The God of Wealth starts with doing whatever you want

The afternoon sun in Beijing streamed through the mall’s huge glass dome, casting dappled light and shadow on the gleaming marble floor.

Located in the China World Trade Center Phase 3, this high-end shopping mall is bustling with people, and the air is filled with a subtle blend of perfume, coffee, and luxury leather.

Xu Yun and Michelle walked side by side in the luxury goods section on the third floor.

Michelle wore a light beige top today, layered over a white turtleneck sweater, paired with slim-fit dark jeans and flat ankle boots, looking both comfortable and stylish.

She wore a pair of large sunglasses that covered most of her face.

But this did not completely overshadow her star quality; occasionally, people would cast questioning glances at her, feeling that this tall woman looked somewhat familiar.

Xu Yun, on the other hand, was much more casual and relaxed, and you couldn't tell he was wealthy at all.

He walked at a leisurely pace, his gaze casually sweeping across the shop windows on both sides, his expression as relaxed as if he were taking a stroll in his own backyard.

"The bags at that store were pretty nice, why don't you go pick one out?"

Michelle turned her head to the side, her eyes behind her sunglasses curving into a smile, and said, "You have good taste, but I don't need any more. I already have plenty of bags."

Xu Yun said casually, "Fu Baoying likes this brand, and I've accompanied her shopping here a few times."

Michelle's smile faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered and said with a smile, "No wonder."

She didn't ask any further questions.

Wise people know how to maintain boundaries, and they know which topics can be explored in depth and which should be left unsaid.

"Would you like to get a drink?"

Xu Yun pointed to the coffee shop not far ahead and said, "I heard their hand-drip coffee is pretty good."

“Okay.” Michelle nodded.

As the two were about to walk towards the coffee shop, a commotion suddenly broke out ahead.

A group of people, about a dozen in number, surged in from the direction of the elevator entrance, making quite a spectacle.

At the front were three burly bodyguards in black suits, their faces expressionless as they spread their arms to form a moving human wall, pushing the customers along the way aside.

"Excuse me, please make way!"

A middle-aged man in a gray suit and glasses followed behind the bodyguard, speaking loudly as he walked, his tone anything but polite.

The crowd was thrown into disarray by the sudden eviction. Some people complained in hushed tones, but seeing the posture of the bodyguards, most of them chose to give way.

Among this group of people, a young man wearing sunglasses and a mask was being closely protected.

He was tall and wore the latest trendy jacket. He walked with his head slightly tilted back, and even with his face covered, you could still feel the deliberate distance that a celebrity has.

He was accompanied by several people who appeared to be staff members; some were taking photos with their phones, while others were communicating via walkie-talkies.

"Is this a TV show shoot or a commercial performance?" a passerby asked curiously.

"I don't know, she looks like a celebrity."

"Who is it? They're wrapped up so tightly."

"His figure looks a bit like that...that girl who came out of that really popular talent show recently..."

Whispers spread through the crowd.

Xu Yun and Michelle were about to pass through the route they were traveling on.

Three bodyguards who were clearing the way had already approached. When the one in front saw that the two did not intend to move aside, he stretched out his hand, palm facing outward, and made a clear "push aside" gesture.

The goal is to reach Xu Yun's shoulder.

"Excuse me—" the bodyguard began, but before he could finish speaking.

In the blink of an eye.

Xu Yun didn't even look at the outstretched hand. He slightly turned his body to the side, and his left hand, like a nimble snake, reached out and accurately grabbed the bodyguard's wrist.

Then he shifted his feet and used his right hand to lift and push the other person's elbow.

"boom!"

A dull thud.

The bodyguard, who was over 1.8 meters tall and weighed at least 80 kilograms, lost his balance and was propelled forward by a subtle and precise force, crashing heavily onto the polished marble floor.

Everything happened within two seconds.

Time seemed to stand still.

The bustling third floor of the shopping mall suddenly fell into an eerie silence, centered around this point.

The crowd behind them stopped.

The staff member who was filming froze on the spot, holding up his phone.

The young star, protected in the middle, subconsciously took off his sunglasses, revealing a handsome face that frequently appeared on television and billboards.

Indeed, Lin Haoxuan is a rising star who recently became a sensation due to a hit drama.

His agent, the middle-aged man with glasses, instantly changed his expression.

The customers in the mall were initially stunned, then burst into suppressed exclamations and discussions.

Holy crap!

What just happened?

"How did that bodyguard fall?"

