Little did they know, the moment Ye Chen heard the person on the other end of the call introduce themselves, he froze.

Someone from the Hengda Group?

What did it mean for someone from the Hengda Group to come looking for him?

It meant they had already been to Jinzhong Village and were aware that he had acquired all 66 houses there.

This all happened within a single day.

If he had delayed even slightly, Hengda Group would have completed the acquisition of Jinzhong Village by now.

If not for the inspection team moving faster than expected...

If not for him immediately pulling out of Sihai Group when its stock price fell below 10 yuan per share...

If he had wasted even a day, he would have missed out on a tenfold or even eightfold profit surge.

Thinking about this, Ye Chen couldn't help but feel a wave of gratitude, as though blessed by divine intervention.

But the person on the other end of the call had no idea Ye Chen's thoughts were running so deep.

Hearing no response, Su Yan hesitated.

"Mr. Ye?"

"Yes, I was the one who acquired Jinzhong Village. Why do you ask?" Ye Chen snapped out of his thoughts and responded calmly, showing no trace of his earlier musings.

"May I ask if the acquisition was for your personal investment or on behalf of someone else?" Su Yan inquired.

"What do you mean? Does it matter?" Ye Chen replied.

Su Yan chuckled nervously. "Mr. Ye, if it's a personal acquisition, we'd like to negotiate directly with you. If it was on behalf of someone else, we'd appreciate it if you could provide us with their contact information. Rest assured, we'll ensure you're well-compensated for your efforts. We'll make sure you're satisfied!"

"It was a personal acquisition. Why... is your Hengda Group also eyeing the land in Jinzhong Village?" Ye Chen feigned ignorance.

"Mr. Ye, could you perhaps spare some time for a face-to-face meeting?" Su Yan suggested.

After a brief pause, Ye Chen asked, "Answer me this first—do you have the authority to make decisions in Hengda Group?"

"Well... Mr. Ye, I'm just an executive in a subsidiary of Hengda Group," Su Yan admitted truthfully, unsure why Ye Chen would ask such a question.

"In that case, there's no need for us to meet. Negotiations can happen, even if Hengda Group wants the land I own, but I prefer to speak with someone who has decision-making power. It'll save us all the time and effort of back-and-forth reporting," Ye Chen said bluntly.

He didn't mind revealing his openness to selling right from the start.

"Mr. Ye, are you considering selling the Jinzhong Village land?"

Su Yan was taken aback by his directness.

If the village representative wasn't exaggerating, didn't Ye Chen just acquire Jinzhong Village yesterday?

And yet, he didn't mind flipping it the very next day?

"Why not? Every deal in this world is about profit. If Hengda Group can offer me enough benefits, why wouldn't I?" Ye Chen responded with a calm, relaxed smile.

Hearing his words, Su Yan frowned.

From his phrasing and composed demeanor, it was clear he wasn't an ordinary person.

Even if Hengda Group eventually acquired the Jinzhong Village land, it would come at a steep cost.

Realizing this, Su Yan knew she couldn't handle this on her own.

"Alright, Mr. Ye. I'll have my superior contact you!" Su Yan said.

"Alright."

With that, Ye Chen hung up and continued walking to the market, unruffled by the prospect of imminent wealth.

Meanwhile, Su Yan quickly reported the situation to her superior, Xiao Qiang, and provided Ye Chen's contact information.

At Hengda Group, Xiao Qiang stared at the phone number she had written down, her face clouded with worry.

From Su Yan's report, it was clear the other party intended to make an outrageous demand.

If Ye Chen had been more reserved or vague, Xiao Qiang might not have found him particularly troublesome.

But his straightforwardness revealed a complexity that was hard to ignore.

After twenty years in the business world, climbing her way to a multimillion annual salary as Hengda Group's Vice President, Xiao Qiang was no stranger to difficult negotiations. However, from Su Yan's description, Ye Chen seemed more formidable than anyone she had dealt with before.

"I hope this lion doesn't open its mouth too wide," Xiao Qiang murmured, still frowning.

She decided not to call Ye Chen immediately. Letting him wait was a small psychological tactic, even if it offered little advantage.

What she didn't realize was that trying to play mind games with a former business magnate worth 400 billion was simply naive!

Back home, Ye Chen prepared dinner: old fire soup, steamed fish, salt and pepper shrimp, braised ribs, and a simplified version of "boiled cabbage." Though it wasn't at the level of a state banquet, it still captured the essence of the dish.

His wife, Chen Yinuo, and daughter, Yoyo, couldn't get enough of the delicious meal.

"Daddy, can you make this boiled cabbage for me every day? I've never had cabbage so good!" Yoyo said, her belly full yet still craving more.

"Of course! As long as Yoyo likes it, Daddy will make it for you every day. And if there's anything else you want, just let me know. Even if I don't know how to make it, I'll learn just for you!" Ye Chen promised with a big smile.

"Yay! Daddy, I want tea-leaf shrimp, ice cream, pizza... hmm, let me think of more!" Yoyo cheered.

Watching the father-daughter interaction, Chen Yinuo couldn't help but smile warmly. Happiness, it seemed, could be so simple.

Finally, the ringing phone interrupted their moment.

"Hello."

"Mr. Ye Chen? This is Xiao Qiang, Vice President of Hengda Group. Su Yan has relayed your message. I believe I'm qualified to negotiate with you now?" Xiao Qiang's tone was sharp and direct.

Had acquiring Jinzhong Village not been an urgent matter, she wouldn't have called personally, nor would she have sent a subordinate. But with the deadline approaching, she had no choice but to act.

"You're qualified," Ye Chen replied with a sly smile, unsurprised by her involvement.

"Alright, tonight at 9 PM, at A Café. Let's meet and discuss. Does that work for you?" Xiao Qiang asked.

"A Café" was an exclusive venue attached to A Restaurant, reserved for the city's elite and accessible only by membership.

"Of course. I'll be there on time," Ye Chen replied.

"Good. Just mention my name, Xiao Qiang, when you arrive. Someone will guide you to me."