"Mr. Su, why don't you read the terms first before making a decision?" Cheng Jue approached with a pen and an ink pad, a half-smile on his face.
Su Chenghai, full of doubt and surprise, scanned the short, three-page document at lightning speed.
Lu Yanbei had him precisely where he wanted him.
The conditions offered were extremely enticing.
One hundred million in cash, plus a subsidiary from Sifang Group, one that generated over a billion in profit.
The sole requirement was for them to sever all ties with Su He and never harass her again, for any reason whatsoever.
This price was quite reasonable for the Su family.
After all, in their eyes, Su He was a worthless brat. To get such a high price for her was already a stroke of luck.
However, as businessmen, the instinct to bargain was strong.
"I didn't expect Young Master Yan to value that girl so highly. It truly is the Su family's honor," Su Chenghai said, steadying himself and making a bold request. "Five hundred million in cash, plus the partnership rights for the urban village project in the north of the city."
It had to be said, the old saying was true: the older the ginger, the spicier it is.
Seeing that Lu Yanbei was willing to pay a high price to buy Su He's freedom, Su Chenghai decided to raise the stakes, aiming for a permanent solution. If this succeeded, he wouldn't have to worry about finances for the rest of his life.
Unfortunately, Lu Yanbei was no ordinary businessman, nor would he allow anyone to walk all over him.
"Cheng Jue, escort our guests out." Lu Yanbei's expression remained as calm as ever when facing the impassioned Su Chenghai.
Su Chenghai panicked. "Can't you give a little more? She did help your Lu family with some good fortune, you know, it counts as merit..."
However, Lu Yanbei was unmoved. "You Su family only raised Su He for a few years, and you dare to ask for the moon? Don't you know your own worth?"
"Or, would you prefer me to send these documents to the media and the police, and let them have a good chat with your entire family?" Lu Yanbei's words were filled with disdain. He looked at the family as if they were a bunch of vermin.
He had already shown them considerable courtesy by spending so much time with them, and yet they dared to speak so brazenly in front of him.
Cheng Jue maintained a straight face, silently offering a moment of silence for them in his heart.
They wouldn't want to know the consequences of offending the boss.
Su Chenghai's face flushed with embarrassment and anger. After weighing the options, he finally signed the agreement.
Exchanging so many benefits for an unfavored girl was worth it!
"Remember, maintain discretion when you're out. I don't want to hear anyone from the Su family using my name to show off," Lu Yanbei advised kindly.
Severing ties with Su He meant the Su family would no longer have any connection to the Lu family.
Trying to secretly benefit from the Lu family's name was absolutely unacceptable.
Su Chenghai had arrived at the hospital with great pomp and left in disgrace, which indeed sparked quite a bit of discussion.
"It seems their arms can't twist their thighs after all! It's obvious Young Master Yan gave them a severe lesson!"
"I really don't understand this family. Relying on a towering tree like the Lu family, yet they neglected their own biological daughter who lived in the Lu family for three years. This kind of parent is truly one of a kind."
"Su Chenghai is foolish! He treasures an adopted daughter and even plans to marry her into a wealthy family. Did he ever consider that wealthy families value lineage and bloodline, not an unknown girl?"
"What lineage does the Su family have? Go back two generations, and you won't find any educated people."
"The Su family really didn't handle this properly."
Hearing these rumors, Su Anan's face darkened, wishing she could disappear into a crack in the earth.
*
"Boss, do you really intend to give those assets to the Su family?" In Cheng Jue's opinion, Su Chenghai and his family didn't deserve it. If anyone, it should be Su Dazhi's family, who at least raised Mrs. for so many years.
"I've given it to them. Whether they can keep it is another matter," Lu Yanbei said, never one to make a losing deal. While his subsidiary was highly profitable, its core technology was not included in the terms.
Once Su Chenghai's people took over the company, he would recall all the core personnel and deploy them to a new company, replicating the business model to achieve similar success.
Therefore, the most valuable assets weren't the companies themselves, but the core technology and talent.
Once these were removed, the companies would be mere shells. With Su Chenghai's business acumen, he would ruin the companies within two years.
As for the one hundred million in cash, it wouldn't be given freely either.
Lu Yanbei stated that he would observe their behavior for six months. Only if they stopped harassing Su He and stayed far away from their circle would he transfer the funds.
Six months was neither too long nor too short. Who knew what might happen? If the Su family encountered financial difficulties, their years of effort would turn to dust.
Those who dared to bully his woman, Lu Yanbei, had to pay the price.
Bringing them to justice would only result in a few years in prison before their release, which was not satisfying at all. He wanted to see the Su family decline step by step, become impoverished, and fall from their perceived high ground to the lowest depths, crushing their pride completely.
He wanted them to experience what it was like to be a rat scurrying across the street.
When it came to ruthlessness and schemes, no one could compare to a "crazy" Lu Yanbei.
"Don't tell Mrs. about today's events for now," Lu Yanbei said, fearing that her emotions might affect her recovery.
"Yes, I will keep my mouth shut," Cheng Jue promised.
Having spent over an hour dealing with these people, Lu Yanbei felt he had suffered a great loss. He needed to return to his room and find his wife to soothe his wounded soul.
*
Su He was discharged from the hospital half a month later.
Only after confirming she had no physical issues did Lu Yanbei sign the discharge summary.
Upon returning home, Su He's joy lasted less than two minutes before she received shocking news – Jiang Xiaoxiao had sent her a message saying she was returning to her hometown to get married and most likely wouldn't be returning to B City.
"Why? Didn't you swear you were going to buy a house in B City? And what will your parents do if you go back? They'll probably exploit you," Su He immediately called her.
The line was noisy, likely from a train station. "Miao Miao, I'm really tired."
Her voice sounded distant, though she tried hard not to cry. "Everyone's fate is different. I'm only suited to staying in a small city like that."
"Don't say such disheartening things! What will I do if you leave?" Su He choked out.
"You have your family. Having one more friend or one less doesn't make a difference," Jiang Xiaoxiao said with a bitter smile. "We're just parting ways, not a death separation. Remember to update your manga; I'll be watching."
"The train is about to depart, I have to go," Jiang Xiaoxiao said, holding back tears, and hung up.
Her biggest regret in this life was foolishly falling in love with a man without a heart!
When she left, she didn't take the compensation Su Chen had given her. She cleanly returned her rented apartment, resigned from her job, and changed her phone number. Perhaps, a change of environment would help her feel better.