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The ticking of the monitoring equipment was particularly clear in the VIP ward. Li Minxian leaned against the hospital bed, still struggling to breathe under the oxygen mask.

Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on his pale face.

Li Zhijin sat on the edge of the bed, clutching a latest financial report in her hand...

Li Group's stock price plummets 40%, Kyushu Group launches full-scale attack.

Her fingertips trembled slightly, but her face remained calm.

"Grandpa, you're awake? How are you feeling?" she asked softly, reaching out to adjust his IV drip.

Li Minxian slowly opened his eyes, his cloudy gaze falling on his granddaughter's face.

He opened his mouth, his voice hoarse: "Zhijin...you've seen the situation, the Li Group...must be handed over to you."

Li Zhijin remained silent for a moment before whispering, "Grandpa, was it really Wei Jinghai who made you this angry?"

The old man closed his eyes wearily and shook his head: "Now... it doesn't matter anymore."

He paused, as if using all his strength to say the next sentence, "I'm really... disappointed in him. Maybe I really did give him too many chances."

Li Zhijin took a deep breath and grasped her grandfather's withered hand: "Okay! I promise you, I will come back to manage the Li Group."

Lee Min-hyun's lips twitched slightly, as if he wanted to laugh but was suppressed by his illness.

He slowly raised his other hand and pointed to the folder on the bedside table: "Cai Yanzhi... made a suggestion."

Li Zhijin opened the folder; inside was a proposal for a business marriage...

"Feasibility Analysis of Strategic Alliance between Li Group and Kyushu Group"

Her pupils suddenly contracted, and she abruptly looked up: "Grandpa! How could you have thought of arranging a marriage between us?"

Li Minxian's voice was soft, yet like a dull knife, slowly and heavily cutting through reality: "Zhijin... our era has ended."

He struggled to raise his hand and pointed out the window, “Jiuzhou Group…is the new future.”

Li Zhijin's nails dug deeply into her palms, but she felt no pain.

She looked out the window—where the Li Group's most prized financial building once stood, but was now completely covered by the Kyushu Group's billboards.

At this moment, Li Zhijin never dreamed that she would have such an intersection with Su Ning, and her feelings naturally became complicated.

Actually, there's no need to ask anything more. Since Li Minxian brought up the matter with Li Zhijin, Su Ning, the other party involved, also nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Su Ning stood in front of the electronic screen in the Jiuzhou Group's war room, where data on the commercial encirclement and suppression of the Li Group was being updated in real time...

The stock price fell by 47%, three banks demanded loan repayments ahead of schedule, and the core customer attrition rate was 68%.

A sleek female assistant in a professional suit strode in: "President Su, the Li Group just held an emergency board meeting, and Li Zhijin has officially taken over as CEO."

Su Ning didn't even raise an eyebrow: "Continue to apply pressure."

The assistant hesitated for a moment: "Li Minxian just woke up, shouldn't we...?"

“The marketplace is not a charity.” Su Ning interrupted him, her eyes cold. “When Li Minxian forced Wei Mingyi to his death, he didn’t hold back.”

"clear."

After regaining his memories, Su Ning quickly learned about this instance world.

But he wasn't the male protagonist Zhao Jiadi. He seemed to be having a great time, but in reality, he had to rely on women at every step and was always being played by others.

Today, the Kyushu Group is naturally very powerful. With the technology and resources of the space world, it can take off immediately.

Therefore, Suning wants to swallow up the Li Group and the Nanshan Chamber of Commerce, so that it can become the strongman who unifies the north and south markets.

The data on the screen continued to fluctuate; every move of the Kyushu Group's attack was precise and ruthless...

Financial blockade: Kyushu Bank has tightened its credit line to the Lee Group across the board;
Supply chain disruption: Kyushu Logistics refuses to transport any goods belonging to the Lee family;

Talent poaching: Li's core technology team was poached by Jiuzhou High-Tech with three times the annual salary;
Looking at the real-time report, the assistant whispered again, "Li Zhijin just met with Cai Yanzhi."

Su Ning finally turned around, a cold smile playing on her lips: "It seems the old fox's marriage plan has begun."

