Return to 88: Starting from Marrying My Sister-in-law

The Li family's appalling behavior was fully demonstrated in that phone call just now.

Not only did Li Ka-shing want their own 9.5% stake in Dazhong, but he also demanded that Lao Liu transfer the 9.5% stake in Dazhong held by Lianxiang to their Cheung Kong Group. Although the funds to buy these shares after the signing in a few days would actually be provided by the Li family, according to the previous cooperation agreement, the money promised to be lent to Lao Liu was now being returned before he could even enjoy it, and it was the Dazhong shares that he had already acquired.

Can Lao Liu be content with this?

Of course I'm not willing to accept this!!!

But he was unwilling but there was nothing he could do. He couldn't afford to offend Cheung Kong Holdings, and he couldn't afford to mess with Li Ka-shing's family, especially Li Ka-shing. The key point was that Lianxiang was a listed company, and its listing address was the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in Hong Kong.

a few days later.

In front of Zhang Dazhong of Dazhong, Wang Zong of TCL, and the eldest son of the Li family of Cheung Kong Holdings, Lao Liu signed the last stroke of his name on the contract.

The luxury car drove away from the headquarters of Dazhong and headed towards Yanjing Airport.

Outside the window, the gray sky hung low, mirroring Old Liu's current mood—gloomy and hopeless.

He closed his eyes wearily. The favor the Li family owed him after taking all the benefits, the promise of future cooperation, was like a chicken rib—tasteless to eat, but he dared not discard it.

Now that the Li family has kicked him aside and supported Dazhong as their representative for electrical appliance stores in mainland China, the alliance's grand plan has been shattered. He desperately needs a battlefield where he can prove himself and save face.

The chaotic thoughts in my mind were finally forcibly twisted into a single rope and firmly tied to a point on the map—Hunan Province.

That was the only frontline where he could still exert substantial influence and was directly engaged in combat with the Century Group, a group of some annoying young man.

Mingzhu Electric Appliances, Yin Mingzhu... This regional general agent whom he personally nurtured and originally intended to be a pawn in the alliance has now become his only lifeline and the last stand for him to prove his "channel is king" strategy.

"Back to Xiangcheng!" Old Liu's voice was hoarse but carried a desperate determination as he gave the order to his assistant in the front row, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest as if striking his own anxious nerves.

"Contact Ms. Yin of Mingzhu Electric Appliances immediately and tell her that I will arrive in Xingcheng by tonight at the latest, and arrange to meet her first thing tomorrow morning. I have important matters to discuss with her, which concern the future plans of Lianxiang and her Mingzhu Electric Appliances City!"

Xiangcheng, Mingzhu Electrical Appliance City Headquarters.

Sunlight streamed through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating Yin Mingzhu's large mahogany desk.

The intelligence reports and clippings were neatly laid out, like a meticulously woven net.

She highlighted the news that Huang Guangtou of Gome rejected Lao Liu and embraced Changhong and Haier with a red pen.

Following this was news that Beijing-based Dazhong Electronics had accepted investment from Lianxiang and Li's Cheung Kong Holdings, while also investing in television brand TCL, but without mentioning the "super alliance."

Beside it was Shencheng Yongle's cleverly worded announcement—having received money from Lianxiang and Cheung Kong, it reiterated its commitment to cultivating the lower-tier market, had no intention of fighting tooth and nail in the first-tier markets, and called on its peers to "exercise restraint," stating that the mainland market still has broad prospects to explore, and there was no need to rush into a life-or-death struggle now.

Yin Mingzhu's slender fingers traced the "Yongle" announcement, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

The secretary, standing to the side, whispered a reminder: "President Yin, Gome refused first, and Dazhong and Yongle are so ambiguous. It seems that Lianxiang Lao Liu's 'super alliance' is completely off. Now is the perfect time for us to set our terms. Should we... take the initiative to contact President Liu? On the basis of deepening cooperation, strive for greater autonomy? For example..."

“No rush.” Yin Mingzhu interrupted her secretary, picked up the blue and white porcelain cup on the table, took a sip of tea, and her eyes were sharp as an eagle. “Wait a little longer, it’s not ready yet.”

Her voice was calm, yet held undeniable strength.

