“Filial piety! Anyone can spend money, but it’s about demonstrating filial piety earnestly!”

Du Zhaohui wore a “you don’t understand” expression.

Tang Yuanyue realized he had a point. The Du family situation was different from the Tang family. The Tang brothers shared the same parents, and though Tang Yuanyue was also the eldest, he had it much easier than Du Zhaohui.

Breaking off an engagement was one thing – while they cursed him, they still cleaned up his mess.

How the Tang family fortune would be divided in the future had largely been hinted to the Tang brothers. The equal division was impossible as it would destroy the business scale. The majority would be concentrated in Tang Yuanyue’s hands, while his brothers would use family money to develop their ventures. Thinking of this, Du Zhaohui truly was pitiful – his mother died early, with no one to whisper in his ear on his behalf. He alone had to deal with the Du family’s three concubines. No wonder he’d survived by acting like a bastard.

Tang Yuanyue decided not to hold it against this bastard.

“I’ll have someone pass a message to Master Qiu, but I can’t guarantee he’ll meet you.”

Du Zhaohui opened a drawer and took out a box of cigars. “Many thanks. Once I take down that bastard Du Zhaoqi, we brothers can cooperate more.”

Du Zhaohui had become this stingy!

If Tang Yuanyue hadn’t agreed to introduce him, he wouldn’t even offer a cigar.

Where was the elder young master Du who used to lavish fortunes on Hong Kong actresses?

Tang Yuanyue lit a cigar. “I heard an amusing story recently. That Hong Kong singer Miss Wang Mingming seems cursed – her commercial performances got canceled, fans disrupted her fan meetings, her billboards were vandalized, and viewers flooded TV stations with complaints about her poor acting polluting their eyes. With no work coming in, I think this ‘Queen of Song’ is about to fade into obscurity.”

With such poor eyesight, what kind of queen was she?

Du Zhaohui chuckled, “Why care about some singer? There’s no money to be made!”

That’s one way to put it, but was there money to be made by hounding a singer like a mad dog?

Wang Mingming knew she’d offended Du Zhaohui and had sent several people to apologize and make peace, but Du Zhaohui ignored them all.

Tang Yuanyue sat facing Du Zhaohui, somewhat distracted.

Du Zhaohui was different.

It wasn’t clear when he’d changed – not his appearance or manner of speaking, he was still flashy and crude – but rather the gloom beneath his playful smile. Before, Du Zhaohui was pitiable, but he never mentioned it and didn’t like others mentioning it. Instead, he acted arrogantly everywhere, afraid people wouldn’t know he was Du Chengrong’s “beloved” elder young master.

Now Du Zhaohui exposed the illusion, able to joke about his difficult position in the Du family.

When a person can face themselves, it’s not from sudden enlightenment, but from having backing.

What gave Du Zhaohui this backing – the electronics plaza under construction, or something else?

…

America.

Xia Xiaolan hurriedly hung up the phone.

It wasn’t that she disrespected Du Zhaohui or used and discarded him, but she’d noticed Du Zhaoqi returning with Ye Xiaoqiong and other assistants!

They’d just left less than two hours ago – why were they back?

Xia Xiaolan hung up and followed them. Du Zhaoqi’s group was waiting for the elevator on the first floor.

Ding dong.

The elevator stopped, and Zhou Cheng, Deng Changxing, Song Zhicheng, and their translator emerged, accompanied by the American company representative. Everyone was smiling – clearly, the negotiations had gone well.

Du Zhaoqi didn’t recognize Zhou Cheng.

But Ye Xiaoqiong was shocked.

She instinctively looked around and finally saw Xia Xiaolan.

Why were Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng here?

And Zhou Cheng was coming down with Mr. Elmer…

Ye Xiaoqiong’s heart sank.

Du Zhaoqi looked at Xia Xiaolan twice, feeling she looked familiar.

With looks like Xia Xiaolan’s, most people found her unforgettable. Whether men were interested in her or not, once they’d seen her, they rarely forgot – she was the woman who’d appeared at the auction with Tang Yuanyue!

Du Zhaoqi suppressed his surprise:

“Mr. Elmer, are these the buyers from China? I don’t mind fair, open bidding.”

The translator quietly explained while Deng Changxing and Song Zhicheng both glared at him.

Du Zhaoqi might not mind, but they certainly did. Foreign currency was precious – they wanted to spend as little as possible. Once a bidding war started, there’d be no stopping it. Who knew how much it would exceed the current price?

“Mr. Elmer, we were negotiating so well… Quick, translate for Mr. Elmer – we don’t agree to competitive bidding.”

Elmer only looked at Zhou Cheng. “Sorry, Du, our previous discussion is void. Our company wants to sell the production line to the Chinese delegation.”

Mr. Elmer only wanted to acknowledge Zhou Cheng’s connection.

With the Chinese side able to bid, Du Zhaoqi’s competitive advantage diminished.

Du Zhaoqi’s return must have been planned.

“Mr. Elmer, our company is willing to add one million US dollars.”

One million US dollars.

The production line was priced at 8.7 million US dollars. Du Zhaoqi directly pushed the price to nearly ten million.

Deng Changxing’s eyes widened, almost wanting to fight Du Zhaoqi – instantly adding one million dollars! How difficult was it to accumulate that much foreign currency? How could someone raise the price so casually? Did this person understand business etiquette?

Xia Xiaolan caught Zhou Cheng’s eye. Zhou Cheng whispered something in Deng Changxing’s ear.

Deng Changxing reluctantly extended his hand. “Mr. Elmer, today’s negotiations were very successful. Both sides have the intention to cooperate. We’ll take our leave now and look forward to meeting you again tomorrow.”

Zhou Cheng advised him to leave first rather than engage in bidding at the elevator, immediately falling into their trap.

Deng Changxing wanted to confront Du Zhaoqi, but using foreign currency to do so wasn’t worth it.

Better to withdraw and make plans – the Chinese side still had Harold’s influence.

Unable to match one million dollars or offer much money at all, Du Zhaoqi also felt relieved.

He wanted another discussion with Mr. Elmer, but Elmer pointed at Zhou Cheng’s retreating figure. “Du, it’s not just Asians who value relationships – we do in America too. For one million dollars, I can hold the production line for you a few more days, but if you want to buy it, you’ll need to win over Mr. Zhou.”

Which one was Mr. Zhou?

The Chinese man who looked like a movie star?

After Elmer left, Du Zhaoqi looked at Ye Xiaoqiong:

“Do you know that Zhou person?”

Ye Xiaoqiong trembled and lowered her head.

Of course, she knew Zhou Cheng – he and Xia Xiaolan had saved her on the train, where Zhou Cheng had shown his credentials. Ye Xiaoqiong firmly remembered her savior’s name and knew Zhou Cheng and Xia Xiaolan were a couple.

What to do? Second Young Master came to America to buy the production line and ended up competing with Zhou Cheng.

Wasn’t Zhou Cheng from a classified unit?

Du Zhaoqi saw her lowered head, seemingly in passive resistance, and coldly laughed:

“Ye Xiaoqiong, do you realize how many puzzling things there are about you? I only overlook them because you work diligently and show intelligence and effort. I can ignore your matters, but you should be clear – you’re working for me now. If I lose this competition with my elder brother, what future do you think you’ll have?”