Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 585 Wealthy Women of Different Favors!

When couples have been together for a long time, those little things can easily become like homework to be done. This is probably because life wears them down to the mundane details of daily life, and in each other's eyes, they have fallen from the clouds back to the ground, with no mystery or admiration left, only trivial matters like whether or not to lift the toilet seat.

Passion is a delicate thing; it needs to be nourished by fresh air and intellectual stimulation. Otherwise, relying solely on a physical appearance will eventually lead to boredom, no matter how amazing it may seem, after ten or eight years.

But the secret to the unique passion and vitality that Lu and Liu, this couple who are always "passionately in love," can generate lies precisely in their various wonderful experiences and their spiritual connection with each other.

After an afternoon of calligraphy, painting, debating, and refining their ideas, they were two independent souls whose spirits resonated intensely on the same frequency.

He threw out a brilliant idea, and she caught it with a clever one;
She presented a compassionate ending, and he immediately grasped the profound meaning behind it.

This is not just a simple matter of "getting along well"; it is a high-intensity cognitive resonance of mutual confirmation and appreciation.

When a person appears profound, captivating, and brimming with unfathomable wisdom and artistic charm in the eyes of another, the attraction that originates from the depths of the spirit is far more intense and enduring than any visual stimulus.

Just like the washing machine is to Xiao Liu.

This "strange charm" rediscovered through co-creation, this ecstasy and satisfaction after meeting on a spiritual high ground, urgently needs a more primal and direct channel to express and confirm it. Thus, deeper communication at this moment becomes the inevitable continuation and highest celebration of spiritual resonance.

It's as if the two of them first took a trip hand in hand in the sky, seeing all the wonders and accumulating a heart full of excitement and joy, before falling back to earth together, turning their passion into sparks and thunder between their skin.

Such joy, nurtured by the spirit, is naturally more profound and enduring than water without a source or a tree without roots.

London is known for its rain, and June brought a downpour that occasionally brought lightning and thunder, waking the couple who had just fallen into a deep sleep two hours earlier.

The man closed his eyes, feeling the warm, soft flesh in his arms, which was constantly squirming. He touched a greasy, fleshy piece and asked, "Aren't you going to sleep?"

Xiao Liu exclaimed in surprise, "How did you know I opened my eyes? I just rolled over to see you!"

"Haven't you had enough of watching all night?"

Liu Yifei used the tip of her pert nose to gently stroke his chin: "Yesterday I was looking at you from above, now I'm looking at you from below, the angle is different, isn't it?"

"Haha!" the washing machine chuckled. "So, today I'll make you turn around and look at me?"

Xiao Liu angrily retorted, "You bastard! You're just trying to torture me in every way possible! My throat hurts..."

Boss Lu suddenly flipped over and pinned her down. "Isn't this all for your cervical spine? This way you can move around more and avoid your muscles getting too stiff from looking down all day yesterday."

"Hmph! I love the way you look down; it gives me a feeling of conquering you!"

The washing machine quipped, "This is unbelievable! This innocent girl is now turning into a lustful woman."

"Shameless! Even if I become a lustful woman, you are still the instigator and the beneficiary."

At this age when they are at their most energetic, the two of them, after spending the afternoon and late night working on their desks and engaging in artistic activities together late into the night, are surprisingly full of energy again on this misty, rainy London morning.

……

Zhuang Chenxuan, who visited his cousin yesterday afternoon, was also in high spirits.

On the same day that Boss Lu angrily denounced the Western-worshipping dog, in a Georgian-style townhouse near Kensington Palace Gardens in London, the fake Westerner was sitting on a soft cashmere sofa.

Facing the two seated figures were his cousin, Li Zekai, and Liang Luoshi.

Liang Luoshi wore a loose and soft silk dress, her belly was obviously protruding, her complexion was rosy, and her posture was serene. Zhuang Chenxuan's face had long lost the fierceness of the day, and was replaced by the respect that a junior should have.

Of course, this humility was directed at his cousin, Li Zekai, not at the Hong Kong actress beside him who was born in 1988 and is only 22 years old this year.

Because the latter has not been able to obtain a marriage certificate with Li Zekai due to various reasons, including Li Jiacheng's opposition, but she has already given birth to three children for him.

