《How can I justify myself as a Magnate if I don't indulge myself?》
Chapter 1 - 1 Wanting to Buy Osmanthus Wine Together
```
"Director Zhang, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to work overtime at thepany this Chinese New Year..."
"I haven¡¯t been back for two years, and just yesterday my childhood friend notified me that he¡¯s getting married on the 26th of thest lunar month, so I was wondering... can I avoid staying behind to work overtime this year?"
"But don¡¯t worry, Director Zhang! I promise to rush back to the office right after the second day of the new year, and I won¡¯t fall behind on my work progress!"
...
Inside the general manager¡¯s office at Hangcheng Gxy Media.
Gu Heng, who had been organizing his words outside the door for a few minutes, slowly let them out towards his boss, who was absorbed in yingputer games.
After hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, the boss simply raised his eyebrows without responding...
Seeing the boss¡¯s imposing manner, Gu Heng knew in his heart that the chances of going back for his childhood friend¡¯s wedding were probably slim...
As expected.
Two minutester, the boss looked up at Gu Heng after the character he was controlling in the game died.
"Gu Heng, if I remember correctly, you were an exceptional hire for thepany, weren¡¯t you?"
Hearing this, Gu Heng felt a bit more bitter and nodded lightly.
"Yes, Director Zhang, thepany initially required a bachelor¡¯s degree in scriptwriting for my position, and it was very kind of thepany to hire me despite only having a high school diploma."
Respectful in words, but his inner monologue was incessant.
Thepany did hire him despite the norm.
But in the market, a screenwriter¡¯s monthly sry, if not over 10,000, is at least 7,000 or 8,000.
What about him?
After being officially hired, his sry was only 4,500 yuan.
Where others had at most a three-month probation period, he was squeezed by thepany with a measly sry of 2,500 yuan for a probation period of seven whole months before just barely getting a permanent position...
Moreover, his workload was many times more than that of his colleagues in the same position... Luckily, Gu Heng¡¯s main enjoyment in life was surfing the inte, and he knew quite a few stale jokes. His situational scripts were not bad, and he had some value to thepany, so they hadn¡¯t fired him...
However, Gu Heng didn¡¯t me others; it was his own doing...
If he hadn¡¯t believed in that inte group¡¯s nonsense theory that studying was useless during his school days, thinking that with his brains, a high school diploma would be enough to make something of himself, he wouldn¡¯t be suffering from thepany¡¯s discrimination against his educational background...
The boss, unaware and uninterested in what Gu Heng was thinking, simply nodded slightly after hearing Gu Heng¡¯s response and then lit a cigarette, speaking slowly, "Since you¡¯re aware thepany has treated you well, why make such an unreasonable request?"
Gu Heng: "..."
Just because I don¡¯t want to work overtime during Chinese New Year, is that request unreasonable?
Do they really think our dignity¡¯s worthless?!
Although he wanted to smash the ashtray on the desk into the boss¡¯s size 42 contorted face and then make a video to tellizens that this is how we post-2000s shake up the workce!
But then he thought that by doing so, not only would he lose the decent office job with weekends off that his friends envied, he might also get a ¡¯tea invitation¡¯ from the police and spend the New Year in a detention center, so he had to abandon his damned dignity and awkwardly smile...
Clearly.
The boss didn¡¯t notice Gu Heng¡¯s inner turmoil and, after gently flicking the cigarette ash into the ashtray, spoke again slowly.
"Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do, you¡¯ve been with thepany for a while, and I don¡¯t want to put you in a difficult position.
I¡¯ll give you two options.
One, you stay and work overtime during the holiday, and I¡¯ll pay you overtime wages ording to the statutory holiday rate, and after the holiday, I¡¯ll give you a raise.
Two, if you really want to go home for the holiday, just hand in your resignation to HR on your way out, and I¡¯ll have the finance department settle your wages, so you can have a good New Year."
After he finished, the boss¡¯s gaze returned to theputer.
Whatever Gu Heng chose, it was no longer his concern.
Hispany might not berge, but it still had dozens of employees. It would be too much of a failure if he as the boss had to worry about every ordinary employee¡¯s stay or departure, right?
Seeing that the boss no longer cared to engage with him, Gu Heng could only silently smile bitterly and leave the office...
......
......
In front of his workstation.
After hesitating for a long time, he finally clicked on a WeChat contact and made a voice call.
"Hello? Hengzi, if you have something to say, say it quick, I¡¯m a bit busy right now."
Hearing the familiar local dialect through the phone, Gu Heng steeled his heart and began to speak slowly, "Fengzi, I might not be able to make it to your wedding..."
Before he could finish, he heard a fierce argument erupt on the other end.
"What the hell? 6000 yuan for two Audi A4s and four ordinary Volkswagens for a 10-hour service? Are you robbing me?"
"The 26th of thest lunar month is our busiest day for weddings, and 6000 yuan isn¡¯t a lot. If you don¡¯t believe me, go check other rentalpanies. If there¡¯s a lower price, I¡¯ll unscrew my head and give it to you as a urinal!"
"No way, that¡¯s too expensive. The most I found online was 4000! You¡¯re asking for half as much again!"
"If you can¡¯t ept it, go check elsewhere. But just so you know, once you step out of this door and if the fleet gets rented by someone else, don¡¯t even talk about 6000; even if you offer 10,000, you won¡¯t be able to rent them."
"If I can¡¯t rent them, then so be it. I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t manage to put together a wedding motorcade without renting!"
```
After finishing speaking, the argument on the other end of the phone came to an abrupt halt, followed by the voice of my childhood friend Fengzi, "Are you still there, Hengzi?"
But by this time, Gu Heng¡¯s thoughts had already drifted to years past.
When he had just graduated from high school and was nning to enter the workforce, he had boasted that when a few old pals got married, he would definitely arrive in a luxury car to lead the wedding procession...
But now...
Although others mightin about car loans and mortgages... they at least have cars, houses, and a dream...
With his own sry of 4500, not to mention a car or house, even the ce he rents is in the most remote area, requiring several transfers and 40 minutes on the subway for his dailymute, all just to save a bit on rent...
Even so, after scrimping and saving for years, he had barely managed to save up 80,000 yuan...
Looking at the name of the script the director brought over for him to read his lines from...
"To buy fragrant osmanthus together with wine, it¡¯s not as good as the days of youth"...
The verse that once seemed to be nothing more than a intive moan pierced his heart at this moment...
Taking a deep breath, Gu Heng made a decision that went against his ancestors¡¯ wishes!
"Fengzi, don¡¯t worry about the wedding car just yet. I saw on Moments that Xiaohua and Haibin have all bought cars. Ask them about it. As for the lead car...
Do you remember what I told you before? I¡¯ll definitely get you the most awesome lead car!"
"Really? You¡¯ve got that kind of clout? Don¡¯t bullshit me, bro. Getting married¡¯s nearly killed my parents and me, it¡¯ll probably be the only time in my life. If you screw it up, I swear I¡¯ll take my bride and smash your windows!"
"Don¡¯t worry!"
"Alright then, I¡¯ll be looking forward to seeing how amazing the lead car you bring back is!"
After hanging up the phone, Gu Heng exhaled the pent-up frustration in his chest, went online, found a temte for a resignation letter, copied, pasted, printed¡ªall done in one go!
Half an hourter, Gu Heng walked out of the HR office without the hesitation and nervousness that usuallye before resigning, even his normally bowed spine seemed to straighten a bit.
He had already made up his mind.
After receiving his final paycheck, his total ount bnce would be just over 85,000 yuan.
Renting a BMW 730 or Mercedes-Benz S350, even with the price hikes during the Spring Festival, would cost under 20,000 yuan for a week. He nned to drive it back and show off, not caring if he got found out, just stick to his guns, iming it was bought with a huge amount of money!
After all, the cost of showing off was too high; after doing it this year, he probably wouldn¡¯t go back for several years.
He didn¡¯t want to think about the chain reaction that would follow, after showing off,e hell or high water!
He¡¯d spend 10,000 on a watch and some nicer clothes to dress himself up...
The other 5,000 would be for gifts to bring back to his parents and elders.
35,000 yuan for the sake of appearances.
The remaining 50,000 would be used next year to set up a small food stall, putting it in front of a university!
Born in the year 2000, he was only 23 now. Although the harsh realities of life had worn down much of his sharp edges over the years, Gu Heng never forgot that he was still young!
His motto was one of hopeful prospects!
At this moment, Gu Heng¡¯s spirits were more fired up than after watching an entire episode of Boruto!
His mind was still in a whirlwind! He was no beast of burden! As long as he didn¡¯t give up, he would see his day in the sun!
Just then, a calm electronic voice sounded in Gu Heng¡¯s mind.
"The Hedonistic Male God System has been activated."
"From this moment on, every indulgence of the host will be rewarded with cash based on the event."
"The host has confronted his true desires and made a decision that clears his mind, quitting his job! And sessfully indulged his whims, awarding the host 100,000 yuan!"
He originally thought he had been under pressure from reality for too long, and after a temporary escape, mental issues arose from the sudden relief, even starting to hear hallucinations...
But the next second, his three-year-old iPhone 12 received a message...
"Your bank card ount 8529 has received a deposit of RMB 100,000 on January 25, 2024, with a post-transaction bnce of 180,400 yuan [Construction Bank]"
Gu Heng¡¯s brain briefly crashed, but he immediately logged onto the Construction Bank APP, saw the 180,000 yuan in his bnce, and swallowed hard...
Hengzi, are you for real?
Since he was 18 and started working, he had always adhered to the teachings of his parents.
When out in the world, temper your attitude and endure¡ªthings will pass...
Over five or six years, what made Gu Heng proudest was the more than 80,000 yuan he saved, while his peers might still be asking for handouts from their parents...
After enduring for so many years and wanting to be willful for once, not enduring anymore, the system told him that because of his indulgence, he immediately got 100,000 yuan? Over ten thousand more than his savings of so many years?
The first thought that popped into his mind wasn¡¯t ecstasy over the immense wealth that had fallen into hisp from the system.
It was questioning the meaning of ying the part of a fool for so many years.
If he had been self-indulgent sooner, could he have suffered two years less?
Moreover, he had just psyched himself up to make a breakthrough, but now with the system, did he still need to work hard?
This was just like when he had been full of ambition, shouting that his fate was his own and not up to the heavens, and then his dad suddenly called to tell him, "Son, stop trying so hard,e home and take over the family business, I¡¯ve hidden from you for over 20 years to test you. Actually, I¡¯m a millionaire, so juste back and lie down like a waste."
It couldn¡¯t just be called being sentimental...
Both sudden wealth and sudden downfall can easily destabilize one¡¯s mindset...
Chapter 2 - 2 Eight Hundred Acres of Paddy Fields Were Expropriated
The resignation procedure was settled.
The finance department also said that once everything had been verified, they would transfer the money to Gu Heng¡¯s usual sry card.
What needed to be said had been said...
In this respect, thepany still had some conscience. At least they didn¡¯t make Gu Heng wait for months to get his resignation pay...
Of course...
It was also possible that they thought the four thousand and some change was not worth the hassle, after all, Gu Heng was leaving on his own, without any need forpensation...
Returning to his desk, and ncing at the workstation he had sat at for over two years, Gu Heng felt no attachment. He simply picked up his carefully nurtured green radish nt, donned his coat, and got ready to leave.
Just then...
A sweet and cloying standardized ent reached his ears.
"Gu Heng, have you finished writing the script for this episode? We need to shoot in a couple of days. Let me familiarize myself with the lines first."
Turning around, he saw a slightly plump girl dressed in a light brown wool coat and matching high boots walking toward his workstation, her brisk pace causing her inner pleated skirt and magic legs tights to sh in and out of view...
Looking at the girl in front of him, Gu Heng was slightly stunned and couldn¡¯t help but take a few more looks...
Her shoulder-length hair simply draped over her, crowned with an exquisite butterfly-shaped hair essory, and she had a somewhat fleshy face that was smooth and delicate without a blemish to be seen.
Though her plump face and swollen chest may give some the impression of being overweight, her t stomach and straight legs beneath the coat made it clear that her flesh was allocated in all the right ces...
In simple terms, that is...
Very attractive.
The girl¡¯s name was He Jing, known online as Xiao Jingjing. With close to 4 million fans on Douyin, she was one of the few inte celebrities in thepany to break the million-follower mark, and calling her thepany¡¯s top star wasn¡¯t an exaggeration...
She was also one of the people in thepany who knew Gu Heng best...
But this familiarity was just in terms of acquaintance, and they could at best be considered average friends.
This was mainly because he was the scriptwriter responsible for writing lyrics for He Jing, so it was inevitable that they interacted frequently...
Seeing Gu Heng staring at her without speaking, He Jing was also surprised. After all, they had worked together for almost two years, and Gu Heng¡¯s interactions with her were usually very cautious. Such direct and constant eye contact had almost never happened before.
But the ever-cheerful He Jing didn¡¯t think much of it. She deliberately tossed her long hair, and a faint scent of perfume wafted directly towards Gu Heng¡¯s nose.
"What¡¯s up? Have you finally realized your Sister Jing¡¯s beauty after two years?"
Having said that, she took two steps forward, tilting her head and batting her big eyes at Gu Heng...
The pose was a bit flirty...
But having known her for so long, Gu Heng was well aware that He Jing had an uninhibited nature, and he didn¡¯t delude himself into thinking she had any special feelings for him...
To say, working in a mediapany filled with beautiful inte celebrities, that Gu Heng hadn¡¯t ever been attracted to any of them would be a lie.
After all, he was in his 20s, an age when hormones are raging...
But over time, such unrealistic fantasies had long been cast out of Gu Heng¡¯s mind...
After all, there were a dozen or so inte celebrities in thepany, each with a monthly ie starting in the five figures, right?
Take He Jing, for instance, the top star of thepany¡ªher monthly ie was at least in the six figures, and when she had multiple sponsorships for her advertisements, it could even be arge six-figure sum. His own savings, umted over a few years of hard work, might amount to just half of her monthly sry.
Even thepany boss had to keep this money tree happy, let alone him, and there was also a group of big brothers waiting to protect her in her live broadcast room...
To fancy him?
Although he was a bit handsome, it was just a bit more than your average person.
But a 4500 yuan monthly sry brutally busted his lower limit; not to mention these high-ie inte celebrities, even an ordinary factory girl would probably have to think twice.
However, having started to ept the facts of being bound to the system, Gu Heng was also feeling somewhat changed...
Though he didn¡¯t suddenly fancy himself the chosen one, destined for wealth and women toe kneeling for his favor, he nevertheless felt a bit more confident.
And with that, he boldly moved his face a bit closer.
In an instant...
The distance between their faces was no more than ten centimeters...
Smelling the pleasant fragranceing from He Jing, he spoke softly, "I haven¡¯t noticed if you¡¯re beautiful or not, but didn¡¯t you see that you have patches of powder on your face today?"
He Jing: "???"
Gu Heng¡¯s boldness didn¡¯t give her much to ponder, but the phrase "patches of powder" instantly made her pupils dte. She hurriedly rummaged through her bag for her makeup mirror and carefully searched for where her painstakingly applied makeup could have gone wrong...
After looking for a long time and still not finding any w in her makeup that had taken her more than half an hour to perfect, she was about to ask Gu Heng exactly where she had powdered too heavily when she looked up and saw Gu Heng¡¯s teasing smile...
Realizing she had been yed, He Jing wasn¡¯t angry and cutely rolled her eyes, ignoring Gu Heng.
Although she could clearly sense that Gu Heng had changedpared to before, bing much bolder, their rtionship was not close enough to necessitate digging deeper. She then picked up the script on the work desk and flipped through it carelessly.
"What¡¯s the deal? Like them, you¡¯ve started cking and taking it easy, right?
"You usually finish my lines three days in advance, but this time you¡¯ve written less than half with the shooting up!
"You¡¯re cking!!!"
Looking at He Jing with her exaggerated expression and acting as if her heart was breaking, Gu Heng shrugged and smiled, "This is it. I¡¯ve already handed over my work; I won¡¯t be responsible for your lines in the future."
He Jing instantly grasped Gu Heng¡¯s meaning. Then her chubby face puffed slightly, and she asked in surprise, "You resigned?"
Seeing Gu Heng nod, He Jing hastily continued, "Are you crazy? It¡¯s almost the end of the year and you¡¯re resigning? Don¡¯t you want your year-end bonus?"
If these words had been said before the system activation, Gu Heng might have felt a twinge of pain.
But upon further thought.
The year-end bonus?
As far as he knew, the year-end bonuses for other employees in thepany were usually distributed based on one quarter¡¯s sry, with the least being two months¡¯ worth.
And himself?
At most, he would get one month¡¯s sry for his year-end bonus.
A 4500 yuan year-end bonus?
It wasn¡¯t evenparable to a single hair from the system¡¯s rewards!
Seeing Gu Heng not speaking, He Jing thought he was regretting his decision and quickly continued, "If you don¡¯t want to resign anymore, just tell me, and I¡¯ll take you to the boss.
I guarantee you can stay. Don¡¯t worry; I, Sister Jing, still have some clout in thepany."
She wasn¡¯t boasting.
As the top female at thepany, she certainly had the influence to have a marginal employee¡¯s resignation letter revoked.
The reason she was so eager to help Gu Heng stay wasn¡¯t so much that she was warm-hearted but because, having been a social media influencer for so long, she was quite clear about her fans¡¯ demographics. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that the customized short drama scripts Gu Heng wrote for her yed a part in her modest fame on Douyin.
She was afraid that if Gu Heng left, thepany would assign her a scriptwriter who wasn¡¯t reliable, causing her to lose followers...
After all, her high ie depended on the 4 million "family members" she had on Douyin...
Although Gu Heng knew what He Jing was thinking, the fact that she was the first person to care about him after his resignation did touch him, even if it were just a little.
Gu Heng first responded with a smile and a word of thanks, then continued, "Forget it, my resignation has been approved, and finance is already calcting my sry. No need to bother."
"What do you n on doing after resigning? You¡¯re really going to deliver takeout?"
Gu Heng¡¯s educational background was not a secret in thepany.
Gu Heng once casuallyined to He Jing about his low sry, saying if he couldn¡¯t keep going, he¡¯d deliver takeout; with some hard work, he could at least make ten or twenty thousand a month.
And the reality was indeed so.
In today¡¯s society where it¡¯s difficult for university graduates to find jobs, a high school diploma is at most equivalent to being literate but uneducated. Other than delivering takeout, setting up a small stall or working in a factory, there weren¡¯t many good options, especially in employment-pressed Hang City.
Of course, the above applies only to ordinary people whose parents cannot offer support.
If one¡¯s parents could casually provide a hundred or two hundred thousand yuan for starting a business, then the options are too many to count.
After saying this, He Jing also realized that her words might have been inappropriate, quickly adding with an apologetic tone, "I don¡¯t mean that. Ourpany¡¯s treatment is actually quite good. You¡¯re a talented person, and maybe things will start looking up in a couple of years? If you resign now, all your previous efforts will have been for nothing."
He Jing was well aware of how hard Gu Heng had worked in the past, and at that moment, she genuinely felt a bit sorry for this younger brother, who was just a few months her junior.
Seeing He Jing show concern, Gu Heng wasn¡¯t too emotional, instead, he smiled with a teasing look, "Don¡¯t you want to know why I¡¯m resigning?"
"Why?"
"My dad called me yesterday, told me that our 800-acre rice field back home had been requisitioned, two thousand yuan per acre. I¡¯m going to be a rich second generation soon and don¡¯t feel like working anymore; I want toy back."
"Really? Is that true?"
"It¡¯s false."
The adorable eye-rolling expression appeared on He Jing¡¯s face again.
"The real news is that my dad told me he¡¯s a billionaire, and that all the hardship I experienced was for the sake of testing and tempering me. Now that the twenty-three years are up, it¡¯s time for me to officially take my ce as a rich second generation."
"The eight hundred acres of rice field being requisitioned still seems more believable."
However, through Gu Heng¡¯s jokes, He Jing also understood that his decision to resign today was set in stone, and she refrained from persuading him further.
Without thebel of colleagues, their interaction became even more harmonious. She couldn¡¯t help but crack a joke herself, "Since you¡¯re now a rich second generation, how about arranging a meal tonight? You¡¯ve got to have a farewell dinner, right?"
"Sure, just the two of us¡ªpick any restaurant in Hang City."
"Are you serious?"
Gu Heng shrugged indifferently, "Nonsense, even if I¡¯m not a rich second generation, my savings are surely enough to treat you to a meal, right?"
Gu Heng¡¯s sudden change had piqued her curiosity. Normally, he would definitely refuse such an offer, but today, while her mind was set on refusal, her answer turned out to be the opposite, "Fine. I haven¡¯t had a meal at your expense in two years; I¡¯ll take advantage of you this time!."
"But just the two of us won¡¯t do. As a public figure, if the news of me eating alone with you gets out, what if my ¡¯husband fans¡¯ unsubscribe? Since it¡¯s a farewell dinner, you invite a few more colleagues in the evening, and I¡¯ll bring a couple to support you. How about that?"
Maybe because she often had many suitors.
He Jing handled these matters smoothly; no matter whether Gu Heng had any interest in her or not, she preemptively eliminated the possibility of them being alone together, deftly halting any romantic notions he might develop with high emotional intelligence.
Gu Heng was emotionally intelligent himself and understood He Jing¡¯s rationale, but he didn¡¯t feel particrly shaken by it.
A moment ago, with the system¡¯s backing, he indeed had some thoughts about He Jing, but it was just a passing fancy ¨C nowhere near the stage of ¡¯must-have.¡¯ Inviting her to dinner was at most to put a satisfying period at the end of his two years in thepany.
It was also a way to celebrate his new beginning.
Thinking of this, a more rxed smile spread across Gu Heng¡¯s face.
"Okay, I¡¯ll send you a message on WeChat when work is about to end tonight. If you want to go to any particr restaurant, you can tell me in advance. And if you don¡¯t tell me, then I¡¯ll decide on my own."
After saying this, Gu Heng carried his green radish nt with one hand and waved with the other as he walked out of thepany¡¯s main entrance without looking back.
[The host has openly disyed his true self to an excellent girl without concealment, sessfully indulging once, and is rewarded with 50,000 yuan in cash.]
As Gu Heng stepped out of thepany gate and heard the system¡¯s notification along with the subsequent vibration of his phone message, his steps faltered momentarily. Then, with the smile on his face growing more liberated, he continued on his way.
Chapter 3 - 3 Isnt this outright gender discrimination?
Resigning was exhrating, but once Gu Heng stepped out of thepany¡¯s door, the ring sunlight and bustling crowd left him clutching his spider nt with a hint of disorientation...
He pulled out his phone to check the time.
A little after one in the afternoon.
Normally at this time, he¡¯d be buried in work at the office. Now that he¡¯d suddenly quit, let¡¯s not even get started on poetry and the distant horizon; he felt an odd emptiness from having nothing to do...
Indeed...
Being a wage ve for so long, now that he had awoken, he actually felt somewhat out of step...
But this disorientationsted only a few seconds before hunger kicked in.
Gu Heng didn¡¯t have the habit of eating breakfast.
This wasn¡¯t about saving money¡ªafter all, skipping breakfast didn¡¯t save much¡ªrather, purely forck of time...
He had to be at work by nine in the morning, but living in the suburbs meant he had to get up before eight. After rushing through his morning routine to get to the office just in time, who had the luxury of minding their health with something as petty as breakfast?
As for why not wake up even earlier...
That¡¯s even more absurd...
Young people these days, even with nothing but time on their hands, wouldn¡¯t dream of going to bed before two in the morning, scrolling through Tencent News in bed. After the rm goes off, to treasure an extra minute of death in bed is the ultimate bliss.
Wake up early?
He¡¯d never do it just for a couple of buns and a cup of soy milk in this lifetime.
Although he felt like splurging on a good meal, his steps instinctively led him to the Lanzhou Beef Noodle Shop beneath the building¡ªa habit formed over more than two years seemed to bewitch him, pulling him right in...
"Boss, arge bowl of beef noodles, please."
As Gu Heng called out his familiar order, a response came swiftly from the kitchen, vored with the ent ofmb skewers.
"Alright, onerge bowl of beef noodlesing up! Just a moment!"
He found an empty seat in the crammed shop and cast a casual nce around...
At least half of the dozen or so patrons seated inside were familiar faces. Though none knew each other, nor had they ever spoken, their sharedmitment to cheap noodles had long since forged a soulful connection...
Calling them "noodlerades" wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement...
Gu Heng¡¯s daily living expenses were usually pretty consistent...
A 15-yuan bowl of noodles or a simr-priced rice dish at noon, a quick two-meat, two-veggie dinner for about 20 yuan in the evening, and asionally ate-night snack, like a 4-yuan pot of Old Altar Pickled Beef Noodles...
As for whether or not he¡¯d get athlete¡¯s foot in his mouth, he did worry at the beginning and switched to spicy vors for a while...
But then he thought...
Those tens of thousands of yuan bottles of pure handmade wine are also foot-trodden, yet they¡¯re still sought after by high society.
The Old Altar Pickled Cabbage is foot-trodden too, so why should it be treated differently?
Is it because the grapes are stomped by maidens, while the pickled cabbage is stomped by uncles?
That¡¯s tant gender discrimination!
With that thought, Gu Heng went back to his favorite vor...
Even though it¡¯s only 4 yuan a pot, at least he has the same taste as those elite folks!
His daily food expenses were roughly 40 yuan, plus a 16-yuan pack of Puwan Cigarettes from Huangshan, and a monthly rent of 1200 including utilities... Gu Heng¡¯s monthly expenses were about 3000 yuan, and he could save 1500 each month...
This was also why, with his 4500-yuan sry, he¡¯d managed to save up 80,000 yuan over the years...
Just as Gu Heng was about to open Douyin to kill time waiting for his meal...
Two unread text message notifications about system rewards popped into view.
...
Now that he¡¯d quit his job, he could at least be considered a free person, right?
Wealth freedom isn¡¯t even the question here, I suppose it was at least absolute financial independence, right?
Why should I still be eating the same 15-yuan noodles as these corporate drones andckeys?
With that thought, Gu Heng¡¯s voice rang out again.
"Boss, add another three liang of beef to my noodles!"
As his words fell, all the "noodle buddies" who had been slurping in silence couldn¡¯t help but put down their chopsticks and turned their heads to look at Gu Heng...
Confronted with their gazes¡ªthree parts skepticism, three parts surprise, three parts disdain, with a dash of envy¡ªGu Heng simply ignored them and opened TikTok...
What status, what identity do I have?
Would I eat the same noodles as them?
[The host has distinguished from the corporate drones at Lanzhou Beef Noodle Shop by adding three liang of beef, indulging his pte with an ouy of 36 yuan! He has elevated his own ss, started to adapt to the change in status, and has sessfully indulged his desires! Reward: 9999 yuan!]
Although he had already received two rewards and developed a slight resistance...
Yet, upon seeing the synchronized bank transaction notifications on his phone, Gu Heng¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but pound wildly for a moment...
Although he had been rewarded three times within a short hour since the system activated, the first two times were quite different from this one...
Resigning could be considered a major decision that could affect my future life...
As for the second time, it was purely a change in my own mindset. At that time, my emotions were entangled with various feelings, and I didn¡¯t pay much attention to the reward...
But what about this time?
I already have a savings of over 200,000 yuan now...
Could eating a beef noodle with an extra three liang of beef be considered indulging?
And to reward me 9999 yuan for that?
Gu Heng suddenly remembered a wealth-unting ad copy he had seen on TikTok.
"When you¡¯ve experienced making someone¡¯s monthly sry in just two hours, you¡¯ll never want to work a day job again."
When he first saw this phrase, he was just a bottom rungckey in society. Although he agreed with it, all he could do was tough it off...
Because he had never experienced that feeling...
If I must say I had, then I was the one being measured by that unit...
It was others who made my monthly sry in two hours, and I¡¯d never had the highlight of making more than 1000 yuan in a single day in over twenty years...
But now, having personally experienced the scenario from the ad, the reality of that sensation sweeping over him, Gu Heng wholeheartedly acknowledged that phrase...
Because now, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d go back to working for a miserly wage of 4500 yuan for some capitalist dog.
Forget 4500 yuan, even 45,000 yuan wouldn¡¯t make him happy!
I busted my ass for years and only managed to save up 80,000 yuan. Now, in less than an hour, I¡¯ve got 160,000 yuan, double my savings¡ªwhy would I need to work?
Perhaps because he had been at the bottom for too long, Gu Heng had never dared to dream too wildly even in his dreams.
His greatest dream was to win the lottery jackpot twice, pay the taxes, buy a luxury car worth a hundred or so thousand, get a so-called mansion in the city of his hometown for a couple of million, and put the remaining 5 million in the bank on fixed deposit to live off the interest. He had never even considered things like intion¡ªhe simply wanted an easy life until the end...
ording to his past calctions, putting 5 million in a fixed deposit could earn about 20,000 yuan in interest a month...
Now, just by having two meals of beef noodles a day, I can achieve my ultimate dream...
This sense of sudden happiness felt so surreal to him...
"Three liang of beef, arge bowl of beef noodles!"
The owner¡¯s reminder brought Gu Heng¡¯s thoughts back to reality.
He dumped the thinly sliced beef into the noodles and added the fragrant chili oil...
One bite down.
He swallowed all the bitterness he had faced since entering society nearly six years ago, never to be experienced again.
Chapter 4: Spiritual Nourishment
After finishing the ramen, I walked out of the shop with the devil¡¯s ivy in hand.
I had nned to go back to my rental apartment and lie down to mull things over, but as I looked at the bustling Hang City streets in front of me, I hesitated...
With a fortune in my pocket, all I could think about was indulging in some revenge spending topensate for all the humiliations I had suffered over the years due tock of money...
When it came to taking action, Gu Heng was quite capable.
No sooner had the idea appeared in my mind than my hand had already opened the taxi-booking interface on the WeChat mini-program...
I entered the destination, Hubin Yintai in77.
Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, I chose a premium car service.
Having been in Hang City for over two years, Gu Heng was well-acquainted with every metro line and bus route, but the number of times I took a cab was few and far between, let alone the costlier premium services.
But now, things were different...
I subconsciously checked my bank bnce again.
Latterly, the winds from South Mountain scattered the grain heaps, and the waters of North Sea submerged the gravestones; you might as well look back at me carefully, do I resemble my former self at all???
As expected...
As soon as the taxi-booking interface showed that a driver had epted the order, the anticipated system notification followed promptly.
[Host has abandoned the usual mode of travel and chosen a more luxurious means, sessfully indulged once, reward: 9999 Hua Country Yuan.]
Awesome!
This feeling of both enjoying and damned well making money is just too damned awesome!
My bank bnce soared by another 10,000, reaching 250,000...
.....
.....
A few minutester.
With the extremely professional service of the private car driver, I found myself in an Audi A6 of an unknown model year.
"Would you like something to drink? There are mineral waters and somemon beverages in the car, free of charge."
Seeing the driver¡¯s smiling face, my mood improved a great deal.
In the past, when I used to catch buses, sometimes because I was busy with my phone and didn¡¯t notice the approaching bus and hesitated, at best I¡¯d get on the bus under the impatient gaze of the driver, at worst they would just ignore me, elerate away, and leave me behind yelling desperately, "Swallow, how can I live without you?"...
And have the gall to smile and ask if you want a beverage?
As if!
No wonder people always say the rich enjoy not only materialforts but also spiritual nourishment...
Not to mention the superiorfort of the Audi A6pared to ordinary taxis, just this level of service made the extra few bucks worth every damned penny...
After the driver¡¯s warm inquiries were over, the car gradually started moving.
Gu Heng also set the devil¡¯s ivy aside and began to ponder carefully.
Originally, I had nned to spend 10,000 Yuan to spruce myself up, but now that I had money, I definitely couldn¡¯t be so miserly...
Let¡¯s start with a modest goal.
100,000!
Spend 100,000 on myself first and then see!
I had thought about renting a luxury car to go back, but now I didn¡¯t have the slightest inclination to do so.
Given the current rate at which I was making money, I was sure I could save enough for a luxury car by the New Year, and if not, I¡¯d just take out a loan for installment payments; I didn¡¯t believe that even with my system, I couldn¡¯t pay back a bank loan!
No matter how you looked at it, owning was definitely sweeter than renting.
As for losing face by taking out a loan to buy a car when I was someone with a system, that wasn¡¯t even within my considerations.
I never felt like having a system made me some kind of godly tycoon.
A regr person is a regr person.
And a regr person who suddenly gets rich is still a regr person.
Not to mention it was just a few hundred thousand Yuan; I was nowhere near rich, a real wealthy person could spend that much on a bottle of wine or a meal.
Whether or not I might be a posh tycoon in the future under the influence of money is something to think aboutter.
Didn¡¯t I get the "Hedonistic Male God" system? Just indulging honestly would suffice.
```
....
....
"Sir, we¡¯ve arrived. This is Hubin Yintai A Block. If you get off on the right side and go straight, you¡¯ll be there,"
After an unknown amount of time, the voice of the hired driver rang out again.
After politely thanking him, Gu Heng picked up his potted spider nt and got out of the car.
...
As the most famous inte-celebrity city of Hua Country, Hang City¡¯s specialty isn¡¯t the damned West Lake Vinegar Fish, which is neither sour nor sweet, but inte celebrities.
Especially ces like Hubin Yintai in77, a high-end shopping center, is just crawling with them.
Whether they have money or not, the vast majority of these inte celebrities like to flock to upscale areas, though I¡¯m not really sure what they¡¯re after...
Especially now, with just half a month to go before the New Year, even though these high-endmercial districts aren¡¯t usually crowded, they could now definitely be described as packed...
It alles down to traditional thinking.
Rich or poor, it¡¯s back home for the holidays.
What does going home mean for all those employees who¡¯ve worked like dogs all year round?
Of course, it means showing off.
The simple logic is this:
Outside, I can be a servant, a dog!
But once I¡¯m back in my hometown, I must be rich and honored, making a triumphant return!
Outside, smoking a pack of cigarettes that costs around 10 yuan is my spiritual sustenance; but back home... What¡¯s that? Hua Zi? Only dogs smoke Hua Zi. It has to be the soft pack! The hard ones are too harsh on the throat!
It¡¯s exactly because of this sort of thinking...
Every year on the eve of Spring Festival, all kinds of car dealerships and luxury goods stores might do as much business in this one month as they usually do in a whole year...
...
His steps slow, Gu Heng made his way through the crowded throng.
Amidst all the stylish men and beautiful women, Gu Heng, holding his potted spider nt, stood out like a sore thumb...
But in reality, it didn¡¯t attract many unusual nces.
Real life isn¡¯t a novel; as long as you¡¯re not too bizarre, no one bothers to prolong their gaze or find fault...
A few minutester, Gu Heng stopped in front of a store.
It was too upscale here...
Upscale to the point that Gu Heng didn¡¯t recognize most of the brands on disy...
After wandering for quite a while, he finally found a store with a brand he recognized.
"Hello, sir. Wee to the Nike Boutique. I¡¯m a sales associate here. Just call me Xiao Tao,"
The moment he entered the store, an enthusiastic sales associate with a weing smile approached him.
Without any sign of surprise at the sight of the spider nt in Gu Heng¡¯s hand, the associate naturally took it and led him into the store.
"Sir, are you looking to buy clothing or shoes? Our Nike Boutique carries many limited edition and collectible shoes and apparel that are readily avable on the market,"
After setting aside the spider nt, the sales associate got down to business.
But by this time, Gu Heng¡¯s attention had already been captured by a pair of silver-grey shoes with a ck LOGO disyed in a ss case.
Following Gu Heng¡¯s gaze, the sales associate looked over as well and hurriedly began to introduce them.
"This pair is the AJ1, a low-top basketball shoe co-branded with Dior, featuring the same design as its high-top counterpart, the same color scheme, and the same detailed design applied to a low-top silhouette. The wing logo also features ¡¯AIR DIOR,¡¯ and the blue crystal outsole highlights the DIOR name. It¡¯s one of the most popr basketball shoes among our Nike lines,"
Gu Heng was barely listening to the sales associate¡¯s pitch.
As a member of the post-2000 generation, he, like many others born after 2000, once had dreams of owning AJ...
Though over the years AJ sneakers have be somon they¡¯re practically streetwear and often hard to distinguish between genuine and fake, it didn¡¯t diminish his past affection for them.
When he was younger, his family was reluctant to spend one or two thousand yuan on a pair of shoes for him.
By the time he was earning his own money, he himself was reluctant to spend one or two thousand yuan on a pair of shoes.
Caught in a vicious cycle, his damn AJ dream was shelved...
```
Chapter 5 - 5 The Greatest Success for a Man is Being Able to Pay Successfully
```
With this thought, Gu Heng didn¡¯t hesitate and turned his head to look at the sales associate.
"How much for these shoes?"
The sales associate quickly replied, "45,888 yuan."
Gu Heng: "???!!!!"
Young Master Gu?
Forty-five thousand eight hundred?
Although he didn¡¯t show much emotional reaction on the surface or jolt in shock, Gu Heng was truly taken aback by the number.
So he was nning to spend 100,000 yuan to spruce himself up, and a pair of shoes was half the budget?
Seeing Gu Heng fall silent, the sales associate hurriedly continued to exin: "These shoes were a limited edition coboration released on June 26, 2020, with an original price of 16,000 yuan. The current market price starts from 34,999 yuan.
But since sir has chosen our Nike Boutique, you must have some understanding of our brand.
Our footwear is not just an ordinary pair of sports shoes, but also exquisite collectibles! Collectors around the world take delight in collecting Nike shoes, which is why the price of some models continues to rise.
However, rest assured, while 45,888 yuan may be somewhat expensive, it is definitely worth more than its price if you purchase it!"
Gu Heng no longer wanted to listen to the sales associate spewing bullshit.
What fucking collectors? He had no interest in bing one. All this fancy-schmancy talk, it¡¯s nothing but shoe addiction.
As for getting more than what you paid for, that¡¯s just in bullshit to fool idiots. Although he hadn¡¯t used luxury goods before, in his eyes, luxury items, except for showing off in front of others, are utterly worthless.
So he decided¡
To be the big fool and indulge himself!
"Wrap them up for me."
"Of course sir, just a moment!"
The sales associate didn¡¯t pause slightly and then feel secretly delighted, as written in novels. Instead, they swiftly called over another employee to wrap the shoes for Gu Heng.
Dy leads to changes!
Being in sales means being adaptable on the fly.
If they were slow, and Gu Heng changed his mind, wouldn¡¯t they lose out on this performance andmission?
...
"Sir, your shoes are wrapped up. How will you be paying?"
"WeChat."
Standing at the counter, watching the sales associate raise the payment QR scanner toward him with a smile, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly as he reached for his phone...
He had thought about splurging thousands in clubs, business KTVs, and nightclubs where high consumption was the norm, and everyone would cheer ¡¯Young Master Gu is awesome,¡¯ but he never imagined that the biggest expenditure of his life would be for a pair of shoes...
After calming his emotions and steadying his trembling hand, he slowly aimed his phone¡¯s payment code at the scanner...
Beep...
With a crisp sound from the machine, "Payment Sessful" appeared on Gu Heng¡¯s phone.
Looking at those words...
Gu Heng unexpectedly felt a sense of achievement...
Indeed,izens were right, the greatest sess for a man is ¡¯Payment Sessful¡¯...
Only when the deal was sealed and the performance secured, did the sales associate¡¯s heart settle, and their smile became several times warmer than before, "Congrattions sir on sessfully purchasing the shoes you love. I wish you a happy life, every day full of joy."
Then they handed over the beautifully wrapped shoebox to Gu Heng...
[Hostpletes thergest expense of his life, feeling overwhelmed and full of emotions, sessfully indulging himself! Mindset elevated once again. Reward: 660,000 yuan]
Hearing the system¡¯s voice in his mind, Gu Heng¡¯s pupils first constricted and then rapidly dted.
660,000 yuan?!
```
Gu Heng had anticipated that the system¡¯s reward might be a bit more this time.
After all, he had shelled out 45,800 yuan, so if the reward were only 9,999 yuan, what was even the point? Indulging twice would plunge him straight into negative assets. Would he have to resort to online loans to indulge his desires then?
If that were the case, Gu Heng would no longer believe that the system was there to give him a leg up.
It was very likely a new tactic developed by online loanpanies! The goal was to get young people hooked on online lending...
Even though Gu Heng had just pictured a reward of maybe 50,000 to 100,000 yuan, he never expected it to be 660,000 yuan...
Any guilt he felt for buying a pair of shoes for over 40,000 yuan vanished...
Buy a pair of shoes and earn a luxury car in return? Guilt, what guilt?
Had he had enough money, Gu Heng would have loved to take over the entire Nike Boutique!
....
....
After refusing the sales assistant¡¯s impolite request to make a few more sales off him, Gu Heng, holding a shoebox in one hand and a potted devil¡¯s ivy in the other, strolled around and then entered an LV store.
The LV sales assistants, noticing that Gu Heng was already carrying purchased items, hurried over to greet him.
Every industry has its standards for identifying customers.
In luxury malls, the vast majority are just browsing, with no intention of buying from the start.
Those who have already bought something are a confirmed sale in terms of purchasing power. Even though it¡¯s not certain whether they will continue to buy, in the eyes of these sales assistants, they definitely take priority over customers who enter empty-handed and just browse around.
Among several sales assistants, Gu Heng chose a girl whom he found agreeable.
"Hello, sir. Do you have any particr style in mind that you¡¯re fond of? I can show you some right now."
Once Gu Heng made it clear that he was there to buy clothes, the sales assistant eagerly began to serve him.
Looking around the luxuriously decorated store, Gu Heng felt slightly bewildered.
Even though he had nearly a million in his bank ount and could shop with confidence in any luxury store, no matter what, it was still his first time in such a ce, and hecked any experience in matching clothes. So he said, "How about you help me put together one or two outfits?"
"Certainly, sir. Could you tell me about your budget?"
After a brief moment¡¯s hesitation, Gu Heng slowly spoke again.
"You can match anything within 200,000 yuan for me. If there¡¯s anything over that, just let me know."
At the time, there were quite a few other customers in the store. Gu Heng¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but he didn¡¯t deliberately lower it either.
As soon as he finished his sentence, several customers around him turned their gaze towards him, their looks filled with various meanings ¡ª surprise, and perhaps a bit of envy...
Putting together two outfits for under 200,000 yuan.
It sounds effortless, barely worth mentioning on the inte with its average ie of over a hundred million.
But the reality is that in 2023, the average total ie was close to just 90,000 yuan...
Someone who can spend 200,000 yuan on clothes needs no introduction to their level, right?
Although he wasn¡¯t trying to show off deliberately, realizing btedly the information contained in the gazes of those around him, he couldn¡¯t help feeling vulgarly thrilled. An indescribable pleasure rose in his heart.
After all, just a few hours ago, he envied those who could casually browse luxury stores, whether they were truly rich or just pretending. Their quality of life was miles ahead of his own.
The most he had for entertainment was ying King of Glory in his rented room, listening to voices in the chat lobby fromdies being flirtatiously addressed as "CPDD", and, if feeling extravagant, spending 4 yuan on arge bottle of iced tea before going to the inte caf¨¦ for an afternoon of gaming.
But in just a few hours...
There was a flip in lifestyles between them and Gu Heng.
The crowd that should have been envied by him suddenly envied him instead.
Gu Heng didn¡¯t know what it was like to take drugs, nor did he want to know, but at that moment, he believed this feeling had to be better than any high!
[Host has exhibited saintly conduct in public, arousing envy. Though vulgar, it is exhrating! Sessful indulgence! Reward: 880,000 yuan! Current bnce: 1.8 million yuan.]
Great, great, great!
His ultimate goal of bing a millionaire, achieved in just a few hours, right?
Chapter 6 - 6 Money Really Nurtures People
An hourter.
Gu Heng gazed at himself in front of the massive floor mirror, with only one expression on his face...
And that was satisfaction!
Before putting on this whole set of LV attire, although he couldn¡¯t be considered aplete bumpkin, he wasn¡¯t anything special either, the kind of person who, when thrown into a crowd, would be ignored straightaway if others spared him one nce less...
But now...
The pure white long casual coat showcased Gu Heng¡¯s sole physical advantage to its fullest¡ªthe standard height of a 1.8-meter tall guy. The light grey lining and equally colored casual wide-leg pants also added a touch of different hue...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t want to talk rubbish like ¡¯The tailor makes the man or the saddle makes the horse.¡¯ If one had time and capital, who wouldn¡¯t want to dress handsomely?
All he wanted to do now was to exim that money was indeed damn good at nurturing people...
With money, someone with a bit of a base like him, simply by changing into a set of clothes, had transformed dramatically...
Then look at those inte celebrities who dressed up ugly before...
Take Little A¡¯giao, for instance, who was treated like a clown andughed at for being uglier than a dog...
But when he made money, turned around and started driving a Toyota Prado, changed into designer clothes, he became a genuine elite. The previous electronic pet had now turned into the damn esteemed Mr. Zhan Dapeng, and people in thements started saying he had an aura...
If even such things could be nurtured to have an aura, it just shows how much money is damn good at nurturing people...
Without lingering on these thoughts for too long, Gu Heng shifted his gaze to the sales associate standing beside.
"Wrap these up along with the casual jacket from earlier," he said.
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s voice, the sales associate seemed to hear the most enchanting music in the world. Despite trying hard to control her emotions, her upturned lips were harder to suppress than an AK...
"Certainly, sir, but I need to remind you that I have already calcted the price for these two ensembles, and they exceed your budget by 40,000 yuan. If needed, I can help you choose two less expensive items to substitute," she said.
"No need, just these two will do."
A pair of shoes that costs 45,800 had shocked Gu Heng for half a day, but once he got used to it...
He realized spending 240,000 yuan on two sets of clothes actually seemed no big deal? It even felt more casual than buying clothes on Taobao for 80 yuan with free shipping...
Upon reaching the checkout counter and seeing the sales associate already with the POS machine ready, even before Gu Heng could react, she asked, "Sir, do you n to pay by card, or some other way?"
"Can¡¯t I use WeChat?" he asked.
The sales associate readily replied, "Of course, you can. It¡¯s just that for such arge payment, few people choose WeChat Pay, using a card is a bit safer." (PS: Don¡¯t fuss over WeChat¡¯s transaction limit.)
Hearing the sales associate¡¯s exnation, Gu Heng showed no embarrassment from never having swiped a card before and shrugged nonchntly.
His thinking was simple, as long as he had enough money to pay, how he paid didn¡¯t matter, right?
[The host has understood the meaning of making the most of the situation and has learned the principle of nurturing with money, indulging in a shopping spree at the LV store! Reward: 480,000 yuan. Current bnce: 2.04 million yuan.]
As the system¡¯s reward notification rang out, the payment of 240,000 yuan went through sessfully.
And the sales associate¡¯s smile was nowpletely unrestrained.
True, there was no shortage of sales at the end of the year, but finding a high-quality order like Gu Heng¡¯s, worth over two hundred thousand in one go, was rare, and customers like Gu Heng, who paid decisively without much fuss, were even rarer.
Thinking of this, the sales associate¡¯s eyes softened even more as she gently said, "Sir, may I add you on WeChat?"
"?"
"Please don¡¯t get me wrong, I feel that you must be someone who pays special attention to the quality of life. If LV has new products in the future, I will rmend them immediately in my Moments.
Also, if you have any issues with this purchase, you can contact me right away."
Don¡¯t get you wrong?
With the way you¡¯re looking at me, you¡¯re practically drooling, yet you want me not to misunderstand?
Back when I was broke, Gu Heng particrly despised those women who choose dishes by looking at the price tag first, also known as materialistic women.
As for why he hated them, the reason was quite simple.
Because he himself was a penniless loser.
In the words of those women, having them even let him smell their underwear would be considered a holiday treat.
But an adult¡¯s love and hate can change in the blink of an eye, and now Gu Heng doesn¡¯t hate gold-diggers at all.
Because he¡¯s got money now, and the object of these gold-diggers¡¯ worship is himself; he¡¯s now the beneficiary, so why would he continue to hate them?
With the crisp "ding" from the smartphone, the two also added each other as contacts on WeChat.
When he used to surf the inte, he often saw some "inte tycoons" iming that as long as you¡¯re rich, bedding a saleswoman isn¡¯t any harder than bedding a technician.
Gu Heng always believed that practice is the sole criterion for the truth.
Unfortunately, he hated that he didn¡¯t have the financial power back then to confirm it himself.
Now that he has the ability, of course, he wants to put it into practice.
And being a sales associate at a luxury store like LV, it goes without saying that their attractiveness isn¡¯t in question; they may not all be goddesses, but they certainly belong to the category of having pretty faces, good enough for a friendly match.
As for the notion that pursuing sales associates or guides could affect one¡¯s social status¡ªthat¡¯s not even within his consideration.
He¡¯s just an ordinary guy who¡¯s suddenly on a winning streak, feeling inted inside; the notion of prestige has absolutely nothing to do with him.
He¡¯s not one to aim for the stars; he couldn¡¯t stand those who¡¯ve never eaten low-quality abalone, yet rushed to disdain the fishy taste of a fresh one¡ªa harder front than a bull¡¯s, bragging like that is truly a loss of prestige.
After adding each other as friends, Gu Heng had no intention of staying to discuss the intimate details of getting wet and consummating the rtionship; he walked towards the store¡¯s exit carrying several bags of luxury goods worth over a hundred thousand...
"Mr. Gu, the clothes you changed out of and the devil¡¯s ivy are still here."
Hearing the sales associate¡¯s voice, Gu Heng turned around and stretched out his hand full of shopping bags, smiling and saying, "Do you think I can free up a third hand to carry those?"
"What should we do with them? How about you leave me an address, and I¡¯ll help you deliver themter?"
Hearing the sales associate¡¯s response, Gu Heng smiled. That was exactly the answer he wanted.
It was his first time being sneaky, and he had seeded so easily.
But it was mostly thanks to her cooperation.
Whether she had seen through his ruse or not, Gu Heng got the response he desired.
If she had noticed and still yed along, then she was taking the bait willingly, giving him even more room to maneuver.
After a brief exchange of gazes, Gu Heng still maintained that smile, casually saying, "Just find a trash can for the clothes, and as for the devil¡¯s ivy, you can keep it for me. Just bring it over when you have some time."
After speaking, he left without any further ado.
The entire outfit he hade in with didn¡¯t even cost 200 yuan, hardly worth the price of a button on his coat worth over sixty thousand; losing them was no loss at all.
As for the devil¡¯s ivy that had been with him from the start, mainly because Gu Heng was a sentimental person, he wanted to keep a souvenir from his bachelor life.
If this ten-yuan potted ivy could lead to something with this beautiful sales associate, then it would have served its greatest purpose, and even less so worthmenting...
Stepping out of the mall, the evening sun seemed even more blinding...
No wonder they always say men be bad when they get rich.
Turns out it¡¯s all damn true.
All this time, he had believed he was all about pure love, his pitch being to win somebody¡¯s heart for a lifelong union. Only now did he realize, he wasn¡¯t about pure love¡ªit was pure poverty...
It¡¯s only been a few hours since he started cheating, and it seems he¡¯s already drifting towards bing a scumbag?
Chapter 7 - 7 Starry Media Sisters One Two Three
"Hey, Gu Heng."
"Yes, I have just finished work. Send me the address, and I¡¯ll head over now."
Inside Gxy Media.
After receiving Gu Heng¡¯s call, He Jing, facing the ckputer screen, used its dim reflection to tidy up her slightly messy hair before standing up.
Even with the magic of tights, one could still see the tight long legs had quite some DuangDuang fleshiness...
In youth, one doesn¡¯t appreciate the beauty of fleshy legs, mistaking chopsticks for treasures...
Only a man with some experience knows the charm of fleshy legs...
"Jingjing, did Big Bro ask you out for dinner again? Is this the power of Gxy¡¯s number one sister?
When will you share some of this Big Bro luck with me? Last month¡¯s live stream revenue didn¡¯t even hit 300,000, and this month¡¯s seems like it will be even less thanst month¡¯s, I¡¯m nearly too poor to eat, wuwu..."
Listening to this voice that was both sarcastically whiny and affectatiously cute, He Jing¡¯s signature eye roll appeared on her face once again.
Before she could respond, another clear yet foolish voice chimed in, "Sister Jing, where are you going for dinner tonight? Do you mind bringing along a little girl who is 6 years and 173 months old? I can squat by the door with my bowl."
"Stop with the sarcasm and the cutesy act, both of you areing with me tonight."
After He Jing finished speaking, the girl who had spoken first instantly stood up.
In an instant, her graceful figure was revealed.
Compared to He Jing¡¯s slightly plump figure, hers was the kind that made all girls drool with envy and all boys drool with desire...
Wearing the same magic tights, she really brought out the feeling of bare legs.
Straight and slender without an ounce of excess fat, a height of 170 cm was a bit on the thin side.
But!
The most important parts were not discounted at all!
Even though it was winter and there are many ways for women to enhance their bust size from the outside, the trembling of the mountains caused by her sudden vigorous rise was enough to confirm what was inside was real.
...
"Lin Jiayun, what are you doing?"
Lin Jiayun¡¯s sudden motion startled He Jing.
"Your Big Bro is such a yer, and he still wants to y with multiple people? Jingjing, let me tell you! I, Lin Jiayun, am a woman with principles, it¡¯s not possible! Unless you share his WeChat with me, so I can negotiate a different price with him!"
He Jing: "???"
"What are you thinking about? The one treating us tonight is not the Big Bro from the live streams."
Lin Jiayun: "What? Not Big Bro? And he dares to mooch off of us? That¡¯s even more impossible!"
He Jing rolled her eyes many times today, but she also knew that Lin Jiayun was just joking.
She was very aware that to many people, the professions of live streamers and online influencers are basically considered the same as escort work¡ªsomething that can be obtained with money.
