Everyone in the conference room gradually filed out, but Fu Jie remained where he was. He looked up at Zhou Sui'an, who was about to get to his feet.
“CEO Zhou.”
His voice was steady, his expression resolute. “I need to confirm the exact purpose of the twenty-million-yuan payment you approved yesterday.”
Zhou Sui'an tugged at his tie. “Finance Director Fu, deduct it from my personal dividends. It won’t go through the company’s public accounts.”
“Even if it comes from your personal account, there still needs to be a clear explanation of how the funds will be used.”
Fu Jie did his best to persuade him. “Twenty million is no small amount. If an unaccounted-for transfer is investigated by the tax authorities, it could easily be deemed tax evasion. When that happens, it won’t just affect you—the entire Zhou Group could be implicated.”
Zhou Sui'an’s brows drew tightly together.
Fu Jie’s strong sense of principle was both a virtue and a drawback.
He left no room for negotiation.
Not even for the president of the company.
With a hint of helplessness in his voice, Zhou Sui'an said, “Then follow the tax regulations to the letter. I’ll pay whatever taxes are required—not a cent less.”
Fu Jie looked at him, wanting to say something but hesitating.
A transfer of twenty million yuan, taxed at the highest personal income tax rate, would mean paying several million more in taxes for no reason.
He really couldn’t understand how the normally shrewd CEO Zhou could become so foolish whenever it came to Su Wan.
Zhou Suisui, who had been sitting quietly to the side, suddenly stood up.
“Brother.”
Her voice was soft, but her tone left no room for argument. “I was the one who stopped Finance Director Fu from transferring the money.”
At that, Zhou Sui'an and Fu Jie both froze.
After a moment, Zhou Sui'an stared at his sister in utter bewilderment.
“Suisui? Why would you do that?”
Zhou Suisui didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she turned to Fu Jie and said in a calm voice touched with faint apology, “Finance Director Fu, you should get back to work. I’ll handle the rest with my brother.”
“All right.”
As he left, Fu Jie glanced at Zhou Suisui.
Although the Zhou family's eldest daughter was young, she possessed an unyielding air.
She normally had nothing to do with the company. Could she really handle this matter?
He remained doubtful.
—
The siblings returned to the president’s office.
The words of reproach had already reached Zhou Sui'an’s lips, but when he met his sister’s composed and calm gaze, his tone softened by a third.
“Suisui, I have an urgent use for that money.”
Zhou Suisui nodded and said calmly, “I know. It’s the penalty Su Wan owes Tianyu.”
Zhou Sui'an froze. “She didn’t know about the contract in the first place. Her agency set her up. She came from a poor background, and if I don’t help her resolve this, she’ll be driven into a dead end.”
Zhou Suisui didn’t respond right away. Instead, she asked, “Brother, you promised me last night that I would be in charge of the family’s money from now on. Does that still count?”
“Of course it counts!”
“My thought is… since she’s the victim, we shouldn’t be the ones filling this hole.”
“That may be true, but Wanwan…”
“Brother, the contract was signed because her agency told her to. The penalty should be claimed from the agency. And since her agent signed it without her knowledge, that makes things even easier. We can help Sister Su Wan report it to the police directly, accuse her agent of exceeding her authority as an agent, and hold her accountable.”
Zhou Sui'an was completely stunned.
His mind had been filled with Su Wan’s aggrieved sobs, and all he had wanted was to pay the money and settle the problem.
The amount wasn’t enough to make him hesitate.
He had actually considered this solution yesterday, but he still had some reservations.
“Wanwan cares deeply about that agent. I’m afraid she’ll be put in a difficult position if we go too far.”
Zhou Suisui raised an eyebrow. “Brother, just a few days ago, you were thinking about helping Su Wan replace her agent. Why have you changed your mind now?”
“Isn’t it because Wanwan can’t let go of the past? She insists that Wang Zhen was the one who brought her up.”
“Brother, if she can’t tell the good people from the bad ones around her, then all the more reason for us not to indulge her.”
Those words struck directly at Zhou Sui'an’s heart.
He truly couldn’t stand the agent at Su Wan’s side.
