“What happened? Is someone causing trouble, or are the authorities making things difficult?” Li Feng asked.
This was the first time Xu Qing had ever called him. Although it might be company business, Li Feng did not think anything serious could have happened at the company. Or could Xu Qing simply be missing him and using “company trouble” as an excuse to phone?
“Neither, President Li. The company has big trouble today. The general manager of Star Group’s China region came and started making a scene. He got into a huge argument with President Hu. Our security team has the situation under control for now, but the other side has no intention of letting it drop. They are saying extremely nasty things, and President Hu has already lost her temper.” Xu Qing explained clearly and concisely.
“Star Group?”
Li Feng froze for a moment. How on earth had the company become involved with Star Group? But he instantly thought of one possibility and immediately asked, “Xu Qing, is it because of Smart No. 1?”
“Yes. The Star Group representative was incredibly arrogant. He demanded the core technology for Smart No. 1. When President Hu refused, they started shouting. That China-region general manager even said that if we don’t hand over the core technology, Smart No. 1 will never make it to market. And… and he started getting physical with President Hu. If security hadn’t arrived in time, who knows what might have happened.” Xu Qing said.
“How dare they.” Li Feng exploded with rage, cold light flashing in his eyes. “Who gave them the nerve to lay a hand on President Hu?”
Hu Yuanyuan was his untouchable reverse scale. Anyone who dared to touch her, no matter the reason, was unforgivable. Star Group? Li Feng did not give a damn about Star Group. All he knew was that these people had touched his reverse scale.
“President Li, the person is under control now, but the Star Group people are still being extremely aggressive. President Li, you should come over quickly.”
“I’ll be right there.” Li Feng snorted angrily, hung up, went to the car park, jumped into his car, slammed the accelerator, and shot out like lightning.
Fengyuan Group, conference room.
This was where Fengyuan Group received business partners. Countless contracts had been signed in this room of several dozen square metres. But now the atmosphere was tense, with more than a dozen people locked in a standoff.
Hu Yuanyuan and Xu Qing stood with dark expressions, flanked by several Fengyuan Group security guards. Fury blazed in Hu Yuanyuan’s eyes.
Opposite them stood the Star Group representatives: a young man named Park Song-jae, the general manager for Star Group’s China region, and a middle-aged man named Zhang Shukai, Park’s assistant.
Both men glared furiously at Hu Yuanyuan and Xu Qing, especially Park Song-jae, whose handsome face now bore a vivid red palm print that completely ruined his looks.
“Star Group? We have no interest. Please leave now. Fengyuan Group has no need to cooperate with your Star Group.” Hu Yuanyuan was clearly livid. She had never expected Star Group’s representatives to be this outrageous: demanding the core technology for Smart No. 1 right from the start, then trying to grope her. Now she had finally seen the true colours of a world-famous conglomerate. If she were not concerned about maintaining her image, she might have thrown them out herself.
Want to take advantage of her? They should first check whether they were worthy. Did being from Star Group make them so great?
“Hu Yuanyuan, you had better think carefully.”
Zhang Shukai’s already gloomy face turned iron-blue at her words. He stared at her coldly and sneered. “Hu Yuanyuan, you struck the general manager of Star Group’s China region. That already constitutes a crime. Are you sure you can bear the consequences?”
“That is none of your concern.” Hu Yuanyuan laughed coldly. “This is Fengyuan Group, not your Star Group. Slapping him was me showing mercy. He thought he could grope me? He should look at what kind of trash he is first.”
“So you are rejecting our kind offer?” Zhang Shukai asked icily.
“Kind offer?” Disdain curled Hu Yuanyuan’s lips. “Fengyuan Group does not need Star Group’s ‘kind offer’. You want the core technology for Smart No. 1? Let me tell you, you are dreaming. That is utterly impossible. We cannot climb up to the great Star Group, and we will never have the chance to cooperate with you in future.”
The behaviour of Star Group’s representatives today had opened Hu Yuanyuan’s eyes to the true nature of these massive corporations. Cooperation? They had never intended to cooperate. They were just robbers wearing sheep’s clothing.
In the past, faced with a conglomerate like Star Group, she might have handled things more cautiously. Offending them could make Fengyuan Group’s future development extremely difficult. But things were different now. With Li Feng backing her, Hu Yuanyuan believed she could face any difficulty.
Moreover, after beginning to cultivate the Snow Jade Art, her vision was no longer limited to the business world. She was also certain that if Li Feng were here, his reaction would be even stronger than hers.
