Chapter 29: Business War, Simple and Unadorned

Chapter 29: Business War, Simple and Unadorned

"Was the gift delivered?"

In the top-floor office of the Shen Group, Shen Shubai stood before a shrine, where a red silk cloth on the statue of the wealth god had not yet been removed. He piously burned three sticks of incense.

Secretary Zou efficiently replied, "Yes, I delivered it myself."

Shen Shubai casually asked, "What did you send?"

Secretary Zou: "A cake."

Shen Shubai: "..."

Secretary Zou: "An eight-tiered one."

"..."

Shen Shubai's hand froze, and he snapped the incense stick in half. He turned his head in disbelief. "Secretary Zou, are you a spy planted by the Li family? Are you sending them a cake to celebrate their successful sabotage?"

After a quarrel with Qin Ningning the previous day, Shen Shubai carefully recalled everything upon returning home. He finally discovered that someone had tampered with the fruit.

The premium fruits he had carefully picked for his loved one had all turned into misshapen and cracked ones, so sour that they could make one's teeth ache!

Shen Shubai followed the trail and investigated everyone around him but found nothing out of the ordinary. Finally, he traced it back to the supermarket, where he saw with his own eyes in the surveillance footage that Li Wenzhao was standing in a hidden corner, instructing Butler Jing to secretly sabotage him.

Shen Shubai was so angry that he almost fainted—how did Li Wenzhao, a proper CEO, learn such despicable tricks?!

In his fury, Shen Shubai ordered Secretary Zou to find a way to retaliate. He held back his anger and waited overnight, only to get this result.

He was even more infuriated.

"Mr. Shen, I am not a spy," Secretary Zou explained softly.

Shen Shubai angrily scolded, "Why the hell did you send them a cake?!"

Secretary Zou calmly explained, "The cake was meant to imply that the eighth floor is finished."

"..."

After a long, awkward silence, Shen Shubai felt like he'd been insulted.

"Are you kidding me?" Shen Shubai was furious. "With that kind of delivery, who would understand your meaning? They might already be celebrating..."

"They understand," Secretary Zou said, looking up. "And Li Corporation has already launched their first counterattack."

Shen Shubai was stunned. "What do you mean?"

Secretary Zou opened his phone and showed Shen Shubai a photo. "This is what I just captured. The Li Corporation has brought a statue to their headquarters."

In the photo, the Third Young Master of the Li family and Butler Jing were both in the frame. A large truck was parked at the main entrance of the company, and several workers were unloading a large statue.

Shen Shubai didn't understand. "What does this mean?"

Secretary Zou zoomed in on the details of the photo. "This is a statue of Liu Bei. I think their message is that we'll always be the underdogs."

"..."

Shen Shubai was so angry he was speechless.

What the hell kind of weird business war is this?

Before, when dealing with Li Corporation, we used high-end and sophisticated methods. Today you steal my land, tomorrow I’ll screw you over at an auction. This time you secure a major project, and tomorrow I’ll place a corrupt manager in your key department...

After all these years of one-upping each other, why did Li Corporation suddenly switch tactics?

……And it’s so low.

Like kids slinging mud at each other.

It doesn’t match his CEO persona at all. Who even engages in this low-level corporate warfare?

“Secretary Zou, get rid of that Guan Yu statue by the door.”

“What about Li Corporation?”

“Don’t worry about them.” Shen Shubai gave an evil charming smile. “Who even engages in this low-level corporate warfare? You first…”

Clang, clang, clang.

The office door was knocked open, and a young assistant entered carrying a snake-skin bag. “Mr. Shen, this is a gift from Li Corporation.”

Shen Shubai: “???”

Secretary Zou opened the bag, revealing it filled to the brim with tender bamboo shoots.

Shen Shubai’s expression turned strange. “Is Li Wenzhao nuts? Why the hell did he send me a bag of bamboo shoots?”

Secretary Zou pondered for a moment before speaking. “I think they're saying you're 'shooting' straight to the point.”

Shen Shubai: “……”

He was livid. “Zou, go scoop up all the koi from Li Corporation’s pond and make fish head soup. Then send it to that nutjob Li Wenzhao!”

