Chapter 4: Ruthless Resolve

Zhan Nanxian placed great importance on Yizhong's case. He instructed Guan Ti and Wen Nuan to approach it from two angles—one handling the plan, the other managing the contract. Meanwhile, they discussed various matters with the relevant parties from the other side. Yizhong had previously solicited proposals and quotes from other companies, but after comparison, they felt that Qianyu’s was the best. The deal was nearly finalized, with only the final signing remaining.

After sending flowers for two weeks, Pan Weining finally called Wen Nuan to ask her out to dinner. Wen Nuan smiled and replied that she already had plans with her boyfriend. Pan Weining, gracefully changing his tone, said they could arrange it another time.

After work, Wen Nuan went to a private club to meet Zhu Linlu.

As usual, Zhu Linlu cut the beef into small pieces and placed it on her plate. "What happened between you and Wen Rou?" he asked.

Wen Nuan stayed silent, focusing on her meal.

"I saw her a few days ago," Zhu Linlu continued. "She asked me if you were okay. Did you two have a fight?"

"How is she recently?" Wen Nuan asked.

Zhu Linlu laughed. "You two are adults, but you still act like children. She shouldn't have hidden things from you, but think about it—there's no harm in what she did. You don't need to react so strongly. Or, do you feel like she values someone else more than you, and that's why you're upset? She has always put you first, but now you realize that might not be the case, and you feel lost?"

Wen Nuan, slightly annoyed, threw down her napkin. "Just drop it! Don't think I don't know that you have a new love. Take care of yourself first."

"Okay, okay, let's not talk about this." Zhu Linlu suppressed a laugh at her obvious irritation. "Is Pan Weining from Yizhong pursuing you?"

"Does sending flowers count as pursuing?" Wen Nuan asked.

"No matter what, just don't pay attention to him," Zhu Linlu said seriously.

"Why does everyone keep saying that? What's wrong with him?" Wen Nuan retorted.

Zhu Linlu, picking up on her words, interrupted, "Who else told you that? Zhan Nanxian?"

"Yeah," Wen Nuan admitted.

"What did he say to you?" Zhu Linlu pressed.

"Nothing much. When I met the Yizhong brothers at the banquet, he just warned me to stay away from the younger one," Wen Nuan replied.

"I told you to avoid Pan Weining because he's a notorious playboy. But why would Zhan Nanxian—" Zhu Linlu paused in thought. "I get it. It’s related to your business with Yizhong. He’s giving you a heads-up."

"Why? That case is being handled by President Pan alone. It has nothing to do with someone like Pan Weining," Wen Nuan said.

"Pan Weian and Pan Weining have different mothers. Yizhong has strict internal factions. The two brothers seem to get along, but they're actually rivals. Since Pan Weian is leading this case, it shows he's in a strong position right now. Even though your offer is five percent higher than other companies, he still gave the case to Zhan Nanxian. He must be impressed by Qianyu's technology and strength, wanting to ensure everything goes smoothly."

Wen Nuan finally understood why Zhan Nanxian was personally overseeing her and Guan Ti.

Since they were being paid, they had to be trustworthy. This case was closely tied to Pan Weian's stability on the board of directors, so failure wasn't an option. Any mistake could give Pan Weining the chance to oust the big boss.

The stakes were clear.

"So do you get it? Pan Weining has an agenda. You’d better be smart and steer clear of him. Pan Weian is very suspicious. It’s great if your case goes smoothly, but if anything goes wrong, you won’t be able to clear your name," Zhu Linlu warned.

"Yes, I understand," Wen Nuan replied.

Though she never planned on getting close to Pan Weining, Wen Nuan was slightly shaken. She realized she had unknowingly become a pawn in someone else’s game. Pan Weining might not expect to gain anything from her, but by openly showing interest, he could easily make Pan Weian suspicious, achieving his goal.

The next day at work, Wen Nuan couldn’t help but share her thoughts with Ding Xiaodai.

"Thank goodness we're at Qianyu. The outside world is full of schemes and deception. Even if you don't cause trouble, it still finds you. It's really hard to defend against," she sighed.

