The Birth of Shanghai's First Conglomerate

Time flies, and a week has passed since Chen Pingsheng started working at the new company.

Sun Jiahui was very nice to him because her grandfather had personally introduced him to him; she had previously thought he might be some kind of retired bigwig.

After spending some time with him, I realized he was just an ordinary retired old man, the only redeeming quality of which was that he rarely spoke.

Chen Pingsheng was just there to be a driver; what could he say? Sun Jiahui mainly earned her money by taking on government projects.

Such projects don't require many skills; all you need to do is build up your network of contacts.

His work schedule is quite leisurely, just like before, with very short working hours.

He would often take Sun Jiahui to parties, and then he would go and freeload off her.

He would occasionally bring Xiao Jiye over to play, but by sheer coincidence, he ran into Song Yaoyao, who had just been promoted to a full-time position, in the same building.

This girl works for a small family company, earning a monthly salary ranging from seven thousand to ten thousand.

Such an income level is considered very low in Shenzhen.

This is the treatment most recent graduates receive after being officially hired.

Song Yaoyao still remembered that she had given him a dress and kept thinking about sending him an IOU.

The two bumped into each other in the elevator, but didn't greet each other inside. They waited until lunchtime after getting off the elevator.

Song Yaoyao then texted him to invite him to dinner at a small restaurant downstairs.

"Uncle, so you work here too?"

"Yes, I haven't been here long. My boss is a beautiful female CEO."

"Oh, so that's how it is."

Song Yaoyao gave him a knowing look and said, "Uncle, you're not being serious about your job, but your tactics are pretty good."

"It's alright, it's just something to pass the time in my boring retirement."

Chen Pingsheng asked her, "How have you been lately? Have you made any new goals?"

"No, how can I find a good target so quickly? And even if I did find a target, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to achieve it with my current skill level."

"How come you're so self-aware now?"

"There's nothing I can do. I've been in this industry for half a year now, and I haven't earned a single penny. In fact, I've lost tens of thousands of yuan."

After saying that, he laughed and cried at the same time.

The senior who introduced her to the industry has now completely given up on her.

Song Yaoyao said, "I attended a high-level game a couple of days ago and met Chang Dalin. You should know him, Uncle!"

Of course he knew; wasn't this Changfu's son?

What happened to Chang Dalin?

“My senior has always wanted to win him over. This guy surnamed Chang is no good either. A couple of days ago, he took my senior to a yacht party at sea, and when she came back, she said that the party was really weird.”

Song Yaoyao said, "The four men invited nine women up, which was really crazy."

"Your senior is going too?"

"She didn't know before she went. It was only after she got there that she was charged 200,000 for taking off a single piece of clothing. If she didn't wear it for a day, she would be charged 500,000. The senior wanted to make money, so she stopped talking much when she came back."

Chang Dalin, that kid, really inherited Chang Fu's womanizing ways.

Yang Qian has been living in Hong Kong Island and overseas for many years, and she rarely takes care of her only child.

It's too late to do anything about it now; they're already too big for that.

Whether it's the official socialite circle or these pseudo-socialite circles, they all have their own sources of information.

Everyone shares information.

"You're not thinking of doing something like that too, are you?"

"Of course not. I just want to marry a rich man. I don't care what he does after we get married, as long as I can be a rich wife and that can cure my parents' illness."

How much will your parents' illness cost?

"More than a million!"

The two chatted for a while, and Chen Pingsheng also heard a lot of information about rich second-generation from Song Yaoyao.

People like Chang Dalin are already considered top-tier second-generation rich kids.

The father is worth billions, and the mother is even more, making them many levels above Peng Zewen in terms of wealth.

However, such a top-tier second-generation heir would never settle down for any one woman.

Most of the time he spends money chasing women, and then they're gone after a while.

Song Yaoyao never put her heart into that kind of person; she was just looking for an ordinary rich man.

I don't need someone from a very wealthy family.

My senior went on a two-day, one-night trip to the sea. Although it was a bit crazy, she earned almost a million.

That's already a very high income.

To Chen Pingsheng's surprise, he also heard news about Chen Lu from Song Yaoyao.

Actually, the information came from Chang Dalin, and the gist of it was that Chen Lu was going to attend a top-notch party at sea in a few days.

The superyacht used to host the event was Chen Lu's own superyacht, worth over three billion yuan.

This is the highest level of status among the second generation of wealthy families; countless socialites would love to attend this grand maritime event.

Many beautiful women are already trying every possible way to get their tickets.

