The railway station square was bustling with a constant stream of hurried pedestrians. One figure stood out remarkably among the crowd, and he was just about to turn and leave this busy place.
"Hey, wait a moment!" a crisp voice suddenly rang out. A woman emerged from the crowd, clutching tightly to the bag she had just recovered. She waved at the figure, her face brimming with gratitude.
"What is it?" Tang Hao stopped, turned around, and looked at the woman with a hint of puzzlement.
"You're the one who helped me get this bag back! It has all my savings inside, which is a huge help to me. I really must thank you properly. How about I treat you to a meal?" the woman said with a smile, sincerity shining in her eyes.
Tang Hao frowned, seemingly reluctant to have much to do with the woman. He shook his head and said indifferently, "No need, I'm not interested."
However, just at that moment, Tang Hao's stomach let out an untimely growl. He awkwardly touched his stomach, clearly hungry.
Seeing this, the woman couldn't help letting out a soft chuckle. She pointed to a restaurant nearby and said, "Look, your stomach is protesting already. You might as well come eat with me as a way to let me thank you."
Tang Hao hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. Together, they walked into the restaurant and sat down at a table by the window.
"My name is Zhang Mengli. I originally came to the bank near the railway station to withdraw some money today, and I never expected to run into something like that. It scared me to death," the woman said, patting her chest as she recalled the lingering fear.
Tang Hao nodded. Looking at the woman in front of him, a sense of sympathy stirred within him. He asked, "Does this kind of thing happen often? Why is this place so chaotic?"
"Yes, motorcycle snatchers operate around here quite frequently, and the police can't keep up with it all. I just had bad luck running into one today," Zhang Mengli sighed, a helpless expression on her face.
Tang Hao was silent for a moment before saying, "It seems this area really needs a thorough cleanup. These criminal acts must be rooted out completely."
Hearing the man's words, Zhang Mengli couldn't help feeling a bit surprised. Looking at his resolute gaze, a measure of respect welled up inside her.
She asked, "Just who are you anyway? How did you catch up to that criminal earlier? You didn't even have any transportation."
Tang Hao did not answer her question directly, choosing instead to change the subject.
He did not want to expose his identity, nor did he wish to talk too much about what had just happened. Seeing this, Zhang Mengli did not press any further. The two began chatting about other topics, and the atmosphere gradually grew more relaxed.
After the meal, Tang Hao stood up, ready to leave.
He glanced at Zhang Mengli and said, "Consider this meal your treat. May we meet again if fate allows." With that, he turned and walked out of the restaurant.
Zhang Mengli hurriedly chased after him outside, but Tang Hao was nowhere to be seen on the street, as if he had melted into the crowd and vanished without a trace.
An inexplicable premonition surged in her heart: this man was by no means as simple as he appeared on the surface. He undoubtedly concealed a much deeper background and identity.
Meanwhile, Tang Hao had already hailed a taxi and stated his destination concisely to the driver: "Jiangshui Group." His tone revealed an unquestionable firmness.
The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror and asked curiously, "Young man, what are you going to Jiangshui Group for? That's not a place just anyone can go."
Tang Hao smiled slightly without giving a lengthy explanation: "Looking for someone."
The driver asked no further questions and drove intently toward the destination. Over an hour later, the taxi stopped in front of Jiangshui Group's imposing building.
Tang Hao paid the fare, picked up his luggage, and walked toward the corporate building with a calm and steady stride.
Seeing his attire, the security guard at the entrance frowned.
A young security guard stepped forward and blocked his path: "Hey, what are you here for? This isn't a place just anyone can wander into."
Tang Hao maintained his composure and replied concisely, "I'm here to find someone."
The young security guard sneered contemptuously: "Find someone? Take a look at yourself! Dressed like that, you dare come to Jiangshui Group to look for people? Stop joking and get moving."
A flash of displeasure crossed Tang Hao's eyes, and he was about to act when another, older security guard walked over. He looked Tang Hao up and down and asked in an even tone, "Young man, who are you looking for?"
Tang Hao answered calmly, "I'm looking for your company's female CEO."
The older guard raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by Tang Hao's reply. He scrutinized Tang Hao for a moment, then motioned for him to enter the security booth: "Alright, come with me and register first."
Inside the security booth, the older guard carefully inquired about Tang Hao's identity and purpose, diligently logging his information. Although he harbored doubts about Tang Hao's words, as a professional guard, he understood the importance of respecting everyone's rights while also maintaining company security.
Finally, the older guard dialed the company's internal executive office.
After a brief wait, the call was finally answered, and a soft, pleasant voice came through.
"Hello, who is this?"
"It's me, Uncle Chen. There's someone who wants to see you. What do you think?"
The voice on the other end sounded slightly cold: "Didn't I say before not to bring people unrelated to work into the company? I'm very busy right now, that's all." The line went dead immediately, leaving no room for negotiation.
The young security guard looked at Tang Hao with a gloating expression, as if saying, "See? Now you should definitely leave."
The older guard sighed helplessly and said to Tang Hao, "Young man, you should leave. Our CEO doesn't want to see you."
A wave of disappointment instantly welled up in Tang Hao's heart. It seemed this employer truly did not want to see him, so he turned to leave.
However, just at that moment, the older guard's phone suddenly rang. He answered it promptly, and the voice on the other end sounded rather anxious.
"Uncle Chen, what does that person look like? Is he a young man?"
The older guard nodded. "Yes, he looks to be about twenty years old. Is he really here to see you?"
"That must be him. Take him to the second-floor VIP lounge, I'll be right there," the woman said, a hint of urgency in her voice.
"Understood." The older guard hung up the phone and then said to Tang Hao, "Come with me, the CEO wants to see you."
And so, the two led Tang Hao to the company's second-floor VIP lounge. They casually assigned him to a reception room and then hurried away.
Before long, two figures hurried into the reception room. Tang Hao looked up and saw that both women were exceptionally beautiful.
One of them had an outstanding appearance, with a face like polished jade, clear eyes, and a beauty mark between her eyebrows that added a touch of stunning allure. She was Jiang Wan, the current CEO of Jiangshui Group, a career woman blessed with both talent and beauty.
The other woman had a cute baby face, a tall and plump figure, and was the epitome of a youthful face with mature charms. She was Bai Xiaoxi, the daughter of the Bai family and Jiang Wan's capable assistant and secretary.
When Tang Hao's gaze met Jiang Wan's, he felt his heartbeat accelerate. His eyes were filled with doubt and amazement, as if he were looking at something unbelievable.
Seeing this, Bai Xiaoxi said with some dissatisfaction, "Hey, what are you looking at? Staring at our CEO like that, don't you think it's a bit inappropriate?"
Jiang Wan ignored Bai Xiaoxi's remark and walked straight over to sit on the sofa.
Her black professional skirt wrapped tightly around her slender, shapely legs, outlining a captivating curve against the pristine white sofa. The cleavage visible at her chest made one's imagination run wild.
It had to be said that whether judging by her figure or her looks, Jiang Wan was a rare beauty. Her presence filled the entire reception room with radiance.