Transmigrating Before The Crazy Beauty Scum A Loses Control - Chapter 76

After returning to the Jing City, Luan Yenan and Zuo Baixuan immediately plunged into a whirlwind of activity, leaving Zuo Baixuan with no time to ponder what their dynamic would be like when they were alone at home.

The atmosphere at home naturally reverted to how it was initially, with a slight difference.

Luan Yenan comfortably occupied the master bedroom, while Zuo Baixuan slept in the secondary bedroom, each minding their own business, resembling the relationship of roommates. Only during meals could one detect a more amicable atmosphere between them, but it was merely friendly.

They were simply too busy.

Luan Yenan was so occupied that after returning, she only had time to take Zuo Baixuan to the Luan family villa for lunch, meet their mothers, and catch up on recent events.

Luan Muyin specifically reminded Luan Yenan, “Recently, your grandfather has been taking Yecha around to network, and the company is also divided into two factions. I can still control a few departments. The cooperation between ‘Front End’ and ‘Yituan’ won’t be a problem, but other areas are hard to say.”

Luan Yenan listened quietly.

She thought about the decline of “Front End” in the outline, which might be related to internal discord.

“I know. Professor Smith’s project team has also made breakthroughs in ‘Smart Life.’ Initially, we wanted to cooperate for mutual benefit. But after Yecha went abroad, he must have reached some kind of cooperation consensus with the professor. Professor Smith emailed me about the general situation.” Luan Yenan replied.

Seeing that Luan Yenan was already aware and seemed at ease, Luan Muyin didn’t say more.

Instead, Luan Yenan took Luan Muyin to the study, asking for her help with something.

Meanwhile, Luan Xing held Zuo Baixuan’s hand and advised, “You’ve both been too busy lately. Make sure to eat three meals a day on time, don’t skip them. Look at how much weight you’ve both lost recently.”

“Got it, Mom. We’ll eat properly.” Zuo Baixuan replied. After hearing Luan Yenan’s story about the little girl, she now looked at Luan Xing with an indescribable feeling.

…

After leaving the Luan family villa, Luan Yenan drove straight to the company.

Luo Yun had already been wandering around the office for a while. Seeing Luan Yenan and Zuo Baixuan arrive late, she leaned against the reception desk, watching them.

“You invited me here and then left me hanging. How interesting.”

“Didn’t they take you to the lounge to wait?” Luan Yenan asked.

“Your receptionist is quite pretty, so I chatted with her for a bit.” Luo Yun, ever the joker, never approached things with a serious mindset. But her eyes sparkled with gossip as she scrutinized the couple.

Luan Yenan turned to Zuo Baixuan and said, “I need to discuss the IPO with Luo Yun. Do you want to sit in on this, or go to another office where they’re handling the ‘Smart Life’ project bidding?”

Zuo Baixuan’s eyes flickered. She glanced at Luo Yun, then quickly replied to Luan Yenan, “I’ll go participate in the bidding.”

“Alright.” Luan Yenan watched Zuo Baixuan’s retreating figure.

Luo Yun raised an eyebrow, “What’s up with your wife? She wasn’t this dismissive of me the first time we met. Why the cold shoulder now?”

“It might not be about you.”

“If it’s not about me, then what? Isn’t the IPO more interesting than the bidding?” Luo Yun retorted.

“The IPO process is already done. We’re just waiting for the bell. You just need to notify everyone about it. The reason I asked you here today is to discuss the follow-up IoT matters.”

“You should’ve said so earlier. Wan Jun isn’t even here.” Luo Yun knew her role well.

“We’re not discussing details. I just want you to help me connect with some people. I’ve made a lot of connections abroad and in Jiangcheng. These events are quite efficient for quickly identifying the right people.” Luan Yenan led Luo Yun into her office.

“So, you’re looking for people to throw money at you, huh?” Luo Yun glanced around the office, then plopped onto the sofa, pulling out a cigarette. She looked around, found no ashtray or lighter, and reluctantly put it away.

Luan Yenan handed her a cup of tea.

“Exactly. Those who are willing will bite.”

