Chapter 274: This Woman Knows How to Fight Back?

Crescent Bay Restaurant.

Located on the top floor of Wanfushang Mall in the heart of Jiangzhou City.

Whether it was the décor or the ambiance, this place ranked among the finest in all of Jiangzhou.

Everywhere you looked, there were touches of luxury and refinement.

In the main dining hall stood a grand piano of exquisite quality.

Every day at set times during lunch and dinner, a pianist would perform beautiful melodies for the guests.

For a small fee, customers could even request specific pieces to be played.

From the moment she walked in, Miss Jiang had taken quite an interest in that white piano.

It had been a long time since she last touched one.

If Mature Woman Du found out, she’d probably be furious enough to grab her teaching stick and give her a proper lesson.

“Jiang Jiang.”

“You sure it’s okay for me to come along?”

Whether it was the setting or something else, Qi Wen’s voice carried a hint of timidity.

Miss Jiang responded with a bright smile, reaching out to pinch Little Qi’s cheek.

That soft, springy feel was quite satisfying.

“Relax.”

“It’s just a meal.”

“No big deal.”

Qi Wen frowned slightly and brushed Miss Jiang’s hand away, as if she wanted to say something more.

But just then, the server arrived and led them to a semi-private booth with a curtain for privacy.

The curtain was drawn aside.

“Please.”

Miss Jiang nodded and led Qi Wen inside.

As soon as they entered, they spotted Madam Shang sitting on the sofa, calmly gazing out at the night skyline of Jiangzhou.

She wore a black evening gown, her makeup light and understated.

Combined with her delicate features, she exuded a quiet elegance.

With her years of experience navigating social circles, Miss Jiang could tell at a glance that Madam Shang today gave off the air of a refined young matron from a noble household.

Beneath that serene exterior, however, was a different kind of energy.

What was the phrase again?

Cold on the outside, warm on the inside?

No, that wasn’t quite it.

Calm on the surface, but turbulent within?

Hmm…

Innocent on the outside, wild on the inside?

Ahem…

“President Shang, you don’t mind me bringing someone along, do you?”

The moment she entered, Miss Jiang took the lead, subtly reminding Madam Shang that even though she was the host, Miss Jiang still held the reins in this conversation.

Madam Shang didn’t say much in response.

She simply gave a slight nod.

“Have a seat.”

Miss Jiang might not have felt anything unusual, but Qi Wen, sitting across from someone like Shang Jie—who had long held a position of power—couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.

She sat down stiffly, her posture a bit awkward, and kept shooting glances at Jiang Ning.

Miss Jiang caught on immediately.

With a grin, she pointed at Shang Jie and said, “Former Vice President of Hongsheng Group, currently the General Manager of Hongsheng Group’s Ningzhou branch, Madam Shang Jie.”

Then, as if remembering something, she raised an eyebrow and added, “Oh, right. She’s also Luo Chengming’s stepmother.”

Qi Wen had been trying to follow along, but when she heard that last part, her expression turned completely blank.

She couldn’t make sense of any of it.

Just a few days ago there had been conflict, and now…

“You two…”

Seeing Little Qi’s stunned expression, Miss Jiang looked thoroughly amused.

She pulled out the chair next to her with a smile.

“Sit down.”

“President Shang is President Shang. Her dumbass son is her dumbass son.”

“There’s no necessary connection between the two.”

Then she turned back to Madam Shang, smiling sweetly.

“Right?”

“President Shang?”

Hearing the deliberate distinction in Miss Jiang’s tone, Shang Jie narrowed her eyes slightly.

After a moment of silence, she smiled and asked, “What would you like to eat?”

“I remember their king crab is quite good.”

“Would you like to try it?”

Qi Wen wasn’t from an ultra-wealthy family, but she’d seen enough of the world to know that king crab didn’t come cheap.

Even a single one could cost several hundred.

She quickly shook her head.

But before she could say anything, Jiang Ning spoke up first.

“Sure.”

“Let’s get a few to try.”

…

“Jiang Jiang?”

Qi Wen looked at her in disbelief, but Jiang Ning just smirked.

“Don’t worry.”

“It’s just a few crabs.”

“President Shang comes from money. She won’t mind a little extra expense.”

Shang Jie chose to ignore the jab.

She called over the server and, with a calm air, ordered one king crab and a few light dishes.

