Chapter 42: An Immediate Show of Dominance

Nightfall is the time when the stark contrast between wealth and poverty in Shanghai is best displayed.

The poor huddled in the shantytowns, enduring darkness, lack of running water, and even hunger and cold, while the rich gathered in luxurious villas for cocktail parties or sought pleasure in the brightly lit, debauched entertainment districts.

Suited up, Chen Guangliang was finally experiencing the lifestyle of the wealthy of this era for the first time.

Taking his family’s rickshaw, he arrived at Number 13, Yingchun Lane, Alley 203, Hubei Road.

Just as he arrived, another guest pulled up in a private motorcar. Attendants from the Gu faction rushed forward to open the door, treating the visitor with utmost respect.

In contrast, Chen Guangliang had to step down from a humble rickshaw and make his way toward the grand gates of the Gu estate on foot.

"Sir, do you have an invitation?"

While the previous arrivals didn't even need to show their invitations, Chen Guangliang was asked for his.

Naturally, Chen Guangliang produced the invitation card.

"Ah, Mr. Chen! Please, go right in."

It wasn't outright harassment, but it was certainly a case of treating people according to their apparent status.

"Welcome, Mr. Chen."

Greeting him at the entrance was Sun Yingjie.

"Manager Sun."

Chen Guangliang removed his hat, handed it to a servant, and followed Sun Yingjie into the grand reception hall.

This was the spacious ground-floor parlor of the villa, easily capable of accommodating dozens of people for a party, complete with a dedicated dance floor.

"Enjoy yourself, Mr. Chen. I must attend to other guests."

"Please go ahead, Manager Sun."

Just like that, Chen Guangliang was 'abandoned,' left to wander through the party alone.

No one cared about a minor figure like him, let alone approached him to make pleasantries.

Anyone else in his position might have felt utterly out of place and deeply uncomfortable, but Chen Guangliang was unbothered.

As a traveler through time, he possessed boundless confidence in his future prospects. Even if he was still a nobody today, his heart was immensely wealthy.

Therefore, he felt no awkwardness at being given the cold shoulder; instead, he moved freely through the gathering.

There were roughly twenty-some guests present tonight, many accompanied by their female companions.

"Thank you."

Noticing a servant passing by with a tray of foreign liquor, Chen Guangliang took a glass with a polite word of thanks.

In settings like this, tipping was unnecessary; after all, the servants belonged to the Gu household and lacked for nothing in food, clothing, or shelter.

If a guest were to tip them, it would rather be seen as looking down upon the host.

Glass in hand, he continued to drift through the party, searching for his targets.

"Mr. Gao, what do you think the future holds for Shanghai's real estate market?"

"Hard to say. With the National Government winning victories across the country, who knows if they'll consider taking back the foreign concessions?"

"You have a point. Earlier this year, the British began reinforcing their troops by sixteen thousand men, and other nations have followed suit, frequently conducting military exercises. The air is thick with the smell of gunpowder."

Noticing a group gathered around a sofa discussing real estate and securities, Chen Guangliang proactively stepped forward.

"I don't think this is a crisis!"

The five or six people gathered turned to look at him, and one of them asked, "And what is your esteemed opinion, sir?"

Seeing their reaction, Chen Guangliang walked naturally into their circle and smiled. "As things stand, the National Government has no intention of taking back the foreign concessions—that would go against their own interests. Therefore, this isn't a crisis at all; rather, it is a godsent opportunity for us businesspeople."

"Please, enlighten us."

Chen Guangliang continued, "Firstly, the National Government intends to control the national economy by controlling Shanghai's economy, so they won't cause disruptions. In fact, they established a special municipality just last month, and this intention is already quite obvious.

"Secondly, have you noticed that intellectuals and wealthy people from all over the country are flocking to Shanghai? Because other places are unsafe for them. These people bring knowledge and, even more importantly, wealth to Shanghai. I believe a vast portion of this wealth will flow into real estate and the stock market.

"Thirdly, the world's leading economic superpower—the United States—has seen massive booms in both real estate and the economy over recent years, which clearly demonstrates that the international economic climate is extremely favorable.

