America's No. 1 financial conglomerate

Chapter 472 The Rich Are Fine

As the saying goes, "With a piece of cloth on my head, I am the richest person in the world."

Ernst really met some rich people today; the extravagant display was the epitome of luxury. What a tycoon!

A mountaintop platform, this once empty area has now been carefully transformed into a fully functional temporary campsite, complete with all kinds of facilities.

The tents for resting and the sunshades for chatting are all made of marble. The exquisite bar under the sunshades is neatly arranged with a variety of top-quality wines and drinks, and the floor is covered with high-end carpets.

Behind the bar, there was even a refrigerator, and the small kitchen next to it was fully equipped. A chef wearing a tall chef's hat was standing next to the oven, focusing on roasting fresh lamb chops.

The road to the top of the mountain is rugged and uneven, and it's a mystery how this huge oven and marble bar were transported up there.

It just goes to show that money really can make the devil turn the millstone; as long as you have enough wealth, it seems there's nothing you can't do.

If you didn't know better, you'd think this was the base of a large scientific expedition team; it doesn't look like a temporary gathering place set up on a mountain.

Ernst was puzzled; there were so many cars parked below, yet Louis Astor's entourage wasn't nearly as large.

At the time, he thought, "Are these people going to each drive their own car? That's crazy."

Now he understood; it turned out to be the convoy of those wealthy scoundrels.

In the lounge area, a waiter brought over a cup of fragrant coffee. Ernst nodded his thanks and took the coffee. He took a small sip, and the rich flavor spread in his mouth, instantly dispelling the fatigue from the climb.

"Mr. Garfield is in great health. He walked for more than two hours without even breaking a sweat."

Ernst first looked at Louis Astor, who was panting heavily, his face flushed, his forehead covered in sweat, and his body swaying slightly, as if he had just finished mating.

"At such a young age, if you don't even have a healthy body, then your life is probably really over. You might earn money but not have the life to enjoy it," Ernst replied with a smile. "However, Mr. Mohammed is even more amazing. He really does look young."

As Louis Astor has already introduced, this man in the Middle East is Yasser Mohammed, the head of Saudi Arabia's PIF.

Ernst was really surprised by his advanced age of 56.

Wealthy people have their own ways of maintaining their youth, and regardless of their complexion, they will always look young.

But Ernst was truly astonished by the other person's appearance, which suggested he was in his thirties or at most forties.

Faced with Ernst's praise and flattery, Mohammed simply smiled gently. "My reason for doing this stems entirely from a habit I developed from childhood, but seeing Mr. Garfield today proves once again that my choice was correct. I see the demeanor of an aristocrat in you."

The demeanor of an aristocrat?

Upon hearing these words, Ernst inwardly curled his lip.

In Western society, being able to manage one's physique is considered a sign of aristocracy.

There's a saying in China that it takes three generations to cultivate a nobleman, and similar proverbs circulate in Western societies.

Despite Ernst's privileged upbringing and wealthy family background, the difference between his current status and his family's circumstances is immense.

To put it nicely, Ernst's family were capitalists.

To put it bluntly, families like theirs are nothing more than targets to be exploited by the truly wealthy.

No matter how much wealth one accumulates in their family, within the circle of the ultra-rich, they can only be seen as nouveau riche and find it difficult to truly integrate.

In the minds of the super-rich, children from these nouveau riche families tend to go to two extremes.

One reason is that they grew up in a privileged environment and lacked respect for wealth, developing extravagant and wasteful habits that ultimately led to the depletion of the family's accumulated wealth.

Either they become complacent and arrogant after achieving a little success, lacking a long-term vision and the motivation to keep striving.

Very few people can calm down, suppress their vanity with strong self-control, and work hard in a down-to-earth manner.

Such an outcome often results in wealth not lasting beyond three generations. After being consumed by one or two generations, the family's wealth gradually declines, eventually returning to mediocrity or even leading to bankruptcy.

The aristocratic demeanor that Muhammad spoke of is more accurately interpreted as self-discipline.

