She froze for a moment, then quickened her steps and walked out.
Twenty minutes later, after freshening up, she entered the dining room to find He Siyu had already set out a bowl of wontons on the table.
He sat at the table, tapping the surface lightly with his knuckles, his tone as composed as if he were in a corporate meeting: "Done washing up? Come have breakfast."
She walked over and pulled out the chair opposite him, sitting down.
He slid the bowl and spoon toward her, and she accepted them.
"Try it," he said.
Sang Ning lowered her gaze to the bowl of wontons, stirring them absently with the spoon. Suddenly, the image of the pile in the trash bin earlier flashed through her mind...
She wasn’t entirely sure if this bowl was edible.
Sensing his stare, she looked up and met his dark, piercing eyes. He watched her intently. "Why aren’t you eating?"
"..."
She swallowed hard. "Right."
Then she scooped up a wonton, took a deep breath, and put it in her mouth.
"How is it?" he asked casually.
She nodded. "Not bad."
At least it was cooked.
His brows furrowed slightly, clearly unsatisfied with her answer. "What do you mean, 'not bad'?"
He had spent nearly two hours making this single bowl.
Honestly, she replied, "It’s a bit bland."
He paused. The previous batches had been over-seasoned, so he’d held back on the flavoring this time.
With a calm tone, he said, "Lighter is better. Too much seasoning isn’t healthy."
"..."
Considering he’d gotten up early just to make her breakfast, she decided not to argue.
Sang Ning nodded and took another bite.
The corner of his lips lifted slightly.
Suddenly, she remembered something. "Did you call me?"
Her phone had been left in the living room yesterday, and she’d only just noticed his missed call after getting ready.
He replied offhandedly, "Oh, wrong number."
Sang Ning blinked. Really?
He was still staring at the bowl. "Why aren’t you eating?"
Looking down at the bland wontons, she stirred them again. "I think I’m getting full."
"Two bites and you’re full?"
His tone turned stern. "Sang Ning, wasting food is shameful."
Sang Ning: "..."
How could he say that with a straight face?
Well, since he’d gone through the trouble of making so many wontons this morning, she’d humor him a little.
She took another bite.
Seeing her eat, his mood visibly improved. At least his efforts this morning hadn’t been in vain.
Making her happy wasn’t that hard after all.
---
At ten o'clock, Sang Ning arrived at the office.
Xu Yan briefed her: "The Chen Family isn’t satisfied with the partnership we proposed. The other company scheduled a meeting yesterday, but the Chens didn’t even show up."
Sang Ning wasn’t surprised. "The Chen Family has big ambitions. A small company like that isn’t worth their attention."
"But it’s still a subsidiary of Xinghong, part of the Pei Family’s holdings."
"It’s just a downstream business. The Peis don’t even oversee it personally—of course the Chens wouldn’t care. They’re not looking for a business deal. They want to climb the social ladder." Sang Ning’s lips curled with faint mockery.
She knew the Chen Family’s situation all too well. They’d been losing money for years and were now desperate, too impatient to build a proper business. They wanted a shortcut to fortune.
The more desperate they were, the easier they were to fool. And she had plenty of patience.
Sang Ning said coolly, "If they don’t want the deal, fine. We’ll take it ourselves."
"Understood."
"Manager Wu from LunJia Corporation has scheduled a lunch meeting today," Xu Yan added.
Sang Ning’s brow lifted slightly. "Good."
At noon, Sang Ning arrived at an upscale restaurant to meet with Manager Wu and discuss the partnership.
She walked in, her gaze sweeping casually across the room before settling on the private dining area separated by a screen.
"Manager Wu," she greeted warmly.
"Young Master Nan," Manager Wu nodded with a smile.
Ji Yan was also there, pouring tea for him. "Uncle Wu hasn’t been back in the country for years, always managing overseas ventures. Now that he’s returned for a major project, Sang Ning, you should cherish this opportunity."
Sang Ning nodded earnestly. "Of course. Without the Pei Family’s introduction, the Nan Family wouldn’t have had this chance. Thank you, Manager Wu."
Manager Wu waved a hand. "No need for formalities, Young Master Nan. The Peis and I go way back. Since they mentioned it, I’m happy to oblige."
Ji Yan feigned surprise. "Oh, but this is no small matter! Such a lucrative project—who doesn’t know Uncle Wu’s influence?"
Manager Wu chuckled. "Exactly. I have connections."
Sang Ning sounded grateful. "Thank you for the opportunity!"
Meanwhile, on the second floor, a waiter hurried over to the man leaning against the railing and whispered a report.
Chen Zheng’s eyes lit up. Just as he thought! The Pei Family had handed the Nan Family such a golden opportunity!
And yet, the Nans had tried to fob him off with some worthless subsidiary deal!
Greed flickered in his eyes. If he could snatch this prize from the Nan Family’s grasp, the Chen Family would rise to new heights!
Half an hour later, a waiter entered to refill Sang Ning’s tea.
In a hushed voice, he said, "Young Master Chen has left."
Sang Ning’s brow arched. She glanced at Ji Yan, who pulled out a stack of cash from her bag and handed it to Manager Wu.
"Your payment. Make sure the act is convincing. There’s more once the job’s done."
Manager Wu eagerly accepted it. "Thank you, Miss Ji! Thank you, Young Master Nan!"
Then he pocketed the money and left.
Ji Yan immediately scooted closer to Sang Ning, grinning. "You don’t actually think Chen Zheng bought it, do you? This shell company of yours is going to ruin the Chen Family!"
Sang Ning traced the rim of her teacup, a faint smile on her lips. "Why wouldn’t he believe it? Nan Siya has no way out. He knows she wouldn’t dare lie to him."
"Just add a little more fuel, and the Chen Family’s done for!" Ji Yan was practically giddy.
"Take it slow. No rush." Sang Ning lifted her cup and took a leisurely sip.
She had all the time in the world.
Ji Yan clicked her tongue. "I always wondered why you were so lenient with that fake sister of yours, letting her prance around all this time. Turns out you were saving her for this."
Sang Ning shook her head. "Real or fake, she’s still a Nan. Our fates are tied. Might as well make the most of her."
"True! Once the Chen Family’s dealt with, you’ll finally have some free time, right?" Ji Yan asked offhandedly.
"Probably."
"Got any plans?"
Sang Ning hesitated. Plans?
Just then, her phone on the table buzzed.
The screen lit up with the caller ID: [Three-Sugar Cake].
Ji Yan blinked. Cake?
Sang Ning quickly grabbed the phone, turning down the volume before answering. "Hello?"
