Chapter 122: The Deal

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“Good morning, Mr. Meng,” Ruth said with a warm smile as she greeted Meng Yang.
Dressed a little more formally, Ruth now carried an unmistakable air of nobility. It clashed completely with the look she wore when she had been tangled up with Lazy Cat.

“Good morning, Ms. Ruth,” Meng Yang replied with a slight smile. “I think I’ve nearly come to my decision.”

“Really? That’s wonderful! Mr. Meng, I already have the contract ready. I don’t know if you even have the authority to sign it?”
Ruth added with a flash of joy.

“I have full authority from the boss,” Meng Yang said. “I can sign.”
He looked at her and said, with a slow lick of his lips, “But I must say this: I’m not satisfied with that amount. Without my urging, the boss would never have agreed. Even if, as you analyzed, he truly needs cash, this price is still unreasonable. It’s because of me—yes, because of me.”

“Mr. Meng!” Ruth set the contract down with a laugh, shrugged, and said, “I’m truly sorry, but I think thirty million in facilitation fees is already enough. If that’s not enough for you, then I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do!”

Meng Yang was too greedy.
To receive a hidden thirty million and still ask for more—that was greed with no bottom.
Though Ruth did like his appetite for it, how far could she allow him to overstep? Ruth would never let anyone lead her by the nose.
Meng Yang… what did he matter?

“All right, Ms. Ruth, let’s say I said nothing,” Meng Yang spread his hands. “But I expect that money to be in my account immediately.”

“Fine, Mr. Meng. I trust you. I just hope you won’t disappoint this trust of mine,” Ruth said, taking out her phone and dialing a number.

Soon after, Meng Yang pulled out his own phone and checked it. A smile appeared on his face at once.

“Ms. Ruth, a pleasant transaction. I hope that once I sign, you can transfer one and a half billion to our account right away,” he said, shaking her hand and grinning.

“It’s a must,” Ruth replied with a smile. “I’m sure it will arrive very quickly.”

The lawyers were summoned.
Under their watch, Meng Yang quickly signed the contract. Ruth signed as well.
Haisheng Supermarket, sold for one and a half billion, no longer belonged to He Jian Sheng.

The same scene quickly unfolded between Meng Yang and Shen Feng as well.
In truth, the whole delay had been because Meng Yang was not satisfied with his secret facilitation fee.
Now he had been bribed to his satisfaction.
He extracted thirty million from Ruth and twenty million from Shen Feng.
In a short span, Meng Yang had received fifty million in total.

But the two companies, Haisheng and Tongda, had each been sold for five hundred million less.
So in the end, He Tian had profited, Meng Yang had profited, and the one who lost was only He Jian Sheng.

He Tian soon saw Ruth and Shen Feng.
The two handed him both contracts.

“Excellent,” He Tian said, tapping the two papers, clearly pleased.

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Twenty-five billion.
Two companies worth thirty-five billion snapped up for that amount.
With only slight improvements in management and a few other adjustments, they could bring in at least three hundred million in combined annual profit. It was a very sharp deal.
And most importantly, He Jian Sheng had only twenty-five billion in hand.

A smile touched He Tian’s lips.
Very soon, He Jian Sheng would truly realize how thoroughly he had failed—how badly.

“Boss, there’s nothing left for us to do, right?” Shen Feng said with a laugh.

“Mm. Nothing for you two,” He Tian chuckled. “Ruth, go back to Xinmeng’s side and keep her safe.
Little Madman… you have something you still owe me. Those fifteen relics you promised—when can you bring them?”

Shen Feng’s expression tightened, and in a pained tone he said, “Boss, can you give me a little more time? Besides, the villa is in the middle of major renovation right now. It’s inconvenient. Once construction is finished, I’ll certainly bring the treasures over.”

“That’s fine,” He Tian nodded. “I know your word, Little Madman, is still pretty solid. You can be trusted. Don’t make me regret it.”

He Tian loved seeing him this distressed.
Pretending to hide treasures instead of sharing them? He Tian would never tolerate that.

“Still, boss, there’s one thing I must clarify,” Shen Feng said seriously.

“What is it?”

“My jadeite,” Shen Feng said. “That was jade I nearly died for. You can come and inspect your side, I won’t oppose it, but so many days have passed—surely it should be returned to me by now?”

