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

"Although Shengshi Group is in trouble now, it's only temporary. As long as there's enough cash flow..." Xu Qingcheng hadn't finished speaking when her wrist was grabbed and she was thrown onto the sofa.

The man placed his hands on her shoulders. "I don't talk to women about work, I only talk about feelings."

"..."

Xu Qingcheng paused, gritted her teeth and took a deep breath, "You can treat me like a man."

Don't talk about work with women; it's fine to treat her like a man.

Fu Jingting suddenly chuckled, hooking his finger around one of her shoulder straps, his gaze sweeping over her shapely figure. "A transvestite?"

Xu Qingcheng's face darkened slightly, and she gritted her teeth. "If that's what you want to think, then so be it."

The man suddenly burst into laughter, "Mr. Xu, was the surgery thorough?"

Xu Qingcheng moved her legs slightly, resisting the urge to slap him across the face, and steered the conversation back on track.

"You can assess the value of this prosperous era. Its assets are healthy enough to be worth investing in, and you won't lose money."

Fu Jingting stared at her, looking down at her. She looked up at him, her beautiful eyes filled with a charming, shrewd, and calculating gaze, showing no trace of her former arrogance and purity.

Fu Jingting raised an eyebrow at her. "Before we get down to business, Miss Xu, shouldn't you settle your previous debts?"

The man chuckled softly, his voice so light it seemed like an illusion, slowly spreading through the air.

Xu Qingcheng understood; he was referring to the fact that he had brought her into the banquet hall.

Why are you even holding a grudge against her for such a trivial matter?

The legendary meticulousness is nothing more than this.

Xu Qingcheng smiled slightly. "So, how are you going to pay me back?"

Someone walked over and spoke to Fu Jingting, "Wenhan knows you're here and said she'll be there soon."

The man frowned slightly, his teasing expression tensing for a moment before returning to normal.

He stared at the woman's face, a smirk playing on his lips. "Perfect timing, right now."

He suddenly leaned in, his excessively handsome face almost pressing against Xu Qingcheng's. She nervously leaned back, but the sofa behind her held her in place, preventing her from moving.

The man's breath was on her face, so close that it seemed she could touch his mouth if she opened it.

Xu Qingcheng tilted her head slightly. He was too close, and the oppressive force was overwhelming, making her entire face seem to be flushed.

"What else?"

Fu Jingting pulled her up abruptly, raising an eyebrow, "Miss Xu, do you know anything about romance?"

"Won't!"

"Can't? Ye Tinghong has been teaching you for so many years, and you still haven't learned?" His eyes gleamed with a sinister light in the dim light, piercing straight into the depths of one's bones.

Xu Qingcheng's face tightened. The name Ye Tinghong was a thorn in her side and a wound in her heart.

The man suddenly chuckled, "I'll teach you."

What?

Before Xu Qingcheng could answer her questions, the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open.

Ye Wenhan came in from outside and immediately saw Xu Qingcheng sitting on Fu Jingting's lap. She looked as if she had been stabbed.

"Xu Qingcheng?!"

She rushed over and reached out to grab Xu Qingcheng's hair. "Get down!"

Caught off guard, Xu Qingcheng was pulled so hard that she fell to the ground.

The beautifully cut marble floorboards pressed against my arm, feeling icy cold.

Xu Qingcheng braced herself with her palm, then suddenly looked up, her bewitching eyes filled with daggers that seemed to slice into Ye Wenhan's body.

Fu Jingting watched coldly from the sidelines.

Others dared not offer any advice.

The Xu family of Shengshi Group is the envy of everyone in Ancheng. Who would dare to covet a beauty like Xu Qingcheng?

However, times have changed, and the golden age has declined.

Ye Wenhan persisted, walked over and slapped him across the face, saying, "You ruined my second brother's career. I told you, I'll beat you every time I see you."

Even as she fell to the ground, Xu Qingcheng's raised chin still exuded a sharp and arrogant air.

She used Ye Wenhan's hand to stand up and shook her off.

The woman's vibrant colors vanished, leaving only coldness. "Ye Wenhan, I'll give you some respect, but don't try to take advantage of me."

Her lips were bright red, and her face exuded arrogance when she spoke coldly. Her disdainful gaze, like the alluring charm in her eyes, seemed to pierce right to the bone. Fu Jingting's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he felt an itch in his very bones.

"I'm going to open it today, what are you going to do about it?" Ye Wenhan said defiantly, her tone full of provocation. "Your family deserves to be in this situation. Your brother should go to jail for killing someone..."

