346: Chapter 345 Various Forces Surge Towards the Southwest (Part 2)

Meanwhile, on the top floor of the Southwest International Group building, outside the floor-to-ceiling windows of the chairman's office lay a sprawling city skyline, with the cool, white mist from the air conditioning vents still lingering on the glass.

Si Hongjun pushed a thick stack of documents to the corner of his desk. Just as his knuckles brushed against the armrest of his leather chair, his private line rang urgently.

He glanced at the caller ID, and when his fingertips pressed the answer button, his voice still carried the composed tone of someone who had just finished handling official business: "Speak."

"Chairman, Young Miss Si Yao's private plane has taken off from Modu, and is expected to land at Southwest International Airport in an hour and a half." The crew member's report came through clearly over the receiver.

"Understood." Si Hongjun hung up decisively, then immediately dialed the number of the old man, Si Zhengxiong, his tone carrying a hint of relief: "Hello, Dad, Yaoyao is already on her way back. Shall I arrange a helicopter to pick you up? We can go to the airport together to meet her."

"Oh! This girl is finally willing to come back!" Si Zhengxiong's laughter on the other end of the line was hearty, as if a stone pressing on his heart had finally fallen, but as soon as the laughter subsided, his tone became a bit more solemn, "By the way, has Zhao Lintai been notified?"

"Don't worry, I already spoke to him last night. He will join us at the airport to meet Yaoyao today." Si Hongjun replied, his tone becoming a bit more measured, "After all, the engagement is still in place. Even if it doesn't work out in the end, the Si Family's etiquette must be maintained to avoid giving others a reason to complain."

"Hmm, you did the right thing. Etiquette must be thorough." Si Zhengxiong's voice deepened, "Send the helicopter over; I'll be waiting at home."

"Alright." Si Hongjun hung up the phone and called out toward the door: "Hongxiao!"

The next second, the office door was pushed open, and a tall man in a black suit walked in quickly. It was Si Hongxiao, who had replaced Si Hongbin as his personal bodyguard, and was also one of the most reliable young men among the collateral branches of the Si Family.

"Brother Jun, you called?" He stood with his hands at his sides, his gaze sharp but not ostentatious.

"Hongxiao, go to the old residence personally and bring the old man over. Use the helicopter on the roof and leave as soon as possible." Si Hongjun's tone was crisp.

"Yes!" Si Hongxiao turned around, his movements so decisive there wasn't a hint of hesitation. When the door closed, it made only a barely audible "click" sound.

Less than ten minutes later, the roar of propeller blades churning the air echoed from the top of the building.

Si Hongjun walked to the window, watching that black helicopter gradually shrink beneath the clouds until it disappeared toward the edge of the city, before turning back to his desk.

But before he could pick up the documents he hadn't finished reading, his private phone rang again—the caller ID was his son, Si Wenruo.

"Dad, I've been abandoned by Yaoyao!" As soon as Si Wenruo's complaint came through, Si Hongjun couldn't help but chuckle.

After hearing his son say he had to take a flight back to the Southwest, he shook his head helplessly: "You, you can't even handle your own sister, you're a useless big brother. What time does the flight arrive? I'll have the driver pick you up."

"Don't even mention it, I booked the ticket last minute, it won't land until eight in the evening, it's too late." Si Wenruo sighed, his voice full of grievance, "Don't worry about me, I'll just take a taxi back myself."

Just as Si Hongjun was about to say something else, he heard the tone on the other end of the line suddenly become mysterious: "But Dad, I have to give you a heads-up—Yaoyao isn't coming back alone this time. She's brought a 'big surprise' for you all, you better be mentally prepared."

Si Hongjun raised an eyebrow and tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, "You've only been gone a few days and you've already learned to keep people in suspense? Hurry up and speak! What surprise?"

"Cough, you have to promise first that you won't tell Yaoyao that I leaked the secret!" Si Wenruo's voice carried a hint of fawning, "I can't handle Little Sister's temper."

"Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and tell me!" Si Hongjun had no patience for beating around the bush, his tone deepening.

"Fine, it's like this..." Si Wenruo then explained, from start to finish, how he had instigated Si Yao to find a fake boyfriend and present a 'fait accompli' to naturally call off the engagement with the Zhao family.

