Chapter 530

Chapter 530 A Richest Man Full of Aggression

“I didn’t expect it,you can actually sow discord.”Lin Aoxue’s lips curled up slightly.

　　”Sowing discord is nothing,it’s just what I do when dealing with rivals in love.”Su Rui said with a smile.

　　”Rivals in love?”Lin Aoxue repeated the words first,then glanced at Su Rui,a faint blush already creeping up her delicate earlobes.

　　Although she and Su Rui hadn’t officially defined their relationship yet,by this point they were really just one final formality away.

　　That thin layer of paper over the window — who knows who would be the one to break through it?

　　And just at that moment,several middle-aged men who had been given a look of instruction by Ouyang Bingyuan were already making their way over.

　　They were all wealthy locals from Ninghai,but each had some degree of business ties with the Ouyang family. Now that Ouyang Bingyuan had replaced Ouyang Xinghai and was at the height of his power,they all needed to curry favor with this devilishly handsome young heir.

　　”Director Lin,allow me to introduce myself,I’m Wang Kang’an from Ankang Group.”

　　”Director Lin,I’m Li Huatai,an old friend of your father’s.”

　　”Director Lin……”

　　All four of them stepped forward and introduced themselves,coming across as very friendly and enthusiastic.

　　”Your reputations precede you.”

　　Lin Aoxue raised her glass in acknowledgment. It was clear that these local entrepreneurs were well-known figures she couldn’t possibly not have heard of.

　　As for their overtures of goodwill,the young Miss Lin wasn’t the least bit surprised. Bikang’s business was thriving,and given time it would absolutely become the leading pharmaceutical company in China. If these bosses didn’t build a good relationship now,they’d have a hard time getting a piece of the pie later.

　　Sure enough,just as Lin Aoxue had expected,these bosses had all come to express their interest in cooperation.

　　Su Rui had no interest in these topics and simply stood to the side,listening quietly.

　　But these bosses seemed to have quite an appetite — they actually proposed jointly building new pharmaceutical facilities abroad with Bikang.

　　In fact,this kind of topic had already been on Bikang’s agenda for some time.

　　After the new synthesis method for triazolam had been successfully developed,Lin Fuzhang had immediately decided to launch the construction of a new comprehensive pharmaceutical industrial complex in the capital,expand existing production capacity,and boost the output and sales of Bikang’s products until they monopolized the Chinese pharmaceutical market.

　　Of course,that alone was far from enough. Bikang’s vision shouldn’t stop at China — if they wanted to become a multinational giant like Pfizer,they still had a very long road ahead.

　　The first thing Bikang needed to do was establish new production bases abroad,break into the European and American markets,and make Bikang’s products a global bestseller.

　　The several bosses who had come to find Lin Aoxue happened to have done very well in the field of cross-border operations. Although they weren’t pharmaceutical companies,they had extensive experience in navigating certain key channels.

　　If Bikang could cooperate with them,its overseas projects would likely be spared a great deal of trouble.

　　Su Rui didn’t know much about these bosses,but he didn’t overthink it — this kind of decision was for Lin Aoxue to make.

　　”Regarding the matter of Bikang establishing production bases abroad,the project is still in the preliminary conceptual stage with no detailed plan in place. Given the sheer scale of such an investment,one misstep could drag the entire company down,so I have to be cautious.”

　　It was rare for Lin Aoxue to say such a long string of words. Though it was a temporary refusal,she hadn’t closed the door on cooperation.

　　The four bosses also knew that you can’t rush things,so they didn’t press the matter and took their leave very politely.

　　”What do you think?”Once they had walked away,Lin Aoxue suddenly turned and asked Su Rui.

　　Without knowing when it had started,she had already grown accustomed to asking for Su Rui’s opinion.

　　”As long as it’s good for Bikang,I’d be all for it with both hands and feet. If cooperating with them can reduce the obstacles for Bikang’s overseas investment projects,how could I possibly be against it?”Su Rui replied.

　　”So you’re in favor of cooperating with them?”

　　”Not entirely. I don’t know these people very well — I’ve heard their names,but how they actually conduct themselves still needs further understanding. If Bikang is going to expand internationally,it has to go through rigorous evaluation. Something like this can’t be decided on gut feeling alone.”Su Rui said calmly.

　　Lin Aoxue gave a gentle nod. With so much at stake,she didn’t dare make a hasty decision either.

　　”Well said. I didn’t expect Mr. Su to have such foresight.”

　　At that moment,Li Yongxing walked over,handed his glass to a nearby server,and began to clap slowly and lightly.

　　Yet despite how soft the applause was,it was so grating that the entire banquet hall fell silent in an instant.

　　”Brother.”Li Yongheng hadn’t expected his older brother to do something like this,and it caught him slightly off guard.

　　In Li Yongheng’s impression,Li Yongxing was absolutely not the kind of person to be so ostentatious and overbearing,and even less likely to put someone on the spot in a public setting — even if that person was useless and of low standing.

　　Humble,cautious,and refined — that was the consistent impression Li Yongxing had always given.

