125: Chapter 125 A Meeting with a Big Shot: Hidden Clues

"Boss Lin, this bigwig's background is unknown, and his attitude is so arrogant. Could there be a trap?" Ella stood to the side, her eyes fixed sharply on the phone screen. Her hands were clenched involuntarily, her vigilance at its peak. The anger from having been slapped in the face by his skepticism earlier had not yet fully dissipated, and now she was even more worried about Lin Chen's safety. "I'll go with you. Who knows what kind of scheme he's plotting."

Lin Chen raised his eyes, looking at the guarded Ella, and nodded slightly, his tone steady: "That's fine. You come with me. A little extra caution never hurts." He had long expected this meeting wouldn't be simple. Ella had a fiery temper and high vigilance; having her by his side would only provide an extra layer of security.

Jack immediately stepped forward, holding a neatly organized file, his expression serious: "Boss Lin, I've done some preliminary digging into this mysterious bigwig's background. His name is Zhou Mingyuan. He's an invisible capital giant in the industry, holding significant quality resources and having layouts in both the US stock market and the domestic market. However, his methods have always been ruthless. Rumor has it that he had a collaboration with John in the past, but they had a falling out later, and their relationship has always been delicate."

"He had dealings with John?" Lin Chen's eyebrows arched slightly, a flicker of realization flashing in his eyes. This explained why the other party would suddenly take an interest in him; it probably wasn't just for a simple collaboration. "Keep digging. Get his recent capital flows and collaboration trends organized and give them to me before I head to the meeting."

"Understood." Jack replied and stepped back, acting efficiently without a moment's delay. He knew the importance of this meeting; not a single detail could go wrong. Only by making full preparations in advance could they handle any sudden situations.

In the evening, Lin Chen and Ella drove to the Ban Shan Club. The club was hidden halfway up the mountain, built against the slope, with extremely high privacy. The entrance was heavily guarded, and those who came and went were all wealthy or noble. The car drove through the club gates, traveled along the winding mountain road, and finally stopped in front of a detached villa. The lights inside the villa were soft, spilling into the courtyard through floor-to-ceiling windows, yet it carried an indescribable sense of oppression.

After entering, a waiter respectfully led the two to a private room. The room was luxuriously decorated with leather sofas and crystal chandeliers; every detail displayed the owner's wealth and status. However, the lighting was dim, making the atmosphere particularly heavy. Zhou Mingyuan was already sitting there, wearing a custom-made suit, his hair meticulously combed. He wore a faint air of arrogance, a cigar clamped between his fingertips. He swept his gaze lazily over the two as they entered without standing up to greet them, as if Lin Chen and Ella were just insignificant juniors.

Seeing this, Ella's brows furrowed instantly. Subconsciously, she blocked half a step in front of Lin Chen, her tone carrying a hint of coldness: "Mr. Zhou, you certainly have a big ego. You invite us here, yet you sit there without moving?"

Zhou Mingyuan chuckled and slowly blew out a smoke ring. His gaze landed on Lin Chen, his tone arrogant and tinged with disdain: "Young man, having a temper is a good thing, but don't be too ignorant of the rules. The fact that I could invite you to meet is already giving you enough face." He paused, his fingertips tapping lightly on the table. "I'll get straight to the point. Cooperate with me, and I'll ensure Chenxing Investment stands firm on Wall Street. From now on, in the investment circle, no one will dare to question you again, and no one will even dare to lay a finger on you."

These words seemed tempting, but they were riddled with traps. Ella's eyes grew colder. She stepped forward, looking directly at Zhou Mingyuan, her tone sharp: "Say what you have to say. Don't beat around the bush. There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. If you're helping us like this, there must be strings attached, right?"

A playful smile appeared on Zhou Mingyuan's face, as if he had expected Ella to ask this. He raised his eyes to look at Lin Chen, his tone softening slightly but still carrying an unquestionable dominance: "Smart indeed. My condition is very simple. Chenxing Investment's core trading strategies from now on must be synchronized with me. Furthermore, I want a thirty percent stake in Chenxing Investment. As long as you agree, I have plenty of resources to help you suppress John, and I can even make him withdraw from the investment circle entirely."

After the words fell, the private room fell into a brief silence. A thirty percent stake, plus synchronizing core trading strategies—this was undoubtedly an attempt to control Chenxing Investment. It looked like cooperation, but in reality, it was a takeover. Ella was trembling with anger and was about to retort when Lin Chen raised his hand to stop her.

Lin Chen sat down slowly, his posture upright, his expression still calm, without the slightest ripple. He looked directly at Zhou Mingyuan, his tone firm, without any compromise: "The terms are unreasonable, so let's forget it. Chenxing Investment was founded by me single-handedly. Our core strategies are our foundation, and a thirty percent stake is even more impossible. Mr. Zhou, you'd better give up on that idea."

He was meticulous and had long since seen through Zhou Mingyuan's scheme. The other party seemed to want to cooperate, but in reality, he was coveting Chenxing Investment's trading capabilities, wanting to use his hand to suppress John while simultaneously bringing Chenxing Investment under his own control. How could he agree to such calculations?

The smile on Zhou Mingyuan's face vanished instantly, his eyes turning sinister, and his tone grew cold: "Lin Chen, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. Do you think that with your own strength, you can fight against John? Can you stand firm in the investment circle? Refuse me, and you will regret it sooner or later."

"Whether I regret it or not is for me to decide, so I won't trouble you with that, Mr. Zhou." Lin Chen's tone was flat but carried absolute confidence. He stood up, ready to take Ella and leave. "Since we can't reach an agreement, we won't disturb you any further, Mr. Zhou."

Zhou Mingyuan did not stop them, but with a gloomy face, he watched their retreating figures, the cigar between his fingertips crushed out of shape. The moment the private room door closed, he immediately took out his private phone and dialed a familiar number, his tone icy: "John, Lin Chen is at the Ban Shan Club now. I've created an opportunity for you. Whether you can get revenge or not depends on you."

From the other end of the phone came John's frantic roar, mixed with the sound of chaotic footsteps. Zhou Mingyuan hung up the phone, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth. What he wanted was to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight; no matter who lost or won between Lin Chen and John, the one who would benefit in the end would be him.

Meanwhile, outside the club, the night was deep and the evening breeze was cool. Li Wei leaned against a black sedan, dressed in black casual wear, his figure upright, his eyes sweeping the surroundings sharply, his vigilance at its peak. He had his hands in his pockets, his fingertips gripping a walkie-talkie, keeping in contact with Lin Chen at all times. If there was any anomaly, he would rush in to protect Lin Chen at the first moment. Just now, he had seen several strange vehicles driving toward the club, the license plates somewhat familiar, and a trace of unease rose in his heart, causing him to become immediately vigilant.

Lin Chen and Ella had just walked out of the villa when they saw Li Wei walking up quickly: "Boss Lin, Miss Ella, the situation is not right. Several strange vehicles have come, and looking at their posture, the visitors are not well-intentioned."

Lin Chen's eyes darkened. Subconsciously, he looked toward the direction of the foot of the mountain, only to see several dazzling headlights cutting through the night, speeding toward the club. The speed was extremely fast, carrying an intense air of hostility. There was no need to guess who it was.

Ella's nerves tightened instantly. She raised her hand to block in front of Lin Chen, her tone urgent: "It's John! How could he come here?"

Lin Chen's expression was solemn. He understood everything in an instant—Zhou Mingyuan had never intended to truly cooperate from the beginning. The invitation was nothing but a trap, aimed at luring him here, then notifying John to come and using John's hand to eliminate him. And at this moment, John was speeding toward the club with his men. A new crisis had already arrived.