"Sister Wen, what happened? Did you run into some trouble?" Ding Xiaodai asked.

"Nothing serious. But those flowers are toxic. Please return them for me and tell the front desk not to let the flower shop deliver anything here again. Also, from today on, screen my calls. If Pan Weining calls, tell him I’m not available," Wen Nuan instructed.

"Got it!" Ding Xiaodai rubbed his hands together with a mischievous grin. "I'm really good at this kind of thing."

Wen Nuan called Guan Ti, "Has the Yizhong plan been finalized?"

"Everything was negotiated yesterday afternoon. I'm revising it and will send it to you later."

While they were talking, Zhan Nanxian returned. His eyes swept across the round table in the corner, and when he noticed there were no flowers, he couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips. He knocked on Wen Nuan's desk to get her attention and gestured for her to come into his office.

As she followed him, she gave a quick report. "There are no issues with Yizhong's contract, and the legal department has reviewed the terms. I've sent the latest version to your email. I just spoke with Guan Ti about the system plan, and Yizhong has confirmed everything. He'll bring it to you for review later. According to your schedule, you have an hour free the day after tomorrow afternoon. Should we schedule Yizhong to sign the contract then?"

"Since everything's been agreed upon, let's have them come in," Zhan Nanxian replied as he settled into his leather chair and opened his laptop. He glanced at her before lowering his head again, "Didn't Pan Weining ask you out?"

"I turned him down," Wen Nuan said.

Zhan Nanxian half-joked, "With Zhu Linlu being so fickle, it's normal to make one or two more friends."

Wen Nuan smiled, "Linlu isn't as devoted to me as you are to Bo Yixin, but he is the best person in the world to me."

Zhan Nanxian raised his head and stared at her. "Are you talking back to me?" His eyes held a hint of coldness, but his voice was gentle and almost teasing. "Come on, tell me how good he is to you."

"It's nothing special, just the usual daily things. Manager Guan has to meet with clients this afternoon, so why don't I show you the plan first?"

Zhan Nanxian didn’t push the conversation further and smiled lightly. "Okay, go ahead." As she walked towards the door, he suddenly called out, "Wen Nuan."

She turned back, the light behind her casting a shadow over his dark eyes, making them seem distant and unreadable.

"Stay away from Zhu Linlu," he said.

When Guan Ti came upstairs, he found Xiao Wen sitting in a daze. It wasn't until he approached that she noticed someone had arrived on the 66th floor. Seeing her spaced-out expression, he sighed internally, feeling guilty for being an accomplice to the shameless Zhan Meinan.

Suddenly, his head popped into her view, and with wide, serious eyes, he said, "Sister Wen, are you traveling in space? Which planet did you visit? What do the aliens look like? Were they friendly? Did they give you any gifts?"

Wen Nuan laughed, "Where's Yizhong's plan?"

Guan Ti handed her a USB drive. "I’ve copied everything here. I'll go find Zhan Meinan first. You can print them out and bring them in."

Wen Nuan inserted the USB drive into her computer, copied the files to her laptop, printed them out, bound them into a booklet, and delivered it to the president's office. Zhan Nanxian and Guan Ti were deep in discussion, but when Zhan Nanxian saw her enter, he paused mid-sentence.

Guan Ti looked at Zhan Nanxian in surprise. Zhan Nanxian's gaze had been fixed on Wen Nuan's back, and then he turned to look at her as she approached. With a composed expression, she placed the documents on the table and left the room without making eye contact with either of them.

After she left, Guan Ti couldn't help but laugh. "How impressive! She dared to treat our Zhan Meinan like a stepmother. Does she do this often?"

Zhan Nanxian smiled. "She's much better now. You should have seen her before—unruly, willful, overbearing, and spoiled beyond belief."

"So you've known little sister Wen for a long time!" Guan Ti remarked.

Realizing his slip, Zhan Nanxian didn’t bother to hide it. "Her sister Wen Rou and I were high school classmates. But let’s not dwell on that. You mentioned earlier that Pan Weining had contact with Zhu Linlu's cousin, Zhu Linghong?"

