Chapter 134

Leopold thought her perspective was too simplistic. 

"The property owners are causing such a fuss because they want compensation and rework. If those are addressed, they might quiet down. But what about the online commentators? The internet is full of trolls and bandwagoners. How are you going to silence them?" 

Lily took another bite of the pomegranate that Edmond had fed her. 

"The netizens are just spectators. This incident was caused by a minor manager at Shenghui. As the CEO, if I personally apologize, it would show our sincerity." 

"Why waste effort trying to silence them? They can voice their opinions, but I have money. Get the PR department to hire a bunch of shills to steer the narrative. This incident can be spun into positive publicity since the company immediately addressed the issue." 

She finished speaking and gave Leopold a disdainful look. 

"I'm speechless with you guys. When trouble arises, you don't think of doing the right thing. Instead, you want to silence a reporter and ended up picking a tough opponent." 

Leopold's face darkened at her scolding, wanting to retort but finding her words logical. 

Brooks, however, remained calm, sipping his tea before addressing Lily. 

"Lily, you don't understand the intricacies here. If this is reported, the authorities will impose fines and order corrections. Those can be managed, but do you know how many companies want to see L&S fall?" 

"If a rival stirs up trouble or some greedy owners take advantage of the situation, this matter could spiral out of control." 

Leopold nodded in agreement. 

Lily's approach was one solution but not a foolproof one. 

With Edmond's connections, resolving this quietly would be easier. The affected properties were affordable housing for city dwellers who couldn't afford pricier options. The owners were demanding, and they trusted the reporter, Sun. Hence, persuading Sun was crucial, and Edmond's help was necessary. 

This time, Lily didn't argue with Brooks. 

She simply shared her thoughts, without intending to change a businessman's mindset. 

Businessmen prioritize profit, and Brooks and Leopold had their own reasons. 

With differing opinions, arguing was pointless. 

There were still two pomegranates left on the table. Lily picked them up and said to Edmond, "You guys talk. Franklin also likes pomegranates, so I'll take some to him." 

She had something to discuss with Franklin anyway. 

Edmond gave her a deep look. "I like pomegranates too." 

Lily hesitated and handed him the largest one. "Then I'll leave the biggest one for you." 

She had no idea Edmond liked pomegranates since he always gave them to her. 

Feeling a bit guilty, she resolved to treat him better in the future. 

Edmond didn't take it but patted her head and smiled. 

"There are plenty of pomegranates. I'll have someone bring more. You go ahead. Octavian will take you to Franklin's new office." 

Lily left, leaving behind the largest pomegranate. 

After she departed, the spacious office fell into silence for a while. 

Brooks, seeing Edmond silently drinking tea without making a statement, probed, "Edmond, so what's your stance?" 

Edmond put down his cup and looked at him. 

"Lily's perspective is more forward-thinking. If a company under Jingxiu faced such an issue, I'd adopt Lily's approach." 

Brooks thought Edmond was being hypocritical. Since this wasn't Jingxiu's problem, it was easy for Edmond to speak without consequences. 

Edmond saw through his thoughts and bluntly addressed them. 

"Mr. Jian, do you think I'm being hypocritical? Aren't you? You know Lily's method is viable, so why insist on not reporting it?" 

"Because once it's reported, the authorities will oversee the rework. Phase one is already renovated, and reworking would be costly. L&S can afford it, but you don't want to waste money." 

"If it's not reported, things can be easily managed. Select a few meticulous reworks, record videos, take photos—it counts as rework. The owners can't monitor everything daily. Once the tiles are laid and the houses handed over, no one will tear up the tiles to check. This crisis would be over with minimal losses." 

"Crucially, you save money and establish connections with the TV station. If they help you once, they owe you a favor, making future issues easier to manage." 

"If I bridge the gap for you, I become a part of your network." 

Edmond praised Brooks without reservation, "Mr. Jian, well calculated." 

Although it seemed like a compliment, his tone was laced with sarcasm. 

Brooks didn't expect Edmond to see through his intentions so clearly. He had often invested poorly, yet he'd served as L&S's chairman for half a lifetime. 

He knew Lily's approach was the best, avoiding conflict with Reporter Sun and even leveraging the incident for publicity. 

But opportunities to bind L&S and Jingxiu were rare. 

If Edmond helped him this time, he would be complicit. In future crises, if Edmond didn't help, this incident could be dredged up, making Jingxiu a target for public outrage. 

Exposed, Brooks was at a loss for words. 

Leopold glanced at his father, also remaining silent. 

After a brief silence, Edmond refilled Brooks's tea, pointedly asking, "Mr. Jian, I'll share the risk. What can you offer in return?" 

The Investment Department 2 was on the 58th floor, and Octavian led Lily down in a specially marked elevator. 

In the elevator, Octavian occasionally glanced at the pomegranate in Lily's hand. 

Lily thought it odd for the special assistant of a major company to covet a pomegranate. 

"Mr. Pan, do you have something to say?" 

Octavian hesitated, unsure how to start. 

He knew of Franklin's feelings for Lily, even before Mr. Zhou did. 

This started when Mr. Zhou gifted Franklin a sports car. 

Mr. Zhou had previously been distant from his younger family members but grew fond of Franklin through Lily. On the day he arranged Royce and Nadia's marriage, he gifted Franklin a sports car. 

Franklin's mother, Nayla, knowing about the car, went to Mr. Zhou. 

It was late when Octavian returned with Mr. Zhou after a social engagement, encountering Nayla outside Mr. Zhou's apartment. Mr. Zhou was quite drunk, and Octavian had to help him inside, so he stayed, waiting in the car. 

With the car door open, he overheard Nayla's conversation. 

"Edmond, Franklin loves the car. Thank you. He hasn't been this happy in a long time." 

"I came to ask a favor." 

"Franklin is getting older, hanging around bars without ambition. Now that he's of marriageable age, he needs a stable job to seem reliable to potential partners." 

Nayla spoke at length, essentially asking Mr. Zhou to arrange a job for Franklin within the group or its subsidiaries. 

After Nayla left, Octavian received a shoebox-sized black storage box from Mr. Zhou, which Nayla had brought. 

Inside were Franklin's resume and miscellaneous items, including a thick journal filled with insightful investment notes. 

Though Octavian had heard of Franklin's carefree lifestyle and poor grades, he was impressed by the journal's depth. 

Having often driven Mr. Zhou to the Zhou residence, Octavian had heard Karina, Zhou Chengfan's wife, boast about her daughter and mock Franklin's poor performance, making disparaging remarks about Nayla and her 'useless' son. 

Franklin's nightlife reputation preceded him, but the journal painted a different picture.