From Wage Slave to Tycoon

"Mr. Su is really something else. He dropped nearly two hundred million without even batting an eye!"

With the contracts signed, it was naturally time for a celebration. As the host, Yuan Zhen gladly took on this important responsibility.

There was no one else in the private room—just Su Chen, Zong Xinyao, Yuan Zhen, and Lan Zhen.

"This is our firm’s first investment, so of course, we need to see it through to a perfect conclusion."

Though the words were spoken casually, they struck a chord with the listeners. Yuan Zhen and Lan Zhen exchanged a look, each seeing the shock in the other’s eyes.

Who starts an investment firm with such a massive first move? Nearly two hundred million Huaxia currency! Even Yuan Zhen and his partner wouldn’t have dared to be so bold.

Everyone in their circle had built their success slowly and steadily, step by step. But to suddenly learn of an investment firm that was skipping all the steps and just leaping ahead... how could they not be shocked?

"It seems President Su’s firm has some serious backing," Lan Zhen remarked meaningfully from the side. "We should look for more opportunities to cooperate in the future!"

’Cooperation?’ Su Chen knew exactly what he meant. It was nothing more than ganging up to cash in, just like they had today.

After a moment’s thought, Su Chen said, "That could work. We can collaborate on any high-quality projects in the future. If President Yuan and President Lan have something, just contact Zong Xinyao directly. She’s our firm’s CFO. From now on, she and her team will be managing all of Yunmengze Capital’s affairs."

Yuan Zhen and Lan Zhen were utterly flabbergasted. It took them a long moment to recover. They had finally figured it out: Su Chen was loaded. They guessed he must be some rich heir from a powerful family, out to make a name for himself.

After exchanging contact information with Zong Xinyao, everyone, by some unspoken agreement, steered clear of work and started chatting about more amusing tidbits.

During the conversation, Su Chen picked up on a lot of things he’d never known before—juicy gossip about which tycoon was having an affair, which heir’s startup had gone bust, and which A-list celebrity had slept with whom.

Su Chen couldn’t get enough of it; he was a true connoisseur of gossip.

Before they knew it, they had been talking until eleven at night, and still, no one seemed ready for the conversation to end.

"It’s getting late," Su Chen said, a little disappointed. "We should get together for tea again when we have time and have a proper chat."

Everyone loves gossip, especially high-level gossip. It was a completely different caliber from the ordinary stuff.

"No problem. Lan Zhen and I are almost always in the Imperial Capital. Just give us a call, and we’ll be there," Yuan Zhen said. He was genuinely keen on building a connection with Su Chen. After all, more friends meant more opportunities, especially with a heavy hitter like Su Chen, a true force to be reckoned with.

"Oh, right. There’s one more thing," Su Chen said, just as he was about to stand. He’d just remembered something.

"What is it?" Yuan Zhen and Lan Zhen paused, both turning to look at Su Chen.

"I hope we can keep what happened today under wraps for the time being." As he spoke, Su Chen’s gaze rested on Zong Xinyao for a moment.

Zong Xinyao saw his glance and her heart tightened. ’He’s reminding me to be mindful of my position!’

Yuan Zhen and Lan Zhen exchanged another look, a new wave of shock hitting them. ’From the looks of it, Su Chen is sharpening his blades for Byte.’

After all, Su Chen now held 45% of the shares. If Byte went for another round of financing, he was in a prime position to increase his stake to over 50%.

But this wasn’t a major concern for Yuan Zhen or Lan Zhen. They had already sold their shares in Byte to Su Chen. If he really managed to take over the company in the future, that would be a testament to his own skill.

"Sure, no problem. I’ll let the others know when I get back." They both readily agreed to this small request.

......

On the way back, Zong Xinyao kept looking like she wanted to say something but was holding back, which almost made Su Chen laugh.

"If you want to ask something, just ask. Don’t look like you’re afraid to speak your mind."

Hearing Su Chen’s words, Zong Xinyao couldn’t hold it in any longer. "Boss," she asked, her curiosity piqued, "are you really planning to make a move on Byte?"

"What? Do you have an issue with that?" Su Chen raised an eyebrow, an inscrutable glint in his eyes.

"N-no, not at all!" Zong Xinyao said quickly.

Su Chen looked at Zong Xinyao in the passenger seat and was silent for a long moment before speaking. "Zong Xinyao, you need to remember your position. You are the CFO of Yunmengze Capital. I don’t want you bringing personal history into your work. In the investment world, it’s kill or be killed. The law of the jungle—the strong devour the weak—is the only truth."

"I’ve always believed you to be an excellent CFO. I hope you don’t let me down."

Zong Xinyao froze as if she’d been struck by lightning, her expression turning blank.

After a long while, Zong Xinyao let out a deep breath. Her gaze hardened with a new, steely resolve.

"Boss, I understand." Her words were simple and direct, with no empty promises, which satisfied Su Chen greatly.

Words, no matter how eloquent, were no substitute for action.

-----------------

「Peninsula Hotel, Wangfujing.」

"When you get back, I want you to broaden your horizons. Don’t just look to the distant future; you need to look at the path right under your feet, too. Whether it’s a major corporation or a small diner, if it has room for growth and a promising future, we can invest. I don’t care if it’s a tiny supermarket or a local restaurant."

"Go back and tell Pei Rang... Tell him to be bold with his decisions." Su Chen leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the scenery outside the window.

"Yes, Boss!"

Su Chen waved his hand dismissively, and Zong Xinyao left with her team to return to Shanghai.

"Sir, I’ve nearly finished looking into the matter you assigned me last night. However, only a few places meet your requirements." At some point, Jiang Hui had approached Su Chen’s side, holding a tablet.

"Oh? Let me see." After returning to the hotel the previous night, Su Chen had asked Jiang Hui to see if there were any courtyard-style villas for sale in the entire Imperial Capital.

’He’s fast.’ It wasn’t even ten in the morning, and he had already compiled a list.

He wouldn’t have known if he hadn’t looked, but once he did, Su Chen was rather surprised...

There were actually quite a few courtyard houses for sale, with listings on the North Second Ring Road and the East Second Ring Road. However, they weren’t very large, mostly around two or three hundred square meters. Plus, they were all older, more traditional courtyards that would require extensive renovation.

Most of them weren’t his style, but one listing gave Su Chen a pleasant surprise: a standalone, three-courtyard house with its own private entrance on the street.

It was located in Xicheng District, with its back to the Drum Tower and facing Houhai of Shichahai. The property covered 1,050 square meters, with a total floor area of 1,800 square meters—one story above ground and one below. Best of all, the interior was already modernly furnished. And the price? A mere 250 million.

Su Chen glanced at the other options. There was the Taihe Huaxia Courtyard, renowned as one of the top ten luxury residences in Asia. It had the courtyard style he was looking for, and the price was decent, but it would require a complete renovation.

The other villas were all underwhelming. Either the location was too remote, or the neighborhood was too densely packed. None of them caught his interest.

"Let’s go with this one. Make an appointment. See if they’re available for a viewing this afternoon."

Su Chen decided to first check out the thousand-plus-square-meter luxury courtyard house near Shichahai.

"Yes, Sir." Jiang Hui took the tablet and excused himself.