"Liang, is it true? Everyone’s saying you’ve beco the richest person in the country? Or the richest in Asia?"
Ever since the news of Lu Liang becoming the richest reached, even Lu Jiancheng, who was about to retire into monastic life, couldn’t resist calling to inquire.
As a parent who couldn’t help his children, he always felt guilty, hence he never took the initiative to contact Lu Liang, afraid of bothering him.
But this ti was different; Lu Liang had beco the richest person among 1.4 billion people in the country, and it’s said he’s the wealthiest in the whole of Asia, including Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, surpassing re glorification of the family na.
Take their hotown, Luhe Village, for example, where there are over two thousand people, more than half of whom are surnad Lu.
Their ancestors were direct brothers, but decades ago, they fought bitterly for water sources and ended up feuding, never interacting until death.
The ancestral hall worship, originally held every three years, even amidst poverty, has been halted for half a century. Everyone worships their direct ancestors separately, never together.
However, this ti, leveraging Lu Liang’s rise as the richest, village elders brought up the idea of a grand worship again and unanimously agreed to make the 62-year-old Lu Jiancheng the head of Lu Clan Ancestral Hall and the elderly ho.
"If everyone says so, then it should be true."
Lu Liang remained noncommittal, jokingly, "Weren’t you about to retire into monastic life? What, no longer living austere?"
Lu Jianjun sighed, "The mountain is nice, but there are too many mosquitoes. Mainly, it’s inconvenient to go up and down the mountain."
Lu Liang couldn’t help but interrupt Lu’s words, saying with a laugh, "I’ll be returning ho in a few days; let’s talk when the ti cos."
Suddenly having money, after a lifeti of hardship, will lead to so peculiar thoughts.
Like thinking you’ve seen through worldly desires, believing you can now be austere and indifferent, not caring about worldly affairs.
But few can persist through monk-like days.
Eventually, it’s found that being down the mountain is better, and that enjoying life and planting doesn’t actually contradict.
Just like in Lu Liang’s estate in Xiangjiang, where lawn costing thousands per square ter was transported from Switzerland just to plant flowers and trees for Lu, and he’d even fence off areas for pigs if desired.
Lu Jiancheng was stunned, incredulously asking, "So you’re agreeing?"
He vaguely rembered Lu Liang didn’t like being involved in village chores, preferring to spend money to settle matters, hence his long absence from ho.
Back when he chose to go up the mountain, he was aware of Lu Liang’s thoughts, after all, others couldn’t find Lu Liang, but finding Lu Tiechui was not hard.
Sotis, it’s hard to refuse a heartfelt invitation.
Agreeing is problematic, disagreeing is also problematic, so it’s better to hide on the mountain to avoid trouble.
Lu Liang said with a smile, "Dad, thoughts change with ti — you find mountain life dull, am I not allowed to suddenly want to contribute to the village?"
Lu Jiancheng smiled awkwardly; Lu Liang continued, "The house we live in is still too small. I plan to build a new one; during this period, why don’t you and Mom co live in Xiangjiang for a while?"
"The current one, built less than three years, and you want to rebuild?" Lu Jiancheng frowned.
Lu Liang continued, "Dad, consider this: the house of Pork Qiang has more than four thousand square ters, while our house is only two or three hundred square ters — does this seem right?"
Pork Qiang is the richest man in their town, probably worth nearly a billion, having initially risen through smuggling frozen at, hence the nickna Pork Qiang.
His house is the largest and most luxurious in the town. In contrast, Lu Liang’s house was built when he was just starting, with thoughts that two or three hundred square ters were sufficient.
But clearly, that notion was ridiculous.
Sotis, it’s not about having enough living space, but rather that a grand residence is a status marker itself.
After all, a two or three hundred square ter self-built house, though not small, taking a few extra steps from the gate to the living room isn’t much of a ntal burden.
But a self-built house of two, three thousand or even ten thousand square ters would require visitors to check in with security, gaining entry only after approval, then crossing flower gardens into grand halls.
Layers upon layers of implied pressure on the visitors, making encounters with the host-overbearing for those weak-hearted.
Complicated visit procedures can also filter out trivial disturbances, similar to so departnts where procedural hoop-jumping wastes days involuntarily.
If Lu Liang then had clenched teeth and spent billions on a self-built ho, Lu probably wouldn’t have been forced into hiding.
"Alright, do as you please; why Xiangjiang?" Lu Jiancheng questioned.
"I recently bought an estate in Xiangjiang; you should co experience it and give opinions."
"...Okay."
Lu Jiancheng held back the initial warning to not spend recklessly, considering no modern tycoon went bankrupt due to lavish expenses but rather unforeseen circumstances.
Ending his call with Lu, Lu Liang inspected pending invitations: ’Ti’ magazine wanted interviews and photos, naming him next year’s most influential figure globally, and the face of its international edition.
CCTV also planned interviews, having selected Lu Liang as part of 70 years, 70 enterprises, 70 leaders, and young influential business leaders nationwide.
He was also nad by Forbes for 2018 as the most influential individual globally, and ’Fortune’ ranked him in the top five elite global venture capitalists.
Other renowned yet not top-tier dia outlets like Phoenix, Southern, Nan Finance, and Central Finance provided nurous invitations.