But the reality is, while those situations exist, they mostly involve minor live streamers and influencers who realize they can¡¯t make it big. They might as well use their physical assetsbined with the influencer halo to drive up their price because there will always be someone willing to pay. Some with a bit of good looks are even in high demand, with queues that couldst for two years.
Legitimate influencers of a certain scale still care about their reputation.
Take the current Lin Jiayun for example, with a fan base of two million across the inte, earning tens of thousands just from livestreaming ie. Not to mention the advertising and video revenue shares frompanies; she easily makes over a hundred thousand a month, and is still in a rising phase. Who knows what the future holds?
An annual ie of a million, for the average person, would already be considered financial freedom, right? Which woman with proper values would degrade herself to do those contemptible things after achieving such sess?
...
After rolling her eyes and calming down, He Jing exined, "The one treating us to dinner today is our colleague, Gu Heng¡ªthe one who writes my scripts. He resigned today, so it¡¯s like a farewell meal."
"Gu Heng? Which Gu Heng? Does ourpany have this person?"
Seeing Lin Jiayun¡¯s confused little eyes, He Jing finally understood just how ¡¯invisible¡¯ Gu Heng was within thepany...
In a bigpany that might be understandable, but in a smallpany like Starry Media, which only had a few departments with dozens of employees in total, although Lin Jiayun hadn¡¯t been at thepany as long as herself, she had been a colleague for a year. Yet Lin Jiayun didn¡¯t even know this person...
"Don¡¯t worry about which Gu Heng it is, let¡¯s go, he¡¯s sent the location."
Saying so, He Jing didn¡¯t wait for Lin Jiayun to agree, she took her arm and started walking towards the office they shared...
Lin Jiayun resisted while shouting, "What about Xiao Lan? Have you asked Xiao Lan if she¡¯sing?"
Reminded by Lin Jiayun, He Jing also turned her head to call out to the girl with a scorpion-tailed braid, middle-parted fringe, and eyes full of naivety and foolishness, "Xiao Lan, there¡¯s an opportunity right now where you don¡¯t have to spend money, and you can enjoy a big meal. Do you want to go?"
The rity and foolishness in the girl¡¯s eyes were immediately reced by the glimmer of food as she raised her right hand, "I¡¯m willing!!"
"Keep up! Sister will take you to some good food!"
Watching Xiao Lan get lured aboard the ¡¯thieves¡¯ ship¡¯ without any persuasion, simply by the promise of a "big meal," although Lin Jiayun had a hundred reasons to be reluctant, she was still dragged out of the office by He Jing...
...
...
On the street.
A Volvo S90 was slowly moving through the congested traffic.
This wasn¡¯t the first time Lin Jiayun was in He Jing¡¯s car, but looking at the delicately cute essories inside, she couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of envy on her face.
"Jingjing, when will I be like you, driving a 400,000 luxury car, huh~ wuwu..."
A 400,000-out-the-door priced Volvo S90 could already be counted as an entry-level luxury car in the eyes of most people.
Simrly, this wasn¡¯t the first time He Jing had heard Lin Jiayun speaking to her with that envious tone, but as she concentrated on steering the car, the corners of her mouth still curved slightly...
"Stop envying, you¡¯ve been at thepany for a year, too. I remember your ie was just low at the start; now you make around a hundred thousand a month, right? Buying a car worth a few hundred thousand is easy, isn¡¯t it?"
Lin Jiayun also pursed her lips after hearing this, ying with her delicately manicured nails.
"It¡¯s true I make a hundred thousand or so, but it¡¯s definitely not enough to spend. Hard work for a month, shooting during the day and live streaming at night¡ªI¡¯ve got to reward myself, right?
A nicer bag can cost tens of thousands, then there¡¯s clothes, makeup, and so on... Anyway, shortly after I get my paycheck, after coveringst month¡¯s deficit and rewarding myself a couple of times, the money is gone. Paying for a car out of my own pocket is definitely unrealistic.
Right now, I just wish a kind-hearted god would see through my facade of coping, buy me a luxury car, and let me live in a mansion."
After sharing her aspirations, Lin Jiayun swiftly changed the topic with a turn of her head and leaned forward from the back seat, continuing, "I heard the boss say you¡¯ve been house hunting recently? What, having a car doesn¡¯t satisfy you anymore, and now you want to join the home-owner¡¯s league?"
"I¡¯m just looking at houses, that¡¯s all. You¡¯re not unaware of the real estate prices in Hang City, right? Just renting a decent ce is six or seven thousand a month, let alone buying. I¡¯ve done the math; to buy a house downtown, I¡¯d need to shoot 30 short videos with ads, live stream 200 sessions, just to barely gather the down payment."
He Jing¡¯s voice was filled with resignation and a touch of yearning for life.
A monthly ie of six figures was an achievement out of reach for the vast majority in their lifetimes.
But such is the disparity of human life...
There will always be those who live better than you...
Chapter 8: Western-Style Hot Pot
"If you ask me, you¡¯re just living too hard. With so many big brothers in your live streaming room, why not lower your standards a bit and have everything you need? Why work so hard?
You make so much in a month. If you used it all to enjoy life and improve yourself like me, you might already have some rich guy hopelessly in love with you, only wanting you. Why bother working yourself to death for capitalist dogs, only to end up with your hard-earned money all going to the developers?
Anyway, I¡¯m pretty clear about how I live. If I evernd a rich guy, I¡¯ll quit my job right away and enjoy life with him."
The stoplight turned red...
He Jing smoothly stopped the car, then turned to Lin Jiayun, "What if one day the rich guy is no longer hopelessly devoted to you?"
Lin Jiayun, facing He Jing¡¯s questioning gaze, shrugged nonchntly.
"Then I¡¯d just find another one. There are plenty of rich guys and heirs out there. With my looks, catching a few rich guys shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right? Don¡¯t even ask me what to do when I¡¯m old and no one wants me.
We who feed on the fame of the inte, when I¡¯m old and unwanted, you¡¯ll stop making money too."
Lin Jiayun¡¯s words rendered He Jing momentarily silent...
It had to be said, Lin Jiayun made a lot of sense...
But having been independent since she was young, He Jing still couldn¡¯t get past her own concerns; she felt secure only when the money was in her own pocket.
Although she didn¡¯t consider herself a great woman, usually using her live streaming viewers to go on ambiguous outings, in her view, that was just part of her job. If she truly had to give up her work to serve a man wholeheartedly, betting that he would maintain hisplete devotion and support her like she was a pet canary, she definitely couldn¡¯t do it.
Others might call it having it both ways, but that probably described someone like her, right?
Suddenly, the atmosphere inside the car grew quiet...
Only Xiao Lan, the carefree foodie, remained oblivious and kept snacking on the cucumber-vored chips He Jing kept in her car.
"Sister Jing, how long till we get to the restaurant? If it¡¯s not soon, I¡¯ll be full just eating these chips..."
No sooner had the words left her mouth than He Jing parked the car in an outdoor parking spot on the roadside, turned off the engine, and looked at them both.
"We¡¯re here. Get out."
.....
.....
After getting out of the car.
Lin Jiayun was the first to speak.
"What exactly is your colleague treating you to? Whye all the way to West Lake? This area is full of vis and high-end couple¡¯s restaurants, hardly a ce for a group meal. He isn¡¯t trying to treat you to a meal alone, is he?
You didn¡¯t drag me and Xiao Lan out just to use us as a shield, did you? I¡¯ll tell you, being a shield is fine, but it has a different price. A free meal won¡¯t cut it.
Right, Xiao Lan?"
"Right! It should be at least two meals!"
Lin Jiayun: "..."
As expected, when you negotiate with a non-aspiring foodie, there¡¯s no other option but food...
Hearing this, He Jing didn¡¯t bother with these two clowns. She was a bit puzzled as she took out her phone to check: "This is the location he gave me, see for yourselves."
After that, she handed her phone to them.
Taking the phone, Lin Jiayun looked at the location disyed¡ªPangu Seafood Hotpot¡ªand with a somewhat surprised expression, turned to He Jing.
"I mean, Jingjing, you¡¯ve been in Hang City for a few years now, haven¡¯t you heard of Hang City Mansion Hotpot, the cream of the crop?"
"Mansion Hotpot?"
He Jing really hadn¡¯t heard of it...
Seeing her confused face, Lin Jiayun started to exin.
"Mansion Hotpot is a type of hotpot restaurant that¡¯s be popr in recent years, catering specifically to a high-end clientele. As for Pangu Seafood Hotpot, it¡¯s the pinnacle of Hang City¡¯s mansion hotpots, and the most expensive."
On Dianping, the minimum per person cost is 980 yuan, but in reality, once you enter this restaurant, 980 yuan only gets you enough to sniff the base of the pot. If a few people order a table, casually eating can cost tens of thousands.
Sometimes I even doubt whether you are really in the inte business; you know nothing¡"
Feeling belittled by her best friend, He Jing couldn¡¯t help but blush, yet she retorted stubbornly, "You know so much, have you eaten here before?"
With that counter, Lin Jiayun¡¯s momentum suddenly died down...
She muttered quietly, "A meal costing tens of thousands, what kind of family can afford to eat like this?"
While saying this, she was already thinking about hinting to her big brother in her live stream to take her out for a meal in Hang City, since she definitely wouldn¡¯t want to spend her own money...
Suddenly.
Seeing He Jing was about to head straight towards the vi nearby, Lin Jiayun quickly grabbed her.
"You¡¯re not seriously thinking about going in, are you?"
He Jing¡¯s chubby face showed confusion again, "Otherwise?"
"Are you crazy? You just said Gu Heng¡¯s monthly sry is only 4500, and here one meal is at least two months of his sry.
You wouldn¡¯t even want to treat someone to a farewell dinner here with your own monthly earnings, would you? Aren¡¯t you afraid he got the location wrong? If we just go straight in and it turns out to be a mistake, having to leave with our tails between our legs, wouldn¡¯t that be embarrassing?"
"Ah? What should we do then?"
"Call him and ask? If it¡¯s confirmed, then we can go inside."
"Alright..."
She basically agreed with Lin Jiayun¡¯s opinion, thinking that Gu Heng must have sent the wrong location. As for Gu Heng¡¯s mention of his family¡¯s 800 acres of paddy fields being requisitioned and him bing rich, she didn¡¯t think much of it...
But after making two WeChat calls, both remained unanswered...
Seeing this, Lin Jiayun spoke up again.
"See? He¡¯s not even answering the phone.
I¡¯m now wondering if you somehow offended him before, and now he¡¯s resigned and is nning to trick you."
Fed up with this mysterious farewell dinner He Jing dragged her to, Lin Jiayun was full ofints...
Especially since the host is just an ordinary sryman earning 4500 a month, which made her even less interested. She now firmly believed that Gu Heng was just ying He Jing, and she was an innocent victim dragged into this...
Thinking this, Lin Jiayun instantly turned around and grabbed Xiao Lan¡¯s arm, saying, "Let¡¯s go, Xiao Lan. We¡¯ve been in the car so long without even getting a meal, I¡¯ll treat you both to steak at that Western restaurant we went tost time."
As He Jing was still trying to make a third phone call, Lin Jiayun spoke again, "Stop calling, let¡¯s go. I¡¯m hungry."
With that, she unceremoniously pulled on He Jing¡¯s arm.
But to her surprise, He Jing firmly held her hand back.
"Since we¡¯re already here, let¡¯s just go in and see, maybe he¡¯s caught up with something."
Although she hadn¡¯t developed any special feelings towards Gu Heng over the past two years, she did have a fondness for this younger brother who was a few months younger than her and exceptionally hardworking. Besides, she couldn¡¯t think of any reason why Gu Heng would trick her.
With that thought, she pulled Lin Jiayun¡¯s hand and headed towards the Pangu Seafood Hotpot...
Unable to understand where He Jing got such strength, Lin Jiayun struggled for a while but couldn¡¯t break free, so she resignedly followed inside...
While walking, she continued with her disconsteints...
"Did Gu Heng save your life or something? You trust him enough to believe he would spend several months¡¯ sry to treat us to a meal?
I¡¯m telling you, Jingjing! Now that I¡¯ve entered this door, I absolutely won¡¯t allow myself to be embarrassed! If we go inside and don¡¯t find Gu Heng, we still have to eat dinner here, and you¡¯re paying!"
"Fine."
Xiao Lan, not really understanding what the two were arguing about, knew only one thing for sure¡ªthat she was in for a treat tonight...
"Yay! Seafood hotpot, here wee!"
Chapter 9 - 9 Is This Supposed to Be Perfectly Normal?
As the three of them walked into Pangu Valley, they were immediately greeted by someone.
They were high earners after all, so stepping into such a high-end restaurant didn¡¯t make them feel out of ce.
Ignoring the enthusiastic gaze of the waitress, He Jing¡¯s eyes carefully swept over the lobby on the first floor, but she still did not see Gu Heng.
"Ladies, are you here to dine? Do you have a reservation?" the waitress asked.
After the question, Lin Jiayun showed an indifferent expression and casually said, "Don¡¯t ask us."
The waitress: "???"
Seeing the confusion on the waitress¡¯s face, Lin Jiayun nudged her chin towards He Jing.
"There, see her? Ask her instead."
Before the waitress could continue questioning, He Jing, who had scanned the entire dining hall and failed to find Gu Heng, started to believe what Lin Jiayun had said. She thought it was very likely that Gu Heng was ying tricks on her, so she could only put on a brave smile and said, "Could you arrange a table for us, please? For three people."
However, the waitress did not respond immediately. Instead, she respectfully said, "I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, it looks like you¡¯re searching for someone. Do you have friends who might have made a reservation in our restaurant?"
This time, He Jing wasn¡¯t so certain about Gu Heng and hesitantly nodded her head...
"There might be... It¡¯s possible there is a reservation..."
Either there is or there isn¡¯t, what does ¡¯might be¡¯ or ¡¯possibly¡¯ even mean?
Although perplexed by He Jing¡¯s answer, the waitress maintained her professionalism. Without any change in her expression, she continued to smile and said, "In that case, ma¡¯am, please wait a moment. I¡¯ll go and consult with our manager."
After saying this, the waitress smiled politely at the three women and turned to walk towards the distance...
In less than half a minute, a middle-aged man dressed in a Western-style butler uniform came over with a leather book.
He greeted them formally, then went straight to the point, "I was wondering if one of the threedies is surnamed He? We have only one reservation for this time slot, left by a Mr. Gu."
Upon hearing the manager¡¯s words, He Jing¡¯s eyes shed...
"Is the Mr. Gu named Gu Heng?" she asked.
The manager looked down at the reservation record in the leather book, smiled, and nodded, "Yes, that¡¯s correct."
"Then it must be him!"
Relieved by the manager¡¯s confirmation, He Jing finally exhaled a sigh of relief. Thankfully, she wouldn¡¯t have to pay for a meal at such an expensive restaurant today...
But immediately following that, a wave of annoyance hit her...
The damned Gu Heng, even though he¡¯s the one who invited them to eat, wasn¡¯t reachable by phone, and now all she could think of was to give him a piece of her mind when she saw him!
"Can you take us to him now?" she asked.
After listening to He Jing¡¯s words, the manager slowly replied, "I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. Mr. Gu has booked a private room on the third floor with dedicated service. Our staff from the first and second floors do not have the authority to take people up there.
Please wait a moment; I willmunicate with the third floor, and someone will soone down to greet you."
With that, the manager turned his back and was whispering something into a headset...
Hearing the manager¡¯s words, He Jing instinctively looked towards Lin Jiayun...
At the same time, Lin Jiayun¡¯s gaze met hers...
A private room on the third floor?
And with personal service?
Even though it was He Jing¡¯s first visit to Pangu Valley, she understood the prestige associated with those terms...
Especially Lin Jiayun, who had seen numerous online reviews about the ce...
What she remembered was that the average cost of 980 only got you a taste of the broth in the standard dining hall...
What the expenses were for the third floor, she had never even seen mentioned online...
But anyone with half a brain could deduce from the standard dining hall¡¯s costs that the third floor would be astronomically expensive...
Thinking of this, Lin Jiayun couldn¡¯t help but quietly move closer to He Jing, whispering in her ear, "Jingjing... are you sure this Gu Heng was only earning 4500 a month before? Or did he actually resign because he won the lottery?"
"It should... it shouldn¡¯t be?"
Hearing Lin Jiayun¡¯s words, He Jing suddenly remembered what Gu Heng had said to her before resigning this afternoon...
Could it be that he wasn¡¯t joking with her?
Was his family¡¯s eight hundred acres of water paddies really confiscated?
Or is it that his father is actually a billionaire who had kept it a secret from him for over twenty years?
Before He Jing could think too much, a youngdy dressed in a woman¡¯s suit hurried over to the group...
"Excuse me, which one of you is Ms. He?"
He Jing quickly stood up.
"Ms. He, good evening and to the twodies as well. I am the manager of the third floor at Pangu Seafood Hotpot, my surname is Lu. Mr. Gu has been waiting for a while now. Is it convenient for you to go to the third floor now?"
"Oh, yes, it¡¯s convenient."
"Please follow me this way."
.....
.....
They ascended the first floor stairs.
Although the three of them had been to quite a few high-end restaurants, there were very few that were decorated sovishly...
As inte celebrities, their instinct to take photos and check-in kicked in, and they couldn¡¯t resist taking out their phones and started to take pictures of each other...
The manager seemed to be used to this, standing with her hands at her lower belly, patiently waiting, and even kindly offered, "Ladies, if you want to take pictures, I can contact our in-house professional photographer for you. After the meal, you can have pictures taken at any spot inside the restaurant.
Furthermore, we also have professional lighting technicians and equipment, which will surely satisfy you."
Listening to the manager, the three of them exchanged nces...
At this moment, they all began to wonder if they really had been living in Hang City for several years?
They were well aware that inte celebrity shops had specific spots for photo ops, but they had never heard of any ce hiring professional photographers with professional equipment just for customers¡¯ photos...
No wonder the starting per person consumption was 980...
Just this service alone was worth the price...
Two minutester, led by the manager, the three of them finally reached the third floor...
Compared to the asional noise from the first and second floors, the entire third floor was unusually quiet...
The manager also deliberately lowered her volume, saying, "Our Pangu only has one private room on the third floor, but ites with 12 professional waitstaff. Since we only serve one table per day here, it¡¯s quieter.
Please, this way."
Having said that, she led the three to a closed door...
"Knock, knock, knock..."
As the wooden door emitted a pleasant crisp sound, a voice from inside simultaneously said, "Come in."
The door was pushed open, and the manager walked in with the three of them.
"Mr. Gu, your friends have arrived. Would you like the dishes served now?"
"Sure, serve the dishes now, and have someone clean up these melon seed shells."
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s voice, He Jing let out a breath of relief...
At the very least, she hadn¡¯t gotten it wrong, and she wouldn¡¯t have to suffer any embarrassment...
But as she looked up, seeing Gu Heng sitting at the dining table, following a drama on his iPad, leisurely cracking melon seeds, she was dumbfounded...
Gu Heng was wearing a pure white LV casual overcoat. Even his hairstyle had changed to a cushioned 4:6 parting, unlike the messy hair he had in the afternoon. Although his facial features were the same, his overall charm had increased by more than a notch, turning from an ordinary nerd to a trendy, hunky bad-boy...
Especially since behind the transparent ss doors of the private room, there was a whole viewing terrace, and under the night sky, West Lake made Gu Heng emanate an air of mystery andnguid luxury...
For a moment, He Jing, who had intended to question why Gu Heng hadn¡¯t answered his phone, found all her queries stuck in her throat...
Apart from He Jing...
Lin Jiayun and Xiao Lan both had simr thoughts...
Lin Jiayun even pulled He Jing next to her, speaking in a low voice but with an intense tone, "Sister, keeping all the good stuff to yourself, huh? Is this the unremarkable Gu Heng you told me about?
Now tell me with your hand over your 34E bosom, doesn¡¯t this count as anything but ordinary???"
Chapter 10 - 10 What do you do for work?
He Jing listened to Lin Jiayun¡¯s question and felt a bit aggrieved...
How was she supposed to know that in just a few hours of not seeing him, Gu Heng had transformed like a B Little Fairy?
Before she could exin to Lin Jiayun, Gu Heng had already stood up.
"What are you staring at, sit down."
The tone was still as casual as ever...
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s casual tone, He Jing also brushed off the slight feeling of strangeness that had cropped up because of Gu Heng¡¯s transformation and walked straight up to him, pointing at his nose and saying fiercely, "How dare you ask us?
Tell me, why didn¡¯t you answer the phone?
It made us three feel so awkward downstairs. I thought I had offended you somehow, that you lured me here to make a fool of me, and I almost paid for a table downstairs myself!"
Gu Heng: "???"
"My phone was almost dead, and their restaurant didn¡¯t have any shared power banks, so I had Manager Lu charge my phone for me...
Moreover, I had instructed Manager Lu to have someone wait for you at the entrance."
After saying that, he turned his gaze toward Manager Lu, who hadn¡¯t left yet.
After hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Manager Lu hurriedly asked the three women, "Didn¡¯t a designated person bring you in?"
Upon hearing this, He Jing shook her head with a puzzled look on her chubby face: "We came in on our own. If it weren¡¯t for the waiter on the first floor who specifically asked if I was looking for someone, I would have probably opened a table downstairs on my own..."
After He Jing¡¯s response, Manager Lu¡¯s face, which was full of smiles, slowly sank...
He then dialed a mobile number directly.
"Didn¡¯t I ask you to wait downstairs for Mr. Gu¡¯s guests? Why are Mr. Gu¡¯s guests telling me they didn¡¯t see you?"
At this moment, there wasn¡¯t a trace of his previous respect on Manager Lu¡¯s face...
Seeing his stern expression, Gu Heng felt like he was seeing his former boss...
Not knowing what was said on the other end of the phone, Manager Lu interrupted directly, "Enough, no need for exnations. Come up right now and apologize to Mr. Gu. If Mr. Gu doesn¡¯t forgive you, you can hand in your resignation to me."
After saying that, he hung up without hesitation and turned to Gu Heng and the three women with a face full of apologies.
"Please rest assured, we will handle this matter seriously and ensure a satisfactory resolution for you!"
While apologizing, he had already mentally condemned that employee...
They [Pangu Valley] are currently applying for an upgrade from the ck Pearl Two-Diamond Restaurant to the Three-Diamond Restaurant. During such a crucial time, even a singleint from an ordinary customer might lead the rating agency to reassess, let alone a major client like Gu Heng who dines on the third floor...
This was the first time Gu Heng experienced such a thing...
Earlier, he had only felt that the so-called high-end restaurant service was indeed thoughtful...
Because he wanted to eat sunflower seeds, which were not avable in the restaurant, they immediately went out to buy some for him...
Now, he was experiencing the rigor of high-end restaurant service, where just a small mistake could lead someone to submit their resignation...
Is this the difference between where rich people dine and where ordinary people eat?
In the past, eating at a buffet, he wouldn¡¯t dare to take too much food for fear that the owner would scorn him for eating too much. Now, just because the service was not up to par, someone was being fired. Although his satisfaction was built on the pain of that mistaken employee, truth be told, it felt damn good!
Meanwhile, He Jing and the other two women, seeing Manager Lu¡¯s serious expression, could only look at one another, unsure of what to say...
They had not felt slighted at all...
From the servers to the manager, nearly everyone had been very polite to them...
And looking at the current situation, it seemed like an employee was about to be fired because of them?
Although they wanted to tell Manager Lu it was okay, they thought of today¡¯s host, Gu Heng, who hadn¡¯t yet spoken. Wouldn¡¯t it be inappropriate for them to speak on behalf of Gu Heng?
Luckily, Gu Heng seemed to guess their thoughts and spoke up directly, "Alright, let¡¯s talk about this matterter. Serve the dishes first, we¡¯re starving."
After saying that, he gestured for the three women to sit down.
Seeing that Gu Heng was not pursuing the matter further, Manager Lu also breathed a sigh of relief, apologized, and then went to arrange for the dishes to be served...
.....
.....
After the three of them sat in their respective seats, the atmosphere suddenly cooled down...
Apart from He Jing, Lin Jiayun, and Xiao Lan might have met Gu Heng in thepany, but they had never even spoken to each other, let alone recognized each other, much less considered themselves friends...
Watching the suddenly quiet air, He Jing started to warm up the atmosphere.
"I guess you all might have seen each other, but aren¡¯t acquainted. Let¡¯s take today as an opportunity to get to know each other again."
Having said that, she began to introduce Gu Heng to Lin Jiayun and Xiao Lan.
"This is the exclusive scriptwriter I¡¯ve been telling you about, Gu Heng! Today¡¯s meal is also his farewell and breakup party!"
After finishing, without waiting for any reaction from Gu Heng, she continued with the introductions.
"This beauty, who is 171 cm tall, weighs 52 kg, and measures 88/68/96, is also a staff member of ourpany¡¯s artist department. Her name is Lin Jiayun, online name Jiaduobao, the one who shoots couple sketches with our boss. Gu Heng, you should know her, right?"
Lin Jiayun, on the side, unapologetically puffed out her chest even more.
Compared to her facial features, she was more pleased with her standard S-shaped figure.
Listening to He Jing¡¯s unique way of introduction, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help butugh.
"Sure, I know her, thepany¡¯s second sister. But it¡¯s the first time I¡¯m getting to know such private information about her. I¡¯m kind of ttered."
After speaking, without waiting for He Jing to continue, he turned towards Xiao Lan, who was staring intently at the sunflower seeds beside him...
Gu Heng tried pushing the seeds towards her, probing, "Want to eat some?"
"Thanks!"
After responding, she unabashedly grabbed the seeds and began cracking them attentively...
Watching her indulgent foodie demeanor, He Jing rolled her eyes again...
"This is Lai Yiting, a neer who joined ourpany a few months ago. You can just call her Xiao Lan like the rest of us... As you can see, she¡¯s a pure foodie. She won¡¯t turn down anything edible..."
Hearing He Jing¡¯s description, Xiao Lan didn¡¯t mind at all. Instead, she lifted her head and gave Gu Heng a goofy smile, just like her character in the short ys shot by thepany, portraying a clumsy, foodie beauty.
Being all young, there were no generational gaps, and after a few brief introductions, they gradually started chatting.
Especially Lin Jiayun...
Before meeting Gu Heng, all she knew was the brief description from He Jing.
Some keywords.
[Monthly sry of 4500]
[Doesn¡¯t edit his manuscripts]
[Invisible man lost in the crowd]
...
But upon meeting...
Not to say it was exactly like He Jing described, it waspletely different!
How could you call an eighteen, sharply dressed in LV, eating in a private booth on the third floor of Pangu Valley, a loser? A geek? An invisible man?
This stark contrast between hearsay and reality made Lin Jiayun urgently eager to find out more, so she couldn¡¯t help but strike up a conversation with Gu Heng, "Gu Heng, what do you do for work?"
As soon as she finished speaking...
The atmosphere quieted again...
Not only Gu Heng and He Jing, but even Xiao Lan, who had been focusing on her seeds, turned to look at her...
For a long while, Lin Jiayun didn¡¯t understand what she had said wrong...
Until Gu Heng, trying to cosy as the air conditioner repair guy, gently said, "Well... A few hours ago, I was Jingjing¡¯s scriptwriter, but now... I could be fixing air conditioners..."
"Fixing air conditioners?"
In an instant, Lin Jiayun¡¯s feet curled up under the table...
Chapter 11 - 11 Who Doesnt Serve Oil Dish with Hot Pot?
Less than two minutes had passed.
All sorts of dishes had been served.
But then again, with twelve waiters serving just one table of customers, it¡¯d be hard for it not to be fast.
Manager Lu regained her radiant smile at this moment, standing to the side and softly introducing each dish to Gu Heng and hispanions...
ced at the center of the round table was a pot shimmering with an orangish-red oily hue. A massive lobster head tumbled in the boiling broth...
"Mr. Gu, this is our Pangu Valley signature broth, prepared from fresh lobster and dozens of secret spices simmered for over eight hours. Actually, the broth on the first and second floors is made the same way; the only difference is their main ingredient is Boston lobster, while the lobster in your broth is wild Australian Blue Dragon lobster flown in from Australia.
The exorbitant price of the Australian Blue Dragon is well-known¡ªit¡¯s pretty much the ceiling for all lobster varieties...
The one in the pot weighs 7 pounds and 6 ounces, with a market price reaching 6000 US Dors.
The lobster¡¯s head is in the broth, while the tail meat has already been sliced into thin pieces by our chef, making up three dishes: sashimi, lightly pan-fried, and for use in the hot pot."
Having finished speaking, the four waiters designated to cook the food also dipped the Blue Dragon lobster tail slices into the hot pot for a few seconds, then gently ced them into bowls in front of the four diners...
Without giving it much thought, Gu Heng, like Zhu Bajie eating ginseng fruit, directly popped the pristine white lobster tail meat from his bowl into his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed...
By the time he wanted to savor the taste, he realized he hadn¡¯t actually discerned what it was...
With that thought, he didn¡¯t ponder further; he promptly scooped all the lobster tail meat from his te into the strainer and stood up to start cooking it himself...
Estimating that it was about ready, amid everyone¡¯s astonished gaze, he poured a full spoonful of lobster tail meat into his bowl and then grabbed a hefty pair of chopsticks full, contentedly savoring the taste...
Gu Heng had taken notice of their looks, of course.
But what of it?
Who decided that one must adhere to the so-called standards of high society when dining at upscale restaurants?
He was just an ordinary person, and even now, with a bit of stinking money after ¡¯cheating¡¯, at best he was just a wealthy ordinary person.
He always believed that, after bing wealthy, one should do as they please. If he had to be concerned with this and that while eating, then he¡¯d rather go back to being poor and fret for days over a 200 RMB dinner at a budget hot pot restaurant.
After swallowing all the lobster meat in his mouth and licking his lips with some lingering desire...
Unspoken, a few thousand RMB per pound of lobster indeed tasted significantly better than the hundred-RMB-for-five-pounds roadside shrimp, although he hadn¡¯t eaten thetter many times either...
The system¡¯s notification sound appeared once again.
[Host maintains his true self, unafraid of others¡¯ gazes, insists on being himself, and expresses a sincere appreciation for the taste of the Australian Blue Dragon meat, thus satisfying his own taste buds and sessfully indulging his desires. Reward: 180,000! Bnce: 2.22 million RMB.]
Clicking his tongue.
Although he had grown ustomed to the system¡¯s habit of doling out money at the drop of a hat, such unexpected delights still made Gu Heng exhrated, his whole body radiating a sense of bliss...
As for He Jing and the others...
Logically speaking, they often checked into upscale restaurants and shouldn¡¯t feel any restraint...
But in reality, after listening to Manager Lu¡¯s introduction, even the foodie Xiao Lan had forgotten to pick up her chopsticks...
A 6000-dor lobster, when converted to RMB, was about 40,000 yuan...
A single chopstick¡¯s worth was hundreds of yuan...
Among the three women, He Jing had the highest ie. Even with an ie of over a hundred thousand a month, she had never splurged like this...
It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t afford it, but it was unnecessary and hard to justify the expense.
It¡¯s like with smokers, for example, when Gu Heng used to make 4500 a month, could he not afford the luxury brand Hua Zi cigarettes? But it¡¯s the usual unwillingness to spend too much on daily luxuries.
Let alone an ie of hundreds of thousands, even those in the ordinary working ss with a few thousand a month¡¯s sry could afford an expensive meal if they gritted their teeth. The difference is that those with an ie of hundreds of thousands might just grit their teeth, while the ordinary workers might nearly break their teeth...
For a moment, the three women all cast diverse nces toward Gu Heng, who was having servers cook his hot pot without any psychological burden...
Who exactly is the one making a mere 4500 RMB sry?
As Gu Heng put a piece of freshly scalded geoduck into his mouth and winced from the heat, he noticed that the three women hadn¡¯t moved their chopsticks and were instead watching him. He couldn¡¯t help but say, "Eat, why are you just looking at me?"
After he spoke, he didn¡¯t care about their thoughts and directly turned to Manager Lu to ask, "That... Manager Lu, do you still have the Australian Blue Dragon?"
Taken aback by Gu Heng¡¯s question, Manager Lu was momentarily stunned but quickly grasped the situation and hurriedly replied, "The Blue Dragon is limited in quantity, we only have one per day, and it¡¯s air-shipped here every morning. Mr. Gu, if you feel it¡¯s not enough, our restaurant has other alternatives, such as the regr Australian lobster.
The taste might be slightly different, but it¡¯s not much different."
Nodding his head, Gu Heng didn¡¯t mind and promptly ordered, "Okay, give me two more portions of the Australian lobster, the same size as this dish."
After finishing, it seemed he remembered something and turned to He Jing and the other two women, "How about you? Do you want the Australian lobster?"
He Jing: "???"
Lin Jiayun: "???"
Xiao Lan: "???"
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s question, the three of them were baffled.
One lobster for 40,000 RMB wasn¡¯t enough, and he even wanted to order two more portions?
What kind of family would dare to eat like this?
Although they each had their thoughts, even the veteran food lover Xiao Lan sensibly shook her head...
Gu Heng was spending his money, so naturally, he could eat as much as he wanted. As guests, they should have some sense of boundaries, especially since Lin Jiayun and Xiao Lan hadn¡¯t been familiar with Gu Heng before this meal...
Seeing the three women decline, Gu Heng simply shrugged his shoulders, not insisting.
He had chosen such a high-end ce to treat them, not to show off in front of He Jing and the others, but simply to satisfy his own cravings. Whether they ate well or not didn¡¯t concern him, as long as he enjoyed and filled himself up.
Eating Lanzhou noodles every day, even his trips to the bathroom smelled of noodles. Now that he finally had some money, of course he had to treat himself well. Besides, the system would pick up the tab after indulging, other people spend money to eat, but he earns money eating¡ªwhere else could you find such a good deal?
Suddenly!
Having eaten for a while, Gu Heng suddenly felt something was missing...
He then put down his chopsticks on the table and started to think hard.
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s expression, Manager Lu¡¯s heart tightened, and he quickly asked, "Mr. Gu, is there something you¡¯re dissatisfied with?"
Gu Heng shook his head and didn¡¯t speak, still deep in thought...
Just when everyone at the table was clueless, Gu Heng suddenly pped his forehead and eximed, "I knew something was missing."
He then looked at Manager Lu and said, "Manager Lu, don¡¯t you have dipping sauces with hot pot? Bring over a dipping sauce dish."
Manager Lu: "???"
Although he wanted to tell Gu Heng that the hot pot at Pangu Valley was all about the natural vor of the ingredients and that adding dipping sauce would be inappropriate...
Looking into Gu Heng¡¯s determined eyes, Manager Lu could only nod his head, then quickly instructed the waiter to prepare a dipping sauce dish for Gu Heng...
Gu Heng then nodded in satisfaction and turned to ask Lin Jiayun and the other women, "Do you want a dipping sauce dish? Eating hot pot without dipping sauce is like the West without Jerusalem, utterly soulless!"
He Jing and Lin Jiayun both declined with a look of disgust, while Xiao Lan excitedly said, "That¡¯s exactly what I thought! No wonder it felt like something was off when I was eating, it was theck of dipping sauce!
Waiter, please bring me a dipping sauce dish as well, and make sure to add extra spicy!"
After saying this, she exchanged a knowing look with Gu Heng, a hero acknowledging another hero!
Who eats hot pot without a dipping sauce dish?
Only people who don¡¯t take hot pot seriously would eat it in!
Sharing a tacit understanding, the two cast a disdainful look towards He Jing and Lin Jiayun...
He Jing, Lin Jiayun: "???"
Chapter 12 - 12 Okay, okay, so youre a rich second generation, huh?
This meal was the longest Gu Heng had ever had.
Itsted more than an hour.
It wasn¡¯t that Gu Heng ate a lot, the main reason was that the server was too slow in cooking the food...
Even though Manager Lu added another person halfway through to help cook for Gu Heng, they still couldn¡¯t keep up with his eating pace...
But fortunately, the oue was perfect.
Without any exaggeration, this was the most satisfying meal Gu Heng had in Hang City...
Given Gu Heng¡¯s height of 180 cm and weight of 150 kg, with portions like those of Lanzhou noodles, he would need at least two bowls to be full if he didn¡¯t hold back. But considering his family¡¯s financial situation in the past, he dared not eat to his fill whenever he wanted to save money...
Now that he had turned the tables, of course, he had to treat himself well.
"Burp~"
He belched loudly without any concern for his image, leaned back contentedly in his seat, and took out his Hongshan Puwan cigarettes that he had been smoking for who knows how many years, which had increased from 12 yuan to 16 yuan. Opening the cigarette pack, he asked He Jing and the others, "Want one?"
He Jing was a smoker, Gu Heng knew that.
But this was the first time Gu Heng offered her a cigarette in the two years he had known her.
As for previously...
It could be considered a kind of inferiority.
He always felt that a pack of cigarettes costing only a dozen yuan was not presentable, maybe others would take one but toss it in the trash as soon as they turned around.
He Jing was slightly taken aback, then nodded and epted one. Lin Jiayun unreservedly took one from the pack as well, and as for Xiao Lan, she didn¡¯t smoke, and Gu Heng wouldn¡¯t insist on her smoking one.
The cigarette was lit.
Plumes of white smoke rose from the tip.
Just as Gu Heng was about to express the sentiment "A cigarette after a meal is divine," he noticed Manager Lu standing by and thought for a moment before asking, "You can smoke here, right?"
Although now his mindset was more about indulgence and enjoyment...
Gu Heng still had some basic moral sense.
Indulgence was fine, but affecting others was not appropriate, especially since this was a public ce...
But Manager Lu was very understanding, he replied with a smile, "If it was the lobby on the first floor, indeed there would be a no smoking rule, but the second and third floors are private rooms, it¡¯s fine as long as you and your friends don¡¯t mind."
Hearing this, Gu Heng was totally satisfied.
"Cough..."
"Cough..."
Two sessive coughs rang out, making Gu Heng look over.
He saw He Jing and Lin Jiayun frowning and pinching out the cigarettes they had just taken a puff from, with Lin Jiayun evenining irritably, "This cigarette is too strong, I can¡¯t handle it..."
After a brief consideration, Gu Heng roughly knew the reason...
Both of them usually smoked those fancydies¡¯ cigarettes, either strawberry or mint vored, and suddenly smoking this average tobo that barely qualified as low-quality was understandably difficult for them.
But Gu Heng didn¡¯t feel the slightest apology; instead, he took a deep drag and stylishly exhaled a long plume of smoke, then exined with a smile, "Actually, this cigarette isn¡¯t strong at all."
"How can it not be strong? I¡¯ve smoked men¡¯s cigarettes too, and although they are tough to smoke, I¡¯ve never been choked by them."
Hearing Lin Jiayun¡¯s rebuttal, Gu Heng continued with a smile.
"Then the men¡¯s cigarettes you¡¯ve smoked must be those like He Tianxia and Jinling Jiu Wu, which are definitely milder, and you wouldn¡¯t choke much on those."
This time Lin Jiayun didn¡¯t retort...
"Puwan really isn¡¯t strong. I¡¯ve smoked stronger ones.
I started smoking in high school. Back then, I was given 30 yuan a week as pocket money, aside from meal expenses, of course.
30 yuan had to be saved and scrimped down to 20 for an all-nighter at the inte cafe on weekends, leaving me with only about 10 yuan to actually spend. Back then, I thought smoking was so cool, so I could only buy the cheapest ones, which were called Hong Sanhuan, 2.5 yuan a pack, usually smoked by the old men in our vige.
Those cigarettes were so harsh, not just the first or second smoke. I smoked them for three years in high school and it always felt harsh. Smoking one took at least 10 minutes just to get over the dizziness afterwards. After graduating from high school, I worked my first job, made over 2000 yuan in a month, and switched to what I smoke now, Puwan.
A few yearster, and even more ridiculously, while my sry hadn¡¯t increased much, I somehow managed to smoke Puwan from 12 yuan to 16 yuan.
After saying that, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help butugh at himself.
In fact, in this kind of setting, suddenly taking a trip down memoryne with them felt a bit awkward...
But from the system activation in the afternoon until now, it had been quite a shock for Gu Heng...
From being a bottom-tier social animal that everyone could look down on, to suddenly transform into a wealthy man who could binge eat and drink in high-end hotels¡
And since I couldn¡¯t reveal anything about the system to others, if I didn¡¯t vent to someone, I really feared I¡¯d develop some mental illness...
After all, there are plenty of cases where people went insane without spending a penny after winning the lottery; what¡¯s happening to me now is even more fantastical than winning the lottery, right?
....
...
After listening to Gu Heng, Lin Jiayun and the other two couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces at him...
Being in the influencer business, they met many people.
They had seen wealthy folks; those nouveau riche who casually spend tens of thousands for a night with them were even moremon...
But they rarely encountered someone like Gu Heng...
He had the mboyant attitude of a nouveau riche, insisting on more dishes even if a dish cost a few tens of thousands.
He also retained the modesty and restraint of an ordinary person, asking for permission to smoke a cigarette...
And after bing wealthy, he could freely talk about his past hardships as a topic of conversation.
Even He Jing, who had known him for two years, felt like she was getting to know Gu Heng all over again...
However, Gu Heng, who had simply vented a bit, had no interest in guessing what they were thinking. After extinguishing his cigarette butt, he greeted the three, asking if they were satisfied with their meal and, upon receiving their response, looked up to address Manager Lu.
"Manager Lu, could you please tally up the bill for us?"
Manager Lu, who was already prepared, quickly responded, "Mr. Gu, your basic expense for this table is 128,888 yuan, plus the additional dishes you ordered, the totales to 175,000 yuan.
Normally, we would charge a 15% service fee on the third floor, but due to a mistake on part of our staff, which caused you and your friends to have a poor experience before the meal, this service fee has been waived. So, just rounding it off, you only need to pay 170,000 yuan."
170,000 yuan?!!!
Actually, Gu Heng had a rough idea about the price before asking Manager Lu.
After all, he had ordered the dishes, and the menu prices were clearly marked.
He had spent over 200,000 yuan just on clothes and grooming himself that afternoon, so now, 170,000 yuan...
Seemed to not be such a big number to him...
Not to mention, during the meal, the system had already awarded him 180,000 yuan, which means, for this meal, he hadn¡¯t even paid out of pocket and had earned 10,000 yuan...
But that was just Gu Heng¡¯s thought process.
He Jing, Lin Jiayun, and Xiao Lan had been all ears when Gu Heng mentioned settling the bill. Now, hearing the discounted price of 170,000 yuan from Manager Lu¡¯s mouth, despite their best efforts to manage their expressions, their shock was unavoidably evident...
Okay, okay, okay...
Okay, okay, okay...
A single meal costing as much as the highest monthly ie among them, He Jing?
Lin Jiayun and Xiao Lan didn¡¯t know much about Gu Heng¡¯s past, so they had little to say.
But He Jing knew just how hard Gu Heng¡¯s past had been.
Now, whether she believed it or not...
It seemed like what Gu Heng said that afternoon, about bing a rich second generation, had be a firmly established fact...
Chapter 13 - 13 Sherlock Holmes = Lin Jiayun
After Gu Heng and Manager Lu went to settle the bill, the spacious private room was left with only He Jing, Lin Jiayun, and Xiao Lan.
Seeing the door of the private room closed by thest departing server, Lin Jiayun could no longer suppress her curiosity and eagerly turned to He Jing to ask.
"Jingjing! Are you really sure this is your colleague whom you know?"
"I should be sure..."
After finishing this incrediblyvish hotpot meal, even He Jing was no longer confident...
"Sure is sure, unsure is unsure, what do you mean ¡¯should be¡¯!"
"It¡¯s just that I was very sure before, but after this meal, I¡¯m somewhat unsure..."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, doesn¡¯t that mean you didn¡¯t really know him well in the first ce?"
Having said that, Lin Jiayun began shaking her head and analyzing outright.
"In the afternoon you said Gu Heng was born in 2000, which means he¡¯s only a year older than me, just turned 23?"
"Yes, that¡¯s right."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, do you think it¡¯s possible that, in fact, Gu Heng is a rich second-generation who was educated to endure hardships from childhood? Now that he¡¯s grown up, it¡¯s only natural that he starts to take over the family business and bes a bona fide wealthy heir?"
Upon hearing this, He Jing¡¯s mind once again revisited the conversation she had had with Gu Heng that afternoon...
If Gu Heng hadn¡¯t won the lottery, that was the only possibility...
Seeing He Jing lower her head in thought and remain silent, Lin Jiayun¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled, and she sat down next to He Jing, shaking her arm, "Right? Don¡¯t you think so too?"
He Jing: "..."
"Sister, do you remember our vow from the beginning?"
"What vow?"
"If rich, don¡¯t forget each other!"
He Jing: "???"
"I let it slide when you didn¡¯t introduce that big brother from the live-streaming to me, but this time you absolutely can¡¯t hog him all to yourself! I¡¯m convinced that Gu Heng is definitely a hidden wealthy heir around us, and while no one else has noticed this blue-chip yet, I must get him locked down in advance!"
Watching Lin Jiayun, who appeared resolute, He Jing expressed her confusion, "Wait a minute, I don¡¯t remember us ever having such a vow?"
Waving her hand nonchntly, Lin Jiayun said, "That¡¯s not important, don¡¯t sweat the details. Anyway, you have to help meter, once I get Gu Heng, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal here, how about that?"
Before He Jing could respond, Xiao Lan jumped in, "Yes! Sister Jia, tell me, how can I help you?"
Seeing how understanding Xiao Lan was, Lin Jiayun nodded at her in satisfaction, "Don¡¯t worry Xian, you won¡¯t miss out on feasts like this in the future!"
Having spoken, she turned her gaze back to He Jing¡¯s face.
After all, it was through He Jing that she met Gu Heng, and a proper assist would naturally have toe from her.
Seeing Lin Jiayun¡¯s expression that implied their sisterly bond would be cut with a single de if He Jing did not cooperate, He Jing couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes and retorted, "Are you really being so arbitrary?
Are you not afraid that he just won a small lottery ticket and is here for a revenge spending spree? And what if he runs out of moneyter and has to go back to work?"
Lin Jiayun immediately waved her hand and said firmly, "Impossible!
You think I¡¯m being arbitrary, but actually, in the past hour, I have already thoroughly considered it."
"How is it not possible?"
Lin Jiayun cleared her throat and transformed into a psychology master, starting her analysis in earnest.
"First of all, I¡¯ll assume what you said is correct and pretend that he won the lottery.
But as you mentioned earlier, he¡¯s been working at thepany for over two years and earns only 4500. Do you think someone with a monthly sry of 4500, who sees buying a car or house as out of reach, would first solve what problem after suddenly bing rich?
That would definitely be buying a car or a house!
Put yourself in his shoes¡ªif it were you who won the lottery, would you first treat me and Xiao Lan to a meal worth hundreds of thousands, or would you go look at houses?"
After hearing Lin Jiayun¡¯s analysis, He Jing was momentarily stunned...
Although she always felt something was off, she also found it tremendously logical¡ªhow irritating!
Seeing He Jing ept her analysis, a confident smile appeared on Lin Jiayun¡¯s delicate face, and she continued analyzing.
"Next!
You and Xiao Lan are quite simr; she¡¯s always only thinking about delicious food, and you? You¡¯re constantly thinking about buying a house in Hang City, but I¡¯m different. I am a trendsetter at the forefront of fashion!
Did you guys see the clothes Gu Heng was wearing earlier? Could you recognize the brand?"
Upon hearing this, He Jing and Xiao Lan exchanged nces, both seeing a bit of confusion in each other¡¯s eyes...
Although they thought Gu Heng looked quite stylish, and presumably expensive, they couldn¡¯t actually name the brand.
With an increasingly evident curve of her lips, Lin Jiayun didn¡¯t keep them in suspense, revealing directly: "At first, I recognized only the overcoat he was wearing¡ªHerm¨¨s¡¯ advance spring collection for 2024, which debuted in Herm¨¨s magazine just half a month ago.
And I, Lin Jiayun, have hardly ever missed an issue of magazines from luxury brands like LV, Herm¨¨s, Balenciaga, and Givenchy."
The price on LV¡¯s official website for Hua Country is 59999, and you still have to pay the value-added tax and the consumption tax, so without 70,000 yuan, you certainly can¡¯t buy it.
As for his pants and shoes, although I didn¡¯t recognize them, I sneakily snapped a couple of pictures and searched them on TikTok. They were Dior x AJ1 limited edition, and I¡¯m not sure about the exact price, but it¡¯s definitely several tens of thousands."
In other words, just the outfit Gu Heng was wearing would cost hundreds of thousands!
Do you still think he just won a small lottery prize?
Even if, taking a huge step back, Gu Heng did win the lottery, it couldn¡¯t possibly be a small prize; it absolutely had to be a massive prize starting from tens of millions¡ªabsolutely!
If he didn¡¯t have the money, why would he spend it on ordinary things like eating and clothing? Why not just buy a Mercedes or BMW for lifelong unting, which would be far better than now?"
After the analysis, He Jing and Xiao Lan looked at the confidently beaming Lin Jiayun, both utterly dumbfounded...
They had always thought the frequent mention by Lin Jiayun of hanging onto a rich man was just a joke...
Not until today did they realize this woman was trulymitted to her n to snag a rich man...
From evidence analysis to human reasoning, she was almost on par with Sherlock Holmes...
"Alright, since you¡¯ve already decided, why don¡¯t you tell us how we can help you?"
Seeing He Jing agree, Lin Jiayun¡¯s smile grew even brighter.
"There¡¯s not much to help with, tonight is the best opportunity.
I¡¯m not that familiar with Gu Heng, and since he has resigned, chances are we¡¯ll have even less interaction in the future. I n to strike while the iron is hot and secure a friendship first.
Once we¡¯re friends and I¡¯ve got his contact details, it will be clear whether he¡¯s truly rich or just pretending. So,ter on, I¡¯ll arrange another gathering; my treat, at FT Bar¡ªwhere I have some stored wine.
All you need to do is, when I bring it upter, no matter what method you use, you must make sure Gu Heng agrees!"
Chapter 14 - 14 Reality Should Be Just That
When Gu Heng pushed open the private room door, he shook off the water droplets still lingering on his hands from the recent wash and stepped inside.
He suddenly discovered...
something was off about the atmosphere in the room...
He Jing, Lin Jiayun, and Xiao Lan, who had all been acting quite normally just moments ago, were now all staring at him...
Especially Lin Jiayun...
Her gaze was intense...
almost as if she wanted to devour him...
"What are you all looking at me for?
Don¡¯t think nonsense, I didn¡¯t do anything with Manager Lu! I washed my hands simply because they were greasy from eating!"
He Jing: "???"
Lin Jiayun: "???"
Xiao Lan: "???"
Confronted with Gu Heng¡¯s hurried series of denials, the three of them were startled!
Only a few minutes had passed since he left to settle the bill; could it be done in just a couple of minutes???
Such a man, no matter how rich he might be, simply wasn¡¯t desirable, right?
Watching their looks of disdain, Gu Heng was perplexed and then incredulously said, "Hey, hey, hey, you guys can¡¯t possibly believe that, right? In just these few minutes, there wasn¡¯t even enough time to take my pants off."
He Jing¡¯s gaze sharpened, as a sense of righteous judgment shot straight towards Gu Heng¡¯s face, "So you¡¯re saying, if there was enough time, you might indeed want something to happen?"
Lin Jiayun, on the other hand, did not possess that moral sense; she just asked the question that interested her.
"You¡¯re saying youst more than just a few minutes?"
"With both of you asking at once, how am I supposed to know who to answer first?"
Having said that, he sat down boldly in front of the two women, casually popping a cherry tomato into his mouth.
"Answer mine first!"
Seeing Lin Jiayun¡¯s eager appearance, Gu Heng shrugged and said, "Truth be told, I don¡¯t know; it¡¯s been several years since myst close encounter with a girl. Anyway, I used to have quite the stamina back then.
It probably declined by now, given that I¡¯ve kept it in maintenance for so long. If I use it all of a sudden, I reckon it¡¯ll be more sensitive."
Xiao Lan, who had never been in a rtionship and had only good food on her mind, listened to their direct exchange and was utterly bewildered...
Are they really this upfront?
I¡¯m just a little girl who¡¯s six years plus 173 months old. Should I even be hearing this?
.....
But Lin Jiayun nodded in satisfaction.
Having no close contact with girls for so many years indicates a clean social circle...
She didn¡¯t mind if Gu Heng was a yboy, but if she could find a rich, somewhat handsome, pure-hearted young fellow, why would she choose an old yboy who¡¯s been through the wringer?
Moreover, she didn¡¯t think that Gu Heng was bluffing.
There was simply no need.
There is a clear difference between men and women.
That is, a man might have only had one rtionship, but he would brag as if he started with at least three.
Women, however, are different; one with eight rtionships would almost wish she could say she never had any, because they know very well that the less experienced in love, the more they are valued by men.
"Now can you answer my question?"
He Jing still had that piercing look, staring straight at Gu Heng.
"Do I even need to answer that?
If we brought this question to a game of ¡¯Truth or Dare¡¯, I believe nine and a half out of ten guys would say yes!
You¡¯ve seen Manager Lu, right? Although she might be on the older side, possibly in her thirties, I think she¡¯s still quite charming...
If she¡¯s willing, of course, I wouldn¡¯t mind having a thrilling bay fight with her.
"I¡¯m not at a loss anyway," Gu Heng said, ying up his honesty.
After saying this, Gu Heng looked towards the door with a bit of guilt.
Talking about someone behind their back¡ªif they were overheard, wouldn¡¯t it be social suicide on the spot?
"No, that¡¯s not right!" He Jing nced at her eyebrows and looked at Gu Heng again.
"What¡¯s wrong now?"
