"Miss Su, I'm Zhang Shanshan, Secretary to Yan Xin of Dingsheng Group. Would you be interested in joining me for afternoon tea?"
Zhang Shanshan didn't care at all about Su Sinian's arrogance. She asked with a faint smile.
"Secretary? Is Dingsheng Group overrun with secretaries these days? What do you want with me?"
Su Sinian's words carried a hint of sarcasm. She looked down at her freshly done nails and asked calmly.
Zhang Shanshan wasn't annoyed. She cleared her throat and smiled lightly. "Of course, it's about Su Banxia. I wonder if you're interested."
Su Sinian's movements froze instantly. "What do you mean?"
"Miss Su should know best what I mean. Would you like to join me for afternoon tea? Of course, you can refuse, but if you do, you'll miss out on some valuable information. Miss Su is a smart woman—you know what I'm getting at, don't you?"
Although Zhang Shanshan didn't know the exact conflict between them, she could tell from Dingsheng's rejection of the Su family's cooperation and the subsequent cancellation midway that Su Banxia had played an undeniable role in it.
And that "role" might just be the spark between these two.
She could see that when Su Banxia mentioned Su Sinian earlier, there was anger and unease in her eyes.
She knew Su Banxia feared Su Sinian, and she wanted to know where that fear came from.
"Hah, although our Su family can't compare to Dingsheng, we're still a prestigious clan. A mere secretary like you trying to threaten me? How ridiculous!"
Su Sinian wasn't stupid. How could she know if the other party was bluffing?
"Miss Su can certainly choose not to trust me, but I'll be waiting for you at the New Island Coffee in Times Square this afternoon."
With that, Zhang Shanshan hung up without waiting for a reply. She knew Su Sinian's temperament—the typical pride of a young lady.
As long as she harbored hatred for Su Banxia, she would definitely come.
Zhang Shanshan had calculated this, which made her even more confident.
In the afternoon, Zhang Shanshan arrived at the agreed spot right on time. Scanning the room, she spotted her figure in the innermost seat by the window.
A faint, pleasing smile curved at the corner of Zhang Shanshan's lips. She walked over calmly and sat down across from her.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Zhang Shanshan wore a standard smile and handed the menu to her. "To make up for your trouble, let me buy you a coffee."
"Do you know me?"
Su Sinian glanced at the menu in her hand but didn't take it.
"Everyone who comes here for afternoon tea comes in groups. It's easy to spot who Miss Su is."
Zhang Shanshan pushed the menu toward her, her smile light.
Su Sinian snorted coldly. "You're clever enough, but I wonder if you're worth cooperating with."
"That depends on the chemistry between Miss Su and me."
Zhang Shanshan smiled faintly.
"Black coffee, no sugar."
Su Sinian closed the menu with a faint smile.
"And a cappuccino, please."
Zhang Shanshan nodded politely at the waiter.
As the waiter left, Su Sinian finally looked at Zhang Shanshan and said coldly, "Spit it out. What do you know?"
"You hate Su Banxia a lot, don't you, Miss Su?"
Zhang Shanshan wasn't in a hurry; she chatted casually.
"What does that have to do with you?"
"If you didn't hate her, you wouldn't have rushed to meet me."
Zhang Shanshan watched her face darken and smiled lightly. "Don't be impatient. I just want to tell you that my hatred for her is no less than yours."
"Oh?"
Su Sinian looked at her with interest.
As they spoke, their coffees arrived. Zhang Shanshan gestured for her to drink first, cleared her throat, and then slowly said, "Su Banxia is President Pei's personal secretary. She usually relies on his favor and never takes anyone else in the company seriously."
"President Pei's favor?"
Su Sinian keenly caught that keyword, and her face turned extremely sour.
"Rumors around the office say that Secretary Su and President Pei have a close relationship—maybe they're dating."
Zhang Shanshan sensed her emotional shift and couldn't help but smile.
Su Sinian snorted coldly. "That's absolutely impossible! Su Banxia is a bitch—how could she win President Pei's favor!"
"It's not just President Pei. Even my boss, President Yan, has been protecting her all along."
Zhang Shanshan spoke with a troubled tone.
"President Yan, Yan Xin?"
Su Sinian had interacted with Yan Xin and knew he was a gentle, refined man. If not for his status being inferior to Pei Shaoze, she might have fallen for that type.
Zhang Shanshan nodded, looking a bit melancholy. "Yan Xin also defends Su Banxia at every turn in the company. Whenever she makes a mistake, he cleans up after her."
"I never realized that bitch had such charm, juggling two bosses at once."
Su Sinian sneered.
"In the company, the two have clashed over Su Banxia more than once. I heard that the Su family's funding being cut by President Pei might be related to this."
Zhang Shanshan spoke at just the right moment.
Su Sinian was startled. "What do you mean?"
Had Pei Shaoze cut the funding simply because her mother was impatient and went to the Pei family to see Old Master Pei?
"It seems that because President Yan was so invested in the Su family's affairs, President Pei thought he was trying to win Secretary Su's favor, so he pulled the plug. After all, this project was heavily pushed by Secretary Su."
"Outrageous!"
As soon as Zhang Shanshan finished, Su Sinian became agitated. So there was this layer to it.
Having said her piece, Zhang Shanshan sat quietly sipping her coffee, enjoying Su Sinian's flustered reaction.
"You like Yan Xin, don't you?"
Su Sinian's gaze was sharp as she stared at Zhang Shanshan for a long time.
If not, why would she harbor such hatred for Su Banxia?
"I won't deny that. So, can we reach an agreement now?"
Zhang Shanshan smiled faintly.
"That depends on what valuable information you provide."
Su Sinian sneered.
Zhang Shanshan gently stirred her coffee. "Miss Su probably doesn't know about Su Banxia's two children, does she?"
"Children?"
That sensitive topic tugged at Su Sinian's heartstrings again.
She had suspected those two children all along!
"They're Su Banxia's son and daughter. As for the father, Miss Su is smart enough to guess. The children's faces make it obvious."
"Aren't they Fang Shiqing's children?"
Su Sinian asked calmly.
"Fang Shiqing?"
Zhang Shanshan sneered. "Don't be ridiculous. Manager Fang doesn't even have a boyfriend yet. Those kids are at most her godson and goddaughter."