In 2007, 19-year-old Isabella Leong met 41-year-old Richard Li through Michelle Yeoh while filming "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor". The latter paid HK$3 million to help her get out of her agency.

Two years later, at the beginning of last year, Isabella Leong gave birth to her eldest son, Li Changzhi, in Canada, marking the arrival of the third generation of the Li family. She was only 21 years old at the time.

This third-generation member of Hong Kong's richest family, Li, is the same age as Youyou and Tiedan, the second-generation members of mainland China's richest family, Boss Lu. Liu Yifei, who gave birth to twins last year, is only 22 years old, the age of a college graduate.

Perhaps this is the obsession that wealthy families have with their descendants and heirs.

However, the fates of Liang Luoshi and Liu Yifei, two actresses who currently appear to be the same age and have similar experiences, will be vastly different—

If nothing had changed in this life, Liang Luoshi, who gave birth to three third-generation children for the Li family in 2009 and 2010, would have announced her "breakup" with Li Zekai in 2011 and admitted that she received no breakup fee.
As for Xiao Liu...

All I can say is that if the two divorce now, unless the washing machine (Liu Yifei's nickname) is ruthless enough to do something drastic, Liu Yifei will instantly become the richest woman in all of China.

Zhuang Chenxuan, with his background and experience, naturally looked down on actors, especially this retired actress who was more than twenty years younger than his uncle.

However, the higher the social standing of a family, the more careful they tend to be in maintaining appearances. Unlike their arrogant and unrestrained behavior outside, they don't know which elder's concubine might rise to power in the future.

He sincerely inquired about Liang Luoshi in English, "Auntie, I heard the baby's due date is coming soon. How are you feeling?"

Liang Luoshi smiled gently and nodded slightly, saying, "Very good, thank you for your thoughtfulness, Julian."

Li Zekai, holding a glass of warm water, sat relaxed on the single sofa beside him. Listening to Zhuang Chenxuan's perfect London accent, a barely perceptible smile, tinged with understanding and helplessness, appeared on his lips as he gently interrupted:
"Chenxuan, at home, speak Cantonese."

His tone was casual, like a casual reminder, but his gaze held a worldly wisdom, as if he was already well aware of his cousin's behavior—who claimed to be a "pure Englishman" abroad and was ashamed to admit he spoke Chinese.

It also carries a certain insistence on not continuing the same aloof rituals in the home.

A fleeting hint of embarrassment crossed Zhuang Chenxuan's face, but he immediately followed suit, "Uncle, Curator Neil asked me to give you his regards."

"Oh, thank you! Tell him that he'll be visiting China with Cameron in two months, and asks him to stop by Hong Kong while he's there," Li Zekai said with a smile.

“Over the years, he has introduced me to quite a few private collectors in the West. Isabella (Liang) and I are planning to buy some interesting little gifts to celebrate my father’s birthday, and Julian is keeping an eye out for us.”

Since his mother, Zhuang Yueming, passed away, Li Zekai has had a strained relationship with his father, which is a typical Chinese father-son relationship. However, he cannot pretend to ignore such an important event as his birthday.

"It's my great-uncle's birthday, so I can't be negligent." Zhuang Chenxuan leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and took out his phone to hand it over.
“I recently came across a small trinket that I found quite interesting. It’s a blue and white porcelain dish with an iron-red “Haiwu Tianchou” design from the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty.

He paused briefly to observe Li Zekai's reaction, and when he saw the other's eyes flicker slightly, he continued to explain: "The painting on this plate is 'adding years to the house,' which means long life and good fortune. It is an auspicious item for celebrating birthdays."

"What's rare is that its blue and white color is deep and stable, its iron red color is bright and vibrant, and its glaze is rich and lustrous, yet the decoration carries a distinct Eastern philosophical thought. I thought that my great-uncle's career has been thriving in recent years, and he has been traveling all over Europe. This object is both appropriate and unassuming. Placing it in the study will be a way to keep him in mind every day."

Li Zekai's face still held that calm smile, but a hint of understanding flashed in his eyes.

He knew all too well what Zhuang Chenxuan meant by "handled". This item had most likely come from the storeroom of a large Western museum through some unspeakable channels.

