A Divine Farmer

Chapter 191 - A Million Rich Women!

The Xu family was indeed in dire straits!

Xu Shaoning, who spearheaded an armed robbery, was awaiting his final trial. Although the verdict hadn't been handed down yet, it was a foregone conclusion that he'd be facing at least ten years behind bars.

Xu Jindou, on the other hand, managed to extricate himself quite cleanly. The billion-dollar diamond was registered in his son's name, and Xu Shaoning was also the beneficiary of a hefty insurance policy on the gem.

In essence, Xu Shaoning had staged an elaborate insurance fraud. When that scheme failed, he resorted to attempted robbery. Although he didn't succeed, the severity of his actions was undeniable. Some speculate that he could be locked away for at least twenty years.

Xu Jindou may have avoided prison, but he couldn't prevent the Xu family empire from crumbling.

In truth, the Xu family's prosperity had long been a facade, masking numerous internal issues, including significant financial deficits.

The debts owed to the Strong Dragon Group alone were enough to bring their enterprise to its knees.

Without such dire circumstances, the father and son duo would never have risked organizing a charity auction.

Ideally, Xu Shaoning would have made off with the diamond, and the Xu family would have quietly collected a substantial insurance payout, navigating through the crisis without drawing attention.

However, Zhang Xiaolong threw a wrench into their plans. In that instant, Xu Shaoning realized it was all over. Even if he avoided prison, he couldn't face a life as an ordinary man. So, from the start, he kept Xu Jindou in the dark and prepared a backup plan.

Should the insurance fraud come to light, he would immediately proceed with an actual heist, aiming to loot a lifetime's worth of wealth.

“Officer Liu just called,” Chen Yaru said, tenderly caressing the cheek of the man who had only just regained consciousness. “He mentioned there's been a breakthrough in the case of your father's kidnapping. The kidnapper confessed that Xu Shaoning was behind it.”

She then briefed him on some of the latest developments.

“Oh?” Zhang Xiaolong pondered, his expression growing colder. “It seems Xu Shaoning was after more than just money. Had his original plan not been disrupted, he surely would have come after me, resolved the issue, and then used it as leverage to have you marry him. That way, he could secure Distant Vast's allegiance to the Xu family, postponing their downfall a bit longer.”

The Chen family's funds were nowhere near sufficient to resolve the Strong Dragon Group's crisis. Yet, if Chen Zhaomin and the whole Distant Vast Company could be brought on board, the situation would look quite different. At least to outsiders, the Xu family appeared to be growing stronger, and there might just be a glimmer of hope for a turnaround.

“Xu Shaoning is truly vile and repulsive!” Chen Yaru shuddered at the thought.

She was fairly certain Xiaolong's suspicions were accurate. If so, Xu Shaoning's recent pestering likely had an ulterior motive from the start.

Had Zhang Xiaolong not unexpectedly entered the picture, capturing her affections and thwarting the other party's scheme, Chen Yaru dreaded to think what might have happened. She feared she had been ensnared in their trap ever since the Wang family's party began.

“Regardless, it's our time to shine. How much money is needed to acquire Strong Dragon Group?” Zhang Xiaolong was cautious not to guess wildly.

Thankfully, Chen Yaru was prepared. “I've done the math. Based on Strong Dragon Group's current framework, it would take about 1.2 billion.”

“That much?” Zhang Xiaolong massaged his temples.

He had braced for such a figure, but the actual amount still left him feeling overwhelmed.

Just a few months earlier, he was a naive young man who arrived in the city with a mere five thousand yuan to buy glass. Now, he had assets worth several million, not to mention the factory and other assets.

While that was certainly an achievement to be proud of, it paled in comparison to the billion-dollar conglomerates. His resources seemed like a mere drop in the bucket.

“The 1.2 billion is based on the current market conditions. If Strong Dragon Group were at its zenith, acquiring its infrastructure could easily cost upwards of 20 billion,” Chen Yaru acknowledged the severity of the situation. Taking on such a behemoth would be an immense challenge given their limited means. “It all depends on how many are eyeing Strong Dragon Group. The Xu family's aggressive business tactics have prevented any major beverage companies from emerging in Qingyang and the surrounding regions in recent years. If interest is limited, we might be able to negotiate a lower price. Conversely, if competition is fierce, the cost could soar.”

“Yes,” Zhang Xiaolong nodded, acknowledging that Chen Yaru had more expertise in this area than he did. “But we can't build our victory on the assumption that others will give up. Let's figure out how much money we can actually contribute ourselves.”

“Mr. Lee can definitely put up five hundred million yuan, and Dad can contribute two hundred million,” Chen Yaru had clearly done her homework, “Plus, we have about fifty million of our own…”

“Taking out two hundred million from Dad, won't that impact Distant Vast Company?” Zhang Xiaolong asked, surprised.

He was aware that Distant Vast Company didn't have the strongest financial position, and such a move could be damaging.

“If we can secure Strong Dragon, it would be worth selling the entire Distant Vast Company!” Chen Yaru stated resolutely. “Dad has already told me he supports my decision.”

Zhang Xiaolong felt a wave of emotion and embraced her. “I'm so fortunate to have met you. But where did we get fifty million yuan? I recall our company account only has eight million.”

Chen Yaru laughed and playfully pointed to her nose. “That's your account. What about mine?”

Zhang Xiaolong was even more astonished. “Yaru, do you have tens of millions in assets?”

“Yes, some of it I earned, and some was my dowry. But now, it's all yours!” Chen Yaru said with a mischievous smile.

“Wow, I had no idea I married a millionaire!” Zhang Xiaolong exclaimed dramatically.

“Hmph…” Chen Yaru struck a proud pose, “We'll see if you dare to be so flirtatious with others now!”

Zhang Xiaolong quickly declared, “Absolutely not. From now on, I won't spare a glance for any woman but my wife.”

“Alright…” Chen Yaru chuckled, dropping the playful act, “Even so, we have just under eight hundred million. It's going to be quite a challenge to acquire Strong Dragon. Ultimately, it might just come down to luck.”

“Let's not dwell on it. What's meant to be will happen; there's no point in forcing fate,” Zhang Xiaolong said, shaking his head to clear his thoughts.

Chen Yaru, however, wasn't as ready to leave it to chance. “I think we should keep trying. There might be other ways to raise the funds.”

“I can't think of anyone who could cough up several hundred million,” Zhang Xiaolong mused, perplexed.

“Did you forget about that stunning woman we met yesterday?” Chen Yaru gave him a pointed look.

“Are you talking about… Su Mei?” The mere thought of her gave Zhang Xiaolong a headache.

“Yes, Su Mingtang didn't hesitate to spend over a billion yuan on that diamond. It's clear that the Su family's financial resources have been severely underestimated. If you were to approach Su Mei, she might be willing to lend you the money,” Chen Yaru suggested earnestly.