"There are plenty of beauties at thepany, why didn¡¯t I see you try to hit on one before?"
Gu Heng shrugged again andughed, then couldn¡¯t help but retort to He Jing, "My Sister Jing, you must know quite a few guys, right? How can such a childish remarke from your mouth?"
"???"
"Of course, I didn¡¯t try to hit on someone before because I knew I had no chance..."
"With my monthly sry of 4500, my only entertainment is ying games, and the fanciest ce I¡¯ve ever been to is a humble Inte cafe¡ªI couldn¡¯t chase anyone even if I tried..."
"People should have self-awareness. I¡¯ve understood that since I was a just a teenager with a bit of sense."
"Let¡¯s not even talk about them, let¡¯s talk about you. If I had pursued you back then, would you be sitting and eating with me at the same table today?"
Listening to Gu Heng, He Jing felt increasingly upset and couldn¡¯t help but retort, "Is that what you think of me?"
With a self-deprecatingugh, Gu Heng didn¡¯t argue with her, but just looked at her yfully...
In fact, Gu Heng strongly believed that He Jing wasn¡¯t some mercenary girl, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have agreed toe and have this farewell dinner with him. But if his former self had any improper thoughts, that might not be the case.
This had nothing to do with human nature; it¡¯s just that reality should be this way. The establishment of intimate rtionships between adult men and women is essentially apatibility test of value systems.
Especially for girls like them who can be basically financially independent in their 20s¡ªwho among them isn¡¯t profoundly aware? If she can livefortably on her own, why should she date and lower her own standard of living?
It wasn¡¯t until he saw He Jing starting to feel guilty and avoiding eye contact that Gu Heng stood up, tone casual, "Let¡¯s call it a day. I should still be in Hang City for a few days, let¡¯s meet up another time."
Having said that, he made to leave.
Just as they were about to part on not-so-great terms, Lin Jiayun became anxious and quickly stood up.
"Don¡¯t be in such a hurry to go."
Gu Heng stopped and looked back at her, puzzled.
"You treated us to a meal worth tens of thousands tonight, and though it was for Jingjing¡¯s sake, no matter what, Xiao Lan and I owe you a favor.
We even canceled tonight¡¯s live stream for this, nning to take you to FT Bar for some fun as a way of returning the favor, how about it?"
After saying this, she kicked He Jing under the table.
But He Jing was so engrossed in recalling Gu Heng¡¯s recent words and hisst look at her that she sat in her chair without a word.
She truly felt like today was the first day she had met Gu Heng. The careful and honest Gu Heng she knew before was dead...
After kicking with no response for a while, Lin Jiayun¡¯s upper and lower front teeth had alreadye together, but she could only keep smiling at Gu Heng...
"FT Bar? The one Tong Jingcheng used to run?"
"That¡¯s the one!"
There¡¯s a saying that goes...
No loser doesn¡¯t want to be Tong Jingcheng...
Gu Heng used to watch his live streams a lot, and he had heard of FT Bar, but that was all¡ª he didn¡¯t even know which way the entrance faced...
Now that Lin Jiayun suddenly brought it up, he actually did want to see for himself what a ce where one could spend tens or hundreds of thousands in a night was like...
"Shall we go and see?"
"Great! I¡¯ll call marketing right away."
She had thought He Jing would have to cooperate with Gu Heng for him to agree, but to her surprise, he simply agreed once she mentioned it.
Looking at He Jing, who still sat there lifeless, Lin Jiayun was furious.
That pig of a teammate was utterly useless!
She¡¯d have to take matters into her own hands!
Chapter 15: Can Marketing Be Tangible and Approachable?
Half an hourter.
The time had already moved past nine in the evening.
Yet, under the veil of night, Hang City remained resplendently neon, coquettishly disying its beauty.
Sitting in the passenger seat of He Jing¡¯s car, Gu Heng squinted slightly at the trendy guys and spicy girls that asionally shed by the window, feeling no envy at the moment.
"How much longer till we get there, Sister Jing?"
After staring out the window for too long, he couldn¡¯t help but rub his eyes to relieve some fatigue and turned his head to He Jing, who was intently steering the wheel, and asked softly.
"Don¡¯t you know how to check the GPS?! Jerk!"
He Jing¡¯s tone was still harsh, and upon hearing the word "jerk", Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback...
How exactly had he wronged her?
Wasn¡¯t he just honestly answering her questions?
What, now?
You¡¯re not allowed to speak the truth, and if you do, you¡¯re a jerk?
It was simply baffling...
Since He Jing didn¡¯t want to answer, Gu Heng had no intention of pressing his warm face against her cold back...
Why had he been single for so many years?
The most important factor, of course, was because he was poor.
The next more important reason was that he had too much dignity to be a simp.
In this society, roughly 90% of men are poor, some even poorer than Gu Heng, but why do so many men still have girlfriends?
Some conform to reality, finding women who were aware of their own ordinariness, and indulging in modest romances, which, though not overly romantic, were at least secure and considerate.
Another group are simps, striving to get a girlfriend and then marry and have kids, they must pursue the "little fairies".
These men truly endure any humility imaginable; their few thousand yuan in monthly wages isn¡¯t much, but if spent solely on themselves, they could scrape by.
Yet, once in a rtionship, there seem to be celebrations for 28 days each month, with each holiday demanding grand surprises or minor delights, exploited by bosses outside and at home by wives alike.
On top of that, they had to pamper their girlfriends like princesses.
In a word, girlfriends can never be wrong. These "little fairies" deign to be with average men like you, and you dare to say they¡¯re at fault? If you can¡¯t provide material wealth, you must offer emotional value, and doesn¡¯t that mean ying the part of their dog...
Such a dating model is one of the reasons why ordinary guys are increasingly fearful of dating, and of course, Gu Heng was no exception.
Otherwise, with his height of 1.8 meters and decently handsome looks, getting a girlfriend shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.
But!
If it means being a simp to have a rtionship.
That¡¯s impossible; even in poverty, he refused to be a simp.
Already near a nervous breakdown being a dog at thepany, if dating also meant being a dog, he might as well be dead, for life held no meaning then.
....
....
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Gu Heng looked at He Jing again, his expression growing indifferent.
After all, she was just an ordinary friend; he really didn¡¯t need to care about her thoughts.
He had never stooped to ttery or acted like a simp when he was desperately poor, so now that he had money, was he supposed to start? Let her daydream on.
Instantly, the atmosphere in the car grew somewhat quieter...
Lin Jiayun, who had been ying with her phone in the back seat, sensed the change in mood first and bit down hard on her back teeth...
He Jing, that wretched teammate, not only did she not help matchmake her with Gu Heng, but now she was even intentionally ruining the mood!
"She definitely wants to scare Gu Heng away so he can¡¯t get close to her, then she can secretly contact her!"
stic sisterhood shattered in Lin Jiayun¡¯s heart in an instant...
Thinking of this, Lin Jiayun¡¯s gaze at He Jing began to carry a hint of hostility...
Then she suddenly turned off her phone screen, leaned forward from the back seat to the front, and said to Gu Heng with a smile, "Not much longer, the map shows less than two kilometers to go."
In such close contact, a scent, whether from shampoo or perfume, slowly wafted into Gu Heng¡¯s nostrils, and her long hair, blowing due to the air conditioning, brushed against his face now and then...
Turning his head, Lin Jiayun¡¯s delicate face was at most twenty centimeters away from his own...
Because of her youth, her face, rich with cogen, was as smooth as egg whites...
For a moment, that ticklish sensation began to spread throughout his body, making Gu Heng unsure whether it was Lin Jiayun¡¯s hair that tickled him or his own heart being tickled...
It had been too long since he had been in such close contact with a girl, and the sudden intimacy made Gu Heng somewhat ufortable, so he shifted to the side a bit to create some distance...
And this simple little movement made Lin Jiayun¡¯s heart secretly rejoice again...
She had guessed right after all, Gu Heng was just a innocent young man.
This type of guy should be easy to win over, right?
Suddenly, Gu Heng¡¯s voice once again broke the silent tension in the car.
"I heard that in a bar you can also order girls and male models forpany? When you girls go out to bars, do you order male models? Do you mind if I order girls forpany?"
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Lin Jiayun¡¯s face, which had held a hint of pleasure, suddenly froze...
Just now she thought Gu Heng was an innocent guy.
But the next moment, he wanted to order hostesses right in front of her?
There were three girls in the car, and each of them was dozens, if not hundreds of times better than any hostess, right?
Three beauties apanying him to the bar, and all he could think about was ordering hostesses?!
It seemed He Jing was right, Gu Heng at his core was a scumbag! Although he hadn¡¯t reached his full potential yet, given the current trend, it shouldn¡¯t take many days.
But she was different from He Jing...
He Jing hated scumbags to the bone.
She, on the other hand, didn¡¯t have such a strong bias against scumbags, as long as they could give her money, afford her luxury goods and brand names, she could put up with them.
Thinking this way, the nk expression that had overtaken Lin Jiayun¡¯s face for a second returned to a bright smile.
"What you¡¯re talking about is business KTV, KTV Bars, and nightclubs. ces like the FT Bar are generally more formal and usually don¡¯t offerpanionship services."
Listening to Lin Jiayun¡¯s exnation, Gu Heng nodded his head, somewhat disappointed.
The only way he could know about these high-end venues was through the inte...
And yet, that information always seemed just out of reach...
He might have been getting likes on his posts one second, and the next second the video could be deleted...
He had once identally seen a video of a middle-aged man going to sing alone, ordering a dozen girls, with kissing and touching...
At that moment, he swore that once he had money, he would definitely indulge in that kind of fun!
Now that the opportunity was finally in front of him, and he had the money too, Lin Jiayun told him there was no such service at the ce they were going to. Could he not be disappointed?
"Even though there¡¯s nopanionship service, if you want, you can ask the marketer to drink with you, their role is simr to that of a hostess."
Upon hearing Lin Jiayun say this, a light rekindled in Gu Heng¡¯s eyes.
He turned to look into her eyes, each word clear, "Then can the marketer be kissed and touched like a hostess can?"
Lin Jiayun: "???"
For a moment, she truly didn¡¯t want to cling to a wealthy guy like Gu Heng anymore; it was too hard...
Chapter 16 - 16 Mindset Shift
After parking the car,
the four of them split into two groups and headed towards the main entrance of the FT Bar...
Lin Jiayun and Gu Heng walked side by side in the front, with Lin Jiayun teaching Gu Heng some basic knowledge about bar etiquette...
Whereas He Jing and Xiao Lan followed leisurely behind the two.
Watching theughing pair ahead, He Jing felt an indescribable emotion stirring inside her...
To say that He Jing had fallen for Gu Heng and was jealous of Lin Jiayun was definitely not possible - though adult emotions are cheap, they aren¡¯t so cheap that one could fall for someone during a single meal, especially someone they hadn¡¯t felt anything for in two years.
Even if Lin Jiayun was shamelessly throwing herself at him, it wasn¡¯t out of affection; it was merely because she saw Gu Heng as wealthy and was after his money.
But women are strange creatures; oftentimes, even if they don¡¯t like something, they can¡¯t stand others liking it - unless that thing is trivial.
If Gu Heng had remained the ordinary office drone he once was, Lin Jiayun¡¯s advances might not have bothered He Jing at all; but the point was...
Things had changed...
The once invisible man had turned into a handsome, wealthy guy...
This hidden gem, once known only to her, had not only been brought into the limelight by her, but her so-called best friend had also taken an interest in him and what¡¯s more, their rtionship was progressing quickly...
It felt like a betrayal...
Fortunately, He Jing¡¯s wild thoughts didn¡¯tst long; a male voice rang out beside them.
"Sister Lin, your booth is all set up."
Looking at the trendy young man before them, Gu Heng turned to nce at Lin Jiayun.
"Jiajun is my friend and also works in marketing at the FT Bar."
Lin Jiayun was clearly familiar with this marketer as after introducing him she continued with a smile: "This is Gu Heng, my friend. Tonight¡¯s booth is for him, so make sure everything is perfect, or else we won¡¯t being to you next time."
The marketer couldn¡¯t help but take a closer look at Gu Heng...
He recognized Lin Jiayun, He Jing, and Xiao Lan.
He also knew what the three of them did; though there were many influencers in Hang City with millions of followers, they weren¡¯t numerous.
Especially Lin Jiayun, who often came to the FT Bar and was considered a valuable customer, consistently bringing in good business every month.
But he was sure he had never seen Gu Heng before.
Yet as a marketer, quick on his feet, he immediately pegged Gu Heng as a wealthy second-generation heir...
If not a rich heir, how else would he find himself surrounded by three major influencers, with a special reminder to take good care of him?
Realizing this switched the marketer¡¯s casual demeanor due to his familiarity with Lin Jiayun to one of respectful professionalism typical in marketing, smiling at Gu Heng: "Since Sister Lin has instructed, tonight we¡¯ll definitely provide Mr. Gu with the best service! Come, Mr. Gu, please head inside; your booth is all ready."
Hearing the marketer call him "Mr. Gu," Gu Heng suddenly felt a thrilling sensation through his pores.
Although terms like "boss" had be overlymon, nowadays constituting the basic ttery, but he relished in the vulgarity ¡ª it felt exhrating to hear it!
Having been called "little Gu" for so many years, who would have thought that one day he would be addressed as Mr. Gu...
Originally seeing that Lin Jiayun had called a male marketer, Gu Heng had thought about asking her to rece him.
Given how much Lin Jiayun currently valued Gu Heng, recing a marketer would probably be a simple request.
The smiling marketer didn¡¯t know that his instinctive reference to "Mr. Gu" had just secured his performance for the evening.
......
......
As soon as he walked in from the Outer Gate, a heavy scent of hormones started to assault him.
By the time marketing led Gu Heng into the Inner Gate, the ear-splitting music morphed into waves of sound that crashed over him.
The colorful lights flickered with the music, darkness mingling with brightness, while the air was filled with the scents of alcohol and cigarettes. Young men and women in the dance floor swayed their bodies to the rhythm, the unique atmosphere instantly boosting the dopamine levels in the body.
Even though it was the dead of winter, the temperature inside was still sweltering, especially when generously dresseddies in tank tops walked past, a vague excitement quickly awakened within Gu Heng.
This was Gu Heng¡¯s first time experiencing such a scene. Although he had often watched short videos of nightclubs and bars, the feeling of being there in person, as opposed to through a smartphone screen, was iparably more intense.
Just one nightclub could bring such a big stimtion; how thrilling must the ygrounds of the truly wealthy be?
At that moment, Gu Heng had a very clear thought.
Whether before or after activating the system, Gu Heng had a very clear sense of his own status.
He was just a small fry and had never thought about using the system to be a tycoon-like richest man; he just wanted to do everything he desired!
Previously held back by the quagmire of life, such thoughts were mere fantasies.
But now, with the cheat enabled, this lifestyle was within easy reach!
Set a small goal: within a year, under the premise that he won¡¯t end up in prison, do everything he only dared to dream about before!
[Host¡¯s state of mind elevates, daring to think what wasn¡¯t thought before, daring to do what wasn¡¯t done before, sessful indulgence, reward: special shop unlocked (no supernatural items)]
Just as Gu Heng was about to inquire about this reward that switched from cash to the opening of a special shop, Lin Jiayun grabbed him by the arm and brought him to a booth.
"Sister Lin, how do you like this booth? If it¡¯s not okay, I¡¯ll change it for you immediately!"
Only after seeing everyone sit down did marketing finally stand by the booth and ask.
"Didn¡¯t I tell you, tonight this booth is opened for Gu Heng. Just ask him, it¡¯s fine if he says it¡¯s fine, if he says it¡¯s not, then we¡¯ll change it."
Upon receiving Lin Jiayun¡¯s reply, marketing once again confirmed her suspicion that Gu Heng was a rich second-generation who needed to be pampered, and became even more enthusiastic, turning to Gu Heng, "Mr. Gu, what do you think? If you don¡¯t like it, just say the word, and I¡¯ll change it for you immediately!"
Gu Heng shook his head, "This is fine."
Being his first nightclub visit, he wasn¡¯t picky nor knew how to be.
It wasn¡¯t until Gu Heng agreed that the booth was finally settled.
....
Watching therge booth that could fit over a dozen people, Lin Jiayun couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit shaky.
These spacious booths, she couldn¡¯t bear to open one normally when hanging out with friends¡ªeven though she had some drinks stored, the minimum spend for such arge booth would still be several thousand. And that was because today wasn¡¯t any special day and she, as a regr, got a bit of a discount; otherwise, it would definitely start in the ten-thousands...
But looking at Gu Heng sitting beside her, Lin Jiayun gritted her teeth and swept all the painful feelings from her mind...
As long as she could secure Gu Heng, this amount of money was nothing...
No investment, no return, right?
...
...
...
PS: A fairly typical novel about a sudden wealthy individual in everyday settings; the business aspects might appearter but will surely be limited. Moreover, the protagonist¡¯s mindset is that of an ordinary person who suddenly came into money. It might be slightly idealized, not to the extent of a coal tycoon, nor will he be depicted as a renaissance man just because he got rich.
Chapter 17: Do you want me to feed you milk?
This guy called Jiajun was really efficient in his marketing efforts.
The four of them had been sitting for less than two minutes, and the waiter had already delivered all the drinks listed on Lin Jiayun¡¯s tab.
Sitting next to Gu Heng, Lin Jiayun considerately rinsed his beer ss with mineral water and immediately poured him a full ss of beer, the foam cascading down the edge of the ss...
"How about starting with some beer to get used to it?"
After speaking, she handed the beer ss to Gu Heng.
Lin Jiayun¡¯s hands were very attractive, well-defined, and delicate...
Especially those intricately done nails that, under the dazzling bar lights, emitted a faint glowing sheen, momentarily mesmerizing Gu Heng...
"What are you looking at?"
"Cough, cough, nothing..."
Caught in the act of sneaking a peek at her hands, even Gu Heng, who usually wasn¡¯t shy, felt a bit embarrassed and couldn¡¯t help but cough twice.
Lin Jiayun didn¡¯t call him out on it; her smile brightened even more...
In her heart, she felt increasingly proud of her once-wise decision...
Just in terms of looks, Lin Jiayun was on par with He Jing and Xiao Lan, both considered beauties, but the differences in other aspects were significant...
Out of Lin Jiayun¡¯s monthly sry of over a hundred thousand, at least half was spent on her personal care. Besides regr visits to the beauty salon, she spared no expense on high-end facial masks, body lotions, hydrating serums, hand masks, hip masks, breast masks¡ªno exaggeration, she didn¡¯t miss a single body part requiring care.
Sometimes, before going to sleep, the touch of her own smooth skin made her envious...
Envious of the future man who could possess and even caress her.
"If you weren¡¯t looking, why not take the drink? Or did you want me to feed it to you?"
Hearing Lin Jiayun¡¯s somewhat flirtatious words, Gu Heng just smiled subtly.
Although he was an introvert who seldom went out to socialize, it didn¡¯t mean he was clueless about interpersonal interactions.
From the hotpot restaurant until now, Lin Jiayun had continuously maintained a close stance towards him, to put it more frankly, it seemed like she was somewhat throwing herself at him. If he couldn¡¯t sense that, then he really would be a fool...
If it had been earlier, he might have hesitated a bit more reservedly...
But there¡¯s a saying, money makes a man brave...
Now emboldened, Gu Heng started to be more audacious, looking directly at Lin Jiayun a few times, smiling as he said, "If you¡¯re willing to feed me, I could ept that. Honestly, I¡¯ve never experienced what it¡¯s like to be fed by someone else."
"Dream on~
We just met and you want me to feed you alcohol, what if we get to know each other better, wouldn¡¯t you want me to feed you milk?"
Lin Jiayun¡¯s flirtatious words came out effortlessly.
Although she had only graduated from university a year ago, she was already a master at angling for men, having a keen understanding of what types men liked.
Innocent?
Cute?
Sexy?
Actually, none of those.
It¡¯s the flirtatious types they loved the most.
Especially those who appear very flirtatious on the surface but are actually hard to get.
Isn¡¯t there a saying?
The unattainable is always tantalizing.
Gu Heng was momentarily stunned by Lin Jiayun¡¯s casual remark, but he soon recovered, shaking his head with a smile and taking the beer ss from her hand.
Indeed...
Having money was just the foundation; to really have fun, one had to strive to improve his game...
...
...
Jingjing and Xiao Lan were already immersed in the nightclub¡¯s vibe, both ying boredly with dice. Hearing Lin Jiayun¡¯s words, Jingjing secretly rolled her eyes and ignored her.
"Gu Heng, tonight, the three of us came out just to keep youpany, even pushing off our live streams. The ¡¯husband¡¯ fans in our live rooms are probably crying under their nkets by now."
"Doesn¡¯t that alone deserve a toast from you to the three of us?"
Having heard this, Gu Heng also stood up, no longer feeling the initial restraint of entering the nightclub, and said with a smile, "A toast, definitely a toast!"
After saying that, he lifted his ss toward the three of them: "This drink is not only to thank you guys for having the guts to bring me out into the world, but also to toast to myself for never having to ve away at a job again!"
"Gulp, gulp, gulp~"
With a beer down, Gu Heng¡¯s spirits lifted even more.
Although Gu Heng¡¯s statement about never having to ve at work again was driven by emotion...
... the speaker meant nothing by it, but the listener took it to heart.
Lin Jiayun¡¯s lovely, fox-like eyes slightly narrowed, her suspicion that Gu Heng was a rich second generation was somewhat confirmed again, and then she stirred up the atmosphere, raising her ss toward Jingjing and Xiao Lan and shouted, "Here¡¯s to not having to work!"
The atmosphere was like a gue...
Sometimes, all it takes is a small ripple to cause a stir instantly.
Jingjing, who had held some resentment toward Gu Heng and Lin Jiayun before entering the nightclub, also cast aside the clutter in her mind and joined in the shouting.
"Here¡¯s to not having to work!"
The piercing screams of the three women suddenly drew frequent nces from several nearby seats, even making the music inside the bar feel more agitated...
...
After a short bout of excitement, the atmosphere calmed down again, and Lin Jiayun sat back down next to Gu Heng.
"Gu Heng, do you know how to y dice? Just sitting here is boring; let¡¯s y a game?"
At that moment, Gu Heng was propping himself on the sofa armrest, watching the sexy DJ on stage enticingly manipting the turntable. Hearing Lin Jiayun¡¯s voice next to his ear, reluctantly turned his head and honestly replied, "Not really, just a little."
"How about we y something simple, like Bluff?"
"I don¡¯t know how."
"What about Fifteen Twenty?"
"Don¡¯t know that either."
Lin Jiayun mentioned four or five different games in session, to which the answer was always no...
"If you don¡¯t know this and you don¡¯t know that, then what on earth can you y?"
"Um... I can y ¡¯High or Low¡¯."
Lin Jiayun: "???"
"ying ¡¯High or Low¡¯ counts as knowing how to y dice?"
Gu Heng nodded, his gaze sincere: "Yeah, that¡¯s why I said I don¡¯t really know how, just a bit."
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s rather reasonable exnation, Lin Jiayun gritted her teeth: "Fine, then let¡¯s y ¡¯High or Low¡¯, three dice, how about that?"
"Sure."
Watching Jingjing and Xiao Lan, along with other patrons, ying vigorously, he himself had been itching to join, but feeling shy since he hadn¡¯t yed before, he never joined the fray. Now that Lin Jiayun had offered to y with him, of course, he wouldn¡¯t refuse.
"But let me say this first, ¡¯High or Low¡¯ is too simple, the rounds go fast, we can¡¯t just drink. If we only drink, one of us will definitely end up carried out tonight, and I still have to shoot a video tomorrow; we can¡¯t y that hard."
"Hmm? Then how shall we y?"
"Let¡¯s y Truth or Dare, you¡¯ve heard of that, right? Whoever loses takes a round of Truth or Dare, and only drinks if they refuse, how about that?"
Under the lights, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but nce at Lin Jiayun, sensing her mischief but not backing down, he nodded.
Seeing Gu Heng agree, Lin Jiayun couldn¡¯t help but feel pleased...
Having a few extra drinks didn¡¯t matter, as long as she could extract useful information.
Chapter 18 - 18 Loving Her the Same as Loving You
"Sixteen points! It¡¯s your turn, call it out quickly!"
Lin Jiayun, who had already downed five or six drinks, sported a reddish flush on her face. Due to drinking too aggressively, her stomach had started to feel uneasy...
But an upset stomach was the least of her worries, for her heart felt even worse...
Who could have imagined that she would y dice with a newbie and not win a single round, but rather lose five or six rounds in a row?
Though ying big or small didn¡¯t require much skill, she had been ying dice for so many years and had somewhat mastered the technique of rolling dice. Even the lowest score she rolled was ten points...
But it was useless...
Gu Heng almost always outscored her in every round...
Moreover, Gu Heng never mentioned truth or dare, only insisting she drink...
If it wasn¡¯t for his clumsy dice-rolling technique and sincere eyes, Lin Jiayun would really suspect he was some nightclub veteran pretending to be a noob to trick her...
As expected...
When Gu Heng lifted the dice cup, the shining triplet of sixes was like a sh of light stabbing Lin Jiayun¡¯s eyes.
Seeing Lin Jiayun staring nkly at the dice cup, even Gu Heng felt a bit embarrassed...
He swore he had just shaken it casually, but... it seemed like the system had activated and changed his luck?
"No way! You must have cheated! How could you win every time, sob~ Are you deliberately picking on me?"
Lin Jiayun started to y the me game...
It wasn¡¯t fair to me her for cheating...
After all, she had already drunk so much; although the cups weren¡¯t big, adding up to about three bottles in volume, she wasn¡¯t a drinker strong enough to withstand such fierce drinking. It wouldn¡¯t be good if she passed out before digging any information out of him...
And besides, she was a girl...
ying the me game was their privilege...
Especially a delicate and soft girl like Lin Jiayun...
When Lin Jiayun snuggled close to Gu Heng, a mixture of sweat and perfume reached his nose, making Gu Heng, who initially wanted to deny her firmly like a true man of steel, soften his heart instantly...
Indeed, people like me are hard in arguments but soft in everything else...
After finding an excuse to cover up his susceptibility to beauty, Gu Hengpromised...
"Okay, okay, I cheated. You don¡¯t have to drink this one, alright?"
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Lin Jiayun first shed a sweet smile, then quickly added, "That won¡¯t do!"
"?"
"Cheating should have a penalty! In mahjong, false derations have topensate all yers."
"???"
There was a penalty? Thisdy was being a bit excessive, dodging drinks was one thing, but she better not expect him to drink instead?
But before Gu Heng could refuse, Lin Jiayun cleverly announced her so-called penalty.
"We¡¯re ying truth or dare, aren¡¯t we? So choose one: truth or dare?"
Gu Heng thought since he had won so many rounds, he might as well let her have some fun, so without making a fuss, he nodded and said, "Then truth."
"Great!"
Gu Heng¡¯s choice was exactly what Lin Jiayun hoped for, and it thrilled her slightly.
Although she already had an answer in mind, she still cutely tilted her head at Gu Heng, pretending to be deep in thought...
A few secondster, Lin Jiayun snapped her fingers: "Got it!"
"Hmm?"
"Do you like Jingjing? You must tell the truth, no lies allowed."
Though what she most wanted to probe was Gu Heng¡¯s wallet, directly addressing it from the start would seem too utilitarian and might annoy Gu Heng.
This truth question was just right, considering that He Jing and he had known each other for two years, they must have built some emotional foundation, right? If Gu Heng truly liked He Jing, then she would have to consider how to make him fall for someone else...
As for the unwritten rule that you shouldn¡¯t covet a friend¡¯s partner, that just wasn¡¯t going to happen to her, okay?
If Gu Heng truly was of a superior quality, then even if he was He Jing¡¯s official boyfriend, she would still try to lure him away, let alone that they weren¡¯t actually dating.
When Gu Heng heard the question, his eyes drifted towards He Jing, who was happily ying rock-paper-scissors with Xiao Lan not far away...
The dim festive lights illuminated her delicate features, making them appear both hidden and visible. Her originally sleek hair had be disheveled due to therge movements from ying rock-paper-scissors; sensing something, He Jing who was enjoying herself, suddenly looked up and their eyes met momentarily...
But the eye contact didn¡¯tst long, and Gu Heng quickly looked away.
Lin Jiayun, seeing Gu Heng hadn¡¯t answered for so long, couldn¡¯t help but say, "If you don¡¯t want to answer, you can drink, but you have to down three cups."
"What¡¯s there not to want to answer? I like her, yes."
Upon hearing this answer, Lin Jiayun forcefully suppressed the urge to twist her face into a frown...
She had indeed gotten the answer she least wanted to hear.
"Continue!"
After speaking, Lin Jiayun directly shook the dice cup in her hand.
When she saw that the total of the three dice was only six, she felt like dying...
But Gu Heng¡¯s luck seemed to have run out too, as he lifted the cup to reveal three ones, the triplets lying quietly on the table...
Lin Jiayun¡¯s eyes lit up instantly, and she quickly said, "Truth!"
"Ask away."
"How much do you like Jingjing?"
"You seem to be quite interested in this gossip, huh?"
"Humph! Of course, I¡¯m Jingjing¡¯s best girlfriend, and now that someone likes her, I naturally have to check them out."
Lin Jiayun could speak such conscience-betraying words without the slightest blush...
"Hurry up and tell!"
Not only was she urging him with her words, but her heart was also in knots...
She definitely didn¡¯t want to hear answers like "the girl I¡¯ve liked the most in over twenty years" or "the only one for me"...
Although she liked true love, she only liked it when it was directed at her...
If Gu Heng really was some true love war god, how difficult would it be for her to make him fall for someone else? She just wanted to find a rich boyfriend; should it really be this difficult?
But Gu Heng¡¯s next answer made her both satisfied and dissatisfied...
Gu Heng picked up the wine on the table, moistened his lips, and slowly said, "If you ask me how much I like her, I can¡¯t really say, but I can make aparison for you."
"Whatparison?"
"The same as how much I like you."
Lin Jiayun: "What do you mean???"
Shrugging his shoulders, Gu Heng casually said, "Just what it literally means, I like her the same as I like you.
And it¡¯s not just you two, I feel the same about Xiao Lan, and also the two prettiest anchors from ourpany¡¯s streaming department, Xiaoru and Xu Siyu."
With that exnation, Lin Jiayun understood.
"So you¡¯re just lecherous, right? That¡¯s not liking."
Gu Heng spread his hands, curled his lips, and said with an open face, "I never said I wasn¡¯t lecherous, but for a man, isn¡¯t being lecherous the same as liking?"
Lin Jiayun mimicked He Jing and rolled her eyes dramatically, theatrically spitting out a "Ptooey! Jingjing was right, you are just a jerk!
But at least you¡¯re an honest jerk, much better than those who want to cheat and yet try to set up a facade of being deeply in love."
"So are youplimenting me now?"
"It depends on how you take it~"
Gu Heng¡¯s answer allowed Lin Jiayun, who had been somewhat afraid that he was a true love war god, to feel reassured...
But at the same time, a new problem arose...
In the dating world, there¡¯s a saying that it¡¯s not the jerkiness of men you should fear, but men who understand their jerkiness...
If Gu Heng was the kind of jerk who yed both sides, there would always be a vulnerability for her to exploit...
But from Gu Heng¡¯s recent behavior, it was clear he wasn¡¯t like that...
Men who are jerks in a very clear way have one trait.
That is treating women who meet their standards equally, liking anyone just the same, but simrly, able to stop liking anyone just as quickly; what I can give you one moment, I can give to someone else the next...
Such men...
It¡¯s easy for women to be deceived by them...
But conversely...
They can also easily kick you far away...
Chapter 19 - 19 Oh, So Hard
The music was still deafening.
The atmosphere was still lively.
After a few drinks, Gu Heng hadpletely blended into the nightclub vibe and was starting to get hyped up, tossing his jacket aside to reveal the lining of his coat.
Even Lin Jiayun, who had been focused on rolling the dice, couldn¡¯t help but take a couple more nces at him.
Initially, she thought Gu Heng was just somewhat handsome, but now it seemed that, in addition to being handsome, he also appeared to have a pretty good physique...
Seeing Lin Jiayun¡¯s gaze, Gu Heng felt somewhat secretly thrilled...
Although he usually didn¡¯t exercise much, it must be due to good genes, as he had never been overweight from childhood, and though he didn¡¯t have much muscle, he also didn¡¯t have much excess fat...
Thinking about this, he felt somewhatforted...
Compared to those buddies whose parents couldn¡¯t offer much help and even passed down genes for obesity, premature balding, or short stature, he considered himself lucky...
At least his parents had given him a good body...
"Okay, okay, seducing me is useless, you lost again~"
Looking at his own dice cup with 8 points and Lin Jiayun¡¯s with 12 points, Gu Heng said nonchntly, "So I lost, big deal. Shall we continue with Truth or Dare?"
"Sure."
"Then let¡¯s continue with Truth."
Lin Jiayun rolled her eyes and thought for a moment before saying, "Always asking about rtionships is kind of boring. Do you mind if I ask something special?"
After that, her expression also became slightly suggestive.
"How special?"
"It¡¯s something you¡¯d be okay with. If you don¡¯t want to answer, you can choose to drink three sses~"
"Alright, go ahead and ask."
After a buildup of more than ten minutes, Lin Jiayun finally asked the question she was most curious about.
"How much is your monthly allowance? Mind my question, it¡¯s the kind of money you can use freely."
"Allowance?"
Upon hearing the question, Gu Heng was stunned...
Ever since he started working like a dog, he really hadn¡¯t thought about the concept of allowance...
Although he had always tried to save money and lived frugally, his monthly expenses were for necessary living costs, and he was reluctant to spend any money he saved. Allowance? Did he ever have such a thing?
However, he didn¡¯t dwell on the question further. Now that he had money, there was no need to always reminisce about his crappy past life.
Thinking about this, Gu Heng pondered slightly and said, "Honestly, I¡¯m not quite sure about your definition of allowance, but if you¡¯re talking about money I can use freely, then I know...
All the bnce in my bank ount is free for me to use."
Lin Jiayun hurriedly seized the moment, "Then how much is the bnce in your bank ount?"
But Lin Jiayun¡¯s obvious behavior had already allowed Gu Heng to guess what she was thinking. His attitude shifted, no longer so cooperative, and he began to be evasive...
Then he waved his index finger left and right before Lin Jiayun¡¯s eyes and slightly curved his lips, saying, "You asked me how much my allowance was, and I¡¯ve told you, it¡¯s the bnce on my bank card.
Now you¡¯re asking about the bnce on my bank card...
That¡¯s two questions, you know."
Lin Jiayun was slightly confused by Gu Heng¡¯s sudden evasiveness and resorted to a woman¡¯s ultimate skill...
"Ah, no way! You¡¯re just being stickler! That¡¯s clearly a problem~"
Having said that, she stepped forward and started tugging at Gu Heng¡¯s arm...
Caughtpletely off guard, Gu Heng was twisted and turned by her, his right hand swinging about, possibly because of therge amplitude... Suddenly, his palm made close contact with a soft spot...
Although it had been many years since he had been in close contact with a woman, he was no rookie and knew exactly what he had touched...
In an instant, all the muscles in his body tensed up, most noticeably the right hand that Lin Jiayun was swinging...
At the same time, twopletely opposite thoughts arose in their minds...
"Wow, so firm..."
"Hmm, so soft..."
As the sensation escted, Lin Jiayun, like she had been electrocuted, immediately let go of Gu Heng¡¯s arm...
But Lin Jiayun wasn¡¯t some na?ve girl easily shocked; she didn¡¯t blush and scold Gu Heng as a pervert, instead, she rolled her eyes and said, "Your little tricks are really perverse! If I don¡¯t feed you milk, you just help yourself, right?"
Gu Heng, nowpletely hands-free, simply wouldn¡¯t ept the me she thrust at him.
"On my honor, I¡¯ve been sitting here not moving at all; it was you who led my hand there, right?"
"Psh!"
Now that she had been taken advantage of, Lin Jiayun was even more eager to know the bnce on Gu Heng¡¯s bank card...
Otherwise, wasn¡¯t that too much of a loss?
Thinking this, Lin Jiayun became even more obstinate.
"I don¡¯t care, the fact that you took advantage of me is true, and I tell you, I¡¯m a woman with over two million followers. If you don¡¯t make this right, I¡¯ll go hometer and cyber-bully you in a blog post, you know, feminist power has upgraded to T0."
Hehe, handsome, you wouldn¡¯t want to be socially dead, right?"
"???"
"So malicious?"
Fiercely moving up to Gu Heng, face to face, she gritted her teeth and said, "That¡¯s how malicious! If you¡¯re scared, you¡¯d better hurry and answer my question!"
"Alright, alright, I give up, what do you want me to exin?"
Hearing Gu Heng agree, Lin Jiayun¡¯s demeanor changed immediately, cooing, "Ah, brother, what bad thoughts could a little girl like me have? I¡¯m just satisfying my curiosity, wanting to see how much pocket money a brother who can spend 170,000 on a meal has~"
Watching Lin Jiayun, who seemed almost schizophrenic, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but shake his head...
And if he remembered correctly, there should also be over two million in his card now?
Two million in pocket money seemed reasonable, right?
Anyway, it wasn¡¯t embarrassing at least.
With that, he opened his phone and located the Construction Bank APP.
While Gu Heng operated his phone, Lin Jiayun sat eagerly next to him watching. Then, arge group of waiters carrying colorful boxes of alcohol walked out from backstage, and the DJ on stage stopped the previous music and switched to a more energetic track.
Roughly estimating, there seemed to be around a dozen waiters; electronic fireworks flickered, and confetti from the ceiling fell like it cost nothing, creating an enormous spectacle. The procession delivering drinks took a tour around each booth and even ran a loop around the dance floor before delivering the beverages to one of only five Leopard Card booths at the Fascination Club...
As everyone¡¯s attention was captivated by this disy, smoke jets soared on the stage, and a likely marketing man charged to the forefront, grabbing a microphone to shout: "Thanks to BOSS¡¤Card No. 3, Mr. Xiao, for popping a Big Three Yuan set valued at 168,888! May Mr. Xiao and his friends enjoy a wild and joyful night at Fascination Club, let¡¯s scream!"
Listening to the marketer¡¯s stirring voice, aside from the groups prepared for this atmosphere, numerous patrons were also moved, and started screaming along.
In a moment, the atmosphere in the club skyrocketed...
Chapter 20: When Has Showing Off Ever Gone Out of Style?
Gu Heng watched the scene unfold, and even forgot how to use his phone...
This was the first time he had seen an authentic nightclub show-off scene...
Although he didn¡¯t know what the "Big Three Yuan" mentioned in the marketing spiel was, it must be something simr to the "Shenlong Suit"...
Although he had never witnessed the show-off scene of the Shenlong Suit in person, he had read plenty of novels about it, where didn¡¯t each protagonist visiting nightclubs have to unt a couple of Shenlong Suits?
However...
Now, those novels about unting the Shenlong Suit had be lessmon...
He had thought the Shenlong Suit was outdated, but seeing the reaction of the people in the bar, Gu Heng realized it was not outdated at all...
When he thought about it...
Show-off scenes never be outdated, do they?
Even in eight hundred years, as long as there are nightclubs, there will definitely be people continuing to show off...
Thinking about this stirred something in Gu Heng¡¯s heart...
Should he also try this out for himself?
......
Sometimes, desire is like Pandora¡¯s box.
Once opened, it cannot be controlled.
Does showing off count as a desire?
Of course it does!
It¡¯s just that showing off might only be the most superficial and easily attained of human desires...
After seeing others sessfully show off, the originally slight idea in Gu Heng¡¯s mind began to expand rapidly within a very short period, swelling to the point he almost couldn¡¯t suppress it...
The only reason he hadn¡¯t acted yet was because the consumer mindset he had developed over more than 20 years was contending with his desires...
Suddenly...
The Construction Bank app finally refreshed.
After reflexively entering his password, the ount bnce appeared before Gu Heng...
Ignoring the insignificant digits at the end, the prefix 2.2 million acted like the key to Pandora¡¯s box,pletely unleashing what Gu Heng was pondering...
2.2 million!
I fucking have 2.2 million!
Why shouldn¡¯t I show off?
At this moment, Lin Jiayun¡¯s gaze was still following the procession of wine deliveries and failed to see the figures on Gu Heng¡¯s phone. Just as she turned around, she suddenly noticed Gu Heng standing up.
"Hmm? Gu Heng, what are you doing?"
"Just satisfying my own emotional value."
"???"
Before Lin Jiayun couldprehend the meaning of Gu Heng¡¯s words, she saw him waving to the marketer named Jiajun.
While chatting with a waitress, Jiajun, seeing Gu Heng summoning him, quickly ran in from outside the booth.
"What¡¯s up, Mr. Gu?"
Gu Heng didn¡¯t directly answer his question but instead asked, "I remember you¡¯re called Jiajun, right?"
Though a bit baffled by Gu Heng¡¯s seemingly random question, Jiajun answered with a hint of respect, "Yes, Mr. Gu, or you can call me Xiaojun if you like."
Not lingering too long over the issue of what to call him, Gu Heng spoke again, "What¡¯s the procedure for ordering drinks here?"
"What procedure?"
Jiajun was puzzled.
"I mean, like the procedure for that booth over there."
Gu Heng¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but to Jiajun¡¯s ears, it was louder than the music in the bar...
Was this... the prelude to a big transaction?!
But he didn¡¯t ponder for long and quickly replied.
"It¡¯s like this, Mr. Gu, the normal procedure is you order drinks through me, and then the waitress serves them to you, like the BOSS¡¤3 booth customer who ordered the Big Three Yuan set, that¡¯s why he received such treatment."
Hearing Jiajun¡¯s words, Gu Heng nodded to indicate that he understood, but then he quickly continued, "Do I need to order the Shenlong Set to have the same ritual as before?"
Jiajun first nodded, and then shook his head to exin, "Actually, as long as the consumption meets a certain standard, our store offers a ritual. The Shenlong Set is worth 168,000, which meets this standard, but it¡¯s not the case that only by ordering the Shenlong Set will you get that."
With this exnation from Jiajun, Gu Heng understood.
"Do you have a drink menu?"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
After answering with the fastest speed, he took out the drink menu he carried with him and brought it to Gu Heng...
Lin Jiayun, He Jing, and Xiao Lan, sitting nearby, also couldn¡¯t help but gather around when they saw this scene.
Lin Jiayun asked with curiosity, "Gu Heng, are you ordering drinks? Isn¡¯t the alcohol we have already enough for us?"
This time, however, Gu Heng ignored her and began to read the drink menu under the light.
The menu offered a wide variety of drinks...
Apart from the mostmon Budweiser and Kronenbourg 1664, Gu Heng hadn¡¯t heard of most of them.
The price range was also very wide, from the cheapest beer at 20 to the most expensive bottle called Chateau de Martell Supreme, priced at 66,666 yuan...enough to buy more than 3000 bottles of Budweiser...
Besides, Gu Heng also saw the only Shenlong Set he knew of...
The light became increasingly ring, and he had no patience to continue looking. After all, he hadn¡¯t tasted the drinks listed above and there was no need to pretend to choose; he only wanted to check the prices...
Soon after, Gu Heng returned the drink menu to Jiajun.
"Mr. Gu, have you chosen the drink you¡¯d like to order?"
He had a premonition that Mr. Gu in front of him might ce an order as big as the Big Three Yuan!
Though it wasn¡¯t the first time he had handled big orders, his heart always inevitably thumped every time¡ªprobably amon condition among salespeople?
Seeing Jiajun¡¯s hopeful eyes, Gu Heng shook his head.
"Ah?"
"Is there not a drink Mr. Gu is satisfied with?"
Thinking that Gu Heng had given up on cing an order, the light in Jiajun¡¯s eyes faded quickly, but he still forced a smile and asked.
"It¡¯s too troublesome to look like this."
Having said that, he looked into Jiajun¡¯s eyes and spoke calmly, "Now use a calctor to tell me how much it would cost to buy one of each item listed on this drink menu."
"!!!"
Indeed, he hadn¡¯t misjudged the man!
The big order really came!
Standing next to Gu Heng, the three women also experienced a collective pupil dtion after hearing this...
Although they were not sure how much all the drinks on the menu would cost, they knew it wouldn¡¯t be cheap...
He Jing was the first to react; she walked up to Gu Heng and was just about to speak when Gu Heng stopped her.
"I know what you¡¯re going to say, but could you wait a moment longer?"
After saying it, he even winked at her to show that he was in a perfectly normal mental state.
As for Lin Jiayun...
She no longer wanted to check the bnce on Gu Heng¡¯s bank card, the idea of pursuing him had fully formed.
Even if Gu Heng had only won a lottery ticket, she would ept it, because the current Gu Heng was just damn handsome...
"Mr. Gu, I¡¯ve calcted it for you¡ªit¡¯s a total of 345,620 yuan. I can round it down to 340,000 yuan for you," Jiajun said.
By now, Gu Heng had returned to his seat on the booth sofa, listening to the price Jiajun had quoted without much emotional fluctuation, he nodded and said, "Okay, bring me that set.
However, before ordering the drinks, I have a small request."
"Mr. Gu, please say!"
A 340,000 yuan order! It even exceeded his monthly sales target by 40,000 yuan; not to mention a small request, right now if Mr. Gu asked him to shout ¡¯dad¡¯ out loud, he would do it without hesitation.
"It¡¯s nothing difficult.
Not to keep things from you, today is my first timeing to a bar like this, and ordering all this wine isn¡¯t for anything but to create some wonderful memories for my first time.
Just this one thing, can you satisfy it for me?"
"Absolutely!"
Chapter 21 - 21 Carnival
About ten minutester...
The lights in the entire club suddenly dimmed, and the music came to an abrupt halt.
Men and women dancing on the dance floor were instantly confused.
"What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s the situation?"
"What¡¯s this nonsense? I was just getting into it!"
Customers inside the FT nightclub expressed their dissatisfaction.
But in just a few seconds, a sound like a heartbeat exploded in everyone¡¯s ears, creating a wave of sound.
"Boom!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The rhythm of the heartbeats grew faster and faster, and the blood in the veins of people in the pitch-ck space seemed as if it were vibrating out of their bodies with each beat.
As a snaking procession of lights slowly emerged from backstage, the patrons, who were regrs at the club, suddenly realized what was happening...
After all, it had been less than ten minutes since Big Three Yuan¡¯sst round, so they didn¡¯t need to think twice ¨C another big shot had definitely made an extravagant move!
Just as expected, the lights that had gone out now came back on, and a huge hollow sphere appeared over the FT nightclub venue. With a loud bang, countless pure white pieces of paper cascaded down like a blizzard.
In the middle of the stage, Jiajun¡¯s figure quietly appeared before everyone.
At the same time, an image of the exclusive T¡¤03 booth appeared on the massive LED screen.
As online celebrities, Lin Jiayun, He Jing, and Xiao Lan were often in front of the camera, but this was the first time they appeared in front of everyone in such a manner. Despite trying their best to hide their excitement, their slightly trembling bodies betrayed them.
"Thank you, Mr. Gu from booth T¡¤03, for your generous spending! Splurging 388,888 yuan! You¡¯ve unlocked our Fascintion Club¡¯s brand new suite, the Grand m Set! Wishing you a continuously prosperous journey ahead! The Fascintion Club is honored and brightened by your presence!"
Gu Heng had only spent 340,000 yuan, but the big screen showed 388,888 yuan ¨C a clear gesture of goodwill from the FT nightclub.
The atmosphere team was already in ce, with all lights focused on booth T¡¤03, countless smoke columns rising, and cheers resounding throughout the hall.
People are influenced by their surroundings, and influenced by the rhythm set by the atmosphere team, a group of young men and women, already tipsy from the alcohol, also started to cheer.
"Once again, we thank Mr. Gu from booth T¡¤03 for his generous support. And now, I have another piece of great news for everyone!"
"In a moment, our Fascintion Club will offer two dozen Budweisers to all the VIPs in the booths! This expense is on Mr. Gu! Scream!"
The other customers, who initially thought they were just witnessing someone else showing off, screamed at the sound of Jiajun¡¯s announcement.
After all, who wouldn¡¯t want two dozen free beers? It would cost a thousand yuan if they bought it themselves! Now they could get it just by shouting aloud...
"Tonight..."
Jiajun first deliberately lowered his voice, then slowly crouched down, and finally, with a hysterical scream, he bellowed!
"Let¡¯s not go home unless we¡¯re drunk!"
"Not go home unless we¡¯re drunk!"
"Not go home unless we¡¯re drunk!"
And Gu Heng, sitting in the booth, basking in the glory of the moment, was slightly surprised when he heard Jiajun¡¯s announcement from the stage...
But he quickly figured it out...
Although FT nightclub was famous for the online celebrity effect of Tong Jingcheng and Lao Bai, it was actually not thatrge, being a venture with just over twenty million in investment, nothingpared to the nine-figure investments of renowned nightclubs.
Therefore, the number of booths wasn¡¯trge, totalling just about fifty at most.
A dozen Budweisers might be priced at 480 yuan in the FT nightclub, but outside it would cost around 100 yuan, so two dozen would be 200 yuan...
Especially for a club that had a steady supply, the purchase cost could be even lower ¨C lower than you might imagine...
So, after all that calction, a booth with two dozen Buds didn¡¯t really cost much, but with all these maneuvers, not only did the guests who came in to y get real discounts, but Gu Heng¡¯s face was also given due respect!
Whether this scheme was thought up by Jiajun or by the higher-ups at FT nightclub, it was clear evidence that FT nightclub¡¯s marketing was indeed skillful...
The line of people delivering drinks exceeded 50, with the deliberately winding lights passing in front of each booth before converging at booth T¡¤03, where dozens of people holding boxes of drinks bowed ny degrees in front of booth T¡¤03.
"Thank you, Mr. Gu, for your strong support of our Fascintion Club!"
"Thank you, Mr. Gu, for your strong support of our Fascintion Club!"
"Thank you..."
The grand voices of gratitude spread to every corner of the FT nightclub.
Feeling the slightly trembling bodies of He Jing and Lin Jiayun beside him due to excitement, Gu Heng smiled faintly, sitting beside them with an apparent calm, but clearly, his body was a bit stiff...
Was this calm because Gu Heng had the Innate Pretentious Holy Body?
Of course not...
It was because the scene was too thrilling, the first time he had ever pretended to such a grand extent, and in front of more than a thousand people at that. The excitement of a sessful pretense rushed straight to his head.
To put it simply, it was like an average boy, already quite sensitive to such matters...
Only to have his first encounter not with an ordinary person but with many men¡¯s goddess, Liu Tianxian, who not only was a diva but also possessed eighteen kinds of martial arts, masterful in all kinds of musical arts...
The boy was instantly overwhelmed with pleasure...
That¡¯s probably how Gu Heng felt right now...
But after that wave of excitement passed, Gu Heng gradually calmed down. As he listened to the asional praises of "Mr. Gu is so generous" around him, he suddenly felt as serene as a Buddha...
No wonder so many people are obsessed with nightclubs, even taking out loans to splurge there. In the past, Gu Heng didn¡¯t understand why people earning a few thousand a month would save for months just to show off at a nightclub.
340,000...
Considering it took him more than five years to save 80,000, it meant he would need to save for more than twenty years to afford it...
Spending twenty years of savings to show off for a few minutes, what¡¯s the point?
He didn¡¯t understand before...
Now, after experiencing it firsthand, he understood...
This kind of impulse spending in bars and nightclubs was probably simr to splurging in live streaming rooms; the goal was to achieve that brief sense of superiority and the thrill it brought. Only, this real-life exhration was more direct and purer than the virtual thrill of the inte!
Is this what makes the night world so alluring?
Here, as long as you¡¯re willing to spend money, you get other¡¯s insincere ttery, stand out in the spotlight with everyone¡¯s attention on you, and earn the envious looks of others!
While Gu Heng was reflecting, he, who was somewhat surprised why the system hadn¡¯t appeared this time, found the familiar voice echoing in his mind again...
[Host made the first retaliatory consumption, the mental state extremely excited, indulgence level near full stars! Reward: 3.88 million yuan, bnce 5.74 million!]
But this time, Gu Heng wasn¡¯t as excited as before...
Because the reward amount from the system was within his expectations...
The system¡¯s way of rewarding was simple; as long as he indulged, it would pay.
But the amount of money it paid out varied...
Now, Gu Heng was starting to understand...
The amount of money probably depended on his emotional fluctuations...
If the emotional fluctuations were small, the reward money would be less; if they were big, the reward would be high.
Just like this time, the reward was more than ten times what he had spent...
Chapter 22: Sincerity is the Only Ultimate Skill
"Mr. Gu."
When the revelry had ended, Jiajun also returned to booth T¡¤03.
ncing at this marketer who had so vigorously helped him show off, Gu Heng also smiled and said thank you.
Hearing this thank you, the smile at the corner of Jiajun¡¯s mouth instantly became harder to suppress than an AK...
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s attitude, he knew he had pleased this important customer...
As long as he served Gu Heng well in the future, he didn¡¯t have to worry about his performance, although Gu Heng might not spend over three hundred thousand every time, having that once or twice a year would make up for several months¡¯ worth.
"Mr. Gu, you¡¯re too polite, really. If anyone should say thank you, it should be me thanking you.
To be honest, today¡¯s the 25th and I¡¯m still at half my sales target. If it weren¡¯t for you having my back, I¡¯d probably be squeezed out by my colleagues next month."
Gu Heng listened and smiled, saying nothing more.
But Lin Jiayun, who was close to Jiajun, stepped up, stood intimately beside Gu Heng, and joked: "Actually, I think the person you should be most thankful to is me. If I hadn¡¯t brought Gu Heng here tonight, you might still be hiding in some corner, envious of your colleague who got help opening the Big Three Yuan."