“Alright, alright. No wonder you could hook Si Ruxin with a straight hook. It’s all about your charm.” Luo Yun took a sip of the tea, found it bland, and set it down.

Luan Yenan didn’t respond, sitting at her desk, putting on her glasses, and starting to work on some documents.

Luo Yun stayed silent for a few seconds, dissatisfied, then marveled at Luan Yenan’s bespectacled look.

After a few minutes, realizing Luan Yenan really wasn’t going to engage, Luo Yun spoke up again, “Alright, alright. Since you don’t want to talk about that, there are quite a few rich kids from out of town here recently. They say they’re here for the new theme park opening, but they’re really waiting for you to come back. How about I organize an amateur car race?”

She sent Luan Yenan a link to the amateur car race notice.

“Sure.” Luan Yenan glanced at her phone and agreed, “You can also invite Si Ruxin.”

“Are you serious?” Luo Yun stood up, looking toward the door, which was closed, and the employees outside were all busy with their heads down.

“Reciprocity.” Luan Yenan replied.

Luo Yun finally seized the opportunity, trotting over to Luan Yenan’s desk and tapping on it, “Tsk, tsk. What a way to reciprocate. People are already gossiping about you two sneaking around. Don’t tell me you haven’t seen the photos from the Jiangcheng banquet circulating in the circles!”

“Huh?” Luan Yenan looked up at the sound of the tapping, showing confusion.

“You really don’t know!” Luo Yun squinted, finding the amusement she was looking for, and happily pulled out her phone to show the evidence to the source.

Luan Yenan frowned.

If Zuo Baixuan hadn’t appeared at the banquet, it would make sense for people to grab onto certain images and spread strange rumors.

But Zuo Baixuan was there. What was there to gossip about?

Yet Luo Yun’s phone was right in front of her.

It wasn’t some forum or Weibo post.

It was entirely from several groups in the Jing City, Jiangcheng, and a nationwide group of idle rich kids.

The kind of circles Luo Yun mingled in.

She was one of the more prominent among the rich kids, and with the fame and fortune she’d gained following Luan Yenan recently, she had even more followers.

When Luan Yenan first crossed over, she had cleaned out these various groups, even deleting most of her old so-called friends. Now, those who wanted to get on Luan Yenan’s boat found it easiest to follow Luo Yun.

Just like when “Blockcoin” first appeared, everyone was rushing toward “Huanyu.” But with no way to contact Huanyu directly, Luan Yenan became their best bridge.

The high-definition photos in these groups were clearly leaked from the banquet venue.

Whether it was the photos of Si Ruxin and Luan Yenan, Zuo Baixuan’s appearance, or the scene of the three beauties together, there were all sorts of speculations in the groups.

Most were envious that Luan Yenan, who had maintained her Alpha demeanor for so long, had finally shown her true colors. With just one move, she had hooked a high-quality Omega.

Some even thought Zuo Baixuan’s appearance wasn’t to stir up drama but to prove that Luan Yenan kept her flag planted at home while flying others outside.

These people had already mythologized Luan Yenan in another direction.

Essentially, they were crafting the image of a top-tier Alpha to satisfy their own fantasies.

Luan Yenan looked at the photos for a while, then put the phone down.

Luo Yun watched Luan Yenan’s reaction with interest, “What do you think?”

Luan Yenan had gone from being a laughingstock Alpha to a model of an irresistibly charming top-tier Alpha in just a few months.

Luo Yun happened to be a witness.

Just like when Luan Yenan appeared before her at her lowest point, Luo Yun found it amusing.

Now that Luan Yenan was almost at the peak of her life, Luo Yun still found it amusing.

This was the essence of a joker seeking amusement.

But Luan Yenan’s words ruined her fun, “Send me that photo of my wife. She looks good.”

“…”

Luo Yun facepalmed.

She should have known. Rumors were just rumors.

But she still didn’t understand Luan Yenan’s attitude, “If you’re unhappy about this, why not clarify it? For example, don’t invite Si Ruxin to the car race and bring your wife instead.”

“Barring any surprises, the day of your car race will be the day of the bidding meeting. The partnering companies will need to interface with our project team. Zuo Baixuan will be in charge then, so she won’t be able to make it.” Luan Yenan said.

