"Ah, you've discovered it. I won't hide it from you anymore; the teahouse in South City actually belongs to Mr. Fu, and I am his subordinate." Uncle Yi didn't beat around the bush and directly revealed his background.
Zhang Liunian was somewhat surprised to hear that he was Mr. Fu's man. After all, he had met Uncle Yi in South City and never expected his master to be from Hong Kong City.
That's not right. Before the reform and opening up, Hong Kong City had no interest in the mainland. And the teahouse had been around for quite some time.
So, the question arises: why would Mr. Fu set up a teahouse in the mainland and investigate everyone's situation? What exactly was he trying to do?
"You must be curious why Mr. Fu would set up a teahouse in South City, right? Actually, he has teahouses not only in South City but in every province and city across the country. The purpose is to find commercial talent for him."
Uncle Yi, not waiting for Zhang Liunian to ask, slowly explained the significance of the teahouses.
Zhang Liunian was even more bewildered. Commercial talent? Wasn't Mr. Fu already very successful? Why would he set up teahouses all over the country to find commercial talent? To be his right-hand man? He wouldn't need so many people!
"What does he want commercial talent for?" Zhang Liunian directly asked, unable to understand.
Uncle Yi didn't hide anything from him. Looking at Zhang Liunian with a peculiar expression, he said, "Mr. Fu has no children. His vast family business needs an heir. Therefore, he wants to recruit commercial geniuses from all over the country and select one person to be his successor. You are one of them."
"..."
Zhang Liunian was stunned. So, he had already been registered with Mr. Fu?
However, why had he never heard of this in his past life? Zhang Liunian fell into deep thought.
"I am the person he sent to assist you." Seeing Zhang Liunian remain silent, Uncle Yi stated his origin and purpose.
Zhang Liunian came back to his senses and looked at Mr. Fu intently, asking, "So, are you Mr. Fu's man or my man?"
So, Uncle Yi was sent by Mr. Fu to be by his side, with the sole purpose of helping him expand his business empire, right?
"Of course, I'm your man. Because whether you become the successor or not, I can't return to Mr. Fu's side. When he sent me to you, he said that from then on, I would be your person. Otherwise, I wouldn't have immediately sought out Mr. Fu to bring Qingqing and her two children out." Uncle Yi spoke with apparent sincerity, looking like he was afraid Zhang Liunian wouldn't believe him.
Zhang Liunian certainly couldn't believe everything he said immediately. After all, his coming to his side had been a calculated move. It would take some time to gain his complete trust.
"But I have no intention of becoming his successor. You should go back!"
Zhang Liunian felt no need to get involved in this matter. If he wanted wealth, he would strive for it himself; he didn't need to inherit it from someone else.
"Don't rush to make a decision. Listen to Mr. Fu's story first, and then decide. But no matter what you decide, I am your person and cannot go back. I hope you understand this. If you truly don't want me, then I can only leave and find another job."
Uncle Yi felt very distressed upon hearing Zhang Liunian ask him to leave. He was sincere towards Zhang Liunian. Mr. Fu had also said back then that their mission was to assist these candidates, and regardless of whether they were selected, they could not return. If Zhang Liunian truly no longer wanted him, then he would have to find a new place, as returning was impossible.
Zhang Liunian remained silent upon hearing this, wondering in his heart whether these words were true or false.
Uncle Yi knew that Zhang Liunian wouldn't easily believe his words, as he had deceived him before and hadn't revealed everything. However, there were some things he had to say, such as Mr. Fu's assets. So, he continued, "Mr. Fu is the pillar of Hong Kong City. His wealth dares to claim the second position in the entire country, with no one daring to claim the first. The entire Hong Kong City follows his lead; a single move from him could cause the mountains and rivers of Hong Kong City to collapse. According to reliable estimates, Mr. Fu's personal assets have reached hundreds of billions. Do you know what this number represents at this time? It means that his personal wealth alone is enough to support the normal operation of a small country for several years. Tell me, who wouldn't want to be his heir? Except for you, all other contestants were extremely excited when they learned they were candidates to become Mr. Fu's successor. This is because they are well aware that as long as they inherit Mr. Fu's fortune, they will become the top chaebol in the country, reaching the pinnacle of life. Their wealth would be so immense that they wouldn't be able to spend it in tens of lifetimes."
If Mr. Fu hadn't looked down on him, Uncle Yi would have wanted to compete, but Mr. Fu only selected young people under thirty years old. This was because he wanted younger bloodlines to inherit his wealth, and they had to be his compatriots; foreigners were never within his consideration.
Zhang Liunian was shocked after listening. Hundreds of billions at this time were truly enough to rival a nation. No wonder Uncle Yi spoke like that. However, he remembered that it was only 1982. How did Mr. Fu earn such a vast fortune? Was he operating legitimately in commerce? How many years would it take to earn hundreds of billions? Therefore, he guessed that Mr. Fu must have been involved in illicit industries, though that was normal in a place like Hong Kong City. The order there was already chaotic, and many people had become wealthy through such illicit industries.
But what did this have to do with him? It was just hundreds of billions. In his previous life, his net worth had also approached this figure, but he had never revealed it. Therefore, hearing Uncle Yi say that Mr. Fu had hundreds of billions waiting to be given away, and that he might receive this large portion, he was not tempted. Having a second chance, reaching hundreds of billions through his own efforts was only a matter of time. Why should he accept someone else's things? Although he didn't know why Mr. Fu was doing this, he still refused.
"So what? Mr. Fu's wealth has nothing to do with me. I prefer the money I earn myself; it's more interesting to spend that way." Zhang Liunian calmly refused, stating his preference to rely on himself.
Uncle Yi's mouth gaped open in astonishment at his answer, remaining open for a long time. Was this still a normal person? He had explained it so clearly. Mr. Fu had hundreds of billions. Hundreds of billions! This was an astronomical figure, a colossal fortune that ninety percent of people would never have the chance to witness. Yet, Zhang Liunian had the opportunity to obtain it but was not tempted at all and even refused the nomination. This was impossible. Anyone who heard they could inherit billions in assets would be ecstatic! Zhang Liunian, however, merely showed surprise and then firmly refused. This was too unbelievable.
"Do you know what you're saying? That's hundreds of billions! As long as you meet Mr. Fu's requirements, you can get this money. This is a shortcut to heaven!" Uncle Yi looked at Zhang Liunian in disbelief, trying to hear words of agreement from him.