Ch. 931..940

Life at the Top Chapter 931

Zachary had gained full control of the situation.

By setting an example, Zachary had shown Henry how a top-notch hedonistic son of the rich could use words and might to intimidate the other party, eventually achieving his goal.

Bob looked exceedingly sullen.

When Bob learned about the things Zane did today, he knew that this was going to be a tricky problem to solve.

Bob knew better than younger generations like Zane that the Laws were the ones they should never mess with.

Three other rich families were just ordinary business families who made their fortune by taking advantage of Harbor City’s unique status and the rapid development of society in the early years.

Later, even as their family status grew and they embarked on the journey of business and held government positions, they were still businessmen at heart.

 

The Laws were different.

Old Master Law started off with minor achievements in turbulent times and carved out a niche for himself.

The four richest families knew each other through and through. Why did the three other richest families not take the initiative to provoke the Laws even when they were keeping such a low profile?

That was because they knew that they could not afford to provoke the Laws.

At least when Old Master Law was still alive, no one would lay a finger on the Laws.

Since the handover, the help that Old Master Law had extended to the Mainland had earned him supreme status today. This was something that was becoming increasingly prominent.

Seeing that Zachary had no plans of overcoming this matter, Bob gritted his teeth and decided to endure the humiliation first.

He turned around and slapped Zane hard across the face.

Zane screamed. Already battered to begin with, Zane was wounded further, which made him look extremely dreadful and miserable.

Bob did not go easy on his strike, splitting open Zane’s wounds that had just recovered. Blood came flowing in torrents.

“Now that things have come to this point, Zachary, nothing I say can change anything. In any case, my unfilial son has lost his head and committed this mistake. You’ll decide how you want to punish him and I’ll agree to it without a single frown,” Bob said in a deep voice.

He sounded extremely sincere, or at least it sounded that way.

Zachary slapped Bob, and Bob then slapped his son.

Jasper and Henry watched with fascination at the constant plot shift.

Zachary sneered and said, “You’re inflicting injury on your son to gain my sympathy, huh?”

Bob let out a wry smile. “Zachary, I’m not trying to gain your sympathy. I’m offering my sincerest apology. Seriously. You can do anything to this unfilial son and I won’t say a thing about it.”

Bob had made plans of his own. Zachary would never kill his son, right? At least he would still be alive and this would all be over soon.

As for his reputation, Bob already knew that it was impossible to secure his reputation when he noticed Zachary’s stance. He had received a slap in the face for nothing.

It did not matter anyway. There were only so few of them in the ward. When he stepped out of this door, he, Bob Lancaster, would remain as Harbor City’s magnate.

However, Bob, who was busy hatching a plot, had underestimated Zachary’s power.

“Sure, if that’s what you say.”

Life at the Top Chapter 932

Zachary pointed at the window of the ward and said, “Ask your son to jump out of there and I’ll let this matter drop.”

Bob and his son’s expressions changed with great shock.

Jump out of there?!

Zane glanced with horror at the window that was ten stories above and then at his father Bob. Despair and pleas filled his eyes.

Bob looked beyond awkward as he was unable to back out now.

He was not going to allow his son to jump out the window no matter what.

“Motherf*cker, are you trying to play tricks with me? You’re leaving the decision to me because you think that I wouldn’t argue with a junior and would just scold and beat him. All would be fine since he’s not going to die anyway, right? As long as he doesn’t die, this will all pass, right?”

Zachary sneered, “Well, I insist on not doing things your way today. C’mon then. Didn’t you say that I can punish him any way that I want? Well, I’m not going to kill or harm your son. I just want him to jump out of the window. Are you going to jump out or not?”

Bob’s expression changed constantly. Ultimately, he said between clenched teeth, “Tell me what you want. Just don’t cross the line. I admit that I was wrong.”

Zachary let out a satisfied smile and said mildly, “I want 30% of the artificial canals in Southeast Alexandria that you’re involved in developing.”

Bob’s expression changed abruptly as he responded subconsciously, “No way! That’s my core asset. I will never allow anyone to touch it, let alone 30%!”

“It’s fine if you don’t want to. I’m sure you can give me a share of the natural gas contract you signed earlier, then?”

Bob looked like he had seen a ghost when he heard Zachary’s words. “You’re spying on me?! Only a few people know about that. The public has no knowledge about that at all!”

“Bob, you’re so used to a smooth sailing life all these years that you have no idea about the dangers in the business world, huh?

