Chapter 191

Chapter 191 - A Million Rich Women!

The Xu family was indeed in dire straits!

Xu Shaoning, who spearheaded an armed robbery, was awaiting his final trial. Although the verdict hadn't been handed down yet, it was a foregone conclusion that he'd be facing at least ten years behind bars.

Xu Jindou, on the other hand, managed to extricate himself quite cleanly. The billion-dollar diamond was registered in his son's name, and Xu Shaoning was also the beneficiary of a hefty insurance policy on the gem.

In essence, Xu Shaoning had staged an elaborate insurance fraud. When that scheme failed, he resorted to attempted robbery. Although he didn't succeed, the severity of his actions was undeniable. Some speculate that he could be locked away for at least twenty years.

Xu Jindou may have avoided prison, but he couldn't prevent the Xu family empire from crumbling.

In truth, the Xu family's prosperity had long been a facade, masking numerous internal issues, including significant financial deficits.

The debts owed to the Strong Dragon Group alone were enough to bring their enterprise to its knees.

Without such dire circumstances, the father and son duo would never have risked organizing a charity auction.

Ideally, Xu Shaoning would have made off with the diamond, and the Xu family would have quietly collected a substantial insurance payout, navigating through the crisis without drawing attention.

However, Zhang Xiaolong threw a wrench into their plans. In that instant, Xu Shaoning realized it was all over. Even if he avoided prison, he couldn't face a life as an ordinary man. So, from the start, he kept Xu Jindou in the dark and prepared a backup plan.

Should the insurance fraud come to light, he would immediately proceed with an actual heist, aiming to loot a lifetime's worth of wealth.

“Officer Liu just called,” Chen Yaru said, tenderly caressing the cheek of the man who had only just regained consciousness. “He mentioned there's been a breakthrough in the case of your father's kidnapping. The kidnapper confessed that Xu Shaoning was behind it.”

She then briefed him on some of the latest developments.

“Oh?” Zhang Xiaolong pondered, his expression growing colder. “It seems Xu Shaoning was after more than just money. Had his original plan not been disrupted, he surely would have come after me, resolved the issue, and then used it as leverage to have you marry him. That way, he could secure Distant Vast's allegiance to the Xu family, postponing their downfall a bit longer.”

“If we can secure Strong Dragon, it would be worth selling the entire Distant Vast Company!” Chen Yaru stated resolutely. “Dad has already told me he supports my decision.”

Zhang Xiaolong felt a wave of emotion and embraced her. “I'm so fortunate to have met you. But where did we get fifty million yuan? I recall our company account only has eight million.”

Chen Yaru laughed and playfully pointed to her nose. “That's your account. What about mine?”

Zhang Xiaolong was even more astonished. “Yaru, do you have tens of millions in assets?”

“Yes, some of it I earned, and some was my dowry. But now, it's all yours!” Chen Yaru said with a mischievous smile.

“Wow, I had no idea I married a millionaire!” Zhang Xiaolong exclaimed dramatically.

“Hmph...” Chen Yaru struck a proud pose, “We'll see if you dare to be so flirtatious with others now!”

Zhang Xiaolong quickly declared, “Absolutely not. From now on, I won't spare a glance for any woman but my wife.”

“Alright...” Chen Yaru chuckled, dropping the playful act, “Even so, we have just under eight hundred million. It's going to be quite a challenge to acquire Strong Dragon. Ultimately, it might just come down to luck.”

“Let's not dwell on it. What's meant to be will happen; there's no point in forcing fate,” Zhang Xiaolong said, shaking his head to clear his thoughts.

Chen Yaru, however, wasn't as ready to leave it to chance. “I think we should keep trying. There might be other ways to raise the funds.”

“I can't think of anyone who could cough up several hundred million,” Zhang Xiaolong mused, perplexed.

“Did you forget about that stunning woman we met yesterday?” Chen Yaru gave him a pointed look.

“Are you talking about... Su Mei?” The mere thought of her gave Zhang Xiaolong a headache.

“Yes, Su Mingtang didn't hesitate to spend over a billion yuan on that diamond. It's clear that the Su family's financial resources have been severely underestimated. If you were to approach Su Mei, she might be willing to lend you the money,” Chen Yaru suggested earnestly.