Deal.
Dong Enyu instinctively flinched.
How much change could these two words bring? Huo Ai noticed Dong Enyu seemed interested in discussing, so she pulled a chair over and sat by the bed.
“I know you used to work at Wutang, served as a hostess at Star Diamond, worked at a bar, and later managed three nightclubs,” Huo Ai stated accurately, though she didn’t mention the interests involved, clearly only knowing Dong Enyu had been involved with Wutang for a while.
“Our company is interested in doing business with Wutang, and someone with connections can naturally get in easier.” That was her purpose for the deal.
“You want me to find connections for you?” Dong Enyu felt a headache coming on.
It seemed like a thankless task.
Huo Ai folded her hands on her lap, her fingers were distinct, long, and fair, very beautiful.
“I want you to join Coral Reef Group,” her husky voice reached Dong Enyu’s ears, making her pause.
…Coral Reef Group?
“Sorry, I don’t understand what you mean,” Dong Enyu shook her head, not understanding what Huo Ai meant by asking her to join.
“Join our company, become my partner, it’s that simple,” she shrugged, speaking casually.
“Since you know I’ve been with Wutang, you should know I’ve offended quite a few big shots, and now they’re all after me.
Becoming your partner might drag you down,” Dong Enyu explained clearly.
She didn’t want to agree rashly and didn’t want Huo Ai to blame her for these troubles.
“I investigated all this while you were unconscious,” Huo Ai nodded, indicating no problem.
“As long as you’re willing to join Coral Reef Group, those people won’t dare touch you.
In the North District, besides Wutang, there are other forces.
As long as we don’t interfere with each other, there won’t be conflicts.”
With Huo Ai’s reminder, Dong Enyu remembered the division of power in the North District.
She was right; the North District was mainly divided into four areas.
Wutang’s boss controlled one area, originally Qi Ge and Han Ge jointly controlled one, but after Qi Ge’s death, only Han Ge remained dominant.
The other two areas were unfamiliar to Dong Enyu, but now she knew Coral Reef Group occupied one of them.
So, was Huo Ai trying to recruit her? Joining Coral Reef Group…
“What does becoming your partner entail?” Dong Enyu wasn’t in a hurry to decide; she needed to understand things first.
“I’m a manager at Coral Reef Group, responsible for handling high-value goods.
Becoming my partner means handling the trivial matters for me.
As for the details, it’s too cumbersome to explain, but the main job is to sell goods smoothly,” Huo Ai explained vaguely, but Dong Enyu didn’t mind.
She knew that since Coral Reef Group could divide the North District’s power, the goods they traded weren’t legitimate.
…So it’s a gang disguised as a corporation?
“Can you guarantee that my contact with Wutang won’t endanger my life?” Dong Enyu thought cautiously.
She feared Coral Reef Group couldn’t hold Wutang back.
If Wutang’s boss demanded Huo Ai hand her over, Dong Enyu would be in trouble.
Escaping once didn’t mean she could escape a second time…
“I can,” Huo Ai nodded, speaking unequivocally.
Her ink-like eyes were pure, and her determination and confidence left Dong Enyu slightly stunned.
It seemed trustworthy.
Given her current situation, finding protection was difficult.
Luo Ye wanted to kill her, Yong Le wouldn’t care, Zhao Han had good relations with the big shots, but couldn’t persuade them to let her go.
Now, besides Huo Ai and Coral Reef Group as a shield, what else could she do?
No room for pickiness; this muddy water was destined to be waded through since she was hit by a car.
Otherwise, Huo Ai wouldn’t have investigated Dong Enyu’s background.
Sending her to a private hospital was the best proof of ambition.
“I understand,” Dong Enyu nodded.
“I’m willing to join Coral Reef Group and become your partner.” She said it; she was willing.
She had to do it, or her past efforts would be wasted.
It’s too early to give up now.
Since she encountered a big fish, she had to seize it.
“But I’d like to receive a month’s salary in advance,” Dong Enyu suddenly said.
She had no money or place to live now.
If she was going to risk her life for a chance, she needed to secure her life first.
Asking for a month’s salary in advance wasn’t too much, right?
Huo Ai looked at her and nodded, “No problem.”
Hearing her assurance, Dong Enyu’s anxious heart gradually calmed.
The words “no problem” gave her immense security.
Thus, Dong Enyu had a backer.
She underwent a series of diagnoses in the hospital, during which Huo Ai took care of her accommodation matters, showing considerable care for Dong Enyu.
They didn’t meet often because Huo Ai was busy with work, so it was Huo Ai’s secretary, Shirley, who visited the hospital.
Dong Enyu could only ask Shirley about Coral Reef Group’s background and Huo Ai’s matters.
“Manager Huo often has to go overseas; many goods need to be handled abroad,” Shirley, a foreigner with blonde hair and blue eyes, a tall and beautiful figure, spoke fluent Chinese, causing no communication barriers.
“What kind of goods are you talking about?” Dong Enyu slowly got out of bed, letting Shirley help her take off the hospital gown.
Today she could be discharged, preparing to head to her new home.
