Mrs. Fu, please be mindful of the appropriate boundaries.

Shen Muqing persisted.

Xu Qingcheng did not want to get too involved with him.

I had no choice but to say, "I have an appointment with someone from the investment bank, so I won't go in. I'll have him come out and chat for a bit later."

Xu Qingcheng's words were not untrue. Previously, President Cheng of Zhuochuang had introduced several investment banks, which she could focus on contacting today.

"Also, you don't need to explain too much to the media. They'll only write what they want to write and create buzz," Xu Qingcheng advised him. "If anyone keeps asking you about our relationship, you can just say nothing. 'No comment' is the best shield."

She didn't want to cause him any trouble.

Shen Muqing left.

Xu Qingcheng looked towards the entrance of the venue, but Fu Jingting was nowhere to be seen.

They must have gone inside.

Xu Qingcheng sat down in a booth outside the venue; she wasn't in a hurry to leave.

Mr. Cheng from Zhuochuang has made it very clear how to cooperate. Their budget investment can only account for a maximum of 10% of the shares. Xu Qingcheng can increase the investment ratio, but after assessment, she can only hold a maximum of 60% of the shares, and there is still 30% that needs to be invested.

You might not easily get to meet some of the key figures at investment banks, but now is a great opportunity.

She should meet him.

His gaze swept back towards the venue.

Xu Qingcheng smiled bitterly. The older she got, the thinner she seemed to be. In the past, she didn't care how much people laughed at her. Even if she was called a shameless socialite and slapped in the face, she could still retort without batting an eye.

Now look what's happened.

They hurt her deeply with just a few words.

Xu Qingcheng held back her tears, but the pain in her chest spread and tore at her whole body.

She tilted her head back, letting the tears flow backward.

Don't cry, smile.

Others won't be able to tell you're injured.

He treated her with disdain. She thought she was mentally prepared, but it turned out that there was a big gap between what she thought and reality.

Xu Qingcheng sat outside for a long time, until her body felt cold before she finally recovered.

She got up and quietly walked in through a side door. The venue was crowded, and unless you were specifically looking for someone, you wouldn't notice her.

Xu Qingcheng searched around and saw that Mr. Jia of Tonghe Wealth was alone, so she went to greet him.

After Fu Jingting's entourage left, Duan Heng approached him and asked, "The Zhou family has sent someone over. Their family wealth has always been managed by foreign institutions, and today isn't convenient. They'd like to schedule a time with you privately. We have some free time the day after tomorrow; would you like to schedule a meeting with them?"

"Can."

After Duan Heng confirmed, he was about to go and reply when Fu Jingting called out to him, "Duan Heng."

"When did you become my spokesperson? Can you speak on my behalf?"

The man's expression remained calm and expressionless, but Duan Hengpi still tensed up. He had followed Fu Jingting for a long time, so long that their relationship had transcended that of superior and subordinate, becoming more like that of friends and brothers.

They really are brothers.

Because we're brothers, there are some things I just couldn't stand, and I couldn't help but say those things.

He didn't think he was wrong. Even if Fu Jingting beat him up, he would still say the same thing. But when Fu Jingting asked him in such a calm tone, Duan Heng couldn't say a word.

Fu Jingting finished the red wine in his glass and gave a faint warning, "This is the only time. Don't overstep your bounds."

"I see."

Duan Heng didn't exhale slowly until he had walked away.

Duan Heng was not used to how much a person's personality could be changed in two years. He would rather Fu Jingting beat him up than this.

Xu Qingcheng handed over her business card. This was the fifth investment bank she had contacted on her own since the beginning. The previous ones had all left after only a couple of sentences.

She could sense their indifference and rejection towards her.

"President Jiang." Having been brushed off again, Xu Qingcheng couldn't hold back any longer. "We've evaluated this project; its future prospects are promising. Germany's Industry 4.0 is the direction we're striving for. The level of automation will definitely be very high in the future, and it will usher in a boom. What exactly is the reason you won't even listen to me finish?"

Mr. Jiang turned to leave, but stopped upon hearing this. "Ms. Xu, Jingshan Capital and Tangchao Wealth are in the same industry as us. There is competition and cooperation among industry peers. We cherish our reputation. If one day we encounter a client like Ms. Xu who walks away and leaves us with a mess, that would be disastrous. I also sincerely say this, Ms. Xu: no matter how good a project is, everyone should think twice before cooperating with you."

