Chapter 41: The Second Heroine, Chu Ruoxue, Arrives!
---
The next day, the second heroine, Chu Ruoxue, personally led her team to Lin's Investment Company.
As the host, Lin Beifan welcomed her with open arms, flashing his signature grin.
"Haha! Welcome, welcome, Miss Chu! Your presence truly brightens up the place!"
"You flatter me," Chu Ruoxue replied with a radiant smile. Her demeanor was elegant, confident, and captivating—completely devoid of arrogance.
After all, how many ordinary people could become presidents?
In the world of business, masking one's true nature and maintaining polite appearances was simply a basic skill.
---
Lin Beifan gestured grandly.
"Miss Chu, allow me to introduce…"
He then proceeded to introduce the key figures of the company, from the president to the vice presidents and managers.
Chu Ruoxue's gaze lingered on him for a moment before she let out a soft chuckle.
"It seems you're doing quite well for yourself."
In the business world, there were unspoken rules about how guests were received.
A person's position and power were reflected in who handled the meeting.
The fact that Lin Beifan was the one directly engaging with her—instead of someone higher up—meant that he had already secured real authority within the company.
Lin Beifan shrugged modestly.
"I wouldn't say that—just doing alright!"
In name, he was still just a vice president, but with his outstanding performance and powerful backing, he had effectively become the top decision-maker of Lin's Investment Company.
---
A light breeze drifted through the entrance.
Lin Beifan gestured toward the door.
"It's a bit windy outside, Miss Chu. Let's continue inside."
Everyone followed him into the conference hall.
---
After a few sips of tea, Chu Ruoxue hesitated slightly before speaking.
"I'm here today because… I'd like to request a loan."
Her tone carried a rare trace of embarrassment.
Had she any other choice, she would never have approached Lin Beifan—this notorious playboy.
But the reality was harsh.
The global economy was in a downturn, and liquidity was drying up everywhere.
Even banks had tightened their lending policies, making it extremely difficult to secure financing.
Among all industries, real estate was hit the hardest—and Belvedere Group, her company, specialized in large-scale commercial real estate projects, particularly developing integrated shopping centers.
Without fresh capital, their projects had come to a standstill.
She had spent the past few days scrambling for funds, with little success.
It was only after running into Lin Beifan last night that she realized—
"He's heavily involved in investments… so he must have money."
With no better option, she decided to give it a shot.
---
Lin Beifan nodded.
"Just as I expected."
He had already anticipated this turn of events.
In the original novel, Chu Ruoxue faced the same financial crisis—but much later.
By that time, the economic decline had worsened, pushing her company to the brink of collapse.
It was then that the male protagonist, Ye Xingchen, came to her rescue.
While serving as her bodyguard, he leveraged his resources and influence to secretly help her overcome the crisis.
Naturally, he humiliated the villains along the way, basking in the spotlight of classic protagonist glory.
But now—
Lin Beifan had intercepted the storyline.
He was already filthy rich at this point.
Back then, he had casually invested billions to bail her out—and in doing so, won her heart effortlessly.
---
"How much do you need?" Lin Beifan asked.
Chu Ruoxue immediately answered, her tone filled with urgency.
"A billion yuan should be enough to stabilize our cash flow!
"As for interest, we're willing to offer a rate that's one percent higher than the current bank loan rates."
---
Lin Beifan tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought.
Chu Ruoxue observed him closely, her heart growing heavier by the second.
She could see that he was hesitating.
---
"In my opinion…" Lin Beifan finally spoke, his tone serious.
"Even with a billion yuan, your problems won't be fully solved."
Chu Ruoxue's brows furrowed slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Lin Beifan analyzed the situation calmly.
"Right now, the global economy is in a recession. Money is tight everywhere, and all industries are struggling—but none more than real estate.
"Your business relies heavily on capital.
"A billion yuan might buy you some time, but in the long run…
"It's just robbing Peter to pay Paul."
---
Chu Ruoxue let out a bitter laugh.
"That's still better than bankruptcy."
Of course, she understood the risks.
But what choice did she have?
The current climate was a brutal endurance test—
A battle of who could hold out the longest.
If she could weather the storm, there was still hope.
But if she collapsed now, it would be game over.
---
Lin Beifan suddenly asked,
"Your Belvedere Group owns a prime plot of land in Jiangnan, correct?"
Chu Ruoxue blinked.
"Yes… what about it?"
Lin Beifan smiled knowingly.
"I'm very interested in that land.
"How about selling it to me?"
---
Chu Ruoxue's eyes widened.
"You… want to buy that land?"
Lin Beifan shrugged casually.
"Why not?"
Chu Ruoxue shook her head immediately.
"To be honest… you can't afford it."
Lin Beifan's eyebrow twitched.
"Oh? And why is that?"
---
Chu Ruoxue crossed her arms.
"We originally paid over six billion yuan for that land.
"Even if we're willing to sell at a discount, the price would still be at least five billion.
"Do you have that kind of money?"
---
Lin Beifan chuckled softly.
"Oh, Miss Chu… you have no idea just how deep my pockets go…"
---
[To Be Continued…]