Chapter 65 Just Don’t Compensate

Chapter 65: As Long as We Don't Lose Money

Lu Lin was stunned for a moment by the kick, then blinked up at Shen Qingci with pitiful, innocent eyes, his gaze holding no displeasure at being scolded.

Instead, it brimmed with pure trust and dependence, as he replied matter-of-factly.

"I don't need to read whatever Brother gives me. Brother would never hurt me."

He said this so naturally, as if it were an absolute truth.

Shen Qingci's heart, however, sank at this.

He looked at Lu Lin's face, full of trust and unreserved devotion, and said nothing more, simply leaning on his cane as he slowly stood up, ready to leave the study.

Seeing this, Lu Lin immediately moved to follow him.

Shen Qingci paused, turning his head slightly without looking at Lu Lin, and gently tapped the contract Lu Lin had just signed on the desk with the end of his cane.

His clear, cold voice cut through the air.

"Learn it by heart."

"Then you can come down."

The look on Lu Lin's face instantly froze.

He lowered his head, glanced at the letter of intent on the desk, then looked up at Shen Qingci's retreating back. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Until the study door was gently closed, sealing off the inside from the outside world.

Standing there, Lu Lin's obedient and dependent demeanor receded like a tide, his eyes returning to their usual depth and coldness, with a faint, barely perceptible gloom underneath.

He walked over to the desk, picked up the contract, and casually flipped through a few pages.

Then he took out his phone, unlocked it, and sent a brief message to Zhou Jin.

"Brother wants to cooperate with the Lu family. Handle it well. No screw-ups."

After sending the message, he tossed the phone back onto the desk, his gaze falling on the contract. A trace of helplessness and indulgent affection flickered in his eyes.

If Brother wanted him to remember it, then he would.

---

Downstairs, in the dining room.

Uncle Fu had already set the table, the exquisite dishes giving off an enticing aroma.

Seeing only Shen Qingci come down alone, Uncle Fu was taken aback and asked, a bit confused, "Sir, didn't Mr. Lu call you down for dinner?"

Shen Qingci sat down at the head of the table, picked up a warm, damp towel to wipe his hands, and glanced toward the stairs at the question, his tone flat. "No."

Uncle Fu, even more puzzled, immediately instructed a nearby servant, "Go upstairs and ask Mr. Lu to come down for dinner."

After giving the order, he said quietly to Shen Qingci, "Mr. Lu came back and went straight to the kitchen to prepare dinner. He even made a few of your favorite dishes. I thought he'd come down with you."

At Uncle Fu's words, Shen Qingci picked up the coffee cup beside him and took a sip.

The familiar taste—Lu Lin had brewed it.

He set down the cup, picked up his utensils, and responded with a barely audible "Mm."

He couldn't very well tell Uncle Fu that the boy had come upstairs without even getting a chance to tell him dinner was ready, only to be punished by having to memorize that thick contract, could he?

But trusting others too easily—that flaw was too serious.

In Shen Qingci's view, unquestioning, almost blind trust in others was a fatal weakness.

The business world was a battlefield; people's hearts were unpredictable.

He had to break this habit in the boy.

Shen Qingci thought, his right hand unconsciously coming to rest on his right knee.

The sharp, suffocating pain from deep within the marrow when the bone shattered back then.

Though it was so long ago, every time he recalled it, it was still vivid in his mind.

He lowered his eyelashes, hiding the fleeting emotion in his eyes.

---

The next day, the cooperation with the Lu Group officially began.

Inside the CEO's office, the atmosphere was serious.

Shen Qingci sat behind the spacious desk in a dark gray suit that accentuated his cool, handsome features.

He fixed his gaze on Xiao Chen, who stood before the desk, his posture straight and his expression barely hiding his excitement.

"The specific matters for liaising with the Lu Group will be handled entirely by you in the initial phase," Shen Qingci's voice was low but clear and forceful, carrying his usual coldness.

"Once Lin Wei has finished handling her higher-priority tasks, if she's willing to take over, it can be transferred to her for follow-up. Of course,"

He paused, calmly assessing Xiao Chen with his gaze. "If your performance during this period proves you're competent enough, and the Lu Group has no objections, you can continue to lead it."

Shen Qingci was well-versed in the art of delegation, especially skilled at discovering and cultivating loyal, reliable core talent among young, promising individuals.

He gave opportunities, but also tests of character.

Xiao Chen clearly understood the weight of this opportunity. He tried hard to suppress his ecstasy, stood even straighter, looked at Shen Qingci with fervent eyes, and his voice, though slightly tight with excitement, was exceptionally firm: "Yes, President Shen! I will live up to your trust and do my best!"

Lin Wei stood to the side, taking in Xiao Chen's reaction.

She frowned almost imperceptibly, then swept her gaze over Shen Qingci's overly handsome yet expressionless face.

Seeing that Shen Qingci had finished instructing Xiao Chen and had no other directions, Lin Wei was about to follow Xiao Chen out and give him a few words of caution, but was stopped by a clear, cold voice.

"Lin Wei."

Lin Wei's steps halted. She turned around, her face bearing its usual capable calmness. "President Shen."

"In the initial phase, you follow up. Get Xiao Chen up to speed quickly, familiarizing him with the Lu Group's processes and key contacts."

"Also," he tapped his fingertip lightly on the desk, "for this cooperation with the Lu Group, within reasonable limits, try to concede as much profit as possible. There's no need to maximize profits."

Lin Wei was slightly taken aback, not quite understanding Shen Qingci's intention, but she responded quickly, "Understood. What is the range for the profit concessions..."

Shen Qingci's gaze drifted towards the window, as if pondering the specific figure.

Soon, he withdrew his gaze and gave a bottom line that surprised even Lin Wei in his flat tone:

"As long as we don't lose money, it's fine."