C19 Despicable Person!

After leaving the villa, Lin Yuan made a beeline for the Dihao Hotel, taking a moment to call Zhao Feng on the way.

"Send someone to protect her."

Reluctantly leaving Bai Shuang's side due to her insistence, Lin Yuan resolved to handle his business swiftly and return to her as soon as possible.

Nestled in the heart of the city's vibrant district, the Dihao Hotel was renowned as the premier venue for high-end banquets—a fact known to all city dwellers.

Arriving at the entrance, Lin Yuan surveyed the establishment with a critical eye. The disparity between this Dihao Hotel and its headquarters was stark. Shaking his head, he pushed through the doors, casually grabbing a piece of candy from the counter and popping it into his mouth.

Inside, Xu Youcai was already there, awaiting a guest. He scowled at the sight of Lin Yuan helping himself to the candy.

"Could you show a little decorum?" he chided. "What would our partners think if they saw you behaving like this? You're making a fool of our company."

Lin Yuan simply rolled his eyes in response, too exasperated to engage.

The counter's offerings were there for the taking, after all. What was the harm in enjoying a candy he'd paid for? Would that really invite scorn?

At the Dihao Hotel's headquarters, located in the romantic capital of the Francis Empire, world-class tycoons and celebrities frequented, often indulging in the counter's treats without a second thought.

The delicacies at Dihao's counter were crafted with care, a detail well-known to patrons. Yet, most people hesitated to partake, worried about their image, not realizing that the true elite wouldn't bat an eye at such trivialities.

Xu Youcai, it seemed, was one of those overly concerned with status.

"I've prepared a banquet to welcome our partners. Get moving and bring in the tobacco and liquor," he commanded, his impatience with Lin Yuan evident.

At that moment, other members of the Sales Department approached, each one issuing commands to Lin Yuan.

It seemed they had dumped all the menial tasks on him.

Without a word, Lin Yuan set about his work, carrying the items into the banquet hall.

As he approached the door, he paused, his ears twitching slightly.

"Is everything ready?" The voice was barely audible, belonging to Xu Youcai. Had Lin Yuan's hearing not been exceptionally keen, the words would have been lost to him.

"Rest assured, boss, I've discreetly added the substance to the drinks. When Lin Yuan goes up to make the toast, any mishap will fall squarely on his shoulders, and you can simply sit back and enjoy the show."

The man standing by Xu Youcai was a middle-aged individual with a shifty appearance, clearly not the trustworthy type. He surreptitiously scanned the room, a sly grin plastered on his face.

Lin Yuan, acting as if he hadn't overheard a thing, kept walking. Upon entering the banquet hall and finding it empty, his gaze settled on the most expensive bottle of wine.

This particular bottle, shrouded in layers of security, caught Lin Yuan's attention. He opened it and instantly realized it had been tampered with.

The culprit had been cautious, replacing the cork and restoring the red bow to its original state, but the subtle marks did not escape Lin Yuan's discerning eye.

He brought the bottle to his nose for a gentle sniff and frowned.

"You're digging your own grave."

He then replaced the bottle exactly as he found it, feigning ignorance, and continued handling the other beverages.

After Lin Yuan completed his tasks, the delegation finally made their way to the Dihao Hotel.

A tall, striking woman stood at the heart of the group, her exotic allure drawing the gazes of many men as she passed.

"Please join me in welcoming Miss Selina."

Xu Youcai greeted her with a deep bow at the entrance, his voice resonating with respect.

The staff members nearby also bowed, stealing glances upward. The male employees, captivated by Selina's beauty and charm, were visibly entranced.

Only Lin Yuan stood apart, his nonchalance infuriating Xu Youcai, who stomped his foot in frustration, unable to vent his anger openly, and resorted to sending pointed looks.

But Lin Yuan seemed oblivious to his signals, waiting patiently until the partners from the cooperative had entered the banquet hall and settled down. Only then did Xu Youcai's anger boil over.

"Lin Yuan, what kind of attitude is that? We're hosting distinguished guests, particularly Miss Selina, who is an esteemed noble from the empire. The way you were staring at her earlier was utterly disgraceful to our company."

Lin Yuan let out a cold laugh. Just moments ago, Xu Youcai was practically salivating—did he honestly believe no one noticed?

"You seem to be missing a key point," Lin Yuan said. "We're partners, not in a hierarchy. There's no need to grovel. Doing so only invites disrespect."

"I'm starting to regret bringing you along today. If this negotiation falls through, it's on you. Are you aware that Miss Selina is a senior executive with one of the world's top 100 corporations? Do you have any idea how much effort our company has expended to get to this point? We've been given the chance to negotiate because she's agreed to meet with us, which is an honor in itself. Do you honestly think we're on equal footing?"

