Yu Mengzhi stood there, stunned.
The old man seemed pleased with this condition, but her concern wasn't about that. It was about how the Yu family would use her experience to negotiate with the Su family.
Did it mean that in the eyes of the Yu family, if she could bring greater benefit, they would abandon her at any moment?
In this negotiation, Yu Mengzhi felt no warmth, only the cold reality of profit. A deep disappointment welled up in her heart.
Yu Lingxiao remained silent, as if contemplating.
The eldest son, Yu Botao, immediately understood and frowned at Su Chengmin, saying, "Old Su, I think you're becoming senile. Mengzhi is the pearl of the Yu family and the elder's most beloved grandchild. How can she be measured by money?"
A bitter expression appeared on Su Chengmin's face.
Having worked with Yu Lingxiao for so many years, he naturally understood this was a negotiation.
The Yu family had already grasped the Su family's lifeline and would surely demand an exorbitant price, yet the Su family had no way to retaliate.
Yu Lingxiao finally spoke.
"Old Su..."
"When we were young, we shared life and death, striving to carve out a world together. I truly never imagined we would become like this."
"Su Jinghui's actions have made me very angry and very disappointed!"
Yu Zhengzhi also chimed in, listing the Su family's wrongdoings and taking the opportunity to recall the past when Yu Lingxiao had supported Su Chengmin. Su Chengmin said bitterly, "Brother, I know the Su family has countless faults, but I have only this one grandson. I can't just watch him die, can I? I retract my previous words. I will give 30% of the shares to the Yu family."
His initial plan was only 25%.
Yu Botao sighed, "As I said, it's not about money."
Su Chengmin gritted his teeth, "35%, that's my bottom line!"
Calculated at a market value of hundreds of billions, this was shares worth 35 billion, no wonder Su Chengmin felt such heartache.
However, this number had not yet breached Su Chengmin's bottom line.
Currently, Gou Chen Group was only worth two to three billion. Even if he owned nearly half the shares, it would only be worth over a billion. But if Wen Fu Lai could lead Gou Chen to rise, even if he only had 10% of the shares, the market value would be extremely considerable.
Su Chengmin had calculated this very clearly.
Yu Lingxiao looked deeply at Su Chengmin. No one understood the Su family better than he did.
Although the Su family had risen by relying on the Yu family, they had also developed their own interest groups after their rise. If the Yu family insisted on demanding an exorbitant price, Su Chengmin might choose to have Su Jinghui sent to prison. Then, through other connections, he could arrange for Su Jinghui to spend ten or eight years in prison before being released, which was not a problem at all.
Therefore...
Knowing when to stop was good for everyone.
Yu Lingxiao said lightly, "Consider these as tuition fees for Su Jinghui. Don't make such a low-level mistake again in the future."
Su Chengmin was overjoyed and quickly pressed Su Jinghui's head to kowtow.
These scenes made Chen Jin Zhao, who had risen from the bottom of society, feel uncomfortable. The air was filled with the decay of feudal etiquette. What made Chen Jin Zhao even more indignant was that the Yu family was treating Yu Mengzhi's misfortune as a bargaining chip to demand exorbitant benefits from the Su family.
Was there any shred of humanity left?
At that time.
Su Chengmin hesitated, "Then Xiao Hui..."
Yu Botao spoke on behalf of the elder, "Let him go abroad to study. Otherwise, how will he inherit the Su family's business in the future?"
This coordinated act made it easy to suspect that the Yu family had colluded beforehand.
But Su Chengmin still had to bite the hook.
Su Chengmin nodded repeatedly, "Alright, alright. I'll have Xiao Hui go abroad for further studies. He won't appear before the Yu family again."
Everyone ignored the other party involved – Yu Mengzhi.
Yu Mengzhi secretly clenched her fists, feeling the desolation of being treated like a commodity to be sold. But she quickly loosened her fists. In this kind of family, women were always tools for marriage alliances. She should have realized this long ago.
"Mengzhi, what do you think?" Yu Lingxiao suddenly asked.
Over a dozen pairs of eyes fell on her. Yu Mengzhi felt immense pressure, stammering and hesitating.
She desperately wanted to object, but she knew it would be meaningless.
"Grandfather, I..."
Mid-sentence, Yu Wendong, who had been silent all along, interrupted his daughter and said in a muffled voice, "Old Man, is Mengzhi your granddaughter or a chip in your hand?"
"I don't agree to these terms."
Swish!
The living room instantly fell silent.
Yu Botao and Yu Zhengzhi looked at their third brother in surprise. In the past, Yu Wendong had always played the role of a submissive follower and would never go against the elder's will.
What was going on with him today?
"Wendong, what nonsense are you talking about? The old man just doesn't want to fall out with Old Su. They are friends of decades," Yu Botao, noticing the elder's displeased expression, immediately reprimanded Yu Wendong.
Yu Zhengzhi was equally indignant, "Wendong, are you losing your head? Apologize to the old man quickly. How can you let Old Su see us as a joke?"
Yu Mengzhi looked at her father in surprise.
She hadn't expected that the only one who cared about her feelings would be her father, who had never paid her much attention.
What did he want to achieve?
Yu Wendong said expressionlessly, "Eldest brother, second brother, you have both misunderstood the old man's intentions. The old man often said that Mengzhi is his most beloved grandchild, so how could he trade Mengzhi's misfortune for such benefits? If he did, the Yu family and the old man would become a laughingstock of Jiangnan. Are you helping the old man or trying to harm him?"
"And besides..."
"Mengzhi is my daughter, not yours."
"She is wronged now, and as her father, I should uphold justice for her. My proposal is to send Su Jinghui to the police station, and let the law judge his crimes."
"Dad, am I right?"
He had put Yu Lingxiao on the spot!
Yu Botao and Yu Zhengzhi exchanged glances. They hadn't expected Yu Wendong to bring up the elder, yet they couldn't refute him, otherwise, it would be tarnishing the elder's reputation.
Yu Lingxiao looked deeply at Yu Wendong.
Anyone could see that he greatly disliked, even hated, Yu Wendong.
However, Yu Lingxiao was not a simple person. He smiled gently and said, "Wendong is right. Mengzhi is my most beloved granddaughter, the pearl of my Yu family. How could I bear to see Mengzhi suffer? I understand Wendong's feelings, so I think it should be up to Mengzhi to decide Su Jinghui's fate. No matter what decision Mengzhi makes, we elders will respect it."
"Wendong, don't you agree?"
Yu Wendong's brows furrowed, and he looked as if he wanted to speak but held back. He had been outmaneuvered by Yu Lingxiao.
As expected.
Yu Mengzhi would surely comply with the elder's wishes and exchange them for benefits from the Su family.
Once Yu Mengzhi opened her mouth, Yu Wendong would have to respect her decision, otherwise, he would be hoist by his own petard.
He turned to look at his daughter, his eyes filled with complexity.
Yu Mengzhi was once again the center of attention. As the person involved, she felt an immense pressure on her shoulders, almost crushing her frail body. In this family, she was always told what to do, never asked what she thought or liked.
This time.
Yu Mengzhi dared not defy the elder's will either.
Just as her lips moved, Chen Jin Zhao, who had been silent until now, suddenly grabbed Yu Mengzhi's hand. This surprised Yu Mengzhi and also made her flustered. How could this guy touch her in front of the Yu family?
They were only acting!
Yu Mengzhi tried to break free but failed, her face turning red with anxiety.
Chen Jin Zhao took Yu Mengzhi's hand and, in front of over a dozen astonished eyes, said, "Mengzhi's intention is for Su Jinghui to face legal punishment."
"Mengzhi, what do you think?"