Ye Chen casually picked up a financial newspaper.

He was just looking to pass the time.

But what he didn't expect was that after just a glance, he froze in surprise.

Stella Energy Vehicles.

Its stock price had been plummeting for days.

Speculation about Stella's future in the stock market and the timing to buy the dip once again triggered a wave of expert opinions.

After reading the Stella column, Ye Chen drifted into memories.

Stella, in his previous life, had perfectly demonstrated the meaning of extreme volatility—a true roller coaster.

Sharp declines, sharp rises, then declines again, and rises once more.

That was Stella's pattern in the stock market.

Of course, those ups and downs eventually became a feast for capitalists.

The only ones who suffered were the countless retail investors who blindly rushed in.

Lost in memory, Ye Chen snapped back to reality when Liu Xi, led by a server at Café A, approached him.

"Mr. Ye Chen?"

Liu Xi, holding a folder, was impeccably dressed in a suit. He appeared to be in his early forties, exuding a refined and gentle aura.

However, his face was full of doubt.

The man before him didn't even look thirty.

Was this really his investor?

"Yes, Mr. Liu. That's me."

Ye Chen stood up, shook hands with him, and gestured.

"Please, have a seat. What would you like to drink?"

"Just a glass of water will do."

With a calm and accepting demeanor, Liu Xi sat down.

Soon, a glass of water was brought to him.

After taking a sip, Liu Xi went straight to the point.

"Mr. Ye, I understand you're interested in investing in Jianghu Hotpot?"

"Yes, but my interest depends on your project proposal, Mr. Liu," Ye Chen replied with a smile.

Liu Xi paused, then asked cautiously, "Mr. Ye, forgive my bluntness, but who exactly are you? How can I believe you have the means to invest in Jianghu Hotpot?"

His question wasn't unwarranted.

Liu Xi had never heard of Ye Chen before. Even an online search yielded no relevant results.

Sure, there were plenty of people named Ye Chen... but none of them seemed like someone capable of investing in Jianghu Hotpot.

"Mr. Liu, have you heard of 'Yi Ren Ru Xue'?" Ye Chen asked with a grin.

"Yi Ren Ru Xue? The Wuxia Balm?"

Liu Xi wasn't someone unfamiliar with the market. He immediately recognized the name.

"Yes, that's right. 'Yi Ren Ru Xue' is my brand, and Wuxia Balm is my product," Ye Chen replied.

Liu Xi froze for a moment.

The very product that was currently under heavy public scrutiny belonged to the man before him?

But Liu Xi wasn't like the easily swayed masses online.

In his view, the Wuxia Balm couldn't possibly be as problematic as the rumors suggested.

After all, it was linked to Yunshan Network, a company associated with Zhang Jingshan—a prominent figure in Jiangzhou and the grandson of the former secretary Zhang.

If the balm truly had major issues, then not only Zhang Jingshan but also his grandfather's reputation and the government departments involved in approving the product would be dragged down in this era of information.

Realizing the severity of the situation, Liu Xi doubted that Wuxia Balm was some low-quality, scam product targeting gullible consumers.

On the contrary, if the balm was as effective as advertised, it could monopolize the market and become a goldmine.

If Ye Chen truly owned Yi Ren Ru Xue, investing in Jianghu Hotpot wouldn't be a problem.

"Mr. Liu, you don't believe me?" Ye Chen asked.

"No, no. Apologies, Mr. Ye. I was just momentarily distracted."

Liu Xi shook his head immediately.

The fact that Ye Chen had set the meeting at Café A was proof enough.

"Can I see your project proposal?" Ye Chen asked.

"Of course, Mr. Ye. Here you go."

Liu Xi handed over the proposal.

Ye Chen took it and began reading intently.

It was almost exactly as he remembered from his previous life.

The proposal detailed the transformation and upgrade path for Jianghu Hotpot.

It described the very plan that led Jianghu Hotpot to surpass Hai Di Lao in his past life.

Ye Chen couldn't help but feel impressed.

Liu Xi clearly wasn't an ordinary entrepreneur.

The ambition reflected in the proposal wasn't just to compete with Hai Di Lao—it was to surpass and crush it.

After reading the last page, Ye Chen closed the proposal.

"Mr. Ye, what do you think of Jianghu Hotpot's transformation plan?" Liu Xi asked eagerly.

"In one year, can Jianghu Hotpot expand to all major cities and start penetrating smaller markets?" Ye Chen asked.

Liu Xi was stunned.

Was this a joke?

Nationwide expansion within a year?

And not just first-tier cities but also second, third, and even lower-tier markets?

How much capital would that require?

And what about the risk?

"Mr. Ye, are you serious? Do you understand the risks? What kind of investment could sustain such a plan?" Liu Xi frowned.

At that moment, Ye Chen didn't seem like an investor.

He seemed more like a short-sighted madman.

But what Liu Xi didn't know was that, to Ye Chen, this was a zero-risk endeavor.

In his past life, Jianghu Hotpot had skyrocketed to a 60-billion valuation following this very plan.

"Mr. Liu, I'm offering to invest 500 million in exchange for 68% of Jianghu Hotpot's shares. What do you think?"

Ye Chen smiled without addressing Liu Xi's concerns.

"You want majority control?" Liu Xi's eyes widened.

"Yes. Can you accept it? Honestly, given your ambition, you'll need to go through multiple rounds of financing anyway. Eventually, you won't hold majority control either. This way, we streamline the process. I'll ensure that your stake never drops below 20%, even with further investment," Ye Chen explained calmly.

Liu Xi fell silent.

As an entrepreneur, he knew that scaling up required financing.

Even major figures in the industry didn't fully control their own companies.

But cutting his 100% ownership to just 32%... that was unexpected.

Still, with a 500 million investment, it seemed like a fair trade.

"Mr. Liu, take your time to consider it. I respect your leadership—Jianghu Hotpot will remain under your management."

Watching Liu Xi's thoughtful expression, Ye Chen smiled.