The Billionaire's Multiplier System-Chapter 77 – Foundations and Favors

The sun bled through the tall windows of Lin Feng’s penthouse apartment, casting long, golden streaks across the polished wooden floors and the meticulously arranged designer furniture. Every piece in the room had been chosen with precision—minimalist yet exuding quiet luxury, a reflection of the man who owned it. In the center of this immaculate space, Lin stood barefoot, the cool wood beneath his feet grounding him as he brushed his teeth with one hand while scrolling through the glowing interface of his system panel with the other.

A new notification blinked silently in the top corner of the translucent screen.

---

### **System Update:**

**Host Spending (Last 48 Hours):** ¥3,670,000 – primarily on Guo Yuwei, Xu Shanyue

**Current Favorability Levels:**

- **Guo Yuwei:** 78% (Emotionally curious – holding back)

- **Xu Shanyue:** 66% (Respectful – watching your moves)

**Cashback Activated:**

- **Guo Yuwei:** ¥550,500 refunded (15% for reaching 80%)

**Skill Unlock Reward Tier Triggered:**

*Choose 1 of 3 new real-life skills:*

1. **Advanced Emotional Intelligence**

2. **Negotiation Under Pressure**

3. **Rapid Market Intuition**

---

Lin rinsed his mouth, the minty freshness lingering on his tongue as he leaned against the marble sink, considering his options. Negotiation was tempting—especially in the cutthroat circles he moved in—but something about emotional intelligence called to him.

*"Emotional intelligence,"* he muttered to himself, tapping the screen decisively. *"That’s how you win without ever stepping onto the battlefield."*

A soft chime confirmed his selection.

---

**Skill Acquired: Advanced Emotional Intelligence**

*You’ll now sense micro-shifts in behavior, tone, gaze—letting you read people like a page before they turn it.*

---

A faint smile curved his lips. In his world, information was power, but *understanding*—that was control.

### **A New Player Enters the Game**

Later that morning, the lobby of a boutique art hotel hummed with quiet sophistication. The air carried the faint scent of jasmine tea and polished mahogany, the kind of place where conversations were measured in influence rather than volume. Lin had arranged a private brunch—not with Guo Yuwei or Xu Shanyue this time, but with someone far more enigmatic.

**Qin Yuyan.**

The daughter of an oil logistics magnate turned independent art curator, Yuyan was whispered about in elite circles as *"the Silk Fang"*—soft-spoken, impeccably polite, and devastatingly ruthless when crossed. Lin had first encountered her at a gallery opening months ago, where she had casually dismissed a European collector’s prized portfolio as *"predictable."*

She hadn’t even blinked.

Now, she sat at the corner table, dressed in a deceptively simple blue qipao. Only upon closer inspection did one notice the embroidery—threads of real gold woven by hand, a silent declaration of her standards.

Lin approached, but before he could speak, she set down her teacup without looking up.

*"You’re five minutes late."*

He chuckled. *"Traffic or mystery—which one would you prefer as an excuse?"*

Her lips curled slightly. *"Mystery. Traffic is for people without purpose."*

*"Then I’ll say I circled the block twice before walking in,"* he replied, sliding into the seat across from her.

Her dark eyes flicked up, assessing him. *"Now you have my attention."*

---

### **System Notification:**

**Qin Yuyan – Initial Favorability: 34%**

*Known Traits:* Disciplined, Selective, Aesthetic-Oriented, High Standards

*System Tip:* She doesn’t chase money. She chases curation.

*Suggested Approach:* Let her choose. But create scarcity.

---

The conversation meandered from contemporary art to urban development—how abandoned European warehouses were being reborn as avant-garde galleries, how the Old Jinghua District could undergo a similar metamorphosis. Lin guided the discussion carefully, planting seeds without appearing overeager.

