Marking My Arch-Rival [Rebirth] - Chapter 10

The young saleswoman had never been struck by such beauty at such close range. Her cheeks immediately flushed as she stammered,

“O-of course.”

She could not resist stealing another glance at Ji Shihuan.

“You’re both so beautiful. You look wonderful together!”

“Thank you.”

Ji Shihuan raised the safety guide she had rolled into a tube and lightly tapped the young woman’s cheek with it.

With a smile, she praised,

“You’re very cute too.”

The gesture was somewhat flirtatious, but when Ji Shihuan did it, it carried an unusually charming air.

The blush on the young woman’s face spread all the way to the roots of her ears. She was so flustered that she failed to notice she was moving the same arm and leg together as she retreated behind the table.

Ji Shihuan was in an excellent mood after teasing her.

But before she could enjoy her satisfaction, she suddenly felt her left arm become empty.

Jiang Boyan had already slipped out from beneath it and was walking ahead on her own.

Ji Shihuan hurried after her, but Jiang Boyan’s attitude was colder and harder than at any previous moment. No matter what Ji Shihuan said, her expression did not soften.

Ji Shihuan could not understand it.

“Huh? Is this just because I stopped you from buying that scent-blocking patch?”

Jiang Boyan acted as though she had not heard.

“That product is no good. It isn’t breathable at all. If you wear it too long, it’ll irritate your skin.”

Ji Shihuan patiently explained,

“Do you know why they don’t make an Alpha version? Alpha pheromones are too strong. Wearing one for even a short time becomes unbearable. They can only fool Omegas into buying it.”

She paused to catch her breath.

“That young woman was working so hard to sell it. I couldn’t embarrass her on the spot, so I had to find some way to stop you first.

“You understand, right?”

Beneath a tall plane tree, Jiang Boyan finally stopped.

“Mhm.”

Her voice was cold, and her eyes contained complicated emotions Ji Shihuan could not understand.

“Thank you, Miss Ji, for so generously helping me out.”

“Mm.”

Ji Shihuan froze, then muttered,

“You’re making it sound so distant…”

Jiang Boyan stood facing her, yet her gaze refused to settle on Ji Shihuan.

She would rather stare at the neon signs polluting the street with light than look at Ji Shihuan’s devastatingly beautiful face.

Ji Shihuan felt displeased.

She rolled the AO safety guide and tapped it against her palm.

“Some people say, ‘Thank you for helping me out,’ yet they’re too stingy to give even a pleasant expression.”

She asked,

“What kind of logic is that?”

Jiang Boyan perfunctorily pulled at the corners of her lips.

Then she said,

“I simply think Miss Ji’s own charm is more than sufficient. There was really no need to involve me while teasing that young woman.”

“Oh.”

Their trains of thought had not connected at all.

Ji Shihuan frowned and considered it for a long time.

“You really mind being mistaken for someone in an Alpha-Alpha relationship? Are you afraid it’ll damage your reputation?”

Jiang Boyan finally looked at her.

People flowed constantly along the street. Among them were many fashionable, attractive men and women.

Ji Shihuan wore a classic black-and-white casual outfit. Rather than disappearing into the crowd, she appeared even more distinctive and dazzling.

When winter jasmine bloomed, the mountains and fields were always filled with people admiring the flowers.

Jiang Boyan stepped back half a pace, wanting to hide among the crowd.

“All right, don’t be angry.”

Ji Shihuan lowered her head, caught Jiang Boyan by the arm, and gently promised,

“I won’t say it again.”

The other woman’s warmth traveled through the thin fabric.

Jiang Boyan lowered her eyes and saw Ji Shihuan’s slender, well-defined knuckles.

Unlike certain artists, Ji Shihuan had no habit of growing out her little fingernails. Every nail was trimmed into a smooth, rounded shape.

Jiang Boyan wanted to ask what kind of “again” or “future” there could possibly be between them.

But the question felt childish, so she pressed her lips together and remained silent.

Seeing that Jiang Boyan was obviously sulking, Ji Shihuan sighed helplessly and placed the safety guide in her hands.

“Since you’re so interested in that scent-blocking patch, there’s a sample included with this booklet. Take it home and try it.”

This time, Jiang Boyan did not refuse.

She silently accepted the booklet and clenched it in her palm, leaving a crease that could never be smoothed out.

That night, after Ji Shihuan returned home, she received an international call from Shu Ni.

The transaction that had originally been expected to proceed smoothly had stalled because the buyer was deliberately delaying payment of the remaining balance.

Shu Ni anxiously expressed her concerns.

“That company has worked with us for several years. There were never any problems before.”

Ji Shihuan reassured her, then offered a practical suggestion.

“Should I send the team that previously handled the project to assist you?”

Shu Ni hesitated before politely declining.

“Perhaps not.”

This project was not merely a simple transaction.