"That's right. But don’t you think it’s strange? Why didn't Pan Weining approach Zhu Linlu instead of Zhu Linghong? If he wanted to team up with Daizhong to squeeze out Qianyu and crush his elder brother Pan Weian, he should have gone to your mortal enemy, Zhu Linlu, who has real power in the business."

Zhan Nanxian thought for a moment before shaking his head. "It wasn't Pan Weining who sought out Zhu Linghong. It must have been Zhu Linghong who went to Pan Weining."

"Why—" Guan Ti started to ask, but his words were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Zhan Nanxian raised his voice, "Come in."

Through the crack of the door, Ding Xiaodai poked in half of her head, her eyes darting around playfully. "Um, Boss Zhan, can I tattle?"

Guan Ti burst out laughing, and even Zhan Nanxian couldn't help but smile. "Go ahead."

"The switchboard lady just called up and said there's a Mr. Pan downstairs who wants to see Sister Wen."

"Where's Wen Nuan?" Zhan Nanxian asked.

"She told the switchboard to direct the gentleman to the reception room and then went downstairs herself."

"Okay, I understand." Zhan Nanxian stood up.

Guan Ti followed behind him, and as they passed by Ding Xiaodai, he couldn't help but chuckle and reach out to pat her head. Ding Xiaodai made a face at him in response.

Watching them take the elevator down, Ding Xiaodai returned to her seat with a sense of relief. Sister Wen had just refused that man's flowers this morning, and now he had come to see her in person. Didn't he read the news or watch TV? There were plenty of cases where love turned into hate. What if Mr. Pan was hiding a bottle of sulfuric acid to cause trouble for Sister Wen—Ding Xiaodai shuddered at the thought. So scary!

A figure stood in the arcade outside the lobby on the first floor. Pan Weining hadn't gone into the reception room but was leaning against one of the grand marble pillars outside the entrance of Qianyu, smoking. When he saw Wen Nuan hurrying out of the revolving door, his eyes gleamed brightly in the sunlight.

"Boss Pan, I'm very sorry. The switchboard didn't recognize you, so you were neglected. I really apologize," Wen Nuan said.

Pan Weining smiled. "No need to be so formal. It’s almost time to get off work. Would Miss Wen be willing to have lunch with me?"

Wen Nuan hesitated. "Boss Pan, I’d love to, but I have a document I need to finish for an afternoon meeting, so I can't leave now. How about this? Boss Zhan is also in the office today, so why don’t I arrange for you to have lunch with him? You can try the top steak at the western restaurant in our annex. It’s said to be quite good."

Pan Weining continued smiling as he extinguished his cigarette and threw the butt into the concealed trash can embedded in the wall. This small detail made Wen Nuan blink in surprise.

"Wen Nuan, I won’t beat around the bush. The flower shop informed me that you won’t accept my flowers anymore—you don’t need to explain; I know the reason. Given the sensitive situation, I understand that my actions might have made you uncomfortable. It's perfectly reasonable for you to want to keep your distance from me."

Wen Nuan was taken aback by his frankness. "Thank you, Mr. Pan, for understanding. You know, I’m just doing my job."

"Yes, we’re often left with no choice," he said, looking into her eyes. "Do you think I’ve been sending you flowers all this time just to play some game of hard to get?"

His sharpness and directness left Wen Nuan momentarily at a loss. She didn’t know how to respond, so she just smiled.

"I came here today to tell you that everything I’ve done has nothing to do with the case my elder brother and Qianyu are discussing. I didn’t ask you out because I’ve been questioning myself lately—whether I’m serious this time or just looking for fun like before."

Wen Nuan felt even more confused. "I already have a boyfriend whom I’ve been dating for three years."

"I know, Zhu Linlu, right? I saw you two dancing that night," he sighed softly.

There was a faint regret and pity in his sigh that made Wen Nuan look up. Without her noticing, the sky had become overcast. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by, and a tiny grain of sand hit her eye. She let out a small scream as the sharp pain forced her to shut her eyes, which began to water uncontrollably.

