Chapter 221: Chapter 195: 18 Billion US Dollar Valuation, the Third-Largest Shareholder

It was already dark when Chen Yansen arrived in Luzhou.

A convoy of three cars slowly pulled into a five-star hotel near the Central Bureau. He had an appointment with Tao Jingwen for the following morning.

Once everyone had checked in, Chen Yansen led the way. Meng Jie and Gao Weilin followed close behind, with financial analysts and legal advisors bringing up the rear—eleven people in total.

The other guests in the lobby turned to stare, their eyes drawn to the procession.

Although Chen Yansen looked remarkably young, he carried himself with an air of authority that couldn’t be ignored.

"Who’s this big shot? Don’t tell me he’s some A-list celebrity, with a dozen assistants trailing behind him."

"He looks familiar, but I can’t quite place him."

"I think that’s Chen Yansen, the CEO of Orange Technology! Dad, it really is him! I’m going to get his autograph!"

A young girl in the lounge area gasped in recognition. Slapping her forehead, she recognized Chen Yansen and made to run toward the elevators.

"Don’t bother! You’ll never catch them. We’re all staying in the same hotel anyway, so you’ll have another chance tomorrow."

Her father stopped her with an outstretched hand.

"Fine," the girl said, watching the elevator doors glide shut. She added with a grin, "He’s even more handsome in person than in his pictures."

"He’s a big-time CEO, not some pop star. Looks don’t mean anything; what matters for a man is money," her father said with a resigned smile.

"But he’s super rich, too," the girl retorted.

Meanwhile.

Chen Yansen had just walked into his room and set down his luggage when he heard a knock at the door.

His rudimentary Divine Sense revealed the silhouette of a petite girl in his mind.

Chen Yansen walked over and opened the door. "Shouldn’t you be resting?"

"I want to go out for a walk," Meng Jie said with a smile.

"Where to?" Chen Yansen asked noncommittally.

"Can we go to the pedestrian street?" Meng Jie asked, her eyes shining with anticipation as she looked at him.

This was the first time Chen Yansen had taken her on a business trip.

"Sure. Go change into that outfit I got you for your last birthday."

Chen Yansen agreed readily, adding a request of his own.

"Uh... I didn’t bring it." Meng Jie’s cheeks flushed as she quickly lied.

"Really? I don’t believe you."

Chen Yansen stared at Meng Jie with narrowed eyes.

His gaze made her feel flustered, and she finally gave in. "I’ll wear it for you tonight, okay?"

"Deal." Chen Yansen nodded in satisfaction. He wrapped an arm around Meng Jie’s shoulders, and they walked toward the elevators.

In his past life, he had moved to Hu City right after graduation. He’d only passed through Luzhou two or three times on business trips and had no real impression of the city.

The two of them drove out of the hotel and sped down Huangshan Road toward the pedestrian street.

At this time, housing prices in Luzhou’s core districts were just over six thousand. Seven years later, the average would shoot up to twenty thousand.

For most ordinary people, seizing the perfect moment to buy a house was half the battle won in life.

Buying in ’12 and selling in ’19 would net you a threefold profit, at the very least.

Of course, buying in ’19 and selling in ’24 meant you’d already lost more than half the battle.

"The apartment my dad bought me is in that building up ahead."

As they passed Galaxy Park, Meng Jie pointed to a building ahead and said with a smile.

Meng Zhenguo had expected his daughter to repeat her final year of high school and try again for a university in Luzhou. He never thought she would insist on going to Xucheng for a boy like Chen Yansen.

As a result, the apartment he’d bought for her two years ago had to be rented out.

A warmth spread through Chen Yansen’s chest. He knew what Meng Jie had sacrificed for him; it was a bit silly, and a bit foolish.

But the words that came out of his mouth took on a teasing tone. "Our dad has good taste. The property values in this area will hit twenty thousand in the future, no problem."

"Who’s ’our dad’? You’re just talking nonsense." The corners of Meng Jie’s lips curved up as she gave Chen Yansen a playful punch.

They parked the car nearby and walked straight into the pedestrian street, just as the neon lights began to glow.

...

...

「The next morning.」

Dressed smartly, Chen Yansen went with Meng Jie to the second-floor restaurant.

Gao Weilin and the others, all dressed in sharp suits and looking every bit the corporate elite, were gathered around two circular tables. They were discussing preparations for the day’s work as they ate breakfast.

"Chen Yansen, could you please give me your autograph?"

Just then, a young girl in a white sweater approached them, holding an Orange C2 phone.

She spoke softly so as not to draw the attention of the others.

"The Orange C2. There were only 300 engineering prototypes released. You must have been quick to get one."

Chen Yansen took the pen she offered and teased with a smile.

"Actually, I paid an extra 2,000 for it from a scalper," the girl confessed with a sheepish grin.

’2,000?’

’The gross margin on an Orange C2 is less than 400 yuan. The scalper made more than I did?’

Chen Yansen chuckled in spite of himself and looked up at the girl.

She looked to be about eighteen or nineteen, with a tall, slender build. She had two faint dimples when she smiled, long chestnut hair, and delicate features. She looked like a college student.

"My name is Xu Jiujiu. I’d like a personalized autograph. Please write: ’To Xu Jiujiu, may you be forever eighteen.’"

The girl looked at Chen Yansen expectantly.

Chen Yansen glanced at the palm-sized Orange C2. There was no way he could fit so many words on the device. Instead, he simply wrote a single character—’Sen’—and handed it back to Xu Jiujiu.

"Huh?! That’s it? That was so fast!" Xu Jiujiu took back her phone, completely bewildered.

But when she got a clear look at the character on the back of her phone, she wanted to chase after him. She had asked for a personalized message, but he’d only written a single character!

Chen Yansen didn’t have time for her. After finishing breakfast with Meng Jie, Gao Weilin, and the rest of his team, he headed out to the cars and drove off in the direction of the Central Bureau.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at their destination.

Tao Jingwen was sitting with a subordinate in the reception area, looking calm and composed. It was only when he caught sight of Chen Yansen’s license plate out of the corner of his eye that he straightened a wrinkle on his collar and strode forward to greet them.