"..." The assistant naturally knew a little about this "marriage" event, but she didn't feel comfortable asking Su Ning any more questions.

Curiosity killed the cat, and that's no joke; she didn't want to lose this opportunity with such a skilled service provider.

Today, Kyushu Group has become a world-class technology giant, and everyone understands what it means to partner with Kyushu Group.

……

In a high-end coffee shop in Hangzhou, Cai Yanzhi gently stirred the Blue Mountain coffee in her cup, her skin as white as snow accentuated by her black dress.

She looked at Li Zhijin, who was pale-faced across from her, and got straight to the point: "What have you thought about your grandfather's suggestion?"

Li Zhijin gripped the cup handle tightly: "Aunt Cai, do you think I would agree to such an absurd marriage?"

Cai Yanzhi chuckled and pulled a document out of her handbag: "Take a look at this first."

"..."

This document details the latest acquisition by the Kyushu Group...

The letter of intent regarding the sale of the core assets of the Li Group lists "Jiuzhou Capital" as the acquiring party.

“Su Ning is ready to dismantle the Li family.” Cai Yanzhi’s voice was soft, yet like a viper’s hiss. “This marriage alliance is your last chance. It is also the last bit of dignity left for your Li family.”

Li Zhijin suddenly stood up, her coffee cup spilling onto the expensive cashmere carpet: "He can forget about it! I will not be a member of his harem."

"Actually, I would be very willing to bring you and Su Ning together, because I feel it is very unfair. I would rather give you the position of the main wife than Qi Dongcao or that queen."

"You... Aunt Cai, what happened to you?"

"Silly girl, believe me! I would never hurt you! Su Ning is absolutely the most perfect man in the world, he really can carry you to new heights."

"..."

Then, Cai Yanzhi calmly wiped away the coffee stains that had splattered on her skirt: "Do you know what Fan Longquan said to me on the phone before he died?"

She raised her eyes, her gaze sharp as a knife. "He said... the most terrifying thing in the business world is not that the enemy is too strong, but that you are too naive."

"..."

"In fact, when your grandfather decided to make Fan Longquan the commander-in-chief, he realized that there might be dangers ahead, and Suning was the way out that Fan Longquan left for Fanlong Group and Shen Yulan."

"..."

Late at night, Li Zhijin stood alone on the top floor of the Li's Building.

Beneath her feet lay a brightly lit city, while her empire crumbled.

My phone vibrated; it was a message from my grandfather's attending physician: "Ms. Li, Mr. Li's condition is unstable tonight. We suggest making a decision as soon as possible to alleviate his mental burden."

She gripped her phone tightly, gazing at the brightly lit Kyushu Tower in the distance, realizing that this was pressure being applied to her from all sides.

But there, a man she had never truly known was burying her family's dynasty with his own hands.

Finally, she dialed a number she had never saved.

After the call connected, Su Ning's deep voice came through: "Mr. Li? Is there something you need?"

Li Zhijin heard her own voice, eerily calm: "Tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, Peninsula Hotel. We'll talk about the marriage alliance."

There was a three-second silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a soft, ambiguous laugh: "Alright! But I have a big appetite, so you'd better be prepared."

"Humph!"

After hanging up the phone, Li Zhijin smashed the phone against the French windows.

The tempered glass remained perfectly still, just as indestructible as the business empire that man had built.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Su Ning looked at the darkened screen and ordered his legal team behind him: "Prepare a prenuptial agreement. Highlight Article 7—the agreement regarding the merger of the Li Group into the Jiuzhou Group."

The curtain has been raised on this business alliance, but the real battle has only just begun.

……

The air in the conference room on the top floor of the Fanlong Building was as still as lead.

Shen Yulan stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, an unlit cigarette between her fingers, looking down at the bustling city below.

The glass reflected her cold yet weary face. The once-powerful Fanlong Group had now been reduced to asset auctions.

"Chairman, all the creditors are pressing for payment, and the bank has frozen our working capital." The CFO's voice was hoarse. "If we don't start an asset auction soon, we won't even be able to pay our employees' salaries."

"Mr. Zhu, what do you think?"

