Chapter 12: The Beauty Trap

Yan Feng’s destination was all too clear to Jiang Zhiyou. She sensibly opened the car door and got out.

Jiang Zhiyou took a cab back to the Yan family’s old residence. When Madam Yan saw her return alone, she could already guess what had happened and was about to go out herself to bring him home. But Jiang Zhiyou stopped her.

“Let it go, Mom. His heart isn’t in this family. Even if he comes back, he’ll just be an empty shell. Let him be.” With that, Jiang Zhiyou went upstairs.

It was rare for Madam Yan to see Jiang Zhiyou looking so lost and disheartened. She had no idea what had happened that day.

Yan Feng didn’t return until a week later. During that week, Jiang Zhiyou’s routine was unchanged, save for one thing: she never went to Greenfield Villa again. She used to visit two or three times every week. Since the old madam’s birthday celebration, she hadn’t seen Bo Jinxi either.

Had he finally let her go?

Life passed in calm and quiet, but a vague unease lingered in Jiang Zhiyou’s heart.

The night Yan Feng returned, Madam Yan lost her temper at the dinner table. “Do you even care about this family anymore? From today on, if you stay out all night again, I’ll consider myself childless.”

Her anger was fierce, and even Yan Feng showed some trepidation. He pulled a sullen face and said, “Mom, I’ve been at the office these past days. I just got back and I’m still not familiar with company affairs. I’ve been working day and night, sleeping at the office. I only came home today because of work matters.”

Mr. Yan chimed in, “That’s right. I asked Secretary Zhang. Afeng has been sleeping at the company apartment these days.”

Madam Yan’s expression softened somewhat, and she changed the subject, “Is work going well?”

Yan Feng put down his chopsticks and fixed his gaze on Jiang Zhiyou. “Thanks to a certain someone, it’s going very badly.”

Yan Haifeng frowned. “What happened?”

Yan Feng replied, “Today, Bo Corporation sent out public invitations for bidding. Over a hundred construction companies received invitations. Even companies in Rongcheng that are less prestigious than Haifeng Construction were invited to the BJ Building. Only Haifeng Construction didn’t get an invitation—no bidding documents, nothing. All thanks to your wonderful daughter-in-law.”

The BJ Building was Bo Corporation’s office tower in Rongcheng, directly across from the TV station.

Once, after work, Jiang Zhiyou had bumped into her “pretty boy” coming out of that building. She’d teased him, “Honey, did you change jobs?”

She’d always thought her little kept man worked at Black Horse Club. She remembered him replying, “I’m the owner of this building.”

Jiang Zhiyou had laughed at his wild imagination, and then he’d slipped into her car, as if by tacit agreement. The two of them had gone to Greenfield Villa together. They’d only been together for two months at that time, the passion was new and intoxicating, every night was like a celebration.

As it turned out, he’d already given her a hint back then.

Jiang Zhiyou couldn’t help but regret ever getting involved with a man like him.

Madam Yan came to her defense, “Zhiyou doesn’t even work at Yan Corporation. What does this have to do with her?”

“Who told her to offend the young master three years ago and even throw a thousand yuan at him as an insult?” Yan Feng recounted what had happened at the old madam’s birthday banquet.

The atmosphere around the table grew oppressively silent.

Yan Feng glanced at Jiang Zhiyou, a flicker of schadenfreude in his eyes. “If this isn’t resolved, Bo Corporation will never consider Haifeng Construction for the resort project. Jiang Zhiyou, you made this mess, you clean it up.”

After a long pause, the old master finally spoke. “If we really can’t get this project, then so be it.”

Yan Feng grew agitated. “Grandfather, you told me this project is a matter of life and death for Yan Corporation. Now that it concerns Jiang Zhiyou, it’s just ‘let it go’? All she has to do is go apologize, maybe suffer a little humiliation at worst. Is the company’s survival less important than her pride?”

The old man’s favoritism was really quite outrageous.

He seemed about to say more when Jiang Zhiyou rose to her feet. “Grandfather, I’ll bring some gifts tomorrow and go apologize to the young master at BJ. I’ll do my best to secure a bidding spot for Yan Corporation.”

The resort project was a special central government initiative, requiring an open bidding process. Hundreds of companies had their eyes on it—odds were slim to begin with. Now, without even the qualification to bid, they stood no chance at all.

Since it was her fault, she would not shirk responsibility.

Yan Feng gave a cold smile. “All right. Tomorrow I’ll wait for Bo Corporation’s bidding documents. Don’t let me down.”

He didn’t believe for a second that Jiang Zhiyou would succeed. He’d already experienced firsthand the pettiness and vindictiveness of that young master. If an apology could fix it, he wouldn’t be saying all this.

In fact, he’d already gone in person several times over the past few days. Bo Jinxi outright refused to see him; the last time, he even had security throw him out.

He’d never been so humiliated in his life.

It was all because of Jiang Zhiyou. She ought to know what it felt like to be thrown out by security in public.

Early the next morning, Jiang Zhiyou drove to the BJ Building. She parked on the terrace lot and looked up at the soaring tower. The gilded letters “BJ” gleamed brilliantly in the morning sun.

The BJ Building had been completed less than three years ago, yet it had already become a city landmark. She’d always assumed it was some new tech giant’s headquarters—who would have thought it was a branch of Bo Corporation? BJ must be the initials of Bo Jinxi.

Jiang Zhiyou entered the lobby on the first floor, then made her way to the reception desk.

“Hello, may I ask which floor Bo Jinxi’s office is on?”

The four beautiful receptionists reacted differently when they heard her directly mention Bo Jinxi’s full name. The tallest, with a pointed chin, responded, “Do you think you can just call our president by name? What’s your relationship to him?”

Jiang Zhiyou almost blurted out, “We have a kept relationship.” But she simply smiled and explained, “I’m here on behalf of Yan Corporation to discuss business with President Bo.”

Pointy Chin’s eyes flashed with a look of disdain. “Yan Corporation is really shameless, trying to use a beauty trap. Sorry, but our president has made it clear: no one from Yan Corporation is allowed inside BJ.”

With that, she raised her hand to call security.

Before being escorted out, Jiang Zhiyou said to the security guard, “Excuse me, let me make a phone call first.”

The guard, seeing such a delicate beauty, didn’t want to use force and stood quietly by as she dialed.

The four receptionists glanced at each other, whispering among themselves.

“Pretty girls really do get special treatment; even the security guard is smitten.”

“Where did Yan Corporation find such a stunner? She’s even more beautiful than a movie star.”

“What’s the use of beauty? Yan Corporation is up to no good. The general manager himself came four times, and the president still wouldn’t see him—they’re really at their wits’ end, sending a pretty face. Our president is too wise to fall for that.”

Jiang Zhiyou hung up. Pointy Chin, impatient, ordered, “What are you standing there for? Get her out!”

Just then, the phone at the reception desk rang. Pointy Chin glanced at the caller ID—it was from the president’s office.

She’d been at BJ for three years and had never once received a call from the president’s office. Cautiously, she answered.

A man’s pleasant voice came from the other end. “Let her up.”