"Bastard!" Si Hongjun's voice dropped instantly, his tone filled with anger, "How could you give Yaoyao such a terrible idea? It's one thing to lie to me, but your grandfather is so old, you dare to fool him too? And a fake boyfriend? A 'fait accompli'? Do you think the Zhao family is so easily fooled?"

"It's not like that, Dad, I had no choice!" Si Wenruo quickly defended himself, his voice even a bit urgent, "If I didn't suggest this trick, Yaoyao wouldn't have agreed to come back to the Southwest no matter what!"

"You, oh you, what am I supposed to say about you?! You really are good at nothing and only ruin things!" Si Hongjun's anger was uncontrollable, "Even if Yaoyao doesn't come back, she can't just find any random stray dog to pretend to be her boyfriend! If this gets captured by the media and the truth comes out, where will the Si Family's face go? By then, everyone in the country will know that we sacrificed our daughter's reputation just to break off an engagement!"

"Dad, don't be so anxious yet!" Si Wenruo hurriedly urged, "Think about it, Yaoyao has never had a good impression of men. If she was able to get someone to pretend to be her boyfriend, it means she at least recognizes this person to some extent! Otherwise, given her temper, she would rather not return to the Southwest than just pick someone at random!"

Si Hongjun fell silent. He knew his daughter too well—Si Yao had a fiery temper and couldn't tolerate any imperfections. If she didn't approve of someone, she wouldn't let a strange man near her even if she were tied up.

His anger gradually subsided, and his tone became a bit more inquisitive: "What's the guy's background? What's his name? What does he do?"

"His name should be 'Qin Yi'! I heard from Yaoyao that they are friends from a supercar club. She also said that the kid is young, but he already owns an entire building in the Shenjiangwan Community in Modu, and has dozens of luxury cars under his name. He's definitely a promising young man!"

Si Wenruo paused, then added: "I also specifically looked him up online. Qin Yi recently opened two companies—one called Yiqin Capital Investment Co., Ltd., which does finance; the other is called Yiqian Media Co., Ltd., which does entertainment. The paid-in registered capital for both companies is one billion!"

"How much? Two companies, one billion in paid-in registered capital each? Are you mistaken?" Si Hongjun's voice rose sharply, his eyes full of surprise—one billion in paid-in capital for a single company, that's two billion for two! Even for his Si Family, they wouldn't let a young junior throw away two billion to start a company right off the bat. This Qin Yi's background probably wasn't simple.

"It's absolutely true! You can look it up online right now!" Si Wenruo's tone was certain, "And two days ago, he also donated 200 million to Modu University in the company's name to establish a scholarship fund and an entrepreneurship fund. It was a very generous gesture!"

"Donated 200 million to Modu University? What is this Qin Yi's relationship with Modu University? Is it a school-run enterprise?" Si Hongjun asked skeptically.

"No, Qin Yi is just a student at Modu University." Si Wenruo explained, "However, Yiqin Capital has no connection to the school. The shareholders, besides Qin Yi who holds the majority, include Xing Zhenkun with 15%, Ye Ziming with 10%, Yaoyao also with 10%, and Wang Tengfei, Xin Mingyuan, and Xu Chao with 3% each."

"Yaoyao also invested?"

"Yes. According to the data found online, Yaoyao should have paid in 80 million!"

"80 million for a 10% stake, that's not a bad deal." Si Hongjun muttered to himself, and his fingers began to tap the desk unconsciously again—who exactly was this Qin Yi? Could he be a white glove for some big shot?

"But the two companies were just established, it's hard to say what the prospects are." Si Wenruo's voice pulled him back to his thoughts.

Si Hongjun was silent for a few seconds before speaking: "Alright, I understand. I will arrange for people to investigate Qin Yi. If he is as outstanding as you say, it wouldn't be impossible to consider him as a son-in-law for the Si Family."

"That's true! I just don't know what Qin Yi's attitude is towards Little Sister." Si Wenruo's tone carried a bit of curiosity, "By the way Dad, what has that kid Zhao Lintai been doing lately?"

"What else could he be doing? He's staying in the Southwest." Si Hongjun's tone was a bit flat, "I introduced him to a few businessmen from Southeast Asia, and they get along okay. But I don't really approve of his business methods. Why are you suddenly asking about him?"

"It's nothing, maybe I'm overthinking it." Si Wenruo's voice paused, then added, "Dad, did you see the news last night? The Security Bureau caught a murderer who had been on the run for ten years."

"I've seen it. What's the matter?" Si Hongjun asked, looking somewhat puzzled.

