“Alright, alright, I won’t take a picture,” she laughed as she put her phone away and continued watching him eat breakfast.

“You can leave now,” he said, feeling somewhat embarrassed under her gaze and ordering her out.

“I still have something to say.”

“What is it?” She put on a serious expression. “Ben just told me that after Mr. Fang and the others left yesterday, Mrs. Fang fainted and was sent to the hospital. From the company’s standpoint, I hope I can personally bring a bouquet over to express our condolences.”

“You’re going?” Jing Rui snorted. “If anyone should go, it should be Ben.” Besides, there was really no need to go.

“Ben said he couldn’t persuade Mr. Fang anymore, and I thought I might try. Since there’s no turning back now, I think we should try to ease his emotions.”

“How do you plan to do that?” He frowned unhappily. “He won’t listen to you; he might even slap you in anger.”

“Let him vent,” she replied, gazing steadily at him. “If he has an outlet for his emotions, he’ll feel a bit less pressure, and maybe he won’t take drastic measures.”

“You!” He gripped the milk cup tightly, his expression tense.

“I’m not doing it for him; I’m doing it for our company.” Noticing his displeased expression, her voice became lighter and softer, like a gentle spring stream, rippling in his ears. “At the very least, we shouldn’t let the outside world think our company is heartless.”

“So what if we are heartless? We’re just following the procedures.”

“That’s not good.”

He paused, annoyed. “Are you saying my decision to liquidate ‘Tong Cheng’ was wrong?”

“You didn’t make a mistake; that decision was correct. But the process and attitude could be a bit gentler, right?” Her gaze held a smile. She wasn’t blaming him; she wanted what was best for him and didn’t want the outside world to have too negative an impression of him.

Understanding her intentions, he fell silent. Although he could coldly rebut that he didn’t care about his image, facing her gentle gaze made it hard for him to voice those thoughts.

He could only turn his head away and ignore her. “Do what you want; I can’t be bothered!”

“It seems you’re in a bad mood.” A male voice interrupted, carrying just the right amount of humor and concern. Jing Rui turned around to see Yang Pinshen, who had somehow appeared behind him.

“Want a drink?” Yang Pinshen ordered two glasses of whiskey on the rocks from the bartender and handed one to him.

He took it and downed half of the glass in one go.

Yang Pinshen raised an eyebrow. “Is everything alright at the company?”

“Everything is going smoothly,” he replied flatly. Seeing that Jing Rui didn’t want to say more, Yang Pinshen didn’t press further. The two men leaned against the bar, silently drinking, listening to the lazy jazz swirling in the room, watching others enjoy their drinks and laugh heartily. Tonight was the gathering for the “Thirty and Standing” club, a member club founded by Yang Pinshen, the executive vice president of Taiya Group, exclusively for outstanding elites of the thirty-something generation in Taiwan’s business community. In addition to socializing, the members also held regular roundtable meetings to discuss various topics.

Yang Pinshen wasn’t establishing this club to create another playground for the elite; he was seriously managing it, and the members took pride in it. The biennial election for the club president had become a coveted honor for everyone.

On his thirty-first birthday, at Yang Pinshen’s invitation, Jing Rui officially joined “Thirty and Standing.” He knew this was like obtaining a “brand name” recognized by the upper class, ensuring him a place in Taiwan’s business world.

Just like Yang Pinshen’s attitude, Jing Rui was also actively managing his network here. Every time there was a gathering, he would be active, mingling in various small circles of conversation, never isolating himself as he was tonight.

He finished the whiskey in his glass and ordered another from the bartender before finally turning to Yang Pinshen and speaking up. “You know Fang Yucheng from Tong Cheng Technology, right?”

Yang Pinshen thought for a moment. “Isn’t that the new company we invested in a few years ago?”

“Yeah.” Jing Rui nodded. “Last month, I saw that the company wasn’t making any progress, so I decided to cut the investment and liquidate the company’s assets.”

“Really?” Yang Pinshen took a casual sip of his drink. “You can decide that on your own.” For a small deal worth a few tens of millions, there shouldn’t be a need to report to him, right?

“I’m not asking for your opinion,” Jing Rui said, seeing through his thoughts, and smirked slightly. “I’m asking if you know a good human resources consultant.”

“You mean a headhunter?” Yang Pinshen paused, suddenly realizing. “You’re not trying to help Fang Yucheng find a job, are you?”

“He’s been a bit unstable mentally due to the company liquidation,” Jing Rui briefly explained the situation. “…So I thought if he could find a decent job that pays enough for rent and his family’s living expenses, it might help stabilize his mind.”

“With his experience and capabilities, it shouldn’t be hard for him to find a senior management position at a regular company,” Yang Pinshen pondered, shaking his glass thoughtfully. “In fact, there might be a suitable position for him within Taiya Group.”

“Then I’d appreciate your introduction.”

“It’s not a bother, but…” Yang Pinshen looked at him thoughtfully, a strange smile tugging at his lips. “I didn’t expect you to worry about someone else’s future; that’s not like you.”

It really wasn’t. Jing Rui fell silent.

“Have you been influenced by someone?” Yang Pinshen probed suggestively. Jing Rui remained silent, his lips tightly shut like a closed clam. “I thought you were immune to everything, but it seems you have your moments of vulnerability.” Yang Pinshen teased warmly.

Hearing this, Jing Rui could only force a smile.

He had once thought himself immune to everything, but recently he had become increasingly aware that a certain someone seemed to be his only weakness.

But a man determined to navigate the cutthroat world of business shouldn’t have weaknesses; he should learn to eradicate them as soon as possible…

“Anyway, I’ll need your help with this matter.”

“No problem.”

Another man approached, interrupting their private conversation.

“Jing Rui, you should have heard of this person: the renowned Liang Guanya,” Yang Pinshen introduced. “He just joined ‘Thirty and Standing’ recently.”

“Hello.” Jing Rui extended his hand and shook hands with him.

He discreetly examined the handsome new member. Liang Guanya was an expert in corporate mergers and acquisitions from the U.S., trained under a well-known mentor on Wall Street. The mentor and disciple had raised a private equity fund that invested across Europe, the U.S., and emerging markets.

“I’ve mentioned your qualifications to Guanya; he expressed a desire to meet you and has a matter to discuss,” Yang Pinshen said.

“Is it business-related?” Jing Rui asked.

“Yes.” Liang Guanya looked directly at him, his gaze behind his glasses deep and inscrutable. “Mr. Jing should know about Fenghua Technology, right? I’ve heard they’re having some financial problems internally.”

His uncle’s company? Jing Rui raised an eyebrow in sarcasm.