81: Chapter 81 Invites Li Ruonan to Join

Downstairs at the private equity building, Jiang Jing's lamborghini pulled into a parking space with a graceful drift.

He glanced at his watch—3:20 PM, exactly the time Li Ruonan would be taking a break in the pantry.

Jiang Jing adjusted his suit cuffs.

Today, he had specifically chosen a dark gray suit with subtle patterns, paired with a black shirt underneath, exuding the aura of a mature business elite. A career-driven woman like Li Ruonan couldn't be won over by mere displays of wealth.

The elevator went straight to the 12th floor. The moment the doors opened, the sound of an intense argument reached his ears.

"Director Zhao, how many times do I have to say it? I'm not interested in office romances!" Li Ruonan's voice was laced with obvious impatience.

Jiang Jing lightened his steps and looked in the direction of the sound.

At the entrance of the pantry, Li Ruonan, wearing a pencil skirt, was being cornered by a middle-aged man in a sharp suit.

Today, she had tied her short hair into a neat ponytail, and the two earrings on her earlobes sparkled with her animated gestures.

"Ruonan, don't misunderstand." The man leaned in greasily. "I just wanted to invite you to dinner to discuss that merger case..."

"Discuss the merger case?" Li Ruonan sneered and suddenly pulled a stack of papers from her folder. "Sure, then explain why the capital flow of the project you're in charge of has issues? Director Zhao, you wouldn't be unaware of the 3.8 million shortfall discovered during the audit last week, would you?"

The man's face turned deathly pale instantly.

"And," Li Ruonan pressed her advantage, taking a step forward in her high heels, forcing him back half a step. "Which 'client' were you entertaining in that suite at the Shangri-La that you charged to the company card last Friday? Do you need me to pull the security footage?"

Jiang Jing almost laughed out loud. She truly lived up to the name "little wildcat" Li Xue called her; her claws were sharp indeed.

"You... you're making false accusations!" Cold sweat beaded on the man's forehead, his voice cracking.

"Oh? Should I call the Risk Management Department now?" Li Ruonan made a move to take out her phone, her red lips curving into a dangerous arc.

The man scrambled away, nearly knocking over a trash can in his haste. Li Ruonan huffed softly, and as she turned, her ponytail swept an elegant arc in the air, meeting Jiang Jing's amused gaze.

"J-Jiang Jing?" She was clearly stunned for a second, a suspicious flush creeping onto her wheat-colored cheeks, but she quickly reverted to her defiant expression. "Eavesdropping isn't a good habit."

"I've been standing here perfectly openly." Jiang Jing took a few steps closer, catching the faint scent of citrus perfume on her. "Miss Li's work life... is quite exciting."

Li Ruonan rolled her eyes, her ID badge rising and falling with her breathing. "Cut the crap. What do you want with me?" She narrowed her eyes suddenly, alert. "Does Little Xue know you're here?"

"I just came from her place." Jiang Jing lied without changing his expression. "She said you've been helping people with private equity fund analysis lately? It just so happens that my company needs professional advice in this area."

Li Ruonan eyed him suspiciously, her fingers painted with wine-red polish tapping lightly on her mug. "Just that?"

"What else?" Jiang Jing feigned innocence. "Or... does Miss Li hope there's another reason?"

The pantry suddenly grew quiet enough to hear the humming of the coffee machine. The tips of Li Ruonan's ears turned red, but she stubbornly lifted her chin. "Stop flirting. If you want to talk business, go to the conference room. I have a meeting at 4:30. Every single day, they have nothing better to do than drag employees into meetings. I'm really sick of these idiots."

"At your command, Director Li." Jiang Jing performed an exaggerated salute, taking the opportunity to glance at her long, slender legs wrapped in black stockings—they were truly a different style from Li Xue's; one was sweet and adorable, the other hot and thorny.

Li Ruonan slammed the folder onto the table. "Alright, stop pretending. What exactly do you want?"

Jiang Jing unhurriedly unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat down. "I heard you're a black belt in Taekwondo?"

"None of your damn business."

"Number one in the company for financial analysis?"

"Get to the point!"

Jiang Jing suddenly leaned forward, the distance between them instantly closing until he could count her eyelashes. "My newly founded tech company needs a financial accountant."