The phenomenon of "museum theft" is the same both in China and abroad; it can only be said that all crows are black.

The British Museum has a long history of thefts, the most serious of which occurred in 2023 when more than 2000 precious artifacts disappeared, including gold jewelry, semi-precious stones and glassware dating from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD.

The museum downplayed the issue, attributing it to internal management loopholes and individual staff members. Ultimately, a senior staff member was dismissed—what would be called a temporary worker in China.

Li Zekai didn't care about any of that; he was just doing his part.

Especially with his girlfriend Liang Luoshi giving birth to two grandsons through IVF, coupled with the exceptionally smooth business of his family in the past two years, this second-generation heir could hardly imagine having any worries.

“This design is quite eye-catching to me.” Liang Luoshi leaned closer and pointed to the dragon pattern on the phone picture: “Our family’s business has been expanding across Europe in the past two years, isn’t that just like these swimming dragons?”

Li Zekai nodded: "That's a good saying. It just so happens that my father established a foothold in the UK this year. It's a really good omen."

He looked up and praised, "Julian, your eye for antiques is impeccable. It's fortunate that you're here to manage these collections at home."

Zhuang Chenxuan felt reassured upon hearing this. The thought of his great-uncle Li Jiacheng's business and reputation in England filled him with pride, as if this could offset the psychological pressure he felt in front of Boss Lu, the richest man in mainland China.

Later generations often say that Li Ka-shing had an outstanding investment vision, always able to discover opportunities that ordinary people could not, maneuvering between China and the West, and eventually almost completely "withdrawing from the mainland" and embracing Europe.

This process actually started in 2010.

Earlier this year, Li Ka-shing's group acquired the grid assets of EDF Energy, the UK's electricity network business, from EDF Group for US$91 billion. An agreement has been signed and the transaction is pending.

Next year, Li Ka-shing's eldest son, Victor Li, will acquire the UK's largest water supply and sewage treatment company for £24 billion, and spend another £6.45 million to acquire British Gas Company, while also vigorously developing 3G infrastructure in the UK.

Through acquisitions over the past few years, Li Ka-shing and his son have become one of the largest owners of infrastructure assets in the UK. This year alone, they have secured 30% of the UK's electricity supply, 7% of the water supply for the population, and 25% of the natural gas supply in the public sector.

This includes the second son, Li Zekai, who is currently in the UK accompanying his mother during childbirth. His task is to sell multiple properties in the Yingke Center in Beiping within three years, preparing to acquire a British train rental giant together with his father and elder brother.

The fundamental goal of this massive asset transfer was to reshape the profit engine of its business empire, until 2013, when Hutchison Whampoa's European business earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) surpassed the combined earnings of its Hong Kong and mainland operations for the first time in history.

This indicates that the core of its business empire has successfully shifted westward, marking a phased victory in its strategy of expanding overseas and westward into Europe.

Therefore, in Zhuang Chenxuan's view, his great-uncle Li Jiacheng was probably on par with Lu Kuan in mainland China.

But in Hong Kong and Europe, this self-proclaimed director and artist, who sought fame and fortune, was nothing more than a peddler who could be easily manipulated.

Moreover, according to Hurun's wealth list, Li Ka-shing is currently the richest Chinese person and the 14th richest person in the world.

You only spent over £1500 million to buy a small football team in London. If I stomped my foot, a third of the British homes wouldn't even have their lights on!

Given Zhuang Chenxuan's "treasure offering," Li Zekai should show more concern for his cousin, whether out of care and concern for relatives or because of the valuable antique.

Moreover, the name Lu Kuan has been frequently mentioned by people around him these past few days, especially after that phone call from an old friend in Shenzhen.

"What exactly happened this afternoon? How did you have a conflict with Lu Kuan?"

Liang Luoshi looked at him with some surprise. Why was this famous director being mentioned?

Zhuang Chenxuan was secretly pleased that Li Zekai had taken the initiative to ask about it. He hesitated for a moment, deliberately avoiding directly fabricating exaggerated statements, and instead adopted a more roundabout approach:
"Uncle, it wasn't really a big deal. We just had a small argument at the China Pavilion, and he started to bully us by talking about himself as a world-renowned director or the richest man in mainland China."

