388 Sell Soul to the Devil

Iris' eyebrows rose after hearing Qiao Yu's promise.

She was already comfortable with her current financial position because it was allowing her to pursue her ambitions freely and independently. She didn't really have that much of a desire to become a billionaire on a global scale—at least, at the moment. That wasn't her goal from the beginning, anyway.

Her goal was to have enough resources to pursue her dreams and to live a life of freedom and independence on her own terms. Then Jin Liwei came along. Her life plans had to change a bit to include him now, too.

However, it seemed that her personal financial manager had a different idea about what was enough resources. In his definition, it was to become a billionaire on a global scale.

And she wasn't against it. In fact, she liked it!

She nodded in approval. "Good. This way, I'll have more dowry when I marry Jin Liwei. Not that he minds whether I bring in dowry or not. Mr. Qiao, go ahead and do what you think is needed."

After receiving her permission, Qiao Yu immediately focused on making Iris many times wealthier than she already was. He invested her wealth using the Cross Academy's exclusive business network.

Compared to the world-level investors like Sir Lu Jianhong and even Jin Liwei, she was still considered a pipsqueak based on her level of wealth.

"It's time to change that. She'll surely become the next powerful dragon who will astound the entire business world. And one of the key figures who will make that happen is me, Qiao Yu! Mwahahaha!"

He cackled in excitement and rubbed his hands together, looking very much like an evil villain plotting world domination.

###

The news about Long Jinjing and her friend Chen Fei rejecting Long Industries' job offers after their graduation to work instead for Iris' company spread among the entire Long clan.

In addition to this, they confirmed that Long Industries already started shipping for Iris' company. And they weren't some small-scale shipments either. These were big shipments from different parts of the world being delivered to her mysterious company.

Long Jufang called for a secret meeting at his home. Most of the elders and other key relatives gathered together to discuss Iris' recent rise to prominence and her potential impact on the Long family.

The meeting was secret in the sense that the main family and the branch families supporting it weren't informed about the gathering.

The most powerful elders, Long Jufang and Long Meng, led the meeting. It lasted for several hours until the sky turned dark.

After the meeting, the participants left Long Jufang's home. Discontent was obvious in their expressions. It seemed that the meeting didn't go well.

One of the participants during the meeting, Long Xiaopeng, drove away in a hurry. Less than an hour later, he arrived at Long Jian and Zhu Ning's home.

Inside the living room, Long Xiaopeng relayed everything that happened during the secret meeting to Long Jian and his mother, Zhu Ning.

"Elder Jufang wants the clan to support Young Miss Xiulan to become the next head of the family and Long Industries. He says that she's currently the best candidate to succeed your father because of her recent accomplishments, not to mention that she's engaged to be married to Sir Lu Jianhong's grandson. This means that she'll also become the next Madam Lu. Elder Jufang's plan is to make Young Miss Xiulan both Madam Lu and the Long family head. This will ensure that our Long clan will ascend to the same level of status as the Lu family."

"What did you say?! They want that little slut to become the next head?!! Have they gone crazy?!!!" Zhu Ning shrieked at the top of her lungs, looking absolutely furious.

Long Jian's expression darkened. "Long Jufang is the most powerful elder in the clan. His words have great influence. If he wants to support Long Xiulan, then the others will also follow suit."

"Not necessarily," Long Xiaopeng told them.

"What do you mean, Uncle Xiaopeng?" Long Jian asked.

"Elder Meng surprisingly disagrees with Elder Jufang. She wants Young Master Hui to remain as the heir. After all, the Young Master is the one who was trained since childhood to become the next head. She thinks that he is still the best candidate to succeed Cousin Tengfei. However, she doesn't like the Young Master's fiancée and their illegi—I mean, their son. She wants to separate them and find a more suitable marriage partner for the Young Master.

"If I remember correctly, Elder Meng was the one who pushed for the union between Young Master Hui and Wu Qianxi the most. Her branch family also had the closest relationship with the Wus. She was the most upset when the friendship between the Wus and our Long family was destroyed," Long Xiaopeng explained.

