The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 452 - 454. Establish Might

Chapter 452: 454. Establish Might

The three of them looked toward the direction the voice came from and saw two tall men walking toward them. Fu Hengyi and Meng Liang stood straight and saluted, and Shen Qinglan immediately understood that these two must be Fu Hengyi’s superiors.

"Haha, Major General Fu, Captain Meng, I didn’t expect to run into you here," Fu Hengyi’s superior spoke first.

Fu Hengyi replied with a neutral tone, "The two leaders are in high spirits today."

The middle-aged man’s gaze turned to Shen Qinglan, his eyes warm. "Are you Hengyi’s wife, Old General Shen’s daughter, Shen Qinglan?"

Shen Qinglan nodded. "Yes," she said, in a neither servile nor overbearing manner.

The man, who had been in a high position for many years and naturally exuded a powerful presence, found that Shen Qinglan, an ordinary girl, didn’t seem the least bit intimidated by him. In fact, she appeared quite at ease, which he found impressive. He appreciated Shen Qinglan very much.

"Your marksmanship just now was very accurate. Who taught you?" They had been watching from the first round of competition between Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi and naturally saw everything.

"My grandfather taught me." Shen Qinglan once again shifted the credit to Old Sir Shen.

"Young as he was, Old Sir Shen was known for his precise marksmanship. I didn’t expect his granddaughter to have such good skills too. Very good," the man commented with a sense of admiration.

Shen Qinglan’s expression remained calm. "I can’t compare to my grandfather."

"Haha, you’re being modest, young lady. I saw your competition with Hengyi just now, and it was very good."

"He was letting me win," Shen Qinglan said.

The man looked at Fu Hengyi with a smile and asked, "Is that so, Hengyi?"

Fu Hengyi smiled faintly and did not answer, which was more or less a confirmation.

"Even if that’s the case, it’s still impressive. You’re better than many soldiers. Besides marksmanship, what else has Old Sir Shen taught you?" The man asked with curiosity.

"Many things, but I’m not talented in other areas and didn’t learn them well. The only thing I excel at is marksmanship," Shen Qinglan replied. Because of the sudden appearance of these two men, she no longer intended to continue competing with Fu Hengyi.

The man didn’t seem disappointed by her response but rather said, "Your marksmanship indeed shows a lot of talent. Have you considered joining the military?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Qinglan looked at the middle-aged man. "I’m very sorry, but I have no such plans. I have my own career, and this is just a small hobby of mine. Plus, my main focus at the moment is my son."

The man expressed regret at missing out on such a promising individual. "That’s really a pity. But if you have such accurate marksmanship and don’t join the military, it would be a waste. You might want to consider my suggestion. If you change your mind, tell Hengyi." He glanced at his watch and continued, "It’s getting late, so I’ll leave first. You all continue to have fun."

After the two left, Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi lost the interest to continue their match and drove back to the base.

Anan was at Sister-in-law Zhang’s house, playing with the two Zhang siblings. Upon seeing his mother come to pick him up, he dropped his toys and walked toward Shen Qinglan.

"Sister-in-law Zhang, thank you for your trouble," Shen Qinglan said politely.

Sister-in-law Zhang smiled. "Why be so formal with me? It’s no trouble at all. Anan is very well-behaved and easy to look after. If you’re free, bring Anan over more often."

Shen Qinglan nodded with a smile and looked down at her son. "Come on, say goodbye to Auntie."

Anan raised his hand and waved. "Bye, Auntie."

Sister-in-law Zhang’s eyes bent into crescents with her smile. She was very fond of children, especially well-behaved and good-looking ones like Anan.

Shen Qinglan took her son home. Fu Hengyi was already cooking. Hearing footsteps, he called out from inside, "Qinglan, could you help bring out the dishes?"

"Sure." Shen Qinglan answered, and seeing that Anan had already started playing with building blocks, she stopped bothering him and turned to enter the kitchen.

