Chapter 692: Chapter 695: Style
Yang Chen glanced at it, frowned, let out a heavy sigh, and then continued driving.
Liu Mingyu, sitting beside him, caught a glimpse of the densely packed Italian words on it and asked curiously, "Is it from one of your friends abroad?"
Yang Chen smiled, "You could say that."
"You seem to have something on your mind," Liu Mingyu said with concern.
Yang Chen thought for a moment before asking, "Mingyu, would you say that Ruoxi is a ruthless person?"
Liu Mingyu was taken aback for a moment, then laughed helplessly, lightly hitting Yang Chen a few times in frustration, "What kind of question is that?! You're talking about your own wife! Just because I'm the other woman doesn't mean I'll badmouth her! Even though I'm not completely content with the situation, I still hope to win your affection through my own efforts!"
Yang Chen chuckled awkwardly, "You misunderstood me. I was just asking offhandedly how you feel about Ruoxi. I didn't mean to imply anything bad about her."
Liu Mingyu rolled her eyes at him, then thought for a moment and said, "If you want an answer, I'd say it's half and half."
"Hmm?"
Liu Mingyu continued, "President Lin is not exactly soft-hearted. For instance, when there was an issue with Goodman in Europe, she completely overhauled the European branch, firing everyone. A person who isn't ruthless wouldn't do that so easily.
Not to mention, when she first became the president, I had already been working at Yu Lei for over a year. She used various tactics, both overt and covert, to get rid of those who didn't submit to her. She wouldn't leave any room for negotiation, regardless of their contributions to Yu Lei.
If it weren't for that, she wouldn't have controlled 90% of Yu Lei's shares before she sold any. She seized most of those shares from other major shareholders, many of whom were left bankrupt."
Yang Chen was taken aback, then smiled wryly, "No wonder she controls so many shares. I see now. It's no wonder she has so many enemies."
Liu Mingyu glared at him, "That's because President Lin is highly skilled. In the business world, losing is losing. Many people, despite hating her for being so ruthless, still admire her methods."
Yang Chen nodded, "And the other half?"
"The other half," Liu Mingyu smiled, "is that she treats employees who work diligently for the company very well. For example, there was the incident with Hong Yan. Also, every year, Yu Lei ranks among the top three in the country for donations to the Hope Project. President Lin doesn't want to make news out of such things, so there are no reports, but we all know internally."
Different from the other three major families, the Ning family had the closest ties with the Court. Aside from their ancestral home, their everyday residence was located at the edge of the Court's vicinity, a modern and imposing building blending seamlessly with the surrounding office structures.
Having just returned home from the Prime Minister's office, Ning Guangyao didn't even have a chance to drink a sip of water to rest. He hurriedly made his way alone to the backyard and entered his study.
After taking off his coat, Ning Guangyao opened his computer and began meticulously browsing all the information online. The most prominent news was about Yu Lei International's massive setback!
With a frown on his face, Ning Guangyao suddenly picked up the phone and dialed a number.
After a few rings, the other end picked up. There was a cacophony of women's screams, music, and noise in the background.
A man, trying his best to raise his voice over the noise, laughed and said, "Prime Minister Ning, what a surprise to get a call from you at this time!"
A flicker of disgust and hatred passed through Ning Guangyao's eyes. He said in a stern voice, "Minister Jin, as a key member of the central government, you need to pay attention to your lifestyle."
Minister Jin laughed awkwardly, "Apologies, apologies, Prime Minister, please don't be angry. I ran into some old classmates and couldn't get away. I'm truly ashamed and will heed your advice!"
Ning Guangyao didn't want to waste more words and said, "I just learned this afternoon that there seems to be some trouble over in Zhonghai. Has Minister Jin, as a key official in the Banking Regulatory Commission, taken any measures?"
Minister Jin dragged out his response, seemingly drinking, and then said, "Prime Minister, you must be referring to the issue with Yu Lei International. Yu Lei is indeed facing significant problems, but it's primarily a business competition matter. We can only ensure the banks remain neutral and handle things as they come."
"Yu Lei is a leading enterprise in Zhonghai, vital to the economic lifeline of the Huinan region! It cannot be allowed to collapse completely! Minister Jin, the banks need to provide effective assistance and not adopt a conservative approach!" Ning Guangyao admonished.
Minister Jin, somewhat bewildered by Ning Guangyao's irritation, meekly replied, "Yes, yes, the Prime Minister is right. I'll call right away and have our people notify the banks to provide financial support."
Ning Guangyao grunted heavily and hung up the phone.
Once quiet, he began to pace worriedly around the study, circling several times before stopping.
Silently, Ning Guangyao pulled out his wallet and took out an old, yellowed photograph. Staring at the serene image of the woman in the picture, he became lost in thought.
Just then, a woman's voice came from outside the study, "Guangyao, are you in there? I'm coming in."