Ch. 1491..1500
Life at the Top Chapter 1491
Jasper’s words caused Malcolm to fall silent.
After a long while, Malcolm nodded slowly and said, “I have to admit that you’re right.”
“Mr. Laine, you should know about this. Back then, I worked in Proctor and Gamble, so I have some channels and connections. I know something about the situation you’re in. I hope you can properly assess the risk of this scenario.”
Jasper nodded and smiled. He said, “I got it. Thank you, Malcolm.”
“So, about the company’s problem…” Malcolm said.
Jasper said expressionlessly, “Leave it. To those who left, and those who chose not to cooperate with us because of this, it may turn out to be a wise and far-sighted choice for them. Or perhaps it might be a stupid choice. Who knows?”
“I told you, this is a test for me and for JW.”
“After this blows over, I will reorganize JW completely. We’ll just treat this as the inevitable pain before the reorganization. It’s good that I don’t have to get rid of those people and systems by myself when it happens.”
Malcolm’s eyes lit up when he heard what Jasper said. Since Malcolm was the second-in-command of JW, Jasper would discuss a lot of things with him.
What more, the reorganization of the entire company was a huge deal. Even if Jasper had the absolute power to rule, he could not ignore the abilities and ideas of people like Malcolm.
Hence, Malcolm knew that Jasper had plans surrounding this for a long time.
“What is the direction of the reorganization?” Malcolm asked.
Jasper smiled and said, “If I can get through this safely, then JW will have completed the most primitive accumulation.”
JW Company was currently regarded as a large-scale private comprehensive company in Somerland, but in Jasper’s opinion, the company was just a child who had not even completed the early stage funding. This was the difference between Jasper’s 20 years’ worth of reincarnation memory and the strategic vision of people in this age.
“Whether it is for the company’s future development or overall plan, such a reorganization is imperative.
“But I am encountering great difficulties right now. If we can’t get through this, everything will stop just like what you’re worried about. If we manage to get through this, I plan to reorganize JW Investment Company and establish JW Holding Group.
“The headquarter will no longer be responsible for any specific business. The holding group will be the core it will have jurisdiction over all of JW’s subsidiaries. That day will be the day we announce JW to the world officially.”
Jasper’s words made Malcolm nod his head vigorously.
“Yes, such a reorganization should have taken place long ago! In this case, I will make relevant plans and submit them to you as soon as possible.”
“Okay, coincidentally, I lack experience in this area.” Jasper was also very pleased.
Malcolm got up and left after they talked a little about work.
Jasper took care of some business in his office when he received a phone call from Wendy.
Wendy wanted to come to work but Jasper stopped her and asked her to rest at home. After that, he also agreed he would stay with her after he finished his work. Then, Jasper had lunch in the company’s cafeteria before he brought Julian and Henry to Suesville.
When the car reached the highway, Jasper received an unexpected but pleasant phone call.
“Lord Alvarado, if you call me even though you’re very busy, then something urgent must have happened.”
Jasper’s sentence caused Henry, who was just boasting how amazing he was in Harbor City after he burned Empire Meet, to shut up and listen.
“I’ve placed 5 billion with you and I’m worried that you’ll run away with the money, so I don’t think it’s that bad to check up on you, right?”
Lord Alvarado sounded like he was in a good mood from the other end of the phone.
Jasper narrowed his eyes and smiled. “Didn’t the little prince tell you? That money has become 10 billion now.”
“That’s what he said. Our money was with you this whole time. If I don’t see the money, I won’t feel secure,” Lord Alvarado chuckled lightly.
Jasper tapped the surface of the table gently and said, “Don’t worry, Lord Alvarado, if need it, I’ll transfer it back to you after the United States stock market becomes stable.”
“Is the money still at the equivalent position?” Lord Alvarado asked.
Jasper replied insipidly, “That depends on your choice.”
“Haha!”
Lord Alvarado laughed and said, “The little prince told me about it, so I won’t say too much about this. At this critical moment, I can’t help you with anything, but at the very least, I won’t hit you while you’re down.”
“However, this is not a small matter. The little prince wants to take his right to rule back and I want to take mine back too. Will that be a problem?”
“It’s your money, so of course, there won’t be any issues,” Jasper said calmly.
“Okay, I’ll discuss this with the little prince. We won’t let you work in vain. We’ll take 9 billion each and the rest will be your commission, what do you think?”
Jasper narrowed his eyes as a profound glint appeared in his eyes. He said lightly, “You think too highly of me. I made 2 billion just from this. What a good deal.”
“If it’s a good deal, then I’ll just assume you agree to this.”
Lord Alvarado paused and sighed. “Don’t think that our future is bright, we have our hardships that we can’t tell you about as well. This time, we’re really the bad people.”
“It must indeed be difficult for you to say something like this, Lord Alvarado.”
“Stop acting so weirdly. Just think of this as me owing you a favor.”
“However, my stance remains unchanged. The decision-making power is yours while the final say is mine. This is the bottom line.”
“As long as you two don’t regret it, ” Jasper said.
“Why would I regret a decision I myself make?”
Life at the Top Chapter 1492
After Jasper hung up the phone, Jasper looked a little off-color. Although he already knew that the little prince and Lord Alvarado wanted to take away their money, Lord Alvarado was so impatient, and them abandoning their benefactor pissed Jasper off a lot.
“What did he say? Did you fail?” Henry asked hurriedly when he saw that Jasper‘s expression looked unpleasant.
Shaking his head, Jasper said, “Not really, but everyone has their own behavior in the face of risks.”
“They are not good people,” Henry sneered. Then, he said, “When there are some goodies, everyone will pounce on it like mad dogs, but if something happens, they will run away faster than anyone else.”
“You can’t say that, at least they are still on my side in terms of their position.”
Jasper exhaled, releasing the depression in his chest before he said with a smile, “Besides, who knows what’s going to happen next. If they want to handle it themselves, let them do it by themselves. If they listen to me about everything, then it’ll be the same no matter who controls the money. At the end of the day, it’s their money anyway.”
