Some rejoiced while others lamented. The original owners in Yuanshi who had sold their shops and houses recently were now filled with regret, drowning their sorrows in alcohol. Yang Jin, in particular, had sold all his businesses. He had been smugly pleased with his small profits, but that smugness had vanished.
Zhou Shijiang was perhaps the most frustrated. His property development had been sold less than a week ago. Now, the shocking news had emerged: Yinjiashan's value had doubled overnight, but it was a fortune he could no longer claim. Yet, he harbored no resentment. In his eyes, it was simply fated not to be his.
Furthermore, Li Haochen's extensive connections and ability to foresee such events indicated he was no ordinary person. Li Haochen had also earned his respect. Following him might lead to a better future.
In truth, there was a slight misunderstanding. Li Haochen himself had not known about the high-speed rail station. He had only known about the expressway connecting the three cities in advance. He certainly hadn't anticipated such a massive, game-changing development.
While Li Haochen was pleased, Hu Hongjin was even happier. Liu Shishi had informed him about the change in ownership of Yinjiashan. The current owner was Li Haochen, presenting a golden opportunity for him to advance to the position of bank manager.
“Xiao Liu, you’ve secured the manager position, but further advancement will be difficult. However, a great opportunity has arisen. If you seize it, you’ll be able to take another step forward in a few years.”
“Manager, are you referring to Mr. Li?”
“You are a smart person. You know what you need to do now. I have high hopes for you.”
Liu Shishi’s eyes sparkled. This was exactly what she wanted, and she would not let this opportunity slip away.
After leaving Hu Hongjin’s office, Liu Shishi couldn't wait to drive to her younger brother's workplace.
Liu Xinyuan was currently enjoying immense popularity. Everywhere he went, people flattered him, calling him "brother." After all, Li Haochen had bought shops all over Yuanshi, so wherever one went, there was one of his businesses. As the spokesperson, Liu Xinyuan's status naturally rose. However, he remained grounded, knowing that to maintain his current standing, he needed to continue working diligently.
“Not bad, still working on self-improvement. Excellent.”
Liu Shishi entered and saw her brother diligently studying management books. She smiled with satisfaction, saying, “If you had been this serious back then, you probably would have graduated from university.”
“Sis, you’re here. I have to study; there’s so much I don’t understand. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to do a good job with this high salary, hehe!”
“Mm, I’m relieved to hear you think that way. This is the greatest opportunity of your life; don’t mess it up.”
“I understand, Sis. Is there something specific you’ve come for today?”
“Yes, you mentioned last time that Mr. Li mortgaged these shops to acquire Yinjiashan. The subsequent development of that property will require a lot of capital. I was hoping you could inquire about it for me.”
“Don’t you have the boss’s contact information, Sis?”
“You know him better. If you help me with this, I’ll introduce you to a girlfriend—a beautiful new addition to our bank.”
“Deal, hehe!”
About ten minutes later, Liu Xinyuan hung up the phone and said, “Sis, the boss is on his way here. He said he’ll come over to your place to discuss it soon.”
“Really? That’s great! I’ll head back and get ready.”
“Hey, hey, don’t forget what you promised… Why are you running off so quickly!”
Li Haochen was indeed coming for this matter. As long as the capital was in place, construction on the property could begin in earnest.
The Yinjiashan project was now a hot commodity, and several banks had already contacted him. He was heading to Nongshang Bank first because they had an ongoing cooperative project. It was better to work with familiar partners. Of course, their offer’s sincerity would also be a factor. If their sincerity wasn’t as good as others, then, unfortunately, he couldn't possibly jeopardize his finances. Even a 0.1% difference in interest rates was significant.
Arriving at the Nongshang Bank headquarters that afternoon, Liu Shishi was already waiting for Li Haochen at the entrance. Seeing his Wuling Shenche, her heart leaped, and she jogged over, her curves drawing considerable attention.
“Mr. Li, welcome, welcome! This way, please!”
They arrived at the same VIP room as before. Hu Hongjin had prepared top-tier tea. Upon seeing Li Haochen enter, he added a touch of deference. “Mr. Li, please have a seat. This is Long Rui’s Bingdao ancient tree Pu-erh. I hope you like it.”
“Thank you, President Hu.”
Li Haochen picked up his cup and took a sip. Although he wasn’t a connoisseur of tea, the taste was mellow and rich, with a smooth, jade-like texture. He assumed it was good.
“Excellent tea!”
“I’m glad you like it, Mr. Li. Xiao Liu, go to my office later and get a few cakes to give to Mr. Li.”
Li Haochen simply smiled, not refusing. It was a matter of reciprocating goodwill.
After some casual conversation, they got down to business. Hu Hongjin’s offer was indeed very sincere: an annual interest rate of 3.75%, a five-year term with interest paid first, and a mortgage of 3 billion. This was quite impressive, and Li Haochen was almost tempted to agree immediately. However, he also had invitations from other banks. It was prudent to compare offers, and if the conditions were equal, it was better to choose a familiar partner.
“President Hu, I am quite satisfied with your offer. May I give you my answer tomorrow?”
“Certainly. I look forward to your good news, Mr. Li. Hehe!”
Although Li Haochen hadn't given a definitive answer, Hu Hongjin maintained a smile. Moreover, Li Haochen didn’t forget to take the tea cakes with him when he left.
As soon as Li Haochen left Nongshang Bank, he asked Wei Dayong to drive to Construction Bank. President Zhao was already waiting for him there. However, Li Haochen didn't stay long. Construction Bank's offer lacked sincerity, so he found an excuse to leave.
That afternoon, Li Haochen visited all four major state-owned banks. Only the Agricultural Bank offered a low interest rate of 3.5%, but the loan amount was only 1.5 billion. After some consideration, he decided to take out the loan from Nongshang Bank.
That evening, Li Haochen replied to Hu Hongjin. Although Hu Hongjin had anticipated the outcome, he was still exceptionally excited. His position as bank president was now secured.
That night, Li Haochen did not stay at a hotel. After making arrangements for Wei Dayong, he took a taxi to the Country Garden villa district.
Country Garden, Country Garden. It was true what people said: expensive and far away. Even after the taxi drove through the main entrance, it took nearly twenty minutes to reach the sales center of the villa area. It was quite exaggerated. Upon reaching the villas themselves, it took another ten minutes. If the environment here weren't so pleasant, he wouldn't even consider it.
After paying the taxi fare, just as Li Haochen was about to walk in, a golf cart drove towards him. It was Zheng Xiyuan.
“Mr… Mr. Li? I thought I was mistaken.”
“Oh, Miss Zheng. Still busy this late?”
“I was just showing a client around and saw someone I recognized, so I came over to take a look. It’s Mr. Li. By the way… where is Miss Murong?”
“I’m here by myself, hehe!”
Zheng Xiyuan’s heart fluttered with joy. She bit her lip, making a decision, then struck a subtly alluring pose and said, “Mr. Li, I’d like to treat you to some late-night supper to thank you. Would that be alright?”
Li Haochen smiled faintly and shook his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t really like eating late-night snacks.”