Chapter 784
A sigh
"Xiao Yi, you said you're planning to buy a house in the Han River area?"
Zhang Yi's face was full of smiles, and his tone was deliberately warm and ingratiating:
"Auntie, I not only want to buy a house in Hanjiang, but also in Xishan Linyu!"
He deliberately emphasized the four characters "Xishan Linyu" (西山林语), as if it were a symbol of some kind of status:
"That way, when you and your uncle retire, I can come over often to take care of you, serve you tea and water, and keep you company while you chat!"
Shen Jun's face lit up with joy at her nephew's words of "filial piety," and she nodded with a smile.
"That's fine too. Your uncle and I will be..."
She was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly remembered something, glanced instinctively at the serene and picturesque Zhao Xiangjun beside her, and quickly changed her words:
"However... once we retire, we probably won't live here often anymore..."
"Huh?" Zhang Yi looked surprised and blurted out, "Don't you and your uncle live with your cousin?"
Shen Jun gently shook her head, her tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable sense of distance:
“They live together. It’s just that your cousin… has some businesses in other places, in environments more suitable for retirement.”
She skillfully avoided the sensitive term "Chenjia Island." That was the Chen family's absolute private domain, and the rules for entry were determined by Chen Xiao. No matter how much she loved her nephew, she would never overstep her bounds and cause her son any trouble.
Zhang Yi reacted extremely quickly, immediately laughing heartily and patting his chest to express his determination:
"That's even simpler! Whichever city you'll live in from now on, I'll immediately buy a house there! It has to be close to you so I can visit you every day to take care of you!"
He spoke with such confidence, as if buying a house were as easy as buying groceries.
Zhao Xiangjun sat quietly throughout, like a cold, aloof jade sculpture. She was not one for many words, yet her mind was sharp and perceptive. Zhang Yi kept talking about "filial piety," but if he truly cared, why didn't he just buy a house in Laiwu where Shen Yun currently resided? Choosing the prime real estate of [Xishan Linyu], adjacent to Chen Xiao, revealed his true intentions—his real purpose wasn't the house itself, but rather the "cousin's" gold mine.
Han Xue sat behind and to the side of Zhao Xiangjun, also remaining silent, but when her gaze swept over Zhang Yi and his wife, there was a hint of understanding in it.
Shen Jun glanced at his watch and changed the subject:
"Chen Xiao should be back soon. You two haven't seen each other for five or six years, right? Have a couple of drinks tonight and catch up!"
She then turned to Jia Yan, who was trying to minimize her presence, and gave her a half-joking, half-serious advice:
"Xiao Yan, you are also... uh, never mind."
She glanced at Zhao Xiangjun, her tone clearly protective:
"Xiangjun prefers peace and quiet and isn't used to being disturbed. Except for necessary things, you... well, don't be too 'frequent' in bothering her."
These words were both a joke and a warning. She knew her daughter-in-law's personality well and was afraid that Jia Yan's mercenary "enthusiasm" and lack of tact in currying favor would bother the quiet and averse-to-noise Zhao Xiangjun, forcing Xiangjun to deal with it out of consideration for relatives, thus adding to her troubles.
Jia Yan nodded hurriedly, replying repeatedly, "Yes, yes, Auntie, don't worry! I understand, I understand!"
She sat on the soft, expensive leather sofa, unsure of what to do with her hands and feet. More than an hour had passed since she entered the palatial Xishan Linyu mansion, and her heart was still pounding!
The luxury before her eyes far exceeded the limits of her meager imagination!
A huge crystal chandelier refracts a dreamlike halo, the walls are adorned with incomprehensible yet priceless works of art, a carpet as soft as clouds lies beneath your feet, and the air is filled with the delicate scent of wood…
This was all after Chen Xiao generously lent their family 5 million yuan, allowing her to experience the life of a "rich wife" for a few months in advance! If she had stepped into this place six months ago, she probably would have suffocated and wouldn't have dared to breathe!
For over a decade after marrying into the Zhang family, she had always complained about Zhang Yi's meager resources and the poverty of his relatives, with none of them offering any support. Who would have thought that the Zhang family would harbor such a high-ranking relative as Chen Xiao? When Zhang Yi first mysteriously mentioned, "My cousin is a billionaire," she dismissed it as wishful thinking and scoffed. It wasn't until the 5 million yuan was deposited into her account that she awoke from her dream, overwhelmed with joy and trepidation, and truly understood the weight of the words "the big boss of Junxiao Group"!
As soon as Shen Yun finished speaking, steady footsteps came from the entrance hall.
Everyone's attention in the living room was instantly drawn to it.
