Xia Lei and Shentu Tianyin came to Distinguished Gathering in the afternoon the next day. This used to be one of the Gu clan’s a.s.sets but its owner now was Shentu Tianyin. Back then, Xia Lei had fought with Gu Kewu’s underlings here for Shentu Tianyin’s sake, and it had been dangerous. Xia Lei felt some emotions stirring in him when he re-visited this place.
No matter how great a person or an event was, it would turn to smoke over time. Treasuring the present and enjoying life was the best way to approach life.
Xia Lei was doing so. Ahn Geungan and the s.h.i.+nyeok Group representatives had not yet arrived, but he and Shentu Tianyin were not wasting time. They sat in the tea lounge, having tea and discussing some business topics.
The focus of Thunder Horse Group had turned to arms dealing, and it was a dark horse. Vientaine Group had major roles in the real estate, energy and service industries. They were both at the peaks of their careers, so business topics were unavoidable when this couple drank tea together.
“Hubby, you have no lack of capital now. You can try entering the real estate industry. With your connections you can get good plots of land and it won’t cost you too much. If you enter the real estate industry, I can guarantee that your net worth will increase tenfold in a few years,” said Shentu Tianyin.
Xia Lei shook his head. “I’m not familiar with the real estate industry, and Thunder Horse Military Factory still has a loan of 5,000,000,000 to pay off. I’m not as wealthy as you think to just casually invest in real estate projects.”
Shentu Tianyin made a small frown. “I know money is no object - you just don’t want to enter the real estate industry. You have connections I envy but you refuse to enter this industry. Can you tell me why?”
Xia Lei knew well which connections she was referring to - his connections with Bureau 101, and some people of high status like Ling Han. True, these were all connections normal businessmen would be envious of. He could get good plots of land using his connections if he entered the industry since he was a great a.s.set to the nation. The higher-ups would definitely make things easy for him as a form of reward but he was not interested.
“Who doesn’t want to make money when there is money to be made?” said Xia Lei with a laugh, “Since you’re asking if I’m willing, I’ll tell you. I don’t think well of the real estate industry right now. This market has reached heavy saturation and I actually want to caution you to move out of this industry too.”
“I’m urging to to join and you’re urging me to leave.” Shentu Tianyin laughed dryly. “Looks like our views on business are complete opposites.”
“Tianyin, I’m serious. Our country’s population will soon be aging and the elderly will outnumber the young. These old folk will leave this world but once they leave, every city will have huge numbers of empty homes. Every young person will have his or her own house, or even several. Our country currently houses hundreds of millions of people. Who’s going to buy so many houses? Don’t forget that the country is now opening up the policy for a second child but progress has been slow. It is difficult for young people now to get married, so how are they going to afford two children? If there is no demand for housing then this market bubble will burst sooner or later,” said Xia Lei.
“These are just numbers. I am still optimistic about this industry,” said Shentu Tianyin. “Our country’s urbanisation has been progressing rapidly and more people will enter the cities. They will need housing.”
Xia Lei shrugged. “Let’s not talk about this. My thought is to turn Thunder Horse Group into an international arms supplier and surpa.s.s Barrett and FN. I have this goal in mind and I do not want to s.h.i.+ft my attention and efforts to other industries. You may be right but there are too many ways to turn a profit. We have no way of having a slice of every cake, and there is no need to have it either.”
“Nn, okay, let’s talk about other things.” Shentu Tianyin gave a thin smile. She knew that Xia Lei had different ideas and that there was no convincing him.
However, this did not affect their relations.h.i.+p.
Shentu Tianyin poured more tea for Xia Lei and he grabbed her hand. She fell onto his lap.
There were in business-mode earlier but in husband-and-wife-mode now.
“Let’s go to the Civil Affairs Bureau and get registered after the negotiations with Ahn Geungan,” said Shentu Tianyin with pa.s.sionate eyes.
Xia Lei rubbed his palms on Shentu Tianyin’s plump b.u.t.tocks, his voice gentle, “Mm. I hope it’ll be done quick and we can register right after.”
Xia Lei’s hands seemed to have some sort of magic, and Shentu Tianyin was soon soft and pliable in his hands. She huffed in Xia Lei’s ear, “I’m going to be your wife soon. Promise me that you’ll protect me and take care of me my whole life. Love me for life.”
“Mm, I promise.”
“And you’re not allowed to be close with other women.”
Xia Lei paused. He instantly thought of Jiang Ruyi, and what she had said to him, but he responded quickly and said, “I promise you.”
Shentu Tianyin was a strong-handed woman and she definitely wouldn’t let him have women outside their marriage. He’d been prepared for this when he agreed to marry Shentu Tianyin, and he had made things clear to Annina too.
Shentu Tianyin bit Xia Lei’s ear, her voice seductive, “You’re a good boy. I’ll reward you and let you get some for a bit.”
Xia Lei smiled and reached a hand into her clothing.