Zhuang Chenxuan put on a look that was both aggrieved and restrained: "I was really angry, so I brought up my great-uncle to put him in his place, thinking that this would finally make him quiet down and stop being so arrogant, right?"

Li Zekai chuckled inwardly, thinking to himself that at least his "British cousin" hadn't exaggerated too much. "And then?"

"But he doesn't seem to respect my great-uncle much either. He's like those northerners who fight against each other, throwing all sorts of accusations at the Li and Zhuang families. It's really annoying!"

"Including those foolish Chinese students and tourists you see in the video, they were all incited by him."

Li Zekai remained unmoved, merely smiling on the surface: "What big accusation? Selling out the country?"

"Forget it, it doesn't sound good, I won't tell you, Uncle." Zhuang Chenxuan waved his hand helplessly. "In short, even Director Neil doesn't like him, especially since he wants to buy back the bronze animal heads from the Yuanmingyuan. I think he's trying to cause trouble like that Chinese businessman last year."

He invoked his status as a respected figure in British culture to justify his actions against the billionaire, saying, "Neil is also having a headache, not knowing how to refuse him."

Li Zekai wondered why he had suddenly brought up the Yuanmingyuan bronze animal heads again, but he didn't ask any further questions. "Actually... I've been hearing about this person's name a lot lately."

Zhuang Chenxuan exclaimed in surprise, "Really? You have business dealings with our family?"

"No, it's Tencent." Li Zekai always felt a deep pain whenever he mentioned this company, a kind of helplessness that came before dozens of consecutive limit-up days.

In 1999, during the booming development of the Internet, his PCCW Digital, the high-tech company that propelled him to the status of "Little Superman," invested $110 million in Penguin for a 20% stake. However, two years later, during the Internet winter, it was sold to the South African company MIH.

Even looking only at the present day in 2010, this investment loss amounted to nearly $80 billion, almost the same price as the electrical company his father bought in the UK.

"Pony.com is about to launch an instant messaging software called Q-Message, as well as a payment system developed in collaboration with Alipay in mainland China. They would like my help in promoting it in Hong Kong and overseas. Let's see if there will be an opportunity to cooperate again."

Li Zekai laughed and said, "They and Lu Kuan are the most direct competitors, and they have even reached a strategic life-or-death situation, where neither side can give an inch."

Zhuang Chenxuan was taken aback for a moment, then overjoyed: "Uncle, we can't miss this opportunity!"

“I’m still considering it, don’t worry about it.” Li Zekai brushed it off impatiently, then suddenly became serious and said, “Chenxuan, you need to understand what I mean—”

"You've spent too much time in the UK and too much time in school, and your mind... has become somewhat unaware of what the outside world is like."

His sudden stern voice made Zhuang Chenxuan sit up straight.

“Our Li family is a big target, and we have countless eyes watching us. You keep mentioning your great-uncle, and if someone with ulterior motives hears this, even a small matter can become a big one. In the end, trouble that isn’t yours will become yours; trouble that isn’t the Li family might be attributed to the Li family.”

Zhuang Chenxuan's face drained of color instantly, as if he had been slapped in the face silently. He never expected that Lu Kuan was so arrogant that even Li Zekai had to warn him.

Seeing his nephew Da Ying's outwardly strong but inwardly weak appearance, the latter lamented that the Li family's "relatives by marriage" were all utterly useless, practically dying of exhaustion while living abroad.

"Alright, stop making that face." Li Zekai gestured for Liang Luoshi to pour him some tea. "You need to be strategic in doing things. You people who work in the cultural field should learn more from Neil."

"Yes, I understand," Zhuang Chenxuan replied hesitantly. The visit ended quickly after the meal.

He hadn't even had a chance to discuss with his uncle how to make a scene involving the Pinault family and the bronze animal heads, to teach that country bumpkin a lesson.

……

Li Zekai and pregnant Liang Luoshi were taking a walk in the garden when the latter suddenly mentioned the mainland director.

"This director Lu Kuan seems to have had a child just last year, the same age as our Changzhi."

