"Really? It's that expensive!"
"Of course!" Jiang Yuanwei, a self-proclaimed car enthusiast, couldn't hide his excitement as he admired the Rolls-Royce Phantom. He moved around it eagerly, examining every detail.
"Do you need something?" Shang Yunyan asked as he stepped out of the car, noticing Jiang Yuanwei.
"This car—is it yours?"
"Yes. Oh, Yiru, you're here too?"
"Good evening, Young Master Shang." Seeing Shang Yunyan, Xu Yiru felt her mood inexplicably lift. As her gaze shifted between Shang Yunyan and Jiang Yuanwei, her preference for Shang Yunyan became apparent.
One was tall, handsome, and radiated a warm, refined charm. The other was short, overweight, and covered in acne. The choice was obvious to anyone.
"Yiru, do you two know each other?" Jiang Yuanwei asked curiously.
"Yes. This is Mr. Shang. He attended our family's auction previously. This car, along with Villa No. 13, belongs to him."
"Good evening, Mr. Shang." Jiang Yuanwei greeted him cautiously, already speculating about their relationship. Jiang Yuanwei had a keen interest in Xu Yiru. After all, beautiful women appeal to men. But Xu Yiru wasn't just beautiful; she carried an air of elegance that made one want to cherish her.
"Good evening." Shang Yunyan nodded and briefly locked eyes with Xu Yiru. She quickly averted her gaze, but Shang Yunyan noticed something—she seemed to be in a difficult situation.
Ding!
Host, the woman you fancy is currently on a blind date, and this man is her match. They had dinner earlier and are now taking a walk, but she feels no attraction toward him. What an amusing situation!
"System, shut up."
"Yiru, would you and your friend like to come in and sit for a while? I just received some top-grade Tianzhan Da Hong Pao tea this afternoon. You can try it."
"Tianzhan Da Hong Pao? Isn't that tea worth nearly 30 million?" Jiang Yuanwei exclaimed, visibly thrilled. He turned to Xu Yiru, urging, "Let's go, Yiru. Let's give it a taste!"
Xu Yiru glanced between Shang Yunyan and Jiang Yuanwei, her expression thoughtful. Sensing something in Shang Yunyan's calm demeanor, she finally nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Shang. Sorry to trouble you."
The villa's grand gate opened, and Shang Yunyan's housekeeper, Duan Yurou, along with Ling'er and other staff, were already waiting to welcome him home.
"Oh my God! What a huge house! A villa this size within the third ring of the Imperial Capital—it's like a palace!" Jiang Yuanwei exclaimed.
Hearing this, Xu Yiru frowned slightly. Isn't this guy supposed to be the heir of the Jiang family, one of the six major families of the Imperial Capital? Why does he act like he's never seen anything like this?
The villa's back door opened. Duan Yurou took Shang Yunyan's coat and handed him his slippers. "Young Master, shall I prepare dinner now?"
"Not yet. Two guests are here. Have the chef brew two cups of the Tianzhan Da Hong Pao we received this afternoon."
"Yes, Young Master."
Even Xu Yiru and Jiang Yuanwei were handed slippers and sanitized towels by the servants.
Jiang Yuanwei followed Xu Yiru into the reception hall, marveling at every detail.
"Mr. Shang, what business are you in? Your lifestyle is truly impressive."
"I just dabble in small investments. Nothing worth mentioning."
"Excuse me, Young Master." Duan Yurou approached with a polite tone. "The patent number is required for the company registration. I can't make this decision without consulting you."
"Alright, proceed."
"And about the three billion startup capital, the Northern Fifth Ring Tianji redevelopment project requires a timeline. When should the drafts be completed?"
"By the end of the year."
"Understood." Duan Yurou nodded apologetically to Xu Yiru and Jiang Yuanwei before leaving.
"Amazing! Mr. Shang even owns patents?" Xu Yiru's surprise was evident.
"Yes, just a few. I've only recently started in the Imperial Capital. I hope to integrate smoothly into the local market."
"You should consider partnering with us—the Six Major Families," Jiang Yuanwei interjected confidently.
"The Six Major Families?" Shang Yunyan asked, his expression unchanging.
"Indeed! The Imperial Capital's Six Major Families control nearly half of Shenhua's commercial lifeline!"
Shang Yunyan couldn't help but chuckle. What an audacious claim. Controlling half of Shenhua? They must think they're emperors.
"Mr. Shang, I'm serious! The Six Major Families include her family, the Xu family, and their Xu Corporation; my Jiang family, Jiang Capital; the Liu family's Tianfeng Consortium; the Deng family's Glory Capital; the Fan family's Qihua Group; and the Zhao family's Shengmao Investments. Each of these families controls companies valued over a trillion. The Tianfeng Consortium even exceeds two trillion. My Jiang family will also surpass two trillion by early next year!"
Jiang Yuanwei's voice grew louder, drawing the attention of nearby maids. Shang Yunyan's expression, however, remained unchanged, as if this had nothing to do with him.
And why would it? No matter how high a company's valuation, the actual liquidity available to its members might not be significant.
In contrast, Shang Yunyan's universal land system had already amassed nearly ten billion in cash, along with several tons of gold. According to the system's calculations, the gold alone was worth nearly fifty billion—and its value increased daily.