Fu Hengyi cooked quickly. After dinner, which the family of three finished, he took responsibility for washing the dishes. Returning, he saw Shen Qinglan sitting on the couch in a daze, so he sat down next to her. "Are you still thinking about what happened today?"

Shen Qinglan nodded. "Mhm. Do you think your leader really wants me to join the military?"

"Of course, it’s true. But what about you? Do you want to join?"

Naturally, Shen Qinglan had no such desire. While her opinion of soldiers and the military had changed, those past incidents remained, and she couldn’t just pretend they didn’t happen.

Knowing her well, Fu Hengyi could tell by her expression and embraced her, his voice gentle. "If you don’t want to, then don’t. It’s supposed to be a voluntary thing.

"Will it cause you any trouble?" Shen Qinglan was worried about this aspect.

Fu Hengyi chuckled. "You’re overthinking it. There’s nothing to worry about. Just relax." Even if they really wanted Shen Qinglan to join the military, they wouldn’t force her.

"By the way, when is your art exhibition?" Fu Hengyi remembered Shen Qinglan was planning to hold an art exhibition and asked.

"In October, there are still a few months to go." Shen Qinglan had not been in the right headspace for painting recently, displeased with the works she produced. Hence, she postponed the originally scheduled July exhibition by a few months.

"A lot has happened recently, and I need to adjust my mood and state. Fu Hengyi, next time you’re on leave, let’s take the two grandfathers on a trip," Shen Qinglan suggested. Both the old gentlemen were getting on in years and every day was precious. She wanted to spend more time with them while she could.

"Sure, have you decided where to go?"

"Let’s go to the small town. It’s not far, and the scenery is nice." The small town had developed well in recent years, and Shen Qinglan had gone there twice for inspiration and enjoyed it very much.

"Okay."

Fang Tong was officially transferred back to the headquarters of the Junlan Group, marking the end of the long-distance separation from her spouse. The document announcing her appointment as the head of the group’s sales department had been issued the week before her return.

"Fang Tong, congratulations," Zhenzhen was the first to congratulate Fang Tong upon hearing the news. To her, Fang Tong was a friend, and naturally, she was happy about her promotion.

"I’ll treat you to dinner tonight," Fang Tong said with a smile.

"Sure, but let’s change the restaurant and not go to the one across the street," Zhenzhen suggested, reminding Fang Tong that while that place had good food and was affordable, it was too close to the office, and company people were often there. It would be unpleasant to bump into troublesome individuals like last time.

"No problem, you pick the place, and after work, we’ll go in my car."

"You bought a car?" Zhenzhen was surprised.

"Yeah, my husband bought it for me," Fang Tong said with a smile, conveying that Li Bo Ming had made the purchase knowing she would be returning to work. The car was an import, and it took a little while to arrive on the roads, but it had just come in a couple of days ago.

"Wow, Fang Tong, this car is amazing. It must have cost a pretty penny?" Zhenzhen exclaimed as she looked at the new SUV in front of her.

Fang Tong just smiled, "It was just a few hundred thousand. It’s not a well-known brand, so it wasn’t that expensive, but it does have better performance." The car was Acura’s latest luxury SUV model, with a total price exceeding a million, but Fang Tong didn’t want to seem as though she was flaunting her wealth, so she didn’t mention it.

Acura was a subdued brand, unknown to many. Zhenzhen, unfamiliar with the logo on the car, took Fang Tong’s word for it and replied, "This car looks very high-end, almost comparable to those million-dollar luxury cars. If I ever decide to buy a car, I’ll get one like yours - understated yet substantial, haha."

"Sure, when you’re ready to buy a car, I can help you out. I know a friend who sells cars, and you can get a good deal."

"Deal," Zhenzhen said cheerfully. "Speaking of which, Fang Tong, you’ve just started your new job, do you need to treat the department to a meal?"

Zhenzhen’s reminder made Fang Tong realize she had almost forgotten about this customary practice. It was indeed necessary to have a meal with her colleagues to get acquainted with the people she would be working with, especially since she was a leader but still needed to be part of the team. Especially in the sales department where unity was key.