She had been bored in the hospital for half a month, although she requested discharge more than once, Huo Ai insisted she receive complete treatment to avoid any aftereffects.
When she heard Huo Ai’s concern, she thought she finally met a kind-hearted person, but the next second, Huo Ai said, “If a partner’s brain has issues, it’s a waste to save them.” As expected of a businesswoman, never doing a losing deal, right? Dong Enyu chuckled dryly, and Shirley beside her looked at her in confusion.
“Shirley, you haven’t answered me yet.
What kind of goods does Coral Reef sell?” Dong Enyu asked, taking the casual clothes by the bed.
“A wide variety, but we wouldn’t know the goods Manager Huo handles; that’s a business secret,” Shirley said mysteriously, deliberately lowering her voice.
…A business secret?
Dong Enyu scratched her messy long hair, picked up her luggage, and prepared to leave.
Shirley had just opened the door when a slender figure stood outside, seemingly about to open the door as well.
It was none other than Huo Ai, the woman they were discussing.
She wore a black suit, tailored to fit, showcasing her curves, blending classical beauty with modern sharpness, a woman who caught the eye.
“Manager Huo!” Shirley was surprised; she hadn’t received news of Huo Ai returning early.
“Are you ready to be discharged?” Huo Ai looked at the small bag in Dong Enyu’s hand and asked her.
Dong Enyu waved her arm and smiled, “Yes, the doctor said I can be discharged, so I want to go see the new house.” Huo Ai stepped forward to take Dong Enyu’s luggage, very considerately.
“Manager Huo, why did you return to the country early? Didn’t you say you would finish handling things next week?” Shirley took out her notebook, which marked Huo Ai’s return date as next Tuesday.
She didn’t expect her to return early, and although it wasn’t Shirley’s fault, she still felt a bit apologetic.
“Leave the discharge procedures to you, I’ll take Dong Enyu to the new house.” Huo Ai didn’t explain, she signaled Shirley to handle the procedures, while Dong Enyu and Huo Ai went downstairs.
From what she knew, Huo Ai was a very efficient person, not one for small talk, meticulous in her work, and fairly polite and courteous to people.
However, Dong Enyu noticed that Huo Ai kept a certain distance from her.
She wouldn’t ask too much about Wutang, and Dong Enyu couldn’t really build a rapport with her, as she was strictly business.
Dong Enyu got into Huo Ai’s car, not knowing where her new home was, as everything was handled by Huo Ai.
They drove from the North District suburbs towards the nearby mountains.
The further they went, the fewer buildings there were, leaving only flowers, trees, and farmland.
Dong Enyu couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.
Was this for her retirement or to avoid Wutang’s pursuit? She didn’t voice her thoughts, quietly watching Huo Ai’s profile reflected in the glass.
From this angle, she could see the tear mole under her right eye, a woman with a certain charm.
After an hour’s drive, Huo Ai finally drove into a villa courtyard.
A small villa in the middle of the fields.
“Here are the keys.” Huo Ai took the door keys out of her pocket and handed them to Dong Enyu, then got out to help with the luggage.
As soon as she opened the car door, she immediately smelled the fresh air of nature, a clean and refreshing scent.
The two walked into the hall, simply yet elegantly decorated, quite fitting for a single woman’s taste.
The furniture was complete, with two bedrooms and a guest room on the second floor, quite spacious for a single person.
Dong Enyu admired the view outside the window, here there was no urban anxiety or tension, so relaxing it made Dong Enyu a bit uneasy.
Was it too leisurely?
“This is your first assignment.” Huo Ai didn’t ask if she was satisfied, instead, she directly took out a stack of documents from her briefcase and placed them on the table, then went to the kitchen to pour two glasses of water.
Dong Enyu sat on the sofa, took the documents, and read them carefully.
“Antique?” she murmured, her hand subconsciously gripping the paper until it crumpled slightly before she let go.
Antique dealers left a bad impression in her mind.
Previously, the goods Han Ge and Qi Ge invested in were hijacked by antique dealers.
Thinking of this, Dong Enyu looked up at Huo Ai, who was drinking water.
Coral Reef Group had such a strong presence in the North District, could they be the ones who hijacked Wutang’s goods? …Is it possible?
Perhaps the doubt in Dong Enyu’s eyes was too obvious, Huo Ai didn’t avoid her gaze but calmly sat across from Dong Enyu, the two of them locking eyes in silence for a while.
Dong Enyu took a breath, carefully placing the documents back on the table, hesitating whether to ask.
But if not, would it harm the trust between them? …Should she doubt her backing?
Dong Enyu weighed it in her mind and decided to ask clearly.
“Did you guys hijack Han Ge’s antique goods?” she asked clearly, every word and sentence unambiguous.
Huo Ai wasn’t surprised by the question.
She relaxed back into the sofa chair, elegantly crossing her right leg over her left, her hands naturally resting on her legs, her long fingers interlaced, with a faint smile on her face.
…Did Coral Reef Group hijack Han Ge’s goods? Dong Enyu squinted her eyes, still unsure in the face of Huo Ai’s composure.
“Why not say,” her husky voice sounded, grinding in Dong Enyu’s ear, “that your friend hijacked my goods?”
