After Divorce, I Can Hear the Future

He would never use this as leverage, forcing the Hyundai Group to sacrifice itself for others, allowing Tianxing Automobile to take the lead.

"Mr. Lu, I'm sorry, I wrongly judged your integrity." Zheng Xuanyi bowed his head in shame.

"Mr. Zheng, you're too wrong, the penalty is to finish this drink."

Ota Ling chuckled, intentionally easing the atmosphere, and took a bottle of sake from the shore, passing it to Zheng Xuanyi.

Although the two did not get along, Zheng Xuanyi had tested Lu Liang's attitude, so he should reciprocate.

Initially, Ota Ling had also planned to use his position for personal gain, helping Lu Liang promote Tianxing Automobiles in Neon, to win more favor for his son.

After all, he was only the rotating president of Mitsui Sumitomo and would eventually retire, but his son was still young and working at Xingheng.

Yet doing so carried significant risks, because Neon's national policy was to develop hydrogen energy, and if opponents caught wind of it, his career would be over.

But now, knowing Lu Liang's attitude, although he would still promote Tianxing Automobiles, it would only be within his means.

"Mr. Zheng, you're too serious."

Lu Liang also downed a cup, the two exchanged a smile, as if nothing had happened.

A few minutes later, Lu Liang stood up and said, "You two take your time in the bath, I'll go freshen up and change, see you at the restaurant later."

"Mr. Zheng, you arrived late, take a longer soak."

Ota Ling looked at his own hand, already wrinkled, indicating he'd soaked long enough. Wen Chao noticed and prepared to get up.

As they were about to follow Lu Liang, Zheng Xuanyi suddenly called out to them, smilingly saying, "Mr. Ota, Mr. Wen, let's soak a little longer, Mr. Lu seems quite busy."

The two were puzzled, following Zheng Xuanyi's gaze, as Lu Liang entered the house, a shadow appeared behind the sliding Japanese door, suddenly two more shadows appeared, as if wiping his body with towels.

Wen Chao was confused, Ota Ling realized and said with a hint of annoyance, "You arrived late, for this?"

"What else?" Zheng Xuanyi shrugged, smiling with satisfaction, soaking in the hot spring and sipping sake, utterly content.

"Apart from this trick, what else can you do?" Ota Ling said with a sour face, clearly displeased.

"As long as Mr. Lu is satisfied."

Zheng Xuanyi said triumphantly, he came late mainly to negotiate with the owner of the club, planning to replace the original attendants with two ladies he brought along.

To ensure nothing went wrong, he didn't dare to take a risk. If Lu Liang didn't find them appealing, it would have been for nothing, so he specifically chose the two Lu Liang had selected during his previous two trips to Korea.

At this moment, inside the house.

Lu Liang yawned, feeling a bit sleepy from the soak.

Initially, he hadn't noticed that the staff had quietly changed, until one attendant, while drying him, intentionally or unintentionally started flirting with Little Lu.

Once, twice, he could take it as accidental,

But three times, four times, it was clearly intentional.

"Yun'er, Mei Ying, why is it you two?"

Lu Liang turned his head and was suddenly stunned.

The attendants who originally looked only seven or eight out of ten suddenly transformed into Lin Yun'er, once named the most beautiful in Asia.

With bright eyes and pearly teeth, glowing with porcelain-like luster, her lips slightly upward, like a girl-next-door seen only in dreams.

"Sir, long time no see."

Yun'er stood behind Lu Liang, suddenly leaned forward, waved with a smile, wearing a kimono embroidered with floral patterns, the sleeves naturally falling to the elbow, revealing fair skin.

The traditional kimono was designed to cover the body, but exposed the nape to create allure, now worn by Yun'er, the sensual tension increased exponentially.

The alluring curve of her collarbone, and the snow-white nape, made one want to reach out and explore, even if it wasn't winter.

Compared to Yun'er's gentle and tender demeanor, like a spring breeze, the fiery Meiying appeared more direct, as she had been teasing Little Lu just moments ago.

Lu Liang focused on Yun'er, while Meiying, holding onto his leg, pouted playfully, "Sir, I've missed you."

"I've missed you both too."

Lu Liang chuckled, patting Meiying's head, recalling Zheng Xuanyi's mention of local specialties—it was undoubtedly them.

One quiet, one lively; one gentle, one fierce; one like a docile rabbit, the other like a wild cat.

This gesture, he found hard to refuse.

"Have you had dinner?"