"I would have completely forgotten if you hadn’t mentioned it."

Zhenzhen’s expression turned serious, "Actually, some people in your department are quite resistant to you. After the previous sales director resigned, two managers from your department were hot contenders for the promotion. No one expected you to parachute into their department and take over as the new director right away. I’ve heard that one of the managers is planning to take you down a peg, so be prepared."

Zhenzhen wasn’t typically a gossip, but she made a point of finding out about Fang Tong’s new appointment as sales director and even went out of her way to gather some information for her.

Fang Tong took note of this intel. It was her first day on the job, and she had only had time to report her duties to Shen Junyu without getting to know the people in her department yet. But she wasn’t someone who could be easily pushed around, and anyone wanting to challenge her authority would need to demonstrate real strength. Her impressive resume from the overseas branch was precisely why Shen Junyu had trusted her with the responsibility of the headquarters’ sales department.

If Fang Tong didn’t have the capability, even if she was Qinglan’s good friend, Shen Junyu wouldn’t have provided her with a shortcut.

The two were dining at the restaurant when they heard a hesitant voice, "Fang Tong?"

Fang Tong looked over and saw a familiar figure. Her smile immediately faded as the arrival, recognizing it was indeed her, hurried over, excitement flickering in his eyes, "Fang Tong, is that really you? When did you get back?"

Ding Minghui had never expected to run into Fang Tong here. He was aware that she had been abroad over the past two years, and they had not seen each other during that time.

Fang Tong’s gaze glided over Ding Minghui and fell on the woman who followed by his side.

The woman was fashionably and provocatively dressed, her makeup heavy, her arm entwined with Ding Minghui’s, their posture intimate.

Ding Minghui, completely ignored by Fang Tong, didn’t seem the slightest bit embarrassed. "When did you get back?"

Fang Tong responded indifferently, "Is there something you need?"

"Nothing in particular, just wanted to ask you out to dinner if you’re free."

"There’s no need. I don’t think there is any necessity for us to sit down for a meal together." Fang Tong declined.

Ding Minghui wasn’t at all surprised by the rejection but felt a bit awkward being refused in front of so many people. "No worries, we can always make plans for another time if you’re busy." He took out a business card from his jacket pocket and placed it in front of Fang Tong. "This is my card; it has my contact number. Feel free to call me whenever."

Fang Tong glanced dispassionately at the business card and was surprised to find that after two years, Ding Minghui had become the vice president of Shuangcheng International.

Seeing that Fang Tong had no intention of speaking to him, Ding Minghui didn’t linger for unwelcome attention and, taking the woman with him, left the restaurant without even having their meal.

"Fang Tong, isn’t that the guy from the company? Liu Hui’s husband, Ding Minghui. You know him?" Zhenzhen had recognized Ding Minghui from the beginning but hadn’t mentioned it until he was gone.

"We attended the same university," Fang Tong said, her expression neutral.

"Let me tell you, this guy is no good. He was married to Liu Hui, divorced her once he had clambered up to affluence by marrying a wealthy daughter, and then latched onto the daughter of Shuangcheng’s major shareholders to become the Ning Family’s son-in-law. But he’s not a man to settle down; red flags at home, colorful banners fluttering elsewhere – everyone knows he keeps mistresses. Yet, the young Miss Ning apparently doesn’t care, I can’t tell if she’s genuinely naive or just feigning ignorance."

As she listened to the gossip about Ding Minghui, Fang Tong remained utterly unmoved. When they left, his business card still lay there, untouched and unshifted.

Ding Minghui had thought Fang Tong might contact him, but after a week without even a text message, he realized that Fang Tong had firmly decided to ignore him, and he couldn’t help feeling disheartened.

She used to care so much about him; she always responded to his messages immediately. When had he lost her attention?