In other words, Xu Qingcheng's name has been blacklisted in the investment banking circle.

She suddenly clenched her teeth tightly; she hadn't thought of that possibility.

The methods they used were indeed dishonorable, but they were the ones who plotted against her first.

But outsiders are unaware of the many complexities involved, and from the perspective of the event itself, that is indeed the case.

She had grievances but nowhere to vent them, so she figured there was no need to endure the cold stares any longer, since it wouldn't lead to anything anyway.

Xu Qingcheng slammed her wine glass down on the table, her eyes red, and turned to leave, but she didn't expect to bump into someone as soon as she turned around.

"what!"

Xu Qingcheng stumbled from the impact, her high heels buckling under the weight, and she fell backward.

She had the worst luck today.

As soon as Xu Qingcheng closed her eyes, her waist was wrapped around someone and she was pulled back into an embrace.

Almost instinctively, she reached out to grab the person in front of her to steady herself, and just like that, the red wine in the man's glass was spilled out by her.

Fu Jingting frowned. He was wearing a white shirt today, which was unusual for him, and the red wine stains were almost all over his body.

The sound of a heartbeat suddenly rang in her ears, and Xu Qingcheng stared at him in a daze.

He released his grip on her waist, and the woman's delicate, soft body dissipated from his embrace.

"Intentional?" he asked, his eyes cold, sharp, and questioning.

"No, it splashed on me too," Xu Qingcheng replied, her voice low and carrying a hint of barely perceptible grievance.

Fu Jingting put down his wine glass, didn't look at her again, and turned to walk out.

Xu Qingcheng followed without even thinking.

Duan Heng saw the two of them leave together and hurried over, but Tang Jinzhao tripped him, saying, "You're always causing trouble."

"them……"

"You should worry about what's your business, and don't meddle in what's not your business." Tang Jinchao scoffed and pulled the person back.

"I just can't stand it. He's suffered so much these past two years, while Xu Qingcheng knows how to find a way out for herself. She withdrew the funds and put them under her brother's name. She's surrounded by men and lives such a carefree life. As soon as Young Master Fu showed up, she eagerly followed him." Duan Heng said with a tense face, unable to hold back his words.

Tang Jinchao paused for a moment, "Even if you glue the broken cup back together, it will still have cracks, so it's not that easy."

"I know it's not that easy. Young Master Fu might not even care about her anymore. I just really don't like her." Duan Heng simply picked up the wine glass next to him and downed a glass of wine. The two figures were no longer in sight. Someone came to call him, and he went to do his business.

Fu Jingting went straight to his room to change his clothes, with the woman following him the whole time.

Upon reaching the room door, he suddenly turned around. "What are you doing following me? Want to see me change?"

His eyes were dark and deep, devoid of any emotion, only cold indifference. His fingers were fiddling with his tie, loosening it slightly, his movements full of impatience.

Xu Qingcheng didn't know how she had followed him. When he asked her, she felt flustered, but she tried her best to remain calm and racked her brains to find an excuse.

Before they could even come up with a reason, the man had already swiped his card and gone inside.

Xu Qingcheng acted faster than she thought, and went inside before he could close the door.

Fu Jingting's hand, which was resting on the door, paused for a moment. The next second, she turned and closed the door. Her back pressed against the door, she looked at him, "Did you contact the various investment banks and forbid them from cooperating with me?"

The man chuckled. "Do you think I'm that idle? Miss Xu's deal is far too big for me to do this."

His voice was cold and sharp, as if it had cleaved her face.

She knew that the investment banks were more concerned about the negative impact of her past actions than that she was being forced into it.

But at this moment, she seemed to have no other topics to talk about with him, so she had to force herself to bring up this topic.

Her back was pressed tightly against the door panel, as if the hardness behind her gave her some strength. "You have never invested in the real economy before, but you want to take over three sectors of Shengshi Core. Fu Jingting, this makes me think a lot."

Fu Jingting took off his tie and threw it aside. The red wine on his shirt seeped through the fabric and clung to his skin, making him even more irritable.

"What are you thinking? Do you think I still have feelings for Miss Xu?" He approached her in a cold tone, placed his palm next to her ear, leaned down to look at her, and his face was inches away from hers.