Chapter 41 Reminder
After eating.
Walking out of the restaurant, everyone said their goodbyes.
Seeing Jiang Yuhang get into his sports car, Xu Yangsuddenly remembered that he hadn't told Jiang Yuhangabout that matter. He told Zhao Yuxin to go back to the car first, then quickly ran to Jiang Yuhang's sports car and knocked on the window.
Jiang Yuhang rolled down the window and asked, puzzled, "Brother Xu, is something wrong?"
Xu Yang pointed to the passenger seat: "Can I come in and talk?"
Jiang Yuhang smiled: "Of course, come on up."
He was very curious what Xu Yang wanted to tell him. Xu Yang's action clearly indicated that he didn't want others to know about it.
Xu Yang got into the passenger seat, and Jiang Yuhanglooked at him, waiting for him to speak.
Xu Yang deliberated his words for a moment, then said, "Young Master Jiang, are you going to meet a friend later?"
Jiang Yuhang was stunned and asked, somewhat surprised, "How did you know?"
He had received a call from a friend on the way to dinner earlier, which was why he decided to go to his friend's place in the afternoon.
He hadn't told anyone about this.
"You don't need to know how I know, but I also know that the friend you're going to meet might be detrimental to you," Xu Yang said very bluntly.
He was too lazy to make up excuses. He just said it as it was. If Jiang Yuhang believed him, then he believed him. If not, there was nothing he could do.
"What! How is that possible!" Jiang Yuhang was surprised, "How do you know my friend would be detrimental to me?"
The friend he was going to meet was actually his girlfriend.
The two met by chance. Jiang Yuhang felt that her personality was very good. After getting to know her for a while, Jiang Yuhang didn't care about his girlfriend's family background, and despite his father's objections, the two got together.
Jiang Yuhang was very good to his girlfriend. Whenever he had time, he would accompany his girlfriend.
He even bought a house for his girlfriend to live in.
Today, on the way to dinner, his girlfriend called and said she wasn't feeling well, so he had to go see her.
"I can't tell you how I know, but as a friend, I hope you don't go to see your friend. If you absolutely must go, I suggest you bring one or two people with you," Xu Yangsaid with a serious expression.
"Brother Xu, I really can't believe what you're saying," Jiang Yuhang said, disbelieving.
How could his girlfriend be detrimental to him?
"Young Master Jiang, I've said what I needed to say. As for whether you believe it and what you choose to do, that's up to you. Goodbye."
After saying that, Xu Yang got out of the car.
He had already given the warning. If Jiang Yuhang was unwilling to believe him and didn't listen to him, then there was nothing he could do.
Jiang Yuhang's expression changed several times.
Xu Yang had no reason to sow discord between him and his girlfriend.
Could it be that Xu Yang knew his dad, and his dad asked Xu Yang to sow discord between him and his girlfriend?
But how did Xu Yang know that he was going to see his girlfriend this afternoon?
Did Xu Yang know something?
Could his girlfriend really be detrimental to him?
But he felt that he had no problems with his girlfriend, so why would his girlfriend be detrimental to him?
A series of questions floated in Jiang Yuhang's mind.
After much thought, Jiang Yuhang took out his phone and dialed a number... Xu Yang returned to the car.
Zhao Yuxin asked curiously, "Hubby, what did you talk about with Jiang Yuhang?"
Xu Yang smiled: "Nothing much, just some casual chat."
Zhao Yuxin didn't press him.
If Xu Yang wanted to talk, he would. If not, that was fine. She didn't absolutely have to know.
Anyway, if Xu Yang didn't say anything, there must be a reason for it.
She said, "Hubby, Brother Yi brought up short videos again. I think you really can try it. Choose a direction, shoot some short videos, and maybe you'll become a super online celebrity."
Xu Yang laughed: "I don't want to be a super online celebrity. If that happens, I'd be surrounded even when I go out. I don't want that."
Zhao Yuxin laughed: "That's what many people dream of, but you don't like it."
Xu Yang shook his head and said, "Everyone has their own aspirations. I don't like being surrounded by people. It's better to honestly live my life as an ordinary wealthy person."
When he was young, seeing the glamorous celebrities, Xu Yang would have a longing.
As he gradually grew up, that longing faded.
And now he had a system, so he was destined to reach the pinnacle. Why would he still care about this?
A super online celebrity was nothing compared to him.
He didn't want to be surrounded like a monkey when he went out in the future.
This past week, besides occasionally paying attention to the stock and futures markets, he was also thinking about what to do.
But after much thought, he still hadn't decided.
He wasn't in a hurry. Anyway, with the Investment Master skill, even if he didn't work, he could still make money in the stock and futures markets.
He would wait and see. And the system shouldn't treat him badly; it should show him a way to make money, and he would just follow the path the system provided.
As if on cue, as soon as his words fell, the system's prompt sounded in his mind.
[Ding! The TikTok short video platform will soon become the overlord of the short video field!]
[Under the leadership of Guild Leader Xiao Dongsheng, Fengcai Guild will become the largest guild on the TikTokplatform!]
[Currently, Fengcai Guild is experiencing operational difficulties, and Xiao Dongsheng wants to sell the guild!]
[Additionally: A copy of TikTok's future development strategy and a list of future online celebrities have been sent to the host's email. Please check!]
Xu Yang's eyes lit up.
He couldn't invest in the TikTok platform.
After all, TikTok is a platform under ByteDance. Even if it wanted to attract investment, he wouldn't be qualified to participate. Only some super capital could participate in the investment.
But he could still invest in the guilds within it.
And since Fengcai Guild was experiencing operational difficulties, it shouldn't take too much money to acquire it.
There was also a list of future online celebrity streamers, so after acquiring Fengcai Guild, he could sign these streamers and then just wait to collect money.
Thinking of this, Xu Yang was happy and grinned.
"Hubby, what are you laughing at?"
Zhao Yuxin saw Xu Yang suddenly laugh and couldn't help but be full of questions.
"Uh..." Xu Yang came back to his senses, reined in his smile, "I just thought about it, and I think the short video field really has a future. I've decided, I'll do the short video field."
Zhao Yuxin asked in confusion, "Didn't you just say you didn't want to be an online celebrity and didn't want to be surrounded by people when you go out in the future?"
How did he suddenly change his mind while talking?
Xu Yang chuckled: "Wife, making short videos doesn't necessarily mean becoming an online celebrity."
Zhao Yuxin asked curiously, "Then what do you do?"
She didn't know much about this industry.
What Lin Junyi told them was also about how to make short videos, live streaming, shooting videos, and so on, without involving anything else.
Xu Yang said: "You can run a guild! Acquiring or establishing a guild is like having a company. I'll be the boss and let online celebrities make money for me. Isn't that better?"
Zhao Yuxin's eyes lit up: "That's not bad. This way, you don't have to become a public figure, you won't be surrounded by people, and you can still make money in the short video field."
Xu Yang smiled: "That's the idea! You'll be the boss's wife from now on!"
Zhao Yuxin giggled, then said, "But establishing a guild, you haven't done it before, it might be quite difficult."
Xu Yang said: "I know. Let's go home first. I need to check if there are any guilds available for acquisition. If there are, it won't be so troublesome."
Chapter 42: Fury
Driving home.
Xu Yang eagerly opened his laptop to check his email.
He saw TikTok's future development plan.
This development plan clearly outlined TikTok's future path.
There was also that list of future internet celebrities.
It wasn't just a simple list; it also detailed how these streamers became successful.
What surprised Xu Yang was that he saw a familiar name on this list of future internet celebrities.
Lin Junyi!
And Lin Junyi was a super internet celebrity among them!
This indeed surprised Xu Yang.
He never expected it.
Lin Junyi would actually become a super internet celebrity.
Moreover, this was different from the field Lin Junyi was currently in.
When Lin Junyi talked with them, he said his positioning was an outdoor streamer.
Meaning, he would livestream or shoot short videos of interesting things and upload them to the platform.
But the list stated that Lin Junyi, this super internet celebrity, was not an outdoor streamer, but a food streamer.
Lin Junyi hadn't found his positioning yet; he would only realize later that being an outdoor streamer wouldn't work, then switch to the food domain, and only then become a super internet celebrity.
Once he acquired a guild, he absolutely had to sign Lin Junyi.
He couldn't miss out on such a future super internet celebrity...
In an apartment.
A young couple cuddled together.
"Wife, you said Jiang Yuhang would come over later, do you think he'll come alone? If he brings someone, we won't be able to pull this off today." The man looked a bit uneasy.
"He'll definitely come alone. He's coming to see me, his girlfriend; how could he bring other people?" The woman said with certainty.