Pan Weining gently took her elbow. "Don’t rub your eyes; they’re all red. I’ll take you to see a doctor right away."

She quickly waved her hands, tears streaming down her face. "It’s okay, I’m fine now. It’s just that my contact lens fell out."

"Lost a lens? That’s troublesome. Maybe I stepped on it. Do you have a spare pair at home? I can take you back to get them."

Wen Nuan hesitated, and he pulled his hand back in a gentlemanly manner, saying with a self-deprecating smile, "Don’t worry, I won’t use the excuse of wanting a cup of coffee to invite myself into your room. I’ll wait for you downstairs."

Wen Nuan was taken aback. "Mr. Pan, you’re too polite. That’s not what I meant."

"Come on, my car’s parked over there."

Faced with his frankness and kindness, and considering that Yi Zhong was currently a major client of Qianyu, Wen Nuan felt too embarrassed to refuse and reluctantly went with him.

The darkening sky hinted that a storm was coming. Another gust of wind blew up, scattering dust and gravel against the large floor-to-ceiling glass wall. Inside, it wasn’t difficult to see the two figures standing by the car. Guan Ti sighed, "Little Sister Wen is still too naive."

Zhan Nanxian said nothing, simply watching Wen Nuan get into Pan Weining’s car.

Pan Weining kept his word and waited downstairs while Wen Nuan changed her glasses before driving her back to the company. Wen Nuan thanked him repeatedly. The next day passed uneventfully, except for a minor issue with Wen Nuan's computer—her wireless mouse occasionally became unresponsive.

Another day passed without incident.

The day when Qianyu and Yi Zhong were set to sign the contract was the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival. Wen Nuan arrived early and prepared all the necessary documents in quadruplicate with Ding Xiaodai, keeping busy with other tasks in between. It was almost noon by the time everything was ready. Zhan Nanxian hadn’t shown up yet, but Zhu Linlu had already called.

"I’ll be passing by your company later. Let’s have lunch together?"

"Not today. I have to sign a contract with Yi Zhong this afternoon. I need to wait for my boss to come back and review everything again."

Zhu Linlu sounded unhappy. "I really hate how hard you work for him! Do you realize this could kill you?"

Wen Nuan smiled, "Where are you?"

"In the car. I’m just across the street from your company."

Wen Nuan looked at her watch and said, "Then come over." As soon as she finished speaking, she heard the sound of screeching brakes and Zhu Linlu's exclamation from her phone. She quickly shouted, "Linlu? Linlu?!" The call was terminated, leaving only the busy tone.

Cold sweat broke out on her forehead. She grabbed her bag and rushed to the elevator. "Xiao Dai! I'm going out for a while. When Mr. Zhan comes back, give him all the information! Call me if you have any questions!"

She got in the car and drove out at full speed. Wen Nuan's hands shook slightly as she gripped the steering wheel. There was only one road, and it should be nearby. She turned to the main road in the east first. The traffic was smooth at the first traffic light. Ignoring traffic rules, she turned the car to the south.

Within a minute, she felt the traffic slowing down, the cars moving at a snail's pace. Wen Nuan was so anxious that she didn't care about blocking the cars behind her. She turned off the engine, got out, and ran forward. When two cars blocking the middle of the intersection and the figures of uniformed policemen came into view, her heart leaped into her throat, and she screamed in panic, "Linlu! Linlu! Where are you?!"

Zhu Linlu, who was negotiating with the police near the rear of a car, was startled by her shouting, then turned around and walked out. A figure in white had already rushed in front of him and was tightly holding him. Grabbing his arms, Wen Nuan's voice trembled and became incoherent, "Oh my God! Oh my God! How could this happen? Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

Zhu Linlu was silent for a moment, then hugged her and said softly, "Don't worry, I'm fine. The other party was drunk and ran a red light. I was talking to you on the phone, so I didn't notice it. It's just a scratch on the car. I'm fine, don't worry."

