"Mengting, let's sit in the back; it's less sunny there."

"It’s okay, I put on sunscreen."

"Alright then."

Gao Mengting opened the passenger door and got in. She hadn't seen this car for over a week and found herself missing it. The clean interior and familiar wooden decals made her smile softly as she touched and admired them. Even her gaze toward Tang Song softened.

As the car started and the familiar engine sound filled the air, Gao Mengting leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes with a faint smile.

The Juhuide Hotel was not far from the Baoyun Center, and they arrived after about ten minutes of driving.

"Thank you, Mr. Tang. Goodbye." Gao Mengting took a deep breath, her face tense as she looked towards the hotel. The impending lease termination involved four months' rent plus the deposit, totaling nearly 60,000 yuan—a heavy burden for her current situation.

Tang Song pondered for a moment and pointed to the hotel, "It's lunchtime now. I'll be dining at this restaurant. After your meeting, come find me, and we can discuss the partnership over lunch. If you have any concerns, we can address them directly."

Since he put it that way, Gao Mengting didn’t refuse. She nodded, "Alright."

Standing beside them, Li Yongming's expression turned sour. As merely a friend, he had no grounds to object, though he was inwardly anxious.

At noon on Saturday, the restaurant was at its busiest. As they walked into the restaurant's entrance, which was decorated in traditional Chinese style, they saw a waiting line.

Gao Mengting bid him farewell and quickly headed upstairs with Li Yongming. For original chapters go to noⅴelfire.net

Tang Song took a number and sat in the resting area on a wicker chair, admiring the unique decor while replying to comments from enthusiastic followers on Little Red Book.

...

"This Tang Song is just trying to get close to you. His talk about starting a business and having lunch is all a ruse. Once we're done here, let's leave immediately," Li Yongming complained as they walked to the private room.

Gao Mengting frowned, having no interest in engaging with him. Li Yongming wasn’t a bad person, just too petty. This was why, despite being a marketing management graduate, he struggled to find a stable job in big companies and ended up as a real estate agent at the lowest level.

Gao Mengting had tried advising him gently many times but to no avail.

"We're here. This is the place." They stopped outside a private room named "Moonlight."

Li Yongming nervously rubbed his hands and whispered, "Mengting, don’t worry. Our company has a strategic partnership with Yunxi Property, and I know several of their managers."

His words seemed more like self-reassurance. As a low-level agent who had only been there for over six months, he had barely met these managers during contract signings, let alone knew them well.

"Okay." Gao Mengting clutched her bag tightly, her heart heavy.

Li Yongming straightened his hair, leaned in to listen at the door, and then knocked lightly.

"Knock, knock, knock—"

There was no response, so he knocked again.

"Knock, knock, knock—"

Gao Mengting, growing impatient with his cautiousness, raised an eyebrow and knocked firmly, pushing the door open slightly.

Startled, Li Yongming stepped back but quickly straightened and nervously greeted, "Good afternoon, everyone. I’m Little Li from Aijia Real Estate (Tengyun Branch)."

"Oh? Aijia Real Estate... Little Li, what brings you here?" a tall, slim man near the door looked puzzled.

Li Yongming instantly recognized him—Wang Dongrui from Yunxi Property’s engineering department. Opposite Wang sat a middle-aged man with a stern face, dressed in a casual suit, exuding an impressive aura.

As the man's gaze fell upon him, Li Yongming felt like he was facing a top company executive. He cautiously stepped halfway into the room and smiled, "Mr. Wang, I need to discuss something with you. Is this a good time?"

"There are important guests today. It's not convenient," Mr. Wang replied dismissively.

Li Yongming's face turned red. He wanted to speak up but feared offending the client, placing him in a difficult position.

Unable to watch anymore, Gao Mengting stepped into the room, a sincere smile on her face. "Mr. Wang, I’m a tenant from Baoyun Center. Due to some business difficulties, I need to terminate my lease early. I'd like to discuss the terms and the deposit."

Mr. Wang frowned, clearly unhappy, "I only handle engineering. For lease issues, you need to contact our leasing or legal departments."

Gao Mengting glanced around the room, not seeing the leasing department head, Mr. Sun. She bit her lip, "I’ve contacted your staff, but their terms were too harsh. I really..."

Mr. Wang raised his hand to stop her, "Our company has strict policies. Signed contracts cannot be changed."

At this moment, the middle-aged man in the casual suit spoke up, "Mr. Wang, no need to be so strict. This isn't your office. You're scaring the young lady."

Mr. Wang was taken aback, then smiled, "You're right, Mr. Huang."

Mr. Huang turned his gaze to the gentle and attractive Gao Mengting, "Hello, I’m also a tenant at Baoyun Center. Mr. Sun from the leasing department will be back shortly. Why don't you wait here?"

"This is Mr. Huang Yangming, owner of Yunli Hotel," Mr. Wang introduced proactively.

"Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Huang," Gao Mengting took a deep breath and sat down, her chest heaving with relief.

Yunli Hotel occupied three floors of the Baoyun Center and was well-known in Yan City. Mr. Huang was indeed a significant figure.

As a local real estate agent, Li Yongming understood the weight of a hotel owner’s status. He cautiously sat down next to Gao Mengting, tense and silent.

Mr. Huang, looking at Gao Mengting’s elegant face, asked with interest, "You seem young. What business are you in?"

Gao Mengting smiled politely, "I run a small clothing store. It's just a modest business compared to yours."

"Clothing, that's nice. I happen to have shares in Huashang Apparel, so we’re somewhat connected," Mr. Huang said.

"Huashang Apparel?" Gao Mengting interlaced her fingers, "That's the leading name in Yan City's clothing manufacturing industry. I've heard a lot about it!"

Li Yongming, feeling like a small fry, kept his head down, occasionally forcing a dry laugh.