Chapter 7 — President Lu, We Are Just Trade Negotiators

Today Hua Nhuoc Tinh wore white, creating a dazzling contrast with To Niem Duong's jet black. She stood in the middle of the hallway, her hand squeezing the invitation so tightly that the edges of the paper were wrinkled.
“To Niem Duong.”
To Niem Duong stopped walking.
“Miss Hua.”
Hua Nhuoc Tinh raised her chin and looked at her from head to toe.
"I thought the woman who just got divorced yesterday was at home crying. I didn't expect she was still in the mood to hold a press conference."
To Niem Duong's face did not change at all.
"For some people, divorce is the end. For some people, divorce is the beginning." she said. “Do you think you're skilled enough to tell the difference?”
Hua Nhuoc Tinh's eyelids twitched.
“What do you mean?”
To Niem Duong did not bother to answer. She leaned over and continued walking. When passing by Hua Nhuoc Tinh, she paused for a second.
"That's right, Ms. Hua. Yesterday at Hua Thi's board meeting, you said you wanted to invest in Luc Thi, the conditions were 35% of the shares, plus... what else?"
Hua Nhuoc Tinh's face changed completely. That sentence was what she said internally to Hua Thi.
“Why do you…”
“My news channel is not on the same level as yours.” To Niem Duong continued to walk without looking back. "Let me remind you, I understand Luc Thi's debt structure better than Luc Dien Chu herself. You want to use 8 billion in exchange for 35%? That's the price to cut losses."
She entered the banquet room. Leaving Hua Nhuoc Tinh standing rooted to the spot, her face pale. * Exactly three o'clock in the afternoon. The lights in the banquet room dimmed a notch. Everyone was silent. To Niem Duong stood on stage, on the screen behind him slowly appeared: *To family · Niem Duong Capital · Strategy announcement*
“Gentlemen.” Her voice wasn't loud, but the acoustic design of the banquet hall made every syllable clear.
"My name is To Niem Duong. Daughter of To Hac Nien. Founder of Niem Duong Capital."
The whole auditorium seemed to hold its breath for a moment.
“I invited you here today, not to review old stories, nor to show off anything.” Her speaking speed was very steady, as if she were stating an obvious truth.
“It's to inform.”
She pressed the controller, the screen changed scene. A map of a giant industrial empire appears — minerals, energy, semiconductors, biopharmaceuticals, financial technology. Spanning six continents, seventeen countries, forty-two core projects.
"From today onwards, all business activities of Niem Duong Capital will move from behind the scenes to the open. The resources of the To family will be completely restructured."
Her eyes glanced below the platform.
"The door to cooperation is always open. But the key is in my hands."
Below, the Director of Hoa Tin Bank was the first to clap. The applause spread like ripples. To Niem Duong did not smile. Her gaze crossed the crowd and fell on the last row of seats in the banquet room. There is a seat there. Empty. But she knew, someone had come. Because ten seconds ago, someone had gently pushed the back door of the banquet room open a crack. Luc Dien Chu stood outside the door. He didn't step in. But he saw everything on the screen. He also saw the woman standing on the stage - the ex-wife who had shared his strange dreams for the past three years - the aura radiating around her at this moment made him feel as if he had never known her. His hands clenched into fists. Let go. Then tighten again. Tran Tranh stood next to him and called out in a low voice: "General Luc, what should we do now?" Luc Dien Chu stared at the empire map on the big screen. Mineral segment. Luc Thi's three core mines are all within the scope of Niem Duong Capital's power. Only then did he understand - from the beginning, To Niem Duong had never left Luc Thi's chess board.