For some reason, when he saw this photo, he felt a little emotional and a myriad of thoughts crowded into his mind.
In the blink of an eye, they had already grown up. Time really flew.
At the thought of this, Lu Ming carefully placed the photo frame in his car. He smiled in reminiscence. If only time could stop at this moment.
Unfortunately…
The ringing of his phone broke the silence. He picked up the call and asked, "What is it?"
"We have withdrawn all the money invested in Dogecoin and those that we earned."
Ji Yu's slightly hoarse voice came from the other end, like the aftereffect of talking too much. In fact, it was true. In order to get things done quickly, she shouted at the top of her voice to direct those people.
"Alright, I understand."
Lu Ming paused for a moment as if he thought of something. He asked, "Have you withdrawn the money that you invested?"
He naturally had to show concern for his senior who had been taking care of him.
"Don't worry, I've already withdrawn all of them."
Ji Yu said casually. She was already waiting for Dogecoin to plummet. She wanted to see the expressions of those who said that their boss did not know anything behind his back!
After hanging up the phone, she was about to return to the office to vet documents when her friend, who usually had a good relationship with her, stopped her. "Ji Yu, are you sure our boss was talking about withdrawing the investment and not continuing to invest? Based on the current trend, the price of Dogecoin can still increase."
She was feeling very nervous now because the boss's actions had aroused their suspicions.
Should we retreat or not?
This was too confusing.
They could not bear to part with the immediate benefits, but they could not afford to lose so much money.
When they saw someone run over to ask, those employees also popped their heads out to observe the situation.
Ji Yu glanced at them and said, "If you're so sure, where did you get the news?"
"This…"
Of course, it was her own conjecture, but her friend obviously knew that the news was unreliable. After all, she was not a professional and knew nothing.
"So far, has CEO Lu made any wrong decisions?"
Ji Yu asked.
The girl scratched the back of her head. Indeed, all this time, Lu Ming's decision had never gone wrong. Be it cooperation or the current investment, she had benefited from him and earned so much money for no reason.
Then…
Is it certain that we would lose money?
Is it really possible? she wondered.
Not long ago, she had specially asked professionals and they said that one would not lose money buying Dogecoin.
Ji Yu raised her eyebrows slightly and said, "That's all I have to say. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. I just hope that when the time comes, you won't lose money and blame me for not saying anything. You guys are much luckier than those people outside who don't know anything. Also…
All of you, better watch your mouths and don't tell anyone everything. Otherwise, if I find out who it is that disrupts CEO Lu's plan, bear the consequences!"
With that, she left.
They looked at each other.
On the other side, Lu Ming drove to the bridge. He crossed his arms and leaned on the armrest, quietly looking at the sparkling river surface. For some reason, his mind was filled with Chu Jinyu's every frown and smile.
Ever since he got the system, his goal had been to suppress Lu Yaohua and the other two. Other than taking revenge, he wondered if he could do something else.
Just as he was lost in his thoughts, a startled man's voice came from afar. "You are… Lu Ming!?"
He followed the voice and saw a handsome young man in casual clothes greeting him. Isn't this my good friend from university—Feng Lianghui?
Back then, when they were in school, Feng Lianghui was always there for him. When he had no food, he would give him food. When he did not have money to pay for all sorts of things, the other party would borrow money to pay for them. However, ever since graduation, the relationship between the two of them faded because they were busy with work.
"What a coincidence. I came out for a walk today and bumped into you."
Lu Ming walked forward and gave him a hug. "It seems that you've been doing well recently. You even bought a Rolex?"
"Hahahaha, it's alright. I'm starting a business now. I made some money."
Feng Lianghui paused and looked at the striking sports car. He said in surprise, "Aren't you living better than me? You actually bought a Koenigsegg ghost sports car so quickly, and it's a limited edition. The last time I saw this car, it was in a magazine!"
He patted Lu Ming's shoulder and said, "Alright! You've become rich so quickly. Tell me, which company's senior manager are you now?"
"My boss lent me this car. It's not as good as you think. I only read documents and such in the company now."
Lu Ming hid part of the truth and said.
"That's not bad! Your salary must be quite high, right? The fact that the boss lent you such an expensive car means that you two have a good relationship!"
Feng Lianghui asked covetously, "Can I try it?"
"You can do whatever you want."
Lu Ming smiled.
After Feng Lianghui rubbed his hands nervously, he carefully touched the car and clicked his tongue in wonder. "These sleek lines and this color… It's sheer pleasure!"
"Then why don't you borrow the car?"
Lu Ming asked.
Feng Lianghui quickly shook his head and said, "How can I do that? If I hit something, I can't afford to pay for it."
Seeing that he was so resistant, Lu Ming did not force him. He said, "Get in the car. Let's find a place to catch up!"
"Alright!"
Feng Lianghui suppressed his excitement and sat nervously in the front passenger seat. His gaze accidentally fell on the photo frame in front of him and he said in surprise, "Since when did you have a girlfriend? Seriously…"
Before he could finish speaking, he focused his gaze and realized that the beautiful woman on the left of the photo had recently appeared on TV. He remembered that if he was not mistaken, she was the successful entrepreneur who had given a speech at an entrepreneurs' conference—Chu Jinyu?!
He looked at the photo and then at his good brother. "Wait, you just said that this is your boss's car… You, you couldn't have been kept by Chu Jinyu, right?"
"Bullsh*t! We were just childhood friends."
Lu Ming said casually.
"Just?!"
Feng Lianghui said in surprise, "Do you know how many people want to befriend her? You're really lucky. You actually grew up with this person!"
Someone like Chu Jinyu was someone he could only dream of but not reach in his lifetime. He never expected his good friend to know her!
He looked at the photo and teased, "Does she like you? Even a blind person can tell the affection in her eyes, right?"
Lu Ming, who had become blind for no reason, was silent.You're thinking too much. Maybe she just treats me as her older brother whom she had a good relationship with when we were young."
Feng Lianghui looked at him suspiciously. Seeing that he was not joking, he thought to himself, This brother of mine is good in every way, but he's brainless. He's completely block-headed.
"Alright, alright, alright, whatever you say is right. I've made a lot of money after graduation. My treat!"
"Then let's go to Hilton. How about that?"
"What?! Hilton?!"
Feng Lianghui's expression changed slightly. This was a top-notch hotel in Shanghai.
He was naturally willing to bleed for his good brother, but based on their previous exchange… he felt that his good brother had been led astray.
Lu Ming is definitely taking revenge on me for saying the wrong thing, right?
Feng Lianghui thought to himself and said in a teasing tone, "You're making me bleed!"
"Then let me treat you."
Lu Ming said matter-of-factly. After all, the Hilton Hotel was his property. It did not matter how much he wanted to eat.
"Are you sure?"
Feng Lianghui said in surprise. The Hilton Hotel was not cheap. As one of the top hotels in Shanghai, it was pricey. In addition, with the good service and good food, it was basically packed with guests every day, especially at night.
Lu Ming's eyes were full of smiles. "I'm sure. When you reach there, you can order whatever you want. You can eat whatever you want to your heart's content."
"Of course I can eat! Ever since I went there once, I've been thinking about the dishes there. This time, I won't stand on ceremony. Do you really want to treat me?"
Feng Lianghui asked uncertainly.
"Of course."
After getting the other party's affirmation again, Feng Lianghui realized that his good brother seemed to have changed a lot. In the past, Lu Ming was like a young kid. Now he had become more composed, as if nothing could ruffle his emotions.
It was really strange.
What did Lu Ming experience after graduation?
"Let me do it, let me do it."
In Feng Lianghui's memory, Lu Ming was still that poor student. How could he possibly spend money in the Hilton Hotel?
He wondered if it was because he was embarrassed that he offered to give a treat.
He decided that after dinner, he would secretly go to the front desk to foot the bill.
However… Feng Lianghui would never have imagined that the Hilton Hotel was actually Lu Ming's property.
They arrived at the Hilton Hotel.
After the two of them stopped the car at the entrance of the hotel, Lu Ming entered in a familiar manner.
Feng Lianghui followed him closely and looked around. The last time he came over, it was to discuss business, so he did not take a good look.
