Chapter Twenty-Three: An Unexpected Interruption

Unexpected Intrusion

Bei Mo sauntered into the conference room, ignoring the fiery glare from Duan Fei. He walked straight to her side and flashed a smile capable of dazzling thousands of young women. "Greetings, everyone. I am Bei Mo, President of the Bei Group. It is an honor to meet you all here today."

The clients were instantly abuzz. The reputation of the Bei Group was thunderous; they had never expected such a young and accomplished president to appear here, and he seemed to know Duan Fei, too. The crowd began to speculate about the relationship between the two, their gazes toward Duan Fei turning heavy with meaning.

Duan Fei cursed the "old fox" under her breath but remained composed on the surface. With a stiff, insincere smile, she said, "President Bei is a busy man. What brings you to this humble place? Could it be that the Bei Group is also interested in our small project?"

Bei Mo raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with playful mockery. "Miss Duan, you jest. I heard you were here negotiating business and came specifically to help."

"Help?" Duan Fei sneered. "I have no need for your 'help.' Please see yourself out, President Bei. Do not hinder my business."

Bei Mo was not in the least annoyed; instead, he watched her with keen interest. "Oh? So confident, Miss Duan? It seems you do not need your ex-husband to add luster to your success."

Duan Fei rolled her eyes, too lazy to pay him any mind, and turned back to explain the proposal to the clients. Bei Mo did not interrupt, simply standing quietly by her side, occasionally offering suggestions that sounded reasonably sound.

Duan Fei had no intention of adopting his advice. Instead, she proposed an even bolder plan: "Everyone, rather than passively waiting for clients to come to us, why don't we take the initiative? Let us host a product launch, inviting industry insiders and the media, to propel our products into a broader market!"

The crowd was stunned, Bei Mo included. This was completely different from what they had discussed; Duan Fei was taking an unconventional path!

A confident smile curved Duan Fei's lips. "I know this plan carries high risk, but high risk also means high reward. Rather than sitting and waiting for our demise, why not take a gamble? Everyone, do you dare to gamble with me?"

"A gamble?" A glimmer of admiration flashed in Bei Mo’s eyes. "Interesting." He slowly stepped toward Duan Fei and whispered in her ear, "Duan Fei, you always manage to surprise me."

Duan Fei shoved him away abruptly and said coldly, "Bei Mo, do not think this will make me change my mind. Between us, it is already over!"

Bei Mo gave her a deep, lingering look before turning to leave, his back radiating a sense of profound mystery. "The real show has only just begun."

Upon learning that Duan Fei intended to host a product launch, President Li was so furious he stomped his feet, his old face twisting in rage. He gave a sinister smile and immediately arranged for internet trolls to smear Duan Fei’s company across the web, labeling them with accusations like "black-hearted enterprise" and "false advertising" as if they were free of charge.

The employees were panicked by the comments online, pacing like ants on a hot pan. Xiao Wang was sweating profusely, "President Duan, what should we do? The public opinion online is about to drown our company!"

Duan Fei, however, remained remarkably calm, a meaningful smile playing on her lips. "Why panic? We have barely started. They think these petty tricks can defeat me? How young and naive!" She gestured for Xiao Wang to lean in and whispered a few instructions.

Upon hearing them, Xiao Wang’s eyes lit up. "President Duan, that is brilliant! I will get it done right away!"

Not long after, Xiao Wang returned in high spirits, carrying a stack of documents. "President Duan, I have obtained the dirt on President Li! The evidence of his past tax evasion and proof of his malicious competition against other companies—it’s all here!"

Duan Fei took the documents and smirked. "Excellent. It is time to strike back."

The next day, Duan Fei and Xiao Wang marched straight into President Li’s company. Before his many clients, she laid out his crimes one by one; each point was like a sharp blade piercing President Li’s heart. President Li turned deathly pale, his mouth agape, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.

Witnessing this, the clients immediately understood that the smears against Duan Fei’s company were all lies. One by one, they expressed their desire to partner with Duan Fei, trusting her character and, even more so, her products.

Duan Fei had successfully turned the tide, dealing President Li a resounding blow. The sense of accomplishment was overwhelming. Watching President Li’s frantic state, she felt in high spirits, as if she were the protagonist bathed in an aura of triumph, the center of attention wherever she went.

"President Duan, you are truly amazing!" Xiao Wang exclaimed sincerely, his eyes filled with admiration.

Duan Fei smiled, but just as she was about to speak, her peripheral vision caught a familiar figure slowly walking toward her. She frowned, a bad premonition welling up within her.

"Feifei, it seems you have been doing quite well lately." Bei Mo’s deep voice resonated in her ear like a curse. He clung to her side like sticky candy, his deep eyes filled with feigned affection, sending a chill down Duan Fei’s spine.

"Feifei, let us start over. I know you still love me," Bei Mo said with deep, affected tenderness, as if no rift had ever existed between them.

Duan Fei ruthlessly shook off his hand, her gaze as cold as if looking at a stranger. "Bei Mo, wake up! We are finished. I have had no feelings for you for a long time!" Her tone was firm, without a trace of hesitation.

Bei Mo remained persistent, continuing to pester her. "Feifei, I know you are still blaming me, but give me a chance to make amends, won't you? I cannot live without you!"

Duan Fei felt a wave of irritation and pain. "Bei Mo, is this fun for you? I have made myself perfectly clear—there is no possibility for us! Please, do not disturb my life again!"

The argument drew a crowd, and not wanting to cause a scene, Duan Fei turned and left. Bei Mo watched her resolute back.

Meanwhile, thanks to its unique creativity and high-quality service, Duan Fei’s company gradually gained the upper hand in the competition for orders. President Li was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, watching his nearly-cooked duck fly away, consumed by hatred.

Duan Fei’s employees cheered, the office filled with an atmosphere of excitement. Xiao Wang rushed up to Duan Fei, "President Duan, we won! President Li’s side has fallen into chaos; this order belongs to us!"

Duan Fei’s lips curled into a confident smile. "This is only the beginning; there are more challenges waiting for us ahead!"

Just as Duan Fei was about to secure the order, a mysterious figure appeared near her company. Dressed in a black trench coat and a black baseball cap, he lurked in the shadows, his cold eyes fixed on everything inside the office. He was an assassin sent by the Dark Night organization, ordered to eliminate Duan Fei. Like a ghost, he wandered near the building, searching for an opening.

Night fell, and Duan Fei’s office remained brightly lit. Duan Fei and Xiao Wang were still working overtime, verifying the final details of the contract.

"Xiao Wang, thank you for your hard work, staying late with me," Duan Fei said gratefully.

"President Duan, you are too kind; this is my job," Xiao Wang said with a smile.

Suddenly, a cold breeze blew, and the office window creaked. Duan Fei and Xiao Wang looked toward the window simultaneously. Outside, it was pitch black; nothing could be seen.

"President Duan, let me go check," Xiao Wang said, rising.

"Mm, be careful," Duan Fei cautioned.

Xiao Wang walked to the door and reached out to open it. At that very moment, the door was suddenly kicked open from the outside. A dark shadow lunged in, a flash of cold light in his hand...

"Ah!" A scream pierced the night sky.