Chapter 68 Second Young Master: The Liar Who Looks Least Like a Liar
The master is finally back.
I was just about to report this to him when the Master looked at me with a kind yet mysterious gaze:
"I'm relieved about everything at home. Your wife has talked to me about it. You're on your own and have everything in order."
I hesitated for a long time.
He smiled. "I understand what you mean. The relocation of the Shen family compound is finalized. It's good that President Deng is sharing the burden with the city government."
After hearing the last sentence, I swallowed back what I wanted to say.
"Did you enjoy your trip?" I cautiously tried to find out what he had done on this mysterious journey.
The master said expressionlessly, "Boss Lan originally wanted me to go to Shandong to help him with the feng shui of a new real estate project. I was supposed to be back in three to five days, but he ended up inviting me to Beidaihe."
"Rest?"
"No, he brought me to see someone and asked me to check if he was reliable."
"Oh. What's the result?"
"Let me tell you about this person first so that you can broaden your horizons." Then the master began to speak.
A year ago, President Lan met a mysterious man at a friend's dinner. This man lived in Beijing, and everyone at the table called him "Second Young Master." As for whose Second Young Master he was, President Lan didn't dare to ask rashly.
No one knows the Second Young Master's true identity, as some identities cannot be made public. The Second Young Master is the Second Young Master.
Some of them had been to Beijing, and the second young master drove a very ordinary car to pick them up at the airport, very openly. Some people questioned the second young master's identity, saying: How could such a prestigious person drive a Passat?
But it was quickly suppressed by a saying within the circle: the more special a person's status, the more low-key they are. The more glorious a family, the stricter their upbringing, and the more they act like ordinary people.
If he were a con man, he'd rent a luxury car, but the Second Young Master drives an ordinary car and takes you to ordinary restaurants. This is what it means to be a true gentleman, naturally elegant; there's no need to pretend when you have the confidence.
Someone in the industry gave the example of the slippers Chow Yun-fat bought for his bicycle ride, saying they were all street vendor goods. Then someone else said: "A billionaire could buy a two or three yuan belt and tie it with ease."
President Lan added the Second Young Master on WeChat. He rarely posted on social media. The occasional photo he did share was of a scenic spot, one you weren't allowed to visit. In short, the Second Young Master was a mysterious figure.
One day, the second young master sent a WeChat message with one sentence: There is great potential for investment in Cambodia.
Some people liked and commented below. There weren’t many people, but they were all famous.
Out of curiosity, Mr. Lan sent a WeChat message to the Second Young Master, asking about the Cambodia investment. The Second Young Master didn't reply, but instead sent a Chinese version of the Cambodian civil engineering project tender document, which explained the investment details.
To put it simply, they organized a large fleet of vehicles to transport earth and fill the lake to build the city. The project cost 10 billion RMB, with a profit of around 2 billion RMB.
Mr. Lan wasn't familiar with this type of project. He contacted a professional in the field and asked. He said, "The profit should be 2.5 billion." If the middleman admitted to making 500 million, then it was real. If he still took 500 million from the 2 billion, then he was being ruthless.
A few days later, Mr. Lan asked on WeChat whether the 2 billion was the net profit or the middleman's cut. The second young master replied: 2 billion is the net profit, and the middleman has already taken 500 million.
Mr. Lan was interested and invited me to go.
Master simply introduced what happened in this month.
I thought Master didn't understand international business either, so I asked, "What do you mainly do?"
The master said two words: "Observe people."
My heart was pounding, but I didn't dare to say it directly. "Are you sure you can accurately investigate a project worth 10 billion yuan?" I changed my words as they were about to come to my lips: "It takes so long to investigate people?"
The master smiled and said, "Just observe the person for a meal."
I laughed and said, "You've been gone for a month."
The master smiled and said, "It's not just the Second Young Master. Mr. Lan took me to a dinner today and a salon tomorrow. There were friends of the Second Young Master and friends of friends. Some were contracted to work in Cambodia, and some were introduced by the Second Young Master to come to the hotel to discuss specific projects with us. First it was in Beidaihe, and later we traveled all over Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen."
"I understand. Not only the Second Young Master, but also the Second Young Master's friends, his friends' friends, and the people the Second Young Master introduced to discuss the project."
The master nodded.
I asked, “What do you think?”
The master burst out laughing: "A high-end version of Sima reporter."
"How do you know that?"
The master didn't directly answer my question. Instead, he said, "The Second Young Master is too complex to detect at first. He does have connections with higher-ups, and that requires investigation. There are some details I can't tell you."
I nodded.
The master nodded and said, "It's true that the Second Young Master has connections, but this relationship is limited to ordinary interactions, just like Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Garden."
I suddenly realized: "The Second Young Master is a liar who is more confident than Reporter Sima and does not look like a liar."
The master looked at me with satisfaction:
"What you said is exactly what I want to say. Everything can be verified. He is not a liar. But he is indeed a liar.
Because it could withstand scrutiny, he didn't have to pretend. He wore ordinary clothes, drove an ordinary car, and spoke and acted honestly. You couldn't find any flaws. He even invited Mr. Lan to the important man's home.
We sat there for about ten minutes, and apart from a few polite words, we didn't talk about anything else. But it was enough for President Lan to believe that all this was true.
I interrupted, "Boss Lan has made up his mind."
"Yes, my persuasion is useless. Mr. Lan said that even if the other party is a liar, he still has to be fooled once. Because, as long as he puts down a deposit of 10 million first, the second young master can run the project.
According to Mr. Lan, even if there is a loss, it is only 10 million. If it is true, it is 2 billion.
I was surprised and said, "Rich people are really generous. Ten million, and they don't even blink an eye."
The master continued, "Boss Lan said at the time: 'What a liar! Are you afraid you can't bring him down?'"
When I heard it, I thought it made sense.
The master sneered: "You have never been abroad?"
I nodded.
Master taught me: “When you enter another country on an airplane, you are given a card written entirely in English and asked to fill it out. If you don’t know how to fill it out, ask someone else for help.
Others tell you to tick here and there, and after filling it out, you don’t know why you did it or what you filled in.
This is the outcome that Mr. Lan will face in the future. This is not a scam, but a business trap that is legally impeccable.
He and you won't sign the contract in China, but in Cambodia. You signed the contract, in black and white, and acknowledged the terms. If you want to sue, go to Cambodia."
"Oh——" I let out a long breath.
My master warned me, "There's only the simplest truth in the world—nothing comes easy. But if you make something simple complicated, you'll start to believe it."
"Simplicity is the essence of things." I blurt out.
The master said with some regret, "On the last day, Mr. Lan was not satisfied with me and said I should stay a few more days. I insisted on coming back. He offered me 100,000 yuan, but I refused."
After I came back, I was unhappy all the time: Lan Lisheng was like a running bull, and I didn't pull him back from the brink by the nose. I felt guilty.
I advised him, "Don't feel guilty. You've fulfilled your responsibilities. He's the one willing to jump into the fire. There's a saying online: There are too many fools in this world, but not enough liars."
My master praised me: "Your learning over the past few years has not been in vain. You can see the big picture from the subtle details and see the essence through phenomena."
At this moment, my cell phone rang. I saw it was Mr. He and said, "He Qiaobo."
Master motioned for me to answer the phone. I turned on the speaker.
"Hehe, hello Mr. He, Master just came back."
"I'll leave this afternoon and arrive at Youranju by nine in the evening. Please inform Master so I don't bother him by calling."
The master nodded.
I said, "Okay—"
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