Usually, he would only visit the Hilton Hotel when he was discussing a big business deal. However… he wondered why Lu Ming was so familiar with the place.
In the Hilton Hotel.
"Manager, I heard that your boss is coming over? Can you let me meet him? It's just a few words. It won't take long."
As the middle-aged man in a burgundy suit spoke, he took out a thick envelope from his pocket. Needless to say, there were banknotes inside.
A woman in a business suit smiled and said, "Sorry, Hilton can't accept anything of unknown origin, and our boss is very busy. If you really have something to say, please line up."
There were many people who wanted to collaborate with their hotel. This person was not the boss of a famous enterprise. Moreover, he had to join the queue.
The Hilton Hotel did not lack partners.
The middle-aged man said in exasperation, "How long will I have to wait in line? Manager Gu, can't you make an exception? Can you give me a chance?"
In order to obtain this news, he had spent a lot of money. The reason was only because he wanted to collaborate with Lu Ming first. If he did not meet Lu Ming this time, wouldn't he lose both his money and the deal?
"Mr. Zhang, I'm not deliberately making things difficult for you. Rules are rules. If everyone is like you, wouldn't it be a mess?"
Gu Qingxian's smile froze. Why is this person so difficult to deal with?
The middle-aged man retorted, "But rules are dead, and people are alive! If you're willing to be flexible…"
"Then you can pretend I'm dead."
"This…"
Her words left him speechless.
The silence in the hall did not last long. Gu Qingxian seemed to have seen something. Her smile was sincere as she hurried forward and said, "Mr. Lu."
"Mr. Lu?"
Feng Lianghui looked at her in surprise. He looked at her name tag. Wow! And she is a Deputy General Manager!
He wondered if his good friend came here so often that even the Deputy General Manager knew him.
He thought that Gu Qingxian was just being polite, but what she did next shocked him!
"Mr. Lu, I've already arranged the best suite for you. The dishes have all been changed to your flavor, and there are some new dishes. There are also various desserts after lunch. If you want anything else, I'll go prepare them for you now."
???
Isn't this attitude a little too solicitous?
Feng Lianghui rubbed his eyes. Very well, it's not an illusion.
He asked suspiciously, "Are you sure you're talking to us? Not someone else?"
Only then did Gu Qingxian notice him and say, "Yes, you're Mr. Feng, Mr. Lu's friend, right? You came here not long ago. We heard that you liked our hotel's dishes, so we made the dishes you ordered previously."
Feng Lianghui caught the main point in her words. He wondered if it was because he was Lu Ming's friend that he could enjoy such treatment. But isn't my good friend a senior executive of a company?
Why would the Manager of Hilton do this for him? he thought.
Could it be that Lu Ming has another identity?!
He nudged Lu Ming with his elbow and asked carefully, "What… relationship do you have with this hotel?"
"Don't think too much. Enjoy yourself."
Lu Ming chuckled and said to Gu Qingxian, "Take us there."
"Alright, please follow me."
Just as the three of them were about to leave, the middle-aged man reacted quickly and ran over. "You must be Mr. Lu? Hello, I'm the boss of Zhiye Corporation. My surname is Zhang. Are you interested in working with us?"
Gu Qingxian was about to chase him away when Lu Ming said, "Zhiye Corporation?"
The middle-aged man was delighted. It was good that he was interested!
He quickly said, "Yes, yes, yes. Our company is quite famous in Shanghai, and we are famous for being serious and meticulous in our work. Do you want to collaborate with us?"
Lu Ming did not have the time to chat with him about this. He threw his name card to him and said, "Let's keep in touch next time."
"Thank you! Thank you!"
The middle-aged man held the name card like he had received a treasure and bowed several times.
If he could establish ties with Hilton, his company would definitely be able to rise in the industry quickly. He did not expect the boss here to be so easy to talk to.
He had heard from some sources that the boss's surname was Lu, but he did not know if it was true. At first, he was afraid that he had mistaken the person for someone else, but when he saw Gu Qingxian's attitude, he was sure that the young man was the person he was looking for.
The scene from just now was still replaying in Feng Lianghui's mind. He said in disbelief, "Brother, what exactly are you doing now?"
Although Zhiye Corporation was not the best, it was not bad.
Now they were actually begging his good friend to cooperate. He wondered if he was dreaming.
"Just looking at documents in my office."
Lu Ming did not intend to disclose his real job.. He patted Feng Lianghui's shoulder and said, "No matter what, we are friends."Feng Lianghui thought about it and agreed.
No matter what Lu Ming's current job was, he had always treated him with the same attitude as back then. Their friendship had never deteriorated.
As long as they were friends, Lu Ming's identity was not important.
He scratched the back of his head and thought to himself, Looks like I'm thinking too much. From now on, I have to be calm no matter what I see. Otherwise, it will be too embarrassing. No matter what, I've lived in Shanghai for so long.
So the three of them walked into the private room on the top floor.
There was a long table in the middle of the spacious room. It was filled with all sorts of food, and there was a faint enticing smell. There was a white plate of seasonal fruit, and a golden tray on the side with all sorts of little cakes—mousse, black forest, and candies. Other than that, there was also Chinese-style mung bean cakes, sago pudding, and so on.
Even a foodie like Feng Lianghui could not recognize some of them.
There were a few thick red wine bottles beside the plate. Judging from the packaging, they should be Romani.
On the left and right were floor-to-ceiling designs. From here, they could see the most beautiful scenery in Shanghai. Warm yellow lights in the shape of leaves shone on them, giving a gorgeous and luxurious tone.
Even Feng Lianghui, who had already mentally prepared himself, could not help but open his mouth wide. Is such a life that I don't connect with at all really possible?
It is really… too opulent!
He raised his trembling fingers and said, "I… Am I seeing things? Could it be that the cutlery are all made of gold? That's impossible, right? It's fake, right?"
He desperately needed an answer.
Gu Qingxian smiled and said, "Of course, it's made of pure gold and newly made. Only this can match your status, right?"
Status?
He was just an ordinary entrepreneur.
For the first time in his life, Feng Lianghui felt anxious and uneasy. He did not expect that Lu Ming, who did not even have enough living expenses and could only drink free water to fill his stomach, would become so powerful!
He gulped and asked, "If it's broken, do, do I need to compensate?"
"Why would you? It's just a set of cutlery."
But this is f** king pure gold!
Feng Lianghui felt powerless to lampoon. He looked at Lu Ming, who had a calm expression on his face. He felt that in comparison, he was like a villager who had just entered the city.
Lu Ming could tell that he was feeling uneasy. He waved at Gu Qingxian, who nodded and left immediately.
"There's no one here now. You can do whatever you want. Even if you break something, it's fine. You can throw it around and play with it."
"I don't have that fetish."
Feng Lianghui heaved a sigh of relief secretly. His eyes were shining as he stared at Lu Ming. He said, "Brother! You're too capable!? You've only graduated for a short while, but you've become like this. You're simply my role model!"
"Just keep it short. I think you're hungry too. Let's quickly eat."
Lu Ming smiled and said.
"Alright!"
Feng Lianghui rolled up his sleeves unceremoniously and started eating. From his initial arrogance to his later disregard for his image, he gradually relaxed as time passed.
"Delicious! How delicious!"
Perhaps it was the dishes that the hotel had meticulously cooked, but they tasted even better than the previous time!
He took a bite of the strawberry and said in surprise, "It's so sweet!"
"It was specially transported from Beijing. Oh right, try the red wine. How does it taste?"
Lu Ming suggested.
Feng Lianghui wiped his hands and picked up the red wine cautiously. He looked at it carefully for a while and said, "1997?! If I remember correctly, the market price is more than 200 thousand yuan?! We have five bottles on the table now. Doesn't that mean this meal will be over 1 million yuan?!"
He paused and asked, "Are we going to be detained here to wash the dishes?"
"This wine is a gift from the Hilton Hotel. You don't have to spend money on it. Just eat and drink without worry."
Lu Ming chuckled.
"A gift?!"
Feng Lianghui felt that he had maxed out on all the surprises he had ever felt in his life today. It was not unusual for those big hotels to give frequent guests gifts. However, why was Hilton so generous?
