At a Coffee Shop
Zuri stirred her coffee, her gaze unfocused as she stared out the window, lost in thought. She glanced at her watch; there were still three minutes left before the scheduled time.
As the chairman of Jinxiu Group, it was naturally impossible for her to handle everything personally. She didn't have the time to manage the company, so she hired a headhunting firm to find a professional manager to take care of things.
The person recommended by the headhunting firm left an impression on Zuri, and not a bad one either, which meant the choice was likely a good one.
Three minutes later, the person who was supposed to appear didn't show up. Zuri slightly raised her eyebrows and gently set down the small spoon.
"Waiter, the bill, please."
Zuri took out a credit card from her bag.
"Ma'am, please hold on a moment."
From behind a nearby booth came an irritable male voice, "I'll pay you the money, why are you in such a hurry? I told you, I'll figure something out. The Lin family might have fallen, but she's still part of the Qin family, she's definitely got money. I've taken care of her for so many years, she wouldn't dare not give me money. Don't worry, I'll transfer the money to you in a couple of days."
The waiter stepped forward and handed Zuri her card.
But Zuri didn't stand up; she remained seated in the booth.
Soon, the man from the booth behind her walked out, carrying a takeaway coffee. As he passed by her table, Zuri discreetly took a photo of him.
"Find out who this person is. I've sent the photo to your email. The sooner, the better."
After hanging up the phone, Zuri was about to get up.
From the doorway, a man in a sharp suit and an air of confidence walked towards her. Seeing Zuri stand up, he assumed she was welcoming him, and his smile grew even more smug.
"Zuri, right? I'm Fang Tongwei." Fang Tongwei struck a pose and extended his hand, his demeanor suggesting he was there to interview her, not the other way around.
Zuri looked at his outstretched hand but didn't move. "You're five minutes late."
Fang Tongwei smiled and explained, "I apologize, the traffic was a bit heavy on the way here, so I'm late."
Zuri smiled back, "The coffee here is quite good. You should have a cup before you leave."
With that, Zuri walked out.
Fang Tongwei was stunned and questioned, "Zuri, what's the meaning of this?"
"I hate people who are late."
"But I just explained the reason." Fang Tongwei was slightly indignant. In his view, his presence alone was a favor to her. Upon meeting him, she should at least show him the proper respect and importance.
Never in a million years did he expect her to be so arrogant and rude.
"Reason?" Zuri sneered. "Your company is about a fifteen-minute walk from here. Judging by the light sweat on your face, you walked here. A person who is not punctual and lies constantly is of no value."
"I'm of no value?" Fang Tongwei was so angry he laughed. "Do you have any idea how many companies are trying to poach me, offering better and better terms? Do you really think I care about joining your lousy company?"
"I won't deny that you're talented, but integrity is what truly matters."
Zuri didn't waste any more words and left directly.
That Evening
Zuri received an email.
Graham, male, twenty-eight, unemployed, lives in Rose Garden Luxury Apartments, kept by wealthy women, chaotic personal life…
"Graham."
It was time to meet him!
Dalia's mouth was hard to pry open, but there were always others who were easier to crack.
Zuri dialed Graham's number, but no one answered for a long time. At the last moment, a male voice came through, sounding annoyed.
"Who is this? Say what you need to say. If it's nothing important, I'm hanging up."
"I have a business proposition for you. Interested?"
"Did you dial the wrong number?" Graham asked, his tone more patient because the caller's voice was pleasant.
"Graham, male, twenty-eight years old, currently residing in Rose Garden Apartments, simultaneously dating three girlfriends and one wealthy older woman. Need I go on?"
"Who are you? What do you want?" Graham's tone grew cautious.
"No need to be nervous. I just want to discuss a deal with you. If it works out, you'll be well-compensated."
"What do you want me to do?"
"It's simple. Get Dalia to reveal the truth about why she adopted a non-biological daughter."
Graham gasped in shock, "You're the second daughter of the Lin family!"
"I'm not."
Graham smacked his forehead, "Right, right, you're not. You want to know the truth? I'll take the job, but how much are you offering?"
"Two hundred thousand!"
"Too little! Miss Zuri, you're the chairman of Jinxiu Group. Two hundred thousand is a bit stingy, don't you think?" Graham's previous irritation vanished, replaced by enthusiasm.
"Name your price."
"Straightforward! One million, take it or leave it."
What a greedy bastard!
Zuri's expression didn't change. "Five hundred thousand, within a month."
"That's too little." Graham was tempted but still feigned dissatisfaction.
"Deal or no deal? One word."
Graham gritted his teeth, "Deal."
"If anything comes up, you can call this number."
"Got it."
After hanging up, Graham was overjoyed. Finally, he could solve his financial crisis. He squinted his eyes, realizing he needed to quickly get the information out of that old woman to get the money as soon as possible.
Graham took out a dedicated phone and called Dalia. The call went unanswered.
He was relentless, calling again and again, until finally, he resorted to sending a text message.
[Baby, I know you're listening. I have something important to discuss with you, about that matter… See the message, call me back. Love you.]
Graham knew she saw the message but was deliberately not answering.
He had no choice but to use his trump card!
Sure enough, five minutes later, his phone rang.
"What do you want?" Dalia's voice was very cold.
Ever since he helped her get rid of her third brother, he had shown his true greedy nature, asking for money from her more and more frequently, and with increasingly outrageous demands.
"Baby, don't be so cold! I just want to see you, at the Haifeier Hotel."
"I'm busy."
"Don't worry, I won't ask for money. I genuinely miss you. Eight o'clock tonight, don't be late."
Not giving her a chance to refuse, Graham hung up.
There was no way Dalia believed his words, but she couldn't avoid going.
At Haifeier Hotel
Dalia was cautious at first, but Graham was attentive and didn't mention money at all. This made Dalia even more wary, but soon, she was completely won over by Graham's charm.
After an intense session, Graham massaged her shoulders as she relaxed, her eyes closed in contentment, not noticing the glint in his eyes.
"I heard recently that the daughter you took in isn't your biological child. Is that true?" Graham asked, feigning curiosity.
"Yes, she's not my biological daughter." Dalia replied, her eyes still closed, thoroughly relaxed.
She hadn't felt this at ease in a long time.
"Really! She's not your biological daughter?" Graham exclaimed in surprise, then followed up, "If she's not, why did you take her in?"