A Blade Above Forbearance

The laughter of the Song father and son was rather grating, but this time Liu Youshui neither grew angry nor lashed out.

Song Haichang soon stopped laughing. "President Liu, when you told us to leave that day, we left. When you gave that video to that Luo fellow, we didn't say a word. We gave you all the face you wanted, and when you slapped us, we didn't hit back. Now you actually want shares in Green Mountain Energy? Aren't you pushing us a little too far?"

"Haichang, we're all businessmen. We're all after profit. If I didn't have leverage and a plan, I wouldn't have come to talk to you," Liu Youshui said.

"If you intend to threaten me with that video, you're mistaken. I've already settled that matter. That girl took a large sum of money from me. Even in court, she'll say she consented, and that what happened in the video was just to spice things up," Song Dongming said.

"If I wanted to report it, I would have handed that video to the police long ago. What would I gain from doing that?" Liu Youshui said.

"Then what leverage do you have?" Song Haichang asked.

Liu Youshui said with a smile, "My leverage is Ye Zi."

Out in the corridor, Luo Yang's heart gave a sudden jolt.

He suddenly recalled the strange events that morning. Song Meiqi had been frightened the moment she saw Liu Youshui. After he left, she had said she saw her mother fall into a cave full of human bones. Could that child see the future?

"Ye Zi is our daughter-in-law. How has she become your leverage?" Song Haichang asked.

Liu Youshui lowered his voice. "I know your son Song Dongshan made a will before he died. Half the shares in his name went to Ye Zi, and half went to your granddaughter, Song Meiqi. There was another clause in that will: if Ye Zi remarried, she would automatically relinquish custody."

Song Haichang snorted coldly. "You really are resourceful, President Liu. You've even learned all the details of my son's will."

Liu Youshui chuckled. "Unless I misread the situation, that little caught-in-the-act performance you staged at Ye Zi's house last time was meant to prove she was cheating so you could gain custody of Song Meiqi, wasn't it? I understand how you feel, but your methods leave a lot to be desired."

"President Liu, this is a private matter for the Song Family. It has nothing to do with you!" Song Dongming said.

"Dongming, don't get worked up. Hear me out," Liu Youshui said. "Let me tell you something you won't want to hear. Ye Zi is a smart woman. Even if she gets together with that Luo fellow, or even lives with him, you can't take her to court as long as they don't register their marriage. You've already fallen out with her. Do you think she hasn't considered setting up on her own? All she needs to do is register another company and have professionals handle the restructuring. By then, Green Mountain Energy will be left with nothing but operations that make no money, or even lose money. You'll get nothing."

"She wouldn't dare!" Song Dongming snapped, stung by his words.

"Dongming!" Song Haichang barked. "Let President Liu finish."

"The lithium battery industry is a key national project in technology and energy. It receives strong government support and has enormous market potential. I'm sure I don't need to remind you how much room there is for growth in this industry. The Song Family has every chance of becoming one of the country's wealthiest and most powerful families. Are you really willing to let a woman who doesn't even share your surname take everything that belongs to you?" Liu Youshui's words were openly inflammatory.

"President Liu, we know all that," Song Haichang said. "But even you-what could you do to solve the problem?"

Liu Youshui paused briefly, then lowered his voice again. "If she were to disappear in some sort of accident, wouldn't that be the perfect solution?"

At that, anger blazed in Luo Yang's chest. He wanted nothing more than to charge inside and beat Liu Youshui senseless.

"If Ye Zi disappeared, not only would you gain custody of Song Meiqi, Haichang, but you'd also control Ye Zi's share. Could there be a more perfect solution?" Liu Youshui said.

"President Liu, you mean..."

Song Haichang did not finish his sentence, but from the sound of him raising his hand, Luo Yang could guess that the old bastard had made a throat-slitting gesture.

Liu Youshui chuckled. "You're overthinking it, Haichang. I'm a legitimate businessman. I would never do anything illegal. Ye Zi is in Qingdi right now. There are endless deserts and stretches of Gobi out there. If she happens to lose her way... that's her fate. Who could she blame?"

"Hahaha!" Song Haichang laughed.

"Naturally, someone will take care of it. It will have nothing whatsoever to do with either you or me. All you need to do is reach an agreement with me and give me fifteen percent of Green Mountain Energy's original shares once it's done," Liu Youshui said.

The private room fell silent.

This was no simple decision. Even the impulsive Song Dongming needed to think it over carefully, let alone the calculating Song Haichang.

Burning with anxiety, Luo Yang pulled out his phone, opened his contacts, and dialed Ye Zi's number.

He had to warn her and tell her to come back immediately.

Then he would storm into that private room, expose those three scumbags' plot to their faces, and give each of them a few hard slaps!

It would not just be to vent his anger. More importantly, he would make Liu Youshui understand that his plan had been exposed. If anything happened to Ye Zi, neither he nor the Song father and son would escape responsibility!

But all he heard from the phone was an automated message: "The number you have dialed is outside the service area. The number you have dialed is outside the service area..."

Luo Yang began to panic.

Just then, his ears picked up Liu Youshui's voice again. "Then it's settled. Wait for my good news."

The Song father and son gave no verbal response, but for something like this, a nod was enough.

"President Liu, I have one condition. I want that Luo brat kneeling in front of me, kowtowing and admitting he was wrong!" Song Dongming said.

Liu Youshui chuckled. "That's no problem. I told you I'd give you an explanation for what happened before. Once we've fulfilled our agreement, I'll make that brat kneel before you and leave him at your mercy."

Rage surged through Luo Yang. He stepped out from behind the pillar, but a moment later, he suddenly changed his mind, turned around, and walked back.

He had calmed down.

If he went over now, the first person he would have to face was Liu Youshui's goddaughter, Jiang Yue. She was a woman with a gunshot wound, no ordinary bodyguard. She might even have killed someone. And even if he defeated Jiang Yue, charged inside, and beat up Liu Youshui and the Song father and son, what would he gain beyond venting his anger? The sounds he had picked up could not serve as evidence. But if he attacked people in a public place without cause, that would constitute a provocation and disturbance offense. He could go to prison for that.

Besides, he could no longer reach Ye Zi by phone. Someone might already have led her into the uninhabited desert or Gobi, putting her in danger. His most urgent task was to go to Qingdi, find Ye Zi, and bring her back. If he charged in and attacked Liu Youshui now, he would only alert the enemy. Liu Youshui could easily arrange for people there to intercept him, and then Ye Zi would be in even greater danger!

Hold back!

I'll settle the score with those three scumbags when I get back!