Chapter 95: The Negotiation

That evening, Boss Hong drove to the town’s guest house to rest, leaving Li Ying and Le'er to have a thorough discussion. Boss Hong was a businessman, and judging by his solemn demeanor, it was clear he intended to make a significant investment here. One million was a small sum to him; if Le'er was willing, he would gladly invest five million to become the majority shareholder.

Li Ying, naturally, would not allow him to take control.

"Le'er... please, no more tonight." Le'er was becoming restless beside her again. Li Ying pleaded, catching his hands. "These past few days, you've left me so worn out I can barely walk. You fool... hmm, you are simply too much; no woman could endure this. If we go on like this, I will... Le'er... no..."

Every night, she was pushed to the brink of exhaustion and ecstasy, leaving her body feeling overwhelmed. Whenever Le'er crawled toward her, she felt a flicker of trepidation.

"Sister... just once tonight, won't you?"

"Le'er... you... be gentle... show some mercy... hmm..."

Li Ying was inclined to indulge him. Besides, as his hands wandered over her, waves of pleasure surged, making it impossible to restrain herself. Her beautiful body trembled, and beneath them, a stream began to flow. The mix of love and fear left her unable to stop, and they quickly became intertwined.

Once Le'er began, how could he not be tender? Under his advances, Li Ying opened herself completely, like a flower blooming in spring.

Time and again, she was carried to the peaks of pleasure, drifting into unconsciousness, only to be awakened by ecstasy once more, sinking into an endless sea of delight. When the final rush of warmth submerged her, her blurred eyes went wide.

"Le'er... no more tonight, we have negotiations tomorrow." As she regained a sliver of clarity, she begged, "My good brother, this negotiation is vital. We must get some rest tonight."

"Hmm..."

Le'er smiled brightly, revealing his white teeth. He pulled Li Ying into his arms, and they drifted into a deep sleep. That night, he did not disturb her, and they slept until the sun was high in the sky.

Li Ying awoke feeling refreshed and looked happily at the waking Le'er.

"Good Le'er, time to get up."

"Sister, what would you like to eat?" Le'er began to busy himself as soon as he rose. "Shall I cook some lotus seed porridge for you?"

"Hmm, Le'er is so sweet."

Li Ying smiled charmingly. The rural sun was warm, casting a gentle glow upon her. Wearing only a sweater, she walked through the garden. The baby bok choy planted just a while ago were growing beautifully, a lovely, lush green. The scallions were a deep, vibrant green, swaying in the breeze, and the garlic sprouts stretched long leaves.

From time to time, she would bend down, extending her fair, slender fingers to pull a few weeds. Now, she could distinguish between the vegetables and the weeds, knowing the latter had to be removed. She only hesitated when she saw small bugs on the leaves, afraid to touch them.

"Le'er, there are bugs on the leaves."

Le'er scampered into the garden and plucked the bugs away. A few pear and peach trees stood in the yard, with small birds chirping in the branches, and a yellow dog barked as it circled her, chasing the birds that flew into the patch. Such days were truly wonderful; even if they didn't make a fortune, living such a peaceful and quiet life was full of joy.

"Sister, the porridge is ready."

Hearing Le'er’s call, Li Ying walked gently out of the garden. After she washed her hands, Le'er had already placed the lotus seed porridge on the table—a white, fragrant rice porridge with the subtle scent of lotus seeds. Beside it was a plate of pickles: white radishes, tender yellow ginger, long ginger beans, and bright red chili peppers.

Le'er had pickled these himself; he was truly a master of the craft. The sour radishes were cut into small pieces, the tender ginger into slices, the beans into strips, and the chili peppers were kept whole.

Li Ying was from Guangzhou and wasn't used to spicy food, but looking at the vibrant red, she was both fearful and tempted. Seeing Le'er pop a whole chili into his mouth and chew it with gusto, she shook her head and picked up a piece of radish. She took a small bite; it was slightly sour, slightly salty, perfectly seasoned, and wonderfully crisp.

After finishing two bowls of porridge, the sound of a car engine echoed on the road. Boss Hong had arrived. Le'er slurped his porridge down in a few gulps; in the eyes of a beauty, his manners were quite lacking. Li Ying shot him a reproachful look, but he just grinned and kept eating.

"Boss Hong, you've arrived quite early."

Li Ying smiled, and Le'er cleared the table before stepping out to greet him.

"There is still a mountain of work in Foshan. I need to settle things here as quickly as possible and head back," Boss Hong said with a graceful smile. "You two look radiant—a sure sign of impending wealth."

"Thank you for your kind words, Boss Hong. With your immense wealth and status, you are more than just radiant; you are glowing. We are just relying on you to make a little fortune ourselves. Hehe, let's all get rich together."

Le'er had learned to speak quickly; in the past, he would stutter in front of Boss Hong and Li Ying, but now he could respond with ease. Li Ying looked at him with an appreciative, smiling gaze.

"Hmm... Le'er has even learned to flatter. Remarkable." Boss Hong’s eyes lit up. "Mr. Long read your physiognomy and said you were destined for extraordinary achievements. It seems he was right."