“Ahem.” A woman’s cough suddenly came from beyond the doorway.
Xia Lei hurriedly retracted his misbehaving hand and turned to see Fu Mingmei standing in the doorway.
Shentu Tianyin stood from Xia Lei’s lap too and looked embarra.s.sed. She looked somewhat balefully at Fu Mingmei.
Fu Mingmei put on an innocent face. “Did I come at the wrong time? But I have to come over. Ahn Geungan and the s.h.i.+nyeok Group representatives have arrived. I brought them to the meeting room to wait for you.” After a pause, she added, “Um, you need me to tell them to wait half an hour more?”
Shentu Tianyin glared at Fu Mingmei. “What are you still standing there for? You go tell Ahn Geungan that we’ll be right there.”
“Yes, right away.” Fu Mingmei didn’t want to really anger Shentu Tianyin, and she’d meant her words earlier as a jibe at Xia Lei.
Was Xia Lei only able to go on for half an hour? Fu Mingmei had no data on that but Shentu Tianyin did. Shentu Tianyin had first-hand information.
Shentu Tianyin and Xia Lei left the tea lounge after straightening their clothes and they headed to the meeting room.
“You’ll talk to Ahn Geungan first, and I’ll deal with him next,” said Xia Lei.
Shentu Tianyin nodded, her gaze fierce. “No need to be polite with him. He is someone in Korea but he’s nothing in China.”
The couple entered the meeting room and saw Ahn Geungan right away, sitting at the head of the table. Representatives from s.h.i.+nyeok Group sat to the left and right of him.
Representatives from Vientaine Group were present and seated too, and they were just waiting for Shentu Tianyin to take her seat.
Shentu Tianyin wrinkled her brows when she saw the situation in the meeting room. Normally, she would be the one at the head of the table but Ahn Geungan had placed himself there, taking her spot. This seemed to be a small matter regarding seating but Ahn Geungan was using this to tell her his stance - I am Ahn Geungan and I am the main party of this negotiation!
Shentu Tianyin was just about to speak when Xia Lei pulled at her hand. “Come, let’s just sit opposite.”
The negotiations had not yet begun. There was no need to start fighting over seating.
Shentu Tianyin followed his lead and sat at the opposite end of the table. She then cut straight to the chase and said, “Mr Ahn Geungan, we may begin. Let us all save time. State your conditions.”
Ahn Geungan’s gaze was fixed on Xia Lei since the time Shentu Tianyin and Xia Lei walked through the door. He only looked at Shentu Tianyin when she started speaking. He gave a flat laugh and said in stilted Chinese, “Conditions? I have stated them already. Get this thief to return the Sword of Attila. And kneel and apologise to my son.”
“Humph! Looks like you don’t want to negotiate!” Anger filled Shentu Tianyin’s face.
“Let me,” said Xia Lei. He looked at Ahn Geungan and said evenly, “Mr Ahn Geungan, you want me to kneel and apologise to your son. No problem. Where is he? Get him to come over and I will fulfil this condition of yours.”
Shentu Tianyin looked uncomprehendingly at Xia Lei. She’d thought that Xia Lei would stand firm but he had given in unexpectedly.
She didn’t understand Xia Lei’s motive. If Ahn Suhyeong showed himself, what waited for him was not an apology but an arrest!
Ahn Geungan looked at Xia Lei and laughed abruptly. “Suhyeong is busy. He’s not in China, but kneeling down to me will be the same.”
Xia Lei laughed. “You two are the same? I don’t get it - are you his father or is he your father? Is your wife his wife, or his mother?”
“b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” A s.h.i.+nkyeok Group representative burst out violently and got to his feet before Ahn Geungan reacted. He slammed a hand down on the meeting table. “You punk! You dare be disrespectful towards our president?”
Xia Lei stood immediately too and slapped the meeting table. He used one hand to hit the table too, but his. .h.i.t made the meeting table shake. The teacups on the table jumped up and several tipped over, spilling tea everywhere.
The s.h.i.+nyeok Group representative who had been trying to threaten Xia Lei was cowed.
Xia Lei spoke coldly, “Ahn Geungan, discipline your dog! Tell it not to bark or I’ll break his dog legs!”
Shentu Tianyin then saw Xia Lei’s strength, and his maleness made her heart flutter.
Ahn Geungan’s brows twitched but he was unable to contain his anger. He shouted, “Xia Lei! You stole my Sword of Attila! This matter shall not be put to rest. You think you will be unscathed? Let me tell you that I am here in China to make formal negotiations with your government, and they will be handling this!”
This was a threat but Xia Lei was not bothered by it at all. He had stolen the Sword of Attila on s.h.i.+ Boren’s orders, and the purpose in stealing that sword was to excavate the ruins to get the ancient alloy. This was China’s top secret. Ahn Geungan was going to threaten him with this? Xia Lei was not going to be bothered by him!