This wasn't some deep-seated grudge, yet it felt like one of those situations where even if he turned to ashes, she would still recognize his annoying face. Jing Shu was completely helpless. How did she end up running into this ridiculous guy again?
The tall and skinny Jiang Changke squeezed out of the crowd, his lanky arms waving excitedly as he introduced her to his college classmates. He looked like a frantic street performer, shouting as if he were afraid they wouldn't recognize her through the dust of the mall.
"See that? Jing Shu came here on her own. Yes, that is really Jing Shu, I swear on it. She didn't need Lan Shao's invitation at all. A boss is a boss. So, Lan Shao, what else do you want to say now?"
Jiang Changke stared at the refined, suit-wearing Lan Shao while asking.
Lan Shao pushed up his glasses, the light reflecting off the lenses, and walked toward Jin Baba with a polite, deferential tone. "Ba-ge, are you alright? Do you need a doctor? I will take care of this for you, I promise I will give you a proper explanation."
Jin Baba turned his head away, lifting his chin with a forced, shaky arrogance. "I'm fine, no, no need to handle it." Damn it, it hurts so much.
His toes felt like they were dying inside his boots. He really wanted to rub them and swear at the top of his lungs, but he could not show even a hint of pain in front of this crowd. He had to find a quiet place soon and rub them properly until the throbbing stopped.
Lan Shao frowned again and looked at Jing Shu, his eyes scanning her expensive jacket. "You are Jing Shu, right? I don't know who you used to get in here, but hitting someone inside this trade conference isn't allowed. We have the authority to ask the organizers to kick you out. You need to apologize."
"Yeah, apologize! You even dared to bump into Ba-ge."
"You know who Ba-ge is? You are done."
"Not even the gods can save you today."
"Oh wow, so this is Jing Shu? She is dressed so well, maybe she really is some kind of golden phoenix. Too bad she pissed off the wrong people."
Xiao Liu, the finance clerk standing beside Jing Shu, frowned and reached for her phone, ready to call for the factory's security backup, but Jing Shu stopped her with a quick hand on her arm. She shook her head, telling her to stay calm.
There were also people in the crowd who did not speak, only clenching their fists and lowering their heads. Tang Yuan and Liu Xia stood behind Lan Shao like shadows. They did not dare speak up after the drama in the chat, but deep down, they were feeling smug. It would be best if Jing Shu got knocked down and humiliated today.
Jing Shu glanced around at the faces. This Lan Shao was really something. He practically dragged all their former college classmates here to work as servers in their cheap uniforms. The ones in plain clothes were probably extra slots he had somehow secured through his family connections.
So what? Just because they had numbers on their side, they thought they were right?
The manager in charge of the floor ran over too, the sound of his dress shoes clicking rapidly on the tile. The moment he realized it was Jin Baba, he rushed forward like a bootlicking puppy to ask what happened.
Jin Baba looked annoyed, his face pale from the lingering ache. Everyone needed to stop crowding him. They were delaying his chance to go rub his foot in peace.
"So, Jin Baba, you want me to apologize?" Jing Shu wasn't in a good mood either. Her playful expression disappeared as she frowned lightly and stepped forward one step at a time. Her presence seemed to expand, crushing the atmosphere of the area instantly. She would not disrespect Jin Tianci in a public forum, but behind the scenes? Jin Baba would suffer so much he would not even dare file a complaint with his father.
"Disperse, disperse! It ends here!" Jin Baba yelled in frustration, his voice cracking. He immediately limped away toward the bathroom, his movements stiff.
Since the main person involved wasn't pursuing the matter, the crowd hurried after him, leaving behind a circle of disappointed onlookers who did not get to watch a real fight.
Lan Shao looked confused, his hand hovering over his tie. He stared at Jing Shu. This woman dared call Jin Baba by his name and the boy wasn't even angry? How did that make any sense in the hierarchy of Wu City?
The manager let out a long breath of relief. "What is going on with that troublemaking brat today? He used to cause trouble every day. He was a total menace."
