Chapter 220
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Chapter 220 Top-level Negotiation Expert
Just as the two of them had taken their seats, a slender and graceful figure approached with elegant steps.
Only upon seeing her could one truly understand how a classical Chinese qipao could so perfectly accentuate a woman’s figure and temperament—add one bit and she’d appear plump, subtract one bit and she’d seem thin—it was simply a perfect proportion. Everyone who saw her would feel that this woman seemed born to wear a qipao.
Only Qin Yueran.
This Queen of Junlan was approaching with graceful steps, her perfect long legs attracting countless gazes.
She had already spotted Su Rui and wore a warm, friendly smile, though inwardly she was coldly snorting: “Really, flirting with girls again.”
Since that time when she and Su Rui had opened up to each other on the rooftop and become like-minded allies, she no longer had any psychological barriers toward this man. After all, they had embraced each other several times.
Even in Qin Ranlong’s eyes, Su Rui had already conquered his sister and become his brother-in-law.
“I didn’t know Miss Song and Mr. Su were coming. I apologize for not greeting you sooner.” Qin Yueran immediately recognized Song Xuejiao, who hadn’t returned to Ninghai for a long time. As the so-called Queen of Junlan, knowing all the children from prominent families was practically a required skill for her.
However, Qin Yueran was puzzled about why Song Xuejiao would be with Su Rui.
Hmph, this annoying guy really has great charm. Whether it’s the Lin family’s young lady or the Song family’s young lady, they all revolve around him!
Hearing Qin Yueran speak this way, Song Xuejiao instinctively glanced at Su Rui. It seemed this man surnamed Su had quite a reputation, at least enough to be remembered by the Queen of Junlan. It appeared that during her long absence from Ninghai, many things had happened.
“I just arrived in Ninghai today and am having a meal with Su Rui. If Miss Qin has time, would you like to join us?” Song Xuejiao asked politely. This colorful woman was quite attractive when she smiled. Standing next to Qin Yueran in her blue and white porcelain qipao, one was like water, the other like fire.
“Miss Song is too kind,” Qin Yueran said, secretly glancing at Su Rui before adding, “Since Mr. Su is our gold card member, I’ve prepared a bottle of top-grade wine for you two. The server will bring it over shortly.”
Song Xuejiao gave Su Rui another surprised look, then continued with her friendly smile: “May I ask how Miss Qin and Su Rui know each other?”
Before Qin Yueran could think of how to answer, Su Rui jumped in: “We’re very close. That night I was holding her…”
Before Su Rui could finish, Qin Yueran had already grabbed him by the neck!
She truly had the urge to strangle him on the spot!
Song Xuejiao could never have imagined that the normally composed and graceful Qin Yueran would make such a gesture!
“Are you trying to murder your own husband?” Su Rui asked with a smirk despite being choked, truly insufferable.
Noticing Song Xuejiao’s gaze, Qin Yueran realized she had lost her composure, and her delicate face instantly flushed red.
“You just wait,” Qin Yueran glared at Su Rui once more before saying to Song Xuejiao, “Miss Song, I’m truly sorry about this.”
With that, Qin Yueran quickly turned and left, almost appearing to flee in embarrassment.
Su Rui stared at her retreating figure, grinning smugly.
“It seems you and Qin Yueran have a very intimate relationship,” Song Xuejiao remarked thoughtfully, observing Su Rui’s expression.
“It’s alright, even closer than you imagine,” Su Rui replied. If Qin Yueran had heard this, she would have fainted on the spot.
“But do you know her true identity?” Song Xuejiao’s eyes flickered momentarily.
“I’m not interested in knowing,” Su Rui said. Although he knew Qin Yueran was the fourth daughter of the Qin family from the capital, he didn’t want to tell Song Xuejiao the truth. He had no interest in discussing this topic with the Song family’s daughter.
When Su Rui made friends, he only cared about whether they got along well and if their values aligned, not about family background, identity, or similar factors.
However, Song Xuejiao seemed intent on pursuing this topic: “Don’t you know who her fiancé is?”
Indeed, the key question had arrived.
This time, Su Rui genuinely didn’t know the answer.
“Since I don’t plan to marry her, I naturally have no interest in knowing who her fiancé is.”
Hearing this, Song Xuejiao was almost too stunned to speak.
Su Rui glanced at Song Xuejiao with a smirk and said, “Of course, knowing who your fiancé is doesn’t mean I want to marry you either.”
The Song family’s eldest daughter was nearly driven to rage by Su Rui’s sharp tongue!
Dealing with such an outrageous negotiation partner was truly troublesome!
Su Rui wasn’t joking at all but was casually disrupting her composure and plans!