He was still clinging to that jade, after all.
He had spent so much time and nearly given his life—how could he not care?

“Oh, no, Little Madman,” He Tian replied with feigned regret. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry—I accidentally lost it!”

“Lost it?” Shen Feng’s eyes widened.
He had seen shameless people before, but never one as shameless as He Tian. To lie so brazenly and so convincingly—this was the very peak of audacity.

“It’s true—I truly lost it,” He Tian said, his face full of contrition, almost as if he might cry. “Little Madman, I’m sorry, truly sorry.”

“Little Madman, you can see for yourself how heartbroken He Tian looks. He must have really lost it. It’s only one piece of jade—don’t dwell on it,” Ruth said with a light, unconcerned smile.

A wry smile spread more deeply across Shen Feng’s face.

“My jade! Boss, you’re ruthless—really ruthless. Fourteen pieces then, and no bargaining!”

For a moment, a firm look flashed across Shen Feng’s face.

“All right, Little Madman,” He Tian said, patting him on the shoulder. “As an apology, I agree to reduce the number to fourteen treasures.”

Shen Feng shook his head helplessly.

“Ice, we’re about to start,” He Tian said. “Tell everyone to get ready.”
After sending Shen Feng and Ruth away, He Tian immediately called Ouyang Bingbing.

Two and a half days remained, exactly as He Tian had expected.
He Jian Sheng had already walked, step by step, onto the battlefield He Tian had prepared.
From here, it would be the decisive battle that would leave He Jian Sheng utterly defeated.

Ouyang Bingbing was right there with a group of hard-bitten men, working through every plan.
When she received He Tian’s call, she made an OK sign to everyone, her face bright with anticipation and confidence.

“Good. Follow our set plan,” He Tian said with a smile. “Once He Jian Sheng enters the market, let me know.”

“I’ll keep an eye on it,” she replied. “Of course, I’ll only monitor—you won’t need to do anything to interfere with your work.”

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“I won’t let you down,” Ouyang Bingbing said softly, then added, slightly flustered, “I have no time to keep talking. I must get to work—bye.”

He Tian held the phone and a small smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
Ouyang Bingbing… interesting.

In this kind of interaction, he found that hazy, ambiguous feeling strangely appealing.

————

Meng Yang returned to He Jian Sheng’s home, delivering the two contracts and a bank card loaded with two and a half billion.
He Jian Sheng checked it; once he confirmed the amount, a full smile finally spread across his face.

“Forgive me, Young Master, I couldn’t raise three billion,” Meng Yang said, head lowered as if confessing.

“All right, Ah Yang. You’ve done enough. To achieve this much in so little time, I can’t ask for more. When we need to move fast, others will quietly cut prices. I know that.”

“Thank you for understanding, Young Master,” Meng Yang said with sincere gratitude.

To be fair, He Jian Sheng really had treated Meng Yang very well. In trust and in capital support, there was little Meng Yang could fault. But he could not allow himself to die with He Jian Sheng. He had to keep his own way out. For now, before He Jian Sheng’s trust, he could only silently say sorry to himself.

Of course, it was merely an escape route for himself.
In his hopes, Meng Yang still wished for He Jian Sheng to win.
Only then could He Jian Sheng preserve his face and possibly regain everything he had lost, and Meng Yang could continue to live with comfort under He Jian Sheng’s shadow.

“Young Master, the trader and the trading room are already ready. Should we start right away?” Meng Yang asked.

“What are we waiting for? Start now. Let’s go!” He Jian Sheng was impatient.

It was already the fifth day of the seven-day period.
He Jian Sheng had no time to delay.

Meng Yang accompanied him at once to a securities firm, rented a trading room for them, and arranged the trader.
He Jian Sheng’s setup was still imposing: a convoy of four vehicles, with numerous bodyguards.

Since he had been publicly schooled at Young Master Hai’s banquet, He Jian Sheng had become extremely careful in arranging the people around him.
There were already guards stationed at the trading room.
During operations, the trader would have no opportunity to contact the outside world.
That is the rule of this industry.
Every trader knows it.

Still, those guards watching so closely left the traders a little uncomfortable.
Yet when He Jian Sheng arrived with such massive capital, their discomfort vanished instantly.
The larger the funds, the larger their final reward. How could they not be glad?