Chapter 117: The Godfather, Zhou Yaoxiang

In the estate villa, a handsome, refined young man walked up to Yu Jinhang and extended his hand, saying: "Hello, Uncle Yu."

"This is my big brother, Yu Jinrong," Yu Jinhang introduced. "Big Brother, this is Mr. Zhou's youngest son, Zhou Tonghui."

"Hello, Uncle Yu," the young man extended his hand.

"Hello," Yu Jinrong shook his hand.

"My father is upstairs on the phone. Let's go up first and wait for him a bit," Zhou Tonghui invited very politely.

"Alright," Yu Jinrong nodded.

Everyone followed Zhou Tonghui up the spiral staircase to the reception room on the villa's third floor.

After entering, everyone sat down in the spacious sofa area. Zhou Tonghui personally prepared drinks for everyone, one serving each of coffee and tea, his attitude very humble and his hospitality very thorough.

After Zhou Tonghui finished bustling about, a middle-aged man walked into the reception room doorway. From his appearance, he seemed to be in his fifties, but he had an extremely robust build with a tiger's back and bear's waist. He wore a very neat and clean suit with a meticulously combed slick-back hairstyle, his hair as black and shiny as carbon.

As the middle-aged man entered, Yu Jinhang immediately stood up, smiling and saying: "Mr. Zhou."

"Old Yu, long time no see!" The middle-aged man extended both hands to shake his.

"Come to trouble you," Yu Jinhang grinned and introduced: "This is my big brother Yu Jinrong, and this is his son Yu Mingyuan."

"You coming to discuss business with me is giving me face, welcome welcome," the middle-aged man shook hands with everyone, even taking the initiative to extend his hand in greeting to young ladies like An Qiqi.

Before coming, Yu Mingyuan had talked with Dog Six in the car about the person they were meeting today. His name was Zhou Yaoxiang, and his ancestors had come to Zone One to make their fortune before the New Era, with three generations born here.

The Zhou Yaoxiang family was once the most influential Chinese gang in Zone One's Huadu. His father established the Chinese Zhongxiao Hall at age forty-five, running a hall and operating various "maritime trade" businesses. But after the New Era, when Zone One went to war with the Chinese District, Zhou Yaoxiang's father was imprisoned for having publicly supported the Chinese District and made statements criticizing the Republic Party. Due to his advanced age, he was sentenced to 250 years and ultimately died in prison.

After Zhou Yaoxiang's father's death, the Zhou family became much more low-key. Currently Zhou Yaoxiang served as the head of Zhongxiao Hall while also chairing the Chinese Workers Council.

Such a person's identity was actually hard to define. To call him a businessman wouldn't be accurate; to call him a political businessman didn't seem quite right either. But to say he was purely underworld would be too one-sided.

Moreover, just looking at Zhou Yaoxiang's appearance, you would have no problem believing he came from a scholarly family or political dynasty. Although he had a tiger's back and bear's waist build, he looked very refined, with humility and politeness unconsciously flowing from his bones, appearing to have no underworld air at all.

After exchanging greetings and handshakes with everyone, Zhou Yaoxiang sat down smiling on the sofa near Yu Jinrong and Yu Jinhang: "Mr. Yu, I heard from Jinhang that you plan to establish an association in Dragon City, is that right?"

"Yes," Yu Jinrong nodded. "I want to create a Chinese workers' union."

Zhou Yaoxiang placed both arms on the sofa armrests and paused slightly before replying: "Mr. Yu, isn't it a bit late to establish an association now?"

"It's not too late from the current perspective," Yu Jinrong said softly. "I personally feel Dragon City's situation won't change in the short term. Its foundation has already taken shape. Even if Zone One strengthens control in the future, it will definitely still be one zone, two systems."

"Mr. Yu...!"

"Let's be more casual, you can call me Old Yu or Jinrong, this sounds too formal," Yu Jinrong replied with a smile.

Zhou Yaoxiang nodded: "Then let's not be strangers, talk business directly?"