Xu Youcai regarded Lin Yuan with a look of scorn—such naivety from the youth, thinking they knew it all.

In this world, the concept of fairness was a farce. The disparity in strength between the two parties was stark; they weren't even in the same league. Without showing due respect and servitude, the negotiation was bound to fail.

Shaking his head, he walked away to take a seat in the banquet hall, no longer willing to engage with Xu Youcai.

Xu Youcai's face turned a shade of iron as he watched Lin Yuan. To the uninformed observer, it might appear that Lin Yuan was the one in charge of the Sales Department.

Yet Xu Youcai did possess a certain talent; he was fluent in the language of the Farsi Empire and communicated effortlessly with the foreign delegates.

He sat next to Selina, a sycophantic smile plastered on his face.

Lin Yuan, overhearing from the sidelines, quickly grasped the essence of the cooperation at hand. But what shocked him was Xu Youcai's brazen manipulation of the agreement. The profits were supposed to be split evenly, yet Xu Youcai had skewed the terms to a seventy-thirty split, with the lion's share going to the other party. This arrangement left the company with slim margins and a high risk of loss.

Without hesitation, Lin Yuan pulled out his phone and began recording the scene.

Selina occupied the seat of honor, her gaze filled with a touch of contempt for everyone around her. She exuded an air of nobility, like a true princess, barely paying attention even as Xu Youcai spoke.

"Seriously, it's just a small company. Why did my family insist on sending me personally, and furthermore, expect me to secure a partnership with them?"

Selina was growing increasingly irritated, particularly when the man beside her spoke with less than perfect pronunciation—it was grating on her nerves.

"Our company is prepared to forgo a significant portion of the profits this time around. As long as we can establish a cooperative intent with your firm, we're looking forward to a long-term partnership," Xu Youcai declared with palpable excitement.

For him, securing this partnership was paramount; the potential earnings were secondary. This deal would be a standout addition to his resume, a testament to his ability to broker a partnership between a small company and a global top 100 conglomerate. It would give him a stronger hand in future negotiations with other major groups, regardless of any losses the company might incur.

"Excuse me for interrupting, but wasn't the company's stipulation a 50% profit share? Why has it suddenly dropped to 30%?" Lin Yuan couldn't watch any longer. He approached, wine glass in hand, and spoke with ease. He used the same language, yet his words flowed more smoothly, with a clarity that carried an elusive, classical charm.

Selina, who had been listlessly bored and annoyed, perked up at his words, lifting her gaze. In her homeland, such a refined accent was the hallmark of true nobility, the kind with centuries of heritage behind them.

Yet, when she looked up, she saw a man with the unmistakable features of a Huaxia native, leaving her momentarily bewildered.

"Miss Selina, I'm the primary negotiator for this cooperation. This gentleman is the head of the Sales Department, but he's not responsible for this deal. Regarding the profit sharing, I believe you can disregard his comments," Lin Yuan stated, his demeanor far more assured and commanding than Xu Youcai's timid, head-bowed approach.

"Oh my goodness, I never expected to encounter such a familiar voice in this ancient land. Could you be a descendant of our country's nobility, left behind in Huaxia?" Selina's eyes shone with curiosity as she fixed her gaze on Lin Yuan, the matter of money now a distant thought.

To Selina, the details of this deal paled in comparison to the intrigue before her. The profits were inconsequential.

For Selina, Lin Yuan's allure was significantly greater.

Xu Youcai's face turned ashen when he heard Lin Yuan's abrupt remarks. "Didn't I instruct you to just observe from the sidelines? Are you deliberately causing trouble? If this deal falls through, I swear you'll be out of the company."

He was on the cusp of success when Lin Yuan's interruption came. Xu Youcai was so furious he felt like smashing his fist into Lin Yuan's face.

"You're trading the company's profits for your own gain," he seethed. "I'll make sure my wife hears about this. I'm curious to see how you'll handle it. And since I'm in a generous mood, I suggest you head back to the office, tender your resignation, and get out. Consider this your chance to walk away."

Lin Yuan responded with a smirk.

Xu Youcai had covertly slipped a drug into the wine, intending for Lin Yuan to offer a toast, all to set him up for a fall.

And given Selina's stunning looks, Xu Youcai suspected he had other unsavory intentions in mind.

In the end, Xu Youcai would reap all the rewards, while Lin Yuan would be left holding the bag.

Such tactics might work on a greenhorn, but against Lin Yuan, they were laughably amateurish.

A contemptible scoundrel, that's what he was.