Chapter 3 — Check for Twenty Million and Trillion Billion

Her eyes swept over me from top to bottom, her smile carrying the leisurely look of someone sizing up her prey.

“Luc Dien Chu's girlfriend... is indeed very 'special'.”

I didn't reply.

“Open a bookstore.” She rolled her eyes and looked around. "He's quite artistic, no wonder Dien Chu likes it. Since childhood, he's had a bit of a 'literary voice' habit."

“Are you here to buy books?”

She laughed.

"I came to see, which woman is worthy of Aunt Phuong having to personally show her face."

She conveniently picked up the book on the counter, flipped a few pages and put it down.

“If you still refuse to leave for 20 million yuan, do you think you can ask for more?”

“Miss Tong, did you come today just to say these words?”

“I came to make it clear to you.” Tong Thanh Man placed a business card on the counter. "The Luc family's current troubles, our Song family can solve. The conditions are very simple, I marry into the Luc family."

"The Song family's sincerity? One hand causing trouble, one hand reaching out to help?"

Her smile stopped for a moment.

“What are you talking about?”

“Thinh Dat Group.”

Her pupils shrank, but quickly returned to normal.

“I don't understand what you're talking about.”

“I don't understand, that's right.” I closed the book. “Please go home, I'm about to close.”

“It's only ten o'clock in the morning.”

"I can close it whenever I want. It's my shop."

Tong Thanh Man looked at me for a few seconds, then suddenly burst into laughter.

"You're more interesting than I thought. But interesting and useful are two different things. You've seen Auntie Phuong's attitude, no matter how Luc Dien Chu protects you... she can't protect you for the rest of your life."

She turned around and walked out the door, then stopped and turned around.

"Ah yes, next week is the eightieth birthday party of the Luc family's old lady. Auntie Phuong has invited me. What about you?"

I don't answer. She smiled, pushed the door open and left, the sound of high heels fading away. I picked up the business card she left behind and turned it over. On it was a handwritten note—

“If 20 million yuan isn't enough, just bid.”

I tore the business card in half and threw it in the trash. At two o'clock in the afternoon, Luc Dien Chu called.

"Tri Thu, did you say something to my mother? She just came to the company, her face was very ugly."

“I told her about the Song family.”

“What do you mean?”

"Check your email. There is a document about the relationship between Thinh Dat and the Tong family."

The other end of the line was silent for more than ten seconds, probably opening email. Then there was a low curse.

“Where did this document come from?”

“Thu Thach Capital.”

“Thu Thach Capital?” His voice clearly rose. "That divine dragon investment fund has no head or tail in the financial world? Why did they proactively send you documents?"

“Maybe it's because the Song family's way of eating is too unsightly.”

"That's not right, Thu Thach Capital has never been involved in family disputes. Their scale is ten times larger than the Luc Thi's and not only—"

“Why do you care? Just look at the documents first.”

"...You're right. Let's see."

He hung up. I sat in the bookstore, sunlight filtered through the old window, falling on the spines of books lining the entire wall. Outside, the storm is rising. As for me... I just want to quietly read this book. But there are things that don't just stay quiet if you want peace. At five o'clock in the afternoon, Khuong Tieu Ngu appeared again. She rushed into the store, holding up her phone.

“There's something big going on.”

“What?”

“The document He told Chu Ngan to send it, Luc Dien Chu took it straight to question the Tong family. Tong Anh Kiet's side... directly turned his face."

“If you flip, just flip.”

“The problem is that Tong Anh Kiet spoke up and within three days will completely destroy Luc Thi's Hai Van Loan project. In his hand, he holds the contracts of three key suppliers."

Faster than I expected.

“What did Chu Ngan say?”

"He said he could strike at any time, just waiting for a word from you."

I thought a bit.

“It's not time yet.”

“It's not time yet? Diep Tri Thu, are you crazy? In three days, if Luc Thi's supply is cut off, Hai Van Loan becomes an unfinished project, and the fine for violating the contract alone will have to be paid 200 million yuan!

"I know."

“I know, but you still—”

“I need the Song family to act first. The more ruthless they act, the more clearly the Luc family can see who is their enemy and who is their friend.”

Khuong Tieu Ngu glared at me.

“You're betting.”

“I'm waiting.”

“Wait for what?”

"Waiting for Phuong Cam Hoa to come personally to ask for me."

Khuong Tieu Ngu opened her mouth and couldn't say a word for a long time.

“Diep Tri Thu, you are really… skilled.”

I opened the book again.

“Go buy me a cup of coffee.”

“…Okay, Miss Diep, let me go buy it for you.”

The next two days passed strangely quietly. The bookstore is still the same, every day there are a few customers who flip through books, sit for a while and then leave. But Luc's side was in chaos. Every day Luc Dien Chu calls me twice, his voice gets more tired little by little. Tong Anh Kiet indeed took action. Three suppliers simultaneously terminated the contract, and Hai Van Loan's material source was completely cut off overnight. Luc Dien Chu went to three banks to apply for an emergency loan, but all were rejected. Someone made a noise in the financial system and directly assassinated Luc Thi.

“Tri Thu, I might need your help with something.”

On the evening of the third day, he sat on my sofa, his hands clasped together, his knuckles white.

“You say it.”

“Can you help Luc Thi get a bridge loan through your relationship at Hung Hoa Bank?”

He finally opened his mouth to beg me. It's just... praying in the wrong direction.

“How much?”

“500 million yuan. Just three months. Three months after Hai Van Loan opens for sale, you can return it."

“Your project has been cut, even the materials have been cut, can it be completed in three months?”

His hand tightened.

“I'm looking for another supplier. But time is not enough…”

“What if I could help you solve your supplier problem?”

He raised his head to look at me.

“Tri Thu, I just—”

He swallowed the remaining half of his sentence.

“Just someone opening a bookstore, right?” I speak for you.

His expression was slightly confused.

“I didn't mean that—”

“I know.”

I stood up and went to the window. Looking down from the fifth floor, there are thousands of lights of the city.

“Luc Dien Chu, if I could solve your capital and supplier problems at the same time… what would you do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Would you accept an investment from an anonymous investor?”

I turned back to look at him.

“I don't need to know who it is. 500 million yuan, in exchange for 15% shares. At the same time, it helps him reconnect the entire material supply chain. There is only one condition.”

“What conditions?”

“Completely stop intermarriage with the Song family. Any form of cooperation will not continue."

Luc Dien Chu stood up.

“Thing He originally agreed to this event. But 500 million yuan... Tri Thu, who is this investor? How did you get to know someone at that level?”

“Do you accept?”

He looked at me, countless emotions mixed in his eyes. Doubt, gratitude... and even a very slight glimmer of insecurity.

“…I accept.”

"Good. Tomorrow you will receive an investment request letter from Thu Thach Capital.”

“Is it Thu Thach Capital again?”

“Tri Thu, what does Thu Thach Capital have to do with you?”

“Trade secrets.”