"Was it that man in the black trench coat who did it? I didn't even see it clearly..."

Michelle stood beside Xu Yun, and although she was wearing sunglasses, you could see that her body was slightly tense.

She had heard Ruan Shao mention Xu Yun's actions.

A year ago in Hong Kong, he faced several gangsters with knives, and he was just as calm and collected, quickly bringing them all to the ground.

But that was Macau.

At this moment, however, it is broad daylight in Beijing's busiest shopping mall.

In full view of everyone.

The brand representatives were the first to react.

A woman wearing a suit skirt and a name tag pinned to her chest walked quickly forward.

She is the store manager of a luxury brand in this mall, and Lin Haoxuan is here today to conduct an offline promotional event for this brand.

"Sir!"

The female store manager's voice was a little hurried, but she tried her best to maintain professional politeness as she asked, "What are you doing? We are holding a brand event, and this is our special guest, Mr. Lin Haoxuan. Could you please cooperate and make way for us?"

Xu Yun slowly withdrew his hand and straightened his sleeves, as if he had just brushed away a speck of dust from his clothes.

He raised his eyes, his gaze calmly sweeping over the group of people in front of him, finally landing on the bodyguard who had fallen to the ground and was scrambling to his feet. Then he turned to the female store manager, a half-smile playing on his lips.

"He was the one who started it."

Xu Yun's voice wasn't loud, but it was clearly audible in the quiet environment. He said, "Besides, this is a public place. You have no right to arbitrarily drive away customers like this, do you?"

His tone was calm, without anger or provocation, as if he were stating a very simple fact.

But those words made everyone's expressions quite interesting.

Lin Haoxuan's agent, the middle-aged man with glasses, had a face as black as the bottom of a pot.

He glared fiercely at the female store manager from the brand, the meaning in his eyes was very clear.

How did you arrange this? Why is there such a clueless person blocking the way? And even resorting to violence?

The female store manager sensed the agent's anger, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

She took a deep breath, turned to Xu Yun, and said in an even more urgent tone, "Sir, our staff member acted somewhat rashly in the heat of the moment. I apologize on his behalf."

But we have an important event right now, and Mr. Lin's time is very tight. Could you please make way for us?
We, the brand representative, will definitely give you a satisfactory explanation afterward.

These words sound polite, but they actually contain a hidden barb.

It acknowledged that the bodyguard struck first (although in a moment of urgency), emphasized Lin Haoxuan's "importance" and the "time crunch," and finally offered a "post-incident explanation."

Most people, faced with this kind of situation and the dual pressure from a popular celebrity and a luxury brand, would probably just back down gracefully.

Unfortunately, she encountered Xu Yun.

What if I don't allow it today?

Xu Yun smiled and asked in return, his smile appearing gentle.

The female store manager was stunned.

Gasps of astonishment rippled through the crowd.

Michelle gently tugged at Xu Yun's sleeve and whispered, "Xu Yun, how about we..."

"It's alright." Xu Yun patted the back of her hand naturally.

This subtle interaction was noticed by many, and their gazes lingered on Michelle for a few more seconds.

Although she was wearing sunglasses, her figure and temperament were so outstanding that it inevitably led people to speculate whether she was also in the entertainment industry.

Lin Haoxuan had put his sunglasses back on, but his face under the mask was clearly not looking good.

He is one of the most popular celebrities right now, always surrounded by fans and screaming wherever he goes. He has never encountered a situation where he was publicly humiliated like this before.
Moreover, the other party's attitude was so nonchalant, as if they didn't take him seriously at all.

The agent walked up to the female store manager, lowered his voice, but his tone already carried obvious dissatisfaction.

"Manager Wang, what exactly is going on? You know Haoxuan's schedule; there are three more announcements coming up! Now that things are stuck like this, who will bear the losses?"

The female store manager was under immense pressure. She knew that Lin Haoxuan was now the brand's darling, and today's event was highly valued by headquarters.

If she really messes things up, her job as store manager is probably over.

She gritted her teeth, looked at Xu Yun again, and said in a firmer tone, "Sir, if you insist on not cooperating, we will have no choice but to ask the mall security guards or even call the police."

Your actions just now constitute suspected intentional assault.

"Intentional injury?"

Xu Yun interrupted her, his smile deepening, and said, "There are security cameras here, aren't there?"

He pointed to the camera in the corner of the ceiling and laughed, "Want to check it out and see who reached out to push me first? I was just acting in self-defense."