Wen Nuan shook his hand, checked his legs, and looked him up and down carefully. When she accepted that he was indeed unharmed, her heart slowly settled.

"Please step back to the roadside," the policeman recording the accident urged.

Another uniformed officer was directing traffic in the middle of the road, but no matter how he gestured, a royal blue sports car remained motionless on the zebra crossing, facing Zhu Linlu and Wen Nuan. Under her stunned gaze, Zhan Nanxian slowly retracted his icy gaze, his facial lines cold and ruthless, as sharp as a knife. His lips were pursed so tightly they were barely visible.

As soon as he stepped on the accelerator, his car nearly brushed the toes of the two people and shot out like an arrow. Zhu Linlu hurriedly pulled Wen Nuan back and instinctively wanted to curse, but in the blink of an eye, he showed a playful and smug smile.

After the police finished questioning, they went to retrieve Wen Nuan's car, which was almost towed away. Even though Zhu Linlu repeatedly emphasized that he was fine, she insisted on taking him to the hospital for a comprehensive examination.

However, before they drove far, Ding Xiaodai called.

"Sister Wen," her voice was filled with tears, something Wen Nuan had never heard before, "Come back soon!"

"What happened?"

"Something happened! The people from Yizhong didn't come to sign the contract! They only sent someone to deliver a document. After reading it, General Manager Zhan got angry. I was so scared. I've never seen him so angry! Even Manager Gao and Manager Guan came up in a hurry and asked you to come back immediately!"

Wen Nuan felt a buzzing in her head and immediately pulled the car over, "Linlu, I'll give you the car. You go to the hospital yourself."

Zhu Linlu's face darkened, "What's going on?"

"I don't know either. They just said Yizhong didn't come to sign the contract, and the company asked me to go back immediately."

Zhu Linlu sneered, "Is that contract so important? Or are you just anxious to go back to see him?"

Wen Nuan stared at the steering wheel, and after a moment, she calmed down and her expression returned to normal. "You're right." Even if Qianyu lost half a billion, it wouldn't change anything, and Zhu Linlu's health was more important. "I'll go to the hospital with you."

The phone rang again. She didn't answer it, or even look at it, letting Matthew Lien's singing echo in the car again and again, gentle and infinitely sad.

When the car stopped at a red light, Zhu Linlu suddenly reached out, opened the door, and walked out with his long legs.

"Linlu!" she called anxiously.

He leaned over and looked back at her in the driver's seat. "Nuan Nuan, you didn't choose to go with me, but to sacrifice him to fulfill me. In your heart, the difference between the two is clear." He looked at her steadily, his eyes so deep she couldn't understand them. "Remember *Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber*? In the book, Zhang Wuji made a promise to Zhou Zhiruo. Now I want one from you. From now on, no matter when or where, as long as I ask you to do something, even if it's murder or arson, you have to agree. Remember this."

Without waiting for her response, he closed the car door, crossed the stream of cars, and disappeared onto the sidewalk.

Wen Nuan held the steering wheel with one hand and covered her lips with the other, forcing the mist in her eyes to dissipate.

She never cried, not before and not in the future.

It was half an hour later when she returned to Qianyu and went up to the 66th floor.

Ding Xiaodai sat at his desk with his head drooping, his eyes red. When he saw her, he was so angry and resentful, but he didn't say a word. He just pointed to the president's office, then lowered his head, and tears fell in big drops.

Wen Nuan roughly guessed that it might be because she didn't answer the phone that she was implicated. She smiled bitterly, patted Ding Xiaodai's shoulder, and whispered, "I'll be worse off than you later. If you don't believe me, come and eavesdrop."

Ding Xiaodai, who had been crying silently, was amused by her and wanted to laugh but ended up choking and coughing violently.

Wen Nuan restrained her emotions and knocked on the door before entering.

Gao Fang and Guan Tiju sat on the sofa with solemn expressions. Zhan Nanxian, sitting in a leather chair behind a dark rosewood desk, had a blank expression. His features were as if covered with thin ice, and every inch of him was frosty. When he saw her, his eyes were like a sharp blade that suddenly emerged from its sheath, as if he wanted to pierce her chest thirteen times before deciding what to do.

