Chapter Three: The Countdown Is Not for Sale

Jianwei folded the spectacles into her handbag. “Then I start now.” She refused Linchuan’s ready-made help. A transaction was already stalled at the reception. Obsidian wanted exclusive authority over the Gu family’s art sales. Mingzhu demanded a lower commission, and the chairman refused. Until that day Jianwei would never have been invited to the table. She found Mingzhu first. “You do not want a two-point reduction. You want Obsidian to create a bank-recognized valuation standard for the Gu collection, turning static art into collateral.” Mingzhu raised a brow. “Without the glasses, how do you know?” “This afternoon, you spoke about defeating the board, not saving money. Your family has a cash-flow problem.”