Zhang and Chang were getting impatient as the wait stretched on for hours. Their confidence overrode their patience, and they began to mutter to each other.“This is a waste of time,” Zhang said, rolling his eyes and checking the time on his watch. “Mr. Liu is probably too busy with his meetings to entertain anyone today.”“You’re probably right,” Chang agreed with a nod. “We’ve already secured the support of Mr. Chen. There’s nothing left to worry about.”“Exactly. We’ve got everything we need. Grace over there”—he gestured toward her with his chin—“has no chance. Even if, and it’s a big ‘even if,’ she gets a meeting, I doubt Mr. Liu would back someone as desperate as her.”They laughed out loud, and Grace almost lost her temper as she wondered how much more of this she could take.“It’s over for you, Grace. You’ve already lost your position. Everyone knows it. Just save yourself the embarrassment and go home,” they jeered at her as they walked away from the manor, climbing into thei
Gerald held the Jade card between his fingers like a winning hand as he confidently approached the guard. The guard wore an extremely tired expression, clearly wondering what trick they had up their sleeve now.“Hey there,” Gerald said, flashing the card with a smug grin. “Mind letting us through? We have an important meeting with Mr. Liu!”“I already told your friend over there,” the guard said, barely glancing at the card before crossing his arms. “Mr. Liu is currently entertaining a VIP. No one gets in without an appointment.”“But don’t you see this card? This is Mr. Chen’s Jade card. We’ve got the backing of the Chen family. Now, how about you open the gate and let us through?”“You don’t get it.” The guard sighed, still unmoved. “I don’t care if that’s Mr. Chen’s personal tea set. No means no. You’ll have to come back another time.”“But we don’t have time for another visit!” Gerald’s jaw tightened in impatience. “This is very urgent!”“And this is my job,” the guard shrugged, “
After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the massive doors of the manor finally swung open. Mr. Liu and Mr. Liang appeared, deep in conversation with serious expressions on their faces. Grace and Gerald immediately straightened up, nudging each other with their elbows.“You got this?” Gerald inquired. “I got it. Leave it to me,” Grace took a deep breath and prepared herself. “Here we go.”Wasting no time, Grace rushed toward them, eager to seize this rare opportunity.“Mr. Liu! Mr. Liu!” she called out with a firm yet polite tone.Mr. Liu glanced in her direction, his eyes widening as he recognized who the girl was, but he remained stoic. He gave her a slight nod of acknowledgment but continued talking to Liang. He was used to people vying for his attention and had long mastered the art of ignoring them.Undeterred, Grace pressed on. She wasn't going to let a cold shoulder stop her, she'd been waiting far too long to be deterred by something so petty. “It’s a pleasure to meet you
Everyone stood in stunned silence as they watched General Liang bow before Gerald. Even Gerald himself was stunned to the core, and Mr. Liu, who had minutes ago been mocking Grace’s persistence, had his jaw hanging when he saw his friend perform such an act. Had the world gone mad?“It’s an honor to meet you.” General Liang rose from his bow, flashing Gerald a warm smile.“Uh… same to you, I guess.” Gerald didn’t know how to respond, so he just settled for that.“Can you tell me where you got that ring?” Liang asked again, his voice almost reverent. He was clearly humbled by the presence of such an artifact, something even he, with all his military accolades, respected.Gerald shrugged nonchalantly and didn’t respond immediately as he went down memory lane. He remembered when he was still imprisoned; he had done a huge favor for an old man, and the old man had gifted him the ring. He remembered the old man telling him with a cryptic smile that the ring would “open doors” for him one d
As the car glided smoothly through the city streets, Grace stared out the window, her mind replaying the evening's events. Every detail, every twist tugged at her curiosity about Gerald’s true identity. It wasn’t just that he had secured the support of the Chen and Liu families—two notoriously difficult factions to sway. It was the effortless way he had done it, as if the entire negotiation was merely a casual transaction. The sheer absurdity of it gnawed at her.She glanced at his profile, illuminated by the occasional passing streetlight. His face remained unreadable, his hands steady on the wheel, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. There was something about his quiet and unassuming demeanor that both unsettled and fascinated her. Gerald was an enigma, one she couldn’t easily unravel—and that mystery only attracted her more.“Gerald…” Grace hesitated, trying to find the right words. “I don’t know how to thank you. You’ve done more for me tonight than I could have ever imagined. I’ll
Dinner continued, the room filled with strained silence. Grace's father sensed the tension and got up, deciding to excuse himself. “I'll leave you to it,” he said, nodding politely before heading towards his study. His departure left just Grace, her mother, and Gerald.Grace's mother continued picking at her food, clearly still processing the revelations from earlier. She glanced at Gerald, and inwardly, she admired how calm and collected he had been, not uttering a word and just eating his meal. After a few moments of silence, she decided to speak up.“Gerald,” she began with a cautious tone. “I must admit, I’m still struggling to understand how you managed to gain the support of the Chen and Liu families. It seems almost too effortless.”Gerald, who had been eating quietly, set his fork down and calmly met her gaze. “It’s not as effortless as it sounds.” He shrugged, as if what he had done wasn't anything spectacular. “It requires understanding people’s motivations and leveraging th
After dinner, the ambiance of the room had lightened somewhat. Grace's mother had warmed up to Gerald slightly, and the tension had eased between them. Gerald initially felt bitter about how she had treated him at first, but he was glad that everything had gone well. As they wrapped up, Grace excused herself, saying she needed to make a quick call.“I’ll be back in a bit,” she said, giving Gerald a sweet smile.Gerald nodded and turned to face her mother. “Thank you for dinner. It was delicious.”Grace's mother gave him a simple nod, still deep in thought. Gerald returned the nod and made his way to the room he shared with Grace. It had been one hell of a day, and now he wanted to just unwind.Once inside the room, he headed straight to the bathroom. He wanted to wash away the stress of the evening and take a moment for himself. Removing his shirt, he leaned over the sink, splashing cold water on his face. The refreshing sensation helped calm him down.He looked up, staring at his ref
“Oh?” Grace folded her hands on her chest, raising an eyebrow at him. “And what could be the solution, Doctor Gerald?”Gerald grinned, like a schoolboy who had just been offered candy. He leaned in, whispering into her ear, “You know, according to some rather *convincing* medical research, having sex can be incredibly beneficial for relieving stress and tension.”“Huh?” Grace's eyes widened, and then she burst into laughter. “Seriously? Is that your expert opinion, Dr. Gerald?”“Absolutely. I personally carried out this research.” Gerald nodded, keeping a straight face, which made Grace laugh even harder. “It’s a proven method. Just think of it as a… therapeutic experience.”“You're insane.” Grace shook her head, her wild laughter reducing to giggles. “I can’t believe you're serious about this. Do you hear yourself?”“Of course.” Gerald grinned. “And I must say the benefits are quite impressive with absolutely no downsides. Reduced stress, improved mood, and a general sense of ‘pleasu