Chapter 95: The Emperor of Imagination

Shen Guodong waited quietly. Meanwhile, Bald Brother and the others stood beside him, their posture straight and imposing in their tailored suits and leather shoes. Just looking at them gave people a chilling sense of dread.

The door soon opened, and several men entered from outside. Leading them was a middle-aged man named Lu Zhigang, the director of the Shencheng Steel Plant.

In this era, factory directors held positions of great prestige. Wherever they went, they carried themselves with an air of authority, especially those in charge of large state-owned enterprises. Most state enterprises at this time were heavy industries, making Lu Zhigang’s status all the more formidable.

Lu Zhigang strode in with an exaggerated swagger. When he first heard the report from his subordinates downstairs, he hadn’t thought much of it. But upon seeing the intimidating scene before him, he was genuinely startled—this was far beyond anything he had imagined.

Bodyguards!

Good heavens…

In this day and age, only the tycoons from Hong Kong would have bodyguards when they went out; otherwise, you’d only see such setups in TV dramas.

Yet here he was, witnessing it with his own eyes. Who was this person?

Although the man at the center dressed very plainly, that in itself made sense to Lu Zhigang. After all, true power often preferred to stay low-key. Anyone too ostentatious would never come to a good end. Dressing this way made it easier to be overlooked. But showing up here meant something different.

Lu Zhigang immediately reined in his arrogance and asked respectfully, “May I ask where you gentlemen are from? I am Lu Zhigang, director of Shencheng Steel Plant.”

“I’m from Hong Kong,” Shen Guodong replied, his Mandarin tinged with a distinct Cantonese accent. The official language in Hong Kong was Cantonese, and their Mandarin always sounded unusual. Having spent many years in Hong Kong in his previous life, Shen Guodong found the language easy to master. He could seamlessly blend Cantonese and Mandarin into a unique hybrid.

Hearing this accent, Lu Zhigang’s heart instantly calmed. From Hong Kong? That place was filled with wealthy people—many of them worth billions. Anyone coming to the mainland to do business was unlikely to be involved in anything minor. Lu Zhigang’s heartbeat quickened. Could this finally be his opportunity?

The thought brought a glimmer of anticipation to his face, and he became even more deferential.

“May I ask your surname?” Lu Zhigang inquired.

“Shen,” Shen Guodong replied politely.

Shen! Lu Zhigang mulled this over. It was not a common surname. In Hong Kong, the big family names were mostly Wong and Lee.

But there was one family—a renowned shipping magnate.

Could it be that family?

“May I ask if your esteemed father is Shen…” Lu Zhigang probed cautiously. He knew the shipping tycoon had a son, but wasn’t clear on his name. Judging by Shen Guodong’s age, it matched the information he’d heard. Could this really be the man?

The thought changed the expression on his face. If this was indeed that person, what was he doing here in the northeast? The northeast was certainly an industrial heartland, but if he wanted to do business, he could simply send a company representative. Now, the tycoon’s son showing up himself—Lu Zhigang was thoroughly puzzled.

Before he could finish, Shen Guodong swiftly interrupted, “Director Lu, you’re a smart man. It’s enough that you know; better not to say it out loud. That benefits all involved. Since I’m here, let me be frank: My father thinks I’m idle in Hong Kong and has given me a task. He wants me to develop something in the northeast. If I achieve something, the family business will be entrusted to me. If I don’t, I’ll obediently work in the company and learn. I have three chances. If I fail, the company will be handed over to a family trust, and I’ll receive just two million a month as spending money. Sigh, you know, two million—can you even call that money? It buys nothing. Not just me, even my grandkids might not be able to spend it all!”

Shen Guodong spoke with absolute seriousness, every word clear and convincing.

When he finished, Zhou Meiniang and the others all had the same thought: This guy was a master of deception!

Had they not known Shen Guodong well, they might have believed him. He was the very definition of a con man.

But Lu Zhigang believed every word. He was familiar with the practice among Hong Kong magnates of entrusting family businesses to a single heir. If the son was unpromising, they’d entrust the company to a family trust to avoid seeing their hard-earned fortune squandered, and provide a monthly allowance instead. Even so, that allowance was immense for ordinary people.

Hearing Shen Guodong mention a monthly two million, which amounted to tens of millions a year—and that he dismissed it as nothing—was simply unimaginable. For people in the mainland, whose salaries were just a few dozen yuan a month, Shen Guodong’s spending money was astronomical.

Adding in Shen Guodong’s extraordinary aura, Lu Zhigang was almost completely convinced. He was so excited he could barely contain himself. Such an opportunity landing in his lap was beyond his wildest dreams.

He was already envisioning the future: if he could latch onto Shen Guodong’s coattails, he’d enjoy riches and honor beyond measure. It would be like those ancient ministers who helped the crown prince ascend the throne—their status and power were simply unimaginable!

Right now, the situation was much the same. As long as he could help Shen Guodong achieve success here, all that future wealth would be under his control. Even a small favor from Shen Guodong would mean a bright future.

Lu Zhigang’s mind was already racing with possibilities.

Seeing his reaction, Shen Guodong knew his words had hit their mark. A faint smile appeared on his face. There was no need to say more—once someone believes you, they’ll fill in the rest themselves.