Luo Yun was almost frantic, “What’s so interesting about a bidding meeting? Shouldn’t that be left to the employees?”

Luan Yenan remained silent, continuing to work on her documents.

Luo Yun, frustrated, took a cigarette out of the pack, bit it, then put it back, exhaling in dissatisfaction but saying nothing more.

She always clearly remembered one fact: all her businesses were handled by Zhang Wanjun, while Luan Yenan and Zuo Baixuan relied on their own abilities, not professional managers.

…

The IPO went smoothly.

The final approval was completed after the New Year.

All the materials and processes were in order, and with the cooperation with the authorities ensuring smooth sailing, even if Luan Lizheng wanted to meddle, he had no opportunity. He only feigned concern during the New Year’s Eve dinner.

After the successful bell ringing, the stock price hit the limit up several times.

The reputation of the Luan-Zuo couple grew even louder in the Jing City and among potential partner companies nationwide.

The “Smart Life” bidding project attracted even more interested companies. But these companies had too little preparation time and posed no threat to the established giants.

On the day of the bidding meeting, Luan Yenan personally presided.

“A company has withdrawn last minute, so we need to adjust the seating in the meeting room. Do you want to sit next to me, or with the company representatives?” Luan Yenan glanced at her phone and casually asked before heading out.

Zuo Baixuan, following behind Luan Yenan, shook her head lightly, “I’ll go to the next office and watch the live broadcast with the other project members.”

Luan Yenan turned to look at Zuo Baixuan, who had made the decision, and said nothing.

Zuo Baixuan looked up at her, “What’s wrong?”

Luan Yenan turned around, “Nothing, just a bit surprised. You’ve put in so much effort but aren’t directly participating.”

“It’s not just me. Every team member has put in a lot of effort. You’ll be with the company representatives, and I’ll be with them. Isn’t that fair?” Zuo Baixuan tried to keep her smile steady.

Luan Yenan pressed the elevator button and nodded, “You’re fair. It just sounds like I’m some unscrupulous boss stealing the fruits of my employees’ labor.”

“You are. Lately, you and I have been making everyone work overtime every day. You could say there’s been a lot of grumbling.” Zuo Baixuan’s tone carried a hint of long-absent petulance.

Luan Yenan smirked slightly, “How come I haven’t heard any of it? They only told you?”

“Right. If it weren’t for the generous overtime pay you offered, they would have quit long ago.” Zuo Baixuan replied.

Luan Yenan’s smile didn’t fade, but she didn’t continue the conversation.

Zuo Baixuan, however, stole a glance at her.

Strangely, these past few days had been so busy and fulfilling. The two of them went to work and came home together, ate and lived together, but had little time to communicate, leaving her feeling somewhat empty.

Now, Luan Yenan’s few words had eased the tension brought by the bidding meeting.

Unconsciously, she had developed a dependence on Luan Yenan—a dependence on a technically skilled senior, a mature older sister, a partner and comrade.

And a dependence on Luan Yenan herself.

Unrelated to any marking.

“What’s wrong? Is your gland uncomfortable?” Luan Yenan asked as the elevator doors opened.

Zuo Baixuan, seeing her reflection in the elevator mirror with her hand on the back of her neck, quickly shook her head in embarrassment, “No, I checked the suppressant patch before work. It’s fine.”

Luan Yenan confirmed that she hadn’t unconsciously affected Zuo Baixuan with her pheromones but still quickened her pace, getting into the car first and spraying some barrier agent inside.

Zuo Baixuan thought Luan Yenan was just being cautious and didn’t pay it much mind.

Arriving at the company, the bidding meeting soon began.

All the company representatives arrived.

When Ji Liangquan, representing the Qin family and specifically in charge of the “Smart Life” project for Qin Yuancheng, appeared, everyone was shocked.

This Alpha, who had always been hidden behind Qin Yuancheng, had stepped into the public eye.

Ji Liangquan and his team ignored the astonished looks around them, simply nodding at Luan Yenan.

Luan Yenan sat in her designated seat, holding a notebook and the quotes provided by the companies, quickly noting the pros and cons of each.

