Xia Xiaolan was particular about choosing business partners.
From Chen Xiliang to Bai Zhenzhu, to Xu Jing and Ma Hai, these people had vastly different personalities, but they shared one thing in common: their interests were closely tied to Xia Xiaolan’s. If they betrayed her, they would hurt themselves as well.
Throughout her interactions, Xia Xiaolan gradually changed her attitude toward her business partners.
For some, she withdrew her trust.
For others, she could deepen her trust.
And some remained on her observation list.
What kind of person was Zhu Suizhou?
Xia Xiaolan didn’t know.
She couldn’t just write him off because he was Sheng Xuan’s boyfriend. Whose boyfriend he was didn’t matter—she could cooperate with Du Zhaohui, so why not with Zhu Suizhou… Most career-driven men viewed relationships rather lightly; romantics like George were rare. The chances of Zhu Suizhou being desperately in love with Sheng Xuan and following her every command seemed low to Xia Xiaolan.
It would be good enough if Sheng Xuan hadn’t been deceived by Zhu Suizhou.
One wanted capital, the other secured bank loans—true love? More like calculated manipulation.
Everyone knew Building No. 45 was in a prime location, a golden port. Otherwise, Xu Zhongyi wouldn’t want to invest and give her the shares. Xu Zhongyi’s investment wasn’t funding Chaoyang Real Estate directly, but rather buying shares in the upcoming mall—he probably figured building a mall there couldn’t go wrong, and he had confidence in Zhu Suizhou. Investing 1.5 million US dollars now might yield 3 million US dollars in the future.
As long as Zhu Suizhou’s mall prospered, the shares would naturally become valuable.
Doubling the investment wouldn’t be difficult.
If calculated based on Asia Mall’s peak value, the current 1.5 million US dollar investment wouldn’t just double to 3 million in two or three years.
Selling the shares for 4.5 or even 6 million US dollars would be reasonable.
This was more appropriate than directly giving Xia Xiaolan 1.5 million US dollars in cash.
Thinking this way, Xia Xiaolan felt less resistant. Her wariness of Zhu Suizhou wasn’t because he was Sheng Xuan’s boyfriend, but because he was “Zhu Suizhou”—a talented, bold-thinking, action-oriented radical boss—Chen Xiliang’s radical approach was nothing compared to Boss Zhu’s.
In her previous life, when Boss Zhu was at his most inflated, he spent tens of millions building Asia Mall branches in other cities despite breaking funding chains, daring to spend 120 million yuan on renovations… Such outrageous moves commanded Xia Xiaolan’s respect.
But Boss Zhu’s inflation happened after the mid-90s.
The current Zhu Suizhou wasn’t yet a boss, naturally hadn’t inflated, and was still just a bold and outstanding young man.
With his daring and wild approach, the soon-to-be-built mall would make Xu Zhongyi’s 1.5 million US dollar investment more than worth it.
Encouraged by Zhou Cheng’s support, Xia Xiaolan was tempted:
“Perhaps I should meet with Zhu Suizhou? Let’s do this—if Zhu Suizhou can meet with me before I return to America, I’ll accept Uncle Xu’s ‘thank you gift.’ If not, it means this business venture isn’t destined for me, and I won’t get involved.”
If Sheng Xuan and Zhu Suizhou ended up together, it would be quite troublesome.
Xia Xiaolan didn’t even know how Sheng Xuan felt about Old Tang.
Did love turn to hate?
Taking out her anger on Old Tang was one thing, but what about troubling her mother?
Ah, the women of this world—most weren’t very clearheaded. When relationships failed, they didn’t blame the “scoundrel” but usually blamed the vixen who was with him.
Why must women make things difficult for other women?
When it came to returning to America, Zhou Cheng couldn’t bear to part with his wife.
Zhu Suizhou, 1.5 million US dollars, including Building No. 45—all became unimportant. Separation was the hardest to bear. Fortunately, Xiaolan would only stay in America for about two months this time—Zhou Cheng didn’t dare imagine if Xiaolan went to study abroad rather than being an exchange student, how he would endure several years of separation.
Compared to years of long-distance relationships, Zhou Cheng would rather take a hundred dangerous missions.
To put it more directly, he’d rather face fifty Jiang Wus!
“Wife, your flight is the day after tomorrow…”
“Yes, I’m leaving the day after tomorrow. Once I leave Pengcheng, you’ll return to work.”
Zhou Cheng had taken quite a long leave.
Xia Xiaolan too, unable to bear leaving, had requested three more days off from school. Daisy said Professor McCarthy was furious—if Xia Xiaolan didn’t return to Cornell quickly, their group really couldn’t withstand McCarthy’s indiscriminate attacks!
“Ye Xiaoqiong hasn’t contacted me either. Strange, wasn’t she supposed to come to Pengcheng?”
Xia Xiaolan muttered.
Zhou Cheng was noncommittal about Ye Xiaoqiong’s “revenge plan.”
Women’s tactics lacked masculinity, fixating on matters of love—Zhou Cheng didn’t much like it.
But Ye Xiaoqiong did.
Zhou Cheng was indifferent, “Don’t worry about her. Whatever she wants to do to Yuan Han requires Uncle’s cooperation. If we don’t cooperate, how can she alone arrange Yuan Han’s transfer?”
That was certainly impossible.
Yuan Han’s current long-term assignment location was dozens of miles from the nearest phone—otherwise, Zhou Yi wouldn’t have such trouble contacting him.
Yuan Han hadn’t given up, continuously writing letters to Zhou Yi.
But those letters never reached America—they were all intercepted by Zhou Wenbin.
Seeing the mushy words and brainwashing phrases in the letters, Zhou Wenbin wanted to burn them all.
Yuan Han’s location was too remote—claiming foreign investors would go there couldn’t fool even ghosts, and Yuan Han wasn’t stupid.
Ye Xiaoqiong had said Du Zhaoqi’s investment was in Pengcheng. To play the role of a Hong Kong merchant’s daughter using Du Zhaoqi’s platform, she naturally needed to bring Yuan Han to Pengcheng!
Why hadn’t Ye Xiaoqiong appeared yet?
The former Little Ye on the train was so pure, moved to tears when borrowed 100 yuan.
Now, Xia Xiaolan couldn’t quite understand Little Ye.
…
Hong Kong.
Xu Changle especially returned to Hong Kong, wanting to personally look after Tina, but she wasn’t very appreciative.
Hong Kong was still dealing with Zhang Jiangdong’s death. Days after the incident, the Chinese gangs controlled by Zhang Jiangdong were in chaos. This didn’t prevent Zhang Jiangdong’s lawyer from coming to Hong Kong to read his will:
“Mr. Zhang made this will four years ago, with two subsequent modifications. I’m now reading the final version of Mr. Zhang’s will. According to Mr. Zhang Jiangdong’s wishes, Miss Tina will inherit all his cash deposits and various stocks and bonds, totaling 24 million US dollars. Mr. Fane will inherit two companies under Mr. Zhang Jiangdong’s name. Ms. Cui Yiru will inherit all real estate under Mr. Zhang Jiangdong’s name, and she is also the sole beneficiary of Mr. Zhang’s trust fund… Now that Ms. Cui Yiru is also deceased and died without a will, her inheritance portion will be jointly inherited by Miss Tina and Mr. Fane according to law.”