After Seeing Through the Plot, the Cannon Fodder Supporting Female Lead Overturned Her Fate - Chapter 38

A bargain.

Ye An smiled at the words, listening only casually and not taking Chi Yan’s advice to heart. Chi Yan was accustomed to living abroad, and with her family in business for generations, she indeed had her own philosophy for making money—but that didn’t mean it would suit Ye An.

Furthermore, things in the business world were always fluctuating, with gains and losses alike. Ye An had researched the company Chi Yan mentioned; its development prospects were indeed very good, but correspondingly, its flaws were numerous.

For instance, the technical team was mediocre, there was a lack of creative thinking, and the factory machinery was outdated.

If one were to truly take it over, there would be profit, but if one wanted to make significant money, it would be necessary to adjust the entire company’s business model from the source. Whether the reward would match the energy invested was still a matter for consideration.

In that case, it was better to decline directly.

“Thank you, Sister Chi,” Ye An thought, then smiled. “It’s indeed a good deal, but my condition hasn’t been great lately, and I truly don’t have the extra energy for other projects. I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you.”

“But thank you for letting me know,” she said sincerely.

“Oh, I see.” After a moment, Chi Yan nodded in understanding. “It’s alright; health comes first.”

“Actually, come to think of it, my call was a bit sudden,” she added self-mockingly. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“It’s fine,” Ye An said.

“Mhm, let’s leave it at that for now,” Chi Yan smiled. “If another opportunity like this arises, I’ll call you again.”

With that, the call ended.

Ye An shook her head, set her phone aside, and dove back into her work.

Over the following period, she did indeed receive several more calls from Chi Yan. Ye An had thought the promise to call again was just a pleasantry, but it seemed Chi Yan truly took it to heart.

To be honest, several of the deals were quite decent, but those deals all happened to be related to the Jiang family.

Chi Yan seemed to be very close to Jiang Ming lately.

Ye An took slight note of this. Chi Yan had a wide social circle and many acquaintances. Business is thirty percent self-discovery and seventy percent referral; with the Jiang family’s vast influence, it wasn’t surprising they had good money-making leads, and it was perfectly logical for Chi Yan to inform her.

The key was the motive.

For now, Ye An couldn’t see through the thoughts of this “old friend.”

Time passed slowly until one day, Jiang Ming and Chi Yan showed up at her door.

Ye An was in a meeting at the time. The young girl at the front desk recognized them as members of the Jiang family and, not daring to be negligent, quickly led them to the meeting room, hosting them with fine food and drinks.

The moment Ye An finished her meeting and pushed open the door to the meeting room, she saw the two of them sitting on the sofa, talking animatedly.

At a glance, Chi Yan looked no different than before—still gentle and poised. Jiang Ming, however, was dressed even more formally than usual. Seeing her enter, he stood up warmly and walked over.

It had to be said that the Jiang family not only possessed abilities far above the average person, but their genetics were also excellent. Jiang Ming had two older brothers, both of whom were paragons of talent and looks.

In comparison, Jiang Ming fell slightly short, but he was by no means ugly. Especially standing there in a suit and leather shoes, he looked quite like a business elite.

But he only looked like one.

Ye An looked at him; Jiang Ming was still young after all. Despite his attempt at a professional air, he couldn’t hide the childishness in his eyes and brow. He quickly stepped forward and shook hands with Ye An. “President Ye, we meet again.”

“Young Master Jiang.” Ye An smiled, gesturing for him to sit back down on the sofa, then greeted Chi Yan before speaking. “Is there something urgent that brings you here today, Young Master Jiang?”

“Nothing particularly urgent,” Jiang Ming said, shaking his head. “I happened to be passing by Shi Qian after finishing some business and thought of you, so I decided to drop in.”

“Our meeting at the banquet was too rushed; with so many people, I didn’t get a chance to say much,” he said. “Now that I’ve found an opportunity, why don’t we have a meal together?”

A meal.

Ye An looked down. Jiang Ming had not only come in person but was actively showing goodwill. Combined with the recent phone calls, Ye An could guess his motive.

She really didn’t want to waste energy on such things; if she could refuse, she would, but Jiang Ming was different. It was best not to offend him if possible. It was just a meal, so she agreed.

Thinking this, Ye An gave a professional smile. “Since Young Master Jiang has asked, I have no reason to refuse.”

“President Ye is a straightforward person!” Jiang Ming laughed. “I’ll have someone find a place then, and we can have a good meal and a few drinks. I actually have some things I want to talk to you about.”

“No need for the trouble.” Ye An interrupted. Even though she accepted the invitation, she could still keep the situation under control. “There are several high-quality restaurants nearby. If you trust my taste, I’ll make a reservation now.”

“That’s fine, that’s fine.” Jiang Ming had no objections.

“Mhm.” Ye An nodded, stood up by the window, and contacted the restaurant. After that, she opened WeChat and quickly sent a message to Xia Yihuan.

[Wait for me nearby.] she said.

[Room 302, XX Hotel, XX Road.]

This was a restaurant Ye An frequented often, and the service was fast. The three of them had only sat for a short while before all the dishes were served.

Chi Yan had brought her own wine and immediately poured glasses for everyone. Ye An looked at the label—the alcohol content was high.

Fortunately, she had brought hangover medicine.

Ye An didn’t take them often, as they were a burden on the kidneys, but an occasional dose was no big deal. Most importantly, she had to stay clear-headed when facing Chi Yan and Jiang Ming.

