Chapter 153: A Beauty’s Stratagem (Part Two)!

Tang Chong left, and the heavy door of the private dining room closed once again.

Su Shan stood up from the sofa, smoothed out the creases on her clothes, walked over to the window, and said, "I thought you would shoot him."

"He is different." A man's voice came from outside the window. It was aged, hoarse, and somewhat indistinct, sounding as if he had a mouthful of sand while speaking.

"He is different?" Su Shan chuckled softly. "How is he different? They are all men."

"Every man is different from another man," said the person outside the window. Even though it was already night, for a man to hide on a tree branch two stories high without being discovered indeed required extraordinary ability.

Most importantly, he had no intention of climbing through the window into the room.

"Is it that a man understands his own kind better, or that a woman understands men better?" Su Shan said in puzzlement. "I thought I understood him quite well, but it seems that is not enough."

"No one can completely understand another person. Even one's self cannot be fully understood."

Su Shan laughed and said, "You are sounding more and more like a philosopher."

"A thousand-year-old tortoise and a ten-thousand-year-old turtle—who else could it be since I am Old Turtle?"

"Indeed. That is why you are my teacher," Su Shan said. "Outsiders all think I am naturally clever, but without your guidance, I would surely have stumbled many times as well."

"That is simply because Miss is clever. This burden is somewhat too heavy for you. However, if Miss is willing to carry it, then I do not begrudge lending you this tortoise shell of mine—"

Su Shan's expression turned gloomy.

Quickly shifting the topic, she asked, "How would you rate him?"

"Miss, you have already rated him," the person outside the window said. "He is much smarter than you imagined."

"Yes," Su Shan nodded. "Nourishing a tiger to invite disaster?"

"Why not assisting a dragon to soar into the nine heavens?"

Su Shan was greatly startled and said, "Soaring? Is he a dragon?"

"Miss, why can he not be a dragon?" the person outside the window asked in an incomparably solemn tone.

Su Shan fell silent once again.

"In any case, you need him."

"Yes. I still need him," Su Shan sighed.

"Someone is coming."

As soon as the person outside the window finished speaking, he vanished completely, without even a single leaf rustling.

It was only then that the door of the private room, dozens of meters away, was gently knocked upon.

"Come in," Su Shan stood by the window and called out, turning around.

Lu Junzhuo pushed the door open and asked, "How did it go?"

"His performance was reasonably calm," Su Shan said.

"Can the others come in now?"

---

"Yes. Please ask them to come in," Su Shan nodded.

Miller, Pang Ai, and the other Red Eagle members walked in one by one. Some were as round as a ball of meat, some as thin as a field mouse, some wore thick-lensed glasses as if they might crash into a wall at any moment, and others were dressed in gaudy attire, continually casting flirtatious glances at the cold-faced monarch Lu Junzhuo—

Most of them were unremarkable; if they walked among a crowd, they would blend right in.

Yet, singled out individually, every one of them was a prominent and influential figure.

When everyone had arrived and the door was closed by the last young woman to enter, Su Shan bowed slightly to the group and said, "Thank you all for accompanying me in playing this scene."

"President, what are you talking about? Why can't I understand a single word of it?" a plump rice-weevil-like person asked with a blank expression.

"It's normal for you not to understand. Even I don't understand—and that is quite abnormal," Pang Ai said with a chuckle.

"President, where did you buy the dress you're wearing? It's truly lovely. I want to buy one too, but I'm afraid of wearing the same outfit as you—"

-------

Everyone looked away and spoke of unrelated matters, as if they completely failed to understand Su Shan's words.

Su Shan had already made her stance clear, and they had done the same.

Some things did not need to be stated too explicitly. Doing so would only plant thorns in everyone's hearts and grit in their hands.

"President, I think we should discuss Mr. Tang Chong's membership procedure once again," Miller said with a serious expression. "Previously, our understanding of him was insufficient, so some people opposed his joining—now I think we should review it."

This was originally something Su Shan should have brought up, but her previous proposal for a public vote had failed, and bringing it up again might have been somewhat unfavorable.

Just as she was feeling sleepy, someone handed her a pillow. The rice weevil was quick-witted and took the initiative to play this role, resolving Su Shan's awkwardness.

"Mhm," Su Shan nodded, scanned the entire room, and said, "Does anyone have any objections to a second public vote?"

"No objections," someone chimed in with a smile.

"Previously I thought he was too young, but now I think age isn't really an issue—he's not even twenty yet, right?"

"Brilliant in both literary and martial arts, with exceptional talent; I think such a person should be our vice president—this is my personal nomination, and I hope everyone will support it."

-------

Without any suspense, the second public vote unanimously passed the proposal for Tang Chong to join the Red Eagle organization.

Furthermore, upon the active nomination of multiple members, Tang Chong was appointed to the position of Vice President of the Red Eagle.

As long as he nodded, he could immediately fulfill his duties and enjoy the rights of the vice president.