Each company representative would introduce their most unique conditions based on the documents they had submitted to Luan Yenan, omitting confidential parts.

When it was the Qin family’s turn to speak, Luan Yenan, who had been looking at the documents in her hand, stopped writing and didn’t move again.

Everyone else was stunned by each point the Qin family made.

They completely overshadowed every condition offered by the other companies. The precision and appropriateness of their proposal seemed as if they had compared every other company’s documents.

The representatives of the other companies all looked at Luan Yenan at the same time.

They had to admit.

The Qin family had a solid foundation, offering top-tier products whether it was phones, computers, or various home appliances.

But which company didn’t come to the bidding with 100% sincerity?

They all brought their latest and strongest machines, the newest production lines, and factories to cooperate.

Some even considered offering the highest profit margins to ensure cooperation, aiming to make a big splash and pave the way for future success.

Yet all this careful consideration was easily crushed by the Qin family’s proposal.

Thinking about the relationship between Luan Yenan and the Qin family, the expressions on their faces couldn’t hide their discomfort, as if they had swallowed a fly.

Honestly, if Luan Yenan had announced from the start that she would cooperate with the Qin family, no one would have objected.

Just like how “Yituan’s” first deal was directly with “Front End.” everyone thought it was natural.

But now, after announcing an open bidding process to find a partner, only to give the Qin family an advantage and crush the others so thoroughly, wasn’t this using the efforts of other companies as a stepping stone?

It was truly unethical!

Each company swallowed their curses, not daring to voice their anger.

Not only could they not afford to offend the Luan and Qin families, but if they wanted to continue cooperating with Luan Yenan in the future, they had to endure this now.

Luan Yenan narrowed her eyes at Ji Liangquan.

The other company representatives had already been shown out, leaving only the two sides in the room.

“Mr. Ji, you’re quite impressive. You’ve managed to suppress everyone so thoroughly, not giving us any advantage, yet not letting go of the winning opportunity.” Luan Yenan commented, her eyes dark and ominous.

Anyone else sitting here would have felt a chill.

Her demeanor clearly showed dissatisfaction with the Qin family’s actions.

They had thoroughly suppressed everyone, offering only slightly better terms. Even the amount on their proposal was just a few hundred thousand above the highest bid from the other companies, blatantly telling Luan Yenan that the initial plans of the other companies had been leaked.

They were also hinting to the other companies that there was no need to compete with the Qin family; they were just there to make up the numbers.

Ji Liangquan, meeting Luan Yenan’s gaze, felt a flicker of panic. He took a few deep breaths to steady himself.

This young woman, though not old, had a formidable presence.

He adjusted his suit, shifting to a more comfortable position in his seat, and smiled, “Ms. Luan, there’s no need to doubt our sincerity. These proposals were carefully calculated by our project team. We’ve known these companies for a long time and understand their bottom lines. We’ve gone all out to present this proposal.”

Luan Yenan tossed all the proposals onto the table and laughed, “It seems you’re well aware of the other companies’ quotes.”

Ji Liangquan also smiled, “Ms. Luan, you needn’t worry about losing out. We can protect each other’s interests in the future and restrain our own actions. This can be written into the contract we sign later.”

Hearing this, Luan Yenan understood why Qin Yuancheng had sent Ji Liangquan.

He was fully prepared to deal with her in a business-like manner.

Cooperating with Luan Yenan was a bet on her future, but he was also worried that her talent and personality might harm the company’s interests, so he wanted to restrict her unconventional behavior.

“Don’t worry, I’ll have someone prepare the contract carefully.” Luan Yenan averted her gaze.

“Good. Then I’ll let bygones be bygones regarding your additional investigation into us. Let’s not have this happen again.” Ji Liangquan smiled, though his smile was like a hidden blade.

Luan Yenan took off her glasses, glanced at Ji Liangquan, and stood up to leave, “I have other matters to attend to this afternoon. The follow-up will be handled by other project team members.”

Ji Liangquan also stood up. Before Luan Yenan left the meeting room, he added, “Ms. Luan, you’re still young. As an elder, or someone who’s been through it, I’d like to remind you that being too serious or too eager to uncover the truth can bring trouble.”