"Where did you go?" he asked, his tone so gentle it was unbelievable.

"I took Linlu to the hospital."

"Did he have a fracture? A concussion? Terminal cancer? Should I give you a long vacation to prepare a memorial service for him? I will definitely be there to bow three times and congratulate him on his untimely death."

Wen Nuan pursed her lips and said nothing.

He threw the large stack of photos that had been spread out on the table in front of her, and a few of them spilled onto the ground.

She picked them up, growing more and more shocked as she looked at them. One stack was photos of her and Linlu having dinner at a private club, and another was of her with Pan Weining, including him holding her hand and her silhouette getting into his car. She was furious and said coldly, "You hired someone to follow me?!"

He sneered with extreme disdain, "Do you think you're worth that?"

Gao Fang interrupted, "The photos were sent by Pan Wei'an."

"Is this the reason he doesn't want to sign a contract with us?"

Zhan Nanxian sneered again, "It's not a pity how stupid he is."

Wen Nuan's face paled slightly at his sarcasm, and she bit her lip, saying nothing more.

Gao Fang explained, "At 11 o'clock this morning, Pan Weining convened an emergency board meeting and overturned Pan Weian's decision to cooperate with us because he had a proposal and quotation from Dai Zhong. Dai Zhong's proposal was almost identical to ours, but the price was 15% lower, so Yizhong's board decided to go with Dai Zhong instead of Qianyu. Pan Weian sent these photos, demanding an explanation from our company. He thinks you colluded with Pan Weining and Dai Zhong to set him up."

Wen Nuan suddenly raised her head. "I have never done that."

Gao Fang and Guan Ti looked at her, but neither spoke. Zhan Nanxian didn’t even glance her way; he continued typing on his laptop’s keyboard.

Wen Nuan felt a chill rise from the deepest corner of her heart.

At that moment, Guan Ti broke the silence.

"Wen Nuan, these photos alone can’t prove anything. The key issue is how our plan was leaked and ended up in Dai Zhong's hands. This plan was developed by colleagues in the technical department, working in groups of three, with each group responsible for one subsystem. In the end, I unified and merged all the subsystems to form the complete plan. In other words, in our company, only you, Nanxian, and I have handled that plan. No one else is aware of it."

"Didn't you send the plan to Pan Weian for review repeatedly? Could it be that someone on his side leaked it?"

"I can be certain it wasn’t him because Pan Weian values the success of this case even more than we do. Therefore, he didn’t involve Yi Zhong’s people in the plan's review but secretly hired consultants at his own expense. So, the problem must lie on our side. You know the company must investigate thoroughly if there's a leak."

Wen Nuan bit her lower lip. "I really didn’t do it."

Guan Ti looked at her with some pity.

"Our company’s network management system is highly advanced. Every operation on any computer in this building, at any given second, is recorded in the background. There are independent monitoring systems for emails and telephone extensions. However, because it involves personal privacy, the company has never checked anyone in the ten years since its establishment. Due to the special circumstances today, I checked your email."

Wen Nuan stood there motionless, her face expressionless.

"This action doesn’t mean we suspect you outright, but if we want to prove your innocence, we must eliminate all possible suspicions, step by step. The backup server of the email shows that at 12:25 noon yesterday, an email was sent from your personal computer and company mailbox. The recipient was Zhu Linlu, and the attachment was the exact Yizhong plan we created."

Wen Nuan reached out to support the back of a chair, unable to believe what she heard. "What did you say?"

Zhan Nanxian pressed the intercom. "Xiao Dai, bring in Secretary Wen's laptop."

Ding Xiaodai quickly brought the laptop in and handed it to Guan Ti.

Due to long-term inactivity, the screen had been locked by the protection program. Guan Ti asked, "What’s the screen saver password?"

Wen Nuan, who had bitten her lower lip until it turned purple, fluttered her long eyelashes slightly but said nothing.