"When I was in Modu, I read quite a few local news reports. You should be aware of the scandal involving Hongtai Construction." Si Wenruo's voice lowered slightly. "I checked yesterday, and the largest shareholder of Hongtai Construction has changed. It's now Lintai Investment Co., Ltd., registered in the capital, and the legal representative is named Wang Ming—don't you think that name has some connection to Zhao Lintai?"

"Even if it is him, what does it have to do with that murderer?" Si Hongjun's brows furrowed even tighter.

"It's hard to say." Si Wenruo's tone grew more solemn. "I looked into Lintai Investment's records and discovered that every time they make a controlling investment, something happens in that area. This time, with the acquisition of Hongtai Construction, the former chairman Wang Hongtai had a car accident, and his son Wang Hao even transferred his shares to Lintai to hold on his behalf. Last time in Jingnan, they bought a failing steel mill at a low price, and as soon as they flipped it, the land use was changed from industrial to commercial—if there's nothing fishy going on there, I'll be damned!"

He paused for a moment before adding, "The most coincidental part is that the original owner of that steel mill was surnamed Qin, named Qin Jianye. And as luck would have it, he is Qin Yi's father!"

Upon hearing this, Si Hongjun, on the other end of the line, fell instantly silent.

Having spent half his life rising and falling in the business world, how could Si Hongjun fail to see the fishiness in this? Behind the seemingly coincidental events, it was clearly a calculated move, step by step.

After a long while, Si Hongjun's voice finally came through: "So you're saying that Qin Yi and Zhao Lintai have had a grudge for a long time?"

"Exactly. That's what I'm worried about!" Si Wenruo's voice was full of anxiety. "Yao Yao asking Qin Yi to pretend to be her boyfriend might not be as simple as it seems. I'm afraid that Qin Yi following her to the Southwest this time is aimed at Zhao Lintai! Although we don't want Yao Yao to marry into the Zhao Family, we can't let Zhao Lintai have an accident on Si Family territory, otherwise, we won't be able to answer to Old Master Zhao!"

"I understand. Wenruo, you did well this time; you were very vigilant!" Si Hongjun took a deep breath, his tone regaining its composure. "I'll arrange for someone to keep an eye on Zhao Lintai to ensure his safety. As for the personal grudge between him and Qin Yi, our Si Family will not interfere. But if he dares to cause trouble within the Southwest territory, don't blame me for turning hostile!"

After hanging up the phone, Si Hongjun pondered for a moment and then made another call.

Shortly after, a woman dressed in a white professional OL suit with exquisite makeup walked in. She was Si Hongjun's special assistant, Lin Wei.

"Chairman, did you ask for me?" She stood in front of the desk, her tone respectful but not servile.

"Hmm," Si Hongjun nodded, took a piece of paper from his drawer, and slid it over. "Xiao Wei, arrange for someone to investigate this person named Qin Yi, as well as Yiqin Capital and Yiqian Media under his name."

Lin Wei took the paper, glanced at the names and companies, and frowned slightly. "How detailed should the investigation be?"

"Everything, down to the last detail." Si Hongjun's tone was solemn. "Family background, history of how he made his fortune, sources of company funds, shareholder backgrounds, and even the people he has been in contact with recently—everything must be investigated clearly. Get me a report as soon as possible; the more detailed, the better."

"Understood. I will arrange for people to investigate right away." Lin Wei folded the paper and put it into a folder, then asked, "The motorcade to pick up the Young Miss has already been arranged and is waiting downstairs at the company, ready to depart at any time. As for the person you asked me to pick up, the driver has already gone, and they are expected to arrive at the company in ten minutes."

"Hmm." Si Hongjun acknowledged and then instructed, "The investigation into Qin Yi must be kept confidential. Tell the people below to keep their mouths shut. If anyone leaks the news, no matter who they are, they will be fired immediately."

"Understood!" Lin Wei's eyes sharpened, she responded solemnly, took two steps back, and turned to leave. Her high heels clicked crisply against the floor with a "clack-clack" sound.

Si Hongjun leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the desktop, his eyes deep—Qin Yi, Zhao Lintai... His daughter really didn't let him worry any less. He had a faint feeling that the Southwest was about to become restless.

…

Meanwhile, inside the Si Family's private jet at an altitude of ten thousand meters, the air was filled with the faint scent of champagne.

