After we finalized our division of labor, Ping Ge and I went about our own business. I roughly estimated in my mind that if we wanted to take on this project, in addition to our own funds, we would need about ten million in investment. In the real estate industry, this amount of money is quite substantial, but personally, I wasn't absolutely confident in securing this investment... After all, it's ten million. Apart from someone like Ye Zhi, most of the people around me would probably have to think twice before daring to make a decision about whether they should put up that much money to invest in this project with me.
I didn't rush to find money. I locked myself in my office all afternoon, working on the budget related to this project. I think that when it comes to investment, data is often more reliable than words. I need to show investors the project's returns based on solid evidence.
...
The sky gradually darkened until the streetlights came on outside the window, pulling me out of my work mode. I looked out the window, and the hurried footsteps reminded me of the loneliness of being adrift...
I actually really want to leave here. In my heart, there are only two cities that give me a sense of belonging: my hometown and Dali.
Shanghai doesn't count; it's just a place where I have people I care about... If possible, I'll find my other half there, and I'd like to leave with her after I've achieved success... I've never thought about settling down in Shanghai... This may seem short-sighted and not very ambitious, but it's definitely a deep-seated desire in my heart.
...
In a daze, my phone rang again. It was Brother Ping calling. He had completed his task. The developer was indeed facing financial problems, but there were no disputes with third parties regarding funds or property rights at the moment, so it was a project that could be undertaken with peace of mind…
Ping asked me to have dinner with his friends from the Real Estate Authority, but I declined because An'an, Coach Ma, and the others were still in Phuket. They rarely come here, so I had to go with them.
So, after leaving the office, I went straight to the villa in Patong.
...
Perhaps because the climate in China doesn't allow it, every friend who comes to Phuket is particularly fond of swimming; at this moment, the three of them are sitting in the pool, enjoying themselves, surfing, drinking red wine, and taking in the most beautiful sea view in Phuket.
I let out a sigh of relief, then walked over to the three of them and asked, "What do you want to eat tonight? How about we go to the seafood market? They sell fresh seafood there."
Tie Nan replied, "We ate there for lunch. We've been shopping all day and we're a bit tired... Do you know how to order takeout? If you don't want to go out, then don't order takeout... I really think nowhere is as comfortable as Sisi's villa... In terms of material comfort, this is already the ultimate!"
"Alright."
"Why don't you come down for a swim?"
Luckily, I had put my briefcase down beforehand. Before Tie Nan could finish speaking, Coach Ma pulled me into the pool. The impact with the water left my mind blank. When I came to my senses, the world suddenly seemed to have turned into colors. Upon closer inspection, I realized that it was the effect created by the colored spotlights installed under the pool.
I glanced at An'an again, and she smiled back at me. It seemed that Cao Jinbo hadn't created any distance between us. She spoke first and asked me, "What have you been busy with all day?"
"I went to discuss a project with Brother Ping... I was just about to tell you guys about it... It's a project with a high chance of making money, but we're currently facing some financial difficulties, so we need to invest... I've calculated that the investment amount is around ten million. If any of you are interested, you can take a look at the investment plan I just prepared..."
To my surprise, the first person to speak was Tie Nan. He asked me, "RMB or Thai Baht?"
"If it were Thai baht, I wouldn't be talking to you."
"I'm interested, let me take a look first."
I took the proposal out of my bag and handed it to Tie Nan. While he was looking at it, An An and Instructor Ma also came over, clearly interested in the project... Tie Nan didn't look at it very carefully, but the moment he put it down, he said to me very confidently, "If you're not interested in this project, I'll invest all of it myself; if you are, we can talk about the investment ratio."
Not only me, but Coach Ma and An'an also looked at Tie Nan with surprised eyes.
Tie Nan, with an air of arrogance, met our gaze and said, "Over the years, I've suffered enough... A person can't stay in one place forever, unable to adapt... Back then, if I had listened to Michael and invested in the shops at Jiulongju with him, I wouldn't be in this situation today... I've reflected on why I didn't trust him back then; actually, it was my pride that got in the way. I thought, we came from the same inn, why are you more capable than me? Is your project necessarily better than mine?... I was like I was bewitched, and then I chose a path of no return... The tragedy of my life is all because of my pride." My heart was too strong… Now, I'm awake… Why did I have to compete with Michael? Why did I reject my father's wealth? Having the right investment acumen is a talent too… Imagine if I had invested in Michael's Jiulongju back then, what would the situation be like now?… I wouldn't be in jail, and I wouldn't have lost so many important things… So, I've completely come to terms with it now… I asked my father for some money, about ten million, originally planning to open a bar or guesthouse in Dali, but if Michael has projects here, I'm more willing to trust his judgment… This is like falling down and getting back up!
Tie Nan initially had a cocky expression, but by the end, however...
As if his sore spot had been touched, his eyes reddened, and he picked up his wine glass, drank the red wine in one gulp, and lowered his head, not looking up for a long time.
I understand his feelings better than anyone else, because I was one of the people involved; he probably still thinks about Taozi, but once it's gone, it's gone forever!
...
In a brief moment of distraction, my phone rang again in my briefcase. Since arriving in Phuket, my social circle has shrunk considerably. I thought it was a WeChat message from Ping Ge, but it turned out to be Chen Jin, with whom I had a conflict last time.
He sent me a photo; it was Ye Zhi's profile. Her eyes were closed, and tears were streaming down her face...
Immediately after, Chen Jin sent me another message: "That day, when you called me, she was right next to me... I had no choice but to tell you all this... You may be in a lot of pain, but she is the one who is in the most pain... I was shocked when she cried... How could a woman like that have tears?... If she does, what kind of person could make her cry?!"
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