“Still, it’s not a big deal even if they don’t listen to me. At the end of the day, it is up to them whether they earn more or less. At the very least, they can’ t stand on the side of Wall Street.”
“No way.” Henry shook his head and said, “Their roots are in the country. Back then, I heard my grandpa say that Swallow Capital had started to take note of this thing and that they’re preparing something secretly. They will only betray you in this situation if they’ve gone mad.”
“They will be betraying themselves if they betray you. So what if they have a big family and a big business? Their family is nothing compared to the nation’s will. They will get destroyed if they anger the government on a small issue, let alone a very controversial problem that causes so much anger among the people.”
“What’s Swallow Capital doing?” Jasper asked.
“How would I know?”
Henry spread his hands and smiled bitterly, “I know that my grandpa made a few calls to Swallow Capital after he talked to you. That’s when I learned that the government of Swallow Capital noticed when you shorted the US market.”
“Please, don’t look down on the brains of Swallow Capital. They’re all extremely sly and witty foxes.”
“In this case, everyone knows that Wall Street is targeting Somerland by targeting you. Do you think those old foxes wouldn’t realize it?”
“There will be a way out, but it has nothing to do with us. We just have to do our part. Swallow Capital won’t let us die during the critical moments.”
Jasper nodded, feeling very relieved.
Even though he was contacting so many people and powers, this was essentially out of fear of the United States’ power. One had to understand that this was the world’s largest country and the founder of modern economic rules for mankind.
Even if Jasper was mad, he would never even dream of fighting with the United States government.
One only had to look at the closing of the market this time. When they truly infuriated the United States, the United States immediately closed the market and, even more shamelessly, froze all of Jasper’s assets in the country.
Stocks and securities were illiquid assets.
So, even when Jasper made a dime at that moment, he would not be able to take it out, let alone his entire deposit.
Hence, how could an individual fight against the will of the nation?
Let alone the United States.
However, after doing so much back then, Jasper was sure that he had backing behind him.
Jasper shook his head and shook those negative thoughts away. Then, he said, “The only thing l can do now is do my best to contact the real powers in this country.”
“A contest between capitalists will still depend on funds. If they are shameless, we cannot do anything about it, but naturally, there will still be a power that can defeat them.”
Gale’s manor in Suesville.
Life at the Top Chapter 1493
Although he had been here several times before, Jasper still felt impressed every time he stood in front of the manor that covered such an expansive area. This old man was so damn extravagant. Only God knew how much money this old man had.
In an unprecedented act, Gale actually appeared at the door this time. It seemed that he was here to welcome Jasper.
“Old Master Hurlbutt, please be careful. I don’t deserve you coming out to receive me.” Jasper walked up to meet him quickly. He said as he bent over slightly and hunbled himself.
No matter how annoying the old man was, or even if there was beef between the two of them, this was a business matter.
If you did not know how to put up a façade while you were conducting business, then your business would not grow no matter how long you ran it.
Gale replied with a chuckle, “You sly child, I know you wish for me to be bed-ridden forever, right?”
Jasper chuckled and said, “I don’t have the guts to do that Old Master Hurlbutt, you’re my senior so how would I dare to have that thought as your junior?”
“Do you not have the guts, or do you not yet have the guts?” Gale asked.
Jasper laughed and pointed at a pair of stone lions at the entrance. He said, “These lions looked oddly formidable. These two were not here when I came last time, right?”
“The ones you saw last time were fake while these are real. When Napoleon was still in power, these were placed in front of his home. Back then, the museum wanted to display them so I borrowed them. After the exhibition was over, they returned them to me. See, I just put them back in their original places.”
Gale grinned and said carefreely, but what he said was indeed terrifying.
The statues should be at least a few centuries old if it came from Napoleon’s estate. It would be regarded as an amazing artifact no matter where it was placed. However, when it was with Gale, it was just placed casually at the entrance to his home. If the experts saw this, they would be heartbroken.
“Old Master Hurlbutt, you’re so impressive,” Jasper praised.
“A stone lion is just a stone lion even if it is old. Its purpose is still to watch over a house. So, I am using them to their full potential by placing them here. Each of them is a few hundred kilograms anyway so I am not afraid of people stealing them,” Gale said as he guffawed.
After he said that, Gale looked at Henry who had no expression as he stood next to Jasper.
“Kid, do you still remember me?” Gale asked with a grin.
Henry did not become unbridled and impudent in front of this 80-year-old man. After all, he was a Law, so as a junior, he still knew how to respect his elders no matter what.
“Hello, Old Master Hurlbutt. I’ve long since forgotten you.”
Gale laughed and said, “Of course. When I last saw you, you still had to be carried. How is your grandfather?”
Henry nodded and said, “Thank you for your concern, Old Master Hurlbutt. My grandpa is in good health. He’s always talkng about how he misses his old friends when he was young. He wonders when he can see them again.”
“No, thank you.” Gale waved his hand, “Your grandfather is too great, and I still owe him a favor, so it will be best if I do not see him.”
After chatting, Gale led the two into the courtyard. They went straight into Gale’s study without any delay.
The study was not small. It was not so much a study room as it was a library. Except for a large antique red sandalwood desk, the rest of the room were mostly filled with rows of bookshelves.
There were new books, old books, and even thread-bound books. The whole room was filled with the unique scent of paper and ink.
Ignoring everything else, just from the sheer quantity of these books, one could see that Gale was indeed different from ordinary people.
Jasper looked up and saw the calligraphy hanging behind the desk in the study.
‘Even though there were a lot of things happening around me, I am fearless as I have power. My life is carefree too, so I can spend time in my garden reading.’
Life at the Top Chapter 1494
“What good calligraphy.”
When Galeheard Jasper’s praise, he grinned and asked, “Do you know where it came from?
“It was written by a famous calligrapher in the 15th century. While it looks like something you came up with at a snap of a finger, it seems to be describing a calmness that one has in the face of a catastrophe. Moreover, it also gives me this feeling of one watching over the fluctuating affairs of life indifferently. that‘s why it made such an impression on me.”