Zhu Fengping sat at the end of the conference table, tapping his knuckles on the surface, his voice low: "An auction is fine, but it absolutely cannot be sold in parts."

Then he looked up at Shen Yulan and said, "What Chairman Fan left behind cannot be divided up and divided among others."

Shen Yulan closed her eyes and took a deep breath: "Then... let's auction it off as a whole package."

Three days after the auction announcement was released, representatives from the Kyushu Group entered the Fan's Building.

Suning did not attend in person, but instead sent the CEO of Kyushu Capital.

The other party pushed a document over, speaking calmly: "Jiuzhou Group is willing to acquire all of Fan's assets, including all real estate, equity, and patented technologies... One price, 120 billion."

Shen Yulan stared at the price list, her fingers trembling slightly.

This price is nearly 30% lower than the market valuation.

"Your Kyushu Group is taking advantage of our misfortune," she said coldly.

The representative from Kyushu smiled slightly: "Chairman Shen, right now, apart from Kyushu Group, no one dares to take on Fan Long's business. Moreover, relying on asset auctions to inject funds is tantamount to slow suicide."

Zhu Fengping stood aside, silent for a long time, before finally speaking: "Chairman, we have no other choice now." Late at night, Shen Yulan sat alone in Fan Longquan's former office.

On the table sat his favorite fountain pen, and in the ashtray was even a half-smoked cigar...

It was as if the man had only left temporarily and could come back in at any moment.

She opened the drawer, inside which lay an unopened letter with Fan Longquan's vigorous handwriting: "To Yu Lan."

The letter was very short, containing only one sentence:

"If one day Fanlong Group can't hold on any longer, then let's sell it! But we must choose a buyer who won't ruin Fanlong Group."

Shen Yulan's tears finally fell onto the letter.

The next morning, Zhu Fengping went directly to the Jiuzhou Building.

Su Ning was reviewing documents in the conference room when he saw him enter. She merely glanced up and said, "President Zhu has come in person, so it seems a decision has been made?"

Zhu Fengping didn't sit down, but directly handed over a list: "None of the core team members of Fanlong Group can be touched."

Su Ning glanced at it and chuckled: "Okay! But there has to be a system of survival of the fittest. Kyushu Group doesn't have the habit of providing for the mediocre."

"The original structure of the mining area management rights will be retained."

"can."

“The last one…” Zhu Fengping stared into Su Ning’s eyes, “The Fan family name cannot be changed.”

The meeting room was silent for a few seconds.

Finally, Suning slowly nodded: "Deal."

On the day of the signing, Shen Yulan wore a black dress, and her pen trembled slightly as she signed her name on the contract.

Under the flashing lights of the media, Suning extended his hand: "President Shen, it's a pleasure to cooperate with you."

Shen Yulan looked at him and suddenly asked in a low voice, "Why is it a complete acquisition? You could have broken up Fanlong and made more money."

Su Ning withdrew his hand and said calmly, "Because Fan Longquan once said—doing business requires ruthlessness, but not dirty tactics."

Shen Yulan's pupils contracted slightly.

This was a sentence Fan Longquan said to his employees at a mine in Myanmar ten years ago. I never expected that Suning would even know this.

"President Shen, don't worry! As long as Kyushu Group exists, you and your child will be shareholders of Kyushu."

"Thank you."

"No rush! Wait until you've truly moved on from your grief before making a decision. Whether you stay or leave will be up to you."

“…” Shen Yulan naturally understood the meaning behind Su Ning’s words.

That evening, Kyushu Group issued an announcement:
"Effective immediately, the assets of the former Fan's Group will be incorporated into Kyushu Business Map, while the 'Fanlong Group' brand will be retained for independent operation, and Zhu Fengping will serve as the CEO of Fanlong Group."

When Li Zhijin saw the news in her office, her coffee cup shattered on the floor with a "crack".

She finally understood—Suning's acquisition of the Fan family wasn't for the purpose of takeover, but rather for…

Reconstruct the sharpest knife.

And the next target, without a doubt, is the crumbling... Li Group.

