Xia Ruya didn’t know that Wen Xinya suspected she had returned to Capital city and had raised her guard as well as launched a full investigation into the matter.

Mr. Z had arranged for her return and Xia Ruya believed that no one would detect her presence as long as she didn’t expose herself.

It had been five months since her return to Capital city. She had been hiding quietly in the shadows to spy on Wen Xinya.

Further, she had been collecting all the information she could on the Wen Corporation’s entertainment city project. She planned to invite her way into this project and make use of it to deal with Wen Xinya.

However, the entertainment city project was just too massive. Although Ning Shuqian had given her quite a bit of information, it was just the tip of the iceberg. As she was worried about revealing her own identity, she could only carry out her investigations from the shadows. As a result, this greatly limited her methods and results.

She was taking a rather long time to grasp the situation of the entertainment city project, failing to make any headway over the recent period.

As a result, she decided to turn her attention toward the battle between T-K Group and Lanxin Company.

“What would you like to drink?” Xia Ruya strode elegantly behind the bar counter.

“Red wine, please!” Chu Jingnan was standing in front of a French window, wearing an elegant and well-tailored black suit that fit his slender frame perfectly. He exuded the aura of a Wall Street elite from Country M.

Even the glittering night scene behind him was unable to steal his spotlight.

A look of appreciation flashed across Xia Ruya’s eyes as she poured him a glass of red wine. “This is an 1878 Lafite, the most perfect vintage from the Château Lafite Rothschild. It has been hailed as the nectar of the gods.”

It had been a long time since she last met Chu Jingnan.

When they were at Lan Feng Institute, Chu Jingnan had been an exceptional student. He was gracious and gentlemanly, and her heart had been captured by him.

Especially when she found out that Chu Jingnan liked Wen Xinya, her desire for him burned brighter.

However, after her photo scandal and proof of virginity incident, she had no choice but to quit school and leave Capital city to head to Yunchuan. Thereafter, she had slowly lost contact with Chu Jingnan.

After knowing that Wen Xinya had no feelings for Chu Jingnan, her own ardor for him also gradually faded.

Thereafter, she heard that Chu Jingnan was the illegitimate son of the Xiao Family. He quit Capital University and left the country, after which no one knew where he went. From then on, she also stopped thinking about him.

Chu Jingnan took the red wine and swiveled the glass elegantly. The liquid within swirled and emitted a lovely fragrance. “It is indeed a world-class red wine. It possesses an exquisite texture and rich aroma.”

Chu Jingnan sized up Xia Ruya as he sipped his wine.

When they were at Lan Feng Institute, he had found Xia Ruya virtuous, pure and kind—like an elegant and noble white lotus.

What a joke!

He never imagined that he could be so wrong about someone.

Xia Ruya was indeed a white lotus, but she was the kind that was poisonous.

Xia Ruya mixed a glass of Bloody Mary for herself. The lush red liquid looked sensuous and alluring. “You have changed so much over the years!”

He had shed his impulsiveness and immaturity, like a piece of jade that glowed elegantly after years of polishing.

Xia Ruya had been rather shocked when she found out that Chu Jingnan was the high-level investment manager in charge of supporting T-K Group’s acquisition plans. It could be said that Chu Jingnan had returned to Capital city in full glory this time!

She was well aware of just how prominent he was as a high-level investment manager in Country M’s Wall Street.

Chu Jingnan eyed the glass in her hand for a moment before smiling. “You too!”

One would not be able to deduce anything different from just a casual glance at Xia Ruya’s face.

But if you looked closely enough, you would be able to discover some minute disparities. Her features appeared to be more chiseled now and even looked more flawless than Wen Xinya’s. But somehow, he just found her countenance overly fake.

Xia Ruya gently swirled her cup and asked in a casual manner, “T-K Group’s dismal performance in the battle against Lanxin Company has caused Genesis Investment Company’s takeover plan for Lanxin Company to fall into a stalemate.”

She had been paying close attention to the battle even while she had been overseas.

After returning to Capital city, she had collected all information relevant to the takeover battle. Hence, she had more or less surmised some of Chu Jingnan’s actions.

The expression on Chu Jingnan’s face dimmed. He put on a shrewdly professional look. “I guess Miss Xia has invited me out today not to reminisce about the past, but for some other ulterior motive!”

It was obvious that Xia Ruya’s target was T-K Group’s acquisition plan.

Genesis Investment Company’s acquisition plan had indeed fallen into a stalemate. T-K Group’s financial resources were limited and they were unable to further develop their hostile takeover of Lanxin Company.

After the fight for the hearts of the people, the T-K Group remained stuck in the wave of resistance. The product war, which T-K Group had such high hopes for, saw Lanxin Company leading the Group by the nose, resulting in great losses for them. Jose had become increasingly ill-tempered and constantly pressurized Genesis Investment Company. He was in a terrible fix this period.

Xia Ruya didn’t try to play dumb. “After Lanxin Company was threatened by T-K Group’s takeover efforts, Zhishan Club has expressed support for the company. It is just a small, unlisted company, but it managed to gain the notice of Zhishan Club. Don’t you suspect something fishy going on there?”

She was once a member of the Zhishan Club and was well aware of its inner workings. Hence, she had been very surprised by Zhishan Club’s public support of Lanxin Company.

After thinking it through, there could only be one reason!

Chu Jingnan’s eyes flashed. He asked calmly, “Do you know the reason?”

When Zhishan Club and Lanxin Company got together to organize that charity dinner, he had started collecting information on Zhishan Club. He instinctively felt the matter was not as simple as it appeared.

Xia Ruya smiled graciously. “My inside information is definitely much more valuable than the information you managed to gather. Why don’t you consider working with me?”

With that, Xia Ruya lifted her glass of Bloody Mary. The sweetness of the tomato complemented the vodka’s burning sensation. It felt like how fresh blood might taste.

Xia Ruya was quite confident with regards to this partnership. She was not worried at all that Chu Jingnan would reject her.

That was because Chu Jingnan would never allow himself to encounter any failure in his life.