"Business?" the old man scrutinized the woman before him.
Setting aside the fact that she was the adopted daughter of the Rothschild family and a woman favored by Cristiano, Du Ruoxin was beautiful, elegant, and confident, possessing an indescribable charm that commanded submission.
The first time he saw her, before he knew her distinguished identity, Addis had a premonition that this woman was not to be underestimated.
"Miss Du, are you referring to a collaboration with Rong's Group?" the old man countered.
Du Ruoxin nodded. "You tested our cars yesterday. In terms of models and performance, they're no worse than my elder brother's."
Addis conceded, "That's true."
Du Ruoxin pressed, "Does the old man have any further concerns?"
Addis replied, "To be frank, Mr. Rong approached me, but his proposed terms were unacceptable to our company. And the quotation we offered him was also rejected."
Without agreement, business cooperation was impossible.
Du Ruoxin proposed, "What if I present you with a revised cooperation plan?"
Addis's interest was piqued. "Oh?"
Du Ruoxin withdrew a document from her bag. "Based on the original proposal, I'll increase your profit margin by 5 percent."
Addis raised an eyebrow. "And the technology?"
Du Ruoxin did not answer directly. Instead, she offered a standard smile and asked, "Would my elder brother exchange technology with your company?"
Clearly, the answer was no.
Technology was the core of a company, developed over more than a decade. How could it possibly be transferred to others?
"Old man, global carbon neutrality is a trend, and new energy vehicles are the future direction."
"We are offering you 200% sincerity for this cooperation."
"There's no reason for you to refuse, is there?"
"The additional five percent is the highest profit we can offer."
"If you still disagree, we will have to seek other companies."
"I assure you, the original cooperation plan we offered will be readily accepted by other companies."
Her words were well-reasoned, balanced, and strategic, leaving the old man with no room for rebuttal.
Frankly, if Mr. Rothschild had not instructed him not to cooperate with Rong's Group, he would have readily accepted Rong Jingyang's offer.
Alas!
Seeing Addis lost in thought but unwilling to concede, Du Ruoxin intensified her persuasion.
"My elder brother has already suspended the launch of Aurora 5. It might be difficult to find a replacement vehicle anytime soon."
"If you agree to cooperate with Rong's, this problem can be immediately resolved."
"You will suffer no losses. On the contrary, to support your publicity, I can privately offer some surprises."
"Of course, if you still refuse."
"Then I will have to find other companies. Within three days, we will build a stage and compete with you, old man."
"You need not doubt the efficiency of us Chinese."
Whether to be an enemy or a friend rested entirely on his decision.
Addis: "..."
He felt a strong sense of threat – this young woman was utterly ignorant of the world's complexities.
The old man considered dismissing her with a smile and sending her away.
Du Ruoxin continued with a smile, "You know my husband. Rather than making an enemy of a wolf, it's better to choose friendship. What do you think?"
Addis's brow furrowed slightly.
He knew Rong Jingyang was not to be trifled with.
Years ago, one of his subordinates went to China to develop the market and encountered Rong Jingyang.
He was fleeced so badly that he almost lost his underpants and returned crying to complain.
Fortunately, the Chinese market was vast, and they didn't lose money; in fact, they made a substantial profit.
But compared to Rong's Group—
Damn it!
It was not worth mentioning!
"Besides, with me here, my brother and my husband will eventually shake hands and reconcile."
"Old man, what other concerns do you have?"