Chapter 144: Ignoring the Rules of Engagement, Plotting to Buy the Bottom of Shengxin

Chairman Zhu, Zhu Fengchun.

After the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon subsided, Zhang Long finally remembered who the luxury mansion landlord somewhat resembled. He shared a thirty to forty percent resemblance with Chairman Zhu, the former supervisor and leader at Shengxin.

He had an extraordinary presence and shared the same surname, Zhu. There was a seventy percent probability they were either brothers or cousins. Could it be?

...

"Little brother, who are you?"

Zhu Changhai spoke with a surprised tone, showing no negative reactions. Seeing this, Zhang Long let out a mental sigh of relief, smiled, and confessed frankly, "My name is Zhang Long. A few months ago, I used to work under Chairman Zhu..."

"What? Your name is Zhang Long?"

Before Zhang Long could finish his sentence, and before Zhu Changhai could respond, the young second-generation heir blurted out in astonishment, gazing at Zhang Long with a bewildered expression. Oh, dear!

So that was it. No wonder.

"You've heard of me?"

Zhang Long was slightly stunned inwardly, but meeting the youth's somewhat bewildered gaze, he seemed to understand something. Unsurprisingly, it probably had to do with Qian Caiying. After all, the luxury cruise trip was likely no secret within certain circles.

Qian Caiying's borrowed prestige was already showing initial results.

"Brother Zhang Long has quite a story..."

Zhu Changhai spoke with a smile, "Zhu Fengchun is my cousin, and he works in the financial industry. However, what I need are channel resources in the entertainment and media sector. My top priority for closing the deal would definitely still be Brother Yan. Even purely for fifty million, my two properties will not struggle to sell."

"However, since you know Fengchun, I won't say much more. You are ranked second."

Hearing this, Zhang Long nodded gently.

The reason he brought up Chairman Zhu's prominent name was simply because a straight offer of fifty million lacked enough competitiveness, even though full payment could be settled at any moment. Luxury mansions were never hard to sell.

Unless Zhu Changhai urgently needed fifty million right now and couldn't wait even twenty-odd days for Mr. Yan.

Of course, that was assuming Mr. Yan wasn't all bluff.

"Brother Yan, if I may be so bold..."

The second-generation youth suddenly broke the silence, looking at Mr. Yan with a flash in his eyes. "What is the name of your entertainment company? My brother Zhang Long is quite fond of these two properties. I wonder if you might graciously yield them to us so we can establish a personal favor and cooperate in other ways. I would be immensely grateful."

"The few of us being able to sit here until the very end can also be considered fate. We'll surely have friendships moving forward."

"Heh, trying to corner me?"

Hearing this, Yan Guangzhi was startled for a moment, followed by a mixture of wry amusement and speechlessness. Although he didn't know why this young man had suddenly turned around to speak up for Zhang Long, he must have known something about Zhang Long's achievements and was thus backing him up.

Young man, that's a bit unfair in the rules of the game.

...

Zhang Shangyu hadn't expected to run into the legendary Zhang Long while buying a house. Although their surnames used different characters, phonetically they were practically of the same family, so he decided to help out.

As for these two luxury mansions, Zhang Shangyu was no longer contesting them. The silent woman over there probably felt the same way.

It was only right for elders to yield to the juniors, wasn't it? Besides, it wasn't as if one couldn't forge friendships or partnerships without buying a house.

Be magnanimous and don't compete with us for it.

"Brother Yan, don't overthink it..."

Zhang Long spoke, offering a helpless look. "I really do want the house, but I want the transaction to be pleasant for both sides. I can't help Brother Zhu in the entertainment and media sector, which is a bit regrettable."

"Competition doesn't ruin friendships, and the two big brothers don't need to give special care to us juniors. Otherwise, I wouldn't be happy getting this house, and I would feel unworthy of it."

Zhang Long's tone was very sincere, though combined with Zhang Shangyu's words, it somewhat reeked of a double act.

Of course, the two older men wouldn't dwell on it.

"Dianxing Entertainment."

Yan Guangzhi didn't say much more, directly taking out a business card and handing one to Zhu Changhai, while also giving one to the silent woman, Zhang Long, and Zhang Shangyu.

In Shanghai, although Dianxing Entertainment wasn't a supremely powerful entertainment company, it still had a fair bit of name recognition.

