The system only arrives when you're old? Then let's create a super-rich family!

At the same time, messages kept popping up in the private WeChat group of wealthy businessmen in Jiangnan, and the phone kept vibrating.

Xiao Mingyuan gripped his phone, his brows furrowed deeply.

Half an hour ago, he received calls from three downstream steel processing plants with whom he had long-term cooperation. They all stated that they would unilaterally terminate this month's material supply contracts.

According to the contract, if one party breaches the contract, they only need to pay a penalty of 5% of the total price of the goods, which amounts to no more than 800,000 yuan.

However, this batch of building materials orders could bring the other party a profit of nearly five million.

The other party was willing to forgo huge profits and pay breach of contract penalties to terminate the cooperation, which completely defies common business sense.

"Mr. Zhou, I'm so sorry, we are unable to supply any more building materials. The penalty for breach of contract will be paid in full by midnight tonight, and there is no need for further communication."

The downstream boss spoke respectfully but resolutely on the phone, offering no explanation before hanging up. Subsequent calls went unanswered.

Xiao Mingyuan held the black-screened phone, his face full of confusion.

He had been working with this factory for five years without any problems, and the two sides had a good personal relationship, so there was no possibility of them becoming enemies.

Did he offend someone?

Confused, he sent a message in the core group of top wealthy people in Jiangnan.

Has anyone had their orders unilaterally breached by a downstream supplier tonight?

The message was sent out and the group chat was instantly flooded with messages.

[You got rejected too? On my end, three electronic component manufacturers collectively backed out, preferring to lose money rather than ship the goods!]

[Me too. I picked up the goods yesterday, and today they abruptly stopped supplying them without giving a reason. I was wondering if I had offended someone.]

It seems everyone's in the same boat; all downstream suppliers are willing to lose money rather than terminate their cooperation with us.

This matter is probably not simple.

It wasn't just their top circles; even in smaller groups, over thirty companies reported experiencing the exact same situation.

All the companies that were rejected were partners who had undertaken outsourced projects for the Qin family.

The group fell into a brief silence as everyone instantly realized what was happening.

They cannot afford to offend dozens of unrelated downstream factories scattered throughout the Jiangnan region at the same time.

The only force capable of getting all businesses to agree on a single story and voluntarily breach contracts, even at the cost of high profits, is an external force that dominates the local business district in Jiangnan.

[This isn't targeting us; it's targeting the Qin family. We just happen to be targeting them because we cooperate with them.]

[I'll go to the Qin family tomorrow morning to sound them out. I wonder who they've offended this time.]

Everyone in the group agreed with what Xiao Mingyuan said.

They were unwilling to give up the project they had already secured, and they also needed to know whether the Qin family's opponent this time was a mule or a horse.

As night deepens, undercurrents stir in the Jiangnan business district.

The next morning at 7:30, the entire Qin family gathered at the log dining table for breakfast.

Congee, crab roe soup dumplings, and seasonal side dishes were laid out on the table. Everyone ate quietly, with only the soft clinking of cutlery against the porcelain plates.

Qin Ziyang took a couple of bites of soup dumplings, but remained restless, repeatedly rubbing his chopsticks.

He turned to look at Qin Zihao beside him, lowered his voice, and said with obvious worry, "Brother, I received news that the Xie family is going to officially take action against the Qin family."

Qin Zihao's wrist, which was holding a chopstick, suddenly paused, and he subconsciously looked up at Qin Zheng, who was in the main seat.

Qin Zheng held the purple clay teacup, his fingertips stroking the rim, his eyelids slightly raised, his gaze fixed on Qin Zihao, his eyes filled with expectation.

Seeing the old man's expression, Qin Zihao spoke in a deep voice: "Who is the source of this information? Is it reliable?"

"Bai Lingxi," Qin Ziyang answered truthfully, "she told me last night."

Qin Zihao's gaze suddenly tightened, a hint of struggle flashing in his eyes.

