"Alas, Chen Feng, it's all our fault for being too greedy," the two women said, their faces filled with guilt.
"Too greedy?" Chen Feng asked, slightly taken aback.
"Yes, we were too greedy. We sold a financial fund, and it backfired. Now, the group's liquid capital is dwindling, and soon it will be completely depleted. You are a powerful figure in politics, but you're also skilled in business. You must know how crucial liquid capital is to a company," the two women sighed deeply.
"You two didn't happen to buy into U.S. debt funds, did you?" Chen Feng probed cautiously.
"Mm," the two women lowered their heads guiltily.
Even a fool knew that U.S. debt funds were to be avoided recently. Yet, under some strange impulse, unable to resist the lure of profits, they had foolishly bought a large sum of U.S. debt funds. They had intended to take a big risk for a big reward. Who knew that the U.S. debt market would become increasingly sluggish? Put simply, no one was willing to take over U.S. debt funds. Funds, stocks, these things ultimately rely on finding a buyer. Without one, you're destined to lose.
"The only silver lining..." Chen Feng replied with a smile.
"What do you mean, 'the only silver lining'?" the two women were bewildered. Everyone knew they were trapped by U.S. debt funds. What was Chen Feng's meaning with that phrase?
Chen Feng didn't mince words. He proceeded to explain in detail to the two women China's scheme to short the U.S. dollar debt over the past six months.
"China is going for the final blow against the U.S.?"
"Yes."
"How is that possible? In our impression, China fears the U.S. How dare they confront the U.S. directly?" the two women asked, full of confusion.
"There's an old Chinese saying: fortunes change with the times. In the past, Chinese people feared the U.S. in their hearts. However, after twenty years of development while keeping a low profile, China has long caught up with the U.S. Money is courage. Now that China is as wealthy as the U.S., it naturally has no fear of the U.S.," Chen Feng explained patiently.
"But if the Chinese government buys our huge U.S. debt funds, won't they be losing a lot of money? And you, being a person with strong patriotism, would you just stand by and watch something like this happen?" the two women asked, still confused. If other powerful figures in politics had said this, it would be understandable. After all, most people in politics prioritize personal gain. With huge personal benefits in front of them, they wouldn't refuse. Chen Feng was different. Whether he was the driver for a deputy town mayor back then or the current mayor of a directly administered municipality, he always prioritized national interests. For decades, Chen Feng had sacrificed countless personal interests for the sake of national interests.
"Your concerns are not unfounded. Under normal circumstances, I would indeed not agree to transfer losses to the state. However, this time it is different. China buying these U.S. debt funds will indeed be a burden, a significant financial loss. But the issue is that this process cannot be avoided. To gain the trust of the U.S., a loss must be incurred. If this money were not lost, the U.S. would certainly not fall for it. If the loss on U.S. debt were manufactured, the U.S. would never believe it," Chen Feng explained patiently.
"Chen Feng, we still don't understand. China buying a large amount of U.S. collateralized dollar debt is enough to gain the U.S.'s trust, making them confident in pursuing the hydrogen energy project. Why does China need to go the extra mile and buy our debt funds?" the two women probed cautiously.
"The reason is simple. China buying these debt funds will give the U.S. government the illusion that China believes the U.S. can succeed with hydrogen energy. Once hydrogen energy takes off, the U.S. dollar can remain strong for another hundred years. If the U.S. dollar can remain strong for another hundred years, U.S. debt funds will not lose value, and they can naturally buy with confidence," Chen Feng continued to explain.
"This scheme is too realistic," the two women remarked.
"The U.S. is not an ordinary country; it is a powerful nation with a century of hegemonic experience. To get the U.S. to fall into the trap, China must pretend to suffer a great loss. Moreover, this loss is unavoidable; it cannot be saved," Chen Feng said.
"Chen Feng, is it worth it for China to pay such a huge economic price to trap the U.S. this time?" the two women asked, looking perplexed.
"If a small country were to trap the U.S. like this, it would not be worth it. China is a major power, and paying a huge price to trap the U.S. is absolutely worthwhile. The reason is simple: if the U.S. dollar collapses completely, the Chinese yuan will become the world's largest currency. Once the Chinese yuan becomes the world's largest currency, the benefits it brings will not be measurable in hundreds of billions. To put it mildly, the money we lose this time by trapping the U.S. will yield tenfold returns if the U.S. dollar collapses completely," Chen Feng stated word by word.
The two women were speechless. To be honest, although they managed Chen Feng's vast overseas companies, their perspective was still not as broad as Chen Feng's. They lacked the courage for such an all-or-nothing gamble. Chen Feng, however, could do it with such composure, which fully demonstrated that he was indeed a high-ranking official in China's political circles. The vision, boldness, and courage of a major power's elite were extraordinary.
"By the way, Chen Feng, what is the probability of the U.S. falling for this trap this time?" the two women asked.
"One hundred percent," Chen Feng replied calmly.
"One hundred percent? How can you be so sure?" the two women asked curiously.
