After Qing Yan watched Si Yechen's car drive away, she took out her phone and answered the call. "Dahei."
"Boss, today is the tenth day! If the foolish Lujia can't come up with the money, Mrs. Wang will sue him!"
Qing Yan recalled the situation. Yes, there was such a thing.
Previously, Mrs. Wang had signed a contract with Lu Muyao, hoping that he would become the spokesperson for their piano brand. However, there was a condition: no negative news should arise during the contract period, or they would have to pay a penalty of ten times the contract amount.
Lu Muyao had been caught in a plagiarism scandal, violating the terms of the contract. Mrs. Wang demanded that they compensate her with fifty million within ten days, or else they would go to court.
Today was the final day.
"Why don't we just sit back and watch as Mrs. Wang ruins him?" Dahei suggested.
"Not yet," Qing Yan calmly instructed. "Proceed with the original plan."
"Understood."
Meanwhile, the Lu family was already in a panic. They couldn't believe that none of the eight downtown shops they put up for sale had attracted any buyers!
For the entire ten days, there had been no interest whatsoever!
"Is Qing Yan playing tricks behind the scenes? Otherwise, how could it be possible that not a single person has bought a shop in ten days?" Xu Aiqin anxiously speculated. However, Lu Zhenhai slammed the table.
"Enough! Can't you stop bringing everything back to that girl! Even if she has a good ear for music and knows some influential people, she can't possibly hinder every single person interested in buying a shop! This is about market conditions, not that girl! Why can't you see the difference? Why are you always targeting her!"
"Well then, tell me why the shops aren't selling? They are in a prime downtown location! The market price is 2.5 million per shop, and we are selling them for 2 million per shop!"
"How would I know!" Lu Zhenhai lost his patience. For the whole ten days, he had only had one decent meal and slept for one good night's rest!
He couldn't understand why his once flourishing life had suddenly turned into this!
Ever since Qing Yan left this house, in less than a month, their life had changed drastically compared to before!
Lu Zhenhai was reminded of the struggles of his earlier years. It seemed that their business had grown and prospered only after this girl came into their lives...
Since she left, nothing had been going well...
"What should we do? Mrs. Wang will sue us in an hour! They have even prepared the lawyer's letter!" Xu Aiqin anxiously exclaimed. "Once they post the lawyer's letter on the official Weibo account, everyone will know about Muyao's plagiarism incident. It won't just ruin Muyao's reputation, but also the reputation of our Lu family!"
Liu Zhenhai massaged his temples, his headache worsening as Xu Aiqin continued to chatter in his ear, making his mood even more restless.
"As a result, the sixty million we lost to that wretched girl earlier would be in vain!"
And Yáo Yáo's reputation won't be protected either!!
Liu Muyao, standing nearby, also felt fearful and uneasy...
It's all Qing Yan's fault, that little bitch. If it weren't for her, everything would have been fine...
"Why don't you call the agent again?" Xu Aiqin pleaded, "There's only half an hour left!"
"I just called twenty minutes ago..."
"Call again!" Xu Aiqin pondered for a moment, and a person suddenly came to mind, "The person who bought the house and shops from us last time, ask the agent if they still have his contact information. Inquire if he has any intention to buy, even if we give him a discount..."
As long as the other party can provide them with fifty million as an emergency, they would bear with it!
Liu Zhenhai also suddenly ignited a glimmer of hope. Last time, the sixty million was transferred to him by that person in a short period of time...
That means the person is wealthy, probably on par with him in terms of financial power...
Not an ordinary person!
"Why are you still standing there? Call quickly!" Xu Aiqin said, glancing hurriedly at the time. Only twenty-six minutes were left!
Liu Zhenhai called the agent, who said they would inquire with that person. So Liu Zhenhai waited...
"There are only seven minutes left, and there's no movement from the agent. Could that person be sleeping?" Xu Aiqin remembered that last time, it was around this time when the person was about to go to sleep...
Just then, Liu Zhenhai's phone rang, and he hastily answered, "What's the news?"
"I've informed the gentleman about the location and price of the eight downtown shops you're selling. He said if he can buy them for fifty million, he will transfer the money immediately."
"Fifty, fifty million??" Although Liu Zhenhai had already prepared himself for the other party's bargaining, he didn't expect them to negotiate harder than last time. Eight shops, with a total price of one hundred and sixty million, and the other party wanted to buy them for just fifty million??
"Agree to him, quickly agree..." Although Xu Aiqin didn't know what number the other party proposed, at this moment, she couldn't care about much else. Their daughter's reputation was the most important thing, and she was also concerned about her own pride, not wanting to become a laughingstock...
Liu Zhenhai was in agonizing pain, still hesitating. Last time, the fourteen shops and four luxury houses, with a total value of one hundred and eighty million, were ultimately sold for just sixty million. Now, if the eight shops were to be sold for only fifty million...
Then he would have lost a total of two hundred and thirty million!!!
"Please... Xu Aiqin pleaded anxiously, her voice trembling, 'Money can be earned again, but one's reputation, once tarnished, cannot be easily cleansed!' In the end, Lu Zhenhai gritted his teeth and reluctantly agreed. In the final minute, his phone made a beep, notifying him of a 50 million transfer. Xu Aiqin's tears turned into a smile as she hurriedly transferred the money to Mrs. Wang. After completing the transfer, she tried to contact Mrs. Wang on WeChat, only to find out that she had been blocked...
"The Lu family will be ruined by me," Lu Zhenhai lamented in despair, unable to hold back his tears, as if he had aged ten years overnight.
"Dad, I'm sorry..." It was the second time Lu Muyao had seen her father so defeated. The first time was when he lost 60 million to Tingyin. That night, Lu Zhenhai was in deep agony. Money was like his life to him...
"Dad, it's my fault. I promise I'll make you proud in the future, bring more glory to our family! I swear..."
Lu Zhenhai said in a low voice, "I'm afraid we won't live to see that day..."
"Why?"
"In the recent design competition, our family didn't even make it to the top three... On the other hand, the company where Yanyan works, which used to rank last in the fashion industry, unexpectedly gained immense popularity after this competition. Their clothes are being snapped up in the market..."
Lu Zhenhai sighed and continued, "And nobody buys our clothes. We don't have any new business partners, and the existing ones are requesting to terminate their contracts... Our houses and shops are almost sold out! The Lu family is nearing its end..."
"Don't scare yourself," Xu Aiqin's mind raced as she made a decision, "Let's go to the hospital tomorrow! I heard that the old lady has been waking up occasionally lately, even if it's for a short period of time. As long as she's conscious, it will do!"