Shen Cheng could easily determine that these items weren't purchased by Han Lie. Regardless of whether he could afford them, his age alone made it impossible for him to have spent money on such things.

What was originally an eight on his attention scale instantaneously skyrocketed to a twelve.

This wasn't snobbery, but rather the most basic value judgment.

Wealthy upstarts were treated one way, while scions of established families with deep roots were treated another. Han Lie, who had built his own foundation from scratch, naturally deserved the highest level of respect.

Consequently, their conversation flowed extremely smoothly and harmoniously.

Just before Old Shen took his leave, he made a particularly interesting remark: "Nowadays, all the major banks are vigorously nurturing young executives, leveraging their professionalism, acuity, and ability to keep pace with the times. Our Agricultural Bank has been a bit slower in this regard. It's time for us to quicken our pace and catch up..."

Look at how smoothly he navigated that conversation!

Han Lie knew that as long as he could help his cousin Du Qingqing achieve a respectable result, one that would save face, her position would be secure.

Besides resolving this matter, Old Shen also warmly invited Han Lie to attend the Dream City Financial Association's New Year gathering.

Such gatherings weren't really for discussing serious business; they were basically for getting together, drinking, and shooting the breeze.

However, for outsiders, it was a rare opportunity to meet most of the high-ranking financial executives at once.

Magic Capital didn't host similar events; only a small city like Dream City fostered such close connections.

Han Lie inquired about the time and readily agreed.

This year's gathering was scheduled for the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. It was two days before everyone returned to work, and visits with relatives were all concluded, making it the perfect time for some excitement.

At that time, Brother Lie planned to deal with all his peers in the Dream City financial sector in one fell swoop, netting them all at once.

Once he conquered them, a mere 92 luxury residences would be a trifle.

The combined lists from various banks, plus securities firms and insurance companies, would almost certainly include every tycoon.

Confidentiality agreements? Don't be ridiculous. Are those things meant to restrict the top players?

After Shen Cheng left, the Han family indeed received three more waves of visitors. The factory leadership collectively paid New Year's respects to a junior employee, which left even Han Yong dumbfounded.

While chatting with the factory leaders, Han Lie shared some insights on how state-owned enterprises could flexibly generate revenue in the current financial environment.

His insights left everyone astounded.

Actually, some of these methods weren't secrets in Magic Capital. However, in Dream City, they didn't operate at such a sophisticated level, as simpler, more direct approaches were sufficient to solve problems.

But at the very least, everyone understood one thing: this prodigious son of the Han family, their "qilin son," truly had substance and was no ordinary person.

As a result, Han Yong's life also became easier.

The tangible benefits might not have been substantial, but from then on, he was guaranteed to have plenty of face whenever he walked around the factory premises.

This was excellent, precisely the effect Han Lie had wanted.

What happened next was quite amusing. A minor head from the Investment Promotion Office showed up. He hadn't bothered to find out what Han Lie actually did; he'd just heard some rumors somewhere and decided to try his luck, shooting in the dark.

Their conversation didn't touch on attracting investments. Instead, the official just kept beating around the bush, trying to ascertain how Han Lie had made his fortune and whether he had any projects.

The last group of visitors consisted of real estate developers.

From 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM, they came upstairs one after another, with no overlap in their visits.

When Han Yong stepped out for a smoke and glanced down from the window, he was taken aback. Many luxury cars were parked nearby, their engines still running. They seemed to be waiting there with a striking, unspoken understanding.

This was Xiao Xiao's father's handiwork.

Dream City was small, and the real estate industry was extremely close-knit. Once Xiao Xiao's father spread the word, practically everyone knew that Han Lie was a top expert in real estate financing, capable of securing funds.

Consequently, it was like a stirred-up hornet's nest. One after another, developers dragged along acquaintances connected to the Han family and rushed over anxiously to pay their New Year's respects.

In previous years, this sort of thing typically happened at the homes of bank presidents.

This year, since the banks couldn't be relied upon, Han Lie, in turn, became quite the sensation.

In reality, they didn't get to talk much. It was mostly a matter of dropping off their gifts, exchanging a few pleasantries, asking for contact information, and then tactfully taking their leave.

And so, the first day of the Lunar New Year passed rather unremarkably.

Early the next morning, Chen Yanfei sent a message.

"Are you ready? The get-together starts this afternoon, and there's a big feast tonight..."

Han Lie instantly sprang to his feet and began to get ready.

He even dug out his Patek Philippe, the "King of Watches," which he hadn't worn since returning home, and fastened it to his wrist.

Am I, your big brother, really concerned about some feast? No, I'm going there to crash the party!

My biological clock is a wreck. I'm suffering from extreme insomnia, and my head is spinning and throbbing.