"Ah? Oh!" Li Zekai's face softened with affection as he thought of his eldest son. "Then he's luckier than me. I'm over forty, while he's probably not even thirty yet, right?"

Liang Luoshi probed, "Richard, is this person very powerful and not to be trifled with in mainland China, which is why you just warned Julian?"

"That's a different matter. He may be capable, but he has nothing to do with us."

“It’s just that these third-generation members of the Zhuang family are all too stupid!” Li Zekai said helplessly, “It’s true that my father relied on my grandfather’s help a lot back then, but over the decades, whether it was buying land in the mainland or going west to Europe now, when did he not take them with him?” “But look at those three brothers, including Chenxuan’s father, have they ever uttered a word of gratitude? It’s as if my father owes them something! Even the sons they raised are such good-for-nothings! Trash!”

Every family has its own troubles, especially families like the Li and Zhuang families with their complicated and intertwined kinship and marriage ties.

The three brothers of the second generation of the Zhuang family are not only Li Jiacheng's cousins, but also his brothers-in-law, making them naturally very difficult to deal with.

Li Zekai sighed, his tone softening, "When Mommy was alive, she was very sentimental and always looked after her family. After she passed away, I helped her as much as I could out of respect for her, without saying much."

The image of his mother, Zhuang Yueming, appeared in his mind. As the eldest daughter of Zhuang Jing'an, Zhuang Yueming received a good education from an early age. She was not only Li Jiacheng's virtuous wife, but also an important supporter of his early entrepreneurial endeavors.

"It would be one thing if you were just a fool!" His disgust surged again. "But you had to be so stupid as to shout in public, thinking you can act without restraint just because you have the Li family name? I wasn't this arrogant when I was young!"

Li Zekai had something he couldn't say to Liang Luoshi: What the Li family needs are dogs that bite! What's the use of just barking?

Liang Luoshi seemed about to speak, but what she really wanted to see was whether there was a chance to make a comeback after giving birth, perhaps even appearing in this famous director's film.
She knew that Li Jiacheng had always had some complaints about her, but fortunately her boyfriend was quite considerate. However, given the current situation, it was obviously not a good time to bring it up, so she swallowed her words for the time being.

As Li Zekai and Liang Luoshi were chatting, a well-dressed secretary walked briskly from the direction of the villa with a cordless phone in hand. "Boss, it's Mr. Ma from Pengcheng on the phone."

Li Zekai nodded, signaling his secretary to hand him the phone, and then sat down on the wicker chair in the garden to answer it.

“Pony, it’s me, Richard…”

The call lasted for nearly an hour.

Li Zekai did not end the call until the afterglow of the London sunset bathed the garden in gold.

Liang Luoshi, who had just returned to the villa, brought over a plate of cut fruit. Seeing him looking thoughtful after hanging up the phone, she asked softly, "What was it that took you so long to talk about?"

"Hmm? Oh! It's nothing, it's good news." Li Zekai took the fruit plate, picked up some fruit with a fork, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, the kind of sharpness only a businessman would have.

"My old friend has proposed an even more interesting cooperation plan. It seems they've been pushed too hard by Lu Kuan."

He helped the heavily pregnant Liang Luoshi sit down, and when he had nothing else to do, he talked to her about one of the combinations that Da Ma and Xiao Ma had painstakingly put together.

It was indeed a difficult situation for Ma Huateng and Ma Yun, two business tycoons from the mainland. One was forced into a corner in the payment and e-commerce sectors, while the other's lifeline business, on which he built his fortune, was suddenly attacked, forcing him to launch a full-scale counterattack.

This collaboration with Li Zekai is one of the combined moves following the "siege of Bright Peak" a week ago.

The cooperation invitation extended by Penguin Ali to the Li family consists of two parts:
First, replicate the payment model of Wenjie to seize the payment gateway for people's livelihood under the influence of the Li family.

The Li family currently controls infrastructure and public services in countries like the UK and France, including ports, electricity, water, gas, and some 3G communications. These are essential services that foreign households must pay monthly for. Tencent and Ali invited the Li family to establish a joint venture to embed payment tools directly into these billing systems, instantly gaining access to a massive number of real users and huge transaction volumes.

This move was a successful operation within China, directly leveraging the expertise of the copying communities in Hong Kong, Britain, and France.