"Natural sciences have laws that humans cannot defy. Similarly, national development also has laws that humans cannot measure. Take the United States as an example; it is already on a downward trend. According to social laws, this downward trend will continue, and there will be no self-reflection. To put it bluntly, if the U.S. were capable of self-reflection, it wouldn't have fallen step by step. When a great dynasty is about to fall, no one can save it," Chen Feng stated with conviction.
Chen Feng's reasoned explanation convinced Fengdao Huizi and Jiaye Meizi. At this point, the two women were more than impressed by Chen Feng. Honestly, before Chen Feng arrived in Seijuku, they, along with many top economic experts in Seijuku, could not resolve the issue of these U.S. debt funds. After Chen Feng came to Seijuku, he settled a massive economic loss event with just a few words. It was not impossible for China, with an economic genius like Chen Feng, to surpass the U.S.
"Chen Feng, the issue of the overseas company's U.S. debt funds, and China's currency war against the U.S. are already in the bag, so there's no need to worry too much. Since that's the case, then next..." the two women said, their faces flushing.
Chen Feng misunderstood them, thinking they wanted to have some intimate fun with him. So, Chen Feng immediately took off his clothes.
"Chen Feng, there's no rush yet..."
"You are both here, why not strike while the iron is hot?" Chen Feng asked, confused.
"Chen Feng, you've misunderstood us. What we mean is that we are about to arrange for a top-tier geisha from Seijuku, a very young one who has just debuted. We've persuaded her with a large sum of money, and she's willing to give you her first time," the two women said excitedly.
"Huizi, Meizi, what exactly are you up to?" Chen Feng was completely baffled.
"Chen Feng, over these decades, we've both grown old and faded. You've steadily ascended to the pinnacle of China's political arena, and we're no longer worthy of you. Besides, at our age, we're not as eager for male-female matters anymore. Since you're visiting Seijuku, we definitely want you to have a memorable experience. That's why we've hired a young geisha at a high price," Fengdao Huizi and Jiaye Meizi said calmly.
"Huizi, Meizi, aren't you in your prime now, like wolves and tigers? Why have you suddenly lost interest in such things?" Chen Feng asked, puzzled. His twenty-plus years in the Chinese political arena left him with two strong impressions: one was endless drinking. No matter what the banquet, drinking was mandatory. It could be said that in Chinese politics, without drinking, no matter how capable one was, they would never reach the core of power. The other was putting on a show with various women... If your superior invited you to join them with women, you had to go. If you were entertaining an important figure and didn't join him with women... the matter would surely not be successful. It could be said that the two most prominent things in Chinese politics were alcohol and women. To be blunt, as long as you managed to drink well with the leaders above, and found a woman that the leaders above favored and presented her to them. Everything that followed would be a piece of cake.
Getting back to the topic, Fengdao Huizi and Jiaye Meizi were wealthy, and in their prime "wolf and tiger" years, how could they not like such things?
"Chen Feng, you're not a woman, so you might not understand women very well. It's like this: by rights, at our age, we should be in our prime. But the problem is, we are different from ordinary women. We already have sons, and our sons are grown. Our greatest joy is watching our sons grow up happily. Also, we have such a large overseas company to manage. Our minds are occupied by these two major matters, coupled with our age, naturally..." the two women explained.
"The logic is sound, but..." (Self-censored due to review reasons) Chen Feng responded.
Fengdao Huizi and Jiaye Meizi were the two most important women in his life. To be honest, without these two women risking their lives to manage such a vast overseas business empire over the decades, it could not have grown so large. If the overseas business empire hadn't grown larger, he wouldn't have the confidence to operate in the upper echelons of Chinese politics. Ordinary people naively think that high-ranking officials in politics don't need to do business; they can simply engage in widespread illicit income. This is a big misunderstanding. High-ranking officials in Chinese politics can indeed engage in widespread illicit income. However, even the most extensive illicit income has its limits. If it were limitless and blatant, it would easily provide political opponents with leverage. Doing business on the down-low is different; one can earn money freely. From this perspective, the help from Fengdao Huizi and Jiaye Meizi was immense. It was through their decades of diligent management of overseas companies, with substantial income pouring in daily, that he had the confidence to operate in the upper echelons of politics. Money is the courage of ordinary people, and even more so, the courage of political giants. To put it bluntly, regardless of the country, political giants... If you say he is incorruptible and has no money, that's false. From starting as a clerk to becoming a high-ranking official, without strong financial backing, it's impossible to reach the position of a political giant.
"Chen Feng, you still don't quite understand women," the two women said with a slight smile.
"Tell me, how do I not understand the two of you?" Chen Feng asked, stunned.
"Let's put it this way, self-censored due to review reasons... 6" the two women replied.
"Why is that again?" Chen Feng was surprised once more.
"Gratitude."
"Gratitude?"
"Yes, gratitude. Honestly, over these decades, you've been truly good to us. You gave us sons and bought this large estate for us. Beyond that, there's trust. For women, a man's unconditional trust is truly rare. This overseas company, with its astronomical assets, yet you've allowed us two to manage and deploy them without reservation. Any other boss would be fiercely defensive, wouldn't they? Precisely because you've been so good to us, so trusting, we truly want you to experience unique happiness. For men, the greatest happiness is with different women... that young geisha is definitely a different woman. Therefore..." the two women explained earnestly.
