Chapter 273: There Are No Outsiders Here Anyway

By the time Shang Jie found out there was a problem with the group’s poultry supply chain, it was already three thirty in the afternoon.

She had been sitting by the window, listening to music with a book in her hands, quietly enjoying a peaceful afternoon.

But a single phone call from the company threw her into deep thought.

There was a problem with the poultry supply chain?

How could that even happen?

Back when she was competing with Shi Ning Ji, hadn’t she already built a complete and reliable supply system?

How could there still be issues now?

With these doubts in mind, Shang Jie made several phone calls to investigate.

Most of the responses were evasive, as if they were subtly implying, “You’re no longer in charge of us, so you don’t need to know these things.”

She was so infuriated she nearly threw her phone.

In the end, it was her former secretary who secretly told her the truth.

The Board of Directors had decided that the supply system she had built was too wasteful, so for each product category, they kept only one or two main suppliers and cut the rest.

When Shang Jie heard this, she nearly choked on her own breath.

Back when she was going head-to-head with Shi Ning Ji, she had specifically worried that competitors might target their supply lines. That’s why she had gone to great lengths to build a robust and diversified supply chain across all major categories.

And now?

The person who took over after her had slashed it all in the name of short-term profit.

Now, at a critical moment, the supply chain had collapsed.

She was well aware of the Blackrock Group order.

They required live chickens to be delivered to the factory, processed using the group’s technology, and then transported to a designated location by Blackrock Group.

It was a massive order, with a high profit margin.

The only downside was that only a partial deposit had been paid. The remaining balance would be settled after the order was completed.

Shang Jie knew how much effort the group had put into securing this deal.

And now, a major issue had cropped up in the poultry supply chain.

This was just—

Wait a minute…

Poultry supply chain…

A knowing expression suddenly appeared on Shang Jie’s elegant face.

………

At the same time.

On the second floor of Wanfu Mall, inside a clothing store called Timi.

Miss Jiang stood there with a troubled expression, her face looking rather grim.

Qi Wen had just laid out several dresses in front of her.

Although she had worn a skirt once or twice before, it had only been under duress—and it had been a school uniform at that.

But now, these dresses…

A coffee-colored, mid-length suspender dress…

A creamy white, long butterfly-sleeve dress…

A black, straight-cut maxi dress…

Even though they were all mid-to-long length, Miss Jiang still shook her head in resistance.

“Wenwen… didn’t we agree…”

She had only gotten halfway through her sentence when—

“Jiang Jiang~ Just try one on for me~”

“Just one~”

“There’s no one else here anyway~”

“Come on, just one~”

Qi Wen’s eyes curved into a smile, her rosy lips curled up slightly, and her gaze held a mix of longing and shyness.

With such a sweet and pleading look, Miss Jiang felt her heart melting.

Almost without realizing it, she picked up one of the dresses and walked into the fitting room.

Then—

Smack! She slapped her left hand, which was holding the dress.

“Can’t even walk straight when you see a pretty girl!”

“You’re going to trip over a girl one of these days!”

After scolding her left hand, Miss Jiang turned her glare to her right.

“And you! Couldn’t even warn me!”

“Looks like you’re not that smart either!”

“Arghhhh!”

“Why do I have two such stupid hands?!”

……

“Jiang Jiang! What are you mumbling about in there?”

“Hurry up!”

Hearing Little Qi’s voice from outside, Miss Jiang muttered under her breath.

“Got it.”

Then she looked at the coffee-colored suspender dress hanging in front of her and let out a long sigh.

She unbuttoned the waistband of her pants…

At that moment.

Outside, Qi Wen was browsing through more clothes when she suddenly felt a strange vibration.

She looked down.

It was coming from Jiang Ning’s small bag.

Curious, Qi Wen opened it and pulled out the source of the vibration.

A red-and-white Nokia phone.

The screen displayed an incoming call from someone labeled “Madam Shang.”

She didn’t know who that was, but judging by how persistently it was ringing, it must be important.

For a brief moment, Qi Wen even considered answering the call herself.

But the thought passed quickly.

Instead, she grabbed the phone and hurried toward the fitting room.

Just then.

Miss Jiang stepped out of the fitting room wearing the coffee-colored suspender dress.

In an instant.

All the customers nearby turned to look at her.

“Wow!”

“What a beautiful girl!”