As for calling the police…

He shrugged, seemingly indifferent, and said, "I don't mind. It's a good opportunity to ask the police to judge whether a celebrity's team has the right to forcibly clear the area and violently drive away ordinary customers in a public place."

Every word was perfectly timed.

The female store manager's face flushed red and then turned pale.

Of course she knew she was in the wrong.

Clearing the venue for celebrity commercial performances is an unspoken rule in the industry, but the reason it's an unspoken rule is precisely because it can't be discussed openly.

Especially in high-end shopping malls, where customers are all wealthy and influential, if a disturbance were to occur, it would definitely make the brands look bad.

Moreover, Xu Yun's demeanor was remarkably calm.

That composure wasn't feigned; it came from the heart, a calmness born from having weathered many storms.

Add to that the elegant female companion beside him… The female shop manager's heart began to pound: This man is probably not an ordinary customer.

Just then, a middle-aged man wearing a dark blue suit and a name tag that read "Mall Operations Manager" rushed over, clearly alerted by the commotion.

"what happened?"

The operations manager's gaze swept across the scene, and he visibly paused when he saw Lin Haoxuan's team, then quickly put on a smile and said, "Mr. Lin, welcome, welcome! This is..."

The female store manager seemed to have seen a savior and quickly stepped forward to explain the situation in a low voice.

As the operations manager listened, he scrutinized Xu Yun, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

After listening, he walked up to Xu Yun, his tone much more official than that of the female store manager.

"Sir, I am Zhao Wei, the operations manager of the shopping mall. On behalf of the mall, I apologize for the unpleasant incident that just happened."

However, there is indeed an important event hosted by the brand in the atrium on the third floor today. Would you please move there temporarily?

We can provide you with a VIP lounge, or if you have any other needs, we will try our best to accommodate them.

The words were well said, giving face and providing a way out.

If this were a normal conflict, it should have ended here.

But Xu Yun seems determined to make a big fuss about this today.

Or rather, he simply didn't care whether things got out of hand or not.

"Manager Zhao, right?"

Xu Yun nodded and said, "Your attitude is better than hers."

He pointed at the female store manager and said again, "But I still have the same question: this is a public place. Why should they drive away other customers just because they are having an event?"

Is this a rule in the mall's regulations? Or do celebrities have special privileges?

Manager Zhao was stumped by the question.

Regulations? Of course, there are no explicit regulations.

But that's how it's done in the industry.

Brands spend money on promotions, and shopping malls provide convenience by temporarily clearing out a section of space; everyone tacitly agrees to this.

But can I say that? No, I can't.

“Well… sir, the brand has rented the atrium area for the event, and we have an agreement…” Manager Zhao tried to explain.

"Renting the atrium and blocking public passageways and driving away customers are two different things."

Xu Yun once again pinpointed the issue, saying, "If the agreement you signed allows them to do this, then I'd like to see which legal counsel drafted the clause and whether it complies with relevant regulations."

At this point, the issue has escalated to the legal level.

Manager Zhao was also sweating.

He realized that the man in front of him was not only difficult to deal with, but also likely knowledgeable in the field.

The situation reached a stalemate once again.

More and more people gathered around, and many were taking pictures with their phones.

Lin Haoxuan's team was clearly aware of the seriousness of the problem.

If this incident gets posted online, the headline will most likely be something like "Celebrity acts like a diva in shopping mall, bodyguard shoves customer and gets knocked down," which would be a disastrous piece of negative news.

The agent acted quickly, walking over to Lin Haoxuan and whispering a few words in his ear.

Lin Haoxuan's lips were tightly pursed under his mask, clearly indicating his extreme reluctance.

But at his agent's insistence, he nodded slightly.

The agent took a deep breath, put on a more conciliatory expression, and walked up to Xu Yun, saying, "Sir, our staff handled things improperly just now. On behalf of the team, I apologize to you."

You're right, this is a public place, and we really don't have the right to ask you to make way.

How about we change our route so as not to disturb your shopping?

Upon hearing this, both the female store manager and Manager Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the brand lost face, it's better than making the news.

The onlookers whispered among themselves, thinking that the celebrity team was quite sensible and knew to back down.

All eyes were on Xu Yun, waiting for his reaction.

Xu Yun looked at her agent, then at Lin Haoxuan, who was surrounded by bodyguards again and was clearly in a bad mood, and suddenly smiled.

"If you had shown this attitude earlier, wouldn't it have been better? Let's go."

