These uninvited guests seemed to have an unusual background. This was especially true for Slickhead's father, Hua Ming, whose face changed the moment he saw their leader. Panic and turmoil filled his eyes, and he appeared deeply troubled. Indeed, the leader of these uninvited guests had an extraordinary origin—he was from the renowned Zheng Family of Jiangnan.

Zheng Zhengbin was one of Jiangnan's most famous young masters. In his arrogant and willful youth, he got himself into serious trouble, a mistake that cost him any chance of a political career. Despite this setback, Zheng Zhengbin thrived in the business world, especially within the circles of Jiangnan Province. He discreetly held shares in various well-known chain enterprises, upscale clubs, and even publicly listed companies. The number of such investments was a staggering twenty or thirty. What did this imply? It meant that his wealth was measured at a minimum of a nine-figure sum, in the hundreds of millions. But this was not to say that Zheng Zhengbin was particularly skilled at business.

If one were to turn back the clock a few decades, the Zheng Family of the Forty-Nine City was absolutely prominent and illustrious within the Republic. At the height of its glory in the 1970s and '80s, its reputation and influence nearly rivaled that of the Three Great Clans, making it a First-Class Noble Family just below them in the Capital City. This was because the Zheng Family of that era had its own patriarch who had come up from the wartime generation—Old Master Zheng.

Unfortunately, while Old Master Zheng was only a step behind figures like Old Master Xuu in terms of rank and influence, he passed away far too early. The family prematurely lost its influential, flagship figure, which led to a gradual decline as it lost momentum and started on a downward trajectory. Fast forward twenty or thirty years to the present day, and the Zheng Family had mostly withdrawn from the Capital City, moving its foundation to Jiangnan Province. There, it became the second-largest preeminent family in Jiangnan, second only to the Xiao Family.

The current helmsman of the Zheng Family was the Deputy Minister of a high-powered department in the Forty-Nine City, a man of real power whose words carried immense weight. While Zheng Zhengbin's father wasn't a super-powerful figure like the family's helmsman, he was still the Deputy Director of the Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce. On his own turf in Jiangnan, he held a high-ranking and influential position. To put it bluntly, a department like the Administration for Industry and Commerce was all about money. How could a department connected to money not wield great power and authority? As for Zheng Zhengbin's other elders, most were cadres at the deputy department or section chief level in Jiangnan or Tongzhou City.

With such a powerful background, even though Zheng Zhengbin was neither a politician nor an economic titan, he still navigated the business circles of Jiangnan with great success. Wherever he went, people felt compelled to show him respect, and everyone wanted to partner with him to make money.

And this time, our Young Master Zheng Zhengbin had set his sights on Jinnan Jewelry. Ever since the top-tier sculptors from Hong Kong and Macau had arrived, their batch of high-quality materials had grown in popularity and sales had soared. Jinnan Jewelry's business was booming. It had shot up like a dark horse to an incredibly enviable position.

Seeing how much money Jinnan Jewelry was making, and with no powerful figures apparently profiting from it, how could our Young Master Zheng Zhengbin not be tempted? This is my bread and butter! A jewelry chain like this, without any solid background—once I invest in it, it'll be totally under my control, allowing me to make money with my eyes closed!

Of course, he saw nothing wrong with targeting Jinnan Jewelry. After all, who am I, Young Master Zheng Zhengbin? What is my status? For a great man like me to show interest, they should consider it an honor! Besides, the owner is probably dying to latch onto a high branch like me. I'm from the Zheng Family! My father is a big shot at the Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce. With my backing, Jinnan Jewelry will have an amulet of protection. Who would refuse such a good deal?!

But what Young Master Zheng Zhengbin never dreamed of was that someone would actually refuse such a good deal. He, the great Young Master Zheng, had offered his warm face only to get the cold shoulder—and from a "little boss" with no background to speak of at that!

They don't want to cooperate with me! Damn it... fuck! Who the hell do they think they are?

So, today, he had come in person. I'd like to see just how this Jinnan Jewelry, with its piss-poor background, dares to be so insolent! How dare they disregard me, Young Master Zheng, with my status and extraordinary origins?

"Boss Hua, how have you been?" he asked, looking down from his superior position. He gazed at Hua Ming with a condescending glare, his eyes filled with a deep gloom.

Feeling the gloomy intent in his gaze, Hua Ming's heart pounded with turmoil and panic.

To him, Tongzhou City in Jiangnan Province was like the Capital City to the Republic. At the foot of the emperor, a commoner like him naturally felt a sense of awe, not to mention that Zheng Zhengbin's background was truly terrifying! The Zheng Family of Jiangnan Province... what did that even mean!? Even someone like Secretary Dong Wencheng, the party secretary of the provincial capital, would be unwilling to clash with such a family. And although my son made a name for himself, getting in with a kid like Chen Fei who seems to have a powerful background—even calling him brother, to the point that a behemoth like the Hex Family of Macau showed them incredible deference, almost as if they were afraid... but in the end, a mighty dragon can't suppress the local snakes! If even a mighty dragon can't beat a local snake, then I, Hua Ming, probably don't even count as a 'little snake' here in the provincial capital of Tongzhou. I'm not qualified. But Young Master Zheng's methods are too ugly. He wants to swallow Jinnan Jewelry whole, and I'm just not willing to let that happen... My only hope and support now is my son's brother, Chen Fei. I remember what my son, Hua Zhinan, said before he left. If anything happened, I could go directly to his brother, and I wouldn't need to be polite about it! Their relationship was just that close.

Just then, an arrogant voice spoke up from beside the disdainful Young Master Zheng. "Boss Hua, our Brother Zheng holds you and Jinnan Jewelry in high regard. That's why he came in person with such sincerity to talk business. So let me be direct this time... Don't you dare put on any airs again. Otherwise, you should understand the consequences, hehe." His words were followed by a haughty, cold laugh.

The speaker was a man with a small ponytail and bell-bottoms. His name was Zhou Zhengxu, another dilettante from a well-known family in Jiangnan Province, though his background was far inferior to Young Master Zheng's. But this kid was clever; he understood the importance of sucking up to the powerful and knew when to latch onto a 'big leg' for support.

And so, for the last few years, Zhou Zhengxu had been mingling with Young Master Zheng in private, acting as his Dog Head Military Advisor and underling. Usually, he was the one who went out first, scouting for highly profitable businesses that lacked powerful backing—targets that Young Master Zheng could easily seize control of—and then initiated talks. Generally, very few people dared to refuse Zhou Zhengxu. But Hua Ming had been one of them.

Damn it. This old bastard really thinks his crappy little jewelry shop makes him someone important!? How dare he be so uncooperative? He's asking to die!

"Not at all, not at all... Young Master Zheng, Young Master Zhou, you are both important figures. Please forgive me, Hua Ming, for my failure to welcome you properly. My apologies," Hua Ming said quickly and politely, but he pointedly avoided the topic of cooperation.

Seeing the old man dare to play 'tai chi' with him, Zheng Zhengbin's anger flared. "Old man, do you think I, Zheng Zhengbin, have all day to waste on your dawdling and evasiveness?!" he demanded, his face dark. "I'll ask you one more time: are you willing to cooperate with me and make money, or not?"

When he saw Young Master Zheng tear away all pretense and issue an ultimatum, Hua Ming's expression changed dramatically. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his fists clenched tightly. He was clearly in the throes of an intense internal struggle.

Hua Ming's journey as an entrepreneur had been anything but smooth, filled with twists and turns. He had finally achieved some success, only to be targeted by an intimidating scion like Young Master Zheng, who wanted to swallow the Jinnan Jewelry he had built with his own hands! How could anyone accept this? But he was afraid. If he refused and Young Master Zheng got angry, what then?

After struggling in society and business for so many years, Hua Ming understood one thing clearly: nothing mattered more than having connections and a powerful background. Take Young Master Zheng, standing here so arrogantly before me. What skills does he have? Absolutely none! Yet this pampered scion, relying solely on the two words 'Zheng Family' and the status it affords, has easily amassed a fortune worth hundreds of millions! And now...

He sighed inwardly, shaking his head. Lowering his head deeply, he said, "Young Master Zheng, Young Master Zhou, I am flattered that you see value in my Jinnan Jewelry... Since you both came in person, I, Hua Ming, wouldn't dare be so unappreciative. May I ask how you propose we cooperate and make money?"

In the end, he chose to bow his head rather than immediately think to ask his son's brother, Chen Fei, for help. Perhaps he felt he didn't know Chen Fei well enough. His heart was gripped by an involuntary sense of fear and inadequacy. Besides, Young Master Zheng's background was simply too terrifying! He was part of the illustrious Zheng Family, after all. Deep down, Hua Ming had no confidence that Chen Fei could be more powerful than them.

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