Chapter 9: World One【9】

The identity Jing Ke now possessed was legitimate, meaning everything she currently had was traceable and without flaws.

If someone were to investigate Jing Ke, they would find that she was born in a domestic Hospital, and her parents were both orphans who worked hard to become successful.

After her third birthday, Jing Ke moved abroad with her parents and completed her elementary, middle, and high school education overseas.

Three months after Jing Ke came of age, her parents died in a car accident, leaving her a substantial inheritance and insurance payout.

Enduring the grief of losing her parents, Jing Ke was admitted to a renowned university ranked among the world’s top twenty, and achieved outstanding results.

Not only did she earn her degree a year early, but during university she also co-founded a materials company with a classmate. Now it was doing well, with annual revenue nearing nine figures.

After achieving financial freedom, Jing Ke soon relinquished management of the company and became a Major Shareholder drawing dividends.

After her twenty-sixth birthday, Jing Ke returned to China with her parents’ ashes and a large amount of foreign currency, fulfilling their wish to have their leaves return to the roots.

“To put it simply, I’ve just returned to the country, with no relatives or friends, only a practically inexhaustible amount of money.” Jing Ke briefly introduced her identity.

Shang Siyu picked up her teacup and took a small sip of the hot tea. “So, you obtained this identity by making a deal with some entity you can’t tell me about?”

“Yes, you can understand it that way.” Jing Ke nodded.

Shang Siyu set down the cup, rubbing her damp fingertip. “Did you… Did you make that deal just to help me out of my current predicament, exchanging for an identity that could give me funding and overseas connections?”

Jing Ke didn’t answer directly, but asked back, “Is that what you really think?”

“I’m not trying to flatter myself.” Shang Siyu’s throat tightened, and she continued, “But the identity you chose seems too coincidental. By cooperating with you, my current difficulties would be perfectly solved.”

Jing Ke tilted her head slightly. “Yes, I did make a deal for you. But that deal was always part of my plan; I just moved it forward a bit.”

“Being able to touch reality makes me very happy.” Jing Ke lifted a hand to tap her chin, a trace of laughter rippling in her amber eyes.

With a smile, Jing Ke elaborated, “After obtaining a physical body, some of my abilities will be restricted. If I hadn’t chosen an identity that could help you, our transaction progress would be hindered, and the speed at which you gain Fortune would slow down.”

“In the final analysis, I did it only to gain more Fortune from you in the future,” Jing Ke said. “You just need to accept it openly; there’s no need to feel burdened.”

“While you didn’t notice, I’ve actually already received part of the payment.” Jing Ke added.

Shang Siyu listened attentively, also tilting her head in imitation of Jing Ke. “Then may I ask what payment you’ve received?”

“While you gain Fortune, I also gain some of the power I need.” Jing Ke was forthright. “Being able to have this body and identity was also exchanged with a portion of that power.”

“If you put it that way, then I’ll interpret it as everything you have is given by me,” Shang Siyu said with a laugh.

Jing Ke shrugged. “Actually, you can understand it that way.”

Shang Siyu shook her head gently. “But I don’t feel like I’ve given anything. It seems like you’ve been helping me all along.”

“What a coincidence, I feel the same way.” Jing Ke brewed a fresh cup of tea and handed it over. “I hope we can both maintain this mindset. That way, our partnership will be very solid.”

“Mm, I hope so.” Shang Siyu accepted the cup, lowered her gaze, and gently blew on the steaming tea. A complex emotion flickered in the depths of her eyes.

Jing Ke also couldn’t feel what she had given? That kind of talk was only good for fooling children.

If obtaining a human body and identity required paying a price, then what about manipulating lottery numbers, increasing experimental success rates, and compressing a three-month process into less than a month? Didn’t those require a price as well?

What exactly was the situation of New Life Technology, and what were its future prospects?

The answers to these questions were probably clearer to Jing Ke than to Shang Siyu, the Largest Shareholder.

So after Jing Ke revealed her identity to Shang Siyu, the originally planned segment of introducing the company’s projects was unnecessary. The two could directly discuss the cost of setting up a production line and the specific investment amount.

“I can handle the procurement of machinery. As a shareholder in my overseas company, I have channels to get cost price.” When discussing business, Jing Ke’s attitude turned serious.

“According to our previous calculations, a complete production line requires about two hundred million yuan, with equipment accounting for more than half, and the rest for premises and labor costs.”

“My suggestion is, since we’re doing this, we should do it to the fullest—buy the land outright and build our own industrial park.”