The chief flight attendant walked over slowly, carrying a gold-rimmed tray, her ivory-white gloves making her fingertips appear even more slender.

She placed the four drinks in front of Qin Yi, Si Yao, Shen Jianan, and Ye Ziming in turn. As she bent down, her skirt hem lightly brushed against the carpet, and her tone was perfectly respectful: "Young Miss Si Yao, distinguished guests, the flight duration is about an hour and a half. If there is no turbulence, we will land at Southwest International Airport at 11:00 AM sharp. I am the chief flight attendant for this flight. If you have any needs during the journey, please press the call button on the armrest."

Si Yao rested her fingertips on the cup handle and just gave a faint "Hmm." The orange juice in the crystal glass shimmered with fragmented light spots.

Qin Yi and Ye Ziming both nodded and smiled at the chief flight attendant, while Shen Jianan gave a gentle nod, her gaze fixed on her own knees.

Seeing that the atmosphere was quiet, the chief flight attendant tactfully retreated to the middle of the cabin and reached out to pull the off-white soundproof curtain.

The heavy curtains completely isolated the mechanical sounds of the cockpit, leaving only the faint sound of airflow from the air conditioning vents in the cabin, creating a private space exclusively for the four of them.

Ye Ziming couldn't sit still any longer.

He first reached out to touch the leather surface of the seat, his fingertips making a slight "swish" sound as they brushed against the fine texture. Then, he leaned in toward the LCD screen on the wall, his finger hovering over the touch button for a long time without daring to press it. With his curious yet restrained appearance, he looked just like a child entering an amusement park for the first time.

"I say, Yao Yao, isn't your family's jet a bit too luxurious?" He turned his head to look at Si Yao, his eyes full of envy.

Si Yao didn't respond, just held the cup and sipped the juice in small mouthfuls.

Qin Yi leaned back in his chair, his fingertips gently rubbing the water droplets on the side of the cup, his gaze looking out through the porthole—the clouds were rolling like fluffy cotton batting, and the sunlight shone through the glass onto the watch on his wrist, refracting fragmented light. However, his thoughts had long since drifted toward the Southwest.

Shen Jianan kept her head down and remained silent throughout, though the corner of her eye would occasionally glance toward Qin Yi, lingering for only a second or two each time before quickly looking away.

"Qin Yi, what are you thinking about? Your soul seems to have flown away." Si Yao noticed his absent-mindedness and asked curiously.

Qin Yi snapped back to reality, the contemplation in his eyes instantly fading, replaced by a relaxed smile: "Nothing much, just thinking about when I should buy myself a private jet to play around with."

"Isn't that simple?" Si Yao raised an eyebrow, a smile curling the corners of her lips. "With Young Master Qin's net worth, buying a private jet is like buying a toy. Do you even need to think about it?"

"Damn! Can you two stop humble-bragging in front of me?" Ye Ziming leaned over, complaining with a face full of envy. "I've only ever seen this kind of private jet in magazines. You guys, on the other hand, buy them as you please—it's simply inhumanly rich!"

Si Yao rolled her eyes at him: "Young Master Ye, stop crying poor here. It's just that your grandfather is strict; otherwise, with your Ye Family's assets, even if you weren't willing to buy the top-of-the-line model, wouldn't you be able to pick and choose from small to medium-sized private jets at will?"

Ye Ziming's face immediately fell, and he reached up to scratch his head: "Stop mocking me. I thought your family's jet was only worth two or three hundred million. I just secretly checked—this is a Bombardier Global 7500, right? The internet says the transaction price is 73 million USD, which converts to over 500 million in Dragon Kingdom currency! My meager savings wouldn't even be enough to buy a wheel for this plane."

"Haha, I suppose you have some knowledge." Si Yao nodded, her tone as flat as if she were talking about the weather. "However, that's just the price of the aircraft itself. The annual maintenance fees, crew salaries, and parking fees add up to at least five or six million. If you fly frequently, it could easily exceed ten million."

Qin Yi's hand holding the cup paused for a moment.

Five hundred million... that converts to five million in System experience points.

He currently had about forty-seven million in experience points for the System upgrade. If he bought a private jet, it would be just enough for half of the upgrade progress. But then he thought, he had only been spending and not earning recently. If he relied solely on spending money to accumulate experience, he would eventually run out of resources.

It seems he needed to start using the "Financial Prophet" skill as soon as possible.