Wang Qiqi gazed at the freshly prepared preliminary purchase agreement. Although the name on it wasn't hers but that of the Beijing Beauty Salon Company, a quarter of it technically belonged to her. "Thank you, Uncle Zhang." Even though a formal contract and bank loan procedures still lay ahead, this transaction was essentially secured. With Zhang Mao acting as the intermediary, as Juliana put it, the only way the other party would back out was if they wanted to completely abandon their business prospects in the Magic City.

Zhang Mao felt he absolutely deserved the gratitude, "Follow up on the subsequent procedures quickly. While my influence is involved, property prices in this city are skyrocketing; wealth moves the heart." Moreover, they still needed to secure a loan, so the sooner everything was finalized, the sooner the seller would receive the funds. Delaying would make it difficult for him to answer to the seller.

The final agreed-upon price had dropped another ten percent from the initial quoted figure. Wang Qiqi knew this was due to Uncle Zhang's efforts. The previous quote had already been a pleasant surprise, so receiving an additional discount was unexpected. "Uncle Zhang, don't worry, my sister will be here tomorrow to handle everything."

Wang Qiqi noticed it was already lunchtime. "Uncle Zhang, I insist you join us for lunch today; I truly feel indebted for the great help you’ve given us."

That day, Juliana recounted the conversation she’d had with Zhang Mao while Qiqi and the others were away from the private dining room. Wang Qiqi and Shi Man finally understood why Zhang Mao’s attitude had become so favorable afterward. From Wang Qiqi’s perspective, Zhang Mao would have to be utterly ruthless to risk ruining his own family; without that kind of pressure, and with his family’s protection, he wouldn't have bothered changing for the better. However, since Zhang Mao was helping them so much, Wang Qiqi wasn't one to accumulate favors. She figured they could simply maintain a good relationship with him. As for his son? Wang Qiqi decided that she wasn't a saint; that was between him and his parents.

Zhang Mao’s secretary appropriately stepped forward and whispered something to him. Zhang Mao then expressed his regret, "Next time, perhaps. I have to return to the company for an urgent meeting right now. I will certainly attend when the beauty salon opens."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Zhang." Regardless of whether he was genuinely busy or making an excuse, he had promised to attend the opening. Even if he couldn't make it personally, sending a subordinate or even a flower basket would satisfy Wang Qiqi. After all, he was a local power broker in the Magic City, and his presence would provide a certain deterrent effect, easily handling any minor nuisances.

Wang Qiqi and the others found a restaurant and pushed the door open. Shi Man immediately exclaimed, "Bad luck."

The server inside froze upon hearing the remark. Although the smile remained on her face, the stiffness was noticeable.

Wang Qiqi and Juliana wondered why the exclamation of bad luck right upon entering. They took a closer look and shared the exact same thought—it truly felt inauspicious. "Shall we try somewhere else?" Wang Qiqi decided, wanting to avoid ruining her appetite, and opted to change locations.

"Deal," Shi Man agreed, feeling rather cheerful today and unwilling to look at a face that made her nauseous. "We are leaving tonight. After this meal, we won't be back for over a month."

Just as the three of them were about to turn and leave, "Manman, Qiqi!" Shi Hongrui called out.

The three pretended not to hear and walked away, figuring there was no need for pleasantries with her.

Shi Hongrui watched the trio ignore her and walk off, feeling intensely annoyed. She was not someone to be trifled with. While she didn't wish to engage with Qiqi and the others, the thought of losing a significant amount of money by doing so made her heart bleed. Gong Yiying, standing nearby, kept signaling Shi Hongrui frantically. "If this property really costs that much to buy, we don't have enough money. Even with a loan, there’s still a considerable shortfall. We have no choice but to find another partner to come in." Gong Yiying wasn't angry; she had the cash on hand. Only Shi Hongrui had cause for concern. If she withdrew now, it would actually be good news for Gong Yiying—it would be a voluntary exit.

Hearing Gong Yiying’s words, Shi Hongrui bit her lip tightly. It wasn't that she felt no regret now; she had already invested a substantial amount upfront. She could manage the money issue and would find a way to retrieve it later. But for the sake of this beauty salon venture, she had severely alienated Shi Man and the others, making any future collaboration impossible. Furthermore, she had even set aside her personal purchasing business for this venture, the losses from which were uncalculable. "I'll go," Shi Hongrui thought fiercely, resolving that once she regained control, she would deal with Gong Yiying. Now was not the time to expose their conflict; she would only be the one to suffer.

Wang Qiqi and the other two had only taken a couple of steps from the restaurant entrance when Shi Hongrui caught up to them. "Manman, can't we at least share a meal?" Though Shi Man projected an icy demeanor, Shi Hongrui knew her only recourse was to appeal to her. Don't be fooled by Wang Qiqi’s sweet, lady-like appearance; her heart was genuinely ruthless.

