Huayu: I'm reborn, but you still force me to be a scumbag?

Chapter 510 TACO (8000 words!)

The old man's loud and boisterous voice reached Chen Nuo's ears, and the reserved smile that had just appeared on his face instantly froze.

He frowned, then straightened his face again, not even glancing at the tall, burly, blond old man, and coldly reprimanded Gulnazar, "Who told you to let people in? I need to rest, see them out."

After saying that, he plopped back down on the sofa, picked up his phone, and pretended to scroll through it.

“Excuse me, boss,” Gulnazar replied, then said coldly, “Excuse me, gentlemen, this way please.”

Before Donald could say anything, Ivanka spoke up, her tone tinged with impatience and helplessness, "Donald, please don't be like this. Can you sit down and talk about it? Chen, I'm sorry, Donald is just a little anxious. He's been saying all the way here that he wants to see you as soon as possible to discuss important matters... He didn't mean it."

Chen Nuo rolled his eyes and said calmly, "Ivanka, you should know that I don't owe him anything, and it's none of my business how much money he loses."

Almost simultaneously with Ivanka's opening remarks, the blond old man said, "Ivanka, don't talk to me like that! The reason we've suffered this huge disaster is entirely because of his terrible advice—really, absolutely terrible, no advice could be worse! We've lost so much money, the losses are enormous and unprecedented, that's a fact..."

Chen Nuo didn't let him finish speaking. He suddenly stood up and interrupted, "Don't yell at Ivanka in front of me, Donald! Otherwise, get out of here right now! Immediately!"

The blond old man's reaction was quite amusing.

He had probably never heard anyone speak to him like that in his entire life, and the old man's expression visibly changed in front of Chen Nuo.

A face covered in tanning cream began to flush, turning the old face orange-red, like an orange ripened in the sun, which looked particularly comical.

But Chen Nuo's expression didn't change; he still looked at him coldly.

Donald stood there stunned for three seconds, and the two men stared at each other in the air for three seconds.

Chen Nuo didn't know what Donald saw in his eyes, but with his actor's keen observation, he vaguely discerned something that surprised him.

After that, the old man didn't say anything more. Instead, he dragged his tall but slightly hunched body and quickly turned and left.

"Dad!" Ivanka exclaimed, then gave Chen Nuo a grateful look before quickly following the old man.

Gulnazar looked at it and asked in Chinese, "Boss, what do I need to do?"

Chen Nuo said, "What should we do? Of course, we should close the door!"

"Uh, what if they don't leave?"

As soon as he said this, Chen Nuo instinctively wanted to say, "Do you think Lao Tang is a restaurant waiter? Aren't you leaving?" But he swallowed the words back.

Will they really leave?
He didn't really think too much when he said those words.

After a busy day, seeing Facebook's stock price plummet to rock bottom already put him in a bad mood. He was torn between buying more shares and the possibility of history repeating itself, or not buying and the fear that this might be a once-in-a-lifetime buying opportunity. The best man wasn't walking with the groom because he couldn't stand the oppressive atmosphere, so he used the excuse of renewing his endorsement contract with Mattel to delay for a day. Actually, he planned to spend some time in New York by himself to clear his head.

As a result, when Lao Tang arrived, he acted as if he owed the other party tens of millions, and was very aggressive.

No wonder he's not comfortable.

Although the wedding issue really only affects Mark Zuckerberg. The Jewish people aren't really anything to him; in fact, their relationship isn't even as close as his interactions with Donald Trump over the years. Besides, Zuckerberg didn't say anything about it during his visit. If a secret wedding can't happen, then a public wedding is fine; it's not like it can't happen.

But while that's what they say, people can't actually do it.

Old Tang acted like the villain who accused the enemy first, showing no remorse whatsoever, so of course he wouldn't tolerate it.

So what if we break off relations?
Just a minute ago, that was exactly what he was thinking, and he had made that preparation.

Because in his mind, Donald wasn't the type to back down.

but……

In those few seconds of eye contact, what he saw in Old Tang's eyes seemed to be a different story.

He saw confusion, shock, anger, and even humiliation.

However, he did not see any kind of "will" in Lao Tang's eyes.

This kind of will is hard to explain. If you have to explain it, it's like someone with this kind of will. You can tell at a glance that this person is definitely a tough nut to crack and it's best not to mess with them.

And what about Donald?
But it felt quite soft to him.

Chen Nuo's first reaction was that it was a misperception, because it didn't make sense. He recalled the four years Donald served as president, how powerful and dynamic he was, how many waves he stirred up, how could he be a coward?

emmmmm.

He thought for a moment, then said to Gulnazar, "If they don't leave, then bring them back."

