547: Chapter 542 Who is that?

Leaving the nursing home, Shen Yan got back into the car.

He closed his eyes, replaying every scene and every conversation from moments ago in his mind.

He Wanqing's wariness, the subtle shift in her eyes, the involuntary vulnerability that surfaced when she mentioned her maternal grandfather.

Everything was under control.

"Mr. Shen, should we continue tailing the target?" Wu Ya's voice came through the intercom.

"No need," Shen Yan opened his eyes, his usual coolness restored.

"Recall all surveillance on He Wanqing."

"The seed has been planted; now we just need to give it time to sprout."

"Yes."

"What about Wu Dong?"

"'Hummingbird' reported back that last night he was at a private club in Lan Kwai Fong, meeting Chen Ze's top operative, 'Sang Biao.' They talked for two hours. Regarding funds, three transfers totaling fifty million have flowed into a shell company in Hong Kong City through several bearer overseas accounts."

A cold smile touched the corner of Shen Yan's mouth.

As expected.

The Chen family still hadn't given up, trying to use Wu Dong, this local snake, to muddy the waters.

"Keep tracking the flow of funds. I want to know which bookmaker this money will ultimately land with."

"Understood."

Ending the call, Shen Yan glanced at the rapidly receding street view outside the car window.

Hong Kong City, this metropolis of desire.

The visible card table was the auction.

The hidden card table was the wrestling match between capital and the underworld.

And he intended to become the banker who takes everything.

"To Global Property Plaza," Shen Yan told the driver.

"Yes, Boss."

Half an hour later, the vehicle stopped in front of Hong Kong City's most high-end luxury mall.

Global Property Plaza was Asia's fashion barometer and the ultimate proving ground for a luxury brand's appeal.

Shen Yan's Shen Yan Plaza was undergoing massive upgrades and renovations in the mainland, and he needed some inspiration.

Stepping out of the car, a blast of cool air mixed with the scent of expensive perfume and money hit him.

He didn't wander aimlessly like ordinary tourists.

Every step he took was measuring and analyzing.

He started from the ground floor lobby.

Observing the design of the main circulation path, how it naturally guided foot traffic toward every corner.

He noticed the lighting design here was extremely deliberate.

Spotlights highlighted the centerpiece items in the display windows, creating a sense of aristocratic reverence, like works of art.

The lighting in the public areas was relatively softer, making people feel comfortable and relaxed, thereby extending their stay time.

He walked to the brand directory map on the first floor.

Cartier, Bvlgari, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany & Co....

All the top jewelry and watch brands occupied the most central and conspicuous locations.

They were adjacent to each other, forming a powerful 'luxury gravitational field.'

He walked into one of the stores.

The sales staff were highly trained. Seeing his distinguished attire and steady demeanor, they immediately greeted him with smiles, yet maintained a one-meter safe distance, avoiding any feeling of oppression.

Shen Yan's gaze didn't linger on the dazzling jewelry.

He looked at the layout of the display cases, how the color of the velvet trays complemented the brilliance of the diamonds, and how the angle of every spotlight precisely stimulated the gems' fire.

He was listening.

Listening to how the sales consultant narrated the brand story behind a wedding ring to a couple, transforming the cold price into a beautiful promise of eternal love.

They weren't selling jewelry.

They were selling dreams, symbols, and a sense of class identity.

Shen Yan moved upward.

The second floor housed top-tier ready-to-wear and leather goods.

The third floor was for lifestyle and upscale dining.

The business layout on every floor had been precisely calculated.

The consumer psychology was clearly mapped out.

From stimulating the desire to purchase, to providing social spaces, and finally satisfying the palate—forming a perfect commercial closed loop.

He sat down at a window seat in a café on the third floor.

From here, he could overlook the entire atrium of the mall.

People came and went in a ceaseless stream.

Everyone who walked in was voting for this commercial empire with their wallets.

A brand new blueprint was already forming in Shen Yan's mind.

The renovation of Shen Yan Plaza could no longer be limited to simple brand upgrades.

What he needed to do was a scene revolution.

An immersive, experience-is-king consumption space.

And if Victoria Jewelry could be acquired by him...

He imagined a secluded corner, enveloped in history and culture, filled with artistic atmosphere.

There would be no noisy hawking.

Only a white-haired old craftsman, under a spotlight, using the most traditional methods to custom-make a unique piece of jewelry for a guest.

On the walls would be design sketches and black-and-white photos from the brand's hundred-year history.

Next to it, a small brand history museum.

What the customer bought would be more than just an item.

It would be a piece of history, a legacy, a story that could be told.

This was the core value of the Victoria Jewelry brand.

And it was what He Wanqing was desperately trying to protect.

Shen Yan picked up his coffee and took a sip.

He seemed to already see a fallen noble regaining its crown under his hands.

His phone vibrated once.

It was a message from Wu Ya.

"Mr. Shen, we found it. Wu Dong used that money to contact Hong Kong City's biggest auction disruptor—'Shark' Lin. Lin's target is also Victoria Jewelry."

Shen Yan looked at the message, his expression unwavering.

He had long anticipated that this water wouldn't be so clear.

He replied with two words.

"Let him."

Putting down his phone, his gaze returned to the glittering world below.

No matter how fierce the Shark was, it was just a creature in a pond.

He, however, was a giant whale from the deep sea.

What he wanted was to swallow the entire ocean.

Sunday, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The venue for the Victoria Jewelry Special Auction was filled with elegantly dressed attendees.

The air was thick with the light intoxication of champagne and the fragrance of top perfumes, mixed with an irrepressible craving for wealth.

A black Bentley Mulsanne slowly stopped at the entrance.

The door opened, and Shen Yan stepped out.

Today he wore a dark gray bespoke suit, no tie, with the top button of his shirt undone—a touch of wildness beneath his steady demeanor.

Wu Ya followed half a step behind him, dressed in a sharp black skirt suit, holding a tablet, her expression focused.

The moment the heavy pear wood doors of the venue were pushed open by the attendants,

The flowing sound of low conversations in the hall paused for an extremely brief moment.

It was as if the movie had been muted for half a second.

Everyone's gaze, whether open or hidden, whether scrutinizing or curious, like iron filings drawn by a magnet, turned toward them simultaneously.

"Who is that?"

A middle-aged woman bedecked in jewels covered half her face with a folding fan, whispering to her male companion.

"Haven't seen him before; he looks unfamiliar."