I'm here for personal matters

"You may go up to the 6th floor. COO Song's secretary will meet you there." The smile on the receptionist's face looked more like a grimace as she handed a visitor's badge over.

"Thanks." Ying Yue winked. She clipped the badge on to her blazer and flipped her hair as she strutted over to the elevators. Her fingers twitched. She felt like there were a pair of eyes watching her.

Ying Yue took a brief roving look at the lobby of Changsu before getting in the elevator, but no one seemed to be paying attention to her -- not even the receptionist. With a purse of her lips, she boarded the elevator and got up to the 6th floor.

"Good morning, Miss Ying." A young man with a polite smile greeted her when she got off.

"Good morning," she nodded back.

"I'm COO Song's secretary. Allow me to guide you." She didn't answer, only nodding her head in affirmation as he led her to one end of the floor where a small meeting room awaited. "Please take a seat. The COO will be with you shortly. Can I offer you some coffee or tea?"

Her eyes travelled around the room. "Coffee, please."

It wasn't until half a coffee cup later that Song Yinan entered the room. He looked calm and composed, his hair brushed back and without a single strand out of place. His eyes were clear and yet distant as he gazed at her. Like the previous day, he had a turtleneck underneath his suit.

"Miss Ying," He sat down opposite her and held his hands together in front of him. "I was surprised to hear you came to visit me."

Her fingers trembled slightly as she stared back at him. He looked so alike and yet so different with Ying Shen at the same time. "And I was surprised you let me come up without an appointment."

He looked a bit taken aback. "Changsu is trying to woo Fei International into continuing our cooperation. Should I not have had an audience with the young madame of the Fei's?"

Ying Yue replied with a blank look, and then she chuckled lightly. Here she was, heart pounding and mind racing with the thought of Song Yinan allowing her to see him, but he was just using the opportunity for business, after all. It was funny -- really funny. "But I'm not here for business, Mr. Song. I'm here for personal matters."

Song Yinan cocked his head to one side.

"Can I ask you a few questions, Mr. Song?"

"That depends on the kind of questions you ask, Miss Ying."

"Tell me how you became the naturalized heir to the Song family." She leaned forward slightly as he drew back.

How did she know this? His eyes narrowed at her. He didn't know why she was asking these things. "I don't see why I should answer that, Miss Ying." His life was quite an odd one, and he didn't like it when people probed too much. With that, his chair slid backwards and he stood up to end the meeting. "I'm sorry Miss Ying, but I think I have to go back to work--"

"Would you answer me if I promise to put in a good word for Changsu to my husband?" She interjected, seeing the slight wavering of his resolve as he opened and closed his mouth without saying anything. "I'm sure you've surmised by now that Fei International is thinking of cutting ties with Changsu, and that your proposal wouldn't even see the light of day, or even make it past the screening. I can make sure that Changsu's proposal gets to the final selection phase. Nothing more, and nothing less. All I ask is that you answer my questions."

Song Yinan's eyes betrayed his internal struggle. Even his hands that were balled into fists by his side could tell Ying Yue that her offer was too tempting.

Until finally, he sat back down.

"Make sure that our proposal gets to the final selection, and that we get an equal chance of partnership as the other companies." His jaw clenched. He'd been working on securing the renewal of partnership with Fei International ever since he took over as the COO. He didn't want to disappoint Su Jianjun with his performance.

She flashed him a smug, but what seemed to be a sad, smile. "Well then, back to my questions, shall we?"