Luo Shao gave an awkward chuckle and said, “This, I was just making an analogy; perhaps the metaphor was inappropriate. That’s not the meaning from above, nor is it possible. Your company is registered in Hong Kong and controlled by an offshore entity; they can no longer manage you. I just wanted you to know that as long as you have a need, we have sufficient capability to resolve your troubles.”

“Young Master Luo, why are you interested in the Starry Sky Group? You must realize that even if you acted as our agent in the domestic market, based on our projections, you would at most earn around one hundred billion RMB. Such meager profit shouldn't be much in your eyes; what is your true objective?” Liu Hui inquired.

“Hehe, although our Luo family keeps a very low profile domestically, our strength is something no one dares to slight. We achieved this through precise vision and accurate investment. We think highly of you, believing the future of your Starry Sky Group is limitless. Our Luo family partnering with you will not only yield enormous benefits but might even allow us to ascend to the pinnacle through you. That’s why the Old Master instructed us to cooperate with you with all our might,” Luo Yufeng said with a smile.

“It's an early investment; am I really worth investing in this much?” Liu Hui suddenly realized.

“Boss Liu is certainly worth our investment. Putting aside the tremendous achievements you might attain in the future, the agency for this ‘Starry Sky Myopia Reliever’ alone could bring us huge profits, making the Luo family exceedingly wealthy. Not to mention the marketing network we will build by integrating the domestic pharmaceutical distribution channels through this product—those are priceless treasures, unobtainable regardless of the cost. Now, the Guo Jia in Beijing is being mocked by the people from several major families. Everyone laughs at him for his shortsightedness and lack of strategic vision, for giving up a massive watermelon just to grasp a sesame seed, and for offending Boss Liu in the process,” Luo Yufeng chuckled.

“While I believe in the sincerity of your Luo family, I can only temporarily grant you the Greater China regional agency rights for the ‘Starry Sky Myopia Reliever’ for three months. If our cooperation is pleasant after three months, we will then formally sign the general agency agreement,” Liu Hui mused. He felt the matter concerning the Hantang Hospital might be exposed soon, so for now, he needed to secure an ally. If this ally could solve his impending problems, he would repay them by granting the agency rights for the ‘Starry Sky Myopia Reliever.’ If the ally couldn't help him resolve the issues, they would naturally part ways, owing each other nothing. Liu Hui, having navigated many storms, was not foolish enough to be swayed by a few words from Luo Yufeng into agreeing to their demands outright.

Luo Yufeng considered it for a moment and nodded. “That’s acceptable. During this period, we will let Boss Liu witness our capabilities. I am confident we can establish a strategic partnership.”

Liu Hui laughed heartily. “Then it’s settled. You can come to my office tomorrow, and we can discuss the detailed cooperation specifics.”

Young Master Luo smiled. “We will certainly arrive on time tomorrow. Young Master Hui, now that we are partners, I have a suggestion, if you don’t mind me bringing it up?”

Once the partnership was sealed, the two men became more familiar in their address; Young Master Luo immediately began calling Liu Hui Young Master Hui.

Liu Hui smiled. “I naturally must listen to Young Master Luo’s suggestion; please, don’t hesitate.”

Young Master Luo smiled. “I think there’s a slight issue with your Starry Sky Group’s product pricing strategy.”

“There’s a problem with our product pricing strategy?” Liu Hui became instantly interested.

“Precisely. I heard that when setting prices, the domestic price is one thousand RMB ex-factory, while other regions are one thousand US dollars,” Young Master Luo inquired.

“That’s correct; we stated that. However, the Greater China region only has sales in the Hong Kong market for now, implementing this price. Markets in other regions have not yet launched,” Liu Hui replied.

“Young Master Hui is a Huaxia person; caring for his own countrymen is natural, but it could potentially lead to negative consequences,” Young Master Cheng interjected.

“Oh? Negative consequences? Young Master Luo, please elaborate,” Liu Hui asked curiously.