It involved model advertising, commercial performances, film and television production, and so on. It would undoubtedly provide some help to Zhu Changhai in his foray into the entertainment industry. This help could be big or small, heavy or light, especially since Zhu Changhai certainly wouldn't blindly plunge headfirst into the entertainment industry without any preparation.

A wealthy tycoon with a net worth of at least hundreds of millions lacked no shortage of all kinds of connections. Would he need to rely on selling two luxury mansions just to build relationships? It could only be considered a bonus, or at best, the icing on the cake.

Yan Guangzhi was clearly aware of this point, which was why he simply handed over the business card and left it at that. Cooperation could be discussed separately.

It was only after accepting Yan Guangzhi's business card that Zhang Long thought of all the above, causing him to break out in a slight sweat.

The true core demand behind Zhu Changhai's sale of these two luxury mansions was actually just one thing: the third condition that the top-floor duplex could not be occupied within two years and could be bought back at any time. Moreover, Zhang Long taking it down was basically a non-issue.

Would Yan Guangzhi spend fifty million to buy two properties that could not be occupied temporarily? Occupying only the large flat on the lower floor possessed zero appeal. He had overthought it.

As expected, he was still a bit young and naive.

...

"Hongyuan Trading."

A moment later, Zhang Long received Zhu Changhai's business card. He dealt in international maritime trade, though of course he certainly had other sideline businesses as well. For instance, his upcoming venture into the entertainment industry was a business sector of its own, multi-line development.

Zhang Long was actually doing the same.

Aside from the financial company he planned to open with Qian Caiying and Ling Zhiqing, supporting Luo Man in entering the tourism industry, Liu Yurong's painting studio, and buying luxury mansions and commercial storefronts were all business investments, a multi-line development.

Never put all your eggs in one basket.

...

"Huh, also blank?"

Zhang Shangyu was speechless. His business card only had a name and a phone number, and so did Zhang Long's and the silent woman's. It wasn't because the three of them were putting on airs; perhaps they simply didn't have any proper companies or proper professions that they could proudly present.

Zhu Changhai and Yan Guangzhi didn't ask any further questions. After accepting the business cards, they would contact them whenever the time came. If the juniors showed any promise, they would naturally reach out. No more needed to be said.

And just like that, Yan Guangzhi and the silent woman Yao Jingxuan left, as there was nothing left for the two of them to do here.

"Ahem, Brother Zhang Long..."

Before leaving, Zhang Shangyu looked Zhang Long up and down thoroughly before speaking non-committally, "Many people have heard of your exploits with Qian Caiying. You're quite famous within certain circles. You've got admirable courage."

"Both of our surnames are Zhang. Let's make an appointment to grab a little drink and officially get acquainted later."

"I'm off. You go ahead and be busy."

Zhang Long waved goodbye, harboring no special thoughts, merely feeling that the second-generation circle was so small that buying a house could lead to running into someone who knew Qian Caiying. Wait, no.

Not only was the second-generation circle small, but the tycoon circle wasn't very large either; the owner of the luxury mansion turned out to be Chairman Zhu's cousin.

As expected, the higher one went, the smaller the circle became.

Whether in the financial circle or the entertainment circle, aside from the bottom and middle layers, people at the top—even if they didn't know each other personally—had at least heard of each other's names. The Pareto principle applied; the probability of the top twenty percent knowing each other was certainly higher than that of the bottom eighty percent.

"Let's go, lunch first."

Everyone who needed to leave had already left. The specific signing of the luxury mansion transaction was not urgent; today was Saturday, and apart from signing some preliminary agreements and procedures with the real estate agent, nothing else could be processed anyway.

Zhang Long could complete the transaction with full payment at any time, and the transfer of ownership could be handled quickly next week, making it even less urgent.

Now that lunchtime had arrived, Xiuwa Splendor itself had high-end restaurants. They could chat about some matters while eating.

For instance, what about the relationship between Zhang Long and Zhu Fengchun?

...

"Chairman Zhu is a good person."

Inside a high-end operating Chinese restaurant at Xiuwa Splendor, Zhang Long and Zhu Changhai sat facing each other in a windowside booth. "It's a pity that just as he was about to stretch his muscles and make a big move, he was transferred behind the scenes, and two people who didn't understand operations took over the marketing department and blew it up."

