The Birth of Shanghai's First Conglomerate

Time flies, and three years in Shenzhen have passed especially quickly.

On his way home from school, Chen Lu followed in Su Xiaoxi's footsteps.

The two stood one after the other facing the setting sun, their shadows stretching quite long.

During these three years, Chen Lu was not timid; he would stand bravely in front of Su Xiaoxi like a tough guy.

He took on all the ridicule and sarcasm for her, and he also took on all the grievances for her.

Three years of ordinary life gradually allowed him to integrate into the mundane and return to the ordinary.

He seemed to have forgotten that he was born into a wealthy family, and he even fantasized that if he hadn't come from a wealthy family, would his mother have so strongly opposed him being friends with Su Xiaoxi?
Junior high school is the beginning of puberty and also the budding stage of romantic relationships.

Just like when he was a child, Chen Lu only wanted to play with Su Xiaoxi.

Su Xiaoxi, who was walking in front, was no longer as confident as she was when she was a child, but she was also no longer as indifferent.

Just as even her mother couldn't persuade her to give up a share for Chen Lu.

She has her own principles and convictions.

Chen Lu has already given enough.

If she were to rely on giving him points to help him save up for a big villa for his family, she might just do what she did before.

She tucked her neck tightly into her sleeves, not daring to speak to him, much less to act like this with him again.

A simple stroll under the setting sun.

"Xiao Xi, wait for me."

"What are you waiting for me for?"

"Of course you'll wait for me to go home together!"

"You've been saying that for three years now, can't you run a little faster?"

"I'm afraid you'll fall if you run too fast!"

"Tch... You're running fast, why are you worried about me tripping!"

"If I go fast, you have to go fast too. Of course I'm afraid you'll fall!"

Upon hearing this, Su Xiaoxi, who was ahead, actually slowed down, so slow that she seemed out of place in this fast-paced city.

When they got home, Chen Lu would say goodbye to her and watch her go inside before he went back home himself.

The house was still the same small house as before, but this time Su's mother rented it herself.

She no longer engages in reckless activities, but instead focuses on living a quiet life with her daughter.

After cooking two simple home-style dishes, Su's mother didn't forget to remind her daughter.

“Xiao Xi, we don’t have much money left at home. If you keep going like this, we’ll be eating dirt next month.”

"Mom...didn't Chen Lu's father just give you five million a few years ago?"

“My dear daughter, do you think five million is a lot? What kind of place do we live in? You have to go to school, and Mom has to take care of you wholeheartedly, and also buy you pretty clothes. Do you think these things don’t cost money?”

"No matter how much it costs, it can't be five million in three years, right?"

Su Xiaoxi was almost in tears. The little bit of equality she had just mentioned had been shattered by her mother.

"Mom, I'm begging you, we're not like we used to be. Can you please be a little more frugal? I don't need any new clothes, and I certainly don't need any cosmetics!"

Is saving money useful?

Su's mother frowned and said, "You don't even know what kind of family Chen Lu comes from. This July, his older sister Chen An'an graduated from university and invited all the senior students to go on a three-month global cruise. This trip alone will cost at least two or three hundred million yuan, and they'll be traveling on their own world-class cruise ship, which cost more than 40 billion yuan to build."

"Xiao Xi, don't you ever watch the news?"

"Chen Lu's second sister, Chen Xinyi, who is only a senior in high school, has officially inherited the only seven-star tourist hotel in Shanghai, Liangshan, which her family invested more than 40 billion yuan in.

"Do you think that just because Chen Lu has lived next door to you for three years, you can fool yourself into thinking he's from an ordinary family?"

"Never. Stop deceiving yourself. If I don't spend money on you, what will you do to change your fate and marry into a wealthy family if Chen Lu stops liking you?"

Su Xiaoxi felt suffocated; she was suffocating her own mother, a feeling that had remained unchanged all these years.

Of course, everyone else in the world can blame her mother, but she cannot.

No matter what, her mother had given everything for her.

Perhaps knowing her daughter's temperament, Su's mother spoke softly again: "Xiao Xi, it's not that I'm forcing you, but I hope you can recognize yourself and stop deceiving yourself. Chen Lu's two older sisters, Chen An'an, who graduated from university, is a national princess that everyone wants to marry, and she is also the beautiful CEO of countless companies. His second sister is also the most famous princess in Shanghai. Her reputation is universal. She already has a net worth of hundreds of billions at a young age. Chen Lu has lived an ordinary life for three years because of you, but he has also been restricted by his family."

