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

"Does your hand hurt?" Bai Jingyou turned to look at Ye Lingqing, a smile playing on his lips.

"Slapping this kind of trash, you dirty hands." Ye Lingqing snorted coldly, walked to the sofa and sat down, but her slightly trembling fingertips still betrayed how much force she had used in that slap. "However, this feud is now completely settled. The Southern Merchant Alliance has a huge influence south of the Yangtze River. If they really block all logistics channels, it will be very difficult for our goods to be distributed."

"A blockade?" Bai Jingyou walked back to his desk, took out a cigar from the drawer, cut it open, and lit it. The bluish-white smoke rose, obscuring his slightly gloomy eyes. "Business competition is never just about head-on confrontation."

"What are your plans?" Ye Lingqing asked, frowning as she took the coffee Chen Mo offered.

"The Southern Business Alliance appears to be a monolithic entity, but in reality, it's riddled with complex conflicts of interest. Although Ye Feng is incredibly capable, his rise to power was too rapid, and his foundation is unstable. Many established families only joined the alliance out of necessity, and they may not be truly loyal to it." Bai Jingyou exhaled a smoke ring, his eyes gleaming with calculation. "Chen Mo, contact your old associates in Haicheng. Also, get Zhang Yi moving."

"Zhang Yi?" Ye Lingqing was taken aback. "What can that money-grubber do?"

"She controls many raw material channels for the light industry in the south." Bai Jingyou smiled. "Have Zhang Yi announce that all companies that join the Southern Business Alliance will see a 30% increase in raw material purchase prices. Companies that withdraw from the alliance or remain neutral will see a 10% price reduction."

Ye Lingqing's eyes lit up: "This is a ruthless move, cutting off the enemy's supply lines. A 40% profit margin is enough to dismantle that so-called alliance from within."

"That's not all." Bai Jingyou walked to the French windows, looking at the bustling capital city outside. "I'll have Bai Qianqian's brand launch an unprecedented 'dumping' campaign in the south. Price wars? I, Bai Jingyou, am not afraid of burning money. I want to see how long that Ye Feng can hold out."

"Are you trying to bury them in money?" Ye Lingqing took a deep breath, looking at Bai Jingyou's back, a strange sense of awe rising in her heart. This man was even more insane than she had imagined.

"Money is just a tool." Bai Jingyou turned around, his eyes radiating absolute confidence. "In this world, there are no unbreakable alliances, only interests that aren't big enough. Lingqing, go ahead and do your job with logistics. If you encounter any resistance, just crush it. If anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility."

Ye Lingqing looked at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled. That smile was charming and captivating, carrying a hint of tenderness that she only showed in front of Bai Jingyou.

"I'm relieved to hear that. But..." Her tone shifted, her eyes becoming somewhat mischievous, "When Sun Zhi mentioned Ye Feng earlier, you didn't seem surprised? You already knew about him?"

Bai Jingyou paused slightly, then casually flicked his cigarette ash: "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. A veteran who can unite the forces in the South is worth paying attention to."

……

Meanwhile, at Beijing Capital International Airport.

A private plane that flew in from Shenzhen landed slowly.

At the VIP entrance, a dozen men in black trench coats had been waiting for some time.

When the man in camouflage overalls and sunglasses walked out of the passage, everyone bowed in unison.

"Brother Feng!"

His voice was loud and clear, attracting the attention of passersby.

Ye Feng took off his sunglasses, revealing a face with sharp features and a somewhat weathered look.

He casually tossed his backpack to his henchman beside him, his gaze drifting to the hazy sky in the distance, a wicked smile playing on his lips.

"The air quality in Beijing is still so bad."

"Brother Feng, news came from Sun Zhi's side: it failed." A henchman stepped forward and cautiously reported, "Bai Jingyou not only didn't sign the contract, but also humiliated Sun Zhi and told him... to get back here."

"Oh?" Ye Feng wasn't angry. Instead, as if he had heard something interesting, a bloodthirsty glint flashed in his eyes. "Interesting. It seems this young master from the capital isn't as useless as the rumors say. It's no wonder that the Li family's good-for-nothings lost to him."

He took a coin out of his pocket and twirled it deftly between his fingers.

"I originally thought this trip was just about reaping the rewards of victory, but it seems I can also have some fun." Ye Feng flicked the coin into the air, caught it, and covered it on the back of his hand. "Since he won't do it in a dignified way, then we'll do it for him in a dignified way. I'm going to paralyze all of Deep Blue Technology's operations in the south within a week."

"yes!"