With a snap.

Ye Wenhan's words were cut off by a slap.

Xu Qingcheng clenched her teeth tightly, her fingers trembling as she held them to her sides. Qingyao's imprisonment was the deepest thorn in her heart, one that she could not pull out. She would not allow anyone to slander him in front of her.

"Ye Wenhan," Xu Qingcheng said coldly, "I, Xu Qingcheng, may not have a strong backbone, but my heart is ruthless enough. I'm warning you, don't mess with me."

Ye Wenhan covered her face, stunned.

Ye Wenhan knew all too well how ruthless Xu Qingcheng was, though others might not.

But the Xu family has already fallen.

After a while, Ye Wenhan tried to jump up like a madwoman, but Fu Jingting stopped her by putting his arm around her waist.

He suddenly chuckled. Xu Qingcheng, this woman, can be quite captivating when she's soft-hearted, but when she's tough, she's incredibly alluring.

He pressed Ye Wenhan down with his hand, "You've had enough fun, I'll have someone take you home."

"She dares to hit me? I'll knock her teeth out!" Ye Wenhan bared her teeth and brandished her claws, her face stinging, covering her face and her eyes red with anger.

But with Fu Jingting's cold face, she didn't dare to act rashly.

The Ye family wants to form a marriage alliance with the Fu family, and now they are just waiting for Fu Jingting to express his opinion. If he doesn't agree, then everything will be in vain.

The man took his clothes and walked out.

Xu Qingcheng suddenly grabbed the man's arm, looked up at him, her smile turning cold, "Young Master Fu, are you finished teaching?"

She was seething with anger because Ye Wenhan had hit her without any regard for right or wrong.

Because this man suddenly kissed her.

Also because of things she hadn't finished discussing.

It makes no sense to just quit like that.

"Teach, teach what?" Ye Wenhan asked blankly, not understanding.

The man laughed, his smug smile spreading like an all-encompassing net. Xu Qingcheng suddenly felt a pang of regret, but now, she had no choice but to step back.

He pinched the back of her neck with his fingers, pulling her close as if she were a kitten or puppy, and asked her, "Want to learn?"

"I've already paid the tuition, why not learn? Besides, I want to learn everything you teach."

Her voice is delicate and soft; when it comes to acting, who can compare to her?

Ye Wenhan was furious. The two of them were flirting without any regard for others. It would be a fool for her not to notice anything, but she couldn't control Fu Jingting.

……

The car drove off.

Xu Qingcheng looked at the man beside her, her expression unrestrained and arrogant.

The driver reminded him, "Young Master Fu, Miss Ye's car is following behind."

"Let her go."

The man casually uttered a remark, and the woman next to him suddenly chuckled.

He turned his head to look at him. "What are you laughing at?"

"Young Master Fu, are you using me as a shield?"

It's not uncommon for wealthy families to arrange marriages. It seems that Ye Wenhan is interested in Fu Jingting, but this guy isn't too keen on it.

Fu Jingting reached out and grabbed her head. "No?"

The two were very close, and the man's breath carried an inexplicable aggression. Xu Qingcheng leaned back, and the man smiled slightly. Her alarm bells had just gone off when, before she could pull back... thud!

Depend on!

The man suddenly let go, and Xu Qingcheng's head slammed directly into the car window behind her.

The pain brought tears to her eyes. Xu Qingcheng covered her head and glared at the person with hatred.

Under the dappled lights, that glance, filled with anger and resentment, pierced straight to the bone, and a muffled laugh escaped the man's throat.

"It's not impossible. I just slapped Miss Ye, and my hand still hurts." Xu Qingcheng rubbed the back of her head and laughed. "Consider it paying back the debt I owed you before."

"As for now, I'm risking my reputation to act with you, so you owe me that."

The smile on the woman's face was all shrewd calculation.

Fu Jingting scoffed, "Aren't you tired of calculating so meticulously?"

"It's alright, even brothers need to keep clear accounts," Xu Qingcheng replied smoothly.

……

The car was parked in front of a villa.

Jingshan No. 1?!

Xu Qingcheng was stunned for a moment. She was in a daze and looked around. It was quiet all around.

No familiar figures were seen under the hazy glow of the European-style streetlights.

The cold wind slapped her face like a hand, dispelling the unrealistic expectations that had surged up in that instant.

The man glanced at her, then strode forward, and Xu Qingcheng hurriedly followed.

