Chapter 29: Provoking Someone to Death Without Remorse

Lu Chengwen really wanted to curse out loud.

As luck would have it, Hua Xuening, the personal bodyguard of that guy Long Aotian, happened to be hiding exactly where he was trying to climb over the wall. He was fairly certain she was the one who had struck his thigh as he tumbled down. Now, with his leg numb and his gait awkward, escaping over the wall was out of the question.

The front door!

Long Aotian must have entered the house by now, so he wouldn't run into him there. But after only a few steps, Lu Chengwen tripped and fell. The household staff, discovering him, rushed over to help him back into the living room as if he were a precious guest.

In the study.

Leng Tianhao was, of course, seated in the main chair. Lu Chengwen and Long Aotian sat on the guest sofa. Long Aotian squinted, looking at Lu Chengwen with disdain, while Lu Chengwen wore a plastered-on smile, looking at Long Aotian with fawning eyes.

Leng Qingqiu sat on a chair to the side, pondering: Why is this Long Aotian everywhere? And why is Brother Chengwen always so wary of this person?

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

Long Aotian replied: "Dayu Group is a mega-conglomerate in the Southern Kingdom; I presume Mr. Leng is aware of that?"

"Of course," Leng Tianhao said. "Dayu Group has built over forty large-scale amusement park projects in more than thirty cities domestically. Furthermore, they are involved in hotels, film investment, tourist city development, art exhibition center construction, and various other developments. Their asset valuation is around four trillion; they are a formidable group indeed."

Long Aotian nodded. "They have been secretly surveying this project for a long time. The location is already selected, and the news is, of course, top secret. But I can tell you that they are about to start negotiations. If we strike now and buy that plot of land, we will catch them completely off guard. At that point, we just need to sit back and watch, and they will come to us to negotiate."

Leng Tianhao nodded, gritting his teeth, his heart racing with excitement. "Two billion or so—if we can secure that land, we could even inflate the price threefold!"

Long Aotian shook his head. "No."

"Do you think I'm selling it too high?"

"It's too cheap." Long Aotian smiled. "Selling land is just a one-time deal; it's boring. Relying on this plot, there is so much more we can do."

"Oh? For example?"

Long Aotian said: "They have the capital and are already in the design and negotiation phase. Everything is ready except for the land. As soon as we hold that land, we can use it to leverage negotiations with Dayu Group."

"Please, go into detail."

Long Aotian explained: "First, we can demand to buy in. Based on a valuation of seven billion, we can secure a stake of over twenty percent in the new amusement park. If negotiated well, we could reach twenty-five percent or even higher. Once the amusement park is built, the annual net profit will reach at least five billion. In other words, our annual dividends alone could exceed one billion."

"But that is a long-term profit chain. It’s uncertain how many years it will take for the park to be completed, and our Qianfeng Group..." Leng Tianhao didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear: he needed quick cash and couldn't afford to wait.

"Hahaha!" Long Aotian laughed. "Mr. Leng, why are you still confused? The later money is for later. With the land in our hands, we can negotiate more than just equity. Construction, materials, teams, procurement, marketing... we can just pick two or three of these contracts to sign, and we’ll be making money in no time!"

Leng Tianhao slapped his thigh in excitement. "Brilliant! If that's the case, we can recoup a significant portion of those two billion during the construction phase alone. And once we are involved in this project, the entire Leng family will be revitalized!"

"Exactly!"

Leng Tianhao looked at Lu Chengwen. "Chengwen, you are no outsider. You know the situation with Qianfeng. Besides, you and Qingqiu are about to get engaged; you are family, so I didn't hide this from you today. What do you think about this?"

Lu Chengwen was still rubbing his thigh.

*What do I think? What the hell does this have to do with me? This is just Long Aotian trying to hit on your daughter, and this project is his giant brick to open the door.*

*You should just obediently listen to him. He’ll even help you secure the land for free—won't you be touched? Won't you be moved? You might as well cry for him, or there's no way to end this scene!*

*Plus, since my relationship with Leng Qingqiu is strained, you'll end up betrothing your daughter to him! From now on, you'll treat him as your guiding light and just do whatever he says.*

Leng Qingqiu almost vomited blood from anger.

*This blockhead, even at a time like this, he still suspects I like Long Aotian! Which eye of yours sees me liking him? I clearly don't!*

*Why do you always misunderstand me!? I have to find a way to make him stop misunderstanding.*

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

Leng Qingqiu was actually already tempted, but she was used to being proud and found it difficult to quickly accept her inner feelings. For a girl of her age, pride and indifference were just protective coloring. Who wasn't a pure-hearted girl at heart? Who didn't long for love? It was just that Leng Qingqiu couldn't immediately process her own internal shifts; that was her flaw.

Lu Chengwen stammered, "I... I think Brother Long makes a good..."

*Wait!*

A flash of inspiration struck Lu Chengwen!