Qin Ziyang added, "There's one more thing. Bai Lingxi revealed that the Wang family will officially announce their marriage next month, and Wang Zhaoyue's fiancé is the heir of the Xie family."

"Because I got too close to Wang Zhaoyue during the live stream, the Xie family's heir harbored resentment and therefore deliberately suppressed the Qin family."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Zihao's tense shoulders relaxed instantly, and his body felt slightly lighter.

Just as he was about to speak to comfort Qin Ziyang, Qin Zheng, who was at the head of the table, put down his teacup, chuckled, and broke the silence at the table.

His gaze fell gently on Qin Ziyang, his tone calm and casual, without a trace of anger: "Ziyang, be honest, do you like that little girl from the Wang family?"

Qin Ziyang's fingertips froze, and he lowered his eyes and remained silent for a full five seconds.

Images of the two of them interacting during the live stream flashed through his mind, and he finally shook his head gently.

He wouldn't let a momentary feeling of affection drag down the entire Qin family.

Qin Zheng chuckled twice: "It's alright, it's fine if you like it. Just follow your heart and pursue it, don't worry about any external forces. Whether it's the Xie family in the capital or other aristocratic families, Grandpa will always be your strongest support."

Qin Zihao followed closely behind, turning to look at Qin Ziyang with a serious expression: "Big brother also fully supports you."

Qin Ziyang felt a warmth in his heart and smiled with relief: "Thank you, Grandpa, thank you, Big Brother."

He himself had no intention of taking over the Qin family's business. He would only be responsible for enjoying life and would never cause any trouble for the family or Qin Zihao because of personal relationships.

He will then take the initiative to keep his distance from Wang Zhaoyue, so as not to give the Xie family a reason to cause trouble.

The atmosphere at the table eased again. Qin Mao, sitting to the side, blushed slightly and glanced discreetly at Xu Qinghe beside him. They had only known each other for a few days, but their feelings for each other were already clear. However, Qin Mao, bound by his traditional values, maintained a respectful distance.

Zhao Lin took in their subtle actions, turned to Qin Zheng, and said softly, "Dad, the 10th of next month is an auspicious day for marriage according to the Chinese almanac. It's a month away, so there's plenty of time to prepare."

After speaking, she turned to look at Xu Qinghe, who was bowing her head in embarrassment, and asked gently, "Qinghe, do you think this date is okay?"

Xu Qinghe's cheeks were flushed, her earlobes were bloodshot, her hands gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, her head was lowered even further, and her voice was soft and weak:

"It's entirely up to my sister-in-law and grandfather to decide; I have no objections."

Qin Zheng's eyes were filled with a deep smile; he had originally planned to get married as quickly as possible within the next two days.

But when he caught a glimpse of Qin Mao's subtle gaze, he understood that the two wanted more time to be alone and get to know each other, so he immediately went along with it.

"The wedding banquet can be postponed." Qin Zheng glanced at Qin Mao, his tone teasing, "But as for the Qin family to have more descendants, Cat, you need to put that on the agenda soon."

The moment those words were spoken, the dining table fell silent. Qin Mao and Xu Qinghe blushed to their necks, their heads bowed, staring intently at the bowls of white porridge, too ashamed to look up.

Qin Jianjun and Zhao Lin, a married couple, also looked embarrassed and awkwardly picked up their tea to hide their expressions.

Qin Nian'an and the other younger generation all buried their heads in their rice, not daring to lift their eyelids, afraid that the jokes would fall on them, creating an atmosphere that was both shy and warm.

Qin Zihao lowered his head and took a bite of the soup dumpling, his expression relaxed, temporarily putting aside the troubles of the surrounding business district.

Just then, my phone vibrated twice in quick succession. It was an urgent message from my personal secretary, Tang Xiaorou. There were no formalities, only a short sentence:

[President Qin, all employees from twelve partner companies in Jiangnan have arrived at the main gate of the manor and are requesting a meeting. The situation is urgent and requires your immediate attention.]

