Chapter 54: Fu Zhengnan Asserts His Dominance

In the end, the project leader of Country S chose Fu Corporation’s proposal.

However, given the long-standing partnership with the Bai family, he still had some favoritism toward them.

“Why don’t you discuss it? You’re both Chinese enterprises—why not collaborate?”

“This year, the project scale is three times larger than last year, with an annual output value exceeding ten billion.”

“How about splitting it between the two of you?”

The project leader looked at Bai Jing with a teasing expression.

The Bai family had always been solid in their field, but this time, their proposal was indeed inferior to Fu Corporation’s. Their contingency plans were inadequate, possibly because they had been awarded the project for several consecutive years and had become complacent.

Opportunities, however, are reserved for those who are prepared.

Besides, the Fu Corporation had a strong foundation. Although they had never ventured into microelectronics, giving them a chance wouldn’t hurt, especially since Fu Corporation had the resources to back them up.

Bai Jing immediately caught on to the subtle hint.

Was this an invitation for him to swallow his pride and ask Fu Corporation for cooperation?

“Mr. Li, I believe that a massive project like this should not be entrusted to a newly involved company. Don’t you agree?”

If it had been any other company, they might have conceded.

But this was the Bai family.

If they lost this project from Country S, there were still countless others waiting for them.

Mr. Li’s expression darkened instantly. “Mr. Bai, are you suggesting that my judgment is flawed?”

Bai Jing smiled and joked, “I simply believe that the Bai family has a higher margin for error in this field. Even if the ‘resume’ wasn’t written well, shouldn’t we acknowledge that this ‘employee’ has a strong foundation?”

By saying this, he was comparing Fu Corporation’s proposal to a meticulously crafted job application.

A resume may look good, but its actual competence isn’t proven until the employee starts working.

Mr. Li fell silent for a moment, contemplating his decision once again.

Assistant Zhang grew visibly anxious, signaling to the senior executives—should they step in and say something? Were they really going to let a sure-win deal slip away?

Just then, Fu Zhengnan pulled out several paintings by Jiang Qingqing.

The deadlock finally broke.

As the massive scrolls were spread across the conference table, the project leader’s eyes lit up.

He momentarily forgot his hesitation and rushed forward to examine them closely.

“Mr. Fu, where did you find these paintings? Name your price!”

He had a deep admiration for ancient Chinese paintings.

Due to cultural differences, he appreciated traditional painting styles and brushwork but had no interest in actual antique collections.

Now, the paintings Fu Zhengnan had brought perfectly met his preferences.

They were newly created yet carried an ancient charm.

“Excellent! Which artist created these pieces?”

He glanced at the signature on the painting and murmured, “Jiang Qingqing? I’ve never heard of this painter before.”

Could she be a rising star in the art world?

Bai Wan immediately stood up when she heard the name Jiang Qingqing.

The moment she saw the paintings, she had already suspected something.

And now, her suspicions were confirmed.

Fu Zhengnan shot her a subtle glance, not missing the fleeting excitement in her eyes.

Perhaps he had found his answer.

“A friend of mine painted them.”

He then pushed forward another painting—a depiction of the pear blossom tree in Bai Wan’s courtyard that Jiang Qingqing had once sketched.

“This is a smaller piece she’s particularly fond of. Knowing that you’re an expert in ancient paintings, she specifically asked me to bring it here for your critique.”

The project leader’s gaze slowly shifted from the massive scrolls to the smaller painting.

Before he could even begin his assessment, Bai Wan could no longer hold back.

“Mr. Fu, I also love this painting. Could you part with it?”

Fu Zhengnan glanced at her, his thin lips slightly parting as he said, “Apologies. This painting is priceless. I have no intention of giving it away.”

“You…”

Bai Wan frowned.

What was he trying to imply?

He knew full well about her connection to Jiang Qingqing.

The project leader laughed heartily. “So Miss Bai is also a fan of ancient paintings?”