"That's good. Today, we're going to become rich! After we get the money, we'll go abroad and never come back. No one will be able to do anything to us." The man was very happy.
"Mhm, mhm, we'll be together forever, never apart again." The woman's face was full of happiness.
"Mhm, never apart again." The man smiled, then cautioned, "You need to be careful later, don't let anything slip. Otherwise, if things don't work out, we'll both end up in trouble."
The woman promised, "Don't worry, I know. Making him drink some water is easy. He always drinks water every time he comes."
The man teased, "Is it after he drinks water that he gets intimate with you?"
"Hmph!" The woman playfully punched the man's chest, "Don't talk about that. If you had come to find me earlier, would I still be his girlfriend?"
The man explained, "I had no choice. When choosing a school, I could only listen to my parents. Fortunately, I've graduated now, and I can make my own decisions. As soon as I learned you were in Jiangcheng, I immediately came to find you."
The woman was Jiang Yuhang's girlfriend, named Ye Jingjing.
The man was named Liang Yurui.
The two were lovers in high school.
After high school graduation, due to choosing different universities in different cities, they were far apart.
Naturally, this high school romance ended without resolution.
After graduation, Liang Yurui's work was very unsuccessful.
A month ago, Liang Yurui heard that Ye Jingjing was in Jiangcheng, and her work and life seemed to be going well.
So, Liang Yurui had the idea of relying on Ye Jingjing.
Through high school classmates, he went through a lot of trouble to get Ye Jingjing's phone number, contacted Ye Jingjing, and expressed that he still deeply loved Ye Jingjing and wanted to get back together with her.
Ye Jingjing was already the girlfriend of Jiang Yuhang, a Second-generation rich, so she naturally wasn't interested in Liang Yurui, her ex-boyfriend, anymore.
However, when Liang Yurui learned that Ye Jingjing's boyfriend was a Second-generation rich, and the most impressive Second-generation rich in Jiangcheng, he didn't back down. Instead, he used this point to successfully persuade Ye Jingjing to get back together with him.
And so, Liang Yurui came to Jiangcheng and reconnected with Ye Jingjing.
The two also conspired to kidnap Jiang Yuhang, demand a ransom from Jiang Yuhang's father, then flee abroad to live a carefree life.
As for their parents, they had no intention of caring.
Anyway, in their view, as long as they lived well, that was all that mattered.
"If he doesn't drink the water, I'll have him go into the bedroom, and then you can surprise him and knock him out." Ye Jingjing said.
"That's the plan. We absolutely must get him today, and we absolutely must get the money." Liang Yurui said.
As the two spoke, they heard a knock at the door.
"It must be Jiang Yuhang. You go into the bedroom first." Ye Jingjing whispered.
"Okay, I'll go hide in the bedroom first." Liang Yuruichuckled, kissed Ye Jingjing, and entered the bedroom.
Ye Jingjing got up, straightened her clothes and hair, then went to open the door, seeing Jiang Yuhang standing at the entrance.
"Darling, you're here!" Ye Jingjing joyfully pulled Jiang Yuhang into the house and closed the door.
"You said you weren't feeling well just now, are you better now?" Jiang Yuhang sat down in the house, pulling Ye Jingjing into his arms.
"I'm fine now. I just missed you. You haven't come to see me for days." Ye Jingjing looked pitiful.
"It's all my fault. I've been a bit busy these past few days and didn't have time to come over." Jiang Yuhang said.
"What's so busy about working at your family's company? I think you just don't care about me." Ye Jingjing pouted playfully.
"How could that be? I really have been a bit busy these past few days. I told you, my dad is the president of the Southwest Chamber of Commerce. Recently, the member companies of the Southwest Chamber of Commerce are going to establish an investment fund. My dad, to train me, put me in charge of this matter, so I've been incredibly busy." Jiang Yuhang explained.
What he said was true; he had been busy with this matter recently.
"Alright, I forgive you." Ye Jingjing left Jiang Yuhang's embrace and went to pour Jiang Yuhang a glass of water.
Powder had already been added to the cup beforehand, dissolving instantly in water.
"Thirsty, aren't you? Have some water first." Ye Jingjingplaced the water in front of Jiang Yuhang.
"I really am a bit thirsty." Jiang Yuhang picked up the water glass and drank the water in one gulp.
With Xu Yang's reminder, he had some vigilance towards Ye Jingjing, but he didn't think drinking water would be an issue.
Besides, he had already made preparations.
Even if something really happened, it wouldn't be a problem.
Ye Jingjing couldn't possibly poison him to death, could she?
Seeing Jiang Yuhang drink the water, a hint of joy flashed in Ye Jingjing's eyes.
Now, things would be easy.
"Do you want more?" Ye Jingjing asked.
She asked this for Liang Yurui, who was hiding in the bedroom, to hear.
To let Liang Yurui know that Jiang Yuhang had already drunk the water.
"No need."
Xu Yang shook his head, suddenly feeling a wave of dizziness and weakness throughout his body.
"What's going on?" Jiang Yuhang rubbed his head with his hand.
"Haha, let me tell you what's going on."
Liang Yurui, who was hiding in the bedroom, knowing that Xu Yang had already drunk the water and completely lost the ability to resist, walked out of the bedroom.
"Who are you?" Xu Yang's face darkened, and he remembered Xu Yang's reminder.
"Haha, I'll let you know who I am very soon!" Liang Yuruichuckled, walked over to Ye Jingjing, sat down, wrapped his arm around Ye Jingjing's waist, and kissed Ye Jingjingfiercely, "Now you know who I am, don't you?"
"Ye Jingjing, you actually hooked up with another man behind my back!" Jiang Yuhang gritted his teeth, his face growing even darker, his heart filled with extreme rage.
Chapter 43 Begging for Mercy
"You don't need to say that. Ye Jingjing and I were a couple to begin with; we just broke up later. Now we've simply gotten back together. If anything, you're the third party," Liang Yurui said shamelessly.
"Ye Jingjing, haven't I been good enough to you? Why would you do this to me?" Jiang Yuhang ignored Liang Yurui, his gaze fixed intently on Ye Jingjing.
"Why? I'll tell you why. Your father doesn't approve of us being together. We fundamentally have no future."
"Our ultimate outcome will only be a breakup. After all, everything you have was given to you by your father, and when it comes to something as important as marriage, you can't possibly go against his wishes."
"Right now, you're good to me simply because you want to have some fun. When it comes time for you to marry, you'll definitely kick me aside."
"Since that's the case, why should I stay with you? I want to pursue my own life."
Ye Jingjing spoke with righteous indignation.
Originally, she hadn't considered these things and was still dreaming of marrying into a wealthy family.
Liang Yurui, after learning about her situation, analyzed it for her, saying it was impossible for her to marry into a wealthy family.
These were the very reasons she had just stated.
Ye Jingjing felt that Liang Yurui made sense, which is why she reconnected with him.
"If you didn't want to be with me, you could have broken up with me. I'm not someone who clings on. What exactly do you mean by bringing this man here today and putting on this show for me?"
Jiang Yuhang admitted that Ye Jingjing had a point.
Although he was with Ye Jingjing under pressure.
They were only a girlfriend and boyfriend; marriage would likely be impossible.
His father's disapproval made marriage highly unlikely.
In other words, they would break up sooner or later.
He didn't think there was anything wrong with this; after all, it was normal for a Second-generation rich like him to do so.
He had a friend named Wang Xiaocong who changed girlfriends much more frequently than he did.
This was the life of a Second-generation rich.
If the other party didn't want to be with him anymore, she could simply say so.
He would even give the other party a certain breakup fee, to part on good terms.
But with the way things were now, Jiang Yuhang truly couldn't understand what it all meant.
"Of course, it's for money," Ye Jingjing said.
"For money? What do you mean?" Jiang Yuhang was a little confused.
"Let me explain. We're going to kidnap you and have your father send us money. We'll only release you once we have the money," Liang Yurui said with a laugh.
"Aren't you afraid of getting caught doing something like this? Do you think you can escape?" Jiang Yuhang hadn't expected them to actually want to kidnap him.
"Once we get the money, we'll go abroad. Who's going to catch us then?" Liang Yurui sneered, everything was under his control, and he wasn't afraid of being caught at all.
"You won't escape," Jiang Yuhang said.
"Whether we escape or not is up to me, not you. What you need to do is cooperate with us and call your father to send us the money."
"Don't worry, we're not greedy. We don't need much, just 500 million is enough. With 500 million, we'll have enough to live comfortably for the rest of our lives."
"Your family is so rich; 500 million is nothing to you. You can easily get it."
