Wang Congcong curled his lips in a half-smile. "Exactly. If the two of you had come to your senses earlier, how could your Company have ended up in this mess?"
Wang Jun nodded repeatedly in agreement.
With an ingratiating smile he added, "Young Master Wang is absolutely right. One wrong step and every step goes wrong. This whole affair has finally opened my eyes—I simply couldn't bear it any longer. I owe it all to Chairman Jiang for showing us that scoundrel's true colors!"
Perhaps Wang Jun's flattery was too thick, for even Wang Congcong merely hooked a faint smile and said no more.
The banquet was already more than half over, yet Reba's task remained unfinished.
Jiang Cheng's suspicions flared; he turned and glanced at her.
He had come today precisely for this mission.
With Wang Jun's words, the matter was basically settled—by rights the task should have been completed.
But the moment he looked, he saw Reba sitting rather stiffly.
She hardly dared reach for more food.
"Don't care for the dishes?" Jiang Cheng asked, concerned.
Startled by Jiang Cheng's sudden address, Reba waved her hands in a fluster.
"N-no, not at all—they're delicious."
Wang Jun, who had paid her no attention until Jiang Cheng spoke, now shifted his focus to her.
He turned to Reba, full of apology. "Oh my, Miss Reba, please forgive me—I completely forgot to consider your taste. I'll have the Waitress bring some authentic Xinjiang dishes right away."
Reba waved her hands hurriedly. "No need, Mr. Wang, you're too kind. I've lived here for years; I'm quite used to the local food. Today's dishes are really delicious!"
Reba knew very well that while Wang Jun bowed and scraped before Jiang Cheng, she herself could not throw her weight around.
Their humility stemmed from Jiang Cheng's unique status.
Even though Company's stock had plunged lately, it still controlled vast resources in the industry.
Feng Gan was only a director; he wasn't in the same league as big shots like Wang Jun.
Seeing her still uneasy, Jiang Cheng said, "Relax. Feng Gan won't show up tonight; no one will ask you to dance."
His words told Reba the crisis was over and she could speed up her task.
They also served as a hint to the Wang Brothers.
As expected, Wang Jun reacted instantly.
"Chairman Jiang is right. This affair has indeed troubled Miss Reba. The root of the problem lies inside our Company," he said.
"Have you considered entering the film world, Miss Reba? Next year we'll release several movies. If you're interested, we'd love to have you as our leading lady."
Reba's eyes lit up at the offer.
She instinctively looked to Jiang Cheng for approval.
The Mind Perception Skill sensed her anxiety turn to delight.
Jiang Cheng smirked. "Why look at me? Don't want the role?"
"Yes—yes, I want it, I want it!"
"Then thank Mr. Wang."
A surge of indescribable excitement rushed through her.
She sprang to her feet, trembling, gratitude and joy shining in her eyes.
She bowed deeply to Jiang Cheng and Wang Jun.
Moments earlier she had been full of dread.
Though Feng Gan no longer dared touch her,
her actions had cost Company huge losses.
Wang Jun might not move against her openly,
but if he quietly rallied others to blacklist her,
she would be powerless.
She lacked powerful backing—she wasn't under Jiang Cheng's banner.
Now everything had changed.
The unexpected offer of a film role swept away all her worries.
It meant Company would not treat her as an enemy.
Just then, the system's voice rang in Jiang Cheng's mind.
"Ding! Mission complete."
"Congratulations, Host. Calculating Reba's satisfaction."
"Reba's satisfaction: 100 %. Reward: one 'Juice Card' and a Courtyard House in the Rear Sea area."
Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow at the rewards.
He knew what a Courtyard House was,
but what kind of card was this?
It sounded rather risqué.
He opened the Juice Card's description, half amused.
"Juice Card: liquid is key."
"Valid only for fresh, undeveloped seafood. Trigger a flood and receive cash rebates."
He glanced at the abalone soup before him.
Swallowing, he muttered,
This system grows more inscrutable by the day.
The innocent Jiang Cheng had no idea what it was rambling about.
He pocketed the card and ladled abalone soup into Reba's bowl.
"Sit and drink some soup—hydrate."
Fan Shuishui watched, a pang of envy in her heart, her gaze fixed on Reba.
Only she knew how much effort she had spent to reach this point.
In this ruthless circle, any resource or connection that could push her upward was worth seizing.
Even if every event meant harassment or landing on the hot search, she didn't care.
Yet young Reba was so lucky to meet a powerful man willing to stand up for her.
Worse, he was young, handsome, and considerate—utterly unlike the greasy men she had endured.
How could Fan Shuishui not envy her?
Seeing Jiang Cheng serve Reba, Wang Jun secretly rejoiced; his smile widened.
He was clearly pleased with his own tactic of ingratiation.
It meant he had found the key to getting closer to Jiang Cheng.
Without pause he pressed on: "Chairman Jiang, Mr. Wang, I'm honored to dine with you tonight. Might we discuss cooperation?"
Since Wang Jun was so tactful, Jiang Cheng didn't refuse. "Go ahead, Mr. Wang."
Wang Jun nodded gratefully. "As you know, our Company has long focused on film production. Though this year's first-half releases were mediocre, none lost money."
"Our recent film 'prosperity' has done quite well, and we're optimistic about the upcoming 'Exes'."
As he spoke, he watched Jiang Cheng's face for any hint of interest.