The Tang Empire in the M country has been experiencing some turmoil recently.
The Longming, a giant vessel, ran aground, resulting in salvage costs of over 900 million US dollars claimed by the Canal.
The total value of the cargo detained on the Longming was nearly 3.5 billion US dollars. If the situation is not resolved properly, and the cargo is abandoned by its owners, the suppliers will be left to bear the bitter consequences.
From the shipowner, the carrier, to the insurance company, the Tang Empire accounts for three parties in this claims chain!
Besides the cargo suppliers, the Tang Empire must reach an agreement with the Canal as soon as possible, otherwise, the high compensation will only increase with time.
Faced with such a thorny issue, the Tang Empire was in a frenzy trying to find a solution...
But what troubled them most was that the Tang's axe had disappeared without a trace a month ago, and all affairs of the Tang Empire were handed over to a lawyer and a woman!!!
Hui Hengxing Ren, the shipowner, Zhang Haiyong, the carrier, and Paul, the insurance company representative, had been waiting for a long time in the conference room. They had to see the axe in person today.
Paul: "We don't want to talk to you. You can't represent the Tang's decision."
Yan Zhenghao, as the foremost lawyer of the Tang Empire, was also very assertive: "During the absence of the Tang, Ms. Michelle and I will be in charge..."
Hui Hengxing Ren grabbed the lawyer's collar. He had had enough of these repetitive lines: "Mr. Yan, please call the Tang right now. We need to speak with him."
The conference room door opened again. A woman in a black suit, a Burberry trench coat, and wine-red high heels walked in behind two rows of bodyguards.
When she took off her sunglasses and coldly looked at the people in the room, the men who had been clamoring a moment ago had to give her some respect.
This woman was called Michelle. Not only was she the world's most famous international supermodel, but she was now also known as the Black Widow in the outside world.
Because she married the boss of the Tang Empire, Axe, and after Axe inherited the empire, he was henceforth known as Tang!
However, the men of the Tang Empire would not have paid her any attention if it weren't for Axe's sake!
In this dog-eat-dog world of the Tang Empire, women were considered the weaker sex...
Michelle's assistant distributed documents to the men.
Michelle: "Regarding the Longming claim, I will be responsible for it from now on. This is Axe's authorization. If you have any questions, you can discuss them with me now."
Lawyer Yan and Michelle nodded. He moved away from the head of the table, and the assistant helped Michelle take off her trench coat. Everyone now understood that the woman sitting at the head of the table was acting on behalf of Tang to make decisions for them.
Hui Hengxing Ren was the first to open the document. It indeed bore Axe's personal signature, and the authorization letter clearly stated that no one could question Michelle's decisions.
But after reading the authorization letter, all three felt even more dissatisfied!
If it were minor issues in the past, letting a lawyer and a woman give orders might have been acceptable. But now, with the entire world watching this salvage case, how could these two be allowed to make the decisions!?
Paul: "To expect us to obey you, this authorization letter alone is not enough."
Yan Zhenghao: "Then what do you mean?"
Paul: "As everyone knows, the Tang Empire is inherited from one Tang to the next. We only obey the Tang!"
Michelle stared at the three men in front of her. Their gazes were firm, and they seemed determined not to comply.
She had rehearsed this scenario in her mind many times. She had anticipated that these men would not obey her orders, but if it weren't for Axe's poor health, she wouldn't have wanted to step forward.
Michelle: "Tang is very busy. He has too many things to handle."
Zhang Haiyong: "Ms. Michelle, let's be clear. Tang has been missing for over a month. If we can't see him in person, how can we trust you?!"
Zhang Haiyong: "I suggest we hold a new vote. We brothers need an explanation."
Michelle and Lawyer Yan exchanged glances. Lawyer Yan nodded helplessly.
In the empire, such a situation had never happened before with the Tang, and it would lead the subordinates to believe that the Tang had been harmed.
Michelle: "Even with Tang's personal authorization, you are still not at ease to continue discussing how to claim compensation for the Longming?"
The crowd nodded repeatedly.
Paul: "If we don't see him today, we will convene a meeting of the brothers tomorrow to discuss and decide."
Michelle clasped her hands under her chin, leaning on the table, her gaze sweeping over the three men. 138 Reading Network
She had already bought Axe a lot of time, but it was inevitable that suspicion would arise in people's hearts. No one could stop them from thinking what they wanted.
Just as they were silently glaring at each other, the vibration of a mobile phone broke the stalemate.
The assistant walked up to Michelle, leaned in, and whispered to her, covering her mouth: "Michelle, Mr. Gu has agreed to meet with you."
Michelle nodded slightly. This was the best news she had heard in a long time!
Ever since Axe fell critically ill, she had pleaded with Gu Yilong countless times. Only by arranging a new heart surgery could there be a chance to prolong Axe's life.
But a new artificial heart, besides being expensive, was also difficult to obtain!
And after Gu Yilong acquired the biological company that originally produced artificial hearts, the difficulty of purchasing one increased even further!!!
Just being rich was not enough to qualify. After all, to live ten more years, the wealthy were willing to pay any price!
Michelle: "Since everyone's attitude is so firm, I have nothing more to say, but I want to remind everyone."
"Whoever becomes the Tang, you will still be responsible for the salvage compensation. Your dismissal from my代理 position today will not cancel the compensation."
"Furthermore, the longer it takes, the higher your compensation will be."
Michelle stood up. She politely nodded to the three guests, and the assistant put her coat back on her. She then quickly left the conference room.
Back in the car, the assistant immediately confirmed the time and place of the meeting with Gu Yilong's assistant.
