Agreement

After finishing all this, Su Rui did not waste any time. He chose to return to the hotel and continue the unfinished dinner with Li Ruobing.

"How did your talk with Lin Jiatao go?" Li Ruobing asked across the dining table.

Su Rui took a sip of red wine, gently swirling the wine glass as he smiled. "How else could it have gone? The moment I invoked the Li family name, Lin Jiatao practically wanted to kneel before me on the spot..."

Li Ruobing let out a cold laugh.

Naturally, she did not believe Su Rui's words.

She knew perfectly well what kind of man Lin Jiatao was.

An Underworld Boss who had clawed his way from the underworld into legitimate society might be wary of the Li family, but he would never fear them to such an extent.

"You need to be careful. Lin Jiatao is not a simple-minded man." Li Ruobing hesitated before reminding him, "Don't underestimate him."

Su Rui studied Li Ruobing with interest. Narrowing his eyes, he leaned toward her cheek with a faintly roguish smile, breathing in the subtle fragrance around her as he whispered, "Are you... worried about me?"

Slightly uncomfortable, Li Ruobing shifted back a little and frowned. "I just don't want one of my company's shareholders to die in the street."

That was right.

Li Ruobing counted the two hundred million Su Rui had brought Mingzhu today as investment capital.

She did not like owing favors.

Because favors were difficult to quantify.

She preferred relationships with clearly marked prices, clean and straightforward.

Su Rui casually spread his hands. He knew perfectly well that making Li Ruobing open herself up to him and rely on him completely in such a short time was simply impossible.

He had time, and he had patience.

In any case, he would be spending a long time with Li Ruobing. There was no need to rush.

One day, I'll make you unable to leave me...

"Regarding your two hundred million investment, I'll assess the company's market value and transfer you a portion of the equity, but it can only be ten percent. The remaining money will count as additional investment, and I'll distribute dividends to you proportionally," Li Ruobing said methodically. "I'll arrange a position for you in the company. You can choose it yourself."

"I'll run the Qiantang New Store." Su Rui did not refuse; this had been part of his plan all along. "Within a year, I'll quadruple your company's market value!"

Only by staying close could he spend a long time with Li Ruobing. Only by having a career of his own could he gain a firm foothold before the Li family.

And Su Rui was not bragging when he said he would increase Mingzhu's market value within a year.

Running a company... for an old monster who had lived through Billions of Lifetimes, it was far too easy.

The business empire he had once built had consisted of multinational giants!

Li Ruobing fell silent for a moment. The Qiantang New Store was Mingzhu's key project for the year. It could be said that Li Ruobing had invested nearly all her net worth into it.

It could only succeed, not fail.

Su Rui had indeed given her many surprises, but did he truly have the ability to manage and operate a company?

"Fine!" Unexpectedly, Li Ruobing agreed at once. "I'll issue an appointment letter. Starting tomorrow, you'll be the president of the Qiantang New Store."

"Aren't you afraid I'll run your company into bankruptcy?"

"Heh... the Qiantang New Store has your two hundred million in it too," Li Ruobing answered coldly. "If you don't mind losing it... do whatever you want!"

Was Li Ruobing not worried about the Qiantang New Store going bankrupt?

In truth, she cared more than anyone about its profitability, because it concerned whether Mingzhu could rise to another level in Tongzhou City.

If she took this step correctly, then from then on, when people introduced her in Tongzhou City, they would no longer say, "This is the eldest daughter of the Li family, Miss Li Ruobing of Li Group!" Instead, they would say, "This is the founder of Mingzhu Group, its youngest business titan, President Li Ruobing!"

But if she failed, the consequences would be severe. Mingzhu might go bankrupt because of it, and she would be forced to return to the family and fade into obscurity.

At an appropriate time, she would enter a marriage alliance with some Political Family and devote the last of her light and warmth to the Li family.

That was a difference in kind.

Yet even considering the consequences, Li Ruobing still agreed to Su Rui's request, because she vaguely felt that this man before her might truly bring her surprises.

This was an all-or-nothing gamble.

Li Ruobing decisively placed her bet on Su Rui.

Who else possessed such courage?

"Two or three hundred million... I really don't care about that," Su Rui said with an unrestrained grin. "But if you had to leave the stage in disappointment, it would pain me greatly."

Li Ruobing paused.