It would serve as Shu Ni’s badge of merit for her future promotion to vice president.

If the original team divided the credit, it would leave an irreparable blemish on her achievement.

“There probably won’t be a major problem. I’ll wait a little longer.”

“All right,” Ji Shihuan replied.

After discussing business, Shu Ni softened her voice and began asking about Ji Shihuan’s recent life.

“Shu Ni.”

The spring night still held a trace of cold.

Ji Shihuan picked up the glass of water on the table and took a sip. Her voice was slightly hoarse.

“I’m a little tired.”

The concern Shu Ni had been about to express was completely blocked by those words.

“…Then rest early. We can discuss everything else after I return.”

“Mhm.”

Ji Shihuan walked to the window and poured the now-cold water into the pot containing an asparagus fern.

“Come back soon.”

After the weekend ended, Ji Shihuan began rushing around in search of a new raw-material supplier.

By the time her business trip concluded, it was already Thursday afternoon.

Without even returning home, she headed directly to Huanji’s headquarters.

Nie Zheng continued serving as special assistant to the president.

When he saw her return, he brought the urgent documents he had organized into the office and waited for Ji Shihuan to review them.

When they discussed a project involving the sale of assets, Ji Shihuan raised an eyebrow.

“Hongxin wants to purchase our lithium-battery production line?”

“Yes,” Nie Zheng replied.

He selected the most important information and explained,

“They conveyed their acquisition interest through a third party. They currently have the highest offer among all interested buyers.”

Ji Shihuan asked,

“Isn’t that good?”

“But…”

Nie Zheng continued,

“An internal meeting was held yesterday. Most department heads believe that since Hongxin is ultimately our competitor, we absolutely cannot sell the battery production line to them.”

Strengthening Hongxin while weakening Huanji would only place Huanji at an even greater disadvantage in future competition.

Ji Shihuan merely shrugged.

“They don’t disagree with selling it to Hongxin. They simply don’t want me touching any of these assets at all.”

Huanji Technology had been founded by Ji Shihuan’s parents when they were young.

As the company expanded, it inevitably accumulated many redundant and unprofitable assets.

Ji Shiqin had previously been too softhearted.

Whenever someone said, “That factory was built through your parents’ hard work, and everyone working there has followed Huanji for many years,” he would abandon the idea of selling it.

He had allowed those businesses to remain like useless lines of code, slowing the entire program.

After taking office, Ji Shihuan raised the matter again.

Those people assumed the same argument would be enough to dismiss her.

They had not expected a young woman like Ji Shihuan to possess an even harder heart than her brother.

“Don’t concern yourself with them.”

Ji Shihuan turned to the following page and saw the offer.

She began evaluating it internally.

“Sixty-seven million… That’s still nowhere near Hongxin’s limit.”

She looked at Nie Zheng.

“Arrange a meeting with President Jiang of Hongxin. I’ll speak with her in person.”

“Huh?”

Nie Zheng looked surprised.

“Contact President Jiang directly?”

There was a standard procedure for selling assets.

Normally, one side would quote a price, the other would counter, and negotiations would continue.

Both sides would repeatedly probe each other, and even reaching a final agreement would take at least three months.

“Mhm.”

Ji Shihuan had the performance-betting agreement hanging over her and had little time to waste.

“Once I clear out these worthless assets, I still have other things to do.”

“All right.”

Nie Zheng nodded.

Before opening the door and leaving, he suddenly remembered something and looked back at Ji Shihuan.

“By the way, President Ji, Miss Shu called the office several times. She said she couldn’t reach you.”

“I know.”

Ji Shihuan did not even raise her head.

“I was busy during the business trip and missed the calls.”

Nie Zheng looked slightly surprised.

Ji Shihuan had been away during the past few days, yet she had replied individually to every work-related message he sent her.

Still, he would not question her words.

He nodded.

“Mhm. She asked you to return her call when you had time.”

After saying that, Nie Zheng closed the door.

Hongxin also placed great importance on the acquisition project.

Jiang Boyan soon responded and brought her team to visit the following day.

Ji Shihuan arrived at the large conference room early and was making final confirmations with her team.

She had been in office for only half a month, and the employees beneath her had not yet fully understood her temperament.

Seeing her expressionless face, they spoke with some apprehension.

In reality, Ji Shihuan was merely tired.

She had worked until two in the morning and slept for only four hours before her recently established biological clock forcibly woke her.

The employees’ report contained many technical terms and financial figures.

She needed to concentrate intensely to absorb the useful information.

While listening, she heard footsteps outside.

As though sensing something, Ji Shihuan raised her eyes.

Her gaze happened to meet Jiang Boyan’s as the front-desk employee escorted her down the corridor.

Ji Shihuan’s eyes trembled slightly.

Then her lips curved, concealing her exhaustion as she revealed her first smile since returning.