Secretary Zou: “……”

·

At the main entrance of Li Corporation, Li Ting was directing workers to place a sculpture in the pond at the main entrance.

But Jing Yi looked at the main entrance and said, “Third Young Master, this might not be a good idea.”

Li Ting turned back with a smile. “Why not?”

“It’s too conspicuous,” Jing Yi pointed to the sides. “People might think we’re some kind of cult or something.”

“Not conducive to business negotiations.”

Li Ting thought about it. “Then where should we put it?”

Jing Yi dropped a bombshell. “Embed it in the wall.”

“!!!” Li Ting looked at the statue. “That would totally piss off the statue.”

Not only would it offend the Third Young Master, but Guan Yu might also come charging in with his Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

Jing Yi rephrased. “I mean, cut a hole in the wall, put the statue inside, and cover it with glass.”

Li Ting was speechless. “……Jing, that’s called a display case.”

Jing Yi was stunned for a moment and then suddenly realized: "Right, it's a showcase window."

Li Ting chuckled: "Jing Butler, your word choices are really unsettling."

Jing Yi blinked.

"Is that so? The eldest young master is adapting quite well."

"It's probably because Li Ting can't handle it."

Li Ting, who could hear everything, let out a cold snort.

He rolled his eyes and walked off, telling the workers to move the statue into the hall. He chose a corner for a custom display window, deciding against knocking down walls since all sides were load-bearing.

...The young butler's ideas had to be refined to be practical.

The workers dispersed, and Jing Yi was about to head upstairs when his peripheral vision caught a car slowly stopping at the bottom of the Li Corporation building.

A rock formation in the pond conveniently hid Jing Yi from view.

Secretary Zou (sneakily making a phone call): "Mr. Shen, no one is around."

Shen Shubai lounged in his large office chair, sunglasses on, theatrically lighting a cigarette: "Proceed."

Catch all the Li Corp koi, and may they have bad luck forever!

Secretary Zou grabbed a landing net and bucket from the trunk and carefully stepped into the pond.

Jing Yi: "???"

Secretary Zou rolled up his sleeves and pants, using the net to catch the beautiful fat-headed koi in the pond. These fish, well-fed by passing employees, swam eagerly toward him, expecting food. Secretary Zou effortlessly scooped them all up.

Jing Yi watched for a few seconds before cautiously asking: "Secretary Zou, what are you doing?"

"Oh my gosh!"

Secretary Zou was startled, dropping the net in fright, causing the koi to scatter in panic.

"J-J-J... Jing Assistant!" Secretary Zou stumbled.

Jing Yi, equally startled, quickly steadied him and patted his chest: "You scared me!"

Secretary Zou: "..." Who scared who, may I ask?

Jing Yi looked at him: "Why are you taking our fish?"

Secretary Zou answered truthfully: "For a brutal business war."

Jing Yi: "???"

What kind of nonsense is this? Since I got here, what has the author even been writing? This is out of character (OOC), great author.

Jing Yi frowned, disdainfully: "Your methods are so basic."

Secretary Zou was momentarily speechless: "Assistant Jing, how are 'you're a fool' and 'swapping kiwis' any higher-level?"

Jing Butler explained gently, "The difference is, I don't break the law."

Secretary Zou: "……"

Splash.

The net he was using to steal the fish knocked against the pond.

Secretary Zou pondered for a moment. It seemed... Jing Butler really hadn't broken any laws.

He was different; he was currently stealing fish.

And he was in a surveillance area.

"……" He stood there, stunned.

Secretary Zou quickly climbed back onto the shore, pulling down his sleeves and pant legs, then said to Jing Butler, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Jing Butler waved him off. "Workplace workhorses should help each other."

Secretary Zou gave a very cold nod and turned to leave.

As soon as the trouble left, Jing Butler received a message from Li Ting.

[Third Young Master]: A spy from next door just informed us that the Shen Group is sending someone to steal the fish. Jing Butler, keep an eye on the place. These high-quality koi were handpicked by the boss himself. They’re worth a fortune.