Second, leveraging Hong Kong as a bridgehead, paving the way for Q-mail.

Li Ka-shing's second son, Li Zekai, owns PCCW, a major integrated communications service provider in Hong Kong, whose business covers fixed-line, mobile communications, broadband, and media services. Tencent and Ali hope that Q-Message and Taobao can become pre-installed applications in operator-customized mobile phones and be promoted to all users through SMS channels.

Taking over Hong Kong as an international gateway not only means being able to radiate influence to Southeast Asia, but more importantly, it means flexing muscles to the mainland market and achieving the goal of "blooming outside the wall and fragrant inside the wall".

Of course, the cooperation with the Li family is just one part of a series of moves; both the Ma brothers are also prepared for a tough and arduous battle in their main domestic arena.

Liang Luoshi sighed inwardly. If they became competitors, she probably wouldn't be able to make a comeback with Wenjie, the entertainment behemoth in mainland China.

"So what are your thoughts?"

"Of course, I refuse."

Liang Luoshi's eyes lit up, but before she could speak, her hopes were dashed.

“I’ve already ‘lost’ so much money on Penguin, do you think I’m just going to go back so easily?” Li Zekai laughed. “The more anxious they are, the easier it is for us to negotiate.”

“I told Ma Huateng that it was fine to set up a joint venture company specializing in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and Europe, but Yingke also had to invest in their companies in mainland China, otherwise there was no point in discussing it!”

Liang Luoshi gasped in astonishment: "These conditions are simply too much..."

"Let's talk about it first! We can eat as much as we can then." Li Zekai helped his girlfriend walk back. "Besides, I also need to talk to my dad about this. Let's just say something to them first."

His PCCW is independent of Li Ka-shing's company and can make its own decisions. However, if he wants to use the Li family's data on European livelihood industries to benefit the payment industry, he has to communicate with the old man. This involves communication with the British authorities, which requires Li Ka-shing to intervene.

Of course, given the differences in national circumstances, this is not a big problem as long as his father is willing to put in the effort.

Otherwise, the Li family would never have been able to get involved in water, electricity, ports, gas, or other sectors that are vital to the national economy and people's livelihoods, let alone hold controlling stakes in any of them.

Liang Luoshi, after all, was a female celebrity who had only "retired" for a little over a year. She was quite familiar with Lu Kuan, a director who had been famous for a long time, and had also heard about his influence in mainland China. So, she boldly probed:
"I've heard that this Mr. Lu is quite domineering in his dealings..."

She truly longed to make a comeback, which became the catalyst for her later separation from the Li family.

“Overbearing?” Li Zekai’s lips curled into a meaningful smile. “His base of operations is in mainland China, and at most in Hollywood. Our family makes a living in Hong Kong and Europe. What can he do, no matter how overbearing he is?”

"Furthermore, we've been gradually withdrawing from our businesses in the north. Even if he's as adept at maneuvering as the rumors suggest, we can simply leave!"

"Not only will he leave, but before he leaves, he will also say that he and certain leaders forced us out through unfair competition, and that he forced out the patriotic businessman Li Jiacheng! He is determined to suffer this injustice in silence."

Liang Luoshi repeatedly agreed and dared not mention it again, only silently gazing at the man's profile with her beautiful eyes.

Although Li Zekai is not as famous as his father and older brother in the public eye, he is still known as "Little Superman".

Born in 1966, he experienced the era and the fierce competition in Hong Kong that he and his father witnessed.

He competed with British-owned Land for Hong Electric, fought a bloody battle with the powerful Jardine Matheson in the stock market, including the earlier battle with Wharf Holdings and shipping magnate Y.K. Pao, who made a fortune together, and brought Hutchison Whampoa under his control through his relationship with Sir Michael Sandberg, thus becoming one of the top conglomerates.

From another perspective, Li Jiacheng in his early years was the protagonist of another Machiavellian novel, and even had fantasy elements like Boss Lu, such as a certain building.

Even Li Zekai himself founded Star TV and personally negotiated with Murdoch for two hours to sell it for $9.5 million, earning his first pot of gold when he founded PCCW.