In the end, the project leader swiftly signed the contract with Fu Corporation, leaving the conference room in high spirits while hugging the massive scrolls.

Assistant Zhang let out a deep sigh of relief as he looked at the official company seal on the contract.

Who would have thought?

The future Madam Fu was truly impressive—securing a contract with just a few paintings.

Seeing that the project leader had left, Lu Jian’an wasted no time wrapping an arm around Fu Zhengnan’s shoulder.

With a mischievous grin, Lu Jian’an teased,

“Nan, you’ve got a secret! Spill it—where did these paintings come from?”

The last time he asked Fu Zhengnan to find this painter for a gaming company, Fu outright refused.

And now, he suddenly pulled out several paintings?

Something was fishy!

Fu Zhengnan brushed Lu Jian’an’s hand away and replied calmly, “A friend’s.”

He packed up his notebook and was the first to leave the conference room.

---

Outside the Conference Room

Bai Wan had been waiting for a long time.

“Mr. Fu, can we talk?”

Fu Zhengnan glanced at her but didn’t refuse. He had been expecting Bai Wan to approach him.

---

Downstairs at the Restaurant

Lu Jian’an followed along, eager to stir up some drama—he was always present in situations like these.

Bai Wan got straight to the point. “Mr. Fu, I hope you can give me the phone. The system is facing serious issues, and I need to fix it.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Fu Zhengnan’s lips curled slightly.

“You mean to say… you want to take control of Jiang Qingqing?”

He picked up the black coffee on the table, took a sip, and continued coldly, “Are you even capable of handling her?”

His tone was anything but kind—chilling, even.

Bai Wan didn’t fully grasp the deeper meaning behind his words and grew anxious. “I’m Jiang Qingqing’s mother! Why wouldn’t I have the right to manage her?”

Lu Jian’an, who was sitting nearby, was taken aback.

Oh? So the goddess had a daughter?

And that daughter was the mysterious painter?

Well, that was quite the surprise, but honestly, landing such a talented daughter out of nowhere seemed like a great deal.

“So, you were the one who modified the game’s code? The one who suddenly sent Jiang Qingqing into this world?”

Fu Zhengnan cut straight to the point.

The time in the bathroom…

Bai Wan froze for a second before realizing he was referring to when she had changed the recharge player’s identity.

She admitted, “Yes, that was me. I just wanted to test—”

Before she could finish, Fu Zhengnan placed his coffee down and stared at her with an icy gaze.

“Do you have any idea that you nearly got her killed?”

Jiang Qingqing had been abruptly transported to the real world.

If it had been anyone other than him on the other side, she might not have survived. Even he had almost injured her and ended up rushing her to the hospital. He didn’t even want to think about what could have happened otherwise.

Bai Wan clearly hadn’t expected this response from Fu Zhengnan.

Her voice trembled slightly. “What… what happened to her?”

Fu Zhengnan glanced at his phone, checking a notification from the game. Then he stood up.

“Miss Bai, you should focus on handling Bai Jing first. If he dares target my phone again, I won’t hesitate to make him disappear from China.”

Just as he was about to leave the restaurant, he turned back and added,

“Jiang Qingqing belongs to me now.”

“Instead of thinking about how to get the phone back, you’d be better off figuring out how to transfer maximum game permissions to me.”

His voice was cold and unwavering. Without another word, he left.

Fu Zhengnan’s words sent alarm bells ringing in Bai Wan’s mind.

Bai Jing?

If he was involved, then everything suddenly made sense…

Meanwhile, Lu Jian’an, watching Fu Zhengnan’s icy demeanor, was panicking internally.

How could he speak to a beautiful woman like that?

Trying to smooth things over, he quickly said, “Miss Bai, don’t be upset. Fu Zhengnan might not be a good person, but he’s not a bad one either. He won’t do anything to your daughter.”

“Besides, he already has a girlfriend. There’s no way he’d have any ulterior motives toward her.”

To be honest, Lu Jian’an had barely kept up with the conversation.