Volume 13
Chapter 18: One Month
Now, let’s talk about the internal environment. Since that meeting, several senior executives had fled with company funds, causing many of the Yan family’s peripheral industries to be idle. It was said that a new energy company was currently unable to pay its employees’ salaries, and the employees had already started dismantling the company’s property to take home. And the core of Shenzhou Energy Group also had a large number of vacancies in its middle management, especially from the Yan family. They knew that sooner or later they would be liquidated by Zhu Xi and Lu Li, so they had long ago incited many smaller families with close ties to take many of the group’s commercial secrets and defect to other aristocratic families. And these secrets were probably now sitting on the desks of the State Administration for Market Regulation, poised to be the Spear of Longinus that would bring down the Yan family.
The current Yan family was already in a precarious state, on the verge of collapse. Countless pairs of green-glowing eyes were staring at it, waiting for it to fall with a crash. When it did, this behemoth would be instantly dismembered and devoured. Zhu Xi was right. Once the Yan Matriarch fell, the Yan family lost its cohesiveness and was constantly on the brink of extinction.
Today was Lu Li’s thirty-third day in the hospital. He counted the days; Yameng should have already returned to Mulan. A few days ago, the TV was plastered with news of her achievements because she had won the most prestigious international tournament of her career. Just as Zou Yameng was being hailed as the future ruler of the women’s table tennis world, she quietly announced her retirement. Lu Li remembered when Yameng had called. She had incoherently described how nervous she had been at the time, and how lucky she had been with the last ball. Lu Li was gratified for her. His omnipotent sister had finally realized her dream and could step down from the altar as a victor, without any regrets. Wasn’t this the meaning of his rebirth? To let his Yameng pursue her dreams without any distractions, not having to torture herself on the court under the pressure of an age that was not hers, as she had in her past life, and the life before that.
The door to the hospital room was pushed open. The young nurse sitting by the bed, accompanying Lu Li as he watched TV, quickly stood up, bowed, and walked out, closing the door behind her. Zhu Xi looked at the young nurse suspiciously. “You didn’t do anything to her, did you? You with the surname Lu, she’s just a student interning at the hospital. And you’re already engaged to Little Qiao. Don’t go picking any wild flowers.”
Lu Li didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It seemed everyone had some misunderstanding about him, as if they all thought he was a philandering man. Was he that kind of person?
“I saw she was bored sitting there, so I let her turn on the TV and chatted with her for a while. I had no crooked thoughts.” Lu Li raised his finger to the sky. “And recently, I’ve almost been squeezed dry. How would I have that kind of thought?”
Zhu Xi huffed, her cheeks slightly red, her right hand pressing down hard on Lu Li’s crotch. “Squeezed dry? Why do I feel your energy is getting more and more vigorous?” Her tone changed. “I won’t talk nonsense with you anymore. I just received news that another industry belonging to the Yan family has been swallowed up. So far, the size of the Yan family’s industry has shrunk by nearly half.”
Lu Li wasn’t surprised by this result. In fact, this was what he had wanted to see. The Yan family’s size in the commercial field was too large, and it was mostly involved in people’s livelihoods. It would be difficult for any single family to completely swallow it. And the personnel below were numerous, with different intentions, making it extremely difficult to manage. Now, after being screened, although the Yan family had regressed by at least ten years, at least those who remained were core members willing to follow Zhu Xi and Lu Li. Those partitioned-off industries also attracted the attention of their enemies, and the progress of the antitrust lawsuit had been constantly delayed.
“I think the Inspection Committee can probably enter the scene now. If I enter the scene now, the resistance to my work should be much smaller.” Lu Li’s injuries were almost healed. This time, it was thanks to the so-called Price; the speed of his body’s recovery was also faster than that of an ordinary person. A bullet hole the size of a fingernail had become just a dead scar after a month. Lu Li maliciously guessed, if he had a few more Prices stacked on him, could he play a superhero in a movie? The one who could pop out claws from his knuckles, what was his name again… Spider-Man?
“I’ve already contacted several media outlets. A press conference will be held next Monday. You’ll need to come forward and speak then.” Zhu Xi’s face became much more serious. She leaned forward and tidied Lu Li’s overly long, messy hair. “I’ll have someone do your hair then. You’d also better prepare a speech. This will be your first official appearance in front of the whole country. It will be printed in the newspapers and delivered to everyone’s hands. Don’t embarrass me and Little Qiao.”
Lu Li hadn’t been nervous before, but after she said this, he sat up straight, feeling apprehensive. “Is it that big a deal?”
“Scumbag man, I’ve always said you’re used to being poor and don’t know how to live a rich person’s life anymore. This kind of pomp is just right.” Zhu Xi shook her head, with a look of disappointment as if wishing iron could turn into steel. “What was said at the Yan family’s internal meeting before was only circulated in a small circle. If you want your work to proceed, you must make a public announcement. And, at that time, it won’t just be those women of yours who will see you. Even that little girl from the Chu family will probably be watching you. You really need to prepare well.”
Lu Li swallowed hard. He had only been a small boss before. To suddenly become the spokesperson for a super-group, his mentality hadn’t adjusted yet. This was probably what they meant by “with great power comes great responsibility.” Who was it that said that again… oh, Wolverine…
The more women around him, the heavier the burden on his shoulders. If he wanted everyone to have a harmonious living environment, he had to stand on a higher platform—this was an objective fact that could not be violated. The story of an ordinary person with no achievements having a harem could only appear in the novels of the island nation of Japan.
“Where’s Little Qiao? How has she been lately?”
Zhu Xi thought for a moment and sighed helplessly. “I shouldn’t have told her about the engagement so early. She’s been watching wedding videos online every day now, and she even insists on having me change my nationality. She says in Africa, sisters can marry the same man at the same time.”
Lu Li smiled and didn’t try to persuade her. He knew Zhu Xi wouldn’t accept two women serving one husband—at least not in name. A thought stirred in Lu Li’s mind, and he reached out to grab Zhu Xi’s small hand. He remembered that yesterday Zhu Xi had specially worn a white silk garter belt. He wondered what she was wearing underneath today. Who would have thought that Zhu Xi would suddenly slap his hand away. “Don’t touch me randomly. I’m your older sister-in-law! Be more careful in the future!” Lu Li thought she had changed her nature, but who would have thought that Zhu Xi would then say, “…The press conference is in a few days. You should rest up. I’ll compensate you after the press conference is over. Sigh, you scumbag man…”
Lu Li suppressed his little thoughts and turned to hug Zhu Xi. “Okay. I want to hug you today.” Zhu Xi’s ramrod-straight body became soft and delicate. She was already used to bickering and flirting with Lu Li. She grunted in agreement, took off her shoes, and crawled into Lu Li’s blanket. “I’m a little tired too. I’ll take a nap. Don’t disturb me. Think hard about how you’re going to deal with the reporters’ questions…”
“Rest assured, big sister-in-law. I know what I’m doing.”
When he looked down again, he saw the exhausted Zhu Xi had already fallen into a deep sleep. She must have been very tired recently. Watching the Yan family that raised her crumble bit by bit, that feeling must have kept her up all night.
Lu Li sighed. He once again experienced what it meant to have the hardest time repaying a beauty’s favor. Zhu Xi was willing to gamble her future with him. Then he couldn’t let her down. Right, Lu Li remembered there was a superhero who was also like this. On the surface, he was a rich playboy, but behind the scenes, he had a lot of mechs. What was his name again…
Lu Li slapped his head. Right, his name was Megatron.