"What’s wrong? Can’t you tell me? Then enter it yourself."

Zhan Nanxian suddenly looked up and said to Guan Ti, "Try 1399."

Guan Ti looked at him in surprise, then at Wen Nuan, who stood rigidly. He entered the password as instructed. The screen saver unlocked immediately, and Zhan Nanxian’s usually expressionless eyes flickered with a faint, complex emotion.

Guan Ti opened her Outlook mailbox and clicked the sent items folder. "Come and see."

Wen Nuan walked over. There it was, just as Guan Ti said: sent at noon yesterday, the recipient was Zhu Linlu's email address, and the attachment was the Yizhong plan made by Qianyu.

By now, she was no longer shocked. She fully understood that someone intended to destroy her. The entire scheme was flawless, leaving her speechless.

"I can only say that I didn’t do it, I didn’t send that email. I know nothing about this."

Zhan Nanxian curled his lips, not hiding his sarcasm.

"It's really hard for you to think about such complicated matters, so it’s understandable that you don’t know. But the sweetheart you were so concerned about this morning received your email yesterday."

With Zhu Linlu’s cunning and boldness, it was easy to see what had happened. He had anticipated this outcome but chose not to warn her, watching instead as she walked into a trap.

Zhan Nanxian continued, his voice soft but laced with sarcasm, "I really must congratulate you from the bottom of my heart. Out of all the men in the world, you managed to find one so devoted to you that it’s a joy for both mortals and gods alike. You’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t marry him and fly together into the sunset."

Wen Nuan felt a burning pain from her eyebrows to the back of her ears, her face flushing and paling by turns. His ruthless words left her too embarrassed to retort. She stood there stiffly, biting her lower lip.

Seeing her discomfort, Zhan Nanxian sneered again but eventually softened his tone. "You may leave now."

Wen Nuan heard in his words the disgust he held for her; he didn’t even want to speak to her further. Without a word, she turned and walked out quickly, her vision blurred by unshed tears. She bit her lips hard to hold them back, her long eyelashes unblinking.

Zhan Nanxian paused his work, staring for a long time at the door she had just closed behind her. It wasn’t until Guan Ti spoke that he realized he had been distracted. He stood up and walked over to the glass curtain wall, gazing at the distant, clear sky.

Guan Ti asked, "Is there really no way to remedy the contract?"

Gao Fang shook his head. "Even if we’re willing to lower the price by 15%, it’ll be difficult. A price difference of only 5% is normal. Our asking price has always been higher than that of other companies, which is well known in the industry. But Pan Weining and Zhu Linghong teamed up to deliberately lower the written price by 15%. This way, Pan Weining can fabricate a reason and insist that his brother took a 10% kickback from our company. Pan Weian won’t be able to defend himself at the board meeting and will lose everyone’s trust."

Guan Ti couldn’t help but ask, "Could Zhu Linlu be unaware of Zhu Linghong’s actions? Why would he allow this to happen? Wouldn’t it pose a threat to him if Zhu Linghong used this opportunity to gain power?"

Zhan Nanxian curled his lips. "He’s turning a blind eye, pretending not to know. He wants Zhu Linghong to take the lead."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because the higher Zhu Linghong climbs, the harder he’ll fall."

Gao Fang expressed concern. "Zhu Linghong has been very secretive about this. Pan Weian doesn’t realize that Zhu Linlu isn’t involved. He simply thinks that Zhu Linlu arranged for Zhu Linghong to handle it, so he suspects Wen Nuan."

Guan Ti touched his chin. "The person who framed Wen Nuan was really clever. They used the most idiotic yet most effective method."

If Wen Nuan had wanted to leak the plan to Zhu Linlu, no matter how foolish she was, she wouldn’t have been so stupid as to use her company email. She could have taken it home and made a copy. So it’s obvious that someone framed her, but this setup left her defenseless.

"You have to swipe your card to get to the 66th floor. Anyone entering or leaving leaves an electronic record. Additionally, the entire floor is monitored by micro-cameras 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even a fly would be caught on camera. So, it’s impossible that anyone tampered with her computer."

