"Father!" Long Hui began to protest against Long Tengfei's decision. "Isn't this too much? Our company won't make any money with this deal. We'll have to incur losses instead!"
"Son, I'm the President-CEO of Long Industries. And Xiulan is my daughter and your sister. Long Industries is, in its very essence, a family business. She is family. I don't plan on making money off of my own daughter." Long Tengfei said these words in a light tone but the impact was heavy.
Long Hui could only back off and sigh.
After Iris and Long Tengfei's handshake, the others joined in.
The Bauer siblings looked delighted that the deal was successful, while Amanpio Kileksky looked relieved that that the meeting was finally over. He was already feeling very bored.
As for the COO, he was extremely impressed by Iris Long. So this was the President's youngest daughter. Rumours shouldn't be really believed. What good-for-nothing? The young lady obviously had a knack for business, not to mention that she was a Cross Academy student! This alone was enough to impress him for several lifetimes.
She was also a force to be reckoned with in the negotiation table. He could only chuckle remembering the way she shamelessly laid down the ridiculous discount rates she wanted with a straight face. Her way of doing business reminded him of a certain legend whom businesspeople like him looked up to.
The COO was also inwardly laughing at the ones who were still thinking that the Young Miss Xiulan was the most useless member of the Long family. How could a Cross Academy student be useless? Other people had no idea that she was actually the most brilliant among President Long's children.
'It seems that the most worthy to inherit the throne isn't the crown prince as everyone thinks, but the youngest princess instead who everyone keeps on overlooking and underestimating,' he thought to himself.
###
This alone wouldn't have bothered them if it weren't for the fact that Long Tengfei also called Long Industries' COO and Long Hui (Deputy CFO) to join the meeting. Although they still didn't know the full specifics, they heard that she got a one-sided business deal with Long Industries. One-sided because it would only benefit her, not Long Industries.
They wasted no time ridiculing her among themselves. They were especially disgruntled at Long Tengfei for showing obvious favouritism for his daughter who they thought didn't deserve to get anything from Long Industries.
"That's why that child is so spoiled! Tengfei hands everything to her in a silver platter! Ever since the establishment of the company, the main family has had a tight hold of its control. They don't allow all the Long relatives to work in the company, only hiring the most capable ones. All of us from the branch families need to work hard just to be qualified to work for our own family business, and yet that spoiled brat only needed to sweet-talk her father. Unbelievable!" Long Jufang complained among the members of his own branch family.
"But Grandfather, it doesn't seem like Cousin Xiulan will be working at Long Industries. I heard that she only got a business deal, not a position," one of his grandsons commented.
"And you think that's better? How naïve, boy! The business deal that she got is reportedly disadvantageous for the company. It's like a gift from Tengfei himself without expecting anything in return. Meaning, she got it for free without working for it just because she's the company head's daughter. Giving her a position on the other hand, while still dubious because of her lack of qualifications, is still within the realm of acceptability. She has to at least work for the company and prove to everyone that she deserves the position given to her. Now you see the difference?" Long Jufang explained to her grandson.
"Oh. I see. That really is unfair." The grandson was still in middle school, so he still didn't understand the complicatedness of the family politics and business. "Even Cousin Hui has to work hard and he's the heir."
"Exactly. Hmph! Speaking of that cousin of yours, he's been making a lot of stupid decisions lately. Maybe because he's been spending so much time with Xiulan. This is what he gets for getting close to his good-for-nothing youngest sister. If he continues to walk this downhill path, our noble Long family will deteriorate when it's time for him to succeed."
Long Jufang looked genuinely concerned about the family's future. It was just that his version of the ideal future was still stuck in the values commonly upheld in ancient times.
His children, their spouses and grandchildren all nodded their heads in agreement with him. He was the head of this branch family. All of them were very proud of their aristocratic origins. All of the daughters from this branch family refused to marry into their husbands' families. Instead, the husbands married into the family, preserving their Long lineage.
"If that's the case, then good!" Long Jufang immediately replied. "But she really has to change her old ways and rediscover the pride of having Long blood within her. If she's really serious about reintegrating into the family, she should quit showbiz and that low class career of hers. If she can become a proper young lady fit for our noble Long family, then all of us will welcome her back with open arms."
"You're right, Father," his son said. "If Xiulan can just fix herself, then it's definitely good news for our family. If for some reason Hui is unable to succeed the family and the business, I'd rather have her as the next head than those illegitimate children of Cousin Tengfei."
"Exactly!" Long Jufang scowled at the mention of Long Tengfei's illegitimate children. "It's such a disgrace allowing those bastards to work at our family business! I heard that Tengfei will be promoting that bastard son of his to work at the main company in a few months. Unbelievable! And his bastard daughter will also start working at a branch division after she graduates from university this summer."
"But Father, Cousin Tengfei's other son and daughter are very smart and capable. Both of them are top of their classes and are rather popular among their peers. They also behave well when we meet them during family gatherings," his daughter-in-law said.
Long Jufang snorted. "So what if they're all that? No matter how many times you flip the world upside down, those children will still be illegitimate. They're the shame of our noble Long family. Although Tengfei announced to everyone that he'll change his will if any of his other children prove themselves to be more capable than Hui, I would never allow an illegitimate child of his to succeed. Over my dead body! If either Hui or Xiulan are unable to succeed their father, then our branch family will just have to take over and become the main family instead! If it's for the best interests of our family and to make our noble Long name flourish again, our branch family will gladly take this burden upon our shoulders."
Everyone nodded, their expressions grave. They acted as if it was a great sacrifice on their part if their branch family were to take over as head of the entire Long clan. But deep within their hearts, the desire for control and power burned a little hotter.