Yu Jianhua suddenly made a decision to place his eldest son, Yu Mo, in the highly crucial Asset Management Department of Yu Corporation before returning to the hospital to continue his recuperation.
Only then did Wang Simin feel slightly relieved.
Truth be told, deep down, she now wished her husband would never recover—that he would remain bedridden in the hospital or simply pass away.
Such was the tragedy of wealthy families like theirs, where familial bonds often grew cold in the face of interests.
Just as many company founders could be ousted by their closest relatives, it all boiled down to profit.
Had Yu Jianhua been younger, less domineering, or had he long ago designated their younger son Yu Fei and daughter Yu Meng as the company’s successors, Wang Simin might have contentedly played the role of a housewife, devoting herself entirely to the family.
But reality was never as perfect as fantasy.
If there was anyone to blame, it was Yu Jianhua’s ex-wife for leaving behind Yu Mo—a son who also held a significant stake in the corporation.
Pearl City Golf Course.
The afternoon sun was harsh yet carried a hint of warmth.
This course, an asset under Yu Corporation, wasn’t particularly profitable—it was primarily built for business networking.
Wang Simin had arranged to meet her brother-in-law, Yu Tianxiang, here for a game.
After a few rounds of golf, the two settled into a comfortable spot to rest and chat.
Wang Simin took a sip of juice and said, "Tianxiang, did you know your brother sent Yu Mo to the Asset Management Department?"
Yu Tianxiang chuckled dismissively. "I heard. It’s a good thing—maybe he wants to toughen the kid up."
Wang Simin frowned. "Do you think he’s found out about what we’ve been doing?"
"Unlikely. He’s been stuck in the hospital—how would he know? And even if he did, so what?" Yu Tianxiang wasn’t the least bit concerned.
After all, the waters ran deep, and they weren’t the only ones involved. There were other powerful figures in the mix—people even Yu Jianhua wouldn’t dare cross.
"Still, for now, let’s hold off on moving the overseas investment funds through the company. We should lay low for a while."
Wang Simin nodded, though unease lingered in her heart.
Yu Mo had previously brought up the issue of the corporation’s investment returns in a discussion with Yu Jianhua, but that was merely surface-level—and only covered domestic investments.
Beyond real estate development, Yu Corporation also dabbled in investments, as most large conglomerates did. Idle funds were typically invested rather than left sitting in bank accounts, earning meager interest.
A portion of these funds had been funneled overseas, where oversight was lax—making it the perfect channel for Wang Simin and Yu Tianxiang to launder money.
The profits from their smuggling operations were, after all, dirty money that needed cleaning.
So, Wang Simin had exploited Yu Corporation’s overseas investments, collaborating with Yu Tianxiang to whitewash the funds through a series of maneuvers.
This was the main reason she was so unsettled by her husband’s decision—she feared he might uncover traces of their scheme.
For now, though, things seemed safe. Yu Jianhua appeared oblivious, likely sending Yu Mo as both a test for Yu Fei and a subtle warning for her.
She bore some responsibility for Yu Fei’s recent blunder—she had, after all, approved his attendance at the auction.
"Don’t overthink it, sister-in-law. Even though you’ve stepped down from the Asset Management Department, I’m still the general manager. Anything Yu Mo tries to do will have to go through me. I’ll keep an eye on him. If he’s just there to coast, fine. But if he tries anything, I won’t let him succeed."
Hearing this, Wang Simin felt somewhat reassured.
"Tianxiang, I’m counting on you."
"Don’t worry. With me here, that kid won’t be able to turn the world upside down."
"........."
...........
Wanlong Hui Company.
After meeting Yu Mo, Liu Yutong was certain—the deal was as good as done.
Ten billion was indeed an outrageous demand, but if it meant trading the North District’s Plot 33 for Yu Corporation’s under-construction South District shopping mall, the corporation would likely accept.
Of course, she wouldn’t get it for free—the mall’s construction costs exceeded five billion.
Spanning 150,000 square meters, it was a massive commercial complex. Even with the financial crisis forcing a discount, it would still cost at least four billion.
But Liu Yutong had no intention of paying the full amount. She planned to pay only half—two billion—and spread it over three years.
The remaining two billion? Consider it the price Yu Corporation would pay to reclaim Plot 33.
She was confident they’d agree.
Given Yu Corporation’s strategic priorities, developing the North District far outweighed the South District mall, which stood too close to Qianda Plaza. The mall was just an isolated commercial point, whereas the North District was a massive, 10-billion-yuan mixed-use project combining residential and commercial spaces. From a strategic standpoint, sacrificing the South District mall made sense.
Of course, in hindsight, this decision would prove disastrous.
In her past life, the high-speed rail station had unexpectedly been relocated to the southern outskirts, turning the mall into a second "city center."
The new government headquarters, zoo, amusement park, and even an artificial scenic area were all planned there, drawing crowds that eclipsed the original downtown.
The North District, meanwhile, lagged behind. Despite continuous investment, progress was slow.
Only after more than a decade did the area finally gain traction and turn profitable.
While Yu Corporation’s 10-billion-yuan project ultimately succeeded, the journey was a complete failure.
This single project caused the corporation to miss the golden era of real estate development, stagnating for years and even shrinking its assets by half. Fortunately, their investments in the South District—especially the shopping mall—generated enough cash flow to keep them afloat.
But in this life, Yu Corporation wouldn’t have the South District mall to bail them out. What would become of them? Only Liu Yutong knew.
Naturally, she wouldn’t share these thoughts with the young man before her.
Yu Mo stood nervously in front of Liu Yutong, awed by the legendary woman yet uneasy about what came next.
So far, everything had unfolded as Liu Yutong predicted—he’d successfully entered the corporation. But he was still unsure of his next steps.
Just then, the office door opened quietly, and Yu Xin walked in with a greeting.
When she saw Yu Mo, her face showed no trace of surprise, clearly having already known he would appear here.
"Sister Yutong, I’m here to report on the recent progress of the restaurants."
"Following the company’s development plan, every supermarket location should have a chain restaurant nearby to create a complementary flow of customers. I’ve already finalized the site selections, and three restaurants are nearly finished with renovations—they’ll be ready to open soon."
"The restaurant expansion has gone so smoothly mainly because I incorporated your earlier idea of establishing a central kitchen. By using it to train experienced chefs further, we’ve significantly improved their skills and efficiency. The secret recipes have also been shared with them, of course, under signed confidentiality agreements."
Not that the agreements mattered much to the Wanlong Society—even without them, no one would dare leak anything.
Yu Xin’s report was thorough. She had begun to exude the bearing of a seasoned leader, handling matters with diligence and foresight. Perhaps it really was time to consider putting her in charge of this sector. Of course, since she was still in school, she’d need a full-time assistant.
After Yu Xin finished her report, Liu Yutong suppressed the thought of reassigning her for now. Her gaze shifted between Yu Xin and Yu Mo, and an idea suddenly struck her.
She could tell that Yu Mo seemed to naturally trust Yu Xin. Maybe having Yu Xin mentor him would be the better choice.
"Yu Xin, when you have time, guide Yu Mo a little. Teach him how things should be done."
Yu Xin paused briefly before nodding. "Of course, Sister Yutong. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him."