Lu Liang, holding one on each side, though the kimono appeared like a gift box, and there was a bow at the back tempting one to untie it.

Yet the night was long, no rush right now, just bathed, it was better to eat something, replenish energy.

"We've been in Tokyo since the afternoon, waiting for you." Meiying raised her chin, seeking praise.

She knew her charm wasn't up to Yun'er's, but it didn't matter, as long as she was flirtatious enough, she could still win Lu Liang's favor.

"Let's go have a meal first." Lu Liang chuckled, taking the two women to the restaurant.

As for Ota Ling and Zheng Xuanyi, the discussion was over, Wen Chao could handle the rest.

The entire club was booked by Ota Ling, and Lu Liang chose a pavilion-style private room, surrounded by mountains, water, and trees.

"How have you both been lately, is work going well?" Lu Liang asked with a stern face, glancing at Meiying.

Yun'er was obedient, pouring wine and adding dishes, but Meiying, the little tease, kept her playful hands busy.

They wore kimonos, Lu Liang in a robe, all were loose outfits, moreover, Lu Liang was sitting cross-legged, essentially leaving an open space, providing Meiying with room for mischief.

Her hand, intentionally or not, brushed against his knee, gradually moving inward, the soft touch resembling feathers, gliding along his inner thigh, almost sparking a physical reaction.

"I just miss you too much." Meiying giggled, as Yun'er interjected with a hint of helplessness, "Thanks to you, sir, the company has been taking good care of us, not forcing us into jobs we dislike."

It seemed like last year's Bitcoin surge caused the previously lackluster Hyundai Group to suddenly rise, launching over a hundred investment projects since the beginning of the year, including acquiring shares in SM Entertainment.

Initially, SM Entertainment gave face to Zheng Xuanyi, not daring to mistreat them, and after acquiring shares, their lives only improved.

Though both were nearing thirty, classified as veteran artists, the film resources offered to them remained industry-leading.

"Sir, meeting you has been the luckiest event in my life." Yun'er spoke, raising her glass, "May I toast to you?"

When Girls' Generation was still a group, the Korean media called them a "wealthy ladies group" because, during their peak, they often teamed up to buy buildings and invest in real estate.

Initially, each venture was flourishing, even after going solo, they remained active in their fields, continuing to amass wealth.

Back then, they thought as long as they did this, they could break free from the company and capital control once contracts expired.

But reality hit them hard, during their peak they were protected by fame as their shield, so the capital pretended to back off.

When their popularity faded, capital bared its fangs again, forcing renewals, coercing them into things they disliked.

Even if they bought buildings and invested in real estate, the financial conglomerates could crush them like ants.

Take her for instance, she invested 12 billion Korean Won to buy land from a real estate company, planning to build apartments, completing her class transition.

But the real estate company suddenly went bankrupt, and that piece of land was declared a "protected area," no buildings could be constructed, and the money vanished into thin air.

If only she met misfortune, it would merely be a coincidence, but Mei Ying's father was cheated, Taeyeon's hotpot investment received complaints, leading to its bankruptcy, and Hyoyeon's purchased building remained undelivered; surely it's not just coincidence?

These ladies, who stayed in the entertainment industry, have faced various troubles, and ultimately, whether through coercion or incentives, they had no choice but to submit. Some of them, like Seohyun, who stayed in the industry, all have experienced certain difficulties, eventually giving in to threats or allure.

Which is why after meeting you, sir, it felt like salvation. It meant a lot, for she would no longer have to use her dwindling fame to make the company money until she couldn't anymore.

"Yun'er, you're done talking, so what should I say?" Mei Ying giggled, raising her glass as well, "Sir, I've missed you too,"

When they were called a Millionaire Club by the Korean Media, it seemed like their prime years would last forever, as they would make money together during those years, participate in engagements, until they couldn't make money anymore.

Back then, they thought by following that route, they could break free from their company and capital at the end of their contracts.

But when they weren't as popular as before, capital started to show its true colors, squeezing them like squashing ants.

Yun'er's previous disposition had been very quiet, but because she wasn't as popular as others, she was forced to attend several engagements early on, which subsequently changed her persona dramatically.

Now, inside the room.

Lu Liang yawned, feeling drowsy from the soak.

Initially, he hadn't noticed the staff had quietly swapped until one mischievous girl, while wiping his body, intentionally or not, kept teasing Little Lu.

Once or twice, he might have thought it accidental,

But three or four times, it was clearly on purpose.

