Angel Investment Platform.

Ye Chen skimmed through the listings at lightning speed.

After all, of all the projects seeking investment on these platforms, only a rare few had real potential.

His goal?

To snatch up those dark horse projects that had thrived in his past life.

The truth was, top-tier investors wouldn't even bother looking at these platforms.

But for now, Ye Chen had no choice but to start from here.

If he could get one, he would take one.

Sitting at his computer, Ye Chen continuously browsed through project and brand information.

After scanning dozens of pages, he finally stopped his mouse.

On the screen, three brands appeared on the same page:

• A hotpot brand called "Jianghu."

• A sportswear brand called "Shenlong."

• A bike-sharing brand called "Suixing."

These three brands.

To be honest, under normal circumstances, brands like these seeking investment would likely disappear into obscurity.

Investors with any status wouldn't even give them a glance.

After all, whether it was hotpot, sportswear, or bike-sharing, these markets in China were already saturated to the brim.

Countless brands had risen and fallen over the years.

Newcomers rarely got a slice of the market's profit pie.

But in Ye Chen's memories of his past life, these three brands had managed to defy the odds and thrive after securing funding.

Take "Jianghu Hotpot" for example.

After receiving investment, it had grown by offering better service, ambiance, and ingredients than Haidilao. Through explosive word-of-mouth marketing, it rose from obscurity to challenge Haidilao head-on, eventually eating into its market share.

In just a few short years, Jianghu Hotpot completed its rise to prominence.

Within five years, its valuation had soared to 60 billion!

Compared to Jianghu, the other two brands were also market dark horses but paled in comparison.

After weighing his options, Ye Chen passed on the other two brands.

His focus narrowed solely on Jianghu Hotpot.

But he wanted more than just to invest — he wanted absolute control.

Exhaling softly, Ye Chen rubbed his tired eyes.

He picked up his phone and dialed the contact listed on the platform.

The call connected quickly.

"Hello!" the voice on the other end greeted.

"Mr. Liu Xi?" Ye Chen asked with a smile.

"Yes? Who's this?" the man on the other end sounded puzzled.

"Is your Jianghu Hotpot currently seeking investment?" Ye Chen asked.

"You're interested in investing in Jianghu Hotpot?"

Liu Xi's breathing audibly quickened.

Though Jianghu's business model and profits allowed it to carve out a small niche, Liu Xi wasn't satisfied with just scraping by.

In this ever-changing and disruptive market, survival demanded uniqueness.

The hotpot sector had seen countless brands collapse, with only Haidilao emerging victorious.

Even with Jianghu's modest market share, Liu Xi was already considering a transformation.

A transformation targeting Haidilao directly — otherwise, Jianghu risked becoming another stepping stone for newer brands.

That was why Liu Xi, with stores only in the Pearl River Delta, sought to break the barrier through investment.

He had tried seeking investors before, but Haidilao's dominance made it impossible to attract attention.

Desperate, he turned to angel investment platforms.

Unexpectedly, someone reached out within days.

"Yes, should we meet and discuss this further?" Ye Chen suggested with a smile.

"Absolutely! Of course! How should I address you?" Liu Xi asked eagerly.

"Ye Chen — 'Ye' as in leaf, and 'Chen' as in stars and sun," Ye Chen replied.

"Ye Chen..."

Liu Xi racked his brain but couldn't recall the name.

Still, that didn't deter him from agreeing to meet.

"Mr. Ye, where should we meet?" Liu Xi asked.

"I see Jianghu Hotpot is registered in Jiangzhou. Are you currently in Jiangzhou?" Ye Chen inquired.

"Yes, I'm in Jiangzhou."

"Great. Let's meet at Café A. When you arrive, tell the staff you're here to see Mr. Ye. They'll bring you over. And... bring your project proposal," Ye Chen instructed.

Saying those words brought a strange sense of déjà vu.

It reminded him of his initial dealings with Henda Group's Vice President Xiao Qiang regarding the Jinzhong Village project.

Café A, huh? That surprised Liu Xi.

Despite being just a café, Café A operated on a strict membership and invitation-only basis.

Money alone couldn't guarantee entry — and Liu Xi wasn't remotely qualified.

Clearly, this Mr. Ye had influence.

"An hour from now, does that work for you?" Ye Chen asked.

"Yes, absolutely. One hour it is," Liu Xi replied without hesitation.

Hanging up, Ye Chen didn't bother changing into formal wear.

Dressed in casual attire bought by Yinuo, he left early to avoid traffic.

Driving his G-Wagon, Ye Chen's thoughts drifted toward the series of moves he was about to make.

His hunger for wealth intensified.

Even with his knowledge of the future, time wasn't on his side.

He had promised Yan Huaili that within a year, he would establish an office in the CBD.

This left no room for leisurely growth.

Acquisitions and investments were the immediate focus.

But the targets Ye Chen had in mind required significant capital.

Much more than he currently had.

Yi Ren Ru Xue's revenue wouldn't suffice, and antiques weren't profitable enough.

Fortunately, a lucrative stock market opportunity was just around the corner.

Once this wave hit, his hunger for capital would subside—at least temporarily.

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, he arrived at Café A.

Flashing the VIP black card gifted by Li Changfeng, Ye Chen became the most distinguished guest in the café.

After notifying the staff to escort Liu Xi upon arrival, Ye Chen ordered a glass of water and flipped through the latest financial newspaper, waiting for Jianghu Hotpot's founder.