Jasper felt fortunate.
Before his reincarnation, one of his clients liked this piece of calligraphy the most. He spent 6 million bidding for this original work but unfortunately he failed. At that time, the 6 million was transferred from the stock account that Jasper held for him, so Jasper remembered this incident very well.
If it were not for coincidence, he would have made a fool of himself.
Gale had a genuine smile on his face and said, “Yes, this calligraphy is the one hanging in the study of its creator. There are thousands of calligraphy pieces and there are many absolutely wonderful pieces that are simply amazing, but I like this one the most.”
Jasper glanced at the painting and felt a little strange.
If this one in Gale’s study was the authentic one, what about the one his client bidded on during the auction in his previous life?
Although, judging from the timeline, there were still six or seven years before the auction was to take place. Despite this, upon looking at Gale’s current estate, he would not be reduced to selling his properties in six or seven years even if he spent lavishly.
It could only be described as a mystery.
After chatting for a bit, Gale sat down on his chair and asked Jasper and Henry to sit opposite him. Then, Gale spoke.
“I know why you are here.”
Gale went straight to the point.
“In principle, I agree to support you. After all, this is a question of principle. When it comes to this matter, any private thoughts and opinions must be put aside. I am well aware of this.”
Jasper nodded and replied, “I am impressed by Old Master Hurlbutt’s noble righteousness.”
After Gale looked at Jasper deeply, he said with a half-smile, “You sly child, stop trying to butter me up. I’m not finished yet.”
Jasper smiled and picked up the earl grey in front of him before taking a sip.
He was gesturing to Gale so that he would continue.
Gale lifted his white eyebrows and caressed the ring on his thumb. Then, he said slowly, “I can give you 2 billion US Dollars.”
Even if Jasper was prepared, his heart still skipped a beat. ‘This old man was so f*cking rich.’
“However, I am not investing this money in you.”
Gale smiled and pointed at Jasper. He continued, “I’m lending you this money, and you need to put up collateral for this.”
When Jasper heard this, he did not react On the contrary, Henry almost exploded with anger.
“What do you mean? We’re facing a catastrophe now. If we can’t handle this, the market in the country will be finished, yet, you’re saying you’re just lending us the money at this critical moment?”
Henry’s statement caused Gale to reply flatly, “Kid, this is not the place for you to talk.”
Henry scoffed as his temper rose immediately.
When he was about to say, ‘You old fart, you have the balls to spout bullsh*t with me, but do you have the balls to say the same thing to my grandpa?’ Jasper stopped him.
“Old Master Hurlbutt, what do you mean by that?”
“Easy, put up shares of JW Company as collateral for me,” Gale said gleefully.
When Jasper heard that, he placed his teacup down with no expression. He got up and said, “Since you’re not sincere, then we’ll just drop the matter.”
Jasper ignored Gale. After he gestured to Henry, he walked out.
Coincidentally, when Jasper was about to push open the door to walk out, the door of the study was pushed open from outside.
A young man stood outside the door. He looked polite and seemed to be a normal university student.
He had a box in his hands and he smiled warmly at Jasper. He said, “My grandpa asked me to bring over his medicinal aroma beads. He said he wanted to give it to you. Why are you leaving so soon?”
The young man’s appearance caused the situation to suddenly become less tense.
“You sly child, don’t be so hot-tempered. Can’t we sit down and talk about this?” Gale said.
Jasper went back to sit down on his seat.
After he sat down, Gale did not mention what had happened. He pointed happily at the young man who was standing next to him respectfully, “This is Dean, my y grandson.”
Dean smiled warmly and said softly, “To be precise, I’m his adopted grandson. I was an orphan and grandpa took me in. I only came to help him recently.”
Dean was a sight for sore eyes.
He looked refined and he was speaking slowly. In addition to that, when he spoke, he would look at the other party. His gaze did not feel invasive, which was because he was showing respect to the person he was talking to.
Jasper suddenly remembered something when he looked at Dean who was smiling at him.
A nobleman’s manner and character would be as light as water.
“Hello.” Jasper nodded at the other party in a friendly manner.
“You are Mr. Laine from JW Company, right? I always hear grandpa talking about you. He said that if I am half as talented as you, he wouldn’t be so worried about me,” Dean said warmly.
Jasper lifted his hand and said, “Old Master Hurlbutt spoke so highly of me.”
Gale grinned and took a sip of his tea. He looked at Dean and said, “You youngsters should talk. I’m old and I can’t follow along anymore.”
Jasper narrowed his eyes slightly and instinctively became vigilant.
Gale valued this nobleman named Dean that was as light as water so much.
He was even asking Dean to discuss such a huge matter for him.
Life at the Top Chapter 1495
Don’t worry, Mr. Laine. Grandpa is right here and I’m just speaking on his behalf.
“If I say anything wrong, Grandpa will correct me. If he doesn’t then you can take it as me completely representing my grandpa.”
When Dean saw Jasper looking at him, he bowed slightly and said with a smile.
Jasper grinned when he looked at the refined Dean. He said, “Let’s start then. However, I don’t have much time so it’s best if we hurry up.”
Dean nodded and said softly, “Of course, I’ll get straight to the point then. First, I need to know how confident you are, Mr. Laine.”
“Of course, I am very confident.”
Jasper shook his hand and said carefreely, “It’s just a fight on the stock market. I never lost and the other party is just some irrelevant rat.”
Dean was slightly stunned. Then, he shook his head and said with a chuckle, “You’re joking, Mr. Laine.”
“You’re the one who started joking with me first.”
Jasper said calmly, “This time, our enemy is the entirety of Wall Street and the Federal Reserve, yet you’re asking if I’m confident? Aren’t you joking with me?!”
Pfft.
Henry could not hold in his laughter.
Dean shook his head and chuckled. He was not mad at all. At least, it was clear that Dean’s self-restraint was admirable.
“It’s indeed my mistake.”
