Trillionaire's Slice of Life

"Ah…! Mr. Chu," Liu Manli said earnestly, "to be honest, I have been waiting for your appearance, no, I should say I have been waiting for someone to appear. Someone who could break the monopoly and suppression of the eight major families, who could lead us to a more glorious level. I have been waiting for ten years, ever since I took over the company at the age of twenty-five. I have been waiting for this very day. However, I never imagined that the person I have been eagerly waiting for would be you!" With a candied gourd in her hand, Liu Manli might be taken for a carefree young lady from some household, yet in reality, she was the chairman of a company that controlled thousands of employees, a magnate whose single word could shake the real estate industry in Zhongzhou. Chu Mo displayed no surprise. In fact, he was well aware that Liu Manli's family in Zhongzhou was also being oppressed by the eight major families. Since Liu Manli had taken over the Liu family, for a full ten years, the family's assets had not increased at all. The Liu family's 240 billion worth of assets had even declined somewhat, and this was not because Liu Manli, a woman, lacked vision or leadership skills, but solely due to the covert suppression by the eight major families. In the past, the Liu family had tried numerous efforts and invested incalculable amounts of dedication, but unfortunately, the eight major families would not allow any emerging clans to challenge their position. Therefore, every time the Liu family made any progress, they would inevitably be precisely targeted and suppressed. Over time, after a whole decade, the Liu family had not advanced an inch! And 240 billion seemed to have become the limit that Liu Manli could manage. Previously, Chu Mo's scope had not been wide enough; he had not paid attention to these matters. But ever since he also had been jointly suppressed by the eight major families, his horizons had broadened, and he began to see sides of the situation he had previously been blind to. "Miss Liu, I heard your father's health has worsened again. When I have time, I'll visit to pay my respects to your father!" Chu Mo stopped at a vendor's stall, squatting down to pick up an antiquated-looking porcelain vase from the carpet in front of him. This vase resembled the antiques collected in the living room of his house. Of course, the collectibles at his home were treasures valued over ten million, collected by Lu of Modu, while this casually placed on the carpet was more likely to be a forgery. Chu Mo was not much of an expert on antiques. Perhaps, had Lu been there, he might have been able to discern the authenticity of the vase at a glance. Chu Mo merely felt it looked familiar, which was why he stopped. Liu Manli, standing beside him, made no attempt to hurry him. She just glanced at the porcelain vase in Chu Mo's hand, and then lost interest, not giving it a second look. After waiting for Chu Mo to put down the vase, she spoke gently, "Mr. Chu, your information is quite accurate. In Zhongzhou, there cannot be two Liu families. While my father is still alive, Liu Peng, remembering old affections, will not take action against us. But once my father passes, he will certainly move against us at the first opportunity. I have a premonition about this. Therefore, while my father is still with us, I need to find a powerful ally, one that is formidable enough to make the eight major families wary! Mr. Chu, I am different from Lu. The situation in Modu is complex; the four major families restrain each other, so they are not suppressed by the eight major families. But I am right under the Liu family's nose, and they will not be lenient with me because I am a woman. So, I have no choice." Chu Mo nodded silently, his agreement implicit. He was about to stand up when the stall owner, a man with a horseshoe mustache, spoke up upon seeing Chu Mo preparing to leave, "Young man, since you have traveled miles to come to our Pastoral Manor, and out of so many antiques here, you took a liking to this piece of porcelain right away, it must mean that you and this vase are fated to meet. Since it's fate, why not take the vase with you?" Chu Mo, who had already stood up, steadied himself again and looked at the horseshoe mustached old man, smiling as he said, "You really know how to do business, name your price." The bearded old man did not immediately take advantage of the situation to rip off his customer. He first gave Chu Mo a thorough up-and-down look, his triangular eyes deliberately circling twice over Chu Mo's tailor-made casual wear, before he slowly said: "This item is an imitation. I'm sure a discerning young man like you can tell, and I wouldn't dare insult your intelligence by saying it's worth only three or five bucks. Of course, it would be unreasonable of me to ask for one hundred and eighty thousand for it. So, if you like it, take it, I won't ask for a dime. I have an authentic item here, and I would like to trouble you to have a look at it." As the words of the bearded old man ended, he carefully took out a ring with a primitive texture from his sleeve and said seriously: "A thumb ring of Emperor Qianlong, it's genuinely a fine piece. Take a good look, young man!" Chu Mo's lips slightly curled. This was indeed a coincidence, as he had seen an identical ring at Uncle Lu's place in Modu before. Uncle Lu's ring, which also belonged to Emperor Qianlong, was not for sale even for five hundred million, a true national treasure. And the ring in the bearded old man's hand, although almost identical in appearance to Uncle Lu's, obviously needed no further discussion regarding its authenticity. He did not say much, but said with a hint of jest: "I certainly can't afford this. It would be better for you, the owner, to keep it as a family heirloom!" As his words fell, Chu Mo, not lingering, turned around and walked away. The bearded old man still wanted to say something, but when he saw the seven or eight tall bodyguards following behind Chu Mo, he wisely shut his mouth and stuffed the ring back into his pocket. Chu Mo and Liu Manli continued to stroll around. He didn't really expect to come across any genuine treasures, and soon they had walked the entire street. By then, Liu Manli, who looked like a floating fairy, had obtained a string of candied apples. Chu Mo looked at his watch – it was five forty. With more than two hours left until the eight o'clock boxing championship, he was wondering if it was too early to go soak in a hot spring when Liu Manli, standing next to him, suddenly gestured towards their rear. When a bodyguard came over, she handed him the snacks and clapped her hands. Then, with a serious expression, Liu Manli softly said: "Mr. Chu, until we meet again in Modu! I hope you won't let me down." After her words, she turned and walked away, and at that moment, a woman in a suit approached Chu Mo. She seemed somewhat humble and bowed her head as she said: "Mr. Chu, President Liu is waiting for you in the reception room. Please follow me!" As Chu Mo's eyes followed the departing figure of Liu Manli, he took a deep breath and then turned his gaze to the woman in the suit, his voice carrying a chilly note: "Lead the way!" The Zhongzhou Liu family had invited him to attend the boxing championship, and Chu Mo had already arrived since yesterday. However, the Liu family had not shown themselves until now, and finally, they wanted to meet him. Chu Mo knew that the negotiations with the Liu family were about to officially begin.