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The Brocade Pavilion was a three-story clubhouse covering an area of several thousand square meters. Of course, this referred only to the main building; behind the main building, there was also a very large courtyard. These courtyards each had their own names and functions, and since it was Tang Chong's first time here, he had not yet been able to peek into the exciting activities hidden within.

When Tang Chong walked into the café on the second floor, Jiang Keqing was sitting by the window, gazing at the ten-thousand-mu river view, holding a coffee cup with a dazed expression, deep in thought.

At this moment, she was exceptionally quiet, possessing the "ladylike temperament" that she often talked about but had never displayed before.

Her cheeks were charming, her long hair slightly curled, her eyes like jade and colored glaze, and her lips a cherry-like bud. Even while spacing out, her lips pouted slightly, revealing the unrestrained and indomitable side of her personality.

This was a woman of infinite charm and allure.

---

Anyone who saw her would find it impossible to connect her with the image of someone who had slapped others across the face one after another just moments before.

Tang Chong walked over, sat down opposite her, and asked with a smile, "Did you just sell me off like that?"

Only then did Jiang Keqing realize Tang Chong had arrived. She withdrew her gaze, rummaged through her handbag on the seat, pulled out a small mirror to check her face, and deciding everything was in order, she confidently cast a flirtatious glance at Tang Chong and said, "To be sold, one must first have the qualification to be sold. Some people want to be sold and yet can't even find a buyer. How was it? Did you finish talking? Isn't she quite wonderful?"

"Isn't she a bit too shrewd?" Tang Chong held a negative view.

"Too shrewd?" Jiang Keqing twitched the corner of her mouth. "In her position, if she weren't shrewd, she would have been swallowed up bones and all long ago. Besides, which woman in this circle isn't shrewd? Do you think the few women in that room who kept glancing amorously at the Lu family boy are fools? They have their own shrewdness, they just didn't have the opportunity to show it today."

"You think that highly of her?" Tang Chong asked in puzzlement. "I studied psychology. I thought someone with your personality wouldn't like that kind of woman."

"I don't like her, of course. Why should I like her?" Jiang Keqing said as if it were only natural. "She's so pretty, so smart, and even knows how to act like a lady—I hate women who are prettier than me the most. Why should I like her?"

Seeing Tang Chong's stunned expression, Jiang Keqing giggled and said, "What's so strange about that? Which woman likes another woman who is prettier than herself? Look at television, look at movies, look at the streets and alleys—pretty girls are always accompanied by one or a group of less attractive girls. Red flowers need green leaves to set them off. A woman as awesome as me, why would I ever want to be someone else's green leaf?"

"I think if the two of you stood together, you'd be the red flower and she'd be the green leaf," Tang Chong offered a tiny bit of flattery.

Jiang Keqing slammed her palm down on the table, startling Tang Chong so much that he jerked backward in his seat.

Jiang Keqing let out a sweet yet fierce shout, saying, "Say that again if you dare."

"-------"

Seeing Tang Chong's awkward plight, Jiang Keqing giggled heartily, completely unaware of the snow-white mounds on her chest bouncing up and down.

"Our family's child doesn't have many major virtues; the only one worth mentioning is honesty—however, Su Shan is still pretty good. It's not just me who thinks highly of her; all those old men and old women think highly of her too. Her market value is exceptionally high, and many elders dearly hope she can become their daughter-in-law. Therefore, if you have any interest, you'd better seize the chance."

"You're thinking too far ahead," Tang Chong said. He didn't want to dwell on this topic and asked instead, "You knew what was going to happen today from the very beginning, didn't you?"

"I didn't know," Jiang Keqing shook her head. "Su Shan's third brother invited me to the Brocade Pavilion to talk business yesterday, and I agreed—she orchestrated such a grand drama based solely on that single piece of information. Isn't a woman like that formidable enough?"

Jiang Keqing looked at Tang Chong solemnly and said, "Tang Chong, I am an irresponsible aunt, and I don't know if you're willing to acknowledge me as your aunt—but I still want to remind you of one thing. Never, ever look at people through colored glasses. Never mind whether you like her or hate her; you only need to think about it seriously—isn't she formidable?"

"She is indeed formidable," Tang Chong nodded.

"That's good," Jiang Keqing breathed a sigh of relief. "In that case, her role as the head housekeeper is still qualified."

"Head housekeeper?" Tang Chong was puzzled.

"Didn't she invite you to join the Red Eagle and serve as its vice president?" Jiang Keqing asked.

"Yes," Tang Chong nodded.

"Aren't you planning to hand over the management of the Brocade Pavilion to her?" Jiang Keqing asked again.

"Yes," Tang Chong nodded once more. He had just made that decision moments ago, having merely dropped a hint to Su Shan—how did Jiang Keqing already know?

Jiang Keqing smiled seductively and said, "Then what else is she if not the head housekeeper?"

"However, she is the president, and I am only the vice president—" Tang Chong said.

"Does that matter?" Jiang Keqing giggled. "Tang Chong, remember this: whether a woman is a queen or a goddess, in the end, she is still just a woman—and being a woman, she will eventually end up pinned beneath a man."

There was one question Tang Chong almost blurted out: What about you?