Return to the Day When My Pregnant Wife Jumped Off the Building-Chapter 353 Cooperation for Mutual Benefit_1

In this life, the most common and troublesome issue one faces is that most things do not develop exactly as you wish.

Destiny is like a mischievous child, always unpredictable, giving you success or setbacks based solely on a whim—without any rhyme or reason.

If Xiao Ming had to choose the phrase he hated most, it would definitely be: "No matter how hard you try to plant flowers, they might not bloom; yet willows planted without intention might flourish."

For an ambitious person, any surprise, good or bad, is unwelcome.

At seven in the evening, Xiao Ming, dressed in formal attire, entered the banquet hall on the eighteenth floor, arm-in-arm with Furukawa Shizuka, clad in a traditional kimono. They instantly attracted many eyes.

His afternoon scuffle with Hao Xiangyu and his intent to take over the Fanjincheng project had already spread, and his title as the biggest investment company director in Longyin was no longer a secret.

Young, wealthy, and brazen, coupled with a foreign beauty—Xiao Ming was like a novel’s protagonist, meant to be flashy and envied by all his peers.

However, it was not long before Xiao Ming discovered that novels are deceiving.

All the enthusiastic men came up to get acquainted with him, whereas the few pretty ladies, except for Furukawa Shizuka, looked at him with hostility.

There was even revulsion. As soon as he got within three or four meters of them, they would promptly move away as if he were some kind of plague or notorious seducer.

After mingling for a while, greeting Shi Qianshan and not seeing Fang Muye, Xiao Ming and Furukawa Shizuka took their seats.

"Do I have some unpleasant smell on me?" he asked.

Furukawa Shizuka leaned close to sniff his neck, "There’s only the scent of shower gel and new clothes, which is too faint. Later, I’ll pick out some colognes for you.

Men need some distinct scent."

Xiao Ming ignored the latter part of her comment and asked again, "Then why do all the beauties run away when they see me? I was hoping to get acquainted with the ladies from the four families of Hao Wu’an tonight!"

"So you weren’t planning to use my seductive tactics but to sacrifice yourself?"

"To ask such a ridiculous question, Furukawa, I’m now seriously doubting your professional integrity."

Furukawa Shizuka pouted, then seemed to think of something and asked, "How... how do you usually address that gambling ship captain?" freewёbnoνel.com

As his gaze swept over the banquet hall, Xiao Ming responded casually, "Many ways. Sometimes I call her Fujiwara, sometimes just Rika, but more often, Little Dog."

"Little... Little Dog?"

"Yeah! She’s my pet."

Furukawa Shizuka’s mind was immediately filled with question marks. She took a deep breath and said, "If I remember correctly, you also promised that day that if I accepted your offer, you would tell me about your dealings with the Infinite Society."

Xiao Ming turned his gaze back to her, piercingly, "Have you decided? You should know, I have a very low tolerance for betrayal."

Meeting his gaze with a smile, Furukawa Shizuka replied, "So far, I haven’t found any reason worth betraying you for.

At the very least, a boss who trusts my abilities, gives me a great deal of freedom, and allows me to establish my own intelligence organization is probably unique in the entire world."

"Alright then, I’ll tell you tonight or tomorrow when I have time."

With that, Xiao Ming stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"I have a stomachache; I’m going to the restroom.

You can move around freely now, call me if there’s a problem, no need to wait for me specifically."

Xiao Ming hurried off toward a small door in the corner of the banquet hall.

Furukawa Shizuka was puzzled, sensing that Xiao Ming was lying, she felt irritated but couldn’t do anything about it.

What she didn’t notice was a cheongsam-clad waitress following not far behind Xiao Ming.

After exiting the small door, Xiao Ming looked up at the emergency exit sign, about to head to the corridor, but someone grabbed his collar and pushed him into the men’s restroom on the other side.

With a clang, the stall door in the farthest end of the restroom was closed, and the woman in the cheongsam was heaving with a frosty expression on her face.

Xiao Ming, however, had a playful grin on his face, looking her up and down, "Commander Sister, you look great in a cheongsam; it really shows off your long legs. It’s just a pity that peach red is too common. White or sky blue would be better..."

"Shut up!"

The woman was none other than Ding Jianwei, "You’d better explain right now why you urgently called me over, and why I had to come in disguise?"

"Did I say it was urgent? I just mentioned there was someone here you’d be interested in and asked you to come secretly, that’s all."

A hint of discomfort flashed in Ding Jianwei’s eyes, "Cut the crap and get to the point!"

Xiao Ming was very clear that if he answered "I wanted to see you" right now, he would definitely get a chance to enjoy a very wonderful kiss.

Unfortunately, he dared not, nor could he.

"Red Lotus Society, Ten Residence Honored One. Are these names grand enough to warrant your personal presence?"

"Are you serious?"

"I swear on my life."

"Where is the person?"

"I don’t know."

"Don’t..."

Ding Jianwei’s eyebrows shot up as she leaned in close, "Are you playing with me?"

Xiao Ming looked at her with a bitter smile, "Chief Sister, have you been having a hard time lately? The you from before wasn’t so impatient."

Ding Jianwei froze, then the oppressive aura she exuded dispersed, and she lowered her face, resting her forehead against his chest, appearing extremely exhausted.

"Did something happen?" Xiao Ming asked.

Without answering, Ding Jianwei shook her head after a long while and raised her face to say, "Sorry, I’m just a bit tired. Continue."

Seeing she didn’t wish to speak further, Xiao Ming did not ask again. He explained how he was inexplicably invited over and his encounter with Jiang Nanxi.

"How do you know this Jiang Nanxi is the Ten Residence Honored One of the Red Lotus Society?"

Xiao Ming scratched his head, "Chief Sister, we’ve known each other for so long, yet you still ask such questions. You’re really forcing me to lie to you!"

Ding Jianwei blinked, "And how would you answer if you were lying to me?"

"My teacher told me."

Ding Jianwei couldn’t help but laugh, "The ever-elusive Yelang really is a convenient scapegoat. But to think you’d fob me off so easily when lying, do you think I’m stupid?"

"You really are hard to please," Xiao Ming rolled his eyes, "Anyway, I think this is a good opportunity to strike at the Red Lotus Society, and maybe even capture the Saint.

If you pull it off, you’ll be credited with a great achievement, and promotion and a salary raise won’t be a dream."

Ding Jianwei frowned, "Are you thinking of taking risks again?"

"How could it be what I want? They came looking for me, I had no choice!"

"In our line of work, the worst thing to be is greedy. Being grounded and taking things step by step, solidifying our footing, that is the correct work attitude.

I think as long as we can capture the Ten Residence Honored One, clear out the criminals from the four major families including Hao Wuo’an, and destroy the Red Lotus Society’s operations within the Jiuzhou Ancient Appraisal Association, that would be a success."

"Come on! If you do that, how am I supposed to make money?"

Immediately, dangerous sparks began to flicker in Ding Jianwei’s eyes.

"So, the only reason you insisted on me coming here is to help you make money, is that it?"

"Hehe... Well, you know, achieving merit and making money at the same time, mutual benefit, win-win cooperation!"

"Win-win my ass!"

Ding Jianwei was just about to twist Xiao Ming’s ear when suddenly there was a sound of the door opening outside. A thought struck her, and instead of grabbing his ear, she turned his head and stood on tiptoe to kiss him.