Liang Yurui thought about getting 500 million soon and was overjoyed.
Even after receiving the money, he wouldn't let Jiang Yuhang go. He greatly disliked Second-generation richlike Jiang Yuhang.
Why should such a Second-generation rich be able to live a life of luxury?
While he had to work himself to death and still saw no hope.
"Ye Jingjing, I advise you to stop, otherwise no one can save you," Jiang Yuhang looked at Ye Jingjing and said.
"Impossible. You'd better obediently call your father and have him send the money," Ye Jingjing said.
Since they had already reached this point, there was no turning back; they had to see it through to the end.
"We were in love after all. I just gave you a chance. If you were willing to stop, I wouldn't do anything to you, and this matter would be as if it never happened. Since you're unwilling to seize the opportunity, don't blame me," Jiang Yuhang said.
"What do you mean?" Ye Jingjing's eyes were filled with suspicion.
Liang Yurui's heart skipped a beat; he had a bad feeling.
"Come in," Jiang Yuhang said.
Come in?
Ye Jingjing and Liang Yurui exchanged glances, not knowing what Jiang Yuhang meant.
"You brought people with you? But if you brought people, and you're saying this, can the people outside hear it? Is your mind broken?" Liang Yurui was full of doubt.
"I brought a Bodyguard with me today, and he's waiting for me downstairs."
"Before I came up, my phone was on the whole time, maintaining a call with the Bodyguard, and I also turned on recording."
"Our conversation just now, the Bodyguard must have heard it. By now, he should be waiting at the door."
Although Jiang Yuhang didn't fully believe Xu Yang's words, Xu Yang's words still aroused his suspicion.
Better safe than sorry.
So he called one of his father's Bodyguards to come.
With his phone on, the Bodyguard would know if anything happened.
With the recording on, it was evidence.
As his voice fell, the door burst open with a loud bang, forced open.
A man in a black suit walked in.
Seeing the newcomer, Liang Yurui and Ye Jingjing were momentarily stunned, not knowing what to do.
The two had not expected such a situation at all, nor had they prepared any corresponding countermeasures. They just sat there on the sofa, unmoving.
"Young Master Jiang, what should we do?" the Bodyguard asked.
"Call the police and let them handle it," Jiang Yuhangsaid.
Even if he did something to Liang Yurui and Ye Jingjing, like beating them up or even crippling them, given his status, there wouldn't be any problems.
But he wasn't that kind of person and wouldn't do that. He still thought it best to leave it to the police.
"Okay." The Bodyguard took out his phone, about to make a call.
"Don't call the police!" Liang Yurui finally recovered and immediately stood up, lunging at the Bodyguard, trying to snatch his phone.
He knew that if the Bodyguard called the police, even though it was attempted kidnapping, he and Ye Jingjingwould still go to jail. After all, they had already acted, and there was a phone call recording, making the evidence conclusive.
Once they went to jail, their lives would be over. Even if they got out, they wouldn't have any good jobs.
Originally, with their education, if they worked hard, their lives would have been pretty good.
Doing this meant their entire lives were ruined.
But he was just an ordinary person; how could he snatch a phone from a Bodyguard?
Before he even got close, he was kicked to the ground by the Bodyguard.
"You bastard, I'll kill you!" Liang Yurui lost his mind, ignoring the pain in his body, he scrambled up from the ground, grabbed a nearby chair, and swung it at the Bodyguard.
The Bodyguard was agile and dodged out of the way.
"You're asking for death!"
A hint of anger flashed in the Bodyguard's eyes.
He wasn't in a hurry to make the call anymore; he decided to deal with Liang Yurui first.
He took a big stride towards Liang Yurui, kicked him to the ground, and then rained down a flurry of punches and kicks, causing Liang Yurui to scream repeatedly and beg for mercy.
"Ah! Stop hitting me! Please stop! I know I was wrong. If you keep hitting me, I'll die. If you kill me, you'll die too."
"Ah! Young Master Jiang, I know I was wrong. Please let me go! Tell him to stop hitting me!"
"Ah! Jingjing, say something for me! Tell him to tell the Bodyguard to stop hitting me! You're Jiang Yuhang's girlfriend; he'll definitely listen to you! Ah!"
Liang Yurui kept begging for mercy. When he found it ineffective, he begged Jiang Yuhang, but that also had no effect. Then he tried to get Jiang Yuhang through Ye Jingjing.
He even said that Ye Jingjing was Jiang Yuhang's girlfriend.
It has to be said, Liang Yurui was quite shameless.
Chapter 44 Dealing with it privately
"Young Master Jiang, please let him go," Ye Jingjingquickly pleaded, regaining her senses.
"He brought this upon himself; no one else is to blame," Jiang Yuhang said coldly.
He no longer felt any affection for this woman.
"Young Master Jiang, we were in love after all. Isn't it enough that I'm begging you?" Ye Jingjing said again.
"You're bringing this up now? You betrayed me, colluded with this man, even tried to kidnap me, and now you're begging me? Don't you think that's shameless?" Jiang Yuhang said coldly.
Ye Jingjing had nothing to say.
She had originally thought she had sufficient reasons for this matter.
But now that her scheme was exposed, she felt that the whole thing was absurd.
Saying such things now truly was a bit shameless.
"Young Master Jiang, I won't plead for him anymore, but can you please not call the police? I know I was wrong. If you call the police, my life will be over," Ye Jingjingbegged.
"If you had known this, why did you do it in the first place?" Jiang Yuhang said coldly.
This woman had not only betrayed him but also tried to kidnap him; how could he just let it go?
They were all adults; no matter who it was, everyone had to pay the price for their actions.
Upon hearing this, Ye Jingjing's face turned pale.
At this moment, she truly realized how absurd her actions had been.
She was living a good life; why did she have to do this?
Why did she listen to Liang Yurui and get back together with him?
Even if she did, getting back together with Liang Yuruiwas one thing, but why did she then try to kidnap Jiang Yuhang?
In fact, if she had broken up with Jiang Yuhang, just as Jiang Yuhang had said earlier, he would definitely have let go.
Perhaps, if she had given a better reason, she might even have received some compensation from Jiang Yuhang.
Thinking of these things, Ye Jingjing felt endless regret.
Looking at Liang Yurui, who was screaming in agony from the beating, she felt an endless hatred.
Before, she had been deluded by Liang Yurui's sweet talk.
Now, she had sobered up.
Liang Yurui didn't love her at all; he was using her, using her to kidnap Jiang Yuhang, all just for money.
"Young Master Jiang, I truly know I was wrong. Please, please let me go."
"If this matter gets out, it won't be good for your reputation either."
"As long as you let me go, you can do whatever you want to him. You can even cripple him."
"With your status and position, this won't be a problem. Calling the police to arrest him probably won't satisfy you, so why not just cripple him directly?"
Ye Jingjing was still unwilling; the outcome of going to jail was truly unimaginable.
Originally, Jiang Yuhang was determined to call the police, thinking it better to let the police handle it.
But hearing Ye Jingjing's words made him hesitate.
If this matter got out, it would indeed be bad for him.
After all, he was a top-tier rich second generation in Jiangcheng, and even had some fame nationwide, though not as much as his friend Wang Xiaocong.
He was cheated on by his girlfriend and almost kidnapped.
If it got out, others might not dare to say anything to his face, but behind his back, it would be a different story.
Don't say the police would keep it confidential and no one would know.
Such things were too easy to find out in the rich second generation circle.
By then, it would definitely become public knowledge.
His, Jiang Yuhang's, face would definitely be completely lost.
Not only would he lose face, but even his father's old face wouldn't know where to hide.
If this matter was exposed, his father would definitely become a laughingstock in the business world.
Who knows how many powerful figures hostile to his father would bring this up in front of him.
It had to be said that handling it privately would be better.
"Young Master Jiang, I truly know I was wrong. This whole matter, from beginning to end, was planned by Liang Yurui. I was just deceived by Liang Yurui. Please, just let me go."
"As for Liang Yurui, you can deal with him however you want."
Ye Jingjing saw that Jiang Yuhang was somewhat moved and continued to beg for mercy.
"Ye Jingjing, you bitch, how dare you abandon me to my fate! May you die a horrible death!"
Liang Yurui, who was beaten to a pulp, heard Ye Jingjing's words and suddenly revived, cursing furiously.
"Listening to you was the biggest mistake of my life. You're the one who made me like this. May you die a horrible death!" Ye Jingjing said with hatred.
"You bitch, I didn't force you. You wanted to do this yourself. If you didn't want to, how would you have listened to me?" Liang Yurui cursed.
