19: The 19th tallest building in Zhangze City

Throughout the meal, Auntie Su continued to look after her daughter: peeling shrimp, passing tissues, wiping the corners of her mouth, and telling her to eat slowly.

Mu Wan accepted it as a matter of course, even needing her mother to hand her the water glass.

Lin Yu didn't show any dislike, only occasionally asking softly:

"Wanwan, do you want to try holding the spoon yourself?"

"This soup isn't hot. Why don't you try holding the bowl yourself?"

Mu Wan hesitated for a moment, but she actually listened, carefully picking up the soup bowl herself.

Auntie Su wanted to reach out and help, but Lin Yu gently stopped her with a look.

When her daughter finished taking a small sip of soup by herself, Auntie Su was stunned—

Her daughter, who usually had to be hand-fed every meal, actually did it herself today.

Lin Yu praised her softly at just the right moment:

"See? You can do it. Great job."

Praised by him, Mu Wan's cheeks flushed slightly. She lowered her head, but the corners of her mouth quietly curled up.

After eating, Lin Yu drove them home.

Downstairs, Auntie Su spoke first, her tone already somewhat different:

"Xiao Lin, tonight... thank you. You actually seem quite reliable."

Lin Yu nodded slightly. "It's only right."

Mu Wan hugged her mother's arm, looked up at him, and whispered:

"Then... can we meet again next time?"

Lin Yu smiled, his voice deep and gentle:

"Of course. Over the next couple of days, Wanwan can go with your mom to look at some houses and pick one you like, okay?"

"Okay!"

Then he advised Su Manqin, "Auntie, pick a newly renovated house that's ready to move in. That way we can move in anytime, and there won't be any formaldehyde issues. Once you've chosen, call me and I'll handle the paperwork."

Su Manqin felt that Lin Yu was quite thoughtful. "Alright!"

Ding! Su Manqin's intimacy +5

Current intimacy: 0

After adding each other's contact info and watching the mother and daughter go upstairs, Lin Yu leaned back against his seat, tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, and took out his phone to text Tang Man: "No need to pick me up. I'll drive over to the office building myself in a bit. Send me the address, and we'll meet there."

Tang Man: "The appointment is at 2:00 PM. The address is Dongcheng International."

"Got it, see you in a bit."

Unread messages:

General Manager Ding: "Brother Yu, I thought about it, and it wouldn't be good if it got damaged during shipping. I'll take the bullet train this afternoon to deliver it. I'll arrive at Ze City East Station at 8:15 PM. Can you pick me up then?"

Reply: "Sure!"

Director Chu Yao: "Have you thought it over?"

Lin Yu smirked: "Call me husband first, then I'll go see my parents-in-law, hehe."

Director Chu Yao: "Go die..."

"Tsk, we've already kissed anyway."

She didn't reply again. A smile tugged at the corner of Lin Yu's mouth; this girl was being tsundere.

Checking the time, he still had over an hour left. He searched online for a well-reviewed salon to get his hair styled, then started the car...

Dongcheng International Plaza underground parking lot.

Lin Yu reclined in the driver's seat, holding his phone and looking at his reflection in the dark screen.

"Yep, even more handsome."

Then, he closed his eyes to rest.

Before long, his phone rang; it was Tang Man calling.

"Mr. Lin, I've arrived at the parking lot entrance."

"I'm in Area B, in a black Maybach Night Edition. Come on over."

A fraction of a minute later, the passenger door was pulled open. Tang Man, dressed in a sharp business suit, sat inside. Her makeup was exquisite, and she exuded an outstanding aura.

"Hubby, did I keep you waiting?"

"No, I just finished resting. Come, give me a kiss!"

After a brief moment, the two turned off the engine, got out of the car, and entered a nearby elevator. The metal doors slowly slid shut, and the elevator rose smoothly, heading straight for the Leasing Office on the third floor.

As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, a middle-aged man in a suit and gold-rimmed glasses immediately came forward to greet them with a standard, polite smile: "Mr. Lin, Miss Tang, welcome. I am Wang Kai, the leasing manager here."

"Manager Wang." Lin Yu nodded slightly, his attitude casual yet naturally carrying an imposing aura.

Walking into the spacious and bright office, there was a sofa and a tea table, with the bustling street view of Ze City visible outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Once they were seated, Manager Wang didn't beat around the bush and got straight to the point: "Mr. Lin, Miss Tang, Dongcheng International Plaza is our new landmark in Ze City. With a total height of 144 meters, it is the tallest building in the city, with 26 floors in total, and each floor has a usable area of over 600 square meters."

He picked up the property brochure from the table and handed it to them:

"The current rental price is 50 yuan per square meter per month. Calculated for one floor, the annual rent is about 360,000 yuan."

Hearing this, Lin Yu raised an eyebrow and said with a touch of emotion, "360,000 yuan per floor per year? The rent in Ze City is truly cheap."

Manager Wang smiled along and was about to introduce the rental discounts when Lin Yu suddenly leaned forward slightly. His tone was casual, but his words were like a bombshell:

"Is the entire building for sale?"

