The Rise of a Special Forces Soldier Abandoned by a Wealthy Family

Zeng Long returned to Zeng Lingyu and Yan Rugo, who were waiting for him, a relaxed smile on his face. He made a rather gentlemanly "please" gesture and said:

Let's go, ladies, let's go to Young Master Teng's place for a free meal.

By the way, let's also celebrate in advance for our future CEO Yan. I asked Teng Ao to come over; I also have some things to arrange.

"Great!" Zeng Lingyu responded happily, waving her little hand like her brother, jumping for joy.

Upon arriving at Yueting Garden, the three walked side by side into the luxurious and elegant lobby, their striking figures illuminated by soft light.

Just then, a female voice filled with surprise and curiosity came from behind:

"Ru Ge? What a coincidence, you're having dinner here tonight too?"

Everyone turned around and saw Yan Rugo's several close friends—

Su Manqi, Su Xiaotang, Li Qingran, and Lin Wei are walking over one after another.

They were all dressed smartly and had an extraordinary air about them; they were clearly socialites in Beijing's elite circles.

Yan Rugo was somewhat surprised to see them:

"Manqi? Xiaotang? Qingran? Weiwei? You guys... what brings you all to Yuetingyuan today?"

She knew these women; they each had their own pastimes and rarely appeared here together.

Su Manqi crossed her arms, rolled her eyes elegantly, and said reproachfully:

"Hey, you have the nerve to talk back to us? You're here too, aren't you? This Yue Ting Garden is the hottest place in our circle right now!"

She lowered her voice, speaking in a mysterious tone:

I heard that Zeng Long, who's been talked about like a god, lives here!

This place is practically a pilgrimage site now; men are trying every possible way to get to know him, and women...

Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of this mysterious big shot. Unfortunately, even after several days of trying, we didn't even catch a glimpse of him.

She nudged Yan Rugo with her elbow, her eyes darting between her and Zeng Lingyu:

"Ruge, you little rascal...you're not here to 'bump into' us too, are you?"

After speaking, Su Manqi's gaze naturally fell on Zeng Lingyu, and she greeted him with a smile:

"Xiaoyu! You're here too?"

When her gaze finally fell upon the tall, silent yet undeniable man standing on the other side of Yan Rugo, her and the other sisters' eyes instantly lit up!

With a height of nearly 1.9 meters, broad shoulders, narrow waist, and a perfect inverted triangle physique, he can make even simple clothes look like those of a model.

His face has strong features and distinct lines!

A pair of deep eyes were now looking at them with a mixture of casualness and scrutiny.

His eyes seemed to hold a mixture of gentlemanly politeness and a subtle, slightly wicked, languid elegance—a complex quality that held a fatal attraction for women.

Li Qingran immediately wrapped her arm affectionately around Yan Ruge's arm, her voice filled with barely suppressed excitement and gossip:

"Wow, Ruge! That's not very nice of you. You have such a handsome guy by your side, and you're not even going to introduce him to us girls?"

Yan Ruge blushed slightly under the intense gazes and direct questions from her sisters.

She glanced at Zeng Long subconsciously, her lips moved, but she didn't know how to introduce him. This rare shyness made the gossip fire in her sisters' hearts burn even brighter.

Li Qingran gave a look of sudden realization, as if to say, "Oh! I see..." and drawled, "Oh—! I see..."

Just then, Teng Ao and Yan Hai quickly came out from inside Yue Ting Yuan to greet him. Upon seeing Zeng Long, they almost simultaneously and respectfully called out, "Brother Long!" "Brother Long!"

Zeng Long nodded slightly to the two of them, a gentle smile on his face:

"You're all here! Perfect timing. Let's go, I'm getting a little hungry."

He then turned to Su Manqi and the others, gave them a perfunctory nod as a greeting, and then, without lingering, led Teng Ao and Yan Hai straight toward the high-end private rooms deep within Yue Ting Garden.

Several socialites, including Su Manqi and Li Qingran, were left standing there, looking at each other, slightly disheveled in the wind.

Li Qingran reacted the fastest, grabbing Yan Rugo, who also wanted to follow, her eyes wide with disbelief:

I was wondering why your face was so red just now, and why you were stammering!

So, the one we've been searching for every day, the one we've been longing for, has already been "hidden away" by you?!

Quick! Confess! Is he Zeng Long? You two have been appearing together so intimately, are you... dating?

Lin Wei, the younger girl, also excitedly joined in, chattering away:

"No wonder you've been so elusive lately, not even replying to my messages, Sister Ruge! Turns out you've got this mysterious handsome guy by your side! You're prioritizing romance over friendship!"

"Oh dear! Stop making wild guesses! It's not what you think!"

