The Lin Family's Business Predicament

The day after the Lin family banquet ended.

A huge piece of news exploded in the Jinling business world.

Something had happened to the Lin Logistics Group.

Overnight, three core Southeast Asian shipping routes belonging to Lin Logistics were forcibly snatched away by their competitor, Yuanhang Logistics.

The freight rates offered by Yuanhang Logistics were thirty percent lower than the cost price—a complete loss-making strategy just to steal clients.

Not only that, but eight old clients who had collaborated with Lin Logistics for five years announced the termination of their contracts on the exact same day.

They were willing to pay the breach of contract penalty just to leave.

It was as if someone was holding a gun to their heads, forcing them.

Lin Logistics' market share plummeted directly from third in East China to outside the top ten.

The stock price fell by twenty-three percent in a single day.

The banks smelled blood in the water and called that very afternoon to demand loan repayments.

The entire Lin Logistics Group went from thriving to being in imminent danger overnight.

...

Lin Logistics Headquarters, President's Office.

Lin Ruobing had held three emergency meetings in a row.

The conclusion of every meeting was the same word.

Difficult.

The marketing department said all the clients had run away.

The finance department said the money in the accounts wouldn't last two months.

The legal department said the penalty fees couldn't be recovered because the opposing legal team was ten times stronger than theirs.

Lin Ruobing rubbed her temples and kicked everyone out of the office.

She needed quiet.

But her phone wouldn't give her peace.

Ding, ding, ding. Messages popped up one after another.

All of them were bad news.

President Lin, Yuanhang Logistics has taken our transit warehouse contract in Zhejiang...

President Lin, the station manager of the Zhangjiagang branch has jumped ship to Yuanhang with seven drivers...

President Lin, the bank said they will sue if we don't repay the loan this week...

Lin Ruobing placed her phone face down on the desk.

She closed her eyes.

Her fingertips were trembling.

She had taken over Lin Logistics at the age of twenty-three. Working painstakingly for six years, she had taken the company step by step from operating at a loss to turning a profit, growing it from a small regional enterprise to the top three in East China.

She had negotiated every single shipping route herself.

She had personally visited every single client.

Now, everything was gone.

Moreover, she couldn't find out who was actually behind Yuanhang Logistics.

Yuanhang Logistics used to be just a third-rate small company in Jinling with a registered capital of twenty million—not even fit to tie Lin Logistics' shoes.

But over the past half month, this company suddenly acted as if it were on steroids. With an unlimited supply of funds, it expanded frantically, specifically targeting Lin Logistics' core businesses.

With this kind of cash-burning method, they couldn't possibly play this game without a backer worth billions.

Someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes.

And their goal was extremely clear—to destroy the Lin family.

Lin Ruobing couldn't figure out who exactly she had offended.

She sorted through her connections in the Jinling business world over and over again.

She had no clue.

She was driven to a dead end.

Lin Ruobing picked up her phone and started calling people one by one to ask for help.

The first call went to the boss of Zhang Shipping, whom she had collaborated with for three years.

President Zhang, it's Ruobing. Lin Logistics has encountered some difficulties recently, and I'd like to discuss a joint operation plan with you—

Ah, Ruobing, it's not that I don't want to help you. It's just that we are also facing difficulties ourselves recently. How about this, we can talk again after this period passes?

He hung up.

The second call went to the Vice President of the Jinling Logistics Chamber of Commerce.

Uncle Li, you watched me grow up. You have to help me this time—

Ruobing, it's not that Uncle won't help. The person behind Yuanhang is too powerful. I just asked around and got warned off. I dare not wade into these muddy waters, don't blame Uncle.

Hung up.

The third.

The fourth.

The fifth.

She made twelve calls in a row.

Not a single one succeeded.

They either outright refused, made excuses, or simply didn't answer the phone.

Lin Ruobing put down her phone and stared at the ceiling.

Her eyes stung a little, but she gritted her teeth and didn't let the tears fall.

She was the pillar of the Lin family.

She couldn't cry.

If she cried, the hundreds of people in the Lin family would truly have no hope left.

Just then, the office door was knocked lightly twice.

Then, before she could respond, it was pushed open.

Lin Tian walked in carrying a glass of warm water.

He wore a dusty gray, old sweater with cuffs that had frayed from washing. He had a pair of cloth shoes on his feet, making little noise as he walked.

His whole person looked pathetic and an eyesore.

Ruobing, drink some water. Don't tire yourself out too much.

He placed the glass on the desk and carefully pushed it forward.

Lin Ruobing looked at the man in front of her.

It had been six years.

She had been married to Lin Tian for six years. Oh no, to be exact, it had been three years since Lin Tian married into the Lin family as a live-in son-in-law.

Over these three years, this man had brought her nothing.

He didn't make money.

He didn't socialize.

He wasn't ambitious.

While she worked herself to the bone outside to prop up a business, he stayed home doing laundry, cooking, and looking after the kids.

