Chapter 278: Ten Million Green Bills
Chapter 278: Ten Million Green Bills
Lu Jiaxin splashed her face with water, clearing her mind before calling Nie Zhan.
Nie Zhan answered with a smile in his voice, "Did you just wake up?"
Lu Jiaxin praised the masseuse's skill, confessing that she had dozed off, "Have you had dinner yet? If not, let's go for a late-night snack."
Having just woken from a nap, she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep again before midnight. She felt she had been a bit indulgent these past few days, her routine all messed up.
Nie Zhan was almost done with his work and agreed with a laugh, "Give me half an hour."
Lu Jiaxin yawned, "Okay, I'll read a book while I wait."
While they ate, Lu Jiaxin mentioned her plans for the bank the next day, "If you're busy tomorrow, don't worry about it. I can go by myself."
"Their appraisal will take a while," Nie Zhan explained, "I'll come by in the afternoon."
Lu Jiaxin was determined to go, even though it concerned Nie Zhan's older brother. With such a large batch of items, she wouldn't feel at ease unless she supervised. Of course, she could also use the opportunity to learn about antiques.
As Nie Zhan had to work the next day, they didn't linger over their late-night snack, and by 11:30, Lu Jiaxin suggested heading back, "Get some rest and don't stay up late. Otherwise, you'll go bald soon."
Men needed to maintain a healthy routine and exercise, or else they'd not only go bald but also lose their figure.
Nie Zhan chuckled, "Don't worry, my dad often stays up late, and he still has a full head of thick hair."
Usually, he only pulled all-nighters when dealing with thorny problems or emergencies; otherwise, he made sure to get rest before midnight. Seeing Lu Jiaxin's self-discipline, he felt they were quite compatible.
Recalling Zong Jinghua's words, Lu Jiaxin feigned surprise and asked, "Nie Zhan, does your father still have a full head of hair? I remember the media reporting that your father... Was that false news?"
"My dad didn't die young. He's still alive and well," Nie Zhan replied.
Lu Jiaxin asked in confusion, "Then what about those reports? Why didn't you clarify them? I always thought your father had passed away."
Nie Zhan sighed in helplessness, "It was my mom who, in an interview, said he had died in a car accident, and the media blew it up. My grandfather thought it best to let it be, so we didn't refute it. Actually, all our relatives and friends know my dad is still alive."
Lu Jiaxin was shocked. She never expected that the false reporting was initiated by Nie's second daughter. She wondered what kind of grievance the two must have had for her to spread such a rumor about her ex-husband.
Lu Jiaxin asked curiously, "From what you're saying, it seems like you and your dad have a pretty good relationship."
Nie Zhan, being born within the marriage, had no reason to hide the truth, "My dad's a workaholic. He'd spend all 24 hours in the lab if he could. Fortunately, his assistants remind him to eat and sleep, or he might have starved by now."
No wonder Nie's second missus wanted a divorce. A romantic at heart, she couldn't possibly endure such a work-obsessed man.
Intrigued, Lu Jiaxin probed further, "How did your dad and mom get together in the first place?"
Nie Zhan had no qualms sharing, "They met at a party and fell in love at first sight, quickly becoming enamored with each other. They registered their marriage just two months later. Only after that did their families find out, and though they were angry, they sat down to discuss wedding plans. But just as the date was set, my mom wanted to break up with my dad."
"Why?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
Nie Zhan's expression became complicated as he explained, "My dad was invited by his mentor to participate in an experimental project, and he had no time for her. My mom felt neglected and thought he didn't love her anymore."
"
......
"And that's how they parted ways?"
Nie Zhan shook his head. "My mom flew back to Hong Kong City in a fit of anger. Not long after, she found out she was pregnant. She called my dad, wanting him to come to Hong Kong, but he said he would come to her after he finished work. By the time he was done, more than five months had passed."
Lu Jiaxin looked at him and asked, "So your mother was pregnant with you at the time?"
"Yes, it was me. My mom refused to forgive him and wanted a divorce, but my dad disagreed. However, my mom said that if he didn't agree, she would get rid of the baby. To ensure my safe birth, my dad agreed to the divorce."
Lu Jiaxin felt that it was probably for the best that the two had parted ways. With their incompatible personalities, they could never have lived harmoniously together, and the early divorce likely brought relief to both parties.
"Then why do you still carry the surname Nie?"
Nie Zhan explained, "I was born in Hong Kong City, and my grandfather registered my birth and gave me the Nie surname. It's just a surname, and my dad doesn't care about such things."
Lu Jiaxin thought his father was quite open-minded and was about to comment when Gu Wenfeng interrupted, pointing out that they had arrived at the hotel entrance.
The next day, Lu Jiaxin arrived punctually at the Wansheng Bank at 9 a.m. Nie Jingwen had invited six experts to help appraise the items. During the appraisal, Lu Jiaxin remained silent and listened attentively.
Finally, the appraisal results were in: all the porcelain items found in Sun's family's secret chamber were genuine; the over thirty items collected by the old man Sun were also authentic; the jade jewelry collected by Lu's mother was all real, and only three out of the items collected by Lu Hongjun were fake. Thankfully, only a tenth of the items were fake, and they had still made a substantial profit.
After the appraisal, Lu Jiaxin followed Nie Zhan to Nie Jingwen's office.
Nie Zhan asked, "Big brother, this batch of items should be worth at least ten million green bills, right?"
Nie Jingwen coughed, startled by the question. "This batch of items can be mortgaged for a maximum of thirty million. Miss Lu, this price is already very high. You won't get this figure anywhere else."
Lu Jiaxin had expected a figure between two and three million, so she was quite satisfied with the potential mortgage of thirty million. However, as she needed money urgently, naturally, the more, the better.
Before she could say anything, Nie Zhan continued, "Big brother, that set of emerald jewelry should fetch at least five million at auction. And each piece of porcelain in that box will not go for less than three million at auction."
Lu Jiaxin knew he was negotiating on her behalf and remained silent.
Nie Jingwen looked at her, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. "Ten million green bills is the total value of these items. We're talking about a mortgage here, do you understand?"
"I studied finance," Nie Zhan said. "I know what a mortgage is without you explaining it to me. These items will only increase in value over time; ten million green bills is not a large sum."
This was like twisting his arm, but seeing Nie Zhan's determination, Nie Jingwen knew he wouldn't back down. "Fine, ten million green bills it is. But you'll have to be the guarantor."
Nie Zhan felt it was unnecessary, but he agreed anyway. "Transfer the money to my account."
Nie Jingwen looked at Lu Jiaxin with surprise. "Are you going to transfer the money to Ah Zhan's account?"
Although Lu Jiaxin didn't know what Nie Zhan was up to, she nodded. "Ah Zhan said he'll help me invest it. I'll be transferring the money to my account first, and then to his afterward."
Hearing this, Nie Jingwen understood why Lu Jiaxin had given him the money. Smiling, he said, "Ah Zhan is very skilled at investing. Back when he was at Goldman Sachs, he helped many clients make a fortune. After returning to Hong Kong, he turned down numerous requests to be an investment consultant."
Good night, dear readers!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
