Losing Money to Be a Tycoon

Chapter 630: It’s What’s Inside that Matters Most

Li Shi walked out of Boss Pei’s house and took the lift down to the 11th story. Once he entered, Li Shi felt different. Although the configuration was still the same, it seemed to be extra meaningful now.

This was the exact same design as Boss Pei’s house!

Yes, Li Shi felt that the place looked exceptionally artistic all of a sudden! Just look at the huge television, the perfectly-positioned sofa, and the coffee table and two chairs by the balcony...

Everything was perfect!

It was a pity that he was lacking the black box on the coffee table, so that his set-up looked less complete than Boss Pei’s. Everything else was exactly the same.

Li Shi had not felt much for the place at first. All he thought was that it was empty. It was alright artistically, but it had not seemed that outstanding.

Yet, for some reason, when compared to Boss Pei’s image, the place looked very different!

Li Shi sat on the couch, not being able to stop thinking about several questions: How did Boss Pei work while staying here? Which room did he sleep in? What did he watch on the huge television?

Yes, it was worth investigating!

Li Shi would observe the television first. He found a game machine and a huge quantity of gaming discs in the television cabinet.

...

Ten minutes later...

A new message popped up in the investors’ group chat.

“How is your viewing going, everyone? Can we leave now?”

“Yes, I’m done here.”

“I think the huge television is not bad. I checked it out and found out that it’s a limited edition. I’m going to get one for my own house!”

“It’s a pity that I don’t enjoy watching television.”

“There are too few items in the house. I finished inspecting all of them in five minutes. What’s more, I can’t add my own furniture. There’s really nothing much to look at.”

“Should we gather downstairs?”

“How about Boss Li? How’s Boss Li doing?”

Li Shi read everyone’s messages on his cell phone and could not help but let out a soft sigh. It felt like those people were returning empty-handed from a mountain full of treasures; they could not appreciate how good the apartments were!

At first, Li Shi had wanted to let them return home on their own. However, on further thought, he sent a message into the group chat. “Come to the 11th story.”

Two minutes later, the other twelve investors arrived at Li Shi’s apartment.

“Boss Li, why did you ask us to come here? Aren’t all the apartments in the building exactly the same?” someone asked.

“That’s right, this looks exactly like my own apartment. I can’t see any differences whatsoever,” said another investor.

Everyone stood in the living room, afraid to go to the sofa because there wasn’t enough space.

Li Shi shook his head, frustrated. As if expecting better from them, he said, “Are all of you planning not to live here now that you’ve paid the rent?!”

Everyone else exchanged confused looks. That was exactly what they had been thinking.

Weren’t their own villas better? They had renovated them according to their own likes and dislikes, and they were all used to it by now.

What do they have here? There weren’t even enough furniture pieces. If their friends came over to visit them, they would have nowhere to sit.

Wouldn’t they be torturing themselves by trying to live in these apartments long-term?

The three investors who had not rented the apartments celebrated in their hearts.

Thank goodness, we were intelligent!

We would have been renting this place for nothing and tossing ten thousand yuan into the trash each month.

Although ten thousand yuan per month was not much to them, it would still hurt their hearts to throw money away.

Li Shi confirmed his guess by looking at everyone else’s expressions.

Sighing softly, he said, “All of you... why don’t you think harder about things? If I had not asked you to come here and dropped you hints on purpose, you would be leaving empty-handed from a mountain full of treasures.”

Confusion was written all over the other investors’ faces.

Why was Boss Li saying this? How could he call this a mountain full of treasures?

Had he seen a mountain full of treasures made up of four bare walls?

Moreover, the furniture was quite valuable indeed, but that was only so to ordinary people. To the rich, they were no different from daily necessities.

How were they returning empty-handed from a mountain full of treasures?

One of the investors asked, “Boss Li, please enlighten us on this. Where’s all the treasure?”

Li Shi laughed humorlessly. “Have you read ‘The Big Duck[1]’ before? It’s more beneficial to the fame of a mountain if celestials live on it rather than if it stands tall; it’s more important for the mystic of water if a dragon lives within it rather than if it runs deep!

“Are furniture and configurations the most important things in houses? No! It’s who lives inside that matters most!”

He lowered his voice. “Let me tell you: Boss Pei lives upstairs.”

The investors’ eyes widened.

“Boss Pei lives here?”

“That can’t be. He must be like us—he must only come here once in a while, right?”

“That’s right, how can he stay long-term in a place like that?!”

Li Shi shook his head. “Boss Pei does live here long-term. You can believe it if you want, but I saw it with my own eyes. How could it be fake?

“Based on my observations, Boss Pei has already been living here for some time. What’s more, he hasn’t touched the house’s configuration!

“What do you think that means?”

The investors’ faces went blank.

Feeling at a loss for words, Li Shi continued speaking. “That means that we can understand Boss Pei’s lifestyle by living here!

