Jin stared at her and Alix stared back at him in what was called a silent staring competition.

“You know, I am still kinda trying to fathom that you just appeared in my office out of nowhere and asking for twenty million out of nowhere.”

“How long will it take for you to digest it?”

His brow twitched hard.

“You really want twenty million or are you just pulling a prank because you are bored?”

Alix frowned. “I really need twenty million.”

“And you thought that I would…give it to you just like that?” He knitted his brows.

“Why not? Aren’t we such close friends?”

Jin smiled. He pressed a button on his desk phone and said, “Come to my office.”

A minute later, a guard respectfully knocked on his office door and stepped in. “Sir Liu, you called for me?”

“Yes. Please escort this woman outside.”

Alix – “…”

“Hey, what is this disrespect? I came here with a legitimate request. Are you going to ignore your friend in need?”

“I won’t, provided you remind me of the exact time we became good friends.”

“You are Shui’s friend. I am also Shui’s friend apparently? A super rich friend’s super rich friend becomes my super rich friend too,” she shrugged.

The guard stared at her dumbfounded.

I don’t get the sense here…

He coughed. “Mam, if you would kindly come with me.”

Alix arched her brow. “I am not done talking with your boss yet. Apparently, he doesn’t understand my sincere request.”

Jin signaled the guard to leave and he did so with a bow.

She is a…strange woman, he couldn’t help but think.

Jin looked at her and asked, “Why do you suddenly need the money?”

“To break free from Kang Yuze’s exclusive contract, I will need money to make more deals out in the market. His compensation won’t be enough.”

He raised his brow. “So you are taking up the CEO’s chair?”

She paused and looked away. “Not really. I am not interested.”

“Then what’s the point of doing this?”

The question slightly irked her but she didn’t know why. “Is this part of the background check?”

“It’s twenty million. I should be asking some questions.”

“My idiot sister has sunk the ship quite enough. I thought I could be a little more gracious and do a favor for my parents. I will eventually hand the company back to Mr. Ren.”

“Mr. Ren?” his ears buzzed with that oddity. “You call him that formally?”

Alix didn’t show much change in her expression but she took a pause before answering. “I have been a comatose patient. Have some mercy.”

“You didn’t lose your full memory.”

“You are awfully inquisitive for someone who doesn’t consider me as a good friend,” she sneered.

His face blackened.

“That’s right. I don’t. So leave,” he went to work back on his laptop. Read new chapters at freewebnovel

Alix boldly shut his laptop. “I cannot. I need twenty million.”

Jin wasn’t sure what he was supposed to feel. “I fail to understand the source of your confidence that I will loan you twenty million.”

“Don’t we enjoy our time in Shui’s art classes?” She smiled.

He sneered. “Yeah, I enjoy it so much. Which is why you won’t be getting any money from me.”

“I didn’t know you were so petty.”

“Thank you.”

“It wasn’t a compliment.”

“I don’t care.”

“Don’t make me use my trump card against you.”

Jin threw a dry stare at her. “What trump card could you possibly hold to make me yield? You don’t even know me that well.”

She chuckled. “I know that you most probably would definitely not want to let your mother or…especially Liu Jun know that you smoke.”

The blackening of his face was beyond indescribable. “Don’t you dare spread false rumors about me!”

“Is it really false now~? How will your family feel that their son resorted to smoking in order to forget his complicated feelings about his childhood friend? I would love to see their reactions,” she took a seat opposite him with a smirk.

“They won’t believe you.”

“They do believe your strenuous efforts to escape from Shui. Believing that you started to smoke as a defense mechanism is not that far of a leap.”

Jin glared at her. “You think you can threaten the twenty million out of me?”

“Whatever makes that money credit into my account.”

“You…are a hooligan.”

Alix stared at him unblinkingly. “The Liu family’s son is calling me a hooligan?”

He thought about his grandfather, uncle, the twins and his father too.

Somehow I cannot argue that…

“Fine, if not a hooligan, then definitely a villain.”

Alix raised her brow at that. “Now that…is something I won’t argue against.”

When Jin saw that Alix wouldn’t budge until at least she was heard, Jin leaned back on his chair and gave up on his fate.

“What exactly happened with Kang Yuze?”

“Long story.”

“You need twenty million. Hell yes I want the full story.”

Alix made a face and grudgingly explained her circumstances. The more he heard, the more his brows furrowed.

Was he really that careless?

“I would get ten million from him in compensation and I have some of my own savings but it’s not enough to bring the company out of this hell hole. So give me twenty million. I promise I will double it,” she threw an innocent look. freēwebnovel.com

Jin’s jaw slightly dropped. “You are talking like some shady scammer.”

“Whatever.”

“You can ask from Shui too, right? I believe she will be more open to helping her patients.”

“I don’t just need your twenty million.”

“So?”

“I need your brand name. I want to show that the Liu family is investing in my business despite it going downhill. That would surely attract some suppliers and give them the trust they need,” she smirked, “I want your reputation to fill the gaps of mine.”

Jin stared at her, speechless. “That is quite…shameless of you.”

“Not nearly as shameless as compared to what I am going to ask next.”

Suddenly, Jin didn’t wish to hear anymore.

Alix smiled with a playful glint in her eyes. “Your uncle is a fashion designer. Liu Jing.”

“…Yeah.”

“He must have his own sources for procuring raw materials for his designs.”

Somehow Jin didn’t like the direction this was going into. “And?”

She beamed. “I want you to become the bridge between those suppliers and me. Help me get those contracts with them.”

Jin wanted to puke blood. He gazed at her as if she had lost it.

“Miss. Ren Alix. You are Uncle Jing’s rival from the same industry. You think I should help my Uncle’s rival with a twenty million loan, let her bask in the advantage of the Liu family’s name and go as far as securing her the deals with my Uncle’s suppliers?”

Alix counted the requests on her fingers and nodded. “Yup. Pretty much that’s it.”

“Pretty much? Pretty much…!? That’s a hell lot to ask of someone who now doesn’t even consider you as his acquaintance anymore!”

“…”