Shang Siyu nodded. “In that case, should we cooperate with the government in advance? Renting a factory and purchasing long-term land use rights are two different things.”

“You can look into local policies. If our headquarters is in River City, there should be policy benefits.” Jing Ke’s fingers tapped rhythmically on the table.

“Alright, I’ll look into the materials tonight.” Shang Siyu nodded.

Jing Ke stopped her movement and pulled a USB Drive from her pocket, handing it to Shang Siyu. “I’ve already compiled and processed those materials in advance; they’re all in here.”

“I’ve also sorted out other things I thought you might need in batches,” Jing Ke said, explaining the reason, “After gaining a human body, I can’t do things beyond human limits, so I prepared these in advance.”

“Thank you.” Shang Siyu took the USB Drive.

The USB Drive had a metal casing. Though Jing Ke had only held it for a short time, its surface still retained her warmth.

After spending over an hour in the tea room and finishing four cups of tea, Jing Ke and Shang Siyu finally settled on the specific investment amount and corresponding shares.

Jing Ke would invest a total of three hundred million RMB in stages. In return, she would obtain 28% of New Life Technology’s shares, becoming the Second Largest Shareholder after Shang Siyu.

If shareholders were to transfer their shares, Jing Ke would have the right of first refusal, and she would hold a veto power on the board of directors.

“CEO Shang, I look forward to your guidance in the future.” Jing Ke stood up first and extended her hand toward Shang Siyu.

Shang Siyu was amused, and stood up as well, shaking Jing Ke’s hand. “It should be me asking for your guidance, President Jing. You are my Financial Backer, after all.”

“It’s getting late. Shall we find a place to eat?” Jing Ke asked.

Shang Siyu nodded. “Sure, what would you like to eat?”

Jing Ke: “You seem to really like hot pot. Why don’t we go for hot pot, to your favorite place?”

Having a body for the first time, Jing Ke was curious about everything. Seeing the menu had small-portion dishes, she went ahead and ordered twenty different items.

“Excellent taste, no wonder you like this place.” After her taste buds truly experienced the flavor, Jing Ke praised without hesitation.

“Try the dipping sauce I mixed. You can dip stuff from the spicy broth in this.” Shang Siyu shared her unique concoction like she was treating an old friend.

“Okay.” Jing Ke immediately fished a slice of fatty lamb from the spicy broth and coated it thoroughly with Shang Siyu’s homemade dipping sauce.

The unique savory flavor burst in Jing Ke’s mouth. Unable to speak, she expressed her admiration with a thumbs-up from her right hand.

After a hearty hot pot meal, the sky gradually darkened.

Jing Ke knew Shang Siyu had a habit of taking a walk to digest after hot pot. Without needing to ask, she naturally followed behind her for a leisurely stroll.

“Since you’ve just returned with your current identity, where will you stay tonight? Your parents’ old home, or a nearby hotel?” After strolling to a nearby park, Shang Siyu began to take an interest in Jing Ke’s personal affairs.

The two had been cooperating for so long, they were both friends and business partners, so some concern was only appropriate.

Jing Ke was momentarily taken aback by the question and responded a beat late: “You’re asking where I live?”

“What’s the matter? Aren’t we friends? It’s normal to care about each other.” Shang Siyu was also stunned, her heart slightly tightening.

She wasn’t just being overly sentimental, was she? Could she and Jing Ke not be considered friends?

“My nominal parents didn’t have any assets in the country; they basically just left me a household registration.” Jing Ke spoke slowly, her shoulders drooping slightly. “I’ve always been with you before; I thought it would be the same from now on.”

“Huh?” Shang Siyu was stunned again, her heart skipping a beat. “You mean, you want to live with me?”

“Can’t I live with you?” Jing Ke asked in return, looking at Shang Siyu expectantly. “Don’t you consider me a friend? We even became partners today.”

Shang Siyu: “…”

Jing Ke, being a human for the first time, seemed not to have adjusted in some respects.

“I’ve converted the other bedroom into a study, you should know that, right?” Shang Siyu said in a softer tone.

Jing Ke nodded very naturally, and without much thought, said, “I know. Your bed is a double, so I can sleep with you.”

Sleep together?

Shang Siyu stopped walking, met Jing Ke’s gaze, and repeated, “You want to sleep with me?”

“Is that not okay?” Jing Ke tilted her head, her amber eyes full of pure incomprehension.

This wasn’t feigned; it was a genuine lack of understanding from the bottom of her heart.

In Jing Ke’s view, she and Shang Siyu were already bound together. She could inhabit Shang Siyu’s body, so of course she could share a bed and blankets with her.