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

They both took 200 million and left.

How should I choose?
On the surface, it seems that it doesn't matter who you sell to, and Lu Yang's conditions seem to be even more demanding.

Because Lu Yang's exact words were: let her leave with her startup team.

In other words, Lu Yang might not want any of the senior executives at Mingzhu Electric Appliances, and instead directly transfer a group of middle-level managers from Century Home Appliances to take over.

Upon hearing this, Yin Mingzhu breathed a sigh of relief.

Because the Li family would never allow her to take the money and leave, and also to take away the entire management team of the company. If she really did that, the Mingzhu Electric headquarters and its dozens of stores throughout Hunan Province would immediately fall into chaos.

Unless the Li family can also be like Lu Yang, able to draw a large number of management backbones familiar with electrical appliance retail from their subsidiaries at any time to take over Mingzhu Electrical Appliances' electrical appliance retail stores in more than a dozen cities in Hunan Province.

But that's obviously not very realistic.

Ultimately, the Li family is just a capital giant in Hong Kong. Although their reach extends to the mainland, there are always times when their influence is limited.

"Are you serious?"

“Of course it’s true. I, Lu Yang, always keep my word. As long as you agree, I will arrange for someone to fly over tomorrow, and within three days, 2 million RMB in cash will be transferred to your account.”

"Okay, I'll think about it and give you an answer within three days."

In the end, Yin Mingzhu still did not immediately agree.

The phone call came so unexpectedly that she needed some time to process it and also some time to muster the courage to accept the other party's "kindness".

Three days passed quickly.

The moisture from the Xiangjiang River seemed to condense in the president's office on the top floor of Mingzhu Electric Appliances.

The air was so heavy it felt like you could wring water out of it; only the steady ticking of the quartz clock on the wall announced the passage of time, striking the hearts of everyone present like tiny hammer blows.

Yin Mingzhu sat upright behind the large mahogany desk, her back ramrod straight, like a silent jade sculpture.

Her gaze was unfocused as it fell on the black landline phone on the table, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the cold surface.

Three days ago, Lu Yang's words, "I will arrange for someone to fly over tomorrow, and within three days, 2 million RMB in cash will be transferred to your account," still resonated in my ears. They were clear, cold, yet carried an undeniable power.

Behind and on either side of her stood several core executives who had followed her through thick and thin to establish Mingzhu Electric Appliances. These people were also nervously watching their beautiful boss. Once the boss decided to make this call, it would mean unemployment for all of them, but it would also mean a large sum of money would be deposited into their accounts immediately.

Lu Yang had already said that she could take her right-hand men and even the entire startup team with her, so if Yin Mingzhu was willing to accept Lu Yang's conditions, it was impossible for her not to communicate with her right-hand men and the startup team members.

In fact, everyone now knows that the beautiful boss in front of them has already sold the company for a good price.

As long as they are determined, they can immediately obtain 200 million yuan. As for these veterans, according to the company shares promised by the boss, each of them can receive a considerable amount of wealth as capital for a comeback.

In this suffocating wait—

"Jingle Bell--!"

The landline phone on the desk, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly burst into a sharp and piercing ring!

Everyone's heart skipped a beat!
Eyes focused instantly!

Yin Mingzhu's hand trembled almost imperceptibly, and her eyes instantly sharpened like knives.

Is it the Li family?
Or...Lu Yang?
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling slightly, as if gathering some kind of strength.

The pause of a few seconds felt incredibly long to everyone.

She slowly reached out her hand, and her fair, slender fingers seemed to be stung by static electricity when they touched the cold receiver.

She steadied herself, picked up the receiver, and spoke with a deliberately calm tone: "Hello?"

The voice of Li Zeju, the eldest son of the Li family, came from the other end of the phone, filled with obvious urgency and a plea to turn the tide: "President Yin! Please wait! Don't be impatient! I understand you're pressed for time, but please give the Li family another chance. The conditions offered by Century Group are the same as those offered by the Li family! Two hundred million, not a penny less! Moreover, we guarantee that you and your core team can leave unscathed with your 'startup fund'!"

Li Zeju spoke extremely quickly, as if afraid that a second's delay would be too late: "President Yin, I know there might have been some misunderstandings before, but my father highly values ​​Mingzhu Electric's worth in the regional market and admires your abilities! We are not against you leaving with your team. Just give us a few days, and we will immediately coordinate with our ally, Sulin Electric, as the acquisition entity. All conditions can be written into the contract. If you can't even wait a few days, on behalf of Cheung Kong Group, I can immediately advance you the two hundred million yuan as a sign of the Li family's sincerity..."

Yin Mingzhu listened quietly, her face expressionless.

Li Zeju's eagerness, the Li family's sudden "generous" concessions, and even their promise to advance funds, dispelled the last trace of doubt in her heart.

Behind this sudden "goodwill" lies the panic of the Li family being cornered, and their stress response after learning of Lu Yang's intervention.

They finally realized that Lu Yang's seemingly harsh condition of "taking the team away" was precisely the fatal flaw that their Li family could not replicate!

