"Hmm?" Gu Zhong's eyes lit up instantly, and his level of pleasure increased several notches. "No need, no need, Sister Yan, you go ahead and do your work!"
Lingyan felt a pang of heartache, as if she had raised a little ingrate.
"Remember the three rules I made for you!"
She glared fiercely at Gu Zhong.
"Okay, okay!"
Gu Zhong waved his hand impatiently.
"Be sure to call me if anything happens! Report back to me tonight!"
Lingyan kept turning back to give instructions, afraid that this naive girl would fall into someone else's trap and be unable to get out.
"Relax, Sister Yan! Goodbye!"
The heartless, ungrateful brat couldn't understand her worries at all.
Lingyan rushed to the company without stopping, and was immediately overwhelmed by a series of financial reports and consultation meetings. By the time she finished dealing with the problem that she couldn't solve due to a minor mistake by her subordinates, the night sky was already filled with dazzling stars.
She took out her phone, only to find an endless stream of work messages and irrelevant missed calls. The starred chats at the top of her chat list didn't show the red dots she was hoping for.
Ling Yan felt uneasy, so she dialed Gu Zhong's number.
After making a third call without getting an answer, Lingyan decisively transferred the call to her assistant, Xiao Wang.
"Where is Gu Zhong?"
He got straight to the point from the start, without a single unnecessary word.
"Sister Ling, Ge Tan took Miss Gu to some kind of cocktail party."
Xiao Wang sounded somewhat apprehensive.
Why didn't you tell me?!
Ling Yan picked up the car keys from the table, put on her black suit jacket, and prepared to go out.
"Sister Ling, I can't get through to your phone... I can't reach you through messages either," Xiao Wang said, feeling aggrieved.
Lingyan recalled the long list she hadn't had the patience to read, and how she had left her phone charging in the office during the meeting—she really couldn't blame Xiao Wang for that.
Where is the cocktail party? Are you nearby?
She pressed the elevator button for the high-rise office building.
"At the Century Dynasty Hotel, I was stopped. They said it was full of business people and wouldn't let me in. But don't worry, Sister Ling, I'll just stand at the entrance. I guarantee I'll spot Miss Gu as soon as she comes out..."
Before Xiao Wang could finish speaking, Ling Yan hung up the phone and rushed into the elevator that had just arrived. Her anxiety could no longer be hidden and was clearly visible on her face.
The Century Dynasty's cocktail parties have never been serious business negotiations. If there really is something going on, would they need to come out through the main gate?
In her heart, Lingyan had already sentenced the naive and simple-minded Xiao Wang to death. If something happened to Gu Zhong today, she was afraid that even losing his job wouldn't be enough to compensate him.
On the city roads with speed limits, Lingyan disregarded the traffic tickets that might be issued by the police and drove at race car speeds. In less than 20 minutes, she brought the car to a stop in front of Century Dynasty.
After getting out of the car, I tossed the car keys to the doorman who came to greet me, and hurried toward the banquet hall where the only large party to be held that night.
Two tall men in black suits stood on either side of the large, gilded gate. Xiao Wang was sitting on the ground nearby. When he saw Ling Yan walking quickly towards him, he jumped up.
"Sister Ling, you're here? So fast!"
"You go back first."
Ling Yan glanced at him expressionlessly, then walked straight to the door without stopping.
Two men stretched out their arms to stop her. Ling Yan had called the manager of Century before she arrived. At this moment, the round, bald manager ran over from the other side of the corridor, sweating profusely, his ruddy face full of smiles.
"President Ling! Your arrival is so sudden..."
"What? We can't come in?"
Lingyan was too worried to be polite with him.
"Yes, yes, of course, but the scale of this reception is really not worthy of President Ling's status."
The bald manager took a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and wiped his sweaty forehead.
Ling Yan pursed her lips, her silent gaze pressing down on him. The manager dared not say another word, and had the man in the black suit at the door open the door, letting Ling Yan into the banquet hall. He followed her in with a forced smile.
Inside the hall, people mingled and drank, their groups of two or three making their way through the crowd. It wasn't hard to spot some of these people who frequently appeared on the covers of the Lincheng News Morning and Evening Post and economic magazines, as well as some who made headlines in entertainment news.
Some people were talking seriously and earnestly, while others were whispering ambiguously, their minds wandering.
Ling Yan scanned the room but still couldn't find Gu Zhong. Instead, she saw Ge Tan fawning over a man in a blindingly bright pink suit.
"Mr. Ling, who are you looking for? Why don't you just let us help you find them?"
