Chapter 81 Chapter 079: The Exorbitant Chandelier

Immediately afterwards, Deputy Director Qian pulled out a thick stack of documents for Feng Zhixiao to sign. Feng Zhixiao treated Deputy Director Qian as one of his own, signing whatever document was put in front of him without a second thought. This time, Deputy Director Qian truly set a ruthless trap, saddling Feng Zhixiao with a hefty bill.

“Deputy Director Qian, about this…” the manager nearby looked anxiously at Deputy Director Qian.

“Hmm? What is it?” Deputy Director Qian grinned, a shadow crossing his face.

The manager hurriedly said, “Ye Chen called yesterday, asking us to prepare about five hundred thousand worth of renovation materials, but you… you’ve already allocated three million!”

“No matter! We have to provide our clients with the best service, don’t we?” Deputy Director Qian gave a snort.

The manager dared not say another word. He was aware of some goings-on at the headquarters, especially regarding Deputy Director Qian’s notorious antics in the company lobby, flaunting underwear and showing off for favored clients. In fact, the manager was secretly impressed by Ye Chen’s nerve; the man had just joined the company yet already managed to get on Deputy Director Qian’s bad side.

Feng Zhixiao ended up signing over a dozen documents, his hand growing sore from it.

“Deputy Director Qian, are we still not done?” Feng Zhixiao forced a bitter smile.

“All done, all done! Just one last one!” Deputy Director Qian hurriedly produced the final document. “This is the last one. Once you sign, I’ll have the materials prepared and the renovation started for you!”

“Alright then.” Feng Zhixiao finally signed the last sheet, but as he did, he happened to notice the price listed. He asked in surprise, “What kind of lamp is this? A single crystal chandelier costs a hundred and fifty thousand?”

“Ah…” Deputy Director Qian was caught off guard but quickly explained, “Don’t worry, this is something Ye Chen arranged for you. Just wait and see the effect!”

Deputy Director Qian was indeed cunning; in one go, he saddled Feng Zhixiao with a material bill totaling three million six hundred thousand, and that was without even factoring in labor and other incidental costs. The total renovation would cost at least four million. If Ye Chen found out about this exorbitant expense, he would surely erupt in fury.

“Well, Brother Chen really went all out with such an expensive chandelier…” Feng Zhixiao muttered as he left the Tianya Group’s renovation company with his men.

Soon after, the hotpot restaurant at the university town began renovations in earnest. Yet, shadowy figures lingered around the site, constantly monitoring progress and keeping an eye on internal developments.

At dawn, Ye Chen climbed out of bed, washed up quickly, and rushed out the door. He hopped into his little Alto and hurried toward the plot in the northern part of the city, where yesterday’s work had nearly driven him crazy. But after a night’s rest, his strength was renewed, and ideas began forming in his mind. Clinging to this thread, he immediately set out for the North District.

“Ye Chen!” A soft voice called from the roadside, stopping him in his tracks. Ye Chen braked at once. Fang Fei had arranged to meet him at the intersection, but he had been so lost in thought he nearly missed her.

“Have you had breakfast?” Ye Chen asked with a cheerful smile.

“Yes, I have,” Fang Fei replied, nodding. Once in the car, she began applying cosmetics and skincare products. After a long day yesterday, her complexion had noticeably darkened, so today she had bought a ton of hydrating and sun-protection products from Watsons. She handed Ye Chen a tube of sunscreen and asked, “Do you want some?”

“No, thanks!” Ye Chen shook his head immediately.

“Ye Chen, do you really not have a girlfriend?” Fang Fei glanced at him with curiosity. After spending the previous day together, she’d gained an initial impression of him: Ye Chen was a thoughtful, caring man, sensitive at heart. Though he had little money, his ambition was admirable—a man like that was a hidden treasure, with plenty of potential for the future.

“No, I don’t. Why? Are you thinking of filling the vacancy?” Ye Chen grinned.

“Hmph, I wouldn’t want to!” Fang Fei snorted, her cheeks flushing a charming shade of red. Yet even as she refused, her curiosity got the better of her. “So… what kind of girl do you like? Maybe I can introduce someone to you.”

“Well… I think what matters most is that two people click, that they can talk and share things.” Ye Chen laughed sheepishly.

