I'm reborn and I'm an international student again?

"I earned the money, so I can decide how to use it!" Chen Yifeng was too lazy to explain further to her.

"Fine! Who was it that swore before the marriage that I would manage the money? Was everything you said just bullshit?" Zhang Xuan was furious.

"Women managing money? That's a joke." Chen Yifeng has always looked down on women.

However, he wasn't wrong, because Chen Xi also felt that women nowadays were unreliable when it came to managing money.

The two then started arguing about the issue again.

Meanwhile, in the remote city of Darwin, Australia.

The port here has been built for some time, but the Australian government has begun to try to renege on the 99-year lease that was originally promised to the Bluebridge Group.

Faced with such a treacherous act, Lanqiao Group naturally refused to accept it, and the two sides were thus engaged in lengthy negotiations.

This protracted battle dragged on for a long time.

Chen Xi remembered that the negotiations were not over until he was killed by an air conditioner in his previous life.

To reclaim the port lease, there always needs to be a reason. The Australian government's excuse was that the Darwin Port lease involved national security.

This argument resonates with the local population, as no one wants to see unidentified vessels and cargo anchored there. However, the Bluebridge Group has already invested hundreds of millions of Australian dollars in port renovations, turning the port around and making it profitable. Having invested both money and time, why would they easily agree to withdraw?

"Hmph, everyone says Westerners value the spirit of contracts, but I think that's pure bullshit! It's one thing for businessmen to renege on their promises, but even the government is so shameless!" Ye Chengshi, chairman of Lanqiao Group, grumbled as he walked out of the Darwin City Hall building.

"This matter is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. However, Consul Shen mentioned before leaving office that there might be a solution to the port issue, and asked me to contact a man surnamed Chen... I can't remember his name right now... Alas, Gunnar is also caught in a bind. We have cooperated many times, and this time it is mostly due to pressure from above, so he can only carry out the order." Consul Chen Ye of the Northern Consulate shook his head and sighed.

The Gunner he mentioned was none other than Michael Gunner, the Northern Territory Minister.

"It's no use talking to anyone! If you ask me, we should contact Tekapo directly. Who doesn't know that Australia is their little brother? This port lease dispute is clearly due to pressure from them. The Australian government always tries to play both sides. Do they think they can get my hundreds of millions of Australian dollars for nothing? Dream on!" Ye Chengshi is also a ruthless character. He won't give up until the problem is solved.

Just as the two were about to get into the car, a black SUV suddenly stopped in front of them.

The car door opened, and a woman wearing a dress and sunglasses stepped out.

"General Manager Ye, Consul Chen, hello." The woman stepped forward to greet them.

"You are..." The two looked at each other and asked in unison.

“I am Shen Xinyi, and I participated in the construction of Darwin Port. I am here to assist you both on behalf of Chen Xi. Consul Shen should have mentioned this before, right…” Shen Xinyi took off her sunglasses and smiled slightly.

"Oh! I remember now, you're the designer from back then!" Ye Chengshi immediately stepped forward to shake hands.

"Yes, yes, it's Chen Xi! Consul Shen did mention it before he left. I accidentally lost his contact information..." Chen Ye explained somewhat awkwardly.

Actually, he didn't take it to heart at first, and when he tried to find the number later, he couldn't.

"Wait, you said you can help us solve this problem?" Chen Ye suddenly widened his eyes.

“That’s right. Chen Xi started planning many years ago, acquiring a large number of warehouses and properties around Darwin Port. Although some were later sold, most were still retained. These warehouses have been continuously renovated and mostly upgraded into modern logistics centers, equipped with cold chain facilities, cargo sorting systems, and digital management platforms, which can effectively reduce port operating costs and improve throughput efficiency. The houses are now mostly used as living areas and skills training centers, providing accommodation for port employees. The prosperity of Darwin Port is inseparable from these supporting facilities. Now, as long as Lanqiao Group buys these assets, it will have enough leverage in negotiations. Recouping the cost should not be a problem. The rest is up to you to fight for…” Shen Xinyi handed several documents to the other party.

"Great! Great! Great!" Happiness came so suddenly that Ye Chengshi was so excited that he said "Great" three times in a row, without even having time to ask about the specific price.

As one of China's top 500 private enterprises, Lanqiao Group should have no problem acquiring these assets.

However, he was too happy too soon.

When Ye Chengshi saw the quantity and price listed in the document, he couldn't help but gasp: "My God! This price is almost as much as my investment in building the port!"

