Chapter 66: Her Highness Caitlyn

In the conference room of the Skywalk Building in Fenway, Zhou Minglin Muqing, along with lawyer Alan, were discussing the cooperation contract with Tong Gang and Li Cheng.

This sounds very strange. Obviously, Lin Muqing is the chairman of the Hong Kong City United Investment Fund, but she has to go with Zhou Ming to negotiate with Tong Gang and Li Cheng. There is no other way. There are some things that cannot be explained by reason. Whoever Lin Muqing is, she is Zhou Ming's woman. But as a woman, she will easily be swayed by emotions, especially when it comes to the man she loves.

This is the nature of women. Tong Gang and Li Cheng dare not gamble on Lin Muqing's reason, so all negotiations were left to the two directors.

'Mr Tong Gang, Mr Li Cheng, I had no problem with this agreement in principle, but there is a lack of division of responsibility and risk in the operation, transfer and management of overseas funds, which is very important. I don't know if this is an oversight or if there are other considerations?' As Zhou Ming's lawyer, Alan directly got to the point.

Facing Allen's question, Tong Gang smiled and said, 'Allen, I don't think this is a problem, because this should be a very lenient clause for you. I personally trust Mr. Zhou Ming very much, so some rules don't have to be so strict.'

Since Tong Gang had spoken, Zhou Ming also picked up the conversation, saying, 'Chairman Tong, on the contrary, I think the more trust there is, the more these rules must be set in stone. Otherwise, if something unexpected happens in the future, it will be troublesome without even a basis. As the saying goes, even if a deal doesn't go through, there is still benevolence. If there is no basis, then I'm afraid there won't even be benevolence. I don't want that to happen.'

Li Cheng raised an eyebrow and heard the undertone of Zhou Ming's words: 'Did something happen for you to say that, Brother Zhou?'

Zhou Ming glanced at Li Cheng and couldn't help but say, 'The future richest man in China really has a different perspective. He got to the point in one sentence. Zhou Ming had to tell him about running into Robert on the way back to the dormitory yesterday.

'Robert is from the Adams family, I think you will understand if I say this,' said Zhou Ming, 'The Adams family is the core family of the Brighton consortium, and they are the ones who have united with the Rockefellers and other eastern consortia to stir up the current situation in the Gulf. So I have already offended Robert today, and it is hard to guarantee that he will not try to manipulate things.'

Tong Gang and Li Cheng were stunned, while Lin Muqing kept tugging on Zhou Ming's clothes below, giving him a wink not to say such things.

Zhou Ming also understood that what he had said was pretty stupid, at least in terms of business, but for Zhou Ming, those tactics were used against opponents. Tong Gang and Li Cheng were not opponents, so they just laid everything out in the open to avoid any unpleasantness in the end. If he wanted to go further in the future, he might need their help.

'Brother Zhou, the fact that you can say this proves that you are a very reliable person, which makes us feel at ease.' Tong Gang then changed the subject and said, 'But the Adams family is powerful after all, and they shouldn't care about such trivial matters, right? And the matter in the Gulf is so important.'

'If it were anyone else, I think they would put this matter aside for the time being, but this time it's Robert.'

Zhou Ming emphasised the name: 'From the time I picked you up from the airport to this time when he stopped my car, whether it's from what he did or the tone of his voice, I think he is a child with childish thoughts and behaviour. Then since he is a child, he will take revenge quickly. If he could hold back his temper, he wouldn't have come to see me today.'

'I see.'

Tong Gang then exchanged opinions with Li Cheng before saying, 'In that case, let's take this contract back and revise it a bit before showing it to you again.'

Zhou Ming replied that there was no problem, and Tong Gang and Li Cheng then took the contract and got up to say goodbye. After Tong Gang and Li Cheng had left, Alan did not feel the need to stay on, so he just chatted casually with Zhou Ming for a while and then got up and left as well. After they had gone, Lin Muqing said to him, 'Zhou Ming, I understand that you don't want to take advantage of them, but sometimes you can be flexible.'

Zhou Ming shook his head and said, 'At least there is no need for that now, and in the future, we may need to rely on their strength, so we must not upset the relationship now. As for the current situation in the Gulf, it doesn't matter if they decide not to participate, we can make a lot of money on our own.'

'You are the boss anyway, you call the shots,' Lin Muqing said.

Zhou Ming could only shrug helplessly at Lin Muqing's hands-off attitude. Then Zhou Ming's phone rang. It was Hoover, the head of the Brighton branch of the Tang Dynasty Bank, calling to say that he wanted to meet Zhou Ming now at the Garden Restaurant in the South Brighton district.

Zhou Ming hung up the phone, and Lin Muqing immediately asked him, 'Zhou Ming, do you know this Hoover well? Why did he ask you to meet him without saying anything, without saying anything about the matter or why he was asking you to meet him, and why did he hang up the phone in such a hurry? It's really strange, isn't it?'

Zhou Ming thought for a moment and said, 'It is indeed a bit strange, but that was indeed Hoover's voice, and with Zhang Lin protecting me, it is unlikely that anything major will happen. I will go alone, Muqing, you go home first.'

Lin Muqing glared at Zhou Ming in anger, because just now Zhou Ming had habitually called her Sister Muqing again, but that was not important. Lin Muqing then got up and left, not wanting to cause trouble for Zhou Ming. Zhou Ming and Zhang Lin immediately drove to the Garden Restaurant in the South Brighton district. Zhou Ming arrived at the Vineyard Restaurant, but he did not see Hoover here.

