Reborn with Consumption System-Chapter 619 - 272: Who Made the First Move?_3

What can we do? Just let bad debts accumulate, erode the capital adequacy ratio, and then watch as both deposit and loan businesses wither, leaving the mess for the next person in charge? The staff downstairs need to eat; if they're not fed, they'll curse their leaders to their face. Being cursed is a minor issue, but if we let a vicious cycle run rampant and ruin the livelihoods of all the employees, that would make me an incompetent sinner! So, there's nothing to do but to grit one's teeth and wade forward. The big picture is not something we can consider or are qualified to change; it's as simple as this: you do what you can where you are."

Han Lie watched Tang Xintian with renewed respect and saw her in a new light yet again. She had reached the same conclusion as he had. Previously, Han Lie had used the same words to respond to Jin Minghui's probing.

Essentially, moving bank assets off the balance sheet is a way to combat regulation, but there are indeed compelling reasons for it. It's a messy account; right and wrong depend on the standpoint one takes. Han Lie understood very well that in his past life, even by the year 2025, the mess of municipal bonds had not been cleaned up. Since the pits dug by municipal investment companies were obviously not the whole story, the state later had to erect firewalls between banks to isolate systemic risks from individual industry risks. Thus began the long, drawn-out bankruptcy wave of real estate enterprises...

Living in an era where everything had not yet deteriorated to its limits, Han Lie, who had personally unleashed the Pandora's box of real estate asset securitization in the Magic Capital, was actually somewhat bewildered. He could see the problem but didn't know what he could change, making him very uncomfortable.

On the bright side, "God Lie" could live cleanly amidst the chaos, worshipped and revered by others. Whether or not he had helped banks move assets off their balance sheets, every penny he earned was legal and compliant—there were no relevant bans now, and in the future, he could continue to circumvent them. On the downside, such actions of only looking out for oneself clearly lacked courage, wasted the talent bestowed upon him by Heaven, and would never lead to greatness.

If I want to become "Him," what should I do?

For a moment, Han Lie could not find an answer.

The root of the problem lay not within but with the pressure from America and its allies. Even if we developed 5G, photolithography machines, the chip industry, high-end machine tools, and super AI, the ultimate confrontation would still be unavoidable. The great revival of the Chinese nation was destined to climb over that mountain, cross that river, win that war, and become a flag of collective national will, spanning across the Divine Land. This is a struggle of a nation, not the endeavor of any single individual.

Han Lie was lost in thought for a while; his head felt like it was going to explode.

Later, he simply clenched his teeth: Darn it, why think so much now? The important thing is to get things moving, to level up my attributes and abilities.

When I reach a higher position, then I can consider more complex matters.

Perhaps, by going with the flow, I'll coincidentally find a way out, right?

Han Lie snapped out of his reverie with a laugh and complimented Tang Xintian.

"Sister Tangtang, you see things more clearly than I do!"

"Cut it out!"

Tang Xintian rolled her eyes playfully. Because of the shape of her eyes and her teardrop mole, it looked more like coquetry, but it really wasn't.

"Just tell me, how exactly did you help Jin Ming? Anyway, you'll have to talk to Uncle Huang tomorrow, so just satisfy my curiosity in advance, OK?!"

Han Lie, unable to resist her persistence and having no reason to hide it anymore, briefly explained. As she listened, Tang Xintian's bright eyes shone.

"Holy shit!"

She exclaimed in English, so shocked that she cursed, gripping Han Lie's arm tightly.

"That's genius... How did you come up with that?! I really want to crack open your skull and see what's inside!"

Geez, why is your compliment so horrifying?

Han Lie shrugged nonchalantly, putting on a bit of an act. "They gave so much, I had to make an effort. So I took a few minutes, reached out, and luckily, the answer was right there."

Tang Xintian was almost dazzled. She wasn't one to fuss over a man's looks, yet she had a thing for the brilliance that stemmed from powerful intelligence.

"Impressive!"

She gave a thumbs-up, and by the look on her face, she was thoroughly convinced. To come up with a comprehensive plan that perfectly met all relevant parties' needs in such a short time, the young man had every right to show off now.

"No way! I must be a part of your new project!"

Tangtang made up her mind fiercely.

"It's just working overtime, right? I'm all in!"

As she turned to leave, Han Lie hastily grabbed her, a mix of laughter and helplessness in his plea, "Hey hey, don't rush! You've come all this way, at least get through today... Aren't you pulling in business?"

"Oh, right!"

She smacked her forehead, annoyed at her own impatience.

The smack made Han Lie's heart skip a beat.

Having known her for so long, that moment just then was her cutest.

The sexy enchantress somehow managed to be associated with cuteness... Unbelievable!

The rest of the evening unfolded without surprises. Han Lie accompanied her around, had brief chats with a few interested property tycoons, and just like that, he made a breakthrough for her. It might not lead to immediate collaboration opportunities, but at least it gave her, now endorsed, a real chance to shine.

Tang Xintian was very happy, so she had a couple more drinks. Her cheeks were flushed like blooming flowers, breathtakingly beautiful.

And after drinking and sweating a little, the fragrance emanating from her body was rich and intoxicating. Good heavens, could it be she possesses some special constitution?!

Han Lie's stamina had recovered well, and gradually, he was finding it hard to resist his urges.

"That's enough, right? Let's get out of here?"

Wine parties are just that, and Han Lie didn't want to linger any longer, initiating their departure. Tang Xintian had the kind of demeanor that, even when triumphant, wouldn't get carried away. Feeling that things were at the right pitch, she didn't seek to press her advantage further.

"Alright, let's go."

They had arrived in Han Lie's car, so naturally, he would have to drive her back. Once outside, Tang Xintian started to feel a headache from the breeze.

"Could you ask your driver to go slow?"

"Sure."

The driver, Cheng Shi, was very steady and took 25 minutes to get her downstairs to her building.

"Tangtang, you rest well."

Han Lie waved goodbye, but then Tang Xintian commanded with an unquestionable tone, "What's the rush? Take me upstairs."

Han Lie's expression suddenly changed.

Sister, am I right to suspect... you're not quite yourself?!

Getting out of the car, Tang Xintian snugly tucked herself into Han Lie's arm, comfortably humming twice, "Mmm~ Stinky little brother, your arms are so warm..."

Han Lie was so flustered by her teasing that every hair on his body stood on end. His eyes hardened, and he inwardly howled—

Mr. Tang, you can't blame me for this, right?! 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Heaven knows, it was your girl who made the first move!

AWOOOO~~~

Since I can write and people are reading it, Baguette will discreetly raise the main storyline's stakes just a tad...