Siheyuan (courtyard house): My father, Li Yunlong!

"This...this won't do! This is too unfair to you! And if word gets out..."

Lou's mother was the first to object.

"Feeling wronged? Isn't it unfair to stay and wait to die?"

Lou Xiao'e interrupted her mother excitedly.

"What time is it now? Do you still care about saving face? Survival! Preserving the Lou family's foundation is the most important thing! Being his concubine may not be respectable, but at least it's a way to live! As long as he agrees and acknowledges my existence, even if it's just secretly, with his power, surely he can protect our Lou family? Then, with his connection, those who want to harm us will have to think twice!"

Lou Xiao'e became more and more excited as she spoke, as if she had found a reasonable basis for her bold idea.

"Besides, what is Miss Lin's status? She's a noblewoman, destined to be the principal wife. Would someone like her really be constantly watching whether Li Zhenhua has other women? As long as I don't fight for a title, don't cause her trouble, and behave myself, maybe... maybe she'll tolerate me. Men, especially capable men like Li Zhenhua, having a woman or two outside is perfectly normal, isn't it?"

These words were less meant for her parents and more a way for Lou Xiao'e to convince herself.

She was completely dominated by her obsession with Li Zhenhua, her fear of the family crisis, and her "what's the use" mentality.

Since we can't have everything, having a part is fine too.

Since we can't do it openly and honestly, we'll hide in the shadows.

As long as she could still have contact with him, as long as she could save her family, she was willing to do anything!

Lou Bancheng fell into a long silence after hearing his daughter's words.

His brow furrowed, his mind racing as he weighed the feasibility and enormous risks of the plan.

The risk is that Li Zhenhua may refuse again, or even become more enraged, thus accelerating the demise of the Lou family.

Moreover, if this matter is leaked, both the Lou family and Li Zhenhua will be ruined.

But the benefits are also obvious.

If Li Zhenhua could truly acquiesce, even if it's just secretly helping out, the Lou family's current crisis might actually be resolved.

With Li Zhenhua's relationship with the Lin family, this was undoubtedly a powerful shield.

Sacrificing the daughter's status—or perhaps not even that—in exchange for the safety of the entire family and a possible chance for a future resurgence...

From the perspective of ruthless family interests, this deal seems... worth the gamble!

Lou Bancheng is essentially an extremely shrewd egoist.

Under immense pressure to survive, he disregarded his father-daughter bond and moral conscience.

He slapped his thigh suddenly, and a morbid, gambler-like frenzy rekindled in his eyes!

"Xiao'e! You're right! We must be driven to the brink of death to survive! This is the only way out for the Lou family right now!"

Lou Bancheng stood up, his face flushed with excitement.

"Li Zhenhua is a man, and men have weaknesses! Yesterday... he wasn't entirely indifferent to you! Otherwise, he wouldn't... Now we'll lower ourselves to the lowest level and beg him! We'll use the entire Lou family's wealth as leverage, my lifelong loyalty to him, plus you... I don't believe he won't be tempted!"

He seemed to have transformed back into the ruthless and decisive Lou Bancheng of the business world, and immediately began to make arrangements.

"There's no time to lose! I'm going to the steel mill to find him right now! I'll plead our case in person! We'll show that the Lou family will follow his lead from this day forward! Xiao'e, you stay home and wait for news. Madam, are you prepared... if... if he agrees, perhaps... perhaps Xiao'e will have to go again tonight..."

Looking at her husband and daughter, who had suddenly become strangers, Lou's mother opened her mouth, but in the end, she didn't say anything. She just nodded helplessly.

In this turbulent time, she, a woman, was at a loss.

Therefore, Lou Bancheng disregarded his dignity as chairman and immediately instructed his driver to prepare the car. With a heart full of trepidation and a hint of frantic anticipation, he hurriedly headed to the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill to conduct a "negotiation" that would determine the life or death of the Lou family.

He was going to beg the young man he had framed just yesterday to take his daughter as a concubine in exchange for the family's survival.

The irony of fate could not be more profound.

When Lou Bancheng's car stopped again outside the gate of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, it no longer had the demeanor of a former chairman. It looked more like a tiger that had been stripped of its teeth and bones, leaving only a tired shell.

He told the driver to wait outside, straightened his slightly wrinkled Zhongshan suit, took a deep breath, and then informed the security department that he wanted to see Director Li Zhenhua.

