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墨書 Inktalez
"Slow down, slow down, wait a minute."
Mulin Shen seemed to be lost in thought as Su Rongle slowed his pace and asked, "What's wrong? Are you feeling a strong sense of defeat? That house up ahead... ever since he bought it, the price has gone up by more than ten percent. Money really is a fickle thing; the richer you are, the richer you get, and the poorer you are, the poorer you become."
As he spoke, there was an unmistakable hint of envy in his voice. When he turned his head, he noticed Mulin Shen looking at him with curiosity. He asked in confusion, "What’s really going on with you? If you're embarrassed to see him, then just don’t go up."
He chuckled, not wanting to miss the chance to tease Mulin Shen. However, he miscalculated; Mulin Shen countered, "Actually, you didn’t bring me here to see him. You want to ask him for some money, right?"
"Don't say it like that; it's an investment," Su Rongle corrected him, his ulterior motive exposed by Mulin Shen.
"You’re not just trying to pull teeth from a tiger's mouth or snatch meat buns from a dog’s mouth, are you? The richer they are, the stingier they get," Mulin Shen reminded him.
"Don’t say that; I have no choice. You're even stingier than he is," Su Rongle retorted.
"I'm not stingy; I just don't trust you. Investing with you is no different from buying meat buns to feed dogs," Mulin Shen replied. He understood this second-generation contractor's nature well—spending money, asking for money, wasting money—but never making any. He then curiously asked Su Rongle, "I mean it, Lezi. Don’t take it the wrong way... doesn’t your background make it embarrassing to beg for favors? You could easily rely on your father; why choose to rely on your looks instead?"
"I rely on my looks?" Lezi pointed at his own face in disbelief and anger. Was his family known for their good looks?
"Don’t misunderstand; I meant an unashamed face... if you want money, you have to be shameless," Mulin Shen said with a crooked smile.
Lezi stopped the car and crossed his arms defiantly, grabbing Mulin Shen by the neck as if he wanted to squeeze out an eye-roll and tongue out of him. While squeezing him, he exclaimed, "You think I want this? I'm just trying to do something to show my dad! You think it's easy for me? I've been looking for classmates and friends for two months now and haven’t raised a single cent. I've spent tens of thousands treating people to meals and entertainment—everyone's just like you; they eat and run without any follow-up..."
"Wait... I have an idea! You should have told me earlier; if you need money, why not ask Young Master Mu for advice?" Mulin Shen managed to break free and suggested.
"You'll just borrow from Usury, so how can I dare to lend?" Su Rongle said with a hint of frustration.
"That's a way to trick my father; there are ways to trick others too... Think about it, I've been abroad since I was fifteen or sixteen, visited red-light districts, encountered the mafia. If you get into trouble, let me know early. Although I don't trust you, that doesn't mean I can't be your accomplice," Mulin Shen replied seriously.
This left Su Rongle bewildered. He looked at Mulin Shen as if seeing him for the first time. With his delicate skin and rosy lips, he resembled nothing more than a pretty boy living off others. It was hard to believe he had any other methods besides deceiving his own father.
"This isn't about lying; it's about finding investors. Get that straight," Su Rongle insisted earnestly.
"If you weren't lying, would anyone invest in you? If you weren't deceiving them, could you earn back their investment?" Mulin retorted.
"That does seem reasonable. But regardless of whether it's a lie or not, why does no one believe in me? Just look at Sun Qinghua; he's almost a billionaire now and won't even spare a hundred thousand for me. People today are too much; they don't remember old friendships at all," Su Rongle said somewhat dejectedly. This was the most humiliating part for him. After two visits, he had been ignored completely; it was as if people's expressions changed the moment they became wealthy.
This situation had been brewing for a long time. Su Rongle was oblivious, while Mulin Shen understood it all too well. Someone like Lezi, who indulged in excess and tangled relationships, would never find anyone willing to lend him money, even if he intended to do something serious.
Is there a way?
It seemed so. Mulin's eyes darted around as his brows twitched like a mouse's tail. From Su Rongle's perspective, this meant Mu Shao was starting to think creatively. Whenever he ran out of money, he would come up with schemes to trick his father. Unable to help himself, Su Rongle leaned closer and whispered, "I can't steal or rob; I can't even write an IOU. I've told my dad that I want to start my own company based on my abilities and find investors through my own merit, not by creating trouble for him to clean up... I'm not as thick-skinned as you; I feel embarrassed constantly taking advantage of my dad."
