Chapter Sixty-One: The Li Family Banquet

The notary's words left the old lady momentarily stunned, but she quickly waved her hand dismissively.
"That doesn't matter anymore. I've already decided to apply for bankruptcy for Haoyuan Trading. I believe it will be approved tomorrow. The funds on the books will be returned to the clients, untouched!"

The investigation into the company's account details that morning had merely been to determine whether Chen Muxue had lied. Now that the decision had been made to expel her family, what else mattered?

"Madam, I think you should at least be informed. After all, once your company has signed a contract with this party, applying for bankruptcy protection privately may not be so easy," the notary replied coldly.

"Oh? What do you mean by that?" The old lady's face changed, her brows furrowing as she demanded an explanation.

The notary did not answer her directly. Instead, he shook his head with a sigh, a rare smile appearing on his lips. Yet the smile was filled with disdain, as if mocking the old lady's ignorance of the business protocols among Qingyang's elite families.

The others present began to whisper among themselves.

"Is this for real? Which company is so powerful that it can dictate its partner's corporate permissions?"

"Actually, the elite families in Qingyang might have that kind of clout. But Haoyuan Trading is such a small company; those giants wouldn't bother with it!"

"Exactly! It's probably a mistake. The big families prefer partnering with multinational groups. They hardly pay attention to small local businesses like ours!"

"Keep your voice down. Let's just wait and see..."

The old lady heard the murmurs below and frowned, turning to the notary again. "Then tell us, which company signed a contract with Haoyuan Trading?"

"The Li Family of Qingyang," the notary replied with grave seriousness.

A stunned silence fell over the room. Not a single sound could be heard.

The mysterious client of Haoyuan Trading was actually the Li Family of Qingyang? The Li Family, towering above all in Qingyang’s commercial world, would contract with a small company like Haoyuan Trading? How could this be possible? Surely, it was a mistake!

Almost everyone harbored doubts, unable to believe the notary’s answer.

"You… you mean the Li Family, the elite in Qingyang City, are collaborating with Haoyuan Trading?" The old lady leapt from her armchair, her face full of shock that lingered and refused to fade.

"Yes, the very Li Family you refer to," the notary said, his tone cold. "After repeated verification, we found that the Li Family of Qingyang has signed a total order worth eighty million with Haoyuan Trading. Fifty million is for the purchase of waterproofing materials for the Li Family estate, and the remaining thirty million is for construction fees. The funds have all been transferred to Haoyuan Trading’s corporate account. Given the substantial amount, the bank is still verifying the transaction."

The entire Chen family fell into stunned silence.

"Eighty… eighty million? An order from the Li Family? How can this be!" The old lady’s expression froze, and it was more than a minute before she unconsciously muttered.

She understood perfectly well what it meant to do business with the Li Family. Connections, reputation, credentials—every aspect of the company would be greatly elevated! It was a golden plaque, something to show future clients, enhancing prestige and making negotiations effortless.

"Madam, let me reiterate—do not doubt our impartiality," the notary declared, his tone more forceful, a trace of irritation crossing his brow.

A wave of excitement swept through the room as the reality finally sank in.

"My God, did I hear right? The Li Family of Qingyang! Our Chen family actually has the chance to collaborate with them! Hahaha…"

"This is fantastic! I’ll have something to boast about in future business deals. Who dares to look down on us now!"

"Haoyuan Trading is incredible! How did Muxue pull this off? I’d love to learn from her!"

"Wait—didn’t the old lady say she was going to declare Haoyuan Trading bankrupt?"

"This…"

The crowd’s joy was quickly tempered by the reminder of the old lady’s earlier decision, and their gazes shifted to her.

At that moment, Chen’s matriarch could not define her own feelings. The stares made her feel as if she were sitting on pins. For the first time in years, she felt incapable of going on.

She instinctively glanced at Chen Muxue and Su Zheng, who were still tending to Chen Jianguo and his wife. Her mind was in utter chaos.

Leaving aside whether she still wanted to dissolve Haoyuan Trading, just having an order from the Li Family meant she couldn’t dissolve it even if she wanted to!

Among Qingyang’s elite families, there was an agreement that even the Qingyang Chamber of Commerce had to respect. Any company that signed a contract with one of these families could not declare bankruptcy during the contract’s execution. If the company truly could not continue operations, it had to be handed over to the elite family for takeover.

This arrangement not only protected the interests of the elite, but also ensured stability in the Qingyang market, preventing drastic upheaval. As the supervising body of all commerce in Qingyang, the Chamber’s authority was not to be challenged, but it had conceded to the elite families, allowing this agreement to exist.

"Everyone, please quiet down," the old lady said, bracing herself and signaling for silence. After a moment’s contemplation, she announced, "Given the Li Family’s order, Haoyuan Trading… well, the dissolution will be postponed for now. However, Chen Muxue is no longer suitable to serve as general manager of Haoyuan Trading. I intend to appoint Ah Xiong to the position. Does anyone have objections?"

She had weighed her options and decided to hand the opportunity to work with the Li Family to Chen Xiong, rather than leave it in Chen Muxue’s hands. In other words, even now, she insisted on expelling Chen Muxue’s family from the clan, leaving no room for negotiation.

This time, few responded. Most lowered their heads in silence.

Clearly, their discontent was not about Chen Muxue’s expulsion, but rather about the Li Family’s collaboration being entrusted solely to Chen Xiong. It was too partial. Haoyuan Trading had become a hot commodity, and with Chen Xiong taking it all, no one else had a chance even for scraps. Their feelings were not just of dissatisfaction, but also of jealousy.

"Fine… Each of your families can appoint one person to assist Ah Xiong in managing Haoyuan Trading. That should be acceptable, no?" The old lady smiled faintly.

She was in high spirits, thrilled by the chance to connect with the Li Family of Qingyang. Yet she had completely forgotten how this order had come about, and disregarded the value of Chen Muxue and Su Zheng.

"Good! I agree!"

"I agree as well!"

Excited voices filled the room.

"I do not agree!" A cold, cutting voice rang out. Su Zheng stood up.