Chapter 374 - 251: Comrades-in-Arms are More Reliable Than Husband and Wife

Chapter 374: Chapter 251: Comrades-in-Arms are More Reliable Than Husband and Wife

However, after earning his first pot of gold, Old Zhuang was supplanted, and the tables turned.

So, he settled for the next best thing and returned to Xiangjiang.

He worked painstakingly for decades and caught the favorable winds of the economic boom. Although his global ranking fell, he still managed to develop his own business empire.

Moreover, there was little to hold him back.

From this...

Following this line of reasoning, Lin Chu was able to piece together a rough idea—

It was a blessing in disguise that later became a curse. After Old Zhuang passed away, his purely commercial company naturally became a juicy prize in many people’s eyes. The three brothers, along with their two uncles, had never weathered the great storms Old Zhuang had. Add to that the fact that each had their own backers, and you get the mess they’re in today.

Power.

Wealth.

At this moment, Lin Chu gained a much deeper understanding of these two words.

But the deeper his understanding became, the more... pointless it all seemed.

The climb to the top is endless.

After all, the geopolitical landscape of the world was more or less set.

’Damn, now I get what Jack Ma was talking about. He said he was happiest back when he was only making twenty or thirty thousand a month.’

Lin Chu couldn’t help but chuckle at the somewhat comical thought.

He picked up his Coke and took a sip. Looking at the name on the can, he suddenly felt that Coca-Cola was a truly incredible company.

Besides that path...

Creating an amazing product, one popular enough to sell all over the world, was another path entirely.

And it was a more modern, more civilized path, one with fewer restraints.

The former was about monopolizing existing assets.

The latter was about pursuing new growth.

But it seemed he didn’t want to walk either of those two paths.

The former, he didn’t want to.

The latter, he most likely didn’t have the ability for.

LC Retail and his intangible cultural heritage project had the potential to reach that level, but it would require an immense amount of time and endless energy.

Having sorted through these thoughts, Lin Chu lit a cigarette and walked out onto the balcony. He gazed at the sea view and the distant city lights, his mind feeling unusually clear.

He suddenly pulled out his phone and made a video call to Yang Huixian.

「In the studio.」

Yang Huixian, who was still at her computer designing a Jadeite piece, was momentarily stunned when she received Lin Chu’s call.

’What’s up with him?’

’He’s actually calling me on his own initiative?’

’Is he drunk?’

’Or just lonely?’

Though she was rather surprised, Yang Huixian answered the call. Her face appeared on the screen—tired but fulfilled. It radiated a woman’s gentle beauty, the tranquility of an artisan, and the determination of an entrepreneur. She couldn’t help but admire herself for a few seconds.

"I’m calling to discuss something with you. I plan to fully acquire your company and merge it into LC Retail. You’ll become the VP in charge of the Jadeite, jade, Gold, and jewelry categories, and you’ll spearhead the rapid expansion of our brick-and-mortar stores."

Lin Chu said with a gentle smile and a warm tone.

Hearing this, Yang Huixian was suddenly stunned.

She felt that the Lin Chu before her now had a different aura. Was it maturity? Or... a gentle warmth? And... a frankness, a sense of ease.

In any case, he seemed quite different from how he had been recently.

"No way. Why should I? It’s much better being my own boss. Whether I make a lot or a little, it’s all mine."

"And I certainly don’t want you ordering me around."

she said with a playful pout, though inwardly she was already seriously considering his offer.

Lin Chu chuckled and teased, "I’ll give you three minutes to organize your thoughts and try again... While I may have said we should ’discuss’ it, this is really more of a notification."

Yang Huixian: ...

She sniffled.

’So domineering?’

"Fine then, buy it if you want. I’ll just stop working and take my hundreds of millions to go retire..."

she retorted playfully.

"Your three minutes aren’t up. Think about it again. I’m giving you a chance here. You know what they say, it’s wise to take good advice. A woman as ambitious and money-loving as you, retiring at home?"

"I’m counting on us to make it bigger and stronger, take it public, and have you there with me to ring the bell."

Lin Chu’s smile and tone remained gentle.

For a career woman like her, being understood and given a platform to showcase her talents was a far more effective way to win her over than simply giving her money.

Hearing this, Yang Huixian’s pupils constricted. Her traitorous heart skipped a beat.

For her small company, ringing the bell at an IPO was an unattainable dream.

But now, the opportunity was right in front of her.

And it had been delivered right to her doorstep.

Clearly, this wasn’t just an empty promise, and it certainly wasn’t a scam. Lin Chu had the power to make it happen. And even if he wasn’t madly in love with her at the moment, he would never lie to her.

Over the past few days, she had been reviewing things herself.

This was her first real relationship, he was the first man in her life, and after a brief honeymoon phase, they had quickly settled into their current dynamic. For an ordinary couple, it would be highly unusual, but for a man like Lin Chu, it seemed... rather normal.

’Love isn’t everything. That’s how a starry-eyed little girl thinks, and I’m definitely not one of those.’

"Let me ask you a question."

As Yang Huixian thought this, a playful smile touched her lips as she spoke.

"Go ahead."

"When are you going to marry me? Or rather, are you still going to marry me? Or, have you even thought about marrying me?"

She asked in a lighthearted tone, but a faint blush still crept onto her cheeks, and her heart began to beat a little faster.

Hearing this, Lin Chu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

"Then you answer me first: If we get married, will we get divorced? If we divorce, will we split the assets? In a few years, will you cheat on me? What happens if you have an affair?"

Yang Huixian was speechless for a moment... then couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

She rolled her eyes and said in a playfully petulant tone, "Well, I can’t guarantee any of that. Who knows?"