Then she said flatly, "Has anyone ever told you that your sweet talk is painfully cheesy?"

Su Rui laughed wordlessly.

After being reborn a Billion Times, his life experience had long made it unnecessary for him to please anyone, including women he had taken an interest in. Whenever he wanted to approach someone, he simply created opportunities based on her preferences. As for this sort of lovey-dovey sweet talk, Su Rui had long forgotten how to say it.

"If you don't like it, I can start learning again tomorrow. What style do you prefer? The domineering president type? Or the understanding older gentleman type?" Su Rui's smile did not fade, and he seemed determined to get to the bottom of it.

Without showing it, Li Ruobing rubbed her brow, feeling a little headache coming on.

She had always been aloof and proud, keeping others at arm's length. Even men who wanted to approach her would be intimidated by her invisible aura. Yet the icy temperament she had always taken pride in seemed completely ineffective on Su Rui.

The way he treated her was exactly like how one would treat an ordinary high school girl in love.

Her status did not change his attitude in the slightest!

"If you truly want to flirt with me, you should first get the Qiantang New Store onto the Right Track..." Li Ruobing brushed back her hair and tucked her beautiful hair behind her ear. It was an exceptionally seductive gesture. She slowly exhaled a fragrant breath carrying an alcohol smell. "My standards for choosing a husband are very high."

Those words were direct and blunt.

"But your standards for choosing a spouse are not the same as the Li family's!" Su Rui wore a smile, though it was not quite a smile as he said, "The husband your father chose for you is the Eldest Young Master of the Yan Capital Ye Family. With the Ye family's political support, the Li family can rise another step. At the very least, they can ensure their prosperity for a hundred years."

Su Rui had long investigated the Li family thoroughly. Li Guodong had always wanted to cling to the Yan Capital Ye Family's powerful political big tree and use a marriage alliance to establish ties with them, but he had never been able to persuade the strong-willed and stubborn Li Ruobing.

After several negotiations, Li Ruobing had overturned the table each time, and they had always parted on bad terms.

Left with no other choice, and with his second wife fanning the flames at his side, Li Guodong forcibly made an agreement with Li Ruobing.

"Didn't you make an agreement over this?"

He gave Li Ruobing a chance to prove herself. If her company failed to achieve anything within five years, she would obediently follow the family's arrangements and travel to Yan Capital to marry the Ye family's young master!

Li Ruobing did not refuse.

Because she knew very clearly that, having been born into a wealthy family, there were certain things she could not escape. If she enjoyed the privileged life of the wealthy, she had to pay a price for it.

More importantly, she had believed at the time that she could fulfill the conditions of the agreement.

That was precisely why Li Ruobing had founded Mingzhu Company without using a single resource from her family.

But after this incident of Forcing the Palace, Li Ruobing realized that winning the agreement on her own might be somewhat difficult.

It was not because she lacked ability, but because people within the family had constantly been using dirty tricks in an attempt to bring her down!

"You even know about the Li family's agreement..." Li Ruobing's expression was extraordinarily complicated. She sincerely felt a surge of fear. Before this man, she seemed to have no secrets at all.

She did not like that feeling, the feeling of being seen through and suppressed at every turn!

"There are still three years until the agreement is fulfilled. How about this... within three years, I'll help you win it." Su Rui spoke directly. "And I'll make it so that whenever anyone mentions the Li family of Tongzhou, the first person they think of is you, Li Ruobing, not Li Guodong! By then, no one will be able to dictate your choices anymore!"

"You want to marry me?" Li Ruobing suddenly asked.

"My greatest wish is to marry into a wealthy family and openly live off a woman..." A cold, dangerous gleam flashed in Su Rui's eyes as he chuckled. "I'm definitely eating from your bowl! Whether it's your father or that damned Yan Capital Ye Family, all of you can step aside!"

"Whoever dares stop me will be swept away on the spot!"

His voice boomed like a great bell, his bearing magnificent!

If the content of his words had not been so awkward, they might truly have been called heroic.

Li Ruobing was somewhat speechless.

Probably only Su Rui could speak of wanting to live off a woman with such forceful righteousness and overwhelming confidence.

"Heh..." Li Ruobing's red lips curled slightly, revealing a charming yet profound smile. She quietly moved close to Su Rui's ear. "If you can truly help me reach that point, then three years from now, I'll support you..."