Dean smiled apologetically. Then, he said to Jasper, “This is not about whether you’re confident. Mr. Laine, everyone clearly understands the situation right now and it’s still the same as what grandpa said just now.”
“I can take out the money at any time, but I can’t invest this in you, I can only lend it to you.”
“It’s not a problem, but asking me to put my company as collateral is unrealistic,” Jasper said.
Dean was still warm as always. He said softly, “Well, this is not a small amount There’s a risk to taking the money out too. If we don’ t have any collateral, how can we lend it to you?”
“Actually, I have two proposals, so please choose, Mr. Laine.”
When Jasper heard that Dean was finally being realistic, he sat up straight and put on a serious expression.
“The first one is what my grandpa proposed, which is putting up JW as collateral. However, since you’ve rejected that option, let’s not talk about that.”
“The second option is that we can lend the money to you free of interest with a time limit of three months. Of course, in order to make sure the funds are safe, I will have the right to know about the flow of the funds at any given time…”
“Also, if you can’t pay us back in three months, then JW Company will use 50% of its annual profit to pay back this debt for the next 10 years.”
Dean smiled harmlessly at Jasper when he said this. Then, he continued, “What do you think about the second proposal?”
Jasper narrowed his eyes slightly and said, “Okay.”
Jasper’s decisiveness caused Gale and Dean to have surprised looks on their faces.
They thought Jasper would need some time to think or would try to negotiate some better terms. However, Jasper did not do anything before agreeing with it decisively.
This was out of the two’s expectations.
“I told you, there will be a lot of things going on next, so I have to handle this as soon as possible,” Jasper said.
Dean smiled and nodded, “Mr. Laine is a straightforward person who will do big things. If that’s the case, we won’t waste your time. We’ll draft a contract right away. After it’s notarized, the money will immediately be transferred to your account.”
“Great.” Jasper nodded and smiled.
Soon, Dean personally drafted an agreement.
There was no doubt about the professionalism of this agreement. Jasper took it and looked through it. Then, he faxed it back to Nauritus City to let the professional legal team of JW Company evaluate it so they could confirm that there were no problems with the agreement. After that, he immediately signed it.
After he did all of this, Jasper got up and bade his farewell. By then, it was already evening. However, Jasper did not stay for dinner nor did Gale invite him.
Everyone was busy, so if they could forgo these irrelevant and unnecessary social niceties, they would do so.
Gale was old, so after Jasper signed the contract, he went back to rest. Meanwhile, Dean was responsible for sending Jasper and his gang to the door of the manor. “Mr. Laine, please be careful on your way back.”
“Dean, please hold on.”
The two of them looked at each other and smiled softly.
“I think this will be a joyous collaboration,” Dean said sincerely.
“Hopefully…”
Jasper turned around and got into the car after he said that
After Dean watched the car leave, he turned and went back to the manor.
Inside one of the rooms, Gale was lying on an interesting and appealing bamboo couch as he rested his eyes.
This room was semi-opened. When one lay on the bamboo couch, they could see the garden. The fake mountain babbled with running water as the green of the leaves accentuated the colors of the flowers. The view was spectacular.
After Dean entered the room, he walked to Gale’s side. When he saw the blanket sliding down Gale’s body, he tiptoed over to pick up the blanket for Gale.
Even though he was doing it softly, he still woke Gale.
“You are back.” After Gale noticed Dean, he half-closed his eyes and relaxed before he said slowly.
“Yes, they’re gone. Sorry for disturbing your rest,” Dean said warmly.
Gale lifted his hand that was resting next to his body and waved it slightly. Then, he said lazily, “It’s fine. I’m old so my sleep will be light… What do you think?”
Even though this question seemed to come out of nowhere, Dean immediately understood what Gale meant.
He hesitated and said, “It seems a little weird, but looking at the big picture, it’s still in accordance with our plan.”
“Weird?” Gale opened his eyes and said with a half-smile, “Are you referring to when he chose the second option so quickly after you proposed two options for him without even hesitating or negotiating terms?”
Dean nodded and said profoundly, “Yes, based on my assumptions and according to the information I have of him, he shouldn’t have answered me so quickly.”
Life at the Top Chapter 1496
When Gale heard what Dean said, he guffawed.
“I was a little surprised too.”
Gale opened his eyes and looked at Dean, who was deep in thought. He said slowly, “However, the most difficult thing to guess in the world is the human heart It is normal to get the wrong answer, let alone when facing someone like Jasper.”
“If he is so easy to take care of, an old fart like me who has lived 80 more years in this world would not have lost out to him.”
Dean bent down slightly and said while lowering his head, “He’s just pulling some cheap tricks. He’s using Old Master Law to pressure you, so how can you say you lost out to him?
“On the contrary, he also lost quite a bit when you brought in the business people from Teo. So, frankly speaking, you still won.”
“Stop speaking so highly of me.”
Gale glared at Dean and said, “Ever since I started plotting against that kid, I was always kept in the inferior position. How old is he and how old am I? Now that I am still plotting against him, aren’t I setting a bad example as an elder?”
Dean said respectfully, “I only know that success determines whether you’re a hero, I never heard of age determining the same thing.”
“Haha!”
Gale laughed.
“Never mind. You will be fully responsible for what is going to happen next. After this, I am sure Jasper will do something. If I need to show my face, you should just go on my behalf.”
Dean nodded. Then, he hesitated and asked, “Grandpa, so we’ll…”
Before he even finished, Gale understood what he meant
After a long sigh, Gale said, “Kid, I came from that special era. I watched the other countries bully ours. Back then it was fine, but after twenty to thirty years, those foreigners would still look down on us.
“You too. When I took you home, you were ten. Ten years before that, this country was the one that raised you.
“So, you cannot be too scheming in this matter. Just help wherever you can.”
“I understand,” Dean answered respectfully.
Gale seemed to be tired, so he closed his eyes and waved his hand.
Dean left deferentially. Then, he heard Gale singing to himself lowly as if he was talking in his sleep.
