C3 I'll Think of a Way

"Who says I can't afford it?"

Lin Sheng gave Zhao Hongbin a look of contempt. "Sure, Zhou Guoli's jewelry is nice, but it's stylistically limited and only really known domestically. I could easily get my hands on some... You know what, for Yunfei's birthday next month, I'll gift her a piece from Master Zhou, one of those worth over a hundred million. Then you can all witness something truly exceptional."

"Haha, you?"

Zhao Hongbin laughed uncontrollably. "Lin Sheng, it's one thing to be poor, but to be both poor and a braggart is just shameless! Giving away something worth hundreds of millions just like that? Why don't you claim you'll be Prime Minister tomorrow, or a monarch the day after? Better yet, give the whole kingdom to Yunfei while you're at it! Hahaha."

Lin Sheng shot him a mocking glance, too tired of the nonsense to engage further. He took Cheng Yunfei by the hand and they entered the house.

"Stop right there!"

Zhao Hongbin, desperate, hurried to intercept them. "Cheng Yunfei, are you trying to oppose me? Be sensible and get this guy out of here, or else..."

The resounding slam of the door was Lin Sheng's only reply.

Zhao Hongbin raged on the outside, but Lin Sheng was unfazed, lounging on the sofa as soon as he stepped inside.

Cheng Yunfei looked on with a hint of astonishment; this was the first time she had seen Lin Sheng so bold, a far cry from his former timidity.

She sighed, feeling a bit exasperated. "Lin Sheng, didn't I tell you to watch what you say? And here you are, offending them right off the bat."

"Honey, he came here because of you. I couldn't just stand by and let you be harassed, could I?" Lin Sheng retorted. "What's more, do you really think he'd leave you alone if I kept quiet? Trust me, he'd only escalate things."

Cheng Yunfei fell silent, knowing he was right. She wasn't naive and understood Lin Sheng's point all too well. Yet, there's always that sliver of hope that maybe, just maybe, others might be merciful.

"Sigh."

Cheng Yunfei let out a sigh. "Let it be. What's done is done. I can't fault you for it. But now, I'm afraid Zhao Hongbin won't just stand by and watch..."

As if on cue, barely ten minutes had passed before the Cheng family received a phone call.

"Cheng Yunfei, I am officially notifying you! The family has decided that you will be responsible for the expansion of Tiankang Pharmaceutical. If there are no results within a month, prepare to be shown the door!"

Cheng Yunfei was dumbfounded. Tiankang Pharmaceutical was a national industry giant, unrivaled in the pharmaceutical sector. Why would such a prestigious company stoop to collaborate with the Cheng family?

Let alone the Cheng family, even if Zhao Hongbin represented the Zhao family, chances were he'd be turned away!

It was an impossible mission!

Clearly, Zhao Hongbin was pressuring the Cheng family. If she failed, the consequences were predictable.

The more Cheng Yunfei pondered, the more hopeless she felt, overwhelmed by a sense of injustice.

Lin Sheng, standing nearby, furrowed his brow. He was familiar with Tiankang Pharmaceutical and understood the magnitude of the challenge.

Even he wasn't sure he could persuade them to partner up without disclosing his real identity.

What to do?

After a brief pause, Lin Sheng spoke up, "Honey, let me handle this. I'll figure something out."

Unfortunately, Cheng Yunfei was skeptical, or perhaps she simply couldn't afford to be: "What could you possibly do? You don't even know which way the gates of Tiankang Pharmaceutical open! Sigh, never mind. Go cook... I'll try to find someone else."

"And remember, don't tell my mother about this. She'll only make a fuss."

Lin Sheng offered no rebuttal; he simply nodded and headed for the kitchen.

While Cheng Yunfei was distracted, he took out his phone and sent a text message.

The trees long for calm, but the wind will not cease. At this juncture, Lin Sheng was done pretending.

It was time to show his hand.

2 PM.

At the East Hero International Hotel's outdoor revolving restaurant, the opulent dining area was deserted. Lin Sheng, dressed in a casual outfit bleached white from many washes, gazed down expressionlessly at the expanse of Jiang City below.

A deferential middle-aged man in his thirties stood behind him, bowing as he offered an apology.

"Young Master, the oversight was mine... Miss Ning's departure was so abrupt. Apart from the Ning family's personal bodyguards, no one knew she had come to find you. We only received the news today, so..."

"Uncle Liu, you're not to blame."

Lin Sheng turned with a wry smile. "Xinyue has picked up some bad habits. Not a soul in Yan City noticed her departure. It's my own doing, really. Had I known, I wouldn't have had Qingqing protect her. Those two troublemakers..."

He sighed, continuing, "A year of amnesia, and suddenly I have a wife. It's as much a surprise to me as anyone... I've thought about explaining things to Xinyue, but some matters only get messier the more you try to clarify. Sometimes, it's best to leave things unsaid."

The middle-aged man stepped closer. "Young Master, our people report that Miss Ning didn't leave Jiang City after she departed yesterday. It seems she intends to stay. This means your cover will soon be blown... When that happens, I fear the Lin family's old rivals will struggle to hold back."

Lin Sheng responded with a nonchalant nod, "I'm aware. I'm actually more concerned they won't dare to act... Since we can't keep it under wraps, there's no point in trying. Uncle Liu, go ahead and leak the news about my attack in Yan City. I'm curious to see just how many are eyeing the Lin family's fortunes!"

Truth be told, Lin Sheng had regained his memory a year prior. The sudden acquisition of a wife and the lurking threat of enemies had forced him to remain under the radar, even if it meant playing the part of a kept man for so long.

But now, the moment to drop the charade had arrived.

Having taken care of some minor details, Lin Sheng departed from the East Hero International Hotel. Uncle Liu had offered to arrange transportation, but Lin Sheng declined.

Riding solo on his compact electric scooter, Lin Sheng arrived at the Guangfa Bank where his mother-in-law, Zhao Juann, had taken out a loan.

Guangfa Bank was a private institution that had its origins in informal lending. Although it had since formalized its operations, remnants of its earlier business model persisted.

Lin Sheng had learned from his subordinates that Zhao Juann's mismanagement of her debts had led to her being coerced into borrowing two million yuan—a scheme orchestrated by Cheng Jin. It was clear that not only was she currently unable to produce such a sum, but even if she could, the bank would likely concoct excuses to complicate matters and postpone her repayment.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Lin Sheng strode into the bank, took a number, and approached the counter. "Excuse me, I need to withdraw two million."

His request left the teller bewildered.

Giving Lin Sheng a once-over, she responded with impatience, "Have you been watching too many dramas? Just casually asking for two million yuan. Is there even that much in your account?"

Unperturbed, Lin Sheng replied calmly, "Two million is trivial. Please proceed with the withdrawal."

The teller scoffed, "Getting defensive, are we? Are you aware that withdrawals over two hundred thousand yuan require an appointment in advance?"