Fang Tong, of course, didn’t know about Ding Minghui’s struggles. She was busy teaching a lesson to two managers in her department. Both were old hands at the company who refused to follow her directives and had further failed to fulfill an important task, resulting in the loss of a significant deal.

"Manager Feng, Manager Shan, could you explain what exactly happened here?" Fang Tong’s face grew stern; her temper was usually good, and she was always willing to give due respect.

Manager Feng had joined Junlan one year after its establishment and was a real veteran. She had been diligent for many years with respectable performance and had always seen herself as the sole candidate for the new directorship. Even Manager Shan would call her a senior, yet she had been outranked by Fang Tong, this upstart. How could she accept that? The recent mishap was orchestrated by her in conjunction with Manager Shan.

"CEO Fang, this really wasn’t our fault. You know what Beijing’s traffic is like, severe congestion. We’d accounted for travel time, but wouldn’t you know it, there was a traffic accident and we were stuck for an hour. The client couldn’t wait and left. We’ve already explained to the client, but they wouldn’t listen, what else could we do?" She sounded aggrieved.

Fang Tong looked at her with piercing eyes. "You’re not first-time salespeople, you have more experience than I do. Do I need to teach you how to handle such contingencies?" Waiting until after the allotted time to explain to the client wasn’t a solution, it poured fuel on the fire. If they had explained sooner, things might not have escalated to this point.

The client felt they lacked sincerity and were fabricating excuses to discontinue cooperation, seeking new partners. They called Fang Tong personally to give her a good scolding – after all, she was now the highest leader of the sales department.

Manager Feng was unrepentant. So what if it was deliberate? What could Fang Tong do to her? To see her expelled from the company? Don’t make her laugh. If Fang Tong really did that, her subordinates would say she was eliminating dissenters and lacked tolerance; it would alienate her from the staff. She wanted to see how long Fang Tong could last as the sales CEO.

Fang Tong naturally understood their intentions. Her tone remained indifferent, "Manager Feng, Manager Shan, I will report this issue truthfully to the president. As for the client, I will personally handle negotiations. For the time being, focus on managing your current affairs. In light of your mishandling of this situation, your bonuses for this quarter will be deducted as a punishment."

As soon as Fang Tong’s voice fell, the two managers’ faces changed. The Junlan Group offered excellent compensation, and a month’s bonus was no small sum, let alone three months’ worth.

Manager Feng narrowed his eyes, his gaze unfriendly, "CEO Fang, this wasn’t intentional on our part. Your decision seems a bit excessive."

"Do you understand how much damage your actions have caused the company?" Fang Tong’s expression remained emotionless, and even her tone was calm. There was no accusation, no questioning, but this calmness only served to increase the pressure.

Manager Feng’s eyes flickered. She was obviously aware that the client was a longtime customer of Junlan Group, and this meeting was meant to sign the contract for the next year. However, because of their deliberate tardiness, the client was unwilling to continue the cooperation, meaning Junlan needed to find a new partner—a highly difficult task in a short period.

Their motive was to showcase Fang Tong’s incompetence to the company; losing such a big account so soon after starting would be a huge blow to morale, especially in a department like sales that relied on encouragement.

More importantly, it exposed Fang Tong’s incapability to the company’s senior management. Could she really continue as a director?

Such thoughts were undeniably malicious.

Manager Shan had kept her head down all this while. She originally didn’t want to go along with this, but was swayed by Manager Feng, and feeling overlooked for the recent promotion, she agreed on a whim.

Manager Feng reluctantly continued, "Even if it’s our fault, it wasn’t intentional. We accept the deduction of our bonuses, but to deduct a whole quarter—that’s too harsh. We all have families to support and rely on our salaries. CEO Fang, your actions are a bit inconsiderate."

Fang Tong’s demeanor was indifferent, "This matter is settled. I’m not discussing it with you, nor am I bargaining. I’m simply informing you. Whether you accept or not, you may raise your objections with President Shen."

Her voice was calm, but her stance was firm.