Li Zhenhua was listening to the weekly reports from various departments of the Logistics Department in his office when he heard his secretary announce Lou Bancheng's visit. His expression remained unchanged, and he simply said to the department head who was reporting.

That's all for today. We'll proceed as planned.

After everyone filed out, he spoke to his secretary.

"Let him in."

When Lou Bancheng entered the office, he hunched his back slightly, and the forced smile on his face revealed an undisguised humility and fear.

He was a completely different person from the witty and shrewd Director Lou at the family dinner a few days ago.

"Zhenhua... no, Director Li, I'm sorry to disturb your work."

Lou Bancheng's voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Li Zhenhua did not get up, but pointed to the chair opposite him.

"Please have a seat, Director Lou. Is there something you need?"

His tone was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Lou Bancheng sat down with half his buttocks on the chair, nervously rubbing his knees with both hands.

"Director Li, I've come to...apologize to you, and also to...surrender to you."

He uttered the word "surrender" with great difficulty, as if he had used up all his strength.

"Oh?"

Li Zhenhua raised an eyebrow, leaned back in his chair, and looked at him leisurely, waiting for him to continue.

Lou Bancheng took out a brown paper envelope from his briefcase, placed it respectfully on the desk with both hands, and pushed it in front of Li Zhenhua.

"Director Li, this is a small token of my appreciation, and also a token of the Lou family's sincerity. This is a list of my core assets that I can effectively control, including two houses in Dongjiaomin Lane, a shop on Qianmen Street, and... a small share in Tianjinwei Wharf."

Li Zhenhua didn't touch the envelope; his gaze remained fixed on Lou Bancheng's face, as if examining the authenticity of an antique.

Lou Bancheng swallowed hard and continued;

"I know these things won't catch your eye. But... these are just the visible ones. My Lou family has been in business for generations, and we have connections and financial channels overseas... in Southeast Asia, in Hong Kong, and some... connections and channels that are not convenient to disclose."

He lowered his voice, almost whispering.

"As long as Director Li nods in approval and is willing to lend the Lou family a hand, all of this... will be at your disposal from now on. I, Lou Bancheng, swear here and now that from this day forward, I will follow your lead without question; you are my master!"

"The owner?"

Li Zhenhua finally spoke, his voice tinged with amusement.

"Director Lou, this is a new society; this master-servant relationship doesn't work now."

Lou Bancheng's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat.

"Yes, yes, yes, I misspoke. What I meant was... the Lou family is willing to rely on you, Director Li, and will obey any orders you give us from now on!"

A brief silence fell over the office, broken only by the ticking of the wall clock.

Lou Bancheng's heart was in his throat, awaiting his fate.

Li Zhenhua's fingers tapped lightly on the table, the rhythm steady.

He certainly understood Lou Bancheng's intentions. Offering up his family fortune and hinting at overseas connections was a desperate gamble, an attempt to use enormous benefits and potential exploitation to gain Li Zhenhua's protection and weather the current crisis.

That asset list may be genuine, but the overseas connections and funds are likely highly questionable and extremely risky.

More importantly, accepting the Lou family would be like taking on a hot potato, inevitably attracting unnecessary attention and potentially affecting his relationship with the Lin family.

On the other hand, the Lou family has cultivated deep roots for many years, and if their hidden wealth and network of connections could be brought under their control, they would undoubtedly be a formidable force in the shadows.

Especially in the turbulent years to come, having multiple options is never a bad thing.

The key is how to control it, to what extent to control it, and whether the cost is controllable.

"Director Lou,"

Li Zhenhua spoke slowly.

"I've received your 'sincerity.' However, these things are like a red-hot iron; whoever takes them will get burned. You haven't heard anything about what's going on up there, have you?"

Lou Bancheng's face turned pale.

"I've heard...I've heard some rumors, so...that's why I've come to ask you for help, Director Li..."

"Beg me?"

Li Zhenhua interrupted him, his tone turning cold.

"Are you trying to drag me, Li Zhenhua, into this too?"

"I wouldn't dare! Absolutely not!"

Lou Bancheng almost slipped off his chair.

"Director Li, I had no such intention! I just... just wanted to find a way out for the Lou family, and also... also to give you, Director Li... a little bit of help that might be useful in the future."

He was incoherent and almost knelt down.

Li Zhenhua looked at him and sneered inwardly.

