Who's going to be the female lead's simp? Aren't the supporting female characters mor

Once the food and drinks were served, everyone ate and chatted.

At first, the conversation lingered on some trivial industry trends, but soon Feng Rui got to the point.

"Brother Bai," Feng Rui put down his wine glass, looking intently at Bai Jingyou, "Let's not beat around the bush. You acquired that logistics park not just for warehouses, right? DeepBlue Technology has been working on artificial intelligence and big data; are you planning to use that park as a testing ground?"

"Mr. Feng has a keen eye." Bai Jingyou didn't hide anything. "Traditional logistics is too inefficient, it's all done by manpower. What I want to do is a fully automated smart logistics system. From warehousing and sorting to delivery, everything will be handled by the system. That industrial park is just the first step."

"Such grand ambitions," Chen He exclaimed. "But the investment will be enormous. System development and equipment upgrades alone could be a bottomless pit. Mr. Bai, can DeepBlue Technology's current cash flow sustain this?"

This is a test to see what's going on.

Bai Jingyou smiled slightly, picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth: "Whether DeepBlue Technology can hold on or not is not important. What is important is that once this model is successful, the entire retail supply chain in Beijing, and even the entire North, will be reshuffled. At that time, whoever controls the logistics will control the pricing power."

Upon hearing the words "pricing power," both Feng Rui and Chen He's expressions changed.

As financial tycoons, they are all too aware of the weight of those three words.

"The Li family..." Feng Rui tapped the table meaningfully, "Judging from their current posture, it seems like they're jumping into a fire pit. That Li He has been jumping around quite enthusiastically lately."

"The Li family?" Bai Jingyou chuckled, placing a piece of fish on Jiang Mengyao's plate. His tone was as casual as if he were discussing the weather. "The Li family is a thing of the past. President Feng, President Chen, if you're interested, why not keep an eye on the new Li family a month from now? By then, that vast retail network might have a different name."

The private room fell silent for a few seconds.

Feng Rui and Chen He exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

Although they guessed that Bai Jingyou was targeting the Li family, they did not expect him to have such a big appetite, actually wanting to swallow up the Li family's core assets!

"A month?" Feng Rui narrowed his eyes. "Brother Bai, are you that confident?"

"One hundred percent." Bai Jingyou raised his glass. "At that time, Deep Blue Technology will need allies. After all, such a large pie can't be eaten by myself, nor do I want to eat it all. If you two are interested, we can have a more in-depth discussion."

This is where they're handing out admission tickets.

Feng Rui laughed heartily, raising his glass: "Good! I love Brother Bai's confidence! I'll drink this one! If that day ever comes, Hongye Capital will definitely be on your side!"

Chen He also raised his glass with a smile: "The Chen family is also willing to join in the fun."

After the business was finished, the atmosphere became more relaxed.

Feng Ling pulled Jiang Mengyao aside and whispered to her, while the two men started talking about romance and golf.

Just then, Bai Jingyou's phone vibrated.

It was a video sent by Ye Lingqing.

The background of the video is noisy, and it takes place in a private room of a nightclub.

In the scene, the once arrogant Li Zifeng is dead drunk, kneeling in front of a bald man with a fierce face, holding a bottle of liquor, crying with snot and tears streaming down his face.

"Brother Biao! Lend me some money... even five million will do! As long as I have money, I can make it back! I know that bastard Li He's background, he doesn't know how to do business at all... as long as I get the money back, I can..."

The man called Brother Biao kicked Li Zifeng away, looking disgusted: "Get out of here! Young Master Li, do you still think you're the same as before? Your old man has suspended you, you're nothing now! Borrow money? Pawn your sports car, I can still give you a hundred or two hundred thousand to spend."

The video ends abruptly here.

Bai Jingyou looked at the screen, a sarcastic smile curving his lips.

The once high and mighty eldest son of the Li family now has to kneel before thugs for five million. A person, once stripped of their family's prestige, is less than a dog.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Mengyao leaned closer and asked with concern.

"It's nothing." Bai Jingyou put away his phone, took her hand, and said, "It was just watching a clown's farewell performance."

He looked up at the dazzling night view outside the window.

Li He is burning through money like crazy, Li Zifeng is wallowing in self-pity, and Li Jianguo is just barely hanging on.

This grand drama is about to reach its climax.

……

At this very moment, at the Li family mansion.

The study was brightly lit. Li Jianguo stared at the financial statements that had just been delivered to him, his hands trembling.

"What...what's going on?" Li Jianguo pointed at the strings of bright red numbers on the report, his voice hoarse. "Only three days! Five hundred million yuan has flowed out in just three days? What is Li He doing? Is he buying up gold mines?!"

Standing in the study, the CFO was sweating profusely and answered tremblingly, "Mr. Li... Young Mr. Li said this is a strategic reserve. We've signed many long-term supply contracts, and... and they're all fully prepaid. He said if we don't do this, the suppliers won't feel comfortable and will cut off supplies..."

"Outrageous!" Li Jianguo slammed the report on the ground. "Full payment in advance? What kind of business is this! This is utter nonsense!"

He picked up the phone, about to dial Li He's number.

However, the phone rang for a long time but no one answered.

"Where are they?!" Li Jianguo roared.