"That is why I say this is Shanghai's golden opportunity."

Chen Guangliang spoke eloquently, quickly winning nods of agreement from the group.

He wasn't overly concerned with making 'like-minded' friends; after all, the paltry sum of money he could throw into real estate and securities wouldn't even cause a ripple.

Moreover, his words wouldn't become gospel truth—they wouldn't prompt these people to instantly stake their entire fortunes on a gamble. At most, they would find his arguments logical and use them as a reference for their own investments.

Much like the commentary of modern experts, it carried a certain weight, but also distinct limitations.

Meanwhile, standing on the second-floor balcony with Sun Yingjie by his side, Gu Zhuxuan looked down at the party scene on the ground floor.

When he saw Chen Guangliang holding his own among the social elite, speaking with eloquence and winning frequent nods from his distinguished guests, a smile touched his lips. He then began to walk downstairs.

In truth, he had intended to put Chen Guangliang in his place tonight.

From his perspective, if Chen Guangliang had achieved his current success as a rough-hewn street hoodlum purely through luck and a dash of cleverness, he would surely feel entirely out of his depth at such a gathering, like someone from an entirely different world.

That way, he could dampen Chen Guangliang's morale, showcase his own formidable influence, and achieve the ideal of 'subduing the enemy without fighting.'

Chen Guangliang's remarks had sparked the interest and goodwill of the people present. One of them asked, "We haven't yet learned your honorable surname, sir, nor the industry you are in?"

Gu Zhuxuan walked up from behind, smiling. "This is my younger brother. His name is Chen Guangliang. Like me, he's in the rickshaw business, and he also started from scratch. I hope you gentlemen will look after him!"

The group was surprised, assuming Chen Guangliang must at least be the scion of some prominent family to possess such insight.

Chen Guangliang smiled and said, "Mr. Gu is right, and yet not quite... I do indeed manage a small rickshaw company, but Mr. Gu's enterprises have long since expanded into theaters, restaurants, teahouses, shipping, and industry. He is far beyond simply being in the rickshaw business, so I cannot possibly compare to him!"

"Ha-ha!"

"Ha-ha!" Gu Zhuxuan laughed heartily. Then he took the initiative to introduce Chen Guangliang. "Guangliang, let me introduce you... This is Mr. Cheng, General Manager of the Shanghai Branch of the Jincheng Bank..."

Chen Guangliang stepped forward, bowed slightly, and offered his hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cheng."

"A pleasure."

Gu Zhuxuan continued the introductions. "This is Mr. Wu, a tycoon in the real estate sector... This is Mr. Jiang, a renowned lawyer... And this is Dr. Gao, a prominent attending physician..."

Every single one of them was a heavyweight. Even the 'doctor and lawyer' possessed substantial fortunes and high social standing.

After the introductions, Gu Zhuxuan took the initiative to ask, "I heard you gentlemen discussing real estate just now. Is there a good opportunity?"

Manager Cheng of Jincheng Bank smiled. "It was a few remarks made by this young brother of yours, Mr. Gu, that made a lot of sense. He said..." He briefly summarized the three points. "Those three points are indeed exceptionally sound!"

Having been upstairs earlier, Gu Zhuxuan hadn't heard clearly, so he asked with genuine surprise, "Does that mean real estate prices are going to rise in the next few years?"

With that, he looked at Chen Guangliang.

Chen Guangliang nodded. "In theory, yes. Shanghai is about to usher in a wave of developmental opportunities that could last for many years."

"Ha-ha, profound insight!"

From that moment on, Chen Guangliang collected several name cards, most notably that of Cheng Zikang, General Manager of the Shanghai Branch of Jincheng Bank.

Chen Guangliang knew quite a bit about this bank. He knew that in the Republic's 1930s, this institution and the Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank were the pinnacles of private banking, their deposits alternating between the first and second spots in the nation.

Fittingly, Jincheng Bank originated in the north (its head office moving to Shanghai in the 1930s), while the Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank belonged to the south—one northern, one southern giant.