Soon, the three were eating and drinking.

Jiang Ming had only recently entered the business world and had been living aimlessly before. Ye An had thought this was his intention, but as they talked, she gradually learned that it wasn’t that Jiang Ming didn’t want to progress.

Unfortunately, he just couldn’t find the right methods.

“President Ye, you know I have two older brothers who are like superhumans,” Jiang Ming said. “Their halos are a bit too powerful. My mother died early, and the old man in my family only cares about ability; he doesn’t care if you’re dead or alive in other aspects.”

“I’m stifled!” he said, becoming tipsy after several rounds of drinks. “They’re all so upright, people treat them like gods, but who has ever cared about me? I’m just a pile of trash!”

“Don’t say that, Young Master Jiang,” Ye An said.

“You don’t need to comfort me, President Ye,” Jiang Ming waved his hand and continued to pour wine for her. “Come, drink!”

Ye An had no choice but to pick up her glass and drink with him. The wine was strong, with a high alcohol content—stinging as it went down, with a powerful kick.

She sensed that Jiang Ming intended to get drunk today.

After a few more glasses, Jiang Ming finally stopped beating around the bush. When people drink too much, they can’t hide things; they are much more honest than when sober. “Actually, President Ye, I do have something to say.”

“Chi Yan is on good terms with me and is an old friend of yours, so she can be a witness,” Jiang Ming said, opening his briefcase and pulling out a document. “Take a look, President Ye.”

Ye An took it. After just a cursory glance, her brow furrowed. She had thought Jiang Ming’s visit was to talk about a partnership or business, but she hadn’t expected him to be even more childish and ridiculous than she imagined.

It was a marriage agreement.

“What is the meaning of this, Young Master Jiang?” If not for her good breeding, Ye An might have stood up and left immediately. “I imagine you must be completely drunk to have drafted such an agreement.”

“Don’t be angry yet, President Ye,” Jiang Ming grinned. “You’re a business person; you understand which deals are profitable. This agreement has no downsides for either of us. Why don’t you take another look and consider it?”

“I’ve just been honest with you; my two brothers are not ordinary people, and I can’t compete with them on my own. But if I have someone to cooperate with, the situation will be very different. There’s no shortage of capable women in C City, but the successful ones are too old, and the young ones aren’t up to par. Only you, President Ye, are the perfect choice.”

“Furthermore, there’s no harm in agreeing. You know the status and capital of the Jiang family. I know you love money, and I know it hasn’t been easy for you to struggle alone for so many years. In that case, why not cooperate with me and let the whole Jiang family support you?”

Jiang Ming looked into Ye An’s eyes. “Isn’t it a win-win?”

Win-win. Ye An almost wanted to laugh. She had actually overestimated Jiang Ming; this man’s nature was even more childish and boring than she thought.

Even more ridiculous was the question of how much Chi Yan had been involved in this and how much information about her she had provided to Jiang Ming.

Ye An glanced at Chi Yan and stood up. “Young Master Jiang, since you are so drunk, you should go back and rest early. I still have matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave.”

She turned to go, but Jiang Ming was faster, stepping forward to block her path.

“Are you really not going to consider it?” Jiang Ming said, the alcohol causing him to lose the poise and maturity he had been struggling to maintain. “I call you President Ye because I’m being polite. With a background like yours, me coming to you is giving you ‘face’.”

“What right do you have to disagree? What reason do you have to refuse me?” Jiang Ming said, his face becoming loathsome. “Is what I’m doing any different from what Chi Yan did? She gave you a few small favors back then, and you disgustingly chased after her, calling her ‘Senior’ this and ‘Senior’ that, sending gifts and meals—she was just playing with you! Isn’t that hilarious? So hilarious. What are you acting all high and mighty for now, huh?”

She hadn’t expected Chi Yan to talk about her to Jiang Ming like that.

Ye An froze for a few seconds, her blood surging. For some reason, she suddenly remembered those many phone calls that went unanswered. She thought Chi Yan treated her as a friend, but she hadn’t expected Chi Yan was just playing with her!

Ye An couldn’t stay here for another second. She looked into Jiang Ming’s eyes, her face incredibly dark. “Move.”

It was the first time someone had dared to speak to him like that. Jiang Ming sneered and mocked, “Who do you think you are? By what right do you order me? No one in all of C City can damn well control me, you—”

Before he could finish, the door to the room was suddenly kicked open. Jiang Ming’s eyes widened, startled. He turned around, ready to explode in anger, but froze when he saw the newcomer.

He opened his mouth and instinctively stepped back, muttering, “Big brother, big brother, why are you here…”

The man at the door gave him no chance to speak. He stepped forward angrily, stood before him, and slapped him across the face. The sound was so loud that even pedestrians in the hallway likely heard it clearly.

Simultaneously, an identical slapping sound echoed like a refrain.

Ye An looked toward the source of the second sound and met the eyes of Xia Yihuan, who was standing at the door.

After a moment, Xia Yihuan swiped her phone and ended the call. “Sorry, the line was still open.”

“Ye An,” she said, stepping forward to stand beside her, lowering her eyes and gently hugging her. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Ye An said. Although she knew Xia Yihuan would show up, she had to admit that at the moment their eyes met, a wave of emotion slowly surfaced in her heart.

Thinking this, she sighed and reached out to hold Xia Yihuan’s back, giving her a gentle hug in return.