CHAPTER 186: CHAPTER 119: SECRET MANEUVERS_2

"It’s okay if I can’t get it. With your help, my business has gotten off to a good start. From now on, it’s just a matter of systematically ensuring profitability," Han Lie spoke smoothly, neither arrogant nor impatient, mature and confident.

Pan Shengwu couldn’t say he was shocked, but he was genuinely surprised.

Little Han is strong...

"Your ideas are great! With the relationship between us, Uncle will certainly want to help. As long as you can deliver results, customers won’t be an issue!"

Pan Shengwu paused, then suddenly made a big pivot.

"Little Han, you should work hard on your career, but you should pay even more attention to your relationships. How have you been getting along with Pan Ge lately?"

Good grief, he all but told Han Lie outright—Win over Pan Ge, and you’ll have everything! And if not... why should I go all out for you?

Only someone smart enough could grasp the profound implications in Pan Shengwu’s words. To put it simply: My support for you depends on our relationship. My household has a net worth of one billion. For now, take this three million to play around with. Even if you lose it all, it doesn’t matter; it’s just petty cash. If you take things a step further with Pan Ge... perhaps I might invest another thirty million in you. Losing it would sting a bit, but it’s not unacceptable. Consider it training for the younger generation. If you can become my son-in-law... besides thirty million in cash, I will also offer you my connections, actively promote you, and nurture you to success. If you can actually make it down the aisle... well, that’s a completely different level of commitment.

Different relationships determine different levels of investment, increasing in intensity from superficial to deep, from weak to strong. It’s all quite reasonable, right?

Han Lie understood.

Good grief, if it weren’t for the system, I’d definitely be sold by now. Being a kept man is the life. It’s tiring, sure, but no man would shy away from this kind of fatigue. Auntie, I can do it! What? Not an auntie, but a rich beauty?! Everyone get lost; if anyone dares to block me, I’ll fight you with my life!

Naturally, most people would think this way, but Han Lie only planned to fleece a little wool, not keep the sheep.

Panzi, your pasture is too small to contain my ambitions. Let me shear a bit at the start, and don’t take it too seriously...

With this in mind, Han Lie naturally made no promises to Old Pan.

"Getting along? It’s pretty good. We talk a few times every day, occasionally have a meal together, and today we watched ’Thor 2’ together... We share quite similar interests and hobbies, but I’m just too busy with my studies and have to watch the market during the day, so I don’t have much time for interaction."

Old Pan was beside himself with annoyance. Idiot, why are you fussing about that mere three million every day! Can’t you tell what’s important?!

Originally, what he admired most were young people with their priorities in order. If you don’t work hard and strive when you’re young, will you be able to keep the family fortune passed down to you?

But facing Han Lie, he temporarily changed his standard. Why bother striving! Just win back Pan Ge, and even the loose change from my pockets is enough for you to work hard for five to eight years!

Old Pan glared, his eyes intense, and asked again, "What about you and Xi Luting?"

Then, a trace of discomfort appeared on Han Lie’s face.

"Ah? Us... We’re doing pretty good too. After all, we’re classmates and spend every day together in class..."

PHEW.

Old Pan let out a heavy sigh, thinking to himself: Don’t get angry, I won’t get angry! What’s there to be angry about with a pure and innocent young man? He’s never been harshly treated by society. I’ll just have someone rough him up a bit, and that’ll teach him...

Anger surged, and he felt a wicked impulse. Old Pan suddenly wanted to teach Han Lie a lesson. But, in the end, it was just a thought.

Things were already frustrating enough. If something else went wrong, that would be a complete disaster. Although Little Han wasn’t focusing on Pan Ge, she did take the initiative to bring him home, and that’s progress, right?

Heh, no. Old Pan and Zhao Anni both mistakenly believed Pan Ge had taken the initiative to bring Han Lie home. In truth, they were giving her too much credit. If she could actually outmaneuver Han Lie, would she be reduced to constantly calling him a ’damned dog’? Black-hearted White Lotus possessed remarkable abilities, but she was still too green and not yet his match.

Old Pan wanted to take sides, but against Han Lie who played dumb, he actually had no options. Certainly not drug my daughter and deliver her to Han Lie’s bed, right? Or bully Han Lie with the power of an elder? That would be going too far.

Impatient though he was, he still had a sense of proportion. Old Pan wanted his daughter to be happy and normal; he wasn’t planning to be too heavy-handed. At least, not planning to use strong-arm tactics for the time being.

So, in the following conversation, the potential father-in-law and son-in-law stopped discussing relationships and stocks. Han Lie began flattering Panzi, bringing up the hotel business.

Old Pan started off in education before venturing into the hotel industry and a bit of real estate. The main reason was that land in Magic Capital was relatively hard to acquire. Consequently, he had many dealings with Old Guo in this aspect. Furthermore, FuDi’s chief assistant was his cousin. Most of Old Pan’s energy, however, was focused on education and hotels.

When it came to this topic, it really opened up his chatterbox.

"Overall, Huaxia’s hotel industry is shaped like a pyramid with a broad base and a narrow top. However, if you distinguish different regions, you’ll see many variations in the pattern. Take Magic Capital, for instance; the lower-tier affordable lodgings seem to be in decline. The influx of outsiders either sleep on construction sites, in dorms, or rent shared accommodations, and small hotels don’t make sense in terms of costs and profits. At the top tier, on the other hand, the luxurious hotels’ presidential suites are in such demand that they can’t be supplied sufficiently."