"Whether it was suppression or something else, they docked my commission, so I left."

"I came out to go solo with a friend."

Zhu Changhai nodded indifferently, not asking which friend Zhang Long had joined up with. Judging from Zhang Shangyu's previous reaction, it was presumably some second-generation heir, and their friendship was quite solid.

However, the fact that Zhang Long had managed to earn tens of millions within just a few short months of leaving Shengxin was quite terrifying.

Zhu Changhai had thought of this question while upstairs, and the other few had likely done the same.

Therefore, he did not hold the slightest bit of contempt toward Zhang Long.

"The two properties can be sold to you."

After the atmosphere remained quiet for a moment, Zhu Changhai's eyes flashed as he spoke, "I won't bother looking at other buyers anymore, but you must abide by the third condition and not breach the contract."

"The top-floor duplex cannot be occupied within two years. You can go upstairs to enjoy the scenery or store items."

"You must also have it cleaned regularly."

"Alright, no problem."

Zhang Long nodded directly, saying OK. "I'm living alone, and the large flat on the lower floor is temporarily enough to live in. Perhaps the large flat downstairs will be empty and won't be lived in frequently, and I'll still often stay in my current small apartment. It's cozy."

"True, that is indeed the case."

Zhu Changhai nodded. It was unnecessary for Zhang Long to live alone in too large of a house where it felt empty. It was fine to occasionally live there for a change of pace, but living there permanently would be too lonely.

However, the residential community had a high-end clubhouse, and the female attendants inside possessed decent looks and skills. He wouldn't be lonely.

Of course, Zhu Changhai didn't mention this part; Zhang Long would slowly come to understand it himself. Life here was much more colorful.

Compared to living in a small place, the enjoyment was on a completely different level.

And just like that, their very first luncheon was quickly finished. Afterward, Zhang Long and Zhu Changhai went to the sales department to sign the house purchase procedures and the supplementary contract.

Once the real estate agent finished running the necessary errands next week, they could head to the real estate administrative bureau to complete the ownership transfer.

There were zero issues with the two luxury mansions.

Whether it was during the sales manager's introduction last week or today above the landlord Zhu Changhai's head, no negative return rate figures had appeared. If the Golden Finger hadn't malfunctioned, it meant there were no hidden traps in the two luxury mansions.

They could be bought with peace of mind without any pitfalls.

...

"What's got you in such a happy mood?"

That afternoon at Bund Dragon Residence, Luo Man walked in carrying large and small bags of various groceries. She would be staying overnight tonight, and tomorrow she would return to the Luo family with Zhang Long to celebrate the Lantern Festival.

Luo Xin had wanted to come over and check out her brother-in-law Zhang Long's place, but she was rejected by Luo Man. A light bulb? Cut it out.

"Did you make a profit in the stocks again?"

Luo Man asked with lingering confusion. Zhang Long nodded with a chuckle, "I did make a bit more, but what makes me happiest is that my lovely, beautiful, and charming wife has arrived. Tonight it's just the two of us, so we really need to relax our bodies and minds."

"No more holding back, okay?"

"Hmph, you lecherous dragon."

Luo Man's cheeks flushed. The last two times had been at the Luo family home where rolling on the bed inevitably meant holding back, suppressing not only their movements but their voices as well. But that also brought a whole other level of excitement.

After all, her mother and younger sister were right in the neighboring room.

"Wrong, it's the battling dragon!"

Zhang Long laughed heartily. The word "battling" felt much more exhilarating than "lecherous"—one was dynamic while the other was static.

"You scoundrel, come over and help."

Luo Man rolled her eyes and called Zhang Long over to help wash and pick vegetables. Tonight's dinner featured both meat and vegetarian dishes, rich in nutrients to invigorate the body. Naturally, after being well-fed and well-watered, they would be able to burst forth with even greater passion. Tomorrow was Sunday, and neither of them had to work, so tonight doing it a couple of times over wouldn't be too much, drifting off to sleep deep in the middle of the night.

Being like an old married couple, there wasn't much else to say. After all, unspeakable matters were inconvenient to describe. And so it went.

Waking up naturally when the sun was high in the sky, they got out of bed.

"Brother-in-law, eat more..."

