This house was owned by the Rockefeller family, a fact known to many. All the neighbors here were either extremely wealthy or highly influential—even the one with the "lowest" net worth exceeded $10 million. Yet these tycoons all watched the Rockefeller residence with curious eyes. They knew full well that since John D. Rockefeller's death, members of the Rockefeller family had rarely been seen here.
The younger generation of Rockefellers preferred living in the newly built super estate in Westchester County. It was said the estate offered a panoramic view of New York City and had as many as 70 roads within its grounds—a stark display of the Rockefeller family's unparalleled wealth and power. But today, these rarely seen Rockefeller nobles had gathered at the entrance of this old house, seemingly waiting to welcome someone.
Amid the discreet, probing gazes from behind every window, a Lincoln car pulled up to the door. To the observers' astonishment, David Rockefeller—widely recognized as the third-generation heir to the Rockefeller family—actually stepped forward to open the car door himself.
Who could this be? Someone worthy of such 礼遇 (courtesy) from the Rockefeller family? Many were puzzled. Even the President of the United States had never received such treatment from the Rockefellers. When a face younger than David Rockefeller emerged from the car, everyone suddenly understood.
It was Leo Valentino—the man who had built a $600 million company in just three years and propelled a candidate everyone thought would lose into the White House. Though his wealth and power were not yet on par with the Rockefellers of the present, he was young—he had many more "three-year cycles" ahead of him.
Leo and David had met before, on various occasions: the White House, Buckingham Palace in the UK, the Palace of Versailles in France. But they were barely more than acquaintances who exchanged nods. Here, however, David was the only familiar face.
"Come, Leo. Allow me to introduce you. This is my eldest brother, John D. Rockefeller III," David said, gesturing to a man in his fifties who clearly disliked such gatherings and wore a look of impatience on his face from time to time.
Leo could tell this was the eldest son, but he seemed to have little involvement in the family business. David did not elaborate on his role.
"And this is my second brother, Nelson Rockefeller. You should be familiar with him," David continued.
Leo certainly was. Nelson had recently stepped down as U.S. Secretary of Commerce and was a former Governor of New York. His name had appeared frequently in several political events Leo had deeply participated in—so frequently that Leo had even dreamed of it. During Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration, Nelson had been a key behind-the-scenes architect of economic policies. He also wielded significant international influence; his passion for art had quickly endeared him to European nobles, helping him forge close ties with them.
In Leo's memory, Nelson would later become deeply involved in Latin American affairs. Leo wondered if this would affect his own Central American strategy.
"This is my third brother, Laurance Rockefeller," David said next.
Compared to the first two, Laurance was much more proactive. He stepped forward, shook Leo's hand, and said:
"Mr. Valentino, it's an honor to meet you. I run several real estate businesses myself, though unlike you, I focus mainly on hotels and tourism. I've visited your Lynchburg Hotel, and I've also been to the Hot Spring Hotel in Washington—both were eye-opening. We must talk more later."
Laurance's enthusiasm told Leo that a large part of why he had been invited today was likely because Laurance wanted to meet him. It was only because the others also had needs for Leo that this formal gathering had come together.
Leo knew Laurance well. He was a pivotal figure in the Rockefeller family's later generations, second only to David. The reason Leo was so familiar with him was that he had read a book titled Pioneer of Venture Capital in his previous life. He had mostly forgotten its contents, but repeated dreams about it—each time covering different pages—had eventually helped him recall the entire book. The first chapter was dedicated to Laurance Rockefeller, the true pioneer of venture capital.
Laurance was also someone Leo had long wanted to meet. Leo planned to enter the venture capital industry in the future, as he knew it was the only way to maximize his future interests.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Laurance," Leo replied.
Though his greeting was no different from the ones he had given John III and Nelson, the firmness of his handshake let Laurance know that Leo was equally eager to talk. This positive start delighted Laurance. Unlike David, Laurance had little interest in guarding and expanding the Rockefeller family's legacy. Bold and adventurous, he was more like his grandfather—eager to achieve something great on his own.