About five or six minutes later, the blond old man really did come back.

And he looked completely at ease, as if the cold treatment from before had never happened, as if he had just gone to the restroom.

He walked in and, before Ivanka could even speak, he spoke first:

“Chen, you know, I’m a very, very tolerant person, probably the most tolerant person in the world, everyone says so. I never get angry over trivial things, really, never. Especially with friends, I’m always willing to give them a chance, not just once, but many times. No matter what they’ve done in the past, as long as they’re willing to sit down and talk seriously now, I will talk. I’ve always been like this, fair, open, and generous—no one understands tolerance better than me.”

Chen Nuo said naturally, "What a coincidence, Donald, it's the same for me. People who know me know that I'm always willing to give my friends a lot of chances. Even if the other person does something wrong, as long as they are willing to say sorry to me, I will usually forgive them. But if they come up to me and not only do they not know they are wrong, but they also yell at me, then I can only tell them to shut up."

Donald spread his hands and said, “We sound a lot alike, so I think we can sit down and have a good talk now. I have a lot to discuss with you. Really, a lot of very important things.”

Chen Nuo said, "Okay, but before we talk, I still want to hear one word from your mouth. Donald, it's simple, you and I both know that you were wrong, it's 100% your fault. You betrayed my trust and ignored my words. As a friend, this is the first time you've done this, but I hope it's the last. Do you agree?"

Donald said, "I agree, but..."

“There’s no ‘however’.” Chen Nuo raised his hand to interrupt him. “If you agree, then you should say something. I believe you know what I want to hear.”

"No, no, no, don't interrupt me, let me finish, Chen, let me finish."

Donald waved his hand, speaking slightly faster, with his usual emphasis, "You know, I'm not the kind of person who says 'sorry' casually, really, everyone knows that, the whole world knows that. I always have my reasons for doing things—good reasons, not just random reasons, like some people, you know what I mean."

He paused, and their eyes met again.

However, this time it didn't last long.
The old golden retriever said, “The last time I said ‘sorry’ was probably twenty years ago. To be honest, I’ve almost forgotten how to pronounce it. But you’re different, Chen. You’re special, very special. Smart, visionary, and straightforward, and I respect that.”

He paused.
The old man's tone suddenly softened: "So, okay, I admit, this time, I really didn't handle it well enough. We all know this could have been done better. I messed it up—I'm sorry."

When he said those three words, he spoke very quickly and rapidly, and his speech was somewhat slurred.

And after saying that, he immediately changed his tone, reverting to his original arrogant demeanor, and said in a hoarse voice, "You heard me, I said—this doesn't happen every day, Chen. You have to understand, my apology to you only proves one thing: you are really important. Very important."

Chen Nuo rarely delved into whether the old man was more important to him or to money, but after all this back and forth, finally, he personally witnessed this orange-skinned old man say "I'm sorry" to him...

Putting everything else aside, at least in his past life, this guy was full of nonsense and spread rumors all over the world. Even though he was eventually exposed, neither Hillary Clinton nor Obama ever heard of it, right?

His expression softened, and he nodded, saying, "OK, Donald, I accept your apology. Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?"

Old Tang sat down and said, "Give me a bottle of Coke."

Chen Nuo nodded and asked Ivanka, "Sweetheart, what about you?"

Ivanka smiled and said, "Me too."

Chen Nuo said to Gulnazar, "Go to the refrigerator and get them two bottles of Coke, pour them into glasses, and add ice."

"Good boss."

Gulnazar went.

As soon as Chen Nuo turned his head, he saw Old Tang smiling broadly, his face full of wrinkles that made him look like a blooming golden chrysanthemum.

“Look, Chen,” Old Tang chuckled, spreading his hands, “I knew it. We wouldn’t have any problems over something so trivial. Absolutely not. Our relationship is very strong, really. Just like how I like Coke—the sugary kind, preferably iced—you know that very well. And you like…”

He suddenly stopped talking halfway through his sentence.

Chen Nuo smiled, his eyes narrowing: "What do I like?"

Donald quickly regained his composure, his eyes darting around, and his tone relaxed and confident: "You like a lot of things, a great many. You like movies, right? You like acting, and you're good at it, everyone says so. You like money—we all like money, honestly, who doesn't? The whole world likes money."

He suddenly laughed even harder: "And you like me. Yes, I can feel it, you like me. And Ivanka, of course you like her too, who doesn't? She's smart, beautiful, hardworking, perfect, really. If I were you, I would definitely fall in love with her."

"Hahahaha." Chen Nuo laughed loudly upon hearing this.

