Chapter 98

 

After the signing was completed, Ming Xi treated everyone to a delicious seafood feast in Ning City.

It counted as a small celebration banquet.

The seafood restaurant was located near the Three Rivers Confluence in Ning City. Inside their private room, warm yellow lights cast a glow over a table brimming with delicacies: king crab, steamed grouper, sea urchin sashimi, braised prawns in oil… along with Ning City’s signature varieties of shellfish, simply blanched and dipped in a special house sauce that left an unforgettable freshness lingering on the lips.

Tonight, Boss Ming paid the bill, while Boss Liang ordered the dishes, showing no intention of saving money for their Boss Ming.

The king crab was massive, the geoduck translucent, the sea urchin plump and golden; the prawns were succulent and meaty…

Everyone sat around the table, the atmosphere lively and celebratory.

Especially when the topic turned to Ming Xi’s “acting performance” during the auction, Xinyu and Sister Tian teased her so relentlessly that she could hardly fend them off. She pressed her palm lightly to her forehead, a visible blush spreading across her face—somewhere between radiant pride and shy embarrassment. Clearly, it had been a seamless team effort among the three of them, yet somehow, in their words, it had become her solo moment of brilliance.

Ming Xi waved her hand and pursed her lips, attempting to steer the mood back on track in a slightly formal tone. “Alright… The success of this auction really depended on everyone. Manager Jiang’s planning was meticulous and professional, Xinyu and Sister Tian coordinated every step of the way, and Mr. Liang—” At that point, her gaze softened slightly. After a brief pause, she continued facing the group. “In any case, I sincerely thank every one of you. When Mingzhou holds another celebration banquet in Ning City in the future, I hope Manager Jiang will honor us with his presence.”

Jiang Bin, who was close with Liang Jiancheng, stood up directly, wearing a modest yet affable smile. “Today I learned quite a bit from Miss Ming as well—especially her flexible handling of competitors. The decisive action at the end of the afternoon’s auction was crucial to our great success. Of course, I also have to thank Mr. Liang for his strong support. I believe there will be many more opportunities for cooperation like this in the future. Miss Ming, even if you don’t specifically invite me, I will definitely come to Mingzhou’s celebration banquet in Ning City.”

With that, Jiang Bin picked up his glass and drank it all in one go.

Jiang Bin radiated an energetic, polished business demeanor. Over the past month—from the preparation for the auction to today’s successful bid, Ming Xi had frequently interacted with Jiang Bin, and she felt that the relationship between Jiang Bin and Liang Jiancheng seemed to go beyond a simple business partnership.

“Alright, let me share a little secret with Miss Ming. Mr. Liang didn’t want me to say it before—said he was afraid I’d take advantage of you. To be honest, I’m Mr. Liang’s cousin.” Jiang Bin revealed the secret with a smile.

Cousin?

Ming Xi was extremely surprised. The image of Gu Shuangyang flashed through her mind instantly, and she couldn’t help but ask, “Then Manager Jiang is also related to Mr. Liang’s mother?”

“Director Gu is my aunt.” Jiang Bin’s polite smile remained on his lips.

Ming Xi immediately looked at Liang Jiancheng.

Liang Jiancheng nodded slightly, acknowledging the family connection.

Ming Xi: …

Today, Mingzhou was the star company at this quarter’s land auction, and Ming Xi was the main focus of the event. Liang Jiancheng had rushed over in the afternoon and had been quietly accompanying her, including when they took their seats in the evening. He had mainly listened, saying very little. In short, he didn’t want to steal the spotlight from Miss Ming. But everyone could see that from the moment the auction results were announced until now, Liang Jiancheng was not only in a good mood, but his eyes were also bright, revealing an undisguised sense of pride.

Still, he felt it necessary to clarify this family relationship with Jiang Bin—why he hadn’t told Ming Xi earlier, and why Jiang Bin had joked about “taking advantage” of her.

“I was afraid that if Jiang Bin told you about our relationship, he’d coax you into calling him ‘brother.’” Liang Jiancheng smiled slightly when he said the word ‘brother.’ “I’ve never called him that myself. I can’t let you suffer that loss.”

Liang Jiancheng’s words elicited different reactions from everyone at the table.

Ming Xi: …She must be glowing red right now!

Jiang Bin laughed heartily.

Xinyu and Sister Tian across the table exchanged glances, their eyes filled with secret amusement.

