Chapter Three: What Thirty Million Cannot Buy

Jiming stared at the fund administrator's name: Gu Wanqing, the youngest executive director of the Gu conglomerate, controller of Linchuan's warehouse and trunk-route data. Refraction had lost its largest order when Gu abruptly forced every partner onto a closed platform. The system did not give money without reason. It had dealt him into a larger game. Before claiming the fund, he called Xu Zhi. The phone rang for a long time. When she answered, she said, “If you want money, I have none. If you want to apologize, I don't want to hear it.” Jiming studied his exhausted reflection. Xu Zhi had managed Refraction's brand and client relations. For three months she had warned him about cash flow, while he continued expanding for the next valuation.