Luo Liansheng and Fang Xiang have been acquainted for many years, very good friends, you could say they know each other inside out.
Luo Liansheng, at his age, lacks neither experience nor wisdom.
He has not mixed within the establishment, you could even say he is a person detached from the mundane world.
People like him see things and people more accurately than ordinary people, and are less influenced by worldly interests.
When he speaks of the Fang Family and Fang Xiang in such a manner, it means he has already sensed their actions.
Otherwise, he definitely wouldn’t speak so solemnly.
Upon hearing this, Luo Ziling nodded gently.
"Grandpa, I’ll remember your words and be extra vigilant when handling affairs, so as not to give them any openings."
Luo Liansheng sighed and gave a bitter smile, "Really, there’s nothing to blame. After all, every family has their own hard-to-recite book. Although the Fang Family is very influential, they have a stronger crisis mentality than most; they fear their reputation and status being threatened, fear problems within the Fang Family, even taking preventive measures is perfectly normal. Our Luo Family wants to rise by leveraging the Ling Family, which will surely affect their interests. To the Yang Family, Fang Family, or Chen Family, it stands that if they completely suppress us before we rise, then there’ll be one less competitor in the future. In the face of real interests, sometimes friendships really aren’t that important. Of course, I’m sure if we were down and out, the Fang Family would definitely help us, offer us a way out, give us food to eat. Some people can share hardships and wealth, but they will prevent you from getting wealthy. If they truly can’t prevent it, they will empty their pockets to help."
Although Luo Liansheng didn’t fully articulate, Luo Ziling already roughly understood what he meant.
Luo Ziling fully agreed with what Luo Liansheng intended to express, thus he nodded in agreement with what Luo Liansheng said, "Grandpa, since this time they’ve lowered their stance and made compensation to us, let’s make good use of this opportunity, strive to gain more benefits. In any case, whether we take advantage or not, the outcome remains the same. Probably by taking advantage of them, they might restrain themselves, have more scruples. When cooperating with them, we’ll make preparations, not let them seize any evidence against us, and instead find ways to hold evidence against them, while avoiding being schemed against."
Ling Ruonan nodded to show her agreement with what Luo Ziling and Luo Liansheng said: "We must learn from our mistakes and grow wiser, try to avoid being schemed against by others. When interacting with people from the Yang Family, Fang Family, and others, always maintain caution and learn to protect ourselves. This incident definitely has a significant impact. The Fang Family doesn’t want to tear face with us, still wants to maintain previous friendship, then let them have their way, don’t stir things up, accept their compensation. As for the future, as long as we are careful, it won’t be easy for them to scheme against us."
Next, Ling Ruonan shared what she had discussed with Fang Zhonghua today.
Fang Zhonghua promised to help Ling Ruonan and Luo Xusheng within his capacity.
Ling Ruonan didn’t elaborate on details; she simply told Luo Liansheng and Luo Ziling that Fang Zhonghua promised to assist in her and Luo Xusheng’s promotion path, that the Fang Family would have more collaborations with the enterprises controlled by Ling Ruonan and Luo Ziling, including but not limited to those mentioned by Fang Dongxun and Luo Ziling.
Anyway, the notion of further cooperation proposed by Fang Zhonghua was too full of compensatory flavor, so full that Ling Ruonan even revealed a sarcastic smile.
Luo Liansheng also shared his chat with Fang Xiang.
Of course, Fang Xiang wouldn’t be as direct as Fang Zhonghua or Fang Dongxun, just subtly told Luo Liansheng the relationship between the two families couldn’t fade, and if the Fang Family did anything wrong, just say so.
Although some things were done in the name of the Fang Family by others, the Fang Family wouldn’t shirk responsibility and would double compensate.
Anyway, Fang Xiang implicitly expressed that if Luo Liansheng wasn’t satisfied, he could freely make demands that would be met.
Of course, Luo Liansheng didn’t make any demands on the spot; he told Fang Xiang that he’d also like the friendship between them and the two families to last a lifetime, not be exploited by some petty people, but hopes both families can be frank with each other, and not scheme against each other.
As for misunderstandings caused by past events, his only request is for them not to happen again.
If similar things happen again, then there might be trouble.
These words from Luo Liansheng actually subtly expressed his dissatisfaction and simultaneously served as a warning.
Fang Xiang readily promised that such things wouldn’t happen again in the future.
After hearing what Ling Ruonan and Luo Liansheng said, Luo Ziling roughly understood the situation.
All meaning could be summed up in one point: that is, the Fang Family took all happenings onto themselves, didn’t argue, acknowledged mistakes, and were willing to compensate.
But Luo Ziling also knew that Luo Liansheng and Ling Ruonan certainly didn’t tell him everything.
He also believed that during the interaction between Ling Ruonan and Fang Zhonghua, there might have been unpleasant occurrences, at least Ling Ruonan would have shown her strong stance.
Also while Luo Liansheng and Fang Xiang had discussions, there must have been emotional expression.
However, these weren’t important anymore; anyway, things had turned out this way.
Luo Ziling knew that the so-called friendship between the Luo Family and the Fang Family had faded significantly after this incident.
No one knows how the two families will interact in the future.
But one thing is certain, if the two families keep dwelling on these past matters, continue to quietly do something, there’s bound to be confrontation eventually. Otherwise, Luo Liansheng and Ling Ruonan wouldn’t have made such reminders.
If this happened a year ago, Luo Ziling would surely have been shocked and wouldn’t have accepted it.
How could friends who seemed in such good relationship suddenly turn out like this?
But now, Luo Ziling was no longer surprised.
This has nothing to do with the character of Fang Xiang, Fang Zhonghua, and others, perhaps they still regard Luo Liansheng as a friend, but sometimes, for the family’s interests, you just have to do these kinds of things to your friends.
Ling Ruonan and Luo Ziling are the same, sometimes, they also strike against those who they outwardly call friends.
Frankly, Luo Ziling doesn’t like doing such things at all.
While in Northwest, he lived simply, almost without competition.
Looking through today’s lens, life back then was like being immortal, leisurely and relaxed.
Arriving at a place where the water ends, sitting and watching clouds rise.
Outside the window is poetry and the distant horizon, without any sordidness.
However, Luo Ziling doesn’t regret coming to the Capital, doesn’t regret living the life he does now.
He thinks, earlier, he was like a greenhouse flower, not yet truly grown due to lack of exposure to wind and rain’s adversity.
Now, he truly considers himself grown up.
In peaceful times, merit cannot be won on horseback; the mentality of "Why don’t men bring Wu hooks, reclaim fifty states of Guanshan" can’t be realized. But the man’s passion cannot be lost.
Through battling those renowned big shots, establishing his own aristocratic family, influencing the development of the situation — this is something Luo Ziling wants to do and must achieve.