After introducing Hu Rong to Uncle De, Zhuang Rui turned to Song Xingjun and started joking. They were all old friends, and Zhuang Rui was happy to see Song Xingjun and Yang Wei together.
However, there were some things in Zhuang Rui's heart that he couldn't tell others. The first time in his life that Zhuang Rui had truly seen a woman's breasts was with Nurse Song.
Of course, this is something you can only think about occasionally, and keep to yourself for the rest of your life. You can never tell anyone, no matter what. As the saying goes, you can't mess with your friend's wife, and seducing your sister-in-law is a major taboo in the martial arts world.
"Youngest brother, don't talk nonsense. Your older brother is a model man of the modern age..."
Yang Wei was actually a little nervous after hearing Zhuang Rui's words. Although he used to often tease Zhuang Rui for being a virgin, he himself was not much better, having had several relationships with girls that all ended without a trace.
Wei Ge took a liking to Song Xingjun at first sight and went to great lengths to win her over. If Zhuang Rui dares to speak ill of him again, Wei Ge is ready to fight to the death.
"Alright, you model man, let's go..."
Zhuang Rui took the bag from Uncle De and playfully left the airport with Yang Wei.
Seeing their appearance, Song Xingjun, who was following behind, finally let go of the slight resentment in her heart. Everyone has their own happiness, and besides, Wei Ge treated her very well. Song Xingjun liked the gentleness of men from Zhonghai.
Just as you only know if shoes fit after wearing them, the same applies to relationships. Without spending time together, it's difficult to know if two people are compatible.
After Zhuang Rui dropped Uncle De and the others off at the hotel, he didn't even have time to spend some time with Qin Xuanbing. Then, Lao Si arrived at the Capital Airport from Guangdong and Lao San from Xi'an. Zhuang Rui was too busy to be in two places at once, so he simply called over Yue Jing, the local bigwig, to pick them up.
That evening, Zhuang Rui took Qin Xuanbing and a few classmates out for dinner, while Hu Rong stayed with Qin Haoran and the others. They were relatives, and Zhuang's mother personally hosted them, as in-laws couldn't be neglected.
That evening, Fatty Ma also arrived in Beijing. However, Zhuang Rui didn't need to entertain him; he simply called to inform Zhuang Rui that he would be attending Zhuang Rui's engagement ceremony the day after tomorrow, along with Song Jun.
"Xuanbing, come home with me tonight?"
After sending Wei Ge and the others back to their hotel rooms, Zhuang Rui pulled Qin Xuanbing aside.
"No, Mommy said I have to stay in a hotel until the engagement. You rascal, you did something naughty this afternoon too..."
Seeing Zhuang Rui's disappointed expression, Qin Xuanbing couldn't help but laugh and tap Zhuang Rui's forehead with her finger. Before Zhuang Rui could react, she laughed and ran into her room.
"Alright, buddy, I'll just have to bear with it for a couple more days. In a few days, I'll make you beg for mercy..."
Zhuang Rui pushed open the door, only to find it locked from the inside. Disgruntled, he left the hotel, hailed a taxi, and headed straight to the courtyard house. The two cars Peng Fei and Hao Long had brought were used by Qin Haoran and Uncle De, leaving Zhuang Rui without a car. ...
As soon as Zhuang Rui stepped into the courtyard, he saw Ouyang Jun sitting in the main room watching TV. Next to him sat two strangers. Zhuang Rui couldn't help but ask curiously, "Fourth Brother, what brings you here? Where is your wife?"
It was already past 9 p.m., and since Xu Qing became pregnant, Ouyang Jun rarely stayed out past this hour.
"I've brought you the car. Here, you two get to know him. Just come here tomorrow morning and let my brother give you instructions..."
After seeing Zhuang Rui enter the room, Ouyang Jun instructed the two people beside him, "Yes, Mr. Ouyang, don't worry, if there's nothing else, we'll come again tomorrow."