Confidently, Jing Butler replied: [Don't worry, Third Young Master. I've got everything under control! All the koi are safe!]

As soon as he sent the message, Jing Butler noticed that there was already a small fish in the bucket that Secretary Zou had left behind.

Following the principles of a diligent butler, Jing Butler picked up the bucket and poured the fish back into the pond.

Splash.

Thud.

Jing Butler was stunned. Where did the thud come from?

He squinted and looked over, only to see a small fish crash headfirst into the rockery.

It wobbled and tipped over.

The small fish thrashed on the stone, then fell into the water. Like a tipsy driver, it knocked over several other fish swimming normally before it finally slowed down, but it still couldn't help but float on its back, showing its belly.

"……"

？？？

Wait a minute?

[You Jing's Uncle]: Withdrew a previous message.

[Third Young Master]: ??

··

··

In the CEO's office of the Li Corporation, Jing Butler quietly pushed open the door, revealing a pair of eyes as he cautiously surveyed the area.

Jing Yi paced nervously outside the door a couple of times and knocked only when the sound from inside had stopped.

The knock was cautious, and Li Wenzhao relaxed his brows, saying, "Come in."

Jing Yi carefully pushed the door open, saying, "Eldest young master, I'm back."

Li Wenzhao hummed in response and naturally asked, "How bad did you mess up the Shen Group?"

Jing Yi pursed his lips, "Just regular business competition."

Li Wenzhao tried to ignore the "stolen" vibe from him, "Hmm, what state did your regular business competition leave the Shen Group in?"

"......"

The eldest young master really understands me.

Jing Yi blinked, recalling what had happened downstairs just then, "Fuming like a propane tank."

Secretary Zou returned unsuccessful; Shen Shubai was probably so furious he wanted to shut himself off.

Li Wenzhao: "......"

Still underestimated the young butler.

Jing Yi sat down with a slightly guilty look, thinking about Li Ting's text mentioning the "super expensive" fish, and felt his wallet might suffer greatly.

"Sigh (scratching head)"

"What to do (sighing)"

"One wrong move and I'm done for."

In three minutes, Jing Yi had glanced at Li Wenzhao nine times. When the tenth glance came, Li Wenzhao looked up, "Want to say something?"

Jing Yi moistened his lips, "Eldest young master, the koi at the company entrance look pretty nice, don't they?"

Li Wenzhao raised an eyebrow.

Jing Yi probed, "These fish must be pretty pricey, right?"

Li Wenzhao was startled.

Jing Yi pressed on, "Where can one buy them?"

Li Wenzhao's eyes lightly looked over, "Come on, how many did you lose?"

"!"

"Does he have mind-reading powers or something?!"

Jing Yi explained, "I didn't mean to, I just wanted to put it back in place, but it bumped into a rock."

He stirred his fingers, looking utterly distressed, "Deduct the fish money from my salary, please."

Seeing the young butler's pitiful expression, Li Wenzhao couldn't help but smile, "No need, it's just a fish."

Jing Yi looked up, "Really?"

Li Wenzhao: "If you really want to compensate, you can."

Jing Yi immediately changed his tune: "Thank you, eldest young master, for your generosity. I apologize for the expense."

Li Wenzhao: "It's an unavoidable expense. I brought it upon myself."

Jing Yi: "……”

The eldest young master's mouth is getting more and more sharp-tongued.

·

After a smooth and uneventful workday, Jing Yi returned home with Li Wenzhao and Li Ting.

"Great, you're all back," Li Mingzhi warmly welcomed their arrival.

"Right on time, everyone! Come watch my debut variety show!"

Jing Yi's gaze flickered in surprise as he looked at Li Wenzhao. The latter's eyes flickered slightly, and his expression paused for a moment.

Li Ting, sitting next to them, narrowed his eyes slightly. "Why do I feel like there's... something secretive going on between you two?"

Li Wenzhao: "……”

Jing Yi corrected: "Third Young Master, it's inside information."

Li Ting: "Alright, let me rephrase, what secret mission did you two just complete?"