Then her gaze settled on the beautiful young girl across from her.

“President Jiang.”

“Quite the bold move.”

Just five words, but Miss Jiang instantly knew what Madam Shang was referring to.

She smiled lightly.

“No choice.”

“Just trying to protect myself.”

“Protect yourself?” Shang Jie didn’t quite understand what she meant.

She leaned back slightly, her eyes narrowing.

“Isn’t this your way of attacking ‘Emperor’s Chicken’?”

“No, no, no,” Miss Jiang immediately shook her head.

“From the very beginning,”

“This move was actually meant to guard against KFC and Golden Arches.”

And that was indeed the case.

When Miss Jiang first started laying the groundwork for sourcing her own chicken supply, it really was to fend off KFC and Golden Arches.

She just hadn’t expected that, with the help of her cousin back home, she’d end up turning Poultry Farm into a weapon sharp enough to stab someone.

Ah!

Thank you, Cousin.

Shang Jie had no idea what Miss Jiang was thinking.

She simply assumed this was part of Shi Ning Ji’s post-expansion strategy.

After a brief moment of surprise, she murmured softly,

“You started this layout last year?”

“Impressive.”

“Truly impressive.”

After a couple of sighs, Shang Jie added another line.

And the moment she did, Qi Wen, sitting nearby, froze in stunned silence.

“President Jiang,”

“What do you think would happen if word got out…”

“That the one stirring up all this chaos in Jiangzhou’s poultry market…”

“Is a second-year high school girl?”

The moment those words landed,

Qi Wen felt as if a heavy hammer had slammed into her chest.

With her intelligence, it wasn’t hard to grasp the meaning behind President Shang’s words.

Combined with what she already knew about Jiang Ning…

It all clicked.

Her best friend’s true identity…

Almost instinctively, Qi Wen turned to look at the beautiful girl beside her.

Sensing her gaze, the girl simply gave her a calm smile, then turned her head away, resting one hand on the table.

The other hand twirled a strand of her hair.

“President Shang, are you threatening me?”

“No, I’m just stating a fact.”

With that, the table fell into a brief silence.

But just then, the voice of a server came from outside.

“Ladies, your food is ready. Shall we bring it in now?”

“Bring it in,” Shang Jie instructed.

And so, dish after dish was brought to the table.

Until finally, a large platter holding a king crab was set down.

With that, the meal was complete.

Once the servers had cleared away,

Miss Jiang didn’t stand on ceremony. She reached out, tore off the largest leg, and placed it on Little Qi’s plate.

Then she smiled and said,

“President Shang,”

“Is this how you plan to help your group solve its problems?”

“Shall I help you see another reality?”

Faced with the feast before her,

Shang Jie didn’t move her chopsticks. She simply placed her hands together and leaned back slightly on the sofa,

Looking every bit the part of someone ready to listen.

In response,

Jiang Ning tore off a massive claw.

As she peeled the shell, she spoke,

“Yes, exposure would definitely bring me some trouble.”

“Like making it harder to attend school, getting questioned by my family, maybe ending up in the papers or on TV.”

“But President Shang, have you considered…”

“That for me, this might actually be a kind of soft marketing?”

At this point, Jiang Ning paused her movements, tilted her face slightly, and made a thoughtful expression.

“For example…”

“【‘Shi Ning Ji’: A Sixteen-Year-Old Girl’s Business Empire】”

“【On the Possibility Between Olympiads and Fried Chicken】?”

…

She rattled off several titles in a row.

In the middle of it, Miss Jiang didn’t forget to tear off another crab leg and place it on Qi Wen’s plate.

“Eat up. It won’t taste as good once it gets cold.”

Then,

She turned her gaze back to Madam Shang.

At this moment, Shang Jie no longer had that calm, detached look from before. She was now quietly staring at Jiang Ning.

“And what if it is?”

Hearing that,

Miss Jiang chuckled.

She picked up the little hammer that had been brought with the crab, cracked open a leg, and dipped the tender white meat into the sauce as she said,

“President Shang,”

“Your group is in quite a mess right now because of this supply chain issue, isn’t it?”

As she spoke, she looked up at Madam Shang.

Seeing that she had no intention of answering,

Jiang Ning lowered her head and took a small bite of crab meat.

Mmm.

