After Rebirth, I Became the Richest Woman - Chapter 7

Ye Xinuo said in a huff, “There’s no particular topic. Today, I just wanted to invite Director Qin out for coffee and to talk about life and ideals.”

Qin Moyan said, “Miss Ye may have some misunderstanding about the relationship between us. If it’s only for coffee, then perhaps you’ve found the wrong person.”

In order to avoid hearing even more infuriating words, Ye Xinuo stopped herself in time and got to the point. “Since we’re going to cooperate, there must be someone leading the project. I want seventy percent.”

“The proposal?”

“Hm?” Ye Xinuo froze for a moment.

Qin Moyan lightly tapped the tabletop with her finger. “Miss Ye asked me out, yet you don’t even have a proposal. How am I supposed to believe you are professional? Doing business is not playing house. A cooperation cannot be reached just because you casually say one sentence.”

Ye Xinuo proudly curled her lips. “Who said I don’t have one? I had Sister Yu Qing prepare it for me.”

Qin Moyan raised her brow slightly. “Take it out and let me see.”

As soon as she said that, Ye Xinuo pulled the proposal out of her bag and slapped it onto the table, like a child who had received a little red flower. “This project is so good. It will definitely receive unanimous approval from all the directors.”

After Ye Xinuo finished explaining the proposal, Qin Moyan did not comment on anything else. She casually asked, “You trust Yu Qing very much?”

“Of course.” Ye Xinuo answered honestly, “Sister Yu Qing’s mother was my wet nurse. She followed my father for seven years, so she counts as my only family.”

“Mm.” Qin Moyan only answered with that one word before calling the waiter over to pay the bill.

When they were parting, Qin Moyan hesitated for a moment and called out to Ye Xinuo. “In business, failure is unavoidable. There’s no need to take it too much to heart.”

Ye Xinuo showed a confused expression.

“It’s nothing.”

Qin Moyan felt annoyed at herself for saying too much and changed the subject. “We’ll discuss the rest after the board meeting.”

“Mm, goodbye.” Ye Xinuo seemed not to take her earlier words to heart and still looked innocent and carefree.

Over the next week, Ye Xinuo was not idle for a single day. She took turns speaking with senior executives, meeting twenty or thirty people of all ranks, until even her voice became hoarse from talking.

That day, Ye Xinuo happened to run into Tang Jie in the corridor.

He walked over with a smile all over his face. “Little Yezi really has grown up. I heard you called in all the company’s senior management for talks?”

Ye Xinuo smiled shyly. “Uncle Tang, don’t tease me. I never dealt with company affairs before. Everyone thinks I’m a pampered eldest miss and has no confidence in me. Other than talking to them, I don’t have any better method.”

“Nuonuo, don’t push yourself too hard. If Brother Sheng knew how hard you were working, his spirit in heaven would feel comforted. Don’t exhaust yourself.”

Listening to Tang Jie’s hypocritical comfort, Ye Xinuo only felt disgusted. On the surface, however, she still had to smile cheerfully. “Thank you, Uncle Tang. Actually, I’m very good at slacking off.”

“Then Uncle will go attend to his work first.”

“Goodbye, Uncle Tang.”

Ye Xinuo’s gaze lingered on Tang Jie’s back for a long time, until Yu Qing appeared and interrupted her thoughts.

“I contacted all the industry big shots Old Master used to call regularly through his private line. Their secretaries all seemed to have discussed it beforehand. The reason was always that their boss was on a business trip and they didn’t know when he would return.”

Ye Xinuo smiled faintly. “That’s normal. In their eyes, I’m just a little girl who’s only just entered society. How could I possibly shoulder a group as large as Yesheng? If not for my father’s reputation while he was alive, they probably wouldn’t even bother making up an excuse.”

Then she blinked playfully. “In a few days, I’ll personally go block their way.”

