"Big Brother, you're asking whether you should dump the real estate business immediately, right?"

Tan Zongming nodded noncommittally.

If they didn't dump the real estate business, the group's capital chain would be stretched thin after acquiring Red Star.

In fact, everyone knows that the real estate industry is on the decline, but many people act as if they've been wound up and can't stop.

They always think they are the ones who can survive until the very end.

Fortunately, the real estate business isn't a large part of Company Name's entire group portfolio, so there's still a chance to pull out.

"Of all the people I know, you have the best grasp of timing. I want to hear your opinion."

Chen Cheng smiled. I have a good grasp of timing because I have the script.

"Big Brother, if you trust me, liquidate the real estate business as quickly as possible."

The decline is right before our eyes; if you don't cut off your arm to save your life, you'll just be dragged to death by real estate.

"Also, Big Brother, you should dump those real estate bonds as soon as possible."

"Hmm?" Tan Zongming asked. In the past few years, real estate bond interest rates were very high, with an annualized rate of 15-16% being common; there was simply no better deal than that.

"High interest rates don't matter if you can't get the principal back, Big Brother," Chen Cheng said with a smile.

"Have you heard any rumors?" Tan Zongming frowned.

"The quarterly report from Taiheng Group has a significant discrepancy with my calculations," Chen Cheng bluffed. He hadn't calculated it at all, but he knew.

"You mean..."

Chen Cheng shook his head to cut off Tan Zongming.

"I understand. You know, I know." Tan Zongming smiled.

He absolutely trusted Chen Cheng when it came to information.

This was an experience verified countless times.

"Oh, it's here, it's here," Chen Cheng said, watching the bobber start to move. The corners of his mouth turned up as he quickly grabbed the rod and held the line.

The two had been sitting there for nearly an hour, and this was the only one that had taken the bait.

"How come this kid has caught a fish again?" Tan Zongming said, huffing.

Every time they went fishing, this guy would catch a fish first; anyone would be annoyed by that.

"Yo, it's quite strong," Chen Cheng said, his mouth twisted into a grin.

He gripped the rod, wrestling with the fish, reeling in the line with tension and release. When he pulled it up and looked, Chen Cheng was confused.

"Why is there a topmouth culter in this lake?"

"...I raised it." Tan Zongming said, embarrassed but still smiling.

"..."

Big Brother is still Big Brother, raising topmouth culter in the viewing lake.

He had been hoping to pull up a koi.

Chen Cheng unhooked the fish, estimated it to be less than two pounds, and threw it back into the lake. "Go down and grow some more. When I move in, I'll catch all of you and eat you."

Tan Zongming: ...He hasn't even moved in yet and he's already eyeing the fish in the lake.

"Those are the fish I raised!" he said, annoyed.

"Big Brother, don't be so stingy." Chen Cheng added some bait to the hook, cast it out, and replied with a smile.

Tan Zongming naturally didn't really care about the fish in the lake. Watching Chen Cheng sit back down, he asked with a smile, "That Zhencheng Capital in Global Tower is yours, right?"

"Yes," Chen Cheng nodded slightly.

Those who knew him, if they had the means to access such information, could easily guess it.

"Do you have any plans to raise funds?" Tan Zongming asked.

"Yes, and I'm already designing the products." Chen Cheng asked with a smile, "Big Brother, are you interested?"

"Of course." Tan Zongming smiled. "I won't hide it from you. Ever since I connected Company Name with you, I've wanted to ask you about it."

"However, you know that running an industrial business is hard, and I'm not exactly flush with cash, so I haven't asked you. But now the opportunity has arrived."

Chen Cheng naturally knew that Old Tan wanted to invest some of the money here after liquidating the bonds.

He was certainly happy that Big Brother was sending money, but some things had to be said in advance; even brothers need to keep clear accounts.

"Big Brother, my commission rate will be very high."

"Oh? How high?"

"50%!" Chen Cheng gestured with his left hand.

50%? Although he had anticipated it, Old Tan still looked at Chen Cheng in surprise. "This is Company Name's first fundraising, right? Such a high rate will scare off a lot of people."

"First?" Chen Cheng shook his head. "Big Brother, before I came back, Company Name had already raised 3 billion overseas."

"us dollars?"

"us dollars!"

"Hiss~" Even Tan Zongming couldn't help but feel a storm in his heart, sucking in a cold breath. 3 billion us dollars was over 20 billion yuan.

It seems he had underestimated this little brother of his.

"You guys in finance really have a lot of money," Tan Zongming couldn't help but sigh.

Chen Cheng smiled. "Big Brother, it's just a difference in industries."

"Did you raise those 3 billion smoothly?" Tan Zongming asked.

"Very smoothly. It all arrived in less than 24 hours," Chen Cheng said, sipping watermelon juice with an air of indifference.

As if it were a trivial matter.

Hearing this, Tan Zongming made up his mind. "Alright, I will find a way to convince the board of directors."

Tan Zongming was the CEO of Company Name, but there was still a board of directors above him; he couldn't make such a big decision on his own.

"However, this commission rate of yours will probably be very difficult in China..." Tan Zongming couldn't help but remind him.

In the market, a 20% commission and 2% management fee is the benchmark.

But it's so competitive; funds that don't charge management fees and only take a ten-something percent commission are everywhere. It's almost impossible to see commissions over 20%, let alone Chen Cheng asking for 50% right off the bat. It would indeed scare many people off.

Chen Cheng's thinking was also very simple: clients screen service providers, but Chen Cheng was also screening clients.

Chen Cheng waved his hand with a smile. "Big Brother, it's not that I must raise funds; it's just that many people want to put their money with me, and since the timing is right, I'm just going with the flow."

"In fact, I don't want to turn Company Name into a real private equity firm, but a family fund. If I take other people's money, earning a little less is one thing. If I lose it, I'm afraid I'll get hacked. If I can't raise it, I'll actually feel more at ease."

There was no shortage of people eyeing the skyrocketing scale of Company Name, wanting to stuff their funds into it, but they were all rejected.

The reason for fundraising was just to prepare for next year. If it didn't work out, so be it; it was just a matter of doing it or not, earning more or less. With his current net worth, earning more or less wouldn't affect his life.

After finishing the business matters, Chen Cheng started chatting about private matters.

"Hey, Big Brother, how are things with you and Andy?"

Tan Zongming liked Andy; even a dog could see it, but Andy couldn't.

Uh, she was indeed slow on the uptake.

"Don't gossip about me and Andy. We are just friends." Tan Zongming immediately denied it.

Chen Cheng couldn't help but advise: "Big Brother, what exactly are you worried about? Are you afraid that after being honest, you won't even be able to be friends?"

"If that's the case, then keep your mouth shut. Love, or just doing it, is more direct."

"Or do you think that Andy, with her strong-willed personality, would find it difficult to properly handle family relationships?"

Since he stopped having designs on Andy and became friends with her, he really hoped Old Tan and Andy could be together.

After all, he didn't like Mr. Wei, nor did he like Bao Yifan.

Old Tan clearly had feelings for Andy, but insisted on calling it friendship.

He was afraid of Andy's family medical history, and also afraid that Andy's personality wouldn't be able to handle his complex family relationships.

In the end, he was just too rational; love wasn't a mandatory option for him.

At times like this, someone had to give him a push.

Tan Zongming didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Xiao Cheng, it's really not what you think between me and Andy."

"..."

Since Old Tan said so, Chen Cheng naturally couldn't say anything more.

Everyone has their own destiny.