The God of Wealth starts with doing whatever you want

After Xu Yun returned from Hong Kong, he happened to witness the completion ceremony of the old town of Jiangcheng.

The renovated old street features winding cobblestone streets lined with brick and wood buildings restored to their original state, adorned with red lanterns hanging under the eaves. It preserves the historical character while incorporating the conveniences of modern life.

The century-old ginkgo tree on the street corner, its golden leaves swaying gently in the breeze, seems to be telling a story of the transition between the old and the new.

Xu Yun sat on the right side of the first row of guests, next to Ning Qian, who was wearing a custom-made dark blue suit.

Her long hair was elegantly styled in an updo, revealing her slender neck. Her face was adorned with delicate light makeup, exuding both professionalism and feminine grace.

There was an empty seat between the two, which was Mayor Zhang Heping's seat.

He is giving a speech on stage right now.

"The transformation of the old city is a microcosm of the development of Jiangcheng..."

Zhang Heping's voice echoed across the square through the loudspeakers.

Ning Qian turned slightly to the side, lowered her voice, and said, "Look at that row of shops. Following your suggestion, the original signboard design style has been retained, but the interiors have all been upgraded."

Xu Yun looked in the direction she indicated and nodded.

"The balance between tradition and modernity is the most difficult thing to grasp, and you've done a great job."

His tone was calm, but Ning Qian could hear the approval in it.

A slight smile played on her lips; all the hard work of the past six months, day and night, seemed worthwhile at this moment.

Yuntian Real Estate was able to complete this landmark project not only because of Ning Qian's business acumen, but also because of Xu Yun's support behind the scenes, who always played a crucial role at critical moments.

On stage, Zhang Heping's speech was coming to an end.

"...Finally, I would like to express my special thanks to Yuntian Real Estate Group, and to President Ning Qian and her team for completing this arduous task with their extremely high level of professionalism and respect for the city's culture!"

Applause erupted like a tidal wave.

Ning Qian stood up, nodded to the stage and her surroundings, and then gracefully walked onto the stage to receive the commemorative plaque from Zhang Heping.

Under the spotlight, she exuded confidence and composure, fully showcasing the style of a new generation of entrepreneurs in Jiangcheng.

Xu Yun watched her from below the stage, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

A year ago, she was just a junior sales assistant in a luxury store, but now she can stand on her own and speak calmly in front of hundreds of people.

Money and time have changed so many things, including the relationship between them.

During the tour after the ceremony, Xu Yun deliberately slowed down and kept his distance from the crowd.

He wandered through the renovated streets and alleys, his fingers gently brushing against a carefully restored exposed brick wall.

He was familiar with every detail here because Ning Qian had consulted with him many times during the design phase, bringing the blueprints with her.

Those late-night conversations sometimes revolved around the selection of building materials, sometimes around how to preserve the memories of the old neighborhood, and occasionally they would stray from the topic to talk about each other's recent situations, before falling into a brief silence.

"Why is Mr. Xu here all alone?"

Xu Yun turned around and saw Zhang Heping walking towards him with a smile, accompanied by several municipal government officials.

"Mayor Zhang."

Xu Yun nodded slightly and smiled, "I was just taking a casual look, but the transformation effect has indeed exceeded my expectations."

Zhang Heping waved for the others to go first, and walked side by side with Xu Yun on the bluestone path.

"The higher-ups are very satisfied with the successful renovation of the old city. The development of the southern peninsula will depend on you next."

"You should talk to Ning Qian about this, why are you telling me?"

Xu Yun replied with a smile, "I don't manage anything and I don't know anything about it."

Zhang Heping laughed: "You're always like this, knowing exactly what's going on, but always preferring to stay behind the scenes."

He patted Xu Yun on the shoulder and said, "Let's have a good chat at the celebration banquet tonight. I have some ideas about Jiangcheng's development plan for the next five years..."

Xu Yun: "..."

So, you're just relying on me to develop Jiangcheng for you, is that it?
……

The banquet was held at the revolving restaurant on the rooftop of a newly built five-star hotel by the river.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the night view of the city unfolds before your eyes, the river flowing like black silk, reflecting the lights of thousands of homes on both banks.

The banquet was a lively affair, with almost all the prominent figures from Jiangcheng's political and business circles in attendance.

As one of the main characters tonight, Ning Qian was naturally surrounded by people.

Holding a champagne glass, she calmly accepted the wave after wave of congratulations.

Xu Yun chose a relatively quiet corner and sat opposite Zhang Heping.