……

The headline of the financial news article prominently stated—

Jiuzhou Group acquires Fanlong Group for 120 billion yuan, retaining the original brand and operating it independently.

The day's newspaper lay open on Li Minxian's hospital bed. His withered fingers trembled slightly before finally falling limply to the ground.

“Grandpa…” Li Zhijin stood by the window, sunlight filtering through the blinds and casting dappled shadows on her face, “We may really have lost.”

Li Minxian slowly closed his eyes, his voice hoarse: "No! We just... didn't see his moves clearly."

He should have realized this sooner—Suning's acquisition of Fan Long wasn't for money, but for the man.

Zhu Fengping, Shen Yulan, Fan Long's former subordinates...

These people's hatred for the Li family is far more valuable than money.

Now, that knife is pressed against the throat of the Li Group.

What Suning truly wants is already laid out before them.

Meanwhile, Qi Dongcao stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the Kyushu Building, her fingertips gently stroking the rim of her coffee cup.

Ever since Su Ning woke up from his car accident, she's felt he's changed...

His eyes were colder, his methods more ruthless, and even the warmth of his embrace carried a calculating edge.

The Su Ning who used to depend on her and be infatuated with her seems to have died in that car accident.

"President Qi, President Su has agreed to the marriage with Li Zhijin," the assistant reported in a low voice. "The wedding is set for next month."

Qi Dongcao's fingertips paused slightly, then she chuckled softly: "That's good."

The assistant asked, somewhat surprised, "You're not angry?"

"Angry?" She turned around, a relieved smile curving her red lips. "On the contrary, I feel... relieved."

"..."

In fact, if you don't become the principal wife, you won't have to bear the shackles of being the principal wife.

……

In the Li Group's conference room, all the senior executives sat in silence.

Li Zhijin looked around at everyone and said calmly, "From today onwards, the Li Group will accept the investment from the Kyushu Group and initiate a strategic cooperation between the two parties."

No one objected.

Of course, this statement is meant to glorify the Li Group, since, frankly speaking, it was the Li Group that agreed to Kyushu's acquisition.

And everyone knows that resistance is pointless.

After the meeting, Li Zhijin stood alone in the empty corridor when her phone vibrated. It was a message from Suning:
"Tonight at 8 PM, at the Peninsula Hotel, to discuss wedding details."

She stared at the screen, suddenly remembering what her grandfather had said when he taught her to play chess when she was little...

"When you have nowhere else to go, the only option is to make your opponent think you have given up."

Late at night, Qi Dongcao drove alone to the riverbank.

A cool night breeze blew as she lit a cigarette, the flame flickering in the darkness.

My phone lit up; it was a missed call from Suning.

She didn't call back, but simply watched the lights on the opposite bank of the river in silence.

She once thought she was the most special person in Suning.

But now she understands...

In Suning's world, no one is special, only those who are useful.

As the cigarette burned out, she let out a soft breath, as if she had finally unloaded a heavy burden.

"Not being the legal wife... is fine too."

This sentence was more of a way for Qi Dongcao to console herself against her unwillingness to accept defeat...

In the penthouse suite of the Peninsula Hotel, Suning stood by the window, holding a glass of whiskey.

Li Zhijin pushed open the door and entered, her high heels clicking silently on the carpet.

"You're here?" He didn't turn around, but just swirled his wine glass.

Li Zhijin walked to his side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him, looking out the window...

That's the city's night view, a dazzling display of lights, like a galaxy.

"What style do you want for our wedding?" she asked.

Su Ning finally turned to look at her, his eyes deep and unfathomable: "What do you think of... the style of the funeral?"

Li Zhijin's pupils contracted slightly.

He chuckled and raised his hand to stroke her cheek: "Just kidding."

But she knew—this was no joke.

This marriage was, in essence, a meticulously planned commercial funeral.

The main focus of the funeral was the Li Group.

Meanwhile, Zhu Fengping sat in his office in the Fanlong Building, with a list spread out in front of him—information on the core executives and shareholders of the Li Group.

He picked up his pen and circled several names in red.

"It's time to close the net."

Outside the window, a downpour is imminent.

...(End of chapter)