Chapter 121: Ximen Lu's Suitor

Chapter 121: Ximen Lu's Suitor

"Textbooks should cover various business traps; did you not take any specialized courses on such topics?" Bai Yanchu scanned Ouyang Hong with a faint gaze.

"I took them as electives, but..." Ouyang Hong felt even more bewildered by Bai Yanchu's question.

"The business traps in textbooks are merely armchair theories, yet they aren't entirely useless. I recall a French economist who wrote a professional book titled 'On the Ten Traps of Modern Business.' Surely you've read that?" Bai Yanchu asked again.

"I have." Ouyang Hong nodded, looking at Bai Yanchu with even greater confusion. At his level, he was no longer some naive college student; after entering the real world, he had come to realize deeply that Bai Yanchu was right—those so-called textbooks were purely theoretical. If anyone actually relied on them to fight a business battle, they wouldn't even know how they died.

"Although the author of that book was theorizing on paper, the trap cases he provided aren't entirely worthless; it all depends on how you understand and apply them," Bai Yanchu said calmly. She then raised her head to look at the bewildered Ouyang Hong. "Do you still have an impression of the third, eighth, and ninth trap cases?"

"I do."

Ouyang Hong's eyes suddenly lit up. Once reminded by Bai Yanchu, he immediately understood what she was referring to.

"Go back and study them thoroughly. You have at most three days to bring me a preliminary proposal. Ten billion is my limit. If you can't do it, resign yourself and I'll let someone else do it." Bai Yanchu didn't mince words.

"Don't worry, Boss Bai. I guarantee I won't let you down," Ouyang Hong promised, though the look he gave her was no longer just one of awe, but also fear.

"Don't look at me like that. The business world is a battlefield; excessive kindness only gives the enemy an opening. I only look at results, not the process. As long as you don't break the law, I don't care what despicable means or schemes you use," Bai Yanchu said faintly, her lips curling slightly.

"I understand. I will not fail to live up to Boss Bai's expectations," Ouyang Hong promised again.

"Go." Bai Yanchu waved her hand casually. "Remember, you only have three days. If you can't come up with a preliminary proposal, just resign voluntarily; no need to see me again."

Ouyang Hong nodded and turned to leave quickly. He needed to seize every moment to re-read that book on business traps and then organize a practical, trap-laden strategy...

The business world is a battlefield.

Traps are everywhere.

Yet, Ouyang Hong had never imagined that one day he would specifically be tasked with constructing a chain of traps...

A lunatic. That woman is a true lunatic.

Ouyang Hong muttered to himself as he walked. In his heart, Bai Yanchu was now even more terrifying than a devil; not only did she possess immense ambition and ability, but she was also unscrupulous...

One trap is not scary. Even three traps are not scary. But if those three traps pointed out by Bai Yanchu were combined...

Ouyang Hong suddenly felt a chill. He realized that if these three traps were organically combined and applied to the current operations of Dongyu Real Estate... it could absolutely cause a commercial catastrophe. And that was without even mentioning that Bai Yanchu had promised him ten billion to execute this plan...

Spending ten billion just to construct a business trap. If that isn't lunacy, what is?

At that moment, Ouyang Hong felt as if he could already foresee a massive upheaval in the entire Dongyu Group—no, the entire Donghai business community—all sparked by one woman.

—

In the office, Bai Yanchu stood before the floor-to-ceiling window again, pouring herself a glass of red wine and swirling it gently. At this moment, she truly looked like an empress of the human world, looking down upon everything...

She pursed her lips slightly, revealing a hint of anticipation. Ouyang Hong was a talent; with her reminder, he certainly wouldn't let her down.

Yet, he still wouldn't understand what she truly wanted.

What was one Dongyu Real Estate? She wanted the status of a commercial hegemon over the entire Dongyu, and perhaps the entire Donghai...

And there was only one reason she was doing all of this.

The Chu family was coming back.

And she was merely a vanguard, a first step of probing. Dongyu was just a chosen stepping stone, nothing more!

As for why she chose Dongyu Group?

Hmph!

Bai Yanchu suddenly let out a cold laugh, looking down at a window in a building not far to her left, as if she could see the two young women inside, chatting and laughing...

—

Chu Fei, of course, was unaware of his "child bride" sister's current frantic actions, and even if he knew, he wouldn't be surprised. Since he was a child, he had been accustomed to Bai Yanchu's duality. In front of him, she was always the gentle and lovely big sister who had no ego and centered everything around him, but once away from him, she was an absolute iron-willed woman, domineering and ambitious.

They hadn't seen much of each other in recent years, which only meant Bai Yanchu had become more mature and even more forceful.

He might be stunned for a moment, but he would never be surprised.

After making a round through his office and work area, Chu Fei went to Ximen Lu's office. He had angered her last night, and she hadn't even eaten breakfast this morning. Chu Fei felt that as a man, it was necessary to explain things so as not to hurt the feelings of his tenant.

Upon entering, he was startled.

Sitting behind the desk was a dignified and pretty lady in professional attire, but it wasn't the angry Ximen Lu, but rather Xu Shiqi, whom he both really wanted to see and was afraid to encounter.

"Chu Fei, you're here." Xu Shiqi's eyes visibly brightened when she saw him, and she asked with a smile.

"Ah."

Chu Fei nodded, stunned, then turned to look at the sofa area where Ximen Lu was frowning at a bouquet of flowers. Seeing Chu Fei, Ximen Lu turned her head and immediately snorted, "You still know how to come to work? What time is it now?"

