After half an hour of polite chit-chat, James learned that Cody Jenkins was a textbook second-generation rich kid.
He was the middle child, sandwiched between two older brothers and a younger sister, and wasn't exactly the favorite in the family.
After spending too much time partying and wasting money, his father had cut him off financially. His father had even arranged for him to work at the family company, but Cody refused.
Now, he was planning to sell a house his father had given him to fund a business venture.
James didn't care what Cody was going to do with the money. Without hesitation, he signed the contract to buy the villa.
Paying in full for the house was a straightforward process: online signing, transfer of ownership, and tax payments.
However, it still required a few days to get everything done.
James didn't want to deal with the hassle, so he boldly transferred the money to the agency and entrusted Artair to handle the rest.
"Thank you, godfather, for your trust! I, Artair, will serve you with unwavering loyalty!" Artair declared dramatically, casting aside all shame in front of everyone.
James's ears turned red from embarrassment. He quickly told Artair to lower his voice, then asked about the progress of the villa's setup.
"I've visited several wedding planning companies and asked them to create a few proposals for you to review," Artair said seriously, pulling out his phone.
James scrolled through the mock-up designs: balloon arches, red carpets, flower arrangements, ribbons, ornamental props...
It was all flashy and somewhat interesting.
Then he looked at the price tags below.
The most expensive plan cost 180,000 yuan, including a large LED display screen to play custom videos and two sets of wedding dresses.
James frowned slightly, deep in thought.
He imagined himself as a woman. If a man confessed his love to him with such a setup, would he say yes?
Hmm...
It was romantic, sure, but it lacked that overwhelming sense of sincerity and heart-stopping surprise.
He clicked his tongue and shook his head, clearly dissatisfied.
Cody Jenkins, sipping tea nearby, came over to look at Artair's proposals and asked James, "Big Bro James, are you planning to propose to your girl?"
"It's not a proposal. It's a confession of love," James corrected.
"Ohhh, I see, I see." Cody's face lit up with a knowing smile that all men understood.
He flipped through a few more plans, quickly forming an opinion, then said to Artair, "Kid, let me tell you, this won't cut it. This is completely low-class and lacks vision. This might impress a college girl who hasn't seen the world, but anyone with even a bit of experience won't fall for this."
Artair was visibly upset by the critique but said nothing, his neck stiff with defiance.
He had asked the wedding planners to design everything to the highest specifications. After reviewing it himself, he couldn't think of any further improvements.
Hertha, who was also reviewing the designs, didn't find anything wrong and asked with a smile, "Manager Jenkins, Artair is fresh out of school and lacks experience. What would you suggest we do?"
Cody leaned back on the sofa, took a sip of tea, and began to boast.
"Your whole approach is wrong. Big Bro James is confessing his love, and you think an 180,000-yuan setup is enough? What does that do for his reputation?"
"All I see in these plans is the sceneryâno people. Without people, there's no envious cheering. Without cheering, where's the atmosphere? Where's the romance?"
"Plus, you've only focused on the surface. What about the interior decor of the villa? Where are the themesâChinese, French, Korean? Blue starry skies, crystal banquets, flower-filled dreams, pink floral arrangements... shouldn't all of these be included?"
"These decorations look nice, but can they be tasted? Can they be heard? Can they fill the air with fragrance? What about live music? What about Western-style desserts, cakes, and wine?"
"If possible, decorate the sky too. Figure out how to create a few rainbows, get some hot air balloons, scatter flower petals from the air, and repaint the villa to make it more refined and exquisite..."
Cody's animated description painted a vivid picture of a luxurious, romantic event.
For a moment, Hertha found herself imagining the extravagant scene.
If she were the female lead, she doubted she could resist such a sugary, over-the-top display.
The imagery was so enchanting that she got lost in her fantasy.
If a man was willing to go to such lengths for her, she thought she might even consider trying something new or tolerating unreasonable demands.
Artair, too, was mesmerized. After a long pause, he snapped out of it and asked nervously, "Manager Jenkins, wouldn't all this cost at least a million?"
Cody glanced at James, who was stroking his chin and nodding in approval of the plan. Feeling smug, Cody raised his chin and said, "That's why you working-class folks lack vision. Is this about money? No, this is about Big Bro James's love!"
"Does Big Bro James's love only deserve 180,000 yuan? At the very least, it's worth 1.8 million! You should think about why he's buying this villa in the first place."
"Listen to me. Go find a high-end event planner and hire professional designers. Make the event grand and extravagant. Money isn't something you should worry about."
Artair's face turned red with embarrassment.
He had thought the house was the main focus. Toss in a heartfelt setup, and most women would agree to a proposal.
180,000 wasn't a small amountâit was for a one-time event, after all. He had never considered going all out.
But now, hearing Cody's words, he realized how the truly wealthy operated.
Spending money to create a romantic spectacle like thatâwhat woman wouldn't be moved or swept off her feet?
He himself was ready to kneel, for crying out loud.
Artair finally understood. Pocketing his phone, he looked at James with pleading eyes.
"Godfather, please give me another chance. I promise I'll make the plans perfect."
James doubted his capabilities and said lightly, "Are you sure you can handle everything Cody just described?"
"I'm positive. Absolutely positive!" Artair vowed.
This kind of taskâspending moneyâwas something anyone could do.
As long as the budget was there, what couldn't be achieved?
Eager to prove himself, he stared at James with determination.
James looked into his eyes and saw his earnest desire. Deciding to give him another chance, he said, "Alright, go work on the plans. Also, include the time needed to set up the scene."
James patted Artair's shoulder and added casually, "Remember, my requirements are speed and quality. Let your imagination run wildâmoney isn't an issue."
Artair, now fully confident in James's financial power, nodded heavily.
Cody, hearing James's demand for speed, immediately pulled out the villa keys and placed them on the table.
"Big Bro James, here are the keys. The transfer process will take five or six days anyway. You can use this time to set up the scene," Cody said.
"Hehe, thanks, brother," James said with a smile.
Hearing himself promoted from "Manager Jenkins" to "brother," Cody beamed with pride.
"It's nothing. Helping Big Bro James is my honor!" he declared, grinning from ear to ear.