She needed to see Lao Liu cornered and with no way out before she could reveal her true price.

The current news only confirms her previous judgment: the giants in the electronics industry are wary of the Hong Kong capital brought in by Lao Liu. No one is willing to be his cannon fodder, and no one is willing to hand over core control.

Old Liu is now all alone.

A few days later, in the general manager's office of Xingcheng Mingzhu Electrical Appliance City.

Old Liu sat opposite Yin Mingzhu. Although he tried his best to maintain his usual dignity, the lingering fatigue between his brows and the barely perceptible anxiety deep in his eyes could not escape Yin Mingzhu's notice.

He cut to the chase, his tone almost urgent and encouraging: "President Yin, you must know the news outside. Gome is ungrateful, and Dazhong and Yongle each have their own agendas, making it difficult for them to achieve anything significant. But this precisely proves that our previous direction was correct. The real battleground is right here, right here on this land of Hunan Province!"

Old Liu leaned forward slightly: "Your Mingzhu Electrical Appliance Store was established with the support of Lianxiang. To show our sincerity, Lianxiang no longer has any directly operated stores in Hunan Province. All our assets are tied to your Mingzhu Store. Now it's time for you to repay us."

He slammed his fist on the table: "We must accelerate, accelerate the expansion of Mingzhu Electronics City, and more forcefully squeeze the space of Xiaoshentong and Xiaotiancai in the store, especially focusing on the VCD market!"

When VCDs were mentioned, Lao Liu's voice suddenly rose, filled with deep-seated hatred and resentment.

Because of this project, a certain young man lacked sportsmanship and stabbed their company in the back, causing his prestige within the company to plummet.

"I can't stand by and watch this little prodigy flaunt his skills on Nasdaq!"

"President Yin, we must spare no effort to utilize the Mingzhu Mall platform and leverage the advantageous location of Lianxiang VCDs here to completely overwhelm Little Prodigy in sales!"

"This is a crucial battle to prove the success of our model!"

"As long as Hunan Province wins, we can slap that kid hard across the face. Don't you hate him too? Then let everyone see who the real king of distribution channels is!"

Old Liu's tone was inflammatory, painting a grand picture of the decisive battle in Hunan Province. He tried to use the lure of victory and the woman's hatred for Lu Yang to firmly bind Yin Mingzhu to his chariot.

Yin Mingzhu listened quietly, a professional smile on her face, but her eyes were as calm as a still pond in late autumn.

Only after Lao Liu's impassioned speech came to an end did she slowly put down her teacup, making a barely audible sound.

“President Liu is right, Hunan Province is indeed the key.” Her voice was steady and calm. “Mingzhu Mall is indeed Lianxiang’s only and most important bridgehead in Hunan Province.”

She deliberately emphasized "unique" and "most important".

Old Liu felt a chill run down his spine, sensing something was about to happen.

Yin Mingzhu changed the subject, completely unmoved, and her tone became like that of a shrewd businesswoman: "However, President Liu, you also know that the current situation... is very different from when we were discussing the exclusive agency."

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze meeting Old Liu's directly, her eyes no longer concealing her calculation and dominance: "Back then, you had the 'Super Alliance' as your trump card, so Mingzhu naturally had to rely on Lianxiang's support, but now..."

She smiled gently, but that smile sent a chill down Old Liu's spine. "Lianxiang can't do without Mingzhu in Hunan Province, but my Mingzhu Marketplace doesn't only have Lianxiang as a path to follow."

Old Liu's face instantly turned extremely ugly: "President Yin, what do you mean by that?"

"The meaning is simple." Yin Mingzhu's voice turned cold. "Now, President Liu, you need Mingzhu Mall as your battlefield to fight Century Group hand-to-hand, fighting for every inch of land, every drop of blood. I can make Mingzhu Mall your bloodbath arena, cooperating with you in this tough battle, but..."

She paused for a moment, then presented the conditions she had prepared beforehand: "I need two things."

"First, the payment period for all Lianxiang products at Mingzhu Mall will be extended from three months to six months!"

"Secondly, Lianxiang must open up the Jiangxi market to Mingzhu Department Store and allow me to sell the Lianxiang products that I exclusively distribute in Jiangxi Province!"