The light suddenly spilled out, illuminating the entire room.

A refined modern Chinese style interior design.

The perfect collision of fashion and classicism, the Chinese-style lines bring a touch of gentleness to the cool tones of black, white and gray.

This doesn't seem like Fu Jingting's style.

As Xu Qingcheng made her assessment, he suddenly grabbed her wrist and pushed her to the French windows.

"What are you doing?"

Xu Qingcheng's voice tightened as she reached out and grasped his wrist.

"What do you mean, 'what'?"

The man chuckled, and the next moment, she shoved him against the floor-to-ceiling window. Looking out, he saw a red sports car parked outside the villa, its headlights shining straight ahead.

Xu Qingcheng recognized Ye Wenhan's car.

The woman's beautiful shoulder blades came into view. Fu Jingting placed one hand on them, feeling the woman in front of him tremble slightly. He slid his hands to her sides, placing them on the railing. "What were you thinking about while standing at the door? Thinking about your ex-lover?"

Xu Qingcheng gritted her teeth; her brief hesitation and pause had probably been noticed by him.

"You said it yourself that it's old. I'm the kind of person who likes new things and gets tired of the old. Why would I want it?" Xu Qingcheng said without changing her expression. The past is the past because it is no longer the present.

Fu Jingting chuckled and lowered his head to bite her ear, "I heard that Ye Tinghong bought a villa here to use as their wedding home."

Xu Qingcheng gritted her teeth. Everyone in Ancheng knew that Xu Qingcheng and Ye Tinghong were a perfect couple, but they suddenly broke up.

They broke up completely, becoming bitter enemies.

Because of his words, the pain spread from a point in my heart, rushing into every nerve like a tidal wave.

Xu Qingcheng's eyes were a little red; he said those words on purpose to provoke her.

As the car drove away through the window, Xu Qingcheng suddenly shoved the man behind her away with her elbow and slipped out of his embrace.

Miss Xu smiled broadly, "Young Master Fu, would you consider investing in Shengshi? It's a sure thing."

Fu Jingting raised an eyebrow with a wicked glint in his eye, hooking his finger under her chin. "Miss Xu, you've certainly got a well-thought-out plan."

Xu Qingcheng stood in front of Fu Jingting in her high heels. The man was so tall that even her nearly 1.7-meter height made her look petite in front of him. The high heels gave her a sense of psychological leverage.

"Of course, I won't force you to invest, but if you could talk to the suppliers and ask them not to cut off supplies and to give us a certain period of payment."

Don't cut off supplies, fulfill the contract. Once the products are sold, cash will come in, which will at least extend the financing cycle, and she'll have something to say at the shareholders' meeting.

Currently, several major suppliers are under pressure from the Yip family to demand cash settlement.

This is undoubtedly adding insult to injury for a prosperous era.

The man didn't speak, but just squinted at her, making Miss Xu feel uneasy.

Even if we take a step back...

"Rongtai Chemical." This is Shengshi's largest raw material supplier. "I know the Fu family has shares in this company. Just give me a year, no, a six-month payment period. It's just a matter of one phone call from Young Master Fu."

"It's not impossible."

Fu Jingting pinched her chin with his fingers and lifted it up. He lowered his head slightly, his gaze probing into her eyes. "You'll sleep here tonight."

Sleeping here?

What does he want to do?

Xu Qingcheng glared at him, and Fu Jingting clearly saw the word "filthy" in her eyes.

Fu Jingting's face darkened considerably. He raised his chin, gesturing for her to look outside.

Xu Qingcheng looked out and clearly saw Ye Wenhan's car drive away.

But now it's still there, only now there's no light, and you can only see a shape.

When Fu Jingting led her to the second bedroom, Miss Xu asked, "...I'll sleep here?"

"Otherwise what?" The man raised an eyebrow at her. "Where did Miss Xu think she was sleeping?"

Xu Qingcheng's face flushed red instantly, and she gritted her teeth and slammed the door shut.

Could it be that she is judging others by her own petty standards?

Fu Jingting stared at the closed door, a low chuckle escaping his lips.

It felt like a waltz was playing in my head.

He will watch her walk step by step into the trap he has set.

The lights in the villa had all gone out when Fu Jingting's assistant, Duan Heng, called him. "Young Master Fu, how much longer do I have to wait?"

They said it was a work arrangement and he was asked to park his car outside and wait.

But what about the work, the arrangements?

Fu Jingting hummed in agreement. "You can leave now."

Duan Heng, "..."