Chapter 653: Chapter 653: Early Termination of Contract

Avi answered, “Miss Zhou signed a revised contract with us, for three years.”

“The contract expires at the end of this year.”

That meant there was about two months left.

Jiang Xu asked, “Has she mentioned anything about renewing the contract?”

“Well…” Avi thought for a moment and said, “The day after she returned from Spirit Turtle Island, I talked to her.

I offered her terms that were two levels higher, but she seemed indifferent.”

Jiang Xu understood.

It seemed she had no plans to renew the contract but instead wanted to be her own boss.

It was somewhat regrettable, but he had no intention of trying to retain her by force.

One reason was that Zhou Qingyue already had the capability and ambition to establish her own enterprise, and forceful retention would be futile.

Unless Mr. Jiang was willing to sacrifice his pride, it would be difficult to keep her.

Moreover, there was Chu Youwei now, along with those who had won places in the ‘School beauty’ finals, as well as those with a certain recognition and popularity; they were all under Jiang Xu’s name now.

With proper nurturing, a large group of promising newcomers would emerge soon.

If he could support Zhou Qingyue’s rise, he could naturally do the same for others.

What the world never lacked were good-looking and hardworking people.

Since she wanted to break away completely, Jiang Xu would let her.

He said to Avi, “Don’t bother discussing the contract renewal with her; just terminate it once it expires.”

“Okay, I got it,” Avi would never question Jiang Xu.

She would always execute whatever he said.

After hanging up the phone, Lifuzhen’s representative called back, “Mr. Jiang, the lady has agreed.”

Jiang Xu chuckled, “She does have guts.”

The other party said, “The lady trusts you very much, saying that you are a partner worthy of entrusting her life to.”

That woman sure knew how to talk for effect.

Jiang Xu didn’t take it to heart.

After receiving the two billion from the other party, Jiang Xu said, “Give me the number for QWT.”

A regular person couldn’t get it, but at their level, they definitely could.

The other party sent the phone number, and Jiang Xu immediately called it.

“Hello, this is QWT.”

“I am Jiang Xu from Nuomi Group, looking for your boss.”

Yeah, he was not at all fearful of some small-time leader, nor did he feel there was a discrepancy in status.

He introduced himself directly from the start.

With Nuomi Group’s and Jiang Xu’s current reputation, the other party would undoubtedly know the name.

“So, it’s Mr. Jiang, all right, please hold on.”

Jiang Xu waited for a while, and the call was transferred to a man with a steady voice—Jin Zhen.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jiang Xu directly stated his purpose, “Let Lifuzhen go.”

Jin Zhen found it quite amusing, “Mr. Jiang, she’s a repeat offender now.

You think I’d just let her go on your say-so.

While you’re indeed quite famous and powerful now, don’t you think this is rather presumptuous?”

The sarcasm was thick in his words.

Unconcerned about his ridicule, Jiang Xu simply laid out a fact, “The reason she’s locked up is nothing more than handing over some vital technology to me, right?”

Jin Zhen was caught off guard.

His voice rose a bit, “Are you calling now to boast to me!”

“That’s not my intention,” Jiang Xu remained calm, “but merely a request to release her.

After all, it’s just a woman; she won’t make any decisive difference.”

Jin Zhen was resolute, “Impossible, absolutely impossible!”

Jiang Xu spoke ethereally, “Suppose, I mean just suppose. Ha.

“I’ve made all the technology you gave me public. Can you guess what will happen?”

A single sentence immediately made him break out in sweat, his whole body as if thrown into an icehouse, shivering uncontrollably.

He could imagine the uproar that would ensue if all the technology Lifuzhen stole and gave to Jiang Xu were to be leaked.

It would mean that Sangsang’s years of investment worth hundreds of billions would be wasted.

Their competitors would get their hands on the latest technology without spending a penny, and then use it to surpass them.

The consequences were foreseeable.

The collapse of the entire business empire was certain, not to mention other more terrifying consequences he didn’t even dare to think about.

“You can’t do this,” Jin Zhen’s voice was hoarse.

Jiang Xu said coolly, “So my demand is very simple. Just release Lifuzhen.”

“As long as she is freed, I will not make the technology public. I’ll just use it for myself.”

Jin Zhen: “How can I trust your word!”

Jiang Xu: “It’s a simple reason. Lifuzhen just gave me a sum of money to get her out.”

“I just have to accomplish that, there’s no need to do such a thing.”

“One reason is that if I do, you will become desperate and threaten my personal safety.”

“The other reason is that releasing the technology holds no benefit for me.”

“So unless I’m really pushed, I definitely will not do such a thing, don’t you think?”

His reasoning was sound and irrefutable.

Jin Zhen took a deep breath: “This matter has exceeded my authority. I will discuss it and give you an answer within a day.”

Jiang Xu: “Alright, then please talk it over.”

“Oh, and she can’t be harmed in any way.”

“If she is even slightly injured, then our deal is off.”

Jiang Xu was a qualified businessman; if paid to do a job, he needed to ensure that his employer was rescued safe and sound.

“Alright, that will be all.”

His counterpart hung up first.

Jiang Xu couldn’t help but laugh.

He could imagine them throwing things around after hanging up.

After all, this was a great humiliation for them.

In the afternoon, Zhou Qingyue called him.

Jiang Xu’s eyes flashed, and he waited a few rings before picking up.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Jiang~”

“Mhm, is there something?”

As for the relationship between them, it had been quite a roller coaster.

It started with pursuer and pursued.

Then it became supervisor and subordinate.

Now, they were practically no different from strangers.

Just the story between the two of them alone could fill an entire book.

“It’s like this,” Zhou Qingyue organized her thoughts and said, “My contract with the company is up at the end of the year.”

“But I have a project that would be best started now, so I was hoping…”

Jiang Xu: “You want to terminate the contract early.”

“Yes,” Zhou Qingyue’s voice was somewhat low, “This is an important opportunity for me to climb higher.”

“Considering that I… once had feelings… and also helped Mr. Jiang quite a bit, making a good amount of money.”

“Could you let me terminate the contract early?”

“I will always be grateful for this favor.”

Jiang Xu’s fingers tapped on the keyboard, not responding immediately.

On the other end of the phone, Zhou Qingyue was holding her breath, nervously awaiting Jiang Xu’s ‘verdict’.