A bright, flashy red Porsche Panamera stopped right in front of him.
"What on earth do you want with me?" Ye Chen frowned, watching Zhang Jingshan step out of the car.
"Mr. Ye, let's find somewhere to talk, shall we?" Zhang Jingshan said.
"I don't think there's any need. If you have nothing else, I'll be on my way—I've got things to do!" Ye Chen shook his head.
"Mr. Ye, where are you headed? How about I give you a ride and we can chat on the way?" Zhang Jingshan offered hastily.
Ye Chen thought about it.
A free ride was a free ride.
Without any further coyness, he nodded, pulled open the front passenger door, and got in.
Once the Panamera was back on the road, Zhang Jingshan noticed that Ye Chen was still holding the brown paper bag he had given him yesterday.
"Mr. Ye, aren't you going to the bank to open an account? Why do you still have this money?"
"Who said opening an account means making a deposit right away?" Ye Chen glanced at him, feeling somewhat annoyed. He genuinely couldn't figure out the guy's bizarre hospitality.
As Chen Yinuo had said, someone of Zhang Jingshan's status would never deign to look twice at him. Was it because of that string of prayer beads? It had been nothing more than a chance encounter and a simple transaction. It certainly didn't warrant all this!
"Cough, cough. Fair enough. Where are you headed, Mr. Ye?" Zhang Jingshan changed the subject.
"Jinlin Mansion in the West District!" Ye Chen said flatly.
"Jinlin Mansion? You mean that real estate development with the lowest housing prices in all of Jiangzhou?"
Catching a glimpse of the brown paper bag in Ye Chen's hand out of the corner of his eye, Zhang Jingshan was dumbfounded. Was he really going to buy a place at Jinlin Mansion with the money from selling prayer beads?
"Mr. Ye, you surely aren't thinking of buying a home at Jinlin Mansion? Sure, the prices are low, but the whole area is filthy, chaotic, and backward. There won't be any development there to speak of for the next ten years. Why on earth would you go buy property—"
Before Zhang Jingshan could finish, Ye Chen interrupted him. "Why don't you just tell me why you were looking for me?"
Cut off like that, Zhang Jingshan had no choice but to drop his warnings and advice. He put on a serious expression and said, "Mr. Ye, after listening to your hint yesterday, I found a pinhole camera in that woman's room last night. Just as you said, it was a trap—a trap using a pinhole camera to manufacture dirt and blackmail me!"
Hearing this, Ye Chen was quite surprised. Zhang Jingshan had managed to turn the tables so quickly?
"So, are you here to thank me?" Ye Chen smiled.
"The gratitude is part of it." Zhang Jingshan paused. "On the other hand, I want to ask—how did you know I was going to be set up, Mr. Ye?"
This was Zhang Jingshan's true intention! Although he knew Ye Chen wouldn't spell it out directly, he hoped to gauge whether there were any suspicious clues by watching Ye Chen's facial expressions and reactions.
Little did he know that the person sitting across from him was an eighty-nine-year-old man who had once commanded hundreds of billions in personal assets. In Ye Chen's eyes, a fellow like this was no different from a little kid. How could he possibly give away any secrets?
Out of the corner of his eye, Zhang Jingshan watched as Ye Chen replied with utter composure, "Didn't I tell you? Your aura looked wrong, and my intuition told me you were walking into a peach blossom tribulation. And your Yunshan Network Company is crawling with peach blossoms!"
"Is it really that simple? Don't you think that sounds a bit far-fetched, Mr. Ye?" Zhang Jingshan asked.
If not for last night's events, he might have truly written Ye Chen off as a mere acquaintance from a chance transaction. At most, he would have felt he owed a favor for the prayer beads, and once that debt was squared, they would have had nothing more to do with each other. But after what happened last night—putting aside the colossal favor he now owed Ye Chen—he genuinely wanted to figure out how Ye Chen could possibly have known. Let's not pretend it was fortune-telling or face-reading; that was utter bullshit!
"Then what wouldn't be far-fetched? Should I say I'm in cahoots with the people who set you up? Or that I'm trying to get close to you with malicious intent?" Ye Chen chuckled dismissively.
"No, no, no, you misunderstood, Mr. Ye. What could you possibly want from someone like me? I just run a crappy network company that recruits streamers to peddle goods for e-commerce, and my grandfather is a retired former municipal party secretary. What could Mr. Ye possibly want from me? Besides, if you hadn't warned me, the fall I took would have crippled me for good, and probably dragged my entire family down with me! I'm just baffled as to how you knew there was a trap waiting for me!" Zhang Jingshan explained in a flurry, then hastily added, "That's all!"
