Chapter 71: I’m a Novice—Who Am I Afraid Of?

Wei Jiacheng lay quietly on the hospital bed, half his body still numb and unresponsive.

More than half a month ago, while chatting with his daughter, he had suddenly collapsed, unconscious, frightening Wei Xueying immensely.

At the hospital, though he awoke from his coma, half his body had lost all sensation.

This was due to a blood clot in his brain compressing his nerves. The doctors explained that at his age, surgery to remove the clot would be risky, and suggested conservative treatment instead.

But after a week of conservative treatment, Wei Jiacheng lost his patience.

With conservative treatment, recovery might take six months if he was lucky, or as long as two years. But he, Wei Jiacheng, had no such luxury of time—neither did Swan International Group.

What he lacked most was time.

From both a father’s perspective and as the former chairman, he knew Wei Xueying was capable and competent. Yet facing a debt of two billion, she simply couldn't bear it alone.

Wei Jiacheng had to recover as soon as possible, so they could shoulder the burden together—even if it meant risking his life.

In his eyes, Swan International Group was his child, the child he had raised with his own hands. There was no way he could let go.

So, at his insistent request, the hospital contacted an expert from the United States, inviting him to perform the surgery, hoping to minimize the risks.

Today was the day of his operation.

Now he waited—not for the American expert, but for his daughter, Wei Xueying.

So when Wei Xueying stepped into the ward, Wei Jiacheng immediately signaled to the nurse to help him sit up.

“Xueying, come here quickly. I have some good news to share with you,” Wei Jiacheng called out, his voice tinged with excitement.

“Dad, take it easy! Don’t get worked up, I’m coming. Just tell me slowly,” Wei Xueying said, hurrying forward and steadying him.

“Do you know the Lu Group?” he asked.

“Yes, I do,” Wei Xueying replied with a gentle nod.

How could she not know the Lu Group? The young master, Lu Siyuan, was one of her suitors, constantly sending her flowers and inviting her to dinner—so persistently that she was quite exasperated and had refused him every time.

The Lu Group was one of the largest corporations in Shangjiang City, powerful and not to be underestimated, even if it wasn’t as formidable as the Qiu Group.

Thus, Lu Siyuan was considered one of the city’s most eligible bachelors. Unfortunately, his tastes were discerning—he had no interest in ordinary women, setting his sights solely on the “Goddess of Shangjiang,” Wei Xueying.

But Wei Xueying had no interest in Lu Siyuan whatsoever. In social settings, she rarely spoke to him at all.

This wasn’t entirely Lu Siyuan’s fault. Wei Xueying was simply cold by nature, distant to everyone except those closest to her.

Such an attitude had earned her quite a few enemies in the business world of Shangjiang. Her icy beauty kept everyone at arm’s length.

“What about the Lu Group?” she asked, though her quick mind had already guessed much of what was to come.

“I arranged a meeting with President Lu of the Lu Group. He’s agreed to begin preliminary negotiations for cooperation between our two companies. Tomorrow, he’ll send his son, Lu Siyuan, to have dinner with us and discuss the details,” Wei Jiacheng explained, forced to pause for breath between short sentences.

“I won’t be able to attend myself, so you’ll have to meet with Lu Siyuan. See what terms they offer and try to secure the cooperation,” he added after a moment.

“The cooperation could be worth a few million, or it could reach into the hundreds of millions, but you mustn’t let any opportunity slip by. Large deals are built from tens of thousands upon tens of thousands,” he continued.

Wei Xueying opened her mouth to speak but remained silent in the end.

Her father had devoted himself to Swan International, but since he’d been bedridden, she often felt his decisions were somewhat wishful.

But with his surgery imminent, she didn’t want to argue. She simply nodded quietly.

“Xueying, is this your father?” Hua Tianyu burst into the ward after parking the car, asking as soon as he saw Wei Jiacheng on the bed.

Wei Xueying broke out in a cold sweat.

Your father? Since when did you get to say ‘our’ father?

Her face darkened. This Hua Tianyu! She wanted to get up and kick him right then.

“Yes, I’m Xueying’s father,” Wei Jiacheng replied, perhaps not catching the nuance, and played along.

Wei Xueying was speechless.

“And this is…” Wei Jiacheng turned to his daughter, asking about Hua Tianyu’s identity.

“He’s the new head of security for the group, and also… my driver.” She had almost said bodyguard.

But she’d never had a bodyguard before—if she suddenly had one, her father would ask questions, which would inevitably lead back to the recent incident with Qiu Jinghao. She didn’t want to cause him any more worry right now.

“Oh, a driver.” Wei Jiacheng immediately lost interest—a mere driver wasn’t worth his attention.

“Xueying, I discussed our group’s two-billion funding shortfall with President Lu of the Lu Group. He said he’d leave the matter entirely to his son, Lu Siyuan. So tomorrow’s negotiations are crucial—you must take them seriously,” he urged, unable to let go of his concern.

Hua Tianyu’s gaze sharpened. Two billion? Why had Wei Xueying never mentioned that?

Why did Swan International have a two-billion funding gap? From what he’d seen, the company didn’t look like it was hemorrhaging money.

Where did this shortfall come from? Was it for the research budget for the Perfect Gene Evolution Project?

“Xueying, when you meet with Lu Siyuan, be willing to lower your guard if needed. We’re the ones asking for help. If you remain so cold, it will be impossible to win anyone over,” Wei Jiacheng admonished her.

Asking for help?

No, it couldn’t be for research funds.

Hua Tianyu immediately dismissed his earlier conclusion. If this were about research funding, there would be no need for Swan International to beg. It would be a collaboration, not supplication.

Even he could see that, let alone the former chairman, bedridden as he was.

So what was the real reason?