A Resounding Slap on the Face

Gu Tingyan shook his head. "Let's discuss this later. I won't disturb your work. I'll leave first," Jiang Nuannuan waved at him.

As she exited the store, Ruan Dan was still standing at the door, wearing an incredulous expression. It was evident that she had overheard their entire conversation.

"You actually had Mr. Gu deliver your employment contract? not someone you're flattering with…?"

Jiang Nuan Nuan hooked her lips into a smile and walked over to her and leaned over, "I seem to have forgotten to tell you, that's actually a nanny car sent by Mr. Gu, and the man in the photo is his driver."

Ruan Dan looked at her in disbelief, as if questioning when she had established this connection. Lowering her voice, Jiang Nuannuan continued, "It seems like this place will also become his territory from now on. What should you do, Miss Ruan? It seems like you've made trouble for your dad."

Before Ruan Dan could respond, Jiang Nuannuan straightened her posture and walked away gracefully, leaving a trail of elegance behind her.

…

"Why didn't you sell things to Miss Jiang?" Ruan Quan glared angrily at the saleswoman.

Everyone knew that just as Linggang Building was about to be acquired, and Mr. Gu would lower the price. However, what he concerned most was not only about the price reduction, but also about his own position.

Everyone knew how much Gu Tingyan despised being looked down upon. He had experienced it himself when he was down and out.

"It was Miss Ruan's idea," the saleswoman lowered her head, filled with regret and trembling.

Gu Tingyan paid no attention to their argument. Jiang Nuannuan's words had piqued his interest, and he took out his phone from his pocket.

He had been busy all morning and hadn't had the chance to see what she had sent him. As he opened the message box, he discovered it was a multimedia message.

A woman with a bright and radiant smile sat in a car, giving him a thumbs-up, with a message below it.

[I really like it, (づ￣ 3￣)づ Thank you, Mr. Gu.]

She smiled like a child who had received a reward, her eyes sparkling.

Unconsciously, Gu Tingyan's lips curled up. Just as he was about to close his phone, he coincidentally received another text message from Jiang Nuannuan.

[Will you come back for dinner tonight? If so, I'll go to the supermarket now and buy some groceries. What would you like to eat?]

"Any plans in the afternoon?" he instinctively turned to ask his Assistant Li.

"You have to attend Huixin Technology's chip launch event, and then have dinner with Mr. Jiang Jianxiong at 7 p.m. They want to negotiate a higher price for the sale of this building," Li replied.

"A higher price," the man repeated this phrase calmly, glancing at the terrified Ruan Quan. He spoke in a low voice, "The customer base of the mall is not well-defined, and Linggang has failed in both service and management."

He turned and walked out of the store. "Tell Jiang Jianxiong there's no room for negotiation. We'll sign the documents tonight and completely replace the mall's management team with our own."

Li, accustomed to his decisive and ruthless demeanor, replied, "Understood."

"Mr. Gu! Mr. Gu! I can make amends! I can make amends! It's a misunderstanding!" Ruan Quan followed behind, listening to his instructions, his legs almost giving way. Completely replaced? Wasn't that the same as telling him to leave?

He had been smiling all day, but this was not the outcome he desired!

Ruan Quan squeezed in front of him, clasping his hands together. "I have a family to support, please give me a chance."

Gu Tingyan's expression remained indifferent as he averted his gaze. The familial relationships of others had no bearing on his business decisions.

Ruan Dan watched her father cry and make a scene, eventually being left alone in the lobby, bent over and cried. She was momentarily stunned.

She exchanged glances with her friend, immediately piling the newly bought bags onto her, and ran over.

"Dad!"

Ruan Dan rushed forward to support him, but was met with a slap that sent her stumbling back two steps.

"Dad!"

She covered her face, shocked as she looked at him. "What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me? Why did you provoke Jiang Nuannuan?" Ruan Quan roared at her. "When she was the only daughter of the Jiang family, you couldn't get close to her. Even when she fell from grace, her social capital was still there. Why did you blindly take sides and meddle in this?"

Ruan Dan still didn't understand the seriousness of the situation. With a voice tinged with tears, she said, "I didn't do anything wrong. I just didn't let her buy a bag from the Jiang family's mall."

"The Jiang family's investment outside the city failed, with a funding gap of several billion. That's why they are desperate to form an alliance with the Ji family. Linggang Building is about to be acquired by Gu Tingyan, and we all have to leave! And look what you have done? Your father and I won't even have enough to survive!"

Ruan Quan was furious, and in front of everyone, he slapped Ruan Dan once again. Burning with anger, he said, "You either go beg Jiang Nuannuan or find a way to fix this!"

Their whole family relied on Ruan Quan, the manager of the luxury goods district, for their livelihood. If he lost his job, Ruan Dan's seemingly perfect life would crumble.

She sat on the ground, completely stunned.

No one expected that all she wanted was to play a trick on Jiang Nuannuan, and things would escalate to this point.

Just as Jiang Nuannuan got into the car, she received a new text message.

No

It was from Gu Tingyan, with just one word.

Well, that meant she could go find Gu Shizhou.

In the end, after spending the whole afternoon, she only bought a few inexpensive clothes. The motorcycle race on Beiping Street was at 8 p.m., so she still had time to go home and make dinner, and also upload the recording from the afternoon.

Originally, she planned to release it tomorrow, but the rumors about her being kept by a wealthy man were already gaining traction on Weibo. Who knows, Gu Shizhou might see it. He didn't recognize her the first time they met, but this second time, if his eyes weren't blind, he would surely recognize her.

This comments were not in her favor.

Regarding the recording with Ji Yansen, Jiang Nuannuan only wrote this.

[Your response didn't satisfy me. Welcome the police and lawyers to find me. I have evidence, and I offer it willingly.]

After that, she immediately posted the contract she received from Gu Corporation, briefly explaining the situation with the wealthy man.

[Formal employment procedures, no involvement with a wealthy man. The car belongs to Mr. Gu, and he happened to see me alone and homeless on the roadside, so he gave me a ride.]

The online buzz triggered an unprecedented discussion.

The hot search couldn't stop it anymore.

[Damn! This male protagonist is so bold!]

[What kind of person is this Jiang Meng? A third-rate university, and she's already… (can't bear to look at IPG). Wasn't she initially portrayed as a pure and innocent girl when she debuted?]

[This recording is definitely real. I've checked, no manipulation! The previous two parts as well! Jiang Meng is nothing more than a street girl who married into a wealthy family!]

[I'm speechless! It's so disgusting!]

[Should I say it or not? Jiang Nuannuan graduated from South University! She's my senior! I found her profile on the official website! An outstanding graduate in financial management, with numerous awards. She's truly remarkable! Such a great person has been smeared for so many days!]

The comments were overwhelmingly negative, but Jiang Nuannuan remained in a happy mood. She was well aware of the situation and not only blocked everyone from the Ji family, including the Jiang family, but also blocked all the numbers they could use to contact her.