“President Ye, this price is already below market level, and it includes renovation costs. These warehouses and properties would fetch much higher prices if sold to others. Chen Xi is willing to transfer them at a low price out of consideration for upholding national dignity; we can't let him lose money…” Shen Xinyi explained patiently.

“That’s right. Port lease rights are not just a matter of money, but also a matter of national dignity. If the information is true, I’ll pay for it!” Ye Chengshi was, after all, a patriotic entrepreneur. After a moment’s hesitation, he gritted his teeth and made his decision.

Meanwhile, the island nation.

Chen Xi arrived here with a nervous Jin Nana.

This trip is not only to resolve the issues with Saori, but also to discuss an important matter with Kosuke Saeki.

In Fukuoka Prefecture, in front of Tanaka Yu's detective agency.

"I, Tian Zhongyou, am the number one detective in Kyushu! I solved the Saeki family murder case back then. However, while solving cases and being a detective relies on talent, it also requires cultivation from a young age. I honed my skills by reading detective comics since I was a child! Here is a limited edition complete set of 'Detective Conan' and 'Kindaichi Case Files,' with my autograph, now on sale at 30% off..." Tian Zhongyou was sitting on a small stool by the door, surrounded by a group of little kids who were biting lollipops, snotty-nosed, and full of admiration.

The small table was piled high with bundles of comics, and a few casually written signatures were pasted on them.

"Oh my, you've stooped so low as to scam kids out of their pocket money? I remember I paid you handsomely, didn't I?" Just as he was enthusiastically promoting his product, a mocking voice suddenly rang out.

Tian Zhong looked up and blurted out "Holy crap!"

Chen Xi was leaning against a telephone pole, smoking with a smile, with a long-haired girl standing behind him, head down and silent.

"What are you doing here, kid? And where did you kidnap this girl from? Aren't you afraid the Saeki family will chop you up with their samurai swords?" Tian Zhong excitedly ran over, looking Jin Nana up and down.

"What are you looking at? I'll beat you up if you're not careful." Feeling a little uncomfortable being stared at, Jin Nana looked at the silly-looking young man in front of her and couldn't help but raise her hand.

"Oh ho, you want to beat me up? I'm the Kyushu Karate Master! Ah!" Tian Zhonggang made a couple of gestures, but suddenly felt a sharp pain in his calf and fell to his knees.

"Stop fooling around. How's the matter I asked you to investigate going?" Chen Xi exhaled a puff of smoke.

"All you do is order me around... Ever since the nuclear accident, the United States has imposed a ban on agricultural products from island nations and restricted agricultural exports. Recently, they have started raising interest rates, leading to capital outflows, and agricultural stocks such as Mitsui & Co. and Marubeni have all fallen... A few days ago, the United States also withdrew from the TPP and is now pushing for the CPTPP instead..." Tian Zhong reported in a rush.

"Okay, I understand." Chen Xi nodded.

"Who is this girl? She's so fierce, she hits people as soon as she sees them... Heroine, have mercy!" Tian Zhong wanted to talk back, but when he saw Jin Nana raise her hand again, he quickly nodded and bowed, begging for mercy.

"Alright, drive us to the Saeki house." Chen Xi stubbed out his cigarette.

"Huh? We're going right now?" Jin Nana nervously grabbed Chen Xi's arm. To be honest, she wasn't afraid of Saori hitting her, but rather she didn't know how to face her.

"Don't worry, I'm here." Chen Xi patted her hand gently.

Despite his relaxed tone, he was actually unsure of himself. But what had to be faced would eventually have to be faced; running away was not his style.

After a long drive, the three finally arrived at a hotel near the foot of Saeki's mountain.

Throughout the journey, Tian Zhong kept stealing glances at Jin Nana in the back seat through the rearview mirror, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

Because he clearly remembered that Chen Xi was behaving intimately with another girl at the scene of the fire in Xinjin.

Sigh, when will I be able to be like him...?

Well, once I become the strongest detective in the entire island nation, female fans will definitely keep coming!
Tian Zhongyou was mentally encouraging himself.

The hotel is a hot spring bath and one of the Saeki family's properties.

Although it's called a bathhouse, it's actually made up of individual courtyards.

It was the off-season, and the surroundings were quiet with few people around.

The three of them stopped in front of a sliding door.

Chen Xi and Jin Nana exchanged a glance, and he carefully placed his hand on the door.

Before any force was applied, the door was pulled open from the inside.

"You come in with me."

Saori glanced expressionlessly at the door. Just as Jin Nana was about to speak, Saori grabbed Chen Xi by the collar, pulled him inside, and then slammed the door shut with a "whoosh".

