The investigation into the Yun City project proceeded quietly.
On Huo Xiaozheng's side, the public relations company had moderately controlled the public opinion.
They managed to maintain the buzz around the Yun City project while preventing the Huo Corporation's stock price from falling too drastically.
Old Mr. Qin watched with great satisfaction as Huo Corporation's stock turned green.
"You young upstart, you dare to challenge me!" he thought smugly.
With this small taste of victory, he completely disregarded his son-in-law's warnings.
Not only did he not back down, but he intensified his efforts to manipulate the situation.
However, Jiang Suyuan could no longer concern himself with these matters.
The funding for Country A was urgently needed, and the Qin family was no longer in a position to invest in him.
At this point, hoping for a massive influx of funds was almost a pipe dream.
Considering that Qin Zhiyi was still pregnant and her emotions had been unstable due to the situation with Huo Xiaozheng,
Jiang Suyuan decided not to discuss these issues with her.
She remained completely unaware of Old Mr. Qin's actions.
As for the news about Huo Xiaozheng, she was indifferent, even feeling that someone had taken revenge on her behalf.
She never connected Huo Xiaozheng with her father's actions.
Noticing that Jiang Suyuan was coming home later and later, with an increasingly anxious expression,
Qin Zhiyi finally realized that he must be facing some difficult problem.
"Suyuan, tell me the truth, what's really going on?" Qin Zhiyi asked firmly.
Jiang Suyuan didn't dare to reveal everything, only mentioning that the company was facing cash flow difficulties.
There were only three days left, and if the funds couldn't be secured,
Not only would the project in Country A fail, but the company would also face enormous penalties for breach of contract.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, he was at his wit's end.
Qin Zhiyi asked, puzzled, "Didn't my father promise to invest?"
Unable to admit he had argued with his father-in-law, Jiang Suyuan lied through gritted teeth, "Yes, but something came up unexpectedly. Your father said the funds won't be available for at least a week."
Qin Zhiyi pouted, adopting a childish demeanor, and pulled out her phone to call her father.
Jiang Suyuan gently stopped her.
"If your father said so, he must have his reasons. We shouldn't push him too hard."
Qin Zhiyi sulked, "No matter how difficult it is, he can't just abandon us."
"No, I still need to—"
As they were at an impasse, Aunt suddenly approached, saying a guest had arrived.
Jiang Suyuan calmed Qin Zhiyi and went to the living room.
Seeing the visitor, Jiang Suyuan was surprised.
"Lin Chuxu? What brings you here?"
The man called Lin Chuxu was dressed casually, his almond-shaped eyes sparkling with charm. When he smiled, he exuded an air of debonair elegance.
He glanced at Qin Zhiyi behind Jiang Suyuan.
Jiang Suyuan frowned, turning to block his view. "What exactly are you here for?"
Lin Chuxu raised an eyebrow and smiled, "I heard you're short on cash lately, so I'm here to bring you money."
Hearing this, Jiang Suyuan's frown deepened. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Back in university, Qin Zhiyi never lacked admirers.
Lin Chuxu was one of them.
This was why Jiang Suyuan was so wary of him.
Lin Chuxu casually sat down on the sofa and waved to Aunt, "A cup of coffee, with sugar and milk, please."
Jiang Suyuan held back his irritation and sat opposite him with Qin Zhiyi.
"What exactly do you want?"
Lin Chuxu leaned back into the sofa, looking completely at ease. "I'm here to discuss a business deal with you, one where you're guaranteed to profit."
Jiang Suyuan's eyes urged him to continue.
"For Zhiyi's sake, I—"
Jiang Suyuan couldn't bear it anymore: "Qin! Qin Zhiyi."
Lin Chuxu smoothly corrected himself: "For Qin Zhiyi's sake, I'm willing to invest in your company."
Jiang Suyuan: "And the conditions?"
Just then, Aunt brought the coffee. Lin Chuxu took it, thanking her politely.
He took a leisurely sip of coffee, watching as Jiang Suyuan's patience was about to run out before finally speaking.
"I want to invest in your company by purchasing shares."
Jiang Suyuan relaxed a bit; this wasn't a big deal.
"That can be arranged."
Lin Chuxu added, "Also... I want a piece of the Country A project."
Jiang Suyuan smiled.
If Lin Chuxu had simply wanted to invest, he might have worried that Lin still harbored feelings for Qin Zhiyi.
But now that Lin Chuxu had revealed his business motives, Jiang Suyuan felt more at ease.
Jiang Suyuan relaxed his posture: "How do you want to split it?"
Their discussion lasted nearly two hours.
By the time Lin Chuxu was leaving, Jiang Suyuan could shake hands with him calmly.
Lin Chuxu's charming eyes still couldn't resist glancing at Qin Zhiyi.
"Mr. Jiang, now that you've won the beauty, make sure to cherish her," Lin Chuxu said mischievously.
Jiang Suyuan ignored his provocative manner, simply smiling and saying, "Take care. No need to see you out. Bring the contract tomorrow, and we'll meet at my company."
Lin Chuxu snorted and turned to leave.
Qin Zhiyi asked, "Suyuan, is everything resolved?"
Jiang Suyuan's face finally showed some relief: "Almost certainly. Lin Chuxu and Huo Xiaozheng have always been at odds, so his investment is actually safer right now."
Qin Zhiyi anxiously said, "Lin Chuxu mentioned something about controlling shares..."
Jiang Suyuan confidently replied, "Even if we sell him 20% of the shares, he won't be able to cause any trouble."
Jiang Suyuan's reasoning wasn't unfounded.
Matching his appearance, Lin Chuxu's business style was equally carefree and unrestrained.
He never cared about money, acting purely on his own whims.
Because of this, the companies he managed had always been mediocre performers.
Only one e-sports company had struck gold, benefiting from the boom in the industry.
It was this success that gave him the means to discuss investment with Jiang Suyuan.
Watching Lin Chuxu's retreating figure, Jiang Suyuan thought maliciously: This negotiation was probably just Lin Chuxu's attempt to impress Qin Zhiyi.
But what was the point? Qin Zhiyi was already his.
Qin Zhiyi hadn't thought that far ahead. Hearing Jiang Suyuan's words, she breathed a sigh of relief.
As for Lin Chuxu, after leaving the Jiang residence, he dialed a number.
"It's done."
Huo Xiaozheng's voice came through the phone: "Very good."
Lin Chuxu scoffed, "Is that how you treat your benefactor?"
Huo Xiaozheng's tone remained impassive: "Thank you. I'll treat you to dinner when I have time."
Lin Chuxu laughed in disbelief and was about to tease him when he heard a sweet, childish voice on the other end of the line.
"Daddy, I've finished half of the medicinal soup. Can you help me drink the rest?"
"No, I already helped you with half of your lunch portion. You'll have to finish the dinner one yourself," Huo Xiaozheng coaxed gently.
The little girl mumbled something indistinctly, her voice fading as she moved away.
Huo Xiaozheng chuckled softly, resigned.
Lin Chuxu's eyes widened in disbelief. He double-checked the screen – it was indeed Huo Xiaozheng on the other end.
Had he been possessed or something?