“Why do you think you were able to sign that contract so easily? I was just waiting for someone to clear the obstacles for me before I went over to pick the peaches.”

Zachary’s expression turned cold as he spoke, “This is my final limit. I will not touch the canals since that’s so crucial to your survival, but if you refuse to give me the natural gas contract, then let’s go back and fight it out.”

Bob gritted his teeth hard and said with much difficulty, “Fine! But you’ll let this matter drop.”

“Get lost,” Zachary said coldly.

After a period of time, Bob led Zane out of the ward.

When Bob saw his son staggering, looking absolutely battered, he was so furious that he raised his hand to hit him.

Zane looked absolutely miserable at the moment as he shrieked subconsciously, raising his hands to shield his head. He was shuddering constantly.

Seeing how useless Zane was, Bob put down his hands angrily and roared, “You unfilial son! Do you know how much money we’ve lost because of your impulsiveness?! The natural gas contract could’ve given us at least a billion in profits!”

Zane was too frightened to speak. Until now, the news that Jasper exposed had yet reached Bob’s ears. He dared not imagine how furious Bob would be if he learned about the news.

“Please send me abroad, Dad. I’d like to go abroad to further my studies for two years,” Zane muttered under his breath.

Stunned, Bob stared at Zane and said, “You didn’t want to no matter how I persuaded you in the past but you’ve finally changed your mind now?”

Zane hastened to say, “Yes, I’ve thought it through. This was a huge lesson for me and I would like to go out and have some time alone to think about my future.”

“That’s more like it. You’ve finally grown up. Looks like this punishment was well worth it.”

Feeling rather relieved, Bob turned around and said, “Let’s go back to Harbor City immediately. I will arrange for you to go abroad as soon as possible.”

Life at the Top Chapter 933

“You let them off easy, Dad.”

In the ward, Henry thought it was a pity.

It was the perfect opportunity to take down both Lancaster father and son, yet Zachary had chosen to let them off just like that?

Although they did get some benefits, Henry did not care about those benefits at all. The Laws were a big family that owned major industries. They received plenty of benefits that losing a few was not enough to starve them to death.

In Henry’s opinion, he could give up on this bit of benefit and use this opportunity to trample the Lancaster father and son to the ground.

“Know when to stop. Some things are not that simple. Do you really think Bob is that easy to deal with?”

Zachary replied, though it was clear that he had no plans of making further explanations about this as it involved the power struggle of the upper class in Harbor City. It was too complicated.

Jasper, however, took the hint and said with a smile, “When two giants fight, it’ll be difficult to bring each other down unless it involves life and death.

“The giants will not start a war so easily because of their sizes as the impact will be too great and the consequences too heavy. Hence, most of the time, both parties will take turns in suffering losses and sharing benefits.

“In the long run, after a few more wins and as one rises and another one falls, the gap between the giants will be pulled apart. When that happens, you’ll get to decide what you want to do with the other party.”

Zachary nodded and said, “Yup, that’s how it is. It’s similar to two countries engaging in a conflict. Almost all of them fight with words.

“It is extremely rare to see fights that involve weapons and firearms. After all, there are simply too many factors to consider—the country’s power, the other party’s strength, and the covetous eyes of neighboring countries. Who knows, many people would start fanning the flames, sit around, and watch the fight. When both sides are exhausted, they’ll come to reap the spoils.”

Henry was even more confused as he listened to their conversation. He waved his hands in irritation and said, “I don’t understand. Whatever it is, was I injured this time for nothing?”

“If getting an injury could earn me hundreds of millions of dollars of profit each time, then remember to invite me next time,” Jasper said with a grin.

Having said that, he turned around to look at Zachary, asking, “Can I ask you a question, Uncle Law? Is that the natural gas contract for Marina, the capital of Filopo?”

Zachary was astounded. “How did you know that?”

Jasper chuckled. How could he not know?

Following the rapid economic development of Filopo’s capital city Marina, a series of construction projects were to be carried out for the modernization of the city. Congress had made the decision for 80% of the city to have access to natural gas facilities.

At the time, everyone thought this was a great business opportunity and countless neighboring countries swarmed in.

Though surprisingly, even though this was a multi-billion dollar contract, the companies in Filopo did not seem to be interested at all.

According to Jasper’s memory from his past life, the contract was eventually given to a company in Harbor City along with another natural gas company abroad.

Now it seemed that the Harbor City company that Jasper had heard of back then when he was still a commoner was probably Bob’s company.

