"I might know something about this," Wei Hanyan chimed in, turning left and right as she surveyed the terrain. "I have a classmate whose family owns a local shipping empire. His grandfather just passed away, and his father, being the only son, isn’t skilled in management. They’re trying to sell the business, but it’s quite large, and the local clan-based traditions make negotiations tricky. Several interested buyers have backed out because the required changes were too drastic."
The designer standing nearby maintained her earlier expression: "…" What kind of social circle was this, where someone could casually mention wanting to buy a shipping company and immediately have a maritime business up for sale?
Though she had worked with billionaires from around the world, this was a first for her.
"Let Fang Nan handle it," Zhong Ziyan said, feeling she had placed an extraordinary amount of trust in Fang Nan.
Fang Nan had just finished confirming Shen Beibei’s itinerary on Claude Island with the accompanying butler, then verified the details of an innovation competition and contacted the organizers. Barely a moment after setting his phone down, it rang again.
Glancing at the screen, he saw Zhong Ziyan’s name.
Fang Nan: "…" No more. Tomorrow, he would spend a fortune hiring a well-trained assistant for Zhong Ziyan—otherwise, he’d work himself to death.
Taking a deep breath, he answered the call. "Madam? …You want to buy a what? No problem. Send me the company name, and I’ll get it done as quickly as possible."
An assistant—tomorrow, he’d hire an assistant as capable as himself, dedicated solely to handling Zhong Ziyan’s affairs!
Zhong Ziyan thought Fang Nan was incredibly efficient, much like her former deputy captain.
No matter how absurd or impossible the request, that man would just give her a quiet look and say indifferently, "Fine. Wait for it."
She adored people like that—those who could turn her ideas into reality with minimal effort on her part.
As she hung up, Wei Hanyan finished her call with her classmate. After a rapid exchange in a foreign language, she cheerfully informed Zhong Ziyan, "He said his family is exhausted from negotiations. If Fang Nan reaches out, as long as the demands aren’t unreasonable, the deal should go smoothly."
Zhong Ziyan nodded and turned to the designer, whose face had gone blank. "Problem solved. Tear it down."
The designer cleared her throat. "Timing might also be an issue—"
"No rush for the wedding. Take your time," Zhong Ziyan said dismissively.
As long as it wasn’t delayed past eleven months—otherwise, the divorce would render all the preparations pointless, and they’d have to dismantle everything.
With the shipping issue resolved, not only the construction company but several other studios also benefited. During their service to Zhong Ziyan, all related transportation needs were handled by the newly acquired "Breaking Waves" shipping company.
Shipping from France to Claude Island? Consider a cargo ship.
Transporting goods from Yandu to Claude Island? How about a freight helicopter?
Cost? Oh, we’re all sister companies now—the boss covers everything, insurance included. Easy-peasy!
It was almost inhuman how far they’d go for convenience.
The world’s top designers from different fields worked together daily, sparking endless creative clashes. Revised proposals kept pouring in until Zhong Ziyan grew tired of reviewing them.
"If this continues, you’ll owe me a salary, got it?" she said flatly, cutting off an argument between the leaders of the architecture, interior design, jewelry, wedding dress, and venue teams. "Stick to the original requirements Wei Hanyun and I gave you. Do whatever you want within those bounds—just don’t bother me again, or I’ll deduct your fees."
The five team leaders: "…"
"Or should I buy out all five of your teams and merge them? That way, you can argue as colleagues every day," Zhong Ziyan added.
The five team leaders: "…" She… probably could.
The boldest (and most reckless) of them, the wedding venue designer, couldn’t resist asking, "Don’t you want to add your personal touch to your once-in-a-lifetime wedding? To avoid regrets?"
Zhong Ziyan thought for a moment. "Hold on."
She pulled out her phone, searched for an image, and within seconds slid it across the table. "This is my aesthetic."
It was a photo from some bank vault—rows upon rows of gleaming gold bars, stacked neatly and towering over the bank president standing beside them.
The gold was so dazzling that the president was practically invisible.
The entire image was so radiant it almost hurt to look at.
The team leaders: "………………" No. No way. Absolutely not.
They glanced between Zhong Ziyan’s breathtakingly beautiful face and her… unrefined taste, then stumbled out of her seaside mansion in a daze.
Once outside, one of them murmured weakly, "You’re not actually considering…?"
"We’re all thinking the same thing, right?"
"Madam Wei is my muse, but art must never compromise with vulgarity…"
"So… do we keep arguing?"
"…Let’s save it for private discussions…"
After that day, whether it was the threat of fee deductions or the blinding glare of gold, Zhong Ziyan no longer had to deal with their disputes. Though she occasionally overheard clashes of ideas, none were brought to her again.
She was pleased.
After reviewing their physical models, half-finished dresses, and other samples, Zhong Ziyan’s work on Claude Island was done.
All that remained was waiting for the five teams to complete their work like ants building a nest, then inspecting and paying for the final products.
