24: Chapter 24 Miss Jessica, please have some self-respect; I'm doing business.

"Wait in line?" This phrase felt like a resounding slap, striking hard across Jessica's priceless face.

Since she was a child, whether going to a Michelin-starred restaurant or attending a banquet at the White House, she, Jessica Alba, had never once waited in line.

"You..." Jessica's chest heaved with rage, and her deep blue eyes seemed ready to spit fire.

Her agent, standing nearby, was terrified and wanted to step in to smooth things over, but was stopped by a cold wave of Jessica's hand.

"Get out." She stared intensely at Chen Yuan, and without turning her head, she ordered the bodyguards and agent behind her, "Everyone out. Close the door."

"But Jessica, this place..." "Get out!"

This Hollywood best actress winner unleashed the same authoritative aura she displayed on set. The agent shrank back, and although full of worry, obediently led the bodyguards out of the office.

The heavy mahogany door closed.

In the spacious office, only three people remained.

Jessica took a deep breath, and the anger on her face vanished in an instant, replaced by a smile that was charming to the bone.

That was an Oscar-level acting transformation.

"Mr. Chen, I think there might be a misunderstanding between us."

She took off her expensive Hermès silk scarf and tossed it onto the sofa. Then, she unbuttoned her trench coat.

The coat slipped off.

Underneath was a black spaghetti-strap bodycon dress with barely any fabric, exposing large swathes of snow-white skin; the visual impact was enough to make any normal man's blood boil.

She walked around the desk, cat-walking toward Chen Yuan.

The air became filled with a strong, high-end scent of Chanel No. 5—the smell of money mixed with desire.

"I know, for a man like you, ordinary money is truly hard to impress you with."

Jessica walked to the side of Chen Yuan's executive chair, but didn't sit down; instead, she leaned forward slightly, resting her hands on the armrests, trapping Chen Yuan within her shadow.

That exquisitely beautiful face leaned in close to Chen Yuan, so close that she could even count his eyelashes.

"Waiting in line is too slow." She breathed like an orchid, her voice as sweet and thick as melted chocolate, "I never wait in line. Because I have a faster 'pass'."

As she spoke, one of her hands slid slowly down the collar of Chen Yuan's suit, her fingertips carrying a clear, provocative intent.

"As long as you give me the medicine, tonight... I am yours."

"You can play however you want. Here, or in my RV? Hmm?"

This was nothing short of blatant seduction.

If it were an ordinary man, he probably would have surrendered by now. This was the dream lover of hundreds of millions of men globally, and now she was offering herself up so proactively; even if it meant losing ten years of their life, they would be willing.

But Chen Yuan's expression remained as calm as water.

He even picked up the coffee on the table and took a sip, as if the stunner in front of him was just a puff of air.

"Swish—" Just as Jessica's fingers were about to touch Chen Yuan's chest, a silver flash of cold light sliced through the air in front of her fingertips without warning.

It was the sound of a scalpel cutting through the air.

Jessica recoiled in fright and turned her head in panic.

She saw that the blonde female secretary who had been standing silently in the corner had appeared at her side, though she didn't know when.

Alice was toying with an extremely sharp scalpel in her hand; the blade, thin as a cicada's wing, spun rapidly at her fingertips like a blooming silver flower of death.

"Ms. Jessica." Alice's voice was soft, yet carried a chill that made one's marrow freeze, "Please remove your claws. The boss's suit is custom-made; if you dirty it, you can't afford the compensation."

Jessica looked at Alice's emotionless electronic eyes and actually had the illusion of being targeted by an apex predator.

That was a woman's sixth sense. This secretary wanted to kill her.

"Who do you think you are?" Jessica forced herself to keep up her aura, puffing out her chest, "I am negotiating business with your boss. This is an adult game; is it your place, a servant, to interrupt?"

"A servant?" Alice's lips curved into a dangerous arc, the scalpel in her hand stopping abruptly, the tip pointing directly at Jessica's face, which she was so proud of.

"Get one centimeter closer to the boss, and I'll help you perform a permanent plastic surgery. For free."

Jessica's face turned pale, and she instinctively took a step back.

