Circle

After a brief silence, Ding Songqing continued, “There’s no shortage of hidden tycoons in our country, but few are as discreet as Mr. Xiao. For someone of your wealth, Mr. Xiao, I haven’t heard a single whisper. It seems I truly am too ignorant.”

Xiao Yao had inherited his fortune openly; there was nothing to hide. He smiled slightly and replied, “It’s not that you’re uninformed, President Ding. All my assets were inherited, and the process was so effortless and recent that, naturally, you wouldn’t have heard about it.”

Ding Songqing exchanged glances with Chen Guangzhi and the others, then asked in puzzlement, “Among the hidden tycoons in our province and even nationally, I can’t recall any famous ones with the surname Xiao. I suppose your family’s wealth is mainly overseas?”

Qin Huali laughed heartily and interjected, “No need to guess, President Ding. The wealth Mr. Xiao inherited didn’t come from his family—it came from his master. Mr. Xiao’s mentor, the late Mr. Zhao, was a legendary figure, almost like an immortal. He settled in France early on and had numerous investments abroad, amassing a fortune beyond reckoning. Only in recent years did he return to live permanently in the capital.”

“Mr. Xiao is Mr. Zhao’s sole heir. He not only inherited all of Mr. Zhao’s assets but also his remarkable abilities. While Mr. Zhao was well-known, it was only within the highest echelons worldwide—those outside the circle never had the chance to meet him. Mr. Xiao, as his successor, is equally extraordinary. I arranged this opportunity for you all to meet Mr. Xiao; don’t let it go to waste.” Once again, Qin Huali subtly reminded them.

They might not yet realize how rare an opportunity it was to become acquainted with Xiao Yao, but in time, they certainly would. This was a significant favor, and by extending it, Qin Huali was ensuring these people would one day repay him.

“So Mr. Xiao’s inheritance is mainly overseas—that explains why we hadn’t heard of it. If you ever wish to invest domestically, Mr. Xiao, do let us know. While we may not be able to help with anything major, we can certainly assist with smaller matters,” Ding Songqing offered graciously.

Xiao Yao naturally accepted Ding Songqing’s goodwill. “Thank you in advance. I have recently invested in a few projects here, but they are all modest ventures. In the future, I hope to have your guidance and support.”

“May I ask which projects you’ve invested in, Mr. Xiao? If possible, we’d like to share in your good fortune,” Lu Yanhong inquired.

“Just a few days ago, I acquired a 6% share in Huahui Bank, and I also took an 8% stake in Lu Jin Financial from Mr. Qin. These are purely investments—I have no real say in their management. The only property I fully own is the Yuanhang Building on Capital’s Financial Street, which Mr. Qin transferred to me. If any of you have branch offices in the capital, you might consider leasing office space in Yuanhang; I can personally guarantee favorable terms,” Xiao Yao said, using this as a way to build rapport.

“My investment company is headquartered in Hanzhou, but our largest business volume is in the capital. Our current lease is about to expire, so relocating to Financial Street would certainly boost our operations. As a small client, Mr. Xiao, I hope you’ll be generous with the rent concessions,” Lu Yanhong was the first to extend an olive branch.

“Of course. It seems I’ll be seeing you often, Mr. Lu,” Xiao Yao readily agreed.

“I have a branch in the capital as well, though it’s not large. I’ll arrange for it to relocate soon, Mr. Xiao—please don’t mind our modest scale,” Chen Guangzhi joined in.

“Even the smallest mosquito’s leg is still meat—I wouldn’t mind at all. Besides, given the size of Hanguang Group, your branch in the capital can’t be too small. Thank you in advance for your business, Mr. Chen.” Since Chen Guangzhi was eager to bring him business, Xiao Yao gladly accepted.

“It’s a pity I only own a five-star hotel in the capital; I can’t very well move my operations into your office building, Mr. Xiao. Truly a shame.” Watching Lu Yanhong and Chen Guangzhi so easily forge a connection with Xiao Yao, Guan Yonggang was quite envious.

But with only a hotel in the capital, forcing a branch office into Xiao Yao’s building would seem too contrived, and might even make Xiao Yao look down on him.

“I’m even worse off than you—I don’t even have a branch in the capital, not a single opportunity to benefit,” Ding Songqing added with genuine regret. “But as it happens, Mr. Xiao and I have invested in the same project. I hold a 10% share in Huahui Bank. From now on, we can advance and retreat together to protect our interests from the major shareholders.”

“So I have an ally in Huahui Bank after all. I was forced into the investment and my shares don’t give me much voice, but if we can act together, President Ding, I suppose we won’t be overlooked.” In this circle, connections seemed to spring up everywhere. Xiao Yao was a little surprised to find that Ding Songqing also held shares in Huahui Bank.

Fan Jingyu, who had rarely spoken, now interjected, “Mr. Xiao, do you know Mr. Tang Zhengshan? Huahui Bank has long been under his indirect control. I heard he recently divested a 6% stake in the bank—was that sold to you by any chance?”

Indeed, in such circles, relationships were tangled. Xiao Yao hadn’t expected that a casual mention would allow Fan Jingyu to immediately piece together the situation.

But there was nothing to hide—it wasn’t anything shameful. Xiao Yao answered honestly, “It seems you know Mr. Tang well, President Fan. That’s exactly what happened.”

“Our families are old friends and have always had a good relationship, so I’m privy to some inside information,” Fan Jingyu replied thoughtfully. “Recently, Tianhao has been calling everywhere, hunting for vintage Maotai. He even extorted some from me, clearing out the few cases I had in the capital. I suppose he was delivering them to the courtyard, most likely for you, Mr. Xiao?”

“The world is already small, and in this age of information, news can travel across the globe in an instant, making it even smaller,” Xiao Yao reflected. “Very few people know about my connection to the Tang family, yet you figured it out immediately, President Fan. Your ties to the Tang family must be very close indeed. Next time I’m in the capital, let’s have Tianhao host us all for a gathering if the chance arises.”

P.S. My thanks to Dr. Sen and Pastoral Shepherd for their generous rewards!