The four of them all looked at him.

Chen Cheng sighed. "Sigh, even smart people have blind spots."

Chen Cheng had no choice but to continue, "As soon as they come over and see the residential complex's environment and the interior, they'll know you don't live in a cheap place."

"They'll check the location on their phones, the name of the complex will pop up immediately, and then with a quick search, the property prices and rents will all be there."

"By then, your claim about being in deep debt won't hold any water."

"Instead, your younger brother and sister will think you're lying to them, and when they go back, they'll whisper in your parents' ears about how nice your place is."

"Our complex isn't exactly expensive, but it's not cheap either. To people who don't know Shanghai, it's an astronomical price."

"If your parents find out you're living in a place that costs over 70,000 yuan per square meter, just imagine?"

Zhu Zhe frowned. She had only been thinking about how to hide things from her brother and sister and had forgotten about the property prices.

"..."

"Oh, just tell us the solution."

Ye Zhenzhen pinched Chen Cheng's waist in annoyance.

She knew Chen Cheng well; he would never bring up a problem without having a solution.

Chen Cheng also hated people who brought up problems without having any ideas for a solution.

Chen Cheng glared at Ye Zhenzhen and said, "It depends on whether there's enough time."

"Sister Zhu, when are your brother and sister coming?"

"The train on Wednesday night," Zhu Zhe said after thinking for a moment.

"That's enough time," Chen Cheng nodded. "Your hotel likely has many entry-level employees living in relatively cheap tenement buildings."

"It doesn't matter if it's not a tenement building; the point is the decor needs to be run-down and the rent needs to be cheap."

"You can swap with one of them, or pay for them to stay in a hotel for two days."

"You probably have quite a few entry-level employees at your hotel. Finding someone who will do a big manager like you a favor shouldn't be hard."

Zhu Zhe thought about the feasibility of this plan and nodded in agreement.

"It's best if there are people you know around when you move in."

"That way, it can help solidify the fact that you've been living there for a long time."

Chen Cheng thought for a moment and added, "This last part isn't strictly necessary. I doubt your brother and sister are smart enough to spot the flaws anyway."

"What are you saying?" Ye Zhenzhen smacked Chen Cheng in annoyance and then looked at Zhu Zhe.

Calling someone's brother and sister not smart was basically implying that the person wasn't smart either.

Fortunately, Zhu Zhe's expression didn't change.

Zhu Zhe was clear-headed and said gratefully, "Chen Cheng, thank you. This idea is truly brilliant."

Chen Cheng spread his hands and gave Ye Zhenzhen a provocative look, as if to say, "See, she's clear-headed."

Ye Zhenzhen made an exaggerated teeth-gritting gesture and glared angrily at Chen Cheng.

"Brother Cheng, how did you come up with this idea?"

He Minhong looked like she had seen a ghost, her eyes wide open.

"Uh..." Chen Cheng held his forehead, finding it hard to answer her.

He couldn't exactly say that this was the most basic aspect of... ahem, cheating.

"Haven't you all watched spy thrillers?" Chen Cheng smiled and looked at the four of them.

"Yeah, spy thrillers often have plots where a new mole infiltrates an enemy camp. Why didn't I think about applying that to real life?" Yu Chuhui asked herself, rubbing her chin.

Chen Cheng smiled and didn't respond to Yu Chuhui. This girl was smart; it would be easier for her to learn than most people.

"Sister Zhu, ask in your employee group first."

"If that doesn't work, I'll ask my big brother for you."

Chen Cheng had been back for a few days without notifying anyone at the company, preparing to make a surprise visit at some point.

So, while he was in the country, he was currently in a state of having no one to utilize.

For this kind of thing, it was convenient to ask Old Tan. Company Name had many employees, so he could always find someone suitable.

It's not easy being a hands-off boss.

Although funds couldn't move without Chen Cheng's permission, and even if someone were pulling strings, it wouldn't cause fundamental damage, there were still too many tricks that could be played.

Falsifying invoices and using public funds for dining were just minor issues; the real fear was 'rat trading'.

Rat trading refers to stockbrokers getting inside information that a certain stock is going to rise and taking action first.

They place a limit-down price during the centralized bidding, take advantage of the market maker suppressing the price during the session, and pre-set the transaction in a second.

Then the market maker quickly pulls the stock up to a positive line and hits the daily limit.

Retail investors can't keep up at all.

Back and forth, that's a twenty percent gain.

