Liu Chengbing wasn't someone from an ordinary circle—far from it. In the compound, he was considered one of the top-tier figures. Even the other five people with him, though unfamiliar to most, clearly came from backgrounds just as powerful. This group? Top of the top. Several levels above everyone else present.
Naturally, the vibe in the room changed. The group hanging out with Zhao Dong and Zhao Dacheng fell completely silent, watching the new arrivals with quiet, cautious respect.
"Zhao Dacheng, it's you guys?"
Liu Chengbing's voice cut through the quiet. Wearing a fitted black tee and carrying the attitude of someone used to being in control, he looked down on them—not rudely, but as if they simply weren't on his level.
Then, he noticed Zhao Dong.
Zhao Dong towered over him—literally and figuratively. Still, Liu Chengbing frowned slightly. As far as he was concerned, the Zhao family didn't matter much. Back when his own grandfather retired, the Zhao family's patriarch was only a colonel. Their military line was already on its way out, and by now, the Zhao brothers had all but disappeared from military circles.
Sure, the media hyped Zhao Dong up—called him the "God of Efficiency" in the NBA. And yeah, there were headlines about his Wall Street wife. But Liu Chengbing didn't take that too seriously. Still, he was no fool. A man from his background never made enemies lightly.
Before Zhao Dong could say anything, Liu Chengbing gave a slight nod and stepped forward.
"Zhao Dong, right? Damn, you're taller than I remember. Haven't seen you in years."
Zhao Dong smiled coolly. "Yeah, it's been a while. You out here for dinner with some friends? It's on me tonight."
"Oh? That's too much—"
"It's just dinner. You can treat next time." Zhao Dong gave a small chuckle.
"Alright then. I won't argue with free food," Liu Chengbing replied with a grin. "Let's catch up another time. Tonight's kind of tight."
"Of course," Zhao Dong nodded.
As Liu Chengbing and his group headed upstairs, Zhao Dong and his crew made their way to the second floor. Liu Chengbing's crew was placed a floor above them—third floor. Appropriate.
On the way up, one of Liu Chengbing's friends leaned in.
"Chengbing, who is that guy?"
Liu Chengbing casually replied, "The Zhao family's roots go back to the old Second Column of the East Field Army. When they marched into Korea, they were part of the 39th Army—used to be General Xu's Red 25th Army. Zhao Dong's grandfather lost an arm in the Battle of Seoul. His grandmother? She was a nurse during the war, later studied medicine. His dad—Zhao Zhenguo—just got transferred to the State Planning and Development Commission. Second generation. In the third generation, the older brother Zhao Dacheng's into film and TV. No big deal. But the younger one, Zhao Dong—you already know."
"Who doesn't?" someone else snorted. "Guy's all over TV. Didn't think he had background like that though."
A young girl, no older than fifteen, said shyly, "He's really famous abroad. His wife even more so. I saw them in New York and Paris news when we traveled. Real high-class stuff."
Liu Chengbing scoffed. "Yeah, I've heard. But who knows what's real?"
"Still," another friend added, "Zhao Zhenguo getting promoted out of the public security system and into a top economic post? That's huge."
"Two promotions in a year," Liu Chengbing said with a hint of envy. "They shifted from the army to politics at just the right time. But let's be real—before '49, his dad was just a platoon leader. That's not much. He's a general now, sure, but the foundation's still weak."
---
Later that evening, around 8 PM, Zhao Dong and Zhao Dacheng returned home.
As soon as they walked in, Lindsay greeted them, holding a set of documents.
"Hubby, Dad brought the documents back."
Zhao Dong took them, flipped through quickly, and smiled. "Everything's in order?"
"All here," Lindsay confirmed.
Just then, Zhao Zhenguo came out of his room, a serious look on his face.
"Zhao Dong, Mr. Zhu says your capital is too large. You're not allowed to touch A-shares moving forward."
"Don't worry, Dad." Zhao Dong grinned. "We've made enough money off that market. We'll shift focus to other sectors—no more direct investments in domestic industry."
Zhao Zhenguo nodded slowly. "Good."
Lindsay walked over, her tone cheerful. "Then starting tomorrow, I'll begin setting up the investment bank."
Zhao Dong nodded. "Set it up together with the Hong Kong branch. Also, start rolling out the replacement plan. We can't wait for the Guo family to make a comeback."
