Chapter 33
Jiang Yi returned to Wuhai Island at three in the afternoon.
While riding back to the InterContinental Hotel, she was just about to call Team Leader Lin Fei when Lin Fei excitedly told her that a wealthy woman was holding an unprecedentedly extravagant party by the sea, supposedly for a birthday celebration.
“I had someone look into it. That wealthy woman knows Zuo Jinrong, and his secretary said he received an invitation from her. We still don’t know whether he’ll actually attend, though.”
But that information alone was enough to put them on full alert.
If they were lucky enough to encounter Zuo Jinrong at the party, then his willingness to attend would mean he was probably in a decent mood. Their chances of successfully discussing the coating partnership would be much higher.
“Then how are we supposed to attend this party?” Jiang Yi asked.
They did not know the wealthy woman. There was no reason she would invite the four of them.
Lin Fei lowered her voice and told her, “Yan Zhijie said he knows the host. He’s going to ask her for a few admission tickets. Ye Sixin and I are waiting in the room for good news.”
By the time Jiang Yi arrived at the InterContinental Hotel, Yan Zhijie had returned triumphantly with four tickets.
He told them to change quickly so he could bring them inside.
A business trip that included a free beach party—
This was practically a dream assignment.
“Did you take care of everything at home?” Lin Fei asked.
She was walking barefoot across the sand. The wealthy woman had reserved the entire beach and even hired many security guards to maintain order.
Jiang Yi gave a soft acknowledgment.
“It’s all handled.”
Many people were entering the venue. A small stage had even been set up.
Besides accommodation and dining, the InterContinental Hotel had developed numerous additional services because of its seaside location, including a game room, the Shuiyun Riverside restaurant and karaoke lounge, water golf, various ball courts, fishing areas, and more.
As soon as they entered, Ye Sixin and Yan Zhijie struck up friendly conversations with strangers while helping themselves to the barbecue, wine, seafood feast, and other food.
“Oh my God, how did Jiayu’s people sneak in too? Don’t tell me they also have tickets?”
Ye Sixin hurried over carrying a triangular-stemmed glass.
“Sixin, what is that?”
Lin Fei looked at the golden drink in her hand. The liquid formed gradient layers near the bottom of the glass, making it look rather distinctive.
“Oh, this is called Autumn Moon Fantasy,” Ye Sixin replied.
“Aren’t you unable to handle alcohol? Don’t get drunk. Business comes first. Since Jiayu’s people got in too, Boss Zuo is very likely to appear tonight.”
After being reprimanded, Ye Sixin silently put the drink back.
“All right. I’ll go look for Boss Zuo.”
“Jiang Yi?”
When Lin Fei turned around, Jiang Yi had disappeared.
Only after seeing the WeChat message Jiang Yi left did she learn that she had gone to the game room.
Why would she go there?
Lin Fei was puzzled, then suddenly slapped her forehead in realization.
How had she failed to consider it?
Zuo Jinrong was ultimately just a man in his thirties who enjoyed playing foosball. If he had truly attended the party, he would almost certainly visit the game room.
Inside a sea-view room near the beach, Tan Yiqi slowly played a pair of threes.
Guo Qingqing immediately threw down a bomb.
Tan Yiqi’s expression became extremely ugly.
“Would it kill you to let me win once?”
Guo Qingqing played another pair of threes.
“No. I still haven’t gotten rid of mine.”
Tan Yiqi looked toward Xie Fulan, hoping she would refrain from playing so Tan Yiqi could discard a small pair of fours.
Xie Fulan told her to stop looking.
“You and I aren’t from the same class. You evil landlord. Pair of fives.”
Tan Yiqi: “…”
She had barely managed to reduce the cards in her hand. The two “peasants” opposite her kept suppressing and bullying her.
Tan Yiqi felt utterly miserable.
“I’m not playing anymore.”
Just as she was about to surrender, a hand suddenly appeared behind her and took her cards.
“Why stop playing? This is a perfectly good hand.”
The woman stood intimately behind her, pressing her cheek against the side of Tan Yiqi’s face.
Tan Yiqi flushed and secretly glanced at the woman’s chin from the corner of her eye.
When the woman was not paying attention, she planted a kiss there.
“Guo Junya, hurry and teach them a lesson. All they know how to do is bully me.”
Guo Qingqing watched the other side play a card she could not beat. The game quickly turned around, reversing the disadvantage.
She cried out, “Sister, I’m your biological younger sister! Are you even human if you attack your own sister?”
Guo Junya curved her lips.
“You don’t want it? Then three-four-five-six-seven-eight, a straight. The landlord wins.”
Guo Qingqing: “…”
Xie Fulan: “…”
Only Tan Yiqi was so delighted she nearly lost all sense of direction.
She turned around, embraced the woman behind her, and kissed her twice.
Guo Junya rubbed the top of her head.
“All right. The birthday celebration is about to begin. Remember to come over later.”
The three women rose and headed outside.
Tonight’s party had been organized by Guo Junya to celebrate Tan Yiqi’s birthday.
After the three left, Guo Junya picked up her phone.
“Shen Siyun, I let your little lover in. She should be on the beach now. It seems she’s looking for someone.”
“They’re looking for Zuo Jinrong to discuss business,” Shen Siyun replied. “Come collect that necklace yourself. I don’t have time to deliver it to your wife.”
“That works. Where is it?”
“Suite 808. Wen Zhaoyun is inside. Ask her for it.”
After ending the call, Shen Siyun headed directly toward the game room.
Zuo Jinrong enjoyed foosball. Jiang Yi would certainly go there to look for him.
Night had already fallen.