"And this is my fourth brother, Winthrop Rockefeller. When he heard Father had invited you, he made a special trip from Arkansas. He's currently a senator in the Arkansas State Legislature," David said.
Leo had little knowledge of Winthrop from his previous life.
"All right, David—you've made the introductions. Let's go inside quickly. Father is waiting," John III said, clearly growing tired of the pleasantries.
Surrounded by the group, Leo entered the house. In the entrance hall, a huge portrait of John D. Rockefeller hung prominently. Looking at the portrait and recalling David's introductions of his brothers, Leo thought to himself:
Logically speaking, J.P. Morgan's influence in his era should have been stronger than John D. Rockefeller's. So why had the Morgan family become just a "story" in later generations, while the Rockefellers had grown more and more prominent? The root cause had nothing to do with ability, vision, or strategy. It was much simpler: the Rockefellers had been lucky in having children.
Just look at these five brothers. The eldest, though titled "John III," seemed mediocre and had no real role in managing the family business. Yet he was constantly pushed forward as the family's public face. This was clearly to lower people's guard—to tell the world, "Our Rockefeller leader is a kind, charitable man who only cares about public welfare."
But the truth? Starting with the second brother, none of the four younger siblings were easy to deal with. The second brother (Nelson) had used the family's immense influence to dive deep into U.S. top-level politics and international affairs, wielding pivotal power across the Western world. The third brother (Laurance) had set his sights on all emerging industries, laying the groundwork for the family's future. As for the fourth brother (Winthrop)—many might think he was the least successful, but was that really the case?
Leo could tell Winthrop was deeply cultivating his power in Arkansas. In ancient Eastern terms, this was a strategy of "advancing to dominate the court, retreating to rule as a local warlord." Leo was certain: if Winthrop's plan succeeded, Arkansas would become the Rockefeller family's final safety net and fallback—allowing them to always retain the power to "upend the table" against anyone.
And David, who seemed to have the closest relationship with Leo today? He was the true controller of the family's power. Leo was certain of this for two reasons: first, only the "master of the house" had the authority to make introductions like this; second, David Rockefeller was the CEO of Chase Manhattan Bank—the institution that now controlled the Rockefellers' wealth, handling all financial transactions for the family's various industries and serving as the "heart" of their fortune.
The eldest brother managed charity; the second seized power in high places; the third explored the future; the fourth secured their home base; the fifth guarded their rear. Leo etched this structure firmly in his mind, reminding himself repeatedly that the survival and inheritance of a family were the top priorities.
In his previous life, people had often criticized John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert for "sowing their wild oats" like "human stud horses." But it was precisely this strategy that had allowed the Kennedy family to maintain immense political influence in later generations, even after repeated assassinations claimed family members at different times.
As the saying went: secular morality only restrains ordinary people. For super-rich families, excessive devotion or monogamy could lead to no heirs—dooming a lifetime of hard-earned wealth to become a "dowry for others." Just look at Giannini.
Thinking of Evelyn's and Emily's bellies, Leo suddenly felt a sense of urgency. And thinking of his many lovers… As a "bee spreading pollen," he knew he still had to work harder!
The walk through the house took less than two minutes, but it felt like entering a museum. Dunhuang murals, Yuan Dynasty ink paintings, African primitive wood carvings, and oil paintings by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres—these rare treasures were hung along the corridors, decorating the space.
After passing through the dimly lit corridor, the space suddenly opened up. A huge crystal chandelier bathed the spacious drawing room in bright light. Words like "primitive," "luxurious," and "noble"—which should have clashed—blended perfectly and harmoniously before Leo's eyes.
In ordinary wealthy homes, works of art were often placed in the most prominent positions to showcase the owner's taste. Here, however, these treasures—priceless in others' eyes—were integrated into the room's decor as pure ornaments.
In the center of the room, directly in Leo's line of sight, a spirited old man stared at him with sharp, penetrating eyes.
"Welcome to the Rockefeller residence, Mr. Valentino," the old man said.
"Honored Mr. Rockefeller, thank you for your invitation," Leo replied, bowing slightly.