An An used to often take her own superyacht to play on the sea, but the people she invited were either classmates or her close girlfriends.

Instead of being such a mess now.

Chen Lu hasn't been married long, and Su Xiaoxi is pregnant. If he hangs out with Chang Dalin often, he'll inevitably be influenced by him.

Men, those who know, know.

Even the best love is only possible before you get it. Once you get it, you'll inevitably set your sights on other women.

Especially when there are many choices.

It seems he'll have to go too. Although his son's easygoing personality is a bit frustrating, he's always been a worry-free person since he was little.

You absolutely must not do such a thing when your wife is pregnant.

Chen Pingsheng called Chang Fu and told him to keep a close eye on his son and stop him from calling Chen Lu to organize these so-called Hainan Rendez-Vous events all the time.

Chang Fu found it strange, since Old Chen had rarely cared about such things since he retired.

Why did he call me personally today and even scold his son?

Keeping Chang Dalin away from Chen Lu is already a very strict reprimand.

This is a blatant way of saying that his son's character is bad.

The influence of parents on their children is ultimately too great. If Chang Fu hadn't been so frivolous, Chang Dalin probably wouldn't be the way he is now.

He's playing even more elaborate tricks than Principal Wang did back then.

Chang Fu and Yang Qian's combined wealth is definitely in the tens of billions.

Chang Dalin had no intention of inheriting the family business; he wanted to be a playboy for life.

In contrast, Gao Hu's son, Gao Feng, who is not as wealthy, is clearly in a much better position.

He was able to get better mainly because he had an extremely responsible biological mother, Xiao Chunchun.

Xiao Chun has raised Gao Feng very well. A biological mother who has been responsible and dutiful in raising her child all the way is truly exceptional.

If someone does things like Chang Fu, it's unlikely their family fortune will last three generations.

If the second generation is already ruined, let alone the third generation.

Chang Fu immediately went to find Chen Pingsheng and also invited Gao Hu to join them; the four brothers from back then.

The children are all grown up now, and due to the influence of their different parents, the outcomes are vastly different. Zhang Tao's two sons, Zhang Tai and Zhang Hu, were both raised by their grandparents.

Some of them don't quite understand the rules; they used to like fighting at school.

Needless to say, it has never been changed.

Chen Pingsheng gave Zhang Tao's two children special treatment, compensating their family with at least 200 million yuan every year.

This ensures that Zhang Tao's two children can continue to enjoy the life of the wealthiest second generation.

To this day, this subsidy has never stopped.

In fact, the three brothers still believe that Zhang Tao left too early, which is probably a result of not experiencing too many setbacks in his previous life.

Even as the three brothers grow old, they still often sit together, have a few drinks, and enjoy some roadside barbecue.

There's a barbecue restaurant here that's really good and hygienic. It's usually packed after work.

Chang Fu now weighs over 200 jin (100 kg), and Gao Hu isn't much better off; both have a plump appearance.

The three brothers found a small table outside and ordered some oysters, lamb skewers, and six bottles of Budweiser beer.

The urban villages are bustling with people coming and going.

"Old Chen, what did you mean by saying that today? What's wrong with my Dalin again?"

"What's wrong with him? Didn't you even ask him? He's always going out to have two-day, one-night parties at sea. Do you really not plan for him to marry a good wife in the future?"

The wealthy are always very well-informed. Take the Wang family, for example. Their son always liked to hang out with internet celebrities. In the end, do you think any other rich family would be willing to marry into their family?

Chang Fu was also troubled. "I've told this kid off several times, but it's no use. Even though I cut off his bank card and Yang Qian is spending money on him, you know, we're completely living separate lives now."

"You're a typical example of a bad father; your only child has also gone astray."

"Why don't you follow Chen Lu's example, find a wife and get married early, and raise a third generation?"

"Forget it, you don't have the mind to spend time on the third generation anymore. Yang Qian is about to retire, I think you should find a wife for Da Lin. Even if you don't get married, you should still have a child soon."

Changfu's biggest problem is that he only has one son, and as an only child, he is too spoiled by his parents.

Chen Pingsheng also asked Chang Fu if he knew that Chen Lu was going to sea to play a few days later.

Chang Fu was quite clear about this; it was originally initiated by his son, Chang Dalin, but Chen Lu provided the superyacht.

He's the only one in the family who owns one of these things.

An An owns four top-of-the-line private jets, six helicopters, and a world-class oil tanker worth over 40 billion yuan, both domestically and internationally.

