SFL Chapter 34

If the domestic competitive atmosphere is likened to a tamed zoo, then overseas is a perilous wilderness.

Riding on official support, Nan Jinchen extends his reach to foreign territories.

Due to his actions, many directors in the group chose to sell their stocks and withdraw promptly.

Nan Jinchen has people buy up these scattered stocks and consolidate them in his hands.

Upon the leakage of this information, many criticize Nan Jinchen for his audacity.

Those girls who once envied Gu Zhenzhen for marrying Nan Jinchen are no longer bitter. They now believe Gu Zhenzhen’s future won’t be easy, fortunately, they didn’t marry into it.

When Gu Zhenzhen recounts the gossip to Nan Jinchen, she coldly snorts, “Back when we were on good terms, little did I expect them to curse us before anything happened to us.”

“So, the more they are like this, the more we need to live our lives well,” Nan Jinchen says, holding his wife’s hand.

Today, the two are attending a charity auction. As they appear, many eyes are directly on them.

Unlike the envy in the past, this time, many people seem gleeful, anticipating a show.

Seeing someone they once couldn’t compare to fall, fills them with excitement. This is the inferior nature of humans.

Even though the assets of the Gu and Nan families remain, they already imagine Nan Jincheng’s bankruptcy and Gu Zhenzhen’s destitution. This infuriates Gu Zhenzhen.

“Enough, it’s not worth getting angry for those people,” Nan Jinchen says, sitting with Gu Zhenzhen.

It’s a high-end charity auction with a few wealthy attendees. The mocking glances come from the younger generation of those wealthy individuals. Naturally, the auction items are noteworthy, ranging from charity organization donations to personal contributions.

Nan Jinchen donates a watch, and Gu Zhenzhen presents a gemstone necklace, collectively worth millions.

If someone bids for an item, the price will overflow during the auction, and all the proceeds will be donated.

Items for auction include tangible and intangible ones. Nan Jinchen and Gu Zhenzhen’s items are tangible, while intangible items include opportunities like having dinner with a popular celebrity or obtaining a celebrity’s autograph.

To some, these intangible items are also considered high-quality.

Since Nan Jinchen is here, he naturally wants to bring something back.

On the other hand, Gu Zhenzhen isn’t interested in antiques, ceramics, or artworks; only auction items like jewelry capture her attention.

As Nan Jinchen browses the auction catalog, suddenly, Gu Zhenzhen beside him sits up straight. “What’s wrong?”

“The Dazzling Star,” Gu Zhenzhen murmurs. A dazzling piece of jewelry that suddenly appears at the auction has captured her gaze. She’s not the only one; all the female attendees, regardless of age, can’t take their eyes off it.

It’s a luxurious gemstone necklace, adorned with eighty-eight dazzling gems intricately linked by numerous diamond chains. The gems exhibit a gradient color, creating a magnificent ensemble. From an external perspective, it can already be deemed a piece of art.

This gemstone necklace has a history, originating from a royal treasure abroad, somehow finding its way into the country. Due to its exquisite craftsmanship and unusual origin, the starting auction price alone is no less than ten million.

“Do you want it?” Nan Jinchen asks with a smile.

“I do… I don’t. There are many competitors today, and it could get expensive,” Gu Zhenzhen says, biting her lip. The auction’s attendees are not short of women, and even if those men are less interested in the jewelry than the women, the women will make them bid.

Even for charity, Gu Zhenzhen wants to save some money for the family.

“Don’t worry about that. If money can’t buy happiness, keeping it stored will be meaningless,” Nan Jinchen says with a smile, then joins the bidding for the gemstone necklace.

All the bidders are men, and even if some women can afford it, the men take the initiative. This results in all the men wanting to shine in front of their female companions, each determined to secure the gemstone necklace.

As a man, Nan Jinchen is naturally unwilling to fall behind. After just two bids, the price of the jewelry rises to sixty million.

Gu Zhenzhen grabs Nan Jinchen’s arm, preventing him from continuing. With sixty million, she can buy many new sets of jewelry.

“Be good, this won’t put pressure on me,” Nan Jinchen knows what Gu Zhenzhen is worried about and reassures her.

He calmly continues to bid. When it breaks the hundred-million mark, fewer people continue to bid. At the final price, one hundred and twenty million, Nan Jinchen secures the necklace.

At the moment of the deal, Gu Zhenzhen, with teary eyes, pinches the muscles around Nan Jinchen’s waist. If she had known it would be like this, she wouldn’t have looked at that gemstone necklace.

The final price of one hundred and twenty million, even in the extravagance of this charity auction, undoubtedly ranks in the top three.

Nan Jinchen’s display of wealth slightly changes the views of those seasoned individuals, and the younger generation around them looks envious.

Women envy Nan Jinchen’s attention to Gu Zhenzhen, while men envy Nan Jinchen’s control over finances.

