15: Chapter 15 Can you come with me?

Let's put it this way—never mind the later promotion work, staff salaries, and everything else.

Just contacting and inviting the celebrities for the variety show, plus the construction and decoration of the project venue, along with greasing palms in every direction...

All of this had already cost Lin Lan no less than thirty million in liquid capital.

This included roughly ten million that Lin Lan had temporarily borrowed from the bank. Only then were the start-up and preparation tasks for the entire project barely considered properly handled.

Therefore, from that simple project description alone, one could see just how important this project was to Shen Zhou's boss, Lin Lan.

To put it bluntly, if this project fell through now because of investment issues...

Then Shen Zhou's boss, Lin Lan, would fall from being a powerful businesswoman to a bankrupt female beggar overnight.

"It has nothing to do with you. Your proposal was very well done! It's just a pity! A pity..."

"Go back for now. I want to stay in the office and have some peace and quiet!"

Facing Shen Zhou's inquiry, Lin Lan hesitated, stopping herself from speaking further.

"Oh, alright then. I'll be going now. Goodbye, Boss!"

"Ah, wait! Shen Zhou! Don't go yet!"

Shen Zhou wasn't the type of person to force his help on others, so when his beautiful boss told him to leave, he didn't plan on lingering.

However, before Shen Zhou could take a single step out of the company...

He heard his boss Lin Lan's soft call from behind him.

"Is there something else, Boss?"

Shen Zhou turned back and asked.

"I have something I want your help with. Could you..."

It was unclear if powerful women were naturally ashamed to ask for help.

Or if there was some other reason.

In any case, Lin Lan's behavior today was significantly different from the powerful women Shen Zhou had encountered in the past.

"Boss, just say it. There's no one else here anyway. If there's anything you need me to do, just speak plainly."

"Even if it's a somewhat excessive request, I, Shen Zhou, will absolutely not refuse!"

Shen Zhou's lighthearted, joking words were quite consistent with his usual performance at the company.

However, these words also seemed to open Lin Lan's heart to a certain extent. Despite her exhaustion, she unconsciously regained a bit of her former coldness.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Who has an 'excessive' request!"

As expected, sometimes properly lightening the mood was very important.

Shen Zhou's casual jokes really did make Lin Lan feel that the distance between them had closed significantly.

So, right there in front of Shen Zhou, Lin Lan gave a rough description of the situation she was about to face.

"What kind of investment banquet is this? This is clearly a Hongmen Banquet! It's the kind of trap where you, President Lin, are walking right into a snare!"

After hearing Lin Lan's request, Shen Zhou finally understood what the conversation he had overheard outside her office meant.

It turned out that this Mr. Wan, who was supposed to invest in the company, was actually a total lecher!

Talking about needing an in-depth discussion on the feasibility of the project proposal, claiming the office was inconvenient and insisting on talking over drinks...

It was all complete bullshit!

He clearly wanted to use the project investment as leverage to force his boss, Lin Lan, to submit.

As for what 'submitting' meant, Shen Zhou didn't need Lin Lan to explain in detail; he already understood perfectly.

"President Lin, it's just a few tens of millions in investment. At worst, we just won't use that guy Wan's money. If it really comes down to it, I alone can—er, if it really comes down to it, we'll just find other investors."

Shen Zhou spoke out indignantly, seeking justice.

Good grief, this old guy, at his age where he probably can't even pee straight, was actually lusting after his beautiful boss.

If Shen Zhou didn't have the ability to stop it, that would be one thing, but now that he did, would he let this guy succeed? Obviously impossible!

"Sigh, Shen Zhou, you're still young and just entered society. You don't know how things work in the investment world."

"An investment of tens of millions for a hundred-million-level project—can you just pull in another investor whenever you want? How could it be that easy?"

"Furthermore, many of the relevant platform partners for this project are connections of Mr. Wan."

"If he decides not to invest in our project, I really don't know what to do."

"Sigh, forget it, forget it. Why am I telling you all this?"

"Since things have reached this point, I can only take it one step at a time."

"Accompany me to the Haoqing Grand Hotel. I'll count it as overtime and pay you for it!"

"Maybe Mr. Wan didn't mean it that way. Maybe I'm just overthinking it!"

It had to be said that sometimes, circumstances were simply stronger than people.

Because Lin Lan didn't know yet that her employee, Shen Zhou, already had a way to save her...

Facing the fact that Mr. Wan was prepared to use the withdrawal of funds to blackmail her...

Lin Lan really didn't have any other good way to resolve her current predicament for the time being.

Although Lin Lan knew that Shen Zhou's judgment was likely correct...

Facing the prospect of tens of millions in investment going down the drain and her company collapsing overnight...

Lin Lan still had to attend the banquet first before making a final decision.

"President Lin, are you sure you want to go? What if my guesses are true? What if that old guy really is after you? What will you do?"

Shen Zhou wanted to try persuading her again, but Lin Lan stopped him with a wave of her hand.

"If what you suspect really happens, at worst... at worst, I'll stop doing business!"

"I, Lin Lan, was able to walk step by step from being an ordinary person to where I am today once; I can do it a second time!"

At this moment, beneath Lin Lan's haggard face, a rare trace of unyielding defiance emerged.

"Fine. Since you're so determined, President Lin, I'll go with you and see!"

"However, we have to agree on something first! If that old guy has any improper intentions!"

"Whatever I do, President Lin, don't ask me why!"

"If you agree to this condition, then I'll take the risk and act as a guardian for once!"

"It's a deal!"

...

10:00 PM, Haoqing Grand Hotel!

"What? President Lin, do you not trust my character?"

"In any case, I am a figure with a name and reputation in the Magic City investment circle. I asked you over to chat about an investment proposal, and you actually brought a man with you!"

"What is the meaning of this? What kind of person do you take me for?"

"Make him leave! Leave immediately!"

Having just arrived at the famous five-star hotel in Magic City, Shen Zhou saw with his own eyes the so-called investment giant Mr. Wan that Lin Lan had been talking about.

As expected, meeting him was far worse than hearing about him!

The name sounded fine, but this meeting almost made Shen Zhou burst out laughing!

A figure with a fat head and big ears, plus a bald pate like a polished gourd, surrounded by a ring of hair that looked like a pigpen.

Good grief, this appearance, this vibe—it was simply incredible!

He was the spitting image of Zhu Bajie reincarnated!