"Got it," Lindsay responded.
Zhao Zhenguo, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, replacement? What about the Guo family?"
Zhao Dong didn't hesitate. He laid out the entire plan.
Zhao Zhenguo's eyes widened in shock. When he finally processed it, he exploded:
"Are you crazy? That region just returned to us after the handover. They barely survived the financial crisis. The last thing they need is instability! If you stir things up there, I'll skin you alive!"
Zhao Dong shrugged. "Dad, with all due respect—you don't understand how this works. These are commercial actions, not political ones. This isn't something you or Mr. Zhu can interfere with. If you have objections, you're welcome to bring them up with him. I'll explain it myself."
"You—!"
Zhao Zhenguo trembled with frustration, pointing at his son, face turning red.
But then, a knock on the table cut through the tension.
Old man Zhao Zhongguo, the true head of the family, looked up calmly.
"Zhenguo, let Dongdong handle it. You don't understand these things. Don't pretend you do.
"And honestly? I've had enough of what's going on in Gangcheng. What's with this 'one country, two systems' nonsense? They're asking for trouble. Mark my words—they'll collapse if they keep this up."
"Dad, can you please stop talking like that? It's national policy," Zhao Zhenguo said helplessly.
"I'm too old to care anymore," the old man muttered, turning away.
Zhao Zhenguo sighed and walked into the inner room to make a phone call. A few minutes later, he came out, looked straight at Zhao Dong, and said:
"Let's go."
Zhao Dong blinked. "We're going to see President Zhu?"
"Of course. With stakes like this, you think I wouldn't?"
Zhao Dong followed, mumbling under his breath, "Whether you agree or not, this plan is going forward."
Lindsay quietly followed beside him, nodding in support.
Zhao Zhenguo glanced back at the couple leaving the house, rubbing his temples as a headache set in.
Watching them go, Li Meizhu sighed and muttered worriedly, "Big brother is already a handful, aimless every day. Now that son of his and his American wife seem even more troublesome. What a headache!"
Old Lady Tan Ling smiled and waved off her concern. "Daughter-in-law, don't stress yourself. Every child has their own fate. Come, take a look. I found these for our eldest son."
She pulled out a thick stack of photographs, each one featuring a young woman. Li Meizhu's expression immediately brightened.
Zhao Dacheng, sitting nearby, craned his neck to peek—and his face instantly soured.
"My son, these are girls from the neighborhood," the old lady began proudly. "These are from our compound, and these are young nurses from my old hospital unit. Pick whoever you like. Our Zhao family doesn't insist on exact matches. Just choose someone you're comfortable with."
The old man grunted, casting a sharp glare at Zhao Dacheng. "If you're not getting married, you're going to the army for some proper training."
Zhao Dacheng grumbled internally. Why was he the target of everyone's frustration?
"So? Choose one!" Li Meizhu said sternly. "If not, the old man's words stand. Off to the army you go."
"Mom, I already have someone I like," Zhao Dacheng said reluctantly.
"Who?" Li Meizhu asked, her interest piqued.
"Xu Qing. I realized I still have feelings for her."
Li Meizhu's face immediately hardened. "Her? No way. I watched that girl grow up. Always chasing that petty bourgeois lifestyle. If she joins our family, will she serve me, or will I end up serving her?"
"But didn't Grandma just say that matching backgrounds don't matter?" Zhao Dacheng protested.
"You don't understand what your grandma meant," Li Meizhu snapped. "We said background doesn't matter—if the girl is decent. Xu Qing? She's older than you and works in showbiz. Not fit for this family."
"If you keep pushing, you can return the 20 million yuan your brother gave you as a filial gift. Every last cent," she added, holding out her palm.
"Pfft!"
The old lady burst into laughter.
"..."
Zhao Dacheng was stunned. He had no way to pay it back. All his money had been sunk into a film and television venture—and most of that was already lost. He was instantly deflated.
Li Meizhu switched gears, her voice gentler. "Dacheng, learn from your brother. Look at Zhao Dong in the NBA—female celebrities fill the front rows at his games, but he never messes around."
"You? You're not even a full-blown star. Dating an actress? When she's on set, being affectionate with some actor—can you stomach that?"
"This..."
Zhao Dacheng hesitated. No, of course he couldn't. Only a lunatic like Sprewell could probably endure that.