"Didn't you notice?"
"His two older sisters, when they were his age, could easily spend billions of their family's money. Their parents were very willing to spend money to raise them from a young age. You and I have both lived in Shanghai!"

"Can you really forget how his two older sisters have lived all this time?"

What can you do if you can't forget?
Su Xiaoxi stubbornly thought to herself that even if she were still in her old family, she was still not good enough for Chen Lu.

Now, she is very content.

Su Xiaoxi thought aggrievedly.

The next day, when the two went to school together again, a boy in the class who wasn't doing very well academically actually stood up and confessed his feelings to Su Xiaoxi.

This made her feel awkward and even more angry.

As expected, Chen Lu stood in front of Su Xiaoxi, while the boy in front of him said disdainfully to Chen Lu:

"Get out of the way, you lapdog."

"You don't deserve to stay with Su Xiaoxi forever."

As expected, the two started fighting. Chen Lu lost this time because the boy had been practicing Taekwondo since he was a child.

It's true that her family is wealthy, and it's also true that she looks down on Chen Lu.

Su Xiaoxi saw that Chen Lu was at a disadvantage and was being beaten down.

Without hesitation, he picked up a brick from the ground and smashed it onto the boy's body.

"It's bleeding, it's bleeding."

After he made a big fuss and shouted twice, the school security guards and teachers all came over.

Meanwhile, Chen Lu, after standing up, immediately wanted to call his father, because Su Xiaoxi had indeed seriously injured the person this time.

Two people walking in the sunset got into trouble.

After receiving the call, Chen Pingsheng was unusually silent for a while before saying, "Isn't this the ordinary life you've always wanted to experience? Your mother hopes you can go back. As long as you go back, everything will be fine."

Chen Lu didn't want to go back; he wanted to face it together with Su Xiaoxi.

Sure enough, the boy's father was no ordinary person. He wanted Su Xiaoxi to be expelled from school and also wanted her to pay off all of her family's assets.

Even if Su's mother knelt down and apologized, it was no use.

Ordinary people have always been so weak and powerless in the face of such things.

The school probably values ​​Su Xiaoxi's grades, so naturally they were reluctant to expel her.

But it's true that her parents are rich and powerful. In the end, Su Xiaoxi's family had to take out their last 800,000 yuan to finally settle the matter completely.

Su Xiaoxi felt very guilty, but her mother smiled and didn't blame her, saying it was a great thing.

Perhaps knowing her mother's thoughts, Su Xiaoxi locked herself in her room and didn't come out for a long time.

She lay on her desk, tilting her head to watch the sunset.

Social standing... the gap between social classes is as vast as a chasm.

It is elusive, and no matter how hard you run, you can never truly get close to it.

Even if he were right in front of me, it would be the same.

Su Xiaoxi shed tears. From the second day onwards, she became indifferent again and was no longer enthusiastic towards Chen Lu.

She stopped going to and from school with him and the two seemed to have become the most familiar strangers.

This caught Chen Lu off guard, and he had no idea why.

He wanted to tell Su Xiaoxi if he had been very lewd yesterday, like Sylvester Stallone in a movie. But Su Xiaoxi ignored him.

He ran fast, and she ran fast too.

He ran slowly, and she ran slowly too.

The two were like parallel lines, seemingly close, yet never truly touching.

And all of this was witnessed by another girl.

Her name is Shen Xi.

If there really are perfect girls in this world, then she's probably one of them.

His arrival at the school caused a sensation and shock among countless male students.

Just like her family background and appearance, she was impeccable. This perfect girl was the first to call out to Chen Lu, who was running ahead.

"Chen Lu".

Countless people turned to look at her in surprise, but Chen Lu herself remained indifferent and calm.

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to talk to you!"

"What could we possibly have to talk about?"

"Isn't there anything we can talk about? Like this Su Xiaoxi you've been pursuing."

Shen Xi laughed and said, "It seems you still don't understand girls' minds. The more you chase after her at this time, the faster she will run away."

Chen Lu stopped in his tracks. "Then what do you suggest I do?"

"Of course, it's good to relax a little."

Shen Xi smiled and said, "Actually, you don't need to be so persistent. You should know why I transferred to this school."

"I probably know a little bit."

"Yes, you probably know a little bit about it."

Shen Xi is as her name suggests: gentle, kind, and very perceptive. A girl like her is the kind of girl that only comes from wealthy families who have raised her from a young age.

