But what does this have to do with me, Lin Ran? After all, I only have eyes for my wife.

"Hmm... I can't control her either. By the way, where is she now?"

Wu Zhishang replied, "I don’t know. She’s beyond anyone’s reach at this point."

Lin Ran nodded. "Contact her later and have her handle the PR for Yu Chengqun’s situation."

Though Wu Zhishang wasn’t some all-knowing figure, he was still a CEO. Any significant movement in the business world would eventually reach his ears.

He’d already heard about Chen Qingtian’s infamous "shattering" incident—though the specifics remained unclear.

"Got it. I’ll notify her right away. But Lin Ran, why did Chen Qingtian kick that guy? And with such brutality? What kind of grudge could justify that?"

Lin Ran: "You can ask her yourself—if she’s willing to talk. Now, let’s discuss other matters."

He swiftly changed the subject. He had no intention of prying into someone else’s private affairs.

The success of this PR effort would depend entirely on Chen Qingtian herself. It was a test of her capabilities.

Knowing Lin Ran’s temperament, Wu Zhishang didn’t press further.

The two then shifted their conversation to the state of their real estate and industrial ventures.

"Lin Ran, my throat’s dry from all this talking. Aren’t you leaving yet?"

Lin Ran: "..."

"Well, well. Now you’re kicking me out?"

"It’s just that with you here, I have to keep chatting. I’ve got a mountain of work to get through."

Truthfully, he just wanted to have a heart-to-heart with Zhang Xinyan.

Seeing Wu Zhishang cite work as an excuse, Lin Ran felt a pang of realization.

Fine. It seemed he was the only one slacking off in this world.

Though, to be fair, he only slacked off in words—not actions.

"Alright, I’ll go. But before I do, there’s something you should know. I might need to mobilize the company’s resources soon. Be ready."

"For what?" Wu Zhishang straightened in his seat.

"I’m not sure yet. My wife’s locked in a business war with the Yu-Ai family. If there’s a chance, I want to help her."

Wu Zhishang fell silent. "Lin Ran, our company’s a paper tiger. What can we possibly contribute?"

He wasn’t exaggerating. In the grand scheme of commerce, Nuanyao Group held some influence, but compared to the top-tier families, they were practically insignificant.

"We have people. Even a small effort counts. Besides, I’m just giving you a heads-up—chances are, we won’t even be needed."

Wu Zhishang nodded. Whatever Lin Ran said, he’d follow.

"Understood. You go ahead, Lin Ran. I’ve got work to do."

As Lin Ran left, he felt the world had turned against him—even his own brother was shooing him away.

At least his wife would never abandon him.

Once outside, he instructed Abner, "Look into whether the Yu family’s up to anything sneaky."

"On it."

Meanwhile, the business war between Luo Corporation and the Yu-Ai family had officially begun.

The assistant team transformed into a high-efficiency war machine, operating at a pace that sent tremors through the business world.

Within mere hours, the market value of both families plummeted by billions.

The retaliation was swift. No one had expected Luo Yao to strike first.

Gradually, the Zhang family also entered the fray.

Against a single family, Luo Yao could drive it to bankruptcy in days.

Two families wouldn’t be much harder.

But facing three at once? That was pushing it.

Still, Luo Yao wasn’t worried.

These three families had deep roots, with sprawling networks of descendants.

But that very complexity was their weakness. More people meant more financial burdens.

If their cash flow ruptured beyond a certain point, even the mightiest dynasty would crumble.

Don’t want to fall? Too bad—your own kin will tear you apart.

Unless, of course, you were a "red" family.

That’s why the Chen family, despite being the poorest among the elites, was the most stable.

And Luo Yao’s advantage?

She had scale, skill, and staggering wealth.

Most importantly, she was a lone wolf. No need to second-guess decisions or placate anyone. Her team obeyed without question—even if the orders were flawed.

This autocratic style wasn’t necessarily a virtue, but it wasn’t purely a flaw either.

Of course, wielding such power required extraordinary competence.

Vision, tactics, judgment—all had to be top-tier. Otherwise, unilateral control would be suicidal.

And Luo Yao? She was that capable.

She could adapt on the fly—shifting strategies, altering course, even abandoning plans entirely.

She also held a trump card: evidence of these families’ illegal dealings.

But now wasn’t the time to play it. She’d wait until they were tangled in chaos, desperate—then strike the fatal blow.

By nightfall, Luo Corporation’s headquarters still blazed with light, every employee buzzing with purpose.

Precision and order reigned supreme.

"President Luo, you should head home. Mr. Lin is probably waiting. We’ve got this," Liu Meng suggested.

At the mention of Lin Ran, Luo Yao’s lips curved.

She’d been busy all day, but it wasn’t exhausting.

Mostly, she’d just tweaked Liu Meng’s suboptimal directives and corrected her misjudgments.

Not out of affection—Luo Yao was grooming her successor.

After retirement, she still expected the corporation to generate steady profits. After all, she had a husband to support.

With no heirs and no love for the Luo family, Liu Meng was her chosen stand-in.

Her relentless coaching aimed to equip the future helm of Luo Corporation with wisdom—not let her learn through costly trial and error.

Checking today’s expense records on her phone, Luo Yao struggled to suppress a grin.

Not a single transaction under ten million yuan. The highest? A staggering billion.

Her A-Ran was finally embracing his role as her spending tool.

Wife: [A-Ran, come pick me up from work.]

Husband: [Your chariot awaits, Princess.]

Luo Yao stood. "A-Ran’s here. I’m leaving."

"Uh—right."

As she walked, she reflexively checked Lin Ran’s daily itinerary—and frowned.

The moment she stepped out of Luo Corporation, Lin Ran swept her into his arms. "Yao Yao, you’ve worked hard."

"Not at all. What did you do today, A-Ran?"