He looked at the other party as if he was looking at a precious beast. "How much… have you spent here?"
"Not much."
Lu Ming could not tell him that he had only come twice. Given Feng Lianghui's character, he would definitely dig deeper. He changed the topic in time and said, "Aren't you going to try it?"
"I'll have a taste now!"
Feng Lianghui suppressed his excitement and took a small sip. The rich floral fragrance pleased his taste buds. He sighed and said, "There's a reason why it's expensive."
Lu Ming did not comment on this.
When the two of them were almost done eating, Feng Lianghui seemed to have thought of something and said seriously, "Do you know about Dogecoin? If you have spare money now, I think you can play with it. The money I invested in the past few days has more than doubled. It's quite profitable."
Lu Ming wondered why everyone around him was playing this game.
Although he was the one who spread the news, he did not expect it to spread so widely.
Lu Ming placed his hands on his chin and said, "I earned some money from Dogecoin previously. But now, not only will I not be able to earn money by getting on the bandwagon, I will also be fooled by the capitalists."
"… What do you mean?"
Feng Lianghui asked curiously.
"Dogecoin is just a virtual currency. A capitalist can raise the price with just one sentence, and naturally, he can make it drop. Understand?"
The moment that was said, Feng Lianghui felt as if he knew a big secret. He instantly gasped. Why hadn't he thought of this?
However, he recalled the money he had earned recently…
For a moment, he was skeptical.
After Lu Ming sent him home, he lay on his bed and opened the group chat on his phone. It was filled with people from the cryptocurrency industry. He hesitated before sending a message. [Do you think the value of Dogecoin will drop?]
[How could it drop? You're worrying for nothing, aren't you? I followed up with 20 thousand yuan today, waiting to double.]
[It's unlikely to flip. I've earned 100 thousand yuan recently! So I invested all my money. Now it's increasing a little. I don't intend to sell it. After all, it'll definitely increase in a while!]
[The experts have said that it won't drop, so why should we bother? Brothers, just buy! Charge! Only an idiot wouldn't want a free lunch!]
[I thought it would fall at first, but after so many days of research, I don't think it will!]
…
Obviously, his friends continued to invest because they had profited.
Looking at the huge sum, Feng Lianghui was moved.. Who knows, it might not decline, he thought.What if it continues to increase? he thought.
Then wouldn't I have missed 100 million yuan?
However, Feng Lianghui still remembered Lu Ming's words. If he continued to invest money now, he would be taken for a ride. He stared at the phone screen intently. He did not think that his good friend would lie to him for no reason. He thought that he should wait and see.
If it did not drop, he could invest more.
At the thought of this, he exhaled and muttered, "If it really fell, I would have made some money. It wouldn't be a loss."
At night.
Lu Ming sat on the sofa and sipped his coffee while reading a magazine. The phone screen on the coffee table was showing the caller ID. The caller was Ji Yu.
He glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. There was still half a minute left.
On the other side, Ji Yu was nervously watching the trend of Dogecoin. The price was increasing rapidly. Her heart could not help beating faster. "Lu Ming, it has reached the highest price!"
There were 10 seconds left.
It all depended on now!
She took a few deep breaths and muttered, "Five, four, three, two, one, zero!"
Dogecoin began to fall steeply. She widened her eyes and said in astonishment, "It's falling! It's falling! Lu Ming!"
The rate of decline was even faster than the increase. She looked at the number of online users. 30 million! In other words, 30 million people would lose all their money!
At the thought that Lu Ming asked them to withdraw their investments in time, she felt very lucky. If they had invested so much money, Wanke would be badly impacted and might not return to its peak.
Lu Ming did not think as much as she did. He said calmly, "Alright, it's getting late. Go and rest. Don't be late for work tomorrow."
"I know. Good night… Lu Ming."
With that, they ended the call.
He put away the magazine and rubbed his temples. He thought to himself, Looks like we can wrap things up completely tomorrow. I have to thank Tang Wenyi and her son for their stupidity. Otherwise, how could things have gone so smoothly for me?
Just as he was about to go to bed, his phone rang. As soon as he picked up the call, a surprised voice came from the other end. "Brother! You're f*cking amazing! Dogecoin really fell! Luckily, I listened to you and didn't invest any money! Where did you get this information? It's so reliable!"
Feng Lianghui was undoubtedly the loudspeaker of the world.
Lu Ming frowned slightly and said, "Secret channel. Why aren't you sleeping in the middle of the night?"
"I'm still worried. My friends are crying and cursing crazily in the group chat. They said during the day that it wouldn't drop and that some experts were involved. I think those people are not as reliable as you!"
If not for Lu Ming's reminder, he might really have continued to invest in Dogecoin. Now that his company was still in its infancy, it would not have survived the losses.
Perhaps his entrepreneurial dream would also disappear along with his Dogecoin.
Feng Lianghui said seriously, "Thank you. If you need my help next time, I won't decline! I'll do whatever I can!"
"My only wish right now is that you go to bed quickly. I'm going to be exhausted."
"I know, I know. I'll hang up now!"
Feng Lianghui also realized that it was late, so he hung up. As for thanking Lu Ming, he would treat him to a meal next time.
The next day.
Dogecoin had stopped rising and was gradually declining like a valley.
Lu Ze, who was lying on the bed, was still looking arrogant. "To think that I earned so much money. I was thinking of going out to play, but I fainted after taking a few steps. When I woke up, I was back at the hospital."
"It's fine, it's fine. Those beauties won't run away. Why be in such a hurry?"
Blue Hair consoled him, "Recently, Dogecoin has been rising rapidly. My parents now view me in a different light. Even my pocket money has doubled."
Red Hair added, "In the past, they restricted me from going out. Now that they know I'm hanging out with Young Master Lu, they stopped nagging and simply let me go out."
"Yeah! Thanks to the appearance of Dogecoin."
Yellow Hair nodded. "Everything I buy now is high-end stuff. My life is really great! Young Master Lu, you seem to be in a good mood. Did you do something good?"
"It's all good!"
Lu Ze bragged, "I made another few hundred million yuan. After some calculations, based on Dogecoin's current trend, I'll be able to acquire Wanke Real Estate fully!"
"Wanke?! Isn't that one of the top 500 companies in the world?"
Red Hair said in surprise.
Lu Ze snorted coldly and said, "It'll be mine soon! If I were the boss of Wanke, I wouldn't have taken a back seat. With my investment ability, I'll become a world-class entrepreneur soon! Lu Ming is nothing! He doesn't even know how to run such a big company!"
Yellow Hair agreed. "Yes, yes, yes, Young Master Lu is right! How can he be compared to you, Young Master Lu? Young Master Lu is talented and smart, simply a genius! How can it be difficult for you to handle a company? It's just something that you can read and learn!"
"Young Master Lu can throw him into the mud without looking. The two of you are like heaven and earth!"
Blue Hair fawned.
Lu Ze was very comfortable with the flattery. He smiled crookedly and said, "I don't know what his expression will be like when he finds out that I've already bought over all his company shares! I'll definitely not let him off easily for all the new and old grudges! I'll definitely make him kneel on the ground and surrender!"
He paused for a moment before continuing. "I want him to kowtow to me while repeatedly telling me that he was wrong and that he shouldn't have offended me! Isn't he very good at business? Not only will I cut off his hands, but I'll also make him unable to speak for the rest of his life! I want to see how else he can work!"
In the room next door, Tang Wenyi was on the phone, saying, "You guys should know, right? My precious son has been investing in a big project recently. He has earned a lot of money! Oh, what's tens of millions? He already has hundreds of millions in his account!
Didn't I ask you guys to lend me some money? Well, you were all unwilling and even mocked me. Hmph! Even if you don't help me, my son can still rise up! Your children aren't that different from Ah Ze, right? So what if they grew up in the capital?"
…
Their expressions were very similar, as expected of mother and son.
However, at this moment, someone suddenly appeared at the door. "Lu Ze, did you send someone to secretly acquire my shares in the secondary market?"In Beijing.
Tang Rongrong, the fourth daughter of the Tang family, was tapping on the table impatiently with her index finger. When will her chatter end?
