Chapter 20: Invest As Long As You Don't Invest.

Chapter 20: Invest As Long As You Don't Invest

The Birth of Qiancheng Investment.

A few days after the initial planning, Xiao Cheng received a call from Tian Fu early in the morning.

"Mr. Xiao, all procedures are completed. The company is officially ready to open," Tian Fu reported with excitement.

Xiao Cheng, still groggy from sleep, rubbed his temples. "That fast?"

Tian Fu chuckled. "With the money we have, anything is possible. Plus, the network of bosses under us made the process even smoother. Everything was settled without a hitch."

Xiao Cheng smirked. "Good. When's the opening?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you. When should we hold the grand opening?"

Xiao Cheng stretched lazily. "Do we have an office space yet?"

"Yes. He Jianda found a prime location—a building previously owned by Lejia Group. They had to sell it off due to bankruptcy."

Xiao Cheng raised an eyebrow. "Lejia Group? Weren't they one of the Fortune 500 companies? How did they fall so hard?"

"Poor management, I suppose. Their assets have been liquidated, and this office space is one of the last things they're trying to offload."

"Is the price reasonable?"

Tian Fu hesitated. "That's the thing. The location is excellent—right next to a busy commercial district and close to the subway. But the price…"

"Have He Jianda handle it. If he says the price is fair, buy it. But don't let them rip us off. Just stick to market value," Xiao Cheng instructed.

"Understood."

"Oh, and make sure the company's name is changed before opening," Xiao Cheng added.

"What should we call it?"

Xiao Cheng thought for a moment, then said with a grin, "Qiancheng Investment."

Tian Fu laughed. "Qiancheng as in 'money city'? Very fitting!"

"Exactly," Xiao Cheng replied. "Let's get this done."

A Grand Opening Without the Boss.

Two days later, Qiancheng Investment Co., Ltd. was officially established. Tian Fu had gone all out, organizing a grand opening ceremony complete with a ribbon-cutting, red balloons, and even fireworks.

The event attracted a lot of attention, and several prominent figures from the business world attended, including Shen Jiaoyue, the chairman of Haiyue Group.

Tian Fu greeted her personally. "Chairman Shen, thank you for coming."

Shen Jiaoyue glanced around. "I hear this company is backed by Mr. Xiao. Why isn't he here?"

Tian Fu put on a mysterious smile. "Mr. Xiao is a busy man. He couldn't attend today."

"Busy? Or just avoiding the spotlight?" Shen Jiaoyue scoffed.

Tian Fu merely chuckled.

Shen Jiaoyue was more convinced than ever that this Mr. Xiao was the same mysterious investor from the United States.

Meanwhile, Xiao Cheng was completely unconcerned about the grand opening. He spent the entire day playing with Sisi.

No business deal was important enough to take him away from his precious daughter.

An Unconventional Investment Strategy.

After the grand opening, Xiao Cheng finally visited the company.

Seated in the large conference room, he looked at the four board members he had handpicked and leaned back in his chair.

"Alright, gentlemen. It's time to shake up the industry," he declared.

The executives leaned forward, listening intently.

Xiao Cheng continued, "We'll send out a message to every business sector: Investment is available. No matter the size of the company, if they're willing to cooperate sincerely and aim for a win-win situation, they can get our support."

Tian Fu looked skeptical. "Won't that bring in a bunch of scammers or useless companies?"

Xiao Cheng smirked. "Of course, we'll have a process to evaluate them. But mark my words—those who recognize an opportunity will come running to us."

At first, the business world reacted with doubt and suspicion.

Some speculated that Qiancheng Investment was a scam, expecting hidden fees or predatory loan conditions. Others assumed it was an elaborate money-laundering front.

Tian Fu was livid. "Mr. Xiao, do we let them talk like this? Our reputation is at stake!"

Xiao Cheng waved him off. "Relax. The right people will come soon."

Tian Fu sighed. "If you say so..."

The First Investor: A Desperate Entrepreneur

That very afternoon, a woman in her early thirties walked into the office, nervously clutching a folder. She was the owner of a struggling plastic factory.

Tian Fu, still skeptical, greeted her. "How can we help you?"

She hesitated before speaking. "I... I heard your company is offering investments. My factory is in trouble, and I need funding."

Tian Fu crossed his arms. "What kind of returns can you guarantee us?"

The woman looked flustered. "I—I don't know. The water plant next to us mentioned that you're investing in companies, so I thought I'd try..."

Tian Fu sighed. "If you have no business strategy, how do you expect us to invest in you?"

At that moment, Xiao Cheng walked in, overhearing the conversation.

He picked up the contract from the desk and scanned it quickly. His brow furrowed. "You're in 2 million debt. How much investment are you asking for?"

The woman gulped and hesitantly raised two fingers.

Xiao Cheng mimicked the gesture. "Two million?"

She nodded. "Yes, do you think—"

Before she could finish, Xiao Cheng interrupted. "I'll invest 20 million."

The woman's jaw dropped. "W-What?! Did you say twenty million?!"

Tian Fu choked on his tea. "Mr. Xiao, are you serious?!"

Xiao Cheng calmly signed the contract. "I'll take 80% of the shares. Fair deal?"

The woman blinked in disbelief, then quickly nodded. "Of course! That's more than fair!"

As she took the signed contract, she counted the zeros repeatedly, making sure she wasn't imagining things.

"One… ten… hundred… ten million…" Her breathing grew erratic.

She suddenly bowed deeply. "Thank you, Mr. Xiao! I will not let you down!"

As she left in a daze, Tian Fu shook his head. "Are we really doing this? This factory was about to collapse!"

Xiao Cheng chuckled. "She's just the first. Wait and see."

A Flood of Investors.

News of the 20-million investment spread like wildfire.

By the next day, dozens of businesses lined up outside Qiancheng Investment, eager for their own opportunity.

Even those who had initially mocked the company now scrambled to secure funding.

One businessman, who had publicly called Qiancheng a scam, now stood awkwardly at the reception desk.

Tian Fu smirked. "Weren't you the one who said we were a fraud?"

The businessman coughed. "A misunderstanding, of course! I'd love to discuss an investment..."

More companies poured in, some desperate, others ambitious.

To keep up with demand, Pi Yuanzhi himself joined in to help sort applications.

Meanwhile, Xiao Cheng?

He lounged in his luxurious leather chair, casually playing games.

His only job? Signing contracts.

And with every investment, his system rewards grew exponentially.

As he tapped away at his phone, he thought to himself:

"This is way too easy. If only all business was like this..."