Jing Yi: "……”

Li Mingzhi enthusiastically ushered everyone to sit down and turned on the TV. "Today, I was supposed to do the live stream from the office, but I wanted to witness my debut with all of you. I managed to get permission to do the live stream from home. You guys have to stick with me until the end."

Jing Yi looked around and asked curiously, "Is the second young master not back yet?"

"Not yet," Li Mingzhi replied without turning his head. "He went on a trip chasing after that lady from the other day. I'll send him the recording later."

The variety show started soon, and after a segment of advertisements and an introduction, the scene switched to a familiar alleyway.

"Welcome to the narrow streets of the capital, where delicious food abounds. Today, we're going to explore the flavorful street snacks filled with local charm..."

The show showcased many food photos, making Jing Yi swallow hard in anticipation.

Soon, it was time for the self-introduction segment.

The guests stood in a row, but upon a quick glance, Li Mingzhi was nowhere to be seen. Li Ting doubted, "Did you mess up? You're not even here."

"Wait, third brother," Li Mingzhi said mysteriously. "I'm making a grand entrance."

Li Wenzhao's gaze shifted slightly.

Jing Yi: "……”

That description sounds awfully familiar.

Li Ting made a grand gesture to catch them red-handed. "Gotcha, they must be hiding something!"

The scene continued, and the director introduced the last guest to enter.

Li Ting was stunned. "Is that a giant frog? Is this a prank show or what?"

Li Mingzhi hesitated, "No, it's a serious food show."

Seeing the big frog do dozens of backflips, Li Ting's face stiffened, "...You?!"

Li Mingzhi said, "Yeah, how handsome am I?"

Li Ting: "..."

Jing Yi gave a knowing smile.

"Don't panic just yet, the more panicking parts are still to come."

Li Ting: "..."

Before he could prepare himself, the big frog on the screen started belting out a distorted version of a dolphin-like high note.

As the big frog appeared, a few scattered bullet comments floated across the screen.

[Hahahahahaha]

[Amazing skill!]

[Frog Prince from the Sky?]

[Don't tell me this is the new guest... hahahahaha]

[I only do face masks once a month, don't mess this up!]

[Newcomers are more fun, this one is really going all out]

As the initial awkwardness passed, Jing Yi gradually became drawn into the lively variety show. The other guests, including Li Mingzhi, were quite entertaining, with the bullet comments filled with laughter.

Even the guests couldn't help but chuckle.

Inspired by some mysterious force, Li Mingzhi fully embraced his comedic side, spending half the show in a frog suit.

During the performance segment, the guests were asked to showcase their talents to help attract customers for the small shop. Fearing that Li Mingzhi would use his sound wave attack again, the others suggested using a fun performance to attract customers.

Li Mingzhi agreed.

Still in the frog suit, he slipped on the ramp and slid all the way to someone's feet.

Li Ting: "...Pfft."

Jing Yi couldn't help but curl his lips up either.

Li Mingzhi turned his head angrily, "Brother Three, why are you laughing at me too?"

Li Ting held back as much as he could, "Because I think you're quite suited to be a star."

The smooth-brained younger Li was tempted, "Really?"

"Yeah."

Others had many jokes, he had many embarrassing moments, but both were equally entertaining.

After a hearty laugh from the variety show, Jing Yi was starving and glued to the table, eating without looking up.

Li Wenzhao had eaten little for dinner, Li Ting had laughed himself silly, and Li Mingzhi needed to watch his diet. Jing Yi ended up eating the most at the table.

After finishing the main course, Jing Yi wanted to eat some fresh fruit to cleanse his palate.

Li Wenzhao frowned and said, "Eating too much at night isn't good for your health."

Overeating?

Jing Yi, with a cherry in his mouth, looking puzzled, said, "I'm only half full."

Li Mingzhi pursed his lips and asked, "Aren't you afraid of getting fat?"

Jing Yi replied, "If the heart is sincere, the calories are zero."

This twisted logic left the two brothers speechless. "..."

Li Wenzhao glanced at the young butler’s slim waist and spoke in a warm, gentle tone, "A belly doesn’t appear overnight."

Jing Yi's eating paused mid-bite. "..."