I suddenly became a yakuza boss.

Before anyone could react, they all turned to look at Nitta Hina, but she continued eating her bread, ignoring the question.

Those are mostly advantages, not disadvantages...

Komachi somewhat understood what her younger sister meant.

"You two siblings have a very good relationship."

Komachi remarked with emotion.

"Hey, you two seem to be getting along well?"

Li Xuan was slightly taken aback and asked.

I glared at her to correct her. Being frugal shows she's good at managing a household, forgetting her lunchbox because she's too tired from work shows she has a sense of responsibility to support her family, and liking to put her hands in her pockets actually means that's all she does, and that she's relatively well-behaved...

This is the translation for the younger sister, "Komachi".

Li Xuan was completely stunned after hearing Komachi's translation.

It seems like that's the idea!

"Alright, senior, hurry up and give the bento to the cute little sister."

Komachi gently nudged Li Xuan's back.

With mixed feelings, Li Xuan finally took a step forward. He glanced at Komachi, and now most of the students saw him. He could only nod to Komachi to thank her and then walked over.

A row of students stared at Li Xuan, who had suddenly appeared.

"...I am this guy's older brother."

Li Xuan felt conflicted. Being stared at by so many female middle school students, he finally revealed his identity to them under the gloomy sky.

This brother and sister really seem to be taking an unconventional approach.

Komachi, hiding in the shadows, watched the brother and sister and thought to herself.

Just as Komachi was looking at them, she noticed that another girl had also noticed her.

She is a very well-behaved long-haired girl.

........

At Watanabe Junior High School, amidst speculation about a sudden incident involving a younger sister's explosive introduction, police officers arriving at the school gate, and security guards remaining silent, coupled with the coincidence of a menacing older brother appearing at the school... Hina's older brother began to circulate widely among the students as an urban legend.

Chapter 015 You'll protect me, right?

May has arrived, officially marking the beginning of summer. Despite the lingering mist and rain, and occasional chills, temperatures in Chiba Prefecture are gradually rising, with daytime highs reaching 34 degrees Celsius.

Chu's life at school and Li Xuan's work are all progressing relatively smoothly.

But one morning, Li Xuan received a call from the construction team.

"Boss, please take a look at the price of steel."

“Steel prices in the market have been soaring recently, seemingly due to a continuous surge in imported iron ore prices this week. The cost pressure has exceeded our tolerance. What should we do?”

When Li Xuan heard that steel prices were still rising, his heart sank.

He opened his laptop and looked into the reasons for the surge in steel prices.

Not long ago, major iron ore exporting countries to Japan, such as Australia and Brazil, planned to reduce some of their ore extraction. In addition, labor union movements led to a reduction in operating hours in Australian mines. These factors have affected international iron ore prices.

Steel bars are an important supporting structure in buildings, so this calculation shows that the cost has increased by several percent.

Business information changes in an instant. All the price calculations we did couldn't keep up with the sudden price increases from the two major material suppliers.

Li Xuan began calculating the cost table, and the results made him feel depressed.

"This is terrible, the profits are simply appalling," Li Xuan thought, looking at the spreadsheet.

The best course of action would be to temporarily halt construction and resume work once international material prices have fallen. However, the contract he signed with Chiba Municipal Soubu High School clearly stipulates that material factors will not affect the total amount of the project cost and will ensure that the new campus will be put into use within the stipulated time.

However, Li Xuan, a seasoned businessman, was used to this kind of situation and had overcome countless obstacles. This was the case for small and medium-sized enterprises; surviving in dire straits was commonplace.

"Immediately call all partners and discuss cost issues with them. Try to negotiate a better deal with those who can temporarily delay payments or reduce costs through long-term cooperation."

Li Xuan called back to the company and asked everyone to mobilize and try to get support from the steel supplier.

Li Xuan, who had been engrossed in studying countermeasures in his room, read through one fax document after another, and once again began his final battle against the predicament.

The situation is not optimistic.

Li Xuan was at a loss.

The business environment changes so quickly...

—【...costs have been squeezed to the point where there's absolutely no room for error. Can your company guarantee zero delays during such a long construction period?】

Suddenly, Li Xuan recalled the exact words of a very outstanding woman, which made him involuntarily close his eyes.

Li Xuan recalled the words of that outstanding woman, and he couldn't help but close his eyes.

“How could I not know about such risks? But this is how small and medium-sized enterprises start. If I don’t seize that opportunity, I might lose even faster in this sluggish environment…” Facing the pile of documents on his desk, and behind them the jobs of more than a hundred people and the livelihoods of more than a hundred families, Li Xuan thought, “So whether I know it or not, I must keep moving forward…”

A strong wind was blowing constantly through the study window, making the curtains flutter loudly, and the huge window offered a bird's-eye view of Chiba City.

Li Xuan pulled out a business card from the drawer. The card read "Yukinoshita Haruno".

He placed several alternative plans on his desk and pondered for a long time. In the end, with a thousand regrets, he carefully placed a certain business card at the very end of the list.

He would never ask anyone for help unless absolutely necessary...

