He slowly and deliberately adjusted his collar, his face immediately scrunching into a look of distress as he began to complain, "Director Morgan, you see, the logistics lines are completely shut down. I’ve heard even the airport is closed, and the overpasses are icy and treacherous. For us in business, transportation is our lifeblood. What are we going to do about this? And what about all the lost time and money from this delay—compensation for lost work, delay fees, labor costs... can we get some subsidies for that?"

The secretary was stunned. ’How could he have the gall to ask for subsidies?’

Marcus Morgan remained expressionless and looked to the next person.

Felix Norris eagerly chimed in.

As Jenny and Tia Norris’s father, he had lost all his usual decorum. The greed in his voice was practically overflowing. "Director, do we have any specific countermeasures for this cold wave? For example, shelters like Safe Houses... could you give us entrepreneurs who have contributed to Stellaport’s economy priority for spots? Or if there are any other benefits, please consider us first!"

This remark sparked a flurry of discussion, mostly from people aligned with the Sterling Group.

"That’s right! The supermarkets are impossible to get into. We haven’t even been able to buy rice or flour for our family!"

"We’re businesspeople who contribute to the national economy. Can’t you open up a green lane for us?"

"Exactly! My car can’t even get into the mall parking lot because of all the people rushing to the supermarket to hoard groceries. It’s so annoying. I can’t even buy my favorite coffee anymore."

Hearing this, Marcus Morgan frowned slightly. His secretary couldn’t help but let his own face turn cold as he lowered his gaze and muttered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "These people don’t even try to hide it. Their selfishness is written all over their faces."

Marcus Morgan took a sip of water from the cup on the table, his gaze sweeping slowly over the crowd before finally landing on Vincent Lawrence.

As a veteran entrepreneur in Stellaport, the Lawrence Family, while not possessing the same deep-rooted heritage as the Hawthorne Family, had stood firm in the business world for years with a steady and reliable approach and had always maintained a good reputation.

By now, most of the people in the room had spoken, yet Vincent Lawrence remained silent, his expression serene.

"Chairman Lawrence, why don’t you share your thoughts?"

Vincent Lawrence slowly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over everyone present before settling on his daughter beside him. In a steady voice, he said, "Let my daughter, Sue Lawrence, speak instead."

Sue Lawrence was taken aback for a moment, instinctively looking back at her father and her brother, Elliot Lawrence, who was sitting next to her.

She saw their eyes filled with encouragement and trust. Her heart stirred. ’In my last life, the entire Lawrence Family was wiped out. This time, Father is willing to entrust such an important occasion to me. It’s not just a sign of his trust, but also a chance for me to prove myself.’

Sue cast aside any hesitation and nodded in agreement. When she looked up, her eyes were filled with calm resolve. "Gentlemen, esteemed uncles, and seniors, as you all know, the Lawrence Group has recently been in the process of liquidating assets with plans to invest in emerging industries. But with this cold wave upon us, and with forecasts predicting that Stellaport’s temperature will plummet to minus twenty-five degrees Celsius within the next ten days—an unprecedented extreme weather event for this city—I believe that while investment is important, people’s safety is the foundation of everything."

She paused, her voice clear and firm. "Currently, the Lawrence Group has already distributed a full set of cold-weather supplies to all its employees, including our custodial and security staff. These supplies include extra-thick insulated clothing, high-calorie food, drinking water, high-capacity power banks, and emergency kits with first-aid supplies and thermal blankets. If the government requires it, the Lawrence Group is willing to contribute more of our assets as unconditional aid to fully support the government’s efforts to combat this cold wave and ensure the basic livelihood of our citizens."

As she finished speaking, the entire conference room fell into a dead silence.

The expressions on Wyatt Sterling’s and Felix Norris’s faces froze, their old faces burning with shame.

Compared to them, who had immediately started making demands and asking the government for special privileges, the Lawrence Group’s declaration instantly put them on a completely different level.

After a brief silence, a wave of whispers rippled through the room.

"The Lawrence Group already gave out cold-weather supplies to all their employees? Even the entry-level staff?"

"And they’re willing to provide unconditional aid to the government? What is Vincent Lawrence trying to do?"

"Hmph. Vincent is just putting on a show again."

Someone curled their lip in disdain. In their view, money was king in this day and age; no one cared how you got it.

Vincent Lawrence had always clung to his so-called "Confucian businessman" ideals, which made him out of step with these new-generation entrepreneurs. For him to jump out and champion devotion at a critical time like this seemed like a huge joke.

Many of them held their teacups, looking at Vincent Lawrence and his two children with cold eyes full of rejection and hostility. But Vincent didn’t care; his values were not for others to dictate.

However, in stark contrast to the crowd’s disdain, Marcus Morgan’s face showed clear satisfaction. Even Silas Hawthorne, who had been expressionless and seemingly detached the whole time, gave an almost imperceptible curl of his lips, a flash of approval in his eyes.

’The Lawrence Group?’

He made a mental note.

This scene happened to catch Jason Sterling’s eye, and an idea sparked in his mind.

Silas Hawthorne clearly approved of Sue Lawrence’s statement. Since Jason wanted to latch onto Silas’s coattails, he naturally had to cater to his tastes.

He cleared his throat and spoke slowly, his tone deliberately magnanimous. "Since the Lawrence Group is willing to make an unconditional donation, then our Sterling Group can’t fall behind. We are also willing to donate supplies unconditionally to support the government’s efforts."

Another wave of gasps went through the conference room. No one had expected Jason Sterling to suddenly change his tune.

The Sterling and Norris families had always been bound by mutual interests. Now that Jason Sterling had made his position clear, Felix Norris naturally couldn’t be left behind.

Despite being completely against it in his heart, he forced himself to chime in, "The Norris Group as well. We are willing to make an unconditional donation."

With these three families taking the lead, the other entrepreneurs exchanged glances. Though reluctant, they had no choice but to follow suit, one by one, and state their willingness to donate unconditionally.

Marcus Morgan nodded, but he knew full well who was volunteering willingly and who was being forced into it.

He instructed in a calm voice, "Since everyone has shown such goodwill, please write down the type and quantity of supplies you intend to donate. We will make a public announcement shortly, so the citizens can also see your sense of responsibility."

’A public announcement?’

Everyone’s heart sank. The expressions on their faces turned a little unnatural. They had assumed it was just a casual statement, not something that would be taken seriously.

But the words had been spoken, and what’s said can’t be unsaid. They had no choice but to bite the bullet and perfunctorily write down some trivial donation items.

Soon, the list of donations began to scroll across the large screen at the front of the conference room.

Some donated a few hundred ordinary cotton jackets, some donated a few idle vehicles, and some donated a batch of batteries. Very few donated money. Only the Sterling Family donated two million, the Norris Family donated five hundred thousand, and the remaining few small businesses made symbolic donations ranging from fifty thousand to one hundred thousand.

Just as the crowd was watching with half-hearted interest, the name of the Lawrence Group appeared on the screen.