228: Wandering past

"Boss, if I may speak out of turn." Li Mo's tone became incredibly grave, and he summoned the greatest courage of his life. "The purpose of a dinner meeting is primarily to get to know each other. Amidst the half-truths and pleasantries, you gauge each other's needs and bottom lines. At such times, no matter how far the conversation goes, there's always room for maneuver. Going directly to the factory... that's almost equivalent to tearing off the mask, leaving absolutely no way back."

"This doesn't follow the rules..."

Li Mo felt it was necessary to remind this boss of his, who might be getting a bit carried away due to his expanding power.

Business isn't about fighting and killing; business is about human relationships and social nuances.

Flipping the table might solve the issue of one table, but in the future, no one might be willing to sit at the same table with you again.

"Rules?"

Lin Yu repeated, as if he had heard something funny.

"My word is the rule."

"Tell them, tomorrow night at eight, at the entrance of the central warehouse in District B of Qingpu Industrial Park."

"They can come or not."

Having said that, Lin Yu hung up the phone directly.

He didn't want to hear any more of Li Mo's long-winded speeches about "human relationships," "rules," and "room for maneuver."

Those things were meant for people who followed them.

And he was here to set the rules.

Why complicate simple things?

He was the one holding the most chips.

Since that was the case, why sit at someone else's card table and follow their rules?

Wouldn't it be simpler to just flip the table and let them come to his own turf to play?

Having figured this out, Lin Yu felt his thoughts clear and his whole body refreshed.

For the past five years, he had lived too repressively, too cautiously.

So much so that after his sudden turnaround, he was subconsciously still using the mindset of a conspirator.

Always thinking about layouts, always calculating, always thinking about how to leverage the greatest benefits with the minimum cost.

His perspective had been too small.

When your power is sufficient to become the rule itself, the most direct way is the most effective.

Beside him, Wang Qingxuan had frozen completely.

She stood there, not daring to move, having even forgotten to breathe.

Cancel.

Change the location.

I'm going to collect things.

My word is the rule.

They can come or not.

These words sounded like a domineering CEO, but she could see clearly from the side.

Lin Yu truly didn't care; this arrogance was not an act.

She couldn't imagine at all how Li Mo, on the other end of the phone, would react after hearing these words.

She could imagine even less what kind of thunderous rage the controllers of those three major pharmaceutical companies would feel after receiving this almost insulting "invitation."

Lin Yu, however, ignored her stiffness. He just tossed his phone on the table, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long sigh of relief.

An unprecedented feeling of comfort surged from his limbs and bones to his brain.

Awesome.

It was fucking awesome.

For the past five years, he had lived like a rat in a gutter, every step had to be calculated, every detail had to be deduced, fearing that a single misstep would lead to eternal damnation.

That repression, that bondage, had been carved into his bones.

So much so that even after possessing the power to flip the table, he was subconsciously still thinking about how to cheat at the card table.

His perspective, ultimately, had been too small.

When you can set the rules yourself, why follow someone else's?

When the most direct method is the most effective, why go through those headache-inducing detours?

Having figured this out, Lin Yu felt his entire mental state sublimated.

The previous gloomy feeling of plotting conspiracies was swept away, replaced by a righteous, almost barbaric ease.

I'm just here to take it, so what?

I'm bringing you money and technology, and you still have to put on airs for me?

As this thought arose, Lin Yu himself chuckled.

This mindset shift was truly a bit fast.

"Lin... Sir..."

Wang Qingxuan finally recovered a shred of her consciousness from the huge shock.

"Are we... really going to that industrial park... tomorrow?"

"Yeah." Lin Yu replied.

"Then... should we... change into something more formal?" Wang Qingxuan suggested cautiously.

In her view, this was the last and most basic etiquette.

Even if they were going to crash the party, they should dress like someone who could afford to crash the party.

Lin Yu glanced at her.

Change clothes?

Why change?

The casual outfit he was wearing was what he usually wore most often.

It was very comfortable.

His current mood was also very comfortable.

He didn't want to change this comfort for anyone or anything.

It was a very strange, slightly rebellious, and arrogant thought.

I'm just not changing.

Whatever happens, happens.

"No need."

Lin Yu's answer was crisp and decisive.

Wang Qingxuan opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, but seeing Lin Yu's indifferent appearance, she ultimately swallowed her words.

She silently retreated to the side, no longer speaking.

Only in those beautiful eyes was there deeper confusion and bewilderment.

About ten minutes later, Wang Qingxuan suddenly said she needed to go to the restroom and hurried out of the reading room.

Lin Yu didn't pay it any mind, continuing to flip through the ancient book in his hands, enjoying this rare tranquility that came after his thoughts had cleared.

A long time later, Wang Qingxuan returned.

Lin Yu looked up, swept a glance at her, and his movements paused slightly.

She had changed her clothes.

It was no longer the well-tailored, obviously expensive designer suit from before.

Instead, it was a simple, even somewhat cheap-looking tracksuit, and she had changed into a pair of ordinary white sneakers.

This attire made the noble, young-lady temperament she possessed disappear without a trace; she looked just like an ordinary female college student.

And the kind from a not-so-well-off family.

The young miss had probably never worn such street-stall goods in her life.

Heh, it was impressive she could find it in such a short time.

Lin Yu looked at her without speaking.

Wang Qingxuan felt a bit uneasy under his gaze and subconsciously smoothed the hem of her clothes.

Lin Yu understood in his heart.

This was a smart woman.

She had instantly understood the subtext behind his "not changing clothes."

It wasn't that Lin Yu didn't understand etiquette; he was using this method to declare an absolute contempt for the other party.

In this situation, if Wang Qingxuan were still wearing designer clothes, she wouldn't be in the same world as Lin Yu.

But now, with this cheap outfit, she had actively stood in Lin Yu's camp.

She had made her stance clear.

"Not bad."

Lin Yu nodded, effectively acknowledging her actions.

The next day, at night.

Qingpu Industrial Park.

Lin Yu and Wang Qingxuan were like an ordinary couple out for a stroll after dinner, both in casual tracksuits, wandering leisurely down the empty road.

The night breeze was slightly cool, fluttering the hem of Wang Qingxuan's cheap tracksuit, which she wasn't quite used to.

She appeared a bit nervous, looking at Lin Yu beside her from time to time, but Lin Yu remained in a leisurely stroll mode, hands in his pockets, as relaxed as a retired old man.