C23 Please Spare Me This Time!

Lin Chen cast a stern gaze at the women from Phoenix Group seated around him. He suspected it was because he hadn't invited Wei Tong that the three women had come to drink so excessively. It was quite inappropriate!

"You're not in good health yet, and you haven't fully recovered. Please don't drink too much. Let's head back," he urged.

"Oh, look at you, a ne'er-do-well, trying to control your wife. Do you fancy yourself a paragon of husbands?" Liu Huaixing taunted with a sneer, his words heavy with sarcasm.

"Lin Chen, we're just discussing business; nothing untoward will happen. We're only having a couple of drinks," Ye Xin chimed in, attempting to defuse the situation.

Lin Chen remained silent, but Liu Huaixing, holding his glass of liquor, let out a mocking laugh. "Exactly, you're beneath us. We're conducting business here. What right do you have to be involved? I bet once her company is up and running smoothly, she'll be ready to divorce you. You're nothing more than a business tool, after all!"

Upon hearing Liu Huaixing speak so disparagingly about Lin Chen, Su Qingxue's countenance soured. She grabbed her wine glass and splashed its contents onto him, her face set in a frigid expression. "Liu Huaixing, I'm offended by your words. Regardless of everything, we are still married. I'd ask that you speak with more respect. Consider this wine a return of your 'kindness'!"

The room was filled with shock. Moments before, Su Qingxue had seemed calm, but now she was visibly upset. And astonishingly, she had doused Liu Huaixing, her business partner, in wine for the sake of her so-called castaway husband!

Lin Chen had long believed he was a negligible figure in Su Qingxue's life, less significant than her business endeavors. Yet, in that moment, she had taken a stand to preserve his dignity by confronting Liu Huaixing. Lin Chen was deeply moved by her gesture.

"Damn it, what's this act for? You really think I want to partner with you?" Liu Huaixing erupted in anger, glaring at the stains on his clothes. He continued his tirade, "Stop playing the saint. If you want to collaborate, you should know how the business world works. You think you can sleep with me for a deal worth millions? In your dreams!"

Su Qingxue was livid. She realized that the person she had been conversing with had been thinking about how to seduce her the entire time, which left her feeling deeply upset.

In order to support the Phoenix Group, she had chosen a marriage of convenience. As a woman single-handedly holding up the entire company, she knew she would be subject to rumors and gossip, but she had learned to be indifferent to such talk. However, the idea that he would divorce Lin Chen once his own business took off was something she couldn't stomach.

Liu Huaixing, seeing Su Qingxue's righteous anger, took even greater pleasure in his arrogance. He taunted her, "I've heard that a lot of your cosmetics are imported from Segrya. You must travel abroad frequently, huh? Bet you've been played by those foreigners. You're nothing but trash! You really think you're some kind of saint?"

"What are you talking about?" Su Qingxue's face flushed with even more anger. She couldn't believe Liu Huaixing would have such a demeaning view of her.

Before Liu Huaixing could respond, a loud crash echoed through the room as a wine bottle smashed against his head, showering him with glass shards.

"Ah!" Liu Huaixing screamed, clutching his bleeding head, his face contorted with pain as he stumbled to the side. "You bastard, how dare you hit me!"

Everyone in the private room was shocked. They had not expected this seemingly average young man, rumored to be nothing but a wastrel, to have such a fiery and explosive temper.

The muscular man next to Liu Huaixing glared and, in retaliation, hurled a wine bottle at Lin Chen's head.

"Ah!" Ye Xin let out another shrill scream, clearly terrified by the unfolding chaos.

In a swift move, Lin Chen caught the assailant's wrist, snatched the wine bottle, and struck him on the head with it. He then thrust the jagged edge of the broken bottle into the man's shoulder.

The man bled profusely, howling in agony, his screams echoing through the room like a slaughtered pig.

"Liu Huaixing, I'm giving you one chance to apologize to my wife and own up to your words today. If not, I won't hesitate to cripple you!"

Lin Chen maintained a serene expression, yet his voice carried a deep, chilling intent. His presence was domineering, making others feel as though they were plunged into a frigid abyss.

Silence reigned; no one even managed to react. Only the burly man and Liu Huaixing continued to wail. The other men were petrified, cowering in a corner, too terrified to even draw breath.

Liu Huaixing, confronted with Lin Chen's icy gaze and lethal aura, was too frightened to muster any defiance or insults. He realized that without money, he might not only be trapped in this private room but could possibly meet his end here.

"Ms. Su... I apologize... It was foolish of me to speak out of turn... Please, spare me this once..."

"Not convincing enough!" Lin Chen's foot came crashing down on Liu Huaixing!

"Ah!"

The piercing scream that erupted from Liu Huaixing made it clear how excruciating the pain was.

"This is your final chance!" Lin Chen loomed over Liu Huaixing, unyielding in his stance that such a person did not deserve forgiveness or sympathy.

"Ms. Su, I'm sorry. I'm kneeling before you. I spoke out of turn, I wronged you. Please show mercy and forgive me this time. I truly realize my mistake!"

Liu Huaixing knelt before Su Qingxue, all semblance of pride and bravery washed away, leaving only terror and agony.

"That's enough. Leave now," Su Qingxue commanded, visibly shaken by Lin Chen's brutal display. Though she was angry, she hadn't anticipated such ferocity from him.

Liu Huaixing and his companions scrambled out as if granted a reprieve. Lin Chen and Su Qingxue, along with their group, didn't linger, promptly exiting with their belongings.

Inside the car, Su Qingxue's mood was sour. The day's negotiations had collapsed, and the subsequent events had left her deeply unsettled.

Meanwhile, Lin Chen was preoccupied with the company's acquisition. He had intended to start addressing it that afternoon but hadn't expected Su Qingxue to initiate discussions about the new company herself.

After a prolonged silence, Lin Chen rolled down the car window at a traffic light and peered outside. "Looks like this negotiation is a bust. What are your thoughts?" he asked.

Su Qingxue, reclining in the passenger seat, inhaled deeply and replied with a hint of resignation, "There's nothing we can do about Rainbow Beautification now. Liu Huaixing certainly won't be open to further discussions with us. We'll have to find another company."

Lin Chen flashed a confident smile. "If you trust me, follow my lead. I promise we can secure Rainbow Beautification."

The woman glanced at Lin Chen, taken aback, and realized he was serious. "What's your plan? I'm all ears."

She was aware that after Lin Chen had attended the company meeting, he had decisively instructed Loong Shiya to seek out a new acquisition target. The strategy was sound, and they needed to act swiftly.

"Drop the negotiations with Liu Huaixing. Instead, you and your assistant, Ye Xin, should approach Rainbow Beautification privately," Lin Chen said with a self-assured grin.

"What? You want me to continue talks with Rainbow Beautification behind the scenes?" The woman was startled. Hadn't Rainbow Beautification already been swayed by Xie Shaofeng?

"By having Loong Shiya spread the word that we're seeking a new acquisition, I aimed to signal to the Xie family that we're no longer interested in Rainbow Beautification," Lin Chen explained.

"And then what?" Su Qingxue was puzzled, sensing there was more to his plan.

"Next, we let the Xie family drop Rainbow Beautification because their true intent isn't to buy; they're just using their wealth to compete with us, aiming to take down Phoenix Group. If all goes as expected, they should be approaching Liu Huaixing by now," Lin Chen continued, driving and analyzing the situation with poise.

"So, Iron Claw Holdings has reneged on their deal and is no longer collaborating with Rainbow Beautification?" Su Qingxue asked, her eyes wide with realization. She hadn't considered this angle, but Lin Chen's insight had quickly clarified everything.

"Exactly. Tomorrow, discreetly take your team to negotiate with Rainbow Beautification. Make sure no one gets wind of it. Your two uncles are staunchly opposed, and I fear there might be moles within our company. We must proceed with the utmost secrecy," Lin Chen instructed.

"I get it now. I never thought you'd come up with such a strategy. Let's hope it works out as you've described!"

Su Qingxue had been frustrated and felt helpless after her unsuccessful negotiation with Liu Huaixing, but Lin Chen's insights had suddenly fired her up. She was starting to see just how resourceful her husband was becoming.