The two girls exchanged glances, looking as if they had something to say but dared not.
Perhaps they had thought about what they wanted beforehand, but upon seeing Jiang Ye in person, they were too intimidated to speak.
Jiang Ye was not in a hurry. "It's alright. If you haven't made up your minds, I can offer you a few suggestions."
"Uncle, please tell us," Dominika said immediately.
"The first option is to directly deposit money into your accounts," Jiang Ye said. "Sixty million each, transferred in one lump sum."
The girls' eyes widened like light bulbs, shining brightly, yet their expressions were filled with terror.
Sixty million was enough to last a lifetime! Enough to spend extravagantly!
The annual interest alone would be in the millions. The two girls had never imagined finding a job that paid a million a year, but now the interest from the cash would be that much!
Jiang Ye calmly stood up, poured three cups of white tea, and placed them on the table. He picked up one cup, blew on it, and drank the surface layer.
"The second option is to give you some shares," Jiang Ye said. "The total value of shares you each receive will be forty million. These are mainly subsidiaries of Jiang Ye Star's Star-Owned Enterprises. Annually, depending on the performance of these companies, you will receive dividends as minor shareholders. The dividends might be substantial, or they might be very little, or even none at all."
Edith and Dominika exchanged a look, their hearts also filled with longing.
Star-Owned Enterprises generally did not go bankrupt, and their scale was usually significant.
The two girls envisioned the same scene: towering glass buildings with polished, reflective surfaces, parking lots filled with dazzling luxury cars, employees in crisp suits entering and exiting, their wrists adorned with expensive watches, and their hands carrying costly designer bags, exuding the aura of the wealthy with every movement.
However, as shareholders, they would be even wealthier. They could walk in with an air of arrogance, wear high-fashion clothing, or even slippers and pajamas without anyone daring to comment. They could sit with their legs crossed in the conference room, listening to company executives report the financial statements with fawning deference, and finally receive a large sum in dividends.
Jiang Ye quietly observed the two girls opposite him. Judging by their expressions, they had drifted into a very pleasant fantasy.
Jiang Ye cleared his throat. "The third proposal."
The girls' unfocused gazes snapped back to reality, their eyes fixed on Jiang Ye with anticipation, their expressions akin to those of devotees at a temple witnessing a divine manifestation.
"This proposal was suggested by Jiang Senlin. It involves giving you some properties, perhaps two or three buildings each, or several apartments scattered across the city or even in different cities. You can collect rent or sell them," Jiang Ye said. "If you choose this option, each of you will ultimately receive about twenty to thirty newly built apartments. The exact number will depend on the location."
Edith and Dominika both trembled slightly, as if a leather sofa had bitten them, or their teacups had become electrified.
They immediately resumed their dreamy expressions.
Edith imagined a few years later, a young couple coming to rent an apartment. As the landlord, she would show them around, taking out a large bunch of keys from her waist. As the couple stared in amazement, she could explain, "Ah, this entire building belongs to me. These are the keys to the whole building."
After trying a dozen keys without success, Edith imagined slapping her forehead, smiling apologetically at the couple, and explaining that she had the wrong keys, perhaps for the building next door. Then, she would call her family to bring over a stack of keys for this building.
Edith began to giggle foolishly.
Dominika's mental scenario was entirely different.
She had a bit of a business sense and believed in not putting all her eggs in one basket. She would never want an entire apartment complex, for fear of it failing in the future and resulting in a total loss. Therefore, she would prefer scattered apartments in different parts of the city, in various locations, and with different layouts.
Then, she would ride an electric scooter, zipping through the city every day, climbing stairs, and knocking on doors to collect rent.
Dominika pouted. The thought of running around every day made her feel quite weary!
"The fourth option," Jiang Ye said again. "I will provide you with seed capital and opportunities to start your own businesses. If you have the capability, opportunities will be endless, and your net worth will grow rapidly. However, if you fail, you will face bankruptcy with no capital left, or even be burdened with debt. You will be responsible for your own debts."
This time, the two girls did not fantasize. Their expressions were bewildered.
Starting a business?
They would surely go bankrupt, losing everything.
Seeing them shake their heads, Jiang Ye smiled and continued with the fifth option:
"I will send you to higher education institutions for advanced studies, to obtain master's degrees or higher. Your tuition and living expenses will be reimbursed during your studies," Jiang Ye said. "Your families will be introduced to positions corresponding to their previous occupations, with double the salary."
The two girls thought about it and shook their heads again.
With money, why would they still go to school?
Their families were not particularly successful; they were just ordinary people. Double the salary wouldn't make them significantly richer.
This option seemed completely unappealing.
"These are the five suggestions I could think of," Jiang Ye said. "Of course, this is not exhaustive. As I said before, whatever you want, feel free to propose it, and I will consider it. I will do my best to satisfy you with the final outcome."
The meeting room door was knocked upon. The secretary entered, accompanied by several assistants wearing glasses, who looked like corporate executives from a high-end office building.
Jiang Ye nodded at them. They immediately swarmed around Edith and Dominika, bombarding them with recommendations covering real estate, shares, cash investments, and more.
The two girls were initially flattered by the attention but quickly settled into their roles, beginning to inquire about various aspects they were concerned about.
Jiang Ye remained indifferent, sipping his tea and looking at his phone, reading the financial reports of several of his planets.
The numbers in the financial reports represented colossal concepts that were beyond the girls' wildest imagination. They thought the immense windfall they were about to receive was merely a few drops of water leaking from Jiang Ye's fingertips.
After a long period of deliberation, the two girls made up their minds.
"Uncle Jiang, we would like a combination of several options," Edith said.
"Certainly," Jiang Ye smiled. "How would you like to combine them?"
The two girls each handed over a tablet computer.
Jiang Ye took them and looked at the results of their negotiations.
Edith's request was:
Ten million in cash.
Shares worth twenty million, including three million in Jiang Ye Star's Lin Ken Company, two million in Jiang Ye Star's United Import and Export Company, five million in Jiang Ye Star's Interstellar Resource Investment Company, five million in Jiang Ye Star's Pharmaceutical Research Company, and five million in Jiang Ye Star's Information Security Company.
Real estate worth ten million, including a 180-square-meter high-rise apartment in the Jinrun Community on Sixth Avenue in Binhai City, a 300-square-meter luxury flat in the Kongque Sunshine Community on Jianshe Road in Bailian City, and two 60-square-meter affordable housing units under construction in Chihai City.
Finally, Edith also wished to pursue an MBA at Jiang Ye Star Business University, not requiring tuition or living expenses reimbursement, but only seeking admission.