novelslam Chapter 81 Su Qingge tossed out a black card: Take it, buy the cigarette factory.
Chapter 81 Su Qingge tossed out a black card: Take it, buy the cigarette factory.
"Beep...beep...beep..."
The dial tone of the disconnected phone echoed in the empty entryway, each ring like a muffled thunderclap striking the heart.
Lin Zhou held his phone, his brows gradually furrowing into a deep "川" (river) shape.
Although he wasn't an expert in business operations, he understood the significance of the terms "hostile takeover" and "stock price plummeting." It was like someone not only smashing your pots and pans but also demolishing your house and forcing you to beg on the streets.
This is no longer a simple business competition; it's about ruthless elimination.
"What's wrong?"
I heard the rustling sound of slippers behind me.
Su Qingge had just removed her makeup, her face still glistening with water droplets, and she was wiping her neck with a white towel. She glanced at Lin Zhou's seemingly frozen back, then at the phone still in his hand, and her previously languid expression instantly became more serious.
"Who called just now? Zhang Wei?"
She was all too familiar with calls coming in at this time; usually only the legal or public relations departments would be in such a panic late at night.
Lin Zhou turned around, making no attempt to hide anything, his voice low and deep:
"Zhang Wei said that someone is shorting Starry Sky Media's stock overseas, and Dynasty Entertainment is also frantically buying up shares. They are preparing to take advantage of this media storm to forcibly acquire the company."
The air froze instantly.
Su Qingge abruptly stopped drying her hair, her originally bright eyes dimmed for a moment, and then a deep weariness welled up inside her.
She didn't scream or panic; she simply gave a soft "oh," as if she had long anticipated this day.
"That madman Zhou Lixing has finally made his move."
She casually draped the towel on the rack and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room. Outside the window was the dazzling night view of the Cloud Top Manor, but her figure appeared somewhat thin and desolate.
"The financial report for this quarter was already bad, and with the secret marriage being exposed, stock price volatility was inevitable. I just didn't expect them to not even give me a chance to catch my breath."
Lin Zhou looked at her, and his heart tightened for no reason.
This woman is an all-powerful diva in front of the camera and a proud queen at home, but in the end, she is just an ordinary person struggling to survive in the world of fame and fortune.
He was just about to go over and say a few words of comfort, or pat his chest and say "Your husband is here," when he saw Su Qingge suddenly turn around.
Her gaze fell on Lin Zhou, and she looked him up and down.
At this moment, Lin Zhou was still tightly clutching the black card he had just received, his brows furrowed and his eyes somewhat vacant—in Su Qingge's view, he was clearly either terrified or worried about not being able to live off his wife in the future.
"Alright, stop making that mournful face."
Su Qingge took a deep breath, and her face once again adopted her usual aloof and stern expression.
She walked quickly to the hidden safe in the corner, skillfully entered the password, and verified it with her fingerprint.
With a "click," the heavy cabinet door popped open.
The room wasn't filled with cash; there were only a few exquisite jewelry boxes and a single card sitting alone on the top shelf.
It was a black card with gold trim, a level higher than the centurion card given to Lin Zhou earlier, exuding an arrogant aura of "I'm rich".
Su Qingge picked up the card, strode back, and without saying a word, grabbed Lin Zhou's hand and slapped the card hard into his palm.
"Take it."
Lin Zhou was stunned. He looked down at the card in his hand, then at Su Qingge's resolute expression: "Wife, what's wrong with you...?"
"The one I just gave you was pocket money, this one is emergency funds."
Su Qingge raised her chin, her tone domineering like that of a female bandit wanting to keep a gigolo:
"Don't frown. It's just a little trouble at the company. I'll take care of things, even if the sky falls. You and Nuonuo won't go hungry."
"Didn't you just want to buy cigarettes? Didn't you feel embarrassed about not having money?"
She pointed to the card, her voice cold, but her eyes were slightly red:
"This card contains my trust fund and the dividends from my investments over the past few years. It's not enough to fill the company's holes, but it's enough for you to live on for several lifetimes."
"Take this and use it! Buy whatever you want!"
"If you think that's not enough, then buy that cigarette factory for me! In short, don't look so poor in front of me. My man, Su Qingge's man, even if he's a kept man, will do it with more dignity than anyone else!"
These words struck Lin Zhou's heart like a heavy hammer.
It feels sour, swollen, and painful.
He looked at the heavy card in his hand, then at the woman in front of him who, despite being imprisoned, was still doing everything she could to protect his pitiful self-esteem.
This is hardly giving money.
This is clearly making arrangements for his funeral, leaving him a way out!
"If... I mean if."
Su Qingge turned her head to look at the night outside the window, her voice lowered, trembling slightly:
"If the company really can't be saved, we can just sell this house. We can move to a smaller place. As long as we're still alive, we can always get by."
"Don't be afraid."
The simple words, "Don't be afraid," completely shattered Lin Zhou's last line of defense.
He gripped the black card, still warm from Su Qingge's body, so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Is this what it feels like to be kept?
It smells absolutely delicious.
But if he really swallowed this meal like this, would Lin Zhou still be considered a man?
money?
At this moment, money is the most useless thing.
This is a battle of capital, a war of public opinion, and a fierce struggle among creative works. To break this deadlock, simply throwing money at it won't fill that bottomless pit; only by demonstrating overwhelming power can those demons and monsters be silenced!
"Foolish woman."
Lin Zhou suddenly laughed, a laugh that was both roguish and unusually serious.
He stepped forward, but instead of hugging her with his usual playful grin, he reached out and gently tucked a stray hair behind her ear.
"Who said we were going to sell the house?"
His voice was deep and mellow, carrying a calming power:
"This house is quite comfortable to live in, and Nuonuo likes it too. It would be such a waste to sell it."
"But..." Su Qingge turned her head, her anxiety barely concealed.
"No buts."
Lin Zhou interrupted her, shoving the VIP black card back into her hand and squeezing her palm as he did so.
"Keep this card safe, save it for our daughter's dowry. As for the cigarette factory... I don't like that brand, so I won't buy it."
"Lin Zhou, you..." Su Qingge looked at him in confusion.
Do you trust me?
Lin Zhou's smile faded, his deep, peach-blossom eyes staring directly at Su Qingge, burning with two flames called "ambition":
"Wife, remember this. As long as I'm here, this family will never fall apart."
"Get a good night's sleep tonight and don't think about anything."
He turned around, waved to Su Qingge with his back to her, and strode towards the study, his back as straight as a pine tree.
"When the sun rises tomorrow, you'll find that the wind direction... has changed."