Feng Shui Secrets of the Entertainment Industry

Chapter 247 Casual Chat at the Table

"Old Chen, what have you been busy with lately?"

Once the food and wine were served, Third Master and Chen Dongang began to chat.

"A whole lot of messy stuff!"

Chen Dongang shook his head and said, "Third Master, you know I'm a busy man. Kangtai has a business worth hundreds of billions, but I'm busy every day dealing with those worthless antiques that are only worth tens or hundreds of billions at most!"

When I heard that antiques worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars were called "broken antiques," I didn't say anything, I just curled the corners of my mouth slightly.

"Then why are you still busy?"

Third Master said with a half-smile.

"Third Master, you know perfectly well that everyone who comes to me is an old friend from back in the day!" Chen Dongang took a sip of his drink and said, "I can't refuse those old connections; the consequences of refusing would be far-reaching!"

"Anyone with common sense will send the goods over, and we'll bid on them for hundreds of thousands or even millions. He'll be happy, and I'll be happy too. Either way, the favor will be repaid!"

"But some people just don't understand. They treat money like it's nothing, insisting on tens of millions, some even asking for hundreds of millions. Did their ancestors accumulate any good karma?"

At this point, Chen Dongang unconsciously revealed a hint of sarcasm.

Whether it was from drinking too much or something else, Chen Dongang didn't notice that Third Master's expression had subtly turned sour.

"Mr. Chen, do you really need that much?" Fatty Lin, being sensible, immediately raised his glass, clinked it with Chen Dongang's, and asked ingratiatingly.

"Yes, of course there is!"

Chen Dongang snorted and said, "Some people, just because their father is a senior figure, dare to say anything!"

"Even if he dares to ask for it, someone has to bid for it, right?" Fatty Lin said.

"Xiaolin, you don't understand the ins and outs here. A lot of things require skill and experience!"

Chen Dongang smiled, took another sip of wine, and said, "Some things may look expensive, but no matter how expensive they are, you still need a market for them!"

"What if there's no market?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

Our task now is simple: draw Chen Dongang's attention away from Third Master's sour face.

Of course, I'm also curious about how he managed to drive up the prices of antiques.

"Isn't that easy?"

Chen Dongang picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and said, "Thirteen, for anything that goes up in the auction house and fetches a price of over ten million, there have been at least three behind-the-scenes maneuvers!"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Crazy, isn't this simple? Just raise the price!" Fatty Lin said.

"That's right!"

Chen Dongang pointed at Fatty Lin and said, "Little Lin has high comprehension!"

"We handle these transactions privately. Let's not even talk about the absolute maximum; a single increase of two or three million wouldn't be unreasonable, would it?"

"Not at all, art is priceless!" said Fatty Lin.

"That's well said!"

Chen Dongang's eyes lit up, and he said, "Xiao Lin, we have to have a drink because of what you said!"

"Mr. Chen, it's my turn to toast you. You don't know, I like to rummage around in Hong Kong, and I've suffered quite a few losses because of it!" Fatty Lin quickly stood up and took the initiative to clink glasses with Chen Dongang.

"Sit down, sit down!"

Chen Dongang gestured downwards with his hand and said, "If you want to get anything in the future, just tell me, and I'll get it for you!"

"Alright, Mr. Chen, I'll be troubling you a lot in the future!" Fatty Lin said with a smile.

After a sip of wine, Chen Dongang became even more talkative, "An antique, whether real or fake, becomes real after ten transactions!"

At this point, Chen Dongang sighed and said, "What bothers me now is that some people are unscrupulous. Relying on their ancestors' influence, they take a fake item and claim it's worth ten million!"

Chen Dongang shook his head as he spoke.

Third Master remained silent. Although his face was no longer dark, it was still not exactly handsome.

Just as Chen Dongang was about to continue speaking, his phone suddenly rang.

He took out his phone and looked at it. His previously blurry, drunken eyes instantly cleared, and he answered the call as he got up and walked outside.

About a minute later, Chen Dongang returned, clasped his hands together in an apologetic gesture, and said, "Third Master, I'm really sorry, something urgent came up. Let's drink another day!"

"It's alright, you go ahead with your work!" Third Master waved his hand and said.

"Thirteen, Xiao Lin, let's drink again next time!" Chen Dongang looked at me and Fatty Lin again.

"Mr. Chen, we'll get rid of that ring for you as soon as we get back!" Fatty Lin said.

"Alright, whether or not you can resolve my problem depends on you, Lin!" Chen Dongang patted Fatty Lin, then turned to Third Master and said, "Third Master, you guys continue drinking, I'm leaving now!"

"Come on, I'll see you off!" Third Master said.

"No, no!"

Chen Dongang pressed Third Master down, then waved to us two brothers, signaling us not to move, before leaving.

"Damn it, what's with this son-in-law acting all high and mighty!"

As soon as Chen Dongang left, Third Master's face fell, and he slammed his chopsticks on the table.

I understand why Third Master is so angry.

Chen Dongang kept talking about the benefits of his ancestors, he was so clueless. Didn't he know that Third Master's success today was also due to the benefits of his ancestors?

Whom was he mocking when he said that?

No wonder Third Master was angry; if I were in his shoes, I would be angry too.

I don't quite understand why Chen Dongang said that.

"Third Master, whose wife is General Manager Chen?" Fatty Lin was quick-witted and grasped the key point about the son-in-law.

"Whose could it be!"

Third Master snorted, pointed upwards, and said a name.

"No wonder he's so arrogant!" Fatty Lin suddenly realized.

"This identity is only to keep him safe and protect him. The reason he dares to talk to me about ancestral blessings is because he's the moneybag!" Third Master said with a gloomy face.

"A money bag?"

I thought for a moment and said, "Third Master, you mean Kangtai Insurance?"

"That's right!" Third Master nodded.

"Third Master, could you tell me whose money bag it is?" Fatty Lin asked curiously.

We all know how big Kangtai Insurance is. As Chen Dongang said before, it's a company worth hundreds of billions or even trillions of yuan, and it's still growing. In the future, it may grow to several hundred billion or even trillions of yuan.

With such a huge purse in their hands, it's hard not to be arrogant.

"Who else could it be but that guy from Shanghai!" Third Master sneered.

After saying that, Third Master clinked glasses with us two brothers and took a big gulp.

After finishing that sip, Third Master, perhaps having drunk too much, said a few more things.

For example, Chen Dongang has a very good relationship with the current chairman of the Shanghai-based company; they are from the same faction.

For example, Third Master told us that the current chairman of the Shanghai-based company is from Shaoxing, and that if we need anything during our trip to Lin'an, we should go to that person.

Hearing this made me and Fatty Lin break out in a cold sweat. Is this the only connection we two have?

However, we could tell that Third Master was genuinely angry and drunk today; otherwise, he wouldn't have said those things.

Furthermore, it was mostly him who took the initiative to contact Chen Dongang this time!