"Then give up the whole filming thing already," he muttered.
"Ugh, I'm done talking to you."
Li Meizhu rolled her eyes and turned away. As she did, Zhao Dacheng caught the disappointed look in the old man's eyes. His heart sank.
"Let it be," the old lady sighed. "Children have their own paths."
Zhao Dong and Lindsay didn't return until dawn. Li Meizhu stayed up waiting until 4 a.m. before finally falling asleep.
At 8 a.m., Zhao Zhenguo called.
"Meizhu, Zhao Dong and Weiwei were detained by Mr. Zhu. I need to update you."
"Oh my, are they okay?"
"They're fine. But last night, Zhao Dong got into a heated argument with President Zhu. The kid actually made Mr. Zhu smash two teacups. Scared the hell out of everyone in the Zhu family."
"This kid really has guts..."
"Luckily, Mr. Zhu calmed down and gave him a chance to explain. Looks like he managed to convince him—for now. But we'll have to continue discussions today."
"What about you?"
"I'm going to work. Won't be home at noon."
"Alright, call me if anything comes up. I'm still worried."
"Got it."
Zhao Dong and Lindsay didn't get back until 4 p.m. on July 10.
"How did it go?"
Seeing the couple return, Li Meizhu hurried over. They looked relaxed, so she was hopeful.
"He agreed," Zhao Dong said with a grin.
"Then what's the replacement plan about?" she asked.
"This is it," Zhao Dong replied.
Li Meizhu muttered, "Zhao Dong, you've managed to fool Mr. Zhu—for now. What if he figures it out later? Don't you go stirring up trouble in that place."
"Fooling? Mom, this is a major plan that benefits both the country and the people."
"I don't want to argue with you."
Seeing she couldn't win, Li Meizhu gave up and pulled Lindsay toward the kitchen. "Weiwei, you must be exhausted. Come eat a snack. I'll make dinner now."
"I'm fine, Mom. Let me help you," Lindsay replied sweetly.
"Alright then. What dish do you want?"
"Anything Mom makes is delicious. But... I'd love your Beijing-style shredded pork and maybe..."
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law walked into the kitchen chatting happily, while Zhao Dong smiled and headed to the main room to play chess with the old man.
---
Chaoyang District – Formerly Huayang Building, Now Dongwei Building
The Dongwei Building stood tall with 15 floors. Zhao Dong's sports brand and venture capital company occupied floors 2 through 7. The lobby took up the first floor. Floors 8 through 14 were currently vacant but under renovation. Zhao Dong and Lindsay's personal office sat on the top floor, the 15th.
Now, floors 8 through 14 would be home to China Tianlong Commercial Investment Bank, a powerhouse financial institution undergoing complete renovation.
Tianlong Investment Bank had a registered capital of 8 billion yuan. Zhao Dong invested 3.2 billion yuan (40%), Lindsay 1.6 billion (20%), and Mrs. Dolores contributed 400 million (5%). The remaining 35% came from state-owned capital.
The shareholding structure was arranged by President Zhu. Zhao Dong and Lindsay held the controlling interest and had full authority over investment decisions.
The state didn't mind ceding direct control. Tianlong's domestic activities were focused on boosting industrial competitiveness, while international operations targeted acquisitions for tech and market access.
For that, the state would consolidate various enterprises into national champions, giving them massive financial support and strategic positioning. These central enterprises—handpicked by President Zhu—would dominate future industrial sectors with coordinated backing from Tianlong Investment Bank.
Of course, all the allocated funds were in RMB—Zhao Dong wouldn't even consider handing them out in U.S. dollars. He and Lindsay would head overseas personally to begin recruitment.
The baseline principle of national capital investment remained clear: every core industry, especially those group companies, had to be state-controlled. Full controlling rights were non-negotiable.
On the 14th, the China Tianlong Commercial Investment Bank quietly opened its doors.
There was no need for a high-profile launch—after all, it wasn't a bank for deposits or loans. It was an investment powerhouse. No banners, no cameras. Just quiet dominance.
Lindsay was appointed as Chairwoman and President of Tianlong Investment Bank. The general manager of the Beijing head office? None other than Zhang Yuan, former Vice President of the Central Bank.
On the 16th, Lindsay flew to Hong Kong. The branch office had already been prepared in advance, set to open officially on the 20th.