She glanced at the phone on the sofa not far away and wished she could smash it!
If not for the fact that this phone was a new model that she had bought recently, she would have smashed it. She had just made money from the investment. According to the information she had received, even an idiot knew how to invest.
She could have her child do it too!
What was there to brag about?
Tang Nishang sat on the rocking chair beside her and blew on her fingernails. She said, "Third Sister is still as impetuous as before. When she does something praiseworthy, she can't wait for the whole world to know. I received her call early in the morning."
"Me too. When I was eating breakfast, she called. I wasn't in a good mood to begin with, so when I heard about this, my mood worsened. So I hung up. I didn't expect her to shamelessly call me back."
It could not be hung up.
Then Tang Wanxi, the second sister, blocked her.
"I was a little earlier than Fourth Sister. When I was out shopping, she called to tell me about this. This matter is not a big deal. Why is Third Sister so agitated?"
The youngest, Tang Yajing, was puzzled.
Tang Rongrong sneered and said, "This means that this is the limit of that precious son of hers. Doesn't she know why we're unwilling to lend her money? Usually, our relationship is not that good, and now we're competitors. She actually asked for 30 million yuan the moment she opened her mouth!"
"Me too, 30 million yuan."
Tang Yajing raised her hand.
"Speaking of 30 million yuan, she asked for 40 million yuan from me."
Tang Wanxi was also curious. Why did it increase by 10 million yuan?
"… She asked for 80 million yuan from me."
Everyone fell silent.
Did she try to borrow money according to their sibling order?
Tang Nishang said with a fake smile, "How did Third Sister's brain develop? Do I look very rich? It actually doubled?!"
Even if she had a lot of money, she would never lend it to Tang Wenyi!
Tang Yajing seemed to have thought of something and said expressionlessly, "Third Sister… didn't call Old Master, right?"
The air froze again.
It was bad enough that she had called them to brag. But to show off to Old Master who had been in the industry for decades? Wasn't this tantamount to making a fool of herself in front of an expert?
"With No. 3's personality, she might just be capable of doing that."
The more Tang Wanxi thought about it, the more she felt that it was possible.
Tang Rongrong held her stomach and started laughing. "Hahahaha! She was lucky that Old Master didn't scold her! What is this? Isn't this the complete opposite of what she should do? I'm afraid the position of the family head is game over for her!"
…
In fact, they had guessed correctly. Tang Wenyi had called the Old Master, but she put it more discreetly. Meanwhile, the old master was indifferent. Before she could finish speaking, he hung up.
She felt that Old Master must have been too agitated and accidentally ended the call.
As she spoke, she realized that there was some commotion outside. She walked out, not expecting to bump into Lu Ming entering the ward.
Naturally, she heard the question.
She and Lu Ze looked at each other and laughed arrogantly!
"Did you just realize it?! It's already too late! Why? Are you dressed so formally to apologize to me? Do you want me to stop and let you live? Impossible! How you treated me previously, I'll make you pay double for it!"
Lu Ze said.
Tang Wenyi said sarcastically, "I knew that you and your mom wouldn't be able to do anything big! You two are from the same mold! As the saying goes, a dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, and a rat's descendant will only be a rat!
Do you think you're invincible just because you have some money? This is probably all you've got, right? So what if you have money? We can still use other ways to end your life! This time, I want to see what else you can do!"
The two of them echoed each other. Ordinary people would have beaten them up.
However, Lu Ming did not take them seriously. He smiled calmly and said, "You're quite articulate. I hope you can be so aggressive later."
"What do you mean?! Are you out of your mind?"
Lu Ze looked at him and said bluntly.
The corners of Lu Ming's lips curled up. "If you have the time to be arrogant, why don't you look at the news on your phone? You've been earning a lot from Dogecoin recently. This might be good news for you."
Good news?
These words gave them a bad feeling. Tang Wenyi and the three underlings turned on their phones.
Lu Ze did not take it to heart and thought that it was real good news. "What? Can you control the blockchain? Are you fawning over me now? It's too late! I…"
"It fell?!"
Blue Hair looked at the phone in disbelief, interrupting Lu Ze's passionate speech.
Yellow Hair also saw the same thing. He scrambled to his feet and said, "Damn it! I want to go back and tell my parents!"
"I want to go back too!"
Red Hair and Blue Hair followed closely behind.
Lu Ze could not react in time. It had fallen? What? Stocks? When did his underlings lose their shares? They actually did not tell him!
"Son, the Dogecoin we bought has fallen…"
It fell?
What fell?
Dogecoin?!
Lu Ze's eyes widened as he grabbed Tang Wenyi's phone and muttered, "How is that possible?! Isn't this a stable business deal? How could it fall? I must have seen wrongly!"
It was not until a row of news headlines came into view—Dogecoin Flash Crash!
He was stunned for a few seconds before he quickly took out his phone. The Dogecoin price had fallen sharply. 180%. In other words…
He had lost more than half of his previous floating profit!
"No! I just need to sell the Dogecoin holdings in my hands now. I can make it in time!"
He shouted at Lu Ming, "Do you think that this will ruin my plan? Let me tell you, I still have a chance!"
Tang Wenyi was also enlightened by him and hurriedly started selling.
However, the effect was not obvious because everyone was in a panic at this moment. There were really too many people selling their Dogecoin holdings. Compared to its pricelessness earlier, it was the other extreme now.
Even though the two of them had already lowered the price to the lowest, no one was buying.
Lu Ze was still hoping that this was only temporary, but reality slapped him hard. The price of Dogecoin was getting lower and lower, and it continued to drop to around 50 yuan. This was a problem indeed!
He had lost all his floating profit!The collapse of Dogecoin was inevitable.
Meanwhile, Lu Yaohua was having dinner with his friend.
"Aiyo! Old Gao, what's wrong with you today? You actually took out the tea leaves that you've kept for so long?"
Lu Yaohua said in surprise, "Usually you don't even want to let me taste it. Is there a happy event today? Tell me about it."
He walked in with a red cardboard box and sat on the sofa. "I specially brought you a bottle of medicinal wine to nourish your body. It's said that you've been toiling for quite some time. Do you like it?"
The middle-class man named Old Gao spun the bottle and twitched his nose. "This flavor is not bad. There's nothing big today. I just made a little money."
"Just a little? How could you be pleased with a little money?"
Lu Yaohua smiled and said, "What project makes you so happy? If possible, can I join in?"
"You won't be interested in this project."
Old Gao said mysteriously, "Do you know how many people made a bet a while ago that you won't rise again? When they found out that you'd cleared the debts, didn't you see how ugly their expressions were!"
"Ha, how can I, Lu Yaohua, be defeated so easily?"
Lu Yaohua said proudly, "As long as there's a chance, I'll do my best to grab it! It's impossible to take me down! But thanks to this incident, I can see their true colors!"
When my company is on the right track, I'd absolutely annex those people's companies. That way, my Lu Corporation will be the only big company in Shanghai!
A hint of coldness flashed across his eyes.
Lu Yaohua felt that he had not lived here for nothing.
Old Gao did not notice Lu Yaohua's strange expression. He just picked up a white porcelain cup and poured some wine. He drank it in one gulp and made smacking sounds. "How flavorful!"
That was true.
Lu Yaohua had specially bought it to maintain their relationship.
"This is nothing. After some time, I'll get you another bottle of Tiger Bone Wine that's been around for more than 20 years. That flavor will definitely be better than this!"
Old Gao said happily, "Hahahaha! Brother Lu, you really know me. I'm different. I don't fancy the kind of apartments and cars that you like. I like this kind of thing! Sorry to trouble you."
"Don't say that. It's just a casual matter."
Lu Yaohua took a sip of tea. It was indeed tea that cost more than 10 thousand yuan. It tasted good!
"I heard that your son has been staying at home obediently and hasn't caused any trouble recently? It seems that your son can still be saved, unlike my son. I already told him to restrain himself, but he still keeps causing trouble for me. Other than work, I have to clean up after him!"
At this point, Old Gao said in exasperation, "When will he be as obedient as your son?"
In the past, Lu Ze was always the target of scorn. Now he was almost praised to the skies.
