Chapter 124 The Storm Is Brewing

thy of praise in people’s words.Su Can said he was very busy with studies and work these days but that the most delightful moments were when they exchanged "good night" messages every day; it made him...Chapter 124: A Storm Is Brewing

The South University Economics Forum had just ended when two police cars with flashing red and blue lights arrived. They were talking to the university authorities, then proceeded to take several men who had been restrained by security guards onto the police cars. Li Pengyu almost knocked down a few people before sneaking out after Su Can. He managed to break through South University's security without being detained.

It was clear that the disturbance in the auditorium greatly affected South University’s sensibilities.

Song Zhen was taken away by someone from Senchuan Group, and Su Can met up with everyone who had eagerly come out of the auditorium.

Ruan Sigu and Tong Tong were clearly impressed by Li Pengyu's performance in supporting Su Can during the event. Their excitement was evident on their faces. Anyone witnessing Su Can standing up to resist under such circumstances would certainly find it exhilarating and memorable.

However, Su Can knew that things wouldn't be so simple. Standing up against chaos at the economics forum might earn him admiration from some people, but when countless insults were being hurled at a girl destined for victimization, there still existed individuals within South University who maintained their composure and had the courage to expose the truth.

But throughout Su Can's journey toward the podium, his series of arguments, and his exit through the door, Li Pengyu had been constantly fighting by his side. This was an undeniable fact, and it could very well be a challenge to South University’s bottom line.

This incident indirectly disrupted plans related to Jian Hua or even that high-ranking person he mentioned. It was something Su Can needed to ponder over: Would the other party strike back after being hurt

The hidden confrontation at the South University Economics Forum was thought-provoking, and Tang Wu being affected by it awakened a surge of anger in Su Can. If others suffer injustice while he remains indifferent, when disaster strikes him, he too will sink into silence.

If today it is Song Zhen, who would be next Could it even be him, Su Can When everyone collectively falls silent as his enemies stab him with a sharp knife, is this the inevitable end

Because of this, Room 602’s residents had an awkward expression in front of Tang Wu. Lin Guangdong tried to speak but was hesitant, looking around uncertainly.

Su Can said to everyone, "This isn't about any imagined scandal between me and Song Zhen from Senchuan Group or a sense of justice running amok. It's just that under certain circumstances, we seem able to become friends with the Senchuan Corporation because those who wanted to destroy them today might turn their weapons against me tomorrow."

To his roommates Zhang Xiaqiao, Li Han, and Xiao Xu, they knew Su Can was in a high circle. He wasn't even just an ordinary college student; unlike themselves when stepping out of the school into society feeling lost and incompetent, he could already discuss development with government officials and negotiate collaborations with business celebrities the next day. Any other college student would be lucky to get any job offers at all due to their shallow experience and pure background.

Therefore, what Su Can considered and faced was far beyond their imagination. At this moment, everyone finally put aside some wild speculations and began to truly contemplate the significance behind his decision to clash with South University.

Lin Guangdong, who seemed to have been holding back his thoughts, finally said to Su Cen, "What you are considering might be an ideal scenario. You help someone out, but they may not necessarily remember your kindness. I've seen too many cases where people repay such kindness with ingratitude and betrayal; these actions seem insignificant when weighed against the benefits one gains from them... I'm just worried that you might make enemies unnecessarily due to a moment of impulsiveness."

"Don't easily create enemies, but also try to maximize your chances of making friends where possible," Su Cen remarked. "Song Shihao of Senchuan Group, do you think he can be considered a friend The development of Facebook in the US and the situation with Senchuan Enterprise should be well understood by them. Could it be that I am not someone they could consider befriending to their advantage I believe when faced with choices about interest values, they will treat our Durian Holdings correctly."

The series of integrations initiated for acquiring World of Warcraft equity began to reveal the true potential of Durian Holdings.

If one were to investigate now, they would be immediately surprised by this company's potential. Not only does it hold over 40% shares in American Facebook and an absolute controlling stake of 75% in Facebook China, but it also owns Duhuang Department Store, a top ten retail unit in Chengdu, along with Shushan, the nation's leading stationery brand. Even its involvement in digital music and media magazines is noteworthy.

When viewed as an integrated whole, Su Cen’s Durian Holdings displayed considerable potential and scale, already possessing the structure of a conglomerate.

Su Cen’s phone rang; he looked down at the caller ID, frowned for a moment, then relaxed before answering.

The voice on the other end was Jian Hua's, low and imposing, as if a storm were brewing, "I remember warning you. I doubt you know what you're doing..."

"When does the CEO of Alislink resort to violence against an unarmed woman" Su Cen retorted in response to Jian Hua’s confrontational tone.

"Don't overestimate your abilities, Su Cen. I've seen many young people like you who are full of vigor and ambition as their careers take off. You have a rare starting point, which is commendable; however, this world never lacks talented individuals who push forward regardless of the consequences. Many such people end up with poor outcomes—bankruptcies are common among them. As someone smart enough to recognize your position clearly, you must be aware of this fact. If you rein in a bit and learn some principles of advancement and retreat, your potential is limitless. But if you continue down this path... life is long, but I guarantee that the latter half of yours will be filled with regret from repeated failures."

"Is it your intention to deliver this message, or does the person behind you wish to convey it" Su Cen pondered.

“It doesn't matter whether it's one or both. I’ve said before that my warning stems from the fact that up until now, you've still earned some of my respect.”

"Unprincipled tolerance is like standing by and watching a despicable murder take place. You want me to remain silent in this matter, but sadly, Miss Song of Senchuan Enterprise is my friend."