-

Inside the rooftop conference room of the Genting Highlands, which features floor-to-ceiling soundproof glass.

The blackout curtains were half-drawn, and the air conditioning was set to a slightly cool temperature, but it couldn't soothe the restlessness in the hearts of everyone present.

More than thirty of the wealthiest local businessmen from Jiangnan sat on either side of the long table, each looking anxious and restless.

Some even repeatedly unlocked their phones to check the response records of downstream manufacturers, frowning and deep in thought.

The atmosphere inside gradually became hot and stuffy.

They arrived at the Cloud Top Building early in the morning to see Qin Zihao, in order to find out who was targeting the Qin family.

No one dared to ask the secretary to urge Qin Zihao to come faster.

They knew that with the entire project stalled and downstream companies collectively defaulting on their contracts, their lives were now tied to the Qin family's.

All they could do was wait quietly for Qin Zihao to arrive.

"It's almost ten o'clock, why hasn't President Qin arrived yet?" The owner of a company that does low-voltage electrical engineering lowered his voice, his brows furrowed, and his eyes full of impatience.

"Be patient. Right now, all downstream manufacturers are adamant about not supplying goods, preferring to lose money. There must be some powerful figure putting pressure on them, otherwise it wouldn't be like this."

Zhao Hongbin, the third richest man on the list, looked grave. "We can't solve this ourselves. We can only wait for President Qin to give an explanation as to who is targeting the Qin family and dragging us down with them."

The others also knew that a powerful figure was targeting the Qin family, and they were so anxious because they wanted to know who that person was.

Whether the Qin family has the ability to break the deadlock is crucial to their next plans.

Not long after he finished speaking, the main door to the conference room was suddenly pushed open.

Qin Zihao was dressed in a dark gray business suit, with a serious expression.

Behind him was only his aloof secretary, Shen Yue, who was skilled in business project coordination.

A group of bodyguards stood guard at the door and did not follow them in.

Qin Zihao walked steadily to the head seat and sat down. He casually placed the tablet on the table and glanced indifferently at the restless crowd without exchanging any pleasantries.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting. I have received a full understanding of the situation from Secretary Tang." Qin Zihao rested his elbows on the table, interlaced his fingers, and said calmly, "Get to the point."

Xiao Mingyuan was the first to raise his hand, leaning slightly forward, his tone urgent and straightforward.

"Mr. Qin, all twelve of us who undertook outsourced projects for the Qin family have encountered unilateral breaches of contract by downstream raw material and component manufacturers. They have uniformly paid liquidated damages and refused all subsequent supplies, regardless of whether we increased the price by 30% or 50%."

"Currently, all our infrastructure, interior design, and park supporting projects have been completely halted, and the daily losses in labor and site fees are increasing rapidly."

"We want to know, who is behind this targeting of the Qin family?"

This question echoed the thoughts of everyone in the room, and dozens of eyes focused on Qin Zihao, instantly silencing the conference room.

Qin Zihao slightly raised his eyelids, not intending to hide it from everyone, and said calmly:

"The Xie family of Shangjing."

Those four simple words instantly silenced the entire room.

Most wealthy businessmen had heard of the four top families in Beijing, but after learning about the ancient Yuan family, they gained a new understanding of top-tier wealthy families.

If the Xie family of the capital is not powerful enough to strike at the Qin family, it can only mean that there is someone behind them, or that the Xie family is another ancient family!

Then they knew nothing about the specific level or size of the Xie family.

Faced with unknown forces, they felt uncertain and naturally worried.

Sitting at the end of the long table was the CEO of a building materials company. Upon hearing this, he immediately frowned and pressed for an answer, his tone probing:

"President Qin, forgive my ignorance, but what level of aristocratic family is the Xie family in Beijing? How do they compare to the Yuan family?"

He voiced the question that most of the people present were wondering about.

The Yuan family alone is enough to crush all the local wealthy families.

The Qin family had previously confronted the Yuan family head-on and even snatched a core military industrial project. Everyone assumed that the Qin family had a stronger foundation than the Yuan family, so they all aligned themselves with the Qin family.

