Chapter Fifty-Seven: Taking Action

The news of Chu Chuang’s death spread swiftly throughout the entire Jiangnan district. Inevitably, it reached Jiang Zhongtao’s ears as well.

“What! Chu Chuang is dead?”

Jiang Zhongtao was reviewing reports at his desk when he heard the man’s words at the door, his face filled with panic. He couldn’t believe it—the two of them had just dined together the night before, and now they were separated by the gulf between life and death. Hadn’t he arranged for support from the Jiangnan district? How could this happen…

Before he could finish, the man at the door interjected, “It was Xiao Ye.”

As he spoke, a trace of fear flashed across his face; he produced several photographs and approached Jiang Zhongtao. They were screenshots from the surveillance footage taken during the incident at the Chu family tower. In the images, a man moved so quickly that his silhouette blurred. Though the frame was distorted, Jiang Zhongtao instantly recognized him.

It was Xiao Ye.

“Xiao Ye!” Jiang Zhongtao growled through clenched teeth. Xiao Ye’s strength was even more unfathomable than he had imagined. Now, regret gnawed at him. He regretted listening to Huangfu Tian’s slander, and even more so, he regretted carelessly taking the Green Bamboo Jade Flute, thereby provoking this harbinger of calamity.

But now, it was far too late for regrets.

Frustrated, Jiang Zhongtao swept all the reports from his desk in a fit of rage, sending the entire room into chaos. Seeing this, the man at the door hurried over to gather the scattered papers and spoke again.

“President, in my view, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Xiao Ye has killed the person in charge of the Jiangnan district as well!”

At this, Jiang Zhongtao’s restless heart suddenly went blank. His eyes, already wide, opened even further as he drew in a sharp breath.

“You mean, he killed Zhou Cheng too?” Jiang Zhongtao strode over to the man, grasped his shoulder firmly, his expression deadly serious. “Is this true?”

The man nodded. Jiang Zhongtao turned, clapping his hands together, his face lighting up with ecstatic delight.

“I always thought Xiao Ye was clever and daring, but I didn’t expect him to act so recklessly, killing their leader. The people of Jiangnan district will never let this go!”

Jiang Zhongtao smirked, his gaze growing even more contemptuous toward Xiao Ye. With them bearing the brunt, the pressure on his side would be greatly reduced.

In this light, Chu Chuang’s death was not without its value.

Jiang Zhongtao’s excitement grew, and the cunning in his eyes deepened.

“If I recall correctly, Xiao Ye is a member of the Xiao family in Jiangnan. Xiao Corporation should be his, right?” He turned and addressed the man behind him.

The man nodded. Jiang Zhongtao clicked his tongue and said, “Since Xiao Ye’s strength is formidable, let’s play to our own strengths.”

The Jianghai Business Alliance could never match the martial prowess of Xiao Ye, the king of another lineage. But when it came to business warfare, in Jiangnan, no one dared challenge the Jianghai Business Alliance.

The thought made Jiang Zhongtao even more excited. If you want to take something from me, prepare to pay dearly.

...

Meanwhile, Xiao Ye returned home to change clothes before hurrying to the office. By the time he arrived, the contract had already been finalized. The conference room was empty.

Qin Xue’er was in her office, organizing meeting documents. Thanks to the Lu family’s support these past few days, the Xiao Corporation's profits had soared. Numerous companies, drawn by her reputation, were vying to negotiate partnerships. She had been busy beyond measure.

Xiao Ye entered the office and stepped inside.

“Aren’t you a bit late?” Qin Xue’er spoke, not lifting her head, addressing Xiao Ye beside her. That morning alone, at least five companies had come seeking collaboration. She had hoped Xiao Ye might help share the workload, but he had unexpectedly delayed himself by two hours.

“I had something to deal with, so I was held up,” Xiao Ye replied calmly, as though he’d only taken care of a minor errand.

He had worried that Qin Xue’er might be shaken by the recent assassination attempt, but seeing her energetic demeanor, he realized he’d been overly concerned. Watching her work so intently, Xiao Ye felt as though he were transported back five years.

He stared at her figure, momentarily lost in thought.

It was only after Qin Xue’er called his name several times that he snapped back.

“What were you thinking about?” Xiao Ye smiled and shook his head. “What do you want for lunch? I’m free this afternoon; we could go out and eat something.”

Qin Xue’er didn’t press further, simply responding to Xiao Ye. He nodded, and as the two were about to leave, a flustered middle-aged man hurried in from outside.

Both were startled; Qin Xue’er instinctively touched her mask.

Before they could speak, the man addressed them directly. “President Qin, I’m terribly sorry. After our company’s review, I’m afraid we can no longer proceed with this partnership.”

He was apologetic, but his resolve was firm. Qin Xue’er understood immediately, and calmly took out the contract, tearing it up.

“It’s alright. We haven’t started yet anyway. I hope we’ll have the chance to cooperate in the future.”

There were binding penalty clauses in the contract, but since she had only just taken over the company and wanted to maintain good relations, Qin Xue’er decided not to enforce them.

The middle-aged man seemed relieved and thanked Qin Xue’er profusely before leaving in haste.

Xiao Ye frowned. Though such breaches were common, it still left him unsettled.

Noticing his discomfort, Qin Xue’er reassured him, “It’s nothing. These things happen—don’t let it bother you.”

Xiao Ye nodded. They left the company together and carefully selected a three-star restaurant specializing in vegetarian cuisine.

The ambiance was superb, evoking the tranquility of a secluded retreat. The high standard was unmistakable.

After choosing their dishes, the table was soon laden with beautifully presented food. Even with her mask on, Qin Xue’er’s excitement was unmistakable.

Just as she was about to begin eating, her phone rang.

After a brief conversation, her tone remained courteous, but her expression soured.

“What’s wrong?” Xiao Ye asked curiously.

For some reason, yet another partner wanted to terminate their agreement. What were they thinking?

Qin Xue’er shook her head, ate a little, and replied.