The two men got up, greeted Zhuang Rui, waved to Ouyang Jun, said goodbye, and left the courtyard.
After the two men left, Zhuang Rui took out the good tea leaves he had taken from Ouyang Jun, brewed him a cup of hot tea, and said with a grin, "Fourth Brother, I really have to thank you for this. I was just looking for a car..."
"Fine, this little thing made me wait for over half an hour. Okay, I'm leaving, my head is full of mush..."
Ouyang Jun has been quite troubled by that real estate project lately. The plans are all done, and construction has already begun, but there is still a shortfall of 200 million yuan. He can't get a loan from the bank, and he doesn't want to borrow from others. He's really worried about it.
Everyone says that the real estate business relies entirely on banks, and Ouyang Jun is now cursing under his breath. Everyone in the country does it this way, so why is it not working for him?
"Hey, Fourth Brother, slow down, I have something to tell you..."
Seeing Ouyang Jun's expression, Zhuang Rui called out to him.
"What's up? You're not going to ask Fourth Brother to be your driver, are you?"
Ouyang Jun turned around and joked with Zhuang Rui, saying that business matters were just a bit troublesome, not that there were no solutions, but that he was simply unwilling to do so.
"If you're free, I'd like to hire a driver..."
Zhuang Rui chuckled, and seeing that Ouyang Jun was about to get angry, he quickly said, "How much money do you still need for your project? I'm a bit more financially secure now..."
"Forget it, you should save that little bit of money for getting married. Tens of millions won't be of much use..."
When Ouyang Jun heard Zhuang Rui mention this, his face wrinkled up again. These days, legitimate business is really tough. You can't evade taxes, and then there are the costs of building materials and labor. If you want to do full-scale construction, you can't get it done for less than 200 million.
Of course, the land that Ouyang Jun developed is worth the investment of so much money. The location is excellent, and the surrounding facilities are complete, including hospitals, schools, and large supermarkets. Given the current upward trend in Beijing housing prices, once the community is completed, it will definitely sell well.
However, Ouyang Jun is currently short of money. Even selling apartments off-plan requires building at least a few floors first, but he hasn't even laid the foundation yet.
"Tell me the total investment amount, but let me make this clear from the start: this money isn't a loan; it's an investment of shares. I'll get a share of the profits when the house is sold..."
Zhuang Rui currently has 40 million euros in Swiss bank drafts in his handbag, and he speaks with great confidence. He hadn't decided how to spend the money, but after hearing Ouyang Jun's words, he's starting to think about investing in real estate.
In the past two years, housing prices across the country have been rising. In places like Shenzhen and Guangzhou, houses that used to cost three or four thousand yuan per square meter have now risen to seven or eight thousand yuan. Not to mention Beijing's Zhonghai, housing prices have skyrocketed like a rocket. If Zhuang Rui can't see this, then his four years of university have been a waste.
How much money do you have?
Ouyang Jun looked at Zhuang Rui with some disbelief. This younger brother of his was complaining to him about being poor just a few days ago. Even winning the lottery wouldn't happen this fast, right?
How much money do you want?
Zhuang Rui adopted a "believe it or not" attitude. Although Yang Bailao has become a big shot these days, that only applies after the money has been lent out. Now, whoever has money in their hands is the big shot.
Ouyang Jun curled his lip and said, "It'll cost at least 200 million, and we might have to throw in another 100 million later. Do you have that much?"
"How many shares can you give me?"
Zhuang Rui asked noncommittally, "Only large investments yield large returns. Money in hand won't generate any wealth. If Ouyang Jun's project is truly promising, there's nothing wrong with investing in it."
"Are you serious?"
"Of course! I've been as busy as a rabbit's father these past few days. Why would I be teasing you?"
Seeing that Zhuang Rui didn't seem to be joking, Ouyang Jun calmed down and started to make plans in his mind.
To be honest, Ouyang Jun's lack of money is just a facade. Even without going through banks or other credit institutions, it wouldn't be difficult for him to raise several hundred million yuan with his connections. However, he would inevitably have to share a portion of the profits.
