143: Chapter 144 is strange, there's something wrong.

Da Mimi narrowed her eyes, her slender fingers tapping lightly on the coffee table, making a crisp sound.

"Leng Ba, tell me the truth—" she drew out the tone, "how did you get in touch with Jiang Jing?"

"Yeah!" Nazha also leaned in, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes flashing with gossip, "Xingchen Technology's beauty serum is so popular right now that the female celebrities wanting to be spokespersons could form a line all the way to France. How did it end up being you?"

Leng Ba was surrounded by the women, like a little white rabbit that had wandered into a wolf pack, blinking her big eyes and scratching her head innocently.

"I… I just asked someone for help…"

"Asked who?" Zhu Xudan keenly grasped the main point, "It couldn't be…"

Leng Ba shrank her neck and muttered softly: "Brother Ma from Penguin…"

"What?!" The women exclaimed in unison, even the usually calm Tong Liya widened her eyes.

"You actually had President Ma help you make the connection?" Li Xibing looked incredulous, "How were you able to convince President Ma to do that?!"

Leng Ba smiled embarrassedly: "By chance, during a shoot, he owed me a favor…"

Da Mimi took a deep breath and held her forehead, saying: "Leng Ba, oh Leng Ba, do you know how much this 'favor' is worth? With President Ma's connections, introducing just any resource could make an eighteenth-tier celebrity skyrocket to the top. You actually used it just to get a contact number?"

Leng Ba tilted her head: "But… I really wanted the endorsement for the beauty serum…"

The women: "…" Spendthrift! Silly! A waste of a good thing!

But soon, Da Mimi noticed something wrong. "Wait." She narrowed her eyes, "Even if you contacted Jiang Jing, Xingchen Technology hasn't released any endorsement opportunities to date, apart from those two school beauty spokespersons, and they haven't even opened up bulk purchasing to the public."

"Yeah!" Nazha also realized, "I heard before that a certain international big brand wanted to place a bulk order and was directly rejected by Xingchen Technology, saying that production capacity is limited and they are prioritizing the retail market."

The women all looked at Leng Ba, their eyes suspicious.

"Leng Ba, are you sure what Jiang Jing agreed to was an [endorsement] and [bulk purchase]?" Zhu Xudan asked tentatively.

Leng Ba nodded: "Yeah, he said we could talk about it."

The women looked at each other. Something is wrong! Very wrong! Xingchen Technology's beauty serum doesn't struggle to sell at all right now; it's actually in short supply. Why would Jiang Jing open this back door for Leng Ba?

Da Mimi suddenly revealed a meaningful smile, her red lips parting slightly: "Leng Ba, tell me the truth—" "Does Jiang Jing have a crush on you?"

"Huh?" Leng Ba was stunned, and her face instantly turned red, "H-how is that possible! We haven't even met yet!"

"So what if you haven't met?" Li Xibing smirked and leaned in, "The internet is full of his rumors; it's said he's surrounded by beauties, and…" She paused deliberately, her eyes sweeping over Leng Ba's curvaceous figure. "…He seems to especially like beautiful women with good figures, and you happen to fit both."

Leng Ba: "…"

The women burst into laughter and started teasing her.

"Oh my, Leng Ba is going to hit the big time!"

"Remember to save us a few bottles of beauty serum in the future!"

"If President Jiang really likes you, remember to put in a good word for your sisters~"

Leng Ba was blushing furiously from their teasing, grabbed a throw pillow, and threw it at them: "Stop talking nonsense! We are talking about cooperation legitimately!"

"Oh~ legitimately~" Da Mimi drew out her tone, smiling meaningfully, then added a final jab, "Those rumored girlfriends of his could almost form a girl group…"

Leng Ba muttered: "That's all just media nonsense… Besides, we can't control his private life."

"That's true," Tong Liya nodded, "For a billionaire of his level, it would be strange if he didn't have some rumors."

But Leng Ba couldn't help but feel a strange sensation in her heart. Jiang Jing… does he really have feelings for her?

Da Mimi suddenly leaned close to Leng Ba and asked mysteriously: "What is he like in person? Is he even more handsome than in the videos?"

Leng Ba stammered: "I-I won't be able to see him until the day after tomorrow…"

"Tch~" Everyone booed her in unison.

"But seriously," Da Mimi sat up straight, resuming her stance as a strong career woman, "If we could get the supply directly from him, or negotiate an endorsement or something, that would be a huge win."

Nazha pouted: "Sister Mi, you only think about making money. I'm purely going for his looks; that President Jiang's appearance is completely my type!"

"Fangirl!" Zhu Xudan laughed and pushed her, "But he is indeed handsome. I watched that interview on the Finance Channel three times."

"Three times is nothing," Leng Ba suddenly interjected, then realized she had let something slip and quickly covered her mouth.

"Oh~" Da Mimi drew out her tone, "Looks like someone has watched it even more?"

Leng Ba's face turned as red as a ripe apple: "I-I'm just interested in his entrepreneurial experience…"

"Give it a rest!" Nazha mercilessly exposed her, "Your assistant said your phone screensaver is a screenshot from his interview!"

Everyone burst into laughter, and Leng Ba wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Although the women were teasing her, their own minds were already racing. —If Leng Ba can do it, why can't I? —If I could connect with Jiang Jing, wouldn't I be able to get an endless supply of beauty serum? —Or maybe… go even further?

Da Mimi suddenly thought of something: "By the way, what are you wearing that day? Do you want me to lend you a few 'battle outfits'?"

"What battle outfits!" Leng Ba was torn between laughing and crying, "It's just a normal meal…"

"Don't give me that!" Nazha interrupted, "When facing such a top-tier rich, handsome man, you must be fully armed. I have some new Gucci limited editions, want them?"

Tong Liya was not to be outdone: "I have a Dior haute couture piece I bought in Paris last month that I haven't even worn yet. Want to borrow it?"

Leng Ba was frightened by their enthusiasm: "No, no! I've already prepared…"

Da Mimi narrowed her eyes keenly, "Looks like someone had a premeditated plan?" Then she elegantly took a sip, a glimmer of shrewdness flashing in her eyes. "Leng Ba, since President Jiang is coming to Hengdian, why not…" She smiled slightly, "We host a girls' gathering and invite him to join us?"

Leng Ba was stunned: "Huh? This… isn't that inappropriate?"

"What's inappropriate about it?" Nazha immediately chimed in, "The more the merrier!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Zhu Xudan also nodded with a smile, "We promise not to disturb you while you talk business~"

Leng Ba looked at them suspiciously: "You wouldn't be thinking of…"

"Oh my, what are you thinking!" Da Mimi looked innocent, "We just genuinely want to meet this legendary business genius!"

Leng Ba: "…" As if I'd believe you!

But before she could refuse, Da Mimi had already made the final decision: "It's settled! Leng Ba, you are responsible for inviting President Jiang, and leave the rest to us!"

Leng Ba: "…" These women, they definitely don't have good intentions!

Before she could think too much, she was surrounded by the women on the sofa, and her phone was forcibly stuffed into her hand by Da Mimi, with Jiang Jing's number already pulled up on the screen.

"Call! Call now!" Li Xibing smirked and pinched Leng Ba's cheek, "Put it on speaker!"

"Stop it, you guys…" Leng Ba protested weakly, but under the predatory gazes of the women, she gave in, and with trembling fingers, pressed the call button.

Beep—beep—the moment the call connected, Leng Ba's heart almost burst out of her chest.