Xinyu in particular had almost witnessed the subtle evolution of feelings between Boss Ming and Boss Liang over the years. Though she still couldn’t quite define their relationship—friends? lovers? partners? But one thing was absolutely clear: Mingzhou and Xinghai were now in a creditor–debtor relationship.

And in this world, the most stable relationship was undoubtedly a creditor-debtor relationship!

Mingzhou was now carrying fifty million in debt. Strangely enough, neither Xinyu nor Sister Tian felt worried. On the contrary, they seemed to see a bright future where their Boss Ming would achieve explosive wealth growth. After all, Mingzhou now held three parcels of land—solid, tangible fixed assets. A company need not fear short-term cash flow shortages; what it truly fears is being an empty shell.

Now that Mingzhou no longer had this concern, this year’s asset report would undoubtedly show assets doubling. Who says liabilities cannot be transformed into assets?

Xinyu and Sister Tian toasted each other. To Mingzhou. To tomorrow!

As a boss, feeling that her employees followed her with confidence and expectation filled Ming Xi with profound satisfaction… She recalled Liang Jiancheng’s explanation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs from a few years ago, and felt that her life perfectly aligned with this theory.

After the seafood celebration banquet ended, Xinyu and Sister Tian tactfully made excuses and returned to the hotel first, intentionally leaving their Boss Ming with Boss Liang. Since the auction had ended late, they had extended their stay by one day at the hotel in the Beijiang Development Zone.

As a native of Ning City, Jiang Bin politely invited Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng before leaving, saying, “If you two are free tomorrow, why not come by my home for a visit?”

This would be like visiting relatives. Liang Jiancheng politely declined; given his current status, it wasn’t appropriate to take Ming Xi to visit Director Gu’s relatives in their hometown, so he thanked Jiang Bin for his kindness.

Jiang Bin didn’t press further. With a hint of regret, he looked at Ming Xi and smiled. “Miss Ming, there’s plenty of opportunities next time.”

“…Alright,” Ming Xi replied politely, her smile still gentle and unchanged despite the newly revealed family ties.

After the emotional turbulence of the afternoon’s bidding war, she felt utterly relaxed. Even if Gu Shuangyang were standing before her now, she wouldn’t feel flustered. Still, she had no standing to visit Gu Shuangyang’s relatives in her hometown.

She had never known that Liang Jiancheng’s maternal grandparents were actually from Ning City.

His earlier insistence that Jiang Bin keep their relationship quiet was probably not just for the reason Jiang Bin had given.

Right—Jiang Bin and Liang Jiancheng’s relationship stemmed from their grandfathers being brothers. That made Gu Shuangyang Jiang Bin’s aunt, and Jiang Bin Liang Jiancheng’s cousin.

Ming Xi had grown up with little concept of extended family, but she could see that the Gu family genes were strong. If no one pointed out the connection, it might go unnoticed—but once revealed, certain similarities emerged. Both men had sharp, refined features.

Liang Jiancheng’s eyes were the most similar to Gu Shuangyang’s.

“Jiang Bin, don’t misunderstand. Miss Ming and I are just very good friends.” At the end, Liang Jiancheng tried to cover up their relationship, making it seem like he was trying to hide something.

Jiang Bin’s gaze sharpened for a moment, his smile briefly cracking, but he quickly grasped the subtext: “Oh, I understand, it has to be kept secret, right?”

You could put it that way… Liang Jiancheng simply had no face to admit he was technically a kept pretty boy. Fortunately, Miss Ming had been very accommodating today, not revealing their arrangements. However, thinking about his “kept man” status, Liang Jiancheng’s smile became even more deceptive—like spring rain striking pear blossoms, petals drifting onto a lake and stirring gentle ripples.

With everything clarified, Liang Jiancheng openly took Ming Xi’s hand and nodded to Jiang Bin, “Thank you.”

Jiang Bin left with an amused smile.

Ming Xi: …

She had to admit—the relatives on Liang Jiancheng’s maternal side were clever. Liang Jiancheng agreed that Jiang Bin was indeed very smart, after all, he was an actuary who graduated from Tsinghua University.

The restaurant for dinner was located at the confluence of the three rivers in Ning City. Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng walked together to a nearby iron bridge spanning the river. Below them, the river surged and churned. Though the rain had stopped after the auction, a month of continuous rainfall had left the air cool and damp.

The sky was pitch-black. This was the most brilliantly lit, neon-drenched area in the heart of Ning City. Not far away stood buildings dating back to the colonial era.