Assistant: "Michelle, Mr. Gu said he will only give you half an hour. He's waiting for you at the Metropolitan Opera House."
Michelle: "Drive!"
On the streets of Manhattan, a Lincoln SUV sped down the road, weaving through alleys to find the shortest and fastest route to save time.
This was not the first time Michelle had rushed to Gu Yilong against time. She remembered many years ago, fleeing from the Tang family, and going to convince Gu Yilong not to acquire the Tang Corporation that night.
As the same urgency surged in her heart, she realized that she had to force this man to compromise again, using the identity of Ji Wan'er.
A sudden brake brought Michelle back to reality. The bodyguard opened the door for her.
Aaron: "Miss Jiang, Mr. Gu is already waiting inside. Please follow me."
Miss Jiang? It had been a long time since anyone had called her that. Only with Gu Yilong was she still the country girl who escaped from the Tang family.
Michelle walked into the opera house. The interior, which was as high as ten stories, was eerily empty.
Gu Yilong was sitting in the center. A woman was rehearsing on stage.
Michelle couldn't see her face clearly, but her soprano voice was distinctive. She was Yin Ping, hailed as one of the world's top ten coloratura sopranos.
Michelle then remembered that the Lincoln Center was plastered with her face. Tonight was the first stop of her third world tour.
Gu Yilong: "Miss Jiang, my assistant told me you've tried to make appointments with me many times. I apologize for being in Dubai all this time. I just returned to M country today."
Michelle: "Mr. Gu..."
Gu Yilong: "Have you heard Yin Ping's performance?"
Gu Yilong interrupted Michelle. He stared intently at the woman on stage. Despite the distance, the singer's sharp high notes could still be heard.
Michelle nodded. She had heard it, but not as Jiang Xue. She had heard it when she was Ji Wan'er.
That year, Yin Ping's debut at the Lincoln Center was here, in the same seat, with the same neighbor.
Gu Yilong: "That's truly rare."
Gu Yilong finally turned his gaze to the woman beside him. This was a woman he had wanted to kill many times.
He always remembered that Ji Wan'er disliked Jiang Xue, so he had to help Ji Wan'er get rid of the eyesore.
However, he had had to rescue this woman many times because she was too similar to Ji Wan'er, so similar that he often forgot that the woman he loved the most had died in front of him.
Gu Yilong: "Tell me, why are you looking for me?"
Michelle: "I need a new artificial heart."
Gu Yilong: "Just get in line."
Michelle: "There's no time. I can pay double the price."
Gu Yilong: "Money is just a constantly increasing number to me."
Michelle: "Ten times!"
Gu Yilong smiled. He disdained the woman's offer.
Michelle: "A hundred times! If you give it to me, I'll give you all my assets."
Gu Yilong: "Miss Jiang, everything you have now was the result of my vote for you back then."
Michelle's mouth slightly parted. The words repeated in her mind. Was that vote related to the time she competed with Coco for the endorsement of Tang Town?!
Gu Yilong: "It seems you remember."
Michelle: "I've always wondered who would give a newcomer like me a chance that day. So it was you..."
Gu Yilong crossed his arms indifferently.
Michelle: "Why? You hated me so much back then, and you even mistakenly believed I harmed Ji Wan'er. Why would you vote for me?"
Gu Yilong: "That's why you have the opportunity to repay my kindness tenfold and a hundredfold, just like today."
Michelle: "Mr. Gu, I owe you, and I will definitely repay it. As long as you are willing to save Axe, I will do anything you ask."
Gu Yilong smiled. It was the same look, the same tone. He had avoided it many times.
But like a curse, as long as Jiang Xue appeared, he would automatically substitute Ji Wan'er in his mind. It was Ji Wan'er begging him, the woman he loved but could not have, torturing him again and again.
Gu Yilong: "Do you love him that much? Even knowing he won't live for long?"
Michelle: "Just like you waited for Ji Wan'er to wake up, even knowing there was no hope, you still tried to find that possibility."
Gu Yilong: "Ji Wan'er... she died in front of me. I waited for so long in vain, and never got the chance to be with her."
Michelle's eyes welled up. She started to hate herself. She was more afraid of hurting Gu Yilong than anyone else, but she was stabbing him in the heart with a knife, bit by bit.
Michelle stood up. Gu Yilong, who had been looking up, now looked down at the woman kneeling before him. He frowned.
Michelle: "Please, I can't watch Axe die."
Gu Yilong: "Jiang Xue!!!"
Michelle: "I'll tell you whatever you want to know. I only beg you to save Axe."
Gu Yilong: "Ji Wan'er wouldn't beg on her knees. You're acting, Jiang Xue."
With that, Gu Yilong walked past Michelle and left. No matter how much Michelle, kneeling on the ground, pleaded and cried, the man walked towards the exit without looking back.
Michelle was still unwilling: "Gu Yilong, you were willing to give everything for Ji Wan'er, can't you understand my feelings!!!"
"If you had had a chance to save Ji Wan'er back then, would you have knelt on the ground and begged someone like I am today!"
Gu Yilong stopped his foot just as it was about to reach the exit. This sentence made his scalp tingle!!!
The image of Ji Wan'er tragically dying on the hospital bed reappeared in his mind. He felt a sharp pain in his chest, his hands and feet turning cold, as if he couldn't move.
Jiang Xue always managed to hit his weak spot accurately, each time harder and deeper...
But he always forgave this woman's rudeness and shamelessness because of their similarity.
Aaron opened the door for Gu Yilong.
Aaron: "Boss, Miss Jiang she..."
Gu Yilong wanted to turn back, but this time he finally hardened his heart and left without any lingering attachment.