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"Otherwise?" Cheng Yu raised an eyebrow. "I remember a real estate tycoon once saying that from 1978 until now, the national average monthly wage had risen from less than thirty yuan to an average of three thousand yuan a month. Cabbage, which used to cost two cents, now sold for two yuan per jin. Everything had gone up a hundredfold. Only housing prices had increased by less than seventeen times. Based on those figures, the real estate industry still has plenty of room to fleece people."

Having said that, Cheng Yu tilted his head and smiled at Chen Lingyun with a hint of smugness. "Although Zhao Jinchui's plot of land is currently far away and secluded, making it look rather useless, a subway line will open there a year from now. When that happens, the land price will shoot up tenfold. And Zhao Jinchui's land is right next to Jinsha Lake. If you develop upscale villas there yourself, the appreciation will be even greater. If you plan it well, it might even make more money than selling jewelry."

Thinking of some of his experience developing real estate in his previous life, Cheng Yu smilingly suggested, "Want me to introduce you to a couple of reliable project teams?"

"A subway line opening a year from now? You certainly know how to dream." Chen Lingyun was dismissive. "Do you think national policy is set by you? That whatever you say goes? Besides, that plot belongs to your Uncle Zhao. It has nothing to do with the Cheng Family. Stop coveting it."

"What do you mean?" Cheng Yu frowned. "Zhao Jinchui didn't agree?"

"You should call him Uncle Zhao!" Displeased by Cheng Yu calling him by name, Cheng Kaiyun corrected him. "I already said that the Cheng Family doesn't kick people when they're down."

"So?" Cheng Yu simply could not understand Cheng Kaiyun and Chen Lingyun's thought processes. He had made his warning so obvious, yet these two were still charging straight into the ditch. Could Zhao Jinchui really be their biological son? "You two just lent him eighty million without conditions? Are you running a company or a charity?"

"Wasn't there still ten percent interest?" Cheng Kaiyun had never understood why Cheng Yu was so fixated on Zhao Jinchui's plot of land. "You're still young. Don't learn to be so profit-driven. Business may value profit, but it can't value profit alone. There has to be some human sentiment involved."

At that, Cheng Kaiyun could not help complaining about Cheng Yu again. "Besides, if you hadn't spoken so harshly and offended your Uncle Zhao earlier, your mother and I wouldn't have agreed so quickly out of fear that it would affect the relationship between our two families."

Cheng Yu was practically angered into laughing by Cheng Kaiyun's logic. "So now you're blaming me for saying too much?"

"You're a child. You shouldn't have interfered in matters between adults in the first place." Chen Lingyun only felt a headache coming on. "It was a very simple matter, but because you kept saying so much, you escalated the conflict and made it more complicated."

"You've really got some nerve saying that." Cheng Yu sneered. "So now you're blaming me for meddling where I wasn't wanted?"

"Can't you speak without being like this?" Chen Lingyun took a deep breath. "Why are you getting more and more mean-spirited and cutting? Who did you learn it from?"

"Of course, I learned from my parents' words and example. Is that so hard to understand?" Cheng Yu refused to back down. "Before criticizing me every time, please take a good look at yourselves too."

"You—"

"Enough!" Seeing the three of them arguing more and more fiercely, Chen Simiao stepped in to mediate with a headache. "The three of you turn every conversation into an argument. Don't you get tired?"

"It's because you spoiled him rotten. His attitude toward his father and me is getting worse and worse." Unable to win against Cheng Yu, Chen Lingyun simply vented her anger on her own parents. "Just keep indulging him, then."

"How can you speak to Grandpa and Grandma like that?" Cheng Yu frowned. "You're so righteous when you're talking about me, but when it's yourself, it suddenly doesn't matter? Why are you so hypocritical? Just because you're a few decades older than me?"

Chen Lingyun was left speechless and rolled her eyes in fury.

Chen Simiao and Lin Sufen could not help stifling their laughter. Chen Simiao lectured his daughter, "You should listen more to Ah Yu's opinions too. As parents, don't just criticize your child. You need to understand that setting an example in daily life is more effective than saying a hundred words. If you can't even control yourself, don't blame the child for not taking it seriously either."

"Dad!" Chen Lingyun stamped her foot in anger, truly feeling as though menopause was about to hit her.

Cheng Yu poured a cup of tea for his grandfather, using his actions to show his respect and agreement.

"You're just taking advantage of having your grandparents protect you, so go ahead and act however you want!" Chen Lingyun shot Cheng Yu a furious glare. "Every day, all you do is cause trouble for me."

Cheng Yu suddenly lost all interest. Sometimes, he truly admired Chen Lingyun and Cheng Kaiyun. Just because they were his parents, no matter what he did, they could paint it as unreasonable behavior and childish ignorance. They were foolish and stubborn, yet thought themselves seasoned and experienced.

Cheng Yu shook his head, too lazy to say another word.

Seeing Cheng Yu's indifferent expression, Chen Lingyun grew angry again. "Do you still think you did nothing wrong? Yesterday, you pushed Pei Yan into the fishpond and nearly got someone killed. Today, you insulted your elders without regard for right or wrong. You've almost offended every one of our family's old friends. I'd like to ask you: what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Old family friends?" Cheng Yu could not hold back any longer. He gave a cold, mocking laugh. "Don't make it sound so deep and meaningful. When all is said and done, aren't you just an alliance of interests? They're old friends only when there's profit to be made. The day profit becomes more alluring than friendship, they'll turn their backs and deny knowing you just the same. If you don't believe me, just wait another two months. When C&C Jewelry's cash flow becomes strained, when Feng Guangxu uses that as leverage to hold you accountable at the shareholders' meeting and joins forces with the other shareholders to remove you, then see whether Zhao Jinchui will stand by your side."

"Let me remind you: Zhao Jinchui's wife owns three percent of C&C Jewelry's shares, and he's related to Feng Guangxu. If you don't want someone stabbing you in the back when the time comes, you'd better eliminate this hidden danger first."

"Why do you insist on thinking the worst of people?" Cheng Kaiyun simply could not understand Cheng Yu's way of thinking. This child was practically born dark-hearted. "Your Uncle Zhao and we have been friends for over twenty years. We know what kind of person he is. Even if his wife is related to Feng Guangxu, he won't side with Feng Guangxu."