After agreeing to the request of the senior Mr. Petty, the conversation between the two became more relaxed, and they occasionally joked with each other. As it was approaching noon, Alvin Petty walked to the front, quietly informing the senior Mr. Petty and Yusuf Zuck that it was time for lunch. Today, the Petty Family had prepared a sumptuous lunch, and it seemed there were a series of arrangements for the afternoon. As Yusuf Zuck and the Petty Family members were heading toward the main villa, his phone rang—it was Marlon Shepherd calling. "The transfer of the house is settled, but you need to sign a series of related documents, and well, I’m at the InterContinental. It’s almost lunchtime, so let’s have a meal together and discuss the specific location of the storefront," Marlon Shepherd got straight to the point once the call connected, as there was no longer any need for pleasantries between him and Yusuf Zuck. "This..." Yusuf Zuck felt a bit troubled. The Petty Family had made such ample preparations, and it was key dining time; if he were to leave now, it would make the Petty Family feel embarrassed. "Hold on a second," Yusuf Zuck pondered for a moment before covering the phone and addressing the senior Mr. Petty, "Old senior, I have a friend, may I invite him over as well? He is helping me buy a house in Hong Kong, and I need to sign some documents." "Of course, why not? Where is he? We’ll go pick him up!" the senior Mr. Petty immediately replied. "He’s at the InterContinental Hotel," Yusuf Zuck said with a smile, then spoke into the phone, "Wait for me at the hotel. I’ll send someone to pick you up. I can’t leave right now, so bring the documents over, and I’ll sign them all at once." "Alright," Marlon Shepherd didn’t ask any further questions and simply responded affirmatively. "Bought a house in Hong Kong, eh?" Upon seeing Yusuf Zuck hang up the phone, both the senior Mr. Petty and Alvin Petty looked at Yusuf Zuck with amused smiles. Meanwhile, Edison Petty had already sent someone to the hotel to pick up Marlon Shepherd. "Yes, I bought a place to collect rent, hehe," Yusuf Zuck chuckled. "Hm, is your friend from Hong Kong or the Mainland? There are a lot of swindlers among Hong Kong’s housing agents," Alvin Petty warned. Yusuf Zuck shook his head, "He’s from the Mainland, my company’s legal advisor." "Oh," the senior Mr. Petty and both Alvin and Edison Petty suddenly realized and exchanged knowing glances as if there was something unspoken between them. The group returned to the main villa, drank a few cups of tea, and chatted for a while before Marlon Shepherd was invited over. He was carrying a briefcase, wearing glasses, looking quite proper, and greeted Yusuf Zuck as "Boss" when he saw him. In fact, Yusuf Zuck truly was his boss. "Let’s eat first. We’ll talk after the meal," the senior Mr. Petty stood up and invited Yusuf Zuck and Marlon Shepherd. The dining room of the Petty Family was spacious, with a long European-style table equipped with an automatic rotating conveyor belt for dishes. It held over thirty meticulously crafted dishes, each like those of a royal banquet. Marlon Shepherd didn’t know whose home this was, but understanding that anyone who lived in a villa halfway up a hill must be a person of high social standing, he did not inquire further and quietly took his seat to the right of Yusuf Zuck. Mia appeared quite accustomed to such banquets; after the Petty Family proposed a toast, she started serving Yusuf Zuck food, fully embracing the role of a dutiful wife. During the meal, both the senior Mr. Petty and Alvin Petty exchanged a few words with Marlon Shepherd—naturally, they asked the questions and he answered. Although Marlon Shepherd had not been part of such gatherings before, he was not intimidated and responded smoothly and confidently in the conversation. "Heh, Mr. Petty, old senior, why do I get the feeling you’re trying to poach my employee? Let me tell you, Marlon Shepherd is both my legal and financial advisor, my right- and left-hand man. I can’t function without him. Of course, he’s also my good friend, my brother!" Yusuf Zuck took the opportunity to sing Marlon Shepherd’s praises because as his investments grew larger, Marlon Shepherd needed to network and represent him publicly. "Haha, you guessed right," the senior Mr. Petty joked. "How about the properties? Where are the two duplex apartments you bought?" Alvin Petty asked, looking at Marlon Shepherd. "One is a duplex unit in Sky Exchange, the other is a duplex unit in Heavenly Seal," Marlon Shepherd replied vaguely, not specifying their exact locations, because he couldn’t disclose that information. "Oh," Alvin Petty nodded, and then looked at Yusuf Zuck, "Mr. Zuck, we’ve reserved a 5,000-square-foot residence for you at Red Pillar Tycoon Sea Bend. The relevant property transfer documents will be sent over later. Mr. Marlon Shepherd is here too, so you might as well sign everything together." "Little Bro, we’re eating, let’s not talk about these things, not these