When the two sat together calmly discussing business, Shen Mingzhi never imagined it.
But unexpectedly, it was actually possible to achieve this in this unfamiliar city.
“Then I’m even more determined to give it a try,” Shen Mingzhi said in a deep voice.
Jiang Huanyu discovered that she was truly stubborn... no matter what he said, she was unwilling to admit defeat.
Looking at her, he couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Looks like you won't turn back until you hit a brick wall. Well, just you wait, I told you, all this money of yours will go down the drain."
"That moment hasn't come yet; maybe things will turn around," Shen Mingzhi shrugged.
After dinner, she and Shen Xiuzhu went with him to the guesthouse he had booked.
"How much? I'll pay you later." Shen Mingzhi asked Jiang Huanyu, standing at the door of the hotel room.
"We'll settle it when we get back, and I'll give you the receipt then." Jiang Huanyu wasn't in a hurry to ask her for money.
“Okay.” Shen Mingzhi glanced at the furnishings in the room; they were very simple.
“When the others arrive, you’ll have to stay with them. I’ll book another room for you when there are vacancies,” Shen Mingzhi said to Shen Xiuzhu, who was standing next to her.
Shen Xiuzhu, who was looking around the room, looked away and said, "It doesn't matter."
Night fell over the city. Shen Mingzhi finished showering and was applying lotion in her room.
After applying lotion and cream, Shen Mingzhi carefully inspected the door.
The old-fashioned latch was loose, so she pushed it in forcefully and then pushed the leather trunk under the window to hold it in place.
Outside the window, the shadow of a large banyan tree is cast on the glass, swaying in the wind like a menacing monster.
She sat on the edge of the bed, re-examining the booth design.
As originally planned, their booth was in a prime location in Hall 3, but it has now been moved to the most remote corner.
As she sketched on the paper with her pen, she suddenly realized she could use that wall—enlarge the product tenfold and print it as a poster, along with eye-catching English slogans.
She was busy until very late before she finally went to sleep.
A soft "bang" came from outside the window.
Shen Mingzhi's hand paused, the nib of her pen leaving a black dot on the paper. She slowly turned her head, staring intently at the window.
There was another soft sound, this time clearer—the sound of metal scraping against wood.
Her heart suddenly raced, and a cold sweat broke out on her back. She quietly put down her pen, grabbed the kettle from the table, and slowly retreated to the doorway.
The sound of the window bolt being pried open was particularly jarring in the quiet room.
Shen Mingzhi's throat tightened, her fingers gripping the kettle handle tightly. The next second, the window was flung open, and a dark figure nimbly vaulted in.
"Who?!" she shouted sharply, her voice becoming shrill with tension.
The shadowy figure was clearly startled, but quickly regained its composure and headed straight for the briefcase on the bedside table. By the light from the window, Shen Mingzhi could see that it was a man wearing a mask, small in stature but agile in movement.
"Robbery!" she shouted, using all her strength to smash the kettle at the robber.
The sound of shattering glass echoed through the room, splashing hot water and shards everywhere. The assailant was startled by the sudden attack, but quickly drew a gleaming dagger from his waist.
"Shut up! Hand over the money!" he threatened in a low voice, the tip of his knife gleaming coldly in the light.
Shen Mingzhi retreated to the corner, grabbed a glass of water from the table, and cried out, "Help! There's a robbery!"
Hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.
"Zhizhi?!" Shen Xiuzhu's roar came from afar.
A flicker of panic crossed the thug's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by ruthlessness.
He lunged forward, his dagger aimed directly at Shen Mingzhi's chest.
Just at this critical moment, the door was kicked open.
Jiang Huanyu was the first to rush in. Upon seeing the scene before him, he lunged at the assailant without hesitation.
"Watch out!" Shen Mingzhi shouted, "He's carrying a fruit knife!"
With a flash of light, blood gushed from Jiang Huanyu's left arm.
Despite the excruciating pain, he shielded Shen Mingzhi behind him with his body.
Shen Xiuzhu followed closely behind, swung a wooden stool from the room, and smashed it hard on the back of the thug.
"Ah!" The assailant fell to the ground in pain, and the dagger clattered to the floor.
The commotion attracted other guests and staff.
Several burly male waiters rushed in and quickly pinned the thug to the ground.
"Call the police! Call the police now!" Shen Xiuzhu shouted breathlessly, turning to look at Jiang Huanyu, "Are you alright?"
Jiang Huanyu's shirt sleeves were soaked with blood, and his face was as pale as paper, yet he still managed a forced smile: "It's just a minor injury...it's nothing..."
Shen Mingzhi hurriedly pulled down the curtains, tore them into strips, and tied them above Jiang Huanyu's wound to stop the bleeding.
The blood quickly soaked through the fabric, and her hands and clothes were covered in a shocking red.
"We need to get to the hospital right away!" Her voice trembled as she looked up and shouted to the onlookers, "Does anyone know how to get to the nearest hospital?"
A middle-aged man with a local accent stepped forward: "Turn right at the street corner and you'll find the Municipal Hospital. I'll take you there!"
Shen Xiuzhu and several waiters helped Jiang Huanyu up, while Shen Mingzhi grabbed her wallet and followed closely behind.
As she passed the thug who was pinned to the ground, she suddenly stopped and ripped off his mask.
"It's you?!" She gasped.
She had seen this face at the exhibition hall that afternoon; it belonged to one of Director Xu's staff members.
The assailant hurriedly lowered his head, but it was too late.
Shen Mingzhi's heart sank—this was no ordinary robbery, but a targeted attack.
On the way to the hospital, Jiang Huanyu's blood dripped all the way.
Shen Mingzhi supported his uninjured arm and noticed that his face was becoming increasingly pale.
"Hang in there, we're almost there." Her voice tightened involuntarily, and she gripped the ground harder.
Jiang Huanyu shook his head, "It's nothing serious, just a bit of bleeding and a little dizzy..."
"Stop talking." Shen Xiuzhu led the way, turning back every now and then to urge, "Faster!"
The emergency room of the municipal hospital was brightly lit.
Upon seeing Jiang Huanyu's injuries, the on-duty doctor immediately arranged for surgery to suture them.
The nurse stopped Shen Mingzhi and Shen Xiuzhu at the door, saying, "Family members, please wait outside."
The benches in the corridor were cold and hard.
Shen Mingzhi then realized that her legs were trembling violently, and she had to slowly sit down while holding onto the wall. Her hands were still stained with Jiang Huanyu's blood, which had dried and turned dark red.
“That man is one of Director Xu’s men,” she said in a low voice. “I saw him at the exhibition hall this afternoon.”
Shen Xiuzhu's expression was solemn. "I didn't expect you to have such a photographic memory. It's good that you remember his face... Did they deliberately give us the worst booth and create chaos just to make us fail?"
“If that’s the only reason, then it’s too simplistic.” Shen Mingzhi suddenly remembered something. “He went through my bag first after he came in, but when he saw the sample box, he wanted to take the things and leave.”
The two exchanged a glance and simultaneously understood each other's thoughts—this was not a simple robbery, but rather someone wanted to prevent their products from appearing at the Canton Fair.
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