Translator: Cinder Translations
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Nan Jin had kept her gaze on the man in front of her the whole night, and only when the event ended did she seem to wake up from a dream. Everyone had been drinking, so their families had sent drivers to pick them up.
Yuan Yuan, Shi Jia, and Jin Xizhen all courteously said their goodbyes before quickly leaving.
Actually, Jin Xizhen wasn't very tactful, but couldn't resist the deathly stares from Yuan Yuan and Shi Jia.
"Mr. Jiang," the only person left, Nan Jin, didn't seem in a hurry to leave. The driver, wearing white gloves, stood quietly by her side. "It's getting late, please let the driver take you home."
"Alright." Jiang Cheng didn't refuse. "But please wait a moment, I need to say goodbye to a few acquaintances."
"We'll wait for you."
After a nod, Jiang Cheng left without lingering.
Until his figure disappeared around the corner of the bar, Nan Jin didn't move her gaze. The driver standing by her side concealed his confusion well, though his eyes still betrayed it.
It was almost 3 AM, and only a few tables of guests remained. A few service staff were cleaning up the bar, and Jiang Cheng arrived at the corner, opening an inconspicuous door.
Inside, smoke filled the air. A balding man was lounging in the boss's chair, squinting, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. The ashtray in front of him was already filled with cigarette butts.
A few empty Red Bull cans lay on the table, along with a roll of coarse toilet paper.
It was clear the man wasn't concerned about his appearance. Though he wore a dress shirt, he looked disheveled, and one of the buttons was done up incorrectly.
"Brother Jiang," the man immediately changed his demeanor when he saw Jiang Cheng enter. He twisted his neck and sat up straighter, trying to appear more formal.
"Mm." Jiang Cheng naturally found a seat, clearly accustomed to the place.
The disheveled man didn't bother with pleasantries and made a phone call. A few minutes later, a knock came at the door.
"Come in," the man called loudly.
A waiter walked in, bowing respectfully. "Brother Gong, Brother Jiang's table has been settled. The paper flowers cost 2900, and the alcohol commission..."
At this point, the waiter suddenly went quiet, looking cautiously at Jiang Cheng, seemingly waiting for something.
"Brother Jiang," Gong, the disheveled man, said with a grin. "Shall we proceed as usual, as we agreed?"
"As usual, I'm in a hurry."
"Of course, of course," the man grinned even wider, nodding repeatedly. He then instructed the waiter to prepare everything.
The man knew Jiang Cheng's preferences: he didn't like bank cards, only cash.
Before long, the waiter returned, holding a stack of brand new cash.
Jiang Cheng didn't hesitate and used the money counting machine to check it before putting the cash away and leaving.
After reluctantly saying goodbye to Jiang Cheng, Nan Jin sat alone in the back of the car. She carefully held a blooming rose in her hands, the currency's texture making it feel slightly rough.
It was almost as if it were a real rose, complete with the annoying thorns.
But Nan Jin didn't mind. She gently cradled the rose, which she called "Kawasaki," her mind filled with thoughts of the man.
"Mr. Jiang," she whispered softly.
"Ugh! 86, 8790." Jiang Cheng squatted on the steps leading to the office door, counting the money back and forth several times. His eyes narrowed, and a grin spread across his face, making a sound of "heh heh heh."
Realizing his voice was too loud, he quickly stopped and spread the money around in various pockets, swaggering back home.
By the next day, the women arrived, and Jiang Cheng was still somewhat hungover.
The chubby woman watched as Jiang Cheng unceremoniously tore off the disguise on their faces.
The reason the four girls were in their current state had a lot to do with the four women before them. They had sacrificed their daughters' own interests and happiness to reach the heights they thought were appropriate.
They had turned their own children into the so-called "other people's children."
"Dr. Jiang," a plump woman couldn't hold back any longer.
Having been mocked by a young man with little social standing, who could almost be their son, she blushed and said, "First of all, we really appreciate your help with the children, but you don't have more experience in educating children than we do. After all, you don't even have children."
"I want to tell you that although our methods may be a bit extreme, when they really grow up, they will be grateful for everything we've done. They will understand our good intentions."
"We let them win at the starting line. Society is harsh, and only strict education will ensure they succeed in future battles."
As she said this, Jiang Cheng quietly sipped his coffee. When she finished speaking, he put the cup down and casually said, "Now you know why your daughter likes girls?"
The plump woman froze and frowned. "What are you trying to say?"
"Because most men aren't gentle enough," Jiang Cheng exhaled and looked up, "Just like you."
"You..."
The conversation ended in a rather uncomfortable atmosphere. It was clear that the four women recognized Jiang Cheng's abilities but were not fully accepting of his way of speaking.
Especially Jin Xizhen's mother, whose face turned red with anger, but there was nothing she could do.
After all, the doctor they had previously brought in refused to even meet with their daughter, but at least she wasn't entirely averse to the man in front of them.
After the others left, the chubby man hesitated before saying, "Doctor, I think you might want to adjust the way you speak a little bit."
He licked his lips. "After all, they're clients, and they were introduced by Brother Pi."
He suddenly stopped, because Jiang Cheng had turned his head and fixed his gaze on him.
"Are you teaching me how to do things?" After a brief pause, Jiang Cheng spoke, his tone not questioning but stating it as a fact.
The chubby man's throat tightened, and he instinctively raised his hands. "No, doctor."
Just as the chubby man feared the situation would escalate, the phone suddenly rang, rescuing him. Jiang Cheng stood up from the sofa, walked to the desk, and answered the phone.
"Dr. Jiang," as soon as the phone connected, Pi Ruan's unmistakable voice came through eagerly. "I found the person you asked me to look for!"
TL/N: The plot THICKENSSS!
(End of the Chapter)
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