Chapter 634: 630. Do you want to make a comeback? (Seeking subscriptions and monthly tickets)

Zhang Ran rested for an afternoon, and that evening, he went to see someone, with only He Yong and He Qing following him.

As soon as Zhang Ran and his group arrived, they saw that the person was already waiting at the entrance to welcome them.

"Harishi, long time no see." Zhang Ran looked at the elderly Black man before him and opened his arms with a smile.

Harishi was also happy and gave Zhang Ran a hug.

"You really have a tough life, I didn't expect you to still be alive," Harishi said with emotion.

Zhang Ran laughed: "If my life weren't tough, I would have died long ago."

Harishi was the former CEO of the South Africa Development Bank, and he had a very good relationship with Zhang Ran; it could be said that he was able to sit in that position because of Zhang Ran's efforts.

Therefore, Harishi had always owed Zhang Ran a great favor, and today Zhang Ran had come to collect on that favor.

And the fact that Harishi came out to welcome Zhang Ran also indicated that he was willing to repay this favor.

The two expressed their mutual sentiments, and then Harishi invited them inside.

As soon as they entered, they saw a group of servants starting to serve dishes, all of which were Huaxia cuisine, clearly prepared specifically for Zhang Ran.

"You old fellow really know how to enjoy yourself, this is too corrupt," Zhang Ran said with emotion as he watched the busy servants.

Harishi laughed loudly: "If you like it, I'll send some to you."

Zhang Ran shook his head and said: "Forget it, I can't enjoy these kinds of things."

Even eating a meal required so much trouble; Zhang Ran was too lazy for such pageantry, and he was not the type of person who liked to enjoy things this way to begin with.

Harishi understood Zhang Ran well enough, so he only made a brief comment about it.

"These were all made by a Huaxia chef I specifically hired; why don't you taste how they are?" Harishi said with a smile.

Zhang Ran gestured for He Qing to sit down and eat together; as for He Yong, he would not be eating.

"The taste is good, very authentic," Zhang Ran said after taking a bite.

"As long as it's to your taste," Harishi said.

The two were in no rush to discuss business, chatting while they ate about the changes in each other's lives over the recent years.

"Why did you retire so early? I originally thought you would retire at least 15 years later; you're only 68 now, right?" Zhang Ran asked with a smile.

Harishi had retired as early as the year 2000, fifteen years earlier than Zhang Ran had anticipated, and many things must have happened during that time.

Harishi was silent for a moment, then said helplessly: "Doesn't your Huaxia have a saying, 'Those who understand the times are heroes'?"

The last sentence was said in Chinese, and although it was spoken very awkwardly, it was clear that he understood the meaning of the phrase.

Without waiting for Zhang Ran to press him, Harishi continued: "Back then, you were my greatest supporter. When you disappeared, I couldn't protect your assets, so I could only choose to retire."

"Fortunately, I made a wise choice; my dividends have never been shorted over these years."

Harishi had chosen to voluntarily resign and retire back then because his greatest supporter had disappeared, and after ten years, he had become completely unable to protect Zhang Ran's original assets.

Zhang Ran's assets were already very complex to begin with, with countless interests intertwined within them; they were not simply just Zhang Ran's belongings.

Ten years was enough time for those other forces to carve up and digest these assets completely.

Although Harishi had also been working hard to find new supporters during that period, it was clear that the results were not very significant.

In the end, Harishi made the most correct choice: he voluntarily resigned and retired, which preserved his own dividend rights.

Although it wasn't much, it was enough for him to live extravagantly for a lifetime.

These dividend rights could last until the moment of his death and could not be inherited.

This was also the reason why Harishi was still able to enjoy such a wonderful life now.

Zhang Ran was not at all surprised by this; his assets and shares back then were not entirely his own to begin with, but rather a coalition of interests.

Among them was the Rhode Family; he had disappeared for twenty-eight years, so it was normal that he no longer had a share.

After all, he didn't even have a single heir at the time.

To be honest, the fact that Harishi was able to hold on for ten years even surprised him a little.

Zhang Ran smiled: "I don't mean to blame you; you already did very well."

Harishi had no burden in his heart; he believed that he hadn't done anything wrong.

"I'm glad you can understand it that way; thank you for your support back then," Harishi said, raising his glass.

Zhang Ran clinked glasses with him and then said: "Do you have any plans to make a comeback?"

"A comeback? Me? What kind of joke are you making? How old am I now, and you want me to make a comeback?" Harishi laughed heartily as if he had heard a joke.

Zhang Ran said: "Who says you're too old? And isn't it true that the older one gets, the more experience one has?"

"Fine, even if I wanted to make a comeback, no one would recognize me. Who would pay attention to an old guy like me now?" Harishi looked very helpless.

Seeing this expression, Zhang Ran couldn't hold back: "Stop putting on an act for me. Someone like you, how could you be content with just failing like this?"

"If I'm not mistaken, there should still be quite a few of your people inside the South Africa Development Bank, right?"

Seeing Harishi wanting to argue something, Zhang Ran immediately said: "Don't quibble. Where have all your dividends from these many years gone? Your own expenses aren't that high, are they?"

"And, there's no need for me to say much about these famous paintings, calligraphy, and antiques of yours, right? I still have some research in this area."

"Although these of yours are made to look very real, a fake is a fake, and if it's worthless, it's worthless."

Harishi's expression changed slightly: "You investigated me?"

He felt a sense of shock in his heart; how did Zhang Ran know such details?

One had to know that he had done these things very secretly; he himself worked in the financial industry, and his ability to hide and utilize money had long exceeded what many people could imagine.

Over so many years, this was the first time he had been directly exposed by someone.

He did not believe that Zhang Ran could tell the authenticity of these antiques and paintings just by taking a glance.

Zhang Ran gave a mysterious smile and did not explain further; in fact, he had to thank Whale for this.

Whale had been pondering how to take revenge on the Rhode Family for so many years, and by a rare coincidence, this guy caught someone who specialized in making fake antiques; for people like them, coming into contact with such individuals was not strange.

Originally, Whale hadn't paid much attention, but when this person revealed some secrets, he became interested because they involved some matters concerning the Rhode Family.

Harishi was subsequently targeted by Whale; people like Whale would stop at nothing to achieve their goals, so the things Harishi thought were secret were crudely uncovered by Whale.

At the same time, the whale had also kept the matter well hidden, intending to use it for itself, but in the end, it chose to hand everything over to Zhang Ran.

This was also the reason why Zhang Ran found Harishi first, and not just because Harishi was a former partner.