Lu Yaohua's lips curled up as he pretended to be helpless. "He only listens to these words now. I'm worried about him staying at home and not doing anything."
"That's better than running out and getting into trouble, right? Besides, being able to stay at home means that he still has a chance. From time to time, throw some documents to him to handle. Won't he learn gradually then?"
Old Gao frowned and said, "That son of mine doesn't give me the slightest chance. It's as if he has some mind-reading ability. Every time I'm about to open my mouth, he'd immediately find an excuse and disappear. Sigh, what should I do?"
"Your son is still young. He should be fine when he's a little older. Isn't there a saying that goes, 'A boy matures late'? Once he does, he'll quickly become sensible."
Lu Yaohua patted the other party's shoulder comfortingly. He paused for a moment before continuing, "Do you know the recent big financial news?"
"Are you talking about the news about Dogecoin?"
Old Gao looked up and asked.
Lu Yaohua nodded. "Yes, yes, yes, this is it. Didn't it suddenly collapse? Many people lost a lot of money, and some had even invested tens of millions. Their companies are on the verge of collapse."
This was good news for him because some of these people were those who had laughed at him. Nothing was better than seeing his sworn enemies suffer.
If not for the fact that he did not have time, he would have set off firecrackers at his doorstep to celebrate.
Old Gao asked curiously, "You didn't invest, right?"
After all, in his impression, the other party had always looked down on this sort of thing.
"That goes without saying. This thing is a trap. Only a fool would lose money like that."
As soon as he finished speaking, Old Gao's expression stiffened. He had known that his good friend would say such things. In fact, in the early stages, he had also invested some money. Later on, when the price increased, he sold the Dogecoin holdings in his hands. He was lucky to have escaped the disaster.
Just when he did not know what to say, Lu Yaohua's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID… Vice CEO Du?
Why did he suddenly call?
He answered the call and said, "What's the matter?"
"This is bad! Chairman Lu, hundreds of millions of yuan have gone missing from the company accounts for no reason!"
Missing?
A few hundred million yuan?!
Lu Yaohua gasped. "What is going on!"
"I'll be right there! The investigation will begin immediately!"
He left in a hurry without saying goodbye to his friend.
Old Gao sneered. It seemed that his good friend was involved in some trouble again. Although he had his wife's support, he had heard a while ago that the Tang family in Beijing had let go of Tang Wenyi. They would not do anything to help after that.
Could Lu Yaohua really rise up now?
Perhaps… I should start taking sides again.
He looked at the medicinal wine in front of him. He would wait a little longer.
Meanwhile, Shi Tian was pacing around anxiously. He thought that it would take a few months before it was found out that he had embezzled money. He did not expect to be found out in just a few days!
It would have been fine if that person was just an ordinary financial executive, but he had to be the vice CEO who always opposed him!
Before he could stop him, the other party had already called the boss. Wasn't this over for sure? When they start investigating, he would definitely be found out!
What should he do now?
What should I do? he thought.
What to do? What to do!
He scratched his head in frustration. If he had known this would happen, he would not have taken out the money no matter how Tang Wenyi oppressed him back then!
Vice CEO Du put away his phone and walked out to look at the suspect, Shi Tian. He smiled and said, "Manager Shi, you look very anxious. Could it be that the money… was taken away by you?"
"Bullsh*t! Are you messing with me on purpose?!"
Shi Tian questioned angrily.
How would a busy person like me have the time to mess with you? I just flipped through the accounts on a whim. I didn't expect to really find a problem. Manager Shi, this is not my fault."
Vice CEO Du shrugged and said innocently.
As for whether it was intentional or not, only he himself knew.
He rolled his eyes as if he thought of something and continued, "The CEO is already back. He asked us to go to the conference room for a meeting. I hope that when it's over, I can still see you in this company."
With that, he turned and left.
Du Tianyu!
Instantly, the veins in Shi Tian's forehead bulged from anger. If not for the fact that he was still in the company, he would have beaten him up!
He was filled with regret!
He had thought that Tang Wenyi would be able to return the money in a short time, but it had taken so long!
If Lu Yaohua blamed him, wouldn't the position that he had worked so hard to secure be occupied by that bastard, Du Tianyu?!
No! He had to think of a good way!
…
In the conference room.
Lu Yaohua said coldly, "Tell me everything you've found out! I want to know who embezzled the funds. I'll put this out first! I won't let anyone off!"
These words instantly made the atmosphere even heavier.
Du Tianyu gloated as he looked at the sweating Shi Tian. He had always wanted to have something on the other party and was waiting for Shi Tian to give himself away. He did not expect Shi Tian to give him a gift so quickly.
Isn't God helping me! he thought.
"Finance manager."
The finance manager nodded at him, then stood up and said, "The company's money disappeared on the 8th. Other than the people from our department, only General Manager Shi went in and out of the finance department that day."
There was no need to screen them. Even an idiot knew who did this.
Instantly everyone instinctively looked at Shi Tian, who was seated in the lead position on the left.
As for Shi Tian, he just looked away guiltily. He opened his mouth but failed to say anything.
"Shi Tian!"
Lu Yaohua slammed the table and said angrily, "You've been working for me for so many years. You're an old employee of the Lu Corporation! How dare you embezzle the funds! You're bold! Hurry up and spit out the money!"
If the company loses this money, what will happen next?
Then won't I be f*cking transported back to the days before I made it big?
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got!
Shi Tian's smile was uglier than crying. He said, "Chairman Lu, this was not something I was willing to do…"
"Are you going to say that you were coerced?"
Du Tianyu said disdainfully, "Don't you dare deny it! Other than the CEO, you have the highest position in the Lu Corporation. Who would dare to threaten you? Besides, we have surveillance camera footage that proves that you took the money!"
He paused for a moment before continuing, "Our company's situation can't compare to its heyday. But you still chose to take the money at this time. Are you trying to force us to our deaths? The CEO has treated you well, right? You actually did such a thing. Isn't it disappointing to the CEO?!"
"Shi Tian! I advise you to quickly return the money! Otherwise, I'll call the police now!"
Now Lu Yaohua was extremely disappointed in Shi Tian. He spoke impatiently.
Although he loved money, he had never cut Shi Tian's salary by a cent. He did not expect him to do such a thing!
He even began to suspect that Shi Tian had been bribed by another company to destroy the Lu Corporation!
Shi Tian's face turned green and white as he said, "It's… It's not because I'm unwilling to repay the money. That 500 million yuan is not with me at all. It's, it's…"
"What is it?! Could it be that the person behind you doesn't want you to say it? Let me tell you, if you don't say it now, then don't blame me for calling the police!"
Lu Yaohua's words were full of threat.
"It's Madam!"
Shi Tian closed his eyes and confessed. Although he could not afford to offend Tang Wenyi, the most important thing now was to protect himself. As for other things, he would think about them in the future.
He took a deep breath and said, "That day, Madam came to the company to ask for money. If I didn't give it to her, she would use her status as a shareholder and as your wife to oppress me. If I didn't do as she said, she would chase me out of this place. You really can't blame me for this, CEO!"
Everyone fell silent, shocked at the truth.
So it was Lu Yaohua's wife? they gasped inwardly.
The CEO was completely unaware of such a big thing? Have we just heard something that we shouldn't have?
They looked at Lu Yaohua cautiously.
Lu Yaohua clenched his fists and slammed the table. A loud thud followed. It was obvious how angry he was. The others did not dare to breathe loudly.
"Assistant Wei! Didn't I ask you to keep an eye on Lu Ze recently? What were they doing?"
Assistant Wei, who was sitting at the end of the table, said, "I only know that Young Master Lu and Madam were always looking at their phones. They stopped me from getting too close, but they seemed to have mentioned some blockchain or Dogecoin. I'm not very sure."
The air temperature dropped to freezing point!
Dogecoin?
Even those who had not heard of it before knew about it now. After all, the news had been broadcast this morning.
If they guessed correctly, the company's money should be gone by now.
Initially, Lu Yaohua was still hoping for a fluke, until Assistant Wei's words almost made him bleed!
He wondered how he could have a wife and son who cheated him so badly.
Are we really family?
Every time I resolved something, these two people would cause new trouble!