He had a deep impression of this incident because Jasper, who still had his memories after reincarnation, knew that this was a huge trap.

In the upcoming construction works, the entire construction process would be a difficult one. Then, there was the protest of the locals which caused huge problems for the contractors. Filopo thwarted their plan, using all sorts of means to rip off these two companies.

In the end, both sides completely fell out and the contract was breached. The two companies and Filopo’s international lawsuit lasted for seven to eight long years. Even when Jasper was reincarnated, there was still no result.

At the thought of this, Jasper said to Zachary.

“Uncle Zachary, I received news from a friend that this is no simple contract. Filopo might change their mind. Disregarding everything else, why are there so few of Filopo’s domestic companies fighting for this opportunity? You must be careful because this isn’t normal at all.”

Life at the Top Chapter 934

“If it’s possible, I suggest converting Bob’s benefits to cash. It’s still worth it even if it’s slightly less.”

Yes, this was a huge trap alright, but it was also important to note who was going to step into it.

In Jasper’s opinion, if Zachary stepped into it, then this would be a trap.

If Bob and the rest stepped into it, then this would be good news.

Zachary was shocked by the things Jasper said. He pondered for a moment, having no intention to ask Jasper who his friend was. Everyone would have their own channels by now and inquiring about it was obviously an unwise move to make no matter how close they were.

Therefore, Zachary did not ask but instead began considering this matter.

This saved Jasper from finding an excuse. Of course, he did not have a friend who received news from Filopo. All he had were his memories from before reincarnation. However, this was Jasper’s deepest secret—one that he must never share with anyone.

“Alright. I’ll send someone to investigate. If there’s something fishy about this, we’ll do as you say.”

Jasper breathed a sigh of relief after hearing what Zachary said. From how Zachary behaved, he knew that Zachary had taken his words seriously.

Judging from the Laws’ capabilities, whenever they noticed something amiss and began investigating, there were rarely things that could go unnoticed.

…

While Jasper and Zachary talked in the ward, somewhere in the heavily guarded part of Nauritus City.

A car was parked at the door, and a tall, sturdy man stood by it. He kept looking at the locked gate as if he was waiting for something.

Soon, there was a clanging sound of metal and the door pulled open with a creak. A battered young man staggered outside.

It was Conrad.

When he saw how dejected and soulless Conrad looked, the tall and sturdy middle-aged man frowned slightly. He stopped Conrad from trying to speak, saying, “Let’s go. We’ll talk when we get back.”

Conrad nodded and climbed into the car with his father, Steven.

The car’s engine revved up and began driving steadily on the road. Hardly any tremors could be felt.

Despite that, Conrad’s heart was surging like the waves.

He was feeling regret for his blunder, sorry for his father, and hatred for Jasper.

“I’ve settled this matter for you, paid a price, and made some promises. No one will ask you anything about that loan again,” Steven said to Conrad, his calm voice sounding in the car.

Conrad clenched his fists slowly, saying unwillingly, “This is Jasper’s scheme, Dad! He colluded with those people in order to put me—”

“Watch what you say!”

Steven hissed, staring at Conrad and saying, “Don’t you know what you can say and what you can’t say?”

“Who do you think Jasper is? Do you not know where you just walked out from? How could they have possibly colluded with Jasper?

“How could they have arrested you if you didn’t leave traces behind? Everything was done according to the law. You’re the one who’s confused here!”

Life at the Top Chapter 935

Realizing that he had said the wrong thing, Conrad sighed deeply and leaned back in the soft car seat with his eyes closed. He muttered under his breath, “I said the wrong thing. I’m sorry.”

“You’re my son. You don’t need to apologize to me.”

Steven sighed as well.

“I thought you were mature enough to step in and handle the family business for me, but now it seems you’re still a little too inexperienced. You’re too obsessed when it comes to dealing with Jasper.”

Conrad opened his eyes and asked, “What do you mean? Are you saying that I shouldn’t go against him, Dad?”

Steven put his hands behind his back and said in a deep voice, “Think about it. Would you have had a conflict with Jasper if the guys from Harbor City hadn’t persuaded you to form an ally with them for some benefits?

“You wouldn’t have! Now, the Lancasters and Langdons are gone, leaving this mess behind. They’ve returned to Harbor City while you continue to suffer crushing defeats over and over again. Can you even calculate the losses you’ve suffered?”

After hearing what Steven said, Conrad said unwillingly, “I can’t afford to lose to Jasper!”

“That’s why I said you’re obsessed.”