Lunatics! Everyone in this Pharmaceutical Factory was a lunatic!

Just as the atmosphere reached its breaking point, the silent Chen Yuan finally moved.

He reached out, his movement not rude but carrying an unquestionable strength, and directly grabbed Jessica's wrist as she was trying to lean in further, then—pushed her away without mercy.

"Ms. Jessica, please behave yourself." Chen Yuan pulled out a tissue and wiped the finger that had touched her, slowly and deliberately, as if it had been contaminated by some unclean bacteria.

"I am conducting business, not visiting a brothel."

Jessica stumbled back two steps, holding onto the corner of the desk to steady herself. She looked at Chen Yuan in disbelief, wishing she could die from shame and anger.

"You... what did you say? I am a Hollywood best actress winner! You actually compare me to those..."

"Is there any difference?" Chen Yuan interrupted her, his gaze cold, "It's all trading your body for resources; it's just that your price is higher, and the packaging is a bit more exquisite."

"You!" Jessica was trembling with rage, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Stop acting; tears are useless on me." Chen Yuan stood up and looked down at her, "My medicine has limited production capacity; the people who want it could line up from here to Washington. You want to cut in line? Fine."

"But not through such low-class methods." He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, turning his back to Jessica, and looked at the bustling crowd outside.

"I want to enter the North American market, but I don't want to waste time on tedious advertising and public relations. I need a spokesperson, a living signboard with enough weight to make the whole of America, and even the world, go crazy."

Chen Yuan turned around, his eyes like torches staring at Jessica: "Can you do that?"

Jessica was stunned.

She was a smart woman; to climb to the top in a melting pot like Hollywood, she relied on more than just her looks.

She quickly wiped away those crocodile tears, straightened her messy skirt, took a deep breath, and turned back into the shrewd queen of the vanity fair.

"Are you wanting me to help you promote products?"

"No, it's to help me pave the way."

Chen Yuan held up one finger, "Three years. I want you to be the global spokesperson for 'Chen's Biotechnology'. Use all your resources in Hollywood and the fashion circle to push my products into the highest-end markets."

"In return, you will get the 'youth' you want, and it will be an unlimited supply."

"Even..." Chen Yuan paused, throwing out an even bigger bait, "If I have any interest in entering the entertainment industry in the future, you will be my only partner."

Jessica's heart skipped a beat.

Youth. Partner. The temptation of these two words was greater than any paycheck.

Especially the mystery and wealth displayed by the man in front of her, which made her see an unprecedented possibility.

"Deal." Jessica didn't hesitate and reached out her hand, "But I need to get the goods first."

"Of course." Chen Yuan took an exquisite small porcelain bottle from the drawer and tossed it over, "This bottle is enough for three months. After three months, your performance will determine if you get a refill."

Jessica caught the porcelain bottle like it was a priceless treasure, clutching it tightly in her hand.

She took a deep look at Chen Yuan, her eyes complex.

There was resentment, awe, and even a trace of a desire to conquer that she had never felt before.

"Chen, you are the most ruthless man I have ever met." She put her trench coat back on, recovering her arrogant posture, "But also the most charming one. We shall see."

After saying that, she turned and left, her high heels clicking loudly on the floor.

Not until Jessica left did Alice, who had been tense, put away the scalpel.

"Boss, her heart rate was very fast just now." Alice said with some dissatisfaction, "This kind of woman is dangerous; she has ulterior motives toward you."

"Ulterior motives are exactly what I want." Chen Yuan sat back in his chair and smiled, "Only those with desires are the most useful tools."

Just then, the office door was kicked open again.

Victor rolled in like a ball of meat, the expression on his face worse than crying, holding a newly signed agreement in his hand.

"Boss! It's bad! Something big has happened!" He was panting, unable to catch his breath, and pointed toward the direction of the downstairs, "Just now, while you were negotiating business, the other gang leaders in the city all came!"

"These guys said they wanted to talk to us about the 'rules', and now they are all sitting in the large conference room on the first floor!"

Victor swallowed, his voice trembling: "They brought a lot of people, and... they look like they mean trouble. They said they want you to pay that... protection fee!"