Managing the Korean entertainment industry: I have superpowers, but I won't say.

Chapter 114 Zheng Zhemin's Last Gamble

Zheng Zhemin's people arrived on Wednesday afternoon.

Su Yu was discussing the location of the Japanese subsidiary with Cui Minxiu in the conference room when Jin Dongxu pushed open the door, his expression grim. "Five people have arrived outside, saying they were sent by Zheng Zhemin. They're sitting at the front desk and won't leave."

Su Yu put down her pen. "What do they want?"

"They said they wanted to see you. Kim Eun-sook stopped them, and they just sat there."

Su Yu stood up and walked out of the conference room. In the corridor, Kim Eun-sook stood next to the reception desk, and five men sat on the sofa opposite her. The leader, a man in his early thirties with a buzz cut, wearing a black jacket, had his legs crossed and was twirling car keys in his hand. Su Yu recognized him—the one Jung Cheol-min had sent to follow him before.

"Representative Su, it's been a long time." The man with the buzz cut stood up, smiled, and said, "President Zheng asked me to deliver a message."

Su Yu didn't move. "Speak."

The man with the buzz cut pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over. "President Zheng said he remembers what you did before. Now his company is on the verge of collapse, and he hopes you will show leniency. If you don't, he won't just sit idly by and wait to die."

Su Yu didn't take the paper. Jin Dongxu took it, unfolded it, glanced at it, and handed it to Su Yu. There was only one line on the paper—"Representative Su, leave some room for maneuver." Su Yu folded the paper and put it in his pocket.

"Did you deliver the message?" Su Yu asked.

The man with the buzz cut nodded. "I brought it."

"Then you can leave. I'll think about it."

The man with the buzz cut stared at Su Yu for a few seconds, then turned and left. Four people followed him, their footsteps echoing down the corridor before fading away. Kim Eun-sook stood behind the reception desk, her face pale. "Representative Su, should we call the police?"

"Why call the police? They didn't lay a hand on us."

Kim Dong-wook said from the side, "But they're threatening us."

Su Yu didn't reply, turned around and walked back to her office. Jin Dongxu followed her in and closed the door.

"What are you planning to do?"

Su Yu leaned back in her chair. "How long until Zheng Zhemin's company goes bankrupt?"

"At most a week. He borrowed a lot of money from loan sharks, and now his cash flow has dried up. The banks refuse to renew his loans, and his assets have shrunk by more than half since you targeted him before." Kim Dong-wook scrolled through his phone. "If no one injects capital, he'll definitely go bankrupt by next Wednesday."

Su Yu thought for a moment. "He sent someone not to threaten me, but to beg me."

Kim Dong-wook paused, taken aback. "Please? Did he sound like he was pleading?"

"If he really wanted to harm me, he wouldn't have come during the day, wouldn't have waited at the front desk, wouldn't have sent a messenger." Su Yu stood up. "He's telling me that he has his last breath. If I wanted, I could crush him. If I let him go, he could disappear quietly."

Kim Dong-wook was silent for a few seconds. "So, are you going to step on it or let it go?"

Su Yu did not answer.

The next morning, Su Yu had Kim Dong-wook arrange a meeting with Jung Cheol-min. The meeting place was Jung Cheol-min's office, an old building in Gangnam District, with a musty smell in the elevator. Kim Dong-wook wanted to go up with him, but Su Yu said, "Wait in the car." Kim Dong-wook hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Zheng Zhemin's office was on the sixth floor. It wasn't large, and the decor was old-fashioned, with a mahogany desk, a leather sofa, and a calligraphy scroll hanging on the wall. Zheng Zhemin sat behind his desk, wearing a dark blue sweater, his hair unkempt, making him look several years older than before. When he saw Su Yu enter, he didn't stand up but pointed to the chair opposite him.

"sit."

Su Yu sat down. The two looked at each other for a few seconds.

"Representative Su, are you here to crush me, or to let me go?" Zheng Zhemin's voice was a little hoarse.

Su Yu took the paper out of his pocket and placed it on the table. "Are you writing this to scare me, or to beg me?"

Zheng Zhemin stared at the paper, then paused for a moment. "I have everything." He leaned back in his chair. "My company is about to collapse. Loan sharks call every day, the bank refused to renew my loan, and suppliers are pressing for payment. If I can hold on for another week, I'm completely finished."

Su Yu didn't speak.

"I know you have evidence against me," Zheng Zhemin said, looking at him. "You could send me to jail anytime. But you didn't. You didn't before, and you don't now. Why?"

Su Yu thought for a moment. "Because sending you in would be too easy for you."

Zheng Zhemin paused for a moment, then smiled. It was a bitter smile. "You're right. Bankruptcy is worse than going to jail."

