Chapter 95: I've Seen It All

Back home.

As usual, Elder Li had the chess pieces set up, waiting for Mu Lin to return, completely unaware of the major events that had transpired at the group today.

Mrs. Li, Lin Jiajia, was setting the table, holding back the last few main dishes from being served.

The moment Li Xue got out of the car, she walked toward her grandfather. "Grandpa, you're..."

She had only gotten a few words out before Li Yinhe pulled her back.

"Don't say any more!" Li Yinhe shot her a look.

Only then did Li Xue remember that for Elder Li, the ones who had withdrawn from the board were all his old comrades.

Telling him would just make the old man sad for days!

Mu Lin, however, walked over with a smile and started the game with a Central Cannon opening, joining the old man in a fierce match.

After one game, both Mu Lin and Elder Li were left with just a horse and a minister, forcing them to reluctantly declare a draw.

"Mu Lin, a lot happened today, didn't it?" Elder Li said. "Your style of play was very different from usual."

'Why is the old man so sharp today?' Mu Lin was completely thrown.

Mu Lin paused, then said, "I'm afraid you won't be happy if I tell you, so it's difficult to say."

"Just say it. This old man has been through storms and tempests; there's nothing that can't be said."

As he spoke, Elder Li began resetting the chess pieces.

Mu Lin snuck a glance at Li Yinhe, who was reading the newspaper, and then lowered his voice and recounted the day's events.

After Elder Li finished listening, he blinked and asked:

"That's all?"

Mu Lin grew anxious. "How can you say 'that's all'?! Today was like a roller coaster! I was scared to death!"

Elder Li smiled and gestured at Mu Lin.

"You... you've experienced too little! So easily startled."

Mu Lin disagreed with the old man's assessment. "Dad was plenty scared too, so why aren't you saying anything to him? He was the one who didn't want you to know about this!"

"He's a fool. Are you going to be a fool just like him?"

"But the board has been almost completely cleared out. Aren't you angry?"

"I've wanted them to get lost for a long time. It's just that doing it myself would have been bad for my reputation. Since they were happy to leave on their own, why wouldn't I be pleased?"

'Well... can't argue with that logic!'

From the bottom of his heart, Mu Lin admired the old man's carefree attitude.

"Now that the board should be united, the next step is to clean up the various departments, right?"

Mu Lin nodded. "That's right. It seems Li Xue already has a plan."

"She has a very soft heart and can't bear to see people cry. But when cleaning up the departments, there will definitely be people playing the sympathy card. She'll need someone to help her make the tough decisions then."

Mu Lin pointed to his own nose. "Are you talking about me?"

"Of course. You're her husband, practically half a CEO. If you handle things, can she object?"

A troubled expression appeared on Mu Lin's face. "But that will inevitably make other people unhappy, won't it?"

"What's there to be afraid of! As long as Xue'er supports you, what does it matter if the entire company opposes you? A young man shouldn't be so indecisive. Go for it!"

'This is completely outrageous,' Mu Lin thought for a moment, but then he realized there was nothing wrong with Elder Li's words.

"Alright! I'll do my best!"

「Inside the bank.」

Manager Xu Hong finished settling the day's accounts and was entering them one by one into the computer system.

A secretary ran in and called out, "Xu Hong, the president wants to see you!"

Xu Hong shot up from his seat, locked his computer, and hurried toward the president's office.

When he reached the president's office, the president's secretary was standing at the door, coldly blocking Xu Hong's path.

"Don't come any closer! You can go in when I say you can go in!"

'They already called for me, so why the unnecessary complications?' Xu Hong was completely bewildered.

He could faintly hear the president on the phone with someone. That person's position must be much higher than the president's, because the president was talking like a complete suck-up.

CLICK.

The secretary grabbed Xu Hong's ear.

"What do you think you're doing? Eavesdropping, are you?"

It turned out that as Xu Hong listened, he couldn't help but lean his head closer to hear better, which had put the secretary on her guard.

"No, that's not it! I didn't hear anything!"

"Don't listen to what you're not supposed to hear, and don't ask what you're not supposed to ask! You're a grown man, I shouldn't have to teach you how to behave, should I?" The female secretary was like a strict schoolmistress, scolding Xu Hong until he lowered his head repeatedly.

Her rank wasn't high, but simply by virtue of being the president's secretary, she acted all high and mighty, looking down on the rest of the bank.

The president, however, was very supportive of this. His secretary's behavior reinforced his authority, and when it came to controlling the bank, it was all upside and no downside for him.

