271: Chapter 266: Another Four Great Families 271: Chapter 266: Another Four Great Families Mr.
Fei’s study was even larger, essentially a library, with a collection of no fewer than ten million books.
Yun Xinyan was also entering the study for the first time and, amidst her amazement, found a few manuscripts by Xu Zhimo on the bookshelf.
Xu Zhimo was a great modern poet, and one could not overstate the preciousness of his handwritten manuscripts.
Yun Xinyan suddenly noticed a shrimp painting on the wall and exclaimed, “This is an authentic Qi Baishi!”
Lai Dongming gave a faint smile and said, “Does President Yun also like Master Baishi’s shrimp?” Then, pointing to a painting hanging on the shelf, he added, “If President Yun understands art, perhaps she should take a look at this one.”
Yun Xinyan turned her head and was instantly shocked, “This is Zheng Banqiao’s plum blossoms!”
Now, she realized that Mr.
Fei’s study was filled with priceless antiques; casually taking any painting off the shelf would reveal an astronomical eight-figure price tag.
Presently, she thought about the galloping horse painting she had prepared, and though it too was valuable, it seemed rather ordinary in comparison and at best a collectible.
Ye Tian was not interested in the paintings by these famous figures; they were just a few shoddy bamboo sticks and some fat-headed shrimp that somehow could sell for tens of millions.
He seriously doubted the sanity of those who bought these artworks.
He patted Mr.
Fei on the shoulder and said, “We’ve come from far away, in such a hurry that we didn’t bring anything nice.
We saw this big watermelon looked good so we spent 100 yuan on it.
Let’s all try it together.”
Yun Xinyan’s vision darkened, and she nearly spat blood from the shock.
The study, with countless books and scrolls, was a sea of historical texts and masterpieces.
Such a refined and elegant place, and Ye Tian wanted to eat watermelon here?
Yun Xinyan was close to going mad.
Yet Mr.
Fei just smiled gently, “With all the rare treasures in my study, Mr.
Ye remains unmoved; I truly admire this state of mind.”
Over the years, many self-proclaimed connoisseurs had visited Mr.
Fei’s study to admire the works of famous artists, but none had ever been as indifferent as Ye Tian.
“Are you going to eat this watermelon or not?
What’s with all this idle talk?” Ye Tian said impatiently, chiding him, “Mr.
Fei, when you locked me out earlier, we haven’t settled that score yet.”
Mr.
Fei’s face reddened instantly, thinking to himself that Mr.
Ye sure could hold a grudge.
Although the man’s temper was indeed not the best, he always showed his true nature, never hiding it, which was both straightforward and bold.
Mr.
Fei admitted to himself that he could not be as carefree as him.
Lai Dongming, on good personal terms with Ye Tian and often visiting, was not as formal as Mr.
Fei.
Without another word, he took a piece of watermelon and started eating.
Once he started, Mr.
Fei relaxed too, and took a small piece of watermelon to eat.
Only Yun Xinyan remained in the study, leisurely admiring everything, seemingly tireless and as if she had forgotten the real purpose of her visit.
Ye Tian threw the watermelon rinds on the floor and said plainly, “I’m full now, we can talk business.”
Mr.
Fei immediately set aside his watermelon, his expression turning grave, his full attention engaged.
They heard Ye Tian say, “I already heard about your issue from Lai yesterday, and honestly, it’s only because of Lai that I’m even considering getting involved.
Otherwise, I couldn’t care less.”
Mr.
Fei, full of hope, asked, “Mr.
Ye, how confident are you?”
Ye Tian didn’t even have to think, “A hundred percent.”
Mr.
Fei’s eyes lit up at once, but seeing Ye Tian’s young age and his over-the-top confidence, Mr.
Fei became dubious again.
Lai Dongming explained, “Don’t doubt so much, Mr.
Fei.
Frankly, it was Mr.
Ye who saved my life.
The matter with my sister-in-law is a bit complicated, but it shouldn’t be too difficult for Mr.
Ye to handle.”
Hearing his old friend’s reassurance, Mr.
Fei finally felt at ease.
Ye Tian continued, “I’ve already agreed to help you, and when I say I’ll do something, I do it.
Now let’s talk about my business, what exactly is going on with the Yun Corporation’s project?”
As the critical project of the Yun Corporation was brought up, Yun Xinyan immediately joined the conversation.
This matter was of utmost concern to her, and she was determined to understand it fully, as well as to seek Mr.
Fei’s assistance in securing the project at all costs—no one would stand in her way.
When the welfare project in Jiangcheng was mentioned, Mr.
Fei immediately frowned and sighed, “All I can say is that it’s very complicated.” He looked at Yun Xinyan and added, “I have heard a little about the reputation and strength of Yun Corporation; nothing to fault, yet if you want to reclaim that project, it’ll be very difficult, extremely difficult!”
“Not to hide anything from you, the project has been re-tendered and officially taken over by the Splendid Company.
Unless you can wrestle it back from Splendid, don’t even think about touching it again.
But doing that would be like snatching food from a tiger’s mouth.”
Upon hearing this, Yun Xinyan’s heart turned cold.
Splendid Company was a major conglomerate in the provincial capital, renowned and financially powerful.
For Yun Corporation to compete against them was like attempting to snatch food from a tiger’s mouth—the situation was gravely underestimated, bordering on courting death.
