33: Chapter 33 A Million-Dollar Attire, The Eve of Nirvana

With a burst of rapid keyboard clacking, Lin Zimo responded loudly.

His eyes fixed on the trade confirmation box on the screen, he pressed the Enter key.

As the Enter key was pressed.

Less than a minute later, the Nokia phone in Shen Du's inner pocket gave a short vibration.

He pulled out his phone and pressed the view button.

The screen backlight lit up, and a bank deposit notification popped up.

Added to the previous remaining balance, a string of numbers lay in the account balance column: over seven million.

Shen Du looked at this string of numbers quietly, his eyes devoid of emotion.

He knew better than anyone.

Forcibly liquidating his position on the eve of the massive breakout of the "zhengzhou cotton futures" monster stock.

The price was missing out on millions in future profits.

But he had to spend this money.

Facing that group of people at the top of Shanghai's elite.

His golden facade as a "Young Master" could not have a single flaw, not even in a watch or a belt.

Shen Du slid his thumb to exit the text message interface.

He pulled up Red Phoenix's number and dialed.

The phone was answered after only half a ring.

"Phoenix, are you free tonight?"

Shen Du didn't bother with pleasantries and cut straight to the point:

"Let's go shopping; I need to get some wardrobe essentials."

On the other end of the line, Red Phoenix, whose nerves had been frayed by the soaring stock prices over the past few days.

Didn't hesitate for even half a second.

"I'm free! I'm always free!"

Her voice came through the receiver, filled with irrepressible excitement:

"I'll drive to the university to pick you up right now!"

"Mm."

Shen Du only replied with a sound and pressed the end call button on his Nokia.

The backlight of the phone screen slowly faded.

Shen Du grabbed a jacket from the back of his chair and draped it over his forearm.

He ignored the gazes of his three roommates in the dormitory.

He walked straight to the door and pulled open the paint-chipped wooden door.

Accompanied by the creaking sound of the hinges.

He stepped out of the dormitory, his silhouette merging into the dim light of the hallway.

A red Porsche 911 was parked by the side of the road.

Shen Du pulled open the passenger door and sat inside.

In the driver's seat, Red Phoenix didn't immediately shift gears to start.

She turned around, holding a dark velvet gift box with both hands, and handed it to Shen Du.

"Young Master Shen, a small gift for our meeting. I hope you like it." Red Phoenix lowered her voice.

Shen Du took the gift box.

With a "click," the metal clasp popped open.

The car's reading light spilled into the box.

At the bottom lay a folded vehicle transfer agreement with "Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG" printed on the header.

Resting on top of the agreement was a Mercedes car key.

And a barrel-shaped, skeleton-dial Richard Mille, RM 011 Flyback Chronograph.

A three-million-dollar stepping stone.

Shen Du's expression remained calm.

He didn't decline, nor did he offer polite refusals.

He reached out and took out the Richard Mille, priced at 750,000.

"Click."

He fastened the strap around his left wrist. The metal watch face peeked out from his shirt cuff.

Afterward.

He picked up the G-Wagon car key and a basement parking card, and tucked them into the inner pocket of his suit.

"Good taste."

Shen Du leaned back into his seat, his tone calm:

"I like these two gifts very much."

Seeing that Shen Du had accepted them, Red Phoenix breathed a sigh of relief.

Her tense back relaxed, and she leaned against the seat back.

She shifted into Drive and stepped on the accelerator.

The Porsche erupted with a low roar and slid into the traffic.

"You have to attend Young Master Jie's gathering in a few days; off-the-rack clothes won't suit your status."

Red Phoenix gripped the steering wheel with both hands, reporting the schedule:

"The clothes must be Tom Ford."

She glanced at Shen Du in the passenger seat through the rearview mirror:

"With your aura, only a tailored TF suit and a jacquard velvet tuxedo will be enough to command the room that day."

The Porsche sped along the streets for over ten minutes before turning into a tree-lined road.

It stopped in front of a high-end club with no sign and closed doors.

"The exclusive tailoring team for TF is not usually open to the public."

Red Phoenix turned off the engine and turned to look at Shen Du, laying her cards on the table:

"I pulled some strings to invite them here; tonight, they will serve you exclusively."

Shen Du didn't offer pleasantries.

He turned his head and looked at the wall lamp at the club entrance outside the car window.

He nodded slightly and pushed open the car door.

Inside the VIP room of the club.

Shen Du took off his jacket, spread his arms, and stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror.

Three foreign tailors wearing white gloves gathered around, their measuring tapes moving across his shoulders, chest, waist, and legs.

There was no unnecessary chatter during the measurement process.

Within fifteen minutes, the measurements were recorded in a custom notebook.

Red Phoenix stood to the side.

Holding a high-end fabric catalog, she finalized the order details with the chief tailor:

"Three sets for daily commuting, two sets of jacquard velvet tuxedos for evening events, plus two sets of pure handmade business bespoke suits."

"Don't worry about the cost; use the expedited channel and work through the night."

The chief tailor recorded the requirements.

Red Phoenix's fingers didn't stop flipping through the catalog as she turned to look at the assistant:

"Go get the latest season's catalog for undergarments and robes, and use the measurements just taken..."

Before she could finish, Shen Du lowered his arms.

He raised his right hand and made a downward pressing gesture in the air.

Cutting off Red Phoenix's over-eagerness.

"That's enough."

Shen Du turned around and took his old jacket back from the assistant's hands.

While buttoning it up, he delivered his verdict:

"The fitting ends here."

After the wardrobe was finalized.

Red Phoenix led Shen Du to the terrace of a restaurant by the Huangpu River.

The river breeze carried a damp chill.

Red Phoenix held a stemmed glass, leaning slightly forward, close to Shen Du's side.

She looked at the river surface and lowered her voice:

"Young Master Shen, the rumors outside have been very intense lately."

"You quietly swallowed the two-district market of Meituan and stirred up trouble at Huahai University of Finance and Economics.

Now, even people from Beijing have come down specifically to probe your background."

Speaking of this, Red Phoenix paused.

She turned her head and stared at Shen Du's profile.

Shen Du turned his head, catching the suppressed fear deep in Red Phoenix's eyes.

That sense of trembling.

It was something she had never shown when mentioning Young Master Jie, Zhou Wennan, or Zhu Shuyan.

"Are you..."

Red Phoenix swallowed, her voice trembling as she cast out a probe:

"Could you really... be from that 'Shen Family'?"

Meeting Red Phoenix's gaze, Shen Du's expression did not change.

He didn't reveal a hint of surprise.

He gazed into her eyes, engraving the weight of this "Shen Family"—which even local power players feared—into his heart.

Facing the probe, Shen Du didn't even blink.

He gave neither a confirming nor denying answer.

He just naturally lifted his stemmed glass and took a sip of red wine.

Shen Du turned his head, his gaze crossing the glass railing of the terrace, looking at the distant surface of the Huangpu River.

"That is not important."

He swirled the stemmed glass with one hand, his tone calm:

"What matters is that this murky water in Shanghai is destined to be turned upside down by me."

This light remark.

Crashed into Red Phoenix's mind.

She stood frozen in place. Looking at Shen Du's profile, her eardrums buzzed slightly.

The four words "turned upside down."

Made her mentally simulate a change that was about to sweep through the top tier of Shanghai.

In the face of this man's demeanor, Red Phoenix dispelled her doubts.

She took a deep breath and lowered her head, completely resigned to follow him.