"Still the same two words: intuition. If President Zhang insists on getting to the bottom of it, I'm afraid I'll have to get out of the car, because I can't give you any other explanation!" Ye Chen said.
Intuition? Again with the intuition! Wasn't this utter nonsense? How could a total stranger have a gut feeling that a trap was waiting for him? Fuck! He wasn't a superstitious person to begin with, and even if he were a devout zealot, he wouldn't buy such mystical explanations!
Silence fell inside the car.
A moment later, Zhang Jingshan gave up on pressing further and spoke again. "Mr. Ye, aren't you even a little curious about what kind of trap it was?"
"I don't like gossiping about things that have nothing to do with me." Ye Chen paused, then added, "Though if President Zhang wants to talk about it, I'm all ears."
"She's the top female streamer under my company. Out of all the female streamers we have, she's the only one I've been secretly entangled with—nobody else knew about it! She installed a pinhole camera in her bedroom and deliberately staged it to look like I was raping her in bed, hoping to use that to blackmail me. She tried to make me go to my grandfather and use his connections to spring a drug dealer serving a ten-year sentence! That drug dealer is her ex-boyfriend's younger brother. Her ex threatened her with things from her past, forcing her to create an opening to blackmail me. Does that make sense, Mr. Ye?"
As he spoke, Zhang Jingshan kept his peripheral vision locked tightly onto Ye Chen's facial expressions. To his disappointment, however, Ye Chen remained just as calm and detached as before.
"Mhm, I understand. Congratulations to President Zhang for turning the tables and defusing this potential crisis!" Ye Chen smiled.
Inwardly, however, he was astonished by the actual backstory. In his past life, he had only known that Zhang Jingshan was ruined by a streamer named Yiyi, which ultimately destroyed his entire family. But he had never known the true story behind it. Even years later, after the injustice was cleared, the exact details had never been made public—though of course, it was also possible he simply hadn't paid attention to the aftermath in his previous life.
Faced with Ye Chen's unruffled calm, Zhang Jingshan felt another wave of disappointment. But mingling with that disappointment was a growing, intense curiosity. Leaving aside Ye Chen's sharp eye for picking up antiques at the Antique City, and leaving aside the warning he had given during the Yiyi incident, how could someone so composed, unshakeable, and airtight possibly be the kind of degenerate, ambitionless gambler who threw his life away? Unlikely!
For a moment, he felt as though the other man was draped in a halo of mystery.
"What congratulations? If it weren't for you, Mr. Ye, I wouldn't even want to imagine what would have happened next! How about this, Mr. Ye? Let's grab lunch somewhere—consider it a token of my appreciation. I can introduce you to a friend while we're at it, the boss of Huaxing Trading!" Zhang Jingshan forced a laugh.
Initially, Ye Chen's instinct was to refuse. But upon hearing that Zhang Jingshan intended to introduce him to the head of Huaxing Trading, he instantly changed his mind. If nothing else, that person was the boss of the company where Yinuo worked. Getting on good terms with him would naturally make Yinuo's life and work at the company a lot smoother.
So, he nodded. "Alright, but only after I finish paying the deposit on the apartment!"
Just then, the Panamera reached the sales office of Jinlin Mansion, as signaled by the navigation system's arrival prompt.
***
"Mr. Ye, are you really sure you want to buy a place here?"
Stepping out of the car, Zhang Jingshan felt it was still necessary to try and talk some sense into Ye Chen.
"If I told you that three days from now, property prices here will at least quintuple, would you believe me?" Knowing Zhang Jingshan meant well, Ye Chen replied with a smile.
"Just like that? Quintuple? Are you kidding me? Forget three days—prices won't even double in three years, let alone fivefold!" Zhang Jingshan blurted out without a second thought. With this kind of location and this kind of surrounding area, short-term appreciation simply didn't exist. He couldn't speak for ten or eight years, but within three to five years, there was zero possibility of property values going up here.
"Considering our paths crossed, if you trust me, you could buy a few units. Of course, if you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do," Ye Chen said with a faint smile.
Hm?
The word "trust" immediately brought back memories of Ye Chen's warning yesterday. But today was a completely different story from yesterday! Still, seeing the utter confidence and certainty written across Ye Chen's face, he began to waver. After all, he couldn't find a single reason why Ye Chen would want to screw him over.
"Why are you so certain? Don't tell me it's that intuition of yours again?" Zhang Jingshan's tone wasn't nearly as firm as before.
"Right, just intuition. Believe it or not!"
Dropping those words, Ye Chen strode toward the sales office with the brown paper bag in hand.
