Chapter 156: The Beautiful Woman with Objections

To withdraw the Fang family's pharmaceutical operations in Jinhai is the absolute bottom line. As for whether the Jiangning Fang family will suppress the Bai family's business, that will depend entirely on ability. If the Bai family possesses the strength to suppress my Fang family, then my Fang family will naturally have nothing to say.

Following a brief standoff, Fang Tianyou made a concession. However, it seemed hardly likely that he would compromise enough to accept the exorbitant demands Lin Yang had initially put forward.

At first, Lin Yang had merely spoken off the cuff, well aware that the other party would never agree to such terms. Therefore, he was already quite satisfied with Fang Tianyou's offer to withdraw the Fang family's pharmaceutical business rights in Jinhai. One must realize that this would rid the Bai family of Yu Fang Pharmaceuticals, a powerful and predatory rival in Jinhai, effectively providing a much-needed respite for the awkward and difficult situation the Bai family was currently facing.

After Fang Tianyou ground his teeth and reluctantly uttered that heartbreaking resolution, the person most thrilled at heart was undoubtedly Bai Jing, the beautiful vice president of Baifu Pharmaceuticals. The Fang family's previous frantic offensives had left her at her wit's end, pushing her into an extremely precarious position. If she could not obtain an effective and timely reprieve, it was to be feared that Baifu Pharmaceuticals would not be far from bankruptcy and ruin.

"Empty words are not enough to be trusted. Since your Fang family came with sincerity, it certainly won't amount to just empty talk!" Although Lin Yang was always easygoing, he was exceptionally cautious and prudent when it comes to matters of importance. Just as everyone else was sinking into excitement, he abruptly dropped this remark—somewhat lacking in tact, yet representing a crucial issue that genuinely needed to be resolved face-to-face.

"Rest assured, since I dared to come, this is certainly no joke," Fang Tianyou said in a deep voice, appearing rather displeased by Lin Yang's suspicion. He thrust his right hand into his coat, fished out a piece of brocade folded down to the size of a palm, and tossed it toward Lin Yang. "Here you go, take a look. If it's acceptable, then sign it!"

Reaching out to catch the white piece of brocade thrown his way, Lin Yang looked up at Fang Tianyou, whose expression remained completely unchanged. He desperately wanted to catch a hint of a clue on the man's face, but he failed. Fang Tianyou's expressionless demeanor was indeed somewhat cold, though somehow he just looked entirely punchable.

"Hurry up. It's really late, and I'm in a rush to go home to sleep. My wife is still waiting for me to satisfy her physiological needs! Ah, I'm so tired." Noticing the skeptical look Lin Yang cast his way, Fang Tianyou raised a hand to give a theatrical yawn and coldly bantered.

Lin Yang had long since witnessed Fang Tianyou's rogue nature, and thus chose not to dwell on it further. Instead, he unfolded the white brocade grasped in his hand and carefully scrutinized the document, which was unmistakably a contractual agreement.

The terms required the Fang family to withdraw their operational rights over the pharmaceutical sector in Jinhai, in exchange for the evidence against the Fang family that Lin Yang and his group had obtained from Fang Muren.

Looking at the clauses before him, which were identical to the conditions he had proposed, Lin Yang's brows furrowed deeply. One had to remember that this piece of brocade had just been pulled from Fang Tianyou's coat, meaning it had been prepared beforehand. Throughout their face-to-face conversation, Fang Tianyou had never once handwritten anything on the spot, yet the document he now produced was a ready-made contract. This could not fail to shock Lin Yang.

Precognition?

Lin Yang certainly did not believe Fang Tianyou possessed such an ability. The only reasonable explanation was that the Fang family possessed some miraculous foresight. If pressed for a reason, it was likely that the Fang family harbored a shrewd and calculating mastermind whose strategic vision far surpassed ordinary mortals, easily guessing beforehand what kind of terms they would propose. This was truly terrifying.