Fang Fei nodded thoughtfully. Soon, they arrived in the North District and parked the little old car by the roadside—no one would bother stealing such a jalopy. As they prepared to cross the plot once more, a blond-haired youth shouted, “Hey, big bro!”

“Jiang Wei?” Ye Chen was surprised to see him leading a group over. He greeted them with a smile. “What brings you lot here?”

“Oh, Yan Buer plans to keep a close eye on this plot, so a few of us came to see if there’s any gold buried here!” Jiang Wei chuckled, handing Ye Chen a high-end cigarette. Ye Chen accepted it, and Jiang Wei quickly lit it for him. “You mean this plot?” Ye Chen asked curiously.

“That’s right!” Jiang Wei nodded.

“But isn’t this plot owned by Tianya Group?” Ye Chen pressed.

“On paper, yes, but behind the scenes, Yan Buer controls it!” Jiang Wei grinned. “Guess you’re not familiar with Jiangbei City, big bro? Here’s how it works: by day, the police carry guns; by night, they carry knives. Yan Buer is the boss of the Yanlong Gang—he had his eye on this land, but Tianya Group undercut him on price and snatched it away.”

“So Yan Buer is unwilling to let go, and keeps obstructing Tianya Group’s management and development of the land?” Ye Chen frowned.

“Exactly!” Jiang Wei nodded.

“What else do you know?” Ye Chen pressed.

Jiang Wei glanced around; his underlings quickly backed away, and Ye Chen had Fang Fei do the same. Within five meters, only Jiang Wei and Ye Chen remained. Jiang Wei leaned close and whispered, “Since you’re my honorary big bro, I’ll let you in on this: within three months, the city government will announce a major decision—they’re moving the city hall to a site right across from this plot. That means this land is about to skyrocket. Whether it’s for residential buildings or a commercial center, the potential is huge. Yan Buer got wind of this long ago…”

A sharp inhalation—

Ye Chen’s eyes widened. What he’d thought was a simple project was in fact riddled with scheming and intrigue. Yan Buer colluded with Jiang Zhonggen, so it was no surprise he knew. Jiang Wei was Jiang Zhonggen’s son, so it made sense he’d be in the loop as well. Within city hall, likely only a few top officials in the Planning Bureau were aware.

Ye Chen couldn’t help but suck in a cold breath. He asked urgently, “Jiang Wei, are you sure this information is reliable?”

“No doubt about it. In three months, you’ll see for yourself!” Jiang Wei replied gravely.

“Excellent!” Ye Chen’s gaze narrowed, a dangerous light flashing in his eyes. He looked at Jiang Wei. “Jiang Wei, want to pull off something big?”

“Do what?” Jiang Wei was startled.

“Take down the Yanlong Gang. I’ll make you the number one boss in Jianghuai. How about it?” Ye Chen gripped Jiang Wei’s shoulder.

Jiang Wei had been a drifter since youth, wasting his days with a small band of hooligans. Thanks to his status as the mayor’s son, people gave him some respect, and he’d gathered a handful of followers. But business was not his forte—he’d rather party than extort or swindle. All in all, he was a small-time hoodlum with no real underworld talent.

“Deal!” Jiang Wei instantly became excited.

“Great. Wait for me—I’ll take you somewhere right now!” With that, Ye Chen turned and beckoned to Fang Fei, who was pouting, clearly displeased. Jiang Wei and his gang, in high spirits, whistled lewdly at her as she left. Jiang Wei grinned, “Big bro, that chick’s got some curves—have you slept with her yet?”

A black line of exasperation appeared on Fang Fei’s forehead.

Ye Chen, embarrassed, told her, “Fang Fei, that’s it for today. Head back to the office and have the other teams return.”

“Alright!” Sensing something serious was afoot, Fang Fei nodded and quickly flagged a cab.

Ye Chen glanced at Jiang Wei and his men. “Just you come with me. The others can find their own way to the university town.”

At Jiang Wei’s command, the group began hailing taxis along the road. Ye Chen sped off in his little Alto, weaving through the streets. Soon, they reached the university town. Even though it wasn’t a weekend, the area bustled with endless streams of people.

Ye Chen led Jiang Wei to the hotpot restaurant.