“Isn’t that the most valuable treasure?”

Some investors looked like they understood, but others still looked confused.

“Boss Pei’s lifestyle... so what if we learn about it?”

One of the investors who understood quickly explained, “Of course, it’s important! A man’s success is very closely linked to his character and lifestyle! Some people succeed because they’re extremely disciplined while others succeed because they’re extremely focused!

“Do not think that this is unimportant—it’s very important!

“A foreign god of investing, Parfit, can charge several million US dollars for one charity luncheon. If it were you, would you want to attend it? Do you think all those who paid to go there were interested in the food? It was to see Parfit!

“What’s more, it was just a luncheon.

“Can you imagine being a guest in Parfit’s house? Also, what if you could stay in his house for the long-term?

“If we remain here, it would be akin to living in Boss Pei’s house for the long term. We would also be able to bump into Boss Pei frequently. Do you think paying ten thousand yuan per month is worth it?!”

Finally, everyone understood.

So that was it!

Who in the world wasn’t curious about what Parfit’s house looked like?

Yet, was there any use? Could anyone be a guest in his house? That aside, even looking for actual information about him online would be very difficult!

Who didn’t want to understand how Parfit invested?

Everyone was curious about his lifestyle, taste, hobbies, and so on!

However, Parfit was overseas and too far away. There was nothing that any of them could do. Nevertheless, there was a younger version of a god of investing right there—in Jingzhou!

At a young age, Boss Pei was already so outstanding. If he could live to ninety, maybe he would achieve the same glory as Parfit! What a valuable opportunity it was to be a neighbor of Boss Pei and to live in the same type of house as him!

On further thought, was it important how exactly they lived?

No!

Who, among those who had lunch with Parfit, really cared about how delicious the steak was?

All the investors who had rented an apartment looked like they had just won the lottery. For ten thousand yuan a month, they had the opportunity to stay in the same type of house as Boss Pei did. It was very worth it!

On the other hand, the three investors who purposely lingered behind and avoided signing the contract looked filled with regret.

Why did they want a big table?! Why did they want a full tea set?! Why did they want to add their own furniture?!

Would it be of any use?

For those rotten things, they had given up the chance to become Boss Pei’s neighbor! What a great loss!

The three investors began to panic and beg for help.

“Boss Li! We only failed to rent an apartment because there aren’t enough! You can’t leave us in the lurch!”

“That’s right! I am willing to pay three times the amount; would someone please give me this opportunity instead?!”

Boss Li shot them a cold glare.

Do you think I didn’t know that you were playing dumb?

You purposely lingered behind because you didn’t want to rent an apartment in the first place. Why are you putting on such a show now?

Are you regretting now that you know Boss Pei lives here?

Indeed, Boss Pei had the best way of punishing those who did not firmly follow him!

Although those three investors were offering to pay a higher rent, no one bothered about them.

Are we lacking money?

If the three of you had been more adamant earlier, you would have been able to shake off those weak-willed people. Would you be in the state you’re in then?

The other investors celebrated inwardly.

It’s a good thing they didn’t shake!

Indeed, as long as they followed Boss Pei closely, they would reap benefits. Those who came to rent Sloth Apartments first would definitely be seen as firm followers of Boss Pei. Only they would be rewarded with the precious opportunity to live in a similar house as Boss Pei.

On further thought, Boss Pei had probably left these benefits to be reaped on purpose. Who would have thought of something like that?

They had Boss Li to thank, or they would have completely missed the valuable opportunity!

How lucky!

Li Shi glanced at his watch and noticed that it was getting late. “Alright, go back to your houses. I’m staying here today.”

The investors were stunned.

“Huh? You’re staying here tonight?”

“It’ll be better if we go back and prepare ourselves well before moving in tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, I haven’t brought anything along.”

“My toiletries, towel, toothpaste, slippers...”

Li Shi smiled. “All of those things have been provided here, and they’re of good quality, too. They’re sealed and brand new.”

He paused for a moment and added, “They’re of the same brand as Boss Pei’s.”

The other investors reacted at once.

“Forget it, then! I’ll stay here tonight, too!”

“That’s right, I don’t have to go home. I want to experience what Boss Pei’s life is like!”

The three investors who had no apartments looked pitiful. For some reason, they felt homeless.

Feeling like the three of them were miserable enough, Li Shi softened. “The three of you can go home first. I’ll live here for a while and think of something else for you.”

They exchanged looks and then nodded helplessly, choosing to trust Boss Li.

After sending everyone off, Li Shi began to experience life, Boss Pei style.

...

Every night, only the penthouse of the huge, circular building in the Dawn of the Prosperous City would have been lit. Every other apartment in the middle would have been dark.

However, the entire building lit up today.

Pei Qian, who was staying in the penthouse, tossed and turned... and sighed inwardly.

Look at how things had turned out...

He was speechless!

[1] This is a famous piece of ancient Chinese literature.