Her anger clearly hadn't dissipated.

Chu Fei walked in with a thick skin and praised, "Whose flowers are these? They're beautiful."

"Beautiful my foot." Ximen Lu snorted lightly, grabbed the flowers, and tossed them into the trash can.

"Don't do that."

Chu Fei reached out and caught the bouquet, discovering it was a large bunch of roses, all in full, luscious bloom, fragrant and dew-kissed. He grinned, pulled one out, and turned to give it to Xu Shiqi. "Here, for you."

"Thank you." Xu Shiqi took it with a sweet smile, even sniffing it, looking very happy.

"Hey, can you two not be so unbridled? I'm still watching right here," Ximen Lu said unhappily, looking at the pair of "lovebirds."

"I'll give you one too," Chu Fei said with a grin, pulling out another one and handing it to Ximen Lu.

Ximen Lu gritted her teeth at Chu Fei. Finally, she bit her lip and took it, though she scolded, "Chu Fei, can you be any more shameless? Aren't you embarrassed to give away someone else's flowers?"

"What's there to be embarrassed about? You didn't want them anyway, so this is just recycling waste." Chu Fei replied nonchalantly. He grabbed the remaining roses, looked at them, and with a "clatter," tossed them into the trash bin, then waved his hand. "They're useless now, so they can be thrown away."

This scene left both women wide-eyed. Could he be any more shameless?

Ignoring their expressions, Chu Fei asked, "By the way, who sent these flowers?" His gaze landed on Ximen Lu. It was her office, and a giant bouquet of roses appeared—any fool would know what was going on.

"Don't ask me; I don't know who it is," Ximen Lu said, annoyed.

"The sender didn't leave a name. The note only said 'an admirer,'" Xu Shiqi added from the side.

"Is that so?" Chu Fei was taken aback. It was rare these days to send flowers without a name. He couldn't help but look at Ximen Lu with surprise—not leaving a name didn't mean Ximen Lu didn't know who it was.

"Don't look at me; I really don't know who it is. Maybe it's a prank," Ximen Lu said frustratedly.

"It shouldn't be a prank. This is the third bouquet today. One is delivered every two hours..." Xu Shiqi stopped mid-sentence because the door was pushed open, and the secretary, Xiao Ai, walked in, holding another bouquet of equally fresh, vibrant red roses...

Xu Shiqi pursed her lips at Chu Fei, as if to say: Look, another one?

Chu Fei raised an eyebrow this time. Sending a bouquet every two hours was clearly a "killing move" in the art of picking up girls. Even if it couldn't win the beauty's heart, it would definitely grab her full attention...

Damn it.

Whose handiwork is this "romance master"?

Chu Fei became curious as well...

—

"Brother Chu, what are you thinking about?"

Seeing Chu Fei lost in thought, Jiang Xue finally couldn't help but ask.

This was a Buick business van speeding on the highway. Aside from the driver, there was only Chu Fei and the Jiang sisters. It was Saturday, and tomorrow was Elder Fu's eightieth birthday. Chu Fei naturally had to arrive in Donghai a day early, and incidentally, drop Jiang Yin off at Donghai University to handle her enrollment procedures. Although it was already the second semester and there was only a month or so left before the break, Jiang Yin, who was entering through special channels, wouldn't be restricted and could enroll at any time; all procedures had been arranged well in advance.

"Nothing, just didn't sleep well last night, a bit tired." Chu Fei smiled at the girl. He really hadn't slept well because Class Monitor Xu had snuck into his room again at two in the morning, and the energy he had managed to recover was drained by her once more.

However, he wasn't distracted because he was tired; he was thinking about how Ximen Lu's suitor had even sent flowers to their home. Last night, when he got home after eight, there was a huge bouquet, and this morning was no different—as soon as he opened the door, a delivery man was standing there with flowers.

The sender was highly sophisticated; they were everywhere.

Sending flowers to the office was one thing, but what was the meaning of sending them to the house?

Chu Fei felt a bit annoyed. Since the other party could send flowers to the home, they naturally knew Ximen Lu lived with him, yet they still did it—this was clearly not taking him seriously.

That was the first point.

The second point was that when he left today, Xu Shiqi had asked him a question he couldn't answer, whether intentionally or not.

Xu Shiqi asked Chu Fei if she had nothing left, would he support her?

That single sentence left Chu Fei stunned. After a long while, he retorted: "You're making money faster than I am now; if anyone is doing the supporting, it should be you, right? I can't afford to support you."

After he said that, Xu Shiqi was clearly silent for a long time before she smilingly pushed Chu Fei out the door.

Even now, the fleeting look of loss and disappointment on Xu Shiqi's face lingered in Chu Fei's mind. He really couldn't figure out what she meant.

"Didn't sleep well? Why don't you lie on my lap and sleep for a while? It's still quite a way to Donghai. I'll massage your head to help you relax," Jiang Xue said immediately and thoughtfully, shifting to the side to make space for Chu Fei to lean back.

Chu Fei subconsciously glanced at the girl's soft, beautiful legs wrapped in silk stockings beneath her skirt, then immediately looked away and shook his head. "No need."

"Brother Chu, don't you trust my skills? My massage is really good." Jiang Xue thought Chu Fei didn't trust her technique, so she added, "Or let Yin Yin massage you; she's even better at it."

"Really, it's fine. I'm okay