Accidentally Marked My Ex’s Crush, the Ice-Cold Goddess O - Chapter 11: Does the Wound Still Hurt?

Chapter 11: Does the Wound Still Hurt?

The four people sat down, and the assistant placed four bottles of mineral water in front of each person before walking to stand beside Fu Ruanyi.

It wasn’t Jiang Ci’s first time meeting Fu Ruanyi, but this was the first time they faced each other to discuss work.

Her palms unconsciously started sweating from nervousness, and her toes curled.

Luckily, she was an alpha with no ability to sense pheromones. Otherwise, facing an S-level alpha like Fu Ruanyi, she would have been overwhelmed by her pheromones, struggling to breathe and unable to talk about cooperation.

“Madam Fu,” Jiang Ci cleared her throat and spoke first.

Fu Ruanyi lazily lifted her eyes to glance at her, her gaze filled with visible disdain, mockery, and indifference.

Jiang Ci pretended not to notice, keeping things professional. “About this project, our company has complete technical and platform support, and the market prospects are very good. If Madam Fu is willing to invest, I believe Shengding Group will definitely make a steady profit.”

Although Shengding Group wasn’t short of money, they probably wouldn’t mind earning more.

“I heard that Madam Jiang hasn’t graduated yet?” Fu Ruanyi suddenly brought up a topic unrelated to the project.

Jiang Ci’s mind was fully focused on how to discuss the project with Fu Ruanyi. When this unrelated question came up, it took her a moment to respond. She nodded and said, “Yes, I haven’t graduated yet. I’m currently studying finance and business management at Linjiang University.”

Fu Ruanyi’s gaze locked onto her like a sharp knife. “Your Jiang family really is getting worse with each generation. In the past, at least Jiang Xi could do something. Now, how did the Jiang family end up in the hands of a little girl like you?”

Her words were full of cold sarcasm.

Jiang Ci hid her embarrassment with a smile and replied, “My sister is indeed very outstanding and someone I admire greatly. So, I’m working hard to learn from her.”

“You?” Fu Ruanyi sneered, not even bothering to look her up and down. “Your Jiang family, full of top-tier alphas and omegas, ended up with a pheromone-deficient waste of an alpha like you. And you were hull, you were publicly dumped. If I were you, I would’ve jumped off a building the day I got dumped.”

“Hey, that wound on your head—wasn’t it from when you tried to jump but didn’t dare and hit your head instead? No wonder the media’s been saying you tried to kill yourself over love these past few days.”

Every word Fu Ruanyi said was like an invisible blade, stabbing into Jiang Ci’s heart.

Her colleague sitting nearby was furious and wanted to punch this arrogant woman, but they didn’t have the authority to do so. They could only clench their fists and pretend not to hear.

Jiang Ci kept her expression neutral and smiled lightly. “I don’t know how it happened, but that’s how I differentiated.”

Fu Ruanyi pressed further. “Have you ever done a paternity test to see if you’re really a Jiang? Usually, cases like yours are likely adopted. Haven’t you ever doubted your own identity?”

Jiang Ci answered honestly, “To be frank, Madam Fu, I did a paternity test the year I differentiated. The DNA match was 99.99%, so I’m definitely biological. As for the pheromone issue, the doctor said it might be a mutation. It can’t be cured, but it won’t affect my life.”

When she turned eighteen and differentiated into an alpha, she went for a medical checkup. The results showed she had an alpha pheromone disorder.

This condition was so rare that there were only a few cases nationwide, so she was taken to a lab for a month of research.

A month later, when she left the research institute, two bodyguards grabbed her and took her to the hospital for a paternity test.

At the time, Jiang Ci also wondered if she was really their daughter, but the test results confirmed she was biological.

Grandma didn’t believe the results and had them test her nails and hair, along with those of her two mothers, for another paternity test. The result was still 99.99%, and only then did Grandma give up on further tests.

“You really did a paternity test?” Fu Ruanyi let out an incredulous laugh. “Your Jiang family is really something else.”

Jiang Ci said, “In a situation like this, it’s only right to check. Besides, I also wanted to know if I was really their daughter.”

Fu Ruanyi’s gaze at Jiang Ci finally shifted from disdain to curiosity. “You’re really something else too.”

Jiang Ci: “…”

After being berated for so long, Jiang Ci guessed Fu Ruanyi had vented enough. She brought the conversation back to the purpose of the meeting. “Madam Fu, regarding the investment, have you considered it? This project has great investment potential.”

Fu Ruanyi picked up the wine glass on the table and gently swirled it between her fingers. “Investment? Sure, we can do that. From the seed round to the D round, Shengding Group can invest in all of it. But when it comes to profit sharing, Shengding must take the biggest share. If you don’t agree, take your project and leave. Of course, if you insist on Shengding compromising, have your old lady come talk to me herself. Otherwise, no deal.”