Zhu Ning snorted. "I bet that hag received a promise from the Wus to favour her branch family after Wu Qianxi marries that swine Long Hui. So of course she's going to be upset!"

"Please continue, Uncle Xiaopeng," Long Jian said.

Long Xiaopeng nodded. "Elder Meng thinks that Young Master Hui's only flaw is his fiancée and their son. She believes that taking them out of the picture and getting a more suitable wife for the Young Master will make him the best possible successor."

"So who has more supporters, Long Jufang or Long Meng?" Long Jian asked.

"I'm not sure exactly," Long Xiapeng admitted.

Both Long Jian and Zhu Ning looked dissatisfied by his answer.

"However, I can estimate," he quickly added. "I'll say that at the moment, Young Master Hui still has the most supporters. However, he already lost a lot of them in the last few months. Many of them decided to support Young Miss Xiulan instead. Her supporters within the clan are growing by the day. The clan is currently divided into different camps. But there are more than just two camps. Obviously, Young Master Hui and Young Miss Xiulan are the two biggest camps. However, I know for sure that some of the branch families are planning to fight for their own candidates as well.

"Of course, my branch family fully supports you, Jian'er. We also already gotten the support of two other small branch families. Even though it's difficult for us to gain the support of the big branch families, we are quite successful in gathering individuals from different branches to support you."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Zhu Ning exclaimed in delight and nodded in approval. "Son, you need to thank your Uncle Xiaopeng for working hard on your behalf.

"Thank you, Uncle Xiaopeng."

The older man looked slightly embarrassed. He cleared his throat and waved his hand modestly. "Don't be so formal. We're family. Besides, I personally believe that Jian'er is the most suitable successor. He's intelligent and has the skills to lead not only the clan but Long Industries as well."

"You're absolutely right! My son was transferred to the main company only recently, but he already got promoted to Deputy COO! How long did that swine Long Hui take before he got promoted to Deputy CFO? Years! It took him years! But my son only needed months! It's already obvious who's better between the two of them. My son is the best among Tengfei's children! Of course, it's because I'm the mother!" Zhu Ning laughed in a mixture of pride and glee.

Long Jian smiled. He was also extremely pleased by his recent accomplishment.

He worked so hard to become the most useful member of the COO's team. He worked overtime almost everyday and made sure that all of his work was of the highest quality. It didn't take long until the COO made Long Jian accompany him everywhere. He became indispensable to the COO, even more so than the man's own assistants.

So when the Deputy COO quit because of personal issues, the COO immediately appointed Long Hui, bypassing the order of seniority. Of course, Long Hui accepted. He didn't give a fuck about those grumbling in discontent because they were bypassed for the promotion.

This happened after the international business conference.

"Jian'er, congratulations," Long Xiaopeng said.

"Thank you, Uncle." Then Long Jian became serious again. "Never did I expect that my youngest sister, Long Xiulan, will become my biggest threat—"

"Don't call that little slut your sister!" Zhu Ning scolded. "You're an only child. You don't have any siblings! That fucker and those sluts don't deserve to be called your siblings! First, it was that fucker Hui and Xiulan slut teaming up. Now, even that Jinjing slut joined together with Xiulan slut! It's obvious that they're teaming up against you because they're afraid of your brilliance, my son! Because they know that you're the most worthy successor of your father!"

Long Jian listened to everything his mother said. He also began to believe that his own siblings were teaming up against him.

"Don't worry, my son. I'll make sure to place you as the next head of the Long family and Long Industries before I die. They have to crawl over my dead body before they can wrench that title away from you. I'd even sell my soul to the devil just so you can succeed. Just do your best and continue to work hard, my dear son. Leave everything to Mother."

Zhu Ning's promise reassured Long Jian and calmed his troubled heart.

On the other hand, it made Long Xiaopeng shiver. He momentarily imagined Zhu Ning as the devil herself before he shook his head, dismissing his overactive imagination.