The Secret Realm of Time, His and Her Life Through the Changes

On a weekend evening, the afterglow of the setting sun cast a golden glow on the city skyline, gilding the skyscrapers. During the rush hour, the office building lobbies were bustling with people; white-collar workers hurried through the turnstiles, the sounds of card swiping echoing like a busy symphony.

Zhou Yanruo, in her high heels, moved lightly through the crowd. Her gaze swept across the hall, finally settling on the black Maybach parked under the awning. The car gleamed with a low-key yet luxurious sheen in the setting sun, quietly awaiting its owner's arrival; everything was ready.

Beside the car, Zhang Xinyi stood ramrod straight, his hands clasped in front of him, his expression respectful and focused. He wore a well-tailored dark suit, his tie impeccably tied, exuding competence and composure. Although he had only been on the job for half a month, he had quickly adapted to the role of assistant, his every move radiating professionalism. As Zhou Yanruo approached, he bowed slightly and said in a low voice, "Mr. Zhou, the car is ready."

Zhou Yanruo nodded, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment as she assessed his condition. She smiled slightly, her tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Xiao Zhang, I won't be here tonight, so you'll be accompanying President Shang to this business dinner alone. This time, the location isn't our own hotel, so the environment might be a bit complicated. You need to be quick-witted, especially at the dinner table. Try to deflect any drinks you can and keep President Shang from drinking too much, so he can focus on business."

Zhang Xinyi nodded solemnly and replied earnestly, "Don't worry, President Zhou, I will be careful."

Zhou Yanruo sighed softly, her gaze drifting into the distance as she pondered what else needed to be emphasized or reminded. She knew perfectly well that tonight's engagement was more than just an ordinary dinner; it was a critical moment concerning the very survival of the Rushang Group. She had finally managed to arrange a meeting with the president of Boya Bank's Beijing branch, and this discussion about loan extensions was of paramount importance. If the bank refused to extend the loan, the Rushang Group would be utterly unable to repay the principal of the maturing loan. A default would result in the group being added to the list of defaulting companies by financial institutions, with unimaginable consequences—a plummeting stock price, financing difficulties, the loss of partners, and potentially a chain reaction leading to the collapse of the entire group.

She snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Zhang Xinyi, saying, "I've already reported to President Shang, and he'll tell you the specific arrangements. Remember, tonight's task isn't just to accompany them for drinks, but more importantly, to observe their reactions, especially the bank manager's. If anything seems amiss and you need my cooperation, call me anytime."

Zhang Xinyi nodded again, her tone firm: "Understood, President Zhou."

Zhou Yanruo glanced at her watch; it was already getting late.

She took out her phone to text Shang Yibo when a familiar voice came from behind her: "Yan Ruo, what are you still here? Weren't you going to see Sister Yihua?"

Zhou Yanruo turned around and saw that Shang Yibo had already walked to her side. He was wearing a black leather jacket, a shirt of the same color underneath, and dark suit pants. He looked casual yet serious. He deliberately did not wear a suit, directly defining the dinner as a private gathering, so as not to delay the discussion of business, and to leave room for each other.

Zhou Yanruo: "I'm also getting ready to set off."

"You don't trust me?"

"There's nothing to worry about. Do we need to worry about what President Shang does?" Zhou Yanruo still had the mood to tease.

Shang Yibo smiled and said, "But I don't know what's so urgent at Yihua Entertainment, it's not convenient to talk about it over the phone."

“I asked Qingnan, but she wouldn’t say. She only said we’d talk about it when we meet, and she’ll be here tonight.”

"President Shang, I've checked the road conditions. There's a stretch of road that will be quite congested. We should set off now." Zhang Xinyi had already opened the back door and raised his hand to block the door frame.

Shang Yibo got into the car. "Let's talk on the phone later."

"Yes, I just told Xiao Zhang that he can text me if anything happens." Zhou Yanruo closed the car door.

Shang Yibo smiled; he enjoyed being cared for, especially by Yan Ruo.

……

As the banquet progressed, with several rounds of drinks and dishes, the atmosphere in the private room gradually warmed up. President Wen Gang's face was flushed, and his eyes were slightly unfocused; he was clearly tipsy. He raised his glass, laughing heartily, occasionally clinking glasses with Shang Yibo, his words conveying a sense of casualness and intimacy. However, Zheng Qiang, the vice president of risk control sitting beside him, remained perfectly sober, his expression serious, his gaze sharp, like a hawk ready to pounce at any moment, fully prepared.

Shang Yibo sat in the main seat with a calm smile on his face, but his eyes would occasionally sweep over Zheng Qiang, and he was secretly on guard.

Before coming, Zhou Yanruo had already reviewed the information of the two bank presidents with him. He knew that although Wen Gang was the bank president, the one who truly held the power was this vice president in charge of risk control. He liked to drink, and as long as he didn't object, he was fine with it. Zheng Qiang was known for his meticulousness, and his attitude towards such a sensitive operation as loan extension would directly determine the success or failure of tonight.

Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Shang Yibo put down his wine glass, coughed lightly, and steered the conversation back on track: "Wenxing, Zhengxing, it is truly an honor for me to have you both grace me with your presence tonight. We have hit it off very well, so I've come to regard you two bank managers as my elder brothers, and I'll speak frankly about some things."

Wen Gang waved his hand casually, "President Shang, it's rare to get along with a young man like you. I'll take you as my little brother. Just say what you want to say!"

Shang Yibo smiled slightly, his gaze shifting between Wen Gang and Zheng Qiang, and said sincerely, "Since that's the case, then I'll get straight to the point. Rushang Group has recently encountered some cash flow problems, especially with that loan that's about to mature, which is putting a lot of pressure on us. We hope to negotiate with your bank to see if we can extend the loan for a while, giving us a buffer."

The moment the words were spoken, the atmosphere in the private room instantly became heavy.

Wen Gang's smile faded slightly, his brows furrowed, and he remained silent in thought. Zheng Qiang, on the other hand, put down his chopsticks, his gaze sharp as he looked at Shang Yibo, his tone calm yet tinged with coldness: "President Shang, loan extension is no small matter. We are aware of your group's current financial situation. If we rashly agree to the extension, it will likely put considerable pressure on our bank's risk control."

Shang Yibo was prepared and responded calmly: "Zheng Xing is right, the extension is indeed a big deal. But the situation of Rushang Group is not irreversible. We are already actively adjusting our strategy and optimizing our asset structure, and our cash flow will improve significantly in the next few quarters. As long as your bank can give us some time, we will definitely be able to repay on time and will never let your bank bear any risk."

Zheng Qiang sneered, his tone laced with sarcasm: "President Shang, words are meaningless. Our bank has always had strict risk control standards. Without sufficient collateral or guarantees, the possibility of an extension is almost zero."