With that thought, Hu Yuanyuan said coldly, “Let me tell you, I have already arranged for the police to be called. When they arrive, we’ll see how you explain yourselves.”
“The police?”
Zhang Shukai laughed coldly. “Calling the police is perfect. You injured our general manager. This matter will not be settled so easily.”
“Moreover…”
Zhang Shukai gave Hu Yuanyuan a chilling glance. “Moreover, we came to Fengyuan Group today because we thought highly of you. Did you think that if you refuse to hand over the core technology for Smart No. 1, we cannot obtain it?”
Hu Yuanyuan laughed coldly. “What, even now you still think you can get our company’s Smart No. 1 core technology?”
“Hu Yuanyuan, there is nothing in this world that our Star Group cannot obtain.” Park Song-jae stared at her icily. He had never expected Hu Yuanyuan to be so ungrateful and reject his generous offer.
As the young master of the Park family that controlled Star Group, Park Song-jae’s greatest ambition was to take full control of the conglomerate. But he knew the difficulties were immense. His current position as China-region general manager existed only because he was the Park family heir.
He knew that to enter Star Group’s top management and eventually become its leader, he needed outstanding achievements. Yet Park Song-jae was unwilling to build those achievements slowly, step by step. In his view, that would take far too long.
Then Fengyuan Group had risen abruptly, and Smart No. 1 had triggered a revolution in intelligent technology. Park Song-jae immediately saw his opportunity. If he could obtain the core technology for Smart No. 1, the top management would definitely recognise him. It was the fastest and most effective way to rise within Star Group.
So, half a month ago, Park Song-jae had used Star Group’s influence in China to pressure the authorities into causing trouble for Fengyuan Group: factories were shut down, orders breached. In his view, after half a month of comprehensive suppression at every level, Fengyuan Group was already at the end of its rope.
Park Song-jae believed that acquiring Fengyuan Group or forcing them to hand over the core technology would now be straightforward. Although Zhang Shukai had warned him the timing was not yet right, Park Song-jae felt the moment had come.
But when he arrived at Fengyuan Group and saw Hu Yuanyuan, besides wanting the core technology, another desire had arisen.
He had been in China for a year and had gone through countless women, yet he had never met anyone like Hu Yuanyuan.
In Park Song-jae’s worldview, women were mere accessories. In Baekje, women had no status. Although Hu Yuanyuan was the president of Fengyuan Group, she was still a woman. With his position as Star Group’s China-region general manager and young master of the Park family, he believed obtaining her would be easy.
He had never imagined that his attempt to acquire Fengyuan Group would be refused, his demand for the core technology would be refused, and when he tried to take liberties with Hu Yuanyuan, he would receive a hard slap across the face.
From childhood until now, Park Song-jae had never suffered such a humiliation. How could he accept it?
Hu Yuanyuan laughed coldly. “What an overbearing Star Group. I would love to see exactly how you plan to obtain our company’s Smart No. 1 core technology.”
“Hu Yuanyuan, do you believe I can make it so that not a single unit of your Fengyuan Group’s Smart No. 1 ever sells?” Park Song-jae said icily.
“Not a single unit sells?” Hu Yuanyuan laughed coldly. This Park Song-jae was not only arrogant and tyrannical, he was delusional. Did he really think Star Group could cover the heavens with one hand? Prevent every single product from selling? If this were Baekje, Star Group’s influence might make that possible, but this was China. Even though Star Group was a Fortune Global 500 company, she did not believe they held that kind of power here.
“What, you don’t believe me, Hu Yuanyuan?” Park Song-jae raised an eyebrow and looked at her meaningfully.
“I only believe words spoken by humans.” Hu Yuanyuan sneered. The implication was clear: Park Song-jae was not human, so his words were naturally not worth believing.
Instantly, a cold light flashed through Park Song-jae’s eyes. He gave Hu Yuanyuan a chilling smile. “Hu Yuanyuan, how about we make a bet?”
“A bet?” Hu Yuanyuan’s gaze flickered. She did not quite understand what Park Song-jae was scheming now.
“Yes. Over the next week, if Fengyuan Group’s Smart No. 1 manages to sell even one unit, I lose. From then on, I will never try to acquire Fengyuan Group again. But if in that week you cannot sell a single unit, I win. When that happens, you, Hu Yuanyuan, will hand over the core technology for Smart No. 1 to me and, at the same time…”
Park Song-jae looked Hu Yuanyuan up and down, lust flashing in his eyes. “At the same time, you will become my, Park Song-jae’s, mistress.”