“According to the current RMB to USD exchange rate, the price difference between the domestic and international markets for the ‘Starry Sky Myopia Reliever’ is a staggering 6.5 times. This 6.5-fold disparity will cause market chaos. For example, a domestic distributor ensures a certain profit margin by selling your product in China. But what if they smuggle your product to other countries for sale? They could easily earn over five times the profit. A 300% profit margin is enough to make people take risks, let alone over 500%, and this operation carries virtually no risk,” Young Master Luo organized his words and continued.

“If this continues, the market price of your product will become chaotic, and the price will only drop further. Serious unauthorized reselling—or chuàn huò—will occur, weakening the regional general distributor's control over the market, ultimately dampening their enthusiasm and damaging their interests,” Young Master Cheng analyzed.

Liu Hui was startled. He was also a man rich in market experience and immediately grasped the secret behind this, breaking out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, the Greater China region hadn't truly launched yet; otherwise, if pricing were strictly divided by domestic versus overseas, he would absolutely be unable to control the impulse of domestic sellers to engage in unauthorized reselling. He had zero confidence in the morality of domestic businessmen; if they could add all sorts of illegal additives to food, then seeking exorbitant profits through chuàn huò was certainly within their capabilities. If the interests of the regional general distributors were damaged, his relationship with them would inevitably fracture, and his goal of building a community of shared interests would fall flat—they might even become enemies.

“Thank you for Young Master Luo’s reminder; I almost made a huge mistake. When I was at Hantang Hospital, we implemented a dual-rate fee structure. At that time, Hantang Hospital was small and entirely under my control, so executing that policy was very easy. But now that the market is vast, and I cannot completely control the entire market, the situation you described is highly likely to occur,” Liu Hui said gratefully.

“Young Master Hui, you are too kind; even without my reminder, your company would surely have discovered this issue on its own,” Young Master Luo smiled.

“If that’s the case, must domestic and international prices really be the same? Is it really that difficult to do something good for one's own nationals?” Liu Hui scratched his head, sounding rather wistful.

“It seems that it must be so,” Young Master Luo sighed as well.

Liu Hui suddenly smiled. “Young Master Luo has a good calculation; perhaps you are the one most hoping our domestic sales of the product will also be settled in US dollars?”

Luo Yufeng paused, then managed a wry smile. “I knew my little scheme couldn't escape Young Master Hui’s notice.”

“Hehe, you deliberately waited until we finalized the agency agreement before bringing this up. It must have been to maximize your profit, right? If the domestic price were also calculated at one thousand US dollars, you could earn 6.5 times the profit, wouldn't you?” Liu Hui smiled.

“Hehe, we are all in the same boat, one the same as the other,” Young Master Luo returned the smile.

“Although in my heart, I strongly disagree with raising the price, there is nothing to be done. I will arrange it when I return. I am no saint; if accommodating domestic consumers threatens my career, then I must abandon that decision,” Liu Hui said helplessly.

“Young Master Hui is indeed insightful,” Young Master Luo laughed heartily.

The business settled, the two exchanged a few casual remarks before stepping out of the private room. Zhou Tengyun stood with Wang Yuyan, closely watching the people passing by. Seeing Liu Hui and Luo Yufeng emerge, they quickly stepped forward.

Luo Yufeng nodded to Wang Yuyan, who instantly trembled with excitement, looking extremely pleased.

“Young Master Hui, since that’s the case, we will visit your company tomorrow to detail the cooperation specifics,” Young Master Luo said, shaking hands with Liu Hui.

“Then we shall await your esteemed visit,” Liu Hui replied with a smile.

Thus, Young Master Luo said his goodbyes to Liu Hui and departed with Wang Yuyan.

“Boss, are you alright?” Zhou Tengyun approached.

“I’m great, and never better than today.” Liu Hui had resolved several long-standing issues that evening; his mood was exceptionally good.

“Those few Cardinal Archbishops…” Zhou Tengyun did not finish his sentence.

