CRASH. The glass in Peng Yu’s hand fell to the floor.
’How could this be? Jiangzhou Wansheng Square is the very soul of the Wansheng Group Hanjiang Region!’
’If they sold Jiangzhou Wansheng Square, Wansheng Group’s influence in the Hanjiang Region would plummet.’
’They would lose all leverage with the top-tier brands. In the future, if the other malls in the region wanted to bring in a major brand, they’d practically have to get on their knees and beg!’
"You can leave for now. I need to make a call!"
The call was for the CEO of Wansheng Group. Peng Yu was a smooth operator, particularly skilled at currying favor with his superiors. At Wansheng Group, the CEO was his biggest backer!
The CEO’s name was Wang Jun!
"Ah, Xiao Peng. What’s on your mind?"
"Boss, I heard some news. Is it true Jiangzhou Wansheng Square is being sold?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before he spoke. "It’s basically confirmed."
Peng Yu’s voice was urgent. "Boss, we can’t sell it! Jiangzhou Wansheng Square is the heart of the Hanjiang Region. Without this flagship location, the other malls will be in an incredibly difficult position!"
Wang Jun replied, "That sounds like your problem. The big boss needs cash, so he’s liquidating assets. And as it happens, the price we’ve been offered is a good one."
"Without the Jiangzhou location, the entire region will never hit its KPIs next year. Many of the malls will become problem locations, and it’ll be impossible for us to raise rents!"
"Ah, Xiao Peng, as the regional head, these are exactly the kinds of problems you’re paid to solve. You can’t expect the title and compensation without putting in the work, can you?"
"Boss, is there any leeway at all?"
"No. That’s that. You’ll just have to work harder."
After hanging up, Peng Yu tossed his phone onto the desk. He closed his eyes, speechless. This was truly the first time in his entire career he had faced such a dire situation.
The once-glorious regional head of the Wansheng Region had been knocked senseless by these two sucker punches, and now he was at a complete loss.
"Ah Yue, why did you bring me here?" Li Xiao asked as they sat in Gao Yue’s Volkswagen, parked in the underground garage of Yunfeng Building.
"I’m taking you to see the one and only Miss Xu!"
Miss Xu? Li Xiao was instantly confused. "Ah Yue, aren’t you supposed to be helping me with my financing problem? Why are we meeting Miss Xu?"
Gao Yue said mysteriously, "You’ll see in a little while!"
Li Xiao pursed her lips. "You just love being mysterious. I have to say, Ah Yue, out of all of us, you’re doing the best right now. Even Miss Xu can’t compare to you!"
Gao Yue replied, "Oh, stop pulling my leg. We’re not in the same league at all. She was born to live in a mansion and drive luxury cars; I was born to catch a ride wherever I can get one!"
That made Li Xiao laugh. "You don’t have to be so modest. The Hongmeng Intelligent Selection Car business is all sorted out, and that project has excellent prospects. You’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future!"
That was true. From that perspective, Gao Yue really had Xu Wu to thank. Without Xu Wu’s support, Ding Yong’s project would have definitely gone under.
If that project had failed, her career prospects would have been anything but "bright."
The two of them went up to the 28th floor. Li Xiao was no exception; it seemed everyone who came here was stunned by the luxurious decor.
Gao Yue had sent Xu Wu a message when they arrived. Xu Wu was currently taking a walk in the Langting Pavilion of the rooftop Aerial Garden and told them to come straight up.
There was a staircase from the 28th floor to the roof that required keycard access. Xu Wu was waiting for them upstairs and had left the door unlocked, so they could go straight up.
It was Gao Yue’s first time in the Aerial Garden as well, and the Observatory they saw as soon as they stepped out onto the roof left them both speechless.
From up here, you had the feeling of looking down on the entire world.
Li Xiao said, "Ah Yue, it must be nice to be rich. Working here would be pure luxury. I wonder when we’ll ever make it to this kind of level."
Gao Yue sighed. "It’ll be tough. This place is reserved for the people at the very top of the pyramid to enjoy."
Gao Yue led Li Xiao further in. They passed through the Langting Pavilion, walking on a wooden boardwalk flanked by autumn chrysanthemums in full bloom. It felt as if they had stepped into a wonderland.
Walking a bit further, they saw a beautiful woman cupping a cluster of autumn chrysanthemums in her hands, admiring them. From a distance, she looked like a classic portrait—holding flowers with a gentle smile, the very picture of infinite charm.
"Xiao Xiao, Ah Yue!"
Xu Wu walked over.
The weather was lovely today, so Xu Wu had come up to the rooftop to take a walk. It was quiet, a good place to think and get some fresh air.
"Miss Xu, what are you doing here?" Li Xiao asked, surprised.
Xu Wu glanced at Gao Yue. She had assumed Gao Yue would have explained everything, but it seemed her friend was enjoying the mystery.
Gao Yue took the project’s business plan from Li Xiao’s hands and handed it to Xu Wu. "President Xu, please take a look."
Xu Wu smiled. "I think I prefer it when you call me Miss Xu. It sounds nicer."
Li Xiao didn’t understand why Gao Yue was showing the documents to Xu Wu. ’Maybe Xu Wu is an economics expert,’ she thought, ’and Gao Yue just wants her to check if there are any problems.’
She wanted to ask Xu Wu why she was here, but she didn’t interrupt, seeing how seriously she was reading the documents.
Li Xiao’s project was a tech initiative: the application of drones for inspecting high-voltage power lines and for agricultural plant protection.
The proposal was quite comprehensive, with an analysis of market prospects, a review of competitors, an introduction to the team, and estimates for output value and profit for the next few years.
"You’re looking for fifty million? What for?"
Li Xiao replied formally, "For technology R&D, market expansion, and equipment manufacturing!"
"This technology requires work in AI-related fields. How about we have Chen Xiao’s company handle the R&D portion?"
Huh? Li Xiao laughed in exasperation. "Miss Xu, I haven’t even seen a dime of the money yet, and you’re already steering business to your boyfriend!"
"I can’t believe you! Countless guys are after you and you ignore them all, only to pick one you have to prop up yourself? Is this how he got all his other clients, with you helping him like this?"
Xu Wu shook her head. "Xiao Xiao, I’m being serious. I’ve looked at the project. It’s borderline. I could invest, or I could pass. If you insist that I invest, fine, but on one condition: the AI-related work goes to Chen Xiao."
"Your project has a limited ROI. Plus, you don’t own the core technology, so its intrinsic value isn’t very high."
Xu Wu was speaking the truth, and Li Xiao knew it.
Investors in tech companies are really investing in the technical team. Li Xiao’s project had business prospects, but since the core technology was not in-house and had to be outsourced, a project like this had limited upside.
And she was asking for a lot of money. If it weren’t for their friendship, Xu Wu definitely wouldn’t do it. Besides, she figured that at least 20 million from the project could be spun off as business for Chen Xiao.
Of course, the fifty million investment wouldn’t lose money—otherwise, she would never agree to it. That would be losing the forest for the trees, wouldn’t it?
"Wait, Miss Xu, I don’t get it. Are you saying you can actually get the fifty million?"
Just then, Gao Yue snorted with laughter beside them. "Xiao Xiao, Miss Xu is Boss Xu now. She sorted out my three hundred million; you think your fifty million is a problem for her?"
’Boss Xu?’ Li Xiao stared at them blankly, having no idea what they meant.
Just like Gao Yue had been, she found it hard to believe that a sales director could, in a single leap, become the head of a multi-billion-dollar capital management firm!
Watching Gao Yue’s little prank, Xu Wu shook her head with a resigned smile and said to them, "Let’s go to my office."