"You..." Ye Jingjing trembled with anger.
Before Liang Yurui contacted her, she had never thought of leaving Jiang Yuhang.
She also knew that she probably couldn't marry Jiang Yuhang.
But breaking up with Jiang Yuhang should have come with a good amount of compensation.
It was Liang Yurui who contacted her, analyzed the situation for her, and then painted a picture of a wonderful life abroad after kidnapping Jiang Yuhang and getting the money.
That's when she agreed to do it with Liang Yurui.
Now Liang Yurui not only denied it but also pushed the responsibility onto her.
She regretted even more having listened to Liang Yurui's words and grew even more furious.
"Alright, you two stop talking," Jiang Yuhang had gradually recovered; the effects of this drug didn't last long.
The two stopped talking. Now, their fate depended solely on Jiang Yuhang's words.
"What you just said makes some sense. It's indeed not suitable to call the police about this matter, otherwise, it will have a big impact on both me and my father," Jiang Yuhang added.
"Young Master Jiang, you've forgiven me?" Ye Jingjing's face lit up with joy.
"Forgive you? It's not that easy," Jiang Yuhang sneered, shaking his head.
"Then what do you want?" The joy on Ye Jingjing's face disappeared.
"I've pretty much sorted this out. The main responsibility lies with this man. You were indeed misled by him, but you also bear some responsibility," Jiang Yuhang said.
Ye Jingjing didn't speak; it was indeed true.
"I'm going to cripple one of his legs. You do it," Jiang Yuhang said.
"Young Master Jiang, you can do it yourself," Ye Jingjingresented Liang Yurui, but she had never done such a thing.
"If you don't do it, and I do, then it won't just be one of his legs, but one of yours too. You choose," Jiang Yuhang said indifferently.
"I'll do it," Ye Jingjing's eyes shifted, she gritted her teeth, and made her decision.
Compared to having one of her own legs broken, it was naturally better to break one of Liang Yurui's legs.
Moreover, she was in this situation because of Liang Yurui; breaking one of Liang Yurui's legs was what he deserved.
"Bitch, if you dare touch me, you'll die a horrible death!" Liang Yurui screamed in fear, threatening her.
"You're the one who made me like this; you'll die a horrible death!" Ye Jingjing said, picking up a nearby chair and smashing it onto Liang Yurui's leg.
"Ah!" Liang Yurui let out a scream, "Bitch, how dare you hit me like that! I'll definitely kill you later!"
The leg didn't break.
Ye Jingjing's force was still too light, so she used all her strength and smashed it down hard again.
Crack!
Finally, the sound of bone shattering echoed.
"Bitch, I'll definitely kill you later!" Liang Yurui let out a pig-like scream, not forgetting to threaten Ye Jingjing.
Chapter 45 Suspicion
"Since you want to kill me, I'll cripple another one of your legs. Let's see how you're going to kill me then." Ye Jingjing's eyes flashed with a fierce light as she raised the chair again, aiming for Liang Yurui's other leg.
This woman is truly ruthless.
Crack!
Another sound of bones breaking echoed.
She had experience now; one smash was enough.
"Ah ah ah!" Liang Yurui shrieked in pain, still cursing, "Ye Jingjing, you bitch, you're so cruel! Even if you break both my legs, I'll still kill you in the future."
"Is that so? In that case, I'll break both your arms. Let's see how you're going to kill me then." Ye Jingjing raised the chair again.
"No, don't hit me anymore! I take back my words. We'll have no relationship ever again. Please stop hitting me!"
Seeing Ye Jingjing raise the chair again, threatening to break his arms, Liang Yurui immediately panicked.
Both his legs were broken, and there was no guarantee they could be healed. If they couldn't, he would be confined to a wheelchair.
If his arms were also broken and couldn't be healed, he would need care for the rest of his life, which would be worse than death.
"Now you know fear?" Ye Jingjing asked with a cold sneer.
"I'm scared. We'll have no relationship ever again. All of this is my own fault. Please don't hit me anymore." Liang Yurui was truly terrified.
This woman was too ruthless; she had completely transformed into a different person.
It seems it's best not to offend women.
It would have been better if he hadn't spoken so harshly just now.
Saying a few harsh words only led to another broken leg. It was truly tragic.
"Consider yourself lucky you're sensible." Ye Jingjingsnorted coldly and put the chair down.
Liang Yurui breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally managed to calm this woman down.
"Young Master Jiang, is this satisfactory?" Jiang Yuhangasked Jiang Yuhang.
"Excellent, even better than I expected." Jiang Yuhangnodded.
"Then I can leave now, right?" Ye Jingjing asked again.
"Not yet. Regarding this matter, I still have a few things to say. Both of you listen carefully." Jiang Yuhang said in a deep voice.
"Young Master Jiang, please speak." Ye Jingjing said.
Liang Yurui stopped screaming and looked at Jiang Yuhang.
"This matter ends here. The police must not be involved. If anyone does anything in the future that alerts the police, I will make sure you know what it means to live a life worse than death." Jiang Yuhang said.
"Young Master Jiang, rest assured, this matter ends here. I will leave Jiangcheng today, and I will never reveal a single word to anyone in my life." Ye Jingjing said.
"That's good." Jiang Yuhang nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Liang Yurui, "What about you?"
Liang Yurui immediately said, "Young Master Jiang, I will also never bring up this matter again. I admit defeat today. In the future, to avoid any connection to this incident, I will not seek revenge on Ye Jingjing, nor will I tell my family about this. Even if my family knows my legs are broken, I will say I accidentally fell and broke them. In short, this matter ends here."
He was truly somewhat afraid.
His legs were broken, but there was still hope they could be healed. Even if they healed, they might not be as flexible as before, but the difference wouldn't be too great.
This was certainly better than going to jail.
He also wouldn't seek revenge on Ye Jingjing, fearing it would expose this incident.
After all, if he sought revenge on Ye Jingjing, it would inevitably alert the police.
And if the police were alerted, this matter would inevitably be brought to light.
Someone like Jiang Yuhang had countless ways to make him wish he were dead.
He already regretted it now, regretted ever thinking of harming Jiang Yuhang.
Such things were not so easy to do.
Kidnapping was not something just anyone could pull off.
To end up in this state was well-deserved.
It must be said, Liang Yurui's change was also very thorough.
"Very good, you're also very sensible." Jiang Yuhangnodded in satisfaction, then said, "You can both get out."
This was the house he bought, only for Ye Jingjing to live in, so naturally, it was Ye Jingjing and Liang Yurui who would leave.
"Young Master Jiang, can I pack my things?" Ye Jingjingasked.
She still had a lot of clothes and other items.
Now that the matter was resolved, taking her clothes should be fine, right?
Those clothes, bags, and other items were all gifts from Jiang Yuhang. They were all luxury goods, and she couldn't bear to just leave them behind.
"You may." Jiang Yuhang nodded.
His anger had been vented, so he didn't make things too difficult for Ye Jingjing.
Ye Jingjing immediately went back to her room to pack her things.
"Young Master Jiang, I'm afraid I'll have to stay here a little longer. In my condition, I need to call an ambulance. I can only leave once the ambulance arrives." Liang Yuruisaid bitterly.
"Throw him downstairs." Jiang Yuhang told his Bodyguard.
He didn't want to see Liang Yurui anymore. When the ambulance arrived was none of his business.
"Yes." The Bodyguard responded, immediately picked up Liang Yurui, and left.
Liang Yurui's face was filled with bitterness. The movement pulled at his wounds, making him howl in pain, but he dared not say anything.
This was Jiang Yuhang's house. If Jiang Yuhang didn't want him to stay in the house, what could he say? Nothing at all.
Thrown downstairs, he could only call an ambulance.
He dared not tell his family about this incident.
If he told his family, it might cause further trouble.
Resolving it this way was already considered good.
Inside the house.
Ye Jingjing packed her things: one bag and one rolling suitcase. Everything was inside.
Ye Jingjing walked to the door, stopped, and turned back to ask, "Young Master Jiang, when you came today, you kept your phone connected to your Bodyguard and recorded everything. It's as if you knew what Liang Yuruiand I were going to do to you. I'm very curious, how did you know?"
This matter was discussed privately between her and Liang Yurui, and absolutely no third person was told.
Jiang Yuhang said indifferently, "You don't need to know that."
He was too lazy to explain to Ye Jingjing.
Ye Jingjing said nothing more, turned, and left with her belongings.
The Bodyguard was also puzzled: "Young Master Jiang, I'm also very curious, how did you know?"
Jiang Yuhang smiled: "At lunch today, I met someone. He told me that when I came to see my friend, my friend might be planning something against me."