*"I’ve acquired three blocks in Old Jinghua,"* he said casually. *"Not for resale. For something... public."*

Yuyan’s fingers stilled around her cup. *"Art?"*

*"And youth. Space for designers, freelancers, creators. But it needs curation."*

For the first time, she looked at him fully, her gaze sharp. *"You want me to curate a district?"*

*"I want you to become its heartbeat."*

She didn’t smile. But something in her eyes sparked—interest, challenge, perhaps both.

*"I’d consider that. If I believe the district has a soul."*

---

### **System Notification:**

**Favorability Increased: 34% → 43%**

*Minor Spending Required to Advance – Estimated: ¥6M minimum over next week*

*Potential Cashback: ¥300K on reaching 60%*

**Host. You’re building a city—one heart at a time.**

---

### **The Wildcard: Luo Bingqing**

That evening, Lin found himself in a different world entirely—one of cracked pavement, graffiti-laden walls, and the raw energy of youth. The Jianning University Film Institute had just concluded its annual festival, and an impromptu open-mic night was unfolding in the student gardens.

And there she was.

**Luo Bingqing.**

Stage name: *"Kora."*

Real attitude: *Unfiltered.*

Tall, draped in a leather jacket over a sundress, cigarette dangling from her fingers, she had a voice like a scratched vinyl record—rough, textured, impossible to ignore. Lin had discovered her short films weeks ago—unpolished, searingly honest, the kind of work that stayed with you long after the screen went dark.

She didn’t notice him at first.

Then whispers spread.

*"That’s Lin Feng..."*

*"No way. The Lin Feng?"*

*"Yeah. Chengwei Holdings. The Crimson Dinner guy."*

Bingqing’s head snapped toward him mid-drag, exhaling smoke as she squinted. *"What’s a suit doing in my dust bowl?"*

*"Looking for honesty,"* he replied.

She smirked. *"That’s the rarest drug here."*

*"Good. I came to fund the addiction."*

---

### **System Notification:**

**New Character Detected: Luo Bingqing (Kora) – Underground Filmmaker / Anti-establishment Leanings**

*Initial Favorability: 29% (Wary – Skeptical of wealth)*

*Suggested Approach:* Avoid flashy. Offer platform, not control.

---

They walked together afterward, navigating the labyrinth of dimly lit pathways littered with discarded scripts and paper lanterns.

*"You want to sponsor me?"* she asked, skepticism lacing her tone.

*"No,"* Lin said. *"I want you to light the street."*

She snorted. *"Poetic. But weird."*

*"Weird makes people stop. That’s where value starts."*

For a moment, she studied him—really studied him—before shrugging. *"I’ll think about it."*

*"Don’t take too long,"* he said, turning to leave. *"Soul doesn’t wait."*

She didn’t call after him. But she didn’t reject the idea outright either.

### **The Night’s Recap**

Back in the quiet of his penthouse, Lin reviewed the system’s dashboard.

---

### **Spending Overview (Today):**

- **Qin Yuyan:** ¥1,900,000 (gallery acquisition, curated lunch, signed antique piece)

- **Luo Bingqing:** ¥720,000 (student festival sponsorship, custom short-film editing suite donation)

**System Cashback Projected:**

*None yet. Favorability thresholds not met.*

*Warning: Luo Bingqing highly reactive—one misstep resets trust.*

**System Bonus Notice:**

*You are building multi-vector influence: elite, creative, cultural.*

*Strategic Benefits Incoming: Optional entry into "City Pulse" subplot—a business influence arc driven through artistic and cultural momentum.*

**P.S. Host. This is no longer about status. You’re building something they can’t copy: authenticity.**

---

Just then, his phone buzzed. A message from Guo Yuwei.

*"You disappeared again."*

Lin typed back, *"I was listening."*

*"To what?"*

*"The kind of silence that turns into power."*

A pause. Then:

*"Are you free tomorrow night?"*

He smiled. *"Only if you’re not trying to test me again."*

Her reply came after a beat. *"No. This time I’m just... curious."*

Lin set the phone down, exhaling slowly. The game was evolving.

And he was just getting started.

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