"DAD!" Ivanka called out reproachfully, but her bright blue eyes remained fixed on Chen Nuo without blinking.

Chen Nuo winked at her and smiled, "Who said I don't have any right now?"

“Hahaha!” Donald opened his arms and said, “You know, I don’t usually say things like this, really not, especially about my daughter. Ivanka is my favorite daughter, very special, very perfect, everyone says so. But now that you’re in front of me, I have to be honest, if the two of you really do develop a relationship in the future, I will completely agree. Without a doubt.”

“What are you saying? Dad, don’t do this. Chen has a girlfriend in China,” Ivanka said.

Donald laughed. “I know, I know—I’m just saying if, you know? Just if. Who knows what the future holds? Life is always full of surprises. Chen, don’t you think? You’re a charming guy, it’s no wonder so many women like you. But Ivanka is definitely the best woman in the world.”

Chen Nuo smiled and said, "That's right."

At this moment, Gulnazar brought over a tray with an iced cola and poured Chen Nuo a glass of Evian mineral water, also iced. "Thank you, ma'am," Donald said with his signature, slightly exaggerated smile. "I must say, you are probably the most beautiful Chinese girl I have ever seen—really, definitely among the top, maybe even number one."

"Thank you." Gulnazar gave a perfunctory smile, then placed the drink on the table and said to Chen Nuo, "Boss, do you need me to stay here?"

Chen Nuo said, "No need, you should go and rest. You've worked hard."

"I'm not tired yet. I'll wait for you in the outer room. Call me if you need anything," Gulnazar said, then picked up the empty plate and went out.

Donald immediately exclaimed, "Tsk tsk, Chen, your assistant. Not only is she beautiful, she's really very beautiful, and her work ethic is unbelievable! If she were in my company, let me tell you, she'd be making at least $20,000 a month, maybe $30,000, really. She's worth it. Look at her demeanor, it's perfect."

"Thank you, Donald. That's what I was thinking too. I've been thinking about asking her for a raise lately..."

Chen Nuo knew perfectly well why the old man was spouting all that nonsense—selling his daughter and praising him and Gulnazar to the skies.

They bought tens of millions worth of shares and lost millions!
Recalling what he had heard earlier, Chen Nuo couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.

He really didn't do it on purpose. Who the hell could have imagined? Facebook, one of the most enduring evergreen companies on the US stock market, a future trillion-dollar company with a market capitalization far exceeding the GDP of most countries in the world, actually started out like this.

What should we do now?
Donald asked him, but he didn't know either.

He couldn't possibly use his own money to make up for it for Lao Tang.

Firstly, he's not that despicable, and secondly, there's no reason for that to happen.

So, as long as Old Tang kept rambling on about these things, he just let it go and wouldn't bring it up himself. Ideally, the person wouldn't have the face to repeat themselves, that would be best.

However, he underestimated Old Tang's shamelessness.

After exchanging only a few words, Donald pretended to suddenly remember something and asked, "By the way, Chen, are you leaving New York tomorrow morning to attend Mark Zuckerberg's wedding?"

Yes. What's wrong?

“Very good, very good.” Donald shrugged and gave a forced smile. “I wish them well, really, sincerely—though they didn’t invite me, but that’s okay. What I want to know now is whether Mark Zuckerberg has any plans to salvage Facebook’s disastrous stock price right now?”

"They've come after all," Chen Nuo coughed and said, "As far as I know, no."

Donald's face darkened immediately, and he said, "Really?"

Chen Nuo coughed lightly and said, "I think so."

Donald then asked, "You mean this guy, as CEO, is just going to wash his hands of things now? He's really not going to do anything?"

"Mm." Chen Nuo nodded again.

Donald immediately became agitated, his voice growing louder and louder, his hands flailing like a crab: "Doesn't he know how many people trust him, invest in him? These people bought his stock with real money! And now he's off to get married and go on his honeymoon, abandoning this damn company? What is this?! It's absurd! If it were me, you know Chen, if it were me, and the company's stock price dropped 5% in a day, I'd be on TV that very night, hold a press conference, reassure the market, announce the plan, and tweet—not one, but ten! Reorganizing the board overnight wouldn't be a problem! That's what a CEO should do, not abandon everyone to go on some damn wedding!"

Chen Nuo reassured him, "Donald, calm down."

Donald forced a smile, a somewhat unnatural curve to his lips: "I'm very calm, Chen, I'm as calm as ice right now—really. But I have to say, I don't want to say it, but... to be honest, those Jews in Motherfucker are probably the most unbearable group of people in the world for me."

At that moment, Chen Nuo really wanted to record that sentence.

Then, as he looked at Donald's angry expression, he suddenly felt that there might really be a divine will at work.