He spoke sincerely, but Mulin Shen remained unfazed and replied angrily, "What do you mean your skin isn't as thick as mine? For saying that, if I help you get an investment, I'll have to take a ten percent finder’s fee without hesitation."
"Deal! Plus a meal on top of that; from now on, any girl you pursue will be on my tab," Su Rongle challenged.
"Since you're being so humble, I'll reluctantly help you this once. With someone like Sun Qinghua—who suddenly got rich—asking him for help is pointless; listen to me..."
Su Rongle leaned in, and Mulin Shen animatedly arranged their little scheme, as if they had just discovered a new delicacy or a stunning beauty. Before long, the two were chuckling as they got out of the car, feeling as if they had swallowed a confidence pill. This time, Su Rongle boldly approached and pressed the doorbell.
The villa was two stories tall and covered around four to five hundred square meters. If viewed from above, one might see a patchwork of courtyards, but nothing could compare to the beauty up close. The wrought iron gate was surrounded by climbing vines, and within the yard was a small garden bursting with colorful blooms in this season. A young woman wearing an apron came out to greet them, her delicate features rivaling those of a fresh model. She bowed politely and invited them into the villa.
"Is your plan going to work?" Su Rongle whispered uncertainly to Mulin Shen.
"Just because I'm not good at business doesn't mean I'm lacking in intelligence," Mulin Shen replied with a smile.
They walked lightly, glancing around at their surroundings. It was hard not to feel envious; upon entering the living room, they were greeted by a rosewood tea table flanked by two cabinets—one filled with various teas and the other stocked with an array of wines. As they stood in the living room, they heard footsteps clattering down the stairs. A man with protruding teeth and a round belly appeared, his hair thinning significantly due to the passage of time, while the hair on his arms and chest had only grown denser. His smile could startle anyone; it was none other than the former " Ruhua."
There had been changes; he had been sleazy back then, but now he seemed even more so.
"Mr. Sun, I've brought you an old friend. Do you still recognize him?" Su Rongle asked cheerfully.
"Familiar face... who is this?" Sun Qinghua said as he descended, seemingly puzzled as he racked his brain for memories.
"I gave him the nickname ' Ruhua,' so you should definitely recognize me even if I turned to ashes," Mulin Shen scoffed.
Sun Qinghua's expression fell for a moment before he awkwardly smiled again. "Still as sharp-tongued as ever? When I turn to ashes, I bet you'll be flaunting your degree from some shady university."
"The gold plating is there, but I missed out on the real deal. You're impressive, Mr. Sun—relying on your own skills instead of family connections like us," Mulin Shen said enviously.
This compliment slightly brightened Sun Qinghua's demeanor. He smiled and invited both of them to tour his villa. This was something Su Rongle had anticipated; every time guests arrived, there would be such a process—what was called a tour was really just an opportunity for him to show off.
Speaking of this building, Sun Qinghua mentioned that it wasn't expensive, just a few million at the time. The only issue was its size; it was too big for one person to manage alone, so he had to hire help. He ended up employing three people just for housekeeping and hourly work.
When it came to the renovations, Sun Qinghua became quite irritated. He said it was just average, costing only a few million. He hired several designers, but he felt their vision was too narrow. So, he took it upon himself to select a few.
As for the antique shelf, Sun Qinghua grew even more frustrated. It was filled with a bunch of old items, and if they didn't still have some semblance of value, he would have thrown them out long ago. By the way, let me introduce you to this piece of bronze ware—a fragrant tripod from the Later Zhou period, used for warming hands in winter. He pointed at it with his finger under his chin.
His expression was one of confusion, as if he were facing an exam paper back in school, trying to guess the answers to questions A, B, C, and D.
Just then, Mulin Shen entered the conversation with a serious tone: "Could this possibly be a personal item of Empress Xiao Zhou? You know, the one who wrote 'Spring Flowers and Autumn Moon' for that emperor's concubine. Quite beautiful."
Admiring glances were directed at the antique, which was exactly what Sun Qinghua wanted to see. He flashed a toothy grin and laughed heartily: "Yes... it should be! Look at how cultured Mu Shao is; unlike you, who only knows how to eat, drink, gamble, and chase women."