These old-fashioned "remnants" usually act arrogantly and domineeringly, but once the empire is about to collapse, they reveal their ugly side. He needs the Lou family's resources, but he absolutely cannot get tainted by their scandals.

"How about this?"

After a moment's thought, Li Zhenhua made a decision.

"Take the list back first."

Lou Bancheng's heart sank to the bottom.

"but,"

Li Zhenhua then changed the subject.

"Regarding the overseas connections and funding channels you just mentioned, I need more detailed and concrete information. This includes specific contact persons, operational methods, funding scale, and how security is ensured, etc. Remember, I need concrete details, not empty promises. Please prepare a detailed report for me."

Lou Bancheng felt like a drowning man grasping at a straw, and hope rekindled in his eyes.

"Yes, yes, yes! I will definitely organize everything in detail! I would absolutely not dare to hide anything!"

"also,"

Li Zhenhua's gaze was sharp as a knife as he stared at Lou Bancheng.

"Comrade Lou Xiao'e, what are your plans?"

Lou Bancheng's heart tightened; he knew the most crucial part was about to begin.

He braced himself and carefully spoke according to the words he had agreed upon with his daughter.

"Xiao'e...she really regrets what happened last time. We were thinking...could you, Director Li, arrange a quiet place for her in the suburbs so she can...reflect on her actions? The conditions don't need to be too good, just some shelter from the wind and rain, and...it would also prevent her from causing any more gossip in the city and tarnishing your and Miss Lin's reputations..."

These words were spoken in an extremely humble manner, almost as if entrusting the future of their daughter to Li Zhenhua, implying that they could keep her as a mistress, but only if she was safe.

Li Zhenhua knew this perfectly well.

This is both a sign of further weakness from the Lou family and a test.

He played along, neither nodding nor shaking his head, but simply saying calmly.

"The organization will consider Comrade Lou Xiao'e's work and life. You all need to behave yourselves and wait for my news. Without my permission, you must not act rashly, and you must not reveal a single word to anyone else. Otherwise..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his cold gaze said it all.

"Understood! Understood! We will certainly follow your instructions!"

Lou Bancheng repeatedly assured him.

"Go ahead. Prepare the report as soon as possible."

Li Zhenhua waved his hand, signaling them to leave.

Lou Bancheng felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and left the office with profuse thanks, his back soaked with cold sweat.

Although Li Zhenhua did not explicitly accept the surrender, he at least gave him a way out and did not refuse on the spot, which was already a stroke of luck.

He had to go back as soon as possible and prepare the materials as required; this might be the Lou family's only chance of survival.

After Lou Bancheng left, Li Zhenhua pondered for a long time.

Dealing with the Lou family's affairs requires extreme caution.

Just as he was weighing the pros and cons, the red secure phone on the table rang.

It's a dedicated line for Liu Dashan's office.

Li Zhenhua answered immediately.

"Uncle."

Liu Dashan's calm voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Zhenhua, is it a convenient time to talk?"

"It's convenient, please tell me."

Two things.

Liu Dashan's words were concise and to the point.

"First, there has been some discussion recently about further regulating the economic order and clearing up certain historical issues. Some 'old forces,' having grown too powerful, may become the focus. You need to be extra careful when dealing with certain businessmen with complex backgrounds, and avoid any appearance of impropriety."

Li Zhenhua's heart skipped a beat. Liu Dashan's words were clearly pointed at something, and he was very likely referring to capitalists like the Lou family.

It seems the cleanup efforts above really need to be intensified.

"Understood, Uncle, I'll be careful."

"Yes, I know what I'm doing."

Liu Dashan's tone softened somewhat.

"Secondly, it's a personal matter. You and Tao Tao have been seeing each other for a while now. I've spoken with your Uncle Lin, and he's very satisfied with you. What are your plans as young people? When are you going to settle things? That would put our worries to rest."

Li Zhenhua knew that his marriage to Lin Taotao was not only a matter of personal feelings, but also a symbol of the alliance between the two families, and had important political significance.

Liu Dashan's mention of this at this time is both an expression of concern and an implicit form of encouragement and reminder.

Now that we've chosen this path, we must move forward steadily and lay a solid foundation as soon as possible.

"Uncle, Tao Tao and I have a very good relationship. As for marriage... I'm also considering it. But there's been a lot of work at the factory lately, so I'd like to wait until these thorny issues are resolved before formally proposing to Uncle Lin and you, and marry Tao Tao in a grand and respectable way."

Li Zhenhua answered respectfully.