"The logic is sound, and I understand your feelings very well. But the problem is, I am your man, and it doesn't feel right to be with another woman in front of you. Besides, I am now the mayor of a directly administered municipality in China and have some level of prestige. It's better not to engage in such matters," Chen Feng politely declined.
The two women ignored Chen Feng's refusal and directly called the young geisha into the office. Chen Feng glanced instinctively, and his heart jolted. "Damn, her appearance is exactly like Xue Yi when she was young. She's very beautiful and elegant. No wonder she's a sought-after geisha in Seijuku. Honestly, Fengdao Huizi and Jiaye Meizi have gone to great lengths."
As Chen Feng hesitated, the geisha directly took off her clothes. A sense of unease welled up in Chen Feng's heart. In his memory, geishas in Seijuku sold their art, not their bodies. How could this geisha, who was still a virgin, be so主动 and unrestrained? After a moment's thought, Chen Feng stopped dwelling on it. If it's destiny, it cannot be avoided; if it's misfortune, it cannot be escaped. And so, self-censored due to review reasons...
After they finished, Chen Feng immediately put on his clothes. "Xiangzi, you can go now," Fengdao Huizi and Jiaye Meizi responded. Seeing the man they loved happy was sweeter than eating honey for them.
"Meizi, Huizi, self-censored due to review reasons... " Chen Feng said calmly.
"Xiangzi isn't leaving? What do you mean?" the two women were stunned.
"Xiangzi is such a pure girl, and so beautiful. By rights, she shouldn't be selling her body. Something unusual must be going on," Chen Feng continued calmly.
"Xiangzi, is that true?" the two women turned to Xiangzi with a look of shock.
"Yes," Xiangzi replied calmly.
"Who exactly are you?" the two women asked curiously.
"My name is Yeteng Xiangzi," Yeteng Xiangzi stated directly without hesitation, revealing her true name.
"Yeteng? You mean the largest hydrogen energy research and development company in Seijuku?" the two women asked, bewildered.
"Yes, the Yeteng family," Yeteng Xiangzi replied calmly.
"Meizi, Huizi, you two go out first. I want to have a good chat with Xiangzi. If I'm not mistaken, the Yeteng family has gone to such great lengths, offering their virgin daughter, it must be related to the hydrogen energy issue," Chen Feng said calmly.
Seeing the calm in Chen Feng's eyes, Fengdao Huizi and Jiaye Meizi didn't think too much about it. The Yeteng family was indeed a prominent family in Seijuku, but even the largest family was insignificant before Chen Feng. Chen Feng controlled a directly administered municipality in China; a small family like this could be easily handled.
"Tell me, what does the Yeteng family want me to do?" After Fengdao Huizi and Jiaye Meizi left, Chen Feng asked calmly.
"You are the mayor of a directly administered municipality in China, and more importantly, the right-hand man of Wang Jianshan, one of the five key figures in China's top leadership. Your every word and action deeply influences China's national policy. The Yeteng family hopes you will stop the hydrogen energy scheme to trap the U.S.," Yeteng Xiangzi stated directly.
"Continue," Chen Feng said without a ripple. In fact, the moment Yeteng Xiangzi revealed she was from the Yeteng family in Seijuku, he understood the entire situation.
"Hydrogen energy is not like a perpetual motion machine. However, it shares similarities. A perpetual motion machine can never be realized, but hydrogen energy can be realized, though it might take centuries. The similarity between hydrogen energy and a perpetual motion machine is that it's very effective for fundraising. To be frank, over these decades, the Yeteng family in Seijuku has accumulated enormous wealth under the guise of hydrogen energy research and development. Simply put, they use various means to make people believe that hydrogen energy is about to be developed. Then, at a crucial moment, they find an excuse, saying it will take a few more years to break through. They continue to deceive like this. If you use hydrogen energy to deceive the U.S., once the deception scheme concludes, not only will the U.S. be finished, but the Yeteng family will also be finished," Yeteng Xiangzi explained earnestly.
"Xiangzi, do you think the interests of a small family like the Yeteng family can outweigh the interests of China?" Chen Feng calmly retorted.
"I don't think so, which is why I've offered myself as a virgin," Yeteng Xiangzi replied.
"That's still far from enough," Chen Feng said without further ado.
"I know that too. So, while we were enjoying ourselves earlier, I secretly poisoned you with a unique poison from Seijuku. If you don't agree, you will die within three days," Yeteng Xiangzi stated confidently.
"Xiangzi, it seems your Yeteng family will stop at nothing to protect the immense profits gained from deception," Chen Feng replied calmly.
"Chen Feng, there's no other way. Your distinguished name is not only renowned in China but also in Seijuku. To deal with you, we had to resort to drastic measures," Yeteng Xiangzi said triumphantly.
"Yeteng Xiangzi, I regret to inform you that despite all your calculations, you've overlooked one thing..." Chen Feng said with a faint smile.