「Earlier today.」
When Chen Lei got the call from Yang Qiniang, he was at a bar, drinking with his older brother.
From Yang Qiniang’s tone, Chen Lei had already guessed, more or less, that the investment had gone well.
So, after hanging up, he had a very cheerful expression on his face.
"What’s got you so happy? Look at you, smiling so wide you can’t even open your eyes."
Chen Lei’s older brother, Chen Jun, said, looking curiously at his younger brother.
Chen Lei clinked his glass against his brother’s. "Big bro, do you remember I told you I met a new friend who has a demeanor and presence a lot like yours?"
Chen Jun, of course, remembered.
His younger brother had even asked him to use his connections to look into the person.
"You’re talking about that guy named Lin Feng, right?" Chen Jun said, taking a sip of his drink.
Chen Lei nodded. "That’s the one. That kid Yang Qiniang introduced us."
"He’s a good guy, and I always feel like he reminds me of you, big bro."
Chen Lei’s words piqued Chen Jun’s curiosity. "You keep saying he’s like me. Just how similar is he?"
At this moment, because he was with his younger brother, Chen Jun was quite relaxed.
Chen Lei looked at his brother and said, "He has a kind of composure like you do. He’s a lot like you when you’re working."
Chen Lei didn’t finish his thought. ’It was that he felt both his older brother and Lin Feng had a similar ability to see the big picture and control the overall situation.’
"What did that kid Yang Qiniang want on the phone?" Chen Jun asked curiously.
"Yang Qiniang and Lin Feng started an investment firm together a while back. I wanted to show some support, so I tossed ten million their way."
Chen Jun looked at his younger brother with a sense of resignation.
The reason Chen Lei couldn’t take over the family conglomerate wasn’t just his own lack of interest in the corporate world, but also because he was sometimes too loyal to his friends.
So loyal that his judgment would sometimes get clouded.
From Chen Jun’s perspective, Chen Lei’s rash move of throwing in ten million was a perfect example of that clouded judgment.
Chen Jun had navigated the business world for many years.
He never got involved with companies started by friends as investment partnerships.
Doing business with friends was difficult enough. It involved too much personal sentiment, and once money got mixed in, the potential losses often outweighed the gains.
Therefore, in Chen Jun’s eyes, what Chen Lei did was completely unnecessary.
Of course, if Chen Lei had put that money into a larger investment firm or an institution with a stronger professional track record, Chen Jun would have thought it was fine.
"You really haven’t changed a bit, you kid."
But what was done was done, and there was nothing Chen Jun could do about it, so he could only speak with a touch of resignation.
Seeing his brother’s resigned expression, Chen Lei knew what he was thinking.
"He’s a friend. There’s no harm in showing some support."
"Besides, from the sound of Yang Qiniang’s invitation on the phone just now, I’m guessing it turned out pretty well this time."
Chen Lei said thoughtfully, stroking his chin.
"What was the rate of return he guaranteed you?" Chen Jun asked casually.
After all, his brother’s money was a fixed investment. The other party should have offered a guaranteed minimum return.
Chen Lei held up two fingers. "A two percent return per month."
Chen Jun’s hand, holding his glass, paused. "Two percent?"
Chen Lei nodded nonchalantly.
"Do you have any idea how high a two percent return is? Are they using your money for high-risk investments?"
Chen Jun was skeptical.
’A two percent return... that meant his foolish little brother had put in ten million, and in just one month, he’d have made two hundred thousand.’
’That was an absolutely astounding rate of return.’
’To put it in perspective, that same ten million would have to sit in a bank for a whole year just to achieve a similar return.’
’And yet this Lin Feng person had managed to earn that much in a single month.’
One thing Chen Jun knew for sure was that.
If Lin Feng could offer such terms, he was definitely not earning just two percent himself.
After all, the investment firm itself had to generate revenue, not to mention cover labor and other operational costs.
If they were only just barely hitting the rate of return promised to Chen Lei, the firm would have no room to survive.
Essentially, Lin Feng was an investor himself.
He promised Chen Lei a two percent return.
And for Lin Feng, anything earned beyond that two percent was all his own profit.
More than the return Lin Feng had promised his brother.
Chen Jun was actually more interested in what kind of return rate Lin Feng had managed to pull off in that one month.
And once his interest was piqued, Chen Jun wouldn’t let it go.
