10: Chapter 10: "Rules are made for the weak."

On the other end of the phone, Shen Qingyue shrieked in a frenzy.

Lin Yuan didn't even twitch an eyebrow.

He simply pulled the phone away from his ear, and in a tone stating a fact, spat out four words into the receiver.

"You brought this on yourself."

As soon as he finished speaking, he hung up the phone and casually dragged the number into his blacklist.

The entire process was smooth and fluid.

The hotel lobby was unusually quiet.

The receptionist was still immersed in the hysterical screaming from that phone call.

Bringing a cute little girl who brought her own little umbrella to book a room?

Is this some kind of plot to get revenge on an ex-girlfriend?

Lin Yuan's gaze had already slowly shifted downward, landing on the small, gold-packaged box at his feet.

He didn't bend down, but with a light flick of his toe, the small box that bore Su Xiaonuan's tragic resolve traced a parabola and landed steadily in a trash can three meters away.

"Clear those scraps out of your head."

Lin Yuan glanced at Su Xiaonuan, who was still petrified, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Get some sleep."

"There's work to do tomorrow."

Su Xiaonuan felt as if she had been granted amnesty, a flush of red rising on her pale cheeks.

She rushed to the front desk as if fleeing, stammering through the check-in process, not daring to look at Lin Yuan again, though a trace of inexplicable disappointment welled up in her heart.

Holding the phone that had been hung up on her, Shen Qingyue froze in place.

For three years, all she had to do was crook her finger, and the man she had stepped on would crawl back like a dog.

But she only got four words.

"You brought this on yourself."

"Ahhh—!" Shen Qingyue let out a shrill scream, scaring the nearby cleaning lady into snatching back her old phone and running away as if she were looking at a madwoman.

Just a moment ago, Shen Qingyue had experienced the darkest few hours of her life.

After Lin Yuan's car smashed through the company gate, a board of directors video conference followed in quick succession.

Several group veterans who were usually amiable to her instantly turned hostile, tearing her to shreds.

"The three projects we are collaborating on with the Urban Investment Group have already triggered risk warnings from the bank!"

"You embezzled five million in public funds to buy a watch for a man? If this gets out, the company's stock price will hit the daily limit down tomorrow! Find someone for PR immediately!"

"President Shen, if Lin Yuan were still here, such a low-level error would never have happened."

Facing the overwhelming pressure, the proud and arrogant Shen Qingyue was pushed to a dead end.

Gritting her teeth, she signed a bet-on agreement in front of all the directors.

She guaranteed that with Lu Feng, who graduated from a world-class business school, she would definitely be able to stabilize the situation within half a year!

The five-million watch was just a down payment she gave to this "business prodigy," Lu Feng.

If she couldn't do it, she would automatically relinquish her position as president!

This was what Lu Feng had been telling her online all these years.

His connections and knowledge abroad were far superior to Lin Yuan's.

As long as he could take over Lin Yuan's position, he would surely lead Shen Qingyue to create brilliance again, just like when they were in the student union back in the day.

After signing the agreement, she dragged her weary body and empty stomach to the KTV, hoping to find some comfort at Lu Feng's birthday banquet.

However, when she walked to the door of the private room, she found it slightly ajar.

The murky smell of smoke and alcohol intertwined with cheap perfume amidst the deafening bass.

Before leaving, Shen Qingyue had told Lu Feng that she had some business to handle at the company.

So no one thought she would come back.

Through the crack in the door, Shen Qingyue saw a scene that made her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

The gentle, refined, and talented "Ah Feng" in her heart was holding a scantily clad, sexy female influencer tightly in his arms, his hands roaming wantonly over her body.

They were whispering in each other's ears, while several friends kept pouring drinks.

Boom! Shen Qingyue's blood was almost boiling.

Didn't Ah Feng say that he had kept himself chaste for her all these years?

Other than her, Ah Feng had no interest in anyone!

They had a platonic relationship!

She wanted to rush in and tear their faces apart.

But she couldn't.

She had just signed the bet-on agreement, and her only lifeline now was Lu Feng's talent.

She didn't even dare to let Lu Feng know that she had seen all of this.

Like a clown, Shen Qingyue retreated in a sorry state into the pitch-black emergency stairwell.

She crouched on the ground, borrowed the cleaning lady's phone, and dialed the number she thought would always be forgiving of her.

In return, she received the most heartless frost.

She slumped in the cold stairwell, surrounded by the pungent smell of disinfectant.

It's all Lin Yuan's fault!!! This stupid man, doesn't he know how to bow his head and apologize?!

[Ding! Target Shen Qingyue (Beauty 91), Favorability -10%, Current Favorability -40%.]

Early the next morning.

Lin Yuan hadn't slept well, having been woken up by nightmares several times during the night.

Upon waking up and finding himself lying on the hotel's large bed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The buffet restaurant.

The open kitchen was sizzling, and the spicy, charred, fatty aroma of frying bacon drifted through the air.

Lin Yuan was wearing a brand-new tracksuit, cutting the omelet on his plate.

Opposite him, Su Xiaonuan had two heavy dark circles under her eyes, and the milk in front of her hadn't been touched.

"After you finish breakfast, go handle this matter."

Lin Yuan pushed a sheet of hotel stationery in front of Su Xiaonuan.

It was densely packed with the names and quantities of various supplies.

[Premium Rice: 500 tons]

[High-Gluten Flour: 500 tons]

[Edible Oil (Various types): 500 tons]

[High-Purity Bottled Drinking Water: 10,000 cases]

[Various dehydrated vegetables, beef jerky, military compressed biscuits, self-heating canned food: No limit, take as much as there is]

[Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, suture kits, bandages, and other various medical supplies: Clear out the inventory of all pharmacies on the market]

[Heavy-duty diesel generator sets: 20 units]

[High-grade diesel: 500 tons]

Su Xiaonuan looked at the list, feeling her scalp tingle.

"President Lin, several large grain merchants have already started to suspend orders, citing the increased transportation risks caused by the acidic hail in the Northern District."

Lin Yuan wiped his mouth with a napkin, his tone as casual as if he were arranging afternoon tea.

"You have the channels for all of Xinghui Group's former suppliers. Tell them this is an expedited order and set the penalty for breach of contract at ten times the amount."

"Give them a 30% deposit to completely lower their guard, and push the balance payment to three months later."

"Transport all food that requires refrigeration to the meat processing plant."

"Rent a few more ordinary warehouses nearby, and store the rest inside."

"Understood!" Su Xiaonuan immediately put aside all distracting thoughts, her eyes becoming incredibly focused, treating this list as a military order.

Lin Yuan stood up.

"Leave the matter of the supplies to you. I'm going to secure the final fortress."

"The final fortress?" Su Xiaonuan asked.

"Western Suburbs, Cloud Top Palace." After saying this, Lin Yuan walked straight out.

Su Xiaonuan quickly pulled out her phone and searched for information about "Cloud Top Palace." The more she read, the paler her face became.

She hurriedly chased after him, calling out to Lin Yuan, who was about to walk out of the hotel lobby.

"President Lin! That... that is the Jiang Family's territory!"

"The entire project is not for sale to the public; it's a villa complex built by the Jiang Family themselves!"

Lin Yuan's footsteps did not stop.

He didn't even look back; he just raised his hand and waved it casually, leaving Su Xiaonuan with his back.

"Rules are made for the weak."