Lin Hongmei didn't move, not even glancing at Luo Jichang. She still vividly remembered Luo Jichang's heartless behavior during the Spring Festival. Back then, her husband begged him to help out because Lin Yao was sick and needed money for medicine, but he coldly refused. It was too late for him to be affectionate now.
Lin Yao didn't move. He glanced indifferently at Luo Jichang, then slowly turned his head to look at his grandfather on the sofa. He didn't say a word, as if he had seen an unrelated passerby.
Lin Hongmei and her son's behavior did not change Luo Jichang's attitude. It was as if he was completely unaware that he had been humiliated. He still enthusiastically reached out to pull Xiao Guli, saying, "This child is so beautiful. I like him as soon as I see him. Child, tell your uncle what your name is?"
Lin Yao stepped back, avoiding Luo Jichang's hand, and remained silent. The sensible little Gu Li stared at Luo Jichang with his bright eyes, also silent; he sensed that his father disliked this man.
"Dad, let's go home." Lin Yao spoke again. This time he had controlled his emotions. His anger at being deceived had subsided. His voice was calm, neither raised nor lowered, so that everyone in the room could hear him clearly.
"Fourth brother, Grandpa called your family here to talk about something. Sit down and talk properly. Most of the people in this room are your elders. Don't throw a tantrum here." The one who spoke loudly was Luo Shijie, the eldest son of his second uncle Luo Jichang. He was very righteous and stern. If you didn't know his background, you would probably think he was a well-educated and respectful young man just because of this.
"What do you want to talk about?" Luo Jimin asked. The old man and his uncle put a lot of pressure on him. Ever since he and his wife resigned to help Lin Yao get treatment, the two elders of the Luo family had looked down on him. For many years, he had been hoping to gain their approval but had not been able to. Now that they were treating his family so seriously, he couldn't refuse the two elders.
"Everyone's here, let's begin." Luo Jichang was very pleased to hear that Luo Jimin had compromised. "Hongmei and Yao'er, quickly sit down too. Standing is too tiring. These important matters concerning the family and the country can't be discussed in a short time, so sit down first."
Grandma had already gotten up and brought over two chairs. Lin Yao couldn't refuse her, so he sat down with his mother, Lin Hongmei, without even saying thank you. He didn't know the role Grandma played in this matter, even though he felt sorry for her.
"We all know about the Minhong drought-resistant functional beverage produced by your family. Although you kept it from us, no one held it against you. The old man even said that you were doing a good deed without seeking fame, and that we brothers should all learn from your family." Luo Jichang said with a smile, feeling even more regretful for refusing this family's request for help during the New Year. Who would have thought that they would have such a treasure, making him now have to ask them for help?
"Second Brother, let's get down to business. Everyone's very busy." Luo Jimin still frowned. He couldn't let go of the factory's affairs. These days, he was so busy that he didn't even have a moment to spare.
"Alright then." Luo Jichang was a little unhappy. He hadn't been interrupted like this in many years, and the feeling of being slighted made him very uncomfortable. But thinking of the miraculous medicine, he suppressed his displeasure. "The old man and my uncle mean this: the formula for your beverage medicine should be handed over to Huarentang Group for unified development and application to maximize the effect of the formula."
"Of course, the group's shares will also be redistributed. The Luo family is gathered here today for this very reason. Look how busy my elder brother and Jizhen are in the government departments, yet they've all rushed back. Firstly, it's a major matter concerning the Luo family, and secondly, they both want to provide greater assistance to the disaster victims and those who will benefit in the future. It's only because they are government officials that they were able to take the time to come to Chengdu to work together on this grand plan."
Seeing that Luo Jimin and his family remained silent, Luo Jichang continued, "We know that you don't have enough funds right now, and you don't even have your own factory. You're relying entirely on contract manufacturing, which won't work."
Luo Jichang then feigned distress, saying, “Not to mention that it is very unsafe to produce this top-secret formula through contract manufacturing, even if it is to control the efficacy of the drug, we should not choose contract manufacturing. Only our own factory can guarantee the production quality and ensure that the disaster victims and patients who take this drug in the future will not have any problems.”
“Third brother, we are all brothers and sisters with blood ties. You shouldn’t bear this burden alone. There’s still us, and there’s still the Huarentang Group. Only by utilizing Huarentang’s financial and technological advantages can we maximize the value of this formula. Although you don’t have a problem with production funds now, and there are many donations from all over the world, what if the donations stop? How will you resume production after the disaster?”