It's important to understand that the Ouyang family isn't the only powerful force in Beijing. There are quite a few people who have the qualifications and the guts to covet the land he acquired. Therefore, Ouyang Jun has never decided whether to cooperate with others or keep it all to himself.
Although it's a big no-no to eat alone these days, as long as you have money and don't let anyone find fault with you, given the Ouyang family's power, no one can do anything to Ouyang Jun even if he eats alone.
But the most crucial point is that the four young euro holders, who have always been playing the game of getting something for nothing, are now most in need of money.
Chapter 557 Zhuang Rui's Engagement (Part 1)
Since getting married, Ouyang Jun no longer wanted to get involved in romantic affairs. He had already planned to close the club and focus his future investments on real estate projects. Therefore, he spent more than 100 million yuan to buy a well-established and qualified construction company.
However, precisely because of this, Ouyang Jun's finances became very tight. He could sell his club for a hundred or two hundred million, but selling it at this crucial moment would inevitably make him a laughing stock. Anyone with eyes could see that the Fourth Young Master Ouyang was short of money.
"Wu'er, my initial investment wasn't that much, around 200 million, but there are still some personal connections involved. If you really want to invest, put up 250 million, and I'll give you 40% of the shares..."
Ouyang Jun sat on the sofa with his head tilted back, and after thinking for more than ten minutes, he finally gave his answer.
Although Ouyang Jun only invested 200 million yuan to acquire 60% of the shares, Zhuang Rui invested 250 million yuan but only received 40% of the shares. This seems unfair, but in fact, Ouyang Jun has already made a great concession.
The large garden-style residential community developed by Ouyang Jun has an estimated cost of around 500 million yuan, but once completed, its market value is over 2 billion yuan.
In other words, Zhuang Rui's investment of 250 million yuan could potentially turn into 1 billion yuan in one or two years. Therefore, there are many people with funds who want to get involved in Ouyang Jun's project. Even if Ouyang Jun only offers 20% of the shares, there are still people scrambling to get them.
Giving Zhuang Rui 40% is already considered very generous by Ouyang Jun. This project is definitely a sure thing, and anyone can see that. Bai Feng has been chasing after Ouyang Jun for half a month, but Ouyang Jun hasn't given in. If it weren't for Zhuang Rui, Ouyang Jun wouldn't have included him at all.
"Alright, Fourth Brother, we'll do it your way. But I won't have time these next few days. You can handle the shares and stuff..."
Zhuang Rui didn't keep Ouyang Jun waiting for long. After a quick mental calculation, he agreed. He had heard Ouyang Jun talk about this project before and knew that the location was good. With the current real estate boom, investing the money would definitely earn more than keeping it in the bank to earn interest.
"You've got a sharp eye, kid, and you've got guts too. No wonder you've built this empire..."
When Ouyang Jun saw Zhuang Rui make a decision in just a few minutes, he was impressed. Zhuang Rui dared to bet over 200 million RMB without even seeing anything. If their positions were reversed, Ouyang Jun knew he would never dare to do it; he would at least have done some research beforehand.
"Hehe, Fourth Brother, I'll only provide the money. After the house is sold, I'll get the money according to my share. I won't concern myself with anything else, so please don't come looking for me..."
Zhuang Rui chuckled, took out the bank draft he hadn't even had a chance to warm up from his handbag, handed it to Ouyang Jun, and said, "This totals 40 million euros. You give me 25 million, and the rest can be issued as a Swiss bank draft..."
Zhuang Rui was considering that if he needed to go abroad in the future, he wouldn't need to exchange foreign currency with Ouyang Jun anymore. With more than 10 million euros on hand, he would generally have enough to use wherever he went. As for China, he also had about 10 million RMB, so he wasn't short of money.
Furthermore, around April or May, Xinjiang will also receive a sum of money, which should be around 100 million RMB. What Zhuang Rui needs to do now is to find some promising projects and invest this money.
