Infuriating Without Consequences

Lu Chengwen really wanted to curse.

Of all places, Long Aotian's personal Close Guard, Hua Xuening, had been hiding right where he climbed over the wall.

When he fell from the top of the wall, she had most likely struck his thigh.

His thigh was numb now, and he limped when he walked. Escaping over the wall was impossible.

The front gate!

Long Aotian should have already gone inside, so he would not run into him if he used the front gate.

But after only a few steps, Lu Chengwen fell again. The people in the residence spotted him and hurriedly supported him back to the living room as if he were the center of attention.

In the study.

Leng Tianhao was naturally still seated in the Head Seat.

Lu Chengwen and Long Aotian sat on the guest sofas. Long Aotian narrowed his eyes and looked at Lu Chengwen with disdain.

Lu Chengwen wore a face full of smiles, looking at Long Aotian ingratiatingly.

Leng Qingqiu sat in a chair off to the side, pondering inwardly: Why was Long Aotian everywhere? Why was Brother Chengwen always so wary of this man?

Leng Tianhao said, "Mr. Long, please tell us about this matter in detail."

Long Aotian said, "Dayu Group is a super conglomerate in Nanguo. I assume Mr. Leng knows that?"

"Of course." Leng Tianhao said, "Dayu Group alone has built more than forty large-scale Amusement Park Projects across over thirty domestic cities. It is also involved in hotels, film and television investments, tourism city development, art exhibition hall construction... and the development and construction of all kinds of other projects. Its assets are valued at roughly four trillion. It is a genuine major corporation."

Long Aotian nodded. "They have secretly surveyed this project for a long time. They have already selected the location, and the information is naturally top secret. But I can tell you that they are about to begin negotiations. If we move now and buy that plot of land, we will definitely catch them off guard. At that point, all we need to do is sit tight, and they will come to us on their own to negotiate."

Leng Tianhao nodded, gritting his teeth as excitement surged through him. "Over two billion... If we can secure that land, we could even triple the price!"

Long Aotian shook his head. "No."

"Do you think I'm asking too much?"

"It's too cheap."

Long Aotian smiled. "Selling the land would only be a one-shot deal. That would be meaningless. There is plenty we can do with that plot of land as a foundation."

"Oh? Such as?"

Long Aotian said, "They have the funds, and they are already at the design and negotiation stages. Everything is ready except the land. As long as we obtain that plot, we can use it to negotiate with Dayu Group."

"Please explain in detail."

Long Aotian said, "First, we can demand a stake in the project. We can invest at a valuation of seven billion and hold more than twenty percent of the shares in the new large-scale amusement park. If negotiations go well, we could reach twenty-five percent or even higher. Once the amusement park is completed, its annual net profit will be at least five billion. In other words, our annual dividends alone could exceed one billion."

"But that is a long-term profit chain. It will take several years to build the amusement park, and that is not even certain. Our Qianfeng Group..." Leng Tianhao did not say it outright, but his meaning was clear enough.

They needed to make quick money on their side. They could not afford to drag this out, nor could they afford to wait.

"Hahaha!" Long Aotian said. "Mr. Leng, why are you still confused? Future money is future money. With the land in our hands, we can negotiate for far more than just a percentage of shares. Construction, materials, teams, procurement, publicity... If we casually write two or three of those items into the contract, would we still have to worry about making money?"

Leng Tianhao excitedly slapped his thigh. "Brilliant! If that is the case, we can earn back a sizable portion of those two billion during the construction phase alone. And once we participate in this project, the entire Leng Family will be revitalized!"

"Exactly!"

At that moment, Leng Tianhao looked at Lu Chengwen.

"Chengwen, you are not an outsider. You know Qianfeng's situation, and besides, you and Qingqiu are about to get engaged. You are family, which is why I did not hide this matter from you today. What do you think?"

Lu Chengwen was still rubbing his thigh.

What do I think? What the hell does this have to do with me? Long Aotian wants to court your daughter, and this project is his giant door-knocking brick.

Just obediently listen to him. Then he'll help you secure that land too, without charging you a cent—completely free. Wouldn't you be thrilled? Wouldn't you be moved? If you don't cry in gratitude for him, there'll be no way to wrap this up!

And with the tension between Qingqiu and me, you'll have to marry your daughter to him! From then on, you'll treat him as your weather vane in everything. Just listen to whatever he says.

Leng Qingqiu nearly coughed up blood in anger.

This deadhead still thinks I like Long Aotian at a time like this! Which eye saw me liking him? I clearly don't!

Why does he always misunderstand me!? I need to find a way to stop him from misunderstanding.

Wait... Why do I care so much about Lu Chengwen's "misunderstanding"?

Leng Qingqiu had actually been moved, but she had always been proud and found it difficult to quickly accept her own feelings.

For a girl like Leng Qingqiu, pride and coldness were merely her protective coloring.

What girl at her age was not a pure, innocent maiden? Who did not yearn for love?

Leng Qingqiu simply could not quickly accept the changes in her heart.

She lacked that ability. It was her weakness in this regard.

Lu Chengwen hesitantly said, "I... I think Brother Aotian's words make sen..."

Wait!

Lu Chengwen suddenly had a brilliant idea!

Why am I adding fuel to the fire? Why should I help Long Aotian?

I should oppose Long Aotian!

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This big shot was here to show off! How could he show off if everyone unanimously agreed with him? The payoff would not be nearly as satisfying!

I needed to stand up and oppose him, confront him head-on, contradict him, and go against him! Only then could the effect of this round be maximized.

Right! I had to give him a chance to crush everyone present, so he could feel triumphant, like he could destroy the world and turn the tide!

But I had to watch the limit! If I overdid it, he would slap me to death. Right, right, that was how I would do it.

