The next morning, Sheng Mian applied some foundation to cover the marks on her face before heading to the studio.
The studio was located in a commercial building, spanning two floors. She worked here part-time, so she didn't have to come in every day, but the monthly summary meeting was mandatory.
As usual, Liang Hanqing was the first to arrive, but today, he was late—by half an hour.
He rushed in, still wearing the same suit from yesterday, his movements hurried. Sheng Mian paused as she turned the pen in her hand, sensing something might have happened to him.
"Sorry, I'm late today," Liang Hanqing said as he took his seat at the main position. Noticing the concerned look on Sheng Mian's face, he gave her an apologetic smile.
The meeting proceeded as planned, and after it ended, Sheng Mian was about to leave with the others, but she noticed Liang Hanqing hadn't moved from his seat. Unable to hold back her curiosity, she walked over to ask, "What happened?"
Liang Hanqing wearily rubbed his brow, his voice hoarse—he clearly hadn't slept all night.
His lips moved several times as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
"Is it serious?"
Liang Hanqing didn't answer immediately, but after a long silence, he spoke up. "I'm considering whether to sell the studio, but I don't know how to tell everyone."
Sheng Mian was taken aback. The studio was in a growing phase, and it didn't make sense for him to suddenly want to sell it, especially since Liang Hanqing wasn't someone who lacked money. The studio had been his hard work for years. He wouldn't consider selling it unless he was in a dire situation.
"How much do you still need?"
"At least twenty million," Liang Hanqing said with a bitter smile, rubbing his forehead. His eyes were red, showing signs of exhaustion. "I wish I could've secured the deal with Fu Yancheng last night... but unfortunately..."
"I'll go try again with Fu Yancheng," Sheng Mian said as she grabbed her things. "But don't tell anyone else about this yet."
Liang Hanqing sighed, clearly stressed.
"Don't put too much pressure on yourself. It wasn't your fault last night—your sister-in-law wasn't in the right frame of mind. I'll apologize to you on her behalf."
After leaving the meeting room, Sheng Mian decided to head to Fu Corporation and try her luck.
Fu Yancheng was likely there, and only by meeting him in person could she negotiate the business deal.
Fu Corporation's headquarters was located in the heart of Beijing's CBD, an iconic skyscraper standing tall among the city's skyline. It was said that looking out from the top, all one could see were Fu family properties. The family's wealth, accumulated over generations, had reached an astronomical level by this generation.
After registering, Sheng Mian entered the lobby and approached the front desk.
The receptionist, seeing her unfamiliar face, smiled sweetly and asked, "Hello, how can I assist you?"
"I'd like to meet with Mr. Fu. Is he available right now?"
The receptionist's smile faltered, and she gave Sheng Mian a brief glance up and down. "I'm sorry, without an appointment, Mr. Fu doesn't meet with people casually."
Sheng Mian was caught off guard by the response. "What if I'm here to discuss a business collaboration?"
"Business inquiries should be directed to the business department. Any documents requiring Mr. Fu's signature will be reviewed by him through the proper channels."
The receptionist's tone became more dismissive, clearly perceiving Sheng Mian as just another woman hoping to ingratiate herself with Fu Yancheng, waiting around for a chance to talk to him.
This type of visitor had become all too common in recent days.
Sheng Mian didn't feel like explaining herself—after all, how could she say, "Actually, I'm your boss's wife"?
However, standing there waiting could mean hours of nothing. Was she really going to have to return to the Fu family residence?
As she hesitated, a new message notification popped up on her phone.
"Hello, Miss Sheng, this is Mr. Fu's private lawyer. I came by twice regarding the divorce agreement, but you weren't available. Do you have time now?"