The office instantly fell dead silent for two seconds.

The smile on Manager Wang's face froze, and he almost dropped the brochure in his hand. He looked at Lin Yu in disbelief: "Mr. Lin... W-what did you say?"

"I said, I want this entire 26-story office building." Lin Yu's tone was flat.

Manager Wang swallowed hard and composed himself. "Mr. Lin, this... I really can't make the decision. This requires our chairman to personally give the final say."

"Then make the call." Lin Yu gestured with his hand.

Manager Wang dared not delay. He immediately walked to the side, dialed the chairman's number, and reported the situation in detail in a lowered voice. Hanging up, he wiped a thin layer of sweat from his forehead. "Mr. Lin, our chairman is currently out of town, but he has specifically asked the young boss to come over immediately to negotiate with you in person."

"Sure, then we'll wait a bit."

Meanwhile, at a high-end billiards club in Ze City.

Under the lights, the billiard balls collided with crisp sounds. A few young men and women dressed in designer clothes and carrying flamboyant auras were gathered together, laughing and chatting. Leading them was none other than the only son of Dongcheng International's chairman—Young Master Zhao Tianyu. He had just taken a shot, and the cue ball precisely pocketed his target.

"Tianyu, not bad! Your skills are getting better and better!"

"Of course, look who's playing."

Zhao Tianyu had just picked up his water when his phone rang. Seeing it was his dad, he immediately answered, "Hello, Dad!"

"Go to the Dongcheng International Plaza Leasing Office immediately. A Mr. Lin wants to buy the entire building. Go over and receive him, and make sure your attitude is extremely polite!"

Zhao Tianyu was stunned. "Buy the whole building?!"

"Don't ask too many questions, just get over there!"

"Alright, I'll be right there!"

Hanging up the phone, Zhao Tianyu picked up his jacket. "Brothers, I have some urgent business. I need to head back to the company. Let's play another day."

"Hey, Tianyu, what's so urgent? We'll go with you!"

The one speaking was none other than Liu Mingxuan. Zhao Tianyu didn't think much of it. "Alright, let's go together. We'll be back soon."

The group of five or six drove their sports cars straight to Dongcheng International Plaza.

Taking the elevator straight to the third floor, Manager Wang immediately went up to meet Zhao Tianyu upon seeing him: "Young Master Zhao, you're finally here. This is Mr. Lin."

Zhao Tianyu looked over and saw a young man sitting on the sofa, tall and straight with a lazy temperament, with an absolute beauty standing beside him. Following behind, the moment Liu Mingxuan saw Lin Yu clearly, his eyes lit up, and he immediately laughed out loud:

"Mr. Lin! What a coincidence to run into you here."

Lin Yu looked up at the speaker and smiled faintly. "Liu Mingxuan? Quite a coincidence indeed. Is this your family's business too?"

"No, Mr. Lin, this is my friend's family's project. Please wait a moment!"

Zhao Tianyu instantly sensed something was off. He walked to a corner with Liu Mingxuan and whispered, "Mingxuan, you know this Mr. Lin? What's his background?"

Liu Mingxuan swallowed hard and spilled everything that had happened before:

"Tianyu, this Mr. Lin is definitely no ordinary person! At the auto show a few days ago, he paid 7.5 million in full on the spot for two luxury cars without even blinking. He gave away a 3.5-million-yuan car just like giving away a bottle of soda, but then turned around, hopped on a crappy electric scooter, and rode off with a top-tier beauty!"

"That same afternoon, he paid over four million in full for that luxury flat at our Jiangshangyin development, and poached Miss Tang from the sales center to be his assistant—who must be the lady next to Mr. Lin right now. Turns out she's another top-tier beauty. Why didn't I notice her earlier! I suspect this Mr. Lin is a young master from some big domestic family, low-profile but with terrifying strength!"

Every word struck a chord in Zhao Tianyu's heart. He had originally thought this was just a boss with a bit of money, but after hearing this, he realized—this must be a super-tycoon who kept a very low profile.

The way Zhao Tianyu looked at Lin Yu instantly changed. From his initial politeness, it turned into a bit of wariness, mixed with a faint desire to make friends:

Rich, low-profile, surrounded by beauties, yet not boastful.

This was someone he absolutely had to befriend.

He walked back to Lin Yu with a somewhat respectful attitude and a much more sincere smile: "Mr. Lin, I'm terribly sorry to have kept you waiting. My dad has already instructed me that since you are sincerely looking to buy, the price is highly negotiable."

Lin Yu spoke frankly: "Give me an honest price."

Zhao Tianyu did not hesitate. He called his father on the spot and put him on speakerphone.

After some communication, he looked at Lin Yu and spoke solemnly:

"Mr. Lin, for the entire 26 floors, a flat price of 150 million RMB."

This price was somewhat lower than the market rate, which could be considered giving Lin Yu some face.

Without even thinking, Lin Yu nodded directly:

"Deal."