Tender and smooth.

It melted in her mouth.

Paired with the rich, thick sauce—

The flavor was divine.

Miss Jiang’s eyes curved into crescent moons with satisfaction, and she said softly,

“Your capital chain must be having problems too, right?”

With that one sentence,

Shang Jie’s expression darkened instantly.

She fixed her gaze on the happily eating Miss Jiang with a cool, unreadable look.

“President Jiang,”

“I wonder where you heard such rumors.”

“Our Hongsheng Group…”

Shang Jie had only gotten halfway through her sentence when Miss Jiang looked up with a cheerful smile.

“President Shang,”

“You and Luo Guosheng haven’t registered your marriage yet, have you?”

The moment those words left her mouth,

Shang Jie fell completely silent.

She turned her face to the window, staring outside.

Seeing this,

Miss Jiang picked out a large chunk of meat and placed it on Qi Wen’s plate, who was now visibly uneasy.

She gave her friend a reassuring look,

Then turned back to Madam Shang and launched another verbal strike:

“Living together like a married couple,”

“Yet you’re so devoted to the group’s interests.”

“You must hold a decent amount of shares.”

“Two percent? Five?”

“Or maybe…”

“Three?”

The table fell into silence.

A long moment passed.

Then Shang Jie suddenly laughed.

A soft, lilting chuckle escaped her lips.

“Why not 6%? Or 8%?”

“Old Luo isn’t that generous. He only has 24% himself.”

“So you’re sure it’s shares?”

“What else does Hongsheng Group have that’s worth your time? I don’t think just those two kids are enough to tie down President Shang.”

The words were blunt.

But the meaning was crystal clear.

And with that, the conversation came to another halt.

Silence returned to the table.

After a long while,

Shang Jie casually brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

She murmured softly,

“Jiang Ning.”

“Good thing you’re a woman.”

“Because with the way you just stripped someone bare…”

“I can’t imagine how many girls would’ve fallen into your hands if you weren’t.”

???

What the hell!?

Miss Jiang stared at the elegant woman across from her, who had suddenly taken on a rather seductive air.

Her face was full of confusion.

And then—

She felt a hand land on her thigh.

A light squeeze.

Pain shot through her leg, making her face twitch.

But she didn’t dare turn to look at the owner of that hand. She simply gritted her teeth and kept her eyes fixed on the charming woman in front of her.

For some reason,

She suddenly felt a little sorry for her.

Ten years of marriage.

A son and a daughter.

Yet not even a marriage certificate to show for it.

She tried to make a name for herself in the business world, but her status kept slamming doors in her face.

If it weren’t for that 3% stake in the company,

This sultry woman probably wouldn’t even be allowed through the front doors of Hongsheng Group.

And with a troublemaking stepson who once brought her underwear to school…

All these things piled together.

Miss Jiang couldn’t help but feel this woman deserved better.

Just then,

A thought flashed through her mind.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

The corners of her lips lifted into a sly smile.

“President Shang.”

“Have you ever thought about your children’s future?”

——————

A November night.

The wind had grown cold.

Miss Jiang rode her electric scooter through the streets and alleys of Jiangzhou, with Little Qi sitting behind her.

“Jiang Jiang.”

“Was ‘Shi Ning Ji’ really your idea?”

The girl clinging to her back asked the question that had been on her mind.

Hearing that,

Miss Jiang pressed her bag down on her skirt, which was fluttering in the wind, shifted uncomfortably, and replied,

“It was my proposal, but my eldest cousin handled most of the work.”

Little Qi gave a small “oh” in response.

Then her arms around Jiang Ning’s waist tightened slightly.

After a pause, she asked again,

“Jiang Jiang, why are you so interested in that President Shang…”

“Didn’t we just have a conflict with her son?”

Interested?

This little brat…

Well, fine.

Miss Jiang was indeed quite interested in Shang Jie.

Not just in that way—cough, cough…

More importantly, she admired the woman’s capabilities.

If someone like her could be brought under her command,

A lot of things would be much easier to handle.

After all,

Wang Jianguo was just a personal assistant.

There were limits to what she could do.

And her eldest cousin’s shortcomings meant he couldn’t take on too many responsibilities either.

As for Lin Ke, her cousin-in-law, her older cousin, even Yu Lingling and Xia Ling—

They were all missing something.

