Chapter 32: Expensive Pillow Talk
"Did you see clearly?" Jiang Chen turned off the phone screen and casually tucked it under the pillow, his movements as relaxed as if he had just checked the time.
Darkness descended once more, but Su Qingge's heart was racing even more violently than during the physical pleasure just now.
Her throat felt dry; she wanted to speak, but no sound came out.
"This... how is this possible?" After a long while, she squeezed the words out from between her teeth, her voice kept extremely low and carrying a slight tremor. "You went out for half an hour just now and really earned ten million?"
"I told you, it was a business deal." Jiang Chen's hand wasn't idle under the covers, slowly stroking along the curve of her waist. "What, did President Su think that when I treated you to that sky-high priced breakfast, or bought the military overcoats and quilts, I was just trying to look big? Or did you think I was just some upstart with a bit of money who didn't know his place?"
Su Qingge bit her lip and remained silent.
After all, Jiang Chen was too young; he hadn't fully shed his student-like aura yet.
Although he had been generous with his spending over the past two days, in the eyes of someone like her who was used to capital operations, it was just small-time play worth tens of thousands.
But this ten million was cold, hard cash flow.
"I have far more money than what you see." Jiang Chen leaned in close to her ear, his warm breath fanning across her sensitive earlobe. "This ten million is just a bit of liquid capital I moved on a whim. Moving large sums of money requires going through offshore account procedures and takes a bit more time. But this amount should be enough to solve your current urgent crisis, shouldn't it?"
Su Qingge's body trembled slightly.
Five million.
The most urgent bridge loan she needed right now was exactly five million.
If she couldn't get it together by noon tomorrow, the creditors would apply to freeze all her company's accounts. By then, not even a god could save her.
"It's enough... half is enough." There was a hint of a sob in Su Qingge's voice. It was the feeling of exhaustion that comes when a string that has been taut for months or even years suddenly slackens.
"Alright then." Jiang Chen's fingers gently tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze in the darkness. "I can give you the money. But there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world, especially not for a deal worth tens of millions. Su Qingge, you're a businesswoman; you should know the rules."
Su Qingge took a deep breath. She groped in the darkness, grabbed Jiang Chen's hand, and then slowly but firmly pressed it against her heart.
There, her heart was pounding violently against her chest.
"I understand." Though her voice was soft, it carried a determination as if she were laying herself bare. "As long as I can save the company and protect ten years of my hard work... I'll be yours for the rest of my life. I will never go back on my word."
"I want more than just physical pleasure." Jiang Chen interlaced his fingers with hers, his grip domineeringly strong. "From now on, as my woman, there's only one condition: never leave me."
"Fine," Su Qingge replied decisively. "As long as you don't look down on an old woman like me who's buried in debt."
"Old?" Jiang Chen chuckled softly and flicked her smooth nose with his finger. "You're only ten years older than me. Besides, I don't know who was just crying and begging for mercy like an eighteen-year-old girl."
Su Qingge's face instantly turned burning hot. The shame made her bury her head in Jiang Chen's chest, not daring to come out like an ostrich.
Beside them, Chen Man rolled over with a large movement. The quilt rustled as it was pulled.
Su Qingge froze in fear, not daring to even breathe.
"Go to sleep." Jiang Chen patted her back as if soothing a startled child. "When it's light out, remember to give me your card number."
Silence fell over the room once again.
Only the faint red glow from the oil heater illuminated a corner of the headboard.
Lin Wan had been facing away from them the whole time, her eyes wide open, staring at a piece of peeling paint on the wall. Her hands tightly gripped the corner of the quilt, her knuckles turning white from the effort.
Even though they had spoken in low voices, she had heard most of their conversation in the silence of the deep night.
Ten million.
She had originally thought Jiang Chen was just a thoughtful younger brother with a bit of money, a small comfort in her desperate marriage.
But now she realized that this man's world was far grander than she had imagined.
A sense of bitterness welled up in her heart, but more than that, it was an indescribable sense of peace.
...
Just as dawn was breaking, noisy footsteps and shouting came from the guesthouse corridor.
It seemed some travelers were causing a scene at the front desk because of the service suspension.
In Room 302, on that crowded large bed, all four people "woke up" almost simultaneously.
Or rather, except for Jiang Chen who had actually fallen asleep, the other three women had endured the night in a state of half-sleep.
The atmosphere was somewhat subtly awkward.
Chen Man was the first to sit up. With her messy, wavy hair, she stretched. Her low-cut base shirt rode up with the movement, revealing half of her fair and tight waist.
"My back feels like it's going to break after that sleep." Chen Man rubbed her lower back, her eyes meaningfully darting toward Jiang Chen and Su Qingge. "Some people certainly slept soundly; they didn't seem to mind the squeeze at all."
Su Qingge still hadn't come out from under the covers.
She was only wearing a camisole nightgown, and Jiang Chen's overcoat from earlier was pinned beneath her.
