Chapter 3 — Women Don't Need To Be Chosen

“Can I ask why?”

“Does not meet our investment standards.”

Bach Nhuoc Tinh rushed up from behind, her face red, her voice high.

"To Niem! You intentionally targeted the Bach family!"

The whole hall immediately fell silent, all eyes focused on us.

“Miss White.” I picked up the glass of carbonated water on the table, took a sip, my voice was calm and cold, "in business there are only numbers, your cosmetics company has a revenue of 30,000,000 yuan, a profit margin of less than 15%, inventory turnover is at the bottom of the industry, this type of project, it doesn't need to be me, any professional investor will refuse."

Her face changed from red to white, completely unable to maintain her original gentleness.

“Also, speaking loudly to investors in public, I advise you to relearn basic etiquette.”

There were people around holding back laughter, the atmosphere was both tense and indescribably funny. Bach Khai Minh quickly pulled his daughter back.

"Nhuoc Tinh! Enough!"

Bach Nhuoc Tinh threw away his father's hand and glared at me, his eyes almost wanting to devour me.

"To Niem, don't be complacent, you only have a few dirty coins, Canh Tham brother..."

“Miss White.”

A deep male voice interrupted her words. I turned my head and saw a man in a dark gray suit walking forward, about thirty years old, with a cold face and a calm demeanor that naturally made people wary. He walked straight in front of me and nodded slightly.

“Mr. To, long time no see.”

Chu Can leaned close to my ear and lowered his voice: "Tham Mac, CEO of Dinh Huy Group, ranked 37th on Forbes last year." Tham Mac extended his hand. I shook his hand, the movements were as natural as if I had been used to them for a long time.

“General Shen, long time no see.”

He turned to Bach Nhuoc Tinh, his eyes were pale as if he didn't care at all.

“Who is this?”

Bach Nhuoc Tinh was forced to take a step back by that look, his momentum immediately weakened.

“I… I am…”

“It's not important.”

Tham Mac withdrew his gaze, turned to me, his voice became serious.

"President To, the medical AI project I mentioned last time, we have already prepared the plan. When is it convenient for you to discuss?"

“Next Monday.”

“Okay, I will let the secretary contact your secretary.”

After he finished speaking, he left without even glancing at anyone else. Bach Nhuoc Tinh and Bach Khai Minh also left, their steps were hurried as if trying to avoid the surrounding gazes. Only Luc Canh Tham stood still, looking in the direction Tham Mac left, then turned to me, his eyes full of complexity.

“Who is he?”

“Don't you know Tham Mac of Dinh Huy Group?”

Of course he knew that Dinh Huy was not only one level older than Luc Thi, but also by an incomparable gap. He just didn't understand why someone like Tham Mac was so polite to me.

"Mr. Luc, the luncheon is over. I'll go first."

I picked up my bag and left the clubhouse, my steps never slowing down. In the car, Chu Can sent a text message, saying Luc Canh Tham had stood in the parking lot for ten minutes and still hadn't left. I didn't answer, just turned the steering wheel, the car merged into the busy crowd of people outside. The next day after the party, a stormy article appeared online, with the headline: "Mysterious founder S of Tinh Than Capital appears for the first time, turns out to be the former young lady of the Luc family." The article attached a photo at the party, in which the photo of me shaking hands with Tham Mac was placed the most prominent position, like a perfect takedown. The comment section exploded.

“Wait, the young lady of the Luc family is the owner of Tinh Than Capital?”

"The company's valuation was 47,000,000,000 yuan but the mother-in-law forced her to leave empty-handed? What kind of scenario is this?"

“Does the Luc family have brain problems?”

At 8 a.m., Tien Ngoc Hoa called. This time she didn't call me, but called Tinh Than Capital's switchboard directly. The receptionist answered the phone and asked who she wanted to meet.

"Find your boss To! I'm his mother-in-law!"

An aggressive tone rang out on the phone. The receptionist still maintains professional courtesy.

"Madam, Mr. To is not in the office right now. Do you have an appointment yet?"

"An appointment? I'm his mother-in-law, do I still need an appointment?"

"Madam, President To's schedule needs to be arranged through the secretary, please leave your contact information..."

Tien Ngoc Hoa hung up the phone. Ten minutes later, she appeared right in the lobby of Tinh Than Capital. Security immediately stopped it. She stood in the middle of the hall, loudly calling my name, her shrill voice echoing throughout the space.

"To Niem! Come down here for me! You think it's hard, right? You believe me..."

The security guard asked her to leave. She refused. In the end, Chu Can personally came down to handle it.

"Madam Tien, Mr. To is not at the company today. If you have anything, you can tell me."

“Who are you?”

“I am President To's assistant.”

Tien Ngoc Hoa glanced at Chu Can from top to bottom, coldly snorted, his eyes full of contempt.

"You tell To Niem to call me back, tell him the Luc family matter isn't over yet. He thinks he can scare me by freezing a few projects. When I was busy doing business, he didn't know anything yet!"

Chu Can still maintained a polite tone, not too quick or too slow to answer.

"Madam Tien, Tinh Than Capital's freezing of Luc Thi's capital flow is based on the risk control clause in the contract. If you have an opinion, you can follow the legal path."

"Legal? Who are you threatening?"

“Then it's up to you.” Chu Can took a step back, his voice still polite, "but let me remind you, the building you are standing in is also the property of Tinh Than Capital. If you don't leave, I will call the police."

Tien Ngoc Hoa was so angry that his face turned blue and his lips trembled with anger. But in the end she still had to leave. When Chu Can told me about it, I was sitting in my new apartment in Kim Mau Phu, eating takeout and listening, the atmosphere was so gentle that it was like two different worlds.

“What did she say when she left?”

“Tell me to just wait.”

“That's all?”

I picked up a chopstick of spicy vermicelli, chewed slowly, the spicy taste spread down my throat, and felt more alert than ever.

“She will definitely find another way.”

"Tien Ngoc Hoa is not the type of person to give up easily. The frozen road is impassable, she will find another way around."

“For example… find someone to force me.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the phone rang, and the screen displayed a familiar but weighty name. Mr. Luc. Luc Canh Tham's grandfather, who holds the most important position in the Luc family, is eighty-two years old, an old generation businessman, whose words carry weight in the entire world. I picked up the phone.

“Nem Niem.” His voice was old but still steady, "I heard about your story with Canh Tham."

"You're a good kid, you've suffered a lot these past three years, I know."

I squeezed the phone gently, my heart wavering slightly.

“But we can sit down and talk about anything. The impact of the capital freeze is too great, Luc Thi still has hundreds of employees..."

"Grandpa, I will handle the project properly and will not let innocent people get involved, but I will no longer shoulder the problem of Luc Thi's leadership."

The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds, as if considering each word.

"Your mother-in-law... her tongue is a bit spicy, but her heart is not bad."

I didn't reply. Isn't that bad?