Ming Xi rested her hands on the railing, cool night wind brushing past as she unconsciously narrowed her eyes.

The sky above was completely dark, but her heart was incredibly bright, reflecting the magnificent, thriving scene on the riverbank before her. Not far away, a massive ferry glided slowly across the water, a domestic fashion brand’s advertisement shining brightly atop it.

The moment the gavel fell at the auction today, her life, like the surging tide beneath her feet, could only move forward. There was no room for retreat, nor any reason to.

A gust of wind swept through, tousling both their hair. Ming Xi turned to Liang Jiancheng, her eyes radiant. He simply reached out and naturally smoothed her hair back into place.

“Liang Jiancheng, you lent me so much money… aren’t you afraid I won’t be able to pay it back?” Now that they were alone, face to face rather than over the phone, she finally voiced her question about the fifty million.

Both of them were businesspeople. No one understood better what fifty million meant to a company.

Liang Jiancheng knew Ming Xi would definitely ask this question.

He had only been smoothing her hair, but now his hands instinctively cupped her face. His tone was firm. “Since I dared to lend Boss Ming this sum, I naturally believe she’ll be able to repay it in the future.”

The corner of Ming Xi’s lips curved into a beautiful arc. Deeply moved, she still teased him instead. “And what about Boss Liang’s risk management philosophy? What if I become a delinquent and simply refuse to repay?”

His gaze lowered slightly as he answered softly, “Of course, if Boss Ming doesn’t want to repay it in the future, we can always discuss other ways to settle it. Can’t we?”

What way?

Liang Jiancheng did not spell out what he had in mind. Instead, he could no longer restrain himself and pulled the woman before him into his arms. They stood at the river mouth of Ning City, the wind whipping Ming Xi’s hair across his face. If there hadn’t been so many people on the bridge, he might have kissed her outright.

In that subtle yet tight embrace, Liang Jiancheng softly said, “When I do business with Boss Ming, I have only one principle: everything is negotiable.”

They both remembered their very first deal together. Back then, he had said the same thing: everything is negotiable.

“Also, didn’t we sign a three-year contract? I sincerely hope that Boss Ming’s net worth will multiply several times over in these three years, so that my compensation as the contractor can also rise accordingly.” Liang Jiancheng subtly revealed his undisguised intentions.

What? She’s still the client?!

She owed him fifty million now—how could she still be the client. She had assumed that once they returned from Ning City, that position would no longer be hers.

Of course she is! If Liang Jiancheng knew that Ming Xi thought this way, he would tell her very clearly that Boss Ming had always be the constant client. The one hundred thousand she gave him was clearly stated as a service fee, which, in a sense, would not change…

There was one thing Liang Jiancheng had never done to Ming Xi: in the dead of night, in the depths of passion, Liang Jiancheng’s kisses slowly moved downwards until he slid his head between Ming Xi’s legs, and then his burning tongue pressed against her most tender spot.

Ming Xi let out a startled, trembling gasp!

Her body shuddered uncontrollably, hands gripping the edge of the sheets, face flushed, knuckles turning pale.

At a certain moment, their entwined bodies ignited with an intensity beyond restraint.

Love was never an illusion, never a mirage, nor self-indulgent praise. It was made up of concrete acts—intimacy like tonight’s closeness, or even financial entanglements tied to status and interests. Yet no matter what form it took, Liang Jiancheng’s feelings for Ming Xi were not only clear of conscience—they were one of a kind.

Of course, the tenderness and softness that Ming Xi gave him was exclusively his too, wasn’t it?

The Miss Ming who would inevitably grow sharper and more formidable in the business world—only he could witness this tenderness of hers, couldn’t he?

A truly exquisite union was never just an eruption of physical desire; it filled the spirit just as profoundly.

—

The next day, Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng didn’t linger in Ning City. Time was incredibly precious to both of them, and even having breakfast together was a rare treat.

Still, no matter how busy he was, as half a native of Ning City, Liang Jiancheng took Ming Xi to a small breakfast shop on Nantang Road for pan-fried buns. Although Gu Shuangyang was from Ning City, Liang Jiancheng hadn’t visited his maternal grandparents’ house very often growing up. He had an uncle on that side, but after his grandmother passed away, their contact gradually dwindled. He also had an elderly grandfather who now lived with his uncle.