The market maker spends money to manipulate the board but doesn't earn much; large capital inflows and outflows affect the market and require space.

The market maker ends up just carrying the sedan chair for these people.

A few years ago, rat trading was everywhere. It's better now, but still common. For money, people will always take risks.

Moreover, today's stock market is no different from a casino.

Nine out of ten gambles are rigged; one group bands together to cheat another group out of their money.

And for those in fund companies, doing this couldn't be more convenient.

Whatever the company is going to do, they buy in advance and sell in advance.

Riding the sedan chair is just too comfortable.

Even if they can buy the funds they manage, it doesn't earn as much as rat trading.

With small capital, quick in and out, just taking the elevator is fine.

They don't want to sink or swim with the company. After all, even the most powerful fund, once it reaches the twentieth floor, being able to pull out at the fifteenth or sixteenth floor is already very impressive.

At the end of the day, rat trading is still 'scavenging'; it's high risk and disliked by both the authorities and the underworld.

"Big brother? Old Tan?" Ye Zhenzhen asked.

Ye Zhenzhen had met Old Tan and Andy once in New York at a 2016 New Year's party.

"Who else could it be? He's only seven years older than me, but he acts so old-fashioned, just like a stereotypical old cadre," Chen Cheng joked with a laugh.

Zhu Zhe watched the two of them talking and didn't interrupt, busy asking on her phone.

Before long, Zhu Zhe handed her phone to Chen Cheng to ask for his opinion, "Chen Cheng, do you think these are okay?"

Chen Cheng flipped through them; the rent had indeed gone down significantly.

But they were still residential apartments, mostly small rooms, or rentals where the living room had been partitioned into rooms.

They were enough to show she wasn't making much money, but they were still a far cry from being in deep debt and living in poverty.

"It seems your hotel..." Chen Cheng was about to say 'the salaries of your hotel staff are actually quite good,' but he paused.

He had overlooked one thing: living in poor conditions is not something people are happy to tell others about.

Unless necessary, people are unwilling to puncture their own polished image.

"Forget it, I'll help you find one."

Chen Cheng smiled and handed the phone back to Zhu Zhe.

"This..." Zhu Zhe hesitated.

Ye Zhenzhen interrupted, "Sister Zhu, it's fine. Let him find it," she said with a grin at Chen Cheng, "He came up with the idea, if he doesn't solve it, who will?"

Chen Cheng rolled his eyes helplessly at this spendthrift woman and took out his phone to call Old Tan.

"Yo, why did you think of an old man like me?" As soon as the call connected, there was a bit of complaining from the other end.

"Hey, stop it. Are you free? Go fishing this afternoon?" They were old fishing buddies, otherwise they wouldn't be this close.

"If you have something to say, say it," Tan Zongming said impatiently.

It was always him calling Chen Cheng to go fishing; he had never seen him take the initiative to ask him.

As soon as Chen Cheng spoke, Tan Zongming knew this kid definitely had something up his sleeve.

"Haha, big brother knows me best."

Chen Cheng laughed loudly.

"Here's the thing, big brother. Your connections are vast. See if any boss you know has a tenement building for rent."

"The environment should basically be dirty, messy, and poor."

"A room for a woman around 30. Clear it out for me to use for two days. I'll cover the hotel costs."

"Get lost, get lost. Do you think I'm short of that little hotel fee?"

Tan Zongming scolded him impatiently.

"Alright, that's it."

Chen Cheng was very happy inside; he didn't even have to spend money.

"Oh, right, you're at home, right? I'll come over to visit your place later. I've never lived in such a big house."

Chen Cheng said with a grin, already thinking about how to sponge off Old Tan.

"Fine, come over then."

A smile appeared on Tan Zongming's face. He hadn't seen this little brother in a while and was actually looking forward to seeing him.

The two hung up the phone.

Chen Cheng said to Zhu Zhe, "Sister Zhu, send me your number. Once I've found it, I'll contact you."

"When that time comes, hurry up and set it up, bring some old clothes and such."

Before Zhu Zhe could speak, an untimely voice spoke up.

"Sister Zhu, what if, actually, your brother and sister are really here to buy a dowry, not to ask for money?"

"If you take precautions like this, aren't you wronging them?"

Chen Cheng held his forehead. What a talent. Even though things had been explained so clearly, she was still acting as a moral judge.

"I am..." Before Zhu Zhe could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Chen Cheng, "Anyway, you guys chat. I'm going upstairs to change."

With that, Chen Cheng stood up, smiled at them, and left.