Seeming to perceive the doubt in Lin Yang's eyes, Fang Tianyou smiled triumphantly. "You don't need to wear that look of astonishment, alright? Nobody is a fool. There couldn't possibly be many suspects capable of assassinating Fang Muren, and your Bai family bears the greatest suspicion. Furthermore, considering the location of that item, and the fact that Young Master Lin is probably the person Bai Jing has been in frequent contact with lately... this is a contract specially drafted in advance based on your Bai family's current situation."

Fang Tianyou explained himself quite clearly, and everyone understood the implications. One by one, they wore expressions of sudden realization. If anyone was most satisfied with this outcome, it was naturally Bai Jing. After all, as Fang Tianyou had made clear, the contract itself was formulated based on the Bai family's actual current circumstances, and could be considered the Fang family's ultimate concession. If the Bai family had demanded even slightly more, Fang Tianyou probably would have returned empty-handed due to a failed mission.

As for this outcome, everyone else remained indifferent—save for one person, for as the saying goes, if it doesn't concern you, peace reigns under heaven.

Hearing that Lin Yang intended to hand the acquired evidence over to the Fang family as a condition for the exchange, the most displeased person was naturally Zhu Yunyun, who had already consulted with her father.

Secretary Zhu had racked his brains and toiled day and night in order to eradicate the Fang family's remaining forces in Jinhai. Now that he had finally stumbled upon such a golden, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he was naturally unwilling to let it slip away.

This evidence was undoubtedly crucial to Secretary Zhu, yet Lin Yang was now about to hand it over to the Fang family through a conditional exchange. This left Zhu Yunyun with a strong sense of being played for a fool. Just a moment ago, she had even informed her father that they had secured powerful evidence targeting the Fang family, and it was only through her repeated guarantees that he had agreed to come to the villa where Lin Yang was staying to discuss the plan against the Fang family. Yet now, in the blink of an eye, everything had vanished like a bubble. She honestly had no idea how she was going to explain this to her father shortly.

Caught between friendship and familial duty, Zhu Yunyun's heart ached as if being carved by knives, leaving her utterly torn. Watching the others discuss the details of the agreement, she had no idea what to do. Powerlessness—a profound sense of powerlessness—continuously assaulted her mind, battering her less-than-resilient spirit.

To stop them? Or not to stop them? This question kept flashing through Zhu Yunyun's mind, causing her head to throb with unbearable pain.

Just as Zhu Yunyun was at a loss and agonizing over the dilemma, the negotiations between Lin Yang and Fang Tianyou were also drawing to a close.

"As long as you sign, all of this will take effect immediately." Fulfilling his duty to the very end, Fang Tianyou drew an unbranded fountain pen from his pocket and handed it to Lin Yang with an utterly honest expression. Even Lin Yang—a freak whose spiritual perception far exceeded that of ordinary people—was unable to detect the slightest trace of a conspiracy hidden within.

Lin Yang indeed acted with extreme caution. Even when faced with an inconspicuous fountain pen, he was well aware of high-tech products invisible to the naked eye. For instance, there were special pens designed to leave no trace of ink behind after signing; such high-tech novelties were common. Consequently, Lin Yang did not reach out to take the pen offered by Fang Tianyou; instead, he flipped his hand and produced a fountain pen from beneath the coffee table that he deemed trustworthy.

One's own belongings were the only ones worthy of trust. Lin Yang had always believed this.

"Hahaha! Cautious and prudent, ruthless and decisive in action, skilled at seizing opponents' weaknesses to barter for things advantageous to oneself. Young Master Lin is truly extraordinary!" Fang Tianyou praised Lin Yang with a cheeky grin, showing no displeasure whatsoever despite Lin Yang having slighted him.

"Extraordinary"—a mere three words caused Fang Tianyou's level of vigilance toward Lin Yang to increase significantly.

Similarly, in Lin Yang's eyes, this seemingly disorganized, casual Fang Tianyou, who always gave off an unfathomable vibe, was also firmly listed as an object of careful vigilance.

"Mutually, mutually." Since someone was flattering him, Lin Yang naturally had to play along, lest he lose his standing.

"If there is absolutely no problem, then can the esteemed Young Master Lin please sign? It really is very late." Tilting his head to cast a symbolic glance at the dim crescent moon outside the window, Fang Tianyou urged him verbally.

