Zimei Pharmaceuticals Headquarters.

On the sofa in the first-floor lobby, Yao Xinna wore a contemptuous look. She glanced at the Rolex Fluttering Butterfly watch on her wrist, worth hundreds of thousands, and said to Lin Xiyue, "Everyone's time is precious. I'm only giving you three minutes, so say what you need to and make it quick."

Just moments earlier, after Yao Xinna had stepped out of the elevator, Lin Xiyue had managed to persuade her to talk.

"President Yao, the thing is, our Shen Luo Company..."

"I'm sorry." Yao Xinna cut Lin Xiyue off, coming off as extremely rude. Of course, from her perspective, she didn't need to be polite to such underlings. "If you're here to discuss a partnership, then I think we can skip wasting our time."

She spoke rapidly, giving Lin Xiyue no chance to interject. "This Shen Luo Company of yours... I've never even heard of it. I know nothing about your company, and frankly, I won't waste my time finding out."

"You should be aware of Zimei Pharmaceuticals' position in the industry. I assume I don't need to elaborate."

Lin Xiyue nodded. "I know. Zimei Pharmaceuticals is one of the top five pharmaceutical enterprises in the country. But I also know that in the beginning, Zimei was also just an obscure little company."

Yao Xinna stared at Lin Xiyue, a trace of cold indifference in her eyes. She suddenly laughed. "So, you're trying to say your company will one day become a top enterprise like Zimei Pharmaceuticals?"

Lin Xiyue replied, "I have confidence, and I believe in our company's potential."

"Confidence is a good thing, but it means nothing. It's certainly not a reason for Zimei Pharmaceuticals to partner with you," Yao Xinna scoffed. "And as for this 'potential' you speak of, it's worthless in the current market. Our partners at Zimei are all top enterprises in the industry, so we really have no need to divert our resources and waste them on a small company like yours."

"My apologies, but I have an important luncheon to attend, so I must be going."

Still unwilling to give up, Lin Xiyue said, "President Yao, I can understand your position, but I hope you can give us a chance. At the very least, you could learn a little about Shen Luo Company. I assure you, it won't take much of your time."

Yao Xinna shook her head gently, her face an emotionless mask. "You aren't worth my time, not even a second of it. I'm sorry, but that's a chance I cannot give you. And I have to say, I find you very rude."

Lin Xiyue was taken aback. "I don't understand, how was I rude?"

"First, you're here to ask for a partnership, which I interpret as you asking me for a favor. Since you're the one asking, you should show some basic respect. When you addressed me, you were far too casual, not using the respectful tone one would use for an elder. That alone shows a lack of basic professional courtesy. Frankly, it shows you have no manners. Perhaps you're used to being a high-and-mighty president at your Shen Luo Company, but let me be clear: in here, you're nothing."

"Secondly, from the moment we sat down until now, it hasn't even occurred to you to pour me a cup of tea. The teapot is right there on the table, within arm's reach, yet you didn't even make a superficial gesture of courtesy. This also speaks volumes about your attitude."

"Fuck!" Luo Xiu, who had been listening from the side, could no longer hold back and finally swore. He didn't care whether the partnership succeeded or not. If they didn't want to cooperate, fine, screw them. Who did they think they were? But he couldn't stand seeing Lin Xiyue being belittled and baselessly accused of having no manners.

"President Yao, is it?" he jeered. "You've got quite the mouth on you. All that yapping... you must get a lot of practice, huh?"

Yao Xinna frowned and turned to Lin Xiyue. "Is this your driver? Or your assistant?"

Luo Xiu poured himself a cup of tea and smiled faintly. "I'm Luo Xiu, the owner of Shen Luo Company."

Yao Xinna sized him up and offered a slight, condescending smile. "Well, you're a company owner, at least. I would hope you could display a minimum of decency. Also, a piece of advice: watch your mouth when you're out and about, or you'll find yourself in trouble."

Luo Xiu was unfazed. "Then you should be grateful I'm only using my words and not my fists. Ms. Yao, your condescending act of lecturing others is truly disgusting. Perhaps you see it as a sign of refinement, or maybe you think you sound eloquent, but in reality, you're just incredibly disrespectful, and that really pisses me off."

Yao Xinna smiled coolly, her eyes filled with disdain. Like owner, like company, I suppose. "And what are you going to do about it if you're pissed off?"