"If Ba-ge hadn't spared you, you would be dead today."
"Let's go."
"Guess you are lucky."
Jing Shu scoffed, the sound sharp in the quiet hall. Yeah, it was lucky Jin Baba ran away as fast as he could.
The scene dispersed quickly. Some people felt disappointed, some regretful that the drama ended so soon, but the announcement for the upcoming celebrity auction began to echo through the speakers, and everyone's attention shifted back to the stage.
"I will serve you, boss. Anything you need, just tell me. Boss, where are you sitting? Which seat is yours?" Jiang Changke trotted along behind her like a faithful dog.
Jing Shu ignored him, rubbing her temples to soothe a growing headache. She walked another round of the floor before finally spotting her designated seat.
Her seat was classified as a "connection seat," the best position reserved for important guests of the organizers. She wasn't even seated in the same section as Li Yuetian. She was positioned close to the display platform, so she would get a clearer look at the items being auctioned. After all, this wasn't the capital. They did not have 3D virtual screens here, and even the lighting was flickering and dim.
Most importantly, there weren't many people in this specific area. The hall was divided into four sections, each with its own screen, making the area relatively private. It was basically the equivalent of a front-row private box, with each box seating around thirty people.
Jing Shu had just sat down on the cold metal chair when the curtain at the entrance lifted. Jin Baba walked in, still rubbing his chest and then his backside. He was limping along with the big group of lackeys and classmates following behind him.
They both looked up at the same time and froze.
"You went to the wrong place?" Jing Shu asked.
"I didn't. My dad arranged this spot." Jin Baba answered on reflex, his voice defensive. He got annoyed as soon as he finished speaking. But if his father arranged it, then the seating was definitely correct. It was very possible his father had assigned Jing Shu to the same area to keep an eye on things.
The people following behind him suddenly lit up, their eyes wandering over the premium seating.
"So he is someone with real authority?"
"Looks like it."
"Even though this isn't the town government's auction, all the earnings still get submitted to them. I heard everything here is from criminals or bankruptcy seizures."
"Ba-ge is amazing. He got us into such an impressive place. It's great we followed him."
Lan Shao asked, "So she is the one who went to the wrong seat? Manager, come over! Where is the staff? And waiter, waiter!"
Jin Baba waved his hand irritably. "Forget it, forget it. She is in the right place. Just hurry up and start. I have tasks to do."
If he had known this would happen, he would have let his Maternal Younger Uncle come in his place. He really should not have taken on this stupid job.
Jing Shu and Xiao Liu sat at the very front, dead center, in the best seats in the box. Jin Baba sat not far beside them, his face sour. Lan Shao and the rest of the lackeys filled the second row, and the remaining guests took the seats behind them.
There were no refreshments available here, not even a bottle of water. Everything was basic, cold, and smelled of damp concrete.
Xiao Liu had already wiped down Jing Shu's chair with a clean cloth. She laid down a soft blanket and even set up another empty chair as a makeshift table. She covered the surface with a pink and white cloth, then reached into her bag. She took out a heavy thermos, brewed a steaming cup of coffee for Jing Shu, and added two big pieces of rock sugar that clinked against the porcelain.
The aroma of rich coffee beans filled the stagnant air of the mall.
She also set out four tiny plates holding crispy banana chips, savory dried fish snacks, roasted peanuts and seeds, and bright red cherry tomatoes.
"Please eat something first." Xiao Liu stepped aside, holding her briefcase against her chest like a stoic bodyguard.
The stares from the rows behind them were intense. People were frozen, muttering holy shit under their breath as they swallowed their saliva. Even Jing Shu was stunned by the presentation.
It was the apocalypse, and most people came here just to broaden their horizons and hope for a scrap of news. Yet Xiao Liu brought snacks like they were going to watch a theater performance in the old world.
This girl really knew how to handle things. Bringing food for the boss herself? Jing Shu swore she didn't pack a single one of those items.