Jiang Cheng could no longer suppress the impulse in his heart, and his face slowly buried itself into Zhou Ying's soft, fragrant chest.
His warm breath sprayed onto her skin, carrying threads of lingering attachment.
Then, with slightly hurried breaths, he spoke.
"Sorry, when I watch this kind of movie, I always skip the beginning and start from the middle. Let's start our performance from the middle too..."
His words were full of ambiguity and urgency.
Seeing Jiang Cheng's hands start to "decompress" restlessly on her chest, Zhou Ying's body trembled slightly, and she couldn't help but let out a muffled groan.
The sound was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, yet full of endless bashfulness and charm, sounding exceptionally provocative in the silent room.
The air in the room seemed to thicken, filled with an ambiguous and passionate atmosphere... Jiang Cheng picked Zhou Ying up and placed her directly onto the long black coffee table of a famous Italian designer brand next to the living room sofa.
Then he squatted down, his gaze fixed on the focal point in the middle of that black suit.
"This outfit is too tight. Shall I help you take it off??"
...Early the next morning, before the first ray of sunlight had completely pierced through the clouds, Jiang Cheng woke up early from his sleep and immediately picked up his phone to look at the stock trends of the Conglomerate sent by Chen Xueer.
After the banner-protesting incident in China over the past two days, the Conglomerate's stock had already begun to show a downward trend.
Although the source of this incident had caused waves in Switzerland and the Pretty Country.
However, unexpectedly, when the cars in Switzerland and the Pretty Country were tested, the results showed that they were actually qualified, with no obvious problems found.
And the initial spearhead of this protest was clearly pointed at Dazong Automobile in China.
Curiously, in mainland China, it didn't seem to be affected much at first; it was calm and didn't cause the expected uproar.
Although the protest by the Switzerland Environmental Protection Girl caused widespread controversy and attracted a lot of attention.
But in reality, the impact on the Conglomerate's stock trend wasn't particularly obvious at the start.
It wasn't until the wave of banner protests in the China region fully kicked off over the last two days that many investors began to feel panic.
Of course, there were also some more rational investors who maintained a wait-and-see and skeptical attitude.
What if the whole thing was just a misunderstanding?
They worried whether the situation of China's Dazong Automobile was just like that in Switzerland and the Pretty Country—merely groundless fake news?
The news hot search on the internet was no longer limited to the single incident of Conglomerate car owners protesting with banners.
The focus of public opinion had already shifted to demanding that Dazong Automobile provide an official inspection report.
"Dazong Automobile Turmoil: From Passing Overseas Inspections to China's Protest Wave, Where Will the Stocks Go?"
"China's Banner Protests Against Dazong Automobile: The Fog of Truth Behind Investor Panic"
"Switzerland Environmental Protection Girl's Protest Draws Attention: Why Has Dazong Automobile's China Crisis Only Just Erupted?"
"Dazong Automobile Deep in the Maelstrom of Public Opinion: From Qualification Disputes to Calls for Inspection Reports"
...Combining these news reports with the notices and arrangements from the Criminal Department of the Information Bureau.
The headquarters of Dazong Automobile welcomed two groups of staff from the Vehicle Management Bureau and the Market Bureau for a surprise inspection.
For a time, the atmosphere inside the company was tense to the extreme, and a large amount of data was quickly sealed.
A large batch of cars that had not yet entered the market was also seized; the scene was chaotic, and the staff looked at each other, at a loss.
At this time, William, the manager of the Conglomerate's headquarters, was alone in his office.
His eyes were bloodshot, clearly having not slept all night.
Facing the report brought in by the Female secretary who knocked on the door, William's expression became even uglier.
His brow furrowed tightly in an instant, and his face showed a look of anxiety and unease.
He immediately instructed the company personnel to do everything possible to stall the inspectors.
After making the arrangements, William immediately turned back into his office to make a distress call.
Before he could dial, the office door was pushed open.
Seeing the person who entered, William's expression suddenly relaxed.
