As Shui Miao had expected, the remaining seven properties of Director Zhang were all located in the most prosperous and expensive neighborhoods of Zhonghai City. These houses had been meticulously designed, offering the best layouts and environments, with excellent feng shui in each unit.
Shui Miao picked the best one for Director Zhang to keep, but still advised against him living there personally.
She suggested that Director Zhang should instead buy an ordinary house near the police station—something low-key, convenient, and discreet.
Throughout their conversation, Director Zhang never mentioned the source of his properties.
Shui Miao didn’t ask further. After viewing the houses, she said she wanted to take a stroll around and asked Director Zhang to return first, then she wandered off alone.
Shui Miao knew the Zhonghai Business Association was located on Nanjing Road.
Zhonghai City had many business associations, but the Zhonghai Business Association was the local one, composed of native Zhonghai merchants. Outsiders, no matter how wealthy, couldn’t join. Therefore, due to long-term monopolization, the members of the Zhonghai Business Association rarely changed—they were always the same few people.
Shui Miao casually strolled to the opposite side of the association, stopping at the entrance of a large shopping mall.
Standing at the mall entrance, she looked across the street at the Zhonghai Business Association. Suddenly, a taxi pulled up in front of her. A familiar beautiful woman stepped out of the taxi and greeted her enthusiastically, “What a coincidence! Chairman Chen, what are you doing here?”
This woman was none other than the waitress Shui Miao had met at the hotel previously. However, she was now dressed in professional business attire, with a high ponytail that exuded a refreshing and capable aura. She looked at Shui Miao confidently, and compared to when they met at the teahouse, her eyes now seemed much warmer and friendlier.
“Hehe, it’s you! I was just wandering around,” Shui Miao replied with a chuckle.
Shui Miao sensed that she had become more poised. There was a special, capable aura about her, reminiscent of Lin Qing’er.
“Chairman Chen, my name is Chen Meiling. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Here’s my business card.” The woman took out her card and handed it to Shui Miao with both hands, smiling sweetly. Her face even flushed slightly pink.
“Likewise, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Shui Miao said with a smile, glancing at the card. “Chen Meiling—so we’re even from the same family name! Miss Chen, you can just call me Shui Miao. I’m not used to being called Chairman.”
“No problem. You can call me Meiling too,” Chen Meiling replied. Then, turning around, she looked at the grand signboard of the Zhonghai Business Association. “Shui Miao, are you trying to join the Zhonghai Business Association? If so, maybe I can help.”
“Really? I imagine joining this association isn’t that easy?”
Shui Miao’s heart stirred. She hadn’t expected her instincts to be so sharp—she had actually encountered a benefactor.
“Yes! I went to Jing Shui Village earlier. Based on your current assets, you still wouldn’t qualify for the Zhonghai Business Association. To join, you need at least one hundred million in assets, so you’re still a bit short,” Chen Meiling turned to smile at Shui Miao. “This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s go to my mall.”
Chen Meiling gestured toward the large mall behind Shui Miao.
“What? This mall is yours?” Shui Miao was genuinely surprised.
Chen Meiling shook her head gently. “To be precise, I’m renting it. I have three more months of operational rights here before I need to renew the lease. The reason you saw me at the teahouse was because I wanted to purchase that teahouse to manage the mall. To cut costs, I had to scout around first—never expecting you to figure it out immediately. I’m really curious, how did you know? How did you realize I had some background?”
Chen Meiling genuinely wanted to cooperate with Shui Miao and spoke very directly, spilling everything like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.
“I’m a feng shui master and I can read faces—I saw that you were different,” Shui Miao liked Chen Meiling’s straightforward personality and walked toward the mall with her. “It’s just a pity I misjudged you slightly—you’re actually a capable woman with great ambitions, not someone from a fallen family…”
“No, you weren’t wrong. My family has indeed suffered a major setback. My father’s original assets were a hundred times more than what I have now. But after some unexpected events, my father passed away, and our family fell into decline.” As she spoke, a hint of sadness appeared on Chen Meiling’s face.
Shui Miao was deeply moved. A strange feeling arose in her heart, as if this woman were a close relative.
The mall was huge, with many employees and brisk business.
Along the way, employees smiled and nodded respectfully, greeting “Chairman Chen.”
Chen Meiling responded warmly, showing no trace of arrogance.
Once they reached the office upstairs, Shui Miao curiously asked, “The mall’s business is so booming—could it be that the rent has increased?”
“Yes. Originally it was ten million a year, now they’re asking for thirty million. Can you imagine how I can afford that?” Chen Meiling invited Shui Miao to sit and personally poured her tea. The office wasn’t big—only about a dozen square meters—with a few cabinets making it feel cramped. “I’m really sorry it’s a bit cramped. Please forgive the inconvenience!”
Shui Miao didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she walked to the window and looked outside. Across the street, the grand red signboard of the Zhonghai Business Association was clearly visible. The association’s steps were dozens of levels high, and the entrance was more than a meter above the street. However, the position of Chen Meiling’s office window gave it a slight advantage, just slightly higher than the entrance!
“You understand feng shui, but only superficially!”
Shui Miao murmured to herself as she gazed at the red signboard across the street.
“Shui Miao, what did you say?”
Chen Meiling had heard her but wasn’t clear, wanting to confirm what she had heard.
Shui Miao turned around and looked at Chen Meiling. “Meiling, let’s be straightforward—how exactly do you want to cooperate with me?”
“Yes… it’s like this…” Chen Meiling wanted to ask about Shui Miao’s previous words but knew priorities must be set. Cooperation was more urgent, so she quickly shared her idea. “I’ve been to Jing Shui Village. Adding your assets to mine, and if I take over the teahouse, within three months our combined assets should reach nearly one hundred million. Then we can enter the Zhonghai Business Association. Once we’re in, our market reach will expand completely, and we could earn at least fifty million more within a year!”
“Alright, I can agree to cooperate with you, but first you must answer one question—no lies, only the truth.” Shui Miao stared intently at Chen Meiling. If she lied, Shui Miao would definitely sense it. “This question is key to our cooperation.”
Seeing how serious Shui Miao was, Chen Meiling also became serious. “Ask, I promise to tell the truth.”
“Who is your father?”
Seeing Chen Meiling’s expression, which bore some resemblance to her own, Shui Miao had a strong premonition—she might be her half-sister from the same father.
“You…”
Upon hearing this, Chen Meiling was immediately startled. “You… who exactly are you? Why are you asking this question?”
This was her deepest secret!
“I’m just myself. If you feel I’m trustworthy, tell me the truth. If not, just pretend I said nothing,” Shui Miao remained expressionless, her tone calm.
Looking at Shui Miao, Chen Meiling gently bit her lip…
She didn’t want to miss this opportunity. If they could enter the association within three months, she could save the mall. If she missed this chance, she’d have to withdraw, her assets would shrink, and she’d have to work hard for many more years before she could hope to enter the association again. By then, would the association’s threshold have risen even higher? When would her father’s blood debt be repaid?
Yet she was afraid—afraid this Shui Miao might be a spy sent by her enemies!
“What’s your father’s name?”
Shui Miao asked again.
Before Chen Meiling could react, her head suddenly felt dizzy, and her mouth involuntarily blurted out the words “Yi Ren!”
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