Chapter 29: Meeting Professor Li

"Boss, you looking for me?"

Shen Wanyu walked in after a short while, bowing slightly with a serious expression on her face, a trace of confusion flashing in her eyes.

"How is the research on the information going?"

Lu Chen took a puff of his Cigar and crossed his legs the other way.

He slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke, a smile hanging on his face.

"Their rule is that the weak are prey to the strong, and, well, there's also the rent collection that Li Ge mentioned."

Shen Wanyu sat down opposite Lu Chen, feeling somewhat uneasy, but she spoke up nonetheless.

"I'll give you a direction: go to the archives and check their internal records, for instance, the transaction history of the plots of land near the Textile Factory."

Lu Chen took a puff of his Cigar, his smile undiminished, his fingers tapping lightly on the tabletop.

He sighed inwardly; Shen Wanyu was still too green and needed more guidance.

"You've done very well already; go get busy."

After sending Shen Wanyu off, Lu Chen began his day of leisure.

Newspapers, Cigar, sunbathing.

It wasn't until evening, after Liu Xiaofeng returned, that Lu Chen finally shifted back into work mode.

"Boss, the forces and leaders in Jiu Chang Jie have been cleared up, but there's still no news on their preferences."

Liu Xiaofeng stood straight, looking just like a bear.

A somewhat honest and simple smile was on his face, his hands behind his back, like a child who had done something wrong.

"Come over and sit, no rush to talk, show me your hands."

Lu Chen shook his head with a smile; this guy Liu Xiaofeng...

Did he have to be so honest?

Lu Chen looked at the abrasions on the back of his hands; it was clear at a glance that he had been in a fight.

He had even taken a shower and changed his clothes before coming up.

Simply...

"Go find Butler Wang and have him apply some medicine for you, and have him hire a doctor to be on call while you're at it. Right, be a bit sharper when doing things in the future."

Lu Chen took out 100,000 Hong Kong dollars, placed them on the table, and pushed them toward Liu Xiaofeng.

"This is for operational expenses, take it and don't worry."

"Boss..."

Liu Xiaofeng was a bit stunned, scratched his head, and then winced in pain.

It almost made Lu Chen laugh out loud.

"Alright, hurry up and go. You're coming out with me the day after tomorrow; it's a good thing your face isn't ruined, or your teacher would never forgive me."

"Ah? That... can I not go?"

Liu Xiaofeng looked as if he had been frightened; his body shrank back, his face showing a trace of fear, but more than that, respect and gratitude...

This expression was too complex; Lu Chen couldn't fully interpret it.

"Go on."

Lu Chen tapped the table, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

He took a puff of his Cigar, a hint of depth flashing in his eyes.

His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, and he remained silent for a long time.

He had thought it would be simple!

How could anyone capable of cultivating Li Xuanhua, Shen Wanyu, and Liu Xiaofeng be simple...

And now, he himself seemed to be tied together with this Professor Li he hadn't even met yet...

Interesting!

He stood up, went out, had a pleasant dinner with his subordinates, and took a stroll for a while.

Soon, the day to meet Professor Li arrived.

Lu Chen very solemnly changed into a suit, tidied himself up until he was impeccable, and had even gone to get a haircut yesterday.

Li Xuanhua, Shen Wanyu, and Liu Xiaofeng were also prepared, sitting on the sofa in the living room chatting.

"Let's go."

After Lu Chen came downstairs, before he could even speak, the few of them stood up one after another.

He nodded slightly and spoke in a low voice.

The group got into the cars, and the motorcade slowly drove out of the Zhuangyuan, heading not to Xianggang University as Lu Chen had expected, but to Qianshuiwan!

Another gathering place for the wealthy in Xianggang!

"Welcome, sir. The master is already waiting for you in the reception hall."

The motorcade stopped at the entrance of a Zhuangyuan; the butler wore a smile, opened the car door with white-gloved hands, and held the door frame.

Lu Chen took a deep breath and nodded with a smile.

Led by the butler, he passed through the quiet garden and headed toward the reception hall.

Li Xuanhua and the others followed behind Lu Chen, and further behind them, servants carefully carried the gifts.

Lu Chen tilted his head and glanced at Liu Xiaofeng with some confusion, then turned his head to look solemnly at the gate that was getting closer and closer.

"Please, you all follow me."

The butler bowed slightly, not opening the door for Lu Chen, but instead turning to speak to Li Xuanhua and the others, leading them toward the other side.

Lu Chen took a deep breath, straightened his suit, and knocked on the heavy wooden door.

"Welcome, Mr. Lu."

Professor Li had graying hair, wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, and his meticulous suit was accented by a thin gold chain.

He set down his newspaper, took off his glasses, stood up, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Professor Li, I have admired you for a long time; seeing you today, you are exactly as I imagined."

Lu Chen smiled as he stepped forward and took the initiative to shake hands with Professor Li.

"Please sit. Tea or coffee?"

Professor Li let go of his hand, made a gesture of invitation, and sat on the sofa with Lu Chen.

The servants carefully piled the gifts in a corner of the reception hall and quietly withdrew.

"Compared to coffee, I still prefer tea."

Lu Chen smiled, sat up straight, placed his hands on his knees, and his fingers trembled slightly.

"You, there's no need to deliberately flatter this old man; I was young once, too."

Professor Li took a small bamboo tube from the coffee table, carefully used a wooden spoon to scoop out a bit of tea leaves, and poured them into a lidded bowl.

His movements were meticulous.

"Just like Li Xuanhua and those other brats, not one of them understands tea."

"Hahaha, you are right, sir, but to use so little of this mother-tree Big Red Robe tea—aren't you being a bit stingy?"

Lu Chen was slightly stunned, then laughed, took a Cigar case and a pack of 555 cigarettes from his pocket, and placed them on the coffee table.

"You brat, you have no idea how hard it is for an old man to get his hands on such good stuff! If it weren't for you coming over, I wouldn't even be willing to drink it."

Professor Li's hand holding the teapot trembled slightly, his face showing a hint of heartache and three parts amusement.

He glanced at Lu Chen, seemingly carrying a trace of reproach.

"Would you like one, sir? This is a top-quality Cuban Cigar; I only managed to get a box through a friend, and every one I smoke is one less."

Lu Chen smiled; the Cigar could be said to be the best thing he had found in his portable space, and he really hadn't expected that there would actually be a cigar room in the hotel!

"Oh? Then I must have a good taste, though I wonder how well you've kept it?"

Professor Li took the Cigar and gently poured a cup of tea, placing it in front of Lu Chen.

He held the Cigar under his nose and sniffed it lightly, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

Then, he began to toast the Cigar with fluid motions.

"Tell me, why make the company structure so complex, and even get yourself targeted by Crown?"

"For risk isolation."

Lu Chen smiled, and the expression on his face became serious.

"My mistake; Xianggang may be facing a financial tsunami."

"Tell me, what do you plan to do?"

Professor Li's expression did not change, he remained smiling, and his hands did not stop their movements for a moment.

"I cannot intervene in Crown, but I have spent quite a bit of effort helping you hide."

"The funds will all flow back into the real economy of Xianggang."

Lu Chen was silent for a moment, took a puff of his Cigar, and then said solemnly.

"This matter was caused by me, and I should be responsible."

Professor Li glanced at Lu Chen, took a puff of the Cigar, and only exhaled the smoke after a long while.

He leaned back against the sofa and crossed his legs.