Wait, they didn't even have kids.

He simply holed up at home, doing absolutely nothing.

In the past, Lin Ruobing felt it didn't matter. Since they were already married, she just treated it as keeping an idler around.

But now, at the critical moment of life and death for the Lin family, looking at this useless face, the fire in her heart flared up instantly.

Get out.

Lin Ruobing's voice was cold enough to freeze water.

Lin Tian froze for a moment. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

I told you to get out!

Lin Ruobing's volume rose, her eyes full of long-suppressed resentment.

Lin Logistics is almost finished! The livelihoods of hundreds of people are resting on my shoulders! What I need right now is someone who can help me solve problems! Not a glass of water!

If you can't help, then stop wandering around in front of me!

Lin Tian lowered his head.

Okay. Don't be angry, I'll leave right now.

He turned around and walked slowly toward the door.

His back was bent, his shoulders slumped, and his footsteps dragged.

A complete and utter good-for-nothing.

But the moment he pulled the door open.

In an angle Shen Fei couldn't see, a fleeting smile appeared on Lin Tian's face.

Cold.

Sinister.

Carrying a calmness that said, everything is under control.

He even almost laughed out loud.

Because Yuanhang Logistics was exactly his arrangement.

The actual controller of that company was White Tiger, one of the Four Great Heavenly Kings. The source of the funds was the Dragon King Palace's offshore accounts in Southeast Asia, which were laundered through over thirty shell companies after entering the country.

Lin Tian had spent half a month meticulously laying out this plan, step by step forcing his wife's company to a dead end.

It sounded crazy.

But Lin Tian had his logic.

What he wanted wasn't to destroy the Lin family.

What he wanted was to appear at the Lin family's most desperate moment.

In his identity as the Asura Dragon King.

With a single phone call, he would have the boss of Yuanhang Logistics personally come to the door and kneel in apology.

With a single sentence, he would make all the stolen clients return, accompanied by double compensation.

He would let Lin Ruobing see with her own eyes just how much power her despised, useless husband actually wielded.

By then, the way she looked at him would be completely different.

No longer cold.

No longer disgusted.

But shocked.

Full of worship.

Regretful that she hadn't treated him well in the beginning.

This was Lin Tian's script.

The ultimate goal of three years of endurance.

He walked out of the office and gently closed the door.

Standing in the corridor, he pulled an encrypted phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

White Tiger, increase the pressure. I want Lin Logistics to completely bleed out within three days.

Yes, Your Majesty the Dragon King.

Lin Tian hung up the phone and looked up at the window at the end of the corridor.

Outside the window was the Jinling skyline.

"Ruobing, just bear with it for two more days."

"In two days, I will show you a completely new me."

He gave a crooked smirk, turned, and left.

...

At the same time.

Shen Family Villa, the study.

Shen Fei sat in his chair, a series of intelligence reports updating in real-time on the system panel before him.

[Eye of Fortune Monitoring Report!]

[Detected that the Child of Fortune, Lin Tian, is executing a core script mission—"Self-Directed Charade"!]

[Detailed Analysis:]

[1. The actual controller of Yuanhang Logistics is "White Tiger", one of the Four Great Heavenly Kings of the Dragon King Palace. The company's startup capital originated from the Dragon King Palace's Southeast Asian offshore accounts, laundered through 37 shell companies before being injected domestically.]

[2. Yuanhang Logistics' malicious competition against Lin's Logistics was personally orchestrated and ordered by Lin Tian himself. The goal is not to destroy the Lin family, but to create a desperate situation so he can debut as the "savior," shock everyone, and conquer the core female lead, Lin Ruobing.]

[3. Lin Tian plans to reveal his true identity on the third day after the Lin family is completely bled dry, which is expected to trigger a massive surge in his Fortune Value. At that time, Lin Tian's Fortune Value may break through 18,000, entering the SSSS-tier threshold.]

[Suggestion: Immediately intercept the "savior" role and resolve the Lin family's crisis before Lin Tian can act, rendering his three years of forbearance completely futile.]

Shen Fei read through this analysis report word by word.

Then he leaned back in his chair and gently shook his head.

Smashing his own wife's livelihood.

Watching his wife anxiously beg others for help everywhere.

And then jumping out to play the savior.

What a deeply affectionate Dragon King.

What a self-directed play of a hero saving the beauty.

Disgusting.

Shen Fei picked up his teacup and took a sip.

He set it down.

"Just as childish as Ye Chen."

Ye Chen was simply stupid.

Lin Tian was stupid right down to his rotten core.

He thought he was the screenwriter, treating everyone else as characters in his play.

Little did he know that the real screenwriter was sitting in this very study, actively rewriting his script.

Shen Fei opened his phone's contacts and found a name.

Lin Ruobing.

They had exchanged business cards at the family banquet yesterday.

He wasn't in a hurry to call.

Instead, he first browsed through the System Store.

His gaze paused on an item for two seconds.

[God-Level Business Analysis Inheritance: Instantly master the world's top business strategies and financial operations knowledge, including corporate management, capital operations, supply chain restructuring, and more. Price: 1,500 Villain Points.]

Current Villain Points: 10,000.

More than enough.

But Shen Fei didn't buy it.

He didn't need it.

He already held enough cards in his hand.

To deal with Yuanhang Logistics, he didn't even need to use any of the system's abilities.

Because the domestic laundering routes for Yuanhang Logistics' funding channels all had to pass through Jinling's financial system.

And within Jinling's financial system, the Shen family was the biggest fish.

Of Yuanhang Logistics' thirty-seven shell companies, at least half had opened their bank accounts with Shen family-affiliated banks.

Lin Tian was laundering money on the Shen family's turf.

Yet he thought he was doing it flawlessly.

Stupid.

Shen Fei put down his phone, stood up, and walked to the window.

Outside, Jinling gleamed in the sunlight.

What he needed to do was very simple.

It wasn't to bail out the Lin family.

It was to steal Lin Tian's spotlight.

Lin Tian wanted to be the hero?

Sorry, but the role of the hero was already booked.

Booked by Shen Fei.

He was going to let Lin Ruobing know that the one who reached out to her in her most desperate moment wasn't her useless deadbeat husband.

It was Shen Fei.

He was going to turn Lin Tian's three years of forbearance into a three-year joke.

You endured for three years, just waiting for a chance to play the hero saving the beauty.

In the end, the beauty was saved by someone else.

Then what did your three years amount to?

Endured for nothing.

Shen Fei turned around and picked up his phone.

He dialed Lin Ruobing's number.

It rang twice and connected.

"Hello?"

Lin Ruobing's voice carried an obvious exhaustion and hoarseness.

Clearly, she had made too many calls for help just now, and her voice was almost gone.

"President Lin, this is Shen Fei."

The other end of the line went quiet for a second.

Lin Ruobing's voice immediately became formal, but she couldn't hide that faint trace of anticipation.

"President Shen, hello."

"I heard Lin's Logistics has run into some trouble recently?"

Lin Ruobing bit her lip.

Shen Fei's information network was certainly well-informed.

"Yes... we are indeed facing some operational difficulties."

She didn't make it sound too miserable.

After all, this was her first time talking business with Shen Fei, and she didn't want to appear too pathetic.

But Shen Fei's next words completely stunned her.

"Come to the Shen residence tomorrow morning at ten o'clock."

"I might be able to help with your problem."

Lin Ruobing's fingers gripping the phone tightened slightly.

Be able to help?

She had made twelve calls and begged twelve people, yet not a single one dared to take on her mess.

And Shen Fei proactively called to say he could help?

Lin Ruobing's heart skipped a few beats.

"Alright. Ten o'clock tomorrow. I will definitely be there."

The call ended.

Lin Ruobing put down her phone and let out a deep breath.

Her eyes suddenly felt a little sore.

Twelve people had rejected her.

The thirteenth person came voluntarily.

And this person was the most influential figure in Jinling.

...

Shen Family Villa.

Shen Fei put down his phone and glanced at the system panel.

[Lin Ruobing's Affection Level toward Host: 22 (Politeness + Gratitude)]

[Lin Ruobing's Affection Level toward Lin Tian: 31 (Disappointment + Apathy)]

22 against 31.

The gap wasn't large.

After tomorrow, these numbers would undergo a drastic change.

Shen Fei closed the panel and walked out of the study.

In the hallway, Su Qingxue was walking toward him carrying a bowl of lotus seed soup.

Seeing Shen Fei come out, she paused slightly.

"You're not asleep yet? I stewed a bowl of lotus seed soup for you."

Shen Fei took the bowl and took a sip.

"A guest is coming tomorrow. Help me prepare the living room."

"What guest?"

"From the Lin family."

Su Qingxue didn't ask further; she nodded and went to make the arrangements.

After walking a few steps, she stopped and glanced back at Shen Fei.

"Don't stay up too late."

Her voice was soft.

Then she turned and left.

Shen Fei stood in the hallway holding the bowl, watching her back disappear around the corner.

He took another sip of the lotus seed soup.

It was sweet.

He turned back into the study.

He placed the bowl on the desk.

Opening the system panel, he pulled up the domestic fund flow chart of the Dragon King Palace.

Thirty-seven shell companies.

Twelve funding channels.

Each and every one was crystal clear.

Shen Fei looked at this chart, his gaze turning cold.

Tomorrow.

He was going to snuff out this "crisis" with a single phone call right in front of Lin Ruobing.

Letting Lin Ruobing know that the favor she begged everyone for but no one dared to help with, Shen Fei could handle effortlessly.

Letting Lin Tian's "hero saving the beauty" script, which he spent half a month meticulously planning, get its stage hijacked before it could even be performed.

The first strike of dragon hunting.

First, seize his woman.