Jiang Ci: “…”

Not only was Fu Ruanyi demanding an outrageous share, but she was also being delusional.

With Grandma’s temper, if Jiang Ci dared to suggest that, a glass would probably come flying at her again. Besides, even if Jiang Ci agreed to such a large share, the company’s shareholders would never approve. But this project couldn’t be abandoned, which was a real headache.

As Jiang Ci’s head throbbed, Fu Ruanyi slowly sipped her wine and said, “Actually, if you hadn’t come through someone else today but approached me directly, I might not have demanded so much. But since you went through that person, this project takes on a different meaning.”

Jiang Ci snapped her head up to look at her, her emotions hard to describe.

She felt like a clown being toyed with in Fu Ruanyi’s hands.

“So, have you decided?” Fu Ruanyi leaned back on the sofa, propping her head up and looking out at the view through the floor-to-ceiling window.

Jiang Ci lowered her head, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.

Once this decision was made, she’d be at Fu Ruanyi’s mercy. But if she sought investment from other companies, they didn’t have Shengding’s financial power or ability to handle risks. If their funding fell short later, it would cause a lot of trouble. Investing with Shengding would avoid many of those issues.

After thinking it over carefully, Jiang Ci looked up at Fu Ruanyi with a bright, sweet smile. “Sister Fu, I understand your demands, but you know business isn’t done to lose money. Could you lower your demands just a tiny bit so we can at least have some scraps?”

Fu Ruanyi let out a long sigh and raised her hand to stop Jiang Ci. “Business is business. Don’t call me that. Our families aren’t close enough for you to call me Sister. And don’t think that just because certain people have a good relationship, you’re close to me too. You called me Madam Fu before, and you’ll keep calling me Madam Fu.”

Jiang Ci quickly said, “Of course, of course.”

At that moment, she wanted to open the window and jump out.

After an hour of back-and-forth, Jiang Ci nearly wore out her lips but finally persuaded Fu Ruanyi.

Next week, both sides would finalize the details and sign the contract.

As they walked out of Shengding Group’s doors, the legal advisor trailing behind Jiang Ci let out a sigh of relief, patting their chest. “That scared me to death. This Madam Fu is so decisive and sharp as a fox. I thought she wouldn’t budge, but she actually agreed.”

Jiang Ci gave a bitter smile and said faintlysaid, “She demanded so much from the start just to make us beg. So, it’s not that she budged; it’s that we groveled enough. This Madam Fu is really tough to deal with.”

The legal advisor finally understood. “So that’s how it was.”

No matter what, they had convinced Fu Ruanyi, and Jiang Ci could go to the hospital to report to Grandma.

At the hospital, Jiang Ci arrived at Grandma’s room and explained the details of the deal with Shengding Group, but only the work-related parts, leaving out the paternity test conversation.

Qian Ying listened, her stern expression softening a bit. “Good. Keep following up on this project’s work, but for anything involving Shengding, just report to me. I don’t want to see anyone from the Fu family.”

Jiang Ci nodded. “I understand.”

She picked up her files and left the room. As she closed the door and looked up, she saw Gu Feiran walking toward her.

At work, Gu Feiran tied her hair into a low ponytail, revealing her cute, pale ears. The light blue mask covered most of her cheeks, but her clear, bright, affectionate eyes and dark pupils stood out, full of tenderness.

Gu Feiran tucked away her medical chart, stopped in front of Jiang Ci, and gently asked, “Does the wound still hurt?”

“Hmm?” Jiang Ci let out a surprised sound, asking in disbelief, “Is Dr. Gu concerned about me?”

This woman had been so dismissive of her just yesterday.

Gu Feiran took off her mask and explained, “You’re my patient, aren’t you? Can’t I check on you?”

Jiang Ci nodded, saying, “Right, since you’re the one who bandaged my wound.”

Gu Feiran asked, “So, does it still hurt?”

Jiang Ci raised her hand to touch the wound. She’d been so focused earlier that she hadn’t noticed the pain, but now that Gu Feiran mentioned it, she started to feel it.

She lowered her hand and said, “It hurts. But it’d be weird if it didn’t, since it’s only been a few days.”

Gu Feiran stepped forward, tucked her medical chart under her arm, and patted Jiang Ci’s shoulder, signaling her to crouch a bit. Then, she held Jiang Ci’s head with both hands to check the wound.

To make it easier for her, Jiang Ci bent down and crouched, tilting her head for Gu Feiran to examine.

The position wasn’t comfortable for long, and Jiang Ci shifted a couple of times to ease the ache. She started to stand, but Gu Feiran immediately pressed her shoulder back down.

As Gu Feiran held her shoulders, Jiang Ci suddenly thought about how she’d groveled to Fu Ruanyi at noon and now was groveling to Gu Feiran. One was mental, the other physical; one was malicious, the other kind.

But compared to Fu Ruanyi, Dr. Gu was better. At least she cared about her.