Without Su Lin's deep involvement and readily available management talent, the Li family's acquisition of Mingzhu Electric Appliances, a company with a collective departure of its management team, leaving only an empty shell and debts, would be tantamount to taking on a hot potato. It would instantly descend into chaos and paralysis, completely unable to cope with the combined attack from Guomei and Century Home Appliances.

The Li family's promise at this moment seems more like a delaying tactic in a moment of desperation, full of uncertainty and potential risks.

In contrast, Lu Yang... that man, although cold-hearted, never utters a lie.

His unwavering commitment and his "a promise is a promise" have become a rare form of credibility in the cutthroat business world.

More importantly, his vast Century Group system does indeed possess the capability and resource reserves to instantly take over dozens of Mingzhu Electric stores and stabilize the situation.

His demanding nature is based on the fact that he has the ability to meet those demands.

“I’m sorry, Young Master Li.” Yin Mingzhu interrupted Li Zeju’s attempts to persuade her, her voice calm and undisturbed, yet carrying an undeniable resolve. “I have made my decision. Thank you for the Li family’s continued ‘concern,’ but between us, this is the end.”

Without giving the other party any chance to speak again, she hung up the phone decisively.

The receiver clicked softly as it was placed back into its base, a sound that was particularly clear in the quiet office.

That one sound seemed to seal the fate of everyone.

Yin Mingzhu ignored her subordinates behind her, whose expressions varied—some relieved, some sighing—and instead focused her gaze back on the telephone.

This time, her eyes no longer held confusion or struggle, but only a calm and resolute look after everything had settled.

She reached out and dialed without hesitation the number she knew by heart, a number that represented past loves and hates.

After a few short busy tones from the receiver, the call was immediately connected.

"It's me," Yin Mingzhu said, her voice unusually calm, without any pleasantries or preamble, getting straight to the point, "Have your people come to sign the contract, I agree."

On the other end of the phone was the headquarters of Pengcheng Century Group.

Standing in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, Lu Yang looked down at the vibrant special economic zone city below. Listening to the cool female voice coming from the phone, a faint, expected smile appeared on his lips.

He turned around and looked at Wei Shu, the group president who had been waiting behind him for a long time.

“Okay.” Lu Yang’s reply was equally concise and forceful, without any hesitation. “Since you’re so decisive, I’ll send someone over right away. As long as everything goes smoothly, we can sign the contract tomorrow.”

He paused, then added, "The funds are ready at any time."

After hanging up the phone, the faint smile on Lu Yang's face did not disappear. He looked at Wei Shu and said, "President Wei, would you like to make a trip to Hunan Province in person?"

Wei Shu immediately understood, nodding gracefully with a professional smile: "Understood, President Lu. Acquiring Mingzhu Electric is a crucial step in the group's strategy, and it's safest for me to handle it personally." She knew that her boss was entrusting her with the specific execution and the potentially delicate "handover" work.

After all, having Lu Yang personally confront his ex-fiancée, whose company he had just "eaten up," would likely be quite a spectacle and an awkward situation.

She could even imagine the expression on Yin Mingzhu's beautiful yet cold face.

Life is unpredictable. Who would have thought that these two former bitter enemies could so "calmly" complete a transaction involving hundreds of millions of assets and the regional market landscape?
"Yes, thank you for your hard work." Lu Yang nodded, turning his gaze back to the window.

The "pearl" on the banks of the Xiang River is finally about to fall into his chess game.

The overall situation has been decided.

Meanwhile, in the port city.

Li Zeju stared at the phone in his hand, now hung up and ringing with a busy tone. His face was ashen, and a surge of anger at being slighted and utterly defeated rushed to his head.

He suddenly swung his hand and slammed the expensive phone to the ground!

"boom--!"

The phone shattered into pieces instantly, sending fragments flying everywhere.

"This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!" Li Zeju's chest heaved violently, his eyes burning with rage. "The same conditions! She actually chose a mainland company without even a moment's hesitation! This is a blatant slap in the face to our Li family!"

He recalled Yin Mingzhu's emotionless rejection, which only intensified his humiliation. Anger surged within him like magma, needing an outlet. So, he stormed off to his younger brother, Li Zekai.

"It's all your fault! You ruined my plans!" Li Zeju pointed at Li Zekai, who was leisurely sipping wine, and roared angrily, "If you hadn't provoked that woman and used such despicable means to propose a marriage alliance, making her completely disgusted with our Li family, how could she have been so resolute as to refuse to even discuss it anymore?!"

Li Zekai put down his wine glass, and the cynical smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by cold mockery and disdain.

He stood up slowly and deliberately, meeting his brother's anger head-on without backing down: "Brother, you couldn't handle the acquisition, you were unable to negotiate, and you couldn't retain people, so don't push all the blame onto me, okay? What, you're blaming me now? There are plenty of women, if the business failed, it's your own fault for not being able to do it!"

He deliberately emphasized the word "ability," his eyes filled with provocation.

"You!" Li Zeju's face flushed red with anger, and the conflict between the two brothers was about to erupt.

"stop!"

A dignified and aged voice rang out at the doorway, carrying an undeniable sense of oppression.

Li Ka-shing appeared at the door at some unknown time, his face ashen.