"You!" Manager Feng wanted to lash out but was stopped by Manager Shan, who gave a barely perceptible shake of her head. Manager Feng forcefully suppressed her anger, and both managers left the director’s office.

Once they had left, Fang Tong relaxed. Leaning back in her chair, she massaged her temples, her eyebrows knitted tightly. This matter was extremely tricky; their selfish actions had been utterly unreasonable. But this was her first account since taking the position, and if lost, her role as director was likely over, potentially raising questions for Shen Junyu from the shareholders for having placed her there.

Manager Feng was unhappy with Manager Shan for interjecting earlier, "Why did you stop me just now? Are you really content with having three months’ worth of bonuses deducted? Since when have you become so generous?" Her tone was sarcastic.

Manager Shan sighed, "How could I be content? But we did make a mistake, and we understand the loss this will cause the company—a loss that includes our own interests."

Manager Feng was dismissive, "So what? Didn’t we agree to first force Fang Tong out of the company, then compete fairly? Aren’t each of us stronger than her? Once we become directors, we can secure even larger accounts, bringing more profit to the company and compensating for everything."

"Have you considered that if the president finds out we intentionally lost the account, will he still let us stay in the company?"

"You’re overthinking it. We’re company veterans; the profit we’ve brought over the years is visible. If it weren’t for Fang Tong being close friends with the president’s sister, do you think she would be in this position? Does she have the skills or the experience?" Manager Feng didn’t believe the company would let both of them go over this incident.

"Junlan is a multinational corporation that has been expanding rapidly over the years. New talent is joining nearly every day, and the company does not lack for us. With money, it certainly can find more suitable talent, right? I think we oversimplified things before," Manager Shan now deeply regretted the impulsive decision.

Two days had passed since the incident, and she hadn’t slept well for two consecutive nights. When her husband asked what was wrong, she recounted the event, and he called her foolish. He analyzed the pros and cons carefully, making her realize more and more how wrong the decision had been.

That’s also why she had remained silent in Fang Tong’s office just now, even when Fang Tong mentioned docking a quarter’s worth of her bonus, she found no reason to object. Leaving Junlan Group, although it wouldn’t be hard to find another job, finding a company that offered a high salary and high degree of freedom like she currently had wouldn’t be easy.

Being reminded by her, Manager Feng also came to a realization. Naturally, a person who had worked at Junlan for many years and had reached the managerial position was not foolish. With some unease, she said, "What should we do then? We can’t go and apologize to Fang Tong now, saying we intentionally lost the deal. Wouldn’t that be like handing over evidence to our adversary? I don’t want to commit such a foolish act."

Manager Shan gave a bitter smile, "Let’s just not do anything for now. The more we do, the more mistakes we’ll make. We should remain unchanged and respond to all changes. However, we should also prepare ourselves in case Fang Tong pushes all the responsibility onto us and President Shen asks about it."

Manager Feng felt troubled. It was easy to placate Fang Tong, but explaining to Shen Junyu was another story altogether. Thinking of this, Manager Feng truly wished she could slap herself. What was she thinking at that time? Now she had just set herself up for a roasting.

*********

Junlan Group President’s office.

"That’s what happened," Fang Tong stood in front of Shen Junyu, head bowed like a child who had done something wrong.

A faint smile hung on Shen Junyu’s face, his usual polite expression. However, when he saw Fang Tong’s schoolgirl demeanor, he couldn’t help but suppress a laugh, "Alright, it’s just a deal. We can win it back."

"President Shen, you might as well scold me. I didn’t handle the very first task of my workday properly."

"Do you really want me to scold you?" Shen Junyu asked, amused. It’s rare these days to find someone who actually seeks out a scolding.

"If you don’t scold me, I will feel even guiltier," Fang Tong explained. She knew that in the company, whether it be in terms of education or experience, many were more suited for her position. The reason she could become a supervisor, other than her decent performance at the overseas branch, was also because she had taken advantage of her friendship with Qinglan. She was aware that countless people in the company were waiting to see her fail. Had she succeeded, it would have been fine, but the current outcome had left her face smarting with the blows of public embarrassment.

