Absolutely not!
Du Zhaohui couldn’t help but shiver.
He knew from the start not to touch the smuggling business – Du Zhongji was that fool seeking his own death.
Honestly, when Du Zhongji’s death sentence with reprieve was announced, Du Zhaohui did feel more at ease. The case was too extensive – Du Zhongji was arrested in October last year but wasn’t sentenced until March this year… When death sentences aren’t immediately executed, people usually don’t die. With good behavior during the two-year reprieve, it would likely be commuted to life imprisonment.
With even better behavior, the life sentence could be reduced further.
But no matter how much it was reduced, by the time Du Zhongji got out, it would be over a decade later. Du Zhaohui naturally wouldn’t see this defeated opponent as a threat anymore.
If he couldn’t completely control the Du family in ten-plus years?
Then he might as well eat shit!
Du Zhaohui decided to play the role of a filial son and visit his semi-retired father to thoroughly discuss health issues.
Did he fall into a coma?
How long was he unconscious?
He couldn’t recommend incompetent doctors to Xia Xiaolan!
“Ah Hua, how many sons in Hong Kong could be as forgiving and filial as me?”
Ah Hua: ??
Was Young Master going to tell ghost stories this late at night?
Since Miss Xia got married, Young Master seemed increasingly normal — but that was just a deceptive appearance!
Something must be wrong with Young Master’s mind.
How could any normal person say something so shameless?
Young Master hadn’t visited Mr. Du once since his discharge from the hospital, such filial piety!
…
Du Zhongji was sentenced to death with reprieve.
Xia Xiaolan figured Zhu Suizhou would really be unsettled now and would likely come looking for her.
When Du Zhongji first got into trouble, Zhu Suizhou started contacting Xia Xiaolan, but she was busy making money in the Hong Kong stock market and had no time for him. Even if Du Zhongji’s illegal gains were to be confiscated, the investment in Chaoyang Real Estate came from legitimate sources.
Chaoyang Real Estate wouldn’t collapse.
The biggest problem now was that with Du Zhongji sentenced to death with reprieve, having changed from a Hong Kong businessman to a criminal, his company building a mall in Shangdu made the government lose face.
Didn’t the leaders who initially approved this project care about their reputation?
‘Asia’ would continue construction, but Du Zhongji’s issue needed to be resolved… The government couldn’t let a half-built mall become abandoned. Changing shareholders and letting other units take over was feasible.
After Du Zhongji’s arrest, before the final verdict, he was just a suspect.
And being a Hong Kong tycoon’s son, maybe he’d be acquitted?
At first, Shangdu’s side still held onto this hope.
From October until New Year, Du Zhongji wasn’t acquitted, and some leaders became anxious.
Taking advantage of the Spring Festival construction break, Asia Mall’s construction was halted.
After the Spring Festival, other projects resumed work, but Asia couldn’t proceed. Zhu Suizhou had staked his future on Shangdu’s Asia project. He hadn’t expected Second Young Master Du to be so unfortunate, now affecting Asia… When Du Zhongji returned to Hong Kong, Zhu Suizhou was happy, thinking there was an opportunity.
Now with Asia stuck in limbo, Zhu Suizhou realized he’d celebrated too early!
He could maintain composure before the New Year, but now with Du Zhongji’s verdict out, Zhu Suizhou was truly anxious!
Xia Xiaolan’s assets weren’t just one Shangdu Asia, but Zhu Suizhou couldn’t afford to lose.
Xia Xiaolan smiled slightly – whether to kick Zhu Suizhou out now depended on her mood—
Du Zhaohui was happy to receive her call, and Xia Xiaolan was even happier getting such news. When she returned after hanging up, Little Yu, who had gone to speak with Shao Guangrong alone, had already come back.
“Did you finish talking?”
“Yes, we’re done.”
Yuli’s eyes were slightly red, but her mental state wasn’t too bad.
Seeing both Tang Hong’en and Xia Xiaolan looking at her, Yuli was quite frank:
“He came to apologize and told me about his mother’s situation. He also heard that I might accompany my mother for treatment, and wished for my mother’s speedy recovery.”
Tang Hong’en’s expression softened slightly.
These children from prestigious compounds were mostly domineering in character, always wanting to get whatever they desired.
If Shao Guangrong had come to pester persistently, Tang Hong’en would have despised him even more.
Yuli hadn’t said everything – not all words were suitable to share with others.
She felt a bit upset.
Shao Guangrong wasn’t that bad; at least in front of her, he showed himself to be a good person.
She had thought about trying to be with Shao Guangrong after she had worked hard for a few years and gained confidence… She wanted to become someone worthy of Shao Guangrong, someone who wouldn’t burden him.
Now, Yuli felt she had no right to date anyone.
Her primary goal was to get treatment for her mother!
With her uncle and Sister Xiaolan helping her, she needed to work hard too, not just enjoy their help.
Though there was sadness in Yuli’s eyes, there was more clarity.
Xia Xiaolan thought Shao Guangrong had taken a bitter defeat this time.
…
“Ah! Little Shao, take it easy with matters of the heart.”
Even after Yuli had gone inside, Shao Guangrong was still squatting by the roadside smoking. Liu Yong felt a bit sorry for the young man… but only for a moment. Yuli was Tang Hong’en’s niece, and Liu Yong knew how to distinguish relationships. If Yuli had insisted on being with Shao Guangrong, Liu Yong couldn’t have stopped her, but since she didn’t feel that way, why should he try to match them? This resolution was quite good!
Liu Yong’s consolation was half-hearted.
Shao Guangrong didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “Uncle Liu, we’ve known each other for quite a while. Even if you don’t sympathize with me, shouldn’t your tone be more sincere?”
Huh?
Not sincere?
Liu Yong reflected on himself – had things been going too smoothly in Hainan recently, making him a bit careless, even becoming half-hearted in his acting?
Seeing Liu Yong’s embarrassed expression, Shao Guangrong extinguished his cigarette and stood up:
“Uncle Liu, has Sister Xiaolan mentioned when the building materials store will do its accounting?”
“Should be these few days. Are you short on money? I can lend you some first…”
“No, I want to withdraw my shares in the building materials store.”
Withdraw?
Shao Guangrong must have been shocked by this.
‘Anjia Building Materials’ currently has 10 branch stores: 3 in Shenzhen, 2 in Guangzhou, 2 in Beijing, 2 in Tianjin, and 1 in Shangdu. From the second half of 1987 until now, ‘Anjia Building Materials’ has entered a period of rapid development. Once new branches got on track, each store made hundreds of thousands in profit annually if not millions. Making 10 million a year was steady and assured.
Shao Guangrong held 4% of the shares, with stable annual dividends of several hundred thousand. Why would he want to withdraw?
What surprised Liu Yong more was that Shao Guangrong wanted to withdraw not just from ‘Anjia Building Materials but also from Qihang Capital.
In Qihang Capital, Shao Guangrong’s share was even smaller, but those shares were worth more than ‘Anjia Building Materials’!
Liu Yong, who had just been half-hearted in his consolation, now earnestly advised:
“Little Shao, it’s just a failed romance. Not having a destiny with Little Yu doesn’t mean you should turn against money. Why are you taking it out on money?”