"Why did you come back?" As soon as Jiang Hongwei left, Liu Zhiru's face darkened as if it would drip water, and she demanded.
All the humiliation she had suffered came from Li Chonglou.
If this good-for-nothing hadn't entered their family back then, how could her husband have been exiled? How could she have become a joke in the entire family?
Targeted by the Jiang family time and again, and now even her daughter was about to be kicked out of the company.
All of this was because of Li Chonglou!
Naturally, she took out her anger on him.
"I heard Jiang Hongwei replaced Yuxin, so I wanted to come back and understand the situation," Li Chonglou replied nonchalantly.
He was accustomed to his mother-in-law's attitude. As long as it didn't involve his mother, he could always tolerate it.
Moreover, Jiang Yuxin's relationship with him had already taken a significant leap forward.
"What can you do besides cause trouble? This family doesn't welcome you. Get out!" Liu Zhiru snorted, her tone full of disgust.
"Mom, it's not his fault." Jiang Yuxin, putting down the cushion she was holding, tried to persuade her.
It was thanks to Li Chonglou that she was able to connect with the Lu Group.
Although she had been angered by Li Chonglou yesterday, one thing was separate from another.
The anger she received from Jiang Hongwei should not be vented on Li Chonglou.
"You girl, since when did you start speaking up for him!" Liu Zhiru's anger flared even more upon hearing this. Her eyes widened as she shouted, "If it's not his fault, how could Jiang Hongwei have kicked you out of the company?"
"If he had any ability, would you need to worry and run around all day?"
"He's just a good-for-nothing. He's incapable of anything except scheming and harming others."
"Look at him just now, acting like a spineless grandson in front of Jiang Hongwei, not even daring to say a harsh word. It makes me furious just watching him!"
"What a wimp!"
After scolding him, she spoke earnestly to Jiang Yuxin, "Don't you realize our current situation?"
"Your second uncle has taken credit for your work. If the cooperation succeeds, the entire Jiang family will be under his control, and neither you nor I will have any standing."
"Even your father will surely be subjected to subtle criticisms."
"You can't even take care of yourself, yet you're still helping this useless fellow. Can we act within our means, girl!"
These words were spoken with extreme helplessness.
She had no choice. As a woman who had married into the Jiang family and endured for so many years, this was the outcome she had waited for.
If life were even a little bit easier, she wouldn't be so helpless.
"Mom, don't worry, Jiang Hongwei won't gain control," Li Chonglou advised without taking offense.
Liu Zhiru was just an ordinary housewife. They would have to live under the same roof in the future, so their relationship couldn't be too strained.
"You say he won't gain control, so he won't?" Liu Zhiru glared at him. "Does the Jiang family answer to you?"
"Or does the Lu family answer to you? Look at yourself, you're here to comfort me, how ridiculous!"
"Seeing people like you makes me sick!"
With that, she flung her hand, walked into the master bedroom, and slammed the door shut.
Seeing this, Jiang Yuxin showed a look of guilt and helplessness. "Don't take my mother's words to heart. She might have a deep prejudice against you."
"It's normal. For your sake, I won't hold it against her," Li Chonglou nodded. "Have you thought about what to do next?"
Jiang Yuxin shook her head, her eyes cast down. "I've thought about it, but there's nothing I can do."
"Grandpa is bedridden because of Jiang Tao's actions. My second uncle is taking advantage of his guilt to push me out."
"Whether the cooperation succeeds or not, it's impossible for me to return to the company now."
"We can't fight him."
Her father had been away for many years, and the company had always been managed by Jiang Hongwei. More than eighty percent of the family members were on good terms with him.
In this situation, it was truly difficult to turn things around.
The most crucial point was that Grandpa was a traditional person. He had disliked her since childhood and doted on Jiang Tao.
Even though he was now angry with Jiang Tao for digging up ancestral graves and letting him go to prison, it didn't mean he truly disliked him.
When guilt set in, naturally, whatever Jiang Hongwei said would be the final say.
He was even less fond of her, his granddaughter.
"Don't be so pessimistic," Li Chonglou's eyes flashed with electricity. "Since Jiang Hongwei wants to steal the credit, let's prevent him from getting the credit."
"Don't worry, I've already spoken to the Lu Group. This bid will be temporarily shelved."
"Unless the Jiang family replaces you to negotiate, it won't proceed further."
Hearing this, Jiang Yuxin's dim eyes brightened, filled with disbelief. She stared at Li Chonglou dazedly, "How did you do that?"
That was the Lu Group, the undisputed giant of Qin Province.
This wasn't child's play. Their bidding process was open to the entire Qin Province. How could it be suspended with just a word from Li Chonglou?
If she had heard these words before, she would have definitely thought Li Chonglou was bragging to show off.
But now, she was half-convinced.
She even hoped it was true.
"I just made a call. They owe me a favor and will definitely help," Li Chonglou realized he had said too much.
Jiang Yuxin wasn't an idiot.
"Heh, you're thinking too simply," Jiang Yuxin shook her head and mocked herself. "A company has its own complete system structure. Even a senior executive cannot decide the company's operations with just one word."
"You know how much money they lose if it's suspended for a day. How could they do something so foolish for a small family like the Jiangs?"
"Don't think too highly of yourself. Society is very realistic."
The relationship between people is an exchange of value.
