Chapter 139 - Step (III)

After the short video call with her Aunt Xiong Mai, Xiong Zhi did not waste any time and went directly to the business. She laid out the folder and the contract.

She discussed first the advantages that Si Giovanni would receive once he agreed to the proposal. Such as Xiong Mai would introduce to him the companies that he would like to invest in. He could also gain the 50-50 profit and percentage of the project. Xiong Zhi represented three companies that were willing to help under EU Corp's influence.

With daze, Si Giovanni looked at the papers. There were three sets of papers. He took the first one. The first company takes him by surprise. Then he took the second one, Giovanni went blank. And when he read the first page of the last one, he did not read the rest. He put it back in the table, his expression was somewhat dazed.

"Am I dreaming?"

The three set of papers were actually from the top three companies who were proposing the projects to him. They even allowed him the 50-50 percentage of the project. It was a dream come true! How long has he been looking for these projects! Not only that, but it was also from the top 3 companies.

'As expected of the Great Mai of EU Corp!'

With this, he would undoubtedly succeed. He would plant his roots in Italy and with the help of the projects of the three companies he would quickly gain fame and his company would expand.

Si Giovanni took his time to salivate the sumptuous meal that was offered in front of him.

'But...' Si Giovanni looked up towards the girl who was waiting for him to finish looking at the papers.

"What do you want me to do?"

It was a dream come true. But this offer would surely take a huge price. There was no doubt that he would take this offer. Yes, he would take it. No matter what the price is. Si Giovanni gulped at Xiong Zhi's answer.

"It's very simple. I would like you to-" Xiong Zhi put another paper in the table.

"--to sign this."

Then she got added another piece of paper.

"--and this."

Then she adds the last one.

"-and last, this one."

Xiong Zhi leaned to her chair. Her eyes were confident and determined. She was like a small version of the pretty woman in the video earlier.

"Sign them all."

Si Giovanni gulped. He could not help but think that this girl was the daughter of Xiong Mai. But he was clearly informed of the fact that the Great Mai wasn't married nor she had a child.

'Maybe a hidden child?' The girl's manner and the overbearing tone were really similar to Xiong Mai.

It was actually due to the fact that Xiong Zhi spent some time with Xiong Mai in her past life. So she unconsciously copied how Xiong Mai talked.

Si Giovanni took the paper at the back. It was the first paper that Xiong Zhi put down.

He took his time to read it.

"ArtWorld? I'm not pulling out of my investment from ArtWorld. So why do I need to sign this?" He asked.

Xiong Zhi stared at him like he was a fool.

"I dont want to talk in circles with you. This paper is for you to sign to ensure you will not back out from ArtWorld..forever."

Si Giovanni gulped again at her overbearing aura and tone. She was clearly a teenager but she did not respect her elders. But remembering that the Great Mai was behind her, he swallowed any offense and forgive Xiong Zhi, his fellow disciple.

"ArtWorld will be gone for sure. It is just a matter of time. I know for sure you've got the news about the ArtWorld. If you want me to continue investing in Art World, I will do it. But ArtWorld is hopeless. I can waste money for ArtWorld if it's what you want me to do." Si Giovanni explained well.

Since he got a good deal from Great Mai it was fine for him to continue wasting money for ArtWorld but he expressed well that this was a ghost project.

Xiong Zhi was satisfied that Si Giovanni expressed his thoughts well and did not ask about matters why she asked him to do it. He was just willing to do it. This type of person was rewarding of her patience so she adds words of explanation.

"The truth is, this ArtWorld would be transferred to me. The first project of ArtWorld is a failure. But I need you to invest in it. Until next month, a new ArtWorld would be presented and that's why I want you to not pull off your investment for now until ArtWorld was fully created."

Si Giovanni was stunned.

"But ArtWorld was under Xiong Empire how could you get..it.." Then a realization washed over Giovanni.

A teenage girl.

"Are you perhaps the young miss of Xiong?" Si Giovanni asked. He was a bit embarrassed that he doesn't know her name.

"Yes. It is a bit late, My name is Xiong Zhi. I assure you that your investment in ArtWorld would not be in vain. "

Si Giovanni absorbed the news.

The young miss of the Xiong Empire, one of the legendary family, was in front of him.

That's why it was no wonder that the girl and the Great Mai who was also a Xiong has connections to each other. Because they were aunt and niece!

Remembering how he treated Xiong Zhi earlier, Si Giovanni paled.

