Double evil in the business district

Xiao Yue frowned, tapping her fingers on the table. "Unfair tactics?" She put down the documents and rubbed her aching temple.

The matter between Shen Ting and Su Yao has already made her upset, and now a tough negotiating opponent has emerged, which makes her feel more stressed.

Manager Sun observed Xiao Yue's expression and said cautiously, "It is said that this opponent Qian likes to collect his opponent's personal information before negotiations to disrupt the other party's mind. He is also good at using some vague terms to set traps..."

"I understand." Xiao Yue took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. "When the enemy comes, we will fight with our troops; when the water comes, we will block it with earth. Let's make all the necessary preparations and don't worry about the rest."

Manager Sun nodded and left the office. Xiao Yue picked up the file again and forced herself to concentrate. However, Shen Ting's cold tone last night and Su Yao's name kept circling in her mind, making her unable to concentrate.

At the same time, Shen Ting was also troubled by Su Yao's affairs. Since last night's dinner, Su Yao began to contact him frequently, sometimes sending exquisite snacks, sometimes sending limited edition ties. Although Shen Ting made it clear that he and her were just friends, Su Yao did not seem to give up.

He sat at his desk, looking at the beautifully wrapped gift box on the table, his brows furrowed. He knew Su Yao's feelings for him, but he knew in his heart that he only had friendship for Su Yao, nothing more. But his feelings for Xiao Yue were much more complicated, like a mixture of admiration, dependence, and a hint of emotion that he himself could not explain.

He picked up the phone and wanted to call Xiao Yue, but hesitated. Last night's call made him feel Xiao Yue's alienation. He didn't know how to explain his relationship with Su Yao, nor did he know how to break the invisible barrier between them.

Just then, his cell phone rang. It was Su Yao calling. He hesitated for a moment, but still answered the call.

"Ting, I brought you some snacks. Try them. I made them myself." Su Yao's voice was gentle and sweet.

"Thank you, you are so thoughtful." Shen Ting said in a flat tone.

"As long as you like it." Su Yao paused, then said, "Are you free tonight? I want to invite you to see an opera."

Shen Ting was about to refuse, but he heard Su Yao's choked voice: "Ting, I just want to stay with you for a while..."

He sighed, then finally agreed. After hanging up the phone, he felt exhausted. He rubbed his brow, stood up, and walked to the French window. He looked out at the bustling city, but his heart was filled with confusion.

Xiao Yue stared at the document on the computer screen, but couldn't read a single word. Her mind was filled with images of Shen Ting and Su Yao together, and her heart was in turmoil. She scratched her hair irritably, got up, and went to the tea room to pour a glass of water.

When she came back, she accidentally bumped into Manager Sun. "Mr. Xiao, are you okay?" Manager Sun asked with concern.

Xiao Yue shook her head and forced a smile. "It's okay, just a little tired."

"You don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?" Manager Sun noticed that there were several obvious mistakes on the document in Xiao Yue's hand. They were all low-level mistakes, which would never have happened in the past.

Xiao Yue glanced down at the documents and noticed the errors. She felt even more annoyed and threw the documents on the table. "I'll look at these later," she said, turning and walking towards her office, her steps stumbling slightly.

"Mr. Xiao..." Manager Sun sighed worriedly as he looked at Xiao Yue's back. He picked up the documents on the table, his brow furrowed. "Tiancheng Group... Qian Duibai..." He muttered to himself. Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, his face changed. "Not good..."

Xiao Yue returned to the office and leaned back in her chair, feeling limp. Su Yao's image lingered in her mind—elegant, beautiful, and confident, so different from herself. She gripped the water glass tightly, her knuckles turning white. She knew Shen Ting had no romantic feelings for Su Yao, but Su Yao's appearance still filled her with an unprecedented sense of crisis. A deep sense of unease and insecurity spread within her.

She forced herself to focus and picked up the document again, only to find it was covered in errors. Even simple math calculations could be wrong; this had never happened before. She rubbed her temples in frustration, trying to drive away the disturbing images, but to no avail.

Manager Sun walked into the office again and saw Xiao Yue's condition, which made him even more worried. "Mr. Xiao, are you really okay? Do you want to take a rest?"

Xiao Yue forced a smile. "I'm fine, just a little tired. I'll check these documents again."

Manager Sun looked at Xiao Yue's forced expression and hesitated to speak. He picked up another document on the table and handed it to Xiao Yue, "Mr. Xiao, please take a look at this."