"Mr. Sun, stop putting me down! He's much worse than I am. Just think about how innocent I was back in the day before he led me astray," Su Rongle said with a pained expression while pointing at Mulin Shen. At this point, Sun Qinghua grinned and added: "That's true! Remember when we were both punished together? Standing in the sun in the hallway because of that homeroom teacher? It felt like they were my enemy; every time I didn't do my homework, I got caught by him."
"Come on, you never did your homework anyway; you always got caught," Mulin Shen chimed in.
"As if you ever did yours! You just sweet-talked girls into letting you copy theirs," Sun Qinghua retorted with evident dissatisfaction.
"Of course! That's the advantage of being handsome," Mulin Shen replied smugly while striking a self-satisfied pose. Su Rongle knew that Sun Qinghua had a low tolerance for such banter and quickly pulled him aside to advise: "Don't mind him; why bother arguing with someone who graduated from a second-rate university?"
"Exactly... but I actually owe our homeroom teacher some gratitude," Sun Qinghua said seriously.
This surprised Lezi: "Why's that? He made our lives miserable and often called our parents."
"He did one good thing—he got fired! Ha ha!" Sun Qinghua said joyfully. The two exchanged amused glances and simultaneously scoffed at Mulin Shen. Mulin Shen merely pouted; he never bothered to explain himself, which made it seem even more like he had no excuse to give.
The shared animosity brought Lezi and Sun Qinghua closer together. Lezi, in his desperate pursuit of money, had become shamelessly obsequious. He praised the house's size, complimented the renovations, and feigned shock at the costs involved. "Wow, my dad has been in real estate his whole life, and I've never heard of anyone investing so much in home renovations..." By the time they descended the stairs, Sun Qinghua was already floating on air, lost in his own world. Suddenly, Lezi cautiously revealed their true purpose for visiting. "Mr. Sun, we actually came here today to—"
"Oh, what a rare visit! Unfortunately, I have to check in at the office this morning. How about we reschedule for tonight?" Sun Qinghua interrupted, fully aware of their intentions.
Things had certainly changed; even this fool had learned to be wary of scams. Lezi was momentarily speechless.
Mulin Shen quickly jumped in. " Ruhua, wait a moment! Let me point out a few issues before you head to the office; this is seriously affecting your image."
"What image?" Sun Qinghua asked, momentarily taken aback as he called for his phone and handbag.
"There are problems with the renovations... The display cabinet is made of elm wood; that really lowers the quality! The house is designed in European style, yet you've installed Chinese doors... And the wall skirts and moldings are French style? Who hung those decorative paintings for you? Didn't anyone tell you that’s postmodern graffiti? And this living room is all wrong; a regular leather sofa paired with a Chinese tea set? No matter how valuable the mahogany is, it just doesn’t match... Do you know what this is?" Mulin Shen lamented dramatically.
"What?" Sun Qinghua was stunned. He was used to being worshipped by others but hadn’t expected there would be so many issues.
"This is like a father-in-law bowing to his daughter-in-law... Absolutely ridiculous!" Mulin Shen pointed out sharply.
"Hey, I’m saying this sincerely... You understand nothing," Sun Qinghua retorted angrily.
"And there’s also an issue with the incense burner; do you think I don’t know?" Mulin Shen continued.
"What problem could there possibly be? I spent over a million on it; it’s been authenticated," Sun Qinghua scoffed.
"It may be valuable, but there are issues with its provenance. Never mind what happened during the Later Zhou dynasty; after that dynasty fell, it was publicly humiliated by Song Taizu multiple times. Her husband is famously known as the 'Cuckold King'..." Mulin Shen said with a pained expression.
"Uh... Ruhua, you're really making me furious," he said, pointing at Mulin Shen, who was about to say something, but instead directly asked Su Rongle, "Hey, what do you need him for?"
"It's about the investment from the media company," Su Rongle replied, feeling the awkwardness in the air.