Leng Qingqiu narrowed her eyes. Well, well, Lu Chengwen. Your way of thinking is far too bizarre, isn't it?

If I could not hear your inner thoughts, who would have known you were harboring such twisted schemes?

Good grief, just how much do you hate me? You would rather not be the good guy when the chance is handed to you—you insist on playing the Villain against yourself?

What are you after? Is there a hole in your brain?

Lu Chengwen stood up at this moment. "I think that although Brother Aotian is extraordinarily gifted, handsome and distinguished, immensely talented, and unparalleled under heaven..."

Long Aotian inwardly thought, Why is this guy so disgusting?

"Hey, hey, hey, stop putting a high hat on me. Get to the point!"

"Yes, I do not agree with Brother Aotian's idea."

"Oh?" Leng Tianhao was very surprised.

This was an obvious business opportunity. When he asked for Lu Chengwen's opinion, he was actually giving him an opportunity to do him a convenient favor.

What Leng Tianhao actually wanted to hear was Lu Chengwen's enthusiastic agreement, his active performance in front of Leng Qingqiu, and his declaration that he would fully support them by voluntarily contributing money and effort to help secure the land and participate in the subsequent operations.

That was Leng Tianhao's strategy.

A man like Leng Tianhao had spent many years in the business world and had long become an old hand.

Could he possibly not understand the commercial value of this information? Could he possibly not know how important this project was to the Leng Family?

At crucial moments, important people always spoke with hidden meanings. They always killed two birds with one stone, or three birds with one stone, wishing they could take out a whole crowd with a single shot.

Long Aotian's information was worth a fortune. It could be said that whichever of the Four Great Families he approached with it would grant him lifelong wealth and honor.

But Leng Tianhao did not want Long Aotian to take all the credit. He hoped to use this matter to draw upon the Lu Family's resources, preferably getting the Lu Family to put up some money as well.

After all, one should not put all the good eggs in one basket!

Yet Lu Chengwen, this newly risen, high-quality, black-hearted businessman, was pretending to be stupid at this very moment.

Leng Tianhao's expression darkened. "Chengwen, why do you oppose this project?"

Lu Chengwen thought to himself:

Uncle, wait a moment. I need to think. I need to make something up on the spot.

Leng Qingqiu was nearly angered to the point of vomiting blood.

If this opportunity had been placed in Lu Chengwen's hands at any point during the previous three years, he would have been the first to leap out and make a huge deal of it.

He would have said that he would help negotiate for the land, free of charge; that he would pay for half of it, interest-free, without shares, without seeking repayment; that all he wanted was for them to let him get engaged to Leng Qingqiu.

That was absolutely the old Lu Chengwen's routine. He was shameless enough to do such a thing without question.

But today, he was determined to draw a clear line between himself and her. He knew this deal would make money—make a great deal of money—yet he wanted to distance himself from it.

Damn it!

How hateful!

Lu Chengwen thought for a moment. "First, that plot of land will be very difficult to buy. Once the news leaks, its price will skyrocket immediately."

Leng Tianhao thought, Isn't that obvious? What are we discussing here, then?

"Second..." Lu Chengwen felt he could not make up anything more convincing, so he simply went all in. "Second... I think that Shantytown Renovation Project in the suburbs would be more worthwhile. I suggest we do that project instead."

Leng Tianhao simply could not believe his own ears.

Had Lu Chengwen gone mad?

What did this mean? Was he deliberately contradicting him!?

Could he not see that Leng Tianhao had already made up his mind, and that asking for his opinion was merely a formality?

What the hell was the old city renovation project? Where was he supposed to find so much money to throw into that godforsaken place?

Leng Tianhao's expression grew increasingly unpleasant.

"Oh." He still forced out a smile. "I think this project is worth trying. Chengwen, I recall that your Lu Family has a good relationship with the Land Rights Bureau. Could you help me pull some strings, find out more about the situation, and arrange a meeting with the person in charge of the auction? We can meet and talk. Later on, you can also provide some financial assistance. We are family, so you would not refuse such a small favor, would you?"

Lu Chengwen was almost bursting with joy inside.

Old man, you got that right! I am refusing!

Your family's future will be firmly clutched in the hands of that great Buddha, Long Aotian. I will not interfere.

Lu Chengwen sat on the sofa like some lordly master and said unhurriedly:

"Oh, well... that would be inconvenient. I do know the person in charge of the auction, but I truly do not think highly of this project. As for funding, things are also very tight on my side, very difficult, very tight, very difficult..."

Leng Tianhao was nearly furious to death.

If he had not been concerned about saving face between their two families, he would have already started cursing.

You little bastard, what did you say when you were pursuing our Qingqiu?

You said you would do anything for Qingqiu, that the Leng Family's affairs would be your affairs from then on, and that whether they needed money, manpower, or connections, it would only take a word. You said that as long as Qingqiu married you, you could even take his surname and call yourself Leng Chengwen.

A man who had said such shameless, nauseating words was suddenly putting on airs now!?

Leng Tianhao gritted his teeth, trying his best to maintain diplomatic composure as he forced out a smile. "Fine, Chengwen. Since that is the case, Uncle will not make things difficult for you. It is getting late. You should go home first."

Get lost! Get the hell out!

"Alright."

Lu Chengwen did not waste any words and turned to leave.

"Wait."

Leng Qingqiu could no longer endure it. Her gaze was icy as she looked at Lu Chengwen and said spitefully:

"Father, I think Brother Chengwen makes sense. I plan to invest all my funds in the Shantytown Renovation Project."

Lu Chengwen had already reached the door. He turned back in horror and stared at this nemesis.

"Miss, have you gone insane!?"