There were only a few people in the game room, probably because most guests had gone to celebrate around the bonfire on the beach.
Jiang Yi searched the entire room but did not see Zuo Jinrong.
He might have gone elsewhere, or perhaps he had not attended the party at all.
Having found nothing, Jiang Yi messaged Lin Fei and told them to search the other areas.
“Jiayu’s people got inside too?”
Jiang Yi walked past the billiard tables while heading toward the exit.
“Yes. Sixin said she saw several of them,” Lin Fei replied over the phone.
Jiang Yi considered it.
“We need to find Boss Zuo before they do. We can’t let them get there first.”
“All right.”
Jiang Yi put away her phone and reached for the door.
The moment she opened it, Shen Siyun’s face appeared before her.
Without any expression, Jiang Yi stepped around her.
Shen Siyun stopped her.
“I heard you sold all the jewelry I gave you.”
“That has nothing to do with you.”
“Why did you sell it?”
Jiang Yi frowned coldly.
“I already said it has nothing to do with you. Do you not understand?”
Shen Siyun parted her lips.
“Several of those pieces were birthday gifts I gave you… Don’t you feel any regret?”
When Jiang Yi and Song Rao had entered their fake marriage, Jiang Yi had taken many things away with her. She had even sold the matching items that once belonged to Shen Siyun and herself.
At the time, Shen Siyun had been too furious to consider why Jiang Yi kept the gifts she had given her.
Now she understood.
Jiang Yi had left herself something to remember her by.
But now, Jiang Yi no longer wanted even those memories.
Shen Siyun drew a deep breath.
She felt Jiang Yi was gradually erasing every trace belonging to Shen Siyun until nothing remained.
“There’s nothing to regret.”
Jiang Yi raised her head without emotion and looked into Shen Siyun’s dim eyes.
“…At least they were worth some money. You could have kept them as financial security,” Shen Siyun said, finding herself a way to retreat.
“I transferred all of it to Song Rao to replace her research funding.”
Shen Siyun pressed her lips together and said nothing.
Jiang Yi continued indifferently, “They really were worth something. Thank you for buying me such expensive jewelry in the past. But I won’t need any more in the future.”
Silence followed.
Jiang Yi turned around, leaving her back to Shen Siyun.
“If President Shen has nothing else to say, I’ll leave.”
“Did you gather enough? Do you need me to—”
Before Shen Siyun could finish, Jiang Yi interrupted with a frown.
“It was enough. I don’t need anything from you.”
Shen Siyun remained standing there alone, watching her leave.
She folded her arms and swallowed.
A sour ache surged toward her nose.
Tilting her head upward, she forced back the redness gathering at the corners of her eyes.
The color had drained from her red lips as she spoke hoarsely.
“Jiang Yi, you’re truly ruthless.”
After returning to the beach, Jiang Yi rejoined Lin Fei and the others.
“How did it go? Did you see Boss Zuo?”
Lin Fei approached from another direction.
Jiang Yi shook her head.
“He wasn’t in the game room, and I didn’t see him anywhere on the way back.”
Yan Zhijie jogged over, panting heavily.
“I saw Zuo Jinrong’s secretary! She’s in the tearoom ahead!”
Everyone’s expressions brightened.
“Let’s go. Hurry to the tearoom.”
They rushed there, only to discover they were one step too late.
Zuo Jinrong was already drunk, and his secretary was struggling to help him back to the hotel.
“Why was he drinking alcohol in a tearoom instead of tea?” Ye Sixin asked, unable to understand.
Yan Zhijie spread his hands.
“I don’t know either. Maybe he still hasn’t secured the investment?”
Jiang Yi immediately stepped forward to help get him into the car.
The beach was still some distance from the hotel.
While helping, she asked his secretary, “Did Boss Zuo drink too much?”
Zuo Jinrong’s secretary glanced at her and gave a brief acknowledgment.
It was inconvenient to say more.
After settling Zuo Jinrong into the car, the secretary stood beside it and thanked them.
“Thank you. Someone stood Boss Zuo up today, and he became upset, so he drank quite a lot.”
Jiang Yi took the opportunity to ask, “Was it because of the investment?”
“No, no. Boss Zuo was upset over a personal relationship. I’m afraid I can’t tell you anything more.”
The secretary nodded politely, entered the car, and drove him away.
“A personal relationship…”
Lin Fei fell into thought.
“Even Boss Zuo has romantic problems. This truly isn’t something ordinary people like us can understand.”
Ye Sixin strongly agreed.
“Could Boss Zuo possibly be suffering from unrequited love? He’s the newly appointed company president, his father founded a brand that’s been around for more than twenty years, he has money, and he looks decent. What woman wouldn’t like an eligible bachelor like him?”
“He’s probably unfaithful,” Yan Zhijie said.
He told them about some gossip he had casually seen before.
“He was extremely promiscuous before taking office. Only after becoming president did the scandals stop.”
“Let’s go. It looks like we’ve gained nothing tonight either,” Lin Fei said with a sigh.
They were about to return when they turned and saw Yin Lei’s group hurrying toward them.
It seemed they had also received the news and rushed over to intercept Boss Zuo.
“You’re too late,” Yan Zhijie said smugly. “Boss Zuo already left.”
Yin Lei ignored him.
“Pengting’s people are here too.”
The expressions of Jiang Yi and the others immediately changed.
“Their proposal also involves working with Zuo Jinrong?”
“At the very least, it’s true that they came here for Zuo Jinrong,” Yin Lei said.
The situation Lin Fei had feared most had finally occurred.
The proposals from Qiguang, Jiayu, and Pengting had all collided!
Someone save them.
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