Volume One, Chapter Seventeen: Foreknowledge

“Everyone, we will now proceed with the on-site review and signing for the New Seaside Western Suburb Development Project!”

“The Western Suburb development is a major project acquired by the Cityscape Group, stretching about five kilometers long and four kilometers wide. Once developed, it will become the largest residential hub in New Seaside.”

“Cityscape Group has received hundreds of bidding letters from various prominent family enterprises. After thorough scrutiny and reexamination, we have approved 96 companies.”

“To ensure fairness and transparency, the 96 approved companies are now invited to submit their bids. The ownership of the Western Suburb development will be decided by the highest bid, with contracts signed on the spot!”

As Murong Lan finished speaking, the atmosphere instantly grew tense.

Such a vast project—figuring out how much to bid was no easy task.

Bid too low, and you lose this lucrative opportunity; bid too high, and profits shrink!

“Our Liu family actually passed the review. Thank you, Young Master Cheng!” Su Xuemei stood up excitedly to thank Cheng Sanfei upon hearing their approval to bid.

“Aunt Su, you’re too kind. It’s nothing,” Cheng Sanfei said with a confident wave of his hand, clearly sure of victory.

“Mom, don’t get too excited yet. When it comes to bidding… the Liu family stands no chance,” Liu Ruyan’s words plunged Su Xuemei into despair.

Indeed, with 96 companies competing and the Liu family’s total assets barely reaching one billion, winning the Western Suburb project was nothing but a pipe dream.

“What’s there to fear? Isn’t this just a formality? It’s just a number, right?” Cheng Sanfei argued persuasively.

A formality? Just a number? Is this some child’s game?

“Is this really feasible?” Su Xuemei asked anxiously.

“It definitely isn’t. Mom, perhaps we should just give up on the Western Suburb!” Liu Ruyan, who managed the Liu family’s construction company, understood the bidding process well.

Once you submit a bid, if you win, you must pay up, or else serious trouble will follow.

“Am I even needed here? Just do as I say. No worries at all!” Cheng Sanfei continued to egg Su Xuemei on.

“No, Mom. If things go wrong, even if the Liu family is ruined, we can’t afford the losses!” Liu Ruyan shook her head firmly, determined not to let Su Xuemei make such a reckless move.

Unwilling to give up, Su Xuemei asked Cheng Sanfei again, “Young Master Cheng, are you sure this can work? Suppose I declare a bid of ten billion but can’t come up with the money at signing. What then?”

Su Xuemei was genuinely worried, though she had long coveted the Western Suburb development.

“I told you, it’s just a number. I’ll handle the negotiations. After we start profiting from the development, we’ll pay up—no problem at all!” Cheng Sanfei responded with growing impatience, annoyed by Su Xuemei’s distrust.

“Alright then, Young Master Cheng, how much should we bid?”

“It’s simple—just one unit more than the highest bid!” Cheng Sanfei replied with a sinister smile.

“Is that even possible?” Liu Ruyan shot Cheng Sanfei a disdainful glance, disgusted by his ignorance masquerading as expertise.

Bids are real sums of money. How could you just write down such a number?

If everyone played that game, who would truly win?

“If I say it works, then it works!” Cheng Sanfei said confidently.

“As for you, Ruyan, don’t listen to him. Just bid one unit!” At that moment, Chen Feng spoke to Liu Ruyan.

“Ah… one… one unit?” Liu Ruyan was speechless. A bid of one unit was more childish than a child’s play.

“Hahaha… Chen Feng, are you joking? Bidding one unit? You’re insulting everyone’s intelligence!” Cheng Sanfei burst into laughter. He thought Chen Feng was a fool—insulting everyone’s intelligence and deceiving himself in the process.

“He who laughs last laughs best,” Chen Feng simply replied, not bothering to argue with Cheng Sanfei.

