Liu Yutong's words were primarily directed at the two investors. As for the brand representative, he held little value in her eyes, and there was indeed no need to insist on cooperation. Whether he chose to stay for a few more days or leave immediately, she wouldn’t stop him.
"By the way, we were so caught up in the excitement earlier that we haven’t properly introduced ourselves. Gentlemen, would you mind giving us a brief introduction? It’d be good for President Lin and me to get to know you."
The two men who were called out tensed up, realizing there was no avoiding it.
The first to speak was the middle-aged man in dark gray. "Ms. Liu, President Lin, my name is Ji Zhe, a partner at Qixing Capital. My focus is mainly on..."
The other investor, slightly plump, followed with his introduction: "Ms. Liu, I’m Chu Hai, a partner at AEG’s Dragon Country division, overseeing consumer and internet investments here."
Liu Yutong’s eyes lit up. While their names were unfamiliar to her—mainly because she hadn’t paid much attention to the investment world in her past life—she was well aware of the prestigious institutions they represented.
For instance, companies like the messaging giant Big Goose and the future tech powerhouse Great Rice had ties to these firms. They were indeed top-tier, long-established investment institutions.
Liu Yutong suddenly felt this trip had been more than worth it. Not only had she secured the copyright acquisition, but she’d also unexpectedly crossed paths with two heavyweights from the investment world.
Given that, she was even more determined to make sure they left something behind.
"Mr. Ji, Mr. Chu, I never imagined we’d meet the likes of you in a small place like this. What a fortunate coincidence."
"Of course, as a gesture of goodwill, I’ll cover all your expenses during your stay in Bright Pearl City—lodging, meals, everything."
Though Ji Zhe and Chu Hai were still cursing inwardly about how shady Bright Pearl City was, they didn’t dare refuse outwardly.
This Ms. Liu might appear courteous, but that was just a facade. Anyone could tell she had connections in both legitimate and underworld circles.
Even influential figures like them, who were usually treated as honored guests wherever they went, had no choice but to toe the line here. Otherwise, they might end up flat on their faces—literally.
"You’re too kind, Ms. Liu. We’ll gladly accept your hospitality."
"Yes, yes! Thank you for your generosity, Ms. Liu. We’ll… uh, trouble you for a few more days then."
Liu Yutong nodded. "Good. It just so happens my company recently established an investment division. I’d love for you two seasoned experts to offer some guidance and advice."
Ji Zhe and Chu Hai hastily waved their hands.
"You flatter us, Ms. Liu. The chance to exchange insights with your company’s elite team is an honor we’d never dare refuse."
"Mr. Ji is right! It’s our privilege to engage with the talent under your leadership, Ms. Liu!"
Their tones were humble, their words dripping with sincerity.
But inwardly, they scoffed.
A bunch of thugs who made their living through extortion and violence—what did they know about investing?
Did they even understand valuation models, risk management, or industry analysis?
For all they knew, this so-called "investment division" was just a new debt-collection unit, specializing in "persuading" people to invest—with their fists.
Hell, they themselves might end up as the first "clients."
The thought made their hearts sink even further.
Still, if playing along meant getting out of this godforsaken city in one piece, they’d gladly pay the price.
Liu Yutong smiled. "With your reassurance, I’m at ease. By the way, this hotel belongs to a friend of mine. The accommodations are quite comfortable, so you can rest well tonight. I’ll have someone arrange everything."
Ji Zhe and Chu Hai stiffened at her words.
This was a blatant warning—don’t even think about running. They’d be watched.
The girl’s mind was terrifyingly meticulous, her methods airtight.
What a shame she’d chosen such a wicked, ruthless path.
"Thank you so much, Ms. Liu!" they exclaimed, feigning gratitude.
Liu Yutong stood. "Then I won’t disturb your meal or rest any longer. Tomorrow morning, I’ll send someone to escort you to our company for discussions. That’s all for now—I’ll take my leave."
With that, she turned and strode out of the private room without hesitation.
As Liu Yutong and her entourage departed, the brand representative, who’d been ignored the whole time, suddenly panicked. "Hey, what about me? What do I do? I didn’t even get to introduce myself!"
A black-clad underling at the rear of the group turned and glared. "Go wherever the hell you want. Scram."
The brand representative: "..."
Seriously? Did brand reps have no rights now? Were they really this unwelcome?
He actually felt a pang of grievance.
Why?
Why the blatant discrimination?!
A moment later, once only the three of them remained in the room, it finally dawned on him. He turned to Ji Zhe and Chu Hai. "Mr. Ji, Mr. Chu… when they told me to ‘scram,’ did they mean it literally?"
Ji Zhe and Chu Hai exchanged glances, equally uncertain. "Uh… probably?"
The brand rep’s indignation instantly evaporated, replaced by sheer delight. "Really? I can just leave? Hahaha—"
As he whooped and hollered in the room, Ji Zhe and Chu Hai watched with bitter envy.
Why?!
Why did they—two heavyweight investors with vast resources and connections—have to endure this "hospitality," including tomorrow’s farcical "exchange" with some sham investment team, while this nobody got to walk away scot-free?
Unfair!
Ji Zhe was tempted to flag down one of the black-suited men and yell, "I want to scram too!"—but he wasn’t sure if it was too late.
In the end, the brand rep really did "scram." The moment he stepped into the hallway, he dropped to the floor and rolled—all the way to the elevator, where he vanished from sight.
Hotel staff stared, dumbfounded.
Was this guy mentally ill? Should they call an asylum?
Meanwhile, Ji Zhe and Chu Hai, the supposed insiders, watched with naked envy.
If Liu Yutong hadn’t already left, they’d have pleaded, "We can roll too! We’ve been doing it since we were babies—give us a chance to join the rolling party!"
Alas, fate had denied them that bliss.
------
Elsewhere, as Liu Yutong prepared to part ways with her senior Xue Linna and the others downstairs, she suddenly turned to Su Qing. "Ms. Su, about the contract you signed with Linna…"
Before she could finish, Su Qing tensed and blurted, "Ms. Liu, please don’t misunderstand! The contract between Xue Linna and me is just a standard trainee agreement. The penalty clause is minimal—it’ll be easy to handle."
Clearly, she feared Liu Yutong might use the contract against her.
Liu Yutong smiled faintly. "Ms. Su, you’ve misread me. What I meant was, you might consider bringing Linna to Bright Pearl City for opportunities. Teacher Xue Qian’s studio is based here—you could operate under its umbrella."
She paused, her tone carrying an unshakable authority. "At the very least, no one here would dare force you to do anything against your will."
With that, she said no more and led her group away.
Su Qing and Xue Linna stood frozen in place, watching as Liu Yutong was surrounded by the group of black-clad figures. The weight behind Liu Yutong's final words was something Su Qing understood better than anyone.
In their circle, seniority and hierarchy were strictly enforced, and unwritten rules ran deep. Many girls who dreamed of entering that world without connections often found themselves forced to sacrifice something along the way.
But here, perhaps that very culture could be overturned.
"Qing-jie, did... did junior Liu Yutong just invite us? And she said... no one would dare force us?" Xue Linna whispered hesitantly.
Instead of answering, Su Qing turned the question back. "Linna, what do you think... of Bright Pearl City?"
Xue Linna didn’t hesitate. "I think... it’s good. With Teacher Xue Qian here, we’d definitely learn a lot about music. And... it feels safer here."
..........
