"Do you have something important to tell Jiang Hai?" Azarina asked, studying the woman across from her with mild curiosity. The woman hesitated, stirring her coffee nervously, still embarrassed about bringing up the matter.
Azarina already knew who this woman was—Jiang Hai had brought her home the night before. Initially, Azarina had assumed she was Sun Yunzhu's sister, but now it was clear she wasn't.
To be honest, Azarina wasn't sure what the woman wanted. At first, she suspected it might be money or some kind of threat, but that didn't seem likely.
The woman was well-dressed, her attire obviously expensive. Though probably in her thirties, she was well-maintained and still stunning, carrying the air of someone born into wealth. Financially, she was clearly secure.
If she wasn't here for money, then what did she want?
"Well, let's wait until he arrives," the woman said after a moment, glancing at Azarina with hesitation.
The woman was a Korean-Canadian actress. She had taken a taxi to the Blue House, gotten out, and disguised herself before walking over. While she wasn't famous in China, she was a top-tier actress in South Korea. Even though she had stepped out of the spotlight for a while, she still had to be cautious. Upon arriving, she called Jiang Hai.
Azarina had appeared shortly after, escorting her to a café and explaining that Jiang Hai was still in a meeting with the South Korean government and couldn't see her immediately.
It would be a while before he was free. Han Jiaren nodded, already realizing that meeting Jiang Hai at the Blue House might be a challenge. Her only thought now was to strike a deal with him. If Jiang Hai kept last night's events a secret, everything could be resolved smoothly. She tightened her grip on her coffee cup unconsciously.
"Sorry, those guys were really annoying. I'm late." Just then, Jiang Hai walked in, smiling as he approached Han Jiaren and spoke in English.
"Oh," Han Jiaren's response was muted. Understandable—she and Jiang Hai shared a grudge, though it was one she had to suppress for now. No heated argument would do.
"I heard you wanted to see me about something?" Jiang Hai asked, taking a seat beside Azarina.
"Have you finished your work?" The woman hesitated, exchanging a few awkward pleasantries. Jiang Hai sighed and shook his head.
"Although you're from South Korea, I have to say your government is truly a jerk. You have no idea what conditions they've offered me to help you build your cattle ranch," he said with a chuckle, looking at her.
Minutes earlier, in the Blue House conference room, high-ranking South Korean officials had first tried to buy Jiang Hai's secret fodder. When that failed, they attempted to purchase his estate, also without success. Then they tried to buy more fodder—demanding an increase from 900,000 tons to three million—but Jiang Hai refused.
He still had some stock, but why sell it to South Korea?
The officials were stuck. They couldn't push him. Du Famen and his associates couldn't afford to cross him; he was untouchable. Any attempt to challenge him could unite the Middle Eastern Arabs to strike, and the U.S. might retaliate against South Korea. Even wealthy ranchers like Luke Sean and John Malone were powerless.
Seeing Jiang Hai unmoved, Li Xihuai realized discussion was futile. Instead, he planned a dinner that evening, hoping to leverage Chinese customs and alcohol to soften him. Jiang Hai, intrigued, wanted to see what they were attempting.
Now, at the café, Han Jiaren leaned forward. "Oh, since you're so busy, I'll get straight to the point. I hope no one else knows what happened last night."
"Oh? Why do you say that?" Jiang Hai asked, leaning back with a curious look.
"I have my career, my family, and a lovely daughter. I don't want to ruin everything. What happened last night was a heavy blow to my family, so I hope we can skip that topic." Han Jiaren's voice was firm yet anxious.
Jiang Hai chuckled softly. He wasn't a bad person, but he wasn't a saint either. If Han Jiaren had left without coming to see him, he might have forgotten the incident. But she had come specifically to talk, which sparked a mischievous glint in him. He touched his chin, delaying agreement.
"I can give you money. Please, forget about what happened last night," Han Jiaren added, biting her lip. Though her family was comfortable, they weren't extravagantly wealthy.
"I don't need money. If you want it, I can give some—honestly, I earn billions a year. Otherwise, I wouldn't be a guest of honor at the Blue House, would I?" Jiang Hai shook his head. Asking a woman for money was never his style.
Han Jiaren sighed, realizing that money wouldn't appease someone like Jiang Hai. But besides money, she didn't know what else she could offer.
"So, what do you want?" she asked, frustration creeping into her voice.
"I'll think about it. If I decide, I'll call you. Is this the number you called from?" Jiang Hai teased, holding up his phone.
"Yes, it is. If you have any requests, you can call me anytime," she said, standing and bowing respectfully.
Jiang Hai chuckled at her expression. Teasing these women could be amusing sometimes.
Meanwhile, at Kim Taeyeon's house, Kim Taeyeon and Lin Yun'er were relaxing. After the events of the previous night, they had canceled their work for two days to rest. Though still a bit gloomy, they were calmer, lounging at home watching TV.
Li Xihuai, though despicable, was a man of his word. As soon as Jiang Hai's team contacted Nam Goryeo, he sent a message to the girls' agency, whose name was unknown. A representative informed the girls they could rest and return to work whenever they wished, with the company resources fully available.
Even so, the gesture didn't lift their spirits. They didn't reply, lost in their own thoughts.
But problems cannot be avoided forever—just then, their phones began ringing again.
To be continued.