His uncle worked in the government sector. Gu Shuangyang’s relationship with her father was strained, and by extension her relationship with her own younger brother wasn’t harmonious either. Liang Jiancheng, raised by his father and having gone abroad early, frankly wasn’t familiar with Gu Shuangyang’s relatives. In his view, Gu Shuangyang herself didn’t have much contact with them; at least, she had never brought Xiaoge to visit relatives in Ning City.

Sometimes, the lover you choose becomes your true closest kin. That was how Liang Jiancheng saw it.

—

Can a person’s status change overnight?

The news that Mingzhou had secured three land parcels spread through Haigang foreign trade circle even before Ming Xi herself did anything.

There was a large group chat for the Foreign Trade Association. On Thursday morning, Ming Xi arrived at Mingzhou as usual. After logging into the messaging app, she found the entire group congratulating her—everyone except Vice Chairman He Yuan, who remained silent.

Since Director Du retired, the presidency of the official Foreign Trade Association had been taken up personally by Director Sheng of the Haigang Commerce Bureau. Compared to Director Du, Director Sheng was more pragmatic and disliked empty formalities. Since last year, celebratory parties had been canceled and replaced with symposium-style meetings.

Once someone becomes a boss, they enjoy holding meetings for employees—but not being summoned to meetings themselves. Especially when competitors gather in the same room, it often turns sharp and tense. However, official endorsement and recognition were crucial. Mingzhou was still in a growth stage. Unless she was overseas at an exhibition or visiting a key client, Ming Xi attended every official meeting.

Over time, she had gotten to know Director Sheng.

That morning in the group chat, Director Sheng personally forwarded the Ning City official media report on the first-quarter industrial land auction—and even composed a poem specifically for Mingzhou:

Mingzhou’s bold spirit stirs the nine heavens,
On the bidding field, it writes a brand-new chapter.
Land secured within its grasp, grand ambitions unfold,
A flourishing enterprise begins its splendid year.

Ming Xi… awkwardly picked up her cup and kept drinking.

She forwarded the poem to “Smiling Without Talking” for his opinion, and Liang Jiancheng, who never paid attention to foreign trade groups, immediately said: “Director Sheng wrote it, didn’t he?”

Boss Liang really could guess.

“Because not long ago, Director Sheng wrote something similar for Xinghai.”

Oh, so that was it.

Ming Xi wasn’t someone who liked owing debts. Because of Ming Decheng, she especially did not want to become a delinquent debtor. So after officially returning to work post-auction, once she handled her immediate tasks, the very first thing she did was draft a three-year repayment plan.

The truth was… Mingzhou’s annual profit was only a few million. Ming Xi covered her face with both hands and exhaled softly. Was she the bold one—or was Boss Liang the crazy one? In Seoul, he had told her there was no essential difference between a billionaire in debt and a billionaire…

At this moment, she deeply agreed with this.

Even though she owed fifty million, she felt like her net worth had doubled!

A call came in on her phone, from a completely unknown number.

In 2005, scam calls were not yet common. Given that she worked in foreign trade, she generally answered even unfamiliar calls. She pressed accept and spoke politely, professionally: “Hello, this is Ming Xi. How can I help you?”

Introducing herself had long been a habit of hers when answering the phone. But if she could hear the voice on the other end of the line sooner, she would definitely hang up immediately.

From the other end came a voice heavy with years of sedimented grime—

“Xi’er…it really is you!”

Ming Xi: “…”

“I’m your father, can you recognize my voice? It’s me, Ming Decheng! You really are Ming Xi, right! My daughter!”

Ming Xi: “…”

Click.

Ming Xi hung up the phone.

Her hand trembled, and she immediately blocked the number.

Ming Xi admitted that her action was a bit childish and ridiculous; she could block Ming Decheng’s number, but she couldn’t block the connection.

She treated the offensive call as though it had never happened and worked until the end of the day. Yet after work, another message came—from a number that had texted her at the end of last year:

“This Sunday, at the Scully Hotel, Fengming private room. Mom and Dad are back. He Yuan and I are hosting. We invite you to attend and discuss how to help Father settle his remaining debts.”

…

Near the end of the workday, Xinyu came in with a pile of documents, and Ming Xi, for the first time, smashed her phone in front of Xinyu…

Xinyu was stunned. The domineering aura radiating from Miss Ming at that moment was even more striking than at the auction.

What on earth happened? Ming Xi didn’t even glance at Xinyu, went straight to the office safe where important documents were kept. Squatting down, she entered the code and retrieved two carefully preserved papers: a two-hundred-thousand-yuan IOU and a debt transfer agreement.

Good! It’s time to settle some debts properly!

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