※※※※

Three days later, the sky was clear and blue.

"I understand. Everyone has worked hard these past few days."

After four days of grueling struggle, an exhausted Li Xuan received a call from the company on the street. After learning the general responses from all the suppliers, he replied.

After he hung up the phone, the street wind blew against him as he took the business card out of his pocket.

"I really don't want to call."

Li Xuan muttered to himself in a low voice, sounding distressed.

However, he had nowhere to retreat and could only borrow Jingzhou from Eastern Wu.

To be honest, the beautiful woman of his age, her shadow swaying in the green leaves of the park, her every word, smile, and gesture, her strategic planning, was still quite pleasing to the eye, even in my memory, and remains vivid in my mind.

That ability to foresee this day so early does indeed give one a bit of a Zhou Yu vibe.

Under a clear, sunny sky, Li Xuan pondered for a while before finally pressing the dial button.

—【Hello, who is this?】 This was a very energetic woman with a pleasant voice.

Li Xuan looked at Xiao He, his mind a jumble of thoughts, and said, "That's me. We met once in the park. Do you remember me?"

"—【...Of course I remember! I recognized your voice immediately. You finally decided to call me. What's up?" The woman answered Li Xuan as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Li Xuan was silent for a moment, then put one hand in his pocket and finally said, "I need your help, Miss Yukinoshita."

The cooperation was quickly established.

Li Xuan never imagined that one day he would actually engage in business cooperation with this woman.

After a brief phone conversation, the two arranged to meet at a restaurant to discuss the details of their collaboration.

Strangely, Yukino Yukinoshita specified a location as a coffee shop in the suburbs, which was quite far away.

After driving for an hour and a half, Li Xuan arrived at the agreed-upon coffee shop.

Inside the elegant and exquisite coffee shop, Yukino Yukinoshita was already seated. A beautiful girl, naturally beautiful, she possessed a ethereal charm. Her demeanor was relaxed, her beautiful eyes sparkling, and her air elegant and approachable. Upon seeing Li Xuan, she smiled, her cheeks rosy, and said in a good mood, "It's been a while. I'm so glad you called me."

Li Xuan was puzzled. He sat down on the chair opposite him and asked, "Ms. Yukinoshita, why did you suddenly choose such a secluded coffee shop to discuss business?"

"Hmm... because it's safer," Yukinoshita Haruno replied with a smile.

Li Xuan, who had just sat down, was stunned. With some confusion, he asked, "Wait a minute, what happened?"

"Hmm? Are you concerned about me?"

Yukinoshita looked at him with interest and asked in a joking tone.

Li Xuan's expression changed. He realized this woman was not easy to deal with, and said helplessly, "Alright, stop joking. I came here to ask you for help in an emergency."

“I already know the situation. Quite coincidentally, I’m also continuing to support someone. Is this a coincidence? Perhaps sometimes cooperation is brought about by these coincidences.” Yukino Yukinoshita smiled faintly. She handed him a document and said, “Steel prices have skyrocketed during this period, and even my father’s company is struggling. But supporting you is worthwhile, as long as you are willing to provide us with another kind of support.”

"Another kind of support?" Li Xuan looked at the beautiful, intelligent, short-haired woman and asked, "How would you like me to support you?"

"Force." Yukinoshita Haruno answered with a single word.

Li Xuan fell silent.

“My father’s company won an important project in Chiba City. It’s a place with a shady background, you know? Urban construction is a lucrative business, especially since it used to be owned by some disappeared groups. But with the government’s support, we successfully obtained the development rights for this land.”

Yukino handed Li Xuan a photocopy of the main area and said clearly, "We plan to build a department store, which will definitely be very profitable. However, after construction began, we encountered a threat from the yakuza of the Kanto region..."

Li Xuan understood that touching someone else's cake would definitely lead to expulsion. Although Japanese capital was portrayed as fair and upright, there was such a dark society behind capital.

What about your previous partners?

Li Xuan asked.

[Partners] naturally refers to the local Yakuza companies they cooperate with.

"...The losses are significant, but we can still hold on for a while."

Yukino's expression turned somewhat somber as she replied.

Li Xuan realized that his opponent was probably quite powerful, and said, "The opponent seems to be very strong. Let me be frank, my side is not very strong, and I may not be able to help you much."

"Don't worry, I don't intend to have a direct confrontation with them, but necessary preparations still need to be made." Yang Nai looked at Li Xuan and said, "We still don't understand the other side's basic situation and are still looking for a solution that can be mutually acceptable. Until then, I need your support. Is this cooperation possible?"

The fact that they wouldn't be drawn into a full-scale confrontation was the best possible outcome within Li Xuan's expectations.

“I understand everything. So, your current situation is indeed very delicate, Miss Yukinoshita,” Li Xuan said.

"Many construction workers on the site are afraid to go to work, the police investigation is progressing very slowly, and unfavorable factors are surrounding me. I guess... my personal safety is also in a very dangerous situation."

Despite saying that, Yukino Yukinoshita showed a relaxed expression and said to Li Xuan.