Could it be that he was late? But just now when he came in, the waiter said that someone was already waiting here, so is there really something wrong?

Zhou Ming felt very strange, but soon, Zhou Ming's doubts were resolved, because a very beautiful figure suddenly appeared in front of Zhou Ming, and she said to Zhou Ming, 'Mr. Zhou Ming, the Vineyard Restaurant welcomes you.'

Seeing this figure, Zhou Ming felt like he had suddenly been dazzled, because this girl was really beautiful. Her eyebrows, eyes, nose, and every other part of her face looked like they had been carefully sculpted by a master. Her slender figure looked even more exquisite and well-proportioned under a purple gauze dress.

But none of that was important. What was important was that this girl, Zhou Ming, seemed familiar. Once, when he was just starting out, she had asked him for directions in the Yanjing Economic Lecture Hall, and then she had defeated countless Yanjing University students by herself.

'Your Highness Theresa Catherine, I didn't expect to see you here, and I didn't expect it to be you who asked me out,' Zhou Ming said with some emotion. He really didn't expect it to be her. After all, he hadn't seen her since they last parted at Yanjing University. He didn't even know her identity apart from her name, let alone where to find her. How could he have expected that she would ask him out first now?

Zhou Ming's words took her by surprise, but she said calmly, 'I didn't think you would remember my name. That's really an honour.'

Zhou Ming smiled and replied, 'Back then at Yenching University, Her Royal Highness Miss Theresia Caitlyn single-handedly fought in the Yenching University Economics Lecture Hall and convinced a group of Yenching University students. In particular, Her Royal Highness Miss Theresia Caitlyn was also so beautiful, I'm afraid it would be difficult for me not to remember.'

'Thank you for your praise, Mr. Zhou Ming, but in the end, I was defeated by you, wasn't I? In that case, you are better than the entire Yanjing University, so your praise is actually directed at yourself in the end?' Caitlin also laughed, and she added, 'By the way... Your Highness Theresa Caitlin is such a strange name, so you might as well just call me Caitlin.'

'Yes, Your Highness Caitlin, please forgive my rudeness, I have a question I want to ask. At the beginning, your friend cared so much about etiquette, and now I call you Your Highness and you don't object, so are you really a princess of which country?' Zhou Ming asked curiously.

Facing this question, Caitlin nodded slightly and said, 'I am the princess of the Harusburg royal family. My father is the former Austrian Archduke Ferdinand. According to the Basic Law of Throne Succession, I am the 232nd successor in line to the British throne.'

However, Caitlin then changed the subject and continued, 'But I didn't come here today to teach you about European royal families. The time I can spend with you is limited, so I hope you will listen carefully to what I have to say.'

'Of course,' Zhou Ming said, casually making a gesture of invitation to Caitlin.

Caitlin said to Zhou Ming, 'The situation is this: I am currently in charge of a Gulf project.'

'The Gulf Plan? Your Highness Caitlin, by the Gulf Plan, do you mean the possible Gulf War?' Zhou Ming asked, his tone full of surprise, because he originally only knew that the Gulf Plan was a conspiracy created by the Brighton and Rockefeller consortia, but he never imagined that it was actually being operated by a royal princess. Could it be that European royal families were also involved or leading this matter?

In response to Zhou Ming's doubts, Caitlin told him, 'It's not as complicated as you think. The Gulf Project is just a capital operation by the consortium. I just have another consideration. What I want to tell you is related to this.'

Caitlin paused for a moment and then asked, 'Mr. Zhou Ming, did you have any conflicts with Robert Adams?'

'I should have just killed him.' Zhou Ming gave a very brief introduction and then asked, "Did that guy ask you to deal with me?'

Caitlin nodded and said, "Yes, he asked me to do something to you regarding the Gulf Project.'

Facing Caitlin's straightforwardness, Zhou Ming was a bit uncomfortable. He scratched his head and said, 'Since Your Highness Caitlin has already said so, you obviously don't plan to deal with me, right?'

'I am the proud royal princess of Harusburg. Even though our dynasty no longer exists, our pride still remains. We will not attack any weak people. And although I am indeed helping the Adams family with the Gulf Project, it does not mean that I will become their slave. This is absolutely impossible!' Caitlyn said very solemnly.

Caitlin then turned her attention to Ming Zhou, 'So Ming Zhou, you are absolutely safe with me, but I am not sure if he will use other methods against you.'

After listening to Caitlin's answer, Ming Zhou nodded silently. After she finished speaking, Ming Zhou said, 'But I am curious. Princess Caitlin, forgive me for being blunt, but whatever you want to do is your business. Why did you come here especially to tell me?'

'Because I need you to be on your guard. This is what Mr Nordleman told me. I owe him a favour, so I need to do this,' said Caitlyn.

'If that's the case, then...'

Zhou Ming was about to say something more, but then suddenly a strong female bodyguard suddenly appeared at the entrance of the restaurant. She rushed over and said, 'Your Highness Caitlyn, how can you run off again? Didn't I tell you not to talk to any strangers?'

'Okay, I know. I was just chatting with this gentleman for a while, and I'll be right over.'

Caitlyn replied, and then turned to Zhou Ming and said, 'It seems that our conversation will end here today. I hope we meet again some time.'