Her face was flushed. In front of these two "eavesdropping" audience members from last night, her aura as a cold and aloof CEO had completely vanished.
"I'm going to wash up." Su Qingge grabbed the overcoat, wrapped herself tightly in it, and fled into the bathroom.
Lin Wan was tidying the bed. She folded the quilt with a virtuous and natural grace, as if nothing had happened last night.
But when her gaze swept over Jiang Chen's exposed, lean upper body, her eyes would flicker away for a moment.
"Morning, Sister Wan, Sister Man." Jiang Chen yawned and fished his phone out from under the pillow.
"Still early? The sun is already high in the sky." Chen Man leaned over and plopped down on the edge of the bed, her flirtatious eyes darting all over Jiang Chen. "Little brother, was last night... tiring?"
Before Jiang Chen could respond, a sudden, rapid phone ringtone came from the bathroom.
Immediately after, the sound of Su Qingge answering the phone followed.
This time, she didn't lower her voice or try to avoid them.
Perhaps it was because she had newfound confidence, or perhaps because she had already shown her most pathetic side last night, so it didn't matter anymore.
"Hello, President Wang." Although Su Qingge's voice was still a bit raspy, her tone had returned to its usual calm.
The voice on the other end was very loud—a man with a coarse, loud voice. His aggressive roaring could be heard even through the door: "Su Qingge! Don't play that game with me! If I don't see that five million by twelve noon today, you just wait to receive a court summons! Also, I've already found someone to look at that villa you mortgaged. If you don't want to end up on the streets, hurry up and pay back the money!"
The air in the room instantly froze.
Chen Man stopped her joking, and Lin Wan also halted her movements, looking toward the bathroom with concern.
"President Wang, it's only eight in the morning." Su Qingge held the phone. "The deadline hasn't arrived yet, what's the rush?"
"I'm in a rush? I think you're just trying to stall for time so you can run away! I'm telling you..."
The bathroom door opened.
Su Qingge walked out with her phone. Her face was somewhat pale, but her eyes were exceptionally determined.
She walked straight up to Jiang Chen. Without a word, she handed over a bank card.
It was her company's corporate account card.
Jiang Chen took the card, glanced at the account number, and then picked up his own phone, his fingers moving rapidly across the screen.
The room was terrifyingly quiet; only the roaring male voice continued to echo from the phone's receiver: "Say something! Are you mute? Su Qingge, I'm telling you, don't think..."
【Ding! Detected that the Host is fulfilling a promise.】
【God-tier Tycoon Mission triggered: A Promise Worth a Thousand Gold.】
【Mission Description: Help Su Qingge resolve her first urgent debt crisis.】
【Mission Funds: Please pay using your own funds, Host.】
【Mission Reward: Based on the amount paid by the Host, a random 1-10x Cashback Multiplier will be triggered.】
【Note: This mission is a Favorability Mission for a specific target. The funds must come from the Host's own capital.】
The corners of Jiang Chen's mouth curled up slightly.
It's here.
Without the slightest hesitation, he entered "5" in the transfer amount field, followed by six "0"s.
Five million.
Fingerprint verified, transfer confirmed.
"Turn on the speakerphone," Jiang Chen said calmly.
Su Qingge was stunned for a moment but pressed the speakerphone button as told.
The man's roaring instantly filled the room: "...you bitch, believe it or not, I'll go to your company right now and hang up banners..."
"Ding-dong."
A crisp notification sound abruptly interrupted the man's cursing.
It was the bank deposit notification on Su Qingge's other work phone.
Su Qingge picked up that phone, took a look, and her eyes instantly turned red.
"President Wang." Jiang Chen took the phone Su Qingge was using for the call, his voice as calm as if he were discussing today's weather. "The money has been sent. Check it. Also, keep your mouth clean. If I hear you shouting at her again, I have plenty of ways to make you spit out that five million just as easily as you swallowed it."
The other end of the line fell into a deathly silence.
After a full five seconds, the man's voice sounded again. His tone had done a complete 180-degree turn, becoming fawning and stuttering: "Oh... is... is this President Su's friend? A misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding! Since the money has arrived, then everything's fine, everything's fine... Um, President Su, about our previous contract..."
"Scram." Jiang Chen replied with only one word and hung up the phone.
He tossed the phone onto the bed and looked up at Su Qingge. "Done."
Su Qingge stood there, looking at this young man sitting on the messy bed with his hair uncombed.
At this moment, she felt he was more imposing than those so-called big shots sitting behind massive office desks.
"Thank you..." Her lips moved, and her tears finally couldn't be held back, falling like broken strings of pearls.
These weren't tears of grievance, but a release after being reborn.
Chen Man and Lin Wan watched from the side, dumbfounded.
Although they had heard snippets last night, seeing Jiang Chen transfer five million without even blinking was still a massive visual shock.
"My god..." Chen Man covered her mouth, her eyes showing genuine awe for the first time. "Little brother, are you really a big tycoon?"