Xiao Yue took the document, glanced at the title, and his expression suddenly changed. "Is Tiancheng Group maliciously spreading rumors?"

"Yes," Manager Sun said in a deep voice, "Dui Didi Qian deliberately spread the news that our Xiao Group didn't have the ability to undertake this project in order to put pressure on us before the negotiations."

Xiao Yue took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "I understand. I'll handle this." Her tone was calm, but a flicker of panic flashed in her eyes. She knew this project was crucial to the Xiao Group, and if the negotiations failed, the consequences would be disastrous. And now, Qian's opponent's actions undoubtedly added tremendous pressure to her.

She put down the documents, picked up her phone, and wanted to call Shen Ting, but hesitated. She didn't know what to say, nor did she know how to face him. She was afraid to hear Su Yao's name, and even more afraid to hear Shen Ting's defense of Su Yao.

She finally put down her phone, leaned back in her chair, and closed her eyes. At that moment, she felt like a lone boat drifting on a rough sea, ready to be swallowed up at any moment.

Manager Sun looked at Xiao Yue's exhausted appearance, and his heart was filled with worry. He knew that Xiao Yue was under tremendous pressure and was also aware of her anxiety. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how to start.

"Mr. Xiao, don't worry too much," he said softly, "We will do our best to win this project."

Xiao Yue opened his eyes and forced a smile, "I know, thank you."

Manager Sun nodded and turned to leave the office. The office returned to silence, with only Xiao Yue's shallow breathing and the sound of traffic outside the window.

She picked up the document again and forced herself to concentrate. She had to cheer up, for the Xiao family and for herself. She couldn't be defeated by Su Yao, nor could she be intimidated by the conspiracy of her opponent Qian.

She took a deep breath and began to read the document word by word, carefully analyzing every clause and every detail. She knew that this negotiation would be a tough battle and she had to be fully prepared.

Time passed, and night gradually fell. Xiao Yue still sat at her desk, buried in a mountain of documents. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face looked pale, but she still did not give up.

Suddenly, her cell phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number. She hesitated for a moment, but finally answered the call.

"Hello, Miss Xiao, I am..."

The voice on the other end of the phone suddenly stopped...

The voice on the other end of the phone was deep and magnetic, "Hello, Miss Xiao, I'm Shen Ting."

Xiao Yue's heart tightened, and the hand holding the phone trembled slightly. "Shen Ting..."

"Let's have dinner together tomorrow night?" Shen Ting's voice sounded a little tired.

Xiao Yue hesitated for a moment, "Okay." She wanted to ask him about Su Yao, but she didn't know how to start.

"It's settled then. I'll pick you up." Shen Ting said and hung up the phone.

Xiao Yue put down her phone, feeling a mixture of emotions. She didn't know why Shen Ting had suddenly asked her out for dinner, nor did she know what would happen tomorrow. An inexplicable unease spread through her heart.

At the same time, in a high-end restaurant, Su Yao sat elegantly opposite Shen Ting, shaking the red wine glass in her hand, her eyes blurred. "Ting, do you know? After I return to China, the first person I want to see is you."

Shen Ting looked at her quietly without saying a word. He knew what Su Yao meant, but he couldn't respond.

Su Yao put down the wine glass, reached out and gently stroked the back of Shen Ting's hand, and said softly: "Ting, let's start over, okay? I know you still have me in your heart."

Shen Ting pulled his hand back without leaving a trace, "Su Yao, let the past be the past."

Su Yao's eyes were slightly red. "Ting, are you really so cruel? Have you forgotten the good times we had? "

Shen Ting sighed, "Su Yao, I am no longer the Shen Ting I used to be, and you have changed too." He did not explicitly reject Su Yao's request for reconciliation, but just used ambiguous language to prevaricate.

This scene happened to be seen by Xiao Yue's friend who came to the restaurant for dinner, and he exaggerated the story to Xiao Yue. When Xiao Yue heard the news, it was like a bolt from the blue. The coffee cup in his hand slipped and fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

She suppressed the grief in her heart and hurriedly left the cafe. Back in the office, she leaned weakly on the back of the chair, tears silently sliding down. Su Yao's elegance, beauty, confidence, and her past with Shen Ting were like sharp blades, piercing her heart.

She felt like a joke, a humble Cinderella who dreamed of winning the prince's love.

After a long pause, Xiao Yue took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. She couldn't be defeated like this. She had more important things to do. She had to cheer herself up, for the Xiao family and for herself.

