Chapter 1774: The Dust Settles

A shocking piece of news always takes time to digest.

Even for big shots like Lee Jae-hyun and Lee Mi-kyung, it was the same. After all, Lee Kun-hee's move was simply too brilliant.

After decades of hard pursuit, suddenly having something within easy reach—that feeling was truly different.

Moreover, Lee Kun-hee's conditions were not nothing; there is gain and loss. To get something, you have to pay a corresponding price.

But that was a matter for Lee Maeng-hee's family to consider.

Zhao Fusheng's mood was naturally quite good.

He was just a messenger; whether it succeeded or not had nothing to do with him. It was merely a matter of gaining another partner.

Since he didn't need to help, Zhao Fusheng was free. He simply followed Lee Boo-jin's lead and started playing around in South Korea.

It wasn't his first time in Korea, but it was the first time Zhao Fusheng knew there were so many fun places.

Of course, that might also have to do with his mood.

The previous two times he came to Korea, once for business and once to accompany Fan Beibei, he encountered a lot of trouble, so most of the time Zhao Fusheng was quite busy.

This time, he was truly idle.

Even Liang Jingyu reported to him over the phone.

You decide on your own.

Zhao Fusheng smiled at Liang Jingyu: “I’ll handle the Samsung side. As for SK Group and Lotte, you don’t need to deal with them for now. Soon, we’ll have allies.”

Liang Jingyu naturally understood what Zhao Fusheng meant. He nodded: “Chairman, would you like to come to the company?”

No.

Zhao Fusheng laughed: “Ms. Lee Boo-jin is here to be my translator, so don’t send anyone over. Otherwise, people might think we don’t trust her.”

On the other end of the phone, Liang Jingyu silently rolled his eyes. He really wanted to roast his boss, thinking: You’re so generous, having Samsung’s eldest princess Lee Boo-jin as your translator, and you still sound a bit dismissive. It’s like the well-fed don’t know how the hungry suffer.

But he also knew that Zhao Fusheng must have matters to discuss with Lee Boo-jin; otherwise, Miss Lee wouldn’t have come out of nowhere to be his translator.

They were all smart people; who didn’t understand whom?

Some things Zhao Fusheng couldn’t say, but Liang Jingyu could still guess.

As for Zhao Fusheng, he put down the phone and saw Lee Boo-jin looking at him with a half-smile.

What’s up, Sister Boo-jin?

Zhao Fusheng looked at Lee Boo-jin innocently, as if he didn’t know why she was staring at him.

How did you know I was here to monitor you?

Lee Boo-jin looked at Zhao Fusheng and asked directly, without beating around the bush.

Zhao Fusheng smiled: “You’re the vice president of The Shilla Hotel and a director of Samsung Everland. Instead of doing your real work, you spend all day accompanying me on sightseeing trips. Sister Boo-jin, don’t tell me your father has taken a liking to me and wants me as his son-in-law.”

Huh?

Lee Boo-jin was taken aback, then glared at Zhao Fusheng, at a loss for words at his nonsense.

This guy was sometimes like a lunatic, saying anything.

But if you took his words seriously, he would surely have another excuse waiting for you.

In short, he was a sly fox.

Actually, I understand.

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said to Lee Boo-jin: “Don’t worry. This time, I really have no other intentions. If I can facilitate the alliance between Samsung and CJ, it’s a good thing for me.”

A good thing?

Lee Boo-jin frowned slightly, looked at Zhao Fusheng, thought for about a minute, and then said: “You mean you plan to use this opportunity to enter the Korean cultural market?”

She wasn’t stupid; in fact, Lee Boo-jin was a very smart woman. With a little thought, she realized that Zhao Fusheng’s target was most likely the cultural industry she had heard about before.

On this point, Lee Boo-jin didn’t suspect Zhao Fusheng of lying, because there was no need.

In fact, when they met in Korea last time, Zhao Fusheng had already proposed this idea, and the subsequent series of actions proved he was telling the truth. Hanxing Investment’s moves were indeed laying out a plan for Korea’s cultural and entertainment industry.

If not for Samsung’s sudden crackdown hindering Hanxing Rabbit’s next move, the integration might have been completed by now.

But even so, Lee Boo-jin still didn’t understand why Zhao Fusheng was so certain that his uncle’s family would accept his father’s proposal.

Had this guy secretly contacted Lee Jae-hyun?

Seeing Lee Boo-jin’s changing expression, Zhao Fusheng knew she was overthinking.

It couldn’t be helped; the smarter a woman was, the more she tended to ponder things on her own and fill in the gaps, unaware that the more she thought, the further she strayed from the truth.