Meanwhile, Shen Beibei was under Fang Nan’s strict guidance, her business proposals rejected one after another until she was nearly bald from stress.
Zhong Ziyan only had Fang Nan relay one message: "Earn well. Small goal: three hundred million."
While Shen Beibei scrambled for angel investment to launch her entrepreneurial dreams, Fang Nan was also investigating that college innovation competition.
Such contests could indeed yield hidden gems—some TV shows even based entire programs on the concept—but investments always carried risks. In a competition with virtually no barriers to entry, the mix of talent and mediocrity was even more pronounced.
But Fang Nan wasn’t worried. He had just hired a highly capable senior assistant poached from a multinational corporation.
A woman with an impressive résumé, extensive experience, sharp skills, and—most importantly—a clean, straightforward personality.
However, not everyone could handle a boss like Zhong Ziyan. During the interview, Fang Nan grilled her with Zhong Ziyan’s most absurd demands before finally approving the hire with relief.
From now on, Zhong Ziyan’s "homeroom teacher" would be someone else!
At this thought, Fang Nan handed over the thirty-two-month salary offer with particular generosity: "Here’s her phone number and WeChat. I’ll inform her first, and if she agrees, you can go meet her in the next few days. Just remember—if she’s unsatisfied at any point, she can fire you on the spot."
"I understand," the impeccably groomed interviewee nodded.
Fang Nan checked the time and called Zhong Ziyan to explain the situation, his tone earnest as he emphasized how one assistant handling two jobs was stretching his capabilities thin.
The new assistant—soon-to-be manager—stood by with a polite smile as he played up his struggles.
On the other end of the line, Zhong Ziyan’s first reaction after hearing Fang Nan’s complaints was: "Are you trying to ask for a raise?"
Fang Nan: "…" His hand holding the phone trembled slightly.
"Too embarrassed to ask Wei Hanyun directly, so you came to me?" Zhong Ziyan sounded indifferent. "Fine, I’ll bring it up with him tonight."
"That’s not what I meant," Fang Nan took a silent deep breath. "I’ve hired a competent new assistant for you, someone who can handle all your requests."
Zhong Ziyan gave an acknowledging hum. "Alright."
Fang Nan smiled. "Then I wish you a pleasant day."
When he forwarded Zhong Ziyan’s WeChat contact to the new assistant, her expression froze.
Fang Nan, who had just relaxed, immediately tensed again. "Is there a problem?"
"I… might already know my new boss," the assistant admitted with a wry smile, shaking her phone to show the WeChat ID: [Stop nagging, I’m busy spending money]. "I already have her added."
Hua Shuangshuang never expected that the ultra-high-paying job she fought tooth and nail to secure would turn out to belong to Luo Yin’s most notorious wealthy fan.
Suddenly, the way this person casually threw around millions made perfect sense.
With that kind of fortune, what else was there to do but spend lavishly?
Hua Shuangshuang usually kept her online and real-life personas strictly separate, but this time, she had no choice but to explain the whole situation to Fang Nan.
"You’ll need to step down as a moderator for that official fan club," Fang Nan said after a brief pause. "Can you do that?"
Hua Shuangshuang didn’t hesitate. "Yes." For a thirty-two-month salary, she could temporarily set aside her devotion to her idol!
"Good." Fang Nan nodded and checked his watch. "Then pack your bags and get ready to board."
Hua Shuangshuang stood. "I’ll go home to grab my passport. What’s the flight time?"
"Private jet," Fang Nan said with a nod. "Do well."
Hua Shuangshuang: "…" Something about his "do well" carried an unspoken threat.
In the final days of her island retreat, Zhong Ziyan found a new obsession among her online friends’ extravagant spending habits: single-player games.
Though transporting goods to the island was usually a hassle, having private jets and yachts made everything effortless.
The very next day, brand-new XSX, Switch, and PS5 consoles, along with complete game collections for all three platforms, were delivered to the seaside mansion.
The mansion already boasted a 92-inch screen and Dolby surround sound—neither of which Zhong Ziyan had ever used. After consulting online forums, she settled on the Switch and The Legend of Zelda, connecting it to the massive screen and gripping the controller.
Fourteen hours later, she still hadn’t moved from the spacious sofa.
Only after Wei Hanyan’s repeated reminders did Zhong Ziyan stagger back to her room and collapse onto the bed.
Single-player games were amazing.
……
On the other side of the world, Wei Hanyun stared at his phone, which usually rang at the same time every day: "……………………"
The air around him was so heavy it felt suffocating, as if his gaze could pierce through the screen all the way to Claude Island.
Fang Nan tiptoed around, careful not to disturb him.
After a while, Wei Hanyun picked up his phone and checked Zhong Ziyan’s Weibo.
[Still figuring out how to spend money today: Games are so fun. My Link is gonna wreck Ganon.]
Posted at 1 AM, Bahamas time.
Top comment:
[Gamer123: Zelda is the GOAT!!!!]
Wei Hanyun: "…"
This is why you suddenly stopped calling?