"I-- Pardon me for my rudeness earlier." He sincerely apologized.

"It's alright. Now let's continue."

"Ah..yeah."

Since Si Giovanni has been decided that he would pay any price for this, he did not ask further questions and signed the first paper. As Xiong Zhi said, she would email to him the revised ArtWorld later on.

He read the second paper and Giovanni smiled bitterly. But he still took it, it would not give any damage to him.

The second paper was about the three projects he would invest in. It was said in the contract that Xiong Zhi would have credits once the project completed. Credits were not expensive. But once the three projects completed and if it was successful, Xiong Zhi's name would be boosted alongside Giovanni's company and the company involved.

'What a cunning child.'

He signed the second paper.

Lastly, he took the third paper. When he read it he was a bit shocked. He read it twice.

The content was absurd for him. It was asking him that once he took over his father's company he would hand over 5% shares to Xiong Zhi.

"This..!"

"Did you read it carefully?" Xiong Zhi was not affected by his exclamation.

"I could not hand over to you 5% of the company. It was not even mine in the first place."

"I bet you should read it again. You would not hand it over to me. I will buy it. Besides, was it because of me that you could win the challenge, inheriting your father's company freely?"

Si Giovanni furrowed his brow. As expected, Xiong Zhi investigated him. Well, what could he do? If it's a Xiong, no one could block them if they want to know everything. Especially he was just minor businessmen compared to Xiong Empire.

"What are you hesitating for? Are you worried that the Xiong Empire would eat your father's company in the future? No. I promise in my name that 5% would not be under the Xiong Empire. That 5% would be  under another company. " Going Xhi explained.

Si Giovanni read it again.

'IHZHI?'

"Can you promised me that you will not interfere in this company especially when under my jurisdiction?"

"I promise. If you want, that 5% would only move according to your will. But it will be under IHZHI in name. "

Si Giovanni stared at the paper for a while. If that 5% would not go against him in the future, then it was actually okay. If what Xiong Zhi said was true, it would be actually advantageous to him. At least, he would not cut off Xiong Zhi, the young miss of Xiong, and the Great Mai behind her.

"Alright." He signed the paper.

Xiong Zhi was satisfied. Actually, the reason behind why she added the last contract was to make sure Si Giovanni would not really pull off his investment. And secondly, it was just to make an image that her aunt's favor was not that easy to get.

However, Xiong Zhi doesn't know that this small act of her would bring her a great fortune in the future.

*****

The talk with Si Giovanni was a success.

Xiong Zhi was busy all this week. Since next week will be the deadline. She already prepared all her cards.

The only thing left was the investors' signatures.

She left Mu Fian with Giovanni for the collaboration of the three companies. Since they need to introduce Si Giovanni to the companies involved.

Mr. Ji opened the door for her.

As she seated, Mr. Ji asked her.

"Where to, Young Miss?"

As an answer to his question, Xiong Zhi's phone rang. It was Xian Tao.

She answered it.

"Boss! I spotted them!"

"Right timing. I'm on my way." Xiong Zhi ended the call with a light smile.

"To AllHailXXX hotel." She said to Mr. Ji.

"Yes, young miss." The car drifted to another city.

Xiong Zhi looked at the window. She remembered what her aunt said when she first asked her for the favor of Si Giovanni's company.

"I might be the head of EU Corp. But a person with a head with no hands, no feet, no legs, is like a dead person. It is the same in business. It doesn't matter if I'm the head of EU Corp. But if the hands and feet of EU Corp don't want to move according to my will, then me, as a head, would go to waste. I'm nothing without my hands and feet."

Her aunt Xiong Mai told her about it so that she could know that her aunt's power only seemed powerful in appearance but it was not so if there was an internal struggle. Xiong Mai actually wanted to tell her to be humble at times. And to not overestimate her authority and power she holds.

However, to Xiong Zhi, it has a deeper meaning.

She understands it all how it takes to be a head without hands and feet.

Like how she was the solely young miss of Xiong. She seemed to have the power of the Xiong Empire. The heritage of the legendary Xiong family. But it was not the case. Aside from her surname Xiong, she doesn't have anything. That's why she lost. It was so easy to beat a person with no hands and feet.

"I understand it, auntie. I understand it all." One again, Xiong Zhi's thirst for power illuminated in her eyes.

"This time, I will build my own hands and feet. And beat them all." She muttered under her breath.