Midnight struck.

Lu Ming lay in bed, staring at his phone screen.

The system panel promptly displayed a line of golden text.

[Today's disbursement: 60,024,700 yuan has been credited]

[Account balance: 300,173,500 yuan]

Three hundred million.

He turned over, placing the phone beside his pillow.

Three hundred million sitting in the account, and over the past few days, he had spent a little over twenty-two million, the rest was just numbers.

Keeping the money in the account for a day was wasting a day.

He couldn't sleep.

Sitting up, he opened his notes and listed the information he had gathered about Wanjiafu during the day.

Wanjiafu Shopping Plaza, covering about four acres, with a building area of approximately six thousand square meters, three floors.

Built and opened five years ago, with a total investment of about fifty-five million.

Current operating status: the supermarket on the first floor barely maintains itself, the vacancy rate in the clothing area on the second floor exceeds thirty percent, and nearly half of the dining and entertainment area on the third floor is closed. Suppliers are owed payments, and employee wages are overdue. The owner, Wang Dafa, has other real estate projects that have stalled, and his personal debt situation is unclear.

Lu Ming wrote a line at the bottom: Estimated base price: 12 to 15 million.

This number wasn't just a wild guess.

A total investment of fifty-five million, depreciated over five years, calculated at the depreciation rate for commercial real estate, the book value would be just over thirty million.

But the book value is one thing, reality is another.

Wanjiafu is now a bleeding target, losing more money with each passing day.

If Wang Dafa really needed money urgently to plug the gaps, he couldn't wait for thirty million, nor find anyone willing to take over at that price.

Yunmeng County isn't Shanghai, and for commercial assets of this scale, the number of people locally capable of acquiring it could be counted on one hand.

And none of those people would want to be the fool at this time.

The next afternoon at 2:40, Lu Ming drove to the Old Town.

Chalou Street was in an alley north of Central Road, with a bluestone pavement and renovated ancient-style buildings on both sides.

Though called Chalou Street, there were only four teahouses, with two mahjong parlors and a small shop selling mugwort foot bath packs in between.

Qingfeng House was at the deepest part of the alley.

A two-story building, the wooden door half-open, with a bamboo curtain hanging at the entrance.

Lu Ming pushed the curtain aside and was greeted by the musty aroma of aged Pu'er tea.

The first-floor hall had several sets of rosewood tables and chairs, with only two occupied.

At the table by the wall, two elderly men were playing chess, with enamel basins beside the chessboard.

The table by the window was empty, but the tea set was already laid out.

"President Lu?" a voice came from the staircase.

Lu Ming looked up.

A man stood on the stairs. In his early fifties, not very tall, about 1.68 meters, but with broad shoulders.

He wore a dark gray linen shirt, untucked, hanging loosely.

His facial skin was somewhat slack, with heavy bags under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept well for several nights. Yet his eyes were still bright, carrying a shrewdness when assessing people.

This was someone who once had a strong presence.

But recently, he had been crushed.

"President Wang." Lu Ming walked up the stairs, extending his hand.

Wang Dafa shook it briefly.

"Let's sit upstairs."

The second floor was a private room.

Pushing open the door, a pot of tea was already brewed on the Eight Immortals table.

The two sat down.

Wang Dafa poured tea with a steady hand.

He poured a cup for Lu Ming first, then filled his own, sipping it.

"You don't look very old," Wang Dafa began.

Search "pawℝead.com" for the original.

"Twenty-five."

"Twenty-five," Wang Dafa repeated, picking up the cigarette pack on the table.

Soft Zhonghua.

But the pack was already crumpled, with only two cigarettes left inside.

He took one out and lit it, offering the other to Lu Ming.

"I don't smoke, thank you, President Wang."

Wang Dafa took a drag himself, smoke curling out from his nostrils.

"Twenty-five years old, buying a building, starting a company, now wanting to acquire my mall. Who's your father?"

"President Wang, a hero doesn't ask about origins."

Wang Dafa stared at him for three seconds, not pressing further.