Mr. Long was the feng shui master he had brought along. He was currently standing beside Boss Hong, his eyes constantly scanning Le'er and Li Ying. Hearing Boss Hong’s words, he beamed.

"Indeed, Le'er's features and bone structure indicate a life of great wealth and prosperity. And..." Mr. Long glanced at Li Ying, adding with a joking tone, "he has excellent relations with women. For a man, women are synonymous with wealth. A good wealth chart always attracts many women. Look at your nose—it’s full and firm, your 'wealth furnace' wings are thriving, and your secondary wealth luck is exceptionally strong..."

Li Ying looked at Le'er with a meaningful smile, making Le'er feel quite embarrassed. He thought to himself that Mr. Long really didn't know how to read the room; he couldn't tell if the man was doing it on purpose or playing dumb, saying such things while Li Ying was standing right there.

"Haha... Le'er, congratulations," Boss Hong laughed heartily. "Li Ying, you had better keep a close eye on Le'er."

"It's fine..." Li Ying replied with a bitter smile. "Let's wait until he actually becomes wealthy. Which man of great wealth is a... 'good' person?"

She had originally intended to say "good thing," but with Boss Hong present, she changed the wording at the last second. Her comment drew another roar of laughter from Boss Hong. She was right; men of wealth and power were rarely "good things." Boss Hong himself had lost count of how many women he had.

What did men earn money for, anyway? Especially billionaires—beyond luxury cars and mansions, it was all about beautiful women. If a mansion didn't have a few beautiful women in it, wouldn't that be a terrible waste?

To them, women and vases, while not synonyms, were certainly near-synonyms.

Didn't wealthy women also like to keep a few "face-men" in their luxury cars? In the dictionary of a wealthy woman, perhaps a "face-man" was just a synonym for a pet dog.

The three of them sat down. Li Ying served tea she had brewed herself.

Boss Hong got straight to the point.

"I want a fifty percent share. You name the price."

Boss Hong had ample capital; he only cared about the shares, not the price. Li Ying and Le'er exchanged a glance. Le'er smiled, and Li Ying offered an equally charming smile.

"Boss Hong, Le'er and I are not short on funds," Li Ying said calmly, taking a sip of tea. "The county’s first phase of poverty-alleviation loans can provide two million in interest-free financing over ten years."

"What do you mean by that?"

Boss Hong stared at Li Ying; he was a lion now.

"Le'er and I have discussed it. We can only accept your investment of one million. I am also investing one million. Like you, I will only hold twenty percent of the shares; Le'er will hold sixty percent."

Li Ying was also direct, cutting out the small talk.

"Le'er is investing how much to hold sixty percent?"

"Le'er is investing 1.5 million."

Boss Hong couldn't help but laugh, though his eyes flickered as he did so. He was a successful businessman who believed in asking for the sky and settling on the ground.

At this moment, they were like strangers, pure business partners.

"Le'er invests 1.5 million and gets sixty percent, while I invest one million and only get twenty percent? Isn't that a bit unfair?"

"Boss Hong, I don't think I need to explain, do I?" Li Ying knew he was an old fox in the business world, saying one thing while thinking another. His interest wasn't in the money, but in the shares. She didn't call his bluff, but smiled instead. "Le'er is like a high-quality IPO. The cost per share might look like one yuan now, but the actual value is likely dozens. You’re a veteran trader; can you not see that?"

"Haha..." Boss Hong laughed again. "In front of you, Li Ying, I won't beat around the bush. I don't care about the amount of the investment right now; I just want more shares. Twenty percent is too little."

"No." Li Ying shook her head firmly. "Twenty percent is the limit. Furthermore, you must provide technical support and training for free. In future collaborations, you can increase your investment and stake, but not now. This is a poverty-alleviation project; we must maintain Le'er's absolute majority."

"Future... what other projects could there be?"

Seeing Li Ying’s resolve, Boss Hong knew he could only achieve so much with this investment. In truth, this small snake-farming project was optional for him; he had his sights set on Le'er’s future development. He was asking a question he already knew the answer to.

"The economy of Longshan County is just starting to take off. As long as this poverty-alleviation project succeeds, will there be any shortage of projects in the future?" Li Ying knew he was playing dumb and was happy to do the same. "Le'er will certainly become a star of poverty alleviation and prosperity in Longshan County. When that time comes, with a solid economic foundation and the support of the county party secretary and other officials, he is bound to become a influential figure in this land. How could economic development proceed without him?"

Le'er had never thought that far ahead; he was only focused on how to raise the snakes well. He listened to the two of them spar, their hidden meanings unclear to him, so he didn't quite grasp their intent. However, he knew that Li Ying was wholeheartedly looking out for his best interests and fighting for his benefit.

Boss Hong said nothing, took a sip of tea, and pondered for a moment.

"Boss Hong, if you want to maximize your gains in the future, you must do your best to help Le'er make this project a success now. Only when Le'er has a solid foundation can he ensure he has the room to flex his muscles in Longshan County later."

Boss Hong finally looked up.

"Very well." He set down his teacup. "If it weren't for you two, I wouldn't trust this. The business world changes in an instant; who can guarantee what will happen? I can only bet this on your character. Let’s go to Longshan County today and sign the contract."

The decision was made.