Chapter 31 Lin Haoning's Concerns
Kowloon Tong, located at the northern edge of Kowloon City, was renowned for its low-rise houses and scattered villa clusters, with lush greenery and tree-shaded paths creating a sense of suburban tranquility and elegance away from the city's hustle and bustle. It was not only an oasis within the city but also a favored residential area for many of Hong Kong's affluent class.
Deep within this villa district stood a tastefully designed, luxuriously decorated villa, the residence of Lin Haoning, the eldest son of the Lin family.
At this moment, inside the villa, Lin Haoning was holding a telephone receiver, speaking intently.
"Good, you did very well. This time you've earned a big merit. I see and remember all your efforts. In the future, you will certainly be rewarded," he said, before gently placing the receiver down.
However, his expression gradually darkened, a shadow creeping over his brow, indicating that the information he had just received was not entirely to his satisfaction.
"Husband, what's wrong?" Cao Shaoling, sitting beside him, noticed his fleeting gloom and asked softly.
Cao Shaoling, the eldest granddaughter of the wealthy Cao family—one of Hong Kong's established billionaires—came from a background comparable to the Lin family, both families boasting considerable economic strength and broad influence.
The Lin-Cao marriage was undoubtedly a strategic alliance, intended to consolidate resources, complement advantages, and boost each family's position both within their respective industries and in the broader market. Their union had already significantly enhanced both families' prosperity and influence, exemplifying the kind of win-win alliance widely respected in Hong Kong's business community.
Shortly after their marriage, Lin Haoning decided to move out of the Lin family villa to establish an independent household with Cao Shaoling.
Although he moved out, over the past few years he had remained under the careful guidance of his father, Lin Wanan. Despite accumulating considerable experience, he had often played a supporting role and hadn't fully demonstrated his abilities.
Nor had he effectively integrated the powerful resources behind Cao Shaoling into his business endeavors.
It wasn't until recently, when Lin Wanan began seriously considering the issue of succession, that Lin Haoning seized a rare opportunity to stand on his own.
He fully committed himself, showcasing exceptional talent and profound potential in the business arena while cleverly leveraging the Cao family's influence as an advantage.
This strategy had allowed Wan Fung Fan Factory to experience explosive growth within just two to three months, with soaring performance and enthusiastic market feedback—progress that was both remarkable and widely noticed.
More shrewdly, Lin Haoning had also utilized the Cao family's resources to discreetly suppress his younger brother's Huafeng Cement Factory.
By gradually undermining its market competitiveness, causing old clients to leave, Huafeng Cement's market share had suffered significant erosion.
The Cao family, being major suppliers of construction materials, had abundant connections with real estate developers.
At Lin Haoning's request, many real estate bosses had quietly shifted their cement purchases away from Huafeng Cement toward other brands.
This series of moves demonstrated Lin Haoning's deep strategic thinking and ruthless methods in business competition and suggested he had gained a leading position in the family succession race.
Choosing to marry Cao Shaoling had clearly been a deliberate and strategic decision for Lin Haoning, one that factored heavily on the powerful strength she brought from the Cao family—strength not only from their vast wealth in construction materials but also their extensive industry influence and formidable family background.
"I just received a call from a maid at Dad's villa," Lin Haoning said slowly.
"Second Sister went home and spent a long time talking with Haoran on the rooftop terrace. They've always been very close.
She's very likely to fully support Haoran. Add to that the Zhu family's strong resources behind her, and our Third Sister's equally close bond with Haoran...
If both sisters choose to back him, Haoran's future prospects could seriously threaten our position," Lin Haoning's tone was filled with worry.
"Your younger brother Lin Haoran... he still hasn't given up on competing with us?" Cao Shaoling frowned deeply upon hearing this.
"Both Second and Third Sister married into powerful families. If they both side with Haoran, he will undoubtedly gain strong support in the succession battle," Lin Haoning continued, sitting down and crossing his legs, frowning as he pondered the future of the family.
He knew clearly that since marrying Cao Shaoling, his own personality had subtly changed, a shift that had quietly widened the distance between himself and his sisters.
He couldn't resist the allure of wealth and power.
As the eldest son of the Lin family, he firmly believed he was the most qualified to inherit Wanan Group.
What used to be pure family affection and intimacy had gradually turned cold and distant, filling him with a faint sense of helplessness and sorrow.
Yet in the cutthroat game of family power, everyone fought for their own interests and positions.
He could only keep moving forward, striving to carve out his place amid the complexity.
The constant loss of Huafeng Cement Factory's old clients was, of course, the result of his secret suppression.
Moreover, Lin Haoran's every move at Huafeng had long been reported back to him through spies like Lin Yi.
However, there was one crucial piece of information that had been deliberately concealed.
When Lin Yi reported back, he had hidden the fact that he was defeated during a sparring match with Li Weiguo, instead claiming that the fight ended in a draw.
Lin Yi knew clearly that if the eldest young master learned he had been defeated by a mere illegal immigrant Lin Haoran had casually rescued, his standing in Lin Haoning's eyes would plummet.
Out of this concern, he chose to omit the humiliating defeat.
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