Xiao Ming sighed helplessly, "Since you've set yourself up as a fairy, don't blindly play with witchcraft—that's what Zhou Qingyuan would do.
Fairies should be above the common fray, poised and aloof, understand?
What kind of decorum is it for a young lady to be sitting on a man's stomach? Get off!"
Yun Shi Yu puffed her cheeks, obediently sat back on the couch, and punched him, "Stop the nonsense and get to the point."
Xiao Ming shook his head, "The answer is simple. Put yourself in Shen Siqi's shoes.
After embezzling fifty million, not only would you lose your inheritance rights, but you might also end up in prison. Then suddenly, you get good news about making big money.
Would you use it to come clean to your father, gambling on the fifty percent chance of being forgiven? Or would you find another partner to secretly make money and cover the shortfall unnoticed?"
"Shen Anhe values Shen Siqi so much, how could there only be a fifty percent chance of forgiveness? In my view, it should be at least eighty percent," Yun Shi Yu retorted.
"No, Shen Anhe would forgive him a hundred percent," Xiao Ming smiled, "It's just a pity that in Shen Siqi's eyes, his father favors and is more partial to his brother Siyi."
Yun Shi Yu was stunned, "How can he think that way? Has his brain taken in water?"
"For someone like Shen Siqi, no matter how much he tries, it's never enough; and if others don't strive, they don't deserve a thing.
He feels like he's working himself to death to support his brother Siyi's extravagances.
He's unwilling, and Shen Anhe would never kick Siyi out of the family.
Thus, he concludes that his father is biased towards his brother."
Yun Shi Yu opened her mouth, then sighed, "What a selfish thought! It's pathological."
"Originally, my goal was only Dabang. It was pre-planned to bait the Cao Family with the park belt planning leak,"
Xiao Ming said, "But when I first met Shen Siqi and saw the resentment in his eyes towards Siyi, I decided to get him involved and have him tell the Cao Father and Son the news.
It was for Siyi's sake as well as to prevent Ruiye from being backstabbed in the future.
Longyin is our launching pad and base; having one leading enterprise is enough. Dabang and Qianshan are only fit to be vassals."
Yun Shi Yu stared at him unwaveringly, her eyes filled with admiration and emotion.
"Catching hares by setting the grass on fire, killing two birds with one stone, using minimum effort for maximum gain, you've taken the manipulation of human nature to the extreme.
Dabang and Qianshan, despite their sound operations and booming business, were pushed to the brink of collapse by you in less than a month.
Having someone like you in business is the misfortune of all merchants."
Xiao Ming laughed, "There's no helping it. Who made their helmsmen raise two good sons and also, unfortunately, get on my bad side?
It's all timing and fate. My approach is such that if nobody offends me, I might still stir up trouble; but if someone offends me, I'll make their entire family rue the day they did!"
"If only you were really that bad."
"Don't believe me? Just wait and see. Don't get so scared you lose sleep over it," he said.
Having said that, Xiao Ming got up to put on his shoes, rubbed his neck, and headed towards the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Of course, I'm striking while the iron is hot. I'm off to talk business with Cao Zhining!"
As he finished speaking, Xiao Ming was already outside the door.
Yun Shi Yu fell silent for a moment, then murmured to herself, "If you were really that bad, you wouldn't keep deliberately ignoring me!"
As one of Longyin's two leading enterprises, Dabang Group's headquarters wasn't far from Qianshan Group, just two streets away.
Mr. Xiao Ming was now even closer to the office building of Ruiye Holdings, a mere fifteen-minute walk away. Thus, he didn't even take a car this time. He picked up a cold drink on the way, sipping it through a straw and casually arrived at the Dabang reception with his briefcase in hand.
"Good day, sir! Welcome to Dabang Group! How may I assist you?"
As expected of a large enterprise, the receptionists at Dabang were at least two grades more beautiful than those at Maohe, with even sweeter smiles. Unfortunately, they were too formulaic and lacked the cordiality of those at Maohe.
"I'm Xiao Ming, the Chairman of Ruiye Holdings, here to see your Mr. Cao."
"Of course, Mr. Xiao, do you have an appointment?"
"No, but you can just announce me. Cao Zhining will definitely meet with me."
The receptionist frowned slightly upon hearing someone address the chairman by name so directly; after hesitating for a moment, she still made the call to her leader.
Mr. Xiao sat in the waiting area for a good half hour before someone who claimed to be the chairman's assistant took him upstairs.
Dabang, a company primarily engaged in real estate development, occupied three entire floors of the office building, a testament to its immense size.
Looking at the densely packed cubicles in the office area, Xiao Ming mentally estimated that, in a decade or so, the market value of such a company would have to multiply by at least twenty or thirty times.
Although part of this was due to inflation, the main reason was that the current level of technology was relatively backward, which in turn led to increased labor costs.
In other words, a company with a market value of less than two billion in a decade and a half would probably only need half a floor's worth of office space at most for its staff.
The next ten years would be a golden decade of rapid technological development.
Smartphones sold for the price of bran; 4G, 5G, 6G advanced at yearly paces; the internet and the internet of things would fully merge; people's lifestyles would also undergo earth-shattering changes.
The world had never been smaller, yet so fragmented as before.
And Mr. Xiao knew all of this; it all patiently awaited him on his path ahead.
Dabang would be his first stepping stone to ascend to the heavens.
The office of Cao Zhining was about the same size as Shen Anhe's and the decor was similar as well, exuding a traditional and slightly rustic aura of opulence.
The only difference was the person.
As soon as Mr. Xiao stepped foot into the office, Cao Zhining came out from behind his desk to greet him, reaching out both hands with a full smile, "Mr. Xiao, what an honor to have you here! I was tied up in a meeting, please forgive my negligence. Have a seat, please!"
"Not at all! You're too kind, Mr. Cao. As long as I could see you in person today, I would've gladly waited even until it got dark."
Mr. Xiao's smile was even more brilliant. It was as if the two were not rivals but friends who had long admired each other.
Both men took their seats on the sofas, and Cao Zhining personally poured a cup of tea for Mr. Xiao before saying, "I heard Mr. Xiao paid a visit to Qianshan this morning, and not long after, Shen Anhe ended up in the hospital.
Give it to me straight, I won't need to brace myself for a similar experience, will I?"
His tone was clearly jesting, and Mr. Xiao replied in the same playful manner, "Mr. Cao is younger and looks to be in much better shape than Mr. Shen, so there shouldn't be an issue."
Cao Zhining was taken aback for a moment, then burst into loud laughter.
"Mr. Xiao, you really have a sense of humor. We should have been friends. Alas, I am embarrassed by the son I have raised who has been a great disappointment."
"I wouldn't dare agree with you on that," Mr. Xiao said meaningfully. "I've heard that your esteemed wife dotes on your son immensely to the point where she would breathe and eat on his behalf.
So I believe you do bear responsibility for your son's behavior, but not the majority of it."
Cao Zhining's eyebrows twitched slightly as he looked at him and said, "Regardless, Bangxi is still my son."
"Is that so?"