It was as if he had seen a glimmer of dawn in the darkness.
Like a drowning man grasping at a straw, he walked quickly toward him and said urgently, "Mr. Yuan Jiankai, you're finally here."
Glancing around at the messy scene, Yuan Jiankai's brow furrowed involuntarily.
He asked with feigned confusion, "What on earth is going on?"
Realizing this wasn't the right place for a conversation, William immediately invited Yuan Jiankai into his office.
As soon as they entered the office, Yuan Jiankai unceremoniously sat directly at William's desk.
A hint of ill intent flashed in his eyes, and he said in a cold tone, "How did it end up like this?"
Seeing Yuan Jiankai's behavior, William frowned slightly, a trace of displeasure rising in his heart.
Normally, with his temper, he would have exploded in a rage long ago.
But at this moment, William could only suppress the anger in his heart and swallow his pride.
After all, they were in China now, and he still needed Yuan Jiankai to pull strings for many things.
William secretly comforted himself.
He warned himself that this was an emergency and he shouldn't fuss over such trifles now.
So, he said patiently, "Mr. Jiankai, hurry and find someone to stop those people outside."
Hearing William say this, Yuan Jiankai's expression became even gloomier, as if a storm were approaching.
He questioned loudly, "Stop them? Why must we stop them? Are the things said on the internet actually true?"
Hearing this, William's eyes instinctively dodged, and a flash of panic crossed his heart.
But soon, he felt he had no reason to fear Yuan Jiankai.
After all, in terms of position, the two of them were equals.
Moreover, because he was directly appointed by the headquarters, Yuan Jiankai usually treated him with extreme respect.
But now, Yuan Jiankai's attitude was clearly taking advantage of this incident to put on airs and try to suppress him.
Thinking this, William straightened his neck and replied stubbornly, "That's not important right now. What's important is how we solve the current problem."
Hearing this, Yuan Jiankai stood up from his seat with a 'whoosh' and pointed his index finger straight at William.
He said emotionally, "What do you mean 'not important'? This is about fraud! Do you know how serious such a thing is in China? Do you know how much loss our entire enterprise will suffer? And you tell me it's not important?"
William was intimidated by Yuan Jiankai's sudden outburst and didn't know how to retort for a moment.
The bit of momentum he had managed to muster just now instantly vanished.
His tone softened involuntarily, and he said cautiously:
"Now is not the time to discuss this. The Conglomerate entered China as a joint venture. For every car we sell, China gets a share of the profit. This isn't just about the Conglomerate's headquarters; it's also about your profits."
"Don't try to pressure me with profits. Whoever caused this mess will take the responsibility."
William's face turned pale upon hearing this, and he said with a trembling voice, "What do you mean by that? Are you saying you won't help? I know you're usually jealous that I was sent by the headquarters, but you must understand that we are in the same boat. Only if the Conglomerate develops will you have a future."
Seeing William misunderstand his meaning, Yuan Jiankai sneered, his laugh full of disdain and mockery. He said, "You think I'm jealous of you??"
William asked back without hesitation, "Aren't you??"
Yuan Jiankai shook his head helplessly and said, "You Foreigner are just arrogant. If this matter could be settled, I would have had someone settle it long ago. After it happened, the headquarters already notified me. Didn't you know?"
Hearing this, William's heart skipped a beat, as if struck by a heavy hammer.
The company bypassed him to notify Yuan Jiankai?
Combined with Yuan Jiankai's change in attitude, could it be that the company had abandoned him?
William replied, unwilling to give up, "You mean it can't be settled?"
Yuan Jiankai sighed deeply and said, "It's not that I won't help. The people targeting our Conglomerate are clearly not simple. Not only can their accounts not be traced, but even the connections within the government aren't working at all. It's as if someone gave them a heads-up in advance; we are completely helpless."
Hearing this, a hint of despair appeared in William's eyes, and he muttered to himself, "So if this matter can't be settled, will I become the scapegoat?"