“There is a piece of land in the north of Jiangcheng, with a total investment expected to be 10 billion yuan.”

Zhang Heping took a sip of red wine, lowered his voice, and said, "The province hopes to create a new landmark that integrates high-end business, ecological living, and leisure tourism."

The difficulty lies in the fact that part of that land involves wetland protection, so environmental approvals will be very stringent.

Xu Yun gently swirled his wine glass, his gaze drifting towards the island in the middle of the river outside the window, and asked, "What if we adopt a tiered development model?"

The riverside area has strict height restrictions and is designated as a public ecological green space. The core business district is set back 500 meters and adopts green building standards. Further back, the residential area is connected to the commercial area by sky bridges.

This way, development needs can be met while also passing the environmental impact assessment.

Zhang Heping's eyes lit up, and he looked at Xu Yun with surprise, asking, "Layered development... Interesting. Do you have any more specific ideas?"

The two of them used napkins to sketch a simple diagram with pens.

This was the first time Xu Yun had given Zhang Heping advice.

But Zhang Heping knew in his heart that this young man, who was favored and recognized by both the Zhong and Lin families, was definitely not a good-for-nothing who only had money and no ambition.

Through this project, he discovered that the other party's insight into urban development far exceeded that of ordinary people.

"President Xu is truly Mayor Zhang's chief strategist," a slightly flattering voice interjected.

Xu Yun looked up and saw the president of Jiangcheng Bank standing by the table with a wine glass in his hand.

The two had known each other for a long time.

Moreover, he was their bank's biggest customer; calling him a god of wealth wouldn't be an exaggeration.

If Jian Shiwei hadn't resigned from the bank to help manage a private equity fund, she could have easily taken the other person's position using her connections.

He smiled faintly: "President Liu, you flatter me. We were just chatting."

Halfway through the banquet, Ning Qian finally managed to break free from the crowd and come to Xu Yun's side.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the alcohol, but her eyes sparkled as she asked, "Boss, what are you talking about so intently?"

"The development of a wetland project."

Zhang Heping smiled and said, "If President Ning is interested, you can come to my office next week to discuss it in detail."

"That's great."

Ning Qian naturally sat down in the empty seat next to Xu Yun, her arm inadvertently brushing against his sleeve.

Zhang Heping noticed this subtle movement, smiled thoughtfully, made an excuse to get up and leave, leaving the two of them alone.

For a moment, a subtle silence filled the space between the two.

The night view of Wuhan outside the window slowly rotates, as if time is flowing.

"Thank you for coming with me today."

Ning Qian said softly, "I know you don't like these kinds of occasions."

"It's nothing, I'm pretty free anyway."

Xu Yun said with a smile, "On the contrary, you have become more and more capable this year. You are very adept at handling such occasions. I admire your speed of growth."

These words stirred something within Ning Qian.

She gripped the wine glass tightly, many words welling up on her lips, yet she didn't know where to begin.

"Xu Yun, I..."

Just as Ning Qian opened her mouth, Xu Yun's phone vibrated.

He glanced at the screen; it was an unfamiliar local number.

"I'm going to take this call."

Xu Yun got up and walked to the terrace.

Ning Qian watched his retreating figure, swallowing back the words she hadn't finished saying, a faint sense of loss welling up in her heart.

She noticed that Xu Yun frowned slightly when he saw the caller ID.

That was his habitual expression when he felt surprised or troubled.

On the terrace, the river breeze carried the coolness of early autumn.

Xu Yun pressed the answer button: "Hello?"

"Mr. Xu."

A familiar yet distant voice came from the other end of the phone, with a distinctive Korean intonation: "It's me, Lee Young-ae."

Xu Yun was stunned.

"Mr. Li?"

Xu Yun smiled, somewhat surprised, and asked, "Why did you suddenly decide to call me?"

"I'm in China on a business trip, and I'm in Jiangcheng."

Lee Young-ae's Chinese was much more fluent than before, but it still had a Korean accent. She said, "My flight back to Seoul is tomorrow morning. Tonight... I'd like to see you, is that alright?"

Xu Yun remained silent for a few seconds.

Through the glass door, he could see Ning Qian's profile inside the restaurant. She was talking to an architect, but her gaze kept drifting towards the terrace.

"Where are you?"

"Room 1723 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel next to the tallest building in your Jiangcheng."

Lee Young-ae paused, lowered her voice, and said, "If it's convenient for you."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Ning Qian's voice came from behind me, filled with concern: "Are you alright?"

Xu Yun turned around and smiled, "It's nothing. An old friend suddenly came to Jiangcheng and wants to see me."

