Chapter 69: Leng Tianyi Knows as Well?

In truth, Su Lan had already considered everything Lin Li mentioned long before; she was more acutely aware of her own situation than anyone else. Outwardly, it might appear as if she were basking in glory, but she knew all too well that if her secrets were ever exposed, trouble would descend upon her without warning. To prevent such a calamity, Su Lan made sure to prepare in advance. No matter what was to happen next, she would do everything in her power to suppress any crisis at its inception.

But while such plans sounded simple in theory, taking action was a far more daunting task. What comforted Su Lan, however, was that Lin Li remained at her side. He offered advice and, at times, indispensable assistance.

“I’m well aware of all this,” Su Lan remarked after some thought, her tone earnest. “That’s why I’ve decided to disperse everyone within the company’s ranks in the coming days. The Qin family, from top to bottom, still has many of Qin Guosheng’s confidants. I can’t remove them all at once, but by scattering them, I can prevent them from uniting and turning against me.”

Even if they had once been sworn brothers, separating them would breed suspicion and distance. Then, she could defeat them one by one—this was Su Lan’s true intention.

“That approach is perfectly sound,” Lin Li agreed. “No matter how close people seem, true devotion and trust are fleeting. Once suspicion arises, nothing can return to how it was. They may appear to be brothers, but if they start to doubt one another, everything falls apart.”

He didn’t think there was much to worry about; while unexpected developments might still arise, nothing should stray far from his predictions. With Su Lan’s meticulous arrangements, everything would unfold just as Lin Li had anticipated.

“So, what is this new project you mentioned?” Su Lan asked. “What do you want me to do?”

Lin Li shared the idea he had been mulling over. He possessed a unique medicinal formula, the ingredients of which were easy to obtain, and with the right preparation, he could create a beauty and skincare product. He wanted the Qin family to focus their efforts on developing and promoting this new direction.

“Are you planning to withdraw from the traditional medicine market entirely?”

Su Lan was genuinely taken aback by Lin Li’s suggestion. Given their capabilities, such a drastic shift seemed unnecessary, yet Lin Li was clearly not joking.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but this is the reality we face. Our next step should be to cooperate closely with the Ning family. Only through mutual benefit can we both prosper and secure a long-term partnership, but we must also avoid any conflict of interest. We can revisit the traditional medicine market later. For now, I see a better path for development. By adopting this new approach, we can gradually hollow out the old Qin family structure and remake it into an enterprise wholly under our control.”

He then explained the advantages and disadvantages to Su Lan. Transforming the Qin family from a traditional medicine business into a beauty industry powerhouse would immediately remove any clash of interests with the Ning family while also providing a reason to weed out some of Qin’s original followers—many of whom would struggle to adapt to the shift in business strategy. Once the entire organization was staffed with their own people, Lin Li could proceed to the next phase of his plan.

After careful consideration, Su Lan realized Lin Li’s strategy was the wisest choice given their circumstances. Only by gradually changing the situation could they truly seize control.

“It does sound a bit risky, but I must admit your plan is impressive,” she conceded. “Let’s do as you suggest.”

Su Lan nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Lin Li received a wholly unexpected phone call—from Leng Tianyi.

Ever since Leng Ningxue had openly defied her father’s wishes, Leng Tianyi had been deeply troubled. He had always thought his precious daughter was obedient, and that if all went according to plan, he could arrange everything seamlessly. But at the critical moment, she had directly refused him, leaving him in a state of heavy dismay and prompting him to reevaluate his opinions of her.

This was the origin of the current predicament. Although Leng Tianyi could not understand what had caused his daughter’s sudden transformation, he was determined to investigate. What he discovered shocked him: all along, Leng Ningxue had maintained a secret connection with Lin Li. He didn’t know exactly what the two were up to, but their close association had certainly caught his attention. He became convinced that her recent changes were all linked to Lin Li.

In an effort to regain control over his daughter, Leng Tianyi decided to meet Lin Li in person. Yet, up to this point, he still did not take Lin Li seriously.

“Do you think Leng Tianyi has discovered your connection with Leng Ningxue?” Su Lan glanced at Lin Li.

Lin Li, however, looked utterly unconcerned.

“I’ve never liked the Leng family,” he replied. “Even if they do find out, what of it? This is just an attempt to intimidate me—maybe it would work on someone else, but not me. That would be a grave mistake.”

He knew exactly what these people were trying to do, and he was also keenly aware of his own capabilities. If Leng Tianyi thought that a few threatening words would be enough to make Lin Li retreat, he was sorely mistaken. On this matter, Lin Li’s resolve was unshakable; he would never betray Leng Ningxue.

“It’s just as well,” Lin Li continued. “Let Leng Tianyi see for himself what he’s really up against. We’ve never had the chance to meet before—now I can finally see this head of the Leng family in person.”

As he spoke, an intriguing expression played upon Lin Li’s face. Seeing his calm confidence, Su Lan knew she had nothing to worry about. With Leng Tianyi’s methods, he was no match for Lin Li.