“Ruyan, don’t listen to Chen Feng’s nonsense. One unit is just a lollipop. Following him will only lead to disaster,” Su Xuemei’s disdain for Chen Feng grew. Asking Liu Ruyan to bid one unit was like pushing the Liu family into the fire.

“Brother Feng, please don’t meddle in this. You don’t understand bidding!” Liu Ruyan neither blamed Chen Feng nor accepted his suggestion.

“Ruyan, do you believe Brother Feng?” Chen Feng asked.

“It’s not about belief. You simply don’t understand business. Do you?” she replied.

“That’s true, I don’t understand business. But I do know that if you follow Cheng Sanfei’s advice, you won’t win; if you bid one unit, you will!” Chen Feng said.

“Brother Feng, bidding one unit is too childish. How could we possibly win?” Liu Ruyan asked.

“Can’t you trust me once? If I’m wrong, I’ll leave your sight forever and never bother you again!” Chen Feng pleaded.

Before Liu Ruyan could answer, Cheng Sanfei interrupted, “Good, very good, Chen Feng. Remember your words—if you break your promise, I’ll make sure you regret it!”

Chen Feng looked up at him. “If bidding one unit wins, what then?”

“If one unit wins, I’ll kneel publicly and call you grandpa,” Cheng Sanfei declared.

“Good boy! Grandpa remembers!” Chen Feng replied with a smile.

“You… Chen Feng, if you don’t win, I’ll break both your legs,” Cheng Sanfei said angrily.

“Fine, and if I win, I’ll cripple you instead!” Chen Feng shot back.

“Deal. Prepare to be disabled!” Cheng Sanfei said.

With that, Cheng Sanfei commanded Liu Ruyan, “Bid one unit!”

Su Xuemei was displeased. “Young Master Cheng, don’t gamble with the future of the Liu family. Bidding one unit is…”

She didn’t want to do this; bidding one unit was essentially throwing it all away.

“Don’t worry, Aunt Su. Follow my lead. Even if we don’t win, as Cityscape Group’s project manager, I can turn things around!” Cheng Sanfei confidently patted his chest.

Liu Ruyan hesitated, uncertain what to do.

Chen Feng snatched Liu Ruyan’s phone and entered a bid of one unit, then sent it.

“Brother Feng…”

Once a bid is confirmed, it cannot be changed. Liu Ruyan felt utterly hopeless.

“Don’t worry, Ruyan. I won’t let you lose!” Chen Feng reassured her.

“Hahaha… Chen Feng, I’ll break your legs publicly soon enough. No running away, ha ha…” Cheng Sanfei was ecstatic at the thought.

“Who will come out on top? Not so easy to tell!” Chen Feng was even more confident. Cityscape Group was his domain—whoever he wanted to win would win. Losing was impossible.

Half an hour later.

Bidding closed. Murong Lan stepped to the center of the stage. The screen displayed the bids from all 96 companies.

“Ladies and gentlemen, bidding is now closed. Please look at the screen,” Murong Lan announced, turning to the display.

First place: Qiming Construction Company, 50 billion, firmly in the lead, 10 billion ahead of second place.

“What the hell? Liu Construction Company only bid one unit? Are they joking? Is this the Liu Construction Company of Liu Ruyan, one of New Seaside’s Four Beauties?”

“Pfft… Seriously? Are they kidding? How did such a lousy company even pass the review?”

All eyes were on Liu Construction Company, even more so than on the top bidder.

Facing the ridicule, Liu Ruyan wished she could leave immediately—this was humiliating beyond measure.

“Everyone, quiet please. Historically, the highest bid wins. Therefore, I announce that the winning bid is…” Murong Lan was about to declare the winner when her phone rang. It was a message from Chen Feng.

She glanced toward Chen Feng, then put down her phone, cleared her throat, and resumed.

“I hereby announce the winner is…”

After a brief hesitation, she looked toward Liu Ruyan and declared, “The winning bid goes to Liu Construction Company!”