His stern gaze swept over his two sons, who were on the verge of exchanging blows, before finally settling on his second son, Li Zekai. His tone was icy: "Zekai! You have acted recklessly and frivolously, ruining important matters. And you still dare to talk back to your elder brother? Reflect on your actions!"

Then he looked at his eldest son, his voice softening slightly but still stern: "Zeju, you are impatient and quick to anger, which is not the way of a leader!"

Li Ka-shing walked behind the huge mahogany desk and sat down, wearily rubbing his temples.

With Mingzhu Electric Appliances falling into Lu Yang's hands, Lu Yang's Century Home Appliances and Guomei Alliance's strategic layout in Hunan Province and even the entire Southwest China was instantly completed. This created a fatal "blooming from the center" situation for Sulin Electric Appliances, the core of the Li family alliance.

The situation has deteriorated.

"The matter of Mingzhu Electric Appliances is a done deal," Li Ka-shing said in a deep voice, his tone heavy. "It's no use being upset now. The most urgent task is to stabilize our position and find the next foothold. Su Lin is attacked from both sides, and we must immediately strengthen its flanks, or we will be in grave danger."

Li Zeju forcibly suppressed his anger, took a deep breath, and his mind raced.

He stepped forward, with a hint of eagerness to salvage his image, and suggested, "Father, I recently learned that in Shandong Province, the hometown of Confucius, there is a company called 'Sanlian Electric Appliances' that has deep roots and great influence in the local area. Although its current scale cannot compare with that of Su Lin, it has great potential."

If we can bring them under our wing and form a north-south alliance with Su Lin, one in the north and one in the south, we can at least stabilize our foundation in the mainland home appliance retail market to a certain extent and resist the full-scale squeeze from Lu Yang and the Gome alliance.

The most urgent task is not to seek hegemony, but to survive and strengthen our defenses!

A hint of approval flashed in Li Ka-shing's cloudy but sharp eyes.

Although the eldest son was impatient, his ability to quickly find alternative solutions in a crisis is commendable.

This is indeed the most pragmatic choice at present.

“Yes, the idea is correct. Shandong Province is in a crucial position. If we can take over Sanlian, it will indeed relieve the pressure on Jiangsu and Lin. This matter…” His gaze swept across his two sons’ faces and finally landed on his eldest son, Li Zeju.

"Zeju, this is your task. Be swift, decisive, and at any cost. We absolutely cannot let Lu Yang get there first again!"

"Yes, Father! I'll do it right away!" Li Zeju's spirits lifted, his face showing excitement at being entrusted with such an important task and a hint of vengeful ruthlessness.

He must win the three-peat and save face!
Upon seeing this, Li Zekai's face instantly darkened, his eyes filled with jealousy and resentment.

It's the eldest brother again!

Why do good opportunities always fall to him?

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but under his father's stern gaze, he swallowed his words and could only let out a resentful snort.

With his father's approval, Li Zeju didn't dare to delay for a moment and rushed to the airport almost non-stop to catch the fastest flight to Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province.

He was calculating the value of Sanlian Electric Appliances and how to use the Li family's immense wealth to negotiate an offer that the other party couldn't refuse.

He was determined to win!
However, when he arrived at the headquarters of Sanlian Electric Appliances, weary from his journey, and met its founder, the other party wore a strange expression that was a mixture of apology and a hint of schadenfreude.

"Mr. Li, I'm so sorry, you... you're a step too late." The founder of Sanlian Electric rubbed his hands together, his tone regretful, but his eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of receiving a huge sum of cash. "Just yesterday... no, to be precise, the day before yesterday, Mr. Lu from Century Group sent a representative to sign the contract with us. Mr. Lu... the price he offered was simply too good to pass up."

Li Zeju seemed to have been doused with a bucket of ice water from head to toe, instantly freezing in place, his face turning from red to white, and finally turning ashen.

It's Lu Yang again!

He actually blocked even the Sanlian escape route in advance!

And the movements were so fast!

The price they offered... was impossible to refuse?
Seeing his grim expression, the founder of Sanlian added, his tone even carrying a hint of "consolation": "Mr. Li, actually this is for the best. President Lu not only gave us enough money, but also allowed our entire founding team to leave with the money. He doesn't want our people."

We work hard to start a business, isn't it all for financial freedom?

Mr. Lu was straightforward and offered cash!
If you can make money, you're a fool!

Haha!

Besides, with this money, I can take my old buddies, move to a different place, change jobs, have another child, and start over. Wouldn't that be great?

Do you agree with this logic?

Li Zeju felt a metallic sweetness rise to his throat, and his vision blurred.

He came with great hope after a long and arduous journey, only to receive a resounding slap in the face and a nearly mocking "entrepreneurial experience."

Lu Yang's shadow is like a bone-deep infection, omnipresent!
His meticulously planned southward "Soviet-Shandong" defense line was aborted before it could even be established. Anger, like a cold, venomous snake, once again coiled tightly around his heart. He wouldn't be a gentleman if he didn't avenge this; where would his reputation as the eldest son of the Li family be? Wouldn't his second brother seize the opportunity to ridicule him again when he returned? (End of Chapter)