*Why am I helping him? Why should I help Long Aotian?*

*I should be opposing Long Aotian!*

*This guy is trying to show off! If everyone agrees with him, how can he show off? The effect of this wave won't be satisfying enough!*

*I have to stand up and oppose him, go head-to-head with him, contradict him! Only then will the effect of his performance be maximized.*

*Yes! I have to give him a chance to trample everyone, to let him feel self-satisfied, like he’s overturned the heavens and changed the world.*

*But I must be careful with the scale! If I overdo it, he’ll squash me. Yes, that’s it, let’s do that.*

Leng Qingqiu narrowed her eyes: *Good for you, Lu Chengwen, your way of thinking is too bizarre! If I couldn't hear your inner thoughts, who would have known you were harboring such twisted schemes? How much do you dislike me? You won't even do a good deed that’s handed to you, and you insist on playing the villain against yourself? What are you after? Is there a hole in your brain?*

Lu Chengwen stood up: "I think, although Brother Aotian is gifted, talented, and peerless..."

Long Aotian thought, *Why is this guy so nauseating?*

"Hey, hey, stop buttering me up, get to the point!"

"Right, I disagree with Brother Aotian's idea."

"Oh?" Leng Tianhao was surprised.

This was an obvious business opportunity. Asking for his opinion was meant to give him a chance to do a favor. Leng Tianhao expected Lu Chengwen to agree enthusiastically, to perform well in front of Leng Qingqiu, and to offer money and resources to help secure the land. This was Leng Tianhao's strategy.

Someone like Leng Tianhao, a veteran in the business world, would certainly know the value of this information and the importance of the project to the Leng family. Big players always had hidden meanings in their words; they liked to kill two birds with one stone. Long Aotian's information was worth a fortune.

But Lu Chengwen, this rising "black-hearted" merchant, was playing dumb.

Leng Tianhao looked displeased. "Chengwen, why do you oppose this project?"

Lu Chengwen thought: *Uncle, hold on, I have to think, I have to make it up on the spot.*

Leng Qingqiu was about to explode.

If it were the past three years, given this opportunity, Lu Chengwen would have been the first to jump out and make a big deal of it. He would have said he'd help negotiate, wouldn't want money, would pay for half of the land himself, wouldn't want interest or equity, and only wanted them to let him marry Leng Qingqiu. That was the old Lu Chengwen's routine; he was shameless enough to do it.

But today, he was determined to draw a line. He knew this business would make money, big money, yet he wanted to distance himself.

Despicable! Absolutely despicable!

Lu Chengwen thought for a moment: "First, this plot is hard to buy. Once the news leaks, the price will skyrocket."

Leng Tianhao thought, *That's a given, what are we discussing here?*

"Secondly..." Lu Chengwen couldn't think of anything else, so he just gave up. "Secondly... I think the renovation project for the shantytown in the suburbs is more worthwhile. I suggest we do that project instead."

Leng Tianhao couldn't believe his ears. *Is Lu Chengwen crazy? What is this? Contradicting me!? Can't he see I’ve already made up my mind and asking him is just a formality? What the hell is a city center renovation? Where would I get the money to dump into that godforsaken place?*

Leng Tianhao's expression grew darker.

"Oh," he forced a smile. "I think that project could be tried. Chengwen, I recall your Lu family has a good relationship with the Land Property Bureau. Could you help me pull some strings, inquire about the situation, and arrange a meeting with the person in charge of the auction? We can talk about it. Later, you could provide some assistance with the funding. We are family, after all; surely you wouldn't refuse me this small favor?"

Lu Chengwen was bursting with joy inside.

*Old man, you guessed it! I am going to refuse!*

*Your family's future will be firmly in the hands of Long Aotian, this Great Buddha, and I will not interfere.*

Lu Chengwen sat on the sofa like a master, speaking slowly: "Oh, this... it’s not very convenient. I do know the person in charge of the auction, but I really don't think much of this project. As for funding, my side is also very tight, very difficult, very tight, very difficult..."

Leng Tianhao was almost furious. If it weren't for the sake of the two families' reputation, he would have started cursing.

*You little brat, when you were chasing our Qingqiu, what did you tell me? You said you'd do anything for her, that the Leng family's business was your business, that money, people, or connections were just a word away, and that as long as Qingqiu married you, you'd even change your surname to Leng! A man who said such shameless, syrupy things is suddenly acting all high and mighty now!?*

Leng Tianhao gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his diplomatic composure, and squeezed out a smile: "Fine, Chengwen. Since that's the case, Uncle won't make it difficult for you. It's getting late, you should go back."

*Go! Get out of here!* he thought.

"Fine."

Lu Chengwen didn't waste words and turned to leave.

"Wait."

Leng Qingqiu could no longer bear it. She looked at Lu Chengwen with cold eyes and said defiantly: "Father, I think Brother Chengwen makes sense. I plan to invest all our funds into the shantytown renovation project."

Lu Chengwen, already at the door, turned around in horror, looking at this nemesis.

*Big sister, have you lost your mind!?*