Steven shook his head, looking even more disappointed.

“You must know that the Monty family does business. We’re businessmen and so is Jasper. The greatest taboo in the business field is letting your emotions affect your decision.

“When you can finally talk and laugh with Jasper, perhaps even sit down and discuss a business partnership with him, that’s when you have truly matured.”

Conrad said angrily, “No way! I will trample Jasper to the ground!”

“I’m not saying that you’re wrong to think that way. There are no absolute friends or absolute enemies in the business field. Wherever profit is involved, partnerships and enemies can be formed. You, however, have failed in this respect.

“If there’s a partnership right now that you and Jasper can do together that’ll potentially earn you lots of benefits, then from my understanding of your character, you’d rather give up on those benefits than let Jasper have them, right?”

After hearing the question, Conrad opened his mouth to retort but eventually replied dejectedly, “Yeah.”

Conrad’s innermost thoughts would always be exposed in front of his father.

His father’s words were exactly his thoughts and also what he would do.

“That’s why I say you’re immature. Remember what Jasper did last time when you approached him with the fake partnership? He merely suspected your motives but did not reject your partnership. Instead, he went and investigated the matter. If it turned out to be genuine, he was not going to refuse.

“This is why you’ve repeatedly lost to Jasper. You’re not worse than Jasper, you were just born into the wrong family.”

Conrad said in disdain, “What do you mean by that, Dad? I’m your son. Jasper is nothing but a poor man born into an ordinary family of farmers yet you’re saying that I was born into the wrong family?”

Steven shook his head. “You’re my son, hence everything has been smooth sailing for you. You grew up having everything that you wanted. Even though you work hard unlike other hedonistic sons of wealthy families, you don’t need to grind and rarely get knocked down by society. These are all things that the Monty family can’t offer you.

“Look at Jasper. He grew up in an environment where he was surrounded by malicious people. If he wanted to rise, then he would need to understand the intentions of everyone who came knocking at his door. You never need to worry about these things.

“That’s because you know that those people won’t harm you or lie to you, hence you’ve grown accustomed to being praised and to the label of the so-called genius that only appears once every 50 years. These are all your shackles.

“Maybe it’s not usually that noticeable, but once you face someone like Jasper, he’ll be your jinx and you’ll suffer a crushing defeat.”

Life at the Top Chapter 936

Steven’s words left Conrad speechless.

He had heard similar things from Jasper.

Hearing the same words from the mouths of his closest family member and his enemy, he started to wonder if this was actually his fault?

Conrad looked out the car window in a daze, looking as though his mind, body, and soul had been sucked out of him. Even his eyes had dulled.

At this moment, a broad hand was placed on his shoulder, followed by Steven’s gentle voice.

“Conrad, losing isn’t scary at all. No one can win forever. However, you need to know why you lost and improve yourself. Make yourself stronger and go back to find the glory that belongs to you. This is what I hope you’ll do.”

Listening to his father’s gentle words of encouragement, Conrad felt a lump in his throat and choked out the words, “But I lost terribly for so many consecutive times. This time alone I’ve lost two billion and now we’re having financial difficulties all because of me.”

“These are all trivial things,” Steven patted Conrad’s shoulder and said in a soft voice, “I will solve these problems, but from now on, you need to concentrate fully on training yourself. Defeating Jasper isn’t what you should be thinking about now. Instead, you should be thinking about how to arm yourself.

“You don’t have to go to work from tomorrow onward. I’ll handle the company’s affairs and pass the role back to you once you can stand back up again.”

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

“I told you, you’re my son. You don’t have to apologize.”

…

Though dangerous, Henry’s injury was just a superficial injury. In just two days, this brat was already leaping up and down, chasing Jasper down to ask about the big gift.

“F*ck, I took a knife for you. You won’t be so despicable as to lie to me, right?”

In the brightly lit ward, Henry widened his eyes and stared at Jasper, looking extremely wary.

Jasper said lazily, “Why should I lie to you? If I say there’s a gift for you, then there’ll be a gift. However, this isn’t the time yet. When you’ve recovered from your injury, then it’ll be about time.

Henry waved his arms around and said, “I recovered a long time ago. If it weren’t for those stupid doctors, I would’ve been discharged long ago.”

“They’re doing it for your own good and you’re calling them stupid? People like you deserve to be thrown to the side of the road. No one will bother you there,” Jasper said grumpily.

Henry leaned back on the hospital bed, crossed his legs casually, and twitched his mouth, saying, “They’re doing it for my own good? They’re doing it for a living and I know that better than anyone else.”

