Ning Bingyu's eyes flashed with chilling anger: "What am I happy about?! Big sister, wake up! Look at these figures! Jialin Group is a ticking time bomb, it could drag us down at any moment!"
Ning Man'an stood up and coldly met Ning Bingyu's gaze: "Are you questioning my decision-making ability? Huangpu Garden is a project I personally oversaw. I understand the stakes better than anyone else. The board of directors has also given its approval. By what right do you dare to order me around?"
Ning Bingyu said in a deep voice, "I am the CEO of Ning's Group, and I have a responsibility to stop any behavior that may harm the company's interests! Once Jialin's financial black hole is completely exposed, the stock price will plummet, and banks will withdraw loans. Have you thought about the consequences?!"
Ning Man'an's voice was icy: "Ayu, you're too impatient. Cutting off cooperation with Jialin rashly will not only bring the project to a standstill, but also trigger market panic. The losses will be far more than just this small investment."
"If you're not satisfied, you can request another emergency board meeting and see if the board members will believe you or me this time."
Ning Bingyu's mature and handsome face was slightly distorted with anger: "Fine, since my elder sister has said so, then I will definitely do it, and you will definitely regret it!"
After saying that, he didn't look at Ning Man'an again, and left the office with a heart full of anger and disappointment.
Chu Hongyu did not follow immediately.
She stood there, her gaze shifting between the door to the lounge and Ning Man'an before finally settling on Ning Man'an's cold and stern face.
Her voice was cool and calm: "Miss is always wise. Don't fall into someone's trap because of a fight of the ego."
Ning Man'an turned her face, looking directly at Chu Hongyu for the first time, her expression indifferent—
"Miss, by what right do you speak to me like this? A-Yu's senior secretary? Or his mistress? As an employee, you are too inexperienced to stand before me, and as a mistress, you are even less qualified to discuss Ning's decisions with me!"
Chu Hongyu's expression remained unchanged. Over the years, what unpleasant things hadn't she heard?
She had long since developed an invulnerable armor.
She simply met Ning Man'an's gaze calmly: "I'm saying this as an observer. Miss, don't take it personally. That's all I have to say. You can decide for yourself."
After saying that, she said no more and calmly turned and left.
Ning Man'an stood there, watching the door close with a gloomy expression.
The side door was pushed open, and Chen Jingsong's bulky figure walked out of the lounge.
He looked in the direction where Chu Hongyu had disappeared, his eyes filled with contempt and disgust: "Ah Yu's taste is getting worse and worse! His former fiancée, Cha Meiling, was once the top socialite in Hong Kong."
"His mistresses used to be female celebrities. Now he just plays around with this slut from who-knows-where. I heard she got into HKU through connections to get a prestigious degree."
"This pretty old hag with nothing but a pretty face dares to point fingers at you, Miss? How can A-Yu inherit the Ning family business like this?"
He shook his head, his tone full of disdain.
Ning Man'an's eyes suddenly sharpened, and she grabbed the coffee cup on the table and smashed it hard on the ground!
"Bang--"
The fine bone china cup shattered instantly, and brown coffee spilled onto the carpet, creating a messy scene.
"It's none of the business of outsiders to comment on how the Ning family is."
Chen Jingsong's smile froze, and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.
He smiled and tried to ease the tension: "My dear niece, I'm just indignant on your behalf! Who does that Chu Hongyu think she is, daring to point fingers at you like that!"
Ning Man'an's gaze was calm yet sharp: "Chairman Chen, stop worrying about other people's business. You know better than I what Jialin Group is in right now. I can suppress the internal dissent against Jialin, but if you can't resolve these issues within half a month... don't blame me for being impolite."
Chen Jingsong's chubby face jiggled slightly: "Hehe, don't worry, my dear niece."
Ning Man'an looked at him and said, "Don't blame me for not reminding you, although Ning's investment in the Huangpu Garden project is huge, it is not Ning's entire investment."
“But Jialin Group is different. You’re willing to risk your entire fortune and life on loans. Once our cooperation falls apart, you know what will happen to Jialin Group and you, Chen Jingsong.”
Chen Jingsong narrowed his eyes, his smile undiminished: "My dear niece, don't worry! This little storm won't capsize my ship! Half a month? It won't take that long! In less than ten days, I guarantee I'll shut those clowns up!"
Ning Manan didn't say anything more, but simply picked up his coffee again, blew on it gently, as if the banging had never happened.
Chen Jingsong tactfully got up to take his leave, his face still bearing that hearty smile, but deep in his eyes lay a barely perceptible sinister and ruthless glint.
...
Meanwhile, inside the luxury car, Chu Hongyu had just sat down in the back seat.
The city scenery outside the car window blurred into a series of colors, while inside the car, there was the tranquility of another world.
Ning Bingyu leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes to rest, and said with a hint of weariness in his voice, "You don't need to say those things to my older sister."
Chu Hongyu turned to look at him, her expression indifferent: "Does the young master also think I'm not qualified?"
Ning Bingyu didn't open his eyes, but his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly: "My people don't need to endure unnecessary humiliation."
Chu Hongyu paused for a moment, and the turmoil in her heart strangely subsided.
Ning Bingyu took off his gold-rimmed glasses, looking somewhat tired, and rubbed his temples. "How are the arrangements going for the next few days, as I need to meet with people from other families and banks?"
Chu Hongyu immediately snapped out of her daze, took out an itinerary from her bag, and said professionally, "Everything has been arranged. Several heads of the Li and Zheng families, as well as the heads of HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Citibank, are scheduled to meet in the next three days."
Ning Bingyu hummed in agreement, then asked, "Is the dinner with William Smith, the Independent Commission Against Corruption's deputy commissioner, today?"
Chu Hongyu confirmed, "At seven o'clock sharp in the Porto restaurant on the Tamar ship."
She glanced at her watch and added, "It's 5:30 now, two more hours."
Ning Bingyu nodded slightly and took the itinerary documents handed to him by Chu Hongyu, then checked them over.
After confirming that everything was correct, he casually put the document aside, then naturally turned to his side and rested his head on Chu Hongyu's lap.
His movements were natural and practiced, as if it were a habit that had long been formed between them.
His voice was heavy with weariness: "I'm going to sleep for a while, wake me up when it's time."
Chu Hongyu's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed.
He's been very busy lately and only slept for two hours last night.
She adjusted her sitting position to make Ning Bingyu more comfortable.
The only sounds in the carriage were the patter of raindrops hitting the windows and the man's even breathing.
Chu Hongyu lowered her head, looking at the man's sleeping face so close to her with complicated emotions.
At this moment, the sharpness and shrewdness of the business world had faded from his brows, and there were faint dark circles under his eyes.
She silently reached out her hand, her fingertips gently tracing his handsome, sharp eyebrows and touching the fine lines between his brows caused by stress and fatigue.
Outside, the rain poured down, but inside the car, all was quiet.
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