The Bowl of Seven Emotions

Bai Corporation's main business wasn't jewelry, though they had always dabbled in it. Since Bai Mian took over the company, she had intentionally shifted the focus towards jewelry and accessories, and had done quite well. Although a single design might not play a decisive role, both Bai Mian and Tang Susu, having seen the physical design, felt that if the "Eternal Life" set could be launched, it would elevate Bai Corporation's jewelry reputation to a new level.

However, if it fell into the hands of Genesis Group, things wouldn't be so easy. Genesis was a foreign-owned jewelry conglomerate, currently controlling sixty percent of Fenglin City's jewelry market. Giving them even the slightest opportunity could suppress Bai Corporation's burgeoning jewelry business.

"Aila's husband is making exorbitant demands. He doesn't have the physical design, so Genesis hasn't agreed yet, and I'm still considering it."

"Wait, why isn't there a physical design? Wasn't a set already made?" Tang Susu sensed something was amiss.

"Heh!" Bai Mian scoffed. "You've noticed it too, haven't you? Aila's husband isn't a simple man. I now suspect Aila doesn't even know about this."

As a bystander, Tang Susu also felt something was wrong and quickly added, "Have you contacted Aila?"

"I've called and emailed her, but haven't received a reply."

Even Bai Mian couldn't find a solution, so Tang Susu could only offer some comfort.

Bai Mian hadn't called for solutions anyway, just to vent her frustration.

"Susu, what are you doing?"

"I'm eating."

"Oh, that's great! I haven't eaten yet. Wait for me, I'm coming to your place." Bai Mian's impulsive nature hadn't changed a bit over the years.

Tang Susu nearly choked. "No, wait! I'm not at home."

"You're… not… at… home?" Bai Mian's voice turned dangerous.

"Uh… just… out for dinner…" Tang Susu's voice trailed off, as if sensing murderous intent creeping through the phone's electromagnetic waves.

"Oh, having dinner? With whom?"

"Ahem, you know."

"I don't care, I want to eat too!" Bai Mian clearly wasn't going to let Tang Susu off easily.

Tang Susu hung her head, wishing she could shrink. "I'm at his house…"

"Tang Susu! You've got guts! What did I tell you before?!"

"I was wrong!" When Bai Mian transformed into Furious Mian, arguing was futile. Apologizing was the best option. So, Tang Susu immediately, and cowardly, admitted her mistake.

"Have you finished eating?"

"Not yet." Tang Susu glanced at Shi Chengxuan, noticing him staring at her with amusement. She wondered if he'd heard the roar over the phone.

"In half an hour, my driver will pick you up at Shi Chengxuan's house. If he tells me he didn't pick you up…"

The unspoken threat was clear. Tang Susu knew the consequences of not getting into Bai Mian's car.

"Okay, I understand…" This felt like being a middle schooler in love, subject to a curfew imposed by her mother.

Tang Susu hung up the phone, heart pounding, feeling more thrilled than after a battle.

Fortunately, Shi Chengxuan didn't ask anything, just placed a shrimp in her bowl. "Eat quickly."

Tang Susu silently ate the shrimp, still wondering how to explain her best friend sending a driver to pick her up. She scratched her head. She hadn't done anything wrong, yet it felt awkward.

Fifteen minutes later, Tang Susu finished eating. Ten minutes after that, Shi Chengxuan personally escorted her to the door.

Indeed, Bai Mian's Mercedes was parked outside the villa.

Seeing the car, Shi Chengxuan didn't seem surprised. The car door opened, and a man stepped out from the driver's seat.

A white fitted suit, white gloves, long chestnut curls, green eyes, and slightly upturned lips. If he had a sword at his waist, he would resemble a knight-captain from a medieval painting.

Bai Mian's knight. No doubt about it.

Shi Chengxuan's eyes darkened as he sized up the man. He raised an eyebrow. "Shi Chengxuan."

"Nie Ruo." Butler Nie stopped a few steps away.

Tang Susu looked at Shi Chengxuan, then at Butler Nie, feeling they'd had some strange, unspoken exchange.

Unfortunately, before she could observe further, Shi Chengxuan placed a hand on her shoulder and guided her towards the car. "Call me when you get home?"

"Okay." Hesitating, she felt it was a bit unkind to leave like this. So, she hooked a finger on his lapel and, as he leaned down, lightly touched his lips.

Shi Chengxuan smiled. With the other man's intense gaze upon them, he refrained from anything more, returning a brief kiss before straightening up.

Nie Ruo nodded to Shi Chengxuan, slammed the back door shut, got in the car, and drove away.

The two remained silent until they reached Tang Susu's home. Butler Nie opened the door for her and thoughtfully escorted her to the elevator.

Only after Tang Susu returned home, turned on the lights, and looked out, did she see the car start and drive off into the night.

She let out a long sigh. If Bai Mian had come to pick her up, it wouldn't have been so bad. But it was Butler Nie, and for some reason, he gave her immense pressure.

She now admired Bai Mian a little. She was plotting to seduce the man, while also ordering him around. She wondered how much his monthly salary was.

After calling Shi Chengxuan, Tang Susu picked up Gou Dan's iPad and searched for Aila. A bunch of entries popped up.

Although Aila wasn't well-known in China, she was quite famous in France. Besides her biography, there were also interviews conducted abroad.

One interview was quite personal, focusing on her family life as well as her designs. From the text, it was clear that Aila was very happy with her husband, and their meeting was quite dramatic. In short, an elderly woman helped another elderly woman who had been hit by a car and whose driver had fled the scene. The injured woman happened to be Aila's mother, and the rescuer was her husband's mother.

The man visiting his mother and the woman caring for hers fell in love at first sight at the hospital. They married a year later, and their marriage was described as blissful.

From Tang Susu's perspective, it was a romantic story.

She clicked on a few more interviews, all with similar content. The last one included a photo of Aila and her husband, Ning Kaize.

Seeing his face again, Tang Susu suddenly remembered why the man at the cinema had looked so familiar. It was Aila's husband!

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