“Whatever the reason, you still have to listen to the doctors. You’ll only be discharged when they allow you to be discharged.”

Jasper glanced at Henry. “Your father took the morning flight back to Harbor City today. He has already given me this task, so you have no choice.”

Henry yawned and was about to speak when Jasper’s phone started ringing, interrupting his series of complaints.

Jasper took a look at the unknown local number and chose to answer the call.

“Hello, this is Jasper.”

“Hey, it’s Steven.”

Life at the Top Chapter 937

“Oh, it’s Old Master Monty. How can I help you?”

“Let’s meet up and talk! You won’t refuse, will you, Jasper?”

“Sure!”

…

In front of a coffee shop without a signboard. Jasper raised his head and looked suspiciously at this oddly quiet place that was even a little deserted despite being located in a busy area.

If Steven had not told him about this place, he would not have known that an elegant and quiet coffee shop like this existed in the most bustling area of Nauritus City.

Who the hell would run a business without hanging up a signboard?

Just as Jasper pondered about whether to give Steven a call, the courtyard door creaked open.

An old man with gray hair walked out.

The old man was dressed in plain clothes and had an extremely kind face that could put anyone at ease. He looked just like a neighborhood grandpa.

“Mr. Laine?” the old man called out in a soft voice, sounding extremely polite.

“Yes. Mr. Monty invited me and I’m here for the appointment,” Jasper replied politely.

The old man let out a slight smile. He spared Jasper a second glance due to his refined bearing, stepped aside, and raised his hand to lead him into the courtyard, saying, “Old Master Monty has been waiting for a long time. Please come in with me, Mr. Laine.”

“Please lead the way, Mister,” Jasper said with a smile.

The old man nodded and led the way with a smile on his face. Jasper followed him into the courtyard.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he felt as though he had stepped into a new world. The courtyard was filled with flowers and shaded by trees. As he walked along the ancient-looking corridor, he could hear the sound of clear streams gurgling under his feet.

Isolated from the hustle and bustle of the outside world, they had stepped in from a concrete jungle into paradise with green hills and clear streams.

After walking for two to three minutes, Jasper saw a tall and sturdy middle-aged man in a courtyard pavilion.

This man was dressed in casual clothes and looked at him with a smile.

That man was none other than Steven Monty, the true backbone of the Monty family and the previous head of the Monty family that had Dawson sighing in admiration at the mere mention of his name.

“Jasper Laine?”

“Mr. Steven Monty.”

They exchanged glances with a smile and could spot a trace of admiration on their faces for each other.

“Come, have a seat,” Steven invited Jasper to take a seat.

“This is a place that I designed and built privately. It’s a quiet place to relax when I’m busy. It isn’t open to the public, and you’re considered the first outsider to have visited this place. What do you think?”

After both of them sat down, Steven said to Jasper with a smile.

“This is a very unique place,” Jasper praised while looking at his surroundings.

It was no wonder this so-called coffee shop did not have a signboard. This was a place that the owner opened purely for his own enjoyment.

On the topic of extravagance, the older generations were much better at it.

Ordinary rich kids would buy a bunch of luxurious goods, a villa, a luxury car, or a yacht.

Steven, on the other hand, bought an entire courtyard downtown. As soon as the main doors closed, this place immediately transformed into a mini-secret garden.

Steven chuckled and said, “Humans often fight for money, career, and status in the beginning, and when they’ve attained a certain level of achievement, they’d use what they’ve gained to enjoy life. What’s the point of earning so much money and getting to a high position otherwise?”

“That’s truly wise, Mr. Monty. My sentiments exactly,” Jasper said with a grin.

At that moment, the old man who brought Jasper to Steven returned with a coffee set. After lighting up a scented candle, he started brewing coffee without a word.

“Oh, the way of coffee. There’s a reason why coffee is called the way of life.

“Coffee beans make coffee, and coffee will lead you to the truth. Jasper, try this cup of coffee.”

As Steven said those words, he suddenly picked up a cup of coffee and handed it to Jasper.

His actions raised the eyes of the old man who was brewing coffee. He glanced in astonishment at Steven, perhaps it was because of his astonishment that his calm and steady hands trembled a little.

He had worked with Steven for 30 years and even watched Conrad grow. His last name was Whitlock, and even Conrad addressed him as Grandpa Whitlock.

He had never seen Steven treat a person like that even after working for him for so long.

It was a young man in his early 20s too.