Surrounded by her sisters, Yan Ruge's face was still flushed, revealing a hint of helplessness as she looked at Zeng Lingyu for help.

Zeng Lingyu smiled slyly, not only failing to help her out of the predicament, but also adding fuel to the fire with a hint of wanting to stir up trouble:

"Yes! Sister Manqi, Sister Qingran, that was Zeng Long! Sister Ruge has been discussing academics with him these past few days, they're really good friends!"

These words undoubtedly added fuel to the fire of gossip among the girls, and the exclamations and questions immediately grew louder.

---

Meanwhile, Zeng Long, Teng Ao, and Yan Hai had already entered the quiet and luxurious private room.

He sat down casually, his gaze falling on Yan Hai, who was still excited, and said with a hint of teasing:

"Hey Xiaohai, you're always hanging around Yuetingyuan. President Teng's place isn't cheap, is your allowance enough?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Hai immediately perked up, straightened his back, and looked a little smug:

Brother Long! Look at what you're saying, do I still need to pay for my own trip here?

Those young masters in the industry who want to get information or build connections through me are lining up to hire me!

Besides, Brother Ao is really generous; he gave me super VIP privileges. I don't need to swipe any membership card here; I can just use facial recognition!

All expenses are free!

He patted his face as if it were a gold card with unlimited spending.

Zeng Long raised an eyebrow, looked at Teng Ao, and said with a smile, "You just spoil him like that?"

Teng Ao laughed too, waving his hand dismissively:

"Brother Long, it's nothing. Our Teng family and the Yan family have been friends for generations, and we're very close. Xiao Hai is like a younger brother to me. This is nothing to worry about."

Zeng Long nodded and didn't continue the topic. He looked at Teng Ao, his tone more concerned:

"I've heard your doorstep's been practically worn down by all the foot traffic lately. How's it going? Can you handle it?"

Upon hearing this, Teng Ao immediately wore a tired and helpless bitter smile, rubbing his temples.

"There's nothing I can do, Brother Long. The people who come here are all shrewd and cunning. They speak shrewdly and have clear objectives. It's really exhausting to refuse them."

Zeng Long seemed to be thinking about something, then took out his encrypted phone and dialed Lin Xiaoya's number.

"Xiaoya, what's the situation in the market right now?" he asked bluntly.

Lin Xiaoya's clear and excited voice immediately came from the other end of the phone:

Boss! Don't you know? Something big happened today!

The gas pipeline in the Middle East has been officially repaired and gas supply will be fully restored soon!

The international energy futures market is in complete chaos right now, with prices plummeting!

I believe it won't be more than two days before it falls back to the level before the explosion!

Zeng Long calmly considered for a few seconds, then decisively issued the order:

Okay, this operation has achieved our expected strategic goals.

The order has been issued: within three days, all our related positions must be liquidated and all funds recovered. It's time to cash out and secure our profits!

"That's great, boss!" Lin Xiaoya's voice was so excited it almost pierced through the microphone:

"We're finally rich! Once the money comes back, I'm going to sleep in every day, then go to school to wreak havoc... uh, go enjoy the wonderful campus life with Sister Xiaoyu, hahaha!"

Listening to Xiaoya's smug laughter, Zeng Long could almost see the chaotic days to come, and he couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. It seemed that his peaceful life these past few days was about to be disrupted again.

Then came He Jing's cautious yet expectant voice:

"Xiaolong...you'll be back for dinner tonight, right? We...we'll wait for you to come back before we start eating."

The tone was filled with a cautious attempt to please and a hopeful uncertainty.

Zeng Long felt a slight pang in his heart, and he softened his voice:

"I'm not going back for dinner, I just got off at school..."

Before he could finish speaking, He Jing became anxious, her tone turning flustered:

"How come the school food isn't as delicious and nutritious as mine? Wait a minute, don't eat yet, I'll bring it to you right away! I've made cordyceps chicken soup, I'll pack it in a thermos and bring it to you right now, it'll be quick..."

An indescribable, scalding warm current instantly surged through Zeng Long's entire body, enveloping him tightly.

He opened his mouth, the word "Mom" stuck in his throat almost slipping out, but in the end it was blocked back by an invisible force.

He took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound steady:

"I...I just met Xiaoyu at school, and we're having dinner together at Yue Ting Yuan now. You...you go ahead and eat, don't wait for me..."

"Ah! You're with Xiaoyu! Great! You guys eat, you guys eat well... I... I won't disturb your meal..."

He Jing's voice was clearly filled with excitement.

Hearing the busy tone on the phone, Zeng Long's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the phone, and a hint of moisture welled up in his eyes.

This profound maternal love both pained him and made him yearn for it.