Although the age difference between the two sides is not significant, their situations are worlds apart.

Apart from the gemstone necklace Gu Zhenzhen admired, Nan Jinchen also acquires several items he likes. However, the total cost is not even enough to cover the small change of the gemstone necklace. When all the auction items are sold, it’s already evening. Nan Jinchen goes on stage to receive the charity certificate, then leaves without mingling with the crowd. Instead, he takes the slightly hungry Gu Zhenzhen home for dinner.

On the way back, Gu Zhenzhen intends to say a few words to Nan Jinchen, but the moment Nan Jinchen puts the gemstone necklace around her neck, all words seem to lose their sound.

Gu Zhenzhen stares into Nan Jinchen’s eyes, filled with his undivided attention. Her heart rapidly pounds, realizing at that moment that Nan Jinchen truly cares for her.

Suddenly, Gu Zhenzhen wants to know when Nan Jinchen fell in love with her. Surprised by her question, Nan Jinchen replies, “From the first time we met.” He can’t reveal it was before their encounter.

“I-I feel the same way,” Gu Zhenzhen exhales deeply.

“We’re different. Your interest in me was purely superficial, but I wasn’t,” Nan Jinchen says.

As the future wife who will accompany him for thousands of years, Nan Jinchen intentionally approached her, unlike Gu Zhenzhen, who was attracted by his face and body.

Gu Zhenzhen smiles and playfully gives Nan Jinchen a two-finger salute, asking him to return the sentiment she felt earlier.

After returning home, having dinner and taking a shower, Gu Zhenzhen, dressed in pajamas, lies beside Nan Jinchen, watching him work.

After spending a long time together, Gu Zhenzhen has also discerned Nan Jinchen’s workaholic nature. While others might not understand why Nan Jinchen gave up the comfortable domestic environment for the overseas market, Gu Zhenzhen sees that Nan Jinchen is enjoying the cutthroat business competition abroad and revels in it.

Like those boys absorbed in online games, her husband is addicted to his career.

And a focused man is undoubtedly the most charming. Gu Zhenzhen can feel her face blushing and her heartbeat accelerating.

What Gu Zhenzhen doesn’t know is that, with each gentle tap from Nan Jinchen, vast sums of money are under his control and in operation.

The anticipated setbacks for Nan Jinchen haven’t occurred. As he extends his influence overseas, his activities in the domestic market become more discreet. It takes the public a while to realize that Nan Jinchen has been out of the spotlight for a long time, with only the still-standing Nan’s Group reminding people that Nan Jinchen is still around.

The last public appearance of Nan Jinchen was at his wedding banquet with Gu Zhenzhen.

The wedding was attended by numerous wealthy individuals, and Nan Jinchen and Gu Zhenzhen were the highlight, with a grand and luxurious celebration.

Up to now, pictures of Nan Jinchen and Gu Zhenzhen exchanging rings still circulate, their faces radiant. The rumored value of the gemstone necklace on the bride’s neck exceeds a hundred million, though its authenticity remains uncertain.

The reason for Nan Jinchen’s low profile is simple – Gu Zhenzhen is pregnant.

Shortly after the wedding banquet, the baby eagerly found its way into her mother’s belly.

With a child on the way, whether it’s taking care of the pregnant woman or looking after the child in the future, it requires time. Nan Jinchen took advantage of Gu Zhenzhen’s pregnancy to move his work home. In order to provide a better environment for his wife during pregnancy, Nan Jinchen built a mansion in the suburbs to allow the child to experience nature better.

During the ten months of Gu Zhenzhen’s pregnancy, Nan Jinchen has been by her side. Seeing Nan Jinchen being a good husband, who would believe this is the same man who caused chaos overseas.

The officials didn’t expect Nan Jinchen to be a lamb needing their careful protection but a fierce tiger. Even now, they find it challenging to fully comprehend.

However, the substantial funds flowing from abroad to the domestic market every year make them realize that this is not an illusion or a dream.

Benefiting from these foreign funds, the country has developed more rapidly in recent years. Unlike before, they no longer helplessly watch their country’s vast wealth flowing outwards.

“Mr. Nan, these are top-tier bodyguards, specially trained to deal with three foreign mercenaries without any problem. They’ve just retired from the military,” officials say as they deliver two special bodyguards to Nan Jinchen’s mansion.

Nan Jinchen, increasingly refined and amiable, thanks them, saying, “The country has really gone to great lengths. I never thought that our Nan family, a honest and modest business, would need all-around protection one day.”

“Mr. Nan and Mr. Nan’s family are deserving of it,” officials say with a smile. It’s a half-truth. In China, Nan Jinchen is indeed a legitimate businessman. However, abroad, the enemies he’s facing now, who among them has clean hands? Although customs has screened out most of the ill-intentioned individuals, officials won’t take it lightly.

Because Nan Jinchen has angered those foreign forces quite a bit.