The manager, who was good at reading people, quickly realized Ling Yan's intention and hurriedly offered his services.
"No need for that. Just don't reveal my identity."
Lingyan didn't want to make a big fuss, as it wouldn't have a good impact on Gu Zhong's future. Her acquisition was nearing completion, and in just a few more months, she could completely transform the situation.
She strode towards Ge Tan, grabbed his collar, and pulled him away from the pink suit. He was about to be groped on the butt, yet he still kept moving closer. What kind of resources was this guy after that he was willing to use such unscrupulous means?
"Sister Yan?"
Upon seeing Ling Yan appear, Ge Tan's face showed a moment of panic, which he quickly concealed with his superb acting skills.
Who are you?
The man in the pink suit, who had been all smiles, suddenly turned grim. The manager next to him felt completely overwhelmed and quickly pulled him aside, apologizing profusely.
"Where is Gu Zhong?"
Ignoring the questioning from the young master whose good time had been interrupted, Ling Yan continued to grab Ge Tan's collar, her face even more pale, her eyes blazing as she stared at Ge Tan.
"She...is feeling a little unwell..."
Under her murderous gaze, Ge Tan felt a little breathless, his eyes began to dart away and he spoke haltingly.
"Ge Tan, I'll ask you one more time, where is she? If you want to stay in this business, give me an honest answer!"
Lingyan's words carried a threat, and Ge Tan didn't dare to take them as a joke.
"She went upstairs to her room."
This time, he answered more fluently than anyone else.
"Which one?"
"1884..."
"Ge Tan, I didn't expect you to have such a talent for pimping! You'd better pray that Gu Zhong gets away with nothing! Otherwise..."
Ling Yan threw Ge Tan on the ground like trash and then ran towards the elevator lobby.
Hearing the commotion, the surrounding guests looked over with curious eyes. Ge Tan covered his face in shock and anger, glaring resentfully at Ling Yan.
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Author's Note:
Damn overtime, I'm so depressed, waaaaaah!
Chapter 32 Agent and Movie Queen (Part 4)
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The dim, warm yellow light strips on both sides illuminate the hotel corridor covered with wool carpets, and no matter how hurried the footsteps are, they are all absorbed by the thick plush on the floor.
Ling Yan hurried along and stopped in front of the presidential suite of 1884. She steadied herself and looked at the words on the electronic display screen by the door. The "Do Not Disturb" light was on, and the doorbell stopped working.
She suppressed her rapid breathing, raised her wrist, and tapped her sharply defined knuckles on the door.
No one answered…
But Lingyan did not stop, maintaining a steady and rhythmic tapping.
"President Ling! President Ling!"
The bald manager ran towards her, covered in sweat, looking like he had just finished dealing with things in the banquet hall.
Who is in this room?
Lingyan gestured for him to be quiet and asked in a low voice, as if she was weighing in her mind whether she needed to break down the door.
"This... is General Manager Li from Tianchen Entertainment..."
The manager, his hands trembling, pulled out the handkerchief again, wiping his forehead and temples. His expression had changed from fear and trepidation to one of wanting to cry but having no tears.
The battle of the gods was proving difficult for a nobody like him. He wondered who this Gu Zhong was, that he had caught the attention of President Ling, a figure usually considered aloof and unapproachable in the business world.
Who is it?
An impatient middle-aged man's voice came from inside the door, and the person inside finally couldn't stand the incessant harassment and spoke up.
Lingyan lowered her hand from the door and gestured for the manager to speak. After careful consideration, the manager closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and spoke.
Relatively speaking, Ling Yan is more untouchable. After all, she is a financial tycoon with powerful backing. I heard that she intends to enter the entertainment industry. At that time, I'm afraid even a few Tianchens wouldn't be enough for her to handle.
"Mr. Li! Something's happened! Your wife is here!"
These men who cheat on their wives are most afraid of being confronted by their shrewish wives at home, but they can't easily get a divorce because of business partnerships or issues related to their image and property.
Or rather, marital infidelity offers them a unique kind of thrill.
A few minutes later, the person inside opened the door, cursing and swearing. Lingyan was confronted by a disheveled, greasy old man with a beer belly.
He instantly realized he had been tricked, and when he tried to close the door again, Lingyan bent down and blocked it.
"What happened?"
He could only glare angrily at the manager behind him.
"Mr. Li, I'm so sorry..."
The manager hurriedly bowed and nodded, his eyes constantly glancing towards Ling Yan, frantically gesturing.
Mr. Li is no fool; there aren't many people who can command the utmost respect and service from the manager of Century Dynasty.
"Miss...is there some misunderstanding?"