What bad luck do I have to encounter these two outrageous people?!
"Meeting dismissed!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he was the first to charge out.
Shi Tian heaved a sigh of relief. This round was finally over. Fortunately, Assistant Wei had said it in time. Otherwise, things would not have ended well today.
Du Tianyu snorted. "Looks like you're lucky. You won't be so lucky next time!"
He was all prepared to receive a promotion and a raise, but who knew that something like this would happen?
He had never expected that Tang Wenyi, who came from a prestigious family, would take the lead to do such a ridiculous thing!
He thought of Lu Yaohua's son again. If he wanted to hand the company over to such a playboy, he should jump ship as soon as possible.
On the way to the hospital, Lu Yaohua kept praying that he could at least salvage some losses.
There's 500 million yuan in cash flow in the account. I'm sure they won't invest it all.
If I hurry over and get them to cut their losses, I should be able to recover 200 to 300 million yuan… No, no, 100 million yuan is fine too.
Even if it's 50 million yuan.Driver, hurry up."
The car sped along the highway.
Lu Yaohua was anxious.
Not long ago, he had told his friends that only a fool would lose money in this!
He did not expect the slap in the face to come so quickly!What a joke!
He would be dragged down by these two pricks sooner or later!
Although the company could not have become so successful without Tang Wenyi's support, he was willing to have a smaller company now rather than face the situation of the company being cheated out of money!
"Damn it!" he shouted.
He took a few deep breaths and calmed himself down before opening his phone.
Maybe it's not as serious as the news reported? Maybe we can get some money? Maybe things will change for the better?
There was always a 'what if' scenario.
With trembling hands, he opened the interface. He subconsciously closed his eyes and began to beg his grandfather and grandmother in his heart. No matter which immortal it was, it had to help him. He was willing to consecrate the immortal every day at home as long as the price did not drop!
He slowly opened his eyes. When he saw those red lines plunging like a valley, he almost could not breathe!
Not even a right-angled triangle could be this straight!
He panted heavily. There was only one thought in his mind. It's over! Everything is over! The money that he had worked so hard to save was gone!
When Dogecoin became popular, he took a look at it and knew the price.
From the initial value of about 10 USD to only a single digit, and finally to 0.03 USD?!
This was too much of a leap!
He was so angry that his teeth chattered. He wished he could fly over immediately and beat his wife and son up!
500 million yuan!
There was really nothing left!
It would be fine if the Tang family was willing to help, but the point was that they could not wait to cut ties with them!
Moreover, no matter what Tang Wenyi and Lu Ze did, even if they squandered all their assets, they could leave and return to Beijing to enjoy a better life!
Why doesn't she think about me?! he thought.
At that time, he could only stay in Shanghai to deal with the mess. He would live a life worse than a few years ago!
Are we still family? he thought.
If Wenfang were still around, she would definitely have been raising money everywhere. She would never have squandered 500 million yuan of his company funds. That was simply impossible!
If he had not chosen to divorce back then, not only would he have a virtuous wife, he would also have a smart and capable son! What was the Lu Corporation to him? With so many famous companies under his elder son, he did not have to do anything. All he had to do was accept the praises from others every day!
Now, it was the opposite. He could have enjoyed a better life, but he had no choice but to become enemies with his elder son for the sake of the benefits before his eyes. And the rich missy he married was one of the culprits who got him into such a situation.
His eyes were bloodshot!
He had toiled so hard, putting in long hours at work. Not only did his wife and son not understand, but they even used up the company's lifesaving money behind his back!
What do I do now!
The fame and fortune that he had pursued his entire life had all turned into bubbles at this moment!
If I'm going to be lonely, I might as well have a stable life from the beginning! he thought.
At the hospital.
Lu Ze looked at his phone in despair. "Mom, what should we do? If Dad finds out about this, he'll kill me!"
He knew what 500 million yuan meant to Lu Yaohua, so he was instantly anxious.
"It's alright, it's alright. With me around, Yaohua wouldn't dare to do anything to you. Besides, I've talked to him about this matter in advance. I'll call Shi Tian now and ask him to stall for time. I'll borrow money from Old Master immediately!"
Tang Wenyi couldn't care less that Lu Ming was still around. She dialed a number. "Shi Tian, don't tell anyone about the money…"
"Madam, it's not that I'm not tight-lipped, but I really can't do anything about it. When the Vice CEO was investigating the accounts, he found out that there was a problem and told the CEO directly."
Shi Tian did not mention that he had betrayed Tang Wenyi. Instead, he indirectly pushed the blame onto Du Tianyu.
"What do you mean?!"
Tang Wenyi could not react in time. It had not been half a month, had it? How did they find out so quickly?
A helpless voice came from the other end of the phone. "The CEO already knows. He flew into a rage in the conference room and said that he would never let anyone off. Now he…"
"He must have run to find you."
Before she could finish, Tang Wenyi hung up the phone and looked at her husband, who was panting. Lu Yaohua usually cared about how he looked to others. How could he allow himself to look so pathetic?
She forced a smile and said, "Yao, Yaohua, you're here…"
Lu Yaohua walked forward and slapped her!
The sound was crisp!
Even the people in the hallway could hear him.
"Pig brain!"
"You're a f*cking pig brain! Can you have some self-awareness?! Neither of you had learned anything about business, so how dared you invest using the company's money?! Don't you know that I have to rely on that money for many of my collaborations?!"
Tang Wenyi was stunned by the sudden slap. She said blankly, "I, I thought my son is a genius…"
"Genius my ass! If he was a genius, he would have shown it long ago. Why would he have achieved nothing until now?! If he's a genius, then there's no fool in the world!"
Lu Yaohua slapped her again in anger. "I treat you as my family. What do you take me for?! An ATM?! I've treated you well, right? Why did you do this!? Missy! You should have woken up, right? What are we going to use to compete with others now!"
Tang Wenyi covered her face. No matter how angry Old Master was, he had never slapped me. What right did Lu Yaohua have to do this?
She said unhappily, "Isn't it just a lousy company?! Is there a need to be so angry? Those who don't know might even think that your company is big! Also! That company has my money in it. What's wrong with using some of it?!"
"A small company? That was my hard work! So that's how you've always looked at me! I've given you whatever you wanted these past few years. Have I ever treated you badly?!"
Lu Yaohua raised his voice and roared,
"Alright! You're the high and mighty third daughter of the Tang family, but you're not f*cking in Beijing now! That's your Tang family's territory. You can do whatever you want there! But this is Shanghai! Everything you have now is obtained by the Lu Corporation!
Why do you think those people supported you? No matter how powerful your Tang family is, their influence would not have reached Shanghai! The family that you are proud of has turned a blind eye to your demise! I was the one who solved all those problems one by one!
Tang Wenyi, what do you take me for?
It's fine if our son is insensible because he has been spoiled by you, but how can you be insensible as well?!"Your sisters are so shrewd. Why are you different from them?"
His words were full of disdain. If my wife had been smarter, would I have fallen into such a state? he thought.
Lu Yaohua's chest heaved as he looked at Lu Ze. Lu Ze was so scared that he trembled. It was not that Lu Ze was timid, but rather, his father looked like a devil that had just come from hell.
He looked menacing.
Even children would cry if they saw him.
"If I were smart, do you think I would have taken a fancy to you, given your ability and appearance?! It was all because I gave you a chance! Otherwise, how could you have come into contact with my influential family in Beijing?"
Tang Wenyi's eyes were red as she said, "Don't think I don't know that you're using the Tang family's name to build connections everywhere outside! How many partnerships were signed on account of the Tang family!"
She had thought that Lu Yaohua was her true lover, so she ignored her family's opposition and came to Shanghai!
Back then, she was not bad looking and had a good family background, so many families extended olive branches to her. If I had not come to Shanghai to discuss cooperation, would I have met Lu Yaohua? she thought.
Initially, her thoughts were very simplistic. He was older than her and had a mature outlook on life, and was very good at taking care of people. She had to say that back then, Lu Yaohua put in all his effort just to win a smile from her. She had not had much exposure to the world, and was instantly attracted to him.