“As I watched them, I was as courageous as a sword, and when I raised my hand, I could not help but sweat. After I caught the thieves, I raised my sword to chop off their heads. Their blood splashed across the country and created a river of red.”
Jasper could not maintain his smile when he sat in the car. He even burst out laughing from time to time.
Henry was creeped out when he saw this.
“Have you gone mad from anger?” Henry asked carefully. Then, his expression became tense, and he said, “Those two are shameless but you don’t have to make yourself sick because of them.
“Okay, we’ll remember them for this. We’ll seek revenge on them when we have a chance in the future. That kid is named Dean, right? I will remember him.”
Jasper replied, “Gone mad from anger? I have gone mad from happiness, okay?”
“I thought Gale would either not participate or at most he would invest some money as a simple gesture.”
“Now, he even offered to lend me the money. Back when he proposed that I put up collateral, I planned to accept it, but that sly old fox is not easy to handle, so if I agreed too quickly, he might try to push for more. That’s why I put up an act.”
“I was wondering why you looked relieved when Dean appeared at the door. It seems that you were only acting!” Henry came to his realization.
“Life is like a movie.” Jasper laughed and said, “Since he agreed to lend us 2 billion US Dollars free of interest, which will amount to about 16 billion Somer Dollars, so why not just take it?”
“However, we still have to pay him back if we lose. Are you really going to pay him back with 50% of JW’s annual profit for the next ten years?” Henry asked.
Jasper shrugged and said, “If we lose, can JW even survive?”
“Damn! This is no-risk trading!” Henry said while feeling terrified.
Jasper said happily, “You can’t say that. After all, they were the ones proposing this. We just accepted their proposal, so I didn’t set them up.”
“Plus, we don’t know the outcome of this fight. Now that they have given us this investment, they will get the money back if we win, but if we lose, everything will be gone.”
“However, if they don’t lend us the money, everything will still be destroyed if we lose. In the event that we win, they will get no share of the profits.”
“If that’s the case, has Gale gone mad?” Henry asked.
“A loan and an investment are two different things. He might have his own plans,” Jasper said flatly.
“However, that has nothing to do with us anymore. It doesn’t matter what he has planned, he won’t try to be a hindrance to us in such a huge matter. At most, he will just watch as we die. However, since he took out so much money, it means he won’t cause us any trouble at the critical moment.”
Henry nodded as if he understood.
“So, where are we going now?”
Jasper narrowed his eyes and said, “Next, we’ll need to meet the presidents of a few Chambers of Commerce. Also, there are a few appointments we have to attend. In short, we have a lot left to do.”
“However, what I lack most now is time. The market will be closed for three days and, in addition to the weekends, it will be closed for a total of five days. Two days have passed since, so we don’t have much time left.”
Henry glanced at the exhausted-looking Jasper and could not help but say, “We’re at this stage anyway, so we’ll just do this step by step. If the sky falls, we have tall people to stop it from falling on us. It’s useless if you tire yourself out too.
“Tonight, I’ll make some arrangements for you to relax. We’ll continue tomorrow.”
Jasper said with a smile, “Do you have anything you can arrange for in Suesville?”
Henry chuckled and answered, “I don’t, but I have money. In this world, what can’t be solved with money?”
Jasper laughed and said, “Okay, it’s dinner time anyway. I’ll go with you and we’ll talk about the rest tomorrow.”
“Okay!”
Henry patted Julian’s driver seat happily and said with a grin, “Julian, drive to the city center. Go wherever is liveliest Today, I’ll only be doing one thing and that’s spending money!”
Life at the Top Chapter 1497
When Henry said he wanted to spend money, he really started throwing money away as if it was water.
They went to the best hotel in Suesville’s city center and asked the head chef to cook for them. There was a lot of food on the table and all of it was extremely expensive. The three of them could not eat everything but they still ordered a table full of food. Just the wild yellow-fin tuna from the East Sea was 2000 bucks each. However, this was the most low-profile item on the table. There was also a lobster that was half a meter in length, the lobster was so large it had to be carried to the table by three male servers. That one dish was 60 thousand bucks.
Then, they ordered some soup for each of them that cost 888 bucks each. Basically, it was just cabbage soup. However, the ingredients used to make the soup were decadent. There were abalone, conpoy, sea cucumber, three years old ham, the diaphragm of free range three years old ducks, and the diaphragm of a wild boar inside. These rare items represented just the ingredients used for the consommés of the small cabbage.
After the consommés were out, the ingredients would be thrown away, and in the end, they would be concentrated into these three bowls of soup. Just one sip would cost at least 200 bucks.
The three of them could not eat too much. Even if Julian was someone who was trained to fight and thus had a larger appetite, the group still left half of the food uneaten.
Henry did not care. He paid the bill of 160 thousand bucks and asked the staff of the restaurant to take care of what was left so that there would not be any wastage. The staff’s eyes lit up as the manager sent Henry away enthusiastically. After that, they sauntered to the best nightclub in Suesville.
In this time and age, the nightclubs were not as good as the ones in the future. A lot of discos and dancehalls would call themselves nightclubs. Even though they were not wrong, it still lowered their statuses. This nightclub in Suesville was truly very lively.
The boss seemed to have surveyed the market before. Therefore, the location, the decoration, and the atmosphere were not inferior to the ones in Harbor City or Waterhoof City.
Henry booked a booth that required a minimum spend of 88888 bucks. At this point in time, there was still no fancy liquor that would go viral, like Ace of Spades. The nightclubs still had their conscience, so they would not sell Ace of Spades like they were treasures just because some rich second-generation hiked up the price.
The alcohol that was available here was all good alcohol. For example Louis XIII, Martell XO, and Royal Knight. There was none of those fake alcohols that was mixed with low-quality foreign alcohol that the artisan workshops sold for more than ten bucks. These were all authentic.
Aside from that, Henry covered an entire table with the most expensive cocktail in the nightclub. It was named Alluring Fox and was sold for 666 bucks per glass. The whole table looked extremely colorful.
From the looks of this, Henry was the most dazzling guy in the room.