"I already know how things transpired and I agree with your handling of the situation. As for that deal, haven’t you already planned to personally take charge and secure it? There’s nothing more to say," Shen Junyu said kindly, his tone like that of an older brother.

Fang Tong looked at him, surprised, "How did you know?" She didn’t remember telling him about her intention to secure the deal.

Shen Junyu just smiled, "Before I employ someone for an important position, I make sure to understand them thoroughly. Having already done so, is it difficult to guess your choices?"

Fang Tong stared blankly at Shen Junyu, "President Shen?"

"Go ahead, you have my full support. I believe you can do well. As for those concerns of yours, don’t fret unnecessarily. The shareholders won’t question me over such a trivial matter," he reassured her.

"Thank you for your trust, President Shen. I will definitely retrieve the deal," Fang Tong said earnestly.

Shen Junyu smiled gently and motioned Fang Tong to sit down, "Are you settling into your new position well?" He appeared more like a friendly next-door brother as he softened his presence.

"It’s alright. The pace here is a lot faster than at the branch office," Fang Tong responded truthfully.

"Yes, the work pace in China is indeed faster than abroad. You should adjust your work rhythm in time, and if there are any issues, communicate with me promptly," Shen Junyu advised.

"Thank you, President Shen. I can still handle it for now." Fang Tong was still somewhat unaccustomed to this side of Shen Junyu, "If there’s nothing else, I’ll go back to work now."

"Okay, go ahead," Shen Junyu nodded as Fang Tong stood up to leave, but then Shen Junyu spoke again, "Wait, take Shen Junze with you this time for the business negotiation, let him learn properly. He has worked under you before, so you two should be familiar with each other."

"Understood."

"You don’t need to give him any special treatment, treat him the way you always have, in the company he is just Shen Junze."

"Got it," Fang Tong nodded, understanding that Shen Qinglan intended to groom Shen Junze and had already seen some success. Now that she was being asked to continue honing Shen Junze, it seemed the expected results had not yet been fully achieved.

Shen Junze was currently being rotated through various positions within the company. Previously, he was in human resources, and a month ago, he had been transferred to the sales department. However, both department managers had somehow learned that Shen Junze was Shen Junyu’s cousin and hadn’t treated him as a regular employee, offering all sorts of special privileges, which considerably slowed Shen Junze’s progress.

Once in the office, Fang Tong called Shen Junze in and threw a stack of documents at him, "Familiarize yourself with these by two o’clock this afternoon, then you’re coming with me to meet a client."

Shen Junze flipped through the documents and replied, "Alright." He had no objections.

Manager Feng and Manager Shan had been anxious since Fang Tong went to the President’s office, worried that Fang Tong had gone to complain about them. Upon seeing Fang Tong return, they waited, expecting to be summoned for a discussion, but Fang Tong didn’t leave her office after she came back, and the HR manager didn’t seek them out either.

"Do you think Fang Tong didn’t actually report the matter to the President?" Manager Feng whispered to Manager Shan.

Manager Shan was also unsure, shaking his head and lowering his voice, "Not clear, let’s wait and see. Perhaps we’ll know the outcome by tomorrow."

"The waiting is torture, better to just end it swiftly," Manager Feng’s brow was knotted with worry.

"Let’s not talk about it anymore and just focus on work. If we mess up again, we might truly have to pack up and leave," said Manager Shan.

Manager Feng immediately shut up. She really wanted to stay at Junlan Group, as she needed this job to support her family and maintain a comfortable lifestyle.

Zhenzhen had wanted to go to lunch with Fang Tong, but she was too busy calling clients to arrange meeting times and gathering information about them, leaving no time to eat.

"Then let me pack up something and bring it up for you," Zhenzhen suggested.

"That would be great, thank you, Zhenzhen. Oh, and could you pack an extra portion for me? I have an assistant who’s working overtime with me."