Just then, the door to the private room was pushed open, and Zeng Lingyu and Yan Ruge, who had finally escaped the "siege" of her sisters, walked in, interrupting Zeng Long's turbulent thoughts.

After everyone was seated, Zeng Long composed himself, his gaze clearing as he looked at Teng Ao and began to arrange the important matters:

Mr. Teng, now we can release the news to the public.

Longyu Group will hold an official meeting in three days to formally decide on the final location of the group's global headquarters!

Zeng Long specifically mentioned "global" because Longyu Group itself is global in scope, which makes it more impactful and threatening.

Contact Uncle Hao and ask him to attend on time and make the necessary preparations.

Then, he turned his gaze to Yan Rugo, his tone becoming serious:

In addition, I plan to formally recruit Ru Ge to assist you in managing the specific affairs of all domestic companies under the group.

She is a core member of your circle, with sufficient family background, status, and ability, and she can hold her own in conversations with all parties. Therefore, she is the most suitable candidate at present.

Upon hearing this, Teng Ao's eyes lit up instantly, and he excitedly slammed his hand on the table:

Yeah! How come I didn't think of Ru Ge?

In terms of family background, personal ability, and influence in the industry, she is the best choice!

Most importantly, Ru Ge was one of the earliest veterans to understand Long Yu's core strategy, so her loyalty and confidentiality are absolutely guaranteed!

That's great! This will free up a lot of my energy to focus on the overall strategic planning of the group!

Zeng Long also showed a relieved smile:

"Therefore, Ru Ge will take over the full operation and management of the group's domestic subsidiaries. As for the international aspects..."

He thought of Anna, but it wasn't appropriate to say so at the moment. "I already have someone in mind. I'll let you know when the time comes."

"Okay! Brother Long! With your arrangement, the pressure on my shoulders has been reduced by more than half! Otherwise, I was really afraid that I would collapse from exhaustion one day."

Teng Ao let out a long sigh of relief, a long-lost relaxed smile appearing on his face.

"Okay, it's settled then." Zeng Long finally turned his gaze to Yan Rugo, tapped the smooth tabletop lightly with his finger, pondered for a moment, and then instructed:

Ru Ge, tonight you and President Teng will work together to make a preliminary plan for the site selection of the group's major core sectors—the high-tech industrial park, the core scientific research laboratory, and the future R&D center.

In particular, the implementation plans for the top-tier welfare hospital and the charitable foundation we have pledged to inject 30 billion yuan annually must be finalized as soon as possible.

He spoke at a steady pace, yet with an undeniable decisiveness:

"Three days from now, all of the group's operating funds will be in place. The recruitment and team building work for the entire group headquarters and its subsidiaries and institutions, as well as the preliminary salary plan, will be distributed tonight in the official name of the group."

"So, Ru Ge," Zeng Long looked at her, his gaze deep:

"While you are assisting President Teng tonight, the two of you must finalize the initial organizational structure of the group tonight!"

Once the arrangements are finalized, the site selection intentions of these key subsidiaries should be disseminated "as quickly" through official news and mainstream media.

The final decision, just like at the group headquarters, will be made through official channels, with them offering the most favorable terms and solutions. The final choice, however, rests with you.

After hearing this series of large and clear instructions, Yan Ruge couldn't help but take a deep breath.

She never expected that Zeng Long would trust her so much, entrusting her with the heavy responsibility of domestic business involving hundreds of billions of yuan and far-reaching impact.

Born into a political family, she was all too aware of the power involved.

Given the close scrutiny of Longyu Group by the top leadership and its involvement in cutting-edge industries tied to national strategy, the site selection rights she holds—

A casual wave of the hand can determine the political future of a province's top officials and drive the local economy to take off!

She knew that after tonight, when these messages spread through her and Teng Ao's channels, the entire official level of the Dragon Kingdom, as well as all the top aristocratic families, would be shaken to an unprecedented degree!

A fierce battle for control of the enormous Longyu Group is about to begin!

Yan Hai, standing to the side, was so excited he could hardly sit still; he felt his blood boiling.

His sister! His own sister! She's about to become the general manager of Longyu Group's domestic branch!

What an incredibly powerful position that was!

They have money, power, and resources!

He could almost see himself swaggering around the capital in the future, and he was laughing wildly inside:

"Hahaha! From now on, I'm going to be a spendthrift and reckless spender! I'll spend openly and honestly! Let's see who dares to say a word against it!"

Beneath the seemingly relaxed atmosphere of this dinner, however, lay the brewing of a trillion-dollar commercial storm and political maneuvering that was about to engulf the entire top echelons of the Dragon Kingdom.

Zeng Long, who was at the center of the storm, simply picked up his chopsticks calmly, as if his decision was nothing more than to pick up some food and taste it.