Otherwise, how come Donald and Zuckerberg have become enemies again after two lifetimes?

He asked, “So what are you going to do now? What are your plans? I can help if you need it. After all, it was indeed my advice to you before, it was me who persuaded you to invest in Facebook stock. Perhaps, as you said before, that advice wasn’t perfect, or rather, it was a little… bad.”

"However, I want to emphasize that I bear no responsibility in this matter. It wasn't me who asked you to buy it; you asked me, and I gave you my personal opinion. I'm saying this now purely out of consideration for our friendship. I'm willing to do my part to offer you some moral support. You must understand, Donald, I'm also a victim in this matter. My losses are more than ten times greater than yours. I'm saying this only because of our long-standing friendship, nothing more."

After listening, Donald remained silent for a few seconds, then slowly nodded, his expression no longer so agitated. He said softly:
“Chen, I know. You’re right, we’re friends. We’ve been through a lot, and you’ve always been someone I can trust. Honestly, there aren’t many people in this world I can say I can ‘trust’ with. I’m really touched that you’re willing to help me this time. You have to believe me, I will make a comeback, without a doubt. Nobody knows better than me how to turn a crisis around. I just… cough, I need a little money to tide me over.”

"Money? No way? Donald, is it another loan?" Chen Nuo was taken aback and asked, somewhat speechless.

Donald remained unfazed and said, "Chen only did a little bit."

Chen Nuo said, "Donald, it's not that I'm stingy, it's just that I've already lent you tens of millions, and you've used tens of millions to buy stocks. I don't want to ask you where this money came from or why you haven't paid me back, but at least it seems that you don't look like someone who's short of money right now."

This was the first time in Chen Nuo's life that he had seen an embarrassed expression on Donald's face.

There was a few seconds of silence in the room, then Ivanka spoke up: “Chen, that money was part of the $100 million loan we secured from the bank by mortgaging Trump Tower. It was originally intended to buy a golf resort in Miami. The resort cost $150 million, and we’ve already paid the initial installments, but the remaining balance is now tied up in Facebook stock… At the same time, we also obtained the lease and renovation rights for the old post office building from the General Services Administration, planning to spend $200 million to renovate it and transform it into an international hotel. So, our cash flow is extremely tight.”

"What? You're going to buy another golf resort?" Chen Nuo exclaimed in surprise. "If I remember correctly, you just bought one in Scotland last year, and now you're buying another one? Donald, you've already bought more than a dozen golf courses across the United States. Do you think everyone in America loves playing your golf?"

Donald, who had been somewhat silent, perked up immediately upon hearing this. He shrugged and said, “It’s not just a feeling, it’s a fact. Chen, all the rich people in the world love to play golf. My golf courses aren’t ordinary courses; they’re the best, the best in the world, bar none. The one in Scotland is simply a miracle; you’ll see for yourself, it’s incredibly beautiful. And this one in Miami is the same; it’s in a prime location, it’s absolutely fantastic. You’ll fall in love with it at first sight, I swear.”

Chen Nuo shook his head: "Forget it, this has nothing to do with me. But if you still want me to lend you money, Donald, what are you planning to use as collateral? I already own 50% of your Mar-a-Lago estate. You can't possibly mortgage the whole thing to me, can you? Your government won't let the ownership of such an old estate fall into the hands of foreigners. And besides that, I really don't know what other assets you have."

"Don't even mention those golf clubs you own, Donald, I have absolutely no interest in them. So why don't you just lose a few million and sell the stock? I think that would be a good idea. If your golf clubs are that profitable, you could probably earn back those millions in a few days, wouldn't you?"

Donald coughed lightly and said, "Yes, of course, a few days... But actually, even if I sold the stocks, I'd still be a little short. You know, Chen, if it weren't for that, I wouldn't have touched stocks at all. I just wanted to fill that tiny gap."

He spread his hands, a smug smile on his face. “I’ve never really made money from stocks in my life; I make money from real estate. I like things that I can see and touch. But this time, I listened to your advice—of course, I’m not blaming you—I’m just saying that if it weren’t for your advice, I wouldn’t have invested at all, so… now it’s just a little bit short.”

Chen Nuo didn't even blink, and said calmly, "How much is 'a little bit'? Tang, just give me a number and let me know exactly how much you want."

Donald said, "3000 million US dollars."

Chen Nuo immediately replied, "I'm sorry, no."

Donald was momentarily speechless, then said, "Chen, we all know you have this money. You're the highest-earning Hollywood star in the US and the world right now. I promise, I will definitely pay you back."