Su Yu took a document out of his pocket and placed it on the table. "This is a settlement agreement. If you sign it, you will withdraw from the real estate and entertainment industries and never appear in front of me again. I will not pursue your previous illegal transactions, nor will I send you to jail. You can handle your company yourself; it has nothing to do with me."

Zheng Zhemin picked it up and flipped through it. One page, four clauses, simple and clear. He read it twice, then put the document down.

"That's all?"

That's all.

"You don't want money? You don't want the house? You don't want any compensation?"

Su Yu looked at him. "Your money is tainted. I don't care about your building. I just want you to disappear."

Zheng Zhemin stared at Su Yu for a few seconds, then picked up the pen and signed. His hand was trembling, but he signed with great force. After signing, he pushed the document back. Su Yu put it away and stood up.

"Representative Su," Zheng Zhemin called out to him.

Su Yu turned around.

"Aren't you afraid I'll change my mind?"

Su Yu looked at him. "Give it a try."

Zheng Zhemin didn't speak again. Su Yu turned and left. The corridor was quiet, his footsteps echoing in the empty stairwell. The elevator doors opened, he stepped in, and pressed the button for the first floor. Before the doors closed, he heard a soft sigh come from Zheng Zhemin's office, as if he had finally resigned himself to his fate.

Kim Dong-wook was waiting for him in the car. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw him come out.

"Signed?"

"Um."

"He didn't give you any trouble?"

Su Yu got into the car and fastened his seatbelt. "He wouldn't dare."

Kim Dong-wook started the car and drove out of the parking lot. Su Yu leaned back in her seat, looking out the window. The street scene of Gangnam District receded into the distance—convenience stores, coffee shops, office buildings. Everything seemed normal, as if nothing had happened.

"Representative Su."

"Um."

"You're letting him go? Aren't you afraid he'll come back later?"

"He doesn't have the guts anymore." Su Yu closed his eyes. "A bankrupt person's biggest fear isn't his opponents, but his creditors. From now on, the person he'll be hiding from isn't me, but loan sharks."

Kim Dong-wook didn't ask any more questions.

That evening, Su Yu returned home. Cai Xiubin was looking at her phone on the sofa. When she saw him come in, she put down her phone and stood up.

"Kim Dong-wook told me. You went to see Jung Cheol-min?"

"Um."

Cai Xiubin walked over and stopped in front of him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm telling you, you'll be worried."

"I'm even more worried if you don't tell me." She reached out and touched his face. "Are you hurt?"

"no."

Did he threaten you?

"No. He signed a settlement agreement and won't be showing up again."

Cai Xiubin stared at him for a few seconds, then hugged him and buried her face in his chest. Su Yu embraced her, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"Su Yu".

"Um."

"Don't go to places like that alone again. Take Kim Dong-wook with you, or take me with you."

"Why did I bring you along?"

"To give you courage."

Su Yu's lips curved slightly. "I don't need to muster courage."

Cai Xiubin looked up, her eyes reddening. "I need it. I'm afraid something will happen to you."

Su Yu looked at her and reached out to wipe the corner of her eye. "Nothing will happen."

"You promise?"

"ensure."

Cai Xiubin buried her face in his chest again. The two stood in the entryway, neither moving. The living room lights were on, the television was on but silent. The night view of the Han River outside the window was quietly illuminated. Su Yu stopped looking at it, only staring at the person in his arms.

That evening, Kim Dong-wook sent a message in the company group chat: "Jung Cheol-min's matter is resolved. He won't be coming again." Kim Eun-sook replied with a thumbs-up. Choi Min-soo said, "Representative Su is awesome." Sulli replied with a "thumbs up." Park Ji-yeon replied after a long time, "That's good." Chae Soo-bin didn't speak in the group chat; she was leaning on Su Yu's shoulder, watching TV. The news was on, and a financial analyst was discussing the Bitcoin crash. The host asked, "Does this crash mean the cryptocurrency bubble has burst?" The analyst spoke at length, but Chae Soo-bin didn't hear a word.

"Su Yu".

"Um."

"You really won't do anything dangerous again, right?"

"Won't."

"You said the same thing last time."

Su Yu thought for a moment. "This time it's for real."

Cai Xiubin turned to look at him. "You always say it's true."

Su Yu didn't reply. Cai Xiubin sighed and leaned back on his shoulder. "Forget it. You wouldn't listen anyway."

Su Yu reached out and hugged her. The TV channel changed to a variety show, with bursts of laughter. Cai Xiubin chuckled a few times, not because it was funny, but because Su Yu gently tapped her shoulder with his fingers as he hugged her. It was a small gesture he only made when he relaxed. She knew he was truly relaxed now.