“Third Brother, it’s fine; we were just overly worried before,” Liu Hui said, sensing what Zhou Tengyun was thinking.

Reassured, Zhou Tengyun fell silent and followed closely behind Liu Hui. Now, the most important event of the evening was about to begin—the charity auction.

The items up for auction were donated by various prominent figures from Hong Kong and Macau. They were not particularly valuable but held significant commemorative worth. The reason for auctioning them off was merely to provide a pretense for charitable donation.

Liu Hui was participating in such an auction for the first time and was quite enthusiastic. As the bidding progressed, Liu Hui managed to secure a few mementos, such as a desk previously used by the late superstar Anita Mui, for which he paid one million Hong Kong dollars. In total, Liu Hui spent eight million Hong Kong dollars at this charity auction, which ultimately raised thirty million in donations.

At this charity gala, Liu Hui gained many things and commitments he hadn't secured before. Despite spending eight million Hong Kong dollars, he felt it was well worth the price and a very worthwhile transaction. The gala organizers, having raised thirty million Hong Kong dollars, were also extremely satisfied. Each party achieved what they needed; it was a win-win situation.

The charity gala concluded. As Liu Hui and Zhou Tengyun stepped out, they saw Mei Peng and Yue Wang walking out arm-in-arm, beaming. Mei Peng’s face was flushed, and Yue Wang still had a lipstick mark on his face, clearly indicating they had just spent time among the women and taken full advantage.

“You two still have the same charm; you haven't changed a bit since your student days,” Liu Hui teased.

“Boss, I’m getting married soon. Just let me have one last wild night. After the wedding, I’ll focus entirely on Linlin,” Mei Peng said sheepishly.

“Hehe, Old Second Liu, having a little pre-marital indulgence, a quick taste, is a fine tradition among us Hong Kong men. Don’t keep Old Third Mei on such a tight leash. Why don’t I introduce you both to the tenderness of Hong Kong beauties? I guarantee you’ll enjoy it so much you won’t want to leave, tasting the flavor thoroughly. It’s been years since we brothers have met; this is a perfect chance for us to exchange experiences in this area,” Yue Wang tempted.

“Boss, let’s go check it out. We haven't really seen anything since we arrived in Hong Kong,” Mei Peng was visibly tempted and actively responded to Yue Wang’s persuasion.

“Third Brother, what do you say?” Liu Hui turned to Zhou Tengyun.

“If you go, I go,” Zhou Tengyun replied.

“Alright, let’s go take a look and satisfy Old Second’s needs,” Liu Hui also smiled.

When they were in university, the four of them shared a dorm room. Liu Hui, Mei Peng, and Zhou Tengyun were from ordinary families, while Yue Wang was a rich second generation from Hong Kong. However, there were no barriers of status between them; the four got along extremely well. Liu Hui and the others never looked down on Yue Wang, nor did Yue Wang despise the other three. The four even formed an unconventional brotherhood. They often went out to have fun during their studies, always paid for by Yue Wang. However, Zhou Tengyun was a simple man, dating Cai Lufeng, and usually just sat drinking soda whenever they went out. Liu Hui at that time held somewhat conservative views and was never actively involved, only passively yielding to the advances of the hostesses. Only Mei Peng could play with Yue Wang until he forgot himself, thoroughly enjoying himself. But Mei Peng never dared to go too far; he only played around and absolutely never booked a room. Unlike Yue Wang, who always took several women out to rooms, Liu Hui wondered how his body had endured it all these years.

So, when Yue Wang suggested it tonight, Liu Hui was reminded of those old days. It immediately stirred a nostalgia for that carefree time, and he agreed to Yue Wang’s suggestion.

Yue Wang led the way to a discreet business club center in Central. It appeared Yue Wang was a regular patron of this center, as the welcoming hostess recognized him immediately and called out, “Young Master Yue.”