"Yun'er, Mei Ying, why are you two here?"

Lu Liang turned his head, suddenly stunned.

The originally attractive but relatively plain service staff had suddenly been replaced by Lin Yun'er, previously crowned Asia's most beautiful supermodel.

Her bright eyes and radiant smile exuded a glossy porcelain-like luster, with lips slightly curled upward, as if she was a dreamlike girl next door.

"Sir, long time no see."

Yun'er stood behind Lu Liang, suddenly peeking out with a cheerful wave, wearing a kimono embroidered with floral gold patterns, the sleeves naturally draped at her elbows, revealing her fair skin.

The traditional kimono already accentuates the body by design, but with the back of the neck exposed to create allure, on Yun'er it took her sensuality to an exponential level.

The tempting arc of her collarbone and the snow-white glimpse of the nape, even if it wasn't winter, made one want to reach out and explore.

While Yun'er's demeanor was gentle like a spring breeze, the little tease Mei Ying was more straightforward, after all, she was the one teasing Little Lu earlier.

Seeing Lu Liang focused on Yun'er, she clutched his thigh, pouting coquettishly, "Sir, I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you, too."

Lu Liang chuckled, stroking Mei Ying's head, remembering what Zheng Xuanyi said about the local specialties—it must be them.

One was gentle, the other lively; one was like a docile rabbit, the other like a wild cat.

This kind gesture was hard for him to refuse.

"Have you had dinner?"

With one girl on each arm, though the kimonos were like gift boxes with bows on the back, it was tempting to unwrap them.

But the night was long, no rush now, they'd just had a bath, it was better to eat something and replenish energy.

"We arrived in Tokyo this afternoon and have been waiting for you." Mei Ying lifted her chin coyly, as if seeking praise.

She knew her charm couldn't match Yun'er's, but she also knew that as long as she was audacious, she could win Lu Liang's favor too.

"Let's go eat first then." Lu Liang smiled slightly, taking the two women to the restaurant.

As for Ota Ling and Zheng Xuanyi, with their business discussed, they left it to Wen Chao.

The entire clubhouse was booked by Ota Ling, and Lu Liang chose a pavilion-style private room, surrounded by mountains, water, and trees.

"How have you been lately? Is work going well?" Lu Liang sat cross-legged, glaring at Mei Ying.

Yun'er was obedient, pouring wine and serving dishes, but Meiying, the little minx, kept busy with her mischievous hands.

They wore kimonos, and Lu Liang wore a yukata, all loose clothing; moreover, he sat cross-legged, which left room for Mei Ying to be playful.

Her hand intentionally brushed against his knee, gradually moving inward, the touch gentle as a feather, wandering along his inner thigh, sparking a physical reaction.

"I just miss you so much." Mei Ying giggled foolishly, while Yun'er's face showed a trace of helplessness, "Thanks to you, sir, the company has been very supportive, not forcing us into tasks we dislike."

It seemed like because Bitcoin surged last year, Hyundai had been able to fund numerous ventures, acquiring shares in SM Entertainment among them.

Initially, SM Entertainment gave face to Zheng Xuanyi, not daring to trouble them, and continued providing them with top-tier film opportunities, even though they were now considered in the senior category in the industry.

"Sir, knowing you has been the luckiest thing in my life." Yun'er gently smiled, raising her glass. "Now that you've spoken, what am I to say?" Mei Ying said playfully and picked up her glass. "Sir, I missed you too."

When the Korean media called them a Millionaire Club during their peak years, they were often joining forces to buy property together.

They thought by doing this, they could extricate themselves from company contracts and financial constraints once the contracts expired.

But reality hit hard, and when they were no longer as popular, the capitalists began to show their true colors, squeezing them effortlessly as if they were ants.

Even though they bought property and invested in real estate, it still wasn't enough to stand up to the colossus of capital.

For example, after a sudden bankruptcy, a piece of land Taeyeon bought was declared a "protected area" out of the blue, rendering it unbuildable and sinking the money into a pit.

It wasn't just a coincidence either that Mei Ying's father was scammed, or that Taeyeon's hot pot business received complaints and went bankrupt, or that Hyoyeon's building purchase remained undelivered.

Those who stayed in the entertainment circle, like Seohyun, experienced all sorts of troubles, and in the end, due to coercion or enticement, could only submit.

Had it not been for meeting Mr. Lu, Yun'er might have followed the path of the seniors before her, using her dwindling fame to earn for the company until nothing remained.