"I've seen the financial data published on your company's website, and I have to say I have great respect for your family. You haven't made a single penny of profit, and you're even operating at a loss. I think your older brother and uncle's family also have great respect for you. But respect aside, this isn't how you run a business. How will you help more patients in need in the future?"
Luo Jimin was unmoved. His son, Lin Yao, had already told him the truth: the loss problem was being resolved, and after the disaster relief, his family would still have more than ten million yuan to continue producing children's cold medicine. After a large-scale operation, Luo Jimin was more confident about the future and had no intention of relying on a large group. The bright future described by his son gave him hope.
Luo Jichang spoke in a grand and eloquent manner, his tone and manner quite persuasive. Lin Yao thought he had great oratory skills and was also quite skilled in acting.
Seeing that Luo Jimin's family remained silent, and even Lin Yao was playing with the little boy in his arms with an indifferent attitude, Luo Jichang suppressed his anger and said, "Third brother, Grandpa and Uncle want us siblings to be closer and they want to find a way to unite us. Now the opportunity has come."
Luo Jichang said in an even more seductive voice, "After the old man and uncle have reached an agreement, everyone will contribute funds to invest in the group. The shares of Huarentang will be completely redistributed, and all members of the Luo family will own shares, including your Yao'er. We know you don't have the funds, so how about this: you can contribute the formula and process of the functional beverage as equity, holding 19% of the shares. Of that, you will hold 15%, and Yao'er will hold 4%, which is higher than Shijie's."
19%? They really have some imagination! When Lin Yao heard this, he finally started to laugh, which made Xiao Guli, who had been watching him carefully, feel better. Xiao Guli straightened up in Lin Yao's arms and kissed him on the cheek. The sound was particularly crisp in the quiet living room.
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Chapter Sixty-One: Mirage
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A wonderful plan that could bring harmony and unity to all the Luo family members was presented to Luo Jimin's family. Luo Jimin's eldest brother, Luo Jishi, who had not been kind to him since Luo Jimin resigned from the military hospital, also came forward to hug Luo Jimin warmly. His uncle's three cousins also came forward to greet him warmly and chatted with Luo Jimin about their childhood anecdotes.
How warm and happy those days were! Luo Jimin sighed deeply. He missed that feeling, the close bond between family members. He hadn't experienced that for so many years. When that feeling left him, he was still a young man, a young man who had just become a father.
Back then, everyone was poor, or at least not wealthy. Lin Hongmei sighed inwardly, recalling the few years of warmth she had enjoyed after marrying Luo Jimin. Although the Luo family was a renowned family of doctors, they were very poor, owning only a dilapidated pharmacy that relied on her father-in-law and Luo Jichang's medical practice to make ends meet. The eldest son, Luo Jishi, and her husband's uncle's eldest daughter, Luo Jizhen, were not yet political rising stars, working as ordinary grassroots government officials, serving tea and water to their superiors.
The Luo family's rise to prominence was due to an opportunity—the acquisition of a "health-preserving pill" formula from Lin Hongmei's father. This formula, passed down orally through generations, was somewhat incomplete. Lin Hongmei's father spent decades perfecting it, achieving the desired efficacy. Lin Hongmei's eldest brother had joined the army and didn't aspire to a career in medicine, which led Lin Hongmei to persuade the Luo family to give the formula as part of her dowry. She was deeply moved by the Luo family's kindness.
After obtaining the formula for the "Health Preservation Pill," the Luo family rapidly developed from a small workshop into a massive pharmaceutical group, accumulating ever-increasing wealth. However, Luo Jimin's share in the group dropped from one-third to zero, which Lin Hongmei found unacceptable.
Now the Luo family wants to use the same method to obtain the family's medicine prescription again. Of course, Lin Hongmei will not be moved by this superficial scene of family affection. These people thought they could fool the couple as before, but they did not expect that there was now Lin Yao. Lin Hongmei was already shocked by her son Lin Yao's abilities and knew that her son was more opinionated. She simply kept quiet and let Lin Yao, the true owner of the medicine prescription, handle it.
"Third Uncle, we'll all buy property near Grandpa's yard in the future, so the whole family can live together and see each other every day." Luo Shijie spoke affectionately to Luo Jimin, his tone carrying a hint of coquetry, which made Lin Yao, who was listening nearby, feel a little nauseous.