From ancient times to the present, regardless of where in the world you were, there was always only one universal truth. If you had money, you would be the boss.
Jasper’s booth was immediately surrounded by a lot of girls in tight skirts.
Even though it was 2001 and not 2020 where people were more unrestrained, the essence of the young ladies’ pursuit of true love remained the same. All of them were very hot and behaved unrestrained as they hugged Henry and laughed with him. This made Henry very happy.
Jasper did not have girls in his arms like Henry. Instead, he sat with Julian at one side while drinking some delicious cocktail and eating the fruit platter. He chatted happily with Julian.
A few of the girls came to flirt with them, but Jasper would not reject them, He would still entertain them. However, everyone could tell Henry was the one paying, so after they noticed that Jasper was not that rich, they started to treat Henry like the love of their lives as they flocked over to him.
“We just had a 160 thousand dinner so how much will we spend after this?” Julian was a little speechless.
While Julian worked with Jasper, his annual salary alone was a million bucks. Hence, one could only imagine how much he would get from his other subsidies and bonus. For example, after the high-end condominium developed by JW Real Estates was launched in Nauritus City, Jasper gave Julian a unit.
So, Julian was a wealthy man right now.
His assets were nearing tens of millions in value. However, Julian was poor before, so even though his income was high right now and even though Jasper would be willing to pay for him if something were to happen, Julian was still used to saving some of his money. He was not saving it for himself though. Rather, he would give it to his big sister.
Also, since he was always with Jasper, he did not have much chances to spend money. Sometimes when they went out of town, he would buy some gifts for his sister. However, Jasper would pay for what he bought as well. In any case, this dinner of hundreds of thousands of dollars was way beyond what Julian was used to.
“I think he will have spent 4 to 500 thousand this entire night.” Jasper crossed his legs and said nonchalantly.
Julian widened his eyes and said, “How extravagant.”
“Extravagant? This is what he’s good at. Look at his surname.” Jasper cracked a joke and laughed.
“When this first started, I wouldn’t dare to imagine spending tens of thousands of bucks in one night. Isn’t this insane?”
Jasper said to Julian when he saw that Julian had a look of disbelief on his face.
When Julian heard this, he nodded furiously. He was saying that he agreed that Henry was insane.
“However, after that, I understood. People have social differences. If someone makes only 2000 bucks per month, he would have to think about it if you ask him to spend 100 bucks. This is simply because of the fact that he only makes 2000 bucks per month.
“He has to calculate his expenses like food, rent, social life, transport, phone bills and so on. If he falls sick, he’ll need to buy medicine too. Then, the rest he will keep as savings. After a month, all of this salary would be spent, so how much will he have left?”
“On the contrary, what about someone who makes 2 million a month?”
“The circle he is in will be consuming at that level. He doesn’t have to save up nor does he need to. If he attempts to be frugal, he won’t be able to break into that circle.”
“Even though they say you can’t judge a book by its cover, most people are shallow. People don’t know each other and not everyone’s close with each other, so who are you to ask them to look inside and see what you’re truly good at?”
“They will be looking at what you wear and what you put on. They will also look at what car you drive and your young beautiful secretary. These are all things that people can see at just a glance.”
“If you have these things and they see it, only then will they think that you’ve passed and have fulfilled the basic requirements for in-depth communication. Only then will you be qualified to do business together. “Because of all this, he can’t be stingy. To other people, he’s consuming luxury goods, but to him, it is necessary.”
“When you have different means of making money, are in a different social class, and have different foresight, your thoughts on spending money will be different as well.”
Life at the Top Chapter 1498
“At the end of the day, there is no limit to a person’s ability to make money, but there is a limit to spending money.”
Speaking of this, Jasper pointed to Henry who was indulging in pleasure and said, “Henry can spend hundreds of thousands tonight easily, but if you ask him to spend 10 million, he won’t have a place to spend it even if he has the money.
“How much can you eat for dinner and how much can you spend as a nouveau riche in a nightclub? If you don’t purchase anything big, this will all be viewed as trivial. Even if you buy something big, most likely you can only think of villas costing tens of millions and cars costing millions.
“Therefore, everyone, including myself, love money and just want to do one thing with it.”
Jasper put a finger up and said seriously to Julian, “No matter what happens in the future, at least I will not do something because of money or even feel embarrassed.”
Julian said in a daze, “Then you can retire early.”
“Do you know how to carry a conversation?”
Jasper glared at Julian who laughed.
“I think Mr. Laine is right.”
In the noisy nightclub, a woman‘s light and graceful voice clearly penetrated all the noise and chaos and into Jasper’s ears. This feeling was like a white lotus appearing in the middle of a mud pile.
The contrast made the mud look even dirtier and the white lotus even purer.
Jasper was initially idle and carefree, but when he heard that voice, his entire body tensed up and a bright light burst out from his eyes. There was also an imposing manner in him that Julian rarely saw.
Even though he was chatting with Jasper just now, Julian did not forget that the most important thing to him was to protect Jasper’s safety. Hence, he did not drink any alcohol so that he could stay vigilant in this chaotic and noisy nightclub that was filled with all kinds of people. Even so, he did not notice when the owner of the voice had sashayed over.
What an expert.
An absolute expert!
Julian lifted his head to look at th incomparable, slender, and elegant woman in front of him who was smiling softly. He almost took action against her. Right now, that woman was standing in front of Jasper and Julian did not detect anything. They were about 3 meters apart.
Moreover, this woman was able to do that without Julian detecting her. If she wanted to do anything to Jasper right now in such close proximity, Julian was not confident that he would be able to stop her.
“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt him, right, Mr. Laine?”
Adele looked at Jasper and said with a smile.
Jasper patted Julian’s shoulder to relax him. Then, he got up and said to Jane with a grin, “I didn’t expect to run into you here, Miss Brown.”
Even though Jasper had only met the boss of Brew Splash Teahouse once, she had made an impression on him.
This time, he also realized that Adele was an expert that could make Julian nervous. This was a rare occurrence.