"Now?" Ning Qian glanced at her watch; it was already 9:30 p.m.

"Ah."

Xu Yun was supposed to stay with her tonight, but it seems he can't now.

"If anything happens to you, don't worry about me."

Ning Qian said understandingly, "I can go back by myself later."

"It's okay, I'll take you home first."

Xu Yun said, "Is it alright to let her wait a little longer?" The banquet ended.

After dropping Ning Qian off, Xu Yun drove directly to her hotel.

The door to room 1723 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel was ajar, and a sliver of warm yellow light leaked through the crack, cutting a narrow strip of light across the dark carpet in the corridor.

Xu Yun paused for three seconds in front of the door, raised his hand, and before his knuckles even touched the door panel, the door was pulled open from the inside.

Lee Young-ae stands at the intersection of light and shadow.

She wore a perfectly tailored pearl white satin suit, the hem of which just went past her knees, revealing a section of her calves encased in sheer stockings, their lines so taut that they didn't look like those of a woman nearing forty.

Her long hair was neatly tied back, revealing her full forehead and those familiar eyes that always carried a hint of cunning and a touch of allure.

However, the barely perceptible lines at the corners of her eyes and the overly saturated bright red lipstick on her lips betrayed the passage of time.

"President Xu."

She spoke first in Korean, her voice deep and resonant, honed by years of experience in the business world, yet deliberately softened, and said with a smile, "No, now you should call me President Xu, please come in."

As Xu Yun entered the room, a faint woody fragrance mixed with women's perfume wafted towards her.

It was Diptyque's Tam Dao; he remembered the taste.

A few months ago in Seoul, her apartment, office, and even her car smelled like this.

Several documents were spread out on the coffee table in the suite's living room, next to a lit laptop with complex financial statements displayed on its screen.

A bottle of Romanée-Conti that had already been opened was placed in an ice bucket, next to two crystal glasses, one of which had a faint lip print on its rim.

"Chairman Li of New World has personally come to Jiangcheng to discuss a small collaboration?"

Xu Yun sat down on the single sofa, crossed his legs, glanced at the documents, and asked, "Or is your company so strapped for cash that the chairman needs to personally intervene?"

Lee Young-ae gently closed the door, and the lock made a soft "click" sound.

She didn't answer immediately, but walked to the wine bottle and poured wine for Xu Yun.

The deep red wine swirled in the glass, and as she handed it to him, her fingers brushed lightly against the back of his hand.

"I've never been to China before, but I wanted to take advantage of this business trip to visit."

Lee Young-ae sat down on the sofa opposite Xu Yun, crossing her legs as well, her skirt slipping down to mid-thigh, and said, "People like us, the smaller the matter, the more we have to show that we value it, don't we?"

Xu Yun took the glass but didn't drink it.

"Is New World planning to expand its business in China?"

"A temporary strategic adjustment."

Lee Young-ae took a sip of wine, her red lips leaving a deeper mark on the rim of the glass, and asked in return, "But Mr. Xu, it seems like you've forgotten about what happened to you in Korea since you returned to China. You're completely indifferent."

"Isn't there someone in charge over there?"

Xu Yun finally took a sip of wine.

The denim is heavy, which is Lee Young-ae's consistent taste.

“I always pay close attention to matters concerning General Manager Xu.”

She put down her wine glass, leaned forward slightly, a posture that revealed a deeper shadow at the opening of her collar, and laughed, "Especially since I heard you're getting quite close to several beautiful female CEOs?"

Xu Yun swirled his wine glass: "President Li is interested in my private life?"

"Just out of curiosity."

Lee Young-ae stood up, slowly walked to the window, turned her back to him, looked at the night view of Jiangcheng outside the window, and said, "I'm just afraid that your promiscuity will affect our cooperation."

The room quieted down.

The only sounds were the low rumble of the central air conditioning and the faint urban noise outside the window.

Xu Yun also stood up and walked half a step behind her.

From this angle, he could see the delicate skin on the back of her neck and a few loose strands of hair beneath her updo.

She was still using the same shampoo, which had a citrus and cedar scent.

"Have you taken care of your husband's matter?"

Lee Young-ae's shoulders tensed slightly, then relaxed.

"Yes, it's already buried."

She chuckled lightly, a hint of sarcasm in her voice: "You actually care about that?"

Xu Yun remained silent.

His hand rose, paused for a moment in mid-air, and then landed on her shoulder.

Through the thin satin fabric, Xu Yun could feel the temperature of her body and the almost imperceptible tremor that followed.

