Chapter 509: The Power of an Idol

Chapter 509: Chapter 507: The Power of an Idol

Xiao Hongling turned and went to the bar to order some drinks. When she returned, she sat down gracefully. “My dad is still with his friends. He’ll be over after they’re done talking.”

In Xiao Hongling’s presence, Li Xue felt completely inadequate. It was as if the stars had vanished with the rising sun; the two of them simply couldn’t be compared.

Xiao Hongling wasn’t just beautiful; her abilities were also first-rate. It was common knowledge that Xiao Longjiang intended for her to inherit the entire family business.

When that time came, she would be the wealthiest and most powerful woman in Nanjiang Province, and perhaps even the most beautiful.

Mu Lin said, “Miss Hong Ling, I ran into Ning Zuoren. Why were the Ning Family invited? They were the masterminds behind your ordeal in Lanyang. You know that better than anyone.”

Xiao Hongling had been kidnapped by the Celestial Dragon Temple. The mastermind behind it was Elder Deng, and the Ning Family was Elder Deng’s sponsor.

In any case, it was strange for the Ning Family to appear at a banquet hosted by Xiao Longjiang.

Mu Lin had been down from the mountain for a while now, but he still couldn’t understand the reasoning behind this move.

A hint of resignation flickered across Xiao Hongling’s lips. “Since it’s just us, I’ll be honest with you. I’m not happy about it either. But my dad made the final decision to invite them. He said we can’t have an open falling-out with the Ning Family just yet. We have to maintain a semblance of peace for now.”

Mu Lin frowned slightly. “I don’t see the necessity. Given the scale of your father’s business, the Ning Family shouldn’t be able to touch you, right?”

Mu Lin hadn’t researched it in depth, but a simple search had been enough to understand just how formidable Xiao Longjiang was.

“I’m not entirely sure what my dad is thinking, but he said he’s doing it for my safety… I get the feeling he’s not happy about it either.”

Mu Lin thought of that old scoundrel, Ning Bai Nian. ‘Could it be that Xiao Longjiang knows the Ning Family’s true strength, and that’s why he’s resorting to this poor strategy?’

Mu Lin felt it was quite possible.

Li Xue felt a pang of jealousy. ‘Mu Lin calls Xiao Hongling just by her name? That’s way too intimate, isn’t it? And he says it so naturally, too. Could their relationship be something special?’

She was getting anxious. She had an agreement with Mu Lin to not interfere with his personal life, but she still felt a knot of unease in her heart.

But then she remembered that Xiao Hongling called Mu Lin “Mr. Mu,” and she felt something wasn’t quite right.

‘Is Mu Lin the only one with feelings? How pathetic is that?’

Xiao Hongling, not wanting to discuss the Ning Family any further, changed the subject. She turned to Li Xue and said, “President Li, is the Li Group planning to expand its operations in Di Yang?”

Li Xue pulled herself together and said seriously, “Of course. I’m actually here to prepare a bid for the Shengding International project and do some groundwork.”

A flicker of confusion crossed Xiao Hongling’s eyes. “The Shengding International project… isn’t it a bit lackluster? The scale is small, the profits are limited—it’s not exactly a prime investment target. Isn’t the Li Group considering bidding on larger projects?”

‘Is she even serious? Back in Anhua, people would kill for the Shengding Group project, but to Xiao Hongling, the profits are ‘limited’…’

Li Xue was overwhelmed with emotion and had a million things she wanted to say, but she couldn’t be rude. She could only state simply, “Our company only has the appetite and capacity for a project of this size. Besides, with our numerous ongoing projects, our capital chain is already stretched thin. We absolutely couldn’t afford a larger project.”

Xiao Hongling then realized how different the Li Group’s situation was from her own company’s. She closed her eyes in thought for a moment. “In that case, President Li, have you considered establishing an independent subsidiary in Di Yang? If you could gain a firm foothold here, it could benefit the development of your Anhua Headquarters.”

Li Xue admitted frankly that she had always had this in mind. Xiao Hongling’s eyes lit up, showing great interest.

“How about this? I’ll convince my dad to invest in the Li Group’s Di Yang branch company. That way, your capital chain will be more than sufficient.”

“Taking on the Shengding Group project wouldn’t strain your headquarters’ capital chain anymore. What’s more, you’d have the chance to compete for major projects. Now that would be interesting.”

Li Xue was flattered and astonished. She never imagined she could become partners with her idol. “That would be wonderful! Miss Xiao, you have no idea how much I admired you when I was in school.”

The moment the words left her mouth, Li Xue’s face turned beet red.

‘So embarrassing…’

But Xiao Hongling found Li Xue rather endearing. She moved to sit next to her and said warmly:

“Besides focusing on Shengding International, you can also try other projects. We’re both still young; we have plenty of opportunities for trial and error.”