Yun Xinyan’s brows furrowed deeply, the pressure greater than ever before.
She had never expected that the project would have been awarded to another company, leaving her completely taken aback.
In the cutthroat world of business, stealing another’s lifeline was taboo, and it was common knowledge throughout the region that the project belonged to Yun Corporation.
She could never have imagined that a conglomerate as large as Splendid would stoop so low as to steal someone else’s lifeline!
Mr.
Fei added, “Even if you eventually get the project back, the undertaking will likely be tough, and you should abandon any hope of making a profit.
Just breaking even would be reason to be thankful.”
“Why?” Yun Xinyan asked anxiously.
“Because you have offended someone, a presence even I dare not provoke,” Mr.
Fei said with evident apprehension.
Ye Tian slammed the table, “I knew there was something fishy!
Damn it, who exactly has a problem with us?
Just say it.”
Mr.
Fei continued, “Since Mr.
Ye has asked, I won’t keep it a secret anymore.
The Splendid Group is nothing but a front.
The real powerbroker behind the scenes is the Wang Family.”
Yun Xinyan became puzzled, at a loss as to which Wang Family it might be.
Lai Dongming was suddenly startled and said fearfully, “Is Mr.
Fei referring to the Wang Family from the provincial city?”
Mr.
Fei quickly made a gesture for silence and said, “Walls have ears, keep it down.
If the people from the Wang Family hear us, I’ll be the one to suffer.”
Hearing this, Lai Dongming was instantly shocked, and his ruddy complexion turned pale.
As a prominent figure in Jiangcheng’s business world, he had quite a few dealings in the provincial city and often had to interact with some of the local elite.
He knew all too well how treacherous these waters could be—if they provoked some terrifying entity, it might well invite a fire that would consume them.
However, this Wang Family from the provincial city was such an entity—one best not provoked, to be avoided whenever possible because they were simply untouchable.
Yun Xinyan clearly still didn’t quite understand, but she could already see the signs from the two elders.
Even without a detailed explanation, she could guess that the Wang Family’s strength was terrifying and that they were not an entity Yun Corporation could resist.
The Splendid Group was already a colossal entity.
If the Wang Family was manipulating such a large group from behind the scenes, one could imagine without even thinking how gigantic this behemoth must be.
Ye Tian, however, appeared relaxed and unconcerned.
To him, the Wang Family was merely a name, nothing significant.
“The Wang Family, huh?
Heh, I’ll remember that,” Ye Tian said with a chuckle.
“Dare to mess with my wife?
I’ll just make them disappear from the face of the earth.”
“Mr.
Ye, you mustn’t talk like that.
If someone from the Wang Family hears it, it would truly be dreadful,” Mr.
Fei warned earnestly and fearfully, even within his own home, he spoke of the Wang Family with great discretion.
The fact that he, such a figure, was this wary of them indicated the immense strength of the Wang Family in the provincial city.
Yun Xinyan still didn’t understand and asked, “Is the Wang Family really that fearsome?”
Lai Dongming nodded and said, “It’s more than fearsome, it’s terrifying!” In a voice full of trepidation, he added, “The Wang Family is one of the four great families of the provincial city, monopolizing the construction industry there.
Whether it’s in the political, commercial, or academic realms, the Wang Family has members everywhere, their influence spread throughout the entire province, deeply rooted and immovable by people like us.”
“The four great families of the provincial city!” Yun Xinyan immediately frowned.
Being a strong businesswoman from Jiangcheng City, she had naturally heard of the four great families of the provincial city.
The four families were the most powerful in the provincial city, unmatched, and their word was law!
If the once dominant four great families of Jiangcheng were likened to mighty tigers of the mountains, then the provincial city’s four great families were like dragons soaring through the heavens—one of beasts and the other of divine creatures.
The difference in strength was obvious.
Yun Xinyan could not for the life of her understand how she had provoked the Wang Family.
It was truly like a calamity had fallen from the sky.
“What a joke, another ‘four great families’,” Ye Tian stood up, brimming with enthusiasm, and said with a grin.
The people present didn’t know that Ye Tian himself was responsible for the downfall of the Jiangcheng’s four great families.
Seeing how relaxed Ye Tian was, Lai Dongming instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
In his opinion, Ye Tian was a divine physician with the ability to bring people back to health, a youthful miracle worker whom people sought after.
But at the end of the day, he was just a physician.
When it comes to business rivalries and family disputes, no matter how skilled in medicine you are, facing the commercial cards played by others, involving billions in assets, you could do nothing but watch helplessly.
At this thought, Lai Dongming couldn’t help but worry for Ye Tian.
Yet, Ye Tian himself didn’t take the Wang Family seriously at all, as if it were nothing to him.
Yun Xinyan’s brows were already knit tight; after a moment of contemplation, she pleaded, “Xinyan asks the two seniors for help.
We must take on this beneficent project, we absolutely can’t let it slip through our fingers.”
“This…” Lai Dongming immediately hesitated, turning to look at Mr.
Fei, who also looked troubled.
Both knew very well that opposing one of the four great families would result in a miserable end.
This was probably a request they could not fulfill.
“I once heard that if Mr.
Fei nods in agreement, the project would not be a problem,” Yun Xinyan said with utmost sincerity.
“Mr.
Fei, Xinyan begs you to help us this one time, and I will be eternally grateful.”