Yu Qing stroked Ye Xinuo’s head. “Our eldest miss is truly amazing. You’re becoming more and more like Old Master when he was alive.”

“Sister Yu Qing, when are you going to fix that habit of always calling me ‘Miss’? It sounds either like I’m the foolish daughter of some feudal landlord, or like the top courtesan of old Shanghai.” Ye Xinuo slapped away the hand on her head.

“My mom always called you that, so I got used to calling you that too.” Yu Qing thought for a moment. “Then what do you want me to call you? Boss? Chairwoman? Domineering CEO?”

“You can properly call me ‘Xinuo,’ ‘Xixi,’ or ‘Nuonuo.’” Ye Xinuo rolled her eyes at Yu Qing. “You’re almost thirty, yet you’re still so unreliable.”

“Hey! Don’t you know you can’t casually bring up a woman’s age?!”

The two joked all the way back to Ye Xinuo’s office. Ye Xinuo sat down and continued reading through the mountain of documents while asking, “How is Miss Han considering things?”

“Although giving up the shares in Lida Express will cause some short-term losses, in the long run, accepting our proposal will bring enormous returns in the future,” Yu Qing said. “I believe she is a smart person and knows how to weigh the pros and cons.”

“I saw in the gossip tabloids that Tang Shikai has been pursuing her very aggressively lately. He’s been giving her yachts and mansions. Quite a generous hand. I’ve known that kid since we were young. He’s a pleasure-seeking playboy, but I really have never seen him put on such a big show to pursue someone.” Ye Xinuo casually gossiped.

“Perhaps he has found true love this time.” Yu Qing did not notice how stiff her tone was.

“Uncle Tang should be quite willing to form a marriage alliance with the Han family. But Han Qiuzi is a little pitiful, reduced to a tool for extracting benefits. It really makes one sigh.” Ye Xinuo shook her head, looking like a mature adult despite her youth.

“Miss… Nuonuo, I suddenly remembered I have something to deal with first. Call me if you need anything.” Yu Qing’s complexion suddenly became very poor.

Ye Xinuo glanced at her and smiled. “All right.”

After Yu Qing left, Ye Xinuo could not help sighing. That person was just a dead duck with a hard beak—stubborn to the end.

She still remembered that in her previous life, she had once accidentally seen Yu Qing staring blankly at a group photo on her phone. Judging from their clothes, the photo had clearly been taken six or seven years earlier. The person in it had been Han Qiuzi.

In truth, Ye Xinuo knew that the pressure Yu Qing endured did not only come from the Han family’s opposition, but also from the relationship between the Ye family and the Han family. If Yu Qing insisted on being with the Han family’s only direct-line daughter, the cooperation between the two families would inevitably be affected, and many people would be dragged into it.

So even if not for revenge, simply for the sake of the people around her being able to find happiness in the future, Ye Xinuo had to make herself—and Yesheng—strong enough.

She leaned back in her chair, and a cluster of light slowly gathered in her dark brown eyes.

“Latest news: Huayuan Investment Center under Han Group plans to reduce its holdings in Lida Express. It is reported that several large investment institutions are already in contact with the person in charge.”

In the Tang family’s living room, Tang Shikai could not hide his pride as he showed off to his father. “Dad, see? I told you I wasn’t wrong. The information Qiuzi gave me was absolutely first-hand. Good thing I already talked to her. She’ll prioritize transferring these shares to us.”

Tang Jie smiled helplessly. “This can count as the first proper thing you’ve ever done. But five hundred million is not a small sum. Dad needs to consider it.”

“Dad, you usually don’t even blink at investments worth several billion. What’s there to consider about this?” Tang Shikai’s mind was full of nothing but winning the beauty’s favor. “Besides, Lida Express’s annual revenue is already the leader in the express delivery industry. Are you really afraid of losing money?”

Tang Jie’s liquid funds had not been abundant recently, but he did not want to dampen his son’s enthusiasm, so he nodded. “Then for this investment, you’ll follow the person in charge and complete it together. Learn properly from others.”