At exactly 1:00 p.m., Lindsay's sleek private jet touched down on the tarmac at Kai Tak Airport.
Waiting for her on the ground were two powerful local allies: Gao Ziang, branch manager of Storm Fund's Hong Kong division, and Zhou Zhibo, President of Wan Guo Media Company.
---
"Let's start the plan," Lindsay said calmly as she descended the steps of the jet, her presence commanding attention.
"Yes, ma'am," both men answered in unison, bowing slightly with respect.
By 1:30 p.m., Wan Guo Media's websites exploded with breaking news:
"The Guo family's second son bribed government officials—three separate times."
It was a PR nuke.
Immediately, Xinhongji Group's stock price nosedived. Panic spread. A wave of sell orders stormed the market.
Storm Fund, positioned perfectly, took the lead—pushing the stock price down even harder, executing a cold, calculated short attack.
The Guo family was blindsided.
They didn't even have time to react. Worse—internal war broke out almost instantly.
---
"Boss, was it you who sold us out?"
"How the hell would anyone else know about this? Only family knew. It has to be you!"
"Don't accuse me without proof!"
"Lindsay—the president of Storm Fund—just landed today. You gave them ten billion last time! You've been working with them all along to gut our family!"
"Bullshit! That was an investment. Storm has the best profit margins in the game. You all begged me to bring you in, remember?"
"Then redeem the funds right now. Let's see if they give it back. If not, you're definitely colluding."
"It's a closed-end fund—three-year lock-in. You know I can't redeem it before then!"
"Three years? Are you out of your damn mind?! Why didn't you invest in something liquid? You just handed our throats over to them!"
The eldest son was sweating bullets now. He had been convinced by Gao Ziang to lock in those funds. Furious, he called him directly.
---
"Mr. Guo," Gao answered with a sly tone. "You're in a closed-end investment fund, issued by Storm. You knew the terms—no redemptions within three years."
"I don't want profit—just give me back the principal!"
"Mr. Guo, you've been in this game a long time. Come on now. You know how this works. We're not outsiders."
"You think this is funny? Are you behind the attack on us?!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Gao said innocently.
Click.
The call ended with a violent hang-up.
---
Back in the Guo family mansion, chaos reigned.
"This is all your fault!"
"We're going to be investigated—what's the plan now?"
"We raise cash. Collateralize assets. Mortgage everything."
"Use your shares,!"
"Why mine?! You damn well better put yours up too!"
"You started this mess!"
And just like that, the three sons were at each other's throats again. Unity shattered. Trust, gone.
---
The next morning, Wan Guo Media doubled down—publishing scandal after scandal.
This time:
"Multiple real estate projects by Xinhongji under investigation for structural defects!"
Stocks plummeted further.
In a last-ditch move, the brothers—under pressure from their aging mother—mortgaged all their shares, securing a 10 billion HKD bank loan. Combined with company cash, they pooled 20 billion HKD to try and rescue their empire.
But before the funds could even touch the market, news broke that the second and third sons were under investigation.
Now alone at the helm, the eldest son took control, announcing his move to buy up the company stock and stop the bleeding.
It worked—for a moment.
---
But Lindsay wasn't done. She had come ready. With deeper pockets and colder strategy, she absorbed his buys, then smashed the stock price down again. And again.
By noon on the 18th, the stock had plunged another 21%.
The Guo family's net worth collapsed by nearly a fifth. Their cash—bled dry.
Trading volume reached a staggering 48% turnover in just two days.
---
"Madam," Gao Ziang reported, "including previous acquisitions, we've locked in 25%. If we push to 30%, we trigger the mandatory tender offer rule."
Lindsay nodded, her voice icy.
"Hold the line. We drain every last cent from the Guo family before we go public. Keep pushing."
"Yes, ma'am."
---
Back in their Mid-Levels mansion, the Guo family was unraveling.
The eldest son was desperate. They'd already thrown in 20 billion, and yet Storm still held the upper hand. There was only one option left: his mother's shares.
Those shares were entrusted to her by Guo Deshen before his death—their final line of defense.
"Mom, we need you to sign over your shares. We'll mortgage them for another loan."
Faced with their destruction, Li Tianyin—the matriarch—reluctantly agreed.
The battle wasn't over, but the Guo family was bleeding.
Badly.
---
(End of Chapter)
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