Jinghua Pavilion.
The prestigious guest reception hall of Finance University, symbolizing "a gathering of elites and the convergence of brilliance." Whenever important guests visit, the university arranges for them to rest here.
Inside the Guining Hall of Jinghua Pavilion.
Several business and finance tycoons had gathered, chatting and laughing in small groups on the sofas. However, tension was palpable between two individuals, their words laced with thinly veiled rivalry.
"President Huang, Guomei's expansion has been quite aggressive lately. I heard you’ve secured another acquisition in Jiangsu Province?"
"President Zhang, you’re well-informed. We do need to establish roots in competitive markets—otherwise, employees might grow too complacent, which isn’t good for the company’s growth."
"But have you considered, President Huang, that overexpansion could strain your cash flow? If it were to snap, wouldn’t that give others a chance to overtake you?"
"Hahaha, President Zhang, you worry too much. Guomei’s coffers are plenty healthy. On the other hand, I’ve heard Suning has quite a few internal conflicts? Venturing into the B2C e-commerce space won’t be easy, will it?"
"The market is changing, and Suning must adapt. But our brick-and-mortar stores remain our foundation—we won’t abandon them lightly. Besides, the top spot in the industry will eventually return to Suning."
"Oh? Then you’ll have to ask the current industry leader if they’re willing to step aside. By the way, President Zhang, how are your negotiations with Zhongda Electronics going?"
President Zhang’s expression darkened instantly. His deal with Zhongda Electronics had been nearly finalized when this infuriating man swooped in and snatched it right from under him.
"If you want to grow fast and strong enough to compete globally, mergers and acquisitions are inevitable. President Zhang, I’ll be waiting for you to hand Suning over to me."
"You—"
Just as the two were about to exchange more heated words, a slender figure entered the hall.
A young woman walked in, dressed in a simple yet elegant white V-neck gown, her demeanor poised and graceful as she carried a tea tray. Almost instantly, every gaze in the room was drawn to her.
Huang Yu, shedding his earlier aggressiveness, turned to a sharp-eyed middle-aged woman sitting across from him and remarked, "Well, well, President Lin, is this your junior from the university?"
"Finance University truly nurtures exceptional talent. Not only has it produced financial elites like you, President Lin, but even its students carry such refined grace."
Huang Yu’s words were sincere. As a seasoned veteran in the business world, he had encountered countless beauties, yet this young woman still managed to captivate him at first glance.
Lin Ke smiled in response. "Naturally, our university has always been a cradle of talent. President Huang, you should visit more often. And President Zhang, do consider our students when recruiting."
"Of course, of course."
President Zhang was the first to speak up. "Finance University has always been a key talent pool for Suning. In fact, we’re planning a dedicated recruitment session for our new branch in Bright Pearl City."
Huang Yu immediately countered, "What a coincidence. Guomei just acquired an electronics company in Bright Pearl City and also needs fresh talent. I wonder, though, whether Finance University’s students will choose Guomei… or Suning?"
"President Lin, as the host, you’re in the best position to answer. Care to share your thoughts?"
Lin Ke chuckled and shook her head. "Gentlemen, you’re putting me in a difficult spot. But if I must say something, true talent isn’t confined to a single path. Who knows? Perhaps Finance University will produce another business titan like the two of you."
"President Lin, you really know how to stay neutral." Huang Yu then turned to Song Lin, the relatively quiet CEO of Wanjia Supermarket Group. "Old Song, you’re in retail too. Between Guomei and President Zhang’s Suning, who do you think has the upper hand?"
Song Lin gave a wry smile. "One of you is the industry leader, the other is third—why ask the fourth-place guy? I wouldn’t dare speculate."
"Hahaha, Old Song, you’re just trying to stay out of it, aren’t you? That won’t do. You’ve got to give us a proper answer." Huang Yu suddenly recalled something. "Ah, I heard Wanjia is planning to explore a new market segment. Is that true?"
Song Lin didn’t evade the question. "Yes, it’s already in the works."
"President Huang, if you insist on my opinion about Guomei and President Zhang’s Suning, it’s hard to say who has the edge. But I believe the future belongs to the younger generation. Why not ask one of them?"
Seeing that Song Lin was unwilling to engage further and had deftly redirected the conversation, Huang Yu’s gaze shifted back to Liu Yutong, who had been quietly attending to them.
"President Lin, why don’t you have your junior introduce herself?"
From the moment Liu Yutong entered, Lin Ke had been discreetly observing her. Faced with so many industry titans, the young woman remained composed, showing no trace of nervousness—a remarkable display of poise.
"Junior, President Huang has requested it. Would you like to introduce yourself?"
After serving tea to the business leaders, Liu Yutong had been quietly analyzing the dynamics in the room, her mind subtly stirred by the exchanges.
She truly hadn’t expected that, aside from a few senior students, even the top three retail giants would show up—this completely took her by surprise.
Bright Pearl City wasn’t the provincial capital, and though the University of Finance was a key provincial institution, it hardly warranted these wealthy figures—ranked prominently on the rich lists—taking time out of their busy schedules just to attend a campus event. After all, none of them had graduated from this university.
After some thought, only one possibility made sense: they must have been invited by higher-ups, perhaps for investment discussions in the region, and the venue just happened to be the University of Finance.
Today, Liu Yutong had her horizons broadened, witnessing firsthand the notorious Huang Yu, a man who had topped the wealth rankings multiple times and carried an air of a ruthless tycoon. True to rumors, he was as aggressive as they said.
But Huang Yu had every reason to be confident.
Back in 2006, under his leadership, Gome had become the top-ranked chain enterprise in China, with annual sales exceeding 80 billion yuan. Suning ranked third, with sales over 60 billion yuan. The second spot went to Bailian Group, which focused mainly on department stores and supermarkets, while Wanjia Group took fourth place.
Huang Yu had long coveted Suning, aiming to dominate the electronics sector single-handedly. He was particularly fond of aggressive acquisitions, throwing money around with relentless ambition.
In contrast, Zhang Dong appeared far more composed, lacking Huang Yu’s sharp, domineering edge. To Liu Yutong, he even had a fortunate aura about him, like a seasoned general.
As for Song Lin, the head of Wanjia, who had remained mostly silent, Liu Yutong found him the most unsettling of the three. Though he lacked Huang Yu’s flamboyance and Zhang Dong’s commanding presence, he was not someone to underestimate.
After all, Wanlong Supermarket and Wanjia were direct competitors in Bright Pearl City. For instance, the Wanlong Supermarket near the university district had a Wanjia Mingcheng store just a few hundred meters away.
Given that both were retail chains primarily focused on department stores, competition between them was inevitable.
Huang Yu’s sudden question to Song Lin earlier had also caught Liu Yutong’s attention. After a moment’s reflection, she began to piece things together.
In 2007, Wanjia had indeed made a major move—launching its 24-hour convenience store brand, VGO, with the first outlet reportedly set to open soon.
Truth be told, Wanjia’s convenience store venture would remain mediocre in the future. Despite several expansions, its total store count barely surpassed two hundred, and its financial performance paled in comparison to foreign brands like 7-Eleven and FamilyMart.
Still, Liu Yutong remained wary.
Even if VGO underperformed, it was a sharp blade Wanjia wielded against core competitors.