"Hahaha, that¡¯s right, that¡¯s right, thanks to Sister Lin too!
No more words, let¡¯s drink to it. This bottle¡¯s to Mr. Gu first, andter I¡¯ll make a proper apology to Sister Lin and the rest!"
After speaking, he cleverly picked up a bottle of Budweiser from the table, ready to start drinking, but Gu Heng reached out and stopped him.
Just as Jiajun was puzzled, Gu Heng looked at the variety of bottlesid out on the table andughed, "Why drink that stuff? There are plenty of drinks here. Quickly, get some people over to open these bottles.
I¡¯ve never tried a bottle of liquor worth tens of thousands before, and today I want to see what it tastes like. You guys can bask in my splendor today!"
Gu Heng¡¯s attitude was very normal, like a conversation between ordinary friends...
But it moved Jiajun in an inexplicable way...
Having been a marketer for so many years, to be honest, he had long forgotten what being respected felt like...
Former customers who opened cards, whether they were big spenders like Gu Heng or those who went for the minimum spend, who didn¡¯t treat him like a dog to be ordered around?
Initially, he wasn¡¯t used to it, but he had no choice...
That¡¯s simply the life of a liquor marketer; as long as the liquor was sold, if someone wanted him to be a dog, he had to be a dog.
After getting used to being ordered around, he had now epted his fate.
Being a dog was just being a dog, what mattered was earning money, and it was not embarrassing.
But suddenly being respected by a wealthy person like Gu Heng, he started to feel a bit unustomed...
However, his reaction was quick. After hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, he eagerly said, "Who do you need? No need for that!
Mr. Gu, just tell me, which bottle do you want, and I¡¯ll open it for you."
"Which bottle? Open them all, pour me a ss of each, I want to taste every kind."
Upon hearing this, Jiajun was still processing, but Lin Jiayun quickly said, "Don¡¯t do that, we¡¯re just a few people here, how much can we drink? If you open everything now it would be wasteful, just open a couple now and keep the rest, the next time youe you can just pay the minimum spend for the booth."
Jiajun also persuaded, "Right, once you open liquor, it won¡¯tst for many days."
Gu Heng, however, waved his hand indifferently: "Let it be wasteful. After being poor for so many years, I used to hate not being able to save half a bottle of Coke in the fridge for the next day. Today, I want to experience what being wasteful feels like.
Just treat me like a nouveau riche today."
After speaking, Gu Heng urged Jiajun again to open the bottles for him.
His spending tonight was actually vindictive consumption, a way to get back at his past struggles, and since he was retaliating, why not go all the way? He didn¡¯t care at all what He Jing or Lin Jiayun thought of him.
"If it feels good, why care so much?"
Jiajun, Lin Jiayun, He Jing, and Xiao Lai were all silenced by his words...
Nouveau riche often try to restrain themselves and act dignified to gain eptance¡ªthey had seen that...
But it was their first time seeing someone like Gu Heng, who tantly admitted he was a nouveau riche...
Yet surprisingly, they couldn¡¯t muster any dislike; on the contrary, it even increased the fondness the three women felt...
The main reason was Gu Heng¡¯s sincerity. He was so genuine that he had no tricks or pretenses, and he didn¡¯t hide his thoughts at all...
If Gu Heng¡¯s system could disy a favorability panel, there would probably be a [Favorability +10] popup above the heads of He Jing, Lin Jiayun, and Xiao Lan...
Indeed, the inte was right¡ªsincerity is the ultimate killer move...
After hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Jiajun stopped persuading. Although Gu Heng respected him, he couldn¡¯t take himself too seriously. After all, he was just a marketing guy; what authority did he have to advise customers on opening wine?
He then nodded and said, "Alright, Mr. Gu, shall I open them all then?"
"Open them!"
Gu Heng motioned grandly, full of boldness.
.....
One minuteter.
Jiajun carefully brought the ss to Gu Heng¡¯s table.
A bottle of wine that costs over sixty thousand¡ªno room for carelessness...
A whole bottle was just 700ML, and the ss he poured was about one-twentieth of it...
Thates down to over three thousand yuan¡ªequivalent to many ordinary people¡¯s monthly wage. If he spilled it, even if Gu Heng didn¡¯t ask him topensate, he¡¯d be heartbroken.
Gu Heng wasn¡¯t as particr though. He picked it up, examined it carefully, and then downed it in one gulp...
Lin Jiayun watched Gu Heng, who frowned after finishing his drink, and barely holding back herughter, she asked, "How is it? Does it taste good?"
But Gu Heng didn¡¯t answer her question. Instead, he turned his gaze to Jiajun and said, "This wine isn¡¯t fake, is it?"
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s unexpected question, Jiajun, who was pouring the wine, trembled and quickly began to exin.
"Although selling fake alcohol in nightclubs ismon, rest assured, I swear on my brain that this wine is definitely real!"
How could he not know if it was fake or not?
The bar¡¯s inventory had plenty of counterfeit bottles, but this one was one of the few real deals. He had pleaded with the manager for several minutes and even lowered his ownmission to secure it, all to woo Gu Heng, a big client. How could it possibly be fake?
Hearing Jiajun say this, Gu Heng also nodded.
As Gu Heng spoke, Lin Jiayun¡¯sughter grew even more exaggerated: "Is it that bad?"
To be honest, Gu Heng didn¡¯t have the pte to distinguish real from fake...
But whether it tasted good or bad, he could still tell...
"How can this sixty-thousand-yuan bottle be worse than a Rio cocktail? It has a hint of cat urine...
But it must be my taste buds¡¯ fault; this fine drink isn¡¯t meant for a boar like me. The mistake has to be mine; it can¡¯t be the wine!"
"Hahahaha~"
Watching Gu Heng self-deprecate with a gloomy face, Lin Jiayun, He Jing, and Xiao Lai burst into uncontrobleughter.
Chapter 23 - 23 Isnt Someone Elses Bright Moon Just As Bright?
The time had passed eleven o¡¯clock at night.
Because of the "Grand m" package, there were quite a few people who came to Gu Heng under the guise of toasting, asking for his contact information...
Gu Heng had also added a few Miss Sisters on WeChat whose looks were still decent...
Although they couldn¡¯tpete with Lin Jiayun and her friends in terms of beauty, after using beauty filters and photo editing, they would be Inte goddesses when posted online, possibly even some boy¡¯s unattainable crush...
To be honest, Gu Heng didn¡¯t have an unattainable crush...
From elementary school to high school, he was not surrounded by any school belle level beauties, and even if there were, they wouldn¡¯t have had any interaction with him...
But that did not stop Gu Heng from wanting to taste what it was like to have an unattainable crush...
Why not?
Who says you can¡¯t savor the vor of an unattainable crush if you never had one?
Are others¡¯ unattainable crushes not legitimate to taste?
However, in the eyes of Lin Jiayun and her two friends, this behavior was the sign of a yboy who weed allers...
Anyway, he was already nailed to the cross of scumbags by the three of them, and no matter how he tried, he couldn¡¯t wash it off.
Gu Heng did not know what the three women were thinking, but even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t care. With money, he wanted to experience everything, like traveling around the world, selecting from Victoria¡¯s Secret models, going to France to see how mad horses show off, and so on.
The only thing he never thought about was falling in love, eating, drinking, whoring, gambling...
Cough cough... which word isn¡¯t more tantalizing than falling in love in the phrase ¡¯to eat, drink, and be merry¡¯?
After all, the wise do not fall in love, ¡¯not responsible for pregnancy¡¯ is the real truth, right...
.....
A few minutester, after seeing off a few more people who hade to toast, Gu Heng was starting to get bored.
Pulling out his phone, he nced at the time. Gu Heng then stood up and turned to Lin Jiayun, "Are you guys still ying?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Jiayun put down her phone, which she was using to take selfies, and looked at him, "You¡¯re nning to head back?"
Gu Heng nodded, "I¡¯m nning to. I have things to do tomorrow."
Lin Jiayun sneered disdainfully, "Just admit it if you can¡¯t hang. What do you have to do? You¡¯ve quit your job, what else could possibly be up?"
"I¡¯m nning to buy a car tomorrow, but I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s troublesome to buy a car at the end of the year, getting a license te and all. Don¡¯t I need to check it out in advance? In just a few days it¡¯ll be the New Year, you think I¡¯m going to rent a car to go home for that?"
Gu Heng¡¯s tone was matter-of-fact, as if he had forgotten that just that afternoon he was someone contemting renting a car to go home for New Year in style...
Hearing this, Lin Jiayun believed Gu Heng truly had things to do the next day andzily said, "Alright then, let¡¯s call it a night today. I¡¯m not live streaming anyway, so I can go back and get some beauty sleep~"
After speaking, she stretched unconsciously, with her bounteous peaks threatening to spill out...
Jiajun, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, suddenly lit up at the keyword "buy a car."
"Mr. Gu, if you¡¯re thinking of buying a car, I might be able to offer some small help..."
"Oh?"
Gu Heng raised an eyebrow and looked at him.
"It¡¯s like this, I have a few customers who are the sales champions in various big 4S shops around Hang City. They have much more authority than regr car salespeople, both in terms of price and convenience. If you need, I can help you get in touch with them."
"I have to go home on the 26th of thest lunar month, which is ten days from now. Are you sure your friends can help me out?"
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Jiajun immediately felt relieved.
He was worrying Gu Heng was in a hurry, but knowing there were still ten days, he confidently patted his chest and said, "No problem at all, Mr. Gu, you can count on it."
Seeing his brimming confidence, Gu Heng also felt reassured.
Hiring a car to pretend to be something he wasn¡¯t was out of necessity because he had no money. Now that he had money, it couldn¡¯t be expected for him to still rent a car to y pretend, could it?
"I didn¡¯t realize, Jiajun, you have quite thework, covering all sectors it seems."
"All salespeople under heaven are one family. Whatwork? If I introduce them to a big customer like Mr. Gu, won¡¯t they also reward meter? It¡¯s convenient for you and beneficial for me."
"I get it, resource integration, right?"
....
....
Two minutester, Gu Heng, led by Jiajun, walked towards the entrance of FT Bar.
He Jing, who had been silent all night and hardly spoke, finally broke the silence.
"Gu Heng."
"Hmm?"
Hearing He Jing call him, Gu Heng turned his head to look at her.
After hesitating for a while, He Jing didn¡¯t know how to start the conversation, but the fact that Gu Heng had spent 510,000 in one night was indeed hard for her to ept. After all, he had been a nobody before, someone she knew, and suddenly he became someone who could spend a fortune like it was nothing. The shock was too much...
The feeling was like knowing a 300-pound homebody for years, and then one day, out of the blue, he has transformed into a 6-foot-tall, abstinent, and incredibly handsome guy...
"Is what you told me this afternoon true?"
After hesitating for a long time, He Jing couldn¡¯t help but ask the question that had been on her mind all night.
"What did I say this afternoon?"
He Jing: "???"
Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve already forgotten what you said just this afternoon?
After thinking for quite a while, Gu Heng finally remembered and said with augh, "Are you talking about the thing where my father is a billionaire?"
"Mhm, mhm."
"Of course, it¡¯s fake."
"Then where did you get all this money? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s from winning the lottery! I¡¯ve already checked; no one in Hang City has won any big prize this year."
He Jing¡¯s question left Gu Heng at a loss...
It seemed that he truly couldn¡¯t exin where his money came from, and he didn¡¯t have any ns to start a business. With the small amount of money he had now, a few million wouldn¡¯t get people investigating without reason, but what to do when there was more money in the future...
[The host¡¯s awarded fundse from the profits of the foreign exchange financial market, which are legitimate and traceable.](PS: I actually don¡¯t want to exin these P questions, but considering some readers might be sticklers for details, I might as well spend some words to rify it once and for all.)
However, it wasn¡¯t long before the system, which usually didn¡¯t make an appearance unless for rewards, reassured Gu Heng, making him feel at ease. After all, if such a fantastical thing as the system could exist, making his money seem legitimate shouldn¡¯t be too difficult, right?
But Gu Heng¡¯s silence made He Jing mistakenly believe there was something fishy about his money. She lowered her voice and said anxiously, "You didn¡¯t get into online loans, did you?"
After hearing this, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes and said, "What on earth are you thinking about? Do you think those online lendingpanies are stupid? Would they lend hundreds of thousands to someone with a monthly sry of 4,500? Aren¡¯t they afraid I can¡¯t pay it back? They¡¯re in it to make money, not to give charity to the poor."
"Then where did your moneye from?"
"So my money coulde from winning the lottery, online loans, inheriting family wealth, but it just couldn¡¯t be made by myself?"
He Jing: "..."
....
While talking, Gu Heng and his group had already arrived at the entrance of FT Bar.
The door staff maintaining order and greeting guests were alerted by a fervent call from their headsets.
"Attention, attention! Mr. Gu, who spent 380,000 on T¡¤03 card, is about to leave. Everyone, stay sharp!"
No sooner had the voice faded from their ears than the service staff saw Gu Heng and the others walking out from the Inner Gate. They immediately stood up and bowed respectfully in unison, saying with reverence, "Mr. Gu, have a good night."
At 11 o¡¯clock, the peak period for nightclub shifts was in full swing, and many people were still standing outside the entrance. At that moment, they all turned their gaze towards Gu Heng...
These night club veterans knew very well that such a disy was reserved only for the high-spending big shots. And as for who the big shot was, wasn¡¯t that crystal clear? A man with three gorgeous women¡ª if not a big shot, then what?
Even Gu Heng was a bit taken aback...
But after a brief moment of confusion, he happily epted it and left with He Jing, Lin Jiayun, and Xiao Lan under the envious gaze of the crowd...
Do I even need to say it...
These 340,000 spent were truly not wasted...
Although the drinks were incredibly hard to swallow, the prestige, tonight he really nailed it...
Chapter 24: What kind of nice person would spend a million to learn cooking?
Waking up from a deep sleep...
Sunlight had already filled Gu Heng¡¯s small room...
On the small bed, measuring one and a half meters, Gu Heng was curled up and wrapped in his nket...
Suddenly, Gu Heng¡¯s eyelids, which had been tightly closed, trembled slightly, and the next second, they opened suddenly as if resurrected from the dead!
Instinctively, he nced at his phone charging by the bed...
8:40...
Looking at the time on the phone, it was as if a chain in Gu Heng¡¯s DNA had been triggered, and his brain, which was still a bit sleepy, became instantly alert...
8:40 AM?!!
The hell, isn¡¯t this making mete??
Thepany¡¯s full attendance bonus was 300 yuan a month, included in his monthly sry of 4500 yuan, but beingte or leaving early would mean his sry would reduce to 4200 yuan...
Thinking of this, Gu Heng sprung out of bed with a carp-like flip...
But halfway through his jump, it was as if some memory had been revived...
Didn¡¯t I... quit my job?
As he thought about it, memories from the previous day starteding back to him, little by little...
Shoes worth 45,800...
Clothes costing 240,000...
A hot pot meal for 170,000...
340,000 spent on drinks at the bar...
All these memories, which should not belong to him, surged into his mind. To be frank, if everything that happened wasn¡¯t a dream, then the experiences of yesterday were more exciting than all his 23 years of lifebined...
To make sure he was not dreaming, Gu Heng opened the Construction Bank APP with the fastest hand speed he¡¯d ever mustered in his life.
Only when he saw the bnce of 5.74 million yuan did he finally breathe a sigh of relief...
Thank goodness it wasn¡¯t a dream; having truly lived such a dream and now waking up from it would have been more painful than killing him...
Now that he confirmed it wasn¡¯t a dream, Gu Hengy back down in his warm bed to carefully savor everything that had happened yesterday.
The effect of the alcohol made his head throb faintly, making it a bit hard to remember how he had gotten homest night.
Although Gu Heng seldom drank, this didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t hold his liquor; on the contrary, he had a quite good tolerance, the type who could handle a liter and a half of white liquor and unlimited beer with ease.
The reason for his memorypses from yesterday was purely idental...
In the whole bar, with more than 40 kinds of alcohol, though he didn¡¯t try one of each, he still drank the majority of them¡ªbeer, Western liquor, wine, all kinds of alcohol. Even someone with a good tolerance can¡¯t handle mixing so many different drinks...
But it seemed he still remembered that as soon as he got into the nightclubst night, the system had rewarded him with something called "System Shop", right?
To verify he hadn¡¯t remembered it wrong, Gu Heng triedmunicating with the system mentally, the way protagonists did in novels.
"Open the System Shop."
The next second.
A faintly translucent light-blue screen appeared in front of Gu Heng¡¯s eyes.
[The System Shop is now open. The host may spend money to select items from the shop. All expenditures by the host in the shop will count as indulgence, and no rewards will be given. (Note: The shop does not contain any supernatural items such as special abilities, elixirs, martial arts or immortal techniques.)]
The message on the light-blue screen directly squashed Gu Heng¡¯s idea of exploiting the System Shop to make money.
But Gu Heng didn¡¯t take it too seriously.
There were so many things in reality that allowed him to indulge himself...
Just by indulging a little bit yesterday, he had already raked in more than 5 million yuan. There was no need to rely on exploiting bugs to make money!
He then turned his gaze toward the items in the System Shop...
[Primary Fitness Body: 1 million yuan] (No need for any exercise. Within a set period, it will transform the host¡¯s body into a fit physique with normal body fat percentage.)
[Mastery of Primary Singing Skills: 1 million yuan] (Without any learning, grants the host the singing prowess of a regr singer.)
```
[Mastery of Primary Dance Skills: 1 million yuan] (No learning required, grants the host the dance abilities of an ordinary dancer.)
[Mastery of Primary Basketball Skills: 1 million yuan] (No learning required, grants the host the basketball ability of an amateur yer.)
[Mastery of Primary Acting Skills: 1 million yuan] (No learning required, grants the host the performance strength of an ordinary actor.)
Hold on!
Gu Heng felt that something was not right as he looked...
Why did the items in this mall seem somewhat dodgy?
He could understand the appeal of a bodybuilder¡¯s physique; after all, it¡¯s not only stars and performers who need a good body¡ªordinary people certainly desire one too.
Not to mention, if one could sh a six-pack at the gym or somece simr, it¡¯s not impossible that they¡¯d catch the eye of a rich woman and take a 30-year shortcut to the peak of life.
But besides the bodybuilder¡¯s physique, the rest of the stuff was just too outrageous, right?
Singing, dancing, basketball, acting¡ªwhat the heck were all these?
Wasn¡¯t he supposed to have activated the "Hedonistic Male God" system? Was it trying to make him train for two and a half years and then debut?
Clearly, he was at the wrong set!
The entertainment star channel is next door; this is the urban life channel.
It seemed that the system had noticed Gu Heng¡¯sints; after he chose to refresh the items, the blue screen immediately disyed a new batch...
[Mastery of Primary Cooking Skills: 1 million] (No learning required, grants the host the culinary skills of an ordinary chef.)
[Mastery of Primary Driving Skills: 1 million] (No learning required, grants the host the driving skills of an amateur racer.)
[Mastery of Primary Combat Skills: 1 million] (No learning required, grants the host thebat skills of an amateur fighter.)
[First-ss Beauty Treatment: 1 million] (No beauty treatments required, improves the host¡¯s skin condition and facial feature harmony over a certain period.)
[Resolve One Trouble: 500 thousand] (After purchase, can resolve one trouble worth less than 500 thousand yuan for the host.)
The five items refreshed this time were clearly more normal and more useful...
Aside from the first refreshed item, Mastery of Primary Cooking Skills, the other four were all things he could use.
He was nning to buy a car today, but to be honest, although he had a driver¡¯s license, he had only driven the decrepit Santana at the driving school and had never touched any other car.
Moreover, driving is purely about experience; there¡¯s basically no such thing as talent for it. The longer you drive, the better your skills be. The driving skills of an amateur racer would definitely suffice for him. Although the price of 1 million was a bit steep, when he thought about it, it was not that unreasonable¡ªafter all, training a racer would probably cost a lot.
The system was basically like having AI imnted into him, saving him the trouble and simplicity.
And the wooles from the sheep; if the system could scam 1 million from him today, he would eventually fleece 10 million from it!
Masteringbat skills was the same.
The richer people get, the more they fear death. Although the country is safe, it doesn¡¯t mean there are no bad guys around. Having some self-defense techniques is always right.
As for beauty treatments...
They could be nice, but there¡¯s no need to rush. He¡¯d consider it when he had more money in the future...
He already possessed the most effective thing for improving a man¡¯s attractiveness: money.
Being handsome was just the icing on the cake.
But what Gu Heng valued the most was actually the cheapest item[Resolve One Trouble]...
Troubles costing less than 500 thousand yuan covered a wide range; it coulde in handy any day. Anyway, it was only 500 thousand yuan, a no-loss, no-scam deal.
As for that 1 million yuan worth of Mastery of Primary Cooking Skills, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t be bothered to give it a nce.
Even when he had been as poor as dirt, he had stuck to eating junk food outside, never cooking himself.
Now that he had money, would he spend 1 million yuan to learn cooking?
Or was he supposed to use it to charm thedies?
What kind of sensitive new-age guy would do such a thing?
It¡¯s not something he could bring himself to do.
What kind of decent person would spend 1 million yuan on learning how to cook just to pick up girls?
Despicable!
```
Chapter 25: Warm-hearted Hospitality
By the time Gu Heng had spent 2.5 million to purchase "Basic Driving Skills," "Basic Fighting," and "Solve a Trouble Once," the bnce of his Construction Bank card dropped instantly from 5.74 million to 3.24 million.
His total assets had shrunk by nearly half in an instant...
But he wasn¡¯t the slightest bit worried...
He considered it a temporary custody fee to the system¡ªsooner orter, he intended to fleece it back manifold.
....
....
Just as Gu Heng was about to turn off his phone screen and go back to sleep, a video call came through.
He was mildly surprised, wondering who would call him so early in the morning, and then pressed the green button.
Once the video connected, Lin Jiayun¡¯s incredibly refined face appeared before Gu Heng.
In the phone, Lin Jiayun had already applied her lovely makeup, her light brown hair upswept into a cute bun, her clear earlobes free of any excess adornment, her long eyshes seemingly shivering from the cold, trembling with every blink.
Her tempting fox eyes were outlined with long eyeliner extending to the corners, and she was staring right at the phone through pale blue colored contacts.
In contrast, the Gu Heng in the small corner of the screen looked like a pure and disheveled otaku...
If their video were to be uploaded online,izens would probably think it was photoshopped...
It was too discordant...
But Lin Jiayun didn¡¯t seem to care at all, squinting her eyes and saying, "I knew you were still sleeping, little cker! Get up now!"
???
A few question marks instantly arose above Gu Heng¡¯s head.
"No, sis, I can understand if you want to wake up early and be a go-getter, but why are you waking me up?"
"Gu Heng! Who are you calling sis?!"
Girls¡¯ imaginations are always so peculiar...
Call her a go-getter, she doesn¡¯t get mad; call her an elder sister, and she instantly bristles...
"Alright, alright, I won¡¯t call you sis. Is there anything else? If not, I¡¯m going back to sleep."
Having said that, he was about to hang up the call.
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s actions, Lin Jiayun quickly said, "Didn¡¯t you mention yesterday that you were going to buy a car today? I just happen to not have a shoot this morning, so I¡¯ll reluctantly apany you. With a big inte celebrity like me, who has 2 million followers, by your side, the salesperson will surely treat you differently.
But you don¡¯t need to thank me too much since someone as warm-hearted as me, Lin Jiayun, is well-known to you."
"I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t nder me, how would I know if you¡¯re genuine or warm-hearted, I¡¯ve never tested it..."
Listening to Gu Heng¡¯s words, Lin Jiayun¡¯s brow furrowed: "What do you mean you¡¯ve never tested it? What nonsense are you talking about?"
But the next second, Lin Jiayun understood the implication behind Gu Heng¡¯s words...
"Gu! Heng!"
Watching Lin Jiayun grit her teeth, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud on his end of the phone and continued to tease, "But seriously, I never knew you were so open, Lin Jiayun. Forget about drumming, but to think you could also..."
"Shut up! Keep talking, and when I see youter, I¡¯ll rip that thing off you! I¡¯m at thepany right now, you have half an hour toe and pick me up!"
Having said that, she hung up the phone...
...
...
Though the call had ended.
But with Lin Jiayun bringing it up, Gu Heng was indeed somewhat tempted...
As for cars, he had seen plenty, but hadn¡¯t really understood much about them.
Having someone to consult wasn¡¯t a bad idea, especially when that someone was a beautiful woman. Even if she couldn¡¯t offer much in the way of advice, just looking at that pretty face would lift his spirits.
After having been a corporate ve for so long, his biological clock was set, and even if he tried to sleep now, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to. Thinking this, Gu Heng turned over, nning to get up.
He nced at his WeChat interface again and saw that Jiajun, who had added him on WeChatst night, had sent him several messages, so he clicked to open the conversation.
The messages had been sent at eight in the morning.
Four of them were WeChat friend rmendations.
Gu Heng took a cursory look...
Really, when it was said that Gu Heng had a widework, it was no joke¡ªthe four WeChat rmendations were all luxury car brands...
Apart from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche, which were rtively familiar luxury brands, there was also a Bentley salesperson¡¯s WeChat ount.
After adding each one, Gu Heng then typed out a simple ¡¯Thank you¡¯ and sent it to Jiajun.
Just a few seconds after the message was sent, a WeChat call from Jiajun came through...
"Mr. Gu, good morning."
There was a hint of fatigue in his voice.
Facing his greeting, Gu Heng was a bit puzzled. At nine in the morning, wasn¡¯t this the time when club promoters were supposed to be asleep? He couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Haven¡¯t you gone to bed yet?"
On the other end of the line, Jiajun forced a smile and said, "Isn¡¯t this because I have to make sure all matters are taken care of for you, Mr. Gu?"
Without waiting for Gu Heng to respond, he continued, "The four WeChat ounts I rmended for you are my friends. I¡¯ve already briefed them and introduced your basic situation.
They¡¯ve also assured me that they will offer you thergest discounts and process all the paperwork as quickly as possible.
The car-buying business can be quiteplex, and it¡¯s easy to fall into traps.
Although money isn¡¯t an issue for you, after all, nobody¡¯s moneyes blown in by the wind; it¡¯s always good to save where you can...
Plus, if there are any issuester on, you don¡¯t need to contact them; juste directly to me!"
Hearing Jiajun¡¯s words, Gu Heng on the other side of the call smiled and sincerely uttered a word of thanks.
Undeniably, Jiajun was so eager to help because there were benefits involved for him, but so what?
The nature of adult social interactions is all about mutual benefit, right?
Not to mention, while he was still snuggledfortably in bed, the other was up all night, earnestly seeing to his affairs, and that in itself was enough.
What made Gu Heng even more thrilled was the feeling of being valued and appreciated.
Would an ordinary person receive such treatment from others?
The Gu Heng of the past would have had to plead for someone to bring him a meal, yet now, a casual word from him could keep people busy all night. There was no other feeling quite like it; this was one of the reasons ordinary people envied the wealthy and those with status.
On hearing Gu Heng¡¯s thanks, Jiajun quickly responded on the phone, "Mr. Gu, you¡¯re too kind. I¡¯m d I could help. If you need anything else in the future, just let me know and I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s taken care of."
"Alright, I won¡¯t say too much then. You should get some rest. I¡¯ll contact you in advance next time I visit your FT," Gu Heng replied.
After exchanging a few pleasantries Gu Heng hung up the call, tossed his phone on the bedside, and walked into the bathroom.
.....
Gu Heng peed for a full minute before finishing with a satisfying shiver.
...Looking down at his precious ¡¯big treasure¡¯ that had been with him for over 20 years and had not enjoyed many sweet rewards, Gu Heng gave it a couple offorting pats.
"Be good. The good days are here, and there will be plenty of seafood for you."
Then, after pulling up his pants, he began washing up in the cramped bathroom.
Chapter 26: Still Caring About Cost-Performance for 3 Million?
Over half an hourter.
Gu Heng told the taxi driver something before getting out of the car.
Standing under the office building he had frequented for more than two years, Gu Heng felt like reflecting on something, but in the end, he could only smile vaguely, pulling out his phone to snap a photo of the building¡¯s entrance to send to Lin Jiayun. Then he squatted down to light up a cigarette and quietly started smoking.
Life had been too tiring and rushed before. He¡¯d never realized that the scenery right below hispany¡¯s building was quite pleasing, especially the long-legged women passing by, adding vivid colors to the view...
Two minutester, hearing the rustling behind him, Gu Heng looked back instinctively, catching sight of Lin Jiayun sneaking up behind him with a mischievous smile, tiptoeing closer...
"What are you trying to do?"
Seeing that Gu Heng¡¯s face showed no surprise, Lin Jiayun snorted displeasure, her face falling and lips pouting, "So boring, I wanted to scare you a bit."
Today, Lin Jiayun wore a pure white long-sleeved knitted cardigan with a ck pleated miniskirt underneath, and the perpetual winter favorite, flesh-toned tights, showcasing her lean and long legs to perfection...
Initially upset by Gu Heng¡¯s lukewarm reaction, she regained her smile when she saw that Gu Heng¡¯s gaze remained on her. She asked cheerfully, "What do you think about my outfit today?"
As she spoke, she twirled gracefully in front of Gu Heng like a preening little girl, the faint scent of mint perfume whirling around his nose with the breeze she stirred...
There were many peopleing and going from the office building, and by now a few were looking their way, but Lin Jiayun seemed unconcerned. Instead, she behaved even more intimately, slowly bringing her head close to Gu Heng¡¯s ear and whispered, "Do we look like we¡¯re wearing matching outfits?"
In an instant, an atmosphere of ambiguity warmed the air around them...
How does the saying go?
Those few seconds drenched in ambiguity felt so much like love...
Even Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help being lured into the illusion, but quickly, he pulled himself out of the suggestive mood, rising calmly and crushing the embers of his finished cigarette underfoot. Shrugging his shoulders, he adopted a stoic straight-man demeanor, "It¡¯s passable, I guess."
Saying this, he began striding away, adding, "Hurry up and follow; the taxi driver is still there with the meter running, waiting. Each minute wasted costs money, do you have any idea how expensive taxis are in Hang City?"
Watching Gu Heng maintain hisposure despite her efforts, Lin Jiayun couldn¡¯t help wrinkling her nose and grinding her teeth before hurrying to catch up with his steps.
As for Gu Heng...
Of course, he saw Lin Jiayun¡¯s huffy expression...
But so what?
At this moment, he was the epitome of sobriety!
He knew all too well.
Lin Jiayun had been at thepany for over a year, so why had she never interacted with him before? Was this newfound intimacy really because of his good nature? Give me a break, inly said, wasn¡¯t it all because he had been generous the previous night at the vi hotpot and bar?
Nevertheless, Gu Heng did not dislike Lin Jiayun¡¯s sudden change; in fact, he rather enjoyed it.
If Lin Jiayun wanted to get closer to him, Gu Heng would ept without hesitation.
But that¡¯s where it ended.
He had only just started to have some money, the good days were just beginning; he wasn¡¯t about to tie himself down to Lin Jiayun.
There was plenty of time ahead. Now there was a Lin Jiayun, but in the future, there would surely be a Wang Jiayun, a Li Jiayun, a Zhang Jiayun. Rather than exhaust himself in a so-called love affair with her, he¡¯d rather openly be a Casanova.
Hanging oneself from a single tree was something only fools did.
Having been beaten down by life for so many years without sumbing, how could he let a tiny Lin Jiayun hold sway over him?
In your dreams!
.....
.....
After seeing Gu Heng get into the taxi, Lin Jiayun naturally followed him into the back seat.
"Gu Heng, have you decided what car you want to buy?"
As soon as she got into the car, as if she hadn¡¯t been the one who was just angry, Lin Jiayun took the initiative to move closer again...
Even though she hadn¡¯t achieved her goal, as a woman of high standards, she was well aware that the one who takes the initiative in a rtionship has no right to feel wronged.
This had nothing to do with being a simp; not to mention ordinary people, even Principal Wang, who had semi-retired, had to humble himself when he actively wanted to sleep with a girl, or else the term "Your Liquid Thoughts" wouldn¡¯t exist.
Upon hearing her question, Gu Heng shook his head honestly and said, "I¡¯ve never nned to buy a car before, so I haven¡¯t looked into it.
However, Jiajun sent me the WeChat contacts of four car salespeople this morning, can you help me take a look?"
As he spoke, he opened WeChat and showed Lin Jiayun the four contacts that had already epted his friend requests...
"Audi... Mercedes... Porsche... Bentley..."
Lin Jiayun muttered the names of the brands, her eyes growing brighter with each one she read...
Although she already knew that Gu Heng was very rich, when it came to money, of course the more the better...
Cars, watches, stuff like that, aren¡¯t they just a man¡¯s business card in society?
The more expensive the car Gu Heng bought, the more it precisely indicated Gu Heng was rich, right?
With this thought, Lin Jiayun immediately said, "Then tell me your budget, and I¡¯ll help you choose."
After pondering for a few seconds, Gu Heng thought about the bnce on his bank card and said, "Under 3 million."
He knew that after buying the car, the system would definitely reward him for indulging, but what could he do...
He only had just over 3 million in the bank now...
That morning, his brain hadn¡¯t quite caught up, and he had already spent 2.5 million in advance, that too without any rewards...
If only he had known, he would have saved the money and spent it in the system¡¯s mall after buying the car...
Now whatever was said was toote; a lesson learned for next time, and he¡¯d be more experienced from now on.
Besides, 3 million was enough, he had thought yesterday that buying a car worth around one million was sufficient, but now with the strong support of the system, his budget had increased threefold, one mustn¡¯t be too greedy...
As Gu Heng finished speaking, Lin Jiayun hadn¡¯t yet responded when the taxi driver in the front couldn¡¯t help but interject, "Young man, with a budget of 3 million, why are you still hesitating about what car to buy?
If you were talking about a car with good value for money, I could list hundreds for you, but you¡¯re budgeting 3 million, do you still care about value for money?
If I were you, I¡¯d go straight for the Bentley."
After giving Gu Heng his advice, the driver realized he¡¯d said too much and joked, "I¡¯m too talkative, don¡¯t mind me."
Having heard the taxi driver¡¯s words, Gu Heng¡¯s thoughts instantly rified...
Only those with a limited budget have to choose back and forth,paring multiple options.
With his budget of 3 million, other than supercars, what car couldn¡¯t he buy? What else did he need to consider?
Just go for it already!
With that thought, Gu Heng immediately said to the driver, "Then let¡¯s go straight to the Gongshu Bentley 4S store."
"Got it!"
Chapter 27: Young and Successful with a Bentley
Hang City was very congested.
Even during non-peak hours, it was just the same.
A twenty-minute drive had been extended to forty minutes by the driver.
It was not until the taxi stopped outside the Hang City Bentley Center that the driver, who had been chatting with Gu Heng for 40 minutes, reluctantly closed his mouth and then politely said, "We¡¯ve arrived. This is the Hang City Gongshu Bentley 4S store."
"How much, driver?"
"96.5 yuan. Scanning for 96 is fine."
Gu Heng smiled, scanned the code, and directly paid 100 yuan, then he and Lin Jiayun got out of the car from either side.
The driver had shared quite a few pitfalls about the 4S stores along the way. Although Gu Heng might not need this information, at least it showed the driver¡¯s good intentions.
The extra 3.5 yuan was for the advice he¡¯d given. Let him buy a bottle of Coke to quench his thirst.
At the same time, the notification sound in Gu Heng¡¯s mind rang again.
[As a hospitable passenger, you tipped a grand 3.5 yuan after the ride. Reward: 9999 yuan, Bnce: 3,250,000 yuan.]
Hearing the notification in his mind, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t hold back and burst outughing.
What does it mean by a grand tip of 3.5 yuan?
Is it mocking me?
I was just reciprocating the kindness shown to me!
But now that I have money, I don¡¯t even need to actively change anything. My attitude really does change along with it. No wonder the old saying goes, ¡¯the poor are cunning, the rich have conscience.¡¯ If it were before, would I even give an extra 3.5 yuan? For a cab fare of 96 yuan, I wouldn¡¯t have discussed with the driver to round it down.
Lin Jiayun saw Gu Heng suddenlyughing inexplicably and couldn¡¯t help but ask, "What are youughing at?"
"Nothing much, just remembered something funny."
"You¡¯re crazy!"
While verbally teasing, she slowly hooked her arm through Gu Heng¡¯s, sneakily ncing to gauge his reaction...
Seeing no change in Gu Heng¡¯s expression, she couldn¡¯t help but grind her back teeth again...
Aren¡¯t yboys supposed to be easy to win over?
Why am I being this forward and he¡¯s still indifferent?!
Although she keptining, she was already pondering how to catch Gu Heng¡¯s attention...
In this tug of war between a high-level yer and a newbie big spender, Gu Heng was already slightly gaining the upper hand...
....
A minuteter, a salesperson in a fitted suit hurried out of the 4S store. Upon seeing Gu Heng and Lin Jiayun waiting outside, she quickly approached them with an apologetic smile.
"Are you Mr. Gu?"
Gu Heng nced at the petite woman in front of him, knowing she was probably the salesperson Jiajun had referred him to, and he smiled and nodded.
After receiving Gu Heng¡¯s response, the salesperson¡¯s smile intensified, "Hello Mr. Gu, I¡¯m Liu Wen from the Gongshu Bentley 4S store, and I was the one who contacted you earlier. I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting."
After some pleasantries, Liu Wen invited the two inside the store.
Liu Wen didn¡¯t rush to show Gu Heng the cars but first made two cups of tea for them and then began to understand Gu Heng¡¯s car buying needs.
Thanks to Jiajun¡¯s numerous warnings and advice this morning, she knew that Gu Heng in front of her was a high-quality customer; after all, someone who could spend more than 300,000 yuan in a bar in one night certainly didn¡¯tck buying power.
The better the customer, the more cautious she needed to be.
There was no other reason.
Because he had money. Money meant options. Although there weren¡¯t many brands at the level of Bentley, there were still quite a few. If she slightly dissatisfied him, he could easily switch to another 4S store.
A few minutester...
After getting a rough idea of Gu Heng¡¯s needs, Liu Wen stood up, smiling, "Based on your preferences, Mr. Gu, we have two models in our store that would suit you; one is the Bentley Continental GT, and the other is the Bentley Flying Spur."
"If you choose the right configurations for these two cars, they would both be around three million after everything is ounted for."
While speaking, he continued to ask, "Mr. Gu, do you n to rest a bit more, or would you prefer to look at the cars first? We actually have both models avable in our dealership, and after all, no amount of talking canpare with experiencing them yourself."
"There¡¯s no need to rest, let¡¯s look at the cars first."
Gu Heng showed no interest in the high-end tea Liu Wen offered him, and stood up immediately after giving his answer.
"This way, Mr. Gu..."
As he spoke, he led Gu Heng towards the car disy area...
At the end of the year, even high-end brand dealerships like Bentley had plenty of visitors, with salespeople busily tending to their needs...
However, ncing around, the youngest customer seemed to be in his thirties, and thebination of young men and women like Gu Heng and Lin Jiayun was unique. Because of this, numerous curious nces asionally slid over Gu Heng...
"Mr. Gu, take a look. This is the Bentley Continental GT I mentioned, thetest 2024 model."
A pale blue two-door sedan appeared before Gu Heng, and immediately, his eyes were fixed on it...
Not only him, but Lin Jiayun¡¯s eyes also brightened even more...
"The Continental GT is categorized as a sports car. As a sports car, of course, appearance is essential, which is why it¡¯s regarded as the most beautiful Bentley model, without any rivals...
It is also equipped with..." (Skipping the functional details for brevity, feel free to check online.)
For five long minutes, Liu Wen smoothly introduced all the basic details of the Continental GT to Gu Heng...
However, during those five minutes, Gu Heng didn¡¯t pay attention to a single performance feature she mentioned...
The only thing on his mind was one word.
Cool.
If he drove this car back to his hometown, how impressive would that be?
Not to mention, this car is worth three million!
In the entire family tree, he, Gu Heng, would be the only one from the Gu family to have ever driven a luxury car worth three million. If this were ancient times, he would probably earn a whole page dedicated to him in the family records for his achievements.
After finishing her introduction, Liu Wen couldn¡¯t help but smile as she noticed Gu Heng¡¯s eyes almost glued to the Continental GT...
Why did she first show the Continental GT to Gu Heng?
Because she knew all too well the appeal this model had on young people...
Perhaps in terms of appearance, the Continental GT might not match Big Bull or the McLaren P1, but in the three-million price range, it¡¯s hard to find apetitor.
And Gu Heng¡¯s reaction confirmed that her thoughts were correct.
"Mr. Gu, what do you think?"
Listening to Liu Wen¡¯s question, Gu Heng toned down a bit but nodded in satisfaction, "Can I test drive it?"
"Of course you can, would you like to try it now, Mr. Gu?"
"Yes."
"Please wait a moment; I will apply for it. However, Mr. Gu, you can sit in the car in the meantime."
As she spoke, she opened the car door for Gu Heng.
Gu Heng didn¡¯t hesitate, and immediately sat down in the driver¡¯s seat...
Looking at the luxurious interior, Gu Heng¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but beat faster...
It felt like if he just decided, he could drive away the car he would normally not even dare to dream about...
Touching the smooth gear knob like a stray dog, a phrase he had seen before suddenly popped into his mind...
To be young and drive a Bentley, life is like ying a game...
His current life did indeed feel like ying a game, a game with modified data...
Chapter 28: Speeding
20 minutester.
After taking a drive around, Gu Heng expertly maneuvered the brand-new Bentley Continental GT back to the 4S dealership.
Sales consultant Liu Wen was sitting in the cramped space of the back seat, watching Gu Heng¡¯s satisfied smile flicker across his face from time to time, and in her heart, she gave this deal an 80% chance of sess...
"Who would¡¯ve thought, Gu Heng! Your driving skills are pretty good, aren¡¯t they? Is this really your first time driving since getting your license? You¡¯re way better than Jingjing. Every time I ride in her car, I¡¯m terrified, but you¡¯re much steadier.
And, no offense, but a luxury car is a luxury car¡ªsitting in one is just morefortable than in ordinary cars.
Before, I thought the Volvo S90 Jingjing bought was already a luxury car, butpared to this one, it¡¯s worlds apart. Let me just put it out there, Gu Heng, if you really buy this car, you¡¯ve got to save the front passenger seat for me!"
Without even getting out of the car, Lin Jiayun was chattering away excitedly from the passenger seat.
Hearing Lin Jiayun¡¯s words, Gu Heng just smiled and didn¡¯t respond.
A driving skill worth of a hobbyist racer with a value of 1 million, joking with you?
As for her early im on the front passenger seat, Gu Heng simply ignored it as if it were nonsense.
If he kept the front passenger seat for her, what about other girls?
Dream on!
Gradually stepping out from the driver¡¯s seat, Gu Heng had almost reserved the Bentley Continental GT in his mind.
"Miss Liu?"
"I¡¯m here!"
Hearing Gu Heng calling for her, Liu Wen squeezed out from the back seat with difficulty...
Indeed, squeezed...
Seeing Liu Wen¡¯s features distorted ufortably from the squeeze, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help frowning...
After squeezing her way out of the car and trying to regain herposure with a smile, Liu Wen was about to ask Gu Heng how he liked the driving experience, but the moment she looked up, she was met with Gu Heng¡¯s frowning face, causing her heart to shudder subconsciously...
That expression...
Was he dissatisfied?
Her brain spinning rapidly, Liu Wen carefully considered what might have caused Gu Heng¡¯s dissatisfaction...
A potential multi-million dor deal was at her fingertips; if it slipped away, she wouldn¡¯t even know where to cry...
Suddenly...
She thought of her disheveled state after squeezing out from the car and quickly guessed the reason for Gu Heng¡¯s frown, promptly saying, "Mr. Gu, are you dissatisfied with the back-seat space of the Continental GT?"
Gu Heng honestly nodded.
"That¡¯s correct, as I¡¯ve mentioned before, the Continental GT is positioned as a sports car, and the back seat is more decorative than practical...
That¡¯s probably the only imperfection of the Continental GT, but in all other aspects, it¡¯s truly the benchmark of its price range..."
Liu Wen, fulfilling her role as a sales consultant, minimized the weakness and guided Gu Heng to appreciate the car¡¯s strengths...
Even Lin Jiayun couldn¡¯t help but join in, saying, "Exactly, you spend 3 million on a car to enjoy it, not to use it as a taxi. Why care about the back seat space?"
But after hearing the opinions of the two, Gu Heng showed no reaction, his facial expression barely changing as he said in an indifferent tone, "Isn¡¯t there another model? Take me to see that one."
Listening to Gu Heng¡¯s unswayed tone, Liu Wen was also filled with helplessness but could only muster up her enthusiasm.
"Alright, Mr. Gu, this way please..."
As she spoke, she led Gu Heng to another disy area...
"Mr. Gu, this is the other model I wanted to introduce to you, priced at three million, the Bentley Flying Spur. This is also thetest 2024 model, and it has been in the showroom for less than a week. It¡¯s definitely among the newest batches in the country!"
While speaking, she directed Gu Heng¡¯s gaze to another pale blue car.
"This Flying Spur features the same Imperial Blue color as the Continental GT you just saw, paired with..." (If you¡¯re interested, you can look it up on Baidu, no fluff.)
Liu Wen then, as before, introduced the basic performance of the Bentley Flying Spur from start to finish...
This time, however, Gu Heng had a notion in his mind. There was not much change in his expression, instead, he was mentallyparing this Flying Spur with the Continental GT he had seen before...
In terms of appearance, the Bentley Flying Spur indeed seemed a level below the Continental GT...
But this level was only whenpared with the Continental GT. Compared to those regr sedans, it was still in a league of its own, with no realparison.
Thinking this, Gu Heng stepped forward, opened the car door, and experienced it once again.
On the outside of the door, sales assistant Liu Wen continued exining: "The Flying Spur and the Continental GT both have interiors crafted with the same techniques and materials, so there isn¡¯t much difference in that regard.
The only difference is that the rear space of the Flying Spur is exceptionally spacious¡ªmore so than otherrge cars from different brands, which significantly increases itsfort."
Listening to Liu Wen¡¯s introduction, Gu Heng peeked into the rear space...
Indeed...
Compared to theughably small rear space of the Continental GT, the Flying Spur¡¯s rear was spacious enough to amodate a couples¡¯ sport without feeling cramped...
Seeing this, Gu Heng had more or less made up his mind and then stepped down from the driver¡¯s seat.
Just as Liu Wen was about to speak, he preempted her by asking, "How much for this car?"
"???"
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s question, Liu Wen was filled with confusion.
He had passed over the Continental, a car more obviously suited for young people, and was now asking about the price of the Flying Spur he had not looked at for more than ten minutes?
But despite her confusion, Liu Wen didn¡¯t forget her professionalism and quickly replied, "Mr. Gu, if you like the Flying Spur, you would need to choose some custom options, and the specific price will be calcted based on your selections..."
"How long would it take to get the car after selecting the options?"
"If expedited, roughly 2 to 3 months..."
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng¡¯s face showed a clear trace of impatience, "Didn¡¯t Jiajun mention my requirements when he was in touch with you?"
Hearing the emotion in Gu Heng¡¯s voice, Liu Wen felt a bit aggrieved...
Jiajun, of course, had told her about Gu Heng¡¯s requirements, but this was Bentley¡¯s purchasing process¡ªwhat could she do? She could only apologize with a wry smile and exin it was the buying process...
Gu Heng couldn¡¯t be bothered to listen to her apologies. Pointing at the pale blue Bentley Flying Spur in front of him, he asked again, "Never mind the process, how much for this car, and can it even be sold?"
"Mr. Gu, to be honest with you, this is a disy car; I can¡¯t make that decision. How about you take a brief rest while I go ask the manager?"
Liu Wen asked cautiously...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t want to make things difficult for her and thus nodded his head; he was just trying to save some trouble and buy a car to show off, not intentionally looking for trouble.
Once she received Gu Heng¡¯s agreement, Liu Wen didn¡¯t dy a moment and ran towards the manager¡¯s office area...
Chapter 29 - 29 Bentleys Standard
It wasn¡¯t long before.
Liu Wen arrived with a middle-aged man who was smartly dressed in a suit and wearing rimless sses, whose shrewdness was apparent at a nce.
"Mr. Gu, hello, I am the store manager of Bentley 4S shop in Gongshu, Hang City. My name is Yue Jin," he said as he extended his hand.
Gu Heng shook his hand and gave a polite greeting in response.
"I heard about the specifics from Xiao Liu just now, Mr. Gu. You want to buy this demo car?"
Gu Heng first nodded at this question but then shook his head.
As Yue Jin looked on with confusion, Gu Heng spoke up.
"It¡¯s not that I have to buy your demo car, it¡¯s that I need it fast. Money is not important. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying, Manager Yue?
If I could receive the car within a few days when choosing my own configurations, then I can wait. After all, I would like to choose some configurations that suit me, but Salesperson Liu told me just now that normally, it takes two to three months from ordering to delivery, and I can¡¯t wait that long.
If Manager Yue can give me a satisfactory n, then we can continue to discuss. If my request really troubles you, then I can only apologize."
Gu Hengid out his demands very clearly.
Watching Yue Jin and Liu Wen listening earnestly to him, Gu Heng suddenly felt quite naturally as if he was a client with his own requests at hand, hmm... and indeed, it gave his vanity a slight boost.
Yue Jin, having heard Gu Heng¡¯s words, also immediately understood what he meant.
As an experienced salesman, he knew that Gu Heng had pushed his standards to the limit and there was no room for negotiation on his part. If he were to propose anything unsatisfactory, this young man would definitely leave on the spot...
This thought made Yue Jin proceed with caution.
One couldn¡¯t me him for being careful. In all of 2023, Bentley only sold around 3,000 cars in Hua Country...
On average, that¡¯s less than 10 cars per day, and these were split among the numerous Bentley 4S shops nationwide...
To put it bluntly, for them, any potential customer who gave up on buying a car from their shop for some reason was a significant loss...
Thinking of this, Yue Jin bit his lip and said, "If Mr. Gu really can¡¯t ept choosing configurations, then we can sell you the demo car, but we won¡¯t be able to offer you much of a discount on the price, I hope you understand."
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but smile.
Although he had only 3.25 million in savings from top to bottom, money was indeed the least important thing to him, just as he had stated earlier...
"Then, tell me how much is this car?" Gu Heng asked.
After Gu Heng¡¯s query, Yue Jin gave Liu Wen a look, and Liu Wen, catching the hint, quickly stepped forward, "Mr. Gu, this Bentley Flying Spur is the 2024 4.0T Elegant Edition. The official guide price is 3.365 million for the vehicle alone, with no discounts at the moment...
If you are sure about the purchase, Mr. Gu, adding on purchase tax, value-added tax, and insurance, the on-the-road price would be around 3.8 million."
As Liu Wen spoke, Gu Heng¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but contract...
He had been so focused on keeping up appearances that he hadn¡¯t considered if he had enough money...
Now he felt somewhat caught in a difficult position...
With that in mind, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Taxes like the purchase tax and value-added tax are paid separately, right?"
At Gu Heng¡¯s question, Liu Wen paused, surprised. Usually, customers who came to a 4S shop to see a car would have done some research already; this was the first time she had heard such a query...
Nevertheless, she answered patiently, "The purchase and value-added taxes, including insurance, are paid on your behalf by our 4S shop. They are normally paid together with the car price, but if Mr. Gu is concerned, opting for a separate contract is also possible."
Hearing this, Gu Heng¡¯s worries eased a little...
Being able to pay separately was a relief...
In fact, it doesn¡¯t matter if we can¡¯t make the payment together. I can make a deposit and then go on a spree; by the time Ie back, I¡¯ll definitely have enough money...
But even though Gu Heng still has the mentality of a small fry, a small fry needs face too!
I just said money isn¡¯t important, and the next second I can¡¯t produce the cash, wouldn¡¯t that be pretending for nothing?
With this thought, Gu Heng spoke up again, "I won¡¯t say anything else, the sticker price is 3.25 million. If you can ept that, I can sign the contract and pay right now."
As soon as his words fell, among the four people in the room, aside from Gu Heng who still had a calm and light expression, Lin Jiayun, Liu Wen, and Yue Jin were all struck hard in their chests...
At this moment, Lin Jiayun had no doubts about Gu Heng¡¯s financial power. She felt the way Gu Heng casually mentioned the figure of 3.25 million made him really handsome, as if he had captured her heart...
Yue Jin and Liu Wen looked at each other upon hearing this. Then it was Liu Wen who stepped forward first.
"Mr. Gu, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to give you a discount... it¡¯s just that this car model currently has no promotions, and since you¡¯re asking for the disy model, we will have to subsequently arrange for another disy model from our affiliate. This in itself is going to incur quite a cost... so we really might not be able to give such a big discount..."
After listening to her, Gu Heng also pretended to nod in agreement.
Just when it seemed that Gu Heng was giving up on bargaining, his voice rose again.
"I understand you all, but I can only pay 3.25 million for this car. Not one cent more can I ept."
Yue Jin: "..."
Liu Wen: "..."
Lin Jiayun: "So handsome..."
No matter what you¡¯re buying, you can only believe one third of what the salespeople say. Although he had never bought a car before, he was well aware of the high profit margins of luxury cars. How could dropping 100,000 yuan be difficult for them?
And now, the situation was¡
It wasn¡¯t about how much they wanted, but how much Gu Heng had!
Seeing this, Liu Wen had no choice but to look helplessly at Yue Jin...
"Xiao Liu, go get the contract!"
After a few seconds of silence, Yue Jin eventuallypromised. With a smile on his face, he looked at Gu Heng, while instructing Liu Wen.
Gu Heng responded with a smile as well.
He knew very well that he had offered a high price, and further negotiation to lower the price was not impossible with a bit more back-and-forth, but none of that mattered anymore...
