"nglong, since you're here, why not stay for dinner?" Professor Chen, having looked over materials all afternoon while Zhang nglong waited alongside, now had dinner ready thanks to his wife.
"Sure, I won't be shy!" Zhang nglong's stomach was conveniently rumbling.
This was a table probably over a decade old, and it seed like nothing much had changed in the Chen household since they had moved into this small house allocated by the school.
The table's wood was already cracking, and the al was just a simple spread of three dishes and a soup.
"nglong, the living conditions here are so so, don't mind it!" Mrs. Chen said, sowhat embarrassed.
Actually, the conditions at ho weren't that bad, but because their child's living expenses were high, most of the family's inco was used to support the child, leading to a modest life for a professor.
Seeing the situation, Zhang nglong couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart and placed a bank card on the table.
"nglong, this... this is..."
"There's ten million in this card, as an advance on your salary," Zhang nglong said with a smile, "Use this to improve your living conditions at ho and take care of the mistress for now since, for the next little while, you might not have ti to look after your family."
"He always neglected the family!" Mrs. Chen said, a mix of complaint and pride, proud that her husband was receiving such recognition.
"nglong, this isn't right!" Professor Chen objected.
"Why not? I trust your integrity!" Zhang nglong joked, "But this will be deducted from your annual salary!"
Professor Chen was incredibly moved by the complex emotions swelling inside him, but frankly, they really needed the money. He nodded after a mont, "In that case, nglong, thank you!"
...
After a simple but warm dinner, Zhang nglong imdiately flew back to Jiangnan City. All personnel were ready, and it wouldn't be long before the whole world would witness Huaxia making an astonishing debut in the chip domain!
"Hey Zhang, are you free tomorrow?" Zhang nglong had just gotten ho when he received a call from Wang Ling.
"I have no plans at the mont. What's up?" Zhang nglong asked, detecting a trace of hesitation in Wang Ling's tone.
"My dad's planning to co to Jiangnan City tomorrow."
"Oh, and so?" Zhang nglong asked curiously, his dad coming to Jiangnan City was none of his business!
"My dad wants to visit you."
"What?" Zhang nglong was montarily stunned, "Visit ? I'm not so big shot, why visit ?"
"I'm not sure, but my dad knows we're good friends and wants
to arrange a visit. Could you do
this favor?" Wang Ling asked with a pleading tone. "President Zhang? Handso Zhang?"
"Alright, alright, stop it, let's just et," Zhang nglong said, flustered by Wang Ling's persistence. He'd t the world's wealthiest, nobility, princes, princesses, mutants from Earth and the Solar System alike—what was there to fear from a forr richest man of Huaxia? It was just a friend's father, after all.
"Great, then I'll co to your place tomorrow noon, and grab a al while I'm at it!" Wang Ling responded, clearly delighted.
"Sure," Zhang nglong said, "See you tomorrow!"
...
The next day at noon, Wang Ling and his father Wang Jian arrived at Zhang nglong's house on ti.
In the past, Zhang nglong had often been seen in the parody zone of a small station, and this was the first ti Wang Ling t him in person, a middle-aged man with an impressive deanor.
"Mr. Zhang, I've long admired your reputation!" Wang Jian said with a smile as he shook hands with Zhang nglong.
"Uncle Wang, you are too kind. Since Wang Ling and I are friends, just think of
as one of the juniors. There's no need for formalities with 'Mr. Zhang'. Let's just keep things simple," Zhang nglong responded with a smile.
"Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony," said Wang Jian, unreservedly. "Wang Ling told
that this entire neighborhood belongs to you?"
"Yes," Zhang nglong nodded, "Villas and such are too high-profile. I prefer to keep it low-key!"
"There he goes again!" Wang Ling rolled his eyes like a little sidekick next to him. Could he have misunderstood what 'low-key' ans?
"Haha, young people have their own way of thinking, very good," Wang Jian remarked, not minding it.
"Uncle Wang, what brings you here this ti? Any advice for ?" asked Zhang nglong.
"You're the world's richest man, what advice could I possibly have for you," laughed Wang Jian, "I ca to ask for so advice from you this ti."
"Asking
for advice?" Zhang nglong was surprised. "Uncle Wang, I'm only good at spending money and showing off. I have no other strengths. I'm not skilled in business, and the companies under my na are operated by people arranged by my family. I'm afraid you've made a wasted trip this ti."
"Seems like you do have a very clear understanding of yourself!" Wang Ling nodded vigorously on the side.
"Shut up! You know nothing!" Wang Jian scolded Wang Ling without any hesitation. "If your business acun was even half as good as nglong's, even if I were to pass away one day, I could rest assured leaving our fortunes in your hands."
"Dad? Are you crazy?" Wang Ling exclaid in disbelief. "If I had half of his capability, our family's fortune wouldn't last even a month!"
"That's because you lack vision!" Wang Jian argued. "On the surface, nglong spends money, but the logic behind his spending is sothing beyond your understanding."
"What?" Wang Ling widened his eyes. There was a logic behind Zhang nglong's ostentatious spending?
"nglong, actually I've secretly investigated you!" Wang Jian admitted. "I owe you an apology, since my son is close to you, I needed to make sure you had no ulterior motives."
Zhang nglong nodded in understanding; it was sothing any normal father would do.
"But I had no idea until I looked into it, and I was stunned," said Wang Jian. "Let's start with your investnt in the universities. You invested ten billion in Professor Guo's research group to help them with their antiviral research, and just last week, they announced their first wave of results!"
"The clinical trial was very successful. The total value of this pharmaceutical developnt could very well exceed 200 billion US dollars, and according to the developnt ratio, nglong could earn over 80% of the profit!"
"What?" Wang Ling's eyes bulged wider than light bulbs.
"Nani?" Zhang nglong himself was also shocked. He hadn't expected that Professor Guo would be so formidable. With the right funding and equipnt, he actually managed to lead the world in completing the project!
"And about Professor Zhu's space exploration project, it looked like that investnt was the least likely to turn a profit. Yet, twelve days ago, Professor Zhu discovered a cot from outside the Solar System. This cot will pass by Earth in five years, and preliminary analysis shows it contains a large amount of rare elents found on Earth. With our current technology, in five years, we'll have matured techniques to mine and collect material from the cot!"
"The value of those rare elents could exceed several hundred billion US dollars, and as the discoverer, he can own half of the profits. According to the contract nglong signed at that ti, he would get ninety percent of the project's profits—that's another few hundred billion US dollars!"
"Good grief!" Zhang nglong was stunned. "Is my investing capability that aweso?"
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