Adele smiled softly. Her smile outshone all of the girls in the room as it stood out in this noisy and chaotic nightclub.
“I didn’t expect to run into you here too, Mr. Laine. Are you meeting an old friend in another city?”
Jasper laughed and said, “Are you here for business, Miss Brown?”
“I’m here to see someone. Now that I’ve seen them, I can go back now. However, before that, I spotted you, which was a surprise to me. Are you interested in spending some time with me in a quiet place nearby?”
Jasper looked at Henry who was playing games with the girls and nodded. He said, “It’s an honor to be invited by such a beauty.”
Jasper went to notify Henry but the man was having a lot of fun so he ignored Jasper. He waved his hand to say he understood and then went back to the girl’s chest to simper.
Meanwhile, Jasper left the noisy nightclub with Julian and Adele.
In a coffee shop not far away, Adele asked Jasper to take a seat.
Julian did not sit down. He decided to stand at a distance not too far away.
Even a millisecond in the battle with a master was important. This distance and posture made it easier for Julian to deal with any unexpected problems.
“Your friend is very concerned about your safety.” Adele smiled at Jasper.
“I have no choice. Because I’m so hated, I feel a lot less nervous with him around.” Jasper laughed at himself.
Adele chuckled and said, “Mr. Laine, you asked me about my purpose of coming to Suesville, so may I know why you’re here as well?”
“I’m here to meet someone like you, Miss Brown. Similarly, I’ve met the person, and it went pretty smoothly.” Jasper replied.
Adele blinked and asked, “Can I take the liberty to ask who you met?”
Jasper looked at Adele meaningfully and said, “I doubt that you’re so curious, Miss Brown.”
“You’re being stingy, Mr. Laine.”
Adele placed one hand under her chin and showed a red string on her fair wrist. It looked delicate and pretty. The contrast of red and white caused her to look abnormally agile and alluring.
“That’s fine, this won’t stop me from offering you a piece of news, Mr. Laine.”
Jasper was curious. He asked, “A piece of news?”
Adele smiled faintly and said, “Actually, if I didn’t meet you here, I’d still have sought you out when we got back as someone asked me to make an appointment with you.”
“Who?” Jasper asked.
“The secretary of the president of SBS Bank, Mr. Tony Pratt”
Adele said this softly, but it made Jasper lift his eyebrows abruptly.
SBS Bank was also known as Somerland External Development Bank. This bank was state-owned and did not run any savings accounts. Therefore, most people did know much about it.
However, if someone did a foreign trade business and who’s wealth had reached a certain level, or had a large-scale foreign investment project, then they had to deal with this bank. It was because this bank held a lot of authority. All the foreign exchange reserves of the central bank were stored in this bank.
Its main responsibility was to represent the government, make foreign investments, and conduct foreign exchange settlements. It could be said that apart from the inability to issue currency, all SBS Bank branches abroad were equivalent to the Somerland Central Bank itself.
Life at the Top Chapter 1499
In such a special and critical period, it was self-evident that the core executives of such a significant bank would come to him.
“When shall we meet?” Jasper did not hesitate and immediately agreed.
This meeting represented the first contact between the higher-ups and a civil representative, so naturally, he would not miss it.
He had known long since known in his heart that the higher-ups could not just sit idly during such a big event. However, Jasper was worried because they had not said anything until now. He was worried because he had no idea what the big shots at Swallow Capital were thinking about.
If Swallow Capital had plans, he should have at least talked to a representative of the private capital. They should at least have a communication channel. Now, this communication channel had finally appeared in front of Jasper.
This entity was more important than anyone Jasper had met before.
Adele smiled and said, “He is in Suesville now. He’s here for a meeting today and will leave tomorrow. I originally planned to schedule the meeting for tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Since Mr. Laine is here by coincidence, why don’t you meet him tonight?”
Jasper smiled and nodded. He said, “Thank you, Miss Brown.”
Under Adele’s arrangement, half an hour later, Jasper met Tony Pratt, the secretary of the president of SBS Bank, in a four-star hotel.
Although he was appointed as the secretary, the man was more like the official secretary-general. After all, Tony was one of the core senior executives of SBS Bank. Despite being at the bottom of the hierarchy, this position was not any lower than the chief executive of Southeast Province.
After taking Jasper to the location, Adele did not go upstairs, nor did she leave. Instead, she said that she would wait downstairs until after Jasper and Tony were done.
This obviously meant that she had something to tell Jasper. Jasper did not refuse this suggestion. After agreeing wilh Adele, he went upstairs to meet Tony.
Tony was a middle-aged man in his fifties. He was of average height, while his weight and looks were average as well.
However, if a man was in a high-ranking position, he would naturally have an extraordinary charm to him. Tony was just like this.
If he was able to get to this position at his age, it must have meant that he was a very talented man.
After Tony walked out of the room, he started laughing before he approached Jasper. He reached out his hand from afar and said to Jasper, “Mr. Laine, even though we’ve never officially met, we’re like soul brothers now.”
Jasper had the same smile on his face as he gripped Tony’s hand. He said, “Mr. Pratt, I’m so glad to meet you. It’s such an honor. ”
Tony laughed and said, “Mr. Laine, you’re someone who we should have studied and based our speculations on when it came to the early days of the domestic futures market and the international crude oil market.
“The market rescue in Harbor City was particularly amazing. When the Securities Regulatory Commission and I were communicating with a few old colleagues from the financial department, we were shocked when we talked about Mr. Laine who was not even in his 30s. All of your achievements are extremely impressive.”
Jasper replied hurriedly and modestly, “Mr. Pratt, you speak too highly of me. Those are just small achievements and are nothing to boast about.”
Tony laughed.
Jasper and Tony lauded each other’s accomplishments and walked into the reception room prepared by the hotel as they spoke.
“Mr. Laine, we don’ t have much time, so let’s hurry up and get straight into the topic.”
After sitting down, Tony said directly.
Jasper nodded and said, “Mr. Pratt, please go ahead. I’m all ears.”