Aside from the first and second generation elders of the Luo family, only three third-generation descendants were present: Luo Jishi's eldest son, Luo Shizhang; Luo Jichang's eldest son, Luo Shijie; and Lin Yao from the third son's family. Other descendants were not eligible to participate. Luo Shizhang and Luo Shijie were the Luo family's key successors, so naturally they were included in such important matters. They even received shares in the Huarentang Group's shareholding adjustment, each holding 1%, less than Lin Yao. Lin Yao's larger shareholding was, of course, due to the formula for the drought-resistant beverage's medicinal liquid. The Luo family, who had been plotting for a long time, estimated that this method would appeal to Luo Jimin, as they knew he most craved the warmth of family ties.
"Amin, come back to live here." Lin Yao's grandfather spoke from the sofa. His voice was not loud, but it instantly silenced the entire scene. Everyone's eyes were on Luo Jimin, waiting to see how he would respond.
Luo Jimin's tears came out, but they didn't flow out of his eyes. Instead, they accumulated at the edge of his eye sockets, making his eyes look somewhat distorted. Blood vessels also appeared in the whites of his eyes, making his eyeballs look red.
Lin Yao watched coldly. At this moment, his grandfather acted like a kind and warm old man, with expectation in his eyes. But Lin Yao didn't believe him at all. Since he was old enough to understand, Lin Yao had never seen his grandfather show him a kind look. Sensitive and silent since childhood, he had long since given up on his grandfather in his heart. In addition, his grandfather's cold-heartedness when his father raised money for his medical treatment, and the fact that he took away the property in Chengdu to make matters worse for his family, made it more convincing for Lin Yao to believe that his grandfather would be kind to his family. It was more convincing to say that his grandmother was actually kind.
Luo Jimin remained silent and motionless, as did those watching him, afraid to break the tranquil atmosphere and affect the effectiveness of the old man's words. The first tear finally rolled down his cheek, and tears immediately poured from his eyes like a burst dam, leaving a deep line on Luo Jimin's face. Seeing his father so emotional, Lin Yao also felt a lump in his throat. His father had endured over twenty years of repression to save him, and he was even more determined to work hard and repay his father's love.
Lin Hongmei's eyes also reddened. She knew better than anyone how much her husband had suffered over the years. At this moment, her thoughts were different from Luo Jimin's. She felt increasingly disgusted by the Luo family. Such a heartless and cold-blooded family had long since chilled her heart.
"Daddy, I need to pee." Little Guli's childish voice broke the silence. The atmosphere in the room was a bit off. Little Guli, who had been well-behaved and hadn't disturbed the adults' conversation, felt very uncomfortable. Seeing Lin Yao's solemn expression, he felt even more suppressed, and the urge to urinate arose in an instant.
"Oh, Daddy will take you to pee. Is Lili hungry?" Lin Yao's eyes darted around, and he thought of a subtle way to remind his father. He could never agree to this condition. It was better to cooperate with an unfamiliar group than with the Luo family, whom he knew well. At least that way, he might not be taken advantage of.
"I'm hungry." Little Guli gave Lin Yao the answer he wanted.
Logically, having just eaten KFC and ate a lot while Lin Yao was distracted, Xiao Guli shouldn't be hungry now. However, ever since Xiao Guli was abducted, he always answers "yes" whenever asked if he's hungry, even after just eating. Lin Yao already knew this pattern, and now he had no choice but to use it, unlike usual when he tried to avoid asking at such times, to assist Xiao Guli's treatment.
"Okay, after Daddy takes you to pee, I'll go home and cook for you." Lin Yao said slowly and deliberately, without raising his voice intentionally, and carried Xiao Guli towards the bathroom.
Luo Jimin was awakened by the conversation between Lin Yao and Xiao Guli. He immediately realized that the formula and process were not in his hands. Although he knew the types and proportions of some raw materials and was familiar with the process, the most critical catalyst enzyme and microbial culture medium were controlled by Lin Yao. Even he and his wife Lin Hongmei did not know this core secret.
He knew he wasn't the one who could make decisions in this matter. Luo Jimin immediately straightened his posture, his tear ducts stopped working, and he took the tissue his wife, Lin Hongmei, handed him to wipe his eyes.
“Dad, no need. We’re fine living over there. We’re very busy with work and rarely come home. Let’s buy a house here in a few years.” Luo Jimin’s voice was soft, with a hint of regret.
Sigh... Lin Yao's grandfather sighed, unsure whether he regretted wronging this family over the years or lamented his lack of authority.