Ye Feng strode toward the black Maybach parked by the roadside. Just as he was about to get in, he seemed to sense something and suddenly turned around to look toward the city.

……

As night falls, the lights are on.

As soon as Bai Jingyou returned to the villa, he smelled an enticing aroma of food.

Jiang Mengyao, wearing an apron, was carrying a plate of sweet and sour pork ribs out of the kitchen. When she saw Bai Jingyou, a warm smile immediately appeared on her face.

"You're back? Quickly wash your hands and eat."

This ordinary yet heartwarming atmosphere instantly washed away Bai Jingyou's anger and exhaustion.

Jiang Mengyao turned around and helped him loosen his tie, her eyes gentle as water. "I know you're doing something important. As long as you come back safely, that's more important than anything else. By the way, Ling'er came again today, pestering me to learn how to make cakes, and she made a complete mess of the kitchen. Uncle Feng just picked her up."

Mentioning Feng Ling, Bai Jingyou's expression softened: "That girl is such a joy to be around. We'll have Feng Rui bleed a little more another day, as compensation for your nanny fees."

"You're always so calculating." Jiang Mengyao tapped his nose and pulled him to sit down at the dining table.

Just as the two were enjoying this rare moment of alone time, Bai Jingyou's phone, which was on the table, suddenly vibrated.

The screen lit up; it was a message from an unknown number.

There are no words, only a photograph.

The photo shows a man covered in blood, hanging from a warehouse beam.

Although his face was swollen and disfigured from the beating, Bai Jingyou recognized him at a glance—it was one of the commercial spies he had sent to explore the south.

Bai Jingyou stared at the screen, his eyes instantly turning icy cold, as if the surrounding air had frozen in that moment.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Mengyao noticed the change in his mood and asked with concern.

Bai Jingyou quickly locked the screen, placed the phone face down on the table, and the frost on his face instantly melted away, replaced by a nonchalant smile.

"It's nothing, just spam texts." He picked up a piece of pork rib and put it into Jiang Mengyao's bowl.

"Mengyao, I need to go to the study to handle some urgent documents tonight, so it might be quite late." Bai Jingyou stroked her hair, his tone tinged with apology. "That project from the south is a bit tricky."

"Go on, business is important." Jiang Mengyao was a smart woman. She never pried into the details of Bai Jingyou's business dealings. She simply gently straightened his collar. "Don't overwork yourself. I'll warm up a glass of milk for you and take it upstairs."

"it is good."

The moment the study door closed, the gentleness on Bai Jingyou's face vanished, replaced by extreme coldness.

He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and dialed Chen Mo's number.

"How's that guy doing?"

On the other end of the phone, Chen Mo's voice was low, and the background noise was somewhat chaotic, as if he were in a hospital: "The person was rescued, but the stronghold in the south was raided. Ye Feng's men are ruthless; they not only beat the person but also burned all the goods in our warehouse in Shenzhen. Now the warehouse manager is being held there, and they're demanding compensation for environmental pollution. If we don't pay, they'll break his hands and feet."

"You want money?" Bai Jingyou sneered, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Ye Feng is declaring war on me."

"Mr. Bai, should we send someone over there...?"

"No need," Bai Jingyou interrupted him. "Playing dirty tricks is a low-down method. This is a business world. Since he wants to play, I'll play big with him. Give that injured brother the best medical care, and also transfer five million to his account as a resettlement allowance. Tell the people below that Deep Blue Technology never mistreats its own people."

"clear."

"Also, notify Ye Lingqing, Bai Qianqian, and Zhang Yi to have a video conference in half an hour. Since Ye Feng wants to blockade the south, I'll show him who's really blocking whom."

Half an hour later, the figures of three women appeared on the huge projection screen.

Ye Lingqing was still dressed in a smart business suit, but her complexion wasn't very good; Bai Qianqian was flipping through documents with a serious expression; while Zhang Yi was lazily applying a face mask, the background seemingly being a high-end beauty salon.

"Everyone's here." Bai Jingyou sat in his leather chair, his fingers rhythmically tapping the armrest. "You should all know the situation. The Southern Business Alliance not only refused to cooperate, but also detained our people and burned our goods. Ye Lingqing, tell me about the current logistics situation."

Ye Lingqing took a deep breath, her voice icy: "It's terrible. That bastard Ye Feng used his connections in the south, and now several major logistics hubs are refusing to let Deep Blue Technology's goods into their warehouses under the pretext of fire safety inspections. Our inventory in over 300 stores in the south can only last for three days at most. After three days, we'll be in a situation where there's nothing to sell."