In this respect, he was actually quite similar to Lin Feng.
"When did you guys schedule the meeting?" Chen Jun asked his brother curiously.
Having been brothers for so many years, they could more or less guess what the other was thinking.
Chen Lei knew perfectly well that Chen Jun was now interested in Lin Feng.
So he showed Chen Jun the message on his phone. "Sometime in the next couple of days, during dinner time. If you’re free, you could join us."
Chen Jun thought for a moment. He didn’t have anything particularly important going on recently.
"Alright. Let me know when you go."
Chen Jun drained the strong liquor in his hand, his eyes revealing a deep interest.
After his brother agreed, Chen Lei immediately relayed the news to Yang Qiniang.
After all, Yang Qiniang had said that Lin Feng was treating this time.
Since someone else was hosting, it was only proper for a guest to inform them of an extra person.
Yang Qiniang had just been given some "homework" by his father when he turned and saw the message from his buddy.
The esteemed Chen Jun was coming?
Yang Qiniang was stunned when he saw the news.
You had to understand, since Chen Jun had gradually taken over most of the Chen Family’s business in recent years, his social circle had diverged from people like them, who didn’t hold any real business power.
Moreover, Chen Jun had been serious and diligent since he was a child.
He was, so to speak, the "model child" of their circle that all the other parents compared their own kids to.
And putting their childhood acquaintance aside.
Chen Jun had, in recent years, grown into a figure who belonged in his father’s circle.
Although he was still a bit green compared to his father’s generation.
He was nonetheless an influential person in that circle.
’A big shot like that is actually coming to the gathering tomorrow night...’
Yang Qiniang immediately sent Lin Feng a message.
Late at night, Lin Feng had just finished an intimate moment with Su Ruoxi when he turned to see a frantic WeChat message from Yang Qiniang.
Perhaps afraid he wouldn’t take it seriously, Yang Qiniang had added a string of exclamation points.
"Chen Lei’s older brother, Chen Jun, is coming too!!!"
"Brother Feng, this guy is a major big shot!!"
"The kind of guy who discusses business with my dad!"
"Brother Feng, what are we going to do?"
"Should we change the venue we picked?"
After meeting Chen Lei before, Lin Feng already knew his family background was anything but ordinary.
Who from a normal family would just toss out ten million as a simple investment to support a buddy?
Seeing the look on Lin Feng’s face, Su Ruoxi knew he probably had business to attend to.
So, she considerately went to the kitchen to prepare some hot tea for him.
Lin Feng dialed Yang Qiniang’s number. "It’s just one more person for dinner... Why are you in such a panic?"
Yang Qiniang immediately explained, embarrassed, "Ever since we were kids, Chen Jun has been that ’model child’ my dad always used to lecture me about!"
"And his older brother is nothing like Chen Lei. He’s usually pretty serious. To be honest, I’m a little intimidated by him."
Now Lin Feng understood. "It’s fine. We’ll just treat it as one extra person for dinner."
"No need to be so tense. Besides, aren’t you more familiar with him than I am?"
"As for tomorrow’s menu, we’ll make some slight adjustments."
After getting the news, all Lin Feng did was ask the private restaurant to add a few more refined dishes to the menu.
As for why Chen Lei was suddenly bringing his older brother to dinner, Lin Feng didn’t bother to dwell on it. Whatever the reason, he would find out eventually.
Otherwise, for them, the meal would be a waste of time.
The place Lin Feng had chosen for dinner this time.
It was a restaurant run by a private chef.
For private chefs, once they tired of the profession, they would often open a private, word-of-mouth restaurant.
The wealthy families they used to serve would become their potential customers.
These kinds of private restaurants didn’t actually serve many people each day.
Or rather, they weren’t willing to serve many people.
Sometimes, it even depended on the chef’s mood.
If the chef didn’t feel like opening, they wouldn’t take any customers at all.
This time.
The private chef Lin Feng found was even more eccentric.
Almost immediately after Lin Feng made the reservation.
The chef had lazily informed him, "You’ll be the last group of guests I’m serving this month."
"I will do my best to provide you with a satisfactory meal."
Lin Feng silently glanced at the calendar on his phone.
’There were still fifteen days left until the end of the month...’
’This guy was just ending his business for the month like that...’
’Truly capricious.’

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