Chapter 400: I’m Done For

Chapter 400: Chapter 400: I’m Done For

Yang Xiaofei’s words made Wang Chenning’s eyes go wide.

"Are you out of your mind?" Wang Chenning quickly calmed down. He reached out, pinched Yang Xiaofei’s cheek, and said with a grin, "Don’t be so reckless. That’s a corporate behemoth with a market cap in the trillions, and you’re not the only one who gets a say. There’s no need to drag all that into this just because you’re throwing a tantrum!"

"I knew you wouldn’t dare!" Yang Xiaofei rolled her eyes. Then she took the initiative, wrapping her arms around Wang Chenning and standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.

After a long, passionate moment, Yang Xiaofei murmured plaintively, "There’s a certain woman you still haven’t kissed tonight!"

"This isn’t like you at all, President Yang!" Wang Chenning swept Yang Xiaofei up in his arms. "Alright, stop complaining like a jilted wife. Let’s talk about the investment instead! I’ll give you a massage, and we can discuss things while I work."

Ultimately, Yang Xiaofei stopped complaining and obediently lay on the bed as Wang Chenning had instructed.

Once she was lying down, she responded to Wang Chenning’s questions, briefly outlining the Yang family’s investment projects in Gusu.

The scale of the Yang family’s investments in Gusu wasn’t particularly large, totaling about two billion. This was a relatively small portion of the family’s vast industrial empire, which meant that in their eyes, Gusu wasn’t a key location.

The Yang family’s main domestic industrial bases were in Yandu, Yangcheng, Jiang City, Zhonghai, and Chang’an. These major cities are located in the North, South, Central, East, and Northwest regions of the country, respectively, making for a well-balanced geographical distribution.

This was standard practice for many large corporations; after all, these locations had significant regional influence and could project their reach to many surrounding areas.

The geographical importance of Qiantang and Jinling was diminished by their proximity to Zhonghai.

While Gusu’s proximity to Zhonghai created more industrial opportunities, its strategic regional importance was less than that of Qiantang and Jinling.

"The Yang family’s main industry in Gusu is new energy." Yang Xiaofei held nothing back, laying out the situation for Wang Chenning. "The new energy sector is quite promising, so increasing our investment there would be a simple matter."

After outlining the situation, Yang Xiaofei asked Wang Chenning, "Are you interested in getting involved in the new energy sector?"

Wang Chenning smiled. "If you want me to get involved, then I’ll get involved."

Lying face down and enjoying Wang Chenning’s massage, Yang Xiaofei couldn’t resist reaching back to pinch him. "Since when did you become so obedient?"

Wang Chenning tapped her hand away, but the broad smile never left his face. "If I said I wanted to get my hands on the Yang family’s businesses, or even take over the entire Yang family, would you believe me?"

"I would," Yang Xiaofei answered without hesitation. "If you became my husband, then the Lingyang Group would naturally become part of our family!"

"Sigh." Wang Chenning let out a breath. "I guess there really is a scientific basis for preferring sons. The old saying about a grown daughter being impossible to keep at home really makes sense! They always end up favoring outsiders."

Flushing with shame and anger, Yang Xiaofei flipped over and tried to wrestle with Wang Chenning.

But after he pinched her a few times, she immediately stopped struggling.

"I’m not thinking of taking over the Yang family, though," Wang Chenning said, resuming his massage. "But I do want to cooperate with the Yang family on a deeper level. Helping the Yang family grow bigger and stronger is far more meaningful—and ultimately more helpful to me—than making it my own private property."

"As long as the Yang family’s name remains Yang and doesn’t become Wang, people won’t see the Yang and Wang families as one and the same. Some might even try to use the Yang family to put pressure on you!" Yang Xiaofei agreed with Wang Chenning’s analysis. "You really have a grand perspective on things!"

"Let’s do this," Wang Chenning said. "Tomorrow, our gift to Dai Xingfeng will be an additional investment of several billion into the new energy sector. Then I’ll chip in a little with Li Fuzhen, and get Luo Yuqing to contribute something as well. I’m sure he’ll be very pleased."

Yang Xiaofei tilted her head to look at Wang Chenning and asked softly, "No one really knows how many assets you have. I used to estimate that you controlled over a hundred million, but now it seems it’s far more than that. Can you tell me exactly how much capital and how many assets you have at your disposal?"

"Not much, I can’t compare to the great President Yang," Wang Chenning chuckled. "I don’t have more than five billion in liquid capital. But being with all of you, and having won over so many people recently, my assets have ballooned like a bubble. I figure if I’m ever short on cash, the line of credit I could get from the banks would be substantial. Of course, by next year, my personal assets will probably surpass yours!"

Yang Xiaofei shot him a look. "You mentioned your liquid capital, but you still haven’t told me your total net worth!"

"The truth is, I own many precious antiques, and their value is impossible to assess. The same goes for those medicinal formulas; their value can’t be calculated either, so I honestly don’t know myself!" Wang Chenning stopped his massage and looked at Yang Xiaofei with a grin. "Next time I’m back in Chang’an, I’ll bring you a gift. Would you prefer a hairpin once worn by the consort Yang Guifei, or the Jade Pendant of Princess Taiping?"

Yang Xiaofei tilted her head, staring at Wang Chenning in astonishment. Then she scoffed. "I don’t like using other people’s things!"

"What kind of antique hasn’t been used by someone else?"

"Then do whatever you want," Yang Xiaofei said, not taking it too seriously. Then, her curiosity piqued, she asked, "Where did you get all those antiques?"

But Wang Chenning decided to be mysterious. "That’s a secret. I’m not telling anyone."

"How boring!" Yang Xiaofei reached out and pinched him again.

Wang Chenning retaliated instantly. After a bout of shameless fondling, he leaned in close to Yang Xiaofei’s blushing face and asked with a grin, "How about this? I’ll bring you a work of calligraphy by Shangguan Wan’Er. I imagine very few of her pieces have survived. At auction, it would fetch a hundred million, at the very least!"

"Where would you get something like that?" Yang Xiaofei’s eyes widened as she stared at him, but then she rolled them. "Is this how you go about charming all your girls?"

"Fine, forget it if you don’t want it." Wang Chenning stood up. "You get some rest. I have to go to my next stop."

"You’re infuriating!" Yang Xiaofei sat bolt upright in bed and asked him with a serious expression, "Are you really not staying? If you had saved me for last, I promise I would have had a surprise for you!"

"Don’t tempt me like that." Wang Chenning pinched her cheek. "This makes it feel like some kind of transaction, and that just ruins the mood. Anyway, your birthday is in a few days. I’ll properly spend time with you then."

"As if I want you to!" Flushing with anger and embarrassment, Yang Xiaofei kicked out at him. "I’m going to bed! Get out!"

Wang Chenning didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he walked over to her.

Yang Xiaofei stopped her tantrum. She reached out, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him in for a kiss.

After another long, passionate moment, Yang Xiaofei straightened her rumpled clothes and kicked him again. "Now get out!"

This time, Wang Chenning didn’t stubbornly stay. He obediently left.

After Wang Chenning left, Yang Xiaofei collapsed onto the bed and pulled the covers over her head.

’I’m doomed!’ She clutched at her hair. ’If this keeps up, how am I supposed to stay rational? I’m going to be completely lost to him!’

’That damned bastard!’