The upper circles of Hong Kong have been abuzz lately with discussions about investing in a financial company. The first sentence many people exchange upon meeting is, "Have you received your interest payment for this period?"
Thanks to the reputations of Du Feiyang and He Mengchao, Xie Sui secured over one hundred million yuan in financing within a mere week. General Manager Lin Nan, though trembling with the sheer volume of money, wasn't particularly happy. Instead, he was anxious, as such substantial funds came with a hefty interest rate: twenty percent!
If he couldn't deliver, he feared he'd be dismembered and fed to the fish by creditors.
Xie Sui spent his days immersed in the trading hall. They even provided him with a private room for the long term, where he, like a trading connoisseur, welcomed and saw off a constant stream of clients.
Anan had assigned several employees who were swamped and couldn't keep up. Had it been novices, Xie Sui wouldn't have been able to manage.
At the end of each day, his throat was parched. Beyond the physical exhaustion, the constant mental strain was immense. Stepping out of the trading hall and gazing at the neon-lit Hong Kong, a surge of ambition welled up in him. A new chapter of his career was about to begin here.
Du Feiyang leaned against his car door, waiting for him. "Brother Xie, what are you looking at?"
Xie Sui beckoned him over, spreading his arms wide. "Young Master Du, watch me. One day, I will have a place here, and my name, Xie Sui, will make countless people tremble."
Du Feiyang admired his unashamed confidence and flamboyant spirit. Here was a "poor boss" from the mainland, arriving in Hong Kong with two million yuan, acting like royalty, commanding with authority, and showing no regard for anyone.
Even he felt inferior. He said perfunctorily, "Good. My brother, after you're done, I'll treat you tonight for some fun. How about singing?"
A passing street cleaner couldn't help but chime in, "I look after several streets by myself. If I don't show up for work one day, the streets would have to hop to get around."
Xie Sui: "..."
Damn it, undermining me!
Du Feiyang pulled him into the car, laughing so hard his stomach ached. Even the street cleaner looked down on him.
"No, I have to argue with him. Isn't he looking down on me?"
Xie Sui made a move to get out of the car to reclaim his dignity.
Du Feiyang said, "Don't! I'm afraid the lightning will strike you dead if you boast so much!"
He Mengchao, engrossed in his newspaper, asked, "What's wrong?"
Du Feiyang recounted the exchange. He Mengchao also burst into laughter. "Brother Xie, be magnanimous. Don't mind him. Although you lost this boast, it seems there's no real loss. You can win it back next time."
"You truly are a bad influence. I spoke from the heart, and it was the truth!"
"Okay, future new rich magnate of Hong Kong, what do you want to eat?"
Xie Sui: "Something good. No singing or entertainment. I need to maintain all my energy to win this battle. I'll be done in two months at most. You two shouldn't play around either; focus on what's important."
Neither of them understood what he meant by "two months." Seeing his seriousness, they dropped their playful demeanor.
Dinner was at his office. The two young masters reviewed their recently raised funds, which were steadily decreasing, as all the easy money had been collected.
"One hundred and fifty million is quite a sum. Any more, and we'd alert the police, and we wouldn't be able to handle it."
Xie Sui: "It seems like a lot now, but it's not enough to achieve great things. For now, it's like this. Young Master Du, starting tomorrow, we'll short Du family stocks. Once the arrow is shot, there's no turning back. Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Absolutely, definitely, and without a doubt. My elder brother has already complained, and the old man lectured me. If I don't get even, I'm not a Du."
Mentioning this, Du Feiyang's temper flared.
Xie Sui chuckled, "Why don't you take my surname, Xie? I'll support you. Just call me Dad!"
"Get lost! Believe it or not, my old man will beat you to death first."
He Mengchao felt helpless. This person was sometimes serious, sometimes frivolous and unrestrained, and at times, inscrutable.
However, he knew Xie Sui didn't double-cross people. Based on his past actions, he wasn't a bad person, which was why He Mengchao was willing to be his friend.
After sending the two away, Xie Sui finally relaxed, finally having time to himself. His first action was to call Lin Wanwan to handle some matters back home. He couldn't be fighting on the front lines while his home base was in disarray; that would be a net loss.
Lin Wanwan was also accustomed to waiting for Xie Sui's call every evening. She no longer fretted about the phone bill, perhaps because pregnant women were exceptionally fragile.
She had also been spoiled by Xie Sui. When she was pregnant with Doudou and Dingding, she had to work without proper meals, yet nothing had happened then!
Hearing his familiar voice, Lin Wanwan reported good news and withheld bad news. She first spoke of the factory's operations, stating everything was going well.
Hu Pan had temporarily halted the expansion of the new factory, focusing on stabilizing the existing ones, which was commendable. Hu Pan was diligently inspecting and managing the factory and had even recruited some of her classmates to join, greatly aiding Xie Sui.
Xie Sui thanked his cousin. He hadn't realized Hu Pan's capabilities; now that he knew, she had sent him a valuable asset.
"How are you doing over there?"
Xie Sui, likewise, reported good news and omitted the bad. "I'm great. Living a life of luxury, surrounded by beauties... haha, just kidding. I'm so busy I can barely keep my feet on the ground. No beauty compares to even a ten-thousandth of my Wanwan. I'm saving it up to give you my dues when I get back!"
Lin Wanwan blushed and lightly spanked him. "Stop being indecent. Get to the point."
Xie Sui became serious. "This *is* the point, the most important point in the world. Wanwan, remember to go for prenatal check-ups every month. Have Second Sister accompany you. Don't skimp on this money. My daughter's well-being is paramount."
"Yes, I've been twice. I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear?"
Xie Sui: "The good news."
Lin Wanwan: "It's twins again! I've had four children in two pregnancies, impressive, right?"
"Really? That's incredibly impressive. You're a great contributor to my Xie family. Grandma must be overjoyed."
Xie Sui was also delighted. Two more children! Wanwan seemed to have inherited genes from her mother's side, specializing in twins.
"What's the bad news?"
Xie Sui worried if there was something wrong with the babies, his heart tightening.
Lin Wanwan: "It's sons again. Are you feeling the pressure as a father?"
Xie Sui: "..."
Where were his little cotton-padded jackets?
"How do you know? Don't talk about cravings for sour or spicy. That's unreliable. It must be a girl. A house full of boys will be enough to flip the roof! Don't you want them?"
Lin Wanwan chuckled, "Second Sister bribed someone to find out. She was curious."
This era wasn't as strict. Family planning was about to be implemented, and it would soon be illegal to do this; even money wouldn't be accepted.
Xie Sui sighed, "Sons it is, then. The five of us men will dote on you, the only lady. You'll be the happiest Mrs. Xie."