Ning Yanfan knew his martial sister too well.

“…That’s how things are. Hao Dong may not have bad intentions, but he’s no good either, trying to gain favors through this! If he meddles in this matter, I’ll sever ties with this unfilial son!”

Ning Yanfan’s attitude was firm.

On the other phone, Grandmother Yu remained silent.

This silence made Ning Yanfan more nervous than if she had berated him.

There weren’t many old friends still alive, and he didn’t want to fall out with Martial Sister Yu in her later years.

“Martial Sister Yu?”

Ning Yanfan felt uneasy.

A snicker came from the other end of the phone: “Senior Brother Ning, why are you so nervous? Did you think I would get angry, curse your son, Ning Hao Dong, then cut ties with you and never associate with you again?”

Huh?

Wouldn’t she?

This was Martial Sister Yu Shu’s typical reaction!

“You do know me well, and that is indeed my temperament. But that was in the past before I found Zhong Yi. My thinking has changed now. I couldn’t even raise my son well, how can I expect your son to be perfect? Senior Brother Ning, let’s both be more open-minded. Just because they were lovable as children and obedient in their youth doesn’t mean our children will remain the same in middle age! We’re old now, this era no longer belongs to us. Look at me not getting angry, you shouldn’t make yourself ill with anger either!”

Ning Yanfan: “…”

So he had worried for nothing? He had meant to persuade Martial Sister Yu not to get angry, but instead got lectured by her about how old folks shouldn’t meddle too much and should learn to let go!

This reaction exceeded Ning Yanfan’s expectations.

Thinking carefully, it was indeed Martial Sister Yu Shu’s style:

“I’m not as enlightened as you. I always thought since our friendship is good, this relationship should continue to the next generation. I was particularly angry that Ning Hao Dong wanted to use your family’s house to gain favors. You’re right, we’re old now, we can’t make decisions for the next generation anymore, can’t control their thoughts, we should just manage ourselves.”

Grandmother Yu agreed on the phone: “Yes, you’re right. Our friendship doesn’t need to be forced onto the next generation. This wasn’t your doing, why should I be angry? See how much lighter one feels thinking this way.”

Ning Yanfan smiled bitterly.

He finally understood his martial sister’s logic.

She wasn’t treating Ning Hao Dong as a junior anymore – whatever Ning Hao Dong wanted to do, Martial Sister Yu didn’t care!

“Martial Sister Yu, Zhong Yi is still a good child. He’s suffered a lot these years and was forced to stay abroad out of necessity.”

“Don’t try to persuade me. I know my son well enough. I’ve scolded him, beaten him, but he’s over forty now, I can’t teach him anymore. Let’s talk about the main issue – from what you’re saying, someone from Shang Du called Ning Hao Dong, someone quite powerful, right? Otherwise, why would Ning Hao Dong be tempted?”

So Building No. 45 really couldn’t be retrieved?

Ning Yanfan pondered, “Hao Dong said it was a call from the provincial government. Do you really must have Building No. 45? Won’t you consider other compensation?”

A call from the provincial government!

So it was true.

No wonder the city government officials were hesitant without giving a clear answer – because even the city government leaders couldn’t make the decision. Shang Du was the capital of Yunan Province, with its administrative level as a city, and the provincial government was also located in Shang Du… The city leaders of Shang Du had always been in a tough position, whether they were the first or second in command, they couldn’t avoid running into provincial leaders everywhere.

Grandmother Yu sneered:

“If Building No. 45 were still mine, we could discuss it. Our Yu family has donated plenty to the country, donating another building would be nothing. But I gave that to Xiaolan – you don’t understand, old Ning, how much risk that girl took in America trying to find Zhong Yi! I promised to give it to her, and now it’s been snatched away. If I don’t get it back, I won’t rest in peace even after death!”

There.

This was the familiar Martial Sister Yu.

Ning Yanfan made a sound of agreement, “Then let’s think of a solution together. I also want to ask how the property registration I properly arranged could have been secretly changed.”

…

Just for one building, so many people had become involved.

It was a building, yet more than just a building. Now it wasn’t just about why the ownership of the Yu family’s returned ancestral property had changed, but also involved Chaoyang Real Estate’s planned new shopping mall investment at Erqi Square… With investments worth tens of millions, how many people’s interests were affected?

The water was deeper than Xia Xiaolan had imagined.

She didn’t even know that Ning Xue’s father had almost gotten involved, but after arriving in Pengcheng, she had learned something about Zhu Suizhou’s background.

Others might not know him, but Huo Chenzhou did.

This man was from Shanghai.

“He wanted to establish Chaoyang Real Estate and tried to get Dongfeng to invest. But I refused. Chaoyang Real Estate’s business overlapped with Dongfeng’s. Zhu Suizhou would use our resources and capital, but couldn’t bring us benefits in return. It was a losing deal, I firmly disagreed. However, Zhu Suizhou was so eloquent he almost convinced our company’s general manager.”

Huo Chenzhou spoke of this person with some wariness.

“Manager Huo, why are you building up others while putting yourself down? He can’t be that formidable!”

Xia Xiaolan still had the mood to joke. What obvious business overlap – Huo Chenzhou had his calculations. Huo Chenzhou was afraid that if Dongfeng and Chaoyang merged, Zhu Suizhou would threaten his position in Dongfeng, right?

After all, Huo Chenzhou was now establishing his power base in Dongfeng, developing office buildings in Pengcheng.

Huo Chenzhou had the background and ability, yet he was wary of Zhu Suizhou!

“Is his family very powerful in Shanghai?”

Xia Xiaolan couldn’t believe there was anyone with a more impressive background than Huo Chenzhou. This “Zhou” was afraid of another “Zhou.”

But Huo Chenzhou smiled instead: “You might not believe this, but he doesn’t rely on connections. He’s from an ordinary Shanghai family. I think he’s quite similar to you, no, he’s even bolder than you. You at least had property before daring to take bank loans. He, with just his mouth, dared to persuade Dongfeng to invest.”

Empty-handed white wolf?

Xia Xiaolan sat up straight.

There were many big shots who made their living by talking, each one talented, but to meet such a wild one in ’86, Xia Xiaolan found it surprising.

Indeed, she hadn’t faced off against those truly influential big shots yet.

Though Chen Xiliang had built his clothing brand to assets worth hundreds of millions, it was still small-scale compared to real business tycoons.

Was Zhu Suizhou a big shot?

Previously, Xia Xiaolan didn’t think so, because this person was destined for self-destruction.

But that was looking at him with foreknowledge, being wise after the event.

Looking at Zhu Suizhou in 1986, he had both capability and ambition. No wonder he could make Asia so prosperous. Asia’s glory came through Zhu Suizhou, and its ultimate end wasn’t entirely his fault.

“I should tell you one more thing – this Zhu Suizhou without background can unite all forces that might help him. He raises investments, gets bank loans… anyway, he’s now Sheng Xuan’s boyfriend.”

Sheng Xuan’s boyfriend?!

Xia Xiaolan’s impression of Sheng Xuan was still stuck at the point where she was marginalized by Director Pan while lending several hundred thousand to Ji Ya.