Two simple words, crisp and neat.

Both Zhao Tianyu and Manager Wang breathed a sigh of relief, their faces lighting up with joy—the deal was done. Not only would their capital be quickly recouped, but they had also connected with a major tycoon.

Lin Yu turned to Tang Man beside him and said in a gentle voice:

"You handle the paperwork."

With that, he picked up his phone, tapped the screen, and directly transferred a sum of money to Tang Man.

The next second, Tang Man's phone chimed with a notification. She tapped it open and was completely stunned.

160 million.

The extra ten million was a reserve fund Lin Yu left for her to use for operations and smoothing out relations. Without any extra explanations, he just transferred it directly to her.

Holding her phone and looking at the long string of zeros, Tang Man's heart trembled violently, and her eyes grew slightly warm. What immense trust it took to hand over hundreds of millions of yuan directly to her.

The onlookers also witnessed this and were equally shocked. 160 million, in cash, transferred just like that. The way they looked at Lin Yu was filled with sheer admiration. Their group of rich kids really couldn't compare to him at all.

It was a win-win situation.

The Zhao family not only made a tidy profit but could also quickly recoup their capital to use for starting new projects.

By acquiring the tallest building in Ze City, Lin Yu was no longer a rootless weed; he now had his first stronghold.

"As for the paperwork, please rest assured, Mr. Lin," Zhao Tianyu promised, patting his chest. "I'll arrange for someone right now to use the green channel this afternoon. We can get all the property procedures completed today without any delay."

Lin Yu smiled and nodded. "Good efficiency."

The contract was quickly drawn up, and both parties signed.

"Mr. Lin, since today's business went so smoothly, I must host a dinner. I'll invite everyone in Ze City who is worthy of sitting at the same table as you—all of them are people of influence."

Lin Yu smiled faintly. "Sure, don't make it too much trouble."

"No trouble at all! Not in the least!"

Zhao Tianyu immediately took out his phone and sent several voice messages, his tone filled with excitement:

"Stop lounging at home and get over to 'Yunding Club' right now! I'm going to introduce you to a real big shot! Whoever is late pays the bill!"

Liu Mingxuan's heart surged as he listened from the side. He quickly leaned in and said, "Mr. Lin, rest assured, tonight's gathering is absolutely clean. Everyone is either a legitimate businessperson or has a solid family background—no shady characters."

Lin Yu nodded. "Let's go."

The group set off in separate cars. Lin Yu's Maybach Night Edition drove in the middle, escorted by the sports cars of Zhao Tianyu, Liu Mingxuan, and the others in front and behind. Along the way, they drew frequent head-turns from pedestrians, exuding an incredibly powerful presence.

Yunding Club was located on the top floor of the second tallest building in Ze City. It was not open to the public and was exclusive to members. The cars parked at the entrance were all worth at least a million, with several costing several millions.

The waiter immediately bowed and opened the door upon seeing Zhao Tianyu: "Young Master Zhao."

"Open the largest private room on the top floor, bring out the best tea and wine, and make sure the fruits and pastries are top-tier." Zhao Tianyu waved his hand grandly, full of style.

Walking into the private room, the decor was low-key yet luxurious, complete with leather sofas, panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, a tea table, a wine cabinet, and a leisure area.

It seemed that Zhao Tianyu and Liu Mingxuan had conjured up an incredibly formidable background for him in their minds. He might as well use this momentum to rise. Before long, whether in terms of wealth or social status, he would truly become a formidable existence. Lin Yu didn't politely decline either; he sat right down on the main sofa. Tang Man stood behind him, her outstanding aura leaving Zhao Tianyu and the others stunned—the woman beside the big shot was top-tier in both looks and presence.

Zhao Tianyu personally poured tea for Lin Yu: "Mr. Lin, please rest for a moment, they'll be here soon. They are all from Ze City's true elite circle. With them around, many things will be much easier for you to do in Ze City in the future."

Lin Yu took a gentle sip of tea. He didn't speak much, yet he naturally exuded a powerful aura.

After ten or twenty minutes, the door to the private room was pushed open repeatedly, and well-dressed, composed young people walked in one after another.

Zhao Tianyu introduced them to Lin Yu one by one:

"This is Young Master Zhang. His dad is the head of the Housing and Construction Bureau, in charge of engineering, planning, and approvals."

"This is Young Master Li. His family is in municipal works and infrastructure, and they have very strong connections in the city."

"This is Young Master Wang. His uncle is with the Tax Bureau, so he has excellent connections."

"This is Young Master Chen. His family does investments in education and healthcare, and they are well-acquainted with major hospitals and schools."

With each introduction, the other party would respectfully extend a hand: "Mr. Lin, I've heard so much about you."

They had already privately exchanged information and heard from Zhao Tianyu that this man had casually dropped 150 million to buy a building without even blinking, and his background was unfathomably deep.

Lin Yu merely gave a brief, casual handshake. His attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, yet no one felt he was being haughty; instead, they felt this was the exact poise a big shot should possess.