"Mr. Li... Mr. Li is hosting a banquet for several major suppliers at the Hilton Hotel tonight, saying he wants to... strengthen relationships."

Li Jianguo slumped into a chair, his heart throbbing with pain. He pulled out a nitroglycerin pill from a drawer and shakily put it in his mouth.

An extremely ominous premonition enveloped him.

He felt like a driver on an out-of-control train, watching helplessly as it hurtled towards a cliff, unable to apply the brakes no matter what he did.

And the person holding the steering wheel was his nephew, on whom he had placed high hopes.

Outside the window, a bolt of lightning ripped through the night sky, followed by rumbling thunder.

A storm is coming.

The black Maybach drove smoothly through the rain, soft classical music playing inside. Jiang Mengyao turned her head to look at the blurry neon lights outside the window, still clutching the exquisite pendant Feng Ling had given her.

"What are you thinking about?" Bai Jingyou reached out and turned down the air conditioner temperature, then took her slightly cool hand in his.

"I was thinking about that little girl, and... the Li family." Jiang Mengyao turned around, her eyes filled with complex emotions. "Although Feng Ling seems innocent, the way she looked at Li He's photo at the dinner table just now was like she was looking at a clown. Even a child can see that something's wrong with Li He, so why can't someone as shrewd as Li Jianguo see through it?"

"Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly." Bai Jingyou smiled faintly, his fingers gently stroking the back of her hand. "Once a person has a weakness, their IQ drops sharply. Li Jianguo's weakness is the survival of the Li Group, and Li He precisely seized on this, giving him a false hope. Like a drowning person, they will cling to even the smallest straw, without ever considering whether there is a stone tied to it."

"And what about you?" Jiang Mengyao grabbed his fingers with her own, her gaze intense. "Do you have a weakness?"

Bai Jingyou turned his head, gave her a deep look, and a gentle smile curved his lips: "Yes. Right beside me."

Jiang Mengyao's cheeks flushed slightly, and she gave a soft hum, her heart as sweet as if she had eaten honey. She knew that Bai Jingyou wasn't the kind of man who would casually utter sweet words; these words carried more weight than any vow.

"However..." Bai Jingyou's tone shifted, his gaze turning deep again, "For the enemy, my weakness is an impenetrable fortress. After tonight, this farce involving the Li family should come to an end. Li He's current happiness is the last peak of his life."

……

Hilton Hotel, Presidential Suite.

A wild party is underway here. The air is thick with the smell of expensive champagne and the strong aroma of cigars.

Li He stood on the coffee table, his shirt collar wide open and his face flushed, holding a bottle of liquor and waving his arms like a madman. Around him sat the suppliers who had been banging on the table with Li Zifeng during the day, as well as several scantily clad young models.

"Drink! Drink it all!" Li He roared, his tongue thick with laughter. "That good-for-nothing Li Zifeng used to treat you like dogs, but I, Li He, treat you like brothers! As long as you work for me, all the orders from the Li Group will be yours! I have plenty of money!"

"Mr. Li is so impressive!" Mr. Wang, the grain and oil business owner, beamed and raised his glass. "That's what a man of great things is! That kid Li Zifeng is just a miser; he has none of Mr. Li's boldness! Come, let me toast Mr. Li!"

"To General Manager Li!"

The crowd began to stir up trouble.

Li He tilted his head back and gulped down a large mouthful of wine, feeling like he was floating on air, surrounded by admirers.

Just a few days ago, he was merely an outsider in the Li family, unable to even get a second glance from these suppliers. Now, however, they fawn over him like lapdogs.

Is this the smell of power? It fucking tantalizes!

Just then, the phone lying in the corner of the sofa vibrated again. The screen flashed the words "Uncle".

Li He glanced at it, a disdainful sneer appearing on his lips.

"What's wrong? Mr. Li isn't answering?" the female model next to him asked sweetly.

"Fuck your phone!" Li He kicked the phone under the carpet. "Old man, do you really think giving me a vice president position means you can ride roughshod over me? Now the money's in my hands, the goods' in my hands. Soon, he won't be the one calling the shots anymore!"

He was now extremely arrogant. With Bai Jingyou's promised support in his account and billions of yuan in purchasing power in his hands, he felt like the king of Beijing.

"Come on, let's sign the contract!" Li He pulled out a stack of pre-printed supplementary agreements from his pocket and slammed them on the table. "President Wang, President Zhang, weren't you worried about not having enough money to pay later? Let's sign next year's contract today too! Fifty percent prepayment! Isn't that generous enough?!"

Mr. Wang and Mr. Zhang exchanged a glance, a barely perceptible glint of greed and mockery flashing in their eyes.

"That's so kind of you! Absolutely so kind!" Mr. Wang quickly grabbed his pen. "Mr. Li, you're like a second parent to us!"

The pen flew across the paper. Li He stared at the bright red seals, laughing maniacally. He hadn't carefully read the terms, much less noticed the huge trap hidden in the contract regarding breach of contract liability—if the Li Group failed to pay the final payment on time, it would face a penalty of ten times the amount.

In his view, since there was that mysterious guarantor company to back him up, what was there to be afraid of?

What he didn't know was that the guarantee company was registered in the Cayman Islands, the legal representative was a ghost that didn't exist at all, and the only proof of assets was Bai Jingyou's letter of credit, which could be revoked at any time.