Erpiya owns the seven-star Liangshan Hotel, with an investment of nearly 50 billion yuan, and six superyachts.

Compared to his two older sisters, Chen Lu is quite low-key.

If Chang Dalin really wants to hold a high-level gathering, he'll have to borrow a superyacht from Chen Lu.

The living expenses that Chang Fu and Yang Qian gave him, all in all, amounted to only 30 to 50 million yuan a year.

Perhaps worried that his son might do something bad during Su Xiaoxi's pregnancy, Chen Pingsheng also went.

Chen Lu definitely had no intention of looking for women, but Chang Dalin was just too improper.

They invited several minor celebrities and beautiful internet influencers, and even Song Yaoyao, their senior, was invited onto the superyacht.

When it comes to crossing the line, there's only the option of zero times or countless times.

The difference becomes apparent when celebrities and internet celebrities stand together.

Celebrities generally wear a natural, high-end makeup look, while internet celebrities wear an excessively thick layer of powder on their faces.

When Chen Pingsheng boarded the superyacht, it startled Chang Dalin. The man was as docile as a mouse before a cat when he saw Chen Pingsheng.

"Uncle Chen, what brings you here?"

"If I don't come, do you still want to drag Chen Lu into a striptease game?"

"This..." Chang Dalin was extremely embarrassed. "Uncle Chen, I would never dare to have such a thought."

“You’d better not have any. If I find out that Chen Lu is playing those games with you, you won’t get a single penny from your parents for five years.”

Chen Lu's trip to sea was purely for fishing, but unfortunately, that plan couldn't be realized.

Chen Pingsheng took him directly away from the sea by helicopter and flew to the rooftop helipad of his own company.

"Dad... why are you treating me like a child? It's making me lose face!"

"You're still talking to me about saving face? Don't you know your wife is pregnant at home? What kind of person is Chang Dalin? When you go out with him like this, have you thought about how Su Xiaoxi feels?"

"Was it Xiao Xi who called you?"

"No, she doesn't like to tattle as much as you think."

Chen Pingsheng said, "Chen Lu, I'm warning you again: be careful in making friends. Given Chang Dalin's current behavior, you'd better not have too much contact with him; it won't do you any good."

Unlike the brotherhood he built with Chang Fu and Gao Hu since childhood, Chen Lu and Chang Dalin's frequent interactions inevitably affected them.

Pregnancy is the most difficult time for a wife, and if she cheats on her during this period, she will never deserve forgiveness.

Don't go astray, silly boy. Su Xiaoxi is an exceptionally stubborn girl.

If he dares to take that step, Su Xiaoxi will never forgive him for the rest of her life.

Chen Lu only realized after getting married that even the most beautiful love will quickly become mundane once the marriage certificate is obtained.

Life is so mundane that it always lacks a bit of passion.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have come with Chang Dalin to hold this kind of sea party and invited so many female celebrities.

With his status, he could hire any beautiful woman, and celebrities would be nothing more than a flick of his wrist.

He was a good father, and he also had to pull his child back when he was about to go astray.

Also no one.

Chen Pingsheng told Chen Lu to go back and see Su Xiaoxi immediately, so as not to worry her.

They might not say it, but knowing he was going out with Chang Dalin like this, they were incredibly worried.

Chang Dalin's reputation now can only be described as terrible.

He himself enjoys having fun, so naturally, the people around him are all people who enjoy having fun.

People like Chen Lu, who are financially independent and don't have many ideals, often feel that their days are too leisurely and boring.

Every now and then, I get the urge to seek thrills.

The lives of the second generation are often just as simple and unpretentious.

You might also feel empty and lonely, and spend your days idly.

Even Chen Pingsheng was helpless in his state, which shows how frustrated he was.

This is completely different from the era he shared with Song Yanxi. Back then, he and Song Yanxi had such a fulfilling time together.

When I was young, I worked hard to afford a small apartment in Beijing. If I earned a little more money on a particular day, I would be happy for several days.

They would treat something that costs several thousand yuan like a treasure, protecting it with utmost care.

We've been moving forward all along the way.

Even now, they will remain steadfast in pursuing their established goals.

This is completely different from Chen Lu's current state.

To put it bluntly, he has no material needs, let alone any life ideals or goals.

He's the kind of person who's truly a "purely passive" worker.

The best way for this kind of person is to find something they truly enjoy doing; only then can they live a fulfilling life.

Chen Pingsheng has given up on treatment. He just wants to have a few grandsons for him as soon as possible. He really doesn't care what Chen Lu does anymore.

(End of this chapter)