The Bodyguard asked, "How did that person know?"
Jiang Yuhang shook his head: "I don't know how he knew."
The Bodyguard's eyes flickered: "You said, could it be that person is allied with these two or one of them, and did this to gain your trust? With an ulterior motive?"
This speculation was not without reason.
After all, the source of the information was truly incredible.
What Liang Yurui and Ye Jingjing did should only be known to the two of them; it was impossible for them to tell anyone else.
It was impossible for anyone else to have overheard them discussing this matter.
Jiang Yuhang's expression became somewhat serious: "It's not impossible. For the next few days, help me keep an eye on that person. I'll tell you his address later. I'll also borrow two more people from my father to watch this couple and see if anything can be discovered. We must rule out the possibility you mentioned."
The Bodyguard nodded: "That would be best."
Chapter 46 Taking Advantage of Someone's Misfortune
After seeing Douyin's future development plans and the list of future internet celebrities, Xu Yang went online to search for Fengcai Guild.
He found the phone number of Xiao Dongsheng, the President of Fengcai Guild, and immediately dialed it.
Since the system had pointed out the path, it was natural to get started right away.
Soon, the call connected.
"Hello," a slightly tired voice sounded.
"Hello, may I ask if this is President Xiao Dongsheng of Fengcai Guild?" Xu Yang asked.
"Yes, and you are..." Xiao Dongsheng said.
"I saw online that you wanted to sell your guild. Has your guild not been acquired yet?" Xu Yang asked.
"Not yet. Are you interested?" Xiao Dongsheng asked.
"Yes, I am interested. When do you have time for us to meet and discuss?" Xu Yang said.
"Tomorrow afternoon, around two o'clock. As for the location, let's meet at the Old Tree Cafe on Ba Wang Road in DC District," Xiao Dongsheng said.
"No problem, see you then."
Ending the call, Xu Yang smiled.
This was the first company he invested in; his career was about to begin.
He went to the living room and told Zhao Yuxin about it.
"That's best. With an existing guild, we can just acquire it directly," Zhao Yuxin strongly agreed with Xu Yang's approach.
Acquiring a guild is much simpler than establishing one from scratch.
Otherwise, if one were to establish a guild oneself, from registration, finding an office, to recruiting staff, there would be all sorts of things to do, requiring a lot of time and effort.
Her Cousin Zhao Yuqing started a business; two years ago, she partnered with a friend to establish an accounting firm.
She knew that at the time, her Cousin was exhausted every day.
It wasn't until the firm was on the right track that she wasn't so tired.
"Yes, from now on, others will work for me and make money," Xu Yang said with a smile.
"By the way, you've bought a car and a house, so you don't have much money left, right? Is it still enough to acquire the guild?" Zhao Yuxin asked.
"It should be enough. The Maserati cost 2.3 million, the rolls-royce cullinan cost 8 million, and the house cost 36 million, totaling 46.3 million. Adding some other things I bought, the total spent was 47 million."
"Now I still have 3 million in my card. If 3 million isn't enough, there's still 5 to 6 million in the futures market and 5 to 6 million in the stock market. I'll take it all out, over 10 million, which will definitely be enough."
"Once the auction starts, I'll be able to earn 100 million, so there's no need to fear running out of money."
Xu Yang remembered the use of his money very clearly.
"That's good," Zhao Yuxin felt relieved.
"Wife, I'm quite tired today. Shall we take a nap?" Xu Yang pulled Zhao Yuxin towards the upstairs bedroom.
"Husband, are you trying to do something naughty again?" Zhao Yuxin raised an eyebrow.
"Wife, how can you call it doing something naughty? That's pre-sleep exercise, to better promote sleep and improve sleep quality."
Xu Yang picked up Zhao Yuxin and entered the bedroom.
Soon, the sounds of lovemaking echoed in the bedroom... That evening, at a certain restaurant.
Zhao Yulu and Chen Guanglei sat opposite each other.
"Yulu, what's wrong? You seem to be in a bad mood. Is there anything I can help you with?" Chen Guangleiasked.
"You can't help me with this," Zhao Yulu shook her head.
"How do you know I can't help? Tell me first, what exactly is it?" Chen Guanglei didn't believe he couldn't help.
What could Zhao Yulu possibly encounter that he couldn't help with? Impossible.
No matter what, he was a second-generation rich man with billions.
"You really can't help me with this," Zhao Yulu still shook her head.
"How will you know I can't help if you don't tell me? Just tell me," Chen Guanglei was getting a little anxious.
This was clearly questioning his ability.
As a second-generation rich man whose family had billions, and one who wanted to show off in front of Zhao Yulu, this was absolutely intolerable.
"The members of the Southwest Chamber of Commerceare establishing a special investment fund, with an initial joint investment of one billion. These funds need to be managed by a bank."
"All major banks, upon hearing this news, hope to secure this business."
"Our branch manager gave a task to all employees today, saying that whoever can secure this business will become a wealth manager."
"A wealth manager is much better than a teller, has more contact with people, and earns a higher income."
"Including me, everyone wants to secure this business, but I can't even get in touch with the people over there, let alone secure the business."
"Do you have any connections with the Southwest Chamber of Commerce?"
Zhao Yulu explained the situation.
As far as she knew, Chen Guanglei had no connections with the Southwest Chamber of Commerce.
Chen Guanglei was a person who loved to show off, boasting every time they met, as if eager to display all his abilities and connections. Chen Guanglei had never told her he had connections with the Southwest Chamber of Commerce.
"Yulu, if it were another chamber of commerce, I might not be able to help you, but with the Southwest Chamber of Commerce, I can help!" Chen Guanglei smiled.
He also knew about the Southwest Chamber of Commerce establishing a special investment fund; he heard it from his father.
"Really?" Zhao Yulu was a little surprised, then immediately doubtful. "But I've never heard you say you have connections with people from the Southwest Chamber of Commerce."
Chen Guanglei smiled and said, "I don't have connections with people from the Southwest Chamber of Commerce, but my dad does! My dad is very familiar with a Vice President of the Southwest Chamber of Commerce."
Zhao Yulu eagerly asked, "Then can you ask your dad to help me?"
Chen Guanglei's father was very familiar with a Vice President of the Southwest Chamber of Commerce, so he could certainly help.
After all, a Vice President was one of the few most important figures in the Southwest Chamber of Commerce.
As long as a Vice President helped with all his might, it shouldn't be a problem.
"He can, but..." Chen Guanglei's eyes darted around, and he didn't finish his sentence.
"But what?" Zhao Yulu quickly asked.
"Yulu, look, we've known each other for a while, and you know my feelings. I really like you. If you agree to be my girlfriend, I'll ask my dad to help. What do you think?"
Chen Guanglei had been unable to win over Zhao Yulu for a long time and was getting a bit annoyed. With this opportunity, he decided to take advantage of it.
"Chen Guanglei, how can you be like this? You're taking advantage of my predicament!" Zhao Yulu hadn't expected Chen Guanglei to propose such a condition and immediately became angry.
"Yulu, don't misunderstand. I don't mean to take advantage of your predicament," Chen Guanglei quickly said.
"You said that, and you still say you don't mean to take advantage of my predicament? Don't you think that's ridiculous?" Zhao Yulu sneered.
"Yulu, please don't be angry yet. Listen to my explanation first," Chen Guanglei said.
"Okay, then explain. Let's see what you can come up with." Zhao Yulu strongly disliked Chen Guanglei's expression, but she still gave him a chance to explain.
After all, she didn't want to fall out with Chen Guangleinow; she still relied on him to invest in Blackstone Technology's stock.
Chapter 47 Meeting and Negotiation
"Yulu, if it were about me, I would definitely help you without a second thought."
"But that's my dad's connection, so I need a good reason to get him to help, right?"
"If I said it was just to help a regular friend, my dad definitely wouldn't agree to help."
"He'd only agree if I said it was to help my girlfriend, his future daughter-in-law."
Chen Guanglei offered a high-sounding reason.
It must be said, at first listen, it sounded quite reasonable.
At least, that's how Zhao Yulu perceived it.
Now, Zhao Yulu hesitated.
To be honest, she wasn't particularly keen on Chen Guanglei.
Becoming Chen Guanglei's girlfriend was something she truly wasn't prepared for.
However, if she could use this opportunity to become a wealth manager at the bank, her career would take a significant step forward.
This opportunity was truly too rare.
"Yulu, you know how much I like you. As long as you agree to be my girlfriend, I'll definitely treat you well. Please, just agree to be my girlfriend."