"One day I was happily playing the piano at home when your mother suddenly came to my house and pointed at me, asking, 'What is this little girl's name?'"
I told her with a big smile that my name is Shen Xi, Shen is the Shen in Shenyang, and Xi is the Xi in Chenxi (dawn).

"I thought your mom was a big guest at my house too. I never expected that her arrival would make me leave my international school where I had countless friends and besties, and come to this ordinary junior high school where I don't know anyone. Do you know why?"

"why?"

"Because no one can refuse your mother!"

Shen Xi seemed to be talking about a trivial matter, "You may not know how unwilling I was at the time, but there was nothing I could do. My parents didn't dare to refuse your mother, just like in my family, no one dared to say no to your mother. That's how I became your classmate."

"What I didn't expect was that you have such a strong mother and two such capable older sisters, yet you are as weak as a pitiful worm, and even more like a simp, chasing after a girl who is not good enough for you every day."

"Chen Lu, I really look down on you, and I can understand why your mother is so disappointed!"

It's probably the words that have been on my mind all along.

Shen Xi smiled sincerely from the bottom of her heart; probably no one could understand someone like her.

She is clearly from a wealthy family.

But because of a single sentence from the other party, she left her most familiar and favorite environment and came to this unfamiliar place that she somewhat disliked.

In her old place, she had a group of true friends. They looked forward to a bright future together and made a promise to each other to study abroad when they grew up.

Then all of this was ruthlessly shattered by a wealthy lady who came to the door.

Her family didn't even ask for her opinion; they just informed her.

You've changed schools, and you're no longer allowed to study abroad.

Everything will be tied to that classmate named Chen Lu.

Before she came, she was both curious about and disliked Chen Lu.

But she couldn't refuse, just as no one in her family would ever ask for her opinion.

But after she met Chen Lu here, she realized how ridiculous it all was.

Such a powerful noblewoman, someone who could easily change her life completely with just one sentence.

Unbelievable! I can't even control my own son!

And he was even asked to pursue someone so ordinary who was not worthy of marrying into a wealthy family.

What is going on?
What's even more ridiculous is that her life is actually tied to such a person!

The ultimate expression of financial freedom is daring to say no to everyone.

Without a doubt, their family is far from reaching that level.

What's even more obvious is that their family couldn't utter a single objection in front of Chen Lu's mother.

This is what it means to be rich beyond measure.

If someone is as wealthy as Chen Lu's parents, they probably have no money left!
She was nothing more than a somewhat disappointed, somewhat powerless heiress.

The person she envied most was not anyone else, but Chen Lu's second older sister, Chen Xinyi.

That's a legendary tale of a wealthy family.

At just five years old, she dared to flaunt her family's money everywhere, even displaying her title as Shanghai's No. 1 Little Princess on the Huangpu River.

The rest of the journey was even more exaggerated, and he was completely unrestrained.

He was able to take over a billion yuan from his family every year from junior high school and make his fortune in the stock market.

In high school, they dared to spend billions on Wall Street to buy, buy, buy, and sell, buy, buy.

Now they've even acquired a whole bunch of well-known domestic luxury brands.

She'd sell you a pair of shoes that look like a jumbled mess for 1.08 million.

The reason is that she designed it herself.

Even so, it still attracted countless heiresses to compete for it.

This is truly the number one second princess of a wealthy family who can control and manage her own life.

Free-spirited and unconventional are all labels attached to her.

Such an outrageous second princess is actually the older sister of this sycophant in front of me.

No wonder she was so surprised; the contrast was just too great!
In this family, the only son actually became a devoted admirer for three years because of an ordinary girl.

I was more willing to spend three ordinary years in this place.

This made Shen Xi both envious of Su Xiaoxi and even more absurd.

It was even the kind of absurd thing that I wouldn't even dare to dream about at night.

Such an absurd thing happened right in front of her, but unfortunately she couldn't tell anyone.

That family's affairs are none of their business unless they themselves agree.

Otherwise, not a single journalist, including an internet news media outlet, would dare to disseminate such information without authorization.

I wouldn't dare at all.

Their family is just that extravagant!
This only child in an exaggerated family, who is not a womanizer and doesn't waste money, is willing to do anything for an ordinary girl.

I spent three years as an ordinary junior high school student.

Is he really trying to anger his own mother to death?
How could a wealthy family accept such an ordinary girl with a questionable background?

(End of this chapter)