things. Yusuf, Little Bro means no offense. Try this dish; it’s the chef’s specialty. Tell me how it tastes." The Petty patriarch decisively interrupted the conversation between Alvin Petty and Yusuf Zuck, because matters like giving away a house should not be discussed in this setting. Yusuf Zuck did not respond to Alvin Petty’s remark, as if literally crossed out by the elder’s interruption, and instead began tasting the dish. However, Marlon Shepherd’s heart thumped erratically, Red Pillar Tycoon Bay? He knew of it; during his time in Hong Kong, he had thoroughly checked the property prices. At Tycoon Bay, such seaside view locations, especially a mansion with more than 5,000 square feet—almost 500 square meters—would probably be worth more than a hundred million. That meant the Petty Family had just gifted Yusuf Zuck property worth over a hundred million. Everyone at the luncheon had a small amount of red wine. After the meal, Marlon Shepherd took out the house ownership documents and had Yusuf Zuck review them before signing. Yusuf Zuck only glanced over the documents carelessly before signing his name. The Petty Clan had equipment like a photocopier, so they made a copy of Yusuf Zuck’s ID as well. After Yusuf Zuck had signed, the Petty patriarch said with a smile, "Alvin, has the lawyer arrived? If so, let’s go to my study. Yusuf Zuck, Marlon Shepherd, come with me." Yusuf Zuck and Marlon Shepherd exchanged glances, both seemingly guessing that the Petty Family might need on-site signatures for the mansion gift and that the lawyer would handle the related procedures. As the three of them entered the study one after the other, the Petty patriarch said directly, "Yusuf, our family lawyer will soon be here and they will announce a series of major clan decisions, of course, related to you. I hope when the lawyer announces the matters concerned, you won’t speak or interrupt, as I do not wish to have outsiders make any unpleasant speculations." "What do your clan’s major decisions have to do with me? I’d rather not listen. Marlon and I will go downstairs and wait," Yusuf Zuck immediately shook his head. "No, no, no, this decision concerns you, concerns our upcoming collaboration. You know, our next collaboration carries significant risk. Hence, before the collaboration, we’ve made the corresponding decisions. All you need to do is listen, do not voice any opinion." "Fine, then I will listen." Yusuf Zuck nodded, the upcoming task of helping the Petty Clan with an assassination indeed posed great risks. Two minutes later, Alvin Petty also entered the elder’s study along with three lawyers. "This is Yusuf Zuck, and this is his lawyer, Marlon Shepherd," Alvin Petty actively introduced Yusuf Zuck and Marlon Shepherd to the three lawyers, who in turn shook hands with Yusuf Zuck and Marlon Shepherd in a friendly manner. "All right, the three of you may begin," said the Petty patriarch from his commanding seat looking down at the three family lawyers. "Certainly, Mr. Petty," the only female lawyer among them, who was in her fifties, stood up and said, "Mr. Zuck, as per the deliberations of ’Everjoy Industries Limited’s’ board, we now inform you regarding the relevant legal documents." ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ ɴovelfire.net "First, Everjoy Industries propose to transfer its 0.75% stake in HSBC to Mr. Yusuf Zuck’s personal name." "Second, Everjoy Industries propose to transfer its 1.5% stake in Hang Seng Bank to Mr. Yusuf Zuck’s personal name." "Third, Everjoy Industries propose to transfer its ownership of ’Yihe Winery’ on Queen’s Road, Hong Kong to Mr. Yusuf Zuck’s personal name." "Fourth, Everjoy Industries propose to transfer the ownership of a private unit located at Red Pillar Tycoon Sea Bend to Mr. Yusuf Zuck’s personal name." "Fifth, Everjoy Industries propose to transfer its 51% shareholding in New Century Hotel located on the Mainland, to Mr. Yusuf Zuck’s personal name." "Hmm, that’s everything. The related legal documents, shareholding agreements, and property or project reports are all here for Mr. Shepherd to review," the female lawyer finished stating the five points in one breath and passed the five large stacks of documents to Marlon Shepherd. And Marlon Shepherd was completely stunned. At first, Yusuf Zuck was bewildered, but as the lawyer finished, he quickly regained his composure, realizing the Petty Clan was gifting him an enormous amount of wealth! Of course, it might be an immense sum to him but only a drop in the ocean for the Petty Clan. Yet the fact that the Petty Clan was giving him so much was beyond his imagination. He had thought it might be just a house, but it now seemed it could be over ten billion, reaching fourteen or nearly twenty billion. A fourteen-billion-dollar grand gesture, the Petty Clan had unhesitatingly thrown down. This was the decisive move that the Petty patriarch mentioned, the heavy-handed strategy to securely tie the man who could wield the Flying Sword, Yusuf, to their Petty Clan’s chariot!