Chen Xiao strode in, dressed in a well-tailored casual outfit, his expression calm. His gaze immediately and precisely landed on Zhao Xiangjun, carrying a subtle warmth, before sweeping over everyone in the living room.
Zhang Yi and Jia Yan instinctively stood up!
As if by reflex, Zhang Yi and Jia Yan sprang up from the sofa with a "whoosh"! Their movements were so fast that they were almost comically tense.
"Cousin...cousin!" Zhang Yi's voice trembled slightly with excitement and awe, then he hurriedly corrected himself, "Oh no! President Chen! Hello, President Chen!"
Shen Jun chided him irritably from the side:
"At home, why call me 'President Chen'? It's too formal! Just call me by my name!"
Chen Xiao smiled gently, walked over to Zhao Xiangjun and sat down naturally. He first nodded to Zhang Yi:
"Yes, cousin, just call my name from home."
He then turned to the side and, as if no one else was around, whispered to Zhao Xiangjun, his tone unusually gentle:
"Are you tired? If you are, go upstairs and rest. Don't push yourself."
Zhao Xiangjun didn't say anything, but instead stretched out a slender finger and pinched his lower back softly with a hint of reproach and affection.
There are guests here, and she goes to rest? What kind of behavior is that!
Chen Xiao was thick-skinned and tough, and since Xiang Jun was reluctant to use her full strength, he didn't even flinch. He turned to Zhang Yi without changing his expression and asked with genuine curiosity:
What projects has my cousin been busy with lately?
He was indeed somewhat surprised. When he lent out that huge sum of money, he had assumed that Zhang Yi would quickly use Junxiao Group as a powerful ally for related business. After all, proximity is a natural thing to do. But six months had passed, and Zhang Yi had not only not contacted him, but Shen Jun hadn't even bothered him.
Zhang Yi rubbed his hands together, with a touch of humility and self-deprecation befitting a "small person":
"I haven't been busy with any big projects, just... looking around, and investing a little in what I think is good."
He chuckled, a hint of shrewdness in his eyes:
"I know my own limitations; I'm not cut out for business! But I think I'm pretty good at judging people!"
A hint of appreciation flashed in Chen Xiao's eyes. In the art of investment, projects are the shell, but people are the soul. Zhang Yi's ability to recognize this and his confidence in his "accurate judgment of people" is a rare skill in itself.
"In which areas are you mainly focusing your efforts?" Chen Xiao pressed, his tone somewhat quizzic.
Zhang Yi chuckled twice: "Mainly invested in finance and entertainment... just small-scale stuff, small-scale stuff."
Chen Xiao nodded, assuming he was involved in stocks, funds, or some financial products. As for entertainment, he casually commented, "The short drama genre has exploded in recent years. You have good foresight; you picked a hot trend."
This ability to make judgments and act independently of Junxiao's system did indeed make Chen Xiao think more highly of his cousin.
His gaze shifted to Jia Yan, who was trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible:
"What about my cousin's wife? Is she helping my cousin manage his business, or does she have her own career?"
When Jia Yan was called on, she straightened her back immediately, like a student being questioned by a teacher, and her face instantly showed an expression that was a mixture of grievance and a desire to confide:
"President Chen... oh no, cousin!" Seeing Chen Xiao's gentle gaze, she grew bolder and looked at Zhang Yi with a hint of tattling:
“I’m a career-minded person too! But your cousin… he said I should just stay home and take care of the kids, and not get involved in business matters!”
She became increasingly aggrieved as she spoke:
“Cousin, tell me, in a family like ours, do we really need to keep an eye on the kids every day? I think he’s just keeping an eye on me, not wanting me to know how much money he’s making!”
Upon hearing this, Shen Yun immediately glared at Zhang Yi, her tone reproachful:
"What kind of outdated thinking is that? Why can't women have their own careers?"
Zhang Yi chuckled dryly and scratched his head. He used to be afraid of his wife because she would threaten to divorce him at the drop of a hat, and he had to coax her every day. But since he had 5 million yuan in his pocket, what was his wife? Did he need to coax her anymore? He couldn't even get rid of her!
Don't be fooled by her current complaints; Zhang Yi thinks it's just greed. Isn't life good enough now? When she goes shopping, she doesn't even need to ask the price; she can buy whatever she likes.
Chen Xiao timely smoothed things over, first addressing Zhang Yi:
"Cousin, your idea is indeed wrong."
These words made Jia Yan's eyes light up, thinking she had found a powerful backer.
However, Chen Xiao changed the subject, looking at Jia Yan with a gentle tone but carrying an invisible pressure:
"However, sister-in-law, on the other hand, for families like ours, it's really best for us to take care of the children ourselves."