Whether it was because the pressure from the mainland was too great for Ali, or because the resilient Ma Yun had been driven to desperation in recent years, Li Zekai received another private call from Ma Yun just five hours later before going to bed.

Liang Luoshi didn't know what they were talking about, but Li Zekai, who returned half an hour later, had a playful look on his face.

In front of his girlfriend, he remarked, "I'm really curious about this Lu Kuan. How did he manage to push so many mainland entrepreneurs to this point?"

Little Superman flashed his phone: "Ali's Ma Yun and Son Masayoshi are calling."

"say what?"

"Perhaps to prevent Ma Huateng, who has already invested in Ali, from having too much say, he proposed that if a joint venture is really established, our two companies could reach a limited cooperation agreement."

If Xiao Liu weren't here, she would definitely be astonished that her husband's prediction had come true.

"Poverty-stricken couples face endless sorrows." The collaboration between two companies with contrasting styles and equally assertive leaders, reached under such immense external pressure, inevitably involves some unspeakable underhanded dealings and ulterior motives. (Chapter 586)
Ma Yun, who is extremely shrewd, has now begun to secretly extend olive branches to Li Zekai.

"As an ally, he will try to get a stake in Yingke with Ma Huateng," Li Zekai said with a sneer. "But this unassuming Mr. Ma also hinted to me that if we cooperate, does the Li family have the courage and strength to stand up to Lu Kuan?"

Liang Luoshi laughed and said, "Was that to provoke you?"

"Hahaha! Of course." Li Zekai laughed loudly. "The mainland now really has some of the bloody atmosphere of Hong Kong back then. We asked Bao Yugang to be our white knight back then, but we never thought that we would be asked to be our white knight by someone else."

He shook his head and sighed, "My dad would definitely love to hear stories like this."

"So what are you going to do now?"

Li Zekai hesitated for a few seconds, then picked up his phone again. "Ma Yun knows I know he's trying to provoke me, so let's give him and Ma Huateng a little taste of what's what, so they don't forget who the richest Chinese person is right now."

He dialed the number, and Zhuang Chenxuan's slightly somber voice came from the other end: "Uncle, it's me."

This "big-time student" didn't even forget to speak Cantonese, it seems he was quite shaken by the lesson he received this afternoon.

"Julian, you said this afternoon that Lu Kuan was going to buy the bronze animal heads from the Pinault family, right? What is he planning to do?"

Zhuang Chenxuan was startled upon hearing this, but then overjoyed!
“I…I heard from Neil that he probably wanted to take credit, right? Just like how he flattered me in the video, he continued to show off his own greatness to curry favor with the mainland.”

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

"Cousin...cousin?"

When Li Zekai spoke again, his voice was much lower. "Julian, I have a way to wash away the shame of being called a foreign lackey on the mainland internet, but I need you to do one thing."

Zhuang Chenxuan couldn't help but want to retort. He didn't care what the peasants thought of him, since he would never set foot on that land anyway.

However, judging from the implication, and considering that this matter was related to Lu Kuan, he couldn't help but ask, "Uncle, what do you want me to do?"

Li Zekai's instructions were simple and clear: "Use the friendly relationship between the Neil and Pino families to have them pretend to agree to sell the rabbit and rat heads to Lu Kuan, and then temporarily declare that the transaction is canceled, on the grounds that Lu Kuan refuses to pay or is worried that he will refuse to pay."

"The Pinault family's Christie's was tricked by that Chinese businessman last year, and they're already angry. Now, we're giving them a chance to get revenge. Isn't that great?"

"Uncle, you mean..." Zhuang Chenxuan, being an Oxford PhD, immediately realized, "You mean we create hype for Lu Kuan, claiming he's going to acquire the rabbit and rat heads and donate them to China, putting him on a pedestal, and then getting the Pinault family to help him out, making him lose credibility with the public and lose face?"

Li Zekai laughed and said, "Yes, let's send this mainland tycoon a harmless little British snack to try, so he knows that Hong Kong is not the mainland."

He naturally wouldn't say that this was also for Ma Huateng and Ma Yun to see, so as to gain the upper hand in future negotiations and to win their alliance.

Zhuang Chenxuan's voice became noticeably excited, but after a moment he asked with doubt, "What if the Pinault family really wants to sell?"