“She looks amazing…”

Exclamations like these reached Qi Wen’s ears.

Even the sales assistant was stunned.

Qi Wen’s little heart swelled with pride and satisfaction.

But then, the vibrating phone in her hand reminded her of what she was supposed to do.

She quickly stepped forward.

“Jiang Jiang! Your phone.”

“Huh?”

Jiang Ning was still caught up in the discomfort of having her lower half exposed.

Hearing that, she asked instinctively, “Who is it?”

Without thinking, the ever-honest Little Qi replied, “Madam Shang…”

Then she realized what she’d just said.

Her face flushed red, and she shoved the phone into Miss Jiang’s hands before running off.

Watching the little rascal flee…

Miss Jiang let out a dismissive hum.

Then she picked up her phone and answered the call.

“Hello, President Shang. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Pleasure might be a stretch. I just wanted to ask, President Jiang—are you doing this out of revenge?”

The gentle accusation on the other end of the line made her chuckle silently. She strolled along, phone in hand, aimlessly browsing as she walked.

“Revenge?”

“Revenge for what, President Shang?”

“You shouldn’t throw around baseless accusations like that…”

As she spoke, Qi Wen suddenly appeared behind her and said sweetly, “Lift your arm, Jiang Jiang.”

Still on the call, Jiang Ning didn’t think much of it and obediently raised her arm.

She continued circling around, chatting with the voice on the other end.

“President Shang, there are plenty of chickens in Jiangzhou.”

“If someone doesn’t want to sell, you can’t just pin the blame on me…”

“You need to learn to reflect on yourself… hmm?”

She was in the middle of her speech when she suddenly felt a push. Turning her head, she saw Little Qi gently nudging her forward.

“Come on, let’s go to another place.”

“Oh.”

Miss Jiang didn’t question it, still focused on her conversation.

They walked and talked for quite a while.

When Madam Shang suggested meeting in person to talk, Miss Jiang was reminded of the dinner gathering last time.

She thought of the promise they’d made.

After a moment’s hesitation, she agreed.

They arranged to have dinner together that evening.

But just as Jiang Ning hung up and turned to tell Little Qi about it, she suddenly felt a chill from the waist down that made her freeze.

She looked down.

The hem of her skirt swayed gently.

Underneath, a pair of porcelain-white legs peeked out, smooth and bare.

Add to that the occasional glances from passersby…

!!!

In an instant, Miss Jiang realized something was wrong.

She looked up, scanning her surroundings.

She was standing right outside a duck neck shop, waiting for Little Qi to finish buying snacks.

Her expression shifted to panic.

She hurried over to Little Qi’s side.

“Wenwen! My clothes?!”

Noticing her flustered tone, Little Qi flashed a grin, revealing a tiny tiger tooth.

“These clothes? Don’t worry, I paid for them.”

“Only 120 yuan, super cheap!”

“No!” Miss Jiang’s face flushed red with urgency. “Where are my clothes? No, my pants! Wenwen, where are my pants…”

But facing Miss Jiang’s growing distress, Little Qi just smiled sweetly and pointed to the reflective glass nearby.

“Jiang Jiang, just look—don’t you think it looks good?”

Miss Jiang instinctively followed her gaze.

In the glass, a tall and elegant figure stared back at her.

A soft yellow sweater, with two brown suspenders draped over the shoulders, fastened to a mid-length pleated skirt.

Beneath the skirt, a pair of porcelain legs peeked out shyly.

And paired with the flushed cheeks beneath her long, shoulder-length hair…

Even knowing it was her own reflection, Miss Jiang couldn’t help but mutter under her breath.

“…It does look good…”

Hearing that, Little Qi beamed.

“See? Told you.”

Then she lifted the bag of duck necks in her hand.

“Come on, let’s find a place to sit and try these!”

With that, she turned and walked off, completely ignoring the dazed Miss Jiang behind her.

By the time Miss Jiang snapped out of it, Little Qi was already several meters ahead.

“Hey! Wait! What about my pants?!”

“They’ve been with me for eighteen years! Even if they’re going to die, they deserve a proper farewell!”

“Wenwen! Wenwen?!”

That little brat!

Left with no choice, Miss Jiang flushed with embarrassment and hurried after her.

In that moment,

Her skirt fluttered in the breeze,

Tugging at the hearts of everyone who happened to glance her way…

(End of Chapter)