Chapter 4 Who Actually Helped Her

• Shen Peibai was still standing in front of the entrance to Jiuzhou Group’s premises. She was still reeling from the shock of being driven out like that. Dejected and confused, she was not able to comprehend Jiang Chenru’s change in attitude. She was at a loss as to why Jiang Chenru, who used to treat her with courtesy and deference, refused to see her at all now!
• She still remembered vividly that just a year ago, whenever she called upon Jiuzhou Group, Jiang Chenru would receive her very politely.
• Shen Peibai returned to her company crestfallen and scatterbrained. Her subordinates shuddered at the look on her face. “Ms. Shen, so how did it go? What did Mr. Jiang say?” probed the sales manager gingerly.
• Looking dejected, Shen Peibai shook her head and said, “I… I didn’t even get to see him. I tried calling, but he blocked my calls… He has even blocked me on Wechat.”
• The sales manager shook from the impact of the news and her brows were knitted deep. Then, apparently having realized something, she suddenly exclaimed, “Ms. Shen, do you still remember I once asked you who had helped us in sealing the deal with Jiuzhou Group, given that you had no connections with Jiang Chenru?”
• Shen Peibai raised her head and cottoned on, “You’re right! I didn’t even know Jiang Chenru, but he went along with me over the deal talk and signed the contract without much negotiation. I was also curious why he was always so polite to me. Someone must be behind all this.”
• Stoked at the new ray of hope, the sales manager urged, “Keep thinking, Peibai! If you can figure out who had helped, then you can go and ask for his help again.”
• Shen Peibai nodded in agreement. She was already raking her brain to try and recall the people that could have helped her. She had many friends and associates in Nanjiang City, but none of them seemed likely to be the person who had helped them…
• “Let me think about it. My head is spinning now, I... I need to go out for a stroll...” said Shen Peibai quietly.
• Shen Peibai was now sauntering along the sidewalk, immersed in thoughts. Before long, she found herself on the doorway to her home, where she saw Wang Yuzhen who was on her way out heading for a Mahjong session. And something suddenly flashed through her mind the moment she saw Wang Yuzhen! She remembered it now! It was Wang Yuzhen who had told her to approach Jiuzhou Group for the deal!
• With her heart racing in excitement, Shen Peibai leapt forward and grabbed Wang Yuzhen’s hand. “Mom, please wait. Something’s happened to the Company. Jiuzhou Group is pulling out from all joint ventures with us. We are going bankrupt! You were the person who told me to approach them for a talk after Uncle Shen Biao had tried in vain. I assume you have some connections within the Group?”
• Wang Yuzhen’s heart sank at the bad news and asked anxiously, “Come again, my daughter? Jiuzhou Group is cutting ties with us? We’re… going broke? Stop fooling around!”
• Desperate and anguished, Shen Peibai cried, “Mom, I’m serious! Why would I joke about such a thing with you? We’re running out of time now. We have put all our money and resources on the project. We’re done for if they pull out now… Anyway, leave that aside for now… I need you to tell me NOW, do you know anyone in Jiuzhou Group? I need you to think carefully…”
• But Wang Yuzhen was stunned and her face drained of color. “I… No, I don’t know anyone in the Group… W-we’d be super rich now if I did…” she said distractedly.
• “Then why did you have me go and talk to them?” pursued Shen Peibai unrelentingly.
• “Me... No, I said someone had asked you to go… But no, it couldn’t be him… That’s impossible.” Wang Yuzhen’s face was now white as a sheet, for she suddenly came to realize something quite horrifying! Last year when Shen Peibai had contacted her to vent her frustration about the lack of progress in their bids with Jiuzhou Group, Lin Jue, whom Wang Yuzhen had always dismissed as a useless piece of sh*t, had caught wind of his wife’s predicaments and told Wang Yuzhen that he could get a friend in Jiuzhou Group to help. So Wang Yuzhen had acted on Lin Jue’s advice and told Shen Peibai to approach Jiuzhou Group herself. But she had never mentioned that this had been Lin Jue’s idea.
• She could not believe Lin Jue had been part of this, because it had been only half an hour after Lin Jue had offered to help that Shen Peibai had managed to get Jiuzhou Group to sign the deal! It was Jiuzhou Group they were talking about and no wonder Wang Yuzhen found it hard to believe that all this had been attributable to Lin Jue.
• “Mom! I need you to tell me now! Who was it? Mind you if the company goes into liquidation, the house we live in now together with our cars will all be auctioned off!” cried Shen Peibai in desperation.
• At last, Wang Yuzhen stammered, “Don’t lose your cool, daughter. It was Lin Jue. He overheard our conversation when we were on the phone. Then, he told me to ask you to just go and attend the negotiation with Jiuzhou Group yourself. He said he had a friend there. But how did he… That peasant… That scrounger… How could he possibly know anyone from the senior management of Jiuzhou Group? This doesn’t make sense at all. It’s impossible!”
• Upon hearing what Wang Yuzhen said, Shen Peibai clattered backward. That piece of junk… But how is that possible?! Like her mother, Shen Peibai could not bring herself to believe that it was Lin Jue who was behind this all along.
• “No! Think harder, mom! Who else have you consulted apart from Lin Jue?” probed Shen Peibai, still unwilling to accept the fact.
• Wang Yuzhen shook her head and said, “There were only me and Lin Jue when you called. There was none other than Lin Jue who could have overheard what you said. And I’ve never spoken to anyone about that.”
• Shen Peibai shuddered at the reaffirmation. Was it really him? Lin Jue? That piece of junk? How is that possible? He didn’t even have a job!
• Then, a scene suddenly flashed across her mind. That morning, even Yin Xuan, such a beautiful woman out of Lin Jue’s league, had made romantic advances to him.
• If Yin Xuan was not faking it for the sake of Lin Jue, then there was only one possibility left.
• Shen Peibai’s heart skipped a beat as she stumbled upon the truth. She began to doubt whether she had truly known Lin Jue despite the fact that she had been married to him for a year.
• Seeing Shen Peibai’s pale countenance, Wang Yuzhen tried to comfort her, “Don’t fret, my daughter. It cannot be Lin Jue! As they always say, ‘Birds of a feather flock together’. Once a scrounger, always a scrounger! Don’t worry about it. Just seek advice from your grandpa if push comes to shove. Actually, we should celebrate today for evicting that scrounger! Oh, you know what? Your Aunt Wang has someone to introduce to you! He’s a general manager and he’s from a wealthy family. Born with a silver spoon, as you were… You should see him tonight!”
• Shen Peibai shook her head and said, “Forget about it, I'm not in the right mood to…”
• “Come on, my daughter. Didn’t you say the company was in a dire situation? It’s time to get to know more people who might be able to help!”
• “Oh, right... Okay, I’ll go then…” sighed Shen Peibai.