Volume One, Chapter 23: The Li Family’s Predicament

Li Group. High-level conference room.

The lighting was dim and oppressive. The atmosphere was as heavy as an impending storm, and the air in the entire room felt deathly still. The elite core members of the Li family sat huddled around the conference table, their brows furrowed, their faces darkened with gloom so thick it seemed it could drip away.

"What exactly is going on?"
"Why have so many workers suddenly resigned all at once?"
"And they are all skilled workers in key positions!"
"To make matters worse, these are all veteran employees who have worked at our Li family pharmaceutical plant for years!"
"The Li family has always provided these veterans with more than generous compensation!"
"Have any of you found out anything?"

The final question came from Li Dinguo. A young man nearby replied in a low voice, "I have found signs that the Zhou family is involved. Some of the workers who resigned earlier have already gone to the Zhou family’s pharmaceutical factory. It appears the Zhou family has been poaching our talent with high salaries..."

"The Zhou family..." Li Tianguo’s face flushed with fury, the veins on his forehead bulging. He suddenly slammed his fist onto the table with a deafening bang. The teacups on the table rattled violently, and tea splashed onto the surface. He roared, "It really was the Zhou family’s dirty work! They are absolutely shameless! How dare they reach their hands into our factory!"

Li Dinguo’s expression shifted uncertainly. "It seems the formula for the Beauty-Stabilizing Pill has fallen into their hands as well."

Li Tianguo said bitterly, "Needless to say, these wretched things must be their doing! They have always been this despicable and unscrupulous, stopping at nothing..."

"It must be them. In Nanjiang City, besides the Zhou family, no other company has the influence to mobilize the Regulatory Bureau to help them scheme for the Beauty-Stabilizing Pill’s formula."

"The Zhou family has always loved playing these underhanded tricks."

"Sigh, the Zhou family’s strength is already formidable, and now that they have snatched the formula for the Beauty-Stabilizing Pill, we are likely in for significant trouble."

"Stealing the formula is one thing, but now they are even poaching our workers..."

"Those workers would rather pay sky-high breach-of-contract penalties just to leave. What can we possibly do?"

"We never treated our employees poorly. I really didn't expect them to be poached so easily."

"Just how much did the Zhou family offer them to make them so resolute, so willing to discard their old loyalties..."

"When it comes to deep pockets, the Zhou family has a certain foundation, after all, they have the accumulation of several generations."

"If it comes to a war of money, we might not necessarily outspend the Zhou family."

The conference room was filled with lamentations. The mental blow dealt to the Li family’s leadership was clearly substantial. Li Qingcheng’s face was also etched with worry. She bit her lip gently until it turned pale.

"A forced melon is never sweet. Since those workers are determined to leave, there is no need for us to try and retain them with high salaries. Besides, the pressure on our capital is already too great, and such measures might not even be effective..."

"The primary issue is the flood of fines and rectification notices issued by the regulatory departments. Otherwise, we would still have some breathing room..." Li Dinguo sighed helplessly, his voice heavy with exhaustion and the weight of years.

"If this continues, our production will grind to a halt..."

"Given the current situation facing our Li family, this is undoubtedly a massive catastrophe."

"Is the hard work of so many years about to be destroyed in an instant?"

"We must find a way!"

Everyone knew full well the influence and tactics of the Zhou family, yet at this moment, they could not think of a single effective countermeasure. They seemed forced to watch helplessly as their enterprise spiraled into crisis. This sense of powerlessness acted like heavy shackles, binding them tightly. How could the Li Group possibly find a way out of this predicament?

...

Ye Tian had been staying at a hotel for the past few days, feeling somewhat idle. Consequently, he spent his time practicing martial arts. The Dragon Emperor Medical Classic was vast and profound; even though he had already achieved a certain level of mastery, he still needed to cultivate with even greater diligence.

At noon, he finally concluded his practice for the day, feeling a slight sense of fatigue. He decided it was time to properly relax. A shower would be a good start. Hot water sprayed from the showerhead, and the bathroom was soon filled with swirling steam.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Ye Tian, feeling annoyed, wrapped himself in a bath towel. He stepped out of the bathroom, his slippers making a soft "patter" on the floor. Reaching the door, he peered through the peephole and saw that it was Li Qingcheng.

He opened the door. "What brings you here today?"

Li Qingcheng suddenly blushed. Ye Tian was only wrapped in a bath towel, which hung loosely around his waist, exposing his sturdy chest and abdominal muscles. The lines were firm and smooth, his bronze skin radiating masculine charm... She turned her head away shyly, her eyes darting around in a panic, not daring to look directly at him.

"Ye Tian, I... I have some things I would like to ask your opinion on."

Seeing Li Qingcheng’s bashful expression, Ye Tian found it somewhat amusing. "Come in and we can talk. I’m going to change into some clothes first."

He turned and walked into the bedroom, returning shortly after dressed in casual wear. By then, Li Qingcheng was already sitting on the sofa. She twisted her hands together unconsciously, struggling to calm herself down.

"Ye Tian, the Zhou family has been poaching people from our factory recently, and many skilled technical workers have resigned..."

Ye Tian walked over to Li Qingcheng and sat down beside her quite naturally. The sofa was not large, and Ye Tian sank deeply into it. Li Qingcheng, who was sitting next to him, was affected by his movement and was squeezed until she was pressed right against him.

Ye Tian felt the softness and elasticity of her thigh against his, and his heart couldn't help but flutter. At the same time, Li Qingcheng’s words came to an abrupt halt. She instinctively curled her body, seemingly unaccustomed to being so close to Ye Tian.

Ye Tian was amused. Back at the press conference, their contact had been much more intimate than this. Li Qingcheng had even taken the initiative to link her arm with his, pressing herself against him to project an image of extreme closeness to outsiders. How had she become so shy after just a few days? Was that performance at the press conference just for show? Did she lack the courage now?

"What’s wrong? Keep going..." Ye Tian said, trying to divert her attention.

Li Qingcheng shifted her position slightly and continued to describe the predicament and issues the Li family was currently facing—the relentless pressure from the Zhou family and the interference from the regulatory authorities. The Li Group was indeed teetering on the brink of collapse, completely overwhelmed. If they didn't come up with a countermeasure soon, they would quickly face even greater problems under the Zhou family’s fierce pursuit.

Li Qingcheng was filled with anxiety, but Ye Tian remained completely composed. After hearing her description, he still gave no reaction. Li Qingcheng’s face filled with disappointment.

Of course... Ye Tian was just a brilliant doctor; he didn't understand corporate management... What kind of solution could he possibly offer?

Looking at Li Qingcheng’s stunning face, Ye Tian couldn't help but smile.

"Don't worry. Let the Zhou family gloat for a few more days."

"When the time is right, I will make the Zhou family taste the bitter fruit of their own actions."