Chapter 771: Chapter 753: The Ultimate Showdown Begins!

“What new tricks can there be besides the same old routine?”

Although Lu Liang kept Wilson’s reminder in mind, he didn’t take it too seriously.

There are so many tycoons in the world, but how many actually encounter accidents? After all, these days, the probability of a president being assassinated is much higher than that of a tycoon.

As long as he doesn’t act recklessly or run to some uncontrollable countries and regions, the bad guys will have no chance.

Afterwards, Lu Liang called Harris, telling him to hold on as long as possible, and if he really couldn’t anymore, to be prepared for the worst.

As he had just publicly stated, suing the IRS was destined to be a long and difficult road, and Delimei might be suspended for a long time, focusing on the lawsuit.

But the pace of development cannot be stopped because of this. He will resolve matters in Xiangjiang as soon as possible and get Tianxing Finance on the international stage to provide remote support.

“Okay,” Harris replied, pausing before saying, “Sir, what if they pressure General Tianxing?”

Delimei’s accounts were relatively clean, focused on finance, so as long as they didn’t make mistakes, it was hard for the IRS to deliberately target them.

But Lu Liang also had a joint venture factory in the US, and manufacturing was the easiest sector for the tax authorities to squeeze.

Because of its heavy assets and connections with many suppliers, every procedure could be a reason for the IRS to make things difficult.

“No need to worry about that, selling over ten thousand Tianshu units a month with thousands of frontline workers is the factory’s safeguard.”

Lu Liang smiled. He couldn’t wait for the IRS to trouble General Tianxing, as it would give Apu a reason to intervene.

Originally, choosing to settle in Detroit was because the city was once an industrial gem. It’s just that now it’s gradually becoming a ghost city, and Michigan is still a traditional swing state.

Now, with the completion of the General Tianxing factory and the massive sales of the US version of Tianshu, a large number of downstream parts suppliers began to re-enter Detroit.

Though it couldn’t revive the ghost city, at least the government now had money to pay salaries, gradually moving away from the brink of bankruptcy.

In the blink of an eye, it was almost election year again. If the IRS targeted General Tianxing, Apu would certainly not stand idly by.

As the two talked, Lu Liang’s private phone suddenly rang; it was a call from Wang Chuting.

He frowned and told Harris, “Let’s leave it at that for now. Contact me if anything comes up.”

As soon as Lu Liang answered the call, he heard Wang Chuting’s weak voice: “I’ve delivered.”

Lu Liang was taken aback, unable to help laughing and crying: “Who describes themselves like that? How do you feel now?”

“Seven pounds two ounces, I was in the delivery room for fifteen hours. Now everything hurts all over.”

Hearing this, Lu Liang initiated a video call, which was quickly connected, but he could only see the hospital room ceiling.

“Mom, don’t point the camera at me.”

Wang Chuting’s figure flashed briefly on the bed, then a middle-aged woman appeared on screen.

“Hello, Auntie, I’m Lu Liang.”

Lu Liang greeted with a smile. The woman, clearly nervous, said, “Hello, Lu Liang, I’m Chuting’s mother.”

“I look like a ghost now, don’t film me.”

Wang Chuting was concerned about her image; she didn’t want Lu Liang to see her in a disheveled state. Her voice came from off screen: “Mom, show Junjun to Lu Liang.”

Their child was lying in the incubator, completely naked with red skin, a very noticeable screw on the lower part.

“Lu Liang, newborns are like this—all wrinkled and red. They’ll look normal in a while. The doctor says he’s very healthy.”

Wang Chuting’s mother hurriedly explained, apparently not knowing that Lu Liang already had an older daughter, thinking he hadn’t seen a newborn before.

Looking at the little baby on the screen, along with joy, Lu Liang felt a tinge of sadness: “Auntie, I’m sorry to Troubleshoot Chuting. I might need to stay in Xiangjiang for a few more days and can’t return to Modu immediately.”

“Tingting has told me, a man should prioritize his career, and everyone from the hospital’s director on down has been taking good care of our family.”

Wang Chuting’s mother expressed her understanding promptly. After all, without Chuting’s explanation, she could see on the news what Lu Liang was accomplishing in Xiangjiang.

The wealth of the richest family in their hometown amounted to merely hundreds of millions, a figure unattainable for ordinary folks like them.

Yet these days, seeing news about Lu Liang online, there would always be associated project figures.

Ranging from tens of billions of US dollars to as high as 300 billion, almost rivaling Ganxi Province’s annual GDP.

Catching the hint in his mother-in-law’s attitude, Lu Liang smiled and said, “Auntie, I’ll have to trouble you for a bit more this time. I’ll handle things here as quickly as possible and return.”

“Okay. Lu Liang, it seems Tingting has something to say to you; I’ll step out so as not to interrupt.”

Wang Chuting’s mother placed the phone by the bedside and then left the room, leaving the two some private time to chat.

“I didn’t expect our mom to be quite understanding,” Lu Liang hummed a little tune, feeling quite cheerful.

Now he had both a son and a daughter, and although they were half-siblings, it didn’t matter.

“Well, thanks to your big name, Mr. Lu.”