Tony waved his hand and said with a grin, “You don’t need to be so courteous with me. You’re much more renowned than me right now.”
After some chit-chatting, Tony’s smile faded and he said slowly, “Actually, I asked to see you so I can send you this message from the higher-ups. After that, I’ll get your opinion, and then I’ll pass it back to them.”
“As for the current situation, the higher-ups have been paying attention to it this whole time. In fact, from as early as when you first entered the market, risk reports were already being compiled by the relevant departments.”
“Now, what I need to tell you is that first of all, the attitude from above is very clear!”
“We will not allow anyone in Somerland to be bullied, not to mention that this entire situation is on the premise of protecting the domestic economy!”
When Tony said this, he glanced at Jasper with admiration and continued, “This statement was given by one of the big bosses. This statement alone can be said to determine your potential. Such a thing is extremely rare, let alone for someone as young as yourself, Mr. Laine. Your future is boundless.”
Jasper waved his hand and said with a smile, “If I am not wrong, there must still be something behind this, right?”
Tony nodded, his smile disappeared, and he said solemnly, “In the current situation, the influence of external factors exists all the time. Hence, the higher-ups need to consider this matter comprehensively. They can’t lose their propriety because of the gains and losses of one person.”
Life at the Top Chapter 1500
“I understand.”
Jasper nodded. “I’ve made this realization before I made this decision.”
Tony nodded and said, “That’s good. However, don’t worry. The higher-ups’ attitude is clear. They’re not doing anything right now because they need to consider the influence on the international community. However, we won’t stay put if things become critical.”
Jasper said, “Please pass on my message to them, Mr. Pratt.”
“Go on,” Tony said seriously.
“The real purpose of the United States’ interference this time is to enter the domestic market by using me as a scapegoat. They want to rob us of the fruits of our reformation and development over the years to make up for the losses they have suffered in the terrorist attack and also to divert the attention of their people.”
With a sigh, Jasper continued, “I am in this position and have no other choice. Even if I am defeated, we can’t let outsiders touch the results of more than one billion people from Somerland’s hard work over so many years.”
“This is my request. So, Mr. Pratt, please convey it on my behalf.”
Tony nodded solemnly. “I will pass it on without missing a word.”
Jasper shook his head. Then, he got up and shook Tony’s hand before saying, “Mr. Pratt has been in a meeting for the entire day, so I won’t bother you anymore.”
Tony walked Jasper to the door and said, “Mr. Laine, please be careful on your way back.
“Mr. Laine, wait.”
Jasper was about to turn around when he heard Tony speak up again, “Mr. Laine…”
Jasper stood his ground and turned around to look at Tony.
Tony paused for a while. He seemed to be thinking about what he should say. Then, he continued, “I shouldn’t say this, but I think I still have to tell you so that you know.”
“SBS Bank will take action when it’s necessary.”
Jasper lifted his eyebrows and displayed the first genuine smile since his meeting with Tony. He nodded and said, “I got it. Thanks.”
Jasper would remember this favor forever.
Tony smiled in return before closing the door.
After he arrived downstairs, Jasper went to the lobby where he saw Adele in the lounge.
Adele waved at Jasper and Jasper walked over to her.
“Are you done?” Adele asked.
“Yeah, it went pretty smoothly,” Jasper answered with a nod. Jasper did not tell her what they talked about, while Adele was smart for not asking.
“I heard you contacted the little prince and Lord Alvarado recently, right?” Adele asked while tilting her head.
Jasper looked at this woman who was breathtakingly beautiful and extremely mysterious.
“Miss Brown, you’re so well-informed…”
Adele smiled and said, “I’ll just take that as a compliment.”
“The Browns from the north, the Royals from the south, and the Alvarados from the north-west. Right now, they’re all low-profile distinguished families in the country. These three families might even be the most powerful in the country, but they only have two similarities.”
Adele suddenly became talkative. She continued, “Firstly, these three families have been around for at least 200 years, so they can be regarded as the only remaining families in the country that have passed through the feudal era and still maintained their inheritance.”
“Secondly, they all have astonishing successors in this generation.”
When Adele said this, she said to Jasper with a smile, “The one from the north has something he wants to tell you, Mr. Laine, and he asked me to pass the message on to you.”
Jasper was truly shocked.
Who was Adele?
The state-owned SBS Bank contacted him through her. Even the crippled Brown wanted to contact him through her. Wait, the crippled Brown and Adele Brown?
There was a subtle change in the way Jasper looked at Adele.
Adele ignored the sudden change in Jasper’s gaze and continued speaking, “He said that after he learned about you, he feels regretful that he can’t meet you sooner.”
“He hopes that there will be a chance for him to meet you in Swallow City in the future. When the time comes, he will have a nice long chat with you and make you his friend.”
Jasper lifted his eyebrows and laughed. He answered, “I’m overwhelmed that Mr. Brown is so courteous toward me.”
Adele smiled faintly and said, “You’re too humble, Mr. Laine. Right now, you can be regarded as one of the most amazing people in the country. Of course a lot of people would want to know you.”
“Did Mr. Brown say anything aside from this?” Jasper asked.
Adele shook her head and answered, “No.”
Jasper nodded and said, “Okay, please tell him that I will definitely go to Swallow City to have a nice long chat with him if I have the chance.”
After he was done with work, Jasper got up and said, “Alright, I’ll bid my farewell now. My friend is still in the nightclub.”
“Mr. Laine, be careful on your way back.” Adele got up and sent him off politely.
Jasper turned around and took a few steps. Suddenly, he turned around and asked with a grin, “Miss Brown, may I ask what’s your relationship with Mr. Brown since your surname is also Brown?”
“He’s my older brother, my biological brother…” Adele bowed slightly and answered.
Jasper looked dumbfounded and he only came back to his senses after a long while. Then, he nodded and left after turning around.
When he walked out, Julian asked after he got into the car, “Do you want to go to Swallow Capital to talk to the crippled Brown?”
“There’s no need. He has rejected me,” Jasper said calmly as he looked out of the window