So,

Miss Jiang’s sudden eagerness to recruit Madam Shang

Wasn’t without reason.

As for her relationship with Madam Shang’s son?

Please.

What kind of son steals his stepmother’s lingerie and brings it to school?

Just thinking about it made Miss Jiang feel creeped out.

Still,

Even though Madam Shang had turned her down this time,

There’s always next time.

Miss Jiang didn’t believe that once she had Hongsheng Group pinned to the ground,

That woman would still be able to resist.

…

Later,

When Little Qi heard that Jiang Ning wanted to make Madam Shang her chief steward,

Even though she had mentally prepared herself,

She still couldn’t help but voice her concern.

“Jiang Jiang.”

“She’s already in her thirties…”

“And she’s a vice president…”

…

“Ew… are you doubting your man?”

“I’m not doubting—wait, what do you mean ‘your man’?!”

“Hey! Hey! Don’t move! The skirt! The skirt!!”

………

By the time Jiang Ning got home, it was already 9:10 PM.

As soon as she stepped through the door,

She hung her scooter keys on the entry hook and looked up to see her mother sitting on the couch, knitting a sweater while watching TV.

“Mom, I’m home.”

“Mm.”

Her mother replied with the regal tone of an empress dowager.

But then she turned around, surprised.

“Eh? Ning Ning, it’s Sunday. Shouldn’t you be back at school?”

“I told you yesterday, didn’t I? The dorm’s having plumbing work done. We’re supposed to go back Monday…”

“Oh…”

Seeing this,

Miss Jiang instantly understood.

Her mom was way too into her drama again.

She didn’t bother saying more.

She pulled a pair of pants out of her purse, went to the bathroom, and tossed them into the laundry basket.

As she stood up,

She paused in front of the mirror.

Tilted her head, looked at her reflection.

Aimed, squinted her left eye, and raised a finger.

But—

This familiar gesture from her past life,

For some reason,

Felt oddly off this time.

Was it the height difference?

Was it that same brown suspender dress blocking her line of sight again?

Miss Jiang couldn’t figure it out.

Nor did she dare dwell on it.

Because all of a sudden, she realized—

She could barely remember what she looked like in her past life.

Had her memories really faded this much?

She frowned slightly.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she spaced out for a moment.

After trying hard to recall, she finally managed to picture that handsome face from before. With that, she walked out of the bathroom.

And just happened to meet her mother’s gaze.

“Hmm? That dress looks nice. When did you buy it?”

Her mother complimented her offhandedly.

“Uh, I got it today while shopping with Qi Wen…”

Hearing that, her mother nodded and casually looked away.

But then—

She turned back, frowning.

“Ning Ning.”

“I remember you never used to wear dresses, right?”

“So how come now…”

As she spoke, her mother suddenly set down her needlework and looked over with a serious expression.

“Ning Ning, say again—who are you having dinner with tonight?”

“Qi Wen… why?”

“You sure?”

“Who else would it be?”

At that moment—

Her mother’s gaze sharpened like a blade.

As if she were trying to peel away Miss Jiang’s disguise with her eyes.

But Miss Jiang didn’t take it seriously at all.

What a joke.

Back in the day, this old master once snuck a girl home and hid her under the covers without anyone finding out.

You think I’d get exposed over something this trivial?

What would that say about me?

…

Half an hour later.

Miss Jiang returned to her room after washing up.

Seeing that it was still early,

She turned on her computer.

Played a round of Age of Empires.

Got crushed by the AI because she couldn’t remember the cheat code.

Then switched to a round of Beachhead.

Gotta say—

Mowing down propeller planes with a machine gun felt pretty damn good.

Kind of made up for a certain regret.

In the end, it was only after her mother’s repeated calls that

Miss Jiang reluctantly shut down her computer.

Climbed into bed.

Checked the time.

Ten-thirty.

She figured there probably wouldn’t be any work messages this late on a Sunday.

But the moment she turned on her phone—

Over a dozen messages.

Most of them from Little Tao.

She tapped them open.

【Jiang Ning, I heard you got into a fight and brought out the big guns?】

【Damn, not bad. You okay?】

【Next time, don’t be so reckless. Just tell me who you want to hit, I’ll handle it.】

【Oh, and Sui He found out too】

【Good luck, you’ll need it】

(End of Chapter)