The game starts by hacking Alipay and then goes on a crazy spree of eating young girls.

At 9:50 a.m. the next day, Chen Ye arrived at the private teahouse downstairs in the IFC on time.

Zhang Yi had arrived early and was sitting in a booth by the window drinking tea with a middle-aged man in his early fifties. When he saw Chen Ye come in, he stood up and waved.

"Mr. Chen, this is Mr. Zhou."

Chen Ye walked over, shook hands with President Zhou, and sat down. Zhang Yi pushed an agreement onto the middle of the table.

"Mr. Zhou, Xingye Capital is offering a 3.5% premium to acquire all of your shares in Tainomab, at a 50% premium. The total price is based on yesterday's closing price, which is a 50% premium over the market price."

President Zhou took the agreement, flipped through a few pages, and ran his finger over the key clauses line by line. After reading it, he was silent for a while before looking up at Chen Ye.

"Mr. Chen, Mr. Zhao offered me a 30% premium, and you've raised it to 50... that's certainly showing enough sincerity. However, I have a concern: if Mr. Zhao finds out I sold to you, will he have a problem with that?"

Chen Ye leaned back in his chair, picked up his teacup, and took a sip: "President Zhou, Zhao Hongyuan does have influence in Shanghai, but he can't interfere in your company's daily operations."

Your transaction followed a formal equity transfer agreement, so no one can complain.

Furthermore, I'll sign a confidentiality agreement with you; the transaction will not be disclosed to the public, and Zhao Hongyuan will be unable to find out who sold it.

Mr. Zhou glanced down at the agreement again, hesitated for a dozen seconds, then gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, Mr. Chen is straightforward, and so am I. But I have one condition: the transaction must be completed quickly, with all formalities finished within three days."

"No problem, we'll sign the letter of intent today, go through the formalities tomorrow, and make the payment the day after tomorrow."

Chen Ye extended his hand: "It's a pleasure to work with you."

After seeing President Zhou off, Zhang Yi sat down again and flipped through his notebook: "I contacted the other shareholder again yesterday, and they clearly refused."

He said he invested in TechnoMed ten years ago; the cost was low, he didn't lack money, and he wanted to hold it long-term.

"Then we won't force you." Chen Ye picked up his teacup: "It's 41.5 percent now. Adding to the 38 percent we already had, we've secured our position as the second-largest shareholder."

Even if Zhao Hongyuan were to sweep through the open market, he wouldn't pose a threat to us.

Zhang Yi nodded: "There's another matter. I've arranged for people to gather information outside Zhao Hongyuan's company."

His office vacancy rate in the Bund Center is 8 percent higher than last year, and he's currently negotiating a bridge loan with a bank for a substantial amount, around two billion yuan.

Chen Ye raised an eyebrow and glanced at Zhang Yi: "Is he borrowing money?"

"Yes, and it's not the first time. They borrowed money last year, and when it came due this year, they couldn't repay it and renewed the loan."

Zhang Yi lowered his voice: "The operating costs of that building in the Bund Center are very high. Since the pandemic, the vacancy rate of high-end office buildings has been rising. Its cash flow is not as abundant as outsiders think."

After listening, Chen Ye didn't rush to speak, but tapped his fingers lightly on the table a few times.

Zhao Hongyuan's real estate business doesn't seem as glamorous as it appears. While outwardly maintaining the image of a respectable figure on the Bund, he's secretly dealing with banks. This news came at just the right time.

"Keep a close eye on his cash flow," Chen Ye said. "If his cash flow is really tight, then he won't be able to fight me to the bitter end over the Technomab deal."

Zhang Yi nodded in agreement.

As I left the teahouse, the sunlight shone brightly on the glass curtain wall of the IFC, reflecting a dazzling light.

Chen Ye stood by the roadside for a while in the wind when his phone suddenly vibrated. It was Li Hualan calling.

"Little Chen, I heard that Zhao Hongyuan is looking for you?" The old man's voice was as cheerful as ever.

Chen Ye was taken aback: "Old Li is really well-informed."

"I have a lot of friends in Shanghai, and I heard about your dinner at Peninsula last night this morning."

Li Hualan said in a relaxed tone: "I've known Zhao Hongyuan for over ten years. He's a bully who preys on the weak and fears the strong."

If you just let him see that you're stronger than him, he'll back down. If there's anything you can't handle, just tell him you have connections with me.

Chen Ye smiled and said, "Thank you, Elder Li."

"What are you thanking me for? I can't stand seeing young people being bullied and not saying a word." Li Hualan gave a few more instructions about things in Yanjing and then hung up.

Chen Ye put away his phone and stood on the side of the street, the early winter sun warming him slightly.

Zhao Hongyuan investigated his background. Stefan had Mr. Bernard backing him up, and Li Hualan also sent him a message. Either of these two powerful backers was enough for Zhao Hongyuan to think twice about.

In the afternoon, Chen Ye went for a ride at the horse farm. Zheng Youyou didn't come; she said she went shopping with her friends.

Master Zhou reported that the seasonal feed and medical check-ups for the thirty horses had been arranged. Chen Ye nodded, finished riding his horse, and sat for a while watching the Akhal-Teke horses grazing leisurely in the stable. He was already starting to plan Zhao Hongyuan's next move.

He can't just let it go like that.

A person like Zhao Hongyuan, who has lost face in public, will definitely try to make up for it, but he won't do it in a very direct way.

He's more likely to sabotage Chen Ye in some inconspicuous way, such as Hoshino Capital blocking the approval of a project, or doing something underhanded in business cooperation at the Bund Center.

But these are all within Zhang Yi's area of ​​expertise, and Chen Ye doesn't need to personally oversee them.

The next morning, President Zhou arrived at Hoshino Capital's office on time and signed the formal agreement.

Zhang Yi immediately arranged for the finance department to process the payment, and the total price, with a 50% premium, was transferred within two hours. Chen Ye sat in his office, watching the signing process in the conference room through the glass, and took a sip of his tea.

After President Zhou left, Zhang Yi knocked on the door and came in: "We've got all 3.5% now. Our shareholding is 41.5%, making us the second largest shareholder."

Zhao Hongyuan's buying spree on the open market is also slowing down; he probably knows that a 30% premium is no longer competitive.

Chen Ye put down his teacup: "Just keep a close eye on things. By the way, how's the investigation into the yacht going?"

Zhang Yi pulled out the information on his phone and handed it to Chen Ye: "I've compiled a list of several superyachts over 60 meters that are currently on the market, and the prices range from 50 million to 100 million US dollars."

This is information on several shipyards in Italy and several custom shipyards in the Netherlands. After you've looked at it, tell me what interests you, and I'll explore it further.

Chen Ye took the phone and flipped through the photos. A white, streamlined yacht was moored on the azure sea. The deck had a helipad and a swimming pool, and the interior had seven or eight suites.

He glanced at the phone a few times and handed it back to Zhang Yi: "Let me take a closer look first, no rush."

Zhang Yi nodded and left.

Chen Ye leaned back in his chair, looking out at the skyline of Lujiazui, a faint smile slowly appearing on his lips.

One by one, Zhao Hongyuan's plans are being blocked. The island design is nearing completion, the yacht project is progressing, and the Taino-MacBo line has been completely secured.

If this Mr. Zhao from the Bund knew that all his efforts had come to nothing, his expression would be quite interesting.