"A meal?" Shi Man mused on how much Shi Hongrui’s demeanor had changed, actually swallowing her pride to chase after them. In the past, Shi Hongrui had been rather haughty; if she wasn't shown immediate deference, she would instantly retaliate. Shi Man clicked her tongue inwardly—evil people truly needed the wicked to keep them in line. "I’m worried I might throw up."

"Manman, you won't forgive me?" Shi Hongrui pleaded pitifully. "I regret it now, you know? When we saw the property that day, the agent said the owner had raised the price—by more than ten percent."

The price of that property had increased, and by so much? Wang Qiqi was stunned. While they didn't know the original price quoted to Shi Hongrui, a ten percent increase was no small sum. Could it be that the discounted price they received was because Shi Hongrui had absorbed the difference?

If that were the case, they felt a sense of relief; at least the original owner hadn't been excessively short-changed. After Shi Man inquired about the price given to Shi Hongrui, they quietly calculated it in their heads. It truly seemed the money had been shouldered by this hapless fool. Regarding this, Qiqi and the others felt it was entirely normal.

Shi Man coughed, striving to suppress the urge to laugh. "You can look at other places," she sneered inwardly. Hmph, expecting her to smooth things over? Sorry, your credibility isn't worth that small sum. If they were on good terms, perhaps, but their relationship had deteriorated to the point of open hostility, making it impossible for her to owe her a favor. "Property values in the Magic City are soaring too. We were quite satisfied with that place, but we felt the location was a bit small. If we expand operations later, the price won't be what it is now."

Shi Man’s words weren't entirely an empty threat; she was also implicitly urging Shi Hongrui to finalize the purchase quickly, as a higher transaction price would only increase her financial burden.

Of course, Shi Hongrui understood this; she had certainly done her homework. "In just a few days, this price increase is already quite outrageous." If it weren't for Wang Qiqi and the others’ connections, they would have signed the deal immediately. Would it have inflated this much otherwise? Shi Hongrui blamed the price hike on Wang Qiqi and her group. If it weren't for the fact that they knew Mr. Zhang, she would have already started cursing.

"Our property price has increased too," Wang Qiqi added from the side, crossing her arms somewhat impolitely. "If you think the price hike is too much, then forget about it. That property will be bought by someone wealthy anyway. The later we sell, the more money we make. You'll be the one crying later if you try to buy it back when the price has risen by twenty or thirty percent."

"Exactly," Shi Man chirped, patting Shi Hongrui’s arm with a false air of sisterly affection. "It’s fine if you don't have the cash; isn't there a bank? You don't intend to pay in full, do you? Negotiate with the agent to see if the bank can grant you a larger loan." Securing a bank loan wasn't too difficult currently, but an excessively large amount would definitely raise red flags with the bank. If it were a company loan, that might be easier, but for a personal loan, without significant assets or employment domestically, obtaining such a large sum without some internal connection would be problematic. Unfortunately for Shi Hongrui, Shi Man had no intention of pointing that out. Uncle Zhang had helped them so much; she was determined to see this deal go through successfully.

"This... this..." Shi Hongrui couldn't exactly admit they had planned on taking out a loan initially. "The interest will be higher if the loan is bigger, and she said if the money isn't enough, I'd need to bring in partners."

"Then work hard to earn more money. Where there's no pressure, there’s no drive. More partners aren't necessarily bad; the risk is shared," Juliana interjected, feeling the heat of the sun was making her truly uncomfortable. "That's just how business works. No matter how big you get, you can't amass every cent before making an investment; you always need loans. Qiqi and the others are taking out a loan for their shop space too." Honestly, talking so much just to shave off costs—despite their poor relationship, she was now acting friendly just to beg for help. Where was that attitude before?

"I'm hungry. Let’s find a place to eat. You three still need to pack your luggage to head back to the States," Juliana said, turning and walking away. If she lingered any longer, Juliana felt her stomach might spasm. Not a single truthful word was spoken; all Shi Hongrui wanted was for them to help her bargain down the price, forgetting what position she was in.

Once Juliana, the leader, took off, Wang Qiqi and Shi Man immediately turned and left as well, abandoning Shi Hongrui alone.

Gong Yiying appeared by Shi Hongrui’s side a few steps after Wang Qiqi and the others had gone. As Wang Qiqi rounded the corner, she glanced swiftly at Gong Yiying and Shi Hongrui, noting Shi Hongrui’s distressed expression. "It looks like they’ve really fallen out." Whether their current cooperation succeeded or not, it wouldn't last long. Both were people looking to gain an advantage; how could partners like that focus their entire being on management? It would be a miracle if they weren't constantly plotting to push the other out.

"Shi Hongrui is definitely anxious. The partners Gong Yiying found will surely side with her, and besides, how much capital does Shi Hongrui actually possess?" Shi Man chuckled internally. Shi Hongrui had certainly kicked an iron plate this time. "I need to share this great news with Rongrong." This was absolutely fantastic news, and she needed to inform Zhao Rongrong so that a certain person wouldn't be misled.