Just as he raised his hand, ready to sweep the pen across the paper and sign his own grand name, someone who had hesitated for a long time finally stepped forward to stop him.

"No! Xiaoyang, you cannot do this. You're covering up a criminal, and you'll be punished by the law!" Zhu Yunyun didn't know how she had managed to leap out and stop him, but the words spilling from her mouth clearly stated her stance against using the evidence as a bargaining chip.

"Yunyun?" Watching Zhu Yunyun suddenly jump out to halt the proceedings, Bai Jing felt as though she had been struck over the head with a heavy club while daydreaming of a bright future. Snapping back to her senses with a start, she looked at Zhu Yunyun's righteous and indignant expression and muttered in bewildered incomprehension.

"Sister Yunyun..." Looking at the visibly furious Zhu Yunyun, a guilt-ridden Lin Yang didn't know where to begin. He could only voice her name, while the rest of the words jammed completely in his throat, unable to squeeze out a single syllable.

Entangled in emotional turmoil, Zhu Yunyun had stepped out to stop him more out of a conditioned reflex as she watched Lin Yang about to put pen to paper. She knew she was still somewhat of an outsider among this group, so she lacked much confidence as she stood up to intervene.

However, since she had already stepped forward to stop it, backing down now would be like slapping her own face! Furthermore, for the sake of her father, Zhu Yunyun could not afford to yield. "Xiaoyang, no matter the reason, what you're doing genuinely runs the suspicion of harboring a criminal."

Zhu Yunyun spoke with absolute conviction, and her uncompromising attitude gave Lin Yang a massive headache. Besides, he was the one in the wrong here for going back on his word, seeing as he had previously promised to involve her father.

"Humph. Is Miss Yunyun trying to obstruct my Fang family? Do you honestly believe this bit of evidence can bring down my Fang family? With just your father's paltry strength? You overestimate yourselves! If my Fang family weren't averse to stirring up trouble, humph, that old man of your father's would have lost his miserable life long ago." A threat—a naked threat. It was clear that the ever-cheeky Fang Tianyou harbored murderous intent toward Zhu Yunyun for her actions.

At least, that was how Lin Yang perceived it, because he had indeed sensed substantive killing intent emanating from Fang Tianyou, and the target of that killing intent was none other than Zhu Yunyun, who had jumped out to stop them.

Killing intent was something intangible, yet it existed as a tangible reality. Struck by the sudden eruption of Fang Tianyou's killing intent, Zhu Yunyun turned deathly pale in shock, drained of all blood and color.

*Thud.* Zhu Yunyun collapsed onto the sofa, staring in disbelief at the enraged Fang Tianyou before her, her eyes filled entirely with terror.

A woman was a woman after all, especially a girl barely in her early twenties. The deterrence of such murderous intent on Zhu Yunyun was naturally terrifying.

Lin Yang reacted swiftly. He rose to his feet, stepping in front of Zhu Yunyun to shield her trembling body behind him. His cold, dark eyes glared fixedly at Fang Tianyou, who had made a rash move, and he barked coldly, "Making threats and resorting to violence right now is hardly wise. I'm sure you, Fang Tianyou, understand that very well!" His voice was as cold as frost, chilling the hearts of everyone present to the bone—especially Fang Tianyou, who bore the direct brunt of his gaze.

Killing intent—what emanated from Lin Yang was a substantive killing intent far more terrifying than Fang Tianyou's. Everyone had their own reverse scale, and friends were evidently Lin Yang's reverse scale.

The collision of killing intent against killing intent faintly produced the sound of slight, explosive crackles born from friction.

Even though the terrifying killing intent on Lin Yang's body flashed and vanished in an instant, Fang Tianyou felt its impact the most profoundly. For a moment, he felt as though his chest had been heavily struck by a massive, powerful sledgehammer, leaving him gasping for air, while the concentrated killing intent he had built up was instantly shattered into nothingness.

Gazing at the harmless-looking youth before him, several thoughts flashed through Fang Tianyou's mind:

"What a terrifying youth. If the Fang family truly offends him, disaster is likely all that awaits us!"