When he walked in, he saw Xu Zhiru, who was absent-minded in the living room. He then looked at Ning Nanxue, who winked at him.
"Fu Chen is too suspicious. If she goes back now, things will only get worse. Martin won't let it go if he knows the USB drive is in her hands." Ning Nanxue said.
Jiang Tingchen pondered for a moment and said, "If she lives with you, she'll be too conspicuous. It's not a good idea. The Jiang family's old house is quieter and has better security. Let her live there first. It's safer anyway."
Ning Nanxue looked at Xu Zhiru. Xu Zhiru had no idea what to do and just nodded woodenly.
After settling Xu Zhiru, Ning Nanxue and Jiang Tingchen drove away.
"I'm afraid Fu Chen has hit a wall this time." Ning Nanxue looked out the window.
The car drove into an underground garage and the light dimmed. Jiang Tingchen had just parked the car when a man got out of an unremarkable black car next to him. Only a blurry back could be seen, and he walked straight to Ning Nanxue's car window.
Jiang Tingchen did not get out of the car, but just looked ahead calmly.
The man knocked on the car window, and Ning Nanxue lowered her head a little.
A deep voice sounded, speaking slowly: "Martin's business in the West District is his biggest weakness, and it's also the forbidden zone he least wants anyone to touch."
After saying that, the man handed in a business card, then turned around and quickly disappeared into the darkness.
Ning Nanxue picked up the business card, which had only two words and a number printed on it: "Manager Song".
She looked at Jiang Tingchen, who was also looking at her. He said, "Manager Song is a man of great ideas and well-informed. If he says so, then the West District is worth a trip for our people."
Jiang Tingchen's eyes met hers. The car was quiet with only the low roar of the engine.
He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "The West End business is Martin's stronghold. He dares to say that, so he must be confident. Our people need to stir up trouble."
Ning Nanxue nodded. "He's taking the initiative to show his goodwill, so we'll accept this favor. The sooner we find out about Martin's background, the better."
"Well, I'll make the arrangements." Jiang Tingchen's voice was low but steady. He glanced at her and said, "Fu Chen is probably about to lose his temper."
The air in Fu Chen's office was stagnant.
"Jiang Tingchen is also trying to find out about Martin?" This news made his already tense nerves twitch even more. "What does he want to do? Intercept?"
Fu Chen paced back and forth in the office.
No, we can’t let Jiang Tingchen - or Ning Nanxue - get ahead.
He has to be faster.
He picked up the phone and whispered to the assistant on the other end, "Arrange a meeting with Mr. Martin, the sooner the better! I want to sign an exclusive agreement with him!"
As for the price? Martin clearly conveyed the conditions through a hidden channel: assist the Fu family and obtain a portion of the Ning Group's equity.
Fu Chen's lips twitched. This wasn't just a business matter; it was a risky move that would force Ning Nanxue into a desperate situation.
He could almost foresee her embarrassment when she lost all support.
The night before he and Martin agreed to sign the contract, Fu Chen sat alone in his study. A new email popped up on his computer screen. From: Anonymous. Subject: "A little advice."
His finger paused on the mouse and clicked.
Attached are a few photos. The images are a bit blurry, but the content is enough to make the temperature in the study drop sharply.
A figure in the dim background, a suspected large cash transaction, a man similar in build to Martin, appeared at an inappropriate occasion.
The last one was a partial enlargement of a document. The handwriting was unclear, but the logo of an internationally renowned black market organization made his heart sink.
A chill ran down his spine. Even more unsettling was the sender's IP address. Security software traced the source to a server owned by the Ning Group.
Ning Nanxue? Was this a clumsy frame-up on her part, or... a warning? Or was Martin testing him?
This uncertainty, like a hand, tightly gripped his heart.
The pen that was originally intended to be used to sign the final agreement lay quietly on the table.
A few days later, an industry forum.
Jiang Tingchen was talking to an entrepreneur. His voice was not loud, but it was just loud enough for Fu Chen, who was pretending to look at his phone a few steps away, to hear it.
"...Martin's business isn't as clean as he claims." Jiang Tingchen's tone was calm. "We checked his investments in the West District and found some, uh, 'very interesting' partners. These things are enough to make any serious businessman think carefully."
The entrepreneur raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought he really wanted to make some real industrial investments this time."
"Surface phenomena are sometimes unreliable." Jiang Tingchen smiled and changed the subject subtly.
Fu Chen's fingers tightened around the phone. Jiang Tingchen wasn't just guessing; he really knew something.
That anonymous email, and now these words...
There seemed to be an unexpected incident in his plan against Ning Nanxue.
Jiang Tingchen's words were like a signal.
"He hesitated." That night, Jiang Tingchen said to Ning Nanxue, his eyes focused. "The email, plus my words... His confidence in Martin isn't as strong as he lets on. Go meet him, and Xu Zhiru is your best excuse. Find out his true attitude towards Martin."
He placed his hand gently on her shoulder, and the warmth came through the fabric.
Ning Nanxue made an appointment with Fu Chen as he said, on the pretext of discussing Xu Zhiru's "unstable emotions" and her need for comfort.
Fu Chen's reception was filled with impatience, his eyes scrutinizing her. "Isn't she staying at the Jiang family mansion? What else is there to discuss?"
"She's very scared, Fu Chen. She's afraid of you, and also afraid of what you're involved in now." Ning Nanxue said calmly, "She mentioned that you and Martin are collaborating on a big project. She's worried about danger."
Fu Chen snorted, but the flash of something in his eyes still revealed his inner restlessness: "Xu Zhiru just loves to daydream."
"Maybe. Can I use your bathroom?" Ning Nanxue asked.
He pointed casually in the direction of the corridor: "Turn left at the end of the corridor."
The study door was not closed tightly. Her heart was beating fast.
This was risky. She sidled in, phone already in hand.
The large desk was mostly tidy, with only a folder in the corner with a label that read: "Draft Exclusive Cooperation Agreement."
That's it.
Her fingertips trembled slightly as she opened the folder and quickly took pictures of the key terms: the scope of cooperation, the timetable, and most importantly, the part where Martin promised to assist Fu's in acquiring Ning's shares.
The slight shutter sound of the mobile phone camera sounded particularly clear in the quiet study.
At the same time, a few kilometers away, in a monitoring room controlled by Martin, Xu Zhao was staring at one of the screens.
He had no authority to view this internal surveillance - the screen was facing a private meeting room of Martin.
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