Chapter 48: Discussing Cooperation

“Big sis, now I’m on your side. I firmly support you breaking ties with that jerk of a brother-in-law.” Little Jade raised her fist as if taking an oath.

“Your change of heart is a bit too sudden—it’s hard to keep up.” Sipping her coffee elegantly, Tan Xue showed little interest in the whims of her capricious younger sister.

“I mean it, sis. I’ve finally seen his true colors. If he can take advantage, he will; and if he can’t, he’ll make a way to do it anyway.” The thought of Chu Dong scheming so maliciously—using both her and Miss Xiao’s goodwill just to satisfy his own petty pursuits—left her deeply unsettled.

“Good, as long as you understand. Stay away from him in the future; he’s not a good person.” Tan Xue smiled, amused by her younger sister’s indignant expression.

Silver Dragon Group was headquartered in a small building in the bustling city center. The building, over ten stories high, dated back to the late eighties but was still in good shape. The lower floors housed a coffee shop, bar, and other popular spots for white-collar workers to relax.

Early in the morning, Tan Xue drove to the company. Dressed in a crisp white blouse and blue business suit, she looked both spirited and graceful. After parking, she gathered a stack of documents in her arms and walked lightly toward the office building.

“Well, what a coincidence—meeting you so early.” Chu Dong seemed to appear out of nowhere. Today, he was dressed especially smart: a blue plaid shirt with a high collar, sharply pressed slacks, and an air of dashing confidence. Only the few undone buttons at the top added a hint of reckless flair.

Her lips pursed slightly in a way that made her look even cuter. She ignored Chu Dong, turning her head and walking past him, her dainty nose giving a soft snort. Such tricks—she’d seen plenty abroad.

“Xue’er, Uncle Tan is coming to the office today, right? I wanted to ask him what needs to be prepared before a wedding.” Chu Dong’s skin was thick as leather; he remained unfazed by her coldness.

“What? Who said anything about a wedding? Dream on!” Tan Xue could ignore almost anything, but mention of marriage made her anxious. How had she heard nothing about it? Could her father have reached an agreement with the Chu family about marriage behind her back?

“Oh, it’s for a friend who’s getting married. I just wanted to ask on their behalf—and besides, it might come in handy for me someday.” He followed her into the building and up to the elevators. “Your office is on the sixth floor, right? I think Uncle Tan mentioned it last time. I never had the time to visit; don’t be mad.”

“As if I’d be mad. I’d rather you didn’t come at all—makes it easier for everyone to enjoy their meal.” When the elevator doors opened, Tan Xue stepped in first. Watching Chu Dong trot in after her and press the sixth-floor button so eagerly, she shot him a sidelong glance.

To her surprise, Chu Dong didn’t pester her further. Instead, he stood gallantly to the side, remaining a picture of courtesy. Only when the elevator arrived did he wait for Tan Xue to step out first before following. Without another word, he headed straight to the reception desk.

“Hello, may I help you?” The receptionist, seeing Chu Dong accompanied by the young lady of the company—though the two seemed unfamiliar with each other—didn’t dare be negligent and stood up quickly.

“My name is Chu Dong. I have business with Director Tan and would like to wait for him here.” Chu Dong smiled as he spoke.

“Do you have an appointment?” the receptionist asked carefully.

“Heh, no, but we’ve known each other for a long time. Please go ahead and arrange it—there won’t be any trouble.” With impeccable manners and a magnetic voice, Chu Dong was hard to refuse.

Tan Xue, walking away more slowly, patted her chest and exhaled in relief as she hurried to her office. She dreaded Chu Dong saying something about needing an appointment to see his future father-in-law. Given his past behavior, that would have been typical, but she hadn’t expected him to show such restraint.

“All right, then,” the receptionist agreed, still a bit hesitant at first, but seeing that the young lady had no objections, she served Chu Dong a glass of water and invited him to wait in the lounge.

At first, Tan Xue had assumed Chu Dong had come to bother her and resolved not to show him any kindness. Yet now, seeing him act so properly—making an appointment with her father as if their business had nothing to do with her—she couldn’t help but feel slightly ignored. She set her files down, sat in her chair, and cupped her cheeks, lost in thought. After a long while she could make no sense of it, so she called Li Youlan.

“If you ask me, that jerk is just trying to show off to you,” Li Youlan said as she munched on an apple. “I heard he made a big pile of money recently—maybe he’s just feeling smug and wants to rub it in your face.”

“But he didn’t say anything—just that he’s here to see my dad. I just have a bad feeling about this,” Tan Xue replied, furrowing her brow. Chu Dong had always been mischievous as a child—who knew what mischief he was up to now? Even if he said nothing, just knowing he was nearby made her uneasy, as if trouble was brewing.

“If he didn’t say anything, then you’d better be careful. Who knows what tricks he’s hiding up his sleeve. Stay alert—keep an eye on him and keep in touch. I don’t believe he can pull anything off.” Li Youlan perked up. “Actually, I’ll come over now, just in case something happens.” Finishing her call, Li Youlan jumped out of bed and started picking out clothes from her wardrobe.

“Dongzi, you’re here! Come in, have a seat.” Tan Songhai was full of energy, arriving at the office as soon as the workday began. Spotting Chu Dong, he cheerfully pulled him into his office.

“Uncle Tan, I’m here to discuss something,” Chu Dong said without preamble as he took a seat.

“Oh? What is it? Just say the word—we’re family here,” the old man replied warmly. He’d already accepted Chu Dong as a son-in-law and never treated him as an outsider.

“I just started a new planning company. Silver Dragon specializes in real estate projects—I’d like to collaborate with you.” Direct as ever, Chu Dong knew there was no point in beating around the bush.

“That’s a small matter—take your pick of Silver Dragon’s projects. If you want to handle the planning, that’s no problem at all.” The old man had long considered this; he was happy to keep the business in the family. His only concern had been that Tan Xue might object or that Chu Dong might be too proud to accept. Now, with Chu Dong asking, how could he refuse?

“What I’m hoping is to handle the marketing as well. Pure planning doesn’t bring in much. Do you think that’s possible?” Chu Dong rubbed his hands a little sheepishly.

“Ah, I see.” It wasn’t that Tan Songhai was unwilling, but Silver Dragon had other shareholders. A company of this size naturally had its own marketing team, and the profits from that department were significant. He himself would approve because of their family connection, but the other shareholders had no such ties. Giving up that much profit might not pass a board vote. He paused to consider the matter.

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