Watching her two brothers leave, Xu Yiru couldn't contain her unease any longer and headed straight to the chairman's office.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Who is it? Come in!" Xu Daqiang's voice called out.
"It's me, Dad," Xu Yiru said as she entered.
"Oh, Yiru, what's the matter?"
"Dad, just be honest with me. Is the Xu Group in trouble? Are you trying to collaborate with the Jiang family by having me date or even marry Jiang Yuanwei to secure funds and save the company?"
Hearing her words, Xu Daqiang was stunned. How did his daughter find out about this?
"Daughter, I…"
"Dad, just answer me: yes or no."
"I…"
Seeing her father's expression, Xu Yiru understood—it was just as she had guessed.
"I see," she said quietly, turning to leave. She was hurt and disappointed. But just before walking out the door, she paused. After a long silence, she spoke. "If it's to save the Xu Group, I'm willing to try dating Jiang Yuanwei."
Xu Daqiang froze in regret. He shouldn't have arranged this matchmaking. His daughter deserved her own happiness and path in life. He hadn't raised her to use her as a bargaining chip but to cherish her as his little girl, his pride and joy.
"Daughter!" Xu Daqiang called out, wanting to say more, but Xu Yiru waved him off. She wiped her face quickly and left the room.
Xu Daqiang slumped in his chair, staring out the window in a daze.
Villa No. 13, Tianhua Yipin Estate
"Young Master, I've finished investigating the six major families you asked about," Shang Jingchen reported.
"Tell me."
"Young Master, the six major families of the Imperial Capital are the Xu, Jiang, Liu, Deng, Fan, and Zhao families. Each family controls a different industry, and their business empires are massive. They cooperate closely but don't interfere with each other's domains. Intermarriage between families is also common. Among them, the Liu family's Tianfeng Consortium is the strongest, with a market valuation exceeding 2.3 trillion yuan. The Deng and Jiang families follow, each approaching 2 trillion yuan by year-end projections. The Zhao and Fan families are around 1.7 trillion yuan, and lastly, the Xu family is at 1.3 trillion yuan. However, I discovered that the Xu family chairman has suffered massive losses in recent investments, leaving their situation precarious. If things worsen, they may drop below 1 trillion yuan, and the six families will become five."
"I see. No wonder Xu Daqiang arranged this matchmaking for Xu Yiru—it's all about the money. What kind of father does that? Sacrificing his daughter to cover his investment failures? I despise him!"
"Do you have a plan, Young Master?"
"I don't have much of one right now. My company isn't fully operational yet, and United Fit hasn't gone public. Even if it does, based on my understanding, its valuation would only be in the hundreds of billions—not worth playing with. My focus remains on the courier and logistics business. By the way, is Yunyan Tianxing registered yet?"
"It's all set. During the registration, we bundled the company's patents, brand name, and registered capital to pave the way for a future IPO."
"Whether it goes public doesn't matter. Some truly powerful companies don't even list, yet their financial strength far surpasses those that do."
"Yes, Young Master!"
"All right, get to work. Keep me updated, especially on the courier company. Push our new logistics enterprise to market as soon as possible. I want other courier, delivery, and logistics firms knocking on our door to lease or purchase our advanced delivery systems from day one. Remember, we lease—no outright sales."
"Yes, Young Master! We'll start preparations immediately!"
That evening, Xu Yiru received an unexpected call from Jiang Yuanwei, inviting her to dinner. Her first instinct was to refuse, but she thought of her father, her brothers, and the Xu Group, which had been passed down through generations. She couldn't bear to see it decline under her father's or brothers' watch. In the end, she agreed.
"How did it go, son? Did Yiru agree?"
"She did! Dad, you're amazing! You predicted she wouldn't reject me."
"Son, the Xu Group is on the brink. Unless that girl doesn't want to save her family, she has no choice. But if you genuinely like her, marry her. If not, just enjoy yourself while it lasts. Either way, the Jiang family won't be putting up any money to save the Xu family."
"Hehe, I know, Dad. Don't worry." Jiang father and son exchanged glances and broke into unpleasant laughter.
Xu Yiru and Jiang Yuanwei agreed to meet for dinner at Fulu Cab Restaurant in the Imperial Capital.