Yin Mingzhu leaned back slightly, her posture composed yet exuding an undeniable sense of pressure: "As long as President Liu agrees to these two conditions, my Mingzhu Department Store can immediately open a new store in Jiangxi Province, expanding Lianxiang's territory; otherwise..."

She didn't finish speaking, but the resolute look in her cold eyes was more powerful than any threat.

Old Liu felt a surge of blood rushing to his head, and his vision blurred.

He stared intently at Yin Mingzhu's beautiful yet venomous face, his heart churning with rage and endless regret.

I shouldn't have helped that venomous woman in the first place!
This is no partner; it's an ungrateful wretch who hasn't even started biting the enemy yet, but it's already opening its bloody maw to devour its master!
Opening up the Jiangxi market to the other party and allowing them to sell the Lianxiang products they exclusively distribute across regions to Jiangxi Province—what does this mean? There's no need to guess, because that's how he lost the entire market in Hunan Province, including its capital city, Xingcheng.

But he sadly discovered that he really didn't have many choices.

The other party precisely grasped his vital point.

Losing the Hunan province market?

This price is simply too high for Lianxiang to bear!
What made him even more wary, especially at this critical juncture, was that this woman, besides being ruthless, also had another identity. She was the sister-in-law of that annoying young man, Lu Yang!

Although there is supposedly a "misunderstanding," what if this crazy woman, in order to get back at him, turns around and begs that guy and her sister to reconcile?

He doesn't dare to gamble!

An overwhelming sense of humiliation nearly overwhelmed him; Old Liu clenched his fists tightly under the table, his nails digging deep into his palms.

He swallowed hard before squeezing out a few words through clenched teeth, each word seeming to be coated with poison:
"Okay...I...agree!"

Yin Mingzhu's face finally broke into a bright, victorious smile, as if the fierce fighting had never happened: "President Liu is indeed a man of great principle. Then let's... have a pleasant cooperation and jointly fight against the powerful enemy."

She extended her hand with graceful movements.

Old Liu looked at the outstretched hand and felt it was incredibly irritating.

He suppressed the urge to vomit, and with extreme stiffness, touched it symbolically before quickly withdrawing it, as if he had gotten something dirty on it.

He knew that before the battle in Hunan Province even began, he had already been stabbed in the back and bled dry by the "ally" he had supported.

The real bloody battle has only just begun.

This land of Hunan Province will become a brutal battlefield, like a meat grinder, between Lianxiang and Century Group, and even more so between Lao Liu and Yin Mingzhu, that "poisonous woman".

Singapore.

The study on the second floor of the garden villa.

Lu Yang had just taken the phone away from his ear when the name "Mingyue" on the screen hadn't completely gone dark yet.

My wife's worried voice still echoes in my ears from the phone call:

A certain woman, whom neither party is keen to mention, is currently making frequent moves in Hunan Province. Taking advantage of Lianxiang Lao Liu's predicament, she not only extended Lianxiang's payment period but also forced it to open up the Jiangxi Province market, ambitiously extending the tentacles of Mingzhu Electrical Appliances into the province.

“After all, she’s my older sister, but now she’s also my rival…” Yin Mingyue’s voice was filled with helplessness.

"Honey, what should we do? Should we take a special approach?"

Lu Yang's answer was crisp and decisive, even with a hint of amusement: "Let her be. There's no need to target her specifically. Let the company's senior management handle it normally. Let the competition continue."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the dazzling night view of Victoria Harbour outside the window, his voice calm yet exuding an air of complete confidence, "I also want to see just how far she can go."

After hanging up the phone, Lu Yang walked out of the study and returned to the spacious living room downstairs.

Under the warm yellow light, Xu Siqi was lounging lazily on the large sofa. Nine months pregnant, her belly was bulging high, as if she were carrying a heavy hope.

The hard lines on Lu Yang's face softened instantly. He sat down next to her, picked up a plump orange from the fruit plate, and skillfully peeled it with his slender fingers, releasing a refreshing fruity aroma into the air.

He carefully separated the peeled orange segments and brought them to Xu Siqi's lips.

Xu Siqi opened her mouth and took it in, squinting her eyes contentedly like a lazy cat.

