Section 2: Brothers Settle Accounts Clearly

The waiter entered the private room, clearing away the cups and plates, then brought over a fruit platter and tea. Lin Zixuan lifted the teacup to moisten his throat. After the waiter left, he continued speaking.

That woman surnamed Chen was quite a figure. She was the ex-wife of a vice president of a publicly listed company. Their divorce was simple yet melodramatic—a mistress usurped her place, and the original wife was cast aside. Feeling guilty, the so-called “Chen Shimei” compensated her handsomely. The ex-wife effortlessly acquired seven or eight properties, along with 40% equity in that telecommunications company. Housing prices and rents in Beizhi City were high, so the woman transformed from a full-time housewife into a landlord. Her properties were all prime assets—quiet yet central, never lacking tenants. Coupled with annual dividends from the shares, she lived comfortably.

Lin Zixuan knew the identity of her ex-husband, who was well-known in Beizhi’s business circles. He didn’t confront him directly but instead tried to probe through intermediaries. However, the woman was shrewd; in just a few words, she grasped Lin Zixuan’s intentions and, through her ex-husband, told him there was no intention to sell the shares and to stop bothering them.

He had hit a solid wall. Lin Zixuan felt disheartened. For a venture capital firm, without controlling interest, pushing for an IPO to cash out, a mere 20% stake was worthless. Annual dividends were but a drop in the bucket; it could take decades to recover the investment. This was clearly a losing venture—anyone who brought it up was doomed to bad luck. Lin Zixuan had been eager for quick success, which was a grave mistake. He had reached a verbal agreement with one of the founders, but now backing out might not cause significant losses to the company, yet it would severely damage his personal reputation. In other words, if the other party held him to it, he would be done in the venture capital industry.

The sunk cost weighed on his shoulders like a mountain. Helpless and despondent, he accidentally drank too much at a recent class reunion and vented his frustrations to Lu Yu. The class president advised him to resort to “unconventional methods” and strongly recommended Sima. That was how the whole matter came about.

Even with Lu Yu’s endorsement, Lin Zixuan still harbored doubts. He was evasive, withholding some key details, unwilling to fully disclose everything out of caution—worried that if negotiations failed, Sima might betray him. But such worries were pointless; Beizhi City’s business circle was neither big nor small, and if someone was determined to dig, finding the right channels wouldn’t be difficult.

Sima fell into thought. The woman surnamed Chen was divorced but still in contact with her ex-husband, who was willing to back her up. That was why Lin Zixuan was at a loss. He asked Lin Zixuan, since both were considering “unconventional methods,” why insist on buying the shares from the woman rather than from the other two founders? Lin Zixuan smiled bitterly and revealed that the problem lay with that vice president. He was actually the company’s “angel investor.” After warning Lin Zixuan, he began “cleaning house,” persuading the other two founders to exercise their preemptive rights and jointly oust the third party, thus splitting that 20% stake. The founder who had made a verbal agreement with Lin Zixuan was under pressure, watching closely for him to fulfill his promise—to buy the shares at a premium and get the money out. Who actually paid and who ended with the shares didn’t concern him.

Sima then asked why, if the company’s prospects were good with stable dividends, the founder didn’t endure the pressure and instead agreed to sell and cash out. Lin Zixuan continued with a wry smile: ironically, the founder was also caught in a “mistress usurps, original wife cast aside” predicament. The original wife’s family wielded some influence in Beizhi and was relentless, urgently needing a large sum to settle matters. He sighed deeply: marriage is a tomb—not just the grave of love but of life itself. It’s better to keep a mistress—maintain a few years of intimacy, settle accounts cleanly, no debts between them. No woman stays eighteen forever, but there will always be women who are eighteen.

Lin Zixuan’s sudden reflection made Sima guess he was unmarried, keeping a young mistress on the side.

Like squeezing toothpaste, Sima gradually uncovered the opponent’s background bit by bit. After weighing the situation, he thought he could take the case. He didn’t commit outright but agreed to try. Then he reassured Lin Zixuan—no upfront fee; upon success, he’d earn a 2% commission on the share transfer price. Lin Zixuan roughly calculated: the company’s valuation was about 200 million yuan; 40% equity was 80 million; 2% commission would be 1.6 million. If Sima could successfully broker the deal and secure 60% control, resolving Lin’s career crisis, then bearing this extra cost personally wouldn’t be unreasonable.

Close friends settle accounts clearly; old classmates were no exception—no need for discounts. Lin Zixuan earnestly entrusted Sima to see the matter through. Only then did he fully disclose: the company was the industry’s rising star, “Shenfeng Communications.” The 40% shareholder was Chen Su’e. Her ex-husband was Xie Tingshu, vice president of the global Fortune 500 “Sihai Group.” Both their names carried significance—“Not the precious tree of the Xie family, but the fragrant neighbor of the Meng clan,” “The pure maiden Su’e endures cold, competing with the moon amidst frost.” Their identities were far from ordinary.

After settling business, the two left “Qiansao Jin Zai.” They didn’t drink and drive; Lin Zixuan had planned to call a driver to accompany his old classmate, but Sima had already ordered a Didi—a Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury car. Lin could only smile helplessly and wave goodbye.

Sima had drunk quite a bit but wasn’t very drunk. Leaning back in the rear seat with eyes closed, he pondered Lin Zixuan’s assignment. He decided to start with Chen Su’e—first gather intelligence, then find an opportunity to make contact. Haste makes waste; to know your enemy is to win a hundred battles. “Unconventional methods” must be tailored to the person; grasping the key was essential before negotiating terms. Sima had ample experience in this regard.

Returning to Ditang Elegant Residence, Sima took the elevator directly to the thirty-third floor of Building Seven and entered the code to open the door. The apartment was rented: one bedroom, one living room, one kitchen, one bathroom. The layout was illogical; the living room connected to an enormous balcony, while the bedroom was tucked away in a tiny corner—small and cramped. The landlord had done only basic renovations. Utilities were functional; the kitchen had a stove and cabinets; the bathroom had sanitary fixtures. The living room and bedroom were bare, so empty they felt unsettling.

When Sima moved in, he didn’t make major changes. He greeted the landlord and personally installed an air conditioner in the living room. Other than that, he changed nothing. The landlord secretly rejoiced—Daikin standing air conditioners were sturdy, heavy to move, and would be worth something when the lease ended. But he wondered why Sima installed the air conditioner in the living room rather than the bedroom.

Sima slept in the living room, camping indoors like under a tent. Opening the sliding balcony door, he gazed at the myriad city lights and listened to the loud wind outside.