After a moment, the female secretary finally stepped aside and said to Xu Hong, "You can go in now."

Xu Hong breathed a sigh of relief and timidly opened the office door, stepping inside.

"President!"

The president glanced at Xu Hong and noticed his ear was very red.

"Were you eavesdropping? The secretary twisted your ear, didn't she?"

"No!" Xu Hong shook his head repeatedly. "I was just looking at the painting on the wall. The secretary misunderstood, and I didn't even have a chance to explain!"

"That just shows you don't know your place. Looking around furtively in front of the president's office is improper. Who do you think you are?"

"I am a bank employee, and I should be creating wealth for the bank!" Xu Hong mechanically recited the line he had been forced to repeat hundreds of times during employee training.

The president was very satisfied. "Has the Li Group's loan been collected?"

Xu Hong replied, "It's been collected! Every last cent, plus the interest accumulated from the beginning of the year to today."

It was a huge sum, equivalent to half of the Li Group's account balance from the same period last year.

If the Li Group's business operations hadn't seen a major turnaround, then their account balance this year wouldn't have changed much.

Using up half of their capital just to pay back one bank... Xu Hong really didn't know if the Li Group could repay all of its debts.

'If they can't pay it all back, what will happen?'

'They'll be sued. They'll go bankrupt.'

'The Li Group will be finished.'

'What kind of grudge is this, to make all the banks call in their loans on the same day?'

He was just an ordinary employee; he didn't understand and wasn't privy to such things.

"As long as it's been collected, that's what matters," the president said. "Don't overthink the rest. The Li Group is just an ordinary company. Companies are born, they age, they get sick, and they die. It's normal for it to go bankrupt now."

"Yes, sir!" Xu Hong turned and left. The president slumped back into his chair, drenched in sweat.

As for the matter that Xu Hong found so confusing, the president knew very well who was behind it.

The Yang Family!

He had no idea how the Li Group had provoked the Yang Family, but in short, after today, the Li Family would be no more.

The same scene was playing out at other banks.

How ridiculous it was for a bank president to be so earnestly concerned with the life and death of a single construction company.

「In a private clubhouse.」

Wu Long was lying face down on a massage table as an attendant scrubbed his back, causing large rolls of grime to appear.

Two beautiful girls in swimsuits stood by, holding wine and juice, ready to hand Wu Long whatever he wanted to drink.

Wu Long took a sip of wine through a straw, then closed his eyes and reached out to touch the other girl's thigh.

A shrill ringtone shattered the air. Wu Long held out his hand, and one of the girls swiped to answer the call and handed him the phone.

"Hello, is this Chairman Wu?"

Upon hearing that voice, Wu Long sat up straight.

"Young Master Yang!"

"The matter you asked me to handle is done. Six banks have called in their loans, and dozens of asset management companies are demanding repayment. The Li Group's accounts have been drained."

"So, how do you plan to repay me?"

"The Yuelong Group is at your complete disposal, Young Master Yang. You are the Yuelong Group's shadow chairman! If you say east, I'll never go west!"

Young Master Yang chuckled with satisfaction. "Well said. In that case, it's your time to perform."

"You got it! Heh heh!"

Wu Long leaped excitedly from the table, heedless of his important parts being exposed, which drew shrieks from the two girls.

After hanging up with Young Master Yang, Wu Long immediately dialed Xiaowang's number.

Xiaowang was the largest supplier of building materials in Anhua City and had a very long-standing partnership with the Li Group.

The last time, after his brother, the pig farm owner Yang Jian, was beaten by Mu Lin, Xiaowang had furiously cut off their supply.

Eventually, the matter was resolved, and things went back to normal. Xiaowang's attitude toward the Li Group had even improved.

Wu Long was unaware of all this.

"Hey, Xiaowang," Wu Long called out.

Xiaowang was eating barbecue. He took a bite before replying:

"Ah, Chairman Wu, what can I do for you? Our supply has been quite stable lately. No rush on the payment, we can settle up next quarter."

But Wu Long said, "I know you're a stand-up guy, Xiaowang. I'm just calling to see how you're doing."

When Xiaowang heard this, his heart gave a Gordon.

'When Wu Long takes revenge, he's restrained; when Wu Long repays a favor, families are destroyed.'

This sudden show of concern was truly terrifying.

Xiaowang composed himself, put up his guard, and began exchanging hollow pleasantries with Wu Long.

After a few perfunctory remarks, Wu Long said:

"Shouldn't you be going to collect the Li Group's debt?"