Chapter 423 - Are You Getting Too Tired Lately?
“Is that so…” Old Sheng stared at his crutch for a moment before telling Gu Ziling, “Perhaps the time hasn’t come for you two yet. You could try waiting for a while longer.”
After all, which person would dare to admit that their grandson had a problem in that aspect?
And while Gu Ziling shared the same opinion as well, her heart felt a little conflicted. After being wed to Sheng Kai over half a year, their marriage almost passed off as real and she almost forgot herself.
“I got it, Grandfather.”
But if the baby was still not coming, she would have to come up with something to have Sheng Kai do a checkup at the hospital.
***
Days later at the land auction.
The crowd was discussing how they might see Zhongteng’s people show up, and even Sheng Kai felt anticipation in his seat.
Soon, Xu Che and another deputy at Zhongteng arrived at the auction venue.
Hence, many company leaders deliberately turned around to check out the people in charge of Zhongteng—after all, the company was too mysterious.
Nonetheless, many were stunned by Xu Che’s babyish face, which made him appear very young. Was this youth the one who could push Zhongteng to such horrific might?”
No one knew.
But amongst them, the most confused person was Sheng Kai.
After all, he remembered Xu Che for bringing a drunk Third Brother home some time ago. He assumed that the youth was a bartender, but to think that he was from Zhongteng… could Third Brother be acquainted with the company?
Either way, the auction soon began.
The starting price for the plot of land on the east side of the city was 1.3 billion dollars, and many big shots present competed with each other to raise their cards. However, most of them were only putting on a dozen million dollars to the pool, and even Sheng Kai only added a hundred million.
However, when it was Zhongteng’s turn to call a price, Xu Che went with 2.6 billion dollars immediately.
The crowd was stunned. Still, most of the big shots thought then that the land was a wasteland anyway, and not worth that much. But even as they gave up, Sheng Kai pushed forward, because Huang Yao wants that piece of land at all cost.
“Three billion.”
“Four billion.”
“Four point five billion.” Sheng Kai called.
“Six billion.” Xu Che’s cool voice echoed in the venue.
“Six point five billion.”
This time, however, Xu Che did not
“Six point five billion, calling once!”
“Calling twice!”
Huang Yao claimed the plot of land with the sound of the hammer, but Sheng Kai suddenly got the feeling that Xu Che was deliberately inflating the price.
Everyone else thought that Sheng Kai had gone mad, stiffly bloating a land only worth 1.3 billion dollars up to that astronomical price.
In fact, they were equally curious how much capital Zhongteng possessed that they could so easily call out a price of six billion.
After the auction and everyone started leaving, Sheng Kai approached Xu Che and told him, “We’ve met before, when you brought my Third Brother home.”
“Is that so? I don’t know him. I was simply giving him a ride when we met at a bar.” Xu Che answered.
“A-are you really in charge of Zhongteng?”
“I don’t have a daughter or son at a marriageable age in my home. Sorry to disappoint, Mr. Sheng.”
Xu Che cut to the chase, and walked past Sheng Kai as he left the venue.
Sheng Kai, meanwhile, was left stunned.
How could Xu Che be so aware of the Sheng family’s intentions?
Zhongteng is really mysterious!
***
His mission accomplished, Xu Che reported back at the office of Zhongteng, with Sheng Xiao being supremely pleased to learn that Huang Yao had squandered 6.5 billion dollars. “They’ve just ventured into the Asian-wide market, and they are already acting rich and overbearing.”
“6.5 billion dollars doesn’t count for much to Huang Yao.”
“It certainly doesn’t, but there is no way that plot of land could be worth that amount of money. Now, I’ve settled the score with the Sheng family for burning down Jing Ting!”
Xu Che was left confused just then. “Hadn’t Miss Qi already got even against them half a year ago?”
“My little one only made Huang Yao’s stocks plummet. In truth, those things are merely a part of virtual economy—the money doesn’t really go to anyone and simply vanish from the market. From that perspective, Huang Yao isn’t dealt a loss just because they didn’t earn it, but when they pay up the 6.5 billion dollars here, the Sheng family would really feel the pain then.”
“I see. Still, you really have been keeping this grudge for a long time, Chief Sheng.”
“I kept even longer grudges… care to test me?”
Xu Che quickly threw up his hands.
***
Sheng residence.
Old Sheng almost had a heart attack when he learned that Sheng Kai used 6.5 billion dollars to buy a plot of land, but Sheng Kai had his own excuse and was adept at diverting the old man’s focus.
“The purpose in Zhongteng’s deliberate provocation is to supplant Huang Yao’s influence. Grandfather, we can’t let them have their way—sure, we did spend 6.5 billion, but in the eyes of others, Huang Yao’s status in Jianchuan is untouchable.”
“Have you met their leader?” As Sheng Kai expected, the old man turned his attention to the mysterious company.
“I met a young man, but I suspect he isn’t the person in charge.”
“Get to the bottom of this. Don’t waste the money for nothing and get tricked without even knowing.”
“You don’t have to worry, Grandfather.”
Once Sheng Kai directed the issue to the matter of saving face and Huang Yao’s honor, the old man immediately yielded. Over the last six months, he had become profoundly well-versed in handling the old man, and wouldn’t fight fire with fire like before.
Even so, anyone in the business knew from a single glance that Huang Yao had been set up by Zhongteng.
While Huang Yao would believe that they looked dominant by claiming that plot of land, they were merely rich and pompous—a bunch of silly folks with too much money on hand.
When Gu Ziling heard the news, she couldn’t help questioning Sheng Kai either. “I have no doubts of your ability after being with you for six months now, but why would you make a joke of yourself like this?”
For Sheng Kai’s part, his nerves were relieved as long as he wasn’t facing Old Sheng. “I don’t know why either, but when I saw Zhong Teng’s representative, I somehow had this impulse to beat them.”
“Are you getting too tired lately?”
Sheng Kai shook his head, but then turned to his wife. “Maybe… it’s clearly been so long since Eighth Brother’s matter, but I somehow feel like it was just yesterday.”
“He’s just a piece of trash now. What do you have to worry about?”
Taking a deep breath, Sheng Kai realized then that his wife was right, and so took out his pajamas and went to the bathroom to wash up.
The joke this time really left him embarrassed. Even so, it had already happened, and his only option now was to thoroughly investigate Zhongteng.
***
Late at night.
Mu Qiqi returned home to find her entire family laughing out loud on the sofa.
What could the good news be?
“Why’s everyone so happy?”