"Since you don't want to cooperate, don't beat around the bush with all this nonsense. Just say no," Luo Xiu shot back. "Who the hell do you think you are? My wife is better than you in every way. What gives you the right to judge her from a pedestal you don't even belong on? What kind of logic is it to hold others to the standards of a saint when you're so damn two-faced yourself? All this grandstanding... are you just trying to prove how amazing your company is? Or are you just looking for a superiority trip?"

Yao Xinna's smile widened. "You're right, actually. I do enjoy a good superiority trip. Isn't the entire purpose of you weaklings to give the strong a sense of superiority? The truth may be harsh, but it's reality. And before you run your mouth further, I suggest you remember that it was you who begged to see me, you who begged to partner with me. I've already wasted enough of my time on this."

"The strong? Heh, and this piece of trash actually considers herself one of them," Luo Xiu scoffed. "I guess it's true. Bitches really do live in their own little world, patting themselves on the back and calling whatever they see 'reality'." He chuckled and rose to his feet. "Xi Yue, let's go. Who the hell wants to cooperate with this old hag anyway!"

Lin Xiyue sighed silently and got up to leave.

...

"With a temper like that, you're really not cut out for business," Lin Xiyue said helplessly to Luo Xiu on the way back to the hotel.

Luo Xiu glanced at her and couldn't help but laugh in exasperation. "You call that doing business? You were just serving yourself up on a silver platter for her to walk all over! Damn that old hag, putting on such airs! Her high-and-mighty act infuriated me. And her saying you have no manners? Who the hell does she think she is? I was seconds away from slapping her!"

A sudden warmth spread through Lin Xiyue's heart. "Alright, that's enough. Don't be angry. It's not a big deal. I've dealt with far worse when I was making sales calls. It's normal for a huge corporation like that to look down on a small company like ours. And that's just how business is. If you can't offer them tangible benefits, they have no reason to pay you any attention."

Luo Xiu grumbled, "Damn it. In this day and age, even if Li Shizhen and Hua Tuo were alive, they'd probably have to make several rounds of toasts to the executives at the table just to sell their medicines."

Hearing this, Lin Xiyue couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter. "You've got a point!"

...

Not long after they returned to the hotel, still fuming, Luo Xiu received a call from He Dang Gui.

"Doctor Luo, send me your address, and I'll send a driver to pick you up immediately. I've invited quite a few elites from the pharmaceutical industry today. Since you've started a pharmaceutical company, this will be a good chance for me to introduce you."

"Alright. Thank you, Elder He."

...

As noon approached, a luxury business van pulled up to Luo Xiu and Lin Xiyue's hotel, taking them to a five-star restaurant. It was Hengyun Grand Restaurant, one of the most high-end establishments in the provincial capital.

"Mister Luo, Miss Lin, right this way, please."

After entering the restaurant, the driver led Luo Xiu and Lin Xiyue to a luxurious private room on the top floor. To their surprise, as soon as they stepped inside, Luo Xiu saw a familiar face.

It was Yao Xinna!

It turned out the "important luncheon" she had mentioned was He Dang Gui's luncheon.

At the same time, Yao Xinna spotted Luo Xiu and Lin Xiyue. She frowned, a wave of humiliation washing over her as the displeasure became clearly written on her face. They must have found out my schedule and deliberately followed me here to keep pestering me about the partnership. But today's guests are the real titans of the industry—seniors, mentors, and even Chairman He Dang Gui from the Medical Association himself! She definitely didn't want to be hassled by two nobodies at such an important event. If she disturbed Chairman He's mood, her career in the industry would be over.

"I thought I made myself perfectly clear earlier. Why did you follow me here?" she snapped, stepping forward to block their path. "Even if you're trying to drum up business, your skin doesn't have to be this thick, does it? Or do you think this kind of 'perseverance' is going to impress someone?"

Luo Xiu and Lin Xiyue exchanged glances, their expressions equally strange.

"This is not a place where you belong," Yao Xinna said coldly. "Get out now, or I'm calling security!"

Just then, He Dang Gui emerged from the restroom. The moment he saw Luo Xiu, his face lit up with a broad smile as he hurried over.

"Haha, Divine Doctor Luo! It's been too long! I've missed you terribly!" he exclaimed, warmly taking Luo Xiu's hand and leading him directly to the seat of honor. "Come, come, sit here!"

"Waiter," he called out, "you may serve the dishes now!"

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