Fu Yancheng's gaze was icy, like summer could never touch his features.
He looked at Sheng Mian with heavy, unblinking eyes, his face emotionless. "Let's go."
Sheng Mian followed him, swiping her card to enter the building.
The lobby floor was polished to the point that it reflected her every step. The staff waiting by the door all bowed and greeted her with the utmost respect.
After walking for a while, Fu Yancheng turned to look at her.
Sheng Mian also stopped and smiled politely.
"How much did Lin Jing give you?"
Sheng Mian didn't know the nature of the relationship between Lin Jing and Fu Yancheng, nor was she particularly interested in the Fu family. In the past three years, she hadn't even met Fu Yancheng's father. To her, Lin Jing and Fu Yancheng probably moved in the same social circles.
"My boss said this deal could be worth over a million," Sheng Mian replied.
"Your industry still has a boss?" Fu Yancheng asked, his tone curious. It touched on an area he wasn't familiar with.
It seemed Lin Jing had spoken the truth about Yuece offering discreet services to some clients. Fu Yancheng had never been involved with this, and to his surprise, the first night back in the country, he found himself dealing with it.
At this point, he realized there was no use dwelling on it.
He started walking toward his private room and, noticing Sheng Mian following him, turned his head to look at her. "Lin Jing said you charge high fees, and your services are guaranteed to satisfy the client. Is that true?"
Sheng Mian had worked with many wealthy clients over the years. Most were generous, though a few were particularly difficult. Hearing Fu Yancheng's comment, she switched to a more formal tone. "Mr. Fu, pricing is subjective. What one person finds reasonable, another might not."
Fu Yancheng's eyes flashed with displeasure. He sneered, "Is that so? But I'm not satisfied with your service."
It was clumsy, with him controlling everything. If this was business, the client experience mattered, didn't it? Especially when the fee was over a million. Apart from her body and face, what else was she worth?
The money in this line of work seemed to be so easy to earn.
Maintaining her professional composure, Sheng Mian lowered her eyes. "Mr. Fu, you can tell me what style you prefer, and I will tailor the design to your tastes."
Her face remained composed, with a polite and proper smile. Under the soft glow of the wall lights, her expression gained a subtle allure that was difficult to ignore.
Fu Yancheng paused for a moment, and a memory flashed in his mind—how she had seemed almost overwhelmed in the early hours of the morning, her lips slightly parted, eyes unfocused, her body weakly gripping his neck...
Her eyes, like water lilies, seemed to shimmer with emotion, long and captivating, clear and seductive.
Sheng Mian lifted her chin, exuding confidence. "Many of my clients are return customers, and they've all been satisfied."
Her designs—whether villas or houses—had earned her a solid reputation. Even second-hand properties sold for multiple times their original price. She had yet to receive any complaints.
Return customers?
Fu Yancheng's brows furrowed. A subtle, faint irritation passed through him. "You have other clients?"
"Isn't this your first time?" His voice carried an undercurrent of suspicion.
"How could it be? I've been in this line for three years," Sheng Mian said, sounding slightly surprised. She didn't expect him to ask this, and wondered what Lin Jing had told him.
Before she could continue, Fu Yancheng's face hardened.
An unfamiliar feeling flickered within him. He couldn't quite describe it, but it irritated him. His chest tightened with annoyance. "Fine. Don't follow me. The payment will be settled, and don't expect anything more."
Sheng Mian paused in confusion. "Should I go find Mr. Lin?"
In Fu Yancheng's eyes, this sounded like an act. His brows knitted, and his expression darkened.
"Is he also your client?"
"Sort of," Sheng Mian replied, nodding. Future clients were, of course, clients as well.
Fu Yancheng's expression darkened further. He turned and left without hesitation.
Sheng Mian stood still, contemplating why her earlier response had struck such a nerve with him. She hadn't said anything wrong or offensive—so why was he still unsatisfied?
He probably didn't even know her true identity.
At that moment, her phone rang. It was a call from Liang Hanqing.
"Xiao Mian, have you arrived?"
"Boss, I think I've messed up," Sheng Mian said, her voice tinged with regret.
Liang Hanqing was taken aback. He had always trusted Sheng Mian's abilities, and in her three years in the field, she had never said she had messed anything up before.
"Room 1402. Come over."
"Got it," Sheng Mian replied.
She hung up the phone and asked a staff member for directions to the private room.
Inside, Liang Hanqing glanced at Lin Jing, who was lounging with his legs crossed.
"Mr. Lin, the designer will be here shortly."
Lin Jing's face lit up as he smiled. "No rush. My cousin will be here soon too. We can let them discuss things in person. This deal is a sure thing."
With Lin Jing's confidence, Liang Hanqing relaxed, smiling back. "Actually, I went to high school with Yancheng, but I doubt he remembers me."
With a family and status like his, Fu Yancheng had always had plenty of people trying to get close to him. Despite being in the same class, he'd barely spent any time in school, less than half a year in total.
As Liang Hanqing spoke, the door to the private room opened, and Sheng Mian walked in.
She wasn't in her usual professional attire but wore a light, casual outfit that was both simple and elegant. Her matching handbag and lightly pulled-back long hair gave her a fresh, clean look.
She smiled at Lin Jing. "Hello."
Lin Jing's eyes immediately brightened. "I didn't expect the designer to not only be talented but also this beautiful."
Noticing she came alone, he seemed puzzled. "Didn't I ask my cousin to come pick you up? Where is he?"
Sheng Mian paused. Fu Yancheng was his cousin?