Li Xue’s face was still burning, and she felt like her brain had stopped working. “I’ll discuss it with my father and get back to you,” she managed to say.

Just as their conversation was getting friendly, Xiao Longjiang walked into the private room.

Xiao Longjiang looked a little upset, but the moment he saw Mu Lin, his expression turned to one of excitement.

“Mu Lin! I never thought you’d be here!”

Xiao Longjiang walked straight to Mu Lin, pulled him into a hug, and left Mu Lin feeling rather awkward.

‘He’s a grown man, and he’s still hugging people.’

After the hug, Xiao Longjiang turned to Li Xue and greeted her warmly:

“You must be President Li! Hong Ling told me the Li Group had a female manager about her age who was running the entire company single-handedly and keeping it in perfect order. I knew then that you had a bright future! The Li Group is sure to soar under your leadership.”

As he spoke, he tapped Xiao Hongling on the head. “And you, don’t get complacent. You should know there’s always someone better.”

Li Xue was so flustered she didn’t dare move. It was her first time meeting such a major figure. Even her father and grandfather had never been able to break into this circle, yet here she was, sitting right in the middle of it.

One had to understand that Xiao Longjiang had operated in Nanjiang for many years and had deep, complex connections. A little guidance from him could save her from countless detours.

She sat up straight and said with great solemnity, “It’s an honor to meet you, Chairman Xiao. Your presence is truly extraordinary. I… I was a bit intimidated.”

“Now that we’ve met, we’re acquainted. Hong Ling is about your age, so you can call me ‘Uncle,’ and I’ll answer to it.”

‘The richest man in Nanjiang is so approachable.’ Li Xue was truly flattered. ‘Could this also be because of Mu Lin?’

She had too many questions! They piled up, layer by layer, like a series of traps, making her feel uneasy.

Mu Lin put down his drink and said to Xiao Longjiang, “Uncle Xiao, you seem a bit unsettled. Are you in some kind of trouble? Why don’t you let me hear about it?”

Although Xiao Longjiang was hiding it well, Mu Lin’s ability to read people was at its peak, and he had noticed it easily.

“Mu Lin, I really can’t hide anything from you!”

Xiao Longjiang sighed heavily. “In the end, it’s still about Hong Ling’s safety. School is about to start. What am I supposed to do if she runs into danger there?”

“Ever since that last incident, I’ve been looking for powerful experts to protect her from the shadows.”

“But such experts are nearly impossible to hire. My money is useless…”

Xiao Longjiang suddenly said, “Mu Lin, how about I just hire you? Is four hundred million a month enough? If not, we can negotiate. Everything is negotiable.”

Mu Lin thought to himself, ‘That’s an incredibly generous offer. Even a famous Grandmaster in the Jianghu wouldn’t command such a price.’

Xiao Longjiang was really going all out for his daughter. But then again, he was one of the few people who had the resources to go all out like this.

When Li Xue heard the offer of four hundred million a month, she thought about how that was nearly the Li Group’s entire annual profit. Her heart leaped into her throat. ‘Will Mu Lin be tempted?’

‘If this leads to him and Xiao Hongling being an inseparable pair, that would be…’ Li Xue felt a deep sense of unease, but she was powerless to intervene. After all, she had no claim on him.

“I can’t. I have too many things to do. I definitely can’t dedicate myself to protecting only Miss Xiao.”

Li Xue let out a long sigh of relief, and some color returned to her lips. ‘At least he has some conscience.’

Xiao Longjiang knew Mu Lin wasn’t someone who could be moved by money, but he still couldn’t help feeling disappointed. Forcing himself to perk up, he cursed through gritted teeth, “Ji Tianya is a real bastard. The prices he’s quoting are outrageous! He’s forcing me to pay a fortune to hire some garbage-tier expert to protect Hong Ling!”

“Twenty million can only get me a rookie Grandmaster! You tell me, is that reasonable?” Xiao Longjiang raged.

‘Ji Tianya?’

Hearing the familiar name, Mu Lin couldn’t help but sit up straighter.

If it weren’t for his son, Ji Qingxu, Mu Lin probably wouldn’t have been able to subdue Li Ba, let alone obtain the Eight-Section Golden Dragon Roar.

He asked tentatively, “Is that Hall Master Ji of the Jun Tian Association?”

Xiao Longjiang slammed his hand on the tea table, making the teacups rattle. “That’s the one! He’s beyond unreasonable. You know him?”

Mu Lin began to ponder how to explain his relationship with Ji Tianya. In any case, Ji Tianya most certainly hated his guts.

“Uncle Xiao, were you just negotiating with Ji Tianya about hiring an expert?”

“That’s right.”