Chapter 18: I Don’t Believe It

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Delicate.
Supple.
Full of elasticity.
For the first time, Zheng Qian truly realized that fitness could maintain such a perfect figure.
Jin Lu had lived a disciplined life for so many years—surely not a single day passed without exercise.
The lunch just now must have been specially prepared for him; Jin Lu hadn’t touched any high-sugar or greasy foods at all.
“What’s up?” Jin Lu said as she wiped the plate with a dishcloth.
“Nothing, just wanted to hold you.” Zheng Qian buried his face in Jin Lu’s dark silk hair.
“Oh? I don’t believe you.” Jin Lu’s tone was cool, yet tinged with a subtle hint.
Previously, Jin Lu had told him that if Zheng Qian bought her the apartment in Jiangshan International, she would marry him.
That first night, Zheng Qian felt a barrier within himself.
The next evening, drunk and drained, he was powerless.
But now, Jin Lu was already the lady of this apartment, and Zheng Qian was in his prime condition. On the way back just now, he even bought protection.
Everything was ready.
“Good that you don’t believe me!” Zheng Qian’s hands began to wander.
Jin Lu quickly grabbed his hands and pinned them against the wall.
“Let me tell you, don’t get any ideas—I’ve trained in sanda.”
Though she said this, her index finger gently traced down Zheng Qian’s Adam’s apple...
At that moment, Zheng Qian’s desire was fully ignited.
They moved to the bedroom.
“Shuangshuang.”
“Hm?”
“Is this your first time?”
“Hmm...”
“Should I use one?” Zheng Qian asked politely.
“No need, I’m in a safe period.”
“If you want to, it’s okay. Your call.”
...
Zheng Qian was so exhausted he fell asleep immediately.
Jin Lu beside him was equally worn out.
He received a message from Li Tao saying he had arrived at the Moonlight Tower and asked when Zheng Qian would come over.
After reading it, Zheng Qian kissed Jin Lu’s forehead softly and slowly got out of bed.
“Are you leaving now?” Jin Lu asked weakly—he had really worn her out this afternoon.

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“I’ve arranged to meet two people to discuss some cooperation, at the Moonlight Tower.”
“Will you come back tonight?” Jin Lu hugged the blanket, looking at Zheng Qian.
“Of course.”
“Oh, alright then.”
“By the way, could you bring me a bottle of laundry detergent when you come back?”
“For what?”
“To wash the sheets!”
Zheng Qian glanced at the red stain at the foot of the bed and instantly understood.
“Okay!”
...
The Moonlight Tower was the largest, most luxurious, and highest-rated hotel in Yebe, but Zheng Qian had never been there before.
Upon arriving, he finally understood why Jin Lu had asked if he would return tonight.
Besides concern, there was another important reason.
The Moonlight Tower was just one building among many on an artificial island created in Moonlight Lake.
The island was packed with all sorts of entertainment venues—KTVs, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels—every imaginable leisure facility.
Such a place was inevitably a hub for financial transactions.
It was clearly half a Xueyue establishment!
The Moonlight Tower rose about twenty floors high; from its rooftop, one could take in the entire landscape of Yebe at a glance.
After meeting Li Tao, there were four others—two men and two women.
“Xiao Qian, let me introduce you.”
“This is Chen Weiqiang, the Mr. Chen I mentioned before, an old client of mine.”
Chen Weiqiang was not much older than thirty, dressed in a sharp blue Armani suit, energetic and vibrant, the very image of a typical elite.
Li Tao had briefly introduced Chen Weiqiang’s background last night—he held a bachelor’s degree from Imperial Capital University and went straight overseas for a master’s at an Ivy League school. Even without starting a business, such credentials would easily command a starting salary in the millions annually.
“Wei... Brother Qiang.” Zheng Qian greeted him warmly, though he felt “Brother Wei” might be too informal.
“Hello, hello, you must be Mr. Zheng? Pleased to meet you.” Chen Weiqiang was very cordial, even patting Zheng Qian on the arm.
Li Tao smiled awkwardly and continued, “This is Liu Shiqi, Ms. Liu.”
Liu Shiqi wore an elegant white gown, twenty-eight years old but looking barely twenty-three or twenty-four. Without Li Tao’s introduction the night before, Zheng Qian might have mistaken her for a fresh university graduate.
Her background was simpler—an average university degree, no postgraduate studies, she had entered finance early and was now a shareholder in three companies. She was the founder of Zhongguang Fund; Chen Weiqiang’s dock transport and trade company was just one of her investments, but she was its second-largest shareholder.
According to rumors Li Tao had heard, Liu Shiqi’s rise wasn’t solely due to her own skills; she had also leveraged her beauty to climb the ladder.
Zheng Qian found this plausible—an average graduate becoming a major shareholder and fund founder within six years seemed unlikely otherwise.
“Hello, Ms. Liu.” Zheng Qian shook hands with Liu Shiqi briefly.

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“Hi.”
Liu Shiqi seemed unimpressed by Zheng Qian and only offered a polite but frosty response.
There was another woman present, whom Li Tao did not introduce. She carried a briefcase, observing quietly, speaking little. She appeared sharp and efficient, likely the secretary to either Chen Weiqiang or Liu Shiqi.
“Mr. Chen, shall we eat while we discuss?”
Only one table was allowed per floor in the Moonlight Tower.
The five ascended to the sixteenth floor.
After sitting down, they didn’t immediately discuss business but started with dinner.
Zheng Qian couldn’t help stealing a few glances at the secretary.
She was impeccably dressed in a pristine white suit, without a wrinkle in sight.
Her features were delicate, skin fair, eyebrows like green hills, eyes clear as water, giving an impression of genuine purity and integrity.
Two bottles of Romanée-Conti were opened as they ate and talked.
It was evident that this secretary held a high status with both Chen Weiqiang and Liu Shiqi; otherwise, she wouldn’t be invited to dine at such an occasion.
“Mr. Zheng, I heard from Brother Tao that you’re interested in investing?” Chen Weiqiang, as the host, spoke first.
Zheng Qian nodded. “You don’t have to call me Mr. Zheng; Xiao Qian or Xiao Zheng is fine.”
“That won’t do. We’re discussing cooperation, it’s business. Though I’m older, we’re equals.”
“Yes, my girlfriend gave me some money to support my startup, but I’m not sure what to do yet. Brother Tao mentioned you recently founded a company, so I thought this might be a good opportunity.”
Girlfriend?
Liu Shiqi’s gaze toward Zheng Qian grew even more disdainful.
“How much capital do you have, and how much equity do you intend to acquire?”
“Thirty million yuan. How much can I get?”
Thirty million?
Everyone was surprised again.
What kind of girlfriend gives thirty million for a startup?
This wasn’t a startup; thirty million yuan was already a sign of success.
“Here’s the situation: our company operates on an A-B share structure. Ms. Liu and I are old classmates, and she trusted me enough to invest during the angel round. But the risk is high, so she holds a substantial share.”
“So, if you invest thirty million, you can get 24% equity.”
This 24% equity doesn’t confer control; it can’t compare to the shares held by Chen Weiqiang.
Under the A-B share model, Chen Weiqiang’s shares carry the most voting power.
For example, if both Zheng Qian and Chen Weiqiang hold 24% equity, their shares are equal, but Zheng Qian has only 10 votes, while Chen Weiqiang has 100 votes. This setup prevents control of the company from being overtaken by capital.
No matter how much you invest, even if Chen Weiqiang’s shares are diluted to 1%, his voting power remains greater than everyone else combined.