The other end fell silent for a moment before Jian Hua's heavy voice could be heard, though the anger he felt was not expressed; as president of Alislink Investments and one of the major players in the Yangtze River Delta capital market, this person must have been seething. "Friend Do you really mean it when using such words, or are you insulting my intelligence Business is like war, where mutual benefit forms the foundation for a win-win situation. When you were merely an impoverished student with nothing to your name at your university, could you truly believe that Miss Song of Senchuan Group would consider you a friend In this world, there's no such thing as cheap friendships."

There was a pause before Jian Hua, the president of Alislink and major player in the Yangtze River Delta capital market, expected an abrupt silence followed by sudden realization from the other end. Instead, after some time had passed, he heard a cool voice.

"I used to be poor too; I was just a penniless guy. But I still have many so-called cheap friends like you mentioned. I never believed that there are friends who would empty their pockets for you even when you're destitute and ready to abandon everything, including your family. Yet, I know it’s very lonely walking through life, and having more people by your side isn’t a bad thing."

Zhan Hua suddenly found himself speechless in the face of these words. After a two-second silence, he said in a low voice, "I wish you all the best."

After hanging up, Zhan Hua looked at the city where the sun was about to set below the horizon and saw his own shadow cast on an empty office.

He was alone.

Feeling much better after this phone call with Zhan Hua, Su Can suddenly felt relieved. The previous confrontations and power struggles with Zhan Hua and others had been hidden battles behind the scenes. Now that he could openly break ties, it didn’t matter anymore. He was eager to see what abilities Zhuang Hong had in supporting Zhan Hua.

Saying that Su Can brought down Han Tang Securities Exchange and Century Stock Exchange might be exaggerated, but he was definitely the last straw for these two securities exchanges involved in insider trading. From this point onwards, his conflict with Zhan Hua and those behind him had escalated. Su Can didn’t think compromise was an option; at least not yet—there was no way he could force them into a corner to make them cave.

Instead of waiting for the other side to muster strength and focus their efforts on eliminating him, it would be better to ally with enemies that they considered thorns in their sides. The stronger these enemies were, the safer Su Can would feel. Although he didn’t understand the profound theories in On War yet, this strategic viewpoint was something he possessed.

As a person who had gained a second chance at life, Su Can’s biggest advantage after gaining rebirth was his understanding of the situation and the era's overall landscape. If leveraging trends is considered a sign of great talent, then he was one of the strongest people in this era because he knew how to position himself and take advantage of these trends.

After lunch at a small street food stall with a group of people, Su Can returned to his dormitory to find that he had become something of a celebrity.

The auditorium at Nan Da’s Economics College was built to accommodate 400 people and couldn’t even account for the crowds during forums. Making such a big splash in front of hundreds of students, scholars, government officials, and business elites from Nan Da during the Homecoming Economic Forum made it into social news.

Not to mention how society’s scholars and entrepreneurs interpreted this event externally, the Senchuan Group being hit for fraudulent fundraising could reveal many thought-provoking insider details. The various powers involved were just beginning to emerge, catching people's attention.

Some Nan Da students even posted about it on the school's BBS bulletin board after attending the economic forum.

Su Can returned and was surprised that his counselor Su Yi hadn’t come straight away. Originally, he thought Nan Da’s administration would definitely send someone to inquire about this matter. Wang Dongjian, who served in the student council leadership, approached him and said, "Su Can, my experience isn't deep enough to determine if this is a blessing or a curse for you. However, when I returned, I heard that President Zhang was quite shocked by this event. It’s possible that the president now knows about it. Nan Da can’t possibly ignore an incident like this happening during their Homecoming Festival; it's no small matter."

Su Can knew very well that this wasn't a trivial matter, but he felt headache-inducing as to how to deal with what was coming next.

Unable to sleep at night, he got up and sent a text message to Tang Wu.

Little did he know that Tang Wu, who was in another dorm building, couldn't sleep either.

The events of today were too overwhelming; they hadn't had any time alone together. Su Can simply called her instead.

Although the person on the other end of the line was the cool and solitary Tang Xiaowu, Su Can knew that dragging Song Zhen out in front of four or five hundred people would be understood by Tang Wu's refined nature. Nevertheless, he still needed to explain himself and wanted to talk with her at this moment.

"Helping Song Zhen today wasn't for personal gain. The Sekigawa Group is a hidden thread that benefits us in many ways. Helping someone can create a friend; it’s something that those who wish us ill would find hard to accept."

"Song Zhen is a good girl, and what happened to her today was unfair. You did the right thing." On this autumn night at Nan Da University, with the daytime heat still lingering, Tang Wu listened to Su Can's call from building 13 while in her dormitory in building 17.

Although they were separated by several buildings that even strenuous efforts wouldn’t allow them to see each other through, listening to Su Can’s voice over the phone made all external noise fade away and seemed to whisper intimately in her ear.

This man's voice wasn't as magnetic or attractive as those with deep voices or diamond men born into privilege. But occasionally, his words and actions, especially when he was impulsive and brave beyond imagination, would leave Tang Xiaowu deeply impressed and unable to let go.

From behind the tall dorm building, Su Can chatted casually with Tang Wu. Tang Wu’s inner world was much more passionate than her outwardly cold demeanor; few could delve into that realm of hers. She’d tell Su Can about a cute teddy bear she liked and placed at home or complain about the tight deadlines for academic papers assigned by their professor, just like every other girl in love.

The call was heated as he listened to Tang Wu's melodious voice from seemingly close by, causing him lying on his bed to think of the softness of her bedroom in Shanghai Peninsula Bay’s Snow Sea Retreat.

Imagining delicate Tang Xiaowu whispering softly into his ear made this Nan Da night romantically enchanting and soul-stirring.

One more chapter. Thankfully, this one isn't too late.

[..]nging contest or leaders within student organizations.However, he hasn't yet encountered a situation where pretty girls insist on getting his autograph. After Su Cen expressed his confusion about this...