A beautiful mature woman emerged from the club, her eyes lighting up when she saw Yue Wang, pressing her body against his and placing his hand on her **. She laughed, “Young Master Yue, it’s been a long time since you visited.”

Yue Wang leered, grabbing a handful of her chest, and chuckled, “Sister Hua, it feels like you’ve gotten bigger after not touching you for a few days. Have you missed me?”

“Young Master Yue, you are so naughty. I’ve been thinking of you day and night; I can’t even sleep from missing you,” Sister Hua giggled sweetly.

“Hehe, didn’t I come to see you today? Right, I’ve brought a few brothers with me today. Quickly call out all your top hostesses. As long as they serve my brothers well, you won't be lacking in benefits,” Yue Wang said with a grin, wrapping an arm around Sister Hua.

“Since they are Young Master Yue’s brothers, we naturally must serve them well. Oh, Young Master Yue, will Pingping still be accompanying you?” Sister Hua asked.

“Hehe, that’s a must,” Yue Wang laughed heartily, and under Sister Hua’s guidance, they entered a luxurious private room.

The four brothers sat on the sofa. Yue Wang boasted proudly, “My name, Yue Wang, is known everywhere in Hong Kong’s entertainment scene. I achieve glorious results in every venue; the hostesses wait daily for me to arrive, even calling me the ‘Little Superman of Pleasure.’”

Liu Hui frowned and said, “Fourth Brother, you are a man of status; why don't you find a proper girlfriend? Even if you crave novelty, finding a few mistresses is understandable, but why specifically choose places like this?”

Yue Wang was slightly embarrassed and replied, “Well... you all know my universal love is notorious. I would never give up the entire forest for one crooked tree. So, I want to sow my seeds across the world, play for a few more years, and strive to realize my dream.”

Liu Hui scoffed, “Sow your seeds across the world? I think in a few more years, your body will completely collapse, and you’ll spend the latter half of your life in a sickbed reminiscing about your former dreams. Furthermore, I think you’re so infamous in the circles that no woman will have you, so you have to come here to show off your prowess to the hostesses?”

Yue Wang certainly wouldn't admit it and argued back, “Who says no woman wants me? Just based on my handsome looks, countless beauties would willingly offer themselves. Didn't you just see the lipstick mark on my face? That proves how popular I am among women.”

As the two were arguing, Sister Hua walked in with a group of charming beauties. A petite, young, delicate beauty happily shouted, “Brother Yue,” and rushed over to cling to Yue Wang, apparently the Pingping he mentioned. The other hostesses looked at Pingping with envy.

Yue Wang hugged the little beauty, kissed her, and declared loudly, “Brothers, don't be polite; choose for yourselves. If one isn't enough, take two. If you have the capability, feel free to take them all.”

Mei Peng’s eyes lit up, constantly scanning the group of beauties, finally pointing to one with large breasts. Zhou Tengyun picked a tall one, and Liu Hui selected a lady with fair skin.

Sister Hua chuckled sweetly and said, “Gentlemen, please enjoy yourselves; call me if you need anything.” She then stepped back, apparently the madam of this establishment.

As soon as Sister Hua left, Yue Wang embraced the little beauty named Pingping and began kissing her, his hands sliding inside her clothes to **, instantly making Pingping breathless, filling the room with a very sensual atmosphere.

Liu Hui paid no attention to Yue Wang’s eager performance, casually sipping his drink. When entering, he had slightly altered his appearance, so the fair-skinned lady next to him didn't recognize him, flirting professionally with Liu Hui and occasionally tempting him. Liu Hui played along appropriately, maintaining a harmonious atmosphere.

Zhou Tengyun next to him was completely focused on drinking his beverage, not touching the hostess at all, completely unmoved even by her subtle nudges, leaving the hostess quite awkward. Mei Peng seemed genuinely affected by pre-marital anxiety, using indulgence to alleviate the symptoms, deeply immersed in the hostess’s tenderness. He kept telling little jokes, making the hostess burst into laughter, then pulling her in for a passionate kiss.