You have to admit—Lin Na really knew how to get things done.
By the end of the day, she had already registered the new airline. And without delay, she arranged a press release to announce that Shinhan Airlines, founded by the Crown Prince himself, planned to purchase 50 to 100 commercial aircraft to jump-start Shinhan's aviation industry.
To make sure the message reached the right ears, she spread it through global video and news platforms like YouTube—hoping it would catch the attention of Boeing and Airbus, the world's two biggest aircraft manufacturers.
United States – Boeing Headquarters
"Mr. Carson, we've just received word that a Southeast Asian country—Shinhan—is planning to procure more than 50 commercial aircraft," an assistant reported.
"Oh?"Scott Carson, then-president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, raised an eyebrow."Which country is that? Who has that kind of money to buy 50 aircraft at once?"
Fifty aircraft was no small order. Even with conservative pricing, that was easily three or four billion dollars.
The assistant hurriedly shared the details she had found about Shinhan.
When Carson heard that Shinhan was a small kingdom with just over ten million people and a GDP under $90 billion, his brows immediately furrowed. It didn't sound like a country that could afford that kind of purchase.
But when the assistant added that the royal family had previously been exposed as shareholders in major tech firms like Microsoft and Google, and had even been featured in magazines estimating their wealth at several billion dollars, his frown eased slightly.
"You said the Crown Prince is the one who founded this airline?"
"Yes, sir. That's the current information."
"Well… I don't know if they can really afford this order, but a deal is a deal. Let's not let it slip through our fingers. Contact Albau—have him open negotiations with the Shinhan side."
"Yes, sir!"
Meanwhile – Europe – Airbus Headquarters
When Airbus received the same news, their CEO personally led a delegation on a flight to Southeast Asia that very day.
Nobody wanted to let the other side beat them to the punch.
After all—50 aircraft wasn't just a deal. It was a rare mega-deal.
Two days later – Shinhan
When Boeing's Vice President of Commercial Aircraft, Mr. Albau, entered the conference room and spotted Airbus CEO Thomas Enders already seated, he felt a chill run down his spine.
He'd assumed this would be an easy win—but now? Not so sure.
Enders, for his part, remained stone-faced, his heart filled with tension.
He knew Boeing's dirty tricks. It wasn't the first time they had applied pressure behind the scenes—lobbying, influencing trade reps, and derailing nearly-signed deals. That smile of Albau's? He wasn't buying it.
Just as tensions mounted…
Click clack clack… Footsteps echoed down the corridor.
A sharply dressed young man walked in. His features were striking—handsome, calm, and composed. Behind him trailed a few bodyguards in black and a graceful female assistant.
One guard stepped forward and pulled out the chair at the head of the table.
The young man sat down casually.
With every eye in the room fixed on him, Xiao Yunhai smiled faintly.
"I'm Xiao Yunhai, founder of Shinhan Airlines. Thank you all for coming."
"I'll get straight to the point. My requirements are twofold: fast delivery and good value."
"For this purchase, we're focusing on narrow-body jets—specifically the Boeing 737 series, and the Airbus A320 or A321."
With a wave of his hand, Lin Na stepped forward, placing a piece of paper and a pen in front of each representative.
Seeing their confused expressions, Xiao Yunhai smiled again."I prefer efficiency. Don't want to waste time negotiating."
"In front of you is a blank form. You each get one shot. Write down your best price and estimated delivery schedule. Let's see who comes out ahead."
Both Albau and Enders were stunned.
They had negotiated a lot of deals—but never like this.
Straight to the point. One chance. No back-and-forth.
Yet they had no choice. A deal this size couldn't be walked away from.
As they hesitated, calculating how to outbid the other without losing their margins, Xiao Yunhai leaned back, sipping Longjing tea brought all the way from Dragon Kingdom.
This was his play.
He had invited both Boeing and Airbus at the same time for one reason: to make them undercut each other.
Even if the system wanted him to spend money, he had no plans to be a fool.
Time ticked by.
Neither man had written a word yet.
Xiao Yunhai gently put down his teacup, glanced at his watch, and said,"If you'd prefer some privacy, there's another room next door. But I'll need your quotes in ten minutes."
Pressured by the calm certainty of the young prince, both men reluctantly put pen to paper.
When the quotes were submitted, here's what they offered:
Boeing:
737-900ER: $83 million
737-800: $75 million
Good planes, solid range (5,800–6,000 km), around 180–200 seats. But not cheap.
Airbus:
A320-100: $62 million
A321-100: $68 million
Also solid range, with the A321 seating up to 220 passengers.
Xiao Yunhai quickly crossed off the Boeing 737-800—too expensive and underperforming.
And when he saw that Airbus offered faster delivery even without cutting in line?
The choice was clear.
He gestured to Lin Na to escort the Boeing team out.
She smiled politely and walked over."Mr. Albau, thank you for attending. We appreciate your interest and look forward to working together in the future."
"Let me show you out."
Albau's face darkened. He knew what that meant.
With a cold grunt, he got up and left.
Across the table, Thomas Enders couldn't help but sigh with relief.
Looked like Airbus had won the deal.