Chapter 134: Chapter 31: The Sharp Female Lawyer

After completing the morning’s mission and receiving a massive haul of rewards, Zhang Yan didn’t hesitate. He immediately used the Acquisition Coupon to target the entertainment company Ren Jintian had mentioned to him before. According to the information provided by Brother Gan, the Ren family had always maintained a neutral stance, keeping the heirs of the Si family at arm’s length. However, when a major crisis suddenly struck the Ren family’s corporate empire, their desperation to save themselves drove them to frantically search for allies in hopes of getting help. But the financial hole in the Ren Group was simply too massive, making any rescue effort a losing proposition. Thus, both Si Mingxin and Si Mingzhan wisely kept their interactions strictly polite, showing no intention of getting deeply involved.

It was against this backdrop that Si Mingcheng and Ren Junfei had become friends. Since neither stood to gain anything from the other, they surprisingly forged a rather pure friendship.

Adding icing to the cake could never compare to throwing a lifeline in a crisis. Furthermore, Zhang Yan had already decided to move against Dai Yanfeng next. Thus, he resolutely used the Acquisition Coupon on the Ren family. Although Ren Jintian’s asking price of twenty million fell quite short of the coupon’s thirty million cap—which meant taking a slight loss in value—it didn’t really matter.

Zhang Yan hadn’t paid it any mind after using the coupon that morning. To his surprise, shortly after finishing his meal, he received a phone call from Xingcheng Law Firm reporting on the negotiation progress. Brother Tongzi worked incredibly fast. The Xingcheng Law Firm he arranged had already reached a preliminary purchase agreement with the Ren family’s team and entered the final tug-of-war of negotiations. Feeling a stir of interest and wanting to learn some real-world skills, he asked if he could audit the meeting. Upon receiving a positive answer, he rushed to the venue without stopping.

Inside the top-floor conference room of the Ren Group headquarters.

On both sides of the spacious conference table, the atmosphere was fraught with tension. Ren Jintian sat on the sidelines, listening in with a rather irritable mood. The situation had been getting worse lately. It was obvious that just a bit more hot money to tide them over would turn the whole rotting mess around, but this seemed to be his personal opinion alone. Many people outside and even within the family felt that their momentum was gone. Outsiders were sharpening their knives, waiting to reap the spoils at any moment, while insiders spent their days in a state of panic, constantly preparing to flee.

Renwofei Entertainment had been seeking a buyer for a while. Therefore, when they received an acquisition offer from Xingcheng Law Firm on behalf of Mr. Zhang today, the two sides hit it off instantly. Ren Jintian rushed over immediately to personally oversee the situation, rapidly pushing the negotiation process forward. But the other party was Zhang Yan, after all. He seemed to have a firmer grasp of their situation than even the family business’s own financial advisors! Every counteroffer cut right to their absolute bottom line. It made Ren Jintian incredibly uncomfortable, as if his heart were bleeding.

"He truly lives up to his reputation!"

Just then, a light knock sounded at the conference room door. Ren Jintian frowned. "Didn’t I say that no one is allowed to interrupt this meeting!"

"Boss, but..."

"President Ren, I apologize. I was the one who made the request. Our client would like to sit in on the meeting. Could you accommodate him, President Ren?"

The speaker was a stunningly beautiful female lawyer dressed in a white blouse and a black pencil skirt. The last time Zhang Yan bought a street from Ren Jintian, he had entrusted this very person to lead the negotiations, and she had slashed his psychological bottom line until there was barely a penny left. Now, this woman was leading the charge once more, giving him a massive headache all over again. Her capabilities were so outstanding that they could easily make people overlook her beauty.

"Since it’s Miss Zhu’s request, how could I refuse? I only hope that, for the sake of our acquaintance, Miss Zhu will go a little easy on us."

"What are you saying, President Ren? We are still far from your bottom line!" Zhu Qing’an smiled slightly, clearly not someone easily manipulated either.

Seeing Zhang Yan push the door open and walk in, Ren Jintian let out a loud laugh and enthusiastically went to greet him. Trying to buddy up with that cold-blooded woman was a pure waste of time. The right path was to directly schmooze with the big boss behind the scenes, Zhang Yan.

"Younger Brother Zhang! I was just making polite conversation when I asked if you wanted to buy an entertainment company for fun. I didn’t expect you to actually come and support your older brother!

"However, this girl you hired is truly formidable. She’s practically slashed away my entire retirement fund! You have to show some mercy, my younger brother!"

Although Zhang Yan didn’t know much about negotiations, he knew that professional matters should be left to professionals. And if he wanted his professional subordinates to fully utilize their abilities, he, as the boss, couldn’t overstep his bounds.

"It just so happens that I’ve been wanting to buy a company for fun recently, and Brother Ren delivered it right into my hands!

"However, since I entrusted this to Xingcheng Law Firm this time, the terms clearly state that I am not to interfere with any decisions.

"I’m just here to audit the meeting and broaden my horizons today. Even if I wanted to help you out, Brother Ren, my hands are tied!"

Ren Jintian naturally knew that someone like Zhang Yan wouldn’t be easily swayed. He was just taking a shot in the dark; he wasn’t discouraged when it yielded no results. On the other side, Zhu Qing’an remained completely impassive, not letting a single trace of emotion show on her face. In reality, however, her heart was filled with admiration and gratitude toward Zhang Yan, the man who had explicitly requested her for his commissions twice.

Her admiration naturally stemmed from the fact that the materials and plans Zhang Yan provided for every commission were so detailed and precise that it was absurd. Moreover, his judgment of the other party’s bottom line was akin to mind-reading! During the last commission, she had still harbored a tiny, rebellious sense of competitiveness. But after the negotiation, it was proven that all her own judgments fell a notch below Zhang Yan’s!

As for her gratitude, it naturally came from his recognition of her worth. At merely twenty-five years old, Zhu Qing’an had graduated from the University of Cambridge with a Doctor of Law degree. She returned from overseas and joined Xingcheng Law Firm that same year, making this her third year in the workforce. It was only in this nationally renowned, massive law firm that she realized the world was rarely short on geniuses; what it truly lacked were opportunities. Without a powerful background or connections, she had repeatedly hit walls at work over the past three years. It was as if an invisible barrier was constantly reminding her of her place.

The last time she was specifically requested by name marked her first time leading a case of that scale, and it was her first real chance to prove herself. The only regret, however, was that she had acted almost entirely according to Zhang Yan’s strategic plan, much like a puppet on a string. Even if someone else had taken her place, the final outcome wouldn’t have deviated much. Therefore, even though this current commission was urgent, she still managed to complete all the necessary research within ninety minutes, attempting to prove herself once again. But when she saw the instructions Zhang Yan provided—which were even more detailed than the last time—she knew she would have no room to flex her skills this time, either. But even so, she was still very grateful to Zhang Yan for giving these two opportunities to a little-known lawyer like herself.

She wondered, "He clearly didn’t intervene during the entire process of the last commission. Could it be that he was dissatisfied because the final amount fell slightly short last time?

"Or perhaps he feels that the progress speed is a bit too slow this time?

"It looks like I need to work even harder!"

Waiting until Zhang Yan took his seat and gave her a nod to proceed, Zhu Qing’an rallied all her energy, her demeanor turning even sharper and more incisive.

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