It could be said, if willing, Lu Liang could do two dia interviews daily from now till Lunar New Year without repetition.
After pondering, Lu Liang called Sun Zheyuan, instructing, "We can’t decline CCTV, especially during the 70th anniversary. Schedule it, inform later. Dostic financial dia interviews should be limited to Central Finance; decline others."
"For international ones, though..."
Lu Liang considered the recent developnts with East Country, facing international orchestration, potentially requiring his advocacy.
"Forbes, Ti Magazine, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report, let’s accept the invitations from these four. Try to schedule them before the end of the year and have them co to Xiangjiang."
Sun Zheyuan whispered, "Mr. Lu, Ti might be negotiable, but Newsweek and U.S. News, they might not co."
In the past, except for Forbes, invitees would have to go to New York to be interviewed by the top three major US magazines and cooperate with them for interviews.
But to this day, Lu Liang has never accepted any exclusive interviews from Arican dia, so magazines like Ti, which carry a heavier business tone, might agree and co to Xiangjiang to match Lu Liang’s schedule.
However, Newsweek and U.S. News, apart from a business tone, carry a hint of political color, so they might not agree.
"If they don’t agree, just refuse them." Lu Liang smiled faintly. Although he needs to increase his fa in the European and Arican markets, he wouldn’t travel all the way to New York for an interview just because of an invitation.
Such a humble thing, he couldn’t do, not even for those few awards.
"Okay, Mr. Lu, I’ll go communicate with them now."
Sun Zheyuan replied, left the office, and went to contact dia leaders like CCTV, Ti, and Forbes.
Lu Liang sipped a cup of tea, and in the quiet office, any little noise would be amplified infinitely.
He faintly heard soone playing Douyin out loud and suddenly rembered that Li Manli was still in the office lounge.
Lu Liang walked to the door of the lounge and pushed it open.
The sound beca clearer: "Watch closely, this is a legendary man who rose from nothing. According to public information, it took him just three years and six months to beco the First Rich of Dragon Country, surpassing Old Huang back then and becoming the First Rich of Dragon Country at 34 years old..."
Li Manli was hugging a pillow, lying on the bed; although her back was turned to Lu Liang and her expression was unclear, her raised legs and spread toes all expressed the joy in her heart.
Lu Liang chuckled silently, walked to the bedside, and saw the content Li Manli was watching — an AI-generated animation video narrating his rags-to-riches story, from the humble beginning at 88 Punan Road to the present Tianxing Financial Group.
Watching the video, Li Manli’s smile never faded, and in a mont of intense emotion, she involuntarily kicked her legs a few tis and giggled foolishly.
Lu Liang couldn’t help but chuckle and said, "Still watching? You’re drooling."
Li Manli was startled, rolled from this side of the bed to the other, instinctively touched her mouth corner, and complained, "There’s no drool."
She glared at Lu Liang in dissatisfaction, her eyes full of grudges: "Don’t you know, scaring people can literally scare them to death."
"It’s you who are too absorbed in scrolling through Douyin."
Lu Liang laughed, sat at the head of the bed, and Li Manli suddenly pounced over, snuggling into Lu Liang’s arms like a kitten, whining as if she was acting cute: "Who made you so charming, the whole internet is discussing you."
Ever since the news of Lu Liang becoming the First Rich spread, everyone online was talking about him, and she accidentally took a glance, then couldn’t stop watching.
She loved watching people praise Lu Liang, and if she saw any slander, she would create a burner account and clash with them, showing them what it ans to be a conciliatory pianist from Ancestral Land.
"So amazing?" Lu Liang chuckled, patting Li Manli’s little head, "Hungry? Let’s go eat."
Li Manli nodded, hurriedly got out of bed to put on her shoes, but her eyes no longer had the previous excitent.
Because after lunch, she had to return to Su City, unsure of the next ti she’d get to spend this long with Lu Liang.
"If you like staying in Xiangjiang, why not stay a few more days?" Lu Liang noticed what Li Manli was thinking.
Li Manli shook her head, pouting, "I’ve postponed my livestream for so long, the audience has opinions."
Actually, it wasn’t the audience, but Lu Liang was about to get busy again.
If Lu Liang had ti to accompany her,
The audience? Fans?
Sorry, not familiar!
Even during a livestream, the traditional power outage drama would suddenly replay.
"What do you want to eat for lunch?"
Lu Liang smiled, not insisting further, as a sudden ssage interrupted his vacation plans.
The right choices were made, as the prosperous U.S. stocks would face four circuit breakers next March.
The thought of U.S. stocks triggering circuit breakers was thrilling.
It’s neither Big A nor Nikkei; the capital hub’s lair was being raided.
And it’s happening four tis.
"I want to eat at that Cantonese place we went to last ti, their soup is so good."
Li Manli finished dressing, tidied her ssy hair slightly, then took Lu Liang’s arm.
She’s turning 23 this New Year, no longer the 19-year-old girl, understanding how hard Lu Liang works.
As long as he has ti, she has ti.
If he doesn’t have ti, she won’t disturb him.
She will just quietly wait for the next ti Lu Liang is free.
Even if they are in two different places, or haven’t seen each other for a long ti, it won’t affect their relationship.
It will only make their love stronger.
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