Not long after, a series of muffled thuds came from inside the house.

"Is this... a pillow fight in there?" Tian Zhongyou muttered to himself, pricking up his ears.

The sound wasn't loud; it was like something like a pillow or cushion being tossed around.

"What else can you analyze?" Jin Nana asked.

"They must have had a fight."

"Nonsense." Jin Nana glared at him, and Tian Zhong immediately covered his mouth.

About half an hour later, the sliding door finally opened.

Chen Xi walked out while tidying her messy hair and clothes.

The two people outside the door peeked inside and saw that the floor was littered with blankets, pillows and cushions, a complete mess.

Looking at Chen Xi's expression, it was clear that he had been lectured by Saori.

"Nana, come in." Saori, her face slightly flushed after venting her anger, stood in the room and called out to the outside.

Judging from her expression, she seemed to have calmed down considerably.

"Okay." Jin Nana nodded, carefully walked in, and the door closed again.

"What's going on? He was caught having an affair by the wife? No way, who brings their mistress to apologize on their own... Hey, don't pinch my ear!" Tian Zhongyou muttered, stroking his chin, before Chen Xi grabbed his ear.

"Come on, come on, drive me up the mountain." Chen Xi pulled him away.

"What are you doing? Looking for a tree to hang yourself from?" Tian Zhong was still being sarcastic.

"Screw you, let's lay low for a while and talk about serious business." Chen Xi sighed, went outside, and lit a cigarette.

Just as Tanaka had guessed, he ran into Saori, who was in a bad mood, when he went in, and naturally received a lecture. Now he could only go up the mountain to find his father-in-law, Saeki Kosuke.

Forty minutes later, in Kosuke Saeki's study.

"Are you crazy? The negotiations here have just ended, and it's a time for rest and recuperation. You actually want to go to their homeland and cause trouble?" Saeki Kosuke looked puzzled after hearing Chen Xi's plan.

"The news of cutting agricultural subsidies has already been released. I estimate that various agricultural states will protest one after another. First, the governors will come forward to negotiate. If that fails, farmers will speak out collectively, and agricultural stocks will plummet. At that time, some people will naturally take the opportunity to buy at the bottom. After that, the government will most likely release new information that is favorable to agriculture, such as suspending or even canceling the subsidy cuts, and maybe even increasing the subsidy amount." Chen Xi took a sip of tea, his tone calm.

“How is that possible? How can a country’s leader take back what he said publicly in the media?” Kosuke Saeki shook his head repeatedly.

"Heh, that fat guy just loves doing unexpected things. What's a few words back? You think he cares about face or official prestige? No, that's what he wants!" Chen Xi stretched out his fingers and made a gesture of twisting banknotes.

"He's already a businessman with immense wealth; there's no need for him to do this. Shouldn't a businessman with enormous wealth who transitions into politics be pursuing power? I can't accept your reasoning."

“You’re right, but he can make money and consolidate his power by doing this. The ideological cornerstone of Trump and his party is small government, low taxes, deregulation and free enterprise, which means that the core of his policies is to promote free markets and deregulation.”

"But he is now clearly interfering in many enterprises through official means, which is a complete nationalization approach."

“It’s unrealistic to implement large-scale nationalization in the United States right now. I think Trump is doing this more to promote economic nationalism, or America First policy. Official intervention is highly concentrated in industries considered vital to national and economic security, such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, key minerals, and pharmaceuticals. Its core objective is to reduce dependence on geopolitical competitors in key areas, especially the chip supply chain, and to ensure self-sufficiency in extreme circumstances. The ultimate goal of all these policies is to force companies to relocate production capacity, investment, and jobs back to the United States to fulfill their promise to revitalize manufacturing. However, these practices have been criticized by many as a move towards socialism because the government has a significant influence on the allocation of the means of production. Some even believe that its level of intervention is more contrary to traditional capitalism than any previous Democratic administration…” Chen Xi waved his hand.

"Wouldn't it be too risky for us to extend our reach into their territory at this time? Don't forget, you just reached a ceasefire agreement with the four major grain merchants." Kosuke Saeki was getting old, and it was inevitable that he would hesitate when considering things.

"What's there to be afraid of? Just think of it as another sneak attack on Pig Harbor! If I don't make a move first, do you expect me to let him fire the first shot? I never do something as stupid as letting someone else attack you before you can retaliate!" Chen Xi grinned.

These words plunged Kosuke Saeki into a long silence.

He gazed at the young man before him, a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion or reflection) welling up within him.

Young people are so daring; it seems I really am getting old! (End of Chapter)