Feeling weak, Wang Chuting recounted the time when her mother first came to Modu, crying and making a fuss.

After all, being from a single-parent family, her mother saw her heavily pregnant and about to give birth without the father present, instantly recalling her past.

Calling it a sin…

“And then?” Lu Liang squinted with a smile.

“Then I showed her our pictures and took her around the house you bought for me, the company you financed and organized, having a look everywhere.”

Wang Chuting’s voice grew weaker, but her tone gradually softened, her face glowing with a happy smile.

In those days, reminiscing the past with her mother, she realized how much Lu Liang had unknowingly done for her.

Has a house, a car, money, and a career.

If she wants, she can completely break away from Lu Liang and fly solo.

That’s why she never felt like she was a mistress, and her child is not an illegitimate child.

Lu Liang listened quietly, suddenly saying softly, “I want to see you.”

“No, I look ugly now.”

“Come on, just one look.”

Lu Liang whined, and upon hearing it, Wang Chuting’s heart melted. She sighed helplessly, “I really can’t deal with you.”

She picked up her phone, aimed the camera at herself, but only showed half her face from the angle she thought was most beautiful: “Am I ugly?”

“How could you be? You’re still so beautiful.”

Lu Liang complimented with a smile, “Beauty is in the bones, not the skin. Besides, compared to before, you’re becoming more and more gentle.”

He stroked the screen, as if hoping to smooth away Wang Chuting’s frowning brow from afar.

A faint blush appeared on Wang Chuting’s snow-like pale face, she coughed a few times and said, “Let’s leave it at this, I need to rest.”

“Good night.” Lu Liang waved his hand, and Wang Chuting kissed the camera: “Mwah~ You should rest early too.”

With a ding, the call ended.

Lu Liang looked at the chat interface, still smiling.

Once upon a time, he thought Wang Chuting was the most opportunistic and pragmatic woman of all.

But as time passed, Lu Liang’s impression of her gradually changed. Her opportunism was just a protective layer to avoid getting hurt, a typical case of ‘sharp tongue, soft heart’.

“Off work, off work.”

Nearly midnight, Lu Liang returned to the hotel.

To celebrate the birth of his son, he decisively resisted the temptation of black fishnet stockings and red-bottom high heels, deciding to remain chaste for Wang Chuting for one night.

Xue Jingyang looked puzzled, tilted her head, watched Lu Liang finish washing up and then ran to the secondary bedroom, silently noting that Lu Liang doesn’t like black fishnet stockings.

The next day, Monday.

“The peak battle begins!”

“This battle will decide the fate of New World Development!”

“Will a new king be crowned, or will the old king defend the throne?”

The media atmosphere was charged with an impending battle.

Media outlets at home and abroad were generous with their coverage, extensively reporting on the matter.

Even the magazine Dragon and Tiger Leopard was envious of the traffic and had its models dress in sexy battle outfits in red and blue.

At 9 AM, just as pre-market trading began.

Zheng Jiachun, then-chairman of the New World board, gave his first media interview, bluntly stating that Hengtai was engaging in strong-arm tactics, and Lu Liang was assisting the wicked. It was blatant aggression.

“Can’t you see that New World today could be your tomorrow?”

Moved, Zheng Jiachun was in tears, urging all parties to help the Zheng family defend New World.

“The Zheng family is really at their wit’s end this time. If Atong were still alive, who knows what he would think.”

In Cheung Building, Superman Li had mixed emotions, feeling a sudden chill of shared fate.

If the Li family hadn’t expanded abroad and still dominated Xiangjiang, the one shedding tears on the scene could have been him.

“Lu Liang is indeed going too far. After all, Zheng Jiachun is a veteran of the industry. When he was having the time of his life, Lu Liang was still wearing crotch-open trousers back home.”

If the Li family’s influence hadn’t grown, the Zheng family would be the largest in Xiangjiang, and Zheng Jiachun would be its head.

Faced with the camera, this once-mighty leader was in tears, evoking strong sympathies.

“From what you’re saying, it sounds like you want to help the Zheng family against Tianxing and Hengtai?” someone curiously asked.

“No, don’t say that, it’s not true.” The person hurriedly denied.

Sympathy is one thing, but it’s important to stay rational. Supporting the Zheng family could quickly land you on Lu Liang’s list.

Even though the IRS did freeze some funds, they only froze 50 billion US Dollars, leaving Lu Liang with at least 250 billion US Dollars.

You’d have to be out of your mind to go against him.

At that time, on the 82nd floor of Phase 2 of Plaza Building.

After watching Zheng Jiachun’s press conference, Lu Liang joked with a smile, “Mr. Xu, wouldn’t you give it a try too?”

Xu Jiayin squinted his eyes, replied in a bad mood, “Then Mr. Lu, what reason should I use?”

If crying could reduce investment, he wouldn’t mind shedding some tears.

But crying would most likely be seen as crocodile tears, as the acquisition of New World by Hengtai was indeed akin to strong-arm robbery, and he had no moral ground.

Lu Liang smiled, not responding.

He waved goodbye to Xu Jiayin, heading to the adjacent trading room: “Mr. Xu, wait for my good news.”