Jasper, however, did not know much about the inside story and simply thought that Steven was excessively humbling himself in front of him.

Jasper picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip. He closed his eyes slightly, feeling the strong and fragrant taste of coffee rolling in his mouth. He felt a lot more refreshed.

“This is good coffee.” Jasper opened his eyes and praised.

Steven laughed and said, “Have a few more cups if it’s good.”

When they were done drinking coffee, Steven pondered for a moment before saying slowly.

“Jasper, I’ll be in charge of Monty Group from now on. I might make a series of strategic adjustments, perhaps even bring up a few opportunities to partner up with JW. Do let me have the honor to partner up with you when the time comes.”

Jasper looked at Steven.

He knew that the highlight of today’s meeting was starting.

“What about Conrad?” Jasper asked.

“He’s too tired and needs a good rest.”

Steven said to Jasper with a smile, “He made some directional errors which resulted in tremendous losses. It’s okay, though. This can be made up and salvaged. Therefore, I decided to let him rest while I manage Monty Group in the meantime.”

Jasper said meaningfully, “I wonder how you’re planning to make up for and salvage the losses?”

Life at the Top Chapter 938

Steven laughed upon hearing Jasper’s words. He pointed at the courtyard and asked, “What do you think about this courtyard? If you like it, I’ll give it to you as a gift.”

“This gift is worth at least ten million. You’re too generous, Mr. Monty,” Jasper said.

Although he said that the courtyard was worth a lot, he was actually expressing his veiled refusal.

Was this man trying to dispel enmity with a single courtyard? How could Jasper possibly allow that to happen?

Steven took the hint and said, “This is just a gift. Monty Group took some wrong turns when Conrad took over. It will now return to its right path.

“Diversification is not entirely impossible, but we can’t give up on Monty Group’s fundamentals in pursuit of diversification. Monty Group will only be involved in the mineral industry and will not venture into other fields anymore.”

If the courtyard was only the lead-in that no one cared about, then what Steven just said was invaluable.

Monty Group would not venture into other industries for at least three years.

In Southeast Province today, there were only two and a half local companies that were capable of contending.

Jasper’s JW Consortium counted as one.

Monty Group counted as one.

Schuler Group counted as half.

The Southeast Province market was huge, covering an area of 110,000 square kilometers with nine prefecture-level cities, 20 administrative counties, and 60 million people.

At the same time, it was quite small too. After all, there were only so few that could catch JW and Monty Group’s eye. Moreover, only one leader was allowed in each industry.

Jasper laughed. “You understand the principles of right and wrong so well. It would be disrespectful of me as a junior if I continue to shilly-shally.”

Hearing Jasper addressing himself as the junior now made Steven chuckle inwardly.

Steven stood up and stretched out his hand toward Jasper, saying, “Congratulations to the two of us, then.”

“Congratulations on what?” Jasper took Steven’s hand and asked curiously.

“On having a new friend and one less enemy.”

Steven watched as Jasper entered the car and left. Standing at the door, Steven’s smile faded gradually.

“He’s not arrogant from success nor dismayed by failure. He looks unconcerned and casual yet can take up huge responsibilities. At the same time, he knows when to advance and retreat. This kid is extremely unpredictable… Conrad has indeed lost to a worthy competitor.”

Standing beside Steven, Mr. Whitlock asked, “Are you really going to give this courtyard to Jasper, Mr. Steven? This is your favorite place.”

Waving his hands, Steven said, “I’ve given what I’ve given. These are all materialistic things. What’s wrong? Do you think it’s a pity to leave this place, Mr. Whitlock?”

Mr. Whitlock chuckled and said, “If this is what you want, Mr. Steven, then I have nothing to feel pity about.”

“You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs. I don’t know if I’ve made the right decision today, but I’m buying three years’ time for Conrad. Hopefully, he understands,” Steven said calmly.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Steven. Mr. Conrad is wise. Even though his confidence has taken a huge hit after going through several failures, he’s showing progress. I believe that he’ll not let you down,” Mr. Whitlock said to console him.

Steven laughed and said, “Thanks for the kind words. Let’s go. We should head back and inform the servants to clean up this place before transferring the ownership to Jasper. We’re not coming back here anymore.”

…

Southface River Tower. In JW Investment Company’s office.

Wendy was assigning work to her subordinates.

“Mr. Ardolf, this is an extremely important case so you must follow closely with your team. Investigate the other party’s background, and other relevant works must also be done without fail. Besides, we’re tight on time, so I can only give you one week at most.”