What was important was making himself happy.
Looking at the light blue behemoth beside him, Gu Heng¡¯s emotions finally began to stir...
In just one day¡¯s time, he had transformed from a wage ve, who could see the mediocrity of his own life at a nce, into the distinguished owner of a Bentley Flying Spur. He didn¡¯t know how to describe this feeling, but surely it was not far off from the excitement of winning the lottery.
He stepped forward lightly, approaching the car.
He reached out and gently touched the winged emblem on the car¡¯s hood.
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s action, Yue Jin also stepped forward casually, standing beside Gu Heng, and said with a smile, "The Flying Spur¡¯s stand-up emblem is also a mark of Bentley¡¯s prestige. It seems that Mr. Gu is very fond of this design."
At his words, Gu Heng smiled, said nothing, and just quietly touched the winged emblem as if caressing his girlfriend¡¯s face.
He didn¡¯t understand anything about prestige...
All he knew was that what stood on the Bentley wasn¡¯t just an emblem but the spine he couldn¡¯t straighten in his youth...
...
...
Chapter 30: Paying for the Boastful Declarations Made at 18
The process of purchasing a car was slow.
Gu Heng arrived just before ten o¡¯clock, tested the car, negotiated the price, and by almost 12 o¡¯clock...
But the payment process was swift...
As Gu Heng happily signed the purchase agreement, Liu Wen lightly swiped his debit card on the POS machine, officially dering the three-million, two-hundred-fifty-thousand yuan Bentley as belonging to Gu Heng...
[One¡¯s life is often hampered by what one could not have in youth. Congrattions to the host for taking the first step out of life¡¯s predicaments, possessing one¡¯s own luxury car, fulfilling the audacious words of an 18-year-old, satisfying desires, reward: 9,990,000 yuan. ount bnce: 9,990,000 yuan.]
Listening to the crisp sound in his mind, Gu Heng felt as if every pore in his body involuntarily opened, a delightful sensation spreading throughout his body...
24 hours...
Just 24 hours! He had transformed from a nobody without a house or significant savings to a high-up person with tens of millions in savings and a luxury car!
He now just wanted to ask¡ªwho else?!
As Liu Wen received the notification of sessful payment, her smile became uncontrobly wide...
Two hours to process the sale!
This was the quickest deal in her car sales career.
"Congrattions, Mr. Gu, on bing the prestigious owner of a Bentley. May thepanionship of your Bentley usher in a luxurious and spectacr journey in life."
Liu Wen had repeated these congrattory words from the Bentley dealership countless times, but this time she delivered them most smoothly...
After finishing the blessing, Liu Wen continued, "We will contact our specialists to handle the acquisition tax, value-added tax, and insurance here at our dealership, so you don¡¯t need to go to the vehicle administration office yourself. You only need to provide two photocopies of your ID card here, and uponpletion, the vehicle registration and driving permits will be handed over to you.
The process will take about two hours. If Mr. Gu is free, you may wait here at our dealership, or if you do not have the time, you can provide an address, and we will personally deliver them to you.
Furthermore, if Mr. Gu, you need us to handle the license tes, we can take care of that as well, though it might take a bit longer since it¡¯s the end of the year, but it shouldn¡¯t exceed one week."
Hearing Liu Wen ramble on about many things, Gu Heng started to feel overwhelmed...
He had no experience buying cars and did not understand all this.
But in those billionaire novels, all protagonists could drive away their multimillion supercars right after paying, right?
Indeed...
Lack ofmon knowledge really does harm people...
However, troublesome as it was, Gu Heng honestly epted the arrangements of the dealership...
After all, he was not any privileged individual, and as aw-abiding citizen, it was proper to follow the regtions.
Moreover, considering the usual slow pace of the relevant departments, getting these matters resolved in a few days would already be fast. The Bentley dealership had managed to reduce this period to just two hours, letting him somewhat experience the privileges only the wealthy could enjoy. Why bother about a bicycle...
"There¡¯s no need to deliver; I wille to pick it up in two hours, and please take care of the license te for me," he said.
"It¡¯s no bother at all; this is all part of our service," she responded.
While Gu Heng was exchanging pleasantries with the saleswoman, Lin Jiayun, an outsider who had observed everything, still felt as though she was in a dream, and quietly asked Gu Heng, "A car worth more than three million, just bought like that?"
"Hmm? Otherwise?" he responded casually.
As she listened to Gu Heng¡¯s light tone, Lin Jiayun subconsciously swallowed hard...
She considered herself to be in the high-ie bracket and generally had a strong sense of superiority, yet it was hard for her to ept that someone could buy a multimillion-dor luxury car more casually than she would buy a piece of clothing...
...
...
"Gurgle, gurgle..."
A few minutester, while still listening to Liu Wen go over some car pickup specifics, a gurgling sound came from next to her...
Gu Heng followed the noise and looked at Lin Jiayun, who was tilting her head with a blush of embarrassment spreading over her neck...
While trying to ease the awkwardness, Lin Jiayun caught Gu Heng staring at her from the corner of her eye and a bit annoyed and bashfully scolded him, "What are you looking at! Didn¡¯t you eat breakfast? I¡¯ve been with you looking at cars all morning, of course I¡¯m hungry!
"What¡¯s wrong with saying I¡¯m hungry!"
Gu Heng: "..."
Hearing Lin Jiayun¡¯sints, Gu Heng felt a bit embarrassed...
He was so excited about buying a car that he hadn¡¯t felt hungry, and indeed he had neglected Lin Jiayun...
Realizing this, Gu Heng promptly stood up and said, "Since you¡¯re hungry, let¡¯s go eat. By the time we¡¯re back from eating, most of the paperwork should be done.
"Tell me what you want to eat, consider it a reward for apanying me all morning."
"That¡¯s more like it!"
Sitting quietly on the side and listening to their conversation, Liu Wen quickly said, "How about this, today Mr. Gu gave me such a big performance, I don¡¯t really have a way to thank you both, why don¡¯t I treat you to a meal?"
After saying this, she looked at Gu Heng with hopeful eyes...
As a salesperson, building connections is most crucial, especially for someone like her who sells luxury cars...
From her perspective, if she could foster a good rtionship with wealthy individuals like Gu Heng, and if she could refer a couple of clients to herself, not to mention a meal, even treating them ten times would be worth it...
Seeing Liu Wen¡¯s sincere gaze, Gu Heng hardly knew how to refuse and simply nced at Lin Jiayun...
Lin Jiayun disyed a look of nonchnce.
Seeing this, Gu Heng nodded and said, "Then thank you, Miss Liu."
"Mr. Gu is too polite, please wait a moment, I¡¯ll go to the parking lot to get my car."
....
....
Just like during the test drive, there were still three of them in the car.
The difference was the car changed from a Bentley Continental GT to a pink Audi A4, and the driver changed from Gu Heng to Liu Wen.
Sitting in the backseat, bored, Lin Jiayun suddenly put away her phone and turned her gaze to Gu Heng¡¯s face, "Gu Heng, I have a question for you."
Putting away his phone, Gu Heng returned her gaze, "Hmm? What is it?"
"I feel like you liked that Continental GT more, why did you switch to the Flying Spur? You don¡¯t dislike sports cars, do you?"
Sitting in the driver¡¯s seat and focusing on driving, Liu Wen also pricked up her ears. She was also curious as to why Gu Heng gave up the more youth-favored Continental GT for a more standard Flying Spur.
Hearing Lin Jiayun¡¯s question, Gu Heng smirked.
"Nonsense, what young person doesn¡¯t like sports cars! I definitely like them."
"Then why didn¡¯t you choose the Continental GT but went for the Flying Spur?"
"The Flying Spur has a bit more space in the back seat."
Lin Jiayun: "???"
She didn¡¯t understand, a smaller back seat space wouldn¡¯t hinder driving, and immediately questioned with a confused face, "Why do you need so much space in the back? You¡¯re not seriously considering running a ride-hailing service to show off, are you? Doing such a tacky thing?"
Listening to her ribbing, Gu Heng rolled his eyes, "I¡¯m not that bored. The back seat is reserved for my parents, it¡¯s better if it¡¯s morefortable."
His idea was straightforward, he was buying a car just to show off when he went home.
During the New Year, he¡¯d undoubtedly be visiting rtives by car, and with the cramped space in the back seat of a Continental GT, his old folks would likely be tormented to death...
Since it¡¯s all for showing off, having a Bentley badge was enough...
As for liking it, he wasn¡¯t buying a car just this one time in his life, he could always buy anotherter. He didn¡¯t care what others thought; surely he couldn¡¯t just enjoy showing off while making his parents suffer, right?
Listening to Gu Heng¡¯s straightforward and simple exnation, Lin Jiayun and Liu Wen instantly fell silent...
Chapter 31 - 31 Where is Your Rural First Love?
An hourter...
Liu Wen put away the check handed to her by the server, suppressing the pain of the expense with a forced smile as she turned to Gu Heng, "I just received a message from the store saying that the DMV people have already arrived; it should take about an hour or so to handle everything. Mr. Gu, would you like to continue shopping outside or go straight back to the store?"
A meal that cost nearly 3000 yuan...
It could be said that it was the most expensive meal she had eaten all year...
To say her heart didn¡¯t ache would be a lie, but remembering thergemission she had just earned from Gu Heng, the sting of the cost faded quite a bit...
As for the man in question, Gu Heng...
He had never eaten such fine fare. Apart from the hot potst night that cost 170,000 yuan, he couldn¡¯t afford such an expensive meal even during the New Year¡¯s feast, let alone be picky...
Therefore, this meal was definitely a case of the guest enjoying as much as the host...
Hearing Liu Wen¡¯s question, Gu Heng¡¯s gaze turned to the mall outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, "Miss Liu, if you have things to do back at the store go ahead, I n to buy some things in the mall."
Upon hearing this, Liu Wen hurriedly said, "Not busy at all, not at all. Since Mr. Gu would like to continue shopping, then let¡¯s keep shopping. Since I brought the two of you out, I should definitely take you both back. After all, hailing a cab can be quite troublesome..."
Gu Heng wasn¡¯t courteous; if Liu Wen was willing to y free chauffeur, he was happy to let her do so, and it would save him the taxi fare.
As Gu Heng rose from his seat, Lin Jiayun subconsciously clung to Gu Heng¡¯s arm and asked, "What are you nning to buy at the mall?"
"I just saw there¡¯s a Lao Fengxiang Jewelry Store in the mall, so I n to buy some jewelry."
"Jewelry?!"
Upon hearing his response, Lin Jiayun¡¯s sense of crisis instantly surfaced...
Gu Heng, being a man, surely had no use for jewelry, so the only purpose of buying jewelry must be to give it to a girl!
The thought alone made Lin Jiayun abandon any further pretense of casual conversation, as she urgently questioned, "What do you need the jewelry for? To give away?"
Looking at her excited state, Gu Heng turned his head with a taunting smile, "Of course, I¡¯m buying it to give away. You don¡¯t think I, a grown man, would get myself a pair of gold earrings, do you?"
"And you¡¯re giving jewelry to a girl from Lao Fengxiang? How low-ss. Not to mention Tiffany and Bvlgari, at least get something from Cartier."
Gu Heng shrugged his shoulders nonchntly, "No problem, she won¡¯t mind."
Alright, alright!
Alright, alright!
Lin Jiayun had originally thought that Gu Heng was only interested in He Jing for her looks and not her heart, and there would be nopetition. But as she realized this wasn¡¯t the case, she nearly ground her mrs to dust, and in an instant, Sherlock Holmes took over her mind...
The fact that he was personally picking out gifts indicated that Gu Heng attached great importance to her!
And the fact that she wouldn¡¯t mind jewelry from a brand like Lao Fengxiang, which was considered tacky, meant she surely wasn¡¯t a woman of taste!
Gu Heng had admitted he came from a rural background...
As a series of clues conjured up by Lin Jiayun came together, a highly usible answer seemed imminent...
There could be only one truth!
Gu Heng must have an old me back in his rural hometown, yearning for her beloved to return!
Feeling increasingly certain of her assumptions, Lin Jiayun couldn¡¯t hold back and blurted out her inner thoughts.
"Where is your rustic first love???"
Gu Heng, who was already at the entrance of the Lao Fengxiang store and about to step inside, nearly strained his back from the year 2000 when Lin Jiayun¡¯s sudden confrontation caught him off guard. Turning around with a face full of confusion, he looked back at Lin Jiayun...
"???"
A rustic first love is still a first love.
What the hell is a "rustic first love"?
What kind of abstract new-age culture is she talking about???
Seeing the look of utter bewilderment on Gu Heng¡¯s face, Lin Jiayun realized she had be the butt of the joke and awkwardly looked away...
Rolling his eyes at her, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t be bothered with her any longer and just walked into the store.
Amid the greetings from the salespeople, Gu Heng made his way straight to a counter and said, "Hello, could you help me pick out a set of jewelry suitable for a middle-aged woman? A bracelet, ring, ne, and earrings, one of each."
The sales staff at Lao Fengxiang weren¡¯t as professional as those at luxury boutiques. Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s straightforward request, they were caught off guard for a moment.
Lin Jiayun, who had followed behind Gu Heng, lit up when she heard "middle-aged woman," and then quietly whispered near Gu Heng¡¯s ear, "You¡¯re not picking out jewelry for your mom, are you?"
"What else? For my rustic first love?"
"Heh heh..."
After giving her a look, Gu Heng ceased to interact with her further.
But upon hearing that Gu Heng was not selecting jewelry for another woman but for his mom, Lin Jiayun perked up. Taking charge, she stepped forward and dered, "What do you know about a woman¡¯s taste as a man? Let me help you choose!"
"State your requirements."
Upon seeing her willingness to choose for him, Gu Heng felt relieved and after a few seconds of thought, he said, "Just the normal kind of gold jewelry will do, nothing too shy, but also not too low-profile; don¡¯t need anything too innovative in design, but it should suit a middle-aged woman."
Every time he talked on the phone with his mom, he could always hear about some other mothers who had bought a new gold ne or gold ring. Although she had never asked anything from Gu Heng, he could still detect the envy in her tone.
What son doesn¡¯t want to make his parents proud?
In the past, he didn¡¯t have the means, but now that he did, he naturally wanted to make them proud and have them be the envy of others.
That¡¯s right, he was that superficial.
"OK, OK. Leave it all to me."
Lin Jiayun patted her trembling chest and then began to seriously select items from the disy...
"This one, this one, and this one, let¡¯s take them out and have a look."
As an experienced shopper, Lin Jiayun spent more time browsing stores in a year than Gu Heng walked, and she did not hesitate to boss around the sales staff...
One person wasn¡¯t enough, and Liu Wen, standing next to her, joined in the fray, leaving Gu Heng to be an outsider, standing to the side listening to the two women¡¯s endless chattering...
After a full half-hour, having nearly tried on half the jewelry store¡¯s inventory, the pair finally settled on a few pieces of jewelry.
"Here, these four pieces, I guarantee Aunty will be the most beautiful woman in your vige once she wears them!"
Gu Heng examined the four pieces of jewelry adorned with various intricate engravings and, without hesitation, told the salesperson, "These four, wrap them up."
The salesperson was almost driven mad by Lin Jiayun and Liu Wen in the past half hour, and now hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words felt like heavenly music. She quickly replied, "Please wait a moment sir, I¡¯ll pack them up for you right now."
....
[Host, in Lao Fengxiang Jewelry Store, you have not forgotten your dear rtives amidst wealth and have indulged in spending for your mother, reward: 330,000 yuan, bnce: 10,320,000 yuan.]
A few minutester, after Gu Heng had finished listening to the prompt in his mind and took another look at the receipt in his hand...
1.224 million...
Disregarding the small change, the total cost of the four rather heavy pieces of jewelry came to merely 1.2 million yuan?
That¡¯s less than what I spend on a meal?
Does this even count as being filial? Wouldn¡¯t I get roasted online if I posted this?
Gu Heng was tempted to walk back into Lao Fengxiang Jewelry Store and ask the staff to select a couple more kilograms of jewelry for him, but the thought of his mother drenched in several kilos of gold essories quickly put that idea to rest...
Guess I¡¯ll have to make up for it somehow next time...
After finally leaving the store, with a grin, Lin Jiayun approached and said, "I drove you today and also helped pick out jewelry for your Aunty, why don¡¯t you give me a piece of jewelry as a gift to make it up to me?"
After speaking, she looked up at Gu Heng with hopeful eyes.
"Sure," he agreed.
Before she could be pleased, she saw Gu Heng unting the receipt in his hand and saying, "As long as it doesn¡¯t exceed this number, pick whatever you want."
"Tch, stingy. I don¡¯t desire your lousy gift," retorted Lin Jiayun.
Her remark was just a probe towards Gu Heng, aiming to get a sense of his feelings for her, and she wasn¡¯t actually interested in receiving a gift from him. As a clever woman, she very well understood thepletely different meanings attached to something one demands for oneself and something that is offered spontaneously by someone else.
So when she heard Gu Heng agree without any hesitation, she actually received the answer she wanted...
As for Gu Heng¡¯s thoughts, they were simple.
He wasn¡¯t reluctant to spend money on a woman; in fact, he quite enjoyed it.
In his view, the phrase "Money is for women to see, not to spend on them," used by Tong Jingcheng, applies to the ordinary women who had not seen much of the world, but perhaps not to a girl like Lin Jiayun...
After all, there¡¯s a reason none of the women who make their mark in the world are fools¡ªyou n on seducing with big promises and swooping in for the profit withoutying down a cent, but people like her do not take action unless they see a clear advantage. What¡¯s the point in outwitting each other?
Through their time together over the past couple of days, it was clear to him that Lin Jiayun was indeed after something from him.
But wasn¡¯t he acting with equal calction towards her?
Given the chance, Gu Heng was more than willing to use money to take their rtionship to the next level.
Spending money on a girl doesn¡¯t make you a simp, a real simp is someone who spends money and doesn¡¯t even get a whiff of reciprocation.
What he was doing could at most be called a mutually beneficial arrangement; one desires the wealth of youth while the other desires youthful beauty¡ªit¡¯s simply a perfect match, isn¡¯t it?
As for why he had just insisted that the gift for Lin Jiayun shouldn¡¯t exceed the 1.224 million on the receipt...
That¡¯s even simpler.
Today he was buying a gift for his mother, which meant today she was his priority; not even the almighty could change that¡ªthe cap on her gift was 1.224 million!
There was no room for negotiation!
Chapter 32: Embark on a Spontaneous Trip
The trio returned to the dealership, where Gu Heng¡¯s driving license and vehicle registration had all been sorted out...
After paying 650,000 for purchase tax, value-added tax, and insurance, his bank bnce dropped back down to 9.63 million from the tens of millions...
This time, the system did not reward him...
But when he thought about it, it made sense, after all, he had splurged enough when buying the car, and this was at most just making the final payment. If he could get rewarded for this as well, wouldn¡¯t he be a multimillionaire if he bought a car on installment?
Gu Heng didn¡¯t care much about this, money...
As long as there¡¯s enough to spend, that¡¯s all that matters, right? Now, whatever he does is like not spending any money at all, and he can even make money. Besides, he doesn¡¯t have the intention of getting a private ne, so what¡¯s the use of having so much surplus bnce?
...
The car purchase waspletely taken care of...
The only regret was that his car now only had a temporary license te, so he could only drive within the province...
If he could travel across provinces now, Gu Heng wished he could just floor the elerator and head back home to show off...
After dropping Lin Jiayun back off at herpany, she turned around with a smile before getting out of the car and said, "Do you want toe up to the office? I can help you show off your nearly 4-million-yuan luxury car again, let all those colleagues open their eyes wide to see, fortunes can change in a blink, and there¡¯s a rich man right by my side?"
Gu Heng, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, listened to Lin Jiayun¡¯s teasing and chuckled.
To be honest, though thepany¡¯s treatment of him was poor, it wasn¡¯t too harsh, and the academic discrimination was self-inflicted...
Those colleagues didn¡¯t mock and joke about him as they did in novels; although they weren¡¯t exactly friendly, they didn¡¯t deliberately trouble him either.
After all, everyone¡¯s just a regr person, and living in a big city like Hang City is exhausting enough¡ªwho has the energy to specifically pick on you?
Because of this, Gu Heng didn¡¯t have much interest in showing off in front of them or annoying them, so he shook his head and declined Lin Jiayun¡¯s suggestion.
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s refusal, Lin Jiayun didn¡¯t say much, simply got out of the car, and said while standing by the door, "Then I¡¯ll head back to the office first~"
After saying that, she winked at him and blew a kiss...
Once Lin Jiayun had left, Gu Heng sitting in the driver¡¯s seat began to feel a bit empty...
People really are masochistic...
When you¡¯re a corporate drone, you dream every day of striking it rich, working yourself to death, but at least it feels full...
Now, damnit, with money, the emptinesses...
Where the hell do you even start to talk about this?
.....
Isn¡¯t that what they say about the difference between the wealthy and the average person?
The wealthy get bored and think about ying golf, having afternoon tea while looking at beautiful women...
And Gu Heng?
After much thought, he finally came up with a way to kill time...
Going to an inte cafe...
But as soon as this thought emerged in his mind, he promptly rejected it...
He had just picked up a luxury car worth millions, and he was eager to drive around the world unting it, enjoying the envy of strangers, so why the hell would he go to a damn inte cafe?
Suddenly...
An unexpected idea popped into his head.
"How about a spontaneous trip?"
Once the idea came, he couldn¡¯t contain it...
In the tourist-heavy province of Jiangzhe, what Gu Heng saw most every day were towering skyscrapers. He¡¯d felt the urge to travel, but reality quickly snapped him back, mainly because of the high cost...
Every casual trip out would cost at least several thousand yuan, wouldn¡¯t it?
His lifestyle couldn¡¯t afford such luxury before, but now things were different, right?
With this in mind, Gu Heng spoke to the smart navigation system, "Hello, Little De."
"I¡¯m here, go ahead," it replied.
"Help me design the best route to Wuzhen."
"A route from Hang City to Wuzhen has been nned for you, spanning a total of 82.5 kilometers, and will take approximately 1 hour and 26 minutes. Please drive safely."
Listening to the delicate voice of the navigation system that sounded like Sister Chi-ling, Gu Heng started the vehicle and drove off towards the distance...
....
....
Over an hourter, Gu Heng¡¯s Bentley Flying Spur entered the outskirts of the ancient town.
The time was past five in the afternoon...
But because winter nights alwayse early, the sky had already begun to darken...
Wuzhen, shrouded in a veil of darkness, was even more vorful than the images and videos circting online. With the ancient streets lit up, the charm of antiquity was on full disy for everyone.
Stone bridges were sprawled across the surface of the water, their reflections shimmering beneath, causing ripples and shadows, so that even before stepping in, Gu Heng felt as though he was in a dream of water towns...
Seeing this scene, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t resist taking out his phone to snap a photo of the ancient town not far away...
Apart from the scenic water town in the photo, there was also the unmistakablerge B logo on the steering wheel in the corner...
Next, he opened his Moments, clicked on the top right corner, and attached a caption with artistic ir: "The windes from afar, and I stride forward without concern..."
Click send.
A series of actions smooth as flowing water...
What are Moments for?
Obviously, to show off!
In the past, he was just a tool man for liking posts in Moments, watching former ssmates, inte friends, and colleagues post about delicious food, beautiful scenery, and pretty girls every day, all he could do was secretly envy from a corner...
Now that he had the chance, he absolutely had to show off in return and make them feel envious too!
And theposition of this photo was truly ingenious...
Eighty-five percent was the view outside the window, the remaining fifteen showed the interior of the car, revealing just a small part of the steering wheel and the most important big B logo...
Even if others knew he was tantly unting his wealth, they had no way toin...
After all, I¡¯m here to show you the scenery, why are you focusing on my car¡¯s logo?
Is showing off wealth shameful?
Go to hell, why would he buy this 4-million luxury car if he didn¡¯t want to show off? He might as well have bought a Passat, it¡¯s all just driving, what¡¯s the bloody difference?
Perhaps because he rarely posted on Moments, nearly a minute had passed since he shared the photo, and no one had liked ormented on it...
Suddenly...
Gu Heng, who was staring at the Moments screen, saw an unreadment and clicked on it without even checking who it was from.
Lin Jiayun: "Where have you run off to?"
Seeing that the firstment was from Lin Jiayun, who already knew he had bought a car, Gu Heng¡¯s excitement cooled by half, and he could only reply helplessly, "Wuzhen, just arrived."
But as Lin Jiayun¡¯sment was posted, it triggered a chain reaction. Likes andments started popping up on Gu Heng¡¯s phone one after another.
Fengzi: "woc! Don¡¯t tell me you rented a Bentley as the lead car for my wedding??"
High school ssmate: "How much did it cost to rent for a day? I also want to rent one to go home for the New Year."
First Blood Raider (first love): "Bought a car? Which one?"
Thements from these acquaintances weren¡¯t interesting; hardly anyone believed Gu Heng could afford a Bentley...
But thements from friends added through gaming were much more entertaining, one big shot after another kept on calling, and Gu Heng responded to eachment with a beaming smile...
Suddenly...
A dull thud came from behind the car...
Feeling the car slightly shake, Gu Heng instinctively turned his head to look back and saw a red sedan had just given the rear of his car a kiss...
In an instant, Gu Heng¡¯s eyes widened, and he yelled "woc! My car!" before hastily opening the door and stepping out...
His new car with less than 100 kilometers on it had met its first ident like this?!!
Chapter 33 - 33 Lin Ran
```
After getting out of the car, Gu Heng rushed directly to the rear of the vehicle.
The owner of the red sedan had already gotten out of her car and was waiting at the rear...
"I¡¯m really sorry, I was looking at the scenery while parking just now and didn¡¯t notice your car in front of me. I identally scratched your car, but don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take full responsibility for this matter¡ªyour losses will be fully covered by me..."
The driver was a woman...
Upon seeing Gu Heng get out of his car, she hurriedly apologized to him with a face full of regret...
The woman was probably in her twenties, dressed in a wine-red wool coat, with a pure ckce shirt underneath, and a pair of high-waisted, wide-leg white pants on the bottom, her face lightly made up with professional makeup, her slightly red hair shining under the gentle afterglow of the setting sun, looking even more lustrous...
Her features were exquisitely delicate. Even though Gu Heng had be extremely selective in Hang City, a city teeming with beauties, he was still slightly taken aback by her...
But what was most important was not just her beauty...
It was the faint aura she exuded without even trying that truly amazed Gu Heng...
This was something he had never seen in women like He Jing or Lin Jiayun...
![]()
But does it matter?!
No, it doesn¡¯t!
He had just driven his new car out of the 4S dealership today; not to mention the break-in period, even the tires hadn¡¯t warmed up before his first time was ruined like this!
Ignoring the woman, he shifted his gaze to the rear of his car where he saw two clear scratches over 10 centimeters long. Gu Heng¡¯s heart clenched...
An ordinary person would grieve for days at the mere drop of a new cell phone, let alone his prized possession worth 3.8 million...
Only a car owner could empathize with this kind of heartache...
He immediately pulled out his phone and made a video call to sales consultant Liu Wen...
"Mr. Gu, good evening, what can I do for you?"
Gu Heng had no intention of exchanging pleasantries with her, he instantly flipped the camera to show her the scratches: "How should this kind of scratch be dealt with?"
Looking at the clear scratch in front of her, Liu Wen on the other side of the phone was also taken aback...
Gu Heng had only picked up the car this afternoon, right? In just a few hours, it had met with misfortune? The insurance probably hadn¡¯t even kicked in, had it?
But Liu Wen didn¡¯t ask further, responding hurriedly, "Mr. Gu, please hold on, I¡¯m not very knowledgeable about assessing damage. I¡¯ll get our 4S shop¡¯s repair master toe take a look for you right away..."
After saying that, she grabbed her phone and started running with a ck-ck of her high heels.
The woman who had been listening in all this while, seeing the pained expression on Gu Heng¡¯s face, stepped forward again and said, "Sir, I¡¯m really sorry, I truly didn¡¯t do it on purpose..."
"Enough talk, are we calling insurance to assess the damage or reporting it to the police?"
"No need to call the police. Whatever the cost, I¡¯ll pay!"
After speaking, she also took out a business card and handed it to Gu Heng.
Hearing the woman¡¯s decisive tone, Gu Heng finally looked at her more closely, receiving the business card and also took a nce at her car...
A wine-red BMW that was the exact same color as her coat...
It was clear she was fond of wine-red; this color was on her hair, her coat, and even her car...
[Deputy Director of Second Project Division at Gaoling Capital: Lin Ran]
This business card carried an aura of high-status...
Gu Heng, though being somewhat of an underdog, had no idea what Gaoling Capital was, but even from the knowledge acquired by watching TV dramas, he understood that generally, a deputy director was considered a senior executive.
```
No wonder the first instant I saw Lin Ran, aside from finding her beautiful, I also sensed an air of quality...
Top executives of bigpanies...
Genuine social elites, how could theyck temperament?
There¡¯s a fundamental difference between them and people like He Jing and Lin Jiayun who rely solely on their looks like decorative vases...
While Gu Heng was lost in his wild thoughts, his phone rang with a call from Liu Wen.
"Mr. Gu, our 4S shop¡¯s mechanic is here."
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng directed the camera towards the scratch once again...
The mechanic didn¡¯t beat around the bush and after closely examining for half a minute, he spoke, "Judging from the video, the scratch isn¡¯t severe, just damage to the paintwork. However, since your car is new, it¡¯ll be quite expensive. Repainting it will probably cost about 8000 to 10,000 yuan.
But it¡¯s not very clear in the video, and I¡¯m not certain if there are other issues, so it would be best toe to the shop and have it checked in person."
Gu Heng wasn¡¯t worried at all about the repair costs the mechanic mentioned; what concerned him was whether this issue would affect his ability to drive the Bentley home and show off. After all, some luxury cars require going back to the original manufacturer for repairs if they sustain damage. He promptly asked, "How long would the repair take, then?"
"If indeed there are only the problems currently visible, repainting at our 4S shop would only take an afternoon."
Reassured by this, Gu Heng suddenly handed his phone to Lin Ran who was standing idly by, "Here, do you want to talk to the mechanic? If you don¡¯t trust it, you can also have the insurancepany assess the damage."
"No need for that, no need," Lin Ran replied.
She wasn¡¯t the superficial kind of woman who only recognized BBA (BMW, Benz, Audi). She understood the value of the brand new Bentley before her...
And she knew that 8000 to 10,000 yuan was already quite reasonable...
She promptly took out her phone from her handbag and said, "Let¡¯s add each other on WeChat. How about I transfer the money to you through WeChat?"
When Gu Heng heard this, he nced at Lin Ran¡¯s perfect visage and nodded slightly...
After hearing from the mechanic that the repair would only take an afternoon, the sting Gu Heng felt had mostly dissipated. Now, to add a beautiful woman on WeChat, why not?
It wasn¡¯t his fault for being infatuated...
Even though he was driving a Bentley, he was still an average person.
There was a world of difference between him and a bona fide social elite like Lin Ran.
Sometimes, the gap between people can¡¯t be bridged by money alone; it requires time and the umtion of various aspects...
Just like Lin Ran, without today¡¯s incident, what were the chances that she woulde into contact with him? At most, he would only have dealings with salespeople orwork stars...
Gu Heng believed that with his advantages, he would definitelye into contact with even more impressive and high-level individuals in the future, but definitely not now.
This was the gap in levels.
With a ¡¯ding¡¯, a friend request with an adorable cat avatar, screen name "RAN", came through...
No sooner had Gu Heng epted the request, Lin Ran promptly transferred 10,000 yuan, "Here¡¯s 10,000 yuan. If it¡¯s not enough to cover the repair costs, you can contact me directly. I¡¯ll make up the difference right away.
If it¡¯s more than enough, consider the excess as my apology to you."
She spoke, again bowing slightly towards Gu Heng with an apologetic expression...
A social elite truly is a social elite, even a simple apology from her mouth sounds so pleasant...
After receiving the money, Gu Heng nodded towards her but didn¡¯t attempt to cozy up, instead he headed towards the car door...
People...
Should always have a sense of boundaries...
Although Gu Heng also had a bit of desire upon seeing her, pushing oneself forward eagerly could only lead to annoyance.
Chapter 34 - 34 Expensive doesnt necessarily mean good, but good things are definitely expensive
Watching Gu Heng¡¯s car gradually drive away, a look of relief spread across Lin Ran¡¯s delicate face...
"Luckily, this guy was easy to talk to, or else taking a break just to rx and then having to file police reports would really be a nuisance..."
After saying that, Lin Ran picked up her phone once more and started taking pictures of the distant ancient town, asionally turning the camera for a gorgeous selfie, her smile bright and radiant, seemingly unaffected by the thousand dors she had just lost...
....
....
Meanwhile, Gu Heng had parked his car at the entrance of Wuzhen¡¯s Al Hotel.
This hotel was one that Gu Heng had chosen after a long search on Dianping...
The reason he chose this one was not because it was highly ranked but for one single reason...
That was its expense...
Other hotels had a maximum per person cost of only a few hundred, not going over a thousand, whereas the Al Hotel¡¯s per person average price exceeded 1500...
In Gu Heng¡¯s philosophy of consumption, cost-performance ratio was only rtive, after all, he understood the truth of ¡¯you get what you pay for,¡¯ in Hua Country, expensive items might not always be the best, but the best items definitely are the most expensive.
Since he was out having fun, why not indulge properly?
Being frugal while traveling meant being on a limited budget, but if one had money and still chose to stay at ordinary ces, wouldn¡¯t that just be purely foolish?
Thinking this, he parked his car in the designated parking area next to the hotel and walked down.
The peak tourist season in Wuzhen was between March and May. Now, in the dead of winter just days before the New Year, not many chose to travel, hence there weren¡¯t many customers at the hotel entrance...
An asional chilly breeze would rise, stirring the few withered leaves of some unnameable ornamental trees at the hotel entrance, and the gentle rustling added a touch of solemn tranquility...
This kind of feeling was something you couldn¡¯t experience in densely poptedrge cities like Hang City.
After parking the car, Gu Heng directly stepped onto the stairs and headed towards the hotel lobby.
He had barely stepped onto the stairs when the weers at the lobby door had very thoughtfully pushed open the clear ss doors...
"Wee."
Gu Heng smiled politely at the two weers and headed straight for the reception desk.
The receptionist seemed well-trained, her smile appearing early, two small dimples hanging on her cheeks, sweetly greeting Gu Heng, "Hello, Mr., wee to Wuzhen¡¯s Al Hotel."
Although the receptionist wasn¡¯t highly attractive, her sweet smile effortlessly dissolved the slight frustration Gu Heng felt from the scratch on his new car.
"Do you have any rooms avable now?"
"Yes, Mr."
"I would like to book one."
Upon receiving Gu Heng¡¯s instructions, the receptionist hastily asked, "What¡¯s your surname, sir?"
"Gu."
"Mr. Gu, our hotel has three types of rooms avable. Which one would you like?"
Listening to the introduction by the receptionist, Gu Heng asked softly, "What are the three types?"
"The first type is a standard suite with a small courtyard, 1699 per night.
The second type is a multi-room suite with a private small courtyard, 3699 per night.
Thest type has a private courtyard, multiple suites, a private Sap treatment room, and a private swimming pool, priced at 6999 per night, simr to a presidential suite concept in business hotels.
Which one would Mr. Gu like to choose?"
After hearing the introduction, Gu Heng did not hesitate and directly said, "The third one."
"Okay, sir. Please present your ID card, and I will register you."
The receptionist did not feign shock in an overyed manner; instead, she efficiently proceeded with Gu Heng¡¯s check-in process...
A hotel receptionist is there to handle room registrations; they¡¯ve encountered countless such scenarios, so why would they be easily shocked?
"Mr. Gu, how many days will you be staying?"
Gu Heng pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Let¡¯s start with 3 days for now."
After clicking thest program on theputer, the receptionist¡¯s face returned to its sweet smile, "I wonder if Mr. Gu would like to have a personal butler service?"
"Personal butler?"
Gu Heng had heard the term in various TV shows and novels, but he didn¡¯t know much about it.
"Yes, a personal butler, our hotel¡¯s personal butlers serve you 24 hours a day, and each holds a certificate as a physical therapist and tour guide. They can offer you private therapy to recuperate your energy and spirit after you¡¯ve tired from sightseeing.
Moreover, they are well-acquainted with the surroundings of Wuzhen; Mr. Gu can use them as your exclusive guides during your tours, which could also save you some guide fees."
Private therapy?
This caught Gu Heng¡¯s attention!
"Are the personal butlers male or female?"
"There are both male and female, it mainly depends on your choice, Mr. Gu."
"Alright, then help me arrange one. Female."
"Okay, Mr. Gu, the daily fee for the personal butler is 1599 yuan."
Gu Heng waved his hand, signaling the receptionist to go ahead and arrange it for him.
It wasn¡¯t that he was showing off, but indeed his bnce of nearly ten million made it difficult for him to feel much about such numbers...
"Okay, Mr. Gu, it¡¯s all arranged now, and after a 10% discount, the totales to 23000 yuan."
Twenty-three thousand?
It indeed seemed quite affordable...
Bear in mind this ce is a renowned national tourist destination, even the off-season prices are surely more than those city hotels, but it¡¯s only twenty-three thousand yuan...
Then are those online ims charging tens of thousands per night for a presidential suite real or fake?
Gu Heng couldn¡¯t be bothered to guess anymore; if he had the chance, he would experience it himself someday.
After briskly paying, the receptionist respectfully handed over the room card to Gu Heng, "This is the room card; anywhere within the room that requires smart ess can be unlocked with this card.
Also, the personal butler arranged for you will be arriving shortly; Mr. Gu can rest in the lobby for a bit, and your personal butler will take you to your private courtyard soon."
Gu Heng nodded and asked, "You guys have a valet service, right?"
"That¡¯s right."
Hearing this, Gu Heng tossed his car keys to her, "My car is still parked in the temporary parking spot at the hotel entrance; please have someone move it to the parking lot."
Upon receiving Gu Heng¡¯s car keys, the receptionist¡¯s expression grew even more respectful.
"Certainly, sir. We will have someone return the keys to you after parking your car."
While she was inputting Gu Heng¡¯s identification number, she intentionally took note, recognizing that this Gu Heng was born in the year 2000...
It might not be extraordinary for someone in their twenties to stay in a hotel costing thousands per night...
But someone in their twenties who can afford a Bentley definitely is extraordinary...
A change in attitude is only human nature.
Even though she knew Gu Heng¡¯s wealth had nothing to do with her, she would still subconsciously lower her stance.
It¡¯s not about ttering but akin to how ordinary people would show a certain level of respect upon meeting Ma Yun on the street; it¡¯s just a usual manner of thinking...
Chapter 35: Enjoyment is also a form of indulgence
He had only been waiting in the lobby for a few minutes when a personal butler, d in a brown hip-skirt, ck silk, with long, wavy hair and a hint of matronliness, approached Gu Heng.
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"Mr. Gu, hello, I am Fang Xun, your personal butler. I will be at your service 24 hours a day for the next few days."
Sitting on the sofa and ying with his phone, Gu Heng listened to this gentle female voice, slowly lifted his head, struggled to suppress the urge to swallow, stood up, and smiled, "Miss Fang, hello."
"Mr. Gu, would you like to keep resting or would you like to check out your private courtyard?"
"Let¡¯s check out the room first."
"Very well, Mr. Gu, this way please."
After speaking, Fang Xun slightly bent over and gestured with an extended hand, then took the lead.
"Unlike themon high-rise building structures, the Al Hotel¡¯s residential area is a whole cluster of single-storey courtyardplexes, with a total of 125 rooms in different modern styles, mainly consisting of Water Vi, Cloud Vi, Garden Vi, and Pool Vi.
Each roomes with its own courtyard and a private bathtub facing the scenery, the smallest type of room being 108 square meters," Fang Xun exined softly and warmly as she led the way.
At this moment, night hadpletely fallen. When he was in the hotel lobby, Gu Heng thought there weren¡¯t many guests, but now, as he reached the residential area, he found quite a few people...
Seeming to notice Gu Heng¡¯s puzzled look, Fang Xun exined with a smile, "Even during the off-peak tourist seasons, the upancy rate of our Al Hotel remains over 70%, the highest among the three five-star hotels in Wuzhen."
As they conversed asionally, they reached the area where Gu Heng would check in in less than a few minutes.
![]()
Using the room card to push open the courtyard gate, the scene before him genuinely stunned him...
Although he had already seen the architectural style of the Al Hotel on the way here, the courtyard itself was even more enchanting...
In the center of the courtyard was a huge artificialke, next to which was a pavilion in transparent ss style. Soft lights flickered within the pavilion, and a few solitary scenic trees, still lush in the cold winter season, added a touch of vitality to the minimalist courtyard...
Before even entering the room, Gu Heng already had a feeling...
Over six thousand yuan a night, it was damn worth it!
This was no hotel, it was a private, standalone estate!
"Mr. Gu, this way please."
Fang Xun pushed open the ss door, and a vast living room appeared before Gu Heng¡¯s eyes...
"Mr. Gu, this is your suite. It totals 136 square meters. The two rooms next to it are the guest bedroom and the vi¡¯s spa therapy room. If you have friends, they can stay as well," Fang Xun exined as Gu Heng casually stepped into the living room, experiencing for the first time the true perks of wealth...
Whether it was splurging thousands at a nightclub or spending 3.8 million on a Bentley Flying Spur, both felt more like psychological satisfaction, satisfying his vanity...
But this vi, priced at over 6000 a night, made him truly experience what enjoyment was...
Compared to his 1200 yuan-a-month rental, this ce was outright paradise...
As Gu Heng¡¯s emotions intermingled, the bted system finally caught up...
[Host, in a spur-of-the-moment journey, you¡¯ve tasted a slice of life¡¯s pleasures, understood that indulgence is also a form of excess, sess in indulgence, reward: 180,000 yuan, bnce: 9.81 million yuan.]
"Mr. Gu..."
"Mr. Gu?"
Still immersed in his own intoxication and the world of the system, Gu Heng suddenly heard Fang Xun¡¯s calling.
Turning his head, he gave an apologetic smile, "Sorry, I was lost in thought just now."
Upon hearing this, Fang Xun still smiled warmly, "That¡¯s no problem, I was just wondering if you would like a therapy session? If so, I can go fetch your clothes now. Also, just outside the room is a small, constant-temperature swimming pool, practically an artificial hot spring. The water in the pool is constantly kept at 42 degrees Celsius, the most suitable temperature for bathing.
After a long day, a bath would be reallyfortable."
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit tempted...
For the word "soaking in a bath"...
His most extravagant experience had been spending 39 yuan at a public bathhouse soaking with a group of men, where the water, though not stinking to high heaven, carried a peculiar odor. Now that he had a private hot spring at his disposal, he certainly had to indulge...
Seeing the suggestive look in Gu Heng¡¯s eyes, Fang Xun had already guessed his decision. Her face, full of mature charm, was still spread with a smile, "It seems Mr. Gu is considering it, isn¡¯t he?
Just wait a moment, I will go get the special attire for you. Mr. Gu can familiarize himself with the room in the meantime. The mini pool area is already equipped with bathing attire, and you can go try it out now.
By the way, would you like me to bring a bottle of red wine? Having a ss of red wine before bathing has many benefits~"
Listening to Fang Xun¡¯s seductive voice, Gu Heng was somewhat looking forward to the uing spa therapy...
"Fine, juste find me at the poolter."
"Alright then, does Mr. Gu have any preference for the red wine?"
Gu Heng, who knew nothing about wine, waved his hand and said, "Just pick one for me."
After speaking, he walked towards the pool area Fang Xun had directed him to...
.....
.....
Ten minutester.
Gu Heng had changed into his bathing shorts and wasfortably leaning against the poolside...
Strands of steam rose from the water creating mists, and the soft lighting was sprinkled around¡ªthis sensation was simply indescribable...
"Knock, knock, knock..."
The anti-peeping door of the pool room was knocked, and Fang Xun¡¯s voice came from outside...
"Mr. Gu, may Ie in?"
Gu Heng, without even opening his eyes, replied in a muted voice as hey sprawled across the pool¡¯s ledge, "Come in."
With the sound of high heels getting closer, Gu Heng slowly opened his eyes. Through a narrow slit, his gaze met the bottom hem of Fang Xun¡¯s form-fitting skirt...
The lights were dim, Gu Heng didn¡¯t see much, but that didn¡¯t stop the fanciful thoughts of a man who hasn¡¯t had meat for a long time...
For a moment, he felt his desires stir vividly.
To mask his embarrassment, Gu Heng had no choice but to give up his reclined position and sat upright.
"Mr. Gu, I¡¯ve ced the fruit te next to you. Would you need me to open the wine now?"
"Open it..."
Gu Heng¡¯s voice was noticeably more apprehensive...
Fang Xun didn¡¯t think too much of it. She squatted next to Gu Heng, pouring the red wine into a tall ss. The faint scent of the wine mixed with her perfume invaded Gu Heng¡¯s nostrils...
Another strong wave of stimtion hit him...
If he didn¡¯t divert his attention to something else, he even feared his desires might rebel...
Thinking this, Gu Heng picked up the wine ss and sniffed the rich aroma of the wine. Even someone like him who didn¡¯t know wines could tell the bottle wasn¡¯t cheap...
"This bottle is a 2014 Petrus, the alcohol content isn¡¯t high, perfect for a light drink before bed."
Gu Heng just smiled and did not respond, but instead imitated what he had seen on TV dramas by gently swirling the wine ss, watching the crimson liquid dance within...
Suddenly...
Two cool touches climbed up his shoulder, and turning around, he saw Fang Xun still sporting her signature gentle smile looking back at him.
"A proper massage is beneficial for rxing the body and mind."
Feeling the cool fingers moving across his shoulders, Gu Heng once againfortably narrowed his eyes...
Chapter 36: Having a Boyfriend = 50% Increased Attack Speed and Critical Hit Rate
A night¡¯s time quietly passed...
By the time Gu Heng woke up, it was already after nine in the morning...
Indeed, as the old saying goes, it¡¯s hard to switch from luxury to frugality, but damn easy to go from frugality to luxury. The habit of two years, waking up at eight o¡¯clock in the morning, was corrected in just two days...
Right in front of Gu Heng¡¯s room was a huge artificialke. At this moment, a light mist was swirling around the pavilion in the center of theke, dreamy and illusory. The transparent ss walls clearly disyed this scene before his eyes...
Sitting up, he stretched...
A series of crackling sounds at his joints followed, spreading a sense of refreshment throughout his body, involuntarily drawing a sigh from him...
No wonder those wealthy people always seem to be in such good spirits...
Day by day, doing nothing special, with high-ss wine to aid sleep, and beautiful female butlers to provide massage and therapy at night, how could their spirits not be lifted?
Casually snapping a photo of himself getting out of bed, then another of the pavilion on theke, he paired it with the pretentious caption, "Waking up to a new day, the sunshine will gently open your window," and uploaded it to his circle of friends...
Taskpleted!
What is life?
This is what you call living!
....
....
After freshening up simply and changing his clothes, Gu Heng returned to his room and pressed the private butler hotline for his room.
After only two rings, Fang Xun¡¯s extremely gentle voice came through to Gu Heng¡¯s ear.
"Good morning, Mr. Gu. How was your restst night?"
At the sound of her voice, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but get restless...
In fact, duringst night¡¯s therapy, he had nearly lost his self-control, wanting to ask Fang Xun if there were any special services avable. However, due to his shallow social experience and thin-skinned nature, he embarrassingly didn¡¯t dare to ask...
If it had been a veteran, well-acquainted with the various high-end bathhouses, they probably would have asked right away, not caring whether it was possible or not. If not, they would just pay for it...
With a figure and attractiveness like Fang Xun¡¯s, your average person wouldn¡¯t be able to match up. Plus, with the professional bonus of being a five-star hotel butler, it¡¯s really hard for any man to resist...
Brushing aside the frivolous thoughts in his mind, Gu Heng responded, "Not bad, I was wondering if the hotel is still serving meals now?"
"Yes, our hotel restaurant operates 24 hours. What would you like to eat, Mr. Gu? Do you need me to bring it to your room, or would you prefer to dine at the restaurant?"
Gu Heng thought for a moment, then continued, "I¡¯ll go to the restaurant directly. It¡¯s no fun eating alone in my room."
"Okay, Mr. Gu, please wait in your room for a moment. I¡¯lle to take you there shortly."
After Gu Heng acknowledged, he hung up the phone...
...
It wasn¡¯t long before Fang Xun, in her high heels, arrived in front of Gu Heng.
She must have run here, as her blouse under the small suit jacket ballooned with her slightly hurried breathing. She respectfully said to Gu Heng, "Mr. Gu, shall we go to the restaurant now?"
"Let¡¯s go."
After the contact they hadst night, they had be somewhat better acquainted.
Fang Xun was no longer as reserved as before. Looking at the new LV casual jacket Gu Heng had changed into, she made a courteous remark, "Mr. Gu, you look even sharper today."
Beingplimented is always pleasing, especially by a beautiful woman.
Once his vanity was satisfied, Gu Heng¡¯s mood significantly improved, and he said with augh, "I also think this outfit looks better on you. How should I put it... yesterday¡¯s outfit was too casual. Today feels more formal. Is this what you call ¡¯uniform temptation¡¯?"
Fang Xun covered her mouth and chuckled, not minding Gu Heng¡¯s teasing at all, "Turns out Mr. Gu likes this style~"
"The style isn¡¯t important; the temptation depends on who wears it. After all, not everyone can pull off the look you have on."
The confidence boost from his bank ount bnce had transformed Gu Heng from stuttering around beautiful women to the calm and collected figure he presented now.
"Mr. Gu must not be very old, right?"
Instead of continuing the slightly flirtatious conversation, Fang Xun took the initiative to change the subject...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t keep flirting either. After all, a man is charming when he¡¯s just a bit lustful, but crossing the line turns him into a creep. So, he nodded and said, "About that, I¡¯m just one of the very first born after 2000."
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s reply, Fang Xun¡¯s eyes lit up, but she quickly masked her expression.
"Indeed, the differences between people are huge. When I was 23, I had just graduated and was looking for jobs to fill my belly. Even now, I¡¯ve barely reached the line of food and clothing security. And you, Mr. Gu, can afford to stay in a vi suite in a five-star hotel at 23."
Listening to Fang Xun¡¯s ttery, Gu Heng smiled and said, "The line of food and clothing security? Manager Fang, you¡¯re being modest. Your ie must be quite high, right?"
"It might look okay to others, but once you take out the living expenses, there isn¡¯t much left. Plus, I¡¯m already 30. The past few years were spent saving up for a marriage fund with my boyfriend, but we never reached our goal, and now we¡¯re on the brink of breaking up.
I might just return to my hometown after this month and find a decent man to marry."
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng was taken aback...
She has a boyfriend???
At that thought, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but mentally p himself hard.
He was indeed a beast, feeling guilty!
If you truly like someone, how can you care about whether she has a boyfriend or not? Although his liking was somewhat improper.
And besides, wasn¡¯t having a boyfriend even more thrilling?
That was like a direct increase to attack speed and critical hit chance by 50%, right?
What about moral constraints?
Stop joking, he was doing a good deed here. Fang Xun had just said it ¨C she hasn¡¯t saved enough for a marriage fund and was close to breaking up with her boyfriend.
He would definitely not stoop to taking advantage for nothing. Wasn¡¯t this equivalent to contributing to their marriage fund, saving an on-the-rocks rtionship, allowing a truly loving couple to be together?
How could this not be considered a great act of merit?
In ancient times, he could have erected a que in his honor at the temple of the Matchmaker God.
Gu Heng, who had always prided himself on pure love, underwent a spectacr transformation in just three short days ¨C the dragon yer turned into the dragon...
Fang Xun had no idea what Gu Heng was thinking. After saying those words, her mood dipped for a bit, but as the two arrived at the restaurant, her basic professional etiquette helped her perk up again. She smiled at Gu Heng and said, "Mr. Gu, here¡¯s the restaurant. This table is exclusively reserved for vi suite guests.
We are serving Cantonese dim sum for breakfast today. Please have a seat while I get the menu for you."
Having said that, she sashayed towards the kitchen with a graceful sway of her hips.
The seat reserved exclusively for him was much more upscale than the other tables. Shortly after Gu Heng sat down, a personal waiter even came to stand by the table...
Observing the quietly dining guests around him, Gu Heng felt an odd sense of strangeness...
Was he now part of that detestable privileged ss?
Although he had be the person he used to hate the most, he couldn¡¯t deny it...
The feeling was damn exhrating...
Chapter 37: The Poor Peasant of the Five Dynasties, Both Red and Expert
After all, it was a five-star hotel, and even the breakfast was beyond reproach.
Gu Heng selected no fewer than six items from Fang Xun¡¯s menu for him, devouring everything down to thest crumb, even feeling a bit unsatisfied...
Standing beside him, Fang Xun considerately asked, "Mr. Gu, would you like me to ask the kitchen to make some more for you?"
Seemingly reminded of the way he had just wolfed down his food as if reincarnated from a starving ghost, Gu Heng felt a bit embarrassed and gave an awkward smile, "That¡¯s enough, eating too much in the morning isn¡¯t good. I¡¯ve heard there are lots of famous snacks in Wuzhen, so I should save some room to try those."
Having been indulged in luxury meals the past few days, he even started to worry...
Would he still be able to enjoy his mom¡¯s home cooking when he got back?
Knowing his mother, if he dared to be picky or unappreciative, she¡¯d dare to whack him with the spat and add a "Little wretch, eat if you want, if not, scram..."
Remembering the controlled terror of his childhood, Gu Heng quickly shook his head to dismiss those childhood shadows from his mind and turned to Fang Xun, "Miss Fang, you seem very familiar with Wuzhen. Are there any fun ces you can take me to?"