She couldn’t explain why such an email was sent from her mailbox.

Zhan Nanxian said, "The other party calculated everything perfectly. The most important thing to Qianyu is its reputation. I must give Pan Weian an explanation, no matter what. Now, all the evidence points to Wen Nuan. If I go with the flow and announce to the public that she’ll be punished without mercy, then the issue will be resolved satisfactorily for everyone."

"But if that happens, Wen Nuan’s career will be over. No other company will want to hire her. She’ll not only be driven out of Qianyu, but she also won’t have the face to stay in this city."

Gao Fang frowned. "It’s even worse than that."

"Isn’t that bad enough?"

"Think about it. If the other party only intended to destroy her career, accusing her of betraying the company’s interests would be enough to ruin her in the workplace. Why involve Pan Weian in a dramatic play?"

Guan Ti’s face turned slightly pale.

Zhan Nanxian’s eyes glinted with cold light. "Pan Weian appeared in front of Wen Nuan for one reason only: to draw Pan Weian’s attention to her. Now, Pan Weian is convinced that Wen Nuan colluded with his brother. Do you think he’ll let her go easily?"

Guan Ti’s mouth fell open in shock, his expression serious. "Who did Wen Nuan offend?"

Whoever it is, they want to destroy her completely.

Gao Fang smiled. "No matter who it is, this person made all the calculations but still made one mistake."

Guan Ti asked curiously, "What mistake?" He saw Gao Fang glance intentionally or unintentionally at Zhan Nanxian and quickly realized.

"Aha, that’s right! They miscalculated the most important point—Zhan Nanxian! They must have gambled on the idea that if we couldn’t find the real mastermind, Zhan Nanxian would sacrifice Wen Nuan for Qianyu’s reputation. But they probably never imagined that Zhan Nanxian never doubted Wen Nuan from the beginning, so how could he condemn an innocent person to the guillotine?"

With his arms crossed, Zhan Nanxian habitually curved his lips but remained silent.

Outside the dark, rose-colored carved wooden door, Wen Nuan sat quietly in her seat. Once she had calmed down, she called Zhu Linlu. "Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you received the email I sent you?"

"Why what?"

"Why didn’t you inform me that you received the email for no reason?"

Zhu Linlu laughed cynically. "Objectively speaking, Guan Ti’s plan was truly first-rate. The reason is simple. I’m happy to see it happen. If Zhan Nanxian kicks you out, it’s exactly what I want. So how could I bear to ruin this good thing?"

"Is this the design you mentioned last time?"

"Of course, it’s not that simple. You’ll understand later. If he really doesn’t believe you, it’s not worth it for you to stay at Qianyu. You might as well just come to Daizhong and follow me."

"Linlu." Wen Nuan sighed. She was exhausted from the day’s events and buried her face in her palms. The weariness she felt leaked through her fingers. Her voice was hoarse. "Don’t let the day come when I have to choose between you and him."

Zhu Linlu chuckled confidently. "That day will definitely come, but don’t worry, I will never hurt you. As for Zhan Nanxian—he may hate me all his life."

"Linlu, he must have his strengths to have developed Qianyu to where it is today. Don’t go too far. Be careful not to get burned."

"Don’t worry. Move a chair next to you and see who’s more powerful—him or me."

Wen Nuan rubbed her eyebrows. "I have a call coming in. I’ll talk to you another day." She answered the other line, her voice faltering when she heard the caller’s voice. "Wen... Rou?"

"Tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival. How about I come over for dinner tonight?"

"Okay, come."

"What’s wrong with you? Why do you sound tired? Are you busy with work?"

"Well, a little."

Wen Rou sounded displeased. "What’s wrong with Zhan Nanxian? Is he trying to work you to death for such a small salary? You might as well quit. I’m not bragging, but my investment profit rate is top-notch in the industry. Dad’s inheritance can support you for three lifetimes."

After hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Wen Nuan’s face for the first time that day. She thought bitterly that she might be fired soon, and then she would really have to go home and eat alone.

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