“If they don’t want to sell, that’s fine; if they do want to sell, no matter how much Lu Kuan offers, we’ll offer more. We also have the Li family’s various businesses in England and France, so we can all talk about cooperation.”

Zhuang Chenxuan asked again, "And after we buy it..."

"I'll ask my dad when the time comes. If he's willing, we'll donate it back to China in his name. If he's not willing to come forward, we'll help clear your name. In any case, you've handled this matter from beginning to end, so we'll give you some publicity, which will reduce your pressure a lot."

"Okay! Okay! I'll go right away!"

Watching her boyfriend hang up the phone, Liang Luoshi couldn't help but ask, "Didn't you say the people from the gambling den were stupid and you were afraid they'd make a mistake? This time..."

The man in front of her turned off the light, got into bed, and gently stroked her pregnant belly, anticipating the birth of her two children. After a while, Liang Luoshi finally heard a soft voice from "Little Superman" in the darkness:

“I ask you, if the British Museum is robbed, will Neil take responsibility? Even if he instructed his subordinates to take those Chinese artifacts out and sell them.”

"I..." The female celebrity seemed to have thought of something, but was momentarily speechless.

Li Zekai sighed softly: "Similarly, always leave yourself some leeway. If everything goes smoothly, my dad will be a patriotic businessman, just like the Australian director who donated the horse head back then."

"If anything changes, it's this 'fake foreigner' who had a conflict with Lu Kuan who's been interfering from beginning to end. What does that have to do with our Li family?"

"Yes, it's true that his surname is Zhuang. Just fire him and cut off all ties so we can have no further contact."

Night had fallen, and the young superman, being over forty, couldn't resist the urge to sleep and drifted off to sleep. But the last words that drifted out in the darkness chilled Liang Luoshi to the bone.

"Zhuang Chenxuan is just a temporary worker. There are so many people in the Zhuang family. Mommy won't blame me from heaven..."

Liang Luoshi suddenly felt a chill rise up her spine and involuntarily curled up, but Li Zekai's even breathing quickly resumed beside her, as if his cold-blooded scheming was nothing more than a casual remark.

She gently stroked her swollen belly, feeling the movement of the two little lives inside, but her heart was ice-cold.

"Temporary worker"

These three words echoed in her ears.

Zhuang Chenxuan, the arrogant "descendant of the Zanying" and his cousin in front of outsiders, is nothing more than a pawn that can be discarded at any time in the eyes of the real power holders.

Those warm and affectionate family relationships are truly as fragile as cicada wings when faced with self-interest.

At that moment, she realized with absolute clarity what a cruel arena this glittering, wealthy family she was in was in essence.

These men, who always boast about their ambitions, live in a world of calculation and self-interest. They may shower you with affection today, but if you lose your value or become a burden tomorrow, they will cut you off without hesitation, just as they did with Zhuang Chenxuan, and even push you into the abyss.

She couldn't help but think of Liu Yifei, who was only one year older than her.

Both are actresses who married into top-tier wealthy families, both are young, and both became mothers at roughly the same age.

But at this moment, Liang Luoshi could almost imagine Liu Yifei's predicament:
She must be feeling this bone-chilling cold right now, in another corner of London, accompanying her notorious husband and tycoon Lu Kuan.
That person was able to build such a huge business empire in just a few years; his methods and cunning were probably no less than those of Li Zekai, who was by my side.

Liu Yifei must have felt extremely cautious and apprehensive while standing by his side, fearing that she might make a single misstep. This pressure was probably even greater than what she was feeling at the moment.

Thinking of this, Liang Luoshi felt a bittersweet pang of shared misfortune.

These seemingly glamorous women are nothing more than decorative vases adorning the sides of these crocodiles, or to put it more bluntly, reproductive tools and facade decorations.

Respect and equality are simply wishful thinking in the cold, high-altitude, deep sea.

Unfortunately, she was wrong...

At the same time, Xiao Liu, also in London, was blushing as she rode a washing machine, shouting "Are you convinced or not!" after discussing the script adaptation of "The Shape of Water" with her husband.

It can only be said that although both were wealthy socialites, they were different people and had different fates.

(End of this chapter)