Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Schemes at the Dinner Table

Dinner at the Sterling residence was quite lavish. Besides the usual savory dishes, there was mushroom chicken soup, sweet and sour fish, and a portion of stir-fried mixed seafood. If Julian remembered correctly, the latter two were Aaron’s favorites.

Julian lowered his eyes to his rice bowl, suddenly understanding why his aversion to seafood had grown significantly since arriving in this world. He picked up a piece of sweet and sour rib, placed it in his bowl, and took a bite. The seasoning wasn’t bad; he hadn’t expected Catherine to have such culinary talent.

But before he could take a second bite, a pair of chopsticks deposited a large piece of fish into his bowl, and Catherine’s voice rang out: “I remember you like this dish. Eat up.”

Julian forced a smile, thanked her, and continued eating his sweet and sour rib.

Seeing this, Catherine didn’t say anything more and returned to eating quietly. In truth, the Sterling family didn’t strictly adhere to the rule of “silence while eating or sleeping.” It was mostly because Richard remained silent, so no one else dared to open their mouths.

A moment later, there was finally some movement. However, Julian hadn’t expected Edward to be the one to break the silence.

“I heard that your side is preparing to enter the real estate market?”

In terms of hierarchy, since Ethan had married Julian, he should technically address Edward as an older brother. However, Edward was younger than him, and in wealthy families – compounded by the nature of a commercial marriage – forms of address rarely changed. After all, if this marriage were made public, the world would certainly view the Sterlings as “climbing the social ladder.”

“Not exactly entering the market.” Ethan replied: “We just have a few related projects from time to time.”

Ethan’s implication was that the Caldwell Empire had always had a hand in real estate; they weren’t “preparing” to be newcomers.

“I thought you wanted to get involved in this market. Perhaps Dad could share some experience with you; after all, he’s been in the industry for a long time.”

Real estate was one of the Sterling Group’s core industries. The family originally started by buying and selling properties to profit from the difference. Gradually, they built up assets and shifted into construction. By the time of Julian’s grandfather, a man of talent and wide connections, the family business had expanded significantly. Unfortunately, after Richard took over, the company’s profit growth had tended to stagnate.

According to Julian’s calculations, if the Sterling Group did not restructure and create new highlights within the next few decades, they would soon be eliminated from the ranks of top domestic enterprises. Market demands were constantly changing, but Richard lacked the decisiveness of Julian’s grandfather, not to mention key creativity. That was why when Aaron proposed the project to expand into the virtual reality game market, both Edward and Richard supported it.

Richard might lack decisiveness, but he could still see the problems within his conglomerate. In the original storyline, it was thanks to this project that the Sterling family managed to turn their fortunes around.

However, the land Aaron had set his sights on had been snatched away by Ethan, simply to appease Julian. Seraphina also knew that Gabriel was behind this category, and she certainly wouldn’t let the project develop smoothly. Even if it did take shape, being attacked from two sides would cause significant difficulties. With so many complications, could Aaron’s calculations still work out?

Julian narrowed his eyes in a smile, continuing to watch the “family” drama unfold.

After hearing Edward speak, Richard chimed in: “I heard you recently bought a plot of land in the suburbs. Although it’s near Sapphire Gardens, it’s still in the outskirts. I fear it might be difficult to develop.”

“Rest assured, I made my calculations before buying.” Ethan said, glancing at Julian’s bowl. Seeing that the piece of fish Catherine had served was still untouched, he frowned slightly. Then, he picked up some meat and placed it in Julian’s bowl.

Richard saw this action but didn’t care; he focused only on the land. “I know you’re young and talented. However, different professions are worlds apart. You may be excellent in other fields, but when it comes to real estate…”

“Well, what’s bought is bought. I can’t exactly leave it abandoned, can I?”

For suburban areas with undeveloped vegetation, it wasn’t just about buying land use rights; one also needed government approval. Bidding for the use and development of such land came with specific government clauses. Leaving it abandoned for too long would result in fines and could even affect future auctions for other state-managed lands.

Now that the land was in the hands of the Caldwell family, Ethan was forced to invest. If left empty for too long, it would attract government scrutiny. If someone took advantage of the situation, they might face a hefty fine.

“I have a suggestion, I don’t know what you’ll think of it.”

Ethan looked up at him. Richard coughed lightly and continued: “If you don’t mind, why not collaborate with the Sterling family? After all, the Sterling Group rose from real estate, and we are well-versed in investment portfolios. With our in-law relationship, you wouldn’t have to worry about being taken advantage of, don’t you agree?”

Julian felt a sharp, bitter laugh rising in his throat, and it took everything he had to suppress it. He almost choked on the absurdity of it all.

In-law relationship? Not being taken advantage of?

The words hung in the air, heavy with delusion. In this cutthroat business world, since when did the concept of guaranteeing mutual benefit through in-law connections actually exist? It was a fairytale for fools. Julian gazed at his father and silently wondered if he should be the one to burst the bubble. Should he remind his father that his marriage to Ethan was merely a cold, calculated commercial alliance? There was no sentimentality to be found there. Even Richard’s precious youngest son spent his days slandering Julian behind his back, making a mockery of any so-called “family unity.”

Not being taken advantage of? He really had no shame saying that! The audacity was breathtaking.

The more Julian thought about it, the colder he felt. He feared that the reality was far more sinister than his father could comprehend. The connection wasn’t a shield; it was a vulnerability. It was precisely because of this tangled relationship that the Sterling Group felt emboldened to open their maw, ready to swallow up this entire plot of land whole.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep