C15 A Gift

Faang Yu might not have the highest emotional intelligence, but his intellectual capacity was certainly not lacking. He easily grasped the subtext in Su Ruoxue's words. Initially, he had assumed she was seeking him out to apologize solely about the Pill issue, especially since he had noticed that her problem was already resolved. But now, he realized that Su Ruoxue had likely spotted the commercial potential of the Pill and was seeking a business discussion. Unfortunately, her approach had been derailed by Lin Xiaoxuan, resulting in the current predicament.

"Are we talking about a partnership?" Faang Yu probed cautiously. He had his suspicions, but what if he was wrong? That would be quite embarrassing, wouldn't it?

Su Ruoxue nodded affirmatively. "Exactly!"

That was precisely why she had taken the initiative to approach Faang Yu.

To women, the Pill was nothing short of a godsend. Su Ruoxue had previously contemplated solutions to their plight, but those ideas had never progressed beyond the conceptual stage. Current medical advancements simply didn't offer a remedy capable of completely alleviating women's discomfort—only mitigating it at best. And even if such a remedy existed, the likelihood of it being free from side effects was slim.

The Pill provided by Faang Yu, while not yet verified to be free of side effects, had shown remarkable efficacy. Su Ruoxue's current consideration was that if Faang Yu's Pill proved to be entirely without adverse effects, she could leverage Su's Group's influence to launch it into the market. It would not only be a boon for women but also generate substantial profits for Su's Group.

"Sure, but the Pill won't come cheap!" For Faang Yu, collaborating with Su's Group was all benefit and no drawback. He could market the product independently, but with his business in its infancy and brand recognition still nascent, going it alone would be highly inefficient. Partnering with Su's Group, on the other hand, promised a return on investment beyond his wildest expectations.

"The price isn't an issue, but it must come with the assurance of no side effects," Su Ruoxue insisted. She was eager to turn a profit, but not at the expense of Su's Group's reputation.

"You can absolutely be confident in this. If you're skeptical, I'm willing to provide you with a Pill for free. Take it, have an expert analyze it, and once you're sure there are no side effects, we can talk about a potential partnership," Faang Yu said, unfazed by Su Ruoxue's concerns. He reached into his pocket, seemingly to retrieve something, but in reality, he was purchasing a Pill from the System Shop to present to her.

The pill, identical to the one from two days prior and exuding a pleasant fragrance, materialized in Faang Yu's hand, which he casually tossed to Su Ruoxue.

Su Ruoxue, seemingly anticipating this, quickly had someone take the pill for testing. She mentioned that the results would be ready in three hours—a testament to their alarming efficiency.

Ah, so it's about a partnership!

Standing to the side, Fann Jianrong listened to their exchange and felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Yet, his animosity towards Faang Yu remained. Human emotions are complex; things may seem fine now, but what about when they start working together and have to meet regularly? What then? It's best to nip any potential danger in the bud.

Fann Jianrong swirled the wine in his glass, his mind already plotting.

...

Before long, Old Master Su, clad in a traditional Tang suit, emerged from the villa with a warm and vigorous demeanor, clearly in high spirits.

Joy has a way of brightening one's outlook!

Today wasn't his birthday celebration, but the joy of moving to a new home was another of life's great pleasures.

"Good to see you, Old Master Su!" As he appeared, even the assembled business magnates, each a titan in their own right, offered their greetings laced with a touch of reverence. After all, this was the man who single-handedly built Su's Group into a legend. In just a few decades, he transformed from an average Joe into a business mogul with control over nearly a trillion in assets. Even though he'd stepped back and handed over the reins of Su's Group to his son, his influence was undeniable.

Their own business successes seemed trivial compared to Old Master Su's. Even their forebears would dim in his presence.

The Su's Group was nothing short of a commercial empire.

"Ha ha, welcome everyone! I'm delighted you could join us for this auspicious occasion. Please, enjoy the food and drinks," Old Master Su greeted them with a hearty laugh. Despite being in his seventies or eighties, he moved with the vigor of a much younger man, his vitality rivaling that of those half his age. His health was truly remarkable.

"Old Master Su, please accept this humble token of my appreciation!" A middle-aged man in his forties, with a hint of stoutness, approached with a smile, extending a meticulously wrapped box to the man standing next to Old Master Su.

Witnessing this, the rest of the attendees quickly followed suit, presenting their own carefully selected gifts. It was, after all, a housewarming celebration, and arriving empty-handed would be laughable. They couldn't risk tarnishing their reputations, especially when the guest of honor was Old Master Su himself.

The price tag on the gifts was secondary; what truly mattered was the thought behind them. Yet, given their stature as titans of industry, these businessmen wouldn't dream of offering anything less than lavish—tens of thousands of yuan was the unspoken minimum.

As Faang Yu was about to present the dragon and phoenix pendant he had prepared, a robust, elderly voice rang out: "Haha, Su Yuan, you really know how to live it up! Quietly creating such a grand estate."

All eyes turned to the source of the laughter—an elderly man dressed in a traditional Tang suit, his half-foot-long white beard bobbing as he chuckled. His face bore the deep lines of age, resembling the rough bark of an ancient tree, yet his eyes twinkled with vitality, a testament to the strength behind his booming voice. Sporting a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, he exuded an air of scholarly distinction.

"Old Monster Jiang, I was starting to think you wouldn't show up!" Old Master Su replied with a hearty laugh, stepping forward to greet him.

To the onlookers, the nature of their camaraderie was a mystery, but for Old Master Su, the man before him was a cherished childhood friend. Though their paths had diverged—with Su entering the world of commerce and Jiang devoting himself to the study of antiques—their bond remained unshaken.

Throughout the years, they made it a point to reunite a few times annually, and a celebration like this was certainly a cause for gathering.

"Why would I miss this? But just to be clear, I've come without a gift—my presence is purely for the pleasure of your company and the feast!" Old Monster Jiang declared unabashedly, without a hint of discomfort.

"Do you really think I'm after your trinkets?" Old Master Su, Su Yuan, gave a dismissive roll of his eyes.

"Ha, just kidding around. I recently picked up a little something from the Antique Market. It's quite nice, so I'm gifting it to you!" Old Monster Jiang said, pulling a lustrous green thumb ring out of his pocket. Its exact value was unclear, but judging by the quality of the ring, it was likely not cheap.

Old Master Su accepted the gift without hesitation, examined it briefly, and then slipped it onto his left thumb.

Sensing the right moment, Faang Yu presented his own offering, a Dragon and Phoenix Jade Pendant: "Old Master Su, this is a modest token of my respect. I hope you'll accept it."

Then, an ill-timed comment cut through the air: "Boss Faang, on the auspicious occasion of Old Master Su's housewarming, don't you think offering just a jade pendant seems a tad miserly?"