Fu Yang chimed in: "No matter how tough things get, the family fortune's still there. Your net worth is who-knows-how-times mine. Crying in front of Brother Cheng is fine, just don't pull that act on us two…"
Jiang Cheng remembered meeting Jiang Xin for the first time when he, Qin Fen and the rest went to An Xin's luxury-watch gallery to buy timepieces; back then he hadn't sensed anything unusual about Jiang Xin's wealth.
But when the next stop landed at the club where Xia Meng worked, Jiang Cheng immediately realized Jiang Xin's value probably eclipsed that of Qin Fen and Wang Zheng.
Because Qin Fen had let Jiang Cheng pick a Girl first, then instantly let Jiang Xin choose second.
Now that he knew the family dealt in rare earths, it all made sense.
Yet if they were the kings of rare earths, why did the Mind Perception Skill detect a faint helplessness inside Jiang Xin?
Could something have gone wrong with their business?
To be honest, Jiang Cheng found rare earths fascinating.
Mainly because the stuff is vital—core to the supply chains of lithography machines, chips and other cutting-edge tech.
The industry has sky-high barriers and colossal strategic value.
The lithography machine base he was building with the Security Bureau was still under construction.
If he could secure domestically produced rare earths, it would be the icing on the cake.
It really would justify the title "king."
Still, if they were the rare-earth kings, why did the Mind Perception Skill sense a thick, inextricable helplessness and anxiety in Jiang Xin, even confusion about the sector's future?
That single word "tough" in his remark just now probably wasn't just modesty.
Seeing Jiang Cheng show no overt interest in the family business, Jiang Xin let the topic drop, laughed it off: "You two are the best at pretending…"
Fu Yang raised his glass: "All right, we've all put on an act—another drink…"
Behind the pillar, Xu Zhong had caught most of Jiang Cheng's talk about Love Book and the metaverse; suspicion, jealousy and greed tangled in his chest.
The first emotion the news triggered wasn't calm analysis but fierce jealousy that Jiang Cheng could get such inside information.
Though his face stayed calm, inside he cursed.
"Damn it, only the top circle gets this kind of core intel! Born into the wrong womb, you can run yourself ragged and still never catch up!"
When the topic seemed to drift to rare earths and small talk, he took a deep breath, pocketed the phone he'd been pretending to use, straightened his expression and strode back to his E booth.
As he stepped into E booth one of the men asked: "Xiao Xu, when do we cash out on Facebook?"
"From the buzz online it looks about time…" another added.
Hearing this, normally confident Xu Zhi hesitated.
"Er… situation's shifted, we may need to rethink. Let me sniff around a bit more…"
He had indeed eavesdropped on Jiang Cheng, yet by nature he was suspicious.
· If it were true: an early position could net a fortune—maybe even, by leveraging the information gap, earn more than Jiang Cheng.
· If it were false: he would lose money and offend the two men in front of him.
Without one-hundred-percent certainty he dared not commit.
At his words the pair's smiles froze.
They exchanged glances; the one wearing a jade ring the size of a knuckle spoke first:
They looked at each other. Jade-ring spoke, voice light as a dull knife slicing flesh:
"Xiao Xu, there has to be a plan. When you came to us you said it was a sure thing. For people like us money's secondary; the key word is 'safe.' Now, on the verge of moving, you're being vague—does that sound right?"
The other adjusted gold-rim spectacles, spoke even slower, every word a weight: "Xu Zhi, we took you in because you're clever and know the score. But understand—we're sitting here not by luck. By bringing us in you've staked our reputation. When you asked us to enter you swore the intel was rock-solid and the play fool-proof! Now, at the one-yard line, you tell us you're still 'checking the wind'? What exactly is going on?"
Xu Zhi's heart sank as if dunked in ice water.
A second ago these two had been polite because he'd made them money; now a hint of delay brought interrogation and pressure.
They hadn't even paid the referral fee for the last profitable tip.
Before a penny's profit they were lecturing him like grandsons!
Truly ingrates that can't be fed.
Yet he knew this was their real face.
Brothers over drinks, backs slapped in camaraderie—once core interests are touched that thin façade tears like cicada wing.
What they feared wasn't only losing money but being labelled "unreliable" or "sloppy."
They dreaded being dragged down by their "white glove," breaking family elders' rules, losing their own "dignity."
He had lured them to invest precisely to chain their blades with profit.
If he displeased them they would seize the hilt—or rap the blade—to make it sharper and more obedient.
Xu Zhi's back bent half an inch; a smile almost servile crept across his face, mixed with a forced air of control.
Suppressing anger he hurried to explain: "Big brothers, misunderstanding, total misunderstanding! Nothing's wrong—it's… it's a bigger opportunity!"
"Bigger opportunity?" The two traded glances, expression easing slightly but suspicion lingering.
"Yes, yes, Young Master Wang, Young Master Li—my fault for not speaking clearly. The deal hasn't changed at all! In fact, there may be an even bigger jackpot! I just overheard a rumor about a major move on Love Book's side."
"Right!" Xu Zhi lowered his voice and, mixing what he'd stolen with his own embellishments, spun the tale of Love Book's metaverse launch being moved up. "…So, if this is true, our planned exit profit could far exceed current estimates—double or more!"
"Double?!"
Their eyes flashed, then quickly turned wary.
"How reliable is your source? You can't chase shadows. We want solid results, not castles in the air. You know our 'patience' and 'trust' are limited—and very expensive."
Xu Zhi's stomach churned; he couldn't be certain Jiang Cheng's words were true, nor whether it was another trap.
Yet under their questioning and the lure of profit his suspicious, impatient mind seesawed violently.
Part of him suspected Jiang Cheng was staging an act; another part hungered to seize a chance to score big with Young Master Wang and Young Master Li.
After a few seconds, under their increasingly irritated stares, Xu Zhi clenched his teeth and decided.
He couldn't let any opportunity slip, especially in front of these two "benefactors."
"Rest assured, big brothers—I'll find a way to verify at once!" He whipped out his phone, opened Shen Shuang's WeChat and thumbed a message:
[Get to the fire-exit next to the second-floor washroom right now. Urgent, don't let anyone see you.]
Message sent, he lifted his head, flashed a confident grin: "Wait for my word—soon!"
He tossed back his drink, steadied himself, and strode toward the staircase, his back taut with desperate urgency.