Lunch was eaten at the Luo family home. When Zhang Long and Luo Man arrived, the midday meal had already been prepared, and Luo Xin kept piling food onto Zhang Long's plate. He must have been exhausted last night, humph.

So what if her silly older sister hadn't brought her along? It wouldn't have affected their married life, seriously.

Once she got a husband, she forgot all about her own younger sister.

"Brother-in-law, have a tangyuan..."

Today was the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival. Tomorrow, Monday afternoon, Luo Xin would have to head back to university. Although her school wasn't in the northern suburbs, it was quite far away. Normally she lived in the dorms, coming home on Friday evenings and returning to campus on Sunday afternoons.

Although freshman courses were relatively heavier than those of sophomores and juniors, they were far more relaxed than senior high school. Though Luo Xin's physique was delicate, she didn't face much pressure.

Nowadays, the entire Luo family was living better and better under Zhang Long's support. All she had to do was study hard and live well.

Be nice to her brother-in-law—absolute certainty!

...

"Buzz, buzz-buzz～"

On Monday, February 25th, Zhang Long woke up early to operate foreign exchange and stocks, which goes without saying. At lunchtime, as expected, he received a call from Chairman Zhu of Shengxin, presumably because Zhu Changhai had mentioned something to him, prompting the call.

"I really didn't expect this."

After the stock market closed in the afternoon, Zhang Long kept his appointment to meet Zhu Fengchun. The moment they met, he was met with an exclamation of awe from Chairman Zhu.

"Pure luck, just good fortune."

Zhang Long naturally knew what Chairman Zhu was marveling at. In just a few short months, he had managed to amass a net worth of tens of millions, which was somewhat terrifying, feeling almost like a dream.

The last time they met, Zhu Fengchun had even advised Zhang Long that operating for oneself and counseling clients were two different things.

Indeed they were different, but the results were completely inverted—instead of losses, it was a massive profit.

A super massive profit of tens of millions!

Thinking back to Zhang Long's previous remark that if he had a monthly salary of one hundred million with the freedom to come and go as he pleased, he might return to Shengxin—which had sounded utterly absurd and bullshit at the time—now, although Zhang Long's monthly earnings weren't quite one hundred million, they had certainly exceeded ten million. There was no way he would ever return to Shengxin now.

Never mind a monthly salary of ten million; even a monthly salary of one million probably wouldn't tempt him, so he could forget about it.

"What is it that Chairman Zhu wanted to see me for?"

After a moment of silence, Zhang Long didn't beat around the bush and smiled directly, "Presumably you didn't call me here just to reminisce and sigh over the past. If you have something to say, feel free to speak your mind, and I'll consider it."

"Zhang Long, you're very smart."

Chairman Zhu took a deep look at Zhang Long, his eyes flashing non-committally. "Indeed, there is a serious matter."

"Or rather, good news!"

Zhang Long nodded gently. Chairman Zhu's gaze narrowed slightly as he spoke in a low voice, "How much longer Shengxin can hold on is unknown, and when the bull market will arrive is equally unknown. Since you possess the ability to recommend stocks and make money in a bear market, you are top-tier talent."

"Ordinary conditions won't sway you. However, if there is an opportunity to become a board director and senior executive of Shengxin and acquire a certain amount of equity, I wonder if you would be willing?"

"Hmm, how much can I get?"

Zhang Long didn't show much excitement. A half-dead Shengxin was worth nothing aside from its license.

Especially those holding back the board of directors and shareholders—besides putting up roadblocks and causing trouble, what else could they do?

Lead those people to make money? Forget about it.

"I understand your concerns."

Chairman Zhu clearly understood some of Zhang Long's thoughts and misgivings, so he lowered his voice and continued, "What if Shengxin gets rid of its burdens? For example, Director You, Director Guan, and the shareholder forces behind them—complete solidarity?"

"As long as you are willing..."

Chairman Zhu's gaze gradually grew firm, "If Shengxin stops making money, everyone dies anyway. So let those deadweight parasites scram a bit sooner and cleanse Shengxin."

"Under these conditions, are you willing?"

Opposite him, Zhang Long looked at the domineering aura exuding from Chairman Zhu at this moment, his gaze narrowing and flickering!

Plotting against Shengxin, bottom-fishing his old employer?