These words startled Chu Xiaoxin. He had just been listening to his elder brother's sarcastic remarks, feeling secretly pleased. Now, hearing Chu Xiaozhong deliberately mention that Song Tianyao had registered a trading company, intending to make money on his own and break away from the Chu Family, he immediately looked at Chu Yaozong and began to explain:
"A-Yao consulted me before registering his own trading company. He only made the arrangements after I gave my approval. Moreover, Cai Wenhong, my mother, and I were all aware of it. Besides, he doesn't plan to manage that trading company himself. He's also going to help me set up Pharmaceutical Factory. That company is just on paper. All the medicines will go through your Zhuxing Company's warehouse. He'll just leave a little bit of profit in his company's accounts."
"I'll leave him a hair!" Chu Xiaozhong, who should have been fine before, glared at him and said, disregarding Chu Yaozong's presence. Although he didn't directly use profanity, to him, this was extremely vulgar. "You bastard, if you want profits, just tell me directly. Have you seen any of the Chu Family's five companies? Which secretary runs their own company while working for the family? If he does this, others working for the Chu Family will follow suit. What am I supposed to do?"
Chu Yaozong watched the two brothers' conversation with a smile. This seemingly argumentative talk wouldn't cause any major trouble. It would be problematic if Chu Xiaozhong really suffered a loss and remained silent, or if Chu Xiaoxin generously gave up most of the profits for Chu Xiaozhong. It was possible that the two brothers were already preparing to act like the Zhang Family brothers, smiling on the surface but stabbing each other in the back.
At this point, they argued about their respective interests. The principle is that even close brothers should keep clear accounts, and if the accounts are clear and the benefits are distinct, conflicts will not arise, because both Likang and Li Heng are independent and separate companies.
The benefit this time was won by Likang standing up to the Zhang Family head-on. Although Likang did indeed rely on his and the Cai Family's influence behind the scenes, if Song Tianyao hadn't risked his life to fight, his Second Son would probably still be living a life of debauchery, not to mention doing charity, he might even have to come home and beg for pocket money.
Since Likang personally seized it, Likang naturally had the right to distribute the spoils. The Cai Family already held 40% of the shares in the European Coast Company and were quite satisfied. As for the Chu Family, if you include the 20% stake in the European Coast Company held by their youngest son, Chu Xiaozhi, plus the Zhuxing Trading Company that Chu Xiaozhong had acquired, their share was already considerable. After all, the Chu Family wasn't an outsider like the Cai Family; there was still a sense of kinship involved. They couldn't let Chu Xiaoxin generously give away all his wealth to Chu Xiaozhong.
As for Song Tianyao, Chu Xiaozhong made a mistake. He is not the secretary of the Chu Family, but the secretary of Chu Xiaoxin. The Chu Family belongs to Chu Xiaozhong, but Chu Xiaoxin's Likang does not.
The brothers maintained their familial bond, but their business positions remained distinct.
"Where did A-Yao go?" Chu Yaozong asked Chu Xiaoxin.
He was curious about what the young man who had risked his life to carefully orchestrate the whole affair was doing now.
"A-Yao is going to book three seafood restaurants— Tai Pak, Su Garden, and Facing the Waves —to hold a concubine selection event for me. He's also planning to play the role of a spendthrift to pick up girls. That bastard has been my secretary for so long, he's spent who knows how much money he's made, but he probably hasn't even touched a woman's waist." Chu Xiaoxin scratched his head and said when his father asked about Song Tianyao.
Chu Yaozong, feeling utterly pleased, laughed heartily, "Good! Back then, I was too preoccupied with scheming to indulge in women, but now that the curtain has fallen, it's time to be carefree, riding a horse and leaning against a bridge, with beauties beckoning me from all around!"
Chapter 179 Wanqing
"Hey, is it a bit inappropriate for me to have such a big celebration?" Chu Xiaoxin, slightly drunk, pushed away the women sitting around him and asked Song Tianyao, who had just sat down to rest.
"You really think this is a selection of concubines, Big Brother?" Song Tianyao poured himself a cup of tea to moisten his throat. "What do you think those Pharmaceutical Association members came to congratulate you were all for? Of course, it's because Likang is now the leader in the pharmaceutical industry, and you're now the Big Brother provides them with food. Those guys who used to work for the Zhang Family are taking this opportunity to curry favor with the new boss. They're not here to congratulate you; they're here to show their faces in front of you so it'll be easier to continue dealing with you later."
"I don't even remember what those people look like. I can't even keep track of all the women, how could I possibly look at them or interact with them?" Chu Xiaoxin said, hiccuping and his face flushed with wine.
Song Tianyao smiled at him, "Given your current status, all you need to do is make sure they remember the name Chu Xiaoxin. You don't need to deliberately remember who they are. Just because they come over to congratulate you and have a drink, you think my boss will remember them? It's not that easy. Do you think you can just say a few flattering words and expect to get more of the hot-selling medicine? Do you really think my boss is Philanthropist?"
"I really am Philanthropist." Chu Xiaoxin looked at Song Tianyao and replied to this at just the right moment.
Song Tianyao patted his forehead. "I misspoke, but even Philanthropists wouldn't do charity like that."
"It's not surprising that dozens of people from the Pharmaceutical Association, big and small, came to congratulate me. It's not surprising that my older brother also came over to have a couple of drinks with me. It's even less surprising that dozens of cronies I met at the Lichi Nightclub came to drink with me. But what's that bastard Chan Ah-sap up to? He brought a bunch of his men over and made them drink three bowls of wine like his wife had died before leaving. What's he up to?" Chu Xiaoxin put his arm around a pretty woman's shoulder and asked Song Tianyao.
At this time, on the third floor of Taibai Seafood Restaurant, besides a group of beautiful women, a few waiters, and Fuyixing's henchmen, only Chu Xiaoxin and Song Tianyao remained.
Chu Xiaoxin's friends from the entertainment industry had already been properly settled downstairs by Song Tianyao to continue drinking and having fun, allowing Chu Xiaoxin, who had already been entertaining guests and drinking quite a bit, to catch his breath.
"Chan Ah-sap certainly wants you to forgive and forget what happened back then," Song Tianyao said with a yawn. "Likang is not what it used to be, so of course he has to come and apologize. In a few days, Young Master Zhong might also try to persuade you to continue letting Chao Yong Yi help manage Likang's business at the docks, considering how much Chao Yong Yi has helped the Chu Family over the years."
With the help of the beautiful women beside him, Chu Xiaoxin tasted a bite of the dish and scoffed disdainfully, "Let that bastard get lost."
Song Tianyao smiled beside him and said nothing. The reason why his boss could reconcile with Chu Xiaozhong was because they were two brothers in the same family after all. However, Chen A11, a Jianghu man who relied on the Chu family for food, wanted to be forgiven by Chu Xiaoxin. It was not that easy.