shut with a loud bang.
Ning Yuan clenched her fists, closed her eyes wearily, and gently stroked her belly.
"Anan, where are you?"
There was another knock on the office door. Ning Yuan quickly composed herself and regained her usual calm and self-possessed demeanor: "Come in."
Peishan stood at the door: "Seventh Miss, the guests have all arrived."
Ning Yuan took a deep breath, composed herself, and stood up.
“Let’s go,” she said to Peishan, her voice gentle yet firm.
The moment I pushed open the door, a cacophony of noise hit me.
The corridor was bustling with activity; it had been cleaned long ago, and the doorway was crowded with guests who had come to offer their congratulations.
Ning Yuan's gaze swept across the crowd. Although she did not publicize the Ning family's identity, she had made quite a few connections in the Hong Kong government during this period.
She wasn't pretentious; after all, in the Hong Kong government, the Ning family's name was a good brand, an excellent springboard to strengthen herself.
Whether it was out of respect for the Ning family or not, many guests came to offer their congratulations today, making it a truly distinguished gathering.
Among these people were those who came genuinely to offer their congratulations, and others who came with various motives.
But in any case, this is the most important step for her to establish herself in the Hong Kong government.
The eldest son of one of the four major families even came in person, becoming the most conspicuous figure at the opening ceremony.
Ning Yuan greeted him politely, "Young Master Li, it is truly an honor to have you here."
This guy is really here for her.
Young Master Li smiled slightly, his gaze lingering on her protruding belly for a moment before shifting away: "Miss Ning, you're too kind. It's only natural that I've come to congratulate you on the opening of Epoch Heart. The company name is excellent; did the master consult a fortune teller?"
Has this seventh young lady gained some weight, or...?
However, they were all shrewd people, and he wouldn't ask questions he shouldn't.
Ning Yuan smiled and said, "The Heart of the Epoch is naturally meant to usher in a new era. I hope Young Master Li will take good care of me!"
The Ning family didn't want others to know she was pregnant, but she didn't care.
However, she won't say it to outsiders; if others notice, then it's not her problem.
Since discovering that Ning Yuan wasn't some pitiful country girl picked up from the mainland waiting to divide the family property, but rather a cunning woman capable of making money through both legal and illegal means, the Ning family elders have loosened their control over her considerably.
Ning Yuan invited Li Dashao to cut the ribbon together, and he gladly accepted.
The lion dance troupe's drums and gongs resounded, and two male lions shook their heads and tails as they weaved through the crowd, finally leaping high to pick up the hanging lettuce, symbolizing "making money".
The lively scene brought the opening ceremony to a climax.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, everyone attended a reception.
Young Master Li, holding a glass of champagne, stayed by Ning Yuan's side and said with a smile, "Ms. Ning, I have received the bidding information for the Shenzhen International Commercial Building. Thank you."
Ning Yuan nodded slightly: "I'm glad that Young Master Li is satisfied."
Young Master Li paused for a moment, then continued, "Now that the Heart of the Epoch has been established, we can officially sign a cooperation agreement. I am willing to invest with Miss Ning, as you said, splitting the profits 50/50, and develop this project together."
Ning Yuan smiled, a sly glint in her eyes: "Young Master Li certainly has a discerning eye; the Shenzhen International Commercial Building is indeed a good project. However, I have an even more important piece of news here. I wonder if Young Master Li would be interested?"
Young Master Li raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.
Ning Yuan took a sip of the juice in her glass: "The Shenzhen municipal government, in response to the call for reform and opening up, plans to allocate a piece of land in Donghu Park for Hong Kong businessmen to jointly invest in and develop commercial housing."
Young Master Li was stunned for a moment. He knew that the concept of commercial housing did not exist in mainland China before. Land was publicly owned, and buying and selling was unheard of.
Young Master Li, who came from a real estate background, immediately sensed a huge business opportunity, and his eyes lit up: "Miss Ning, is this news... reliable?"
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