He spoke casually, as if the earlier confrontation had never happened. He naturally took Michelle's hand and walked towards the coffee shop they were originally going to, his pace neither hurried nor slow.

The crowd automatically parted to make way.

As Xu Yun passed by Lin Haoxuan, he paused and glanced at him.

Sunglasses against sunglasses.

Although they couldn't see each other's eyes, Lin Haoxuan felt a chill for no apparent reason.

Then Xu Yun left without saying anything.

The area only came alive again after the two figures disappeared from the coffee shop entrance.

The brand representatives and mall staff quickly directed the flow of people.

Lin Haoxuan's team hurriedly walked towards the central activity area under the escort of bodyguards, but the atmosphere was completely different from when they first arrived.

The agent's face was grim. As he walked, he whispered to his assistant, "Go and find out who those two people were."

He had a gut feeling that the man in the black trench coat was definitely not simple.

In the coffee shop, Xu Yun and Michelle chose a corner seat by the window.

After placing her order, Michelle took off her sunglasses, revealing her beautiful eyes, which were now filled with complex emotions.

"You...did that on purpose?" she asked softly.

Xu Yun was looking at his phone when he heard this. He looked up and asked, "What do you mean, 'deliberately'?"

"They deliberately prevented them from doing so, deliberately escalating the conflict."

Michelle paused, then asked doubtfully, "Given your status, there's really no need for you to do this."

Xu Yun smiled, put down his phone, and asked in return, "What do you think my identity should be? Should I swallow my pride and give way? Or should I reveal my identity and put pressure on them?"

Michelle was stumped by the question.

"neither."

Xu Yun answered himself: "I'm just an ordinary customer. When I encountered something unreasonable, I just reasoned with them. As for what they think, that's their business."

He spoke casually, but Michelle knew it wasn't that simple.

Moreover, he handled the entire conflict calmly and methodically, using the most peaceful tone to say the most pointed things, ultimately forcing the other party to back down.

This is not just about physical skill, but also about mental and life experience.

"I've heard of that Lin Haoxuan."

Michelle changed the subject, saying, "She's very popular lately, has great resources, and is rumored to be backed by powerful investors."

"Oh," Xu Yun replied casually, not taking it to heart at all.

Because he had just obtained all of the other party's information from the system.

Aren't you worried about him retaliating afterward? Or his team making trouble for you?

What kind of article?

Xu Yun picked up the coffee that had just been delivered, took a sip, and said, "With so many people filming at the scene, once the video is released, which side will public opinion take?"
His team, unless they're completely stupid, will suppress the matter and pretend it never happened.

Michelle thought about it and agreed.

From a public opinion perspective, the celebrity team was definitely in the wrong for clearing out and driving away customers.

Xu Yun's counterattack was strong, but it was justified.

"but……"

Xu Yun suddenly changed the subject, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes, and said, "If the capital behind him wants to play something else, I don't mind playing along with them."

Michelle's heart skipped a beat.

She understood the deeper meaning in those words.

Xu Yun's actions today may not be as simple as just "reasoning".

He might be testing the waters, or he might be sending some kind of signal, or perhaps...

Is it just that I'm in a good mood and want to have some fun?
She understood this man less and less.

"How did things go with Miss Jiang today?" Michelle changed to a safer topic.

"Probably."

Xu Yun looked out the window and said, "She can handle things with the Red Cross herself."

There was an air of unquestionable trust in his tone.

Michelle felt a slight pang of sadness, but quickly suppressed it.

She knew she had no right to be jealous.

At least not now.

"What are your plans for tonight?" she asked.

"Fu Baoying will be in Beijing tonight."

Xu Yun said casually, "Let's have a meal together, you come too."

Michelle was stunned.

Fu Baoying... one of Xu Yun's official girlfriends, the most prominent businesswoman in Hong Kong right now, and also an important figure in their conversation last night.

Now, Xu Yun wants her to have dinner with Fu Baoying?
What does this mean? A test? A demonstration? Or simply... indifference?

"Is it...is it appropriate for me to go?" Michelle's voice was a little dry.

"What's inappropriate about it?"

Xu Yun glanced at her and said, "It's just a meal. Bao Ying knows you, and she wants to meet you too."

she knows.

She also wants to see you.

The sheer amount of information in those two sentences nearly caused Michelle's brain to shut down.

It wasn't until the waiter brought out the dessert that she finally snapped out of her daze, picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of tiramisu, and put it in her mouth.

A bittersweet feeling, just like my mood right now. (End of Chapter)