"What do you need him for? Why didn't you tell me? Don't you remember how much Ice Cream we sold for you? He never even treated us back... You said to come see him, and I thought it was something big, like a chance to get rich overnight, but instead it’s just a gentleman's night... Oh right, Ruhua, let me tell you, your outfit has issues too... Look at that shirt, it’s just a random brand being sold off. And that handbag? Real luxury items are handmade and don’t need labels... Also, you should consider using some fragrance; not only is your body hair excessive, but your body odor is quite strong. How do you expect to enter high society like this? Oh my, using an iPhone? What kind of poverty leads someone to think an iPhone is impressive? Even people taking the bus are using that phone. Look at what I'm using—recognize it? A custom Vetre edition with keys handcrafted... Now that’s called taste..." Mulin Shen mocked as he showcased his phone, putting Sun Qinghua in a tough spot.
As he put his phone away, Sun Qinghua was already flustered and angrily retorted, "Are you here just to mock me? Is this intentional? I can do whatever I want! If I want to decorate like this, who cares? If I want to dress like this, who cares? What business is it of yours?... This is my home; I can do whatever I please!"
With the curse words flying out, any semblance of taste was abandoned. He was back to being the same street brawler Ruhua from years ago, spitting words everywhere. Mulin Shen quickly dodged away.
"Come on, Lezi, let me handle the investment; look how furious he is..." Mulin Shen didn’t argue and tried to pull Su Rongle away from Ruhua' ugly face. However, this only added fuel to the fire as Ruhua shouted back, "Stop! Lezi, wait... How much is the investment?"
"One million. Hey Mr. Sun, maybe we should forget it," Lezi said awkwardly.
"Forget what? Just take whatever I give you! Why are you looking for him? That loser can’t even come up with money... Wait a minute, here’s this card. Just take it yourself; the password is *****... If it's not enough, just let me know," Sun Qinghua generously tossed a card to Lezi and then turned back to Mulin Shen asking, "You have such taste; why don’t you invest a little for Lezi too? Surely you can come up with one million?"
Oh boy, Mulin Shen was stumped. He sniffled and rubbed his chin while avoiding eye contact with an awkward expression.
"Keep pretending... Why don’t you show off that villa of yours? Ha..." Sun Qinghua found satisfaction in Mulin Shen's embarrassed face. Lezi chimed in at the right moment saying, "Exactly! What are you pretending for? In our class over the years, Mr. Sun has been the most successful... Come on now, take care Mr. Sun; I'll send you the agreement later."
"Just drop it off when you get a chance... Oh right, don’t bring random people to my house. I already knew your character back in school; how dare you talk about taste?" Sun Qinghua said proudly as he watched Mulin Shen walk away with his head down in shame before driving off in his Lamborghini.
The world of tycoons is hard to understand; desperate pleas often lead nowhere while fleeting anger can bring immediate satisfaction.
Lezi stopped the car right after exiting the community gate. He collapsed onto the steering wheel, laughing so hard that his whole body shook. After a while, he finally got hold of himself and, with the bank card in hand, leaned over to Mulin Shen, planting several excited kisses on him as he exclaimed, "Wow, after knowing you for so many years, I finally realize you've leveled up! You've gone from being a victim to someone who can take advantage of others. Congratulations!"
"Cut it out, I have a hundred thousand," Mulin Shen replied, wiping his face.
"Don't worry, I'm going to withdraw it right now... Hey Linzi, I've asked him several times and he ignored me. How come you just made a few sarcastic remarks and he handed over the money?" Lezi drove on, puzzled.
"Think about his past—poor, ugly, with a rural household registration. In other people's eyes, he was worse than a pig or dog... He climbed up from extreme poverty like a rocket. What could he do? Look at his family now; their house is worth millions and they spent hundreds of thousands on renovations. That kind of stuff is all bought with money. When he came into money, he started bragging... Do you get it?"
"What do you mean?"
"It means the difference in his circumstances is too great; he's trying to regain his confidence. When I exposed his past insecurities, he would definitely want to retaliate against me. But he's not as handsome as I am, not as good at studying, and doesn't have as much experience—what can he use to retaliate? At this point, your situation becomes the perfect entry point."
It's like a duet where one lifts up while the other brings down; it provokes Ruhua and Tycoon to compete against each other. If Tycoon gets angry and wants to save face, what else can he do but throw money at you?
The two of them laughed nonstop as they sped along the road. With money in his pocket, this spendthrift had no other thoughts—where to eat at noon, where to play at night, inviting a few girls along while already planning ahead. Thoughts of media investments were tossed aside...
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