Hu Li was in a state of shock after receiving the phone call.
Was he truly finished?
He hadn't done anything.
It must have been that slut Cai Wen'er who had offended someone unfathomably deep. Ever since she called him, these events had unfolded in a rapid succession.
Hu Li, as if driven mad, dialed Cai Wen'er's number.
"CEO Hu, how is it? I'm waiting for your good news," Cai Wen'er's voice, soft and alluring, came from the phone.
In the past, hearing Cai Wen'er's voice would ignite a fire within Hu Li.
But at this moment, he felt an immense disgust, even a urge to vomit.
"Who the hell did you offend for me? You're finished, you've ruined the company, and I will never let you off." Hu Li roared into the phone, his voice tearing.
Only this way could he vent the anxiety churning within him.
"Hu... What happened, CEO Hu?" Cai Wen'er sounded bewildered, a sense of dread creeping into her heart.
"Get your ass back here immediately. I'm waiting for you at home. If you don't come, your life or death is your own business." Hu Li hung up the phone abruptly, his heart ablaze with fury, needing to release it all on Cai Wen'er.
Before this, Cai Wen'er had always played hard to get, offering him small temptations without any real commitment. If it weren't for her ability to bring in money for the company, Hu Li would have already turned on her.
Now, it had come to this.
He, Hu Li.
Was done pretending.
Cai Wen'er stared at the hung-up phone, the buzzing sound accompanying the turbulent beat of her heart.
In that moment, a torrent of anxious, uneasy, and terrified tears gushed forth.
"Cry, cry, cry now, you'll have more tears to shed later."
Xia Lin was completely unaware of what had just transpired. After dinner, she pulled Qin Wen and Ma Yuqin back to their room to play Dou Dizhu.
Meanwhile, Jack Ma, Penguin Ma, and Jiang Quanshui were once again holed up in a room, strategizing.
They swore they wouldn't rest until Hu Li was crushed.
"After the suppression by your three families, Keli Entertainment's stock is definitely going to hit the daily limit tomorrow, and it will continue for several days. I plan to acquire Keli Entertainment and then give it to Lin'er."
"Keli Entertainment is valued at tens of billions. After your suppression, in a few days, its market value will be at most 3 billion. Go all out with your attacks."
Jiang Quanshui had been looking for a good gift for Lin'er, and this was a grand gesture, gifting her an entire company.
To be able to do this, he was truly a top-tier follower.
"Don't hog all the good stuff for yourself. We'll do the work, and you'll reap the rewards. You really know how to play the game," Jack Ma cursed upon hearing this.
"After we all work hard to suppress it, you'll be the one to pick the fruit and give it to Lin'er. You'll have all the glory and the chance to cling to her even tighter. Who the hell is short of thirty billion?"
"Exactly, we want in too. Don't you try to hog all the good fortune for yourself." Penguin Ma chimed in.
"Fine, let's not mention this to Old Wang. We'll save him some money." Jiang Quanshui nodded, then added a concern for Old Wang.
"Indeed, isn't Old Wang short of money? Let's not involve him in this," Jack Ma said.
Penguin Ma felt a bit speechless. What shortage of money was Old Wang talking about? He had ripped him off twice, sold his British assets at a high price to Dullard, and then swindled Xu Jiaying out of a sum.
He was truly a cunning fellow, becoming more and more adept at ripping people off.
However, Penguin Ma would certainly not bring up such embarrassing matters himself.
"Right, right, we're all friends, so let's not have him spend money." Penguin Ma quickly agreed.
Jack Ma glanced at Penguin Ma, his look seeming to say, "Who the hell is your friend?"
"Then it's settled. We'll acquire Keli Entertainment together. However, Hu Li has a good relationship with Director Zhang. Let Xiao Long give him a reminder to apply some strong measures." Jiang Quanshui made the final decision, ready to act.
"Who is Xiao Long?" Jack Ma and Penguin Ma asked in unison.
"Long Aotian, of course. Who else would he be if not Xiao Long?" Jiang Quanshui looked puzzled, as if there were no other Xiao Longs.
Jack Ma: ...
Penguin Ma: ...
"Then you go talk to him," Penguin Ma said.
"Why should I talk to him personally? It's too demeaning. I'll just get his phone number," Jiang Quanshui said, obtaining Long Aotian's number from Vice Governor Liu and dialing it directly.
"Who is it?" Long Aotian's cold voice came from the phone.
"Xiao Long, it's Jiang Quanshui," Jiang Quanshui called out naturally.
"Do you want to die?" Long Aotian asked, suppressing the urge to explode.
"Xiao Long, don't rush. Listen to me. It's about Lin'er. If you don't want to hear it, then forget it," Jiang Quanshui said without a hint of panic.
Indeed.
Upon hearing Lin'er's name, Long Aotian's tone suddenly improved. "Oh, is that so? Then hurry up and tell me."
"Keli Entertainment's CEO offended Lin'er. He has a good relationship with Director Zhang. Go remind him. If you handle this well, I'll put in a good word for you with Lin'er."
Jiang Quanshui did not beat around the bush, stating his purpose directly.
"Alright." Long Aotian agreed and hung up the phone.
"This Xiao Long is so impolite."
Looking at the hung-up phone, Jiang Quanshui shook his head and muttered to himself.
Jack Ma and Penguin Ma were dumbfounded, thinking him a divine being.
Long Aotian was not one to procrastinate. Immediately after hanging up, he found Director Zhang's number and dialed it.
He had to personally handle matters concerning his elder martial sister, ensuring they were done perfectly.
Director Zhang, who had just fallen asleep, was woken up by a private call. He felt an urge to curse, but seeing the unknown number, he simply rejected it.
Then, the phone rang again, persistently like a grim reaper.
Director Zhang impatiently answered the call, "Who is it?"
"It's me, Long Aotian."
These four simple words instantly banished Director Zhang's sleepiness, a wave of panic rising from the depths of his heart. This person's call was akin to a death warrant.
"Group Leader Long, what are your instructions?" Director Zhang scrambled to get up, his attitude extremely respectful.
"Hu Li offended my elder, and I'm merely giving you a heads-up. That's all," Long Aotian said, then hung up the phone, without any lingering, as cool as ever.
While Long Aotian was cool and collected, Director Zhang was almost scared to death. He wished he could fly to Hu Li's side immediately and slap him hard. The fact that even this grim reaper had called indicated how dire the situation was.
That night, Director Zhang was constantly startled awake from his dreams, with Long Aotian appearing in them.
Similarly, Hu Li and Cai Wen'er had a sleepless night. What they did specifically is unknown.
The next day, the Shark Platform's Seventh Anniversary Celebration proceeded as scheduled, with Xia Feng and others arriving at headquarters early.
Penguin Ma strode proudly, brimming with confidence, finally on his own turf.
...
(Sisters, assemble. Leave your noble footprints.)