After twenty years in the business world, he had met many who were unwilling to reveal their backgrounds.

Where someone came from wasn't important; what mattered was whether the money was real.

"Have you seen Wanjiafu?"

"I have."

"What's your impression?"

Lu Ming picked up the teacup, not rushing to answer.

The tea was indeed excellent, rich and full-bodied, with a lingering sweetness.

He set the cup down.

"I'll be straightforward, President Wang. Wanjiafu is currently a pool leaking water every day. Half of the tenants on the third floor have left, the vacancy rate on the second floor is over thirty percent by my estimation, and the suppliers for the supermarket on the first floor are demanding payment. Your cleaning lady hasn't been paid for three months."

The muscles on Wang Dafa's face twitched.

"You've done your homework."

"Spent some time on it."

Wang Dafa stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, leaning forward.

"Xiao Lu, since you've done your research, you should know that when I acquired the land for Wanjiafu, the land transfer fee alone was twelve million. The three floors, including renovations, cost over thirty million. Equipment, shelves, cold chain systems, all together, fifty-five million."

"I know."

"Fifty-five million worth of assets, how much are you prepared to offer?"

Lu Ming didn't quote a price immediately.

"President Wang, fifty-five million was five years ago. Commercial assets aren't gold; they don't hold their value.

I've seen your cold chain system; two of the freezers are out of service.

The glass partitions on the second floor have cracks that haven't been repaired. The children's play area on the third floor, the ocean balls have a layer of dust; I suspect the last time they were disinfected was last year."

Wang Dafa's lips tightened.

"Those are just surface issues," he said in a low voice. "The location is prime, the core of the New District. You won't find another commercial plot like it in Yunmeng County."

"I acknowledge the location."

Lu Ming nodded. "But the value of the location depends on whether what's on it can still generate value. Wanjiafu isn't generating value now; it's consuming it. What's your monthly operating cost?

Property fees, utilities, wages, plus the interest on supplier debts, at least two hundred thousand a month. How many months can you hold out?"

This hit the mark.

Wang Dafa stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open, letting the alley's breeze scatter the tea smoke on the table.

He stood with his back to Lu Ming for half a minute.

"Name your price," he said quietly.

"Fifteen million."

Wang Dafa turned around.

His expression was complex.

"Fifteen million? For something I poured over fifty million into, you're offering fifteen?"

"President Wang, let me be honest."

Lu Ming's pace didn't change. "If you don't sell to me now, what do you plan to do? Keep holding on? Until the suppliers file a joint lawsuit and the court comes to seal it? Or wait for the day when employees report unpaid wages to the labor bureau, making the news?"

Wang Dafa returned to the table, picked up the last cigarette, and lit it.

"Twenty million," he exhaled smoke. "Below twenty million, no deal."

With this price, Lu Ming was completely confident. He offered fifteen million as a probe.

If Wang Dafa found the price too outrageous, he would have refused to negotiate. Now that he named a price himself, it showed that he could accept fifteen million.

With this in mind, Lu Ming shook his head.

Wang Dafa gritted his teeth. "Nineteen million."

"Fifteen million." Lu Ming looked at him. "President Wang, we're not in a vegetable market; haggling is pointless."

Fifteen million was indeed a very low price.

But Lu Ming was betting that Wang Dafa had no other options.

"President Wang, if I'm not mistaken, I'm the first to approach you about this, right?"

Wang Dafa remained silent.

Lu Ming continued, "It's obvious why no one else has approached you. In business, who would take over a losing venture? In all of Yunmeng County, besides me, no one can take over your burden."

Wang Dafa stayed silent.

Lu Ming didn't waste any more words, downed the remaining tea in his cup, and stood up, adjusting his clothes.

Calmly, he said, "It seems President Wang hasn't reached the end of the road yet. I was presumptuous. Since we can't reach an agreement, let's not waste each other's time."

He showed no hesitation, heading straight for the stairs.

Just as his hand was about to touch the curtain, Wang Dafa's hoarse voice came from behind, "Wait a moment!"