He naturally put his arm around Zhao Xiangjun's shoulder, with a hint of doting affection:
“Look at Xiangjun, I wanted to hire someone to help her take care of her child, but she wouldn’t let me.”
Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Xiangjun pinched his lower back again, this time harder than before. Zhao Xiangjun gave him a reproachful look—when did I say that? Always adding drama to my life!
Chen Xiao remained unfazed, as if the pain was merely a tickle.
Jia Yan was speechless after being silenced by Chen Xiao's words.
Even a goddess like Zhao Xiangjun personally took care of the children...
What else could she say? All her "ambition" and "grievances" were instantly suppressed, leaving only an awkward smile.
Just then—
"Buzz-"
Chen Xiao's phone received a message. He picked it up, glanced at it, and gently put it down.
The message was sent by Zhang Ziqian. It was about the [Black Cat Loan Platform]. After Chen Xiao made his decision, Zhang Ziqian immediately arranged for someone to meet with the heads of several banks that the [Black Cat Loan Platform] was cooperating with.
It is said that Zhang Ziqian is the chief secretary of Junxiao Group and the assistant who can make decisions for President Chen. Several banks have canceled all their work and rushed to Jiangzhou today to meet with Zhang Ziqian early tomorrow morning.
Based on this attitude alone, Chen Xiao knew that his system task was done!
【Junxiao Group】or 【Black Cat Loan Platform】, even a fool knows which to choose.
He didn't reply to the message. The plan had already been discussed with Zhang Ziqian in the afternoon, and she was given full authority to handle the matter.
During dinner, Chen Xiao heard that Zhang Yi was planning to settle in Jiangzhou and welcomed him.
"I used my connections to get your nephew's school transfer sorted out, and we also finalized the deal for an apartment in this complex. We bought a large 289-square-meter penthouse!"
That was incredibly fast! Chen Xiao had initially thought Zhang Yi was just making plans. Who would have thought he'd already put them into action! Not only had he bought the house, but he'd even arranged for his child's schooling!
Zhang Yi had never been to Jiangzhou before, and he didn't even ask for my help with his child's school enrollment. It seems this cousin prefers to solve problems independently.
"Your cousin's wife will come over first to pick up and drop off the child at school."
Perhaps thinking of the earlier discussion about whether women should have their own careers, Zhang Yi explained, "The main thing is that we've just arrived and haven't found a suitable nanny yet. So, Jia Yan will still be picking us up and dropping us off for now. Once the nanny arrives, she'll be free to do whatever she wants, and I'll help her invest in some businesses!"
No one can find fault with this arrangement.
Chen Xiao nodded slightly. "Okay, tomorrow I'll have my sister-in-law pick out a sports car as a housewarming gift for you. Also, I'll give you a Glorious 009 as a gift, so the nanny can use it to take the kids to school."
Jia Yan's joy was palpable; her cousin was truly generous, directly gifting her a sports car.
But considering my cousin's wealth, gifting him a supercar would be easier for him than gifting a toy car to an average person.
"Cousin, you've gone to so much trouble for me," one should still be polite.
Chen Xiao waved his hand, "Money is no problem!" Then he remembered the bonuses that had been deposited into his account during the day.
Hassan's $7 million order directly brought him over $80 billion in profits. He was numb to the sheer number of figures!
The US dollar account balance has reached $142.6 billion. This amount is far more than the annual defense spending of even the largest Middle Eastern corporations, let alone an individual.
This is just one aspect of his business revenue.
He sighed deeply. It was truly worrying. So much money, and it would only keep increasing. How was he ever going to ever spend it all?
The people at the table looked at each other in bewilderment. Zhang Yi and Jia Yan exchanged glances. They hadn't expected that their cousin, a man like him, would sigh. What troubles had he encountered?
They couldn't ask directly, but Chen Tao and Shen Jun, concerned for their son, quickly inquired, "What's wrong? Have you encountered any difficulties?"
Upon hearing his aunt and uncle speak, Zhang Yi immediately chimed in, "Yes, cousin, whatever it is, I'll do my best to help."
Jia Yan also perked up. She knew that Zhang Yi had come to Jiangzhou to further strengthen his relationship with this cousin. If she could help him with something, especially solve his problems, she would be happier than if Zhang Yi had won a hundred million in the lottery.
Chen Xiao was taken aback, only then realizing that his sigh had made everyone tense. Even Xiang Jun looked at him in confusion; in her memory, Chen Xiao rarely sighed.
He chuckled softly, then said, "Don't worry, I'm just lamenting that I have so much money I don't know what to do with it."
"."
Is this even human language? (End of Chapter)