After that, she broached the subject of marriage to her family. Everyone advised her to find another suitor, and in the end, she went on a hunger strike to get her freedom.
All these years, those people had been talking behind her back about her poor judgment. Under the pressure of her family and the risk of being abandoned, she had still resolutely clung to Lu Yaohua. She did not expect him to reveal his true colors at this time!
"If I had known that your character was so terrible, I would have returned to the capital and married someone else! Whether it's family background or ability, how could you compare to those people in the capital? I shouldn't have counted on you!"
Lu Yaohua had an inferiority complex by nature. The last thing he wanted was to be reprimanded by someone.
He pointed at Tang Wenyi and said, "Wasn't that why you took a fancy to me?! You don't have a sharp mind, and the son you gave birth to is also not smart! What have you raised him to be! You have the cheek to say that about me?"
Unlike my son with Wenfang, who has several companies at such a young age!
Just when both parties were in a deadlock, Lu Ming walked out from a corner and started clapping. "Dog eat dog, what a good show! I haven't felt so good in a long time."
He really wished his mother could witness this scene. Lu Yaohua did not have it easy after he abandoned his wife and son. Instead, he and his new wife looked down on each other deep down.
He chuckled and said, "Do you know why you heard about this method of earning money?"
Lu Yaohua suddenly had a bad feeling. His throat became dry.
Tang Wenyi looked at Lu Ze, who stammered, "… They heard it at the bar."
"Is the source of the information an employee of my company?"
Lu Ze's eyes widened. "H-how did you know about this?"
"Because I was that employee."
The three of them stood rooted to the spot!
What is going on?! they thought.
Lu Ming was the one who spread the news about Dogecoin?
Lu Ming looked at their expressions with satisfaction. He held his stomach and laughed. "Hahahaha! You're really stupid! Why would I let you take advantage of me? Do you think I'm a saint? Why don't you think about it… How could such a good thing happen to you?"
"No, impossible! How did you know that Dogecoin would drop so much?!"
Lu Ze said in disbelief.
"From the moment you heard the news, you fell into my trap. I had also grasped your greedy nature. If you had restrained yourselves a little, you would still have money left. What a pity."
Lu Ming said knowingly.
He glanced at the three of them and his smile became more genuine. He said, "Didn't you want to snatch the company from me? Now that your accounts are empty, how can you afford to do that? What will you do with the Wanke Real Estate shares that you've worked so hard to obtain? Sell them?"
Tang Wenyi's body trembled. Did this bastard plan everything himself?! she wondered.
She quickly took out her phone and dialed a number, saying, "You can't sell them! You can't sell them! I won't let you have your way!"
"… Ms. Tang, it's fine if you don't want to sell them. But transfer the money to me first. I won't be in such a hurry to sell them to others."
The crux of the problem was—they had only agreed on buying the shares, but when it was time to buy, they did not have the money. This was not a game. It would have been fine if they had not signed the contract, but they had already signed the contract!
And it was Lu Ze and Tang Wenyi who signed it eagerly.
Now the other party had started to urge them to pay their debts. If they had not mentioned the Lu Corporation in time, the people who were going to negotiate with them would probably have pestered them.
Money?!
Where would Tang Wenyi get the money? She did not even have the money for Lu Ze to get married now!
"Ms. Tang, please don't play dirty tricks. If you want to sell them at a higher price, it will take time. If you're not in a hurry, I'll take my time."
A young man's voice came from the other end of the phone.
Just as Tang Wenyi was about to say something, Lu Yaohua said, "Sell them as soon as possible!"
Based on their current financial situation, they could not afford to delay at all.
"Then we can only set the lowest price."
"No matter what the price is, let's sell it first!"
Lu Yaohua said without hesitation.
"That's good."
Not long after, Lu Ming's phone rang. He specially put it on speaker. "What's the matter?"
"Boss, we've already purchased the remaining 49% of Wanke shares at a low price."
"Alright, thank you."
After hanging up, he said to Tang Wenyi, "Thanks to your acquisition, I've completely controlled Wanke. I'll take my leave now."
Lu Ming had benefited from their wishful thinking!
After he left, Lu Yaohua said in exasperation, "You guys… You f*cking aren't very capable, but you're pretty ambitious! Wanke! That's f*cking Wanke! If it were that easy to snatch it away, Wanke would have changed hands long ago, right?!"
Now, not only did he have to fill the shortfall in his company, but he also had to make up for the difference in share prices. The problem was that they had not succeeded in acquiring the shares yet!
His legs turned weak as he knelt on the ground. Money! Money! All of it was money! Even if he sold himself, he would not be able to produce so much money! He cried as he cursed, "Prodigal woman! Prodigal son! This is f*cking retribution!"Other than Lu Yaohua crying and scolding, there was only silence in the ward.
No one would have thought that this was just Lu Ming's trap. Not only did they take the initiative to jump in, they even handed him a big gift!
Lu Ze's features were twisted as he stared at the white wall. He had never thought that the bastard he didn't care about could set up such a big game. How is this possible?! he thought.
Someone is definitely guiding him from behind!
Who could it be? he wondered.
Who could not wait for their Lu family to fall!
Zhou Youming or the Liu family?
Or someone he had offended before?
He suddenly thumped himself down on the bed and said with some hope, "Right, right, we can still go to the bank to borrow money! This time, we will invest in another currency and we will definitely be able to earn it back! I have already grasped the rules. As long as we sell all the holdings in the early stages, we will definitely be able to earn back the money a few folds! What is 500 million yuan?"
This time, it was because of Lu Ming that they lost everything.
He did not believe that Lu Ming would be so bored that he would breathe down their necks all day long!
"Do you want our family to be finished?! Didn't I already say it? You don't have the talent in this aspect! You are different from Lu Ming. Other people can casually invest and earn money, but you only know how to lose money! You invest without knowing anything. How are you going to pay back the money that you lost?!"
Lu Yaohua paused for a moment and continued.
"Do you want us to sleep on the streets and be hit by others when we're down?! I suspect that your brain has been damaged by eating, drinking, and playing! Are you using us as ornaments? I don't expect you to come up with any good ideas, but you can't continue to cheat people, right?"
He took a deep breath and pointed at Tang Wenyi again. "Look! This is the good son you raised! How do you expect me to continue to run the company? Huh? Are you trying to make ridiculous promises? Do you think people are stupid?! Well said, you're risking your life for nothing! Who doesn't know that my Lu Corporation is on the verge of collapse now?!"
He was furious.
Now the sight of both of them vexed him—it was called 'regret'!
Other people's wife and son were all caring and supportive, but his own wife and son were the bane of his life!
Knowing that she was in the wrong, Tang Wenyi suppressed the displeasure in her heart and stood rooted to the spot.
Just as Lu Yaohua was about to say something, his phone rang. He picked up impatiently and asked in a hoarse voice, "What is it?"
"CEO, Tai Ming Company with whom we were in talks with, are urging us to transmit funds for the '731' partnership.
Yes.
In addition to repaying his debts, the money he had earned from selling the land was to be used for cooperation. Initially, with some cash from the company, he could transfer the money over and sell the goods he had obtained. That way, he could recover some money.
In any case, this could slowly make things better.
Well, not only did his company run out of money, but he also had nothing left in his pocket.
Where would he get the money to pay?
If he did not pay within the specified time, he would have to bear the astronomical penalty!
"… Try to stall for a while longer, I'll think of something. How much money does the company have now?"
"200 thousand yuan."
200 thousand yuan?!
This was f**king not enough!
Great, all his hard work was wasted again!
He kicked the door a few times in exasperation, attracting the attention of a nurse. She asked carefully, "May I know… what do you need?"
"Nothing!"
Lu Yaohua snapped.
Seeing this, the nurse did not dare to continue asking. She was afraid that she would be implicated, so she hurriedly said, "Call me if you need me."
Then she ran away without looking back.
Lu Ze shifted his position and was about to lie down when he accidentally pressed the remote control. The television news suddenly appeared in their line of sight.
"New project by the Shanghai municipal government has been officially launched. According to sources, the piece of land in the suburb has successfully been incorporated in the proposal for the Shanghai 2035 Plan. In the future, there will be three subway tracks and a high-tech residential area. There will be important industries such as robotics, AR/VR, electric cars, and so on…"
Lu Yaohua did not listen to what the host was saying next. He stared at the television with an incredulous expression!