“Thanks, Dad! I’ll definitely perform well!” Tang Shikai impatiently picked up his phone and returned to his room to ask Han Qiuzi out.

After Han Qiuzi finished the call with Tang Shikai, she focused her gaze on the bracelet on her wrist, which was not particularly expensive, and murmured, “Even if I have to wait until we’re both old and gray, I insist on entangling myself with you.”

Social skills were an indispensable required course for every businessperson. Industry leaders, business elites, rich second generations, and socialite heiresses were therefore all very enthusiastic about social occasions such as cocktail parties, parties, and birthday banquets.

At the birthday banquet of the daughter of real estate tycoon Long Wanli, almost all of Hucheng’s business celebrities had gathered.

Wearing a sapphire-blue evening gown, Ye Xinuo held a glass of champagne and maintained a fixed smile as she put on an act for a while. Then she found an inconspicuous little corner to sit down, patted her stiff face, and began rubbing her feet.

Qin Moyan, who had always preferred quiet, had also taken a liking to this spot. When she walked over and saw Ye Xinuo frowning tightly, she asked politely, “Are you all right?”

“These shoes are rubbing my feet, and I forgot to put on bandages. By the time I get home, they’ll probably be a bloody mess.” Ye Xinuo let out a breath. “It’s fine. I’m already used to it.”

Hearing this, Qin Moyan took several invisible bandages from her handbag. She crouched down, placed the hem of Ye Xinuo’s dress over her own lap, and said concisely, “Stretch out your foot.”

Ye Xinuo froze for two seconds. “That’s too embarrassing. I’ll do it myself.”

“If you don’t mind exposing yourself, I don’t care.”

Ye Xinuo lowered her head to look at her low-cut gown and mumbled, “Then… I’ll have to trouble you.”

“Mm. It is troublesome. I shouldn’t have come over here.”

Listening to Qin Moyan’s words, which had almost no change in tone, Ye Xinuo could not tell whether it was a joke or whether the other woman really thought that. If it was the latter… should she say “sorry”?

Qin Moyan moved very quickly. In less than two minutes, she had applied bandages to the spots on Ye Xinuo’s feet that had been rubbed raw and the places that might get rubbed raw. Then she stood up neatly. “Actually, with your height, there’s no need to wear such high heels.”

“But this way, I can be taller than you.” Ye Xinuo had no idea what sudden impulse had possessed her, but she insisted on competing. With a whoosh, she stood up from the stool, almost pressed against Qin Moyan’s body.

For an instant, both of them were a little stunned.

Ye Xinuo suppressed the strange feeling in her heart and thought, This seems a little awkward, but I can’t back down! Then she braced herself and said, “See? Isn’t it true?”

Qin Moyan nodded with a strange expression, a hint of bewilderment in her eyes. She increasingly suspected that Ye Xinuo’s brain was not quite right.

Yu Qing had just finished a conversation with a business partner when she saw Han Qiuzi walking toward her.

“Hi.” Han Qiuzi greeted her as usual, as if nothing unpleasant had ever happened between them.

“Hi.” Yu Qing wanted to say something more to avoid the awkwardness, but she could not think of any topic.

“You don’t have to feel so troubled when you see me. We’ve all been moving around in the business world for so many years. We should understand that public matters are public and private matters are private.” Han Qiuzi raised the glass in her hand. “Let’s have a drink.”

Yu Qing forced out a smile and clinked glasses with Han Qiuzi.

“Well, well, isn’t this the heiress of Han Group?”

A grating voice sounded.

Han Qiuzi remembered this person: the daughter of a coal boss, who had previously found trouble with her.

The reason was nothing more than that this girl had taken a fancy to a certain young master, but that young master liked Han Qiuzi instead.

Yu Qing frowned slightly. Her intuition told her that the newcomer was extremely hostile toward Han Qiuzi.