The middle-aged man who was called Mr. Ardolf let out a wry smile. “Ms. Schuler, that’s a huge challenge for me. I can finish the job because that’s my responsibility, but one week is simply too short. I need at least half a month to get some results.”

Wendy, who was sitting behind the desk, frowned. She closed the folder and looked up at Mr. Ardolf. “Half a month to get some results? If it’s going to take such a long time, don’t you think it’s better if I get someone else to do this job?”

Mr. Ardolf could tell that Wendy was displeased and dared not say anything else.

Everyone in the company knew that the boss would not normally interfere. If anything happened, they would only discuss it with the CFO, Chief Financial Officer Wendy Schuler, and the COO, Chief Operating Officer Malcolm Malibu. Between them, Wendy was the lady boss, so she would have the final say in the company.

The lady boss was usually easy to talk to and unbelievably gentle. Though when work was involved, she would not show due respect for anyone’s feelings. During this period of time, there had been senior executives who cried after getting criticized by her. There were some who even got dismissed.

“The company spent so much money to hire you because we acknowledge your ability. If you can’t complete the tasks that the company requires you to do in time, then that means that the company has made a mistake in hiring you. We’ve overestimated you.

“For employees who fail to meet the expectations for their position and the money they’re earning, the company will have no choice but to act in accordance with the rules and regulations. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Upon hearing what Wendy said, Mr. Ardolf responded loudly, “I understand! Don’t worry, Ms. Schuler, I’ll get it done within a week even if it means that I have to work overtime. One week from now, I’ll send all the information to you so you can have a look.”

“Go on then,” Wendy said indifferently.

Mr. Ardolf breathed a sigh of relief and turned around to leave when he saw the big boss Jasper standing at the door with a grin.

Of course, the big boss was not smiling at him. Even so, Mr. Ardolf still had chills as he greeted him carefully and with infinite admiration, “Hello, Mr. Laine.”

“Mm. Hello.” Jasper waved his hand. “You can go out now.”

When Mr. Adolf left, Wendy stood up from behind the desk with a look of surprise and greeted Jasper, “What brings you here?”

Jasper took Wendy’s hands with a smile, saying, “If I hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have known that we have an iron-fisted queen in the company.”

Life at the Top Chapter 939

Wendy was a little embarrassed by Jasper’s words.

Though in no time at all, she scrunched up her nose and said, “If it weren’t for you, the boss who’s always absent and does nothing, I wouldn’t have to be like this either.”

“Now that the company is growing and we’re getting more business, our employees are growing in numbers as well. If I don’t put on an attitude and use some means, I’ll get bullied by those old birds at work instead.”

Wendy sat on the couch looking slightly exhausted and said, “Now I understand why it was so hard to meet my dad when I was young. It’s too tiring to manage a company.

“This is after we’ve implemented structural optimization in the company. If it isn’t for the fact that the company’s branches handle the majority of the businesses themselves, I think I’d really need to clone myself to finish so many tasks.”

Hearing Wendy prattling on, which was rare, Jasper poured her a glass of water and said, “If you’re really that tired, take a few days off to relax. The company is so big and there are always people to take care of the company. Let Malcolm share your burdens, and if that’s not enough, hire a few more people who can do it. Work is never-ending. It won’t be worth it if you suffer from burnout.”

Wendy held the glass of water Jasper gave her and took a sip. “I don’t feel comfortable leaving so many tasks to others.”

After saying that, she blinked and looked at Jasper. “Why are you so early today?”

Jasper played with Wendy’s fingers and said nonchalantly, “I went to talk to Steven.”

“Steven? Conrad’s father? The previous head of the Monty family? What did you guys talk about?”

The woman’s curiosity was completely aroused. Wendy turned around and sat on the couch, facing Jasper while asking excitedly.

“What else could we have talked about? If he planned to stand up for his son, then he wouldn’t have anything to discuss with me. Since he wanted to talk, then it’s definitely a compromise.

“We each took a step back. I let the matter drop, whereas Conrad returned the position of authority in the family to his father. Also, the Monty family will not get involved in industries other than minerals for three years.

“This will give JW a chance to develop at ease for three years. Three years later, JW will not be afraid of anyone anymore.”

Jasper was overflowing with confidence as he said with certainty.

“That’s it?” Wendy was obviously a little disappointed.

“I also received a secluded courtyard downtown. I think your father will love that place. I’ll transfer it to his name so we can go over and get some rest whenever we’re free,” Jasper said with a smile.