She picked up the documents again and began to rethink her negotiation strategy with Manager Sun. She carefully analyzed Qian's every move and every intention. She decided to speak with strength in the negotiations and not be influenced by Qian's tactics.

"Manager Sun," Xiao Yue said in a calm and firm voice, "We must prepare for the worst, but we must also seize every opportunity."

Manager Sun looked at Xiao Yue's resolute eyes and was filled with admiration. "Boss Xiao, don't worry, I will fully cooperate."

They went over the negotiation plan word by word, replaying the negotiation scenario over and over again. Time passed by, and night fell again.

Xiao Yue rubbed his sore temples, stood up and walked to the window, looking at the flashing neon lights in the distance, his heart filled with anxiety and uneasiness.

Suddenly, her cell phone rang. It was Shen Ting. "I'm here. Come down."

Xiao Yue's heart sank suddenly...

Xiao Yue took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in her heart, picked up her coat, and went downstairs. Shen Ting's car was parked on the side of the road. He leaned against the car door, the dim streetlights casting a warm glow on him, making him look particularly tall and handsome. Seeing Xiao Yue, he smiled gently and quickly walked towards her.

"Have you been waiting for a long time?" Shen Ting asked with concern, with a barely perceptible hint of apology in his eyes.

Xiao Yue shook her head. "No, I just came down too." She tried hard to restrain herself from thinking about Su Yao and focus on the upcoming negotiations.

The two walked side by side to the restaurant, all the way in silence. Shen Ting wanted to speak several times, but he didn't know where to start. He knew in his heart that his feelings for Xiao Yue were getting deeper and deeper, and the appearance of Su Yao made him realize that he couldn't let Xiao Yue get sad again. But between him and Su Yao, how could they just break up so easily?

Dinner was held in a slightly subdued atmosphere. Xiao Yue was absent-minded, unable to savor her food. Her mind kept flashing back to the scenes her friend had described: Su Yao caressing the back of Shen Ting's hand, her eyes full of expectation. These images, like a thorn, pierced her heart deeply.

Shen Ting noticed something was wrong with Xiao Yue and tried to start a conversation several times, but each time he failed. He put down his chopsticks, looked at Xiao Yue, and said seriously, "Xiao Yue, there are some things I want to explain to you."

Xiao Yue raised his head, with a hint of vigilance and uneasiness in his eyes. "About Su Yao?"

Shen Ting nodded, "The relationship between her and me is not what you think."

Xiao Yue smiled bitterly, "Really? But my friend saw it with his own eyes..."

"I know," Shen Ting interrupted her, "Su Yao has been trying to start over with me since she returned to China. But she doesn't understand that some things can never be returned after they are gone."

Shen Ting's explanation did not make Xiao Yue feel relieved, but instead increased her worries. She could see that Shen Ting was not completely ruthless towards Su Yao. This ambiguous attitude made her feel even more insecure.

"Shen Ting," Xiao Yue took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. "I don't want to get involved in your emotional entanglement. I hope that the relationship between us is just a simple partnership."

Shen Ting's expression changed slightly, and a hint of hurt flashed in his eyes. "Xiao Yue, you..."

Xiao Yue avoided his gaze and said, "There are important negotiations tomorrow, and I need to go back and prepare well." She picked up her bag and stood up to leave.

Shen Ting grabbed her wrist and said, "Xiao Yue, don't do this." There was a hint of pleading in his tone.

Xiao Yue broke free from his hand, "Shen Ting, let go." After she said that, she left the restaurant without looking back.

Shen Ting looked at Xiao Yue's receding figure, feeling mixed emotions. He knew he had hurt Xiao Yue, but he didn't know how to make amends. Su Yao's appearance caught him off guard and made him realize his feelings for Xiao Yue more clearly.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yue returned to the hotel and forced herself to focus entirely on the upcoming negotiations. She repeatedly reviewed the documents, analyzing Qian's opponent's background and negotiation strategy. She knew this negotiation was crucial for the Xiao family, and she couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

The next morning, Xiao Yue and Manager Sun arrived at the negotiation location on time. Qian Dui had been waiting in the conference room for a long time. He wore a false smile, but his eyes gleamed with a cunning glint.

"Mr. Xiao, I've long heard of your name." Qian extended his hand, a hint of contempt in his tone.

Xiao Yue shook hands with him politely, but she felt a little uneasy in her heart. She felt that this negotiation was far more complicated than she had imagined... "Mr. Qian," Xiao Yue's voice was calm and firm.