Luan Yenan paused. This sounded like a threat, as if she would be taught a lesson if she didn’t comply.

She wondered if this was Ji Liangquan’s personal decision or if Qin Yuancheng had instructed him to convey the message.

“This is a friendly reminder.” Ji Liangquan added in a sarcastic tone.

Luan Yenan didn’t look back and left the company.

Ji Liangquan didn’t handle the tasks himself, leaving it to the employees instead.

Zuo Baixuan, on the other hand, was busy for most of the afternoon. After finishing her work, she sat at her desk, lost in thought.

Her pen hovered over the plans in her notebook, pausing at a certain point, the ink smudging as she pressed down. Although she had completed a task, her emotions were complex.

Facing the nearing end of the plan, like a procrastinator approaching a deadline, even the pen tip seemed to resist.

Tap, tap, tap!

The sound of rapid footsteps disrupted Zuo Baixuan’s thoughts.

She looked up to see Jiang Lingdan, sweating profusely, standing in front of her.

Zuo Baixuan was somewhat surprised. She moved the files from Jiang Lingdan’s desk to make space for her to sit down. “Didn’t Senior Chen say she liked Jiangcheng and planned to come back after the winter break?”

“How could I not come back! I’ve discovered a big secret!” Jiang Lingdan’s face was flushed, as if she was hiding a big secret.

“What secret?” Zuo Baixuan indulged her curiosity and asked.

Jiang Lingdan leaned closer to Zuo Baixuan, suppressing her excitement and whispered, “Do you know? Senior Chen is actually Huanyu!!!”

Zuo Baixuan let out an “Ah” then remembered.

Due to various events, she had forgotten to ask Luan Yenan if it was okay to tell Jiang Lingdan about this.

Jiang Lingdan noticed the change in Zuo Baixuan’s expression and clicked her tongue. “Okay, I get it, you already knew.”

Zuo Baixuan smiled apologetically but didn’t know how to apologize.

Jiang Lingdan, however, didn’t mind. “Forget it, that’s not the point. The point is, when I found out, Senior Chen also asked me a question: Do you think investigating someone counts as liking them, or not investigating someone counts as liking them?”

As if remembering something, Jiang Lingdan paused for a moment, biting her lip nervously, and took a couple of seconds to suppress a smile before continuing, “Anyway… Luan Yenan is investigating you, but I couldn’t find out what exactly.”

Hearing that she was being investigated, Zuo Baixuan was stunned, but then she thought it made sense.

But did Luan Yenan start investigating her before or after leaving Jiangcheng?

She lowered her eyes, blinking lightly. The emptiness she had felt during this busy period seemed to have found its cause.

Jiang Lingdan noticed Zuo Baixuan’s state. “Little Zuo, are you okay? Are you crying? You don’t have to be too disappointed… You two… After all, you were…”

Jiang Lingdan wanted to say “cooperative relationship” but the words stuck in her throat.

Given their current mode of interaction, who could describe it with those four words?

She glanced at Zuo Baixuan’s notebook, where two words at the bottom caught her eye, making her chest tighten. What exactly was going on between these two? Had she made a mistake by rushing back in such a hurry?

She had thought that Zuo Baixuan had at least opened her heart to Luan Yenan, but was that just an illusion?

“Lingdan, I’m not crying. I’m actually curious about what she found out by investigating me.” Zuo Baixuan’s smile was faint, but she managed to smile.

“I… didn’t find out either. Ah, I came back for my own reasons. I shouldn’t have rushed back on my own. I should have dragged Senior Chen back with me.” Jiang Lingdan said, her face showing an uncontrollable shyness.

Zuo Baixuan saw it, there was definitely a story here, but she didn’t have the energy to probe further.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

Her phone vibrated.

The screen on the table lit up, showing Luo Yun’s name.

Zuo Baixuan’s eyes flickered. Luan Yenan should be with Luo Yun right now, at the racetrack.

She answered the phone.

The voice on the other end was urgent, not waiting for Zuo Baixuan to respond before speaking, “Zuo Baixuan? Luan Yenan is in the hospital. Can you hear me? Luan Yenan is in the hospital now!”