Chapter 155: A Real Man Faces Things Head-On!

"Wen Xiu? Weren't you sent to the Northwest?"

Elena was far too familiar with Wen Xiu, her old rival. While he had certain flaws in his personal ethics, he certainly lacked no competence. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to fight her for so many years and withstand her repeated suppressions until Wen Wan's arrival.

"Thank you for your concern, Chairman Ye. I've returned, so I thought I'd say hello to an old friend."

Wen Xiu's tone over the phone was remarkably cheerful, and it didn't sound feigned at all.

Could it be that the head of the Wen family has issued a new directive, sending Wen Xiu back to resume the fight against me?

That doesn't make sense. What about Wen Wan, then? Would she be willing to spit out the Southeast market she just swallowed?

"Oh? Young Master Wen is quite thoughtful. May I ask what brings you back this time?"

"Nothing major, really. It's just that your humble servant recently found a new boss, and I'm calling to convey his regards to you."

Hearing this, Elena's brows furrowed instantly.

A new boss? Someone capable of making Wen Xiu submit as a subordinate? Does such a figure even exist?

Wen Wan? No, aren't Wen Wan and him adversaries? Could it be the eldest young master of the Wen family, Wen Shao?

"Allow me to ask, who is your boss?"

"Oh, my boss? Someone wants to speak with you."

Wen Xiu called out, and a familiar voice immediately came through the receiver.

"Hello, Chairman Ye. I am Chen Luo."

"From now on, I will lead the Wanluo Group to wage a proper and upright war against you. I hope we can have an enjoyable business battle."

"It's getting late, and I'll be launching my counterattack shortly. I'm just giving you a heads-up. Goodbye."

Listening to the dial tone on the receiver, Elena stared at her phone, her expression shifting dramatically several times.

The amount of information in this single phone call was simply overwhelming.

Wen Xiu was back, and he had become Chen Luo's subordinate.

Wen Wan had delegated authority to Chen Luo, giving him full charge of the business war against her.

Furthermore, Chen Luo had specifically called to openly declare war on her and announced that his counterattack was imminent.

What on earth was going on? Moreover, setting Wen Xiu aside.

By letting Chen Luo face her offensive entirely on his own, wasn't Wen Wan worried that Chen Luo, a newcomer to the business world with no experience in major battles, would lose her company down to its last penny?

If he genuinely lost, Chen Luo would ultimately end up in her hands. Was Wen Wan truly willing to take that risk?

Sitting in her chair, a thousand thoughts raced through Elena's mind, countless ideas surfacing.

"No, I cannot let myself be distracted."

"Even if the three of them join forces against me, I have nothing to fear."

"However, between the three of them, who is actually taking the lead?"

Elena lowered her head in contemplation. Wen Xiu's style tended toward gradual encroachment, whereas Wen Wan's approach was bold and sweeping.

As for Chen Luo, having never crossed swords with him, she had no way to judge.

"No matter what, give it everything and proceed with utmost caution!"

Elena immediately dove back into her work, reviewing all current steps to ensure nothing was left to chance.

...

Wanluo Group, President's Office.

Putting down his phone, Chen Luo turned around to see Wen Xiu staring at him with a strange expression.

Regarding this brother-in-law of his, Chen Luo still felt somewhat awkward.

Previously, Wen Wan had nearly finished him off entirely just for Chen Luo's sake, and now she had suddenly announced that Wen Xiu was to become his deputy. Anyone in his position would find it rather uncomfortable.

"Young Master Wen, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Please, just call me Wen Xiu, or Fifth Brother. Hearing you call me that gives me the creeps."

"I just wanted to ask, why did you deliberately expose our information like that? Your mere existence alone could have served as a brilliant surprise move at the right moment to disrupt Elena's deployments."

"Fifth Brother, Wan-er taught me to rely less on schemes and more on open strategies."

"By notifying Elena of your presence and simultaneously announcing that I am taking sole charge of the business war with her, I am actually bringing our information out into the open, forcing Elena to be much more cautious with every single choice she makes."

"This way, Elena will overthink every single step, and we will have ample time to respond."

Wen Xiu nodded after listening. This indeed counted as a brilliant move.

"As for why I wanted to declare war so openly, I wonder if Fifth Brother has ever heard a saying?"

"What saying?"

"A real man fights head-on!"

"Hahaha!"

This remark directly cracked Wen Xiu up, and he patted Chen Luo on the shoulder.

"Brother-in-law, you really are an interesting person. It seems I won't be bored working under you."

"Not at all, Fifth Brother flatters me."

The two shared another bout of laughter before sitting down opposite each other, and Wen Xiu personally poured a cup of tea for Chen Luo.

From this action, it was clear that Wen Xiu held no real resentment toward serving as Chen Luo's second-in-command.

Chen Luo took a sip of the tea with a clear conscience and looked up at Wen Xiu.

Wen Xiu understood, put down the teapot, and straightened his posture.

"Spit it out. From now on, your Fifth Brother is your vanguard. Which aspect of the opponent do you plan to strike first in your counterattack?"

"No, I'm not making a choice. Wan-er has already mobilized all her funds and personnel and placed them at my disposal."

"Now, I am going to launch a comprehensive offensive across every single industry the Ye Group operates in Hangzhou!"

"What? Are you serious? The opponent is currently only attacking you in the education sector!"

Even Wen Xiu, who had fought Elena for many years, had never attempted such a large-scale offensive.

Or rather, this wasn't an offensive at all; it was directly initiating a full-scale campaign.

While others are playing a pair of tens, you are straight up dropping a pair of jokers!

"In military strategy, use the orthodox to engage, and the unorthodox to conquer!"

"Fifth Brother, trust me. I have my own plans; just execute them."

Chen Luo delivered these words in an extremely steady tone, his eyes brimming with confidence and fighting spirit.

Looking into his eyes, Wen Xiu seemed to see the shadow of Wen Wan dominating the business world.

Back when Wen Wan was a newcomer, wasn't she just as domineering, just as unhinged?

He truly lived up to being trained by Wen Wan, truly lived up to being Wen Wan's man.

"Fine. Anyway, I'm just working for you."

"If you lose, the worst I'll do is go back to the Northwest to chew on sand! I'm going right now to summon all the department heads for a meeting and start laying out the deployment immediately."

"Thank you for your hard work, Fifth Brother."

Wen Xiu walked out. Chen Luo pulled a project proposal from beneath his desk and muttered to himself.

"Chairman Ye, I'm sorry. The advantage of dimensional-shift knowledge is going to be used on you first."

...

At noon that day, downstairs of the Wanluo Group, at the Mill Western Restaurant.

"Your intel should be accurate, right? Chen Luo is dining here this noon?"

"Yes, Mrs. Bai. The intel is correct. Chen Luo's name is on the restaurant's reservation list."

"Good."

Bai Shiya hung up the phone. Seated at a table directly facing the restaurant's main entrance, her gaze fixed on the doorway.

"Let me see what kind of man is capable of drawing such high regard from both the head and the eldest young master of the Wen family."