Seeing Zhao Yulu hesitate, clearly showing some inclination, Chen Guanglei naturally pressed on.
"If you can help me secure this business deal, I'll agree to be your girlfriend." Zhao Yulu remained silent for a long time before stating her condition.
"Yulu, you said it, no backing out!" Chen Guanglei's eyes lit up, a little excited.
It would definitely be no problem for him to ask his dad to step in.
After chasing Zhao Yulu for so long, there was finally a result.
With Zhao Yulu as his girlfriend, getting her into bed wouldn't be far off.
Thinking of the scene of having Zhao Yulu beneath him, Chen Guanglei couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
"I won't back out, but it must be after the contract is signed," Zhao Yulu said.
"No problem, these are just procedural matters. Just get ready to be my girlfriend," Chen Guanglei grinned widely.
He had it all planned out. When he got home later, he would talk to his dad about it and try to get it sorted as soon as possible.
"Let's talk about it after you help me secure the business," Zhao Yulu said.
"Don't worry, if I say it's no problem, then it's definitely no problem," Chen Guanglei said with a smile. "Oh, and regarding Blackstone Technology's stock, tomorrow is the time to buy. You can handle the purchase yourself tomorrow morning."
Chen Guanglei already knew that Zhao Yulu had borrowed two million from Zhao Yuxin, and another million from other sources, totaling three million.
"Okay, I'll buy tomorrow." Zhao Yulu nodded.
This was an opportunity to make a lot of money. For a while, she had been worried about raising funds. Thankfully, Zhao Yuxin lent her two million; otherwise, she would only be able to invest one million and wouldn't earn much.
Lending two million to Zhao Yuxin and then giving her five hundred thousand in interest wouldn't be an issue.
After all, Chen Guanglei said that Blackstone Technology's stock price would at least triple.
Earning six million from two million, and only needing to pay five hundred thousand in interest, was incredibly cost-effective.
"Oh, right, I'm planning to have my dad invest in a short video platform guild. What do you think?" Chen Guangleiasked casually.
He served as a manager in his dad's company, but his role was just for show. No one took him seriously, and he didn't handle any specific tasks, often being absent for days at a time.
His dad was the largest shareholder of the company. Even if other shareholders had opinions, they couldn't do anything to Chen Guanglei.
It was just like spending money to support an idler.
"I don't know much about it, but I know short videos are very popular now. I also scroll through short videos when I have nothing to do. If the guild has high-quality streamers, earning money shouldn't be a problem," Zhao Yulu shared her opinion.
"We see eye to eye. A couple of days ago, I contacted a small guild, but they were asking for a bit too much, five million, and wouldn't budge. I plan to let them stew for a while, and once they're truly desperate, I'll invest. I'm sure I can get it at the lowest price," Chen Guanglei chuckled.
"Then I wish you success," Zhao Yulu said.
"Definitely. This is the first time I've asked my dad to invest, so it's bound to be successful. The short video trend has already formed, and now is the perfect time to enter. It'll be hard not to make money," Chen Guangleisaid confidently... The next afternoon.
Xu Yang arrived at the Old Tree Cafe on Overlord Street and met with Xiao Dongsheng.
Xiao Dongsheng was a middle-aged man in his early thirties, dressed in a proper suit, but with a clear look of fatigue on his face.
"Mr. Xu, the full acquisition price for the guild is five million. If you're willing to accept, we can continue to talk. If not, then there's no need for us to continue," Xiao Dongsheng was very direct.
During this time, he had received many calls and met with several people.
They would start off talking well, but when he mentioned the five-million acquisition price, those people would become unwilling and aggressively try to drive down the price.
Especially two days ago, a rich second-generation man surnamed Chen even said he would only acquire it for two million, and he disparaged the guild as worthless, which made him furious, almost leading him to physical violence.
"The price is fine," Xu Yang said with a smile. "Let's discuss other matters then."
Anyway, Fengcai Guild would become Douyin's largest guild and would earn a lot of money in the future.
Five million was nothing. He had already closed his futures position this morning and withdrawn five million, bringing his total cash to eight million, enough for the acquisition today.
To avoid any complications, he wanted to complete the acquisition today.
Otherwise, it wouldn't be good if someone else got there first.
Hearing this, Xiao Dongsheng breathed a sigh of relief.
If Xu Yang didn't agree, he would only be able to continue waiting.
He was currently so burdened by debt that he could barely breathe.
To maintain the guild's operations, he had borrowed a lot of money.
After receiving five million and paying off his debts, there wouldn't be much left.
This was one of the reasons he insisted on a five-million acquisition price.
If it wasn't even enough to pay off his debts, he would rather give up.
Fortunately, after so many days, he finally met someone who could meet his price requirement.
In matters like this, as long as the price was agreed upon, everything else was usually minor issues.
Xiao Dongsheng said, "Mr. Xu, the price you offered satisfies me, so I have nothing more to say. Please ask whatever you wish. You've met my requirements, now let's see if my guild meets yours."
Xu Yang said, "Mr. Xiao is truly a straightforward person. My first requirement for acquiring your guild is that you continue to serve as the guild leader. Is that a problem?"
The information given by the system stated that Fengcai Guild only became Douyin's largest guild under Xiao Dongsheng's leadership.
Without a doubt, Xiao Dongsheng was a rare talent, and he absolutely had to be retained.
Xiao Dongsheng was stunned: "Mr. Xu, you plan to ask me to continue managing the guild?"
To be honest, Xiao Dongsheng was very surprised by Xu Yang's request to keep him on.
Typical acquirers would only keep mid-to-low-level employees, perhaps some high-level personnel, but they would usually replace the top manager with their own trusted confidant to better control the guild.
He really hadn't expected Xu Yang to make such a request.
Chapter 48 Successfully Acquired the Guild
"Yes," Xu Yang nodded, "I think you are a rare management talent. Under your leadership, the guild will definitely achieve a leap forward."
"Thank you, Mr. Xu Yang, for your trust and affirmation," Xiao Dongsheng said. "Mr. Xu, I am naturally very grateful that you invited me to remain as the guild leader. I just wonder what terms you are offering?"
Although Xu Yang's appreciation for him made him very excited,
to stay, he still had to see what kind of treatment Xu Yangwould offer.
If the treatment could meet his requirements, he would naturally stay.
If it couldn't, he would naturally leave.
Although he had feelings for Fengcai Guild, he had a wife and children to support and couldn't disregard them for the sake of mere sentiment.
"Fifty thousand a month, twenty percent of the shares. However, these twenty percent of the shares are valid only while you are employed by the company. If you leave the company, they automatically become void. How do you feel about that?" Xu Yang offered his terms.
"What!" Xiao Dongsheng was stunned, almost doubting his own ears.
"What, are you still not satisfied with these terms?" Xu Yang's brows furrowed slightly.
He had done his research; for the leader of a small guild, fifty thousand a month was definitely a high salary.
The key was that giving Xiao Dongsheng twenty percent of the guild's shares was unprecedented.
This condition was offered to ensure Xiao Dongsheng's loyalty.
If even this couldn't satisfy Xiao Dongsheng, then he would have to consider whether to keep Xiao Dongsheng.
Although the system stated that Fengcai Guild became Douyin's largest guild thanks to Xiao Dongsheng's management,
that was under circumstances where he had not intervened.
He had a list of future internet celebrities provided by the system; signing those celebrities to the guild would ensure its good development.
And finding a capable guild leader was not difficult.
"No," Xiao Dongsheng quickly shook his head, "Mr. Xu, it's just that the terms you offered are too generous, and it shocked me. I never expected to receive such a high salary, and most importantly, you are willing to give me twenty percent of the shares. It's truly unbelievable."
"I see," Xu Yang realized, "So, you agree?"
Xiao Dongsheng nodded repeatedly: "Agree, of course I agree. If I didn't agree to such good treatment, I'd be a fool. You're giving me twenty percent of the shares, so I'm also a shareholder of the guild. Don't worry, I will definitely manage the guild well. In fact, I also have feelings for the guild, after all, it's the guild I founded. And you've offered me such good terms, I will work hard, manage the guild well, and repay your appreciation."
Xu Yang smiled slightly: "I believe in you, and I believe that under your leadership, Fengcai Guild will become Douyin's number one guild."
Next, it was time to sign the contract.
Xu Yang and Xiao Dongsheng returned to the company. The company was not far from Old Tree Cafe, about a ten-minute walk.
Xu Yang called Zhao Yuqing, Yu Xin's Cousin and an accountant, to audit Fengcai Guild's finances.
He also hired a lawyer through Zhao Yuqing to draft the acquisition contract.