This was a common ailment among most smart people.

Sometimes, Zhao Fusheng himself was like that.

So he tried not to think too much.

Seeing Lee Boo-jin lost in wild thoughts, Zhao Fusheng quickly explained: “Sister Boo-jin, don’t overthink it.”

Huh?

Lee Boo-jin was startled and looked at Zhao Fusheng in confusion.

Zhao Fusheng smiled and shrugged: “It’s not as complicated as you think. From start to finish, I never intended to do anything. Everything just went with the flow.”

Going with the flow?

Frowning slightly, Lee Boo-jin remained silent for a long time.

She suddenly realized that perhaps everyone had underestimated Zhao Fusheng.

No, not underestimated, but when considering Zhao Fusheng, everyone subconsciously overlooked his age.

He was not yet thirty, yet he was a super-rich man worth tens of billions. This alone proved his ability, so everyone instinctively thought Zhao Fusheng must be a shrewd and calculating person.

But they forgot that sometimes this guy didn’t have that many schemes; he just followed the flow of others’ developments.

You…

After a long while, Lee Boo-jin looked up at Zhao Fusheng helplessly.

Clearly, she understood.

“To be fair, I didn’t play any tricks. It was all your father and the others overthinking.”

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said to Lee Boo-jin.

Lee Boo-jin looked helpless. She had to admit that, as Zhao Fusheng said, from start to finish, he really did nothing but go with the flow.

The cooperation was initiated by CJ’s Lee Jae-hyun and others, and the later proposal was put forward by her own father. Zhao Fusheng simply didn’t object.

Thinking about it carefully, Lee Boo-jin found that even if she wanted to blame someone, she couldn’t blame Zhao Fusheng.

What era is it now?

Seeing Lee Boo-jin’s expression, Zhao Fusheng knew what she was thinking. He smiled and said: “The old game of fighting for family assets is outdated. Win-win is the way. As a Chinese saying goes, seek common ground while reserving differences, and develop together. I think Samsung could learn from that.”

…

Lee Boo-jin felt exhausted. Why did she agree to her father to be this guy’s translator? Wouldn’t it have been better to stay home?

But she had to admit that Zhao Fusheng’s words actually aligned with the principles of modern business competition.

In modern business, profit is the most critical part.

How to obtain greater profit is the more important pursuit in business activities. Compared to various competitions, as long as it brings profit, even today’s competitors can become partners tomorrow.

The same principle applies to CJ Group and Samsung Group.

No matter how complicated the grudges between Lee Kun-hee and Lee Maeng-hee, in the face of huge interests, these are trivial matters.

Just like now, Lee Maeng-hee’s family is surely discussing Lee Kun-hee’s proposal.

Even a few days ago, they were gritting their teeth, thinking about how to overthrow Lee Kun-hee’s rule in the Samsung empire.

Now, they are probably weighing how much benefit they can get if they accept Lee Kun-hee’s proposal.

That’s human nature.

…

…

Soon, the news Zhao Fusheng was waiting for came from China.

CJ Group, led by Lee Maeng-hee, accepted Lee Kun-hee’s proposal.

But they also had their own demands: Lee Kun-hee must issue a statement acknowledging Lee Maeng-hee’s status as an heir. In other words, he must declare that Lee Maeng-hee’s family is also part of the Samsung Lee family.

Of course, due to Lee Byung-chul’s last wish, Lee Maeng-hee was not qualified to inherit Samsung Group—that was beyond doubt.

But clearly, Lee Maeng-hee was preparing for the future.

Only with the status of an heir could one compete for the position of Samsung Group’s chairman.

He himself was out of the running, but Lee Jae-hyun’s descendants had a chance. Whether Lee Jae-hyun or Lee Mi-kyung, they all had offspring who could pursue their dreams.

As for himself, Lee Maeng-hee knew well that he would never be able to defeat his younger brother in this lifetime.

That was the truth, and it was a fact.

See, I told you they would accept.

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said to Lee Boo-jin.

Lee Boo-jin shrugged helplessly.

She had to admit that Zhao Fusheng was indeed prescient.

Or rather, he and her father were the same kind of people. They deeply understood the word “profit.” For them, as long as there was profit to be made, anything was possible.

You’re amazing.

Lee Boo-jin said to Zhao Fusheng.

Of course. I make a living with my looks and brains.

Zhao Fusheng said smugly.

Huh?

Hearing this, Lee Boo-jin was almost speechless. Brains, maybe, but looks?

Don’t you have any self-awareness?