"Didn¡¯t Mr. Gu do any research beforeing to Wuzhen?"
Gu Heng spread his hands, everything was left unsaid.
With a chuckle, her white jade-like hand covering her mouth, Fang Xun said, "Then let me help you n your day, Mr. Gu..."
Looking at those slender fingers and fair-skinned hands, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glimpses...
Such beautiful hands would be a pity not to hold something...
Once this thought crossed his mind, Gu Heng realized he was bing more dangerous. With several years of pent-up frustration, if he didn¡¯t find a release soon, he might find himself straying into some massage parlor, treading the road of crime...
"Alright, let¡¯s get going then."
"Just wait a few minutes for me, Mr. Gu, I¡¯ll change into something more suitable. It¡¯s not quite appropriate to be a guide in work clothes," she said.
"Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you at the hotel entrance."
....
....
A few minutester, the hotel staff had already parked Gu Heng¡¯s car out front.
Gu Heng, who was idly ying with his phone by the car door, saw Fang Xun, now changed into casual attire...
Compared to the allure of her work uniform, this set of casual clothes disyed a different charm on her...
The contours of her well-proportioned figure were not hidden by the loose casual wear, still prominent and dynamic. Her shoulder-length hair was tied into a simple high ponytail, making her look several years younger instantly, but it still couldn¡¯t erase the mature womanly aura about her...
Before Gu Heng could even speak, Fang Xun, somewhat incredulously, turned to him, "Mr. Gu... is this your car?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Gu Heng feigned nonchnce, "What else?"
Although she was trying hard to control her emotions, the surprise on her face was still evident...
Fang Xun had initially thought Gu Heng was just a college student from a somewhat well-off family, staying in vis just for asional experiences.
After all, having been a private butler in hotels for so many years, she had seen all sorts of people...
Those who puff themselves up to look important, pretending to be rich second-generation kids, opening top-tier rooms with their dates, secretly haggling prices behind the scenes like Shrimp Head Man.
And those who bite the bullet hard, spending months of sry just for one night¡¯s experience like Big Bull...
But upon seeing the pale blue Bentley Flying Spur in front of her, she realized how small she had been thinking...
Rich people driving luxury cars are not umon; in a tourist area like Wuzhen, there are many wealthy individuals who arrive in luxury cars. What is rare is a rich person born after 2000 driving a luxury car...
Watching Fang Xun¡¯s changing expressions, Gu Heng roughly guessed what was on her mind.
He was secretly ted...
Isn¡¯t that the purpose of buying a luxury car?
After showing off inconspicuously, Gu Heng spoke again, "You can drive, can¡¯t you, Miss Fang?"
"Ah?"
Caught off guard, Fang Xun quickly recovered and nodded, "I can, but I¡¯ve never driven such a nice car before. I¡¯m afraid..."
Before she could finish speaking, Gu Heng stuffed the car keys into her hand.
"As long as you can drive, you don¡¯t need to worry about anything else. Today you¡¯re my driver and tour guide, do well and there¡¯s a reward in it for you~"
Having said that, he didn¡¯t care what she was thinking and directly opened the door and sat down in the back seat.
Leaning back in thefortable seat, feeling the spacious room in the back, Gu Heng¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed...
Truly befitting of a business car...
This back seat is way morefortable than the driver¡¯s seat...
Should I buy another car after the new year?
Get a supercar, anything like a Big Bull, Ferrari 458, or McLaren is fair game...
Then hire a full-time driver.
One car to show off on the streets, another car for travel enjoyment¡ªfully experience the life of the capitalist ss.
As Gu Heng was nning his delightful future, the driver¡¯s door was opened, and Fang Xun, somewhat restrained, sat down and dutifully fastened her seatbelt, while also curiously looking around at the car¡¯s interior...
After almost a minute of dawdling, Fang Xun finally started the car...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t rush her, instead, hefortably rested his head on the massage pillow and said, "Have you thought about where to take me first?"
"What?"
From the moment she sat in Gu Heng¡¯s car, Fang Xun¡¯s originally prided professional demeanor had halved, and her speech was clearly not as fluent as before...
"Mr. Gu..."
"Just call me Gu Heng, when we go outter, if you keep calling me Mr. Gu, others will think I¡¯m some rich young master on an inspection tour."
Hearing this, Fang Xun couldn¡¯t help but turn back and take a nce at Gu Heng...
"Aren¡¯t you a rich young master?"
"Five generations of farmers, red and dedicated, a proper sessor to socialism¡ªdon¡¯tpare me with those heirs of capitalism..."
Listening to Gu Heng¡¯s slightly teasing words, Fang Xun couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth and smile. She just assumed that it was Gu Heng¡¯s approachable personality. A post-00s driving a car worth millions, if not a rich second generation, what is it?
Gu Heng knew what she was thinking, but was toozy to exin.
He wasn¡¯t joking; he truly was from five generations of poor farmers. Not to mention five generations; even if you look back ten generations, there might not have been any great figures, so he could probably count as a self-made rich first-generation, right?
A rich first-generation with cheats is still a rich first-generation...
"Then you can just call me by my name too, Miss Fang sounds too distant."
Upon hearing that, the corners of Gu Heng¡¯s mouth, though his eyes were closed, slightly curled upwards...
As a man, he could clearly feel the change in Fang Xun¡¯s attitude towards him...
And that was exactly the effect he wanted...
Previously scrolling through TikTok, he always saw people in thements saying how chasing girls is so hard nowadays...
Is it hard?
Not really, right?
It¡¯s not that chasing girls is too difficult; it¡¯s because they don¡¯t have a Bentley to use as a doorstop...
...
...
...
...
PS: Don¡¯t worry, there will definitely be updates; it¡¯s not an abandoned story.
Chapter 38: Is Everything an Indulgence?
```
"Hey Fang Xun, if you keep driving like this, are we going to make it to the site before dark?"
Having rested with his eyes closed for several minutes, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help butin upon realizing that the car hadn¡¯t left the hotel area yet...
Fang Xun: "..."
She responded with a slightly red face, "I¡¯m afraid I might make a mistake..."
Interrupting her, Gu Heng waved his hand and said, "Just drive normally, any bumps or scrapes will be on me."
"Okay then..."
Emboldened by Gu Heng¡¯s words, she grew a little braver. Although still slow, it was considerably better than the snail¡¯s pace she had started with...
Once on the road proper, Fang Xun started to chat intermittently with Gu Heng.
"Gu Heng, how much did you pay for this car?"
"It was exactly 3.8 million on the road."
Looking off into the distance, Gu Heng answered casually...
Fang Xun couldn¡¯t help but smack her dry lips upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s response. It sounded to her as if 3.8 million was no different from 380 yuan...
"3.8 million? Did you pay in full?"
"What else? Why should the bank make an extra buck."
Gu Heng¡¯s confident answer left Fang Xun at a loss for words...
Who would want the bank to make an extra buck? If you have the cash on hand, and it doesn¡¯t affect your living, of course you¡¯d buy cars and houses in full. But the point is the money, isn¡¯t it? Where does the moneye from?
Indeed...
There is a generation gap between people...
The two were clearly not on the same wavelength...
"With 3.8 million, why didn¡¯t you buy a different car? I feel this van doesn¡¯t really suit you. Don¡¯t guys usually prefer sports cars? There must be plenty of sports cars you could get for 3.8 million, right?"
"When you go out to have fun, of course you should choose a car that¡¯sfortable to sit in. Otherwise, if driving tires you out all day, how would you have the mood to enjoy yourself..."
Fang Xun¡¯s eyes lit up, as if she had found a loophole in Gu Heng¡¯s words, and she quickly said, "So you mean you have other cars too?"
"Possibly."
After pondering for a second, Gu Heng gave a nomittal answer...
It wasn¡¯t exactly lying or showing off...
If he truly wanted to, he could buy one of each luxury car from Hang City¡¯s luxury car dealerships...
Not only would it not cost him money, but his assets might even increase by tens of millions...
But there was no need. The system was meant for him to indulge and experience life, not to make money. Of course, he would do whatever feltfortable, getting too deliberate about it would be pointless.
However, Fang Xun hadpletely misunderstood Gu Heng¡¯s intentions...
She thought Gu Heng was just being modest, not wanting to crush her spirits with his indirect expression...
In her mind, Gu Heng¡¯s image as an approachable rich second-generation escted another notch...
....
....
Time passed, though it was hard to tell how much...
Guided by Fang Xun, Gu Heng walked on cobblestone paths, feeling the moist air around him...
The white walls and ck tiles alongside the canals were shrouded in mist, while the rivers wove through the ancient town like a beautiful scroll. As the nting sun beamed down, warm sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering across the streets and alleys, fresh and gentle.
The cries of street vendors, traditional as they may be, surrounded his ears. Despite the density, it didn¡¯t feel chaotic; instead, it gave Gu Heng¡¯s restless heart a sense of tranquility...
Fang Xun turned her head back to look at Gu Heng¡¯s enraptured expression and couldn¡¯t help but smile, asking, "How do you feel?"
"I feel great."
```
"You just chose a good time toe," if it were May or the National Day holiday, it would be a real crush of people, and there wouldn¡¯t be anything fun to do at all."
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng nodded his head in agreement.
During those long holidays each year, various tourist spots really weren¡¯t for having fun, but for crowd watching, indeed, there was little fun to be had.
But on second thought...
Ordinary people have only those few days in three hundred and sixty-five days a year to rx.
Working oneself to death is just for the so-called handful of silver, but the ridiculous thing is that very handful of silver can solve all the world¡¯s anxiety.
How many people could, like himself now, take a travel trip on a whim? After all, he could now calmlyprehend the so-called bullshit of life because he no longer needed to hustle for that handful of silver anymore.
[The host has reflected on the hardships of life and pondered the meaning of life, aspiring to live a different life, sessfully indulging; reward: 990,000 yuan. Bnce: 10,800,000 yuan.]
The sudden system notification left Gu Heng momentarily stunned...
Fine, fine, fine!
This is how we¡¯re ying it?
I go out for some fun, have a moment of reflection, and get a reward for it? And it¡¯s 990,000 yuan just like that.
If you want to give money, just give it directly, why look for an excuse!
So what, I¡¯ve got nothing better to do all day, just fucking indulge myself, is that it?
He shook his head, trying not to think too much about the reward; after all, getting money for nothing wasn¡¯t so exciting after so many times...
After walking a few more steps, Fang Xun, who had been excitedly exining the history of Wuzhen to Gu Heng, suddenly stopped and said with a hint of excitement in her voice, "Gu Heng, over here is the special Wuzhen canopy boat. Want to give it a try?"
On hearing this, Gu Heng looked up.
At a ferry point not far away, there was a long line of about a dozen people, probably for the canopy boat Fang Xun had mentioned.
Although he had never been to Wuzhen, the idea of traveling by boat hade to him a long time ago, so he replied directly, "Sure, you go line up, and I¡¯ll be right there."
"What are you going to do?"
Fang Xun looked at him with puzzled eyes.
Pointing to a small stall not far away, Gu Heng said, "I heard the boat ride takes over an hour. I didn¡¯t eat much this morning, so I¡¯m going to buy some snacks to bring on board. If it¡¯s almost our turn, give me a call."
"Oh, then I¡¯ll line up first."
"Cover the cost for a moment, if we can charter a boat, try to charter one."
Without waiting for Fang Xun to respond, he ran off excitedly towards a stall with a sign for radish cakes. Halfway there, he seemed to remember something and turned around to shout at her, "Do you eat spicy food? If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll buy a separate portion for you."
"Ah? I eat spicy..."
Giving an OK sign, Gu Heng started running again...
But Fang Xun still hadn¡¯t snapped back to reality...
Having worked as a personal butler for a long time, she had grown ustomed to being ordered around to do things...
The friend-like attitude from Gu Heng was something she rarely experienced from her clients, especially since in her eyes Gu Heng was a second-generation rich kid who drove a luxury car worth millions. For a moment, Fang Xun felt a strangely touching feeling in her heart...
Gu Heng was unaware that his casual remark could provoke so much thought in Fang Xun, still happily gesticting at the olddy selling radish cakes not far away...
.....
.....
Originally thinking it would only take a few minutes, Gu Heng hadn¡¯t expected the radish cake-selling granny to be so talkative, pulling him into a chat for more than 20 minutes...
But all was not lost, at least he didn¡¯t chat in vain; he even got two free radish cakes just before he left...
That was his reward for the chat...
He had heard that merchants in tourist areas were scammers, but he seemed lucky, not only did he not get ripped off, but he also scrounged two free ones...
Holding the crispy radish cakes, dipping them in some chili sauce, he walked unhurriedly towards the ferry point...
Just as he reached the ferry point, seeing Gu Heng, an excited Fang Xun hurriedly said, "Gu Heng, this ce..."
Chapter 39: The Disparities Between People (Revised)
(PS: For ease of reading, the character name "Gu Ran" has been changed to "Lin Ran" in the previous text.)
.....
.....
Handing her the shredded radish cake he brought for her, Gu Heng watched Fang Xun¡¯s face light up with excitement and, chewing, he asked vaguely, "Why are you so happy?"
"Just now, the boat rental manager said that there have been few tourists recently, and the waterway isn¡¯t crowded.
If we rent a boat, we have two options, one is to hire a boatman, 480 for a one-way trip around the river.
The other is to rent a boat and row it ourselves, 220 per hour!"
The more she talked, the more excited Fang Xun got...
"So, you mean you want to row the boat yourself?"
"Yeah~"
She nodded quickly, her eyes full of hope as she looked at Gu Heng, "I¡¯ve been in Wuzhen for such a long time and this is the first time I¡¯ve gotten the chance to row a boat myself. Let¡¯s try it~"
Perhaps influenced by Gu Heng¡¯s easygoing nature, Fang Xun no longer felt distant towards him. Her tone even carried a hint of coquetry, a blend of a young woman¡¯s charm and a young girl¡¯s tone, creating a lethality far beyond mere addition...
Fortunately, having had a few experiences interacting with beauties, his willpower remained fairly strong, and he didn¡¯t fall for her charms.
"Choose whichever you like, but let me make it clear, I¡¯m here to enjoy, and rowing the boat is your job."
"Yeah!"
"Then go ahead and rent the boat."
As soon as Gu Heng finished speaking, Fang Xun excitedly turned around and began renting the boat from the boat rental manager...
As for the other tourists still queuing up around, they overheard the dialogue between the two...
Some of the men, mistaking them for a couple, couldn¡¯t help but secretly give Gu Heng a thumbs-up...
These days, who wouldn¡¯t cherish a girlfriend?
Especially someone like Fang Xun, who had both beauty and a great figure, she was indeed a rare find...
Gu Heng, on the other hand...
Let the girlfriend queue up, let her pay, and even made her row the boat...
Could anyone really do such a thing?
As they thought this, they couldn¡¯t help but take a few extra nces at Gu Heng¡¯s crotch area...
If he wasn¡¯t somewhat capable, he really wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy such treatment...
As for Gu Heng, hepletely ignored their envious nces, continuing to munch on his shredded radish cake...
He was paying over a thousand dors a day for his personal caretaker¡¯s fee and wanted to enjoy himself.
If he had to spend money and exert effort, wouldn¡¯t that just make him a simp?
Being a simp when broke waspelled by life.
Being a simp when wealthy?
Then, the Imperial Army¡¯s efforts were in vain.
....
Two minutester, having paid, Fang Xun turned around happily, "It¡¯s all settled, two hours, we can extend or reduce it as needed! Let¡¯s board~"
Having swallowed thest bite of food, Gu Heng confirmed once again, "Are you sure you can row? Don¡¯t get tired halfway and leave me floating in the river."
Hearing this, the boat rental manager exined with augh, "The boats we rent to tourists have fixed paddles on both sides, even children can slide them, it doesn¡¯t take much effort, just need to know how to control the direction."
Fang Xun, heedless of concerns, directly dragged Gu Heng towards the boat, "Ah, don¡¯t be afraid, I have specially learned rowing, I promise you afortable ride!"
Just as he was reluctantly preparing to board the boat, a breathless voice called out from beside him, "Wait a minute, wait a minute..."
A girl in red, holding a camera and running frantically, called out to the two of them...
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After catching her breath, she quickly said, "I¡¯m so sorry, could you please let me have this boating opportunity? I can pay money, double or triple, please, please~!"
Having said that, her face was earnest...
Gu Heng had originally found the voice somewhat familiar, but as the figure got closer and he took a good look, a teasing expression appeared on his face.
"Sure, ten thousand yuan, just transfer it to my WeChat."
Hearing this extortionate price, Lin Ran¡¯s head shot up, and it wasn¡¯t until she saw Gu Heng¡¯s mocking face that she couldn¡¯t help but exim, "Is it you?"
"Besides me, who else would charge you ten thousand?"
Gu Heng shrugged his shoulders.
Mention of yesterday¡¯s rear-ending incident made Lin Ran¡¯s face, already somewhat flushed from running, turn even redder with a hint of embarrassment...
She had thought that after yesterday, the two of them wouldn¡¯t cross paths again, but unexpectedly, they met again just one nightter.
But when she thought about it, it made sense, since Wuzhen was such a small ce, bumping into each other again didn¡¯t seem like such a coincidence.
Moreover, Gu Heng had left a good impression on her yesterday. Thinking about this, Lin Ran couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit excited, "Then can we share a boat? I have to visit the Yuliuliang Coin Museum at 2:30, and if I miss this boat ride, I might not get another chance...
I¡¯ll pay for the boat ride, how about we share one?"
Having said that, she looked at Gu Heng with hopeful eyes...
"Don¡¯t ask me, she¡¯s the boat owner, if she doesn¡¯t mind having an extra person on board, then it¡¯s fine."
Saying so, he pointed to Fang Xun standing next to him...
Fang Xun, confused by the conversation, couldn¡¯t help but ask Gu Heng, "Do you know her?"
"Sort of, I just extorted ten thousand from her yesterday."
Although somewhat reluctant, she was, after all, just a housekeeper guide. Gu Heng¡¯s attitude clearly agreed to share the boat with Lin Ran. Although he outwardly gave her the right to refuse, if she really did refuse, that would just show ack of emotional intelligence...
She then adopted a magnanimous demeanor and gently smiled, "Since you know each other, let¡¯s all ride together; it¡¯ll be more lively."
With the approval, Lin Ran¡¯s mood immediately improved, and she hurriedly thanked them, then continued, "How much is it to rent the boat? I¡¯ll transfer the money to you."
But Gu Heng didn¡¯t even bother responding to her, walking directly onto the boat, and once on board, he called to Fang Xun, "Stop dawdling, or who knows whether we can finish touring the attractions in a day."
Hearing that, Fang Xun gave a resigned smile to Lin Ran, "Just board the boat and we¡¯ll talkter."
With that, she hurriedly stepped onto the boat, sitting between the two oars...
Lin Ran also quickly turned on her camera and followed them aboard.
....
On the shore, the male onlookers who had been watching Gu Heng¡¯s maneuver from start to finish were all wide-eyed...
The phrase "role model for men" involuntarily came to their minds...
To let another woman ride in the boat right in front of his "girlfriend," and even have his "girlfriend" row them both... how is this different from having the girlfriend push from behind while the two of them are busy in bed?
The scariest part was, the "girlfriend" actually agreed quite docilely...
What¡¯s even scarier was, both women were equally stunning beauties...
This made them deeply feel life¡¯s unevenness...
Why do other people¡¯s girlfriends understand how to be sensible and push from behind when their boyfriends are tired...
When one¡¯s own girlfriend, quite ordinary, still needs to be treated like a fairy princess...
Chapter 40: Spent 220,000 to Buy 1600 Pieces
A light boat gently rocked on the crystal-clear waves, with quaint houses and cobbled streets on both banks as if time had stood still here. A gentle breeze swept across my face, bringing a hint of coolness and dispersing the noise in my mind. The water shimmered, reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and willows on the shore, cing me in the midst of an ink painting.
Fang Xun¡¯s rowing skills were indeed impressive, rowing for almost an hour without any sense of instability in the boat. As the oar gently glided through the water, creating ripples that blended seamlessly with the distant scenery of the old town, stone bridges, flowing water, and houses along the way painted a picturesque scene.
In such a setting, it seemed as if one¡¯s mind also became tranquil, purified, and rxed.
After enjoying himself for a long while, Gu Heng turned his head to look at Lin Ran who had been busy recording everything with a camera and couldn¡¯t help but ask, "You¡¯ve been filming for an hour, haven¡¯t you had enough?"
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Lin Ran turned and nced at him.
The sunlight filtered through the branches of an ancient tree nearby, casting a shimmering glow on her face. Then, turning the camera towards Gu Heng, she shed a cute fang and said, "I¡¯m recording a Vlog~"
"An hour and it¡¯s still not enough?"
"Of course it¡¯s not enough, it¡¯s not every day that I can be this happy~"
Seeing her as joyful as a little girl, Gu Heng, whose heart had been calmed by the serene scenery, felt it unexpectedly skip a beat.
Unaware of Gu Heng¡¯s turmoil, Lin Ran aimed the camera at him again and said, "Do you mind if I include you in my Vlog? I should tell you, I have several million followers online."
"Several million followers?"
Having worked in a mediapany for two years, he was still very sensitive to such figures.
An influencer with millions of followers, though not at the very top, could still be considered quite popr...
But Gu Heng remembered that her business card stated she was the vice president of Gaoling Capital. How had she also be a popr influencer?
"Aren¡¯t you the vice president of Gaoling Capital or something? How did you be an influencer?"
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s question, Lin Ran looked at him, puzzled.
"Is there a connection between the two?"
"There¡¯s no connection?"
"Work is work, and uploading my daily Vlogs online to share my life is my hobby. I don¡¯t make money from my ount, it¡¯s just like posting on social media, purely sharing my life. What connection could there be?"
That response left Gu Heng speechless...
Perhaps his perspective was too narrow...
Or perhaps his values differed significantly from those who were truly wealthy...
Like most ordinary people, upon hearing the figure of several million followers, his first thought was how much money that many followers could make in a month.
But for someone affluent like Lin Ran, what mattered was not how much money those followers could bring, but that her shared life was seen by more people...
Meanwhile, on the other side of the boat, Fang Xun, who had been earnestly paddling, now had beads of sweat dotting her forehead...
She was already seen as a goddess among her friends for frequently receiving warm inquiries in her social circle. Now, she regretted having decided to row the boat herself, having essentially be a hardworking boatman...
Especially while overhearing the conversation behind her, a touch of envy began to rise.
Although she was considered part of the high-sry group among her friends, with a morous life, she knew thatpared to Gu Heng and Lin Ran, she was still just an ordinary person...
Luckily, the Yu Liuliang Coin Museum wasn¡¯t much further. With one fewer person on the boat, it wouldn¡¯t be so hard to row...
Thinking this, Fang Xun quickly spoke up, "Yu Liuliang Coin Museum is just ahead. Should we stop the boat over there?"
"Yes, yes!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Ran put down the camera, hurried over to Fang Xun, and took out a tissue to wipe her sweaty face, saying, "Thank you so much, Sister Fang Xun."
Having exchanged names after boarding, Fang Xun was 30 and Lin Ran was 28; calling her ¡¯sister¡¯ wasn¡¯t odd.
Seeing Fang Xun¡¯s face still sweaty despite wiping, Lin Ran couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of heartache and proposed, "Why don¡¯t you both stop rowing? Come join me at the Yu Liuliang Coin Museum. It would be nice to have somepany and give Sister Fang Xun a chance to rest."
After saying this, she turned her gaze to Gu Heng behind her.
She already knew Fang Xun was Gu Heng¡¯s housekeeper. Whether Fang Xun could rest depended on what he thought.
"It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m not tired, just a bit hot..."
Gu Heng, hearing Fang Xun¡¯s stubborn response, rolled his eyes and said, "The highest temperature today is 8 degrees, and you¡¯re telling me it¡¯s hot? I¡¯ve been telling you to hire a boatman. Now you know how tough it is, huh?"
Hearing theint, Fang Xun wisely closed her mouth.
But despite the teasing, following Lin Ran¡¯s suggestion, Gu Heng said, "Then let¡¯s take a walk. It¡¯s ufortable to keep sitting on the boat, might as well get off to stretch a bit and adjust."
He had hired Fang Xun to enjoy life, but that didn¡¯t mean he could run her ragged, he wasn¡¯t Huang Shiren after all...
.....
.....
After docking the boat at the shore and refunding 200 yuan, Fang Xun finally felt a bit consoled...
Having only been on the boat a short while, Gu Heng had already sent her 500 yuan for the boat rental. Now, with a 200 yuan refund, it felt as if her hard work rowing for an hour had paid off...
"Dear friends~ The ce I¡¯m at right now is Wuzhen¡¯s Yu Liuliang Coin Museum!
Those familiar with me know I have a severe collecting obsession. Anything that is collectible, I must collect, and the Yu Liuliang Coin Museum is definitely a highlight of my trip to Wuzhen. Let me take you on a tour~"
Chapter 41 - 40: Spent 220,000 to Buy 1600 Pieces_2
After finishing speaking, she started happily jogging away.
Meanwhile, Gu Heng turned and nced at Fang Xun, who was still secretly thrilled about making 260, and couldn¡¯t help but smack her, "Come on, if you keep dawdling, I¡¯ll make you refund all the money!"
"No way!!"
Upon hearing about refunding the money, Fang Xun immediately perked up, showing no signs of fatigue from rowing for an hour, and quickly followed Lin Ran...
As for Gu Heng, he was leisurely trailing behind...
He was someone utterly devoid of any artistic sensibility; to him, antiques and calligraphy were described with just one word.
Valuable.
As for traditional, artistic, or literary values...
Talking about these with a semi-illiterate high school graduate like him?
Two minutester, Gu Heng leisurely stepped in front of a blue-tiled house with its doors wide open...
If it wasn¡¯t for the sign at the entrance, he wouldn¡¯t have known it was a museum...
Compared to the rather quiet street, the Coin Museum was fairly crowded, with roughly a dozen people, each quietly wandering in front of the various exhibition halls...
Gu Heng, hands in his pockets, boredly began admiring the coins...
Inside the Coin Museum, there were professionals giving educational talks, their voices floating through the small exhibition hall...
"The exhibition hall disys Mr. Yu Liuliang¡¯s collection of coins from around the world,memorative coins, collected over 40 years. Even if you just skim through the museum, you can appreciate a fraction of the vast world of coins.
The coins disyed here include metal currency, paper money, andmemorative coins, ranging from the Xia Shang period to modern times, spanning thirty centuries. Each type of coin¡¯s origin, nationality, and cultural history has corresponding textual descriptions to help you understand its significance; it¡¯s a special way to learn about world history..."
As Gu Heng listened to the introduction, he suddenly thought of Old Gu back home who also had a habit of collecting coins.
As a child, there was a special little drawer at home filled haphazardly with various one and two cent coins, as well as ten and twenty cent coins, that Old Gu had scrounged up from who knows where.
Those coins were basically worthless; while others sold theirs by the piece, Old Gu¡¯s stuff was sold by the kilo...
But he vaguely remembered one time when Old Gu, taking him aside, carefully took out these "treasures" he cherished and seriously told Gu Heng that these coins might appreciate in value and, if ever they needed money, they could sell them all to get money for Gu Heng to marry...
But funnily enough, even after the system arrived, Old Gu¡¯s cherished "treasures" were still worthless.
Thinking of this, Gu Heng already had an idea for the gift for Old Gu...
Having bought 120,000 worth of gold jewelry for his mother, he couldn¡¯t just not give anything to the old man... wouldn¡¯t Old Gu kick him out of the house?
Immediately, he walked over to the ss counter at the entrance and asked the staff member, "Do you sell any of the coins in your collection here?"
The staff member, who had been dozing off at the counter, quickly got up and replied, "Yes, yes, sir, are you looking to buy somememorative coins to collect?"
Seeing Gu Heng nod, the staff member suddenly became very enthusiastic, "What type of coin would you like to buy? Ancient coins or modern coins?"
The staff member¡¯s voice was loud, causing everyone in the Coin Museum to inadvertently look over here.
Even Lin Ran, who was recording a Vlog with Fang Xun, couldn¡¯t help but walk toward Gu Heng.
"Both types of coins are for sale?"
"Yes, the coins we sell may notpare to Mr. Yu Liuliang¡¯s collection, but they are also very collectible."
As he spoke, heid out some of the coins from under the counter in front of Gu Heng.
By this time, Lin Ran and Fang Xun had alsoe up next to Gu Heng, with Lin Ran holding a camera, filming the coins in front of him, and asking, "Gu Heng, do you also collect coins?"
"No, I don¡¯t even understand these things."
Thinking he had found a shared hobby, Lin Ran was taken aback by Gu Heng¡¯s blunt response and didn¡¯t know what to say for a while; it was Fang Xun who asked the question she had wanted to.
"Then why are you buying these collector coins?"
Gu Heng didn¡¯t hide anything, honestly replying, "The old man at home likes them, so since I saw them, I thought I¡¯d buy some for him to keep."
"Well, that¡¯s also good, buying a few as souvenirs works too."
But the next second, Gu Heng¡¯s action overturned Fang Xun¡¯s expectations, and even Lin Ran couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes.
After agonizing for a long time not knowing what would be appropriate, Gu Heng scratched his head and then said to the staff member in front of the counter, "Just pack all these you showed me."
Fang Xun: "???"
Lin Ran: "???"
Staff: "???"
Seeing the three people staring at him with wide eyes, Gu Heng asked in bafflement, "What are you guys doing?"
The first to recover was the staff member, who said in a tone of surprise, "Sir, do you mean you want to buy all these collection coins?"
"Yeah, can¡¯t I buy so many because of a purchase limit?"
"No, no... it¡¯s just a bit surprising..."
He wasn¡¯t some luxury brand sales guide; having worked here for so long, it was the first time he had seen such a straightforward buying method... He couldn¡¯t help but remind, "Sir, the total value of the collection coins here is 226,000 yuan, are you sure you want them all?"
"No problem, just pack them all up for me."
More than 220,000...
Although it was arge number, he had more or less gotten used to this high level of spending, his expression unchanged...
After confirming multiple times, the staff member hurriedly took out quite a few packaging boxes and began to carefully pack the collection coins for Gu Heng...
Lin Ran also gradually recovered from her brief surprise...
She knew Gu Heng was wealthy, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be able to drive a Bentley Flying Spur, but she didn¡¯t expect Gu Heng to be so bold as to spend 220,000 without even blinking an eye at the Coin Museum...
After hesitating for a few seconds, Lin Ran couldn¡¯t help but speak up, "Gu Heng..."
"?"
He turned around, and looked at her with confusion.
"Actually, there is no need to buy so many, the coins here only serve as a memento, they hold no real collector¡¯s value..."
"Are you saying I got ripped off, these aren¡¯t worth 220,000?"
The staff member, who was grinning from ear to ear, suddenly changed his expression upon hearing this, just as he was about to exin, he heard Lin Ran continue, "They are indeed worth 220,000, but it¡¯s rtive, they¡¯re worth 220,000 only if someone is willing to buy them.
It¡¯s like Dzi Beads, a high-quality Dzi bead can be worth tens of millions or even hundreds of millions in market price, but if you actually try to sell it, it might not even fetch a few million. Do you understand what I¡¯m trying to say?"
Gu Heng nodded.
Thinking she had persuaded him, Lin Ran finally breathed a sigh of relief...
"Aren¡¯t antiques just like that? In the eyes of someone who likes them, they are priceless treasures, but to someone like me, they¡¯d just sit there and I¡¯d find them an eyesore.
No worries, it¡¯s mainly meant as a New Year¡¯s gift for the old man, whether they have value or not isn¡¯t important, as long as it makes him happy."
Having said that, Lin Ran understood his sentiment and didn¡¯t try to persuade him further.
At that moment, their views on valuepletely ovepped.
Some people use money to measure an item¡¯s value, while others use their fondness for it to measure an item¡¯s worth.
If it were her and she particrly liked something, even if it were expensive and purchasing it made others think she was a sucker, she would buy it without hesitation.
Both viewpoints are actually correct.
However, thetter perspective definitely needs more material backing to support it, otherwise, it just bes a case of biting off more than one can chew.
At that time, Lin Ran developed a more or less positive regard toward Gu Heng, an emotion born from aligned values...
As for Fang Xun...
She was still in shock...
220,000, almost her annual ie, was just spent in the blink of an eye by Gu Heng... The reason being nothing more than an elusive "happiness"...
Only with a clear contrast does one understand, the world is just that unfair...
Some people might spend on one shopping spree what could buy a house, while others live their whole lives just to afford one house.
Where¡¯s the fairness in that...
....
A few minutester, the staff member pushed the packed coins forward, smiling broadly, "Sir, they have been packed for you, including 65 ancient coins and 117 modern coins, epassing currencies from 26 countries, with a total face value of 1,600 yuan."
The staff member¡¯s voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone else in the exhibition hall...
Well then...
220,000 spent on 1,600 yuan worth of coins...
The world of the wealthy sure is absurd...
Chapter 42 - 41 Everything jade will only hurt you!
Wuzhen isn¡¯t big...
In one day, you canfortably see most of the scenic area.
As the light faded, the number of people on the streets of the ancient town began to thin, and a drizzle fell upon the gray tiles, stirring up a misty haze.
The Bentley Flying Spur came to a steady stop at the front of Al Hotel.
Thanks to Fang Xun¡¯s prior arrangements with the hotel, two members of the wee staff had been waiting at the entrance for some time.
As soon as the car hade to aplete stop, the weers hurried over and the car door was slowly opened. Gu Heng was the first to step out from the back seat, handing his treasured coins to the weers with instructions, "Deliver these to room 03 for me."
During this exchange, Fang Xun and Lin Ran also emerged from the car...
Lin Ran was staying at the Al Hotel as well, but she had arrived at 10 o¡¯clock the previous night, and had woken up earlier than Gu Heng that morning. They had perfectly missed each other and had not met...
As for why she was sharing the same car with Gu Heng, it was purely out ofziness.
With Fang Xun acting as a free chauffeur, she was toozy to drive herself and conveniently hitched a ride back to the hotel with Gu Heng...
The steep parking costs outside the scenic area didn¡¯t even register on the mind of such a wealthy woman...
As soon as she got out of the car, Lin Ran, with no concern for her image, began to rub her hands together, exhaling light white mist from her red lips.
"It¡¯s so cold, so cold..."
Having spent so much time in Wuzhen, Fang Xun was well ustomed to the erratic weather and said with a smile, "That¡¯s how it is here in Wuzhen. Light rain falls from time to time throughout the year, but it¡¯s bearable in other seasons. During winter, especially, the slightest downpour can make it piercingly cold."
Lin Ran nodded in strong agreement.
The temperature had been quitefortable during the day, but after the shower, it had plummeted.
"Now would be the perfect time to have a copper pot and gather around for some hot pot of mutton slices."
As she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but swallow salivatingly...
Lin Ran was from the north, where hot pot meant mutton dipped in sesame paste...
Upon hearing Lin Ran¡¯s words, Gu Heng¡¯s eyes also lit up...
He was from Hui¡¯an, situated in the central regions, where the eating habits of the east, west, south, and north all mixed together in a cultural melting pot...
Copper pot hot pot was also a specialty of his hometown. During his childhood winters, his family often gathered around a copper pot to dip slices of meat. As he started working away from home and seldom returned, such memories became ever more distant...
Now, stirred by Lin Ran¡¯s suggestion, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t suppress his inner craving and turned to Fang Xun, asking, "Does your hotel have that kind of copper hot pot?"
Fang Xun responded with some uncertainty upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s request, "I¡¯m not sure, but I can ask the kitchen for you."
Gu Heng nodded, visibly excited.
"Then hurry and ask. If they do, have the kitchen prepare a few pounds of fresh mutton for me, and the sesame paste too. Arrange it all for me."
Having been quietly listening by the side, Lin Ran quickly chimed in, her voice rising with excitement, "Get plenty, get plenty! I want some too! It¡¯s on me!"
Observing her zealousness, it was hard for Gu Heng to reconcile this lively woman with the senior executive of argepany that she was...
The two had spent the afternoon together, bing more familiar, and had started bantering back and forth like friends...
"Sure, you can eat, for ten thousand yuan."
"Isn¡¯t that too little?"
"Ten thousand yuan!"
"Are you robbing me? I¡¯ll just have the hotel prepare it for me!"
"You won¡¯t be able to. Only guests in the vi suites have the privilege to order extra meals. You, staying in a standard room, can only eat what the hotel offers."
"I¡¯ll upgrade my room then!"
Gu Heng pretended to think for a moment, then nodded, "That could work. But upgrading costs 6999 yuan, go ahead and upgrade."
"You¡¯re ruthless!"
With Gu Heng¡¯s final blow, Lin Ran finally fell silent...
She belonged to the absolute high-ie ss, earning a seven-digit sry with bonuses to spare each year, but she still couldn¡¯t bring herself to spend 6999 yuan on a hot pot meal...
After all, not everyone was like Gu Heng, as if money came with the wind...
Fang Xun stood by in silence, watching the two with a hint of envy...
Lin Ran and Gu Heng could bicker and lift each other¡¯s spirits without any reservations because they were equals in status, one apany executive and the other a young tycoon driving a Bentley. She, a hotel butler, was already at a natural disadvantage in status...
Gu Heng and Lin Ran could treat her like a friend, but she couldn¡¯t consider them as friends, especially during working hours...
....
....
After returning to his room, Gu Heng once again enjoyed afortable soak in the constant temperature swimming pool, reminiscent of the night before.
Just as he walked out of the pool area, dressed in a bathrobe, he saw Fang Xun already seated on a sofa in the living room, waiting for him.
Seeing Gu Heng, Fang Xun quickly stood up, "The copper hotpot is already set up in the pavilion on theke, and themb is prepared."
Gu Heng, who was wiping his hair with a towel, said in surprise, "That fast?"
"The freshmb was already avable in the kitchen, and the manager arranged for someone to go out and buy the copper pot."
Listening to Fang Xun¡¯s reply, Gu Heng smiled satisfactorily...
That¡¯s why rich people like high-end hotels, isn¡¯t it?
Aside from thefortability, just the service alone is worth the price. Would an ordinary hotel go out and buy a pot just because a guest wanted to eatmb in a copper hotpot?
The more Gu Heng thought about it, the more he felt a sense of inequity...
He felt as if he had lived the past twenty-something years in vain... It all came down to his privileged advantage arrivingte in his life, having endured so much hardship for nothing...
While he pondered, he walked towards the pavilion on theke...
Because the air conditioning was already turned on, a thinyer of mist had formed on the clear ss walls of the pavilion. The rich, white bone broth in the hotpot started to simmer, and the rich aroma entered his nostrils. His stomach, not too hungry before, immediately rumbled with a growl...
Unable to wait, he sat down, picked up a few slices ofmb, and dipped them into the pot...
Al Hotel would definitely not use just anymb to dupe him. With the first bite, themb still had a hint of milky vor, enhancing the rich two-to-eight sauce. Gu Heng, who hadn¡¯t tasted this vor in many years, almost swallowed his tongue along with it...
Just as he was about to grab a second helping, he heard the sound of footsteps.
"There you go! You¡¯re eating alone, huh!"
Like Gu Heng, Lin Ran ran into the pavilion wrapped in a bathrobe from the doorway...
But there was a difference...
Aside from a pair of boxers, Gu Heng had nothing under his bathrobe, while Lin Ran was wearing a more modest nightgown under hers...
Nevertheless, although the ces that should be covered were covered, there were still some parts that were both important and unimportant peeking out...
For instance...
Her bare feet.
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She wore a pair of bath slippers, and her five yful little toes werepletely exposed to the air. Probably due to the fact that she seldom exercised and took good care of them, they were not deformed in the slightest...
White and tender, like the white of a scallion...
She must have had a pedicure, even her toenails were as translucent as pieces of jade...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t know what color the polish was, but it looked indeed more enticing than an ordinary foot...
Was this woman so bold?
They had only known each other for a day, right? And she could already meet him dressed like this?
She hurriedly sat at the table, casually grabbed somemb with her chopsticks, dipped it in the pot, and after eating it with satisfaction, she noticed that Gu Heng was staring at her. She couldn¡¯t help but frown her delicate brows and said, "What are you looking at?"
"Your bare feet."
Lin Ran: "???"
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s candid answer, Lin Ran remembered she had been too hasty. After taking a shower and receiving the message from Fang Xun that the hotpot was ready, she had run over from her room without even changing into her cotton slippers...
Thinking of this, her scallion-like toes immediately clenched awkwardly, but she still tried to keep herposure as she looked at Gu Heng and said, "Have you ever heard a saying?"
"What saying?"
"Getting obsessed with ¡¯jade¡¯ will only harm you!"
"Then it¡¯s not ¡¯bare feet¡¯; let¡¯s change the term."
"Change it to what?"
"Beautiful feet."
Looking at Gu Heng¡¯s kinda handsome face, Lin Ran felt an impulse to ssh the hotpot on his face...
But oddly enough...
Maybe it was because of the social circle, the men around her usually treated her with a lot of respect. Even those suitors were very serious, and almost none had ever teased her like this. Facing Gu Heng¡¯s teasing, Lin Ran didn¡¯t feel annoyed. On the contrary, she felt a sense of novelty...
"I can¡¯t be bothered with you!"
Gu Heng, seeing the conversation was over, didn¡¯t continue it but instead turned the topic and invited Fang Xun to sit down and eat together.
A proper amount of cheekiness can set the mood and narrow the distance.
But too much lewdness just makes one a lustful man.
Of course, Gu Heng wouldn¡¯t have realized this; he had learned it from TikTok. He hadn¡¯t interacted with many girls before and hadn¡¯t had the chance to practice. Now, he was applying theoretical knowledge to reality...
But seeing Lin Ran¡¯s reaction, Gu Heng understood that sometimes, the things taught online weren¡¯t entirely unreliable...
Chapter 43 - 42 Plan to Outsmart Duan Kun
This hotpot meal was the most satisfying Gu Heng had ever eaten...
Out of the 3 kilograms of mutton, half of it went right into Gu Heng¡¯s stomach, leaving Lin Ran and Fang Xun to split the rest, with only a few slices remaining scattered on the te...
Both copsed onto their seats without any image, clutching their stomachs, while only Fang Xun, with a gentle smile, cleaned up the messy table...
The trio resembled thebination of a rich young master and young mistress, plus a maid from the inner chambers...
The lights of the pavilion in theke¡¯s center weren¡¯t bright, but it was precisely this dimness that added a touch of charm to the little space. Drenched in sweat from eating, Lin Ran had already shed her bathrobe, revealing the nightgown beneath...
Although her nightgown was rather conservative, a nightgown was still a nightgown...
It inadvertently revealed a bit of allure, the asional sh of white in Gu Heng¡¯s eyes made him, who was already energetic from the meal, be somewhat restless...
The ancients have said, when sated and warm, one thinks of lust...
Under such natural human feelings, it was normal for Gu Heng to have indecent thoughts...
However, these indecent thoughts weren¡¯t directed towards Lin Ran but towards the silently cleaning Fang Xun...
His thoughts were simple.
His only advantage now was his wealth.
But clearly, Lin Ran wasn¡¯tcking in money; using money to breach her bottom line was in nonsense unless Gu Heng was willing to throw in all ten million from his bank ount, which might somewhat be possible.
But spending ten million to sleep with a woman?
Gu Heng would have to be out of his mind to make such an irrational move.
Not even if it was gilded with gold, let alone diamonds, would it be worth it.
But Fang Xun was different, she needed money...
Especially after the day¡¯s interactions, he had roughly understood what kind of woman Fang Xun was...
First and foremost, she was definitely greedy.
She could be happy for a while just from earning an extra 280 yuan from him.
Later, under the pretense of therapy, he nned to tentatively raise an offer to see if something delightful could happen...
If ten thousand didn¡¯t work, then twenty thousand; if twenty thousand didn¡¯t work, then fifty thousand; after all, money could definitely break her bottom line.
If she really was a woman with principles and integrity, then he would ept it.
The worst was to search on Dianping for a high-end bathhouse or massage parlor, those technicians wouldn¡¯t all have the same principles and integrity, right?
Five years!
A whole five years!
He hadn¡¯t been close to a girl for five years, who could know what he¡¯d been through?
He had hoped to stand firm and not step onto the path of crime, but as the temptations around him grew, he couldn¡¯t hold on. Today he would definitely spend his five years¡¯ savings! Even Jesus couldn¡¯t stop him...
With this thought in mind, Gu Heng named his n "Conquering Duan Kun n" and stood up straight away, imposing an eviction order on Lin Ran so that the big light bulb wasn¡¯t shing around, otherwise he couldn¡¯t proceed with his n...
"Alright, dinner¡¯s over, go back to where you belong, I am preparing to rest."
Lin Ran: "???"
"It¡¯s only past seven, and you say you¡¯re going to rest? Are you really young?"
"Health preservation, do you understand?"
"Health preservation?"
Lin Ran looked him up and down skeptically: "Could it be?"
"Could it be my ass, get lost fast, don¡¯t tell me after freeloading you even n to stick around?"
"Tsk, acting as if someone¡¯s keen on it."
Saying this, Lin Ran stood up displeased, lightly tapping her feet, ready to go back to her room.
With the light bulb ready to leave, Gu Heng also prepared to execute his "Conquering Duan Kun n," directly addressing Fang Xun next to him: "By the way, Fang Xun, the therapyst night was quite effective, help me with it againter."
Upon hearing this, Fang Xun also stopped her cleaning activities, responding gently as usual, "It¡¯s possible, but it¡¯s better to do therapy two to three hours after eating for better results."
Gu Heng casually nodded in response.
Overanxious won¡¯t help to savor the hot tofu, if he could endure five years, what¡¯s a few more hours?
...
...
Lin Ran, who was almost out the door, suddenly got a call on her phone. Theziness she had been wearing vanished in an instant, reced by an intensity Gu Heng had never seen in her...
No sooner had she answered the call than Lin Ran¡¯s calm voice was heard, "I¡¯m on vacation now. Is there something so important that you have to call me during my rest?"
"Didn¡¯t I hand over full responsibility for this project to your team four days ago? I¡¯ve only been away from thepany for two days, and you¡¯re telling me there are issues already? You¡¯ve been a team leader for four years and you can¡¯t evenplete a project on your own; why don¡¯t you just resign and make space for someone capable?"
Hearing Lin Ran¡¯s oppressive words, Gu Heng suddenly remembered the fear of being dominated by his boss...
Okay, okay, so she¡¯s a two-faced person, ying split personality and contrast game, huh?
A hooligan off duty, but a tyrant at work, huh?
...Well, at 28 she can¡¯t exactly be called a girl anymore...
The callsted only a minute or two, then Lin Ran¡¯s rather helpless voice sounded again, "Arrange a meeting with the project leader on the other side for me. I¡¯ll be back in Shanghai before two tomorrow afternoon."
After hanging up, Lin Ran, annoyed, rubbed her hair vigorously, turning her once smooth hair into something resembling wildly grown weeds...
Halfway through, she realized there were still two people behind her; she turned back and gave them an awkward smile...
None of the aura of the office tyrant from just a moment ago...
After a brief reflection, she came back and said to Gu Heng and another person, "Since neither of you are busy, why don¡¯t we three go to a bar? I searched online; Wuzhen has a very famous folk bar, and many folk singers have visited it."
Gu Heng: "???"
Is this woman really not going away?
Feeling bad herself, she wants to ruin my good time, huh?
"No."
Gu Heng¡¯s answer was extremely firm.
"Come on, you heard that I¡¯m leaving tomorrow. Don¡¯t you feel a bit reluctant to part with your travelpanion?"
Looking at her somewhat coquettish expression and contrived tone, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help sizing her up: "I mean, don¡¯t you really need to see a psychologist? Isn¡¯t this a bit too split?
"Could it be that there¡¯s still a sister living inside you?"
If it really were so...
It might actually be quite thrilling...
After straightening her messed hair, Lin Ran casually responded, "You¡¯re wrong again. Work is work; life is life. I¡¯ve always been this way in my life.
One has to be stern at work; otherwise, how can onemand respect as a leader?"
Gu Heng couldn¡¯t care less about her justification; he wouldn¡¯t apany her to any damned folk bar tonight.
He had juste back from showing off at a club two days ago, momentarilycking any desire to show off again; all he wanted now was a sh.
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s staunch refusal, Lin Ran narrowed her eyes, seemingly plotting something devious, then began typing on her phone.
Once she finished, Gu Heng¡¯s phone, lying on the table, lit up simultaneously.
Lin Ran gestured with her chin, and Gu Heng, puzzled, picked up his phone, only to see the text Lin Ran had sent...
"Are you trying to get rid of me so you can do something with Fang Xun?"
Seeing this text, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but look up and lock eyes with her...
Was he really that obvious?
Or was she too smart, figuring out his intentions with just a nce?
Seeing Gu Heng say nothing, Lin Ran took it as his tacit agreement, patting his shoulder like an elder, "It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re all adults here; I understand.
"Apany me to the folk bar for a check-in. It¡¯ll just take two hours at most and then we¡¯ll be back, without hindering your important matter. How about that?"
After speaking, she gave him a sly smile...
Looking at Fang Xun, still clueless beside them, Gu Heng reluctantly nodded...
However, he swore that until he grew up more, he would never deal again with smart women who could discern your little schemes from the details...
Otherwise, who knows what kind of trick would be yed on him...
Chapter 44 - 43: You have your refined elegance, Ill stick to my plainness.
As night fell, the ancient town was illuminated bymp lights, appearing exceptionally serene and beautiful.
The reflections in the water,nterns on the bridges, and the signs of the shops all emitted a soft glow.
On the cobblestoned paths, many people hurried along toward the distance, including both tourists and vendors carrying an assortment of goods...
A mother and daughter walked past Gu Heng, each holding arge bouquet of various flowers...
"Mommy, after we sell these flowers tonight, can you really buy me a Kulomi?"
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"Mmm-hmm, I¡¯ll buy it for you."
The two conversed in Wu dialect. Having lived in Hang City for so many years, Gu Heng could barely understand their conversation and could clearly sense the mother¡¯s perfunctory tone. But upon hearing the promise, the little girl¡¯s eyes brimmed with anticipation...
.....
Lin Ran, who was walking ahead, had changed out of her favorite red dress and into a pure white winter dress. Her usually bold red lips were now bare, and her white shoes tap-tapped along, adding a dreamlike quality under the soft lights...
They had been out for who knew how long, both maintaining a silentpanionship...
Gu Heng simply walked slowly behind her, feeling the damp and cold air following the rain...
Suddenly, Lin Ran turned back and stood beside Gu Heng.
"Aren¡¯t you curious why I know about your bad intentions toward Fang Xun?"
Hearing her sudden change of topic, Gu Heng was taken aback, but only for a moment before he shook his head indifferently, "Not curious."
"Why not?"
Now it was Lin Ran¡¯s turn to be curious...
"Didn¡¯t you say it before? We¡¯re all adults. Knowing is just knowing, it¡¯s not something to be ashamed of; there¡¯s no need to be curious."
Gu Heng spoke frankly.
He never imed to be a paragon of virtue.
Why bother pretending to be something he wasn¡¯t? Wasn¡¯t it exhausting?
Besides, he hadn¡¯t done anything terrible like forcing someone into prostitution; wasn¡¯t it just like those rich people who keep mistresses? Now that he had money, what was wrong with wanting to use it to buy the love that was once out of reach?
No wrong at all, right?
As for whether such acts would be condemned by morality, it no longer mattered. All that mattered to him was that he feltfortable with his life.
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s self-assured words, Lin Ran¡¯s gaze flickered, "You really are interesting."
"Hmm?"
Lin Ran quickened her pace again, soon walking ahead of Gu Heng, her pleasant voice once more reaching him.
"I¡¯ve seen many men ruled by their lower halves like you, but without exception, once their dirty thoughts are exposed, they either vehemently deny it or be so embarrassed they wish they could disappear. You¡¯re the first to be so shameless about it."
Hearing Lin Ran¡¯s words, Gu Heng chuckled, pulled out a cigarette pack from his pocket, took out a cigarette, and lit it...
Huanghelou 1916, at a hundred yuan a pack, does smoke more smoothly than the sixteen yuan pack of Puwan.
The smoke, mixed with the moisture, billowed from his mouth...
"That¡¯s because you and I interact with different types of people; in other words, we¡¯re from different circles.
I¡¯m just whatizens call a ¡¯bottom-dwelling loser.¡¯ Naturally, the friends around me are the same. They boast proudly about spending a few hundred on prostitutes the previous night andugh as they share the details with me.
But the people you know, well, they must be what¡¯s considered upper ss, right? Of course, they need to maintain their grandiose and virtuous images. It¡¯s perfectly normal for them to be prim and proper...
When my thoughts rise to their level one day, just so you know, I¡¯ll be just as hypocritical as they are."
Upon hearing this, Lin Ran looked back curiously at Gu Heng, retorting, "You call yourself a loser? A loser who drives a car worth millions and stays in vis that cost nearly ten thousand a night?"
Gu Heng had anticipated Lin Ran would raise such a question, and he shrugged unpretentiously, "Then you might as well consider me a nouveau riche who hits the jackpot every day. It¡¯s more or less the same thing."
Ever since he acquired the system, Gu Heng had never thought to hide his past from anyone.
There was no need to.
Being from the lower ss, why would he force himself to pretend to be some kind of noble just because he¡¯d be rich? It didn¡¯t make sense.
Besides, even if he tried to pretend, it would be like Dong Shi imitating Xi Shi¡¯s frown, quite unconvincing...
The noble air of those born into wealth isn¡¯t something that can be cultivated overnight. There¡¯s a saying, "It takes three generations in public service to learn proper etiquette," so unless the system coulde up with a "Behavior and Temperament Cultivating Instrument," change was impossible.