"Mingyue called? Is something wrong at home?"

"No big deal."

Lu Yang peeled another petal, his tone light, "Her sister is doing quite well in Hunan Province, battling it out with Lao Liu and his gang."

Xu Siqi nodded knowingly. Although she was Lu Yang's secretary, she had little interest in the cutthroat competition in business and preferred the tranquility and warmth of the moment.

Looking at her serene profile, Lu Yang's complex emotions, triggered by Yin Mingyue's phone call, vanished.

He was about to feed her another segment of orange when his personal cell phone on the coffee table vibrated again, the screen lighting up to display "Nini".

Lu Yang raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly. A call from his secretary at this time usually meant that there was something important that he needed to know immediately.

He gave Xu Siqi a reassuring look, picked up his phone, answered the call, and put it on speakerphone.

"Chairman, did I disturb your rest?" Lu Nini's capable voice came through.

"Speak," Lu Yang said succinctly, continuing to peel the orange, but his attention was completely focused.

"Just to confirm your schedule for tomorrow: at 10:00 AM, you will meet with Mr. Lin Chundong from Lotus Electronics' chip division to discuss the details of his move to our company; at 2:00 PM, you will need to review and sign the final project agreement; and at 7:00 PM, there will be a dinner hosted by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). The invitation has been sent to your email."

"Okay." Lu Yang fed Xu Siqi a segment of orange.

“Okay, also,” Lu Nini paused, a hint of barely perceptible excitement creeping into her voice.

"By the way, I'd like to give you an update on some recent developments in China, mainly regarding public opinion... concerning 'Lianxiang' and that General Manager Liu."

"Oh?" Lu Yang paused for a moment.

"You know that when Mr. Huang of Gome publicly rejected Lianxiang, he privately commented to media friends that Mr. Liu was a 'comprador'? This term... seems to be gaining traction."

Lu Nini spoke faster, saying, "Although it's not widely reported by mainstream media, within the industry, financial circles, and some tech-oriented forums and BBS, the label of 'comprador' seems to have been accepted by many people and is spreading in a small but deep way. Now, I'm afraid that person won't be able to easily remove this hat, hehe."

“Comprador…” Lu Yang silently repeated the word, his eyes instantly sharpening like a hawk's, as if piercing through space and seeing a figure in a busy office in Beijing on the other side of the ocean.

"Yes, this is a huge blow to Lao Liu and Lianxiang's reputation, especially since they have just experienced the complete bankruptcy of the 'Super League' and were kicked out by Dazhong."

This label reinforces their negative image of 'working for foreign companies and squeezing out local brands,' creating significant obstacles to their subsequent efforts to win back other local appliance retailers and distributors and consolidate their position.

It's said that privately, some previously hesitant potential partners have become ambiguous or even backed out entirely because of this shift in sentiment; nobody wants to be associated with this label.

The person on the other end of the phone continued to go over the details, but Lu Yang's mouth was already stretching out uncontrollably to both sides in an extremely exaggerated way, almost reaching his ears.

His smile was filled with undisguised joy, mockery, and a sense of absurdity, as if history was repeating itself. It was so radiant that Xu Siqi, who was looking at his profile, was momentarily stunned.

He laughed silently, his shoulders even twitching slightly, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.

“Comprador…hahaha…comprador!” A word that was crystal clear and carried a strong sense of futurism was slammed into the present reality.

Lu Yang suddenly felt a bizarre dizziness!

This feels like the script for the future has been brought right before our eyes!

Something feels strangely familiar, doesn't it? Doesn't it?

"Old Liu is in a bind now. He tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead. Is it possible that he can't even beat that woman Yin Mingzhu in Xingcheng, Hunan Province, and will have to give up some of the market in Jiangxi Province as well?"

"Haha. Regret it now, huh?"

"Is it worth it just to disgust me? I don't think so. Besides, I wasn't even disgusted."

Ignore the new secretary, Lu Nini, who is still rambling on the phone.

"Snapped."

He hung up the phone.

Suppressing the urge to burst out laughing, he lowered his head and continued peeling the orange, feeding the flesh to his pregnant former secretary beside him. (End of Chapter)