Watching Ye Chen's retreating back, Zhang Jingshan hesitated for a moment before following him inside. Yet the moment he reached the entrance of the sales center, he couldn't help shaking his head. Outside, festive banners celebrating the grand opening hung alongside various promotional slogans. Inside the cavernous sales center, however, there were barely a couple of souls. The few people wandering aimlessly around the sand table model were clearly just dropping by to sponge off the air conditioning, tea, and candy.
For a housing development as good as abandoned by the world to appreciate in the short term? You've got to be kidding! Furthermore, even the developer hadn't bothered to hire fake buyers to boost morale and put on a show—which showed that the developer itself held no hope for the project whatsoever.
"Welcome to Jinlin Mansion! What kind of apartment layout are the two gentlemen looking for? Over here is our development's sand table model. If either of you sees a layout you like, we can go straight to view the actual finished units!"
Seeing people walk in, a saleswoman immediately hurried over, beaming. Well, since it was opening day, this desolate scene at least made things slightly less awkward.
"Alright, let's take a look at the sand table first!" Ye Chen nodded, following the saleswoman toward the miniature model.
However, he didn't absorb a single word of the saleswoman's enthusiastic pitch. Instead, he relied entirely on his own experience to quietly analyze the layout.
"How much is this penthouse unit? The 01 layout on the nineteenth and twentieth floors," Ye Chen asked.
"Sir, although the average price at Jinlin Mansion is around 7,000, this building is the crown jewel, so the pricing naturally can't be calculated using the average rate—especially the 01 layout, which has the absolute best views and sightlines in the entire development! Therefore, the unit price for the 19th floor is 8,200, and for the 20th floor it's 8,250. Both properties have the exact same total area of 142 square meters. The foyer garden and bay windows are complimentary gifts, and the balcony is also half-gifted!"
The saleswoman smiled and introduced the units with professional fluency. "Also, today is opening day, so the first one hundred buyers enjoy a 96 percent discount, and on top of that, an additional 98 percent discount. What do you think, sir?"
Ye Chen didn't even bother putting on a thoughtful expression. He simply nodded. "Fine, I'll take those two units."
Hearing that he wanted two apartments, the saleswoman nearly suffered a brain short-circuit. Any slightly seasoned salesperson wouldn't be caught dead working at Jinlin Mansion. Putting aside the low housing prices and meager commissions, nobody held out any hope for Jinlin Mansion as a project—selling homes here was just a waste of time. The saleswoman assisting him happened to be a rookie who had come to Jinlin Mansion just to rack up some experience; she hadn't dared to harbor any illusions about performance. Yet she never dreamed she would stumble upon a big fish.
"Great, great! Please wait a moment, sir, I'll go prepare the subscription contracts right away!"
As soon as the excited saleswoman hurried off, Zhang Jingshan immediately frowned. "Mr. Ye, you're buying two units at once?"
Zhang Jingshan was truly baffled. Based on his investigation, Ye Chen was definitely flat broke; the only reason he had any cash was the thirty grand he'd made from that lucky find at the Antique City yesterday—though Zhang Jingshan didn't know that thirty grand had already shrunk to twenty grand. With such a pittance, he was going to buy two apartments? And he was picking the most expensive building, too? What kind of operation was this? How were you supposed to buy property like that?!
"If I had the money, I'd buy out the entire development. Unfortunately, I only have twenty thousand right now, so I can only put down the deposit for two units," Ye Chen said, blending a deep sense of meaning with a touch of regret.
Zhang Jingshan's mouth twitched uncontrollably. He had no idea how to respond.
Soon enough, the saleswoman returned. And she wasn't alone; several sales department staffers followed close behind her.
"Hello, sir. I'm Xu Tong, the manager here. May I ask your surname?" A man in his thirties hurried over to greet Zhang Jingshan, assuming he was the actual buyer.
"Mr. Ye is the main man here. I'm just tagging along to watch the show!" Zhang Jingshan shrugged.
*Uh.*
Xu Tong wore an awkward expression. He hurriedly turned his attention to Ye Chen, pasting on a hypocritical, ingratiating smile. "Hello, Mr. Ye!"
"Alright, let's not waste time. Let's get down to business!" Ye Chen said.
Once both sides sat down and squared away their positions, Ye Chen spoke up abruptly. "I won't be paying the down payment for now—only the deposit. Furthermore, the deposit subscription agreement must be transferable to others! In addition, regardless of whether property prices go up or down, we must stick to the prices stated in this subscription agreement later on; you are not allowed to adjust them. Any issues with that?"
When Ye Chen laid down these terms, not only did Zhang Jingshan's jaw drop, but the staff were completely dumbfounded as well.