Wang Zhen bullied Su Wan at every turn.
Suisui’s plan would solve Su Wan’s problem while conveniently getting rid of Wang Zhen.
It was killing two birds with one stone.
His gaze gradually softened, and a look of pleasantly surprised delight appeared in his eyes as he looked at his sister.
“Suisui, I didn’t realize you cared so much about Wanwan. I almost misunderstood you and thought you didn’t like her.”
“I don’t like her. It’s only because you like her that I’m doing this. I don’t have a choice.”
Zhou Sui'an affectionately tapped her on the nose. “You little smart-mouth.”
“Suisui, don’t worry. No matter who your brother marries, you’ll always be my sister.”
“In my heart, my brother is the most important person too.”
Zhou Suisui took the opportunity to shower him with sweet words.
Zhou Sui'an immediately beamed with delight. “Be a little more serious. You’re the special executive assistant to the president of Zhou Group now.”
“I know.”
Just then, Zhou Sui'an’s phone suddenly rang.
It was Assistant Wen, reminding him not to miss his flight. He was already waiting downstairs.
“All right, I know. I’ll be right down.”
After hanging up, Zhou Sui'an looked at Zhou Suisui with an embarrassed expression. “Suisui, I have to leave for New York now to attend the Global Industry Summit. I’ll probably be gone for three days. As for this matter…”
“I’ll take care of it.”
Zhou Suisui assured him, “Go on your business trip without worrying. I won’t let Sister Su Wan suffer, and I won’t let our family’s money go to waste.”
The summit brought together the world’s top AI companies, and he had to attend in person.
He ruffled Zhou Suisui’s hair and reminded her again and again, “Then I’ll leave this to you. Call me anytime if something happens, and don’t let yourself be treated unfairly.”
“Okay. Come home early, Brother. Have a safe trip.”
Zhou Suisui took the initiative to fetch his coat and drape it over his shoulders, seeing him off with obvious reluctance.
“I’ll bring you a present when I get back.”
“You’re the best, Brother.”
The moment Zhou Sui'an left, Zhou Suisui curled her lips into an evil smile.
Su Wan, oh, Su Wan.
You can forget about getting that money in this lifetime!
Meanwhile, at the filming location.
After finishing a scene, Su Wan returned to the trailer Zhou Sui'an had arranged for her, looking displeased.
“This headdress is so heavy. I don’t want to play maids anymore. When will I ever get to play the leading lady?”
Wang Zhen was using a tablet to chat with Su Wan’s fans in their group, calming them down over the incident in which Su Wan had been stood up two days earlier while conveniently shifting the blame onto Zhou Sui'an. The group had quickly become heated.
At Su Wan’s words, Wang Zhen looked up and snorted. “It’s been three days since the two million was supposed to arrive, and the money still hasn’t shown up.”
Su Wan froze. “It still hasn’t arrived?”
She lifted her eyelids, utterly unconcerned. “Zhou Sui'an must have been delayed by something.”
“Delayed?”
“Su Wan, let me remind you of something. Zhou Sui'an hasn’t come to see you for three whole days! Wasn’t he always running around after you before? Do you really think you’re some kind of celestial beauty he can’t live without? Rich second-generation heirs are the most fickle of all. Maybe he’s already tired of you!”
Su Wan’s expression darkened at those words.
But it was true. Zhou Sui'an had been acting strangely toward her these past few days.
He still messaged her as usual, apologized, and coaxed her, but that was all—there had been no real action at all.
Then again, she thought, as long as she still had the identity of his “lifesaver,” there was no way he would stop taking care of her.
“Why the rush? The company must have kept him so busy that he forgot. Once he’s finished, he’ll transfer the money over.”
“Then hurry up and remind him!”
“I know. I know what I’m doing.”
Su Wan replied reluctantly.
Only after Wang Zhen had left did she leisurely pick up her phone and call Zhou Sui’an.
“Sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable…”
A mechanical message informing her that the phone was switched off came through the receiver.
Her expression darkened. She switched to another number and made a call.
“Cousin, why hasn’t the money from last night come through yet? What’s going on?”