After taking a full two minutes to adjust her mood, the Song family’s eldest daughter finally spoke:
“Su Rui, our Tianxiang Group and Bikang are the two giants of Ninghai’s pharmaceutical industry. Together we both benefit; divided we both suffer. I believe you understand this principle better than I do.”
Regardless of whether Su Rui could make decisions or not, Song Xuejiao had to try her best to reach a reconciliation.
If they truly engaged in a hard confrontation to the bitter end, even if Tianxiang Group lost, they could still drain and exhaust Bikang. Even if the other side won, it would be a pyrrhic victory at best. On this point, Song Xuejiao was very confident.
However, this didn’t mean that the Song family was willing to accept such an outcome.
“I certainly understand,” Su Rui said calmly. “But your brother and your father don’t.”
Song Xuejiao frowned slightly: “What do you mean by that? Are you trying to shift the blame onto the Song family?”
Su Rui’s face also turned cold, his eyes flashing with a chilly light: “Miss Song, that statement is somewhat hurtful. If your precious brother wasn’t causing trouble every day, if your father hadn’t taken things to the extreme, would someone with my good temper have taken such actions? Would Lin Aoxue, who is devoted to research, be willing to see Bikang and Tianxiang Group destroy each other?”
Song Xuejiao’s expression froze.
She seemed to realize she had misspoken.
She knew her younger brother Song Yili’s character better than anyone—arrogant and domineering since childhood, committing all kinds of misdeeds, with jealousy being a common occurrence. Song Xuejiao could even guess that Song Yili must have come into conflict with Su Rui because of Lin Aoxue.
Although she had long suspected the reason, she had been unwilling to think about it.
However, what did Su Rui mean when he said her father had taken things to the extreme?
Given the special circumstances, Song Xuejiao naturally couldn’t show that she knew nothing about what had happened. In fact, she had arranged to meet Lin Aoxue for dinner without her father’s consent, and even… Song Tianxiang still didn’t know his daughter had arrived in Ninghai.
“Sometimes, it’s better for women not to be too clever,” Su Rui said with a slight mockery, observing Song Xuejiao’s expression. “No man likes a woman who is smarter than himself. I think the young master of the Jiang family probably feels the same way.”
Song Xuejiao hadn’t expected Su Rui to say this: “Su Rui, what do you mean by that?”
“Since I knew I would be having dinner with you tonight, I naturally had to investigate my dining companion thoroughly. Otherwise, facing a clever woman like you, I might not even know how I died.”
“That seems a bit too flattering,” Song Xuejiao didn’t feel any happiness from Su Rui’s “compliment.” Their conversation had been filled with tension from beginning to end.
Su Rui lightly tapped his fingers on the table, his eyes showing a hint of a smile: “Actually, the Jiang family doesn’t approve of your marriage to Jiang Yibo, right?”
Song Xuejiao frowned again. This disapproval of the marriage had only been vaguely expressed by a few elders. How did Su Rui know about it?
Seeming to read Song Xuejiao’s thoughts, Su Rui smiled and said: “Actually, it’s not hard to guess. With your position as the future daughter-in-law of the Jiang family, if you brought out any elder from the Jiang family, or even asked Jiang Yibo to say something, Bikang would certainly back down to avoid offending the Jiang family. But you didn’t.”
Song Xuejiao clenched her fists.
“Let’s assume you’re strong-willed. But why would a future daughter-in-law be so insistent? Why not use your in-laws’ influence instead of personally stepping forward? Isn’t that making things harder for yourself?”
Su Rui continued without pausing to observe Song Xuejiao’s expression: “The reason is simple: you don’t want others to look down on you.”
Song Xuejiao’s knuckles had turned white.
“You care about your boyfriend. You don’t want the Jiang family to look down on you or the Song family. If you really used the Jiang family’s help, the obstacles to your marriage would become even greater.”
At this point, Su Rui looked directly into Song Xuejiao’s eyes: “Beautiful Miss Song, am I right?”
Song Xuejiao loosened her tightly clenched hands: “Even if you’re right, so what? What’s the point?”
“You’re very strong-willed. I can see that you really want to marry into the Jiang family.”
Song Xuejiao remained silent. The typically assertive woman began to realize that she couldn’t gain any advantage over this man. She seemed to have fallen completely on the defensive in their verbal exchange.
“But while you’re being strong-willed, you’ve overlooked another crucial point,” Su Rui said with a faint smile, his eyes gleaming as if victory was already in his grasp.
“What point?” Song Xuejiao had an ominous feeling. From the beginning of this conversation with Su Rui, she had been on the defensive and had never managed to turn the situation around.
“As an outstanding third-generation member of the Jiang family, even though Jiang Yibo is abroad, he couldn’t possibly be unaware of the difficulties your Song family is facing.”
Su Rui’s smile was like that of a devil, making Song Xuejiao’s heart sink instantly: “But until now, has he made even one phone call to you?”