What was the meaning of this? The subscription agreement being transferable was understandable, but dragging in a clause that prices couldn't be adjusted? What was that supposed to signify? Did he actually think Jinlin Mansion prices were going to shoot up in the near future?
"What? Are my demands too outrageous?" Ye Chen smiled.
Strictly speaking, his primary goal was to profit three days later from transferring the deposit rights. Just through the transfer of this subscription agreement alone, he could rake in a handsome sum; even if the developer raised prices later, plenty of people would still fight tooth and nail for it. However, he wanted to maximize his profits! If property prices went up later, selling the deposit agreement would only net him a few hundred thousand. But if the agreed price was locked in, then with housing values skyrocketing fivefold overnight, that single deposit agreement would be worth at least two million—and that was per document!
"Mr. Ye, this... I'm afraid I'll have to consult higher-ups before I can give you an answer," Manager Xu Tong said.
"Alright, no rush."
As soon as Xu Tong left, Zhang Jingshan leaned over and lowered his voice. "Mr. Ye, are you really this confident?"
"Trust me and give it a try!" Ye Chen smiled lightly.
At this, Zhang Jingshan's resolve began to wobble.
***
A few minutes later, Xu Tong returned.
"Apologies for keeping you waiting, Mr. Ye!"
"Well? Does it work?" Ye Chen asked.
Xu Tong replied, "Mr. Ye, I brought your request up with the big boss. The boss's response is this: the deposit agreement can be transferred. However, regarding the issue of price increases—well, we have our own regulations. If market factors cause prices to rise, any amount exceeding the base price will be discounted by fifty percent. Of course, we won't raise housing prices for no reason; that would violate laws and regulations! That said, the boss stipulated that the deposit must be ten thousand per unit, and you'll need to pay the full amount or the down payment within seven days. Otherwise, the deposit agreement will be voided and non-refundable."
A fifty percent discount on the surplus?
Hearing this, Ye Chen felt a private pang of regret. Still, he understood; the developer wasn't going to operate without a bottom line. Even the real estate company itself didn't believe housing prices were about to experience a miraculous boom, but basic rules and safety nets had to exist. Fifty percent off it was. Even if that deposit agreement couldn't fetch two million when flipped later, netting a million shouldn't be a problem!
"Alright, that works!"
Ye Chen unhesitatingly emptied the brown paper bag onto the table.
Immediately afterward, he began signing the series of subscription agreements with the staff, making sure to demand that all the promised terms were written into the documents one by one.
"Mr. Ye, remember to settle the down payment or the full balance within seven days!" Xu Tong stood up and shook hands with Ye Chen with a smile.
Just as Ye Chen was preparing to leave, Zhang Jingshan—whose curiosity had been itching away at him—could no longer hold back. Against his better judgment, he blurted out, "Get me two units as well, under the exact same terms Mr. Ye asked for. Deal?"
The saleswoman: "..."
The finance staff: "..."
Manager Xu Tong: "..."
What the hell? Did they treat buying property like shopping for vegetables at the local market now? Sure, their apartments at Jinlin Mansion were cheap, but they were hardly going for cabbage prices!
Yet the sight that left them even more dumbfounded was yet to come.
Ye Chen shot Zhang Jingshan an amused look. "Why not get a few more?"
"Ahem, two is enough!" Zhang Jingshan said awkwardly.
Although a few hundred thousand didn't mean much to him, his money hadn't dropped out of the sky either. It was purely because of Ye Chen's confident demeanor that he had felt compelled to tag along on a whim. At worst, he'd just kiss twenty grand in deposits goodbye—that was Young Master Zhang's mindset.
"So, this gentleman would also like to put down deposits for two units?" Xu Tong cleared his throat. He had seen all sorts of eccentric clients, but this was a first.
Zhang Jingshan didn't hesitate any longer. "Right, two units. Since Mr. Ye booked the 01 layout, I'll take the 02 layout on the exact same floor!"
Escorted by the sales team, Ye Chen and Zhang Jingshan walked out, each clutching a pair of deposit subscription agreements.
"Mr. Ye, although twenty grand isn't much to me, this has got to be the most irrational thing I've ever done in my life," Zhang Jingshan muttered as they walked.
"Actually, you could be even more unhinged—like dropping deposits on ten units at once, or paying cash for ten units right off the bat. After all, there are no purchase restrictions here," Ye Chen remarked.
"Are you kidding me? If housing prices don't shoot up, am I supposed to leave them empty? Nobody would want a place like this even if we dropped the price and tried to dump it!" Zhang Jingshan said with a bitter laugh.