"Good!"

"Investment money is not a problem," Zhou Yaoxiang was very direct despite his polite courtesy. "I invest in establishing your association, how will you repay me?"

"Profit sharing by shares," Yu Jinrong replied.

"I have no interest in profit sharing," Zhou Yaoxiang waved his hand, still very directly asking: "If establishing an association, can you handle the gold brick business?"

Yu Jinrong was stunned. He hadn't expected the other to be so direct and asked somewhat surprisingly: "In Dragon City?"

"No, using Dragon City as a transit point, selling to the Old Mo in Xinaluo," Zhou Yaoxiang replied.

Yu Jinrong pondered for a while: "This... I'm afraid we can't do it."

Zhou Yaoxiang nodded: "Then can you do arms dealing? Also transiting through Dragon City, selling to Xinaluo. I provide the supply, you just handle storage and distribution."

Yu Jinrong was even more stunned.

Beside him, Bai Hongbo muttered softly to Su Tianyu: "Damn, this big brother won't touch any business that carries the death penalty! Really fucking has principles!"

"Stop babbling nonsense!" Su Tianyu broke out in a cold sweat, thinking that though Zhou Yaoxiang appeared refined on the outside, each business he proposed was bigger than the last.

Yu Jinrong blinked and shook his head, saying: "Arms dealing won't work either. That business belongs to the garrison, we can't get involved."

Hearing this answer, Zhou Yaoxiang spread his hands and replied: "Then it will be very difficult. You won't touch the two most profitable industries, so what's the meaning of establishing an association?"

"It's a kind of implicit political investment, because Dragon City's environment is quite special," Yu Jinrong explained.

"Without high-profit industries, an association has no cohesion! The brothers below need to see money," Zhou Yaoxiang paused before immediately adding: "Of course, this is just my opinion. Perhaps you see things much more clearly than I do."

"Hehe!" Yu Jinrong smiled without responding, thinking that today's business definitely couldn't be done, because the other party was aiming for death-penalty-carrying business - who could handle that?

Zhou Yaoxiang pondered slightly before turning to look at Yu Jinrong: "Old Yu, you coming to find me gives me face. I'm afraid I can't help much with this investment, but if you need money, I can lend it to you."

Yu Jinrong was stunned: "This...!"

"How much money do you need?" Zhou Yaoxiang asked very directly.

"I really hadn't considered borrowing, this is too embarrassing," Yu Jinrong clearly wasn't prepared.

"Like I said, you being able to come find me gives me face. If I can help you, I definitely will," Zhou Yaoxiang said with his hands in his sleeves, looking at him: "Twenty million, is that enough?"

"This money, if I take it...!"

"Just pay me some handling fees at bank interest rates," Zhou Yaoxiang immediately added. "That way you won't need to feel embarrassed."

Hearing this, Su Tianyu secretly sighed in admiration - no wonder the man could be chairman of Huadu's Chinese Workers Council. This kind of bearing really couldn't be faked.

"Think about it. If you need it, I'll lend it to you," Zhou Yaoxiang said softly. "You're all guests here now, stay a few days and let me host you."

"This is too kind!" Yu Jinrong replied with a smile.

"We're not outsiders, Jinhang and I have been friends for many years," Zhou Yaoxiang turned to call out: "Tonghui, make the arrangements!"

"Alright," Zhou Tonghui nodded.

And so, everyone temporarily stayed as guests at the Zhou family estate. No one could have imagined that this simple meeting would directly determine the fate of several Dragon City families.

......

In Zone One, at Sanfeng Group's investment banking office.

A young man in a suit walked into the office.

A secretary came in and said softly: "Our information department says someone in Dragon City is raising investment to create an association. Should we report this project to Chairman Shen?"

"What scale?" the young man asked.

"No scale yet, just starting," the secretary replied.

"For this level, if they don't come to us, we don't need to actively discuss investment," the young man replied decisively. "File it away for now."