"So you came to find me."

His voice lowered, and he whispered with a chuckle in her ear, "It's not just about catching up, is it?"

"Of course not!"

Lee Young-ae turned around.

At this moment, the two were so close that they could feel each other's breath.

The calculation and sharpness from before were gone from her eyes; only a straightforward, undisguised look remained.

"I am a woman too, and I also need love."

Lee Young-ae reached out, her fingers, painted with burgundy nail polish, brushing against his tie, slowly pulling it out of his suit, and said, "Even if this love is short-lived, lasting only one night."

"That's true."

Xu Yun smiled and grasped her wrist.

Her pulse was pounding rapidly in his palm.

Time passed in silence.

Outside the window, the city lights twinkled, and inside the room, only the breathing of the two people grew clearer and clearer.

Then, almost simultaneously, they moved closer to each other.

Lee Young-ae's teeth struck Seo Yun's lower lip, and the taste of blood filled her mouth.

But this only made the kiss more passionate.

Xu Yun's hand slid down her back, stopped at her waist, and then suddenly tightened, pressing her whole body against him.

The expensive satin suit was wrinkled, and its pearly white color looked particularly fragile in the dim light.

"You still..."

Lee Young-ae gasped between kisses, "You haven't changed at all, still so violent!"

Xu Yun did not answer, but responded with actions.

He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.

Lee Young-ae was surprisingly light in his arms; the woman, who appeared shrewd and strong, was as light as a bird when he held her.

The main light in the bedroom was off; only a reading lamp by the bedside emitted a warm yellow glow.

Xu Yun placed her on the bed, her back sinking into the soft down comforter, her long hair loose, her bun already undone from the earlier entanglement.

The timeline then became nonlinear.

After all the passion subsided, the two lay side by side, neither touching the other.

The sweat slowly cooled on my skin, and the air was filled with a complex scent of passion mixed with that sandalwood fragrance.

"I need the sales channels of a large Chinese supermarket chain."

Lee Young-ae spoke first, her voice still hoarse from the recent encounter, saying, "And you must reserve the best location for me in every commercial complex in Jiangcheng."

Xu Yun stared at the ceiling and calmly stated his request.

“I want the right to use Shinsegae’s bonded warehouse in Busan Port, and I also want a keynote speaker’s seat at the Seoul Retail Summit next March.”

Lee Young-ae turned her head to look at him, her eyes shining brightly in the darkness.

"You're still so greedy."

“Likewise.” Xu Yun also turned his head.

The two looked at each other and then laughed almost simultaneously.

That was the laughter between businessmen, knowing each other perfectly well, yet each calculating their own moves.

Lee Young-ae got up and walked naked into the bathroom.

Xu Yun watched her retreating figure and really liked the feeling.

Lee Young-ae possesses a mature charm that others lack, a charm that comes from a woman who knows what she is doing and what she wants.

The sound of water coming from the bathroom.

Xu Yun sat up, picked up his shirt from the floor, put it on, and walked into the living room.

When Lee Young-ae came out wrapped in a bathrobe, he was already dressed and sitting on the sofa checking his phone.

She leaned against the bedroom doorframe, her bathrobe sash loosely tied, and asked, "Are you leaving?"

"Ah."

Xu Yun extinguished his cigarette and asked, "What time is your flight tomorrow morning?"

Nine o'clock.

Lee Young-ae walked up to him, reached out and straightened his collar, which was actually quite neat, and said coldly, "No need to see me off, my assistant will arrange it."

Xu Yun grasped her wrist, this time very gently.

"If you need any help in South Korea..."

“I can handle it.”

Lee Young-ae interrupted him, her smile as perfect as a commercial, and said, "But you, if you ever need money, you can come to Seoul and find me. I'll take care of you."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yun smiled, released his hand, turned around, and left without looking back.

The door closed very softly, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

Lee Young-ae stood there for a while, then walked to the window, picked up the wine glass that Xu Yun had used, and took a sip from the lip print he had left behind.

The wine has warmed up, and the tannins have become astringent.

She had mixed feelings and didn't know why she had suddenly gone to Jiangcheng to see Xu Yun.

That guy is so heartless!
After leaving the hotel, Xu Yun headed to Ning Qian's house, intending to make a second attempt at love!

Anyway, there's still plenty of time.

He's energetic and can handle it!

—PS: I'd like to recommend a friend's new book, "The Academic Genius's Reverse Romance." Please support it if you like it; it's a youthful, sweet campus romance novel. (End of Chapter)