“Transfer? Don’t bother. It’s the same either way,” Wendy said.

While they were speaking, Jasper’s phone rang once again.

The caller was Darrel who was currently working on a business project.

On the phone, Darrel’s voice sounded more mature than before.

“Jasper, it’s me, Darrel.”

Jasper asked, “I know. What’s up?”

“Jasper, our first Hello Hotpot restaurant is opening tonight. Do you want to come over and try the food?” Darrel asked apprehensively.

Meanwhile, inside a newly renovated hotpot restaurant in the bustling downtown of Nauritus City, lights and colored banners were all over the place. Standing next to Darrel who was currently talking to Jasper on the phone was a young and stocky man. The man looked expectantly at Darrel as he waited for the result.

After some time, Darrel put down the phone and said to the man in delight, “It’s done! Jasper said he’ll come over with Wendy!”

“Really?!” the man exclaimed in surprise. He then waved his fist hard, saying, “That’s awesome!”

This man was Jonas Yale, the founder of Hello Hotpot.

Life at the Top Chapter 940

Compared to Darrel’s naivety, Jonas was a man with deeper thoughts.

In fact, after learning that Jasper was Darrel’s cousin and Jasper’s power from several friends, Jonas vowed to hold on tight to the precious treasure that was Darrel even if it meant risking everything he had.

It was not because of anything else but simply because Darrel had a great cousin.

Jonas was an extremely ambitious and cunning person. Although business in the several other Hello Hotpot restaurants he ran was good and his daily profits were as much as an average person’s salary for half a year, Jonas was still not satisfied.

He knew that the true rich big bosses in this world would turn their noses up at his small business.

Unfortunately, he did not know how nor did he have the chance to venture into something else. Moreover, Darrel was the fastest and best opportunity for him to rise rapidly.

Equipped with a keen sense, Jonas realized that as long as he could hold onto this big ship that was Jasper, even if it was only a tiny position in a corner, it would still be a great opportunity for him to soar.

Perhaps Hello Hotpot could use this opportunity to skip the difficult stage of traditional accumulation of capital and head straight for nationwide expansion!

Driven by these interests, Jonas was more concerned than Darrel about whether Jasper would show up today.

“I told you your cousin would definitely come, didn’t I? You were so embarrassed to invite him earlier. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Honestly, he’s the actual big boss because he owns 60% of the shares!

“How could he not come to the opening of our first Nauritus City branch today? Besides, he’s your cousin, not a stranger,” Jonas said excitedly to Darrel.

Darrel scratched his head simple-mindedly. After months of working hard, his complexion was now darker and he was glowing with vitality. He was no longer the same white-collar worker just sitting around waiting for his doom.

“Yeah, it’s all thanks to you,” Darrel said from the bottom of his heart.

Staring at Darrel who had been taken advantage of by him, Jonas let out a pleased smile and said, “Let’s go. What does your cousin like to eat? We can make some preparations. We must not let him down tonight.”

Shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, both of them discussed excitedly on their way to the office amid the greetings of the waiters.

At the corner of the crowd, a 16 to 17-year-old girl who was still very young but who had grown up to be a beautiful girl stood out among a group of pretty-looking waitresses as she stood shyly on one side.

She looked enviously at the bosses as they walked farther away, thinking about how she could pay for her little brother’s tuition fees after getting this month’s salary. At the thought of this, the smile on her face grew a lot brighter.

Even when she was clad in an ordinary waitress uniform, her beauty could not be concealed.

…

In the evening, in front of Nauritus City’s first Hello Hotpot branch that was brightly lit, decorated with colorful banners, and bustling with activity, a Bentley slowly pulled up across the road.

“Okay, Julian. Find a place to park the car and come and have something to eat when you’re done,” Jasper said to Julian before getting out of the car.

Julian nodded with a smile to indicate that he understood.

He turned around and took Wendy’s hand. While leading her to Hello Hotpot, Jasper said, “Hey, you can’t say that I don’t bring you out for dinner in the future. We’ll have hotpot tonight. You can order whatever you want and I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.”

“You’re really sneaky!” Wendy chuckled.

At the entrance of Hello Hotpot, Jonas and Darrel greeted them while dressed in suits. Jasper was about to walk over when his eyes were drawn to a timid and delicate figure in the corner of the crowd.

It was her!

Jasper had not felt ripples in his heart for a very long time. Now, this thin and weak figure had stirred his heart once again.