How much value could Li Chonglou have?
To the Lu Group, he was dispensable.
"Perhaps," Li Chonglou said no more.
Jiang Yuxin and Liu Zhiru's impression of him was still in its initial stages. There was no point in saying more.
Lu Yunxu wouldn't lie to him. Since the project was suspended, they just had to wait for Jiang Hongwei to come and apologize.
It shouldn't take long.
Today, he would stay at home. He hadn't cooked for a long, long time.
For decades, he had almost forgotten what it felt like.
"I'll cook today." Li Chonglou walked into the kitchen, looked at the vegetables Liu Zhiru had bought early in the morning, and rolled up his sleeves.
Jiang Yuxin was worried and didn't pay him any attention, letting him busy himself in the kitchen.
Although he hadn't personally managed a kitchen for decades, the memories etched in his soul made him feel at ease.
Washing, chopping, stir-frying, braising.
In a short while, two stir-fried dishes were ready.
Just as he was about to continue, Jiang Yuxin rushed into the kitchen, her pretty face covered in shock. She held her phone and said, "Li Chonglou, the Lu family has really suspended the project. How... how is this possible?"
"What did you say to them!"
"This is trouble. Once the project is stopped, and the time drags on, the Jiang family won't be able to hold on."
"At most a week, and they'll go bankrupt."
Li Chonglou stopped what he was doing and said indifferently, "Isn't that good? Anyway, the current Jiang family doesn't have your share."
"Jiang Hongwei is so capable, isn't he? Just wait for him to beg you."
"Will he beg me?" Jiang Yuxin's eyes were a little dazed.
Suddenly, she felt that this man, wearing an apron and handling kitchen utensils, had a bit of a man's demeanor.
He seemed completely different from the one yesterday who wanted to sell pancakes to make a living.
His back was so confident, so calm.
Was it an illusion? It appeared again!
Or was she too realistic? Why did such illusions always appear when he displayed his self-worth?
Also, why could he make the mighty Lu Group listen to his suggestions?
For a moment, Jiang Yuxin's mind was in chaos, and she couldn't figure out the problem.
When the food was ready, Li Chonglou personally knocked on his mother-in-law Liu Zhiru's door to invite her to eat.
Liu Zhiru had been looking sullen, but upon hearing Jiang Yuxin say that the Lu family had suspended the project, she immediately smiled.
"Retribution, retribution! Jiang Hongwei, let's see how smug you can be now!"
However, she didn't believe for a moment that this was because of Li Chonglou's words.
After all, in her impression, Li Chonglou was just a scumbag struggling at the bottom of society. Even if he had some minor schemes or tricks, they couldn't possibly reach a level that could influence the Lu Group.
It was most likely a coincidence.
The meal was quite pleasant. At least knowing about Jiang Hongwei's plight, Liu Zhiru was in a good mood and didn't bother Li Chonglou anymore.
After they finished eating and cleaning up, just as they were about to clear the table, the door was knocked again.
"Sister-in-law, Sister-in-law, please open the door. It's me, Hongwei. I've come to apologize." Jiang Hongwei's voice sounded again, filled with fear and unease, unlike his arrogant and smug tone from that morning.
Liu Zhiru exchanged a glance with Jiang Yuxin and walked over to open the door, but her hand blocked the entrance.
"If you have something to say, say it standing at the door. My house doesn't welcome you."
"Sister-in-law, I've realized my mistake. I was scolded by Grandpa after I went back. See, I've come personally to apologize," Jiang Hongwei said with a pained expression, holding up the gifts in his hands. "For the sake of family, please let me in to talk."
It was a case of Maotai and an LV bag.
He had returned smugly that morning, ready to instruct his subordinates.
Then he received a call from the secretary of the Lu Group's general manager, saying that the bidding project had been suspended.
After much inquiry, he finally learned that the Lu Group was very dissatisfied with the Jiang family's temporary change of personnel and only agreed to cooperate with Jiang Yuxin.
Otherwise, the project bid would be terminated.
This instantly made Jiang Hongwei panic.
He had just gone there to flaunt his power and even threatened to kick Jiang Yuxin out of the company.
As a result, the Lu Group taught him a lesson, making him understand not to be too proud.
Helpless, he had to beg Grandpa, who forced him to come and apologize in person.
That's why he shamelessly bought gifts and came over.
"Mom, let Uncle Er come in," Jiang Yuxin smoothed things over.
Only then did Jiang Hongwei enter, placing the gifts on the table with a fawning expression, and said without any embarrassment, "Niece, your Uncle Er was just joking with you this morning."
"The company is always waiting for you to return and take charge."
"I've already assigned Jiang Shujun to be in charge of the warehouse. The position of vice president can't be taken away from you by anyone."
"Why don't you make a call to the Lu Group and tell them that you will personally be in charge of this project from now on?"
Just as Jiang Yuxin was about to speak, Li Chonglou walked out of the kitchen and said coldly, "Jiang Hongwei, you have a thick skin."
"You were the one who wanted to kick Yuxin out of the company, and now you're the one begging her to return."
"There are no such easy things in this world."
"It's not difficult for Yuxin to return. Just have Grandpa come and apologize in person!"
His words made all three present show expressions of disbelief, their eyes widening as they stared at Li Chonglou, not knowing what he was trying to do.