Li Ruonan's breath hitched. At this distance, she could clearly smell the scent of hormones mixed with a hint of tobacco radiating from Jiang Jing. What was even more infuriating was that this guy's eyelashes were actually longer than hers!

"An annual salary of three million." Jiang Jing's voice suddenly became serious. "The company focuses on new energy, and the core technology's valuation is immeasurable."

Li Ruonan leaned back abruptly, her chair making a harsh grating sound. "Are you serious?"

Jiang Jing took out his phone and pulled up an encrypted file. "This is the business plan."

Li Ruonan took the phone, but fell silent the moment she saw the file's contents. Her professional intuition immediately made her realize the value of this business plan. "Is... is this technology real?"

"The prototype has already been verified." Jiang Jing leaned back in his chair leisurely. "The question now is, do you dare to accept this challenge?"

Li Ruonan's fingers were unconsciously twirling the ends of her hair, a habitual action when she was thinking. Jiang Jing noticed that the lipstick she was wearing today was a berry shade with a subtle shimmer, making her skin tone look even healthier and more alluring.

"The terms are very tempting..." She suddenly looked up, a sly light flashing in her eyes. "But I have a question."

"Speak."

"Are you hiring me because you value my ability, or because I'm Li Xue's best friend?"

Jiang Jing laughed. This woman was certainly no pushover. "Would you prefer that I valued your ability or your identity?"

Li Ruonan tilted her head slightly and bit her lip in thought, finding that she wasn't satisfied with either answer.

Looking at Jiang Jing—he had a smiling expression.

What a cunning man. So, Li Ruonan simply changed the subject.

"You came to invite me to join your company, does Little Xue know? Also, have you arranged a position for Little Xue?"

Hearing Li Ruonan's question, Jiang Jing's lips curled slightly, and he said bluntly, "She doesn't know yet, and besides, as my woman, I can just take care of her."

Jiang Jing raised an eyebrow and said with a slight smirk, "Unlike you, who has to work for me to get a paycheck..."

"Cut that out." Listening to the hidden meaning in Jiang Jing's words, Li Ruonan's pretty face flushed slightly. She grabbed the folder, making a gesture to hit him, but couldn't hide the smile at the corners of her mouth.

"Everyone is getting together tonight to get to know each other." Jiang Jing said to Li Ruonan.

"Send me the address when the time comes, I'll drive there myself."

"In that second-hand Toyota of yours?" Jiang Jing raised an eyebrow. "How about I send a car to pick you up?"

Li Ruonan suddenly leaned over, bracing herself on the conference table, the view beneath her V-neck shirt partially visible. "Full of the stench of money. If you dare mock me again, I don't mind letting you experience the power of a Taekwondo black belt."

Just as Jiang Jing was about to respond, the conference room door was suddenly pushed open. That Director Zhao from earlier poked his head in. "Ruonan, the Risk Management Department is looking for you..."

His gaze swept back and forth between the two of them, his expression gradually twisting. Li Ruonan reacted extremely quickly, grabbing Jiang Jing's tie and pulling him toward her. "Can't you see I'm hosting an 'important client'?"

Their noses were almost touching, and Jiang Jing could clearly see his own reflection in her pupils. This distance, this posture... it was practically playing with fire.

"S-sorry!" Director Zhao retreated in a panic, nearly tripping over the threshold.

As soon as the door closed, Li Ruonan immediately let go as if electrocuted, her earlobes turning red as blood. Jiang Jing leisurely adjusted his collar. "Director Li's 'customer service'... is quite special."

"Shut up!" Li Ruonan grabbed her folder and rushed out the door, but paused at the entrance. "7 PM tonight. If you're one minute late, I'm leaving!"

Watching her retreating figure as she fled in a panic, he smiled like a cat that had stolen some fish.

[ Li Ruonan Favorability + 15 ] ( Currently 30 )

The system prompt arrived as expected. Jiang Jing whistled as he walked toward the elevator, when his phone suddenly vibrated—it was a message from Li Xue:

[ Brother, I want to eat Japanese food tonight~ Can you accompany me? ]

Jiang Jing thought for a moment and replied: [ There's a dinner gathering for my newly established company tonight, I can't accompany you exclusively, would you like to come along? ]

Before the elevator doors closed, he caught a glimpse of Li Ruonan being surrounded by a group of colleagues gossiping; her fierce, claw-baring, yet feigned calm appearance looked just like a cat that had had its tail stepped on.