Unfortunately, the system didn¡¯t grant him such a thing.
.....
.....
After about a ten-minute walk, Lin Ran excitedly turned on his camera and said to Gu Heng, "This is the ce!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng lifted his head to look at the lit-up signboard.
[Nanhe Bad Tavern]
Seeing the tavern¡¯s name, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help butugh, "Nanhe Tavern, that¡¯s quite a catchy name, ¡¯difficult drinking tavern¡¯..."
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯smentary, Lin Ran immediately retorted, "What do you know? Nanhe Tavern is pretty famous, okay? A lot of folk singers perform here for free; it¡¯s one of the top ces to check in on social media in Wuzhen!"
Gu Heng shrugged, "I don¡¯t appreciate folk music, I still prefer those edgy inte celebrity songs on TikTok. Talking about this to me is like ying the lute to a cow¡ªno difference."
While saying that, he even hummed the tune from the recently popr song [Big Pendulum]BGM.
"Tsk! Vulgar!"
"What do you mean ¡¯vulgar¡¯? You have your elegance and your coffee, and just because I like garlic, I¡¯m vulgar?"
"Okay, okay, I can¡¯t argue with you! Let¡¯s get inside quick, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s full yet."
With that, she pulled Gu Heng inside...
As soon as he entered, Gu Heng could immediately feel the difference between the tavern and a nightclub...
Itcked the loud and noisy atmosphere of a nightclub; instead, there was just the quiet singing of the performers on stage, and instead of the smoky smell of tobo and alcohol, there was the distinctive fishy scent of the Jiangnan water towns...
"Are there any tables avable now?"
As soon as they entered, Lin Ran eagerly asked the bartender.
The bartender, who was mixing drinks, shook his head, "You¡¯re a step toote. Just a moment ago, thest table was taken. However, you can wait at the bar, and I¡¯ll let you know when a table bes avable."
After hearing the bartender¡¯s response, Lin Ran replied regretfully and then turned to re at Gu Heng with displeasure, "It¡¯s all your fault! Dilly-dallying at the hotel, now we have no table, see?"
Gu Heng couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue.
If she hadn¡¯t been strolling along the road with that broken camera, stopping here and there to get a shot, they would¡¯ve probably been on time...
But women, no matter what kind, will only admit to marrying the wrong person in their lifetime; they will never confess to any other mistake. Arguing with her was pointless.
"Since there are no seats, let¡¯s just go back. Aren¡¯t you tired after walking around all day?"
Gu Heng was pleased with the situation, as he would rather go back and ponder the mysteries of life with Fang Xun...
"Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what¡¯s on your mind. I¡¯m telling you, no way!
We¡¯ll sit at the bar first, and once two hours are up, we¡¯ll head back."
Gu Heng could only sigh helplessly, "I hope after this there will never be any intersection between our lives ever again. You are indeed a nuisance."
Lin Ran, listening to Gu Heng¡¯s grumbling, wasn¡¯t angry. Instead, she yfully fluttered her eyshes.
"Whether our paths cross again, well, that¡¯s something we can¡¯t be certain of~"
Chapter 45 - 44: You see, what cant be solved by spending money?
"The two of you, take a look and see what you¡¯d like to drink.
We have cocktails and regr drinks."
The bartender, holding a drink menu, smiled and handed it over to them.
Lin Ran didn¡¯t even look at it, pushing it towards Gu Heng and said, "You treated me to hotpot tonight, now I¡¯m treating you to drinks, doesn¡¯t that make us even?"
"The hotpot was your idea; I don¡¯t even want to drink, and you¡¯re forcing me to, do you think that makes us even?"
Gu Heng flipped open the drink menu, mercilessly mocking as he did so.
Looking at the prices on the drink menu, it had to be said, there was a reason why this pub was so popr¡ªit was so affordably priced, it was basically a blessing for themon folk.
The most expensive cocktail was only a hundred or two per ss, and as for the others, well...
Considering this was a bar in a tourist spot, the prices were so cheap, it was destined not to make much money, probably the owner was a true folk music enthusiast, powering through purely for the love of it...
But let¡¯s be real...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t like this kind of ce.
It was impossible to put on any airs here.
After briefly ncing over the drink menu again, he ordered a Dry Martini for 168 a ss and then handed the menu back to Lin Ran.
Lin Ran casually ordered a Whiskey Sour, then leaned over towards Gu Heng, wearing a mysterious look, and said, "Shall we chat?"
"Chat about what?"
"About why you came to Wuzhen."
Gu Heng pondered for two seconds, "There are two answers, do you want the artistic version or themon version?"
"You¡¯re a down-to-earth guy, aren¡¯t you? Can you even do artistic? Let¡¯s hear this artistic take."
"The artistic version is, life was too oppressive, I wanted toe out and see the poetry and the distant fields."
"And themon version?"
"Bought a new car, wanted to take it for a spin, and show off a bit, but before I¡¯d even driven a hundred kilometers, you rear-ended me."
Lin Ran was initially stunned, then recalling the scene when they first met, she couldn¡¯t help but burst into loudughter.
"So I owe you then, isn¡¯t that enough~"
"Am I the kind of person who¡¯s short of ten thousand bucks?"
Gu Heng really wanted to say it wasn¡¯t enough unless you let me rear-end you too, but after a moment¡¯s thought, he decided against it...
Being an outspoken pervert was exhausting enough; he didn¡¯t want to be exposed by this major influencer with millions of followers and be "Shrimp Head Man"...
The bartender was quick and skilled, and the cocktail was soon in front of Gu Heng. He thanked the bartender and then turned his attention back to Lin Ran, "And you? Why are you traveling to Wuzhen at this time?"
Instead of answering directly, Lin Ran counter-questioned, "How should one address a 28-year-old woman who is not yet married?"
"Maria."
Lin Ran: "?"
"Late Marriage Maria."
Lin Ran didn¡¯t get mad being teased, but candidly admitted it.
"Correct, old maid, or as you say, Virgin Mary."
Gu Heng took a light sip of his Dry Martini, pleasantly surprised by the good taste, and continued, "What does that have to do with your traveling?"
"I¡¯m escaping from marriage pressure. I don¡¯t know what my parents are thinking, at 28 I can be a deputy director at Gaoling Capital, starting with an annual sry in the millions. I¡¯m not doing too bad, right? Why are they so eager to marry me off?
My day at thepany is already demanding enough, and I also have to deal with them when I go home. If I didn¡¯t get out to clear my mind, I probably would end up with some mental illness."
Hearing Lin Ran¡¯s words, Gu Heng felt quite empathetic...
This was also why he seldom called home. Before he could even speak much, they¡¯d start asking if he had a girlfriend, when he nned to get married...
The only difference was, Lin Ran probably had too many choices and didn¡¯t want to settle.
He, on the other hand, didn¡¯t have any options, unable to find a partner at all.
But Gu Heng wasn¡¯t the type tofort others. After listening to Lin Ran¡¯sints, he feltpletely unmoved internally, yet couldn¡¯t help teasing, "So you don¡¯t have any physical needs? Isn¡¯t there a saying, ¡¯thirty like a wolf, forty like a tiger?¡¯
You¡¯re 28, almost half a wolf, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t you feel anxious without dating or getting married?"
Just as negative emotions were about to ovee Lin Ran, she heard Gu Heng¡¯s words, widened her eyes in surprise, and stared fiercely at him, "Is there nothing else in your brain besides this stuff?"
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"What else do you want? Do you want me to encourage you to stay true to yourself? That your prince charming is somewhere out there waiting for you in the future?"
"Come on, what exactly are you thinking? You want to live freely yet want your parents to understand you and don¡¯t want to be bothered by trivial worldly matters¡ªwhat is this, a fairy tale? You want to be a flower that isn¡¯t defined by anything?"
"Why do all the good things happen to you?"
"You could be like me, not caring about others¡¯ opinions, doing what I want. You can continue being your happy leftoverdy, and I¡¯ll be my vulgar mutt, and as long as we¡¯re happy, that¡¯s all that matters."
"Or you could just listen to your parents and marry someone of equal social standing."
"You can¡¯t have the best of both worlds, so stop thinking about it."
When he finished, Gu Heng didn¡¯t give Lin Ran a chance to speak and continued, "Alright, let¡¯s drop this topic. I¡¯m not interested in being your life coach."
Probably because no one had ever spoken to her so bluntly, it took Lin Ran a while to recover from Gu Heng¡¯s words.
"I didn¡¯t realize you could be so carefree."
Draining his ss, Gu Heng spoke casually, "It¡¯s not about being carefree; no one can ¡¯have it all.¡¯ Adults have to make choices, only children can have everything."
"How about you help me out then? Let¡¯s go and get a marriage certificate, and then you can continue living your carefree life. How about that?"
Gu Heng knew Lin Ran was joking but still gave her a look, "Dream on. A prime bachelor like me going to get a certificate with you?
You think this is some novel? ying at being contract spouses is so outdated, even novels don¡¯t use that trope anymore.
But if you really need it, I can help you sort out physical needs, the kind that doesn¡¯t enter your life."
"If I really needed that, do you think it would be your turn?"
Gu Heng just shrugged nonchntly.
...
...
"In the drizzly March of the South, you sit in your empty rice shop~"
"With an Apple in one hand and fate in the other, searching for your own fragrance~"
On stage, the singer¡¯s husky voice sang a song called "Rice Shop." It was a beautiful song, but the more Gu Heng listened, the more ufortable he felt, and he gestured for the bartender.
"Can I request a song? I¡¯d like to pick one."
"I¡¯m sorry, sir, we don¡¯t do song requests here..."
Seeing Gu Heng shot down, Lin Ran felt absolutely delighted, covering her mouth with her red-manicured hand as sheughed, "Did you think this was a karaoke bar? Want to request songs just like that?"
Gu Heng ignored her and furrowed his brow as he asked the bartender, "Can¡¯t I request a song even if I pay?"
"Sir... it¡¯s not about the money. These singers perform free of charge; we can¡¯t ask them to sing whatever we want. We hope you understand."
Seeing Gu Heng get rejected again made Lin Ranugh even louder...
Giving her a sharp look, Gu Heng didn¡¯t trouble the bartender further but walked to the edge of the stage and whispered something to a nearby server before returning to the bar.
"Got rejected again, huh? Tsk, tsk, tsk~"
Gu Heng spread his hands, his expression teasing, "Not necessarily, what problem can¡¯t money solve?"
Just as Lin Ran was about to say something, the stage singer took the microphone and addressed the audience, "A Mr. Gu has approached us, wanting to dedicate a song ¡¯Late Marriage¡¯ to his friend. Considering some might not wee the song, he¡¯s offered to buy everyone in the bar a ¡¯Dry Martini.¡¯"
Would that be okay?!"
A chorus of "okay" echoed through the bar.
Who would refuse a free Dry Martini worth 168, just for the heck of it? Perhaps one or two might, but that¡¯s it.
Gu Heng, apparently anticipating this, smiled at Lin Ran, "See, what can¡¯t money solve?"
Lin Ran¡¯s eyes widened, "Dozens of people in the bar, and you¡¯re spending thousands just to hear one song? Are you out of your mind..."
Gu Heng didn¡¯t respond, just paid the bartender the amount due for the drinks and, as the intro of the song started ying on stage, he snapped his fingers near her ear, "Listen, it¡¯s for you."
[Host ignores others¡¯ stares, spends 12,096 in the bar just to make himself happy, sessfully indulges, reward: 120,000, bnce 10,910,000.]
Gu Heng was well aware that many people wouldn¡¯t understand his actions, and even those who drank his drinks might not appreciate him...
But did that really matter?
Using what was easiest for him to obtain, namely money, he changed the bar¡¯s rules and felt very happy, very thrilled!
Is it worth it?
If you¡¯re considering whether it¡¯s worth it, can it still be called indulgence?
As Gu Heng squinted his eyes listening to the song from the stage, Lin Ran kept ncing at him out of the corner of her eye, feeling as though she was seeing him anew...
What Gu Heng had said earlier about disregarding others¡¯ views and just focusing on his own happiness¡ªhe really seemed to live by that...
Chapter 46 - 45 Thus, the Art is Complete
"Gu Heng..."
"?"
Turning his head, Gu Heng caught a glimpse of Lin Ran, whose neck was slightly reddened, her eyes brimming with moisture and somewhat hazy, which made him look puzzled.
"I feel like I¡¯m going to throw up..."
No sooner had she finished speaking than she very seasonably let out a burp...
"???"
Seeing this, Gu Heng was somewhat puzzled. As apany executive who must have had her share of social drinking, how could a few mixed cocktails put her under the table? He found it hard to believe. Still, he instinctively backed away a little and frowned, "You¡¯re not drunk, are you? Just a few damn cocktails and you¡¯re out?"
Watching Gu Heng scurry backward in disarray, Lin Ran pointed at him and giggled stupidly, looking genuinely drunk...
Although he still suspected that she was faking it, he couldn¡¯t for the life of him figure out why she would pretend to be drunk...
ncing at the time, it was already past ten at night. It didn¡¯t matter if she was really drunk or faking, it was time for him to head back. His "Definite Duan Kun n" hadn¡¯t even started yet...
With that thought, Gu Heng stood up, furrowed his brows, and said to her, "I¡¯m about to head back now. Are youing or not?"
"Burp~ Going back!"
Good, she knew she had to go back. She was not totally out of it.
He directly grabbed Lin Ran¡¯s arm without a hint of tenderness, lifting her as easily as one would a small chick, and a pleasant scent, whether body fragrance or perfume, filled Gu Heng¡¯s nostrils.
"Ouch~ Be gentle..."
A pained moan escaped Lin Ran¡¯s lips, which only served to stoke the mes already kindling within Gu Heng¡¯s lower belly.
Suppressing the inner fire, Gu Heng dragged her towards the hotel exit, warning as they walked, "I¡¯m telling you, you better behave yourself. If you dare throw up on me, I¡¯ll just dump you on the roadside and let the hotel¡¯s peoplee pick you up!"
...
...
Once out of the bar, the chilly windced with fine rain hit their faces, instantly sobering up the somewhat groggy Gu Heng.
Lin Ran, being pulled along by Gu Heng, instinctively tightened her clothes...
Luckily the bar wasn¡¯t far from the Al Hotel, a mere ten minutes away at most, and the light rain wasn¡¯t enough to drench them.
Just as Gu Heng took a step, a childish voice rose from his left.
"Big brother, wanna buy some flowers? They¡¯re all very pretty. Buy one for the beautifuldy."
Bending down, Gu Heng saw the small figure and remembered...
Explore more at m,v l¡¯e-m|p| y r
This seemed to be the mother and daughter selling flowers by the roadside that he noticed on his way here. Thinking this, Gu Heng looked up and nced around. He saw the middle-aged woman standing not far off, quietly watching, and he smiled...
Just like most kids standing outside cinemas selling flowers...
These street vendors were savvy, knowing that couples would have a hard time refusing children. This middle-aged woman had purposely sent out the little girl...
Before Gu Heng could speak, Lin Ran, who was on the side and either truly drunk or pretending, suddenly struggled, "Gu Heng, I want a flower!"
With that, she took a beautifully wrapped rose from the little girl¡¯s hands and gently sniffed it at her nose...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t stop Lin Ran; instead, he watched her yfully, then lowered his head again to the little girl before him and asked softly, "Little sister, how many flowers do you have left?"
Not understanding Gu Heng¡¯s intention, the little girl still earnestly counted the bouquets in her hand and then seriously replied, "I still have 31. But my mom has more over there..."
"Then tell your mom that a brother wants to buy all your flowers."
Upon hearing this, the little girl¡¯s sparkling eyes lit up, and she excitedly yelled to the middle-aged woman in the Wu dialect, "Mom,e here, this brother said he¡¯s gonna buy all our flowers!"
The middle-aged woman, hearing her daughter¡¯s excited voice, also hurried over, taking two steps at a time.
Gu Heng¡¯s tone was not as tender when he spoke to the middle-aged woman, "How much would it cost to buy all the flowers you have on hand?"
The woman quickly counted the remaining flowers, then responded eagerly, "There are 65 in total, 15 yuan apiece. If sir wants them, 900 yuan will do for all, and I¡¯ll throw in five more for free for you and your girlfriend."
15 yuan per flower...
Not expensive at all.
It¡¯s just the usual price you¡¯d find at a regr cinema or public square.
This indicated that the middle-aged woman was somewhat conscientious, she didn¡¯t take advantage of Gu Heng¡¯s generosity to rip him off...
The woman was quick with her hands, and soon gathered all the flower stalks from the little girl¡¯s hand with her own, tied a beautiful bow, and was about to hand them over to Gu Heng.
But Gu Heng stopped her hand amidst her puzzled look, and with a smile said, "Since I¡¯m buying so many flowers from you, may I make a request?"
"?"
The woman was a bit perplexed.
Gu Heng continued to smile, reached out to pat the little girl¡¯s head, and said, "Would you really go and buy her a Kulomi doll tomorrow?"
The woman didn¡¯t understand Gu Heng¡¯s intention, but the little girl suddenly lifted her head up, her big eyes shimmering faintly, staring intently at his face...
Afterwards, Gu Heng didn¡¯t say more. He pulled out his phone, paid the money through the woman¡¯s printed QR code, took the flowers, and with the same roughness, yanked Lin Ran¡¯s arm and headed towards the direction of the hotel...
"WeChat payment received, 1,000 yuan."
Listening to the payment notification on her phone, the middle-aged woman looked after Gu Heng¡¯s retreating figure with some puzzlement...
She had seen many customers who bargained, but it was the first time she saw someone who didn¡¯t ask for a discount and even gave her an extra 100 yuan...
"Mom, we¡¯ve sold all the flowers! Can you really buy me a Kulomi tomorrow?"
The middle-aged woman, who had originally intended to keep prevaricating, suddenly remembered what Gu Heng had said earlier, then took hold of the little girl¡¯s cold hand with a smile and said, "Alright, mom will take you to buy Kulomi tomorrow..."
...
Gu Heng hadn¡¯t gone far when Lin Ran, who had been looking dazed, suddenly seemed to sober up and asked Gu Heng, "Why did you ask that woman to buy a Kulomi doll for that little girl?"
Turning his head towards her at her words, Gu Heng nced at her with a teasing look, "Sober now?"
Although he didn¡¯t know what trick she was up to, Gu Heng was now certain that this woman had definitely been pretending to be drunk...
"Answer me first."
"Actually, there¡¯s not much to answer."
"When I was little, my dad promised me that if I made it into the top ten of my grade, he¡¯d buy me a mountain bike.
I didn¡¯t like studying at all, but for that mountain bike, I studied for a whole year and finally managed to get into the top ten. When I excitedly ran to my dad to redeem his promise, he told me that a bike would cost several hundred, better to give me some money to buy snacks instead.
In the end, he gave me 10 yuan."
"Now, I can understand my dad¡¯s thinking at that time, and I don¡¯t me him. Our family didn¡¯t have much, and a few hundred yuan really could be used for a lot of things.
But I can¡¯t reconcile with my younger self, so from then on I never asked my dad for anything again. Even now, when I can afford ten thousand mountain bikes, this matter still haunts me.
So, just think of it as me spending 1,000 yuan to make peace with my younger self."
As his words ended, the system that had appeared two hours ago reappeared...
[Host has helped his younger self dodge the bullet fired from more than a decade ago. With that, artistry has been perfected! Sess in indulgence, reward: 10,000 yuan, bnce: 10.92 million yuan.]
And receiving Gu Heng¡¯s answer, Lin Ran fixed her gaze on Gu Heng for several seconds, eyes zing...
"Has anyone ever told you that you¡¯re quite unique?"
Gu Heng nced at her, "You¡¯re the first, but definitely not thest."
With money, you can do whatever you want, how could you not be unique?
Listening to Gu Heng¡¯s words, Lin Ran snorted, and then her eyes, which had been normal, became "blurry" again...
"Ugh... I think I¡¯m going to throw up..."
Gu Heng: "???"
"You¡¯ve got to be kidding me... Addicted to pretending now, are you?!"
Chapter 47 - 46: Honest Gentleman is Your Lie
Leaning on a pletely drunk" Lin Ran, Gu Heng returned to the hotel.
Fang Xun, who had been waiting at the entrance for a long time, hurriedly came up to them,
"What happened? How did she get so drunk?"
As he spoke, he tried to take Lin Ran from Gu Heng¡¯s hands...
But Lin Ran clung to Gu Heng¡¯s clothes like she was glued to them, refusing to let go...
"This..."
Fang Xun, facing this scene, could only look at Gu Heng with confusion...
Patting his forehead, Gu Heng said helplessly, "Forget it, just leave her be. Give me her room number and help me bring these flowers back to my room.
Oh right, get the things needed for the therapy ready."
"Okay then..."
Having learned that Lin Ran was staying in Room 85, Young Master Gu dragged Lin Ran towards the residential area.
As for Fang Xun, he watched the two figures with contemtion...
....
....
A few minutester, the two arrived at Room 85.
Gu Heng nced at Lin Ran, who still wouldn¡¯t let go, and said, "Give me the room card."
This time, Lin Ran moved quickly, flinging her handbag onto Gu Heng, her messy hair covering her eyes, then peeked at Gu Heng¡¯s reaction through the gaps in her hair...
"Beep..."
The door opened, and Gu Heng dragged her straight into the room.
Room 85 was considerably smaller than his Vi Room 03, but the decor and overallyout were simr. Gu Heng, familiar with the ce, opened the room door and promptly pushed her onto the bed.
"I¡¯ve brought you back safely; go take a bath and get some sleep."
Having said that, he prepared to exit the room and return to his vi.
All the way he wondered how he managed to hold himself back; the sweet, fragrant scent never dissipated, especially since Lin Ran was clinging to him, and the asional soft contact was enough to fan the mes of his anger...
Borrowing the words of the Hong Kong underworld boss Liang Kun...
He was really fired up now.
But before he had taken two steps, Lin Ran wrapped around him like an octopus...
Feeling that soft collision against his back was like an electric shock, causing Gu Heng¡¯s body to go numb...
Struggling to recall the paragon of virtue, Mister Liu Xiahui, Gu Heng forcefully restrained his desire, turning his head with resignation and said, "Listen, big sister, what do you really want?
You¡¯ve been tormenting me all night; can¡¯t we just call it a day?"
Lin Ran, seeing Gu Heng¡¯s expression of nearly losing control, finally couldn¡¯t keep up the act and chuckled...
Watching herugh uncontrobly, even her winter dress¡¯s shoulder began to slip, revealing a stretch of white skin and her characteristic corbone...
"Not pretending to be drunk anymore?
So indeed, being drunk was your lie!"
Lin Ran, not bothered by Gu Heng¡¯s usation, instead retorted, "Didn¡¯t you also know I was faking it? So why did you insist on Fang Xun bringing me back? Is the righteous gentleman also your lie?"
Gu Heng: "..."
Faced with Lin Ran¡¯s counter, Gu Heng didn¡¯t know what to say...
Just as she said, if he really were a virtuous man,pletely handing Lin Ran to Fang Xun would have solved everything, wouldn¡¯t it?
Truth be told, it was all about having the will but not the nerve...
If it were a seasoned yboy, with Lin Ran being this forward, perhaps billions would have already beenvished on her...
"So? Did I hit the nail on the head?"
Lin Ran looked at Gu Heng¡¯s speechless expression and said with a grin.
"And then?"
"There¡¯s no ¡¯then¡¯. That¡¯s it."
"If there¡¯s no ¡¯then¡¯, I¡¯m leaving."
Some great person once said that too smart a woman is unattractive; Gu Heng finally understood the saying...
"Are you really sure you¡¯re just going to leave like this?"
"Otherwise?"
Lin Ran still wore a calcting smile, stepped in front of Gu Heng, gently closed the door, then leaned against the doorknob, revealing her smooth legs beneath the winter dress...
"If I¡¯m not mistaken, you must be in a hurry to find Fang Xun, right?"
"Yeah, that¡¯s right."
Since his underpants were seen through, Gu Heng simply couldn¡¯t be bothered to hide anything and faced it openly.
"Why do you have to find Fang Xun? Am I not enough? Or do you think I¡¯m not as pretty as Fang Xun?"
"???"
Hearing Lin Ran¡¯s explicit words, Gu Heng¡¯s face was full of puzzled question marks¡
Are all these urban white-cor women and careerdies ying such a game now? Or had he, a country bumpkin, really fallen behind? If he remembered correctly, they had just met for a day, right?
Thinking about it for a long time and still unable toprehend what this woman meant, Gu Heng stopped thinking and impatiently said, "No, what do you really mean? Did I guess right, thirty and hungry like a wolf? Itchy? Can¡¯t stop the craving even with a p of the shoe sole?"
This was the first time Gu Heng had spoken to her so harshly, but Lin Ran still showed no sign of anger, still smiling, "Don¡¯t worry about that, just tell me, why is Fang Xun okay, and I¡¯m not?"
"Because Fang Xun isn¡¯t as troublesome as you, no need for responsibility, I can exchange something she needs with her.
But I have nothing youck, is that exnation enough?"
"That exnation is enough, I just wanted to confirm that you¡¯re a jerk who doesn¡¯t want to take responsibility. If you wanted to be responsible, perhaps I would have actually let you walk away."
Lin Ran nodded, then untied the belt behind her winter skirt and gently lifted it, letting the winter skirt slide down to the ground, revealing skin smooth as cream¡
Suddenly, it jumped from a melodrama to a scene out of a Japanese adult film, catching Gu Heng off guard¡
Although the parts that should be covered were still covered, it was precisely the partially hidden aspect that was most attractive to men. Gu Heng felt his blood start to race.
"Looks good, doesn¡¯t it?"
Lin Ran must have been very satisfied with her body, admiring herself first before saying with self-content, "You must be the first man to see me like this as I¡¯ve grown up. Aren¡¯t you honored?"
"You think I believe you?"
"Do I have any reason to lie to you?"
Indeed, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t think of any reason why she would lie...
"Let me tell you the truth. Beforeing to Wuzhen for this trip, I was ready to follow my parents¡¯ wish after the New Year to shed the title of being a leftover woman by finding a decent man to marry and then focus on my career wholeheartedly.
But tonight, my thoughts have changed.
I want to continue being myself, staying single as you said.
However, before that, I need to indulge myself just this once, to release so many years of frustration, and the only man next to me that meets the criteria is you. Plus, I¡¯ve told you many times, you are special.
Consider it your lucky day.
What do you say?
If you can open this door now and walk away without looking back, I¡¯ll take you for a gentleman."
After speaking, she stepped away from the doorknob and stood by with a smile...
Gu Heng was very confused right now...
In the past, when reading female-centric novels, he often encountered plots of strong women indulging for one night, and he asionally fantasized about such stories happening to him...
But when such a plot actually involved him, he found himself at a loss...
Damn¡
Just not experienced enough...
As he hesitated, a pure white protector fell from Lin Ran¡¯s body...
ncing over, he saw Lin Ran still had that calm expression, "Firm yet soft, want to give it a try?"
The plot was unfolding just like a scene from a Japanese adult film where the female teacher tutors agging student...
To be a beast or to be worse than a beast?
There was no need to choose.
The next second... Find adventures on mvl
A rough breath sounded in his ear, and the sensation of arge hand transmitted to his brain from his skin.
......
......
As theyy on the soft bed, Gu Heng¡¯s voice sounded in her ear...
"Are you sure I¡¯m the first?"
"Mm..."
That ¡¯mm¡¯ was no longer as carefree and nonchnt as before, now tinged with a hint of nervousness and fear...
"Then you better brace yourself for a rough time."
Five years of umtion, poised to unleash.
The one who was supposed to suffer was Fang Xun, but Lin Ran, who voluntarily delivered herself to her fate, took the hit for her¡
Chapter 48 - 47: Could It Be the 13 Spices?
A great night¡¯s sleep.
Waking up in arge bed with the sheets even thrown off...
Turns out, holding a fragrant, soft body significantly improves sleep quality...
Gu Heng is a perfect example...
This was the deepest sleep he had had in years...
It might also be because he had been too strenuousst night, having spent five years¡¯ worth of energy all at once, going at it for over two hours...
Initially, Lin Ran tried to maintain her dominance, after all, from start to finish, it was she who seduced Gu Heng, but towards the end, she was nothing but rolling her eyes and begging for mercy...
The saying about men being wolves at thirty and tigers at forty isn¡¯t wrong...
But it depends on what kind of wolf...
If it were a 28-year-old housewife who had been married for many years, Gu Heng might not have overwhelmed her, but with someone like Lin Ran, who had plenty of theoretical knowledge but no practical experience, Gu Heng dominated thanks to his excellent physical condition...
And because he felt somewhat reversed, Gu Heng had not a hint of tenderness.
The still damp sheets on the floor were testament to the fierceness ofst night¡¯s battle...
ncing at the somewhat messy room, the inexplicable water stains on the cupboard and by the window made him shake his head in absurdity as Gu Heng slowly got up from the bed.
This wasn¡¯t his first time; he had lost his virginity back in high school graduation, when, as an average Joe, he could only enjoy the sweetness of love once, since teenage love hardly costs anything¡ªa cup of milk tea, a few bucks worth of trinket might just convince a girl to willingly give her everything...
But as the saying goes...
Every transformation in a man¡¯s growth stage is a first time.
Originally, he intended his first time after starting anew to be with Fang Xun, but it unexpectedly ended up being with Lin Ran, and it was her first time too...
But overall, it was still a win for him, especially since he wasn¡¯t responsible for anything, no difference there...
Thinking this, Gu Heng felt no psychological burden at all...
.....
He got out of bed, stretched and cracked his joints, then nced at the unread messages on his WeChat.
10:32 AM Fang Xun: "The massage tools are ready."
11:01 AM: "Gu Heng, are youing back?"
11:46 AM: "..."
...
1:30 PM: "Mr. Gu, I¡¯m going back to rest first. Let me know if you need me. Goodnight."
From Gu Heng to Mr. Gu, Fang Xun sent a total of 11 messages, each reflecting her emotional changes...
Seeing all these unread messages, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit awkward...
Although he had important things to do, no matter how you put it, he had stood her up and made her wait for hours...
But when it really came down to it, he didn¡¯t feel much guilt.
In the past, his boss used to pay him a few thousand bucks a month and boss him around without any guilt, he earned over a thousand a day, so why feel guilty?
With that thought, Gu Heng then checked the other unread messages.
He Jing and Lin Jiayun both had sent messages after midnight, especially Lin Jiayun, who had sent him a rather sexy photo in her nightwear...
After giving both a cursory reply, Gu Heng shifted his attention to the message Lin Ran had sent him around ten in the morning, along with a transfer of 200 yuan...
"I¡¯m heading back to Shanghai first,st night was quite something. Hope to see you again.
Also, this 200 yuan is your fee, the going rate for male models in Shanghai¡ª100 yuan an hour."
The text was filled with carelessness.
Smiling, he epted the 200 yuan and sent back a voice message, "Thanks, boss. Looking forward to your next visit."
He was well aware of the pride of a strong woman like Lin Ran. Since she wanted to maintain her pride, he was happy to oblige as a male model¡ªplus, a quick 200 yuan was a total steal...
After replying to the messages, he got dressed and washed up briefly before heading to the dining area...
Afterst night¡¯s workload, he wondered if the 200 yuan could help restore his energy.
...
...
More than ten minutester, Gu Heng arrived at the restaurant.
"Mr. Gu."
Having received a message from Gu Heng in advance, Fang Xun was already waiting in the restaurant.
Still in that gentle and professional butler demeanor as if the incident where Gu Heng stood her upst night had never happened, she carefully pulled out a chair from under the table for Gu Heng.
Gu Heng had just sat down and picked up the menu when he saw Fang Xun wrinkle her nose and sniff something.
"What are you smelling?"
"Mr. Gu didn¡¯t smell it?"
"Smelled what?"
"A sort of indescribable fragrance."
Listening to Fang Xun, Gu Heng frowned, lifted his arm, and indeed smelled a faint scent...
He had only rinsed off quickly after exercisingst night, so it was normal to have a bit of a residual smell.
But this scent was a bit strange, not like Lin Ran¡¯s perfume.
Could it be fragrance No. 13?
The more Gu Heng thought about it, the more likely it seemed... Experience tales with freewebnovel
At that thought, Gu Heng nced at the menu and asked Fang Xun, "Do you have anyrge shopping centers around Wuzhen, preferably with aplete range of brands?"
After the system activation, he had spent millions, but he still only had those two outfits.
Being scruffy was usually no big deal, but now that his body smelled of fragrance No. 13, it was inappropriate not to buy a few more items...
"Around Wuzhen... there aren¡¯t really shopping centers with aplete range of brands. After all, this is a tourist area, and most of the stuff for sale are local specialties.
If you want to go to a shopping center, you could go to Xingjia City, they definitely have shopping centers there, and the distance isn¡¯t far, about 20 kilometers."
Hearing Fang Xun¡¯s reply, Gu Heng nodded slightly.
After casually ordering a few dishes, he handed the menu back to Fang Xun, "Then after we finish eating, apany me to Xingjia."
Without saying much, Fang Xun nodded and then took the menu towards the kitchen area.
As for Gu Heng...
He gazed at her graceful retreating figure, deep in thought...
Although he had already had his "meal," given Gu Heng¡¯s greedy nature, he certainly wouldn¡¯t settle for just one satisfying meal...
Lin Ran was just an ident; Fang Xun was his real target...
It¡¯s not that Lin Ran was inferior to Fang Xun, but rather, Gu Heng¡¯s male pride was at y...
Compared tost night¡¯s one-night stand, he enjoyed the satisfaction of his conquering desire even more.
Why in earlier years did coal bosses prefer to invest in the entertainment industry and sponsor female celebrities?
Isn¡¯t it just the conquering desire at y?
Having those morous celebrities bow down to one¡¯s money in front of others, setting aside the question of being vulgar, isn¡¯t it a thrilling experience?
Gu Heng didn¡¯t have the grand vision or capital of a coal boss to start directly with female celebrities.
But he also wanted to experience this thrill, so he temporarily set his sights on Fang Xun.
As for why he needed Fang Xun to apany him to buy clothes, the reason, of course, was simple.
Money isn¡¯t just for women to see, but for them to spend. This saying might not be as effective on someone like Lin Jiayun who holds out for a better offer, but applied to someone like Fang Xun who is in need and greedy, it should have an effect, right?
Although he had already showcased his wealth in front of Fang Xun.
But such matters, of course, the more frequent they are, the more profound they be.
Laying the groundwork is always right.
After staying in Wuzhen for one more day, he nned to return to Hang City, and he was sure he had Fang Xun in his grasp; not even Jesus could save her.
Chapter 49 - 48: You Haven’t Asked the Price Yet
The journey of over 20 kilometers wasn¡¯t far...
After a bit more than half an hour, following the directions from the navigation system, the two arrived at the Babai Ban Shopping Center in Xingjia City.
Fang Xun was driving again this time.
However,pared to yesterday, she was noticeably more rxed and no longer restrained.
Especially when the Bentley Flying Spur stopped in the open-air parking lot of the shopping center, the envious nces from the people around made her feel somewhat ted...
Though, she was well aware that it wasn¡¯t her they envied, but Gu Heng sitting in the back seat.
But that feeling was truly addictive... even if it was just for a moment...
If she could always live like this in the future, she dared not imagine how happy she would be...
"What are you thinking about?"
When Gu Heng got out of the back seat and saw Fang Xun standing there in a daze, he couldn¡¯t help but reach out and wave his hand in front of her face. That¡¯s when she suddenly snapped back to reality...
Then, feeling a bit guilty, she shook her head and changed the subject, "Gu Heng, what are you doing at the shopping center?"
But as soon as she finished asking, she felt like her question was a bit stupid. Of course, onees to a shopping center to buy things...
However, Gu Heng pondered for a moment and then seriously replied, "Here to stock up."
"Stock up?"
Fang Xun was bewildered.
But Gu Heng didn¡¯t continue to engage with her and just walked towards the inside of the shopping center, following the flow of people.
....
....
As soon as they entered the square, a giant billboard caught Gu Heng¡¯s eye...
On the billboard, a model dressed like a sessful person made a great show of the wristwatch on their wrist for all to see, apanied by an ad copy full of prestige.
[Quality and exquisite craftsmanship¡ªRolex, the essence of eternity.]
Looking at the billboard, Gu Heng subconsciously touched his bare left wrist...
He had been feeling as if he was missing something these past few days, and now he realized that what hecked was a wristwatch¡ªa staple of sessful people...
To be honest,
In Gu Heng¡¯s eyes, wristwatches really weren¡¯t practical.
To check the time, all you needed to do was reach into your pocket, and as long as you have awork, isn¡¯t the time disyed on your phone far more urate than on a watch?
But he was also very clear.
Only someone like him, a country bumpkin, would value the practicality of a wristwatch...
In the eyes of many people, a wristwatch is actually an essory, and some even match a watch with each outfit they wear.
And for the wealthy, wristwatches are even more of a symbol of prestige...
You can get an idea from the saying "those with less money fuss over cars, those with more money fuss over watches"...
Thinking this, Gu Heng temporarily shelved the idea of stocking up at luxury brand stores and followed the directions on the billboard towards the Rolex official store, with Fang Xun obediently following at his side...
In about two minutes, Gu Heng could see Rolex¡¯srge crown LOGO, wedged right between a Cartier and a Longines...
Gu Heng had no interest in even ncing at Cartier and Longines and went straight into the Rolex official store.
He admitted he was a bumpkin, but he was a bumpkin who often surfed the inte...
Though Cartier and Longines were also quite famous luxury watch brands, in terms of prestige, didn¡¯t Rolex surpass them by several streets?
Why was he buying a watch, if not to elevate his own stature and make it easier to show off?
Unless Vacheron Constantin or Patek Philippe were next door, Gu Heng might have hesitantly considered which store to visit...
"Wee, how may I assist you both?" As soon as they walked in, a sales associate greeted them warmly.
But in the past two days, Gu Heng had grown used to the professional attitude of the staff at these upscale venues. His heart remained unfazed, and his tone was calm as he said, "Show me the men¡¯s watches in your store."
"Could you tell me your budget, sir? Because the prices of our watches vary greatly, if you tell me your budget, I can help you select a watch that suits you better."
The sales associate spoke politely, but in the next second, she couldn¡¯t help but tremble her eyelids...
"No budget, just show me around first."
Gu Heng said this casually...
It was the truth, after all. He hade to the Rolex store on a whim; how could he have a budget?
Moreover, although he had never bought a Rolex, he was somewhat aware of the price range¡ªthe popr Submariner and Daytona series are all a few hundred thousand RMB, right? At most, they would be around a million, right?
As for those collectibles worth tens or hundreds of millions, even if Gu Heng wanted to buy them, would an ordinary city store have them?
Having plenty in store makes one¡¯s heart calm. With more than ten million RMB on him, there was no way he would encounter the awkward situation he had in the 4S store.
Although the sales associate thought it very likely that Gu Heng was just browsing like other customers, she quickly adjusted her mood and began to show Gu Heng around the various disy cases in the store.
Fang Xun, who had been silent at Gu Heng¡¯s side, asionally nced at his face...
She had visited plenty of luxury stores herself.
But she had never been as indifferent as Gu Heng¡ªand for a simple reason: those pricey luxuries would cost her an arm and a leg. She wanted to be indifferent, but could she?
"If I could be Gu Heng¡¯s girlfriend, would I also be able to stroll through luxury stores so casually?"
A random thought popped up in her mind, but she quickly remembered her soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend, who was cking ambition," and a strong sense of morality welled up inside her...
Suddenly, Gu Heng¡¯s voice sounded at her ear, interrupting her wild thoughts.
"Fang Xun, what do you think of this watch?"
Upon hearing this, Fang Xun hurriedly followed the direction Gu Heng was pointing, and a wristwatch with an ice-blue dial appeared before her.
Before she could offer her opinion, the sales associate spoke first: "Sir, you have great taste. This Ice Blue Daytona is the 50th Anniversary Edition of the Daytona released in 2013, also jokingly referred to by timepiece enthusiasts as the ¡¯Rolex graduation model Daytona¡¯."
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Gu Heng didn¡¯t really have discerning taste, he didn¡¯t even have what one would call taste, but he did feel that this watch looked several notches better than the others.
He then said, "Let me try it on."
"Of course, sir, one moment please."
The sales associate hurried to the other side of the disy case and carefully took out the Ice Blue Daytona...
"Sir, let me help you put it on."
Gu Heng obediently extended his left hand and silently watched the sales associate put the watch on his wrist.
For a single watch, the sales associate took over half a minute to put it on Gu Heng¡¯s wrist, terrified of handling it too roughly and causing any issues. Thinking about the price of the watch, she reckoned she¡¯d have to sell abalones at sea to afford it if anything happened...
"Sir, the watchband fits your wrist perfectly, no adjustment needed."
Ignoring the sales associate¡¯s ttery, Gu Heng raised his hand for a closer look, then snapped his fingers gently and said, "I¡¯ll take this one, wrap it up for me."
The sales associate, ready to employ her professional skills, was momentarily taken aback by Gu Heng¡¯s request, despite her training...
She wasn¡¯t the only one; Fang Xun, standing by Gu Heng¡¯s side, was also stunned...
Fang Xun was the first to recover, pushing down her emotions and nudging Gu Heng with her shoulder: "You haven¡¯t asked the price yet..."
Gu Heng realized that he might have gotten a bit carried away and smiled awkwardly, "Sorry, I just really like this watch. So, how much is it?"
ording to Rolex headquarters in Geneva¡¯stest price list on January 15, 2024, the official price of the Ice Blue Daytona is equivalent to 645,500 RMB..."
"Then it¡¯s settled, wrap it up for me."
Sales Associate: "..."
Was he just going through the motions with that price inquiry? Isn¡¯t he going to negotiate for a discount?
Even though there wasn¡¯t much discount to give in the store, and the gifts that should be given would be provided regardless of whether Gu Heng asked or not, the process still felt off...
"Hold on a second."
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s "hold on a second," the sales associate thought he had finally remembered to ask for a discount, and this set her at ease...
"No need to wrap it, just invoice me. I don¡¯t feel like taking it off."
Sales Associate: "???"
Fang Xun: "???"
Chapter 50 - 49 The Cheapest Thing is Ineffectual Tenderness
"Mr. Gu, please take your time leaving, and wee to our store again," the salesperson said, smiling and bowing at the doorway...
From entering the store to leaving, it had not even been 20 minutes...
In addition to the Ice Blue Daytona he wore out, the salesperson also picked out a more low-key wristwatch for Mr. Gu. Although it did not cost as much as the Ice Blue Daytona, at 600,000, it still reached half that price...
Who wouldn¡¯t like a customer like Gu Heng?
She didn¡¯t even need to hint at the unofficial "bundle sale" rule needed to buy popr Rolex watches; Gu Heng voluntarily achieved it for her...
[The host has upgraded the quality of life, felt the beauty of living, and enjoyed the gifts of life. Spending 925,000 at the official Rolex store has sessfully indulged desires, rewarding: 1,880,000 yuan, bnce 11,880,000 yuan.]
The reward from indulging this time was a bit less than before, only a little over double...
But Gu Heng, who had figured out the system¡¯s pattern, wasn¡¯t too surprised.
The experiences at several luxury stores had gradually ustomed him to them, and he no longer experienced the surging excitement he had felt initially when entering luxury stores; naturally, the pleasure from indulging had decreased, and the rewards being not as substantial as before was understandable.
But trailing behind Gu Heng, Fang Xun, who was holding the Rolex gift box and free gifts for Mr. Gu, had not yet recovered from the shock of that scene...
She wasn¡¯t a woman who hadn¡¯t seen the world.
On the contrary, it was precisely because she had seen the world that Mr. Gu¡¯s actions in the Rolex store had a stronger impact on her...
Simply put, most ordinary people do not grasp the concept of a million; they only know that this number could save a high-ie group, earning over ten thousand a month, ten years of struggle...
Only those with a clear understanding of how significant the number one million is can appreciate that luxury...
And Fang Xun, was exactly the type of person who had seen the world but had never had the opportunity to experience this kind of luxurious life...
Unintentionally, she againpared Mr. Gu with her mediocre boyfriend, and this time, the constraints of moral sense began to loosen gradually...
...
Mr. Gu, walking ahead, had no idea that his splurge at Rolex could provoke so many thoughts in Fang Xun.
If he had known...
He would have indulged even more!
After all, his purpose in bringing Fang Xun was precisely to open her heart, setting a tiny groundwork for his next move.
In the following two hours, Mr. Gu took her through various high-end luxury stores...
Even with the woman¡¯s stamina buff for shopping, Fang Xun¡¯s legs began to feel weak...
But what numbed more was her null response to Gu Heng¡¯s spending habits...
In those two hours, she closely remembered the spending figures Mr. Gu racked up at each luxury brand store...
At the LV store, he spent 160,000 on two outfits...
Zegna got 80,000 for a suit...
Versace, 210,000...
Burberry, 90,000...
A total of 540,000 spent...
She didn¡¯tck clothes, but upon a little reflection, she wondered if all the clothes she ever bought from childhood to date summed up to 540,000?
Now Fang Xun finally understood what Mr. Gu meant when he said he was "stocking up" upon their arrival at Babai Ban Shopping Center...
At first she didn¡¯t understand, but after a nce at the numerous designer clothes she could barely carry, she realized that when Mr. Gu talked about "stocking up," he truly meant it...
And though Gu Heng spent 540,000 on purchases on the surface, thanks to the rewards he even made a profit of 120,000, bringing his bank bnce to an even 12,000,000.
.....
Suddenly, Gu Heng, who was walking ahead, abruptly stopped and turned to nce at Fang Xun, whose arms wereden with bags from various brands. He showed no sign of pity but instead asked, "I always feel like I forgot to buy something, do you know what it might be?"
Though she was already very tired, Fang Xun still did her best to maintain her professional demeanor and looked him over.
"Maybe it¡¯s shoes that you haven¡¯t bought yet?"
Upon hearing Fang Xun¡¯s response, Gu Heng then remembered that the only pair of casual shoes he had were the ones on his feet.
Buying this pair was just to fulfill his dream of owning them, and having worn them for a few days, he had achieved that dream. How could he wear them all the time?
As they had been shopping for quite a while, Gu Heng was also feeling tired, especially upon seeing the fine sweat on Fang Xun¡¯s nose; he did not wish to exhaust her further, and soon asked, "Do you have any rmendations for men¡¯s shoes?"
"I¡¯m not very sure about men¡¯s fashion, but I think Gi is quite good. Their men¡¯s shoes are quite famous; you could check them out."
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng looked around and noticed the Gi store in sight. He started walking again, "Alright, let¡¯s go to Gi then."
....
When the two approached the Gi store, the sharp-eyed sales associate hurried over with an exceptionally warm attitude...
After all, a sales associate is also human; it¡¯s only normal to assess the situation...
A man and a woman, carrying over ten bags from various luxury brands¡ªthis disy of purchasing power was something even a novice in the industry could appreciate as signaling high-quality customers, right?
"Help me pick a few pairs of shoes that suit me."
Before the sales associate could even recite their standard greeting, Gu Heng had already spoken up. After finishing, he turned to Fang Xun with a slightly warmer tone, "Rest here for a while; I¡¯ll call you once I¡¯m done."
At Gu Heng¡¯s words, Fang Xun was slightly startled...
This didn¡¯t match the image she had of him in her mind...
Wasn¡¯t Gu Heng just using her like aborer, directing all the physical tasks her way?
This sudden gentleness was hard for her to adjust to...
But difort aside, the thought of Gu Heng caring about her made her heart, already erratic from his provocations, skip a beat...
However, Gu Heng wasn¡¯t tuned into her thoughts. Following the guidance of the sales associate, he headed towards the men¡¯s shoes section.
Fang Xun, meanwhile, sat down in the rest area arranged by another sales associate, gazing absently at Gu Heng¡¯s retreating figure...
She knew very well that what Gu Heng had done was a mere trifle...
But people are fickle...
The same action, when experienced with different people, elicits apletely different response.
Like her boyfriend, who had been very kind to her before they had a falling out and considered breaking up.
Every time she was tired from work, he would always considerately check on her. Sometimes he would even surprise her with little gifts...
But aside from feeling moved at the beginning, she gradually began to feel nothing at all.
Especially after their rtionship began to fracture due to their inability to fund their wedding, recalling this kind of gentleness and thoughtfulness even made her feel nauseous...
Now looking at Gu Heng...
The reason she was tired was all because of him.
But she harbored no resentment towards him, and even a casual show of concern from him could lift her spirits...
That¡¯s the difference...
Withoutparison, there is no harm.
Only in this moment did she understand the meaning behind "The cheapest thing is ineffectual tenderness."
Chapter 51 - 50 Don’t worry, I won’t affect your relationship with your boyfriend
Having rested for a while and seeing that Gu Heng had not returned yet, the woman¡¯s inherent fondness for luxury goods engraved in her DNA began to stir, and Fang Xun headed towards the counter.
Looking at one sparkling piece of jewelry after another in the counter, Fang Xun wanted to gesture magnanimously like Gu Heng, asking the shopping assistant to pack everything up for her, but clearly, her bank ount bnce did not support such extravagance...
Suddenly...
She spotted a ne that she had adored in a magazine before, her eyes slightly widened in delight, and she could not help but speak to the shopping assistant, "Hello, could you please show me that ne?"
"Of course, no problem, madam."
The counter assistant promptly sprang into action, taking out the ne Fang Xun liked, and her professional skills kicked in as she began, "Would you like me to introduce it to you?"
Seeing Fang Xun nod, the assistant spoke again.
"This ne is a Gi Interlocking Series 18K gold ne, part of the first batch of jewelry released for the Gi early autumn 2024 collection. The pendantbines rare ck onyx with 18K gold, adorned with sparkling diamonds.
It carries the beautiful implication that it can dazzle even in the dimmest of lives."
Listening to the assistant¡¯s voice, which seemed to beced with magic, Fang Xun couldn¡¯t help but gently stroke the pendant and slowly raised her head to ask, "How much is this ne?"
"The official price is 20,400 yuan."
Upon hearing this price, Fang Xun¡¯s heart felt half dead...
Although the job of a hotel butler sounds high-end, the ie is quite unstable. Even during tourist peak seasons when she worked every day, her monthly sry was only about 30,000 yuan...
During off-season periods like now, she could only earn just under 10,000 yuan as base sry...
On average, this ne would cost more than one month¡¯s sry...
Although she had the money to buy the ne, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to spend it...
Thinking about this, Fang Xun was about to ask the assistant to put the ne back...
"What are you doing?"
Gu Heng, who had returned to the front desk after choosing some shoes, looked at Fang Xun standing distractedly in front of the counter and couldn¡¯t help asking.
Just as Fang Xun was about to answer, the counter assistant, who was very aware that although luxury store clients are usually women, the main purchasers are men, spoke out first, "Sir, your girlfriend seems to like this ne."
Gu Heng nced at the ne, and then at Fang Xun, noting the hesitation in her eyes and quickly understood what was going on.
He then turned to the assistant behind him and said, "Calcte the price for this ne and those three pairs of shoes I selected."
The moment the counter assistant heard this, the smile on his face could no longer be suppressed, "Sir, you are really good to your girlfriend. You two must be very loving typically..."
Listening to the assistant refer to Fang Xun as his girlfriend, Gu Heng didn¡¯t bother to correct him and just gave a faint smile.
Now realizing what was happening, Fang Xun looked up, her eyes filled with disbelief as she gazed at Gu Heng¡¯s profile...
She wasn¡¯t foolish; she clearly understood that Gu Heng most likely intended to give her the ne. Pretending otherwise would just be silly.
What surprised her was why Gu Heng decided to buy this ne for her...
But as her mood slightly settled, seeing Gu Heng not contradicting the assistant¡¯s assertion that she was his girlfriend, her heart filled with an indescribable joy...
.....
A few minutester, the assistant packed the three pairs of shoes and the ne and handed them over to Gu Heng.
But in the next second, Gu Heng quite naturally handed all the shoes to Fang Xun and after paying, picked a few easy-to-carry clothes and walked straight out of the store...
As for Fang Xun...
Though she was burdened more heavily, she looked much more livelypared to before, her arms filled with several bags as she hurriedly followed him out...
The two assistants exchanged a nce.
"Everyone else has the boyfriend carry the girlfriend¡¯s bags, but it¡¯s totally reversed with these two, that woman seems too servile, doesn¡¯t she?"
Hearing this, the counter assistant sneered condescendingly at her colleague, "Servile?"
Sister, have you been brainwashed by those pure love novels in women¡¯s channels? Thinking that all men in the world are in love, each one willing to die for their beloved?
Wake up!
That¡¯s not my boyfriend. If it were my boyfriend, he would buy me a ne worth over twenty thousand without even blinking or asking the price. Let alone carrying a bag or fetching shoes for me, I would be willing to take sses to learn any position he wants!
"..."
...
...
After carefully cing the luxury goods worth millions into the trunk, Fang Xun headed towards the driver¡¯s seat.
But just as she got to the driver¡¯s seat, she saw that Gu Heng had already taken a seat there.
"I¡¯ll drive on the way back, you must be tired from the trip."
Seeing Gu Heng being so considerate, a sweet feeling rose from the bottom of her heart, and she obediently took the passenger seat...
After getting into the car, Gu Heng didn¡¯t beat around the bush and immediately ced the ne they had just bought on her legs, "This is for you."
Although she had guessed that the ne was meant for her, when this scene actually unfolded before her eyes, Fang Xun couldn¡¯t help but feel excited, gently opening the petite gift box, watching the sparkling diamond on the pendant.
She didn¡¯t refuse, but instead turned her head to look into Gu Heng¡¯s eyes, "This ne costs over twenty thousand, why give me such an expensive gift?"
"Didn¡¯t I mention yesterday? If you please me, there¡¯s a reward. Consider this your reward."