But then the Xie family from the capital suddenly appeared out of nowhere and launched an attack on the Qin family without a word.

Doesn't that mean the other party isn't afraid of the Qin family?

What about those who are connected to the Qin family? Will they be targeted as well?

No one is calm.

Qin Zihao's gaze fell directly on the man's face, a faint, cold smile playing on his lips, his eyes sharp as he said:

"What, now you want to find out the Xie family's background? Are you afraid that if you continue to be tied to the Qin family, the Xie family will take advantage of the situation and settle scores with you?"

The man's face turned pale instantly, and he hurriedly waved his hand, saying:

"President Qin, you've misunderstood! I absolutely did not mean to back down. It's just that the Xie family comes from Beijing, and we are not familiar with their methods. Only by understanding their strength can we cooperate with the Qin family to develop a good response plan, right?"

He quickly added after he finished speaking: "We are absolutely not afraid to back down."

Many wealthy businessmen present echoed this sentiment, using identical rhetoric to express their loyalty, but their eyes betrayed their apprehension.

They are driven by profit, siding with whichever side has the best chance of winning. Once the Qin family's chances of winning are not good, they will cut ties with the Qin family as soon as possible in order to protect themselves.

Qin Zihao coldly scanned the subtle changes in everyone's expressions, taking in all their thoughts and understanding their intentions.

He snorted coldly, his voice not loud, but it echoed throughout the room:

"Ancient aristocratic families were divided into three tiers: top-tier, mid-tier, and low-tier. At the top tier, there were only the Wang, Bai, and Li families; as for their backgrounds and size, you can guess for yourselves. The Xie family ranked first among the mid-tier aristocratic families."

"The Yuan family was a low-level ancient family before. In terms of overall strength, even the two Yuan families combined could barely meet the threshold of the Xie family."

Everyone's pupils contracted simultaneously, and their faces visibly turned deathly pale.

Previously, the Qin family had stood up to the Yuan family, causing the Yuan family to back down. They then thought that by attaching themselves to the Qin family, they could rest easy.

Now that everyone knows the Xie family is more than twice as powerful as the Yuan family, a storm is brewing in everyone's hearts.

Seeing the stiff expressions on everyone's faces, Qin Zihao pressed on, "Now that you know the size of the Xie family, are you scared?"

"We wouldn't dare. Since we have a contract with President Qin and the Qin family, we will definitely be your most loyal support!"

Everyone echoed this sentiment, expressing their sincere determination to stand firmly on the Qin family's side.

But their words contradicted their actions; everyone's hands, hidden under the table, were clenched tightly, and cold sweat quietly seeped from their backs.

His verbal statements were just empty words; deep down, he had already completely wavered.

The Qin family had already thoroughly offended the Yuan family. Although the Yuan family was of a lower level than the Xie family, they had only lost a military project. They had a deep foundation and their strength was not damaged. They had been waiting for an opportunity to retaliate.

Now, with the Xie family of the capital, who far surpass the Yuan family, exerting pressure from two sides, the Qin family is besieged on both fronts, and its chances of victory are extremely slim.

They have already begun to back down.

If they knew that, in addition to the Xie family, the Kong family of Lu Province was also secretly preparing to target the Qin family, they would be in serious trouble.

The wealthy businessmen present would definitely turn hostile on the spot, immediately announcing the termination of all cooperation with the Qin family to protect themselves, without daring to delay for even a moment.

After the meeting ended, everyone left.

The wealthy businessmen who had previously considered retiring gathered together in twos and threes.

"Gentlemen, what are your thoughts?"

"The downstream supply disruption is just the first step for the Xie family; there will definitely be more blows to come. Let's wait and see."

"Let's see if the Qin family can break this deadlock in two days. If they can, that would be good."

"If not, then it means the Qin family is doomed."

The others nodded, sharing the same thought: to observe first and then leave if things went wrong.