Chen Nuo said, "Donald, I absolutely trust you emotionally. But you must remember, you haven't even paid back the money from last time, and according to our agreement, if you don't pay back the money within five years, the 50% ownership of that manor will permanently become mine. Now you want me to lend you so much again? My family doesn't run a bank, you know, my family is also a real estate developer!"

Donald nodded and shrugged. “I know, I know. Listen, tens of millions of dollars is no problem for me. If I wanted to pay it back now, I could do it right away—immediately, right now! But the problem is, there are so many huge business opportunities waiting for me around the world, and I have to seize these opportunities and turn them into cash cows. If I pay it back now, I might miss out on hundreds of millions of dollars in profit opportunities, which would be too stupid, too unbelievable.”

Chen Nuo chuckled: "Let me give you a piece of advice, Donald, and don't blame me for being nosy—many penniless people who later went bankrupt started with exactly the same ideas as you. They borrowed money, invested, borrowed more money, and invested more money, and what happened? Bang!"

Donald said, "No, no, no, I absolutely cannot."

Looking at Donald's confident demeanor, Chen Nuo couldn't help but feel a little doubtful.

Did Donald do this in his past life?
Or was it that I influenced him?
Was it because I lent him money last time that he became so emboldened?
The more he thought about it, the more something seemed off...

This old man looks like he's on the verge of bankruptcy!
Donald continued, "This is what I think. Chen, I've heard you say that your father is currently running a hotel in Vietnam, is that right?"

Chen Nuo looked Donald up and down, curled the corners of his mouth, and said, "Yes."

“That’s fantastic!” Donald clapped his hands. “Listen, I’ve done a lot of legendary projects in my life, Trump Tower, casinos, golf courses, hotels, from New York and West Palm Beach to Chicago, Las Vegas, Scotland—every one of them was a success. Every single one of them is a classic.”

He raised a finger and emphasized, "And the most stable and profitable project is my Trump Hotels, an absolute cash cow. Now I'm licensing the name 'Trump' to your father's hotels in Vietnam; you only need to pay a small fee."

Chen Nuo chuckled and said, "You mean, you're letting my dad use your brand for his hotel? This $3000 million is a naming rights fee?"

Donald laughed, looking at him as if he'd gotten a great deal: "Yes, Chen! This isn't your average deal. Hotels all over the world that want to use my name have to pay millions of dollars a year. But you—you only need to pay a one-time fee of $3000 million to use my brand permanently. I'll sign a lifetime licensing agreement, no renewals required, no worries."

His tone grew increasingly excited: "And I will also provide my design team and management consultants to help your father's hotel create a luxurious image. This whole package is worth hundreds of millions. Chen, this is a win-win situation, a historic collaboration, and it will directly put your hotel into the hall of fame of global brands."

"A win-win situation, my ass." Chen Nuo chuckled and said, "Thank you, Tang, but it's not necessary."

Donald's expression froze instantly.

Looking at his expression, Chen Nuo continued, "Instead of going through all this trouble, how about this? I have an idea: you can sell me some of your group's shares, as collateral."

"What?! Impossible!" Donald exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, like a cat whose Achilles' heel had been struck.

Chen Nuo wasn't surprised by the old man's appearance.

Whether in his past life or this one, he knew that the Donald Group had always been a private conglomerate, not publicly listed, and its shareholding structure was not well understood.

However, in this life, he had heard Ivanka mention that Donald actually controlled nearly 100% of the group's shares.

Although he delegated some management responsibilities to his sons, he never truly relinquished ownership—even Ivanka only participated in executive-level affairs and never touched any shares.

This shows how closely this person controls his group.

His statement was essentially a case of knowingly venturing into dangerous territory without actually venturing into it. In short, he was using this as an excuse to discourage Donald from pursuing the idea.

Sure enough, Donald continued to open his palms and said loudly, "Chen, you need to understand that some things, like the Statue of Liberty, the White House, or the Coca-Cola formula—are not for sale. My group's shares are of that level. This is one of the most remarkable, successful, and valuable private companies in the world, 100% family-owned, an empire I've built over decades! Do you know how many people have wanted to buy it? Middle Eastern princes and London tycoons have come knocking with hundreds of millions of dollars, just to get a small share. Let me tell you, not a single one succeeded! Why? Because this company belongs only to me!"

"So, $3000 million, 5%, that's the most we can go."

He took a deep breath.

Chen Nuo almost thought he had misheard. "What did you say? Donald, say it again."

Donald said, "10%. That's the bottom line!"

Note:
TACO: Trump Always Chickens Out (coined by Financial Times columnist Robert Armstrong on May 2, 2025, to describe Donald Trump's character during his second term.)
(End of this chapter)