The man before him transcended "status"—if one were to name the greatest moneymakers in the world, John D. Rockefeller Jr. would undoubtedly be on that list.
"Hahaha, young man—I'm at an age where formalities don't matter. Sit," the old man laughed. "To be honest, inviting you wasn't entirely my idea. It was my children—they want to 'hitch a ride' with you to make some money. As for me? I just wanted to meet the man who could make even my children—who already earn fortunes every day—crave a chance to hitch that ride. I wanted to see just how good you are at making money!"
After Leo sat down, the old man glanced at his sons and said: "Those with business to discuss, stay. Those who don't, you may leave."
As soon as John D. Rockefeller Jr. finished speaking, John III vanished instantly. Laurance (the third brother), Winthrop (the fourth), and David (the fifth) sat down one after another. But they soon turned to Nelson (the second brother) in surprise—Nelson had not indicated he had any demands during their earlier discussions.
Sensing his brothers' questioning gazes, Nelson smiled and said: "After our discussion yesterday, I consulted many friends overnight. Every single one of them told me: Mr. Valentino's ability to make money is like a gift from God. They all urged me not to miss this chance to talk to you."
Faced with such praise, Leo put on a look of being "flattered and overwhelmed," but his internal alert level spiked to maximum. The people before him were the shrewdest of the shrewd—and the old man sitting across from him was a "super-shrewd" version. All these "monsters" wanted to take something from him. If he didn't stay 200% alert, he would surely suffer a huge loss today.
"I've helped them amass such enormous wealth, yet it still isn't enough to satisfy their hunger for more. Look how eager they are to profit from you," John D. Rockefeller Jr. said, feigning helplessness—but Leo detected a hint of pride in his tone.
Indeed, for a business family, having descendants who were eager to pursue wealth (instead of obsessing over grand "life propositions") was a sure sign of successful parenting.
The wisest of men often become like playful children in old age. John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s eyes sparkled as he looked at his sons, his face lighting up with excitement—as if watching an intense horse race. He wanted to see which son would be the first to talk to Leo, and which one would get what he wanted.
His sons were clearly accustomed to this quirk. Laurance, sitting in the middle, ignored his father and took the initiative to speak to Leo:
"Leo—may I call you Leo? This meeting was actually my request. It's a Rockefeller family tradition: when meeting someone of your caliber, all family members must communicate fully. So what I thought would be a one-on-one meeting has turned into this. I apologize.
"Our time is worth a fortune, and I like to be efficient. So Leo—I want to know: what terms do I need to offer for you to let me invest in American Real Estate? I heard there's still 5% of the shares up for distribution."
As soon as Laurance finished speaking, almost every Rockefeller present could feel the "humble" aura around the young man vanish instantly. John D. Rockefeller Jr., in particular, flickered with surprise in his eyes—followed by a hint of nostalgia. For a moment, he was reminded of his own shy, reserved father.
"Laurance, you may certainly call me Leo," Leo replied. "After the last reshuffle, American Real Estate does indeed have 5% of its shares undistributed. But I'm afraid this small amount won't satisfy the Rockefeller family's appetite. Besides, I'm sure you understand: once the Rockefellers enter American Real Estate, my influence over the company will be greatly weakened."
Leo's "refusal" made everyone's eyes light up. They were all shrewd enough to recognize that Leo had not rejected the idea outright—instead, he had said all this to indicate that "negotiations are possible" and that he was waiting for Laurance to make an offer.
"You're right to be concerned," Laurance admitted. "But let me show you my sincerity first. I own three hotel brands—including the Waldorf Astoria, where you often stay in New York. My family also owns a great deal of real estate in New York, and most of these valuable properties are under my management. I can merge these assets into American Real Estate. As for how many shares that would earn me, we can have professionals calculate it later.
"As for the management rights you're worried about—we can sign a contract. As long as you don't voluntarily give up control of American Real Estate, the voting rights attached to the Rockefeller shares will always belong to you. Think about it, Leo: once the Rockefeller family joins American Real Estate, the company's stock price will soar instantly. It might even reach an all-time high of $70 per share!"