Just as Lu Ming had said previously, the land value had really increased!
His body began to sway as if he would faint the next second. He heard what Lu Ming said at that time but he did not take it to heart. After all, the officials' standards were very rigorous. How could they possibly fancy that piece of land?
However, reality had given him a few hard slaps!
It had really caught their eye!
Then… wouldn't he lose money for having sold it for 100 million yuan?!
This increase in value is 100 times? 100 million yuan became 10 billion yuan in an instant!
The stark contrast was unbearable to watch!
He had sold such a good place for slightly more than 100 million yuan?! When did his judgment become so poor?!
H-how is this possible?
Meanwhile, at Wanke Real Estate.
We've earned about 300 million yuan this month, in particular, from the apartments in the Southeastern Courtyard. Now, the property prices are increasing. This means that our chance has come. The price of apartments located on the side away from the sun is decreasing. It's not a problem to increase the price of the ones located in the middle by a few folds…
Lu Ming sat in the leather chair and said as he read the information.
From time to time, the others would pick up a pen and scribble on a piece of white paper.
The door to the conference room suddenly opened. A young man in a gray suit said excitedly, "Boss, is the piece of land in the suburb—the one you bought a while ago?"
Lu Ming looked up. "Yes, is there a problem?"
He remembered that this person was probably his department's supervisor.
Why did he suddenly come over? he wondered.
"The news has just been broadcast! The city government will be building a high-tech residential area there! It will focus on development in the future! Back then, you spent 100 million yuan to buy it. Now its value has increased 100 times! In other words…"
"10 billion yuan!"
Gasps could be heard!
Did we hear wrongly?
The return on investment is multiple folds!
We f*cking profited from this!
They looked at Lu Ming in astonishment. Lu Ming said calmly, "Oh, I know."
"Boss, aren't you happy?"
The department head asked curiously.
"I knew the value of this piece of land would increase."
Lu Ming glanced at the employees who were dumbfounded. "Are you very surprised?"
It's more than a surprise!
This is f*cking shocking!
The boss has really good foresight! Or rather, he has extraordinarily good foresight!
Ji Yu also recovered from her initial stunned state. She did not expect this junior boss to give everyone such a big surprise in just a few days!
She looked at Lu Ming admiringly. With such a nonchalant attitude, those who did not know better would think that it was a small matter!
No wonder he insisted on buying that piece of land previously, even though no one was optimistic about it. So it was because of this potential? With the current situation, buying it for 100 million yuan back then was really very profitable!
She began to wonder where Lu Ming got so much information. It was as if everything in the world was under his control. Even the Lu family, which had dominated Shanghai for so many years, was under his thumb.
Compared to those people in Beijing, Lu Ming was not inferior. Perhaps he was better!
She sighed in admiration. Such talent… is probably rare in this world, she thought. Perhaps some people are born to stand at the top.
She began to hope that Lu Ming could go further. Shanghai was too constraining for such a huge dragon.
"Boss, aren't you going to treat us to a meal to celebrate such a good thing?"
Lu Ming swept his gaze across their expectant faces and said, "In that case, I will buy everyone dinner. After work, gather all the employees to have a meal together!"
He did not mind taking this opportunity to win people's support. He felt that although the entire Wanke Company was his now, if employees ran away, it would be pointless having an empty shell.
The department head said excitedly, "Then I'll tell them the good news now! We won't hold back then!"
"Alright, eat whatever you want."
On the other side.
Han Qianjing was lying on a chair with her eyes half closed. Xu Wei bent over and said, "That was what happened. It's said that the value of that piece of land has reached 10 billion yuan."
She had to admit that the man that Missy had taken a fancy to was really no ordinary person!
His sharp business foresight alone surpassed others by a mile. In addition, he was not bad-looking. Slowly, she began to favor Lu Ming.
Other than his family background, Lu Ming was really very outstanding.
He was like a glowing pearl, compelling people to focus their attention on him.
She looked at Han Qianjing cautiously and asked, "What do you think?"
"I think?"
Han Qianjing revealed a dark smile. She had not expected Lu Ming to have such acumen. She was skeptical of what he said previously. After all, even she was not sure if that piece of land would be targeted by the officials.
Now it seems that this kid…
That's right, the younger generation will surpass us in time.
10 billion yuan?
She could not help but be tempted, but it was a pity that no one showed interest during the auction. No one thought that the value of this piece of land would grow so much!
Her fingers tapped the armrest rhythmically. Such vision could not have been nurtured by an ordinary family. However, according to the information she had, Lu Ming indeed did not have an influential background.
"You think this person is not bad, right?"
She naturally knew what Xu Wei was thinking. Many people would flock to him.
He was so dazzling.
After a moment of silence, Xu Wei said, "Yes, and Missy likes him very much."
If Lu Ming was someone who only knew how to have fun, she would not have said that. However, given his ability, he was compatible with his mistress.
His appearance gave him a lot of credit.
Han Qianjing narrowed her eyes like a cat. "I have to say, to be able to do this much is really surprising. I haven't seen such a talented young man in a long time."
"Who is so talented?"
A female voice came from afar. Chu Jinyu walked in with her bag and said, "This is the first time I've heard you praise someone."
Han Qianjing did not say anything.
Xu Wei said, "We're talking about Mr. Lu. The value of the piece of land he bought at the auction increased by 100 times today. Moreover, the officials have decided to build a high-tech industrial park there."
A hundred times??
Isn't that 10 billion yuan!?
Chu Jinyu's eyes widened. "Are you sure you didn't add a zero?"
"Indeed, 10 billion yuan."
After getting Xu Wei's affirmative answer, her mouth was wide open. She knew that Lu Ming was capable but she did not expect him to be so amazing!
What followed was wild joy!
She looked at her mother excitedly and said, "Mom! Would you acknowledge him now? He's so outstanding. You should relent, right?"
Han Qianjing looked up. "I'll consider it again."
"Mom, you have to think faster! If others make the first move and gain a competitive advantage, then I won't even have a place to cry!"
Thinking about it meant that there was hope. This was better than the previous veto.
Chu Jinyu could not wait to hear the answer from her mother. He was indeed her Brother Lu Ming. He was amazing!
…
At the hospital.
Tang Wenyi looked at the piece of land in the news and found it familiar, but she could not remember where she had seen it before. She glanced at her dumbfounded husband and asked curiously, "What happened to you again? Are you stupid?"
"F*ck!!!"
Lu Ze quickly recognized the land and said, "Dad! Isn't this the piece of land that we have in the suburbs?! It actually increased by so much! Now, not only do we have the money to fill the shortfall in the company, but we can also advance!"
He was in ecstasy.
Tang Wenyi seemed to have forgotten something, but before she could think further, her precious son had stirred her emotions. "It seems like even God is on our side! With this 10 billion yuan, the Lu Corporation can return to its heyday! Who knows, we might really be able to do whatever we want in Shanghai!"
Perhaps we would have a shot at becoming the Tang family head!
At the thought of this, her smile became more genuine. She would soon be the wife of the head of the Tang family in Beijing! At that time, Lu Ming would be nothing!
Lu Yaohua felt his limbs grow heavy as he watched the two of them. His heart turned cold. It was summer, but it felt like winter.
Seeing his expression get darker, Tang Wenyi asked curiously, "Why do you look like someone died? Isn't this something to be happy about?"
"… Have you forgotten? I sold this piece of land sometime ago. The buyer was Lu Ming."
The atmosphere in the ward became heavy.
Like a roller coaster drop, their hearts sank.
Disregarding her image, Tang Wenyi scolded, "You piece of trash! How could you sell such a valuable piece of land to that bastard?! Are you blind?! You gave him such a big gift for nothing!"
"Dad, you said that I lost 500 million yuan, but you lost 10 billion yuan! Compared to you, it's not even a fraction of what you lost! You still have the cheek to scold me?"
Lu Ze continued his attack. He had been suppressing his anger for a long time and was waiting to get back!
Lu Yaohua's eyes darkened and he fainted!