　　To have achieved such a standing in the business world,he couldn’t possibly be a reckless fool.

　　But Li Yongheng was being a bit too set in his ways here,failing to look at things with a developing perspective.

　　Men are prone to arrogance,prone to an inflated sense of self — especially once they’ve accumulated enough wealth… and even become the richest person around. That was exactly the state Li Yongxing was in right now. Though he still appeared calm and composed on the surface,the pride deep within him was impossible to conceal.

　　Whether it came to money or women,Li Yongxing had an intensely competitive streak — he just kept it very well hidden.

　　He had only one younger brother,and that brother was so exceptionally outstanding. Because of the large age gap between them,Li Yongxing had always looked after Li Yongheng like a son from childhood.

　　Now,introducing Lin Aoxue to Li Yongheng,Li Yongxing was as invested as a father finding a daughter-in-law for his son. He had gone through every eligible young woman in Ninghai countless times,weighting and averaging scores across every category,and Lin Aoxue came out far ahead — only then did he make up his mind to bring Li Yongheng and the young Miss Lin together.

　　People who work in finance are just that rational when it comes to finding a partner — frighteningly rational.

　　But this evening’s banquet had left him deeply embarrassed.

　　This was clearly his own party,clearly his own event to introduce his outstanding younger brother to Lin Aoxue — so why did you,Miss Lin,have to bring a boyfriend along just to make things awkward? Why were you so oblivious?

　　If Lin Aoxue had brought someone on the level of Ouyang Xinghai or Bai Qinchuan,Li Yongxing might have had nothing to say,since Li Yongheng wasn’t necessarily better than them. But Lin Aoxue’s little man happened to be a pharmaceutical sales rep with neither status nor money! What was this? It was a slap in the face followed by outright humiliation!

　　In Li Yongxing’s mind,he had always looked down on that kind of sales work,which made him despise Su Rui all the more and left him full of resentment toward Lin Aoxue as well.

　　In his view,after tonight’s performance,Lin Aoxue’s overall score had already started to drop,and he needed to reconsider the question of her marriage to his brother.

　　But reconsidering was one thing — the anger in his chest still needed an outlet. He had gone to such lengths to host this elegant soirée,only to have Su Rui completely ruin his mood!

　　Now,hearing Su Rui and Lin Aoxue chatting away so freely,Li Yongxing felt deeply irritated. Especially given that Li Yongheng had harbored feelings for Lin Aoxue for so many years,only to be treated like this — it filled Li Yongxing with fury.

　　”Yongheng,I have to tell you seriously — you’re great in every way,except you’re far too modest.”

　　Li Yongxing gave Li Yongheng a firm pat on the chest and said,”As a man,when you set your sights on someone or something,you have to fight for it! Remember — fight for it!”

　　As they spoke,the two brothers had already walked up to Su Rui and Lin Aoxue,and the eyes of everyone in the hall converged on them.

　　”It seems Director Li has a problem with me.”Su Rui said with a grin.

　　”No,you’re wrong. I have no problem with you whatsoever.”Li Yongxing said flatly,his eyes sharp and piercing.

　　Everyone said this wealthy businessman was usually approachable and completely unpretentious,but looking at him now,that clearly wasn’t the case at all.

　　”If you have no problem with me,then why would you say something like that,Director Li?”Su Rui smiled faintly,his manner light and breezy — though to those around him,that expression looked like nothing more than a forced attempt to stay calm.

　　What could a lowly pharmaceutical sales rep possibly have in common with the richest man in Ninghai? One had assets worth billions,the other earned only three thousand a month — the two simply weren’t on the same level.

　　”Because you’re not worth having a problem with.”

　　Li Yongxing delivered a line of devastating force,leaving everyone present utterly stunned.

　　What on earth had Su Rui done to make the richest man in Ninghai throw his image aside and say something like that?

　　Lin Aoxue’s brow furrowed. She stared coldly at Li Yongxing,her gaze like ice.

　　”Then why do you keep coming after me? Did I offend you somehow?”Su Rui said helplessly,”You’re right — you’re the richest man around,and I’m just a pharmaceutical rep who can’t even afford a house. But talking to me like this,don’t you think it makes you look cheap?”

　　”So what if it does? I’ll say what I want to say.”

　　”Then please,Director Li,say what you want to say. I’m all ears.”Su Rui’s face wore a cold smile. He wanted to see exactly what this man who kept trying to embarrass him was really after.

　　Old fox — you kept up the act for so long,and now you finally can’t hold it together?

　　Li Yongxing turned to Lin Aoxue and said,”Miss Lin,I sincerely suggest once again that you spend more time with Yongheng. In my view,he is far superior to certain people.”

　　Li Yongxing tonight was truly full of aggression.

　　Hearing this,even Li Yongheng’s brow creased. He knew his brother was doing more harm than good — not only would it fail to help,it would only deepen Lin Aoxue’s aversion toward him.

　　”No one is better than Su Rui.”Lin Aoxue said coldly. She looked at Li Yongxing and Li Yongheng,a flash of disgust crossing her eyes.