A person who can consistently manage their physique must possess strong self-discipline and unwavering willpower, qualities that perfectly align with the Western social definition of nobility and the expectations placed on children by large families.

Of course, it was mostly a test, an attempt to see if Ernst was even slightly smug through these small details, so as to make a more accurate judgment.

The three chatted for a long time in the lounge area and got to know each other well.

The main point is Ernst. Judging from the interaction between Mohammed and Louis Astor, the two seemed very natural and casual. From their conversation, eye contact, and the occasional tacit understanding they showed, their relationship was obviously extraordinary, and they were probably old friends who had known each other for many years.

"Ernst, are you wondering why I asked Louis to invite you to climb the mountain today?"

Ernst nodded frankly and said, "That's true. Even now, I still can't figure out why you invited me."

Upon hearing this, Muhammad smiled faintly, his tone as relaxed as if discussing a trivial matter. "It's nothing really, it's just that I'm very interested in your company. Name your price, I'd like to buy some shares."

He spoke so casually, as if it were as simple as buying cabbage at the supermarket.

Ernst paused slightly, then instinctively asked, "Google?"

Muhammad did not answer, but simply nodded slowly.

Ernst, however, frowned slightly and glanced at the other person.

Mohammed noticed it, and Ernst didn't try to hide it either.

"You seem to have some questions?"

Ernst didn't mince words, asking directly, "As far as I know, doesn't PIF only invest in listed companies within Saudi Arabia?"

PIF is the famous Saudi sovereign wealth fund, one of the top ten sovereign wealth funds in the world.

Established in 1971 by decree personally issued by the then King of Saudi Arabia, this fund is directly under the Saudi Ministry of Finance. Its main purpose is to manage the Saudi government's equity in listed companies and provide financing support for a small number of strategic projects in the country. Currently, it is a passively operating financial entity and does not have independent strategic decision-making capabilities.

To put it simply, these are strategic projects that Saudi Arabia needs, but outsiders don't want to invest in. So the Saudi government set up this fund to invest money in these companies and support them.

If Louis hadn't introduced him, he wouldn't have known that Mohammed was the head of PIF.

He had never even heard of the PIF Fund in his life; his knowledge of it was entirely due to his past life.

Upon hearing Ernst's words, Mohammed's expression faltered slightly, and he subconsciously exchanged a glance with Louis Astor beside him.

Both of them could clearly see surprise and disbelief in each other's eyes.

Saudi Arabia is very wealthy, but its sovereign wealth fund is not well-known. Even those who are not professionals who have dealings with or have connections with it, including those in finance on Wall Street, may not know the name.

To their surprise, Ernst not only knew about PIF, but also knew exactly what PIF did.

Turning his head, Mohammed stared at Ernst for a long time before finally sighing, "I think those media outlets that say you got lucky and belittle you should all twist their brains off and feed them to the dogs."

Then, Muhammad spoke again, his tone full of admiration: "I have met all kinds of capitalist aristocrats, most of whom have great wealth and illustrious family backgrounds, as well as certain abilities and vision."

"But there are very few people like you who, at such a young age, possess such a broad knowledge base and understand so many things. Especially among the younger generation, you are truly unique."

At this point, a hint of regret and remorse crept into Mohammed's voice. He suddenly exclaimed, "If only you were a descendant of the Aziz family."

Ernst rolled his eyes inwardly, thinking to himself: Whoever wants to be the son of the Saudi king can go ahead, I certainly would never have such an idea.

Unlike the royal succession systems of other countries in the world, Saudi Arabia's throne has always followed the system of succession from brother to brother.

The reason for this unique inheritance system is that Ibn Saud, the founding monarch of Saudi Arabia, married more than two hundred wives in his lifetime, who bore him more than one hundred children. After several generations, the number of Ibn Saud's descendants has exceeded five thousand.

So in Saudi Arabia, you could hit a prince with a brick.

With so many descendants, this bizarre system was created to avoid a power struggle among the princes.

The last one who hoped to break this tradition was Little Salman, but unfortunately Ernst didn't see it before he came along.

The advantage lies in that kind of family; if you have the ability, you have many burdens, and if you don't, you'll be bullied.