"Sure, no problem."

Shen Junze was also buried in the documents, but looked up at Fang Tong’s words, "Sister Tong, I can skip lunch."

"How can you skip lunch? We’re like iron, and food is steel. Besides, we have a tough battle this afternoon. How will we have the energy if we don’t eat well?" Fang Tong said without lifting her head.

"Sister Tong, is this client difficult to deal with?" Shen Junze asked.

"Yeah, very troublesome." If it weren’t for this incident, the client wouldn’t have been so difficult, but Manager Feng and Manager Shan had offended them, which naturally increased the difficulty of negotiating a deal. She had just managed with some difficulty to convince them to reluctantly agree to meet in the afternoon.

When Zhenzhen brought the food, the office was empty except for Fang Tong and Shen Junze, who were still preparing for the afternoon meeting.

"Fang Tong, your meal is here, come and eat. Work will never end," Zhenzhen called Fang Tong to eat. "Hey, handsome, you come and eat too."

Shen Junze lifted his head from the paperwork and smiled at Zhenzhen, "Thank you."

Zhenzhen was dazzled by Shen Junze’s smile and waved her hand, "Don’t mention it, it was nothing." Her voice had softened.

"Then I’ll leave you to eat, Fang Tong. I’m heading back." Zhenzhen’s gaze lingered on Shen Junyu for a few seconds before turning to Fang Tong.

"Wait, Zhenzhen, how much for the lunch? I’ll pay you," Fang Tong said as she reached for her wallet, but Zhenzhen waved it off, "Forget it, it’s just a few bucks. You can treat me next time."

Seeing Zhenzhen had left, Fang Tong did not insist and quickly ate a few bites.

"Junze, we should go. I’d rather we wait for the client than let the client wait for us," Fang Tong glanced at the time—it was already one o’clock in the afternoon and she had agreed to meet at half-past three.

Shen Junze nodded, packed up the documents, and left the company with Fang Tong. Shen Junze was driving while Fang Tong continued to review the materials in the car.

"Sister Tong, with this client already being tough to deal with, and now that Manager Feng and Manager Shan have offended them, our negotiation won’t go smoothly, will it?" Shen Junze voiced his concern.

"Even so, we can’t just give up without talking to them. This client, although not irreplaceable, will not be easy to replace with another partner of equal strength in a short time," said Fang Tong calmly.

They arrived an hour earlier than scheduled, giving Fang Tong and Shen Junze time to wait and discuss possible scenarios they could face.

"Sister Tong, it’s been half an hour past the scheduled time, and they haven’t arrived; they’re not planning to stand us up, are they?" Shen Junze checked his watch and said.

"No, they probably just want us to experience the discomfort of waiting. No worries, let’s just wait. It’s a good opportunity to rest a bit," Fang Tong was remarkably composed.

Eventually, close to four o’clock, the client’s representatives arrived, led by a man with a beer belly who appeared to be about thirty-five years old, named Xiang Kai.

"CEO Fang, I’m really sorry about the delay—traffic was a nightmare," Xiang Kai immediately apologized as he arrived.

Fang Tong smiled faintly, "Traffic in Beijing is indeed troublesome, I understand."

"I’m truly sorry, to make a beautiful woman like you, CEO Fang, wait for so long. What was I thinking not setting off earlier? Even if there was traffic, I wouldn’t have been this late," Xiang Kai said apologetically, though Fang Tong knew he was actually upset about the previous incident.

"Manager Xiang, you’re too kind. It was just a few minutes’ wait, nothing serious. Besides, we’ve been partners for many years now; isn’t waiting a few minutes for a partner reasonable?" Fang Tong replied subtly.

"Ha-ha-ha, CEO Fang, you are not only beautiful, but you also know how to speak so pleasingly. Please, sit down, make yourself comfortable."

Seeing that the other party was finally willing to sit down and talk, Fang Tong let out a sigh of relief.