Yi Anguo felt he might be demanding too much, so he asked, "Which companies do you think have great investment value?"

"It could be internet companies or brick-and-mortar enterprises."

At this point, Chen Xuejiao realized Yi Anguo was testing her. She didn't answer immediately, instead pondering which companies were truly worth investing in and had the most potential for growth.

"I believe that whether it's Taobao or Tencent, their future potential is definitely immense. If an opportunity to invest in them arises, it would be extremely worthwhile."

"We may not be able to buy their shares at a premium from the South African press or Shen Zhengyi, but that doesn't mean we can't invest. We can push for a capital increase and share expansion. That would still accomplish our goal."

"As for other sectors, the traditional enterprise BYD should also have excellent prospects. New energy is sure to be a key sector supported by the government in the future, as it's both clean and environmentally friendly. There are also some innovative tech companies worth investing in."

Yi Anguo nodded. Chen Xuejiao's response wasn't comprehensive, but she wasn't wrong. He wrote down "Da Jiang Innovation Technology Company, Lianhua Village, Wang Tao" on a piece of paper, tore it off, and handed it to her.

"Go to this place, find this company, and invest in it. See how large an investment share you can negotiate and what percentage of ownership you can acquire."

"Negotiate on behalf of Harbor Island Hualong Investment Company. Your title will be Deputy General Manager."

"If you can secure this investment and the results are to my satisfaction, I can collaborate with your father's company. However, you will have to work for my Hualong Investment Company in the future."

"You can think about it on your own, or you can go home and discuss it with your father."

"Uncle Yi, can I ask you a question?" Chen Xuejiao asked.

"What is it?" Yi Anguo asked.

"Is Hualong Investment the majority shareholder, the investment company behind Huaxing Company and the Quiet Online Supermarket?" she asked.

"That's right. Any other questions?" Yi Anguo nodded.

"Which means you're the owner of Hualong Investment Company, right?" she asked again.

Yi Anguo didn't answer her question, merely looking at her calmly.

But Chen Xuejiao already knew the answer. She beamed and said, "I'm willing to accept this challenge. I hope I'll have the opportunity to work for you, Uncle Yi. I'll do my best not to disappoint you."

After sending Chen Xuejiao off, Yi Anguo went back to studying the international crude oil futures charts.

Investing in Da Jiang Company right now should be simple, especially since they desperately need a cash injection. However, it's hard to say how large a stake she can acquire. At least twenty percent should be possible, maybe even forty. As for Chen Xuejiao, she seems quite promising for now. She has a bit of a strategic eye for investments. She'll need more observation and training, but if she's a true talent, she can be cultivated to work for me. Helping Ou Xiaolong's company through its crisis is just a simple favor, and I won't lose anything either way.

Not long after Chen Xuejiao left, Zhuo Weidong came knocking. Yi Anguo didn't even have to guess why he was there. He was obviously looking for help and cooperation, as life wasn't easy for real estate developers right now.

Zhuo Weidong had originally planned to take his company public on Harbor Island to raise money from the capital markets, but that had clearly failed. Now the banks were tightening their lending. They were only taking in money, not giving it out, making it nearly impossible to get a loan. Even with Zhuo Weidong's strong network, getting a bank loan was incredibly difficult under the current conditions. The reason was simple: every bank was saddled with a mountain of bad debt. Where would they find the money to lend out?

"Brother Yi! It seems you're the only one doing well these days! You sold over 6,000 properties last year when the market was at its peak and prices were highest. You must have made a fortune," Zhuo Weidong lamented.

If only I had sold that batch of properties myself instead of handing them over to Yi Anguo, I wouldn't have a care in the world right now and would have made a huge profit.

"I was just a bit luckier, that's all. But you don't need to worry. However prices fell, they're bound to rise again. It's just a matter of waiting," Yi Anguo said comfortingly.

He wasn't lying; it was the truth.

But this offered Zhuo Weidong no comfort.

Sure, the logic is sound. Everyone is certain that housing prices will eventually rise again. But how long will that take? Nobody knows. Back in 1992, housing prices in Shenzhen also surpassed ten thousand yuan per square meter before they started to fall. But that drop wasn't as sharp as this one; it was a gradual decline that lasted six or seven years, bottoming out in 1999 at an average of 5,000 yuan per square meter before it started to recover. It wasn't until last year, 2007, that the average price finally broke the ten-thousand-yuan mark again and reached a new peak. But that was a full fifteen-year cycle, from 1992 to 2007! And who would have thought that before anyone had time to celebrate, prices would just dive like this? Looking at the current trend, it doesn't seem to have hit bottom yet. Who can endure this? If we have to wait for another fifteen-year cycle, how many developers will go bankrupt? Theoretically, it's unlikely we'd have to wait another decade for prices to return to 2007 levels. But even waiting a few years is unbearable!

"Brother Yi, it's easy for you to say that! I know prices will go up eventually, but who knows how long we have to wait?" Zhuo Weidong said dejectedly. "My company will go bankrupt long before prices recover. I'll be ruined!"

"I've also suffered heavy losses. Look at the properties at Blue Coast and Fashion Garden. At the peak last year, they were going for twenty to thirty thousand per square meter. Now, the Blue Coast units are only fetching a little over ten thousand," Yi Anguo said with a wry smile.

"Even if they've dropped to a little over ten thousand, you still made a huge profit, didn't you?" Zhuo Weidong retorted. "Besides, you're not planning to sell those places anyway, so price fluctuations don't really affect you. You don't owe the bank anything, and you're collecting millions in rent every month. You have all the time in the world to wait for prices to slowly creep back up."

Yi Anguo just smiled and said nothing more. Anything else would sound like he was bragging.

"Brother Yi, you're the only one who can help me. You have to get me through this. You can't just leave me high and dry!"

"Brother Zhuo, what are you saying? Am I the kind of person to stand by and watch someone drown? But I have to actually *be able* to save you," Yi Anguo said helplessly.

"You definitely have the ability! Unless you just don't want to help!" Zhuo Weidong said quickly.

"Then how do you want me to help? Your company's problems can't be solved by me just buying a few of your apartments, can they?" Yi Anguo said. "Besides, you know I only buy fully furnished, move-in-ready properties. Yours are all unfinished shells, and some aren't even complete."

"And I have no plans to buy more property right now. You know I already own too many. The apartments that you and Ou Xiaolong handed over to me, I sold them immediately. If I'd wanted them, I wouldn't have sold them; I'd have renovated them and rented them out myself."

"Weren't there people eager to buy my properties last year and even before? I sold them all the same. I'd sell the properties I have now if the right opportunity came along, so I truly have no intention of buying more."

"Brother Yi, they may be unfinished shells, but renovations are quick these days! And the price is so low now. If you buy them, renovate them, and rent them out, isn't it the same thing?" Zhuo Weidong said, exasperated.

"Alternatively, you could invest and become a shareholder in my company. With sufficient funds, we could acquire and consolidate many other companies. Then, we would be the ones setting the housing prices."

"The real estate market is sluggish right now, with almost no transactions, but that can't last forever. Many prospective buyers are just waiting on the sidelines, hoping prices will drop even more."

"Once this period is over, those who need to buy will still buy. If we can monopolize the entire Shenzhen real estate market, buyers will have no choice but to come to us!"

"Do you take the government for a fool? How could they possibly tolerate such a monopoly?" Yi Anguo shook his head. "Besides, you could never pull it off. At most, you could swallow a few small- or medium-sized developers. You can't monopolize the entire market. People who want to buy houses don't have to buy from you, so stop dreaming."

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