Gu Heng really wanted to say he wanted to get physically close, considering it a down payment, but the words changed as they reached his lips...
Not even a dog would believe this excuse, let alone Fang Xun. How rich must one be to casually reward a room manager he¡¯d met just two days ago with a ne worth over twenty thousand? Even having a mine wouldn¡¯t justify such extravagance, right?
"Besides the reward, there¡¯s no other reason?"
Their gazes locked for a few seconds as Gu Heng lightly smiled...
Suddenly bing enlightened...
Even Fang Xun, this woman, could straightforwardly bring up the issue, so why should he, the initiator, be timid? What kind of behavior is that?
With this thought, Gu Heng no longer hid his thoughts and said directly, "Exactly as you¡¯re thinking, if you feel it¡¯s not enough, there will be more afterwards."
"..."
As his words fell, the car suddenly became silent...
It was Gu Heng¡¯s first time considering paying a woman to spread her legs and he felt somewhat uneasy...
If she rejected him, would it be really embarrassing?
But soon, Fang Xun responded. Though it was unclear whether it was genuine or pretense, she said somewhat shyly, "But I haven¡¯t broken up with my boyfriend yet..."
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng immediately assured her with a smile, "Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t affect your rtionship with your boyfriend."
But as soon as he finished speaking, Fang Xun¡¯s face, previously shy, now suddenly widened her eyes...
What did he mean by not affecting her rtionship with her boyfriend? What kind of audacious words were these?
She thought Gu Heng wanted her to dump her boyfriend and be his girlfriend. She initially intended to maintain some dignity, not allowing him to think she was that kind of easy woman, but after hearing Gu Heng¡¯s response, it seemed she had misunderstood his intentions¡ªhe only wanted a fling?
And from Fang Xun¡¯s expression, Gu Heng could guess she had misunderstood him...
The air suddenly turned quiet...
...
Family, I¡¯m speechless... I just wanted to pay for a one-time close encounter with her, but this woman wants to be my girlfriend...
Me lusting for just one moment, and she¡¯s too harsh¡ªlusting for a lifetime...
Chapter 52 - 51: Having Money Feels So Good
After a while...
The quietness inside the car was broken by Fang Xun.
Holding back her reluctance, Fang Xun returned the Gi ne, worth over twenty thousand yuan, to Gu Heng...
"I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Gu, you might have misunderstood me, I¡¯m not the kind of person you think I am."
Listening to her, Gu Heng wanted tough, but he ultimately held it back, knowing very well that if he let out that scoff, their discussion might truly fall apart...
And now...
Gu Heng was quite sure she was trying to maintain her dignity...
If she really were the kind of woman who adhered to her bottom lines, she would have thrown the ne in his face and left unceremoniously...
Unfortunately, she did not do that.
She even appeared more eager than he was, unable to wait to hear why he had given her the ne...
Thinking this, Gu Heng opened the gift box, gently picked up the ne with his index finger, and then slightly twirled his fingertip, making the costly ne that Fang Xun had hesitated for a long time to not buy circle around his finger like a cheap toy for children...
"You might not want the ne, but I want to know what misunderstanding you think I have about you. Can you exin it to me?"
Watching Gu Heng¡¯s calm and indifferent face, Fang Xun felt a tingling in her teeth and couldn¡¯t help but bite down hard on her back teeth and said, "Maybe I indeed can¡¯tpare to your wealth, but I have my dignity and my principles. Don¡¯t you think your actions are an insult to me?"
"Is that so?"
Gu Heng didn¡¯t answer but asked in return.
"Isn¡¯t it so?"
With a slight shrug, Gu Heng¡¯s expression remained indifferent.
"Then it depends on how you interpret it; if you think it¡¯s an insult, then indeed it is an insult.
But are you angry because you think I¡¯m using money to insult you? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case."
Watching Fang Xun¡¯s lips quiver, seemingly wanting to object, Gu Heng did not give her a chance to continue and said, "I think... you¡¯re not angry because I¡¯m insulting you, but because you feel the price tag I¡¯ve set isn¡¯t enough, right?"
"Don¡¯t rush to object me, I¡¯vee across simr situations before."
"I¡¯m not afraid to tell you, it was probably three years ago, I used to deliver takeout for a while.
Once, I delivered a meal to a customer, and he asked me to throw out his trash, but I refused. Then he immediately left aint on the order, iming I had a bad attitude.
That day I was fined 150 yuan, roughly half a day¡¯s wages for me.
Latter, I appealed over that 150 yuan for several days and, in the end, the customer canceled theint, not only was the fine cancelled, but I also received 100 yuan aspensation from that customer.
Before the fines were reversed, I thought about that matter every day, fuming, feeling like both the tform and that customer had trampled on my dignity. But after getting that one hundred yuan, I no longer held any resentment towards that customer, do you think this is somewhat simr to what I¡¯m doing now?"
Fang Xun found it hard to believe Gu Heng¡¯s words; a young man in his twenties driving a Bentley and iming he had delivered takeout, who would believe that? Yet she couldn¡¯t help but frown and said, "How is that simr?"
"Of course, it¡¯s quite simr; you think I¡¯m insulting you because you feel a mere ne worth twenty thousand isn¡¯t enough to buy your dignity, right?
But what if the condition I offered made you my girlfriend, andter I gave you ten, a hundred nes each worth twenty thousand? Would you still feel insulted?"
Fang Xun¡¯s expression froze upon hearing this, suddenly unsure of how to respond...
Because Gu Heng¡¯s words had struck a chord deep inside her.
When Gu Heng first ced the ne box on hisp, Jingjing had already mentally prepared herself; as soon as Gu Heng asked her to be his girlfriend, she would have kicked her own boyfriend to the curb without a second thought...
Observing her conflicted expression, Gu Heng smiled, rolled down the window, took out a cigarette, and lit it slowly.
"You see, I wasn¡¯t wrong, was I? Wouldn¡¯t you feel there¡¯s no insult if I made such an offer?
Now, think back carefully about the story I just told you. Don¡¯t you feel that the current you and the past me are very simr? The only difference is that your so-called dignity is more expensive now; back then, my dignity was only worth a hundred yuan."
As Gu Heng¡¯s words trailed off, the car fell silent again...
Gu Heng was in no rush for Fang Xun to respond, simply smoking his cigarette quietly...
He was genuinely one of the lowest ss, and if not for the system, he would still be struggling at the bottom of society.
It was precisely because of this that he understood the thought process of the lowly people the best. In many cases, dignity is really the least valuable thing to ordinary people.
Even if some persisted with unyielding self-improvement and upward striving, hysterically maintaining their own self-respect, what of it?
Those who have self-respect and self-love perhaps deserve admiration, but the reality is as long as they don¡¯t rise above, their dignity still isn¡¯t worth much, even if they treasure it dearly. In the eyes of others, it¡¯s still worthless.
If Fang Xun was one of those self-respecting and loving individuals, Gu Heng would definitely not have acted this way, because he had been caught in the rain himself and knew how unpleasant it felt.
Although his magnanimity wasn¡¯t great enough to shelter others with an umbre, he wasn¡¯t the kind of person who, having been wet himself, would tear others¡¯ umbres apart.
But unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t one of them; she was like himself¨Ca person whose dignity could be explicitly priced and sold...
...
...
A cigarette burned out.
Gu Heng spoke again, but this time, he had lost his previous patience.
"This ne, plus fifty thousand yuan, for you to be my girlfriend for one day. After one day, I will leave Wuzhen, and we can break up amicably."
It all adds up to seventy thousand already; shouldn¡¯t that be enough?
For his former self, seventy thousand yuan could have bought half his life...
Hearing this, Fang Xun didn¡¯t respond. Gu Heng smiled slightly, didn¡¯t say more, and took out his cellphone, opened the WeChat transfer page, and input the figure of fifty thousand.
"No need to rush your response. The WeChat transfer has a 24-hour limit, and that¡¯s the time for you to think it over. If this transfer is returned to me after 24 hours, I¡¯ll take it as your refusal."
After finishing, he nced at the neckace he had held until it was somewhat warm, leaned toward the passenger seat, and gently draped the neckace around her neck.
"As for this ne, whether you agree or not, consider it a gift from me for our acquaintance."
Having said that, Gu Heng no longer observed her reaction, stuffed the phone in his pocket, started the ignition, and slowly started the car...
As the Bentley Flying Spur drove out of the shopping center¡¯s open-air parking lot, Fang Xun slowly picked up her phone and gently tapped to confirm receipt of the transfer...
"Ding Dong."
The notification sound from WeChat emerged from Gu Heng¡¯s pocket, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile...
The feeling of having money is really good...
"The boy destined to y the dragon will eventually be the dragon. The host has taken his first step as a scumbag, indulgence sessful, reward: 660,000. Bnce: 12.66 million."
Chapter 53 - 52: Pulling out a tooth, it’s a bit painful
Half an hourter.
The Bentley Flying Spur drove back into the Al Hotel.
After handing over the car keys to the doorman, Gu Heng leisurely stretched and told Fang Xun, who had just stepped out of the passenger side, "I¡¯m heading back to my room first. Bring the therapy tools to the therapy roomter. I didn¡¯t get a chance to do itst night, so I¡¯ll make up for it today."
Without waiting for her response, Gu Heng, hands in pockets, walked towards the living quarters under the envious gaze of the doorman.
Meanwhile, Fang Xun knew all too well what was going to happen in the therapy room soon...
She touched the pendant on her chest...
Having already epted Gu Heng¡¯s confession gift and 50,000 yuan, she was now his short-term girlfriend...
As a girlfriend, of course, she had to fulfill her girlfriend duties...
Legitimate and legal...
......
......
In the therapy room...
The 24-hour continuous electronic aromatherapy gave the small room a touch of fresh and elegant charm...
An ancient-style screen plus peep-proof ss and an artificialke outside the door created an atmosphere of tranquility and peace...
Having changed into the therapy-specificrge shorts, Gu Hengy shirtless on the therapy bed, browsing TikTok, quietly waiting for Fang Xun¡¯s arrival...
"Creak"...
The therapy room door was pushed open, followed by the sound of footstepsing closer...
Without looking up, Gu Heng continued watching a dancing influencer on TikTok and softly said, "Just put the stuff down and rest for a bit."
"Hmm..."
Fang Xun¡¯s voice was very gentle...
So gentle that the background music on Gu Heng¡¯s phone could easily drown out her voice...
Bing somewhat puzzled, Gu Heng looked up, and his gaze lingered...
Compared to the unattainable TikTok influencers, the Fang Xun in front of him was ten times more alluring...
Perhaps understanding Gu Heng¡¯s preferences, she had changed back into her ck professional suit and the tight-fitting skirt that enveloped her shapely legs in ck stockings.
Isn¡¯t this real-life professional Cos y better than TikTok?
Originally, Gu Heng had nned to let her rest a bit, but now it seemed she was fully prepared. Why rest at all now?
With that thought, Gu Heng straightforwardly said, "Don¡¯t bother resting now, start by applying some essential oil and give me a back massage."
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s instructions, Fang Xun showed not the slightest resistance but actually seemed rather pleased...
Why was Gu Heng so eager?
Wasn¡¯t it because she was charming?
On the way back just now, she had thought it through...
Setting aside the high price Gu Heng had offered, much more than her quarterly sry, what was more important was...
After what happened between them, even if there was no emotional foundation, there was some physical foundation, right?
With this connection, if she pushed a little more, she might transition from a short-term contract girlfriend to an official girlfriend...
When a smart woman knows exactly what she wants, her actions fully reflect that understanding, and Fang Xun was such a woman...
...
Just as Fang Xun was approaching with the essential oil and Gu Heng was preparing to close his eyes and enjoy the therapy, an annoying phone call came in...
Seeing the caller ID on the phone, Fang Xun couldn¡¯t help but frown and decisively rejected the call.
But before she could put down the phone, it rang again...
Just as Fang Xun was about to reject the call again and turn off the phone, Gu Heng said, "Go ahead and take it if it¡¯s important. I¡¯m not in a rush here."
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Fang Xun hesitated for two seconds but still chose to answer the call...
On the other end of the phone, a voice that sounded honest and excited spoke up, "Xun, these past days I¡¯ve discussed with my family. My parents are nning to sell our old house in the hometown, which could probably fetch 300,000 yuan. Together with what we¡¯ve saved up over the years, we should be able to scrape together a down payment of 1.2 million yuan."
The therapy room was very quiet.
So quiet that even though she hadn¡¯t turned on the speakerphone, Gu Heng could clearly hear the voice on the other end...
If he wasn¡¯t mistaken...
That would likely be the "already broken-up" boyfriend Fang Xun mentioned...
Not earlier norter, the call had toe at this time, instantly igniting Gu Heng¡¯s sense of taboo and curiosity, making him inadvertently perk up his ears to listen...
And Fang Xun...
Hearing the excited voice of her boyfriend on the phone, she didn¡¯t know why, but suddenly felt a sense of nausea...
If this had been shared early in their rtionship, she might have felt genuinely happy, but now, there was no such feeling in her heart, just standing quietly by the therapy bed...
"Xun, are you listening?"
"Hey, little Xun!"
Listening to the continuous calling on the other side of the phone, Fang Xun frowned and took a deep breath, "Ji Zhong, tell your parents not to sell the house. Keep it for their retirement. They¡¯ve worked hard all their lives, and it¡¯s not worth it to have to sell their house andnd just so their son can get married.
We¡¯re not getting married anymore."
"???"
"What do you mean by that?"
"It means exactly what it says, we¡¯re not getting married, let¡¯s break up."
The tone was calm yet resolute.
Having said that, without waiting for any response, she hung up immediately, then turned off her phone, with the actions flowing smoothly...
Gu Heng, who was still keen on gossiping, couldn¡¯t help but open his eyes, "Why suddenly decide to break up?"
All of a sudden, the burst damage buff was gone...
"Why not break up? Keep it for the New Year?"
Fang Xun¡¯s tone revealed a chilliness she had never shown to Gu Heng before...
"Didn¡¯t you say you started dating him since college? That should be quite a few years, right? To break up so abruptly?"
"A few years? To be precise, it would be 6 years and 8 months."
Listening to Fang Xun recount the duration of 6 years and 8 months in a detached tone, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue...
Wow, nearly seven years and to just break it off like that, without dragging it out, that woman is really heartless...
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s expression, Fang Xun chuckled, looking into his eyes, "Do you think I¡¯m too heartless?"
Gu Heng didn¡¯t speak, but his silence gave away his answer.
"Actually, I had been thinking of breaking up for two or three years now, but just like I mentioned earlier, we¡¯ve been together for so long, it was hard to let go, so we kept dragging it out until now.
This time, I decided to break up more because I was provoked by you."
Gu Heng: "???"
How could she suddenly me me? I had no intention of ruining their rtionship!
Better to dismantle ten temples than to destroy one marriage...
Am I really such a beast now?
Fang Xun continued explicitly: "Over these years, my friends and close girls have gotten married one after another, and those who aren¡¯t married live lives a hundred times better than mine.
Moreover, most of them don¡¯t have the abilities and ie that I do.
Some of them earn just a few thousand a month, but they unt designer bags and luxury goods on social media. Sometimes I wonder, am I worse than them? Why should I live such a hard life? All the money I earn is saved up, considering marriage, buying a house, and a series of nerve-wracking things...
It wasn¡¯t until today, when I received your 50,000 yuan, that I fully understood.
Why should I be a good woman? What did being a good woman, seen as considerate and sensible by others, get me?
Aside from making me unable to afford clothes, jewelry, and bags that I like, it got me nothing.
I used to live in the eyes of others, but now I want to live for myself, even if others are superficially polite to me and call me a bitch behind my back, I no longer care.
I only care about whether my future life can be morefortable."
Listening to her words...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t know how to respond for a moment...
Fang Xun said it was because he had provoked her, and he couldn¡¯t deny it...
But in fact, the seeds had already taken root in her heart, his interference was merely watering them...
Even without him, Fang Xun would have soon found a reason to convince herself...
But he still felt somewhat upset...
Isn¡¯t it said that the two greatest joys of a man are to corrupt the virtuous and to persuade harlots to turn virtuous?
If he hadpleted one of these, why did he still feel so miserable?
Thinking this, Gu Heng turned over and after some contemtion, gently spoke, "I can¡¯t promise more, but if you agree, from now on I will give you 50,000 yuan every month, and you only need to fulfill the girlfriend duties asionally.
Of course, just duties, definitely no girlfriend privileges."
Originally, he had only nned to be her boyfriend for one day and then make a clean break, but now if he didn¡¯t do something to redeem his fall...
Chapter 54 - 53 Mindset Shift
A warm, sweet, and sticky day passed quickly...
The next afternoon.
Gu Heng stood at the front desk of the Al Hotel, ready to settle all other charges besides the room fee for these three days.
Fang Xun stood behind Gu Heng, hands on her waist, as gentle as when she first met him three days ago, showing no signs of clinging to him despite their close physical encounter...
The subsequent charges were nothing more than red wine, themb from the other day, and a box of six Durex...
In total, it was just a few thousand yuan.
"Mr. Gu, you have been automatically upgraded to our Al Hotel¡¯s tinum member, and this membership is shared with other hotel brands under the Hyatt Group. In the future, wherever you stay at any hotel under the Hyatt Group, you will enjoy the prestigious benefits of a tinum member.
On behalf of all the staff at Al Hotel, I wish you a smooth journey ahead."
As the front deskdy offered her respectful farewell, Gu Heng took his car keys and walked out of the hotel...
The imperial blue Bentley Flying Spur glistened in the sunlight, reflecting rays of luxury. The doorman stood with his hands crossed over his thighs, bowed slightly, and respectfully said upon seeing Gu Heng, "Mr. Gu, we¡¯ve cleaned your car for you."
Gu Heng nced at the doorman and nodded at him kindly.
Then, as if remembering something, he gestured for the doorman to leave, and turned to the always silent Fang Xun following behind him, "The offer I made yesterday still stands, fifty thousand a month, which should be much morefortable than working hard here as a housekeeper, right?"
Fang Xun smiled lightly after hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words.
She stepped forward, gently raised her head, and carefully straightened Gu Heng¡¯s cor as if she were a virtuous wife...
"Fifty thousand is a lot, but what I want isn¡¯t just that."
At her words, Gu Heng¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly...
Although as a mongrel he didn¡¯t know how much those tycoons pay their contract girlfriends, fifty thousand a month should be pretty high, right? Wasn¡¯t that enough?
Fang Xun was intelligent. Seeing his furrowed brows, she already guessed what he was thinking and continued, "Money is just one of my standards for my future life, but I¡¯m greedy, I want more than just money, you know?"
"What else do you want?"
"I also want love, can you give it to me?"
Gu Heng: "..."
What the hell is love? How could he, a man aspiring to be a scoundrel, give her any love?
The suddenly silent Gu Heng had given Fang Xun all the answers she needed, but she didn¡¯t mind at all, her gentle smile still on her face.
"You see, isn¡¯t it true that you also know you can¡¯t give me that?"
"I know you¡¯re very rich, so rich it¡¯s beyond my imagination, but I also know you¡¯re not a good man, you will never devote your heart to a woman, perhaps one day in the future you¡¯ll meet such a woman, but it definitely won¡¯t be me."
"So, rather than wait for the day when you¡¯re done with me and kick me to the curb, I might as well, while I still have some looks, find an average man who can provide for me~
If I can find that man, that would be best, if not, I think my monthly sry of ten to twenty thousand yuan will let me live quitefortably, don¡¯t you think?"
Listening to Fang Xun¡¯s words, Gu Heng swallowed hard, but couldn¡¯t spit out a word for a long time...
Because even he himself wasn¡¯t sure who he really was.
It had only been a few days since the system was activated, right?
He dared to spend fifty thousand yuan a month to make a woman who just longed for a better life his lover...
Who knows, once he gets used to a rich life in the future, how much more outrageous could he be?
So, Fang Xun¡¯s worry that he might one day kick her to the curb may indeed happen...
"Alright then!"
Fang Xunughed freely, patted Gu Heng¡¯s cor, which she had straightened to perfection, and said with a smile, "Don¡¯t think too much, just go back.
Wuzhen is so close to Hang City, maybe when I feel lonely one day, I¡¯lle looking for you to relieve my physical needs, a six-time-a-night man, I¡¯m very satisfied...
Also, I really like the GUCCI ne you gave me..."
After nodding, Gu Heng opened the car door and sat in the driver¡¯s seat.
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
The car door was gently shut, and the Bentley Flying Spur drove off into the distance without a hint of reluctance...
Watching the pale blue body gradually disappear from her view, the smile on Fang Xun¡¯s face finally vanished...
She was acutely aware of what she had missed out on.
She also knew she might regret it.
But hey...
You¡¯ve got to have some principles...
......
......
He drove the car out of the hotel area.
The song "Blue Lotus" was ying randomly inside the car...
The car window was slowly rolled down.
"Nothing can stop your longing for freedom~"
As the familiar lyrics flowed out of the car into the open air...
Pedestrians on the roadside couldn¡¯t help but give Gu Heng, with one hand resting on the window and the other casually steering the wheel, an extra two seconds of their gaze...
Catching the asional envious looks from the people by the road, Gu Heng¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile.
Even though he was sitting down, his back was as straight as the emblem of a Bentley Flying Spur...
Even though he only stayed in Wuzhen for two and a half days, Gu Heng felt that this short time was more exhrating than any other day in his past twenty-something years...
Staying in a vi that cost nearly ten thousand a night, being greeted with respect everywhere he went, and getting a taste of the high life in luxury stores...
Not to mention the two romantic encounters...
One with Lin Ran.
One with Fang Xun.
And both times left him feeling great.
With Lin Ran, although it was a bit like being used as a tool, upon closer thought, being a tool for a top executive of a leading capital firm isn¡¯t all bad, right? Being a beneficiary in that situation isn¡¯t too shabby.
After all, the old him couldn¡¯t even dream of sleeping with such a high-level woman, let alone getting to know her was a luxury...
This move, ah, this move is what they call jumping over the dragon gate!
As for Fang Xun, the experience was even better.
It was aplete sense of conquest.
Using money to willingly get a beauty to please you in all sorts of ways, isn¡¯t that the ultimate feeling of conquest?
Others may not know, but Gu Heng had always fantasized that once he had money, he had to try this approach.
Who says you can¡¯t buy love with money?
Those who say love can¡¯t be bought just don¡¯t have enough money. In short, they need more money!
In the span of two and a half days, Gu Heng spent over a million, but this amount was like tuition fees, enabling him to experience a change in mindset... It let him see the benefits of money and how joyful it is to be wealthy...
All that past self-encouragement about "a future full of potential" was false.
But now...
These four words had be deeply embedded in his life.
His main narrative was a future full of potential, indulging in the privileges to the fullest...
Chapter 55 - 54: The Name of This Room Must Be a Bit Against the Rules
When the Bentley Flying Spur came off the highway and re-entered the boundaries of Hang City, Gu Heng felt a bit lost...
He didn¡¯t know where to go...
Back to the rental room?
Stop kidding...
After having slept a few nights in a vi that costs nearly ten thousand a night, who would return to a tiny rental shack of just 30 square meters with an added toilet?
Of course, he could sleep there, butpared to a vi suite, his own rental seemed no different from a dog kennel, and holding over ten million in his hand, he could definitely buy a mansion-level home in Hang City, right?
He didn¡¯t expect a vi just yet, getting arge t was certainly no problem.
Clothing, food, housing, and transportation ¨C these four words have always been the basic essentials in the hearts of Chinese people.
Previously, Gu Heng¡¯s greatest dream was to own his ownrge house of over one hundred square meters back in his hometown¡¯s city area. Now, turning that dream into reality, let alone a hundred meters in a third-tier city, even arge t in a top-tier city like Hang City was easily achievable for him, so of course, he nned to treat himself.
But buying a house was definitely not something to rush, it wasn¡¯t something that could be settled in a day or two...
Thinking about this, Gu Heng let the GPS randomly pick a star-rated hotel for him, and he headed toward the route it set with his foot on the gas.
Although he wasn¡¯t buying a house just yet, he was definitely not going back to the rental room.
He used to live in a cramped rental because his means were limited, and he had no other choice.
Now that he clearly had the capacity to live morefortably andvishly, it would be foolish to still seek hardship; that wasn¡¯t being low-profile, that was being senseless...
....
....
A few minutester.
Gu Heng followed the GPS to the Hangcheng Park Hyatt Hotel.
Initially, the GPS had suggested hotels like the Amanfayun Hotel and the Banyan Tree Hotel, all traditional Jiangnan water town style like the Al Hotel, which Gu Heng nced at and knew...
It¡¯s not that they were bad, but always staying in those tranquility-cultivating, serene hotels, he feared he would lose all his passions, so this time he chose a modern business hotel to experience something new...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t understand the differences between hotels; anyway, they were all five-star, and logically, they shouldn¡¯t be too far off from each other, right?
He parked the car at the hotel¡¯s open-air parking spot, and walked in amid the gentle and pleasant wees of "Wee" from the reception.
Compared to the quiet elegance of the Al Hotel, Park Hyatt Hotel was evidently much more urbanized, which made Gu Heng feel like he had suddenly returned from a hermit-like state to the realm of worldly life...
There were three receptionists at the front desk. Two were attending to other guests, so Gu Heng approached the only idle receptionist with a smile, "Hello, I¡¯d like a room, please."
Saying this, he handed over his ID.
The receptionist respectfully took the ID, her face bearing a professional smile as she softly asked, "Sir, which room would you like to book? The avable rooms are disyed on the LCD screen behind me."
Hearing this, Gu Heng looked up at the LCD screen disying the remaining rooms...
Standard rooms and the like were instantly ignored by him; his eyes briefly swept over the suites before he said, "I¡¯ll take an executive suite, please."
"Alright, sir. The price for an executive suite is 2299 yuan per night. How many nights would you like to book?"
Gu Heng pondered for a moment, then said, "Start with two nights, I¡¯ll extend if I decide to stay longer."
"Very well, please wait a moment."
Gu Heng nodded, looking around idly, and noticing some fancy candies ced nearby, he casually picked one up, unwrapped it, and popped it in his mouth...
And they were quite good.
Such fancy packaging too, these would probably sell for fifty cents each outside, wouldn¡¯t they?
Total steal.
Just as Gu Heng was listlessly waiting, the pleasant voice of the receptionist suddenly rang out.
"Mr. Gu, after inputting your ID, we detected you are a tinum member of the Hyatt Group, and you¡¯re entitled to a 9.8% discount.
Additionally, due to a current hotel promotion, tinum members or higher can enjoy a discounted upgrade. We currently have two presidential suites avable. Would you like to upgrade?"
As thedy finished speaking, the other two groups of guests checking in couldn¡¯t help but turn their heads this way.
Gu Heng didn¡¯t notice the changes around him and blinked innocently after listening to what the front deskdy had said.
What the heck is a ¡¯Chairman Suite¡¯?
He was clueless, only having heard of presidential suites, but this was the first time he¡¯d heard of something called a Chairman Suite.
Isn¡¯t that name a bit off the rules?
But he only said that to himself, realizing even in his naivety that the so-called Chairman Suite must surely be the equivalent of other hotels¡¯ most luxurious presidential suites, much like the vi suite he had stayed in at the Al Hotel.
Thinking about this, Gu Heng nodded and then asked, "What is the price per night for this... Chairman Suite?"
"The regr price is 8,999 yuan per night, and it includes free spa therapy, a private gym, an indoor swimming pool, chef¡¯s cuisine, and a range of other services. However, as you are our valued tinum member of the group, you only need to pay an additional 5,800 yuan per night after the upgrade. With the discount, you would save about 1,000 yuan per night,"
The front deskdy quickly filled in Gu Heng with the details.
"Alright then, go ahead and upgrade me,"
Gu Heng didn¡¯t show any change in expression.
An additional 5,800 yuan a night, making about 8,000 yuan in total, didn¡¯t seem very expensive, considering those marketing guys online always talk about presidential suites costing tens or hundreds of thousands per night...
Now that I see it, they must be taking advantage of the naive who haven¡¯t seen the world much, right?
However... not everything could be fake, perhaps there really were hotels where the presidential suite cost tens or hundreds of thousands for a night...
But! We must always experiment first! Only through practice do we have the right to speak!
Relying solely on those marketing gimmicks would sooner orter lead one to be swindled...
.....
A minute and a bitter, the front deskdy finalized all the check-in procedures, looked up with a smile, and said, "Sir, the Chairman Suite for two nights has been prepared for you, totaling 15,870 yuan after the discount."
Gu Heng didn¡¯t dawdle, immediately waving his payment code over the scanner.
After a beep, the payment seeded screen appeared on his phone.
"Thank you, Mr. Gu, for staying with us at Park Hyatt Hotel. We hope you will be satisfied with our services during your stay," the man said.
A middle-aged man in a suit, who had appeared beside Gu Heng at some point, repeated the thank-you message after the front deskdy had finished speaking and then introduced himself, "Hello Mr. Gu, myst name is Chen, I am the room manager at Park Hyatt, and I can take you to your room now if you wish."
There weren¡¯t any grand gestures.
Yet the few words from the front deskdy and the room manager had drawn the attention of those around, and nces quickly swept over Gu Heng.
Although peoplee to hotels to get a room, staying in a Chairman Suite isn¡¯t something astonishing. But you can¡¯t help human nature¡¯s love forparisons; someone staying in a standard room for a few hundred a night seeing others in a Chairman Suite for thousands to tens of thousands can¡¯t help but feel a bit envious.
Feeling the covert nces of those around him, Gu Heng¡¯s vanity was slightly satisfied, and he nodded nonchntly.
"Alright, let¡¯s go see what the room is like,"
Having said that, he walked towards the elevator under the guidance of the room manager...
....
....
A few minutester, the room manager carefully opened the door to the so-called Chairman Suite for Gu Heng, who nced around.
He couldn¡¯t help but mutter softly, "No wonder it¡¯s only eight thousand a night, it really is somewhatcking."
Room Manager: "???"
Listened to Gu Heng¡¯s muttering, the room manager could only awkwardly smile beside him...
Compared to the presidential suites at five-star hotels Gu Heng had seen online, the Chairman Suite at Park Hyatt could only be considered decent. Aside from its top-floor scenic view advantage, the d¨¦cor was a bit shabbier than Al¡¯s vi suite...
With a price of 8,000 per night, probably 6,000 of that went into the extra services...
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Chapter 56 - 55 Zhang Gao Ge, have you been breached?
The room manager, following protocol, first showed Gu Heng around the presidential suite and introduced him to the facilities within the room.
Once the room manager had left, Gu Heng stretched outfortably, then stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the city that had made him struggle for so long¡
As night fell, the neon lights around Qiantang River became dazzlingly brilliant¡
Seeing this scene, Gu Heng didn¡¯t feel very sentimental. Instead, he pulled out his phone and quickly snapped a photo of the view outside the window, followed by a few casual shots of the room¡¯s facilities.
"I never realized the beauty of Hang City before, probably because I wasn¡¯t standing high enough."
Done editing the caption, he clicked to share it on his Moments...
That felt good...
He hadn¡¯t evolved into one of those tycoons yet; he was simply enjoying luxury as a personal indulgence...
For him, enjoyment was only part of the equation.
Staying in a hotel that costs 8000 a night, if you don¡¯t show off your wealth or put on airs, what¡¯s the difference from not staying at all?
Perhaps it was because he had been showing off a bit too much these days that his Moments update received a quick response...
Fengzi: "Stop posting stolen pics to show off all the damn time, hurry up and roll back here."
First Blood Raider (first love): "You¡¯ve be more childish than before. At least the old you wouldn¡¯t do such low-level stuff..."
Mom: "Son, have you changed jobs again? Cleaning windows so high up is too dangerous, just stop it. If you don¡¯t have money, tell me, I¡¯ll get your dad to transfer some to you."
These people, who knew him best, wouldn¡¯t even consider for a moment that someone as mediocre as them in their eyes could suddenly transform into someone they envied...
Even his own Mom, while not thinking he was using stolen pics to put on airs, couldn¡¯t associate him with such a luxurious room and just assumed he¡¯d switched to a window cleaning job...
Watchingment afterment pop up in his Moments, Gu Hengughed it off, then turned off his phone screen and flopped down onto the soft couch...
He had no intention of proving himself...
That would be too low-level...
Showing up in front of them just like this, he wouldn¡¯t need to say anything; the truth would prove everything for Gu Heng, no matter how hard they found it to ept...
Is it vulgar?
Perhaps a bit.
But isn¡¯t life all about saving face?
Or to put it another way, "It¡¯s like walking in brocade clothing at night without being rich enough to return home." Doesn¡¯t that sound more high-ss?
.....
Before Gu Heng could close his eyes and rest for a bit, the phone rang. Choosing to answer with his eyes still closed, a pleasant and familiar voice came through.
"Brother Gu, are you back in Hang City?"
"???"
"Why are you silent all of a sudden, Brother Gu? Did I break your facade?"
Listening to Lin Jiayun¡¯s bell-likeughter, Gu Heng suppressed the urge to hang up and said, "If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going to hang up."
"No, wait! I saw your Moments post and wanted to ask if you¡¯re back in Hang City. Brother Gu, you wouldn¡¯t be so petty, would you~ You didn¡¯t get upset over a little joke, did you~"
"Red exmation mark warning."
"Alright alright, just tell me if you¡¯ve reallye back to Hang City?"
Finding a morefortable position to lie in, Gu Heng hummed into the phone.
"Send me your location; Jingjing and I just got off work and have nowhere to go. We cane hang out at your ce for a bit."
After hearing Lin Jiayun¡¯s words, Gu Heng, who had been squinting, slowly opened his eyes...
In such arge room, it would indeed be a bit dull without some beautiful women to add to the ambiance.
"Okay, I¡¯ll send you the location and room number on WeChat."
After saying that, he didn¡¯t hesitate to hang up the phone and sent the location and room number to Lin Jiayun via WeChat.
To ensure that the awkwardness fromst time they had hot pot wouldn¡¯t happen again, Gu Heng called the front desk with thendline, reiterating his request until he felt reassured and went into the bathroom...
.....
.....
20 minutester.
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Wrapped in a bath towel, Gu Heng had juste out of the bathroom when he heard a knock on the door.
"Come in."
With a click, the door was pushed open.
It was still that Manager Chen.
"Mr. Gu, your friends have been brought up."
Before he could finish, Lin Jiayun barged in, looking curiously around the room and bumping Gu Heng¡¯s arm, "I knew there was something odd about the room number you sent me, 1111. Turns out, it¡¯s the presidential suite."
In contrast to Lin Jiayun¡¯s boisterous manner, He Jing was much more reserved, thanking the manager before stepping into the room.
Seeing that both women had entered, Manager Chen stole an envious nce at Gu Heng and then quietly closed the door...
He had seen many men bringdies to the presidential suite, but to bring two at once, and both so beautiful, was quite rare...
As Manager Chen left, Lin Jiayun became even more uninhibited, taking off her coat and jumping onto the sofa to beckon He Jing, "Jingjing,e take some photos for me, I¡¯ve got material to post on Weibo tomorrow~"
Gu Heng originally wanted to ask He Jing about buying a house.
After all, in Hang City, the person most keen on buying houses was this woman right before him...
But seeing He Jing already taking out her phone, ready to take photos for Lin Jiayun, he swallowed his question, then went to the fridge, grabbed a drink covered in English letters, and leaned against the fridge door to enjoy the show.
As a professional influencer, He Jing¡¯s photography skills were doubtless...
In only a few minutes, she took a dozen photos...
Watching the two chatter away, the bored Gu Heng also propped up his legs andy back on the sofa to scroll through TikTok...
But before he could finish even one video, Lin Jiayun copsed next to him, bringing with her a waft of perfume.
"Gu Heng, help me pick one to post on Weibo tomorrow."
Gu Heng took a sip of his drink, nced over, and randomly pointed to one, "This one will do."
Although she knew Gu Heng was just humoring her, Lin Jiayun was still pleased.
"Right? I also think this one is nice! You have good taste!"
After saying that, she patted Gu Heng on the shoulder with a look of satisfaction and continued, "In honor of your good taste, Sister Jia will treat you to dinner today!"
Saying so, she stood up, handed her phone back to He Jing, and took out her own phone to open a food delivery app. Just as she was about to order, she seemed to remember something, looked around jokingly, and said, "This is my first time ordering takeout in a presidential suite. Mr. Gu wouldn¡¯t mind, right?"
Seeing her like this, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and stood up, saying, "I¡¯ve be too fussy; I can¡¯t enjoy takeout anymore. Let¡¯s just eat at the restaurant downstairs."
When He Jing heard this, she recalled the incident a few days ago where they had spent 170,000 yuan on a hot pot meal and quickly interjected, "Just let Jiajia order some takeout for a casual meal. There¡¯s no need to go to a restaurant."
She and Lin Jiayun were different...
Lin Jiayun could ept Gu Heng¡¯s generosity without guilt, but she couldn¡¯t. She always felt like she was getting something for nothing, and if it happened a few more times, she feared she might never be able to repay him...
But Gu Heng didn¡¯t pay attention to her protest and walked towards the clothes rack, saying as he went, "The manager told me the presidential suitees with a 3,000 yuan dining credit that gets refreshed the next day. Why waste it?
Should I let the hotel profit 3,000 yuan off me for nothing?"
Chapter 57 - 56: Some Dine in Fancy Restaurants, Others Grab a Quick Meal Downstairs
All the other clothes were left in the trunk of the car and not taken out.
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With no other options, Gu Heng had to make do, wearing no undershirt but a short-sleeve tee under his coat, as he turned to the two of them and said, "Let¡¯s go, time to eat."
Lin Jiayun looked at Gu Heng¡¯s outfit and started to exaggerate her criticism.
"No way, Mr. Gu! You are now a multimillionaire bachelor at the very least. Can you please pay attention to your image? Do you think any girl would approach you like this?"
Listening to her, Gu Heng looked down at his own appearance.
His clothes, casually discarded earlier, now looked wrinkled, and he was wearing a pair of disposable flip-flops provided by the hotel...
He somewhat resembled a cheapndlord from Dongguang...
Although he did feel it was somewhat inappropriate, by nature, he was azy dog and couldn¡¯t be bothered to care too much. It was just dinner, not a matchmaking session. Why dress up so formally?
After all, they¡¯d being straight back after the meal.
"Enough with the fussing. Keep it up and you can stay behind and order takeout yourself.
Besides, with you two standing next to me, how many girls would even have the confidence toe up and flirt with me? They would instantly assume I¡¯m some unrestrained, rich young master out dining with two members of his harem!"
Hearing this, Lin Jiayun didn¡¯t really react.
She actually wanted to be Gu Heng¡¯s girlfriend. Although she didn¡¯t like the term "harem", she could barely ept it.
But He Jing was a more serious girl. She instinctively wanted to argue, but seeing the two already heading out, she could only silently follow...
.....
"Good evening, Mr. Gu."
The hotel staff, upon seeing Gu Heng, promptly greeted him with respect.
Gu Heng also returned a pleasant good evening.
Though he loved to show off, he only did so within a reasonable limit, and never looked down on those in ordinary upations just because he was wealthy. Those kinds of people were just in sick, weren¡¯t they?
But it must be said, the $8000 per night was indeed worth it.
From the room door to the elevator was just a dozen meters, yet three or four duty staff members had already greeted him.
Talk about a mood booster!
"Mr. Gu, which floor would you like to go to?"
"The restaurant."
"Mr. Gu, would you prefer the Western restaurant on the 48th floor or the Chinese restaurant on the 36th floor?"
Upon hearing there were two restaurants, Gu Heng turned to the two women and asked, "Do you want to eat Chinese or Western food?"
"Western!"
Lin Jiayun answered without hesitation, while He Jing seemed indifferent.
"Then let¡¯s go to the Western restaurant."
Once Gu Heng responded, the staff member promptly pressed the elevator button for the 48th floor, the floor designated for the Western restaurant. When the elevator arrived, Gu Heng, Lin Jiayun, and He Jing ceased their idle chatter and stepped inside.
The restaurant floor wasn¡¯t far from the Presidential Suite¡¯s floor; excluding the wait for the elevator, it took just over ten seconds to reach the 48th floor...
When the elevator doors opened, the staff member did not move but slightly bowed, his left hand on his abdomen, and his right hand gesturing forward, "Mr. Gu, the restaurant is this way, please."
Gu Heng watched his smooth, flow-like gestures, feeling like he was watching a TV drama...
Isn¡¯t this exactly how high-end hotel staff behave in TV shows?
Only after Gu Heng and the others had all exited the elevator did the staff member quicken his pace and exit: "Mr. Gu, the Presidential Suite has reserved dining seats during mealtime, should I take you three there?"
"Sure, that would be great, thanks."
"You¡¯re wee, Mr. Gu."
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s gracious demeanor, the staff member rxed a bit.
While the wealthy generally had higher standards nowadays, when the forest is big, all kinds of birds can be found.
Especially for staff in low-level service industries who handled more people, of course, they¡¯de across those ungrateful, hot-tempered customers...
Facing such customers, one can only think of it as bad luck.
Even if scolded by them, they had to endure, especially with high-profile guests like Gu Heng, staying in the Presidential Suite, a singleint could cost him his job.
That¡¯s outrageous but true.
Hotels won¡¯t risk losing any high-quality customers.
But they won¡¯t miss one staff member, who can be easily reced by another, noparison at all.
Even though he felt relieved, the staff member didn¡¯t forget his duty, guiding the way while introducing the restaurant, "Bai Yue¡¤Chao is our Park Hyatt Hotel¡¯s gship restaurant, rated as the ck Pearl Two-Diamond Restaurant for two consecutive years in 2022 and 2023.
The head chef is a Michelin-starred chef from France."
Listening to the staff member¡¯s introduction, Gu Heng was rtively unfazed. After having a $170,000 meal at a ck Pearl Three-Diamond hotpot restaurant, what was there to be excited about a Two-Diamond western restaurant?
Upon entering the restaurant, Gu Heng noticed it was quite lively...
But I guess it makes sense, it¡¯s peak dining hours after all, so it¡¯s normal for there to be more people eating.
However, looking at that group dressed in formal attire,vishly dressed diners, and then at myself, I do feel a bit out of ce...
Half a minuteter, the waiter led Gu Heng to a window table with a view and spoke respectfully again, "Mr. Gu, this is the table we have reserved for you in our hotel.
If you are not satisfied, I will change it for you immediately."
"No need, this ce is quite nice."
"Then Mr. Gu, you and your friends please have a seat, I will go and have the restaurant¡¯s staffe to serve you."
As the waiter walked away, Lin Jiayun who had been holding back all the way finally couldn¡¯t help but speak up, "Well, well, well, this must be the legendary presidential suite-style service, huh? Today I¡¯ve finally seen it, tsk tsk tsk~"
Gu Heng looked at her with a bit of confusion, "You¡¯ve never stayed before?"
Lin Jiayun: "???"
"You saying that is kind of ttering me a bit too much. A night costs tens of thousands easily, I¡¯ve been working my throat sore in live streams to make a bit of hard-earned money, and you think I¡¯de here to splurge?
Do you think my brain got squeezed by a door?"
"..."
She does seem to have a point...
I guess I treat everyone like they¡¯re just like me, as if money just blows in with the wind...
While the three of them were casually chatting, a woman holding a selfie stick nearby, perfectly made up, probably live streaming, spoke from the side: "Babies, looks like the restaurant you rmended has flopped~"
"Didn¡¯t you tell me this restaurant was so ssy? Howe people wearing flip-flops and untidy clothes are also allowed in?
I think it¡¯s really affecting the dining experience. This hotel should give all of us a free meal."
The woman was probably live streaming, speaking not so quietly...
As she spoke, diners at the surrounding tables all looked towards Gu Heng¡¯s side...
Feeling the gazes from around, Gu Heng was taken aback, then exchanged looks with Lin Jiayun and He Jing...
All three felt a bit baffled by the situation...
I just came here to eat, didn¡¯t provoke her, right?
Just then, seeing the waiter he had seen earlier approaching with someone else, Gu Heng stopped Lin Jiayun who was about to stand up to speak for him...
So many people watching, arguing like a street hag would probably be live-streamed instantly; after all, even a social media influencer with millions of followers needs to maintain some dignity...
He then gestured to the waiter, who hurried over and asked, "Mr. Gu, what happened?"
"Does your restaurant have a rule that says no entry for those wearing flip-flops or untidy clothes?"
The waiter had already heard the live streamer¡¯s voice upon approaching and immediately understood Gu Heng¡¯s question, quickly responding, "No, our restaurant treats all customers the same; there¡¯s never been such a rule."
"Then what does she mean?"
After Gu Heng spoke, the waiter understood and said he would be back shortly before running off...
The live streaming influencer kept on babbling, but Gu Heng acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard, still chatting happily with Lin Jiayun and He Jing.
Watching Gu Heng¡¯s demeanor, even Lin Jiayun couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit amazed...
Being a peer, she knew all too well the tricks of that live streaming influencer, merely stirring up some trouble to heat things up in the live stream. Usually, it¡¯s the lesser-known streamers who pull this stunt; big-time influencers wouldn¡¯t dare for fear of bacsh.
But what surprised her was that Gu Heng was so broad-minded?
To be used as a stepping-stone for someone else¡¯s poprity boost, yet still able to keep a light conversation going?
But soon, as the quickly departing waiter returned with a man in a suit, Gu Heng¡¯s demeanor hardened.
"Hello, Mr. Gu, I¡¯m the manager of the restaurant... my name is..."
Gu Heng cut him off, speaking in an even tone, "You must already know what¡¯s going on. I would like to know what Park Hyatt¡¯s resolution for this situation is."
Understanding immediately, the restaurant manager walked over to the live streaming influencer¡¯s table, respectfully saying, "Madam, our restaurant explicitly prohibits live streaming. We hope you can turn off the live stream and not disturb other customers. Otherwise, we reserve the right to ask you to leave our restaurant.
Furthermore, Mr. Gu is staying in our hotel¡¯s Chairman Suite. He just came down for a casual meal, and your remarks have already impacted our quality guests¡¯ dining experience. We hope you can stop your derogatoryments and apologize to Mr. Gu; otherwise, we still have the right to ask you to leave our restaurant."
The restaurant manager¡¯s response was very appropriate, but every word was transmitted through the phone into the live stream...
Suddenly, the wind changed among those who had been mocking Gu Heng.
"Yo, yo, yo, just now you were saying that someone wearing flip-flops doesn¡¯t deserve to eat here? Why stop now? Really makes meugh, an inte beggar mocking someone who stays in the Chairman Suite, that¡¯s really something you don¡¯t see every day. But I still want to ask, what¡¯s the difference between the Chairman Suite and the Presidential Suite?"
"Some people scrimp and save to show off at upscale restaurants, only for someone else toe down for a simple meal. That¡¯s the difference."
As for Gu Heng, he winked at Lin Jiayun.
Did this kind of situation even need his attention?
Had he been reading "How the Wealthy are Made" for nothing all these days?
The highest value of top hotel rooms like the Presidential Suite isn¡¯t the luxury of the room but the premium services that max out your emotional value.
The happiest ce for the wealthy is having these privileges, which mean that sometimes just making a simple gesture is enough for others to handle most troubles within the rules for them.
He was starting to get used to the goodwill the world always directed towards the wealthy.
And he was gradually falling in love with this goodwill.
Chapter 58 - 57: If you don’t have money, being yourself is a luxury
He swallowed thest bite of the A5 grade steak and squinted his eyes with satisfaction.
"You can¡¯t say it enough, the steak at this upscale restaurant is just so much better than the 12-piece set for 99 yuan on TikTok." After saying this, he signaled the waiter to bring him another serving.
He Jing and Lin Jiayun were busy checking in on social media and taking photos, and had just started cutting their steaks. Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s remark, they couldn¡¯t help but roll their eyes.
Lin Jiayun, "What you¡¯re saying is obvious, isn¡¯t it? The price here for a single steak could buy you a month¡¯s worth on TikTok, there¡¯s noparison.
But ordering two servings at once, can you eat all that? A5 Wagyu is quite greasy."
Dipping a cherry tomato in the steak sauce before popping it in his mouth, Gu Heng replied, "It¡¯s greasy, but I can manage to eat it with a bit of effort."
"The synthesized steak I used to eat is likeparing Qiao Biluo with Liu Yan in terms of difference.
While both are lush and oily types, Qiao Biluo is like reimed waste engine oil from discarded tanks, disgustingly greasy; even men who¡¯ve never tasted good pork could only tolerate her once, and a second time would be quite a choke.
But Liu Yan is different, how luscious is Liu Yan?
Even whenpletely dry, you could still squeeze some juice out of an egg.
You understand what I¡¯m saying, right?"
Lin Jiayun: "???"
He Jing: "???"
Why does such a weirdparison kind of make sense?
After hearing this, He Jing shook her head and her gaze lingered on Gu Heng¡¯s face for quite a while as if she was trying to see through him. After a long pause, she finally spoke, "I feel like I¡¯ve met a different Gu Heng in the past two years, ever since you quit your job. It¡¯s like you¡¯ve opened your energy channels. You¡¯re so different from before."
Lin Jiayun eagerly chimed in with gossip.
"What was he like before?"
"Before, he was like a wooden person. After working for two years, aside from a few people, no one in other departments could even recall his name. But the lines he wrote for me were all loaded with flirty words; I used to think he was covertly flirty, now he¡¯s openly flirty."
Listening to He Jing¡¯s mocking, Gu Heng just smiled at her, "Could it be possible that I haven¡¯t changed, but this is who I have always been?"
He spoke the truth; being full of flirty words was his true nature.
"What about before?"
Gu Heng didn¡¯t answer her but turned his gaze to Lin Jiayun, "Lin Jiayun, tell me. If a colleague at ourpany spouted dirty jokes every day, what would you think of him?"
"Shrimp Head Man!"
Lin Jiayun answered without hesitation.
"And what if this colleague treated you to luxurious meals and provided rides to and from work every day?"
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"Then that would be witty and humorous!"
Lin Jiayun was very honest, without a trace of pretense, speaking theplete truth.
Hearing her response, Gu Heng turned his head back to He Jing and shrugged, the answer speaking for itself.
To the wealthy, making risqu¨¦ jokes is considered being witty and humorous. For the not-so-wealthy, it¡¯s just Shrimp Head Man.
Take the once wealthy Principal Wang, for example, whose girlfriend-swapping was portrayed as charming by marketing ounts. A single Like on Weibo could make an Inte celebrity famous, with countless of them waiting eagerly for his attention.
The average person almost licking their phone screens in thement section is still reviled as a disgusting Shrimp Head Man.
What does this tell us?
If you¡¯re not wealthy, just being yourself is a luxury.
......
The dining table fell silent...
But it didn¡¯t remain quiet for long as Gu Heng broke the silence.
Looking at He Jing, who was properly cutting her steak, Gu Heng started, "By the way, Jingjing, how is the house hunting going?"
Upon mentioning this, He Jing perked up.
"I¡¯ve pretty much seen all there is, and they start selling on March 1."
Speaking of the house brought an uncontroble smile to He Jing¡¯s face.
Having struggled for so many years in Hang City, all she wanted was to own her own house, and now her dream was almost within reach.
"That¡¯s great, I also n to buy a house in Hang City, and I¡¯d like you to help me look into it."
"Buying a house is a good thing, you¡¯re finally spending money on something serious.
And you asked the right person. This year alone, I¡¯ve practically visited all the residentialplexes in the 12 districts of Hang City, and my contact list is filled with dozens of real estate salespeople¡¯s numbers.
Tell me your budget, and I can give you some advice."
Seeing He Jing¡¯s expert-like demeanor in buying houses, Gu Heng knew he had asked the right person.
"Budget, huh? Wait a second."
Saying this, Gu Heng took out his phone, logged onto his Construction Bank APP, nced at his bnce, and then said, "Under 12.65 million."
???
What¡¯s this about budgets being exact down to thest cent?
"Hold on!"
As she spoke, Lin Jiayun snatched Gu Heng¡¯s phone.
He Jing leaned over as well.
Both of them stared at the long string of digits on Gu Heng¡¯s phone screen, then instinctively looked up and exchanged nces...
"Units, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands..."
Ignoring the few thousand odd change at the end, Lin Jiayun burst out, "So your budget is just whatever bnce you have in your ount? What¡¯s up? Can¡¯t make ends meet?"
He Jing, though not as expressive as Lin Jiayun, chimed in as well, "You should always have some cash on hand for emergencies. In my opinion, a few million should be enough."
Gu Heng nodded in agreement with He Jing¡¯s words but then decisively rejected her suggestion.
If he only had that $12.65 million, he wouldn¡¯t have needed He Jing to advise him; he¡¯d definitely just buy a house worth a million or two in his hometown and then deposit the rest in the bank to live off the interest.
But did he only have $12.65 million?
Of course not.
Didn¡¯t the system function like a legal money printer? Whenever he needed, couldn¡¯t he print as much as he wished?
"You don¡¯t need to worry about this for me; it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be broke after this. Just help me rmend some properties."
Listening to Gu Heng¡¯svish words, He Jing and Lin Jiayun had different thoughts...
Lin Jiayun¡¯s thought was simple; initially, she thought it was enough for Gu Heng to be a young millionaire. But suddenly, she realized that being a millionaire was no longer enough; Gu Heng¡¯s assets were likely soaring towards the billions, and her heart couldn¡¯t help but flutter...
Young, wealthy, and even modestly handsome.
A hotmodity anywhere.
If she didn¡¯t make a move now, she might never get the chance.
As for He Jing...
She was somewhat bewildered...
Maintaining her baseline, she had struggled in Hang City for many years and just managed to save a bit over three million, barely enough to pay in full for a house of about 120 square meters...
She thought she was quite remarkable, butparing herself to Gu Heng, she felt like a clown... yet she still managed a faint smile and said, "With a budget of 10