After working until five in the afternoon, both parties signed the contract.
Xu Yang immediately transferred five million to Xiao Dongsheng.
From then on, Xu Yang became the owner of Fengcai Guild, holding eighty percent of the shares.
Xiao Dongsheng was a shareholder and the guild leader, holding twenty percent of the shares.
After signing the contract, Xu Yang originally wanted to treat Zhao Yuqing to dinner, but she already had plans, so he couldn't. After a quick greeting, Zhao Yuqing left.
During this time, Xu Yang learned about the situation of Fengcai Guild.
When he inquired about Fengcai Guild yesterday, he only got some information, which was not comprehensive.
Some things needed to be understood from Xiao Dongsheng.
Fengcai Guild had sixteen streamers, including three with over a million followers, five with fifty thousand to a million followers, and the remaining eight streamers had less than fifty thousand followers.
In addition, there were eight staff members in various departments.
In other words, including Xiao Dongsheng, the leader, the total number of personnel in the guild was twenty-five.
Xu Yang asked Xiao Dongsheng to gather all employees for a meeting in the conference room.
Xiao Dongsheng introduced Xu Yang, and everyone learned that Xu Yang was the new boss.
They were all very happy to hear that Xiao Dongshengwould continue to serve as the guild leader.
After all, they had deep feelings for Xiao Dongsheng. A large part of the reason they stayed with the guild during its difficulties was because of Xiao Dongsheng.
Xu Yang only mentioned two points: the first was to have dinner together that evening, and the second was a thirty percent salary increase for all employees.
These two points earned cheers from the employees.
Dinner was secondary; a thirty percent salary increase was truly exhilarating.
They had originally thought that it would be good if the new boss didn't cut salaries, and they would have been satisfied if salaries remained unchanged.
They never expected the new boss to be so generous, directly increasing salaries by thirty percent.
This was definitely a grand gesture.
This also made everyone realize Xu Yang's generosity and financial power.
Working for such a boss definitely promised a bright future.
During dinner, the atmosphere was quite good, and everyone frequently toasted Xu Yang.
When they had drunk enough, everyone dispersed.
Originally, Xu Yang had called Yu Xin, explained the situation, and asked her to come to dinner to introduce her to everyone.
Yu Xin said it wasn't appropriate for her to go and instead went to her father's restaurant for dinner.
Xu Yang found a designated driver to take him home.
The driver was a bit hesitant to drive the rolls-royce cullinan.
Xu Yang promised that it would be fine to drive, and even if it got damaged, the driver wouldn't have to pay, so the driver agreed.
Upon returning home, Yu Xin had also just arrived. Seeing Xu Yang reeking of alcohol, she couldn't help but feel a little distressed: "Why did you drink so much?"
Xu Yang said: "Today was my first company investment, and I was happy, so I drank a little more. Plus, the employees were so enthusiastic, it felt wrong not to drink."
Yu Xin said: "You, I think you haven't fully adjusted to your new identity. You are the boss. When your employees toast you, you don't need to drink so much. Just a token sip is enough."
Xu Yang suddenly realized: "Oh, right, how could I forget that? I didn't think of it at the time. I have no experience, but I'll pay attention to it in the future."
At that moment, he really hadn't realized that point.
Anyway, when the employees came to toast him, he drank it all.
"I don't think you didn't realize it; I think pretty female streamers toasted you, and you couldn't resist, could you?" Yu Xin said with a smile, her eyes glinting dangerously.
"How could that be!" Xu Yang saw Yu Xin's smile and eyes, and most of his drunkenness cleared. He pulled Yu Xin into his arms, "Those female streamers are not as pretty as you. How could I not resist?"
Yu Xin snorted playfully: "Are you saying that if there were someone prettier than me, you wouldn't be able to resist?"
Chapter 49: Auction
"Uh…" Xu Yang paused, then quickly saved himself, "In my heart, you are the most beautiful. No other woman is as beautiful as you. Any woman pales in comparison to you. I only lose control around you."
Zhao Yuxin snorted, "You pass."
"Wife, I'm about to lose control now," Xu Yang began to move his mouth, hands, and feet, intending to get intimate right there on the sofa.
"Mm, husband, you reek of alcohol. Why don't you take a shower first?" Zhao Yuxin struggled a bit.
"I want to experience what it's like to lose control after drinking. I won't shower yet," Xu Yang continued his actions.
"Then let's go back to the room first," Zhao Yuxin said again.
"No need to go back, it's quite good here," Xu Yang still didn't stop his actions.
Soon, Zhao Yuxin gave up struggling and completely surrendered… In the blink of an eye, it was time for the auction.
Tang Zhengqi called Xu Yang, asking if he wanted to attend the auction.
"I've never been to an auction before, I want to go see it," Xu Yang genuinely wanted to experience it.
The day of the auction was Saturday afternoon.
It happened to be Zhao Yuxin's shift, so she didn't go with him.
When Xu Yang arrived at the auction house, Tang Zhengqi personally greeted him at the entrance.
Seeing this scene, many people were very surprised.
"Who is that person? Chairman Tang is actually greeting him personally."
"I don't know. He's so young, he must be some Second-generation rich."
"Definitely. Otherwise, how could he be worthy of Chairman Tang's personal greeting?"
It should be known that Tang Zhengqi is not only the Vice President of the Jiangcheng Antique Association but also a shareholder of the auction house, and a renowned antique expert.
The fact that Tang Zhengqi was greeting a young man at the entrance truly astonished everyone.
Many people inquired about Xu Yang's background.
However, after asking many people, they all said they didn't know him or weren't clear.
They could only guess that Xu Yang might be the young master of some hidden wealthy family.
Entering the auction house, they arrived at the auction hall.
Tang Zhengqi accompanied Xu Yang, waiting for the auction to begin.
"Brother Xu, your thumb ring is the grand finale item. Many antique collectors are here today specifically for that thumb ring. It's almost guaranteed to fetch 100 million," Tang Zhengqi said.
"Then I thank you all," Xu Yang was very happy.
One hundred million.
He never dared to dream of such a sum before.
Now, he was about to receive it.
With this 100 million, he could sign those future internet celebrities for the guild.
During this time, he hadn't let Xiao Dongsheng act, precisely because he lacked funds.
Most of those internet celebrities had already signed with guilds; only a very small number had not.
For those who had signed with guilds, even if those streamers weren't famous yet, or even completely unknown, poaching them would still require paying a substantial breach of contract fee.
With 100 million, that wouldn't be a problem.
"Brother Xu, you're too polite. It's me who should be thanking you for letting us auction that thumb ring at our auction house."
"Look, the auction hall is full, all because of this thumb ring."
"Many people are here for the thumb ring, even if some don't have the money to bid, they still want to see its true appearance."
What Tang Zhengqi said was true.
Ever since the news of the thumb ring's auction was publicized, it had caused a huge stir in the antique world.
Many antique experts called the auction house to confirm the matter.
After receiving confirmation, they immediately stated that they would attend the auction.
Those with money to bid and those without money to bid all came to participate.
This undoubtedly greatly enhanced the auction house's reputation.
This was an intangible asset, making many people full of anticipation for the auction house.
Many people would think, if they managed to get such a good item this time, would they also get similar good items next time?
Xu Yang looked around and indeed, the auction hall was almost full.
And he could hear many people talking, all about the thumb ring.
"Brother Xu, if you have anything in the future, please think of your brother and consign it to our auction house. I will owe you a favor. In the future, if you need anything from me, as long as I can do it, I will not hesitate," Tang Zhengqi said.
Because he was the one who brought the thumb ring to the auction house, his standing within the auction house had become even more important.
So he needed to maintain a good relationship with Xu Yang, hoping that Xu Yang would have good items to consign to the auction house in the future.
"Brother Tang, don't worry, if I have any good items, I will definitely consign them to your auction house," Xu Yangsaid with a smile.
He got along well with Tang Zhengqi, and having him as a friend was also very good.
Anyway, if he had good items, wherever he auctioned them, it would still be an auction. Of course, it was better to auction them here with Tang Zhengqi.
However, he wasn't a professional in this field after all, so he wouldn't constantly have good items.
"With your words, I am relieved," Tang Zhengqi said.
The two chatted for a while, and then the auction began.
The auctioneer gave a long opening speech and then began to auction items.
As items were brought up one by one, the atmosphere in the hall gradually became lively.
This kind of atmosphere was something Xu Yang had never experienced before, and he found it quite good, considering it an eye-opener.
"Brother Xu, if you see anything you like, you can bid. Whether you bring items to our auction house to sell, or bid on items, our auction house will give you a discount," Tang Zhengqi said.
"I'll look first. If I see something I'm interested in, I'll bid," Xu Yang nodded.
"Oh?"
While they were chatting, a painting currently being auctioned caught Xu Yang's attention.
"Brother Xu, could it be that you've taken a liking to this painting?" Tang Zhengqi asked.
"It's quite interesting," Xu Yang's lips curved into a slight smile.
"Brother Xu, this is just a work by a modern painter," Tang Zhengqi was a bit confused.
He didn't know why Xu Yang would be interested in such a work.
"I know. I think this painting, although a modern work, has pretty good brushwork. I want to bid on it," Xu Yang said with a chuckle.
"Really?" Tang Zhengqi expressed doubt.
Xu Yang's attitude made him wonder if there was something special about this painting.
But then, he dismissed the idea.
It should be known that all these items had been appraised by several auctioneers at the auction house together.
Even he himself had looked at them.
None of them had identified any issues, so it should be fine.
Xu Yang didn't speak anymore, because the starting price of this painting was 200,000, and someone had bid 1 million. The auctioneer had already called out twice and was about to bring down the hammer.
"1.1 million!" Xu Yang called out.
"1.1 million, this gentleman bids 1.1 million. Is there anyone else who wants to raise the bid?" the auctioneer said.
The person who bid 1 million glanced at Xu Yang, shook his head, and did not raise the bid.
The auctioneer called out twice more, and seeing that no one was raising the bid, he brought down the hammer and said, "Congratulations to this gentleman for winning this painting, 'Mountains and Rivers'!"
Xu Yang's smile grew even wider.
At this point, Tang Zhengqi was again somewhat uncertain and asked, "Brother Xu, is there something special about this painting?"
Chapter 50: Earning 200 Million
Xu Yang smiled and nodded, "Indeed, there's something to it."
Tang Zhengqi's heart trembled, "What's to it? I looked at it at the time, and I didn't see any problems."
Xu Yang laughed, "Brother Tang, after the auction, we'll take another look, and then we'll know if there's anything to it."
Tang Zhengqi sighed helplessly, "Alright, we'll talk after the auction."
The auction continued.
An hour later, the auctioneer announced, "Next, we will auction the final item of this auction, a blood-red thumb ring. After authentication..."
The auctioneer introduced the details of the thumb ring.
Immediately, it caused a sensation in the auction hall.
"It's finally this thumb ring."
"I came just for this thumb ring."
"This thumb ring is mine; no one is to fight me for it."
"You say it's yours, and it is? I say it's mine."
"All that talk is nonsense. Whoever bids the highest price, it's theirs."
"People like us can only come to watch the excitement."
"The final transaction price for this thumb ring will be at least one hundred million."
"With so many big names from the antique world showing up, I think two hundred million is possible."
"Hiss... no way? Although the thumb ring is valuable, it's not that valuable, is it?"
"Hmph, what do you mean, 'no way'? Anyway, these big collectors aren't short of money. One hundred million or two hundred million makes no difference to them."
"The significance of this thumb ring is extraordinary. Whoever acquires it for their collection will definitely experience a great fortune in life."
"One hundred million or two hundred million has nothing to do with us; we're just here to watch the show."
Everyone was discussing animatedly.
The auctioneer announced, "The starting bid for the thumb ring is ten million, with each increment not less than one million. Let the bidding begin!"
As his words fell, someone immediately called out a price.
"Twenty million!"
"Fifty million!"
"Eighty million!"
"One hundred million!"
"One hundred ten million!"
...
The bidding price jumped directly.
It only gradually slowed down after reaching one hundred million.
Although it slowed down, it was only relatively speaking, still increasing by ten million each time.
Soon the price rose to one hundred fifty million.
"Hiss... so terrifying!"
"It's already one hundred fifty million; it really might reach two hundred million!"
"I told you so, and you didn't believe me. Now you do, right?"
"If I hadn't come to this auction, I really wouldn't have seen such a grand occasion."
"I haven't seen a situation like this in a long time. I remember it was several years ago, at an auction in the capital, when a painting by Yan Liben was auctioned, that this kind of situation occurred."
Everyone was shocked by the price, gasping in unison.
At this price, only a few people were still bidding.
"One hundred sixty million! This thumb ring, I'm determined to have it!" said an old man in a Tang suit.
"One hundred seventy million! Old Guo, can you please stop competing with me? If I, an old man, can collect this thumb ring, I won't bid again in the future. Please grant me my wish," said a white-haired old man.
"One hundred eighty million. This is my final price. If you all bid higher, I won't compete with you anymore," said a grey-clothed old man.
"One hundred ninety million. This is also my final bid. Whoever wants it, just bid again," said an old man with a horse-like face.
The last few bidders were all elderly.
Only these elderly people were willing to spend this much money on such items.
Of course, while they weren't short of money, they wouldn't bid indefinitely.
This thumb ring, after all, had a price.
At this level, it had already far exceeded its inherent value.
Bidding further would be somewhat unwarranted.
After all, this was also money, and not a small amount.
Even with money, they wouldn't treat it as worthless.
Finally, the thumb ring was acquired by the old man in the Tang suit for a price of two hundred million.
Thus, the auction concluded perfectly.
"Two hundred million, that's something I didn't expect. I thought it would only fetch one hundred million," Tang Zhengqi was also stunned.
These old fellows who came to the auction truly had extraordinary means.
"Hehe, that's great," Xu Yang's smile almost reached his ears.
The auction house received a three percent commission, which was six million.
He could pocket one hundred ninety-four million.
Deducting the painting he just bid on, one million one hundred thousand, he would pocket one hundred ninety-two million nine hundred thousand.
This 'leak' he picked up was truly massive.
This gave him even more confidence in the matter of scouting future internet celebrities.
Xu Yang and Tang Zhengqi went backstage.
After receiving the money, he got the painting he had bid on, 'Mountains and Rivers'.
Tang Zhengqi led Xu Yang to a room, wanting Xu Yang to point out what was special about this 'Mountains and Rivers' painting.
Xu Yang placed the painting on the table and spread it out.
Then, he filled a cup with hot water and poured it directly onto the painting.
"Brother Xu, what are you doing?" Tang Zhengqi was startled, his face filled with deep confusion.
Xu Yang smiled, said nothing, and directly tore off the wet paper from the top of the painting.
Immediately, another painting underneath was revealed.
"Hiss... This is Huang Gongwang's'Secluded Waterside Pavilion'!" Tang Zhengqi couldn't help but exclaim when he saw the painting.
He hadn't expected it to be a painting within a painting; the top layer was a modern work, with such an authentic masterpiece hidden underneath.
"Brother Xu, how did you discover this painting within a painting?" Tang Zhengqi then asked, his face full of doubt.
Xu Yang was only in the audience; he didn't go on stage to examine it, let alone use any instruments for authentication.
To be able to discover this painting within a painting just like that truly left people baffled.
"I just felt that this painting didn't look quite right, and there might be a painting within a painting, so I bought it. It turned out to be just as I suspected," Xu Yang said vaguely.
This matter was difficult to explain, so he simply didn't elaborate.
"Brother Xu, that reason isn't very convincing," Tang Zhengqi said with a wry smile, shaking his head.
However, he didn't press further.
Since he had asked, and Xu Yang was unwilling to say, then for him to continue pressing would be somewhat impolite.
"Brother Xu, I really like Huang Gongwang's works. If you sell this painting to me, I'll offer twenty million, and I can give you the money immediately. Of course, you can also put it up for auction. If it goes well, it should fetch around twenty-five million, but the next auction isn't until the fifteenth of next month," Tang Zhengqi said.
"Just sell it to you. I don't want to wait," Xu Yang said.
He needed money now. Although he already had nearly two hundred million, the more the better. More money meant he could sign more internet celebrities faster.
"Then I'm very grateful to you," Tang Zhengqi was overjoyed.
He could keep this painting for his collection, or he could have the auction house sell it. He could definitely earn a few million.
"Brother Tang, there's no need to be so polite. I should thank you for being able to pick up this painting today. If you hadn't asked me to attend the auction, how would I have discovered this painting?" Xu Yang said with a smile.
"Brother Xu, it's different. In any case, I stand by what I said: if you ever need anything from me, as long as I can do it, I won't hesitate," Tang Zhengqi promised again.
"Alright, I'll be relying on you, Brother Tang, in the future," Xu Yang said with a smile.
Afterward, Tang Zhengqi transferred twenty million to Xu Yang.
On this trip, Xu Yang pocketed over two hundred million, naturally feeling satisfied and overjoyed.
The two chatted for a while longer, then Xu Yang bid farewell and left.