Rebirth of the Scumbag and the Retribution of the White Lotus

Shen Yu stood by the French window, overlooking the city lights. As the night deepened, the lights sprinkled the ground like broken gold, shimmering with a captivating brilliance. But the beauty didn't soothe Shen Yu's gaze; instead, it deepened. Zhao Shufang's call had left him feeling uneasy—she seemed to know some secret of his, and he finally realized, in that moment, that he might have underestimated her.

"Mr. Shen, Zhao Shufang is indeed not as simple as we thought." Liu Kai's voice broke Shen Yu's contemplation. "She is not only a rival in the business world, but also more like a calculating chess player."

"Yes." Shen Yu turned around slowly, a hint of coldness in his eyes. "Every move she makes seems to have been planned in advance. Moreover, she is not only trying to hit me in business, but also trying to crush me psychologically."

"However, Mr. Shen, you are right. We can't underestimate her, but we can't let her scare us either." Liu Kai said in a deep voice, "What we need to do most now is to find Zhao Shufang's loopholes, rather than let her lead us by the nose."

Shen Yu nodded, his brow furrowed. "You're right. We can't let her continue to take the initiative in public opinion. Tomorrow, I'm going to meet her in person to see what she has up her sleeve."

Liu Kai was stunned. "Mr. Shen, you're going to meet Zhao Shufang in person? This doesn't quite fit our style."

"It's time to change our approach." Shen Yu's eyes were cold. "In this game, I need to give her a clear signal. Zhao Shufang thinks she has the overall situation under control, but she doesn't realize that I'm the one who truly controls the situation."

The next day at noon, Shen Yu personally walked into Zhao Shufang's office. It was as neat and simple as ever, with several modern abstract paintings hanging on the walls, highlighting her usual understated and refined demeanor. Zhao Shufang was sitting at her desk. Seeing Shen Yu enter, a faint smile appeared on her face, but it was also playful and provocative.

"Mr. Shen is still as elegant as ever. I am flattered that you have come here in person." Zhao Shufang slowly put down the documents in her hand, her tone frivolous but intimidating.

"Mr. Zhao, you're welcome." Shen Yu smiled slightly and sat down opposite her. "I came here today to discuss our cooperation, or rather, to discuss the game between you and me."

Zhao Shufang raised her eyebrows. "Game? Mr. Shen, you used the word quite appropriately. Indeed, it is a game between us. But, Mr. Shen, don't you think I have the upper hand now?"

Shen Yu took a deep breath, his eyes sharp as a knife, "Zhao Shufang, you think you are in control of the situation, but you are wrong. You may think you have mastered my past and know my secrets, but you overlooked one point. There are many unknown aspects of you as well."

Zhao Shufang was stunned for a moment, then smiled faintly, "Boss Shen is really smart. However, you also know that secrets are not always so reliable. One day, they will be revealed. And, Boss Shen, since you already know some of my affairs, you should also understand that everything is a chess game that has been laid out long ago."

Shen Yu looked at her coldly, "Do you think you can beat me? You have a trump card in your hand, but I am not short of chips either. Zhao Shufang, you are not a person without weaknesses."

"Weakness?" Zhao Shufang smiled softly, stood up, walked to the window, and turned her back to Shen Yu. "Mr. Shen, you have to know that everyone has weaknesses and everyone has places that can be attacked. It just depends on who can find that point first."

She turned around, still smiling, but with a hint of coldness in her eyes. "You think you've grasped my weakness and are trying to force me to compromise, but I'm telling you, Shen Yu, I have far more cards up my sleeve than you think. The reason I've come this far with you isn't because I don't know how to protect myself, but because I've been patiently waiting for the right opportunity."

Shen Yu stared at her, a faint sense of unease rising in his heart. Zhao Shufang's calmness and the confidence in her words made him feel deeply uneasy. She seemed to have planned everything all along, everything was under her control, and he had only made a few moves on her chessboard.

"What do you want to do?" Shen Yu finally spoke, his tone unconsciously becoming colder.

Zhao Shufang sighed softly, "Mr. Shen, you're too eager to play games. Actually, we can have a more direct communication instead of using such cunning methods."

She walked back to the table, picked up a document, and handed it to Shen Yu. "This is my latest project investment report. I hope you can take a look at it. It concerns our cooperation and the future between you and me."

Shen Yu frowned, but still took the document and flipped it open. It was a complex business plan for a large-scale real estate investment project. It was detailed, with comprehensive data, and looked incredibly promising. As Shen Yu read, he pondered: This project seemed to be going smoothly, but was there something else going on?

"What do you want me to do?" Shen Yu asked, looking up at Zhao Shufang.

"I hope you can consider joining this project and support me. You know, this project is not just about investment. It is related to the future market structure and the integration of resources between both sides." Zhao Shufang's tone was still gentle, but it carried a pressure that could not be ignored.

Shen Yu pondered silently, not knowing how much inside information was behind this project. But he could sense that Zhao Shufang's proposal, while superficially a collaboration, was actually an invisible bait, an attempt to lure him into her trap.

He slowly closed the file and looked directly into Zhao Shufang's eyes. "Zhao Shufang, what exactly is your purpose? Do you want to bind me through this project, or do you want to manipulate me from behind?"

Zhao Shufang smiled faintly and said calmly, "Mr. Shen, this question is very sharp, but also very common. You are right, there is indeed a purpose, but it is not as simple as you think. In fact, I just want to give you a choice. You can choose to support me, or continue to fight me. But no matter which you choose, I am ready."

Shen Yu's heart skipped a beat, realizing Zhao Shufang's unfathomable depths. This wasn't just a business struggle; it was more like a hidden power struggle. She had clearly been prepared, and perhaps he had simply walked into a trap she had set.

He said softly, "Okay, Mr. Zhao, I will consider your proposal for cooperation. But you should also know that I am not someone who can be easily controlled."

Zhao Shufang smiled. "I never expected you to be easily controlled, Shen Yu. Now you know how much leverage I have. The next step will be our real showdown."

The two looked at each other, and there was a subtle tension in the air.