Chapter 23

"Oh?" Pei Zhennan raised an eyebrow. "Why should I do that? You should know that the real estate market isn't doing very well right now."

"That's only temporary regulation." Cheng Yu knew there was no need to talk empty theories with a businessman of Pei Zhennan's caliber, so he simply laid out the numbers. "In just the past year, domestic real estate development investment reached 2.5 trillion, a year-on-year increase of 30%. Massive amounts of hot money have poured in, driving housing prices higher and higher. Residential prices in Shenzhen rose 51% year-on-year, Yanjing rose 45%, and Shanghai rose more than 15%, all while the nation's land development area increased by only 1%."

"This shows that buying a home is a rigid demand. Even if the government is now imposing the strictest macroeconomic controls, this suppression can only be temporary. Compared with those who can't afford homes, the people who can afford them are actually even less able to tolerate a crash in housing prices. The domestic market can't bear that kind of price gap, either. The subprime mortgage crisis currently erupting in the United States is the best example."

Cheng Yu's mind worked exceptionally fast, and his thoughts leaped from one point to another. If an ordinary person had been talking with him, they probably would have struggled to keep up with his train of thought, perhaps even finding him rambling and incoherent. But with Pei Zhennan's qualifications and experience, he could instead swiftly extract the most important information from Cheng Yu's words and follow the trail straight to Cheng Yu's line of reasoning.

Pei Zhennan looked at Cheng Yu with considerable surprise. "How did you know these figures? Who taught you to say these things?"

Cheng Yu couldn't be bothered answering such irrelevant questions and continued, "Although Zhao Jinchui's plot is in Yanjiao, its location is excellent. There are mountains and a lake nearby. If high-end residences or a villa development are built there, there'll be no need to spend a fortune creating scenery—the surrounding mountains, forests, and lake can be used directly. That alone gives it an advantage in floor-area ratio. Most importantly, a subway line will open there in two years—"

Pei Zhennan laughed. "How could you possibly know about a policy from two years from now?"

"I saw it with my own eyes." Cheng Yu made the declaration solemnly, then said, "But that isn't important. I only want to tell you that if you acquire this plot while Zhao Jinchui is short on cash and needs to mortgage it, you absolutely won't lose out."

"Oh?" Pei Zhennan looked at Cheng Yu with interest. "You're that certain? If so, why not have your parents acquire the land themselves? Letting such a good opportunity go to an outsider doesn't seem like your shrewd style."

"Because they're too stupid." The thought of it irritated Cheng Yu. He looked at Pei Zhennan impatiently and took the initiative. "Forget that. The background check is over. Tell me your decision."

Pei Zhennan pondered for a moment before asking again, "According to you, even if I want this plot, what makes you so certain Zhao Jinchui will sell it to me?"

Cheng Yu stared steadily at Pei Zhennan for a while, then suddenly smiled.

Chapter 23

Cheng Yu and Pei Zhennan talked in the study for more than three hours. In the end, Pei Yan could no longer hold himself back and marched into the study under the pretext of bringing his father and Cheng Yu a late-night snack.

"What on earth are you talking about that takes this long?" Pei Yan set the tray on the table and picked up a bowl of red bean glutinous rice balls.

Just as Pei Zhennan reached out, he saw his good-for-nothing son carry the bowl of rice balls over to Cheng Yu. Pei Zhennan paused slightly, then casually withdrew his hand and watched coldly as Pei Yan served Cheng Yu a bowl of red bean glutinous rice balls, then kept asking whether they were sweet, whether the red bean soup tasted good, whether the texture was soft, whether they suited Cheng Yu's taste... completely forgetting that his own father was still waiting hungrily beside him.

Pei Zhennan gave an unhappy snort, suddenly understanding Zhou Xiyuan's previous complaints all too well.

Pei Yan knew Cheng Yu liked sweets. Besides the usual ingredients, the bowl of red bean glutinous rice balls he served Cheng Yu had an extra layer of osmanthus syrup drizzled over it. It was richly sweet, carrying a faint fragrance of osmanthus. Cheng Yu wasn't paying attention and finished the entire bowl, red bean paste and all, leaving himself rather stuffed.

Seeing Cheng Yu clutch his stomach and frown, Pei Yan quickly smiled. "Did you eat too much? How about you stop talking for now? I'll take you out for a walk."

Before Cheng Yu could reply, Pei Yan added, "Your brother is waiting outside too. The three of us can play basketball."

Cheng Yu wasn't particularly interested in basketball, but he really was too full. Besides, he and Pei Zhennan had more or less finished discussing their business, so he stood up and took the initiative to end the conversation. "Then let's leave it at that, Uncle Pei. We'll head downstairs first."

Pei Zhennan watched Cheng Yu without revealing anything. Throughout the entire conversation, Cheng Yu had controlled the pace. That included how to set up Zhao Jinchui and how to swallow up that plot through a third party without exposing himself. The entire plan was extremely thorough, with every step designed around Zhao Jinchui's personality flaws and calculated to predict Zhao Jinchui's response. Clearly, whoever had devised the plan understood Zhao Jinchui's character and methods of doing things very well.

That made Pei Zhennan deeply curious as well. He wanted to know whether Cheng Yu had come up with this plan himself or whether some expert behind him had guided him. But given Pei Zhennan's personality, since he could see Cheng Yu was still holding something back, he would not force the issue and make himself unwelcome. Still, there was one thing Pei Zhennan felt he needed to clarify. "You went to all this trouble to offer me such a major benefit. What do you want from me?"

Pei Yan frowned at that and started to protest. "Dad—"

Before he could finish, Cheng Yu cut him off. "I hope that when Feng Guangxu turns against my mother, Uncle Pei will stand by her. And if one day Pei Mining has cash-flow problems and needs to sell its shares in C&C Jewelry for cash, I hope Uncle Pei will consider me first."

Pei Zhennan raised an eyebrow. For some reason, when Cheng Yu mentioned the latter request, Pei Zhennan sensed a faint, ill-intentioned confidence in him.

Pei Zhennan suspected he had imagined it. He didn't believe that Cheng Yu, at such a young age, could possess such depth and cunning—and also foresee that Pei Mining would run into trouble. Still, Pei Zhennan was happy enough to make this kind of empty promise. "If that day truly comes, and you have enough capital to take over the shares in my hands, then Uncle will certainly choose you first."