Yang Minglang glanced at Jiang Lulian awkwardly before addressing Ming Yutong.
"Ah, President He saw you leave with Mr. Fu and is now curious about your relationship. He's hesitant to end the cooperation with 'Mingri' entirely and is likely to reconsider once he knows more about your relationship with Mr. Fu," Yang Minglang explained.
Ming Yutong nodded. At that moment, Huang Shengli and He Tongming approached, their assistants carrying their golf clubs.
Ming Yutong feigned surprise. "President He and President Huang aren't planning to play anymore?"
"It's getting late. We can't stay on the golf course all day," He Tongming replied with a smile, his eyes glinting with curiosity. "Has Mr. Fu already left?"
Ming Yutong confirmed with a nod.
"I didn't realize that Ms. Ming and Mr. Fu were acquainted," He Tongming remarked with an ambiguous expression. "Ms. Ming is so low-key. If we had known you were friends with Mr. Fu, there would have been fewer misunderstandings between us."
Ming Yutong's eyelids twitched, but her smile remained. "Mr. He, please make sure not to let Mr. Fu hear about this. If he gets upset, it could be bad for both me and the business dealings between 'Tonghe' and 'Xiuqi'."
He Tongming's expression shifted, realizing that Ming Yutong seemed to be implying a threat.
He was surprised, as he had heard from Huang Shengli that Fu Yinxiu had once pulled Ming Yutong out of a private room in a manner that suggested a personal issue rather than just a casual acquaintance.
So, He Tongming wasn't entirely convinced that Ming Yutong had no significant connection with Fu Yinxiu.
"President He, I assure you, my relationship with Mr. Fu is just casual. We share some common acquaintances, but if Mr. Fu believes I'm trying to exploit our association, it will indeed be problematic for me," Ming Yutong said, brushing her wind-tousled hair back and smiling slightly.
He Tongming remained skeptical. The more Ming Yutong insisted on the casual nature of her relationship with Fu Yinxiu, the more He Tongming doubted her words.
"Ms. Ming, what are your plans next? If you have no other engagements, perhaps we could sit down and discuss our collaboration?" He Tongming proposed with a smile.
Yang Minglang was surprised by the sudden shift in He Tongming's demeanor from hesitation to decisiveness.
He didn't realize that Ming Yutong's attitude was influencing He Tongming's decisions.
Ming Yutong's insistence on her lack of a significant relationship with Fu Yinxiu only reinforced He Tongming's belief that she might be using this to retaliate for his previous actions.
This situation was becoming increasingly complicated for him.
He Tongming considered that Fu Yinxiu's attitude towards Ming Yutong didn't seem to indicate any intention to oppose "Mingri" or interfere with their business dealings.
If Fu Yinxiu wasn't aiming to harm Ming Yutong or obstruct the cooperation between their
companies, then He Tongming saw no reason to halt or retract the partnership.
In fact, he even speculated that perhaps Fu Yinxiu was pursuing Ming Yutong unilaterally, and Ming Yutong might not have consented, which could explain Fu Yinxiu's persistent behavior.
Although the idea of a woman rejecting Fu Yinxiu was bold and hard to imagine, He Tongming had worked with Ming Yutong long enough to understand that such seemingly impossible scenarios could indeed occur with her.
Ming Yutong had the poise and demeanor that could make such a situation plausible.
He Tongming decided that continuing to cooperate with Ming Yutong would be a prudent move, allowing him to observe Fu Yinxiu's further actions and attitudes.
Ming Yutong, unfazed by He Tongming's shift in stance, responded with a calm smile.
"Thank you, President He, for giving me another opportunity."
As He Tongming shook hands with Ming Yutong, he couldn't help but admire her. Her skill in handling people and situations was exceptional for someone so young.
She managed to manipulate the situation to her advantage, leaving others with a positive impression of her abilities, despite the underlying complexity.
"You're quite impressive," He Tongming said with a shake of his head, acknowledging her adeptness at navigating these high-stakes interactions.
***
That evening, Fu Yinxiu concluded his business discussions and left the hotel.
Despite being slightly tipsy, his immense self-control ensured that he appeared composed and unaffected.
Dressed in a black long coat, Fu Yinxiu looked almost as if he was merging with the night under the city's neon lights. His demeanor remained unflinchingly steady, in stark contrast to the three individuals across from him, who were visibly intoxicated and needed assistance to stay upright.
"Mr. Fu has quite a tolerance for alcohol," remarked a middle-aged man who was the mayor of B City.
The foundation of "Thorns" was in M Country, and "Xiuqi" was supported by "Thorns" for its expansion into China. "Thorns" leveraged "Xiuqi" to develop its presence domestically, with B City as its central hub.
Recently, Fu Yinxiu had been meeting with B City officials to discuss "Xiuqi's" plans in China, including sponsorship for municipal construction and various other areas of development.