Chapter 20: Giving Mr. Shen the Cold Shoulder

The next morning. Shen Jue was meticulously dressed, his suit exuding a powerful aura of nobility and composure. He put on his best demeanor and headed to the KSWORLD Hotel. The moment he stepped into the lobby, he felt a sense of ease. He had visited this place once last year, and even his usually rigorous and critical self couldn't help but complain. —"A disorganized mess, utterly unremarkable." But now, it was completely transformed, achieving the high standards of a first-class hotel. It seemed Miss Tang possessed impressive management skills and was a formidable opponent not to be underestimated. "This is Mr. Shen, the CEO of Shen Group. Mr. Shen would like to meet with Ms. Tang. Please inform her." Han Xian had made several inquiries before finally finding Tang Qiao'er's executive assistant to state their purpose. "I apologize, but Ms. Tang does not meet anyone without an appointment," the executive assistant replied politely. "Even Mr. Shen of Shen Group needs an appointment?" Han Xian's brows furrowed. "Why not?" "You!" Han Xian's face flushed with anger. He truly wanted to file a complaint right then and there! "I'd like to make an appointment today. When can I see Ms. Tang?" Shen Jue asked, his expression grim, as he stepped forward. "Ms. Tang is quite busy, so I can't say for sure. Perhaps you could try again tomorrow?" "You!" Han Xian felt his temper, usually quite good, was about to snap. "It's alright, Ah Xian. Let's make an appointment first." Shen Jue pulled Han Xian back, a deep shadow clouding his eyes. After all, losing one's temper showed no grace and solved nothing. Defeated, they returned to the car. Han Xian was so furious his back teeth ached. He slammed his fist against the car window. "This is outrageous! This is Shengjing, not their Tang family's Haimen! Isn't Ms. Tang afraid of offending you and ruining her chances in all of Shengjing by putting on such airs?!" "We'll come back tomorrow." Shen Jue's brows were tightly knit. He leaned back, closing his eyes, his chiseled jawline and neck forming an alluring curve. "Did you hear what that guy said? I bet tomorrow will be just as futile!" "If not tomorrow, then the day after. In any case, I must see Tang Qiao'er." Shen Jue loosened his tie, his chest feeling tight. "Jin Group can't wait. If we drag this out any longer, they might go bankrupt." ... The next day, Shen Jue arrived at the hotel early, only to find Han Xian's words had come true. He was turned away again. On the third day, Shen Jue's attempt failed +1. To think, he was a prominent business magnate, one of the nation's top ten outstanding young people, who had once accompanied the Prime Minister on an overseas visit and received the highest level of foreign courtesy. In his own country, his name alone was enough to strike fear into people's hearts. But this Tang Qiao'er treated him like nothing, ignoring him completely and showing no respect whatsoever! It was utterly infuriating! * That day, it was drizzling, and the young madam arrived at work in a good mood. Tang Qiao'er's sharp, sky-high heels clicked with decisive efficiency. She wore a meticulously tailored, double-breasted black suit dress that exuded the aura of a female magnate. A pair of delicate gold rose earrings adorned her small earlobes, serving as the perfect finishing touch to her entire outfit. "Oh my god! Our lady boss is so beautiful and fierce! I'm absolutely obsessed!" "Ever since Ms. Tang arrived, the female employees look forward to seeing her outfits every day, and the male employees look forward to seeing her angelic face to purify their souls. It makes working so much more energetic!" "Calling her the most beautiful heiress from a prominent family, I don't think anyone would object, right?" Ever since Gao Ming was packed off, she had brought everyone in the hotel, from top to bottom, into submission. Every department worked diligently, striving for perfection. From stagnant to thriving, Tang Qiao'er had achieved this transformation in less than half a month. One must first put one's own house in order before dealing with external matters. She had to fix the internal mess before she could conquer the world outside. "Shen Group has secretly injected a considerable sum of money into Jin Group. Jin Group suffered heavy losses due to negative publicity, with almost all orders canceled. This money has essentially given them a lifeline." On the other end of the phone, Tang Yue reported the latest situation to Tang Qiao'er. "I guessed as much. How could Shen Jue not help his wife's family? So deeply devoted, not only was he cuckolded, but he's eager to take the blame. It seems he's impatient to turn from a devoted lover into a resentful fool." Tang Qiao'er scoffed, kicking off her high heels and rubbing her aching ankle. "However, a damaged reputation isn't something money can fix. Shen Jue injecting capital into Jin Group now is like burning money for a dead person; it won't change anything." "Shen Jue, like you, is a business genius. He understands the logic you're talking about. It's just that, besides using money to stabilize the situation, there's no better solution right now." Tang Yue let out a clear, soft laugh. "Sometimes I think, if the two of you were truly a devoted couple and ended up together, the entire world would be yours to command, and you could turn the tables as you pleased." "Deep devotion isn't our destiny, but being sworn enemies is still an option." Tang Qiao'er took a piece of chocolate from her drawer and put it in her mouth, a cold glint in her bright eyes. Just as she finished her call with her elder brother, Lin Su rushed in, looking impatient. "Young Madam! Shen Jue is here again, again, again! This man is truly shameless; it's a pity he doesn't sell insurance!" "To be so resilient for the one he loves, his tenacity is indeed admirable." Tang Qiao'er didn't even look up, busy signing documents. But Lin Su detected a hint of sour, bitter taste in her indifferent words, though he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination. "Young Madam, this time I'll go down myself and make sure he's completely driven away!" "No, invite him up." Tang Qiao'er capped her pen, her eyes lifting. "What?!" Lin Su was very surprised. "He's made three visits to see me, this female Zhuge Liang. How can I not show the CEO of Shen Group a little courtesy?" Tang Qiao'er leaned forward, extending her cute, fair little feet. Lin Su quickly walked over, knelt on one knee, and helped her put on her high heels. "Now, go to the western restaurant or coffee shop areas and find a pretty, articulate young woman. I have something to arrange." About ten minutes later, Lin Su led a qualified female server into the office. "Ms. Tang, hello!" The server bowed deeply to the lady boss, so nervous she barely dared to breathe. "Don't be nervous. I'm just giving you a temporary small task. I'll reward you after it's done," Tang Qiao'er smiled slightly. "Just helping Ms. Tang is reward enough for me! I don't need anything else!" The server's face flushed. "I love you so much! You're... you're my idol!" Well, it turned out she was a fan! Tang Qiao'er looked her over with a smile, nodding repeatedly. "Good, about my size. Ah Su, go prepare a set of my clothes and shoes for her." "Huh? Okay..." Lin Su left, utterly bewildered. "Ms. Tang, what do you want me to do for you?" the server asked eagerly. Tang Qiao'er's red lips curved slyly. "Soon, Shen Jue, the CEO of Shen Group, will come to meet me. I'm annoyed by him and don't want to see him, so you'll meet him in my place." The server's legs went numb with fright. "Don't be afraid. I'll monitor the office situation the entire time. You'll wear a Bluetooth earpiece, and you just say whatever I tell you to say. Remember, act natural~" ... After three persistent visits, Shen Jue finally got the chance to see Tang Qiao'er. Although his stern face remained as calm as water, his heart was subtly trembling, unable to settle. The executive assistant led them to the elevator. Along the way, Shen Jue's exceptionally handsome appearance drew the attention of female employees. At the elevator, Han Xian was about to press the button when the executive assistant stopped him. "This elevator is reserved for Ms. Tang. You two will have to take another one." "Hmph, what's so special about that?" Han Xian couldn't help but roll his eyes. Shen Jue didn't mind much; after all, he had his own exclusive elevator at Shen Group. The elevator slowly ascended towards the fortieth floor. But it stopped on the thirtieth floor. "Please exit the elevator," the executive assistant said. "We haven't arrived yet. Isn't Ms. Tang's office on the fortieth floor?" Han Xian asked in surprise. "Yes, but this elevator only goes up to the thirtieth floor." "What do you mean?" Shen Jue's brow furrowed. "Aside from the General Manager's exclusive elevator, the other five elevators only go up to the thirtieth floor. No one can use the exclusive elevator without Ms. Tang's special permission. So, if you two wish to go to the fortieth floor, there's only one way." Climb! The! Stairs! Han Xian was furious. "Is this your Ms. Tang's way of treating guests?! This is too much!" "Ms. Tang's instructions, I can only follow. If you two are unwilling, I can escort you downstairs." The executive assistant was like an emotionless machine. "Fine, we'll climb." Shen Jue pressed his lips together, suppressing his anger. Without another word, he stepped out of the elevator. Did Tang Qiao'er think that by making things difficult, he would retreat? The word "retreat" simply wasn't in Shen Jue's dictionary!