Zhuang Rui is not short of money now, but he enjoys the joy of the returns from his investments. This feeling is more fulfilling than finding a bargain on Taobao. After all, when it comes to appraising antiques, even if you find a good item, the thrill is not as strong.
"Okay, I'll have someone process the share transfer documents later and bring them to you for your signature. I'm heading back now, otherwise your sister-in-law will be worried sick at home..."
As the saying goes, "charity begins at home." Zhuang Rui solved the funding problem, and although he had to give away nearly half of the pie, no one else benefited. Ouyang Jun was quite satisfied with the result.
After seeing Ouyang Jun off, Zhuang Rui returned to his room, took a shower, and then went to his basement.
Now, the antique shelves in the basement are mostly filled with items, unlike when they were empty. Perhaps in a few more days, a batch of dazzling gold will also be among them.
Zhuang Rui now has a plan in mind: once he has settled down a bit more, he plans to travel abroad and use his special eye to try and acquire some of the cultural relics that have been lost overseas.
Of course, he didn't intend to donate the acquired items to the country, but he could consider opening his own museum. There are already two private antique museums in China.
Zhuang Rui's mindset towards antiques is becoming more and more like that of a collector. Every time he goes into the basement to observe the calligraphy, paintings, and ceramics, he feels a special peace of mind.
Behind every antique lies a story, whether real or unverifiable, from history. This requires people to guess and ponder, which is part of the joy of collecting.
As Zhuang Rui gained a deeper understanding of antiques, he gradually became able to feel the profound sense of history and vicissitudes contained within them, as if scrolls of images were taking him into the long river of history.
After spending more than half an hour alone in the collection room, Zhuang Rui returned to his room with an indescribable emotion and fell into a deep sleep. ...
“Mr. Zhuang, well… even if you don’t wear a tie, you still need a bow tie…”
In Zhuang Rui's backyard, a lively scene unfolded as a large group of people gathered, ready to witness Zhuang Rui's downfall.
A female makeup artist, hired by Ouyang Jun, was adjusting Zhuang Rui's clothes with a bow tie. Although Zhuang Rui was blushing, it wasn't visible on his face because he had just had foundation applied.
Today is Zhuang Rui's engagement day. Originally, we thought of holding the ceremony at a hotel, but considering that all the guests are relatives and friends, and Grandpa Ouyang will also be there, it seems a bit inappropriate to go to a hotel. It would be better to hold the ceremony in Zhuang Rui's traditional courtyard house. As for the engagement banquet, we will go to the hotel after the ceremony.
Around six o'clock in the morning, Zhuang Rui was woken up by a group of people. Several classmates, Ouyang Jun, and Song Jun and Fatty Ma, who were obviously a year older than them, all came to join in the fun, making Zhuang Rui suffer terribly.
"Alright, hurry up and go out to greet the customers..."
Zhuang Rui rolled his eyes at Ouyang Jun's words, but he still obediently walked to the middle courtyard, met up with Qin Xuanbing, and then walked to the gate of the courtyard house, where they stood side by side.
"Honey, are you cold?"
In February, the weather in Beijing was still quite cold. When Zhuang Rui saw Qin Xuanbing, he was worried that she, who had lived in Hong Kong since childhood, might not be used to it, even though she was wearing a bright red cotton-padded coat.
"I'm cold, Brother Zhuang Rui, can you hug me?"
Wei Ge, who was standing opposite Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuanbing, suddenly started to imitate a woman's voice after hearing Zhuang Rui's words, which made everyone laugh. Many old residents in the alley stuck their heads out to watch the lively scene.
"Get out of my way..."
Zhuang Rui cursed irritably. Didn't you see that I'm wearing a suit and shirt in this freezing weather? Luckily, I had thermal underwear under that shirt, otherwise I would have been freezing.
Fatty Ma nudged Song Jun and said, "Old Song, we two brothers should walk through the gate one more time and give them our blessings..."
"So, you just want to show off your gift, huh..."