Chapter 77: Blades That Sever Steel

“Dad, did you really sign the contract with HappyDuo Group?”

Lin Jiahao and Lin Jiarong had just returned home when Lin Shufeng rushed over from the sofa. These past two days, she’d been in a slump; every time she thought about losing the Zhao family as her support, reverting to just an ordinary rich person, it made her unbearably frustrated. But ever since she heard the Lin family was about to seal a major deal with HappyDuo Group, her spirits had revived.

In truth, Lin Shufeng never had much affection for Zhao Minghui; Zhao Jianwei’s claim that she was a gold-digger was spot on. As long as there was money, she didn’t care if it was Zhao Minghui or Chen Minghui she married. To say she was marrying a person was really to say she was marrying wealth. If the Lin family became prosperous, it would be even more satisfying for her—her father was the head of the Lin family. If they grew rich, whether the money landed in her hands was another matter, but at least the stigma of remarriage would be gone.

“It’s signed!” Lin Jiahao laughed heartily. “Today’s a happy day—let’s have dinner at Tianlan Hotel.”

Lin Shufeng frowned; Tianlan Hotel was her nightmare, and the thought of it made her furious. She said impatiently, “Dad, Tianlan Hotel isn’t the only place to eat in Fengzhou! Why go there?”

“If we have to eat at Tianlan Hotel again, I’d rather sit at a street stall!”

Lin Jiahao was used to suggesting it, but hearing Lin Shufeng’s tone, he quickly reassured her. “Shufeng, I was wrong. We’ll go somewhere else.”

“And don’t think about the Zhao family anymore. That trash family isn’t worthy of you. Rest assured, once the deal with HappyDuo Group is done, you’ll have your pick of outstanding young men.”

Lin Shufeng finally smiled.

Lin Jiarong, who had been standing aside, watched his optimist parents and sighed. He stood up and said, “Brother, things may not be as promising as you think.”

“Aren’t you going to tell them about the contract?”

Lin Jiahao was caught off guard, and then he grew a bit irritated. “What’s there to say? It’s something I’ll discuss further with the old man.”

Hearing that Lin Jiahao was hiding something from them, the Lin family became disgruntled.

“Uncle, you’re not keeping something from us, are you?”

“As family, we have the right to know. Are you planning to pocket the benefits for yourself?”

“Brother, even as the head of the family, you have to discuss major decisions with everyone.”

Knocking sounds echoed.

Just as the Lin family was debating, the patriarch tapped his cane against the floor and spoke. “Since everyone’s here, and this big deal isn’t something just the two of us can manage, Jiahao, you might as well tell everyone.”

Seeing the old man had spoken, Lin Jiahao had no choice but to explain the terms of the contract, one by one.

At first, the family was excited, but when they heard the compensation clause, their faces changed dramatically and they shook their heads in dismay.

“Jiahao, how could you be so careless? You can’t agree to such a penalty!”

“Seven hundred million? Even if we sold the entire Lin family, we might not have that. If we fail, we’ll go bankrupt!”

“The head of the family is supposed to steer the ship safely. With this decision, you could steer us into the abyss!”

“This is something you should have called a general meeting for. You can’t decide this alone!”

“Jiarong, why didn’t you try to stop your brother?”

Lin Jiahao grew impatient under the barrage. The old man saw this and barked angrily, “Enough! Jiahao discussed this with me—it was my decision.”

“But you haven’t been involved in Lin family matters for so long. You might not know all the details!” someone protested anxiously.

The second aunt paced worriedly. “Old man, do you realize? This is seven hundred million, not seventy million. If we fail, the Lin family will be ruined. What will we do then?”

Lin Shuqie spoke uneasily, “The profits and returns are tempting, but it’s a gamble. HappyDuo Catering is a national leader—could they be setting us up?”

The old man snapped impatiently, “You all think so small!”

“You really believe there’s such a thing as a free lunch? The greater the risk, the greater the reward—don’t you understand?”

“And besides, we’re in catering, not chemicals or finance. What major risks could there be?”

“Tell me, has the Lin family ever had a serious problem in all its years in the industry?”

His words made the family ponder in silence. They’d been frightened by the seven hundred million figure, but thinking calmly, the risks didn’t seem so dire. Catering wasn’t an industry fraught with danger. They’d just be supplying raw materials, and as long as they checked everything carefully, nothing should go wrong.

Most importantly, the contract would bring the Lin family three hundred million in business a year.

With HappyDuo Catering’s order, the Lin family would surely leap to become a top powerhouse in Fengzhou. Neighboring cities, seeing HappyDuo collaborate with the Lin family, might seek partnerships too. The future profits were tantalizing.

Lin Jiarong was the first to step forward. “Brother, I’m sorry. I was too anxious and overreacted.”

Lin Jiahao smiled bitterly. “Everything you’re worried about, I’ve thought through already. This should be foolproof. Once Morgan Bank’s loan comes through, we can start work.”

Lin Shuqie was still a little concerned. “Uncle, forgive me for being blunt, but this is too important for the Lin family.”

“Have you arranged everything for the construction? The regulations are strict now; getting a permit might be tough.”

Lin Jiahao laughed. “Shuqie, don’t worry. Have you forgotten who’s backing us?”

“He might not help much with business, but in this area, he can lend a hand.”

Hearing this, Lin Shuqie relaxed.

The second aunt smiled, “If brother’s handling it, we have nothing to worry about.”

“Come on, everyone’s hungry. Let’s eat. Tonight, let’s drink and feast, because tomorrow we’ll be busy.”

“The Lin family, united, can cut through iron!”

The family, full of excitement, headed for the door. Just then, Lin Jiahao’s phone rang.

Seeing the caller ID, he immediately gestured for silence. The family knew this was a critical time, so they fell quiet and listened closely.

“Mr. Zhang, why are you still up so late? Is there news for me?”

“What?”

“Mr. Zhang, how can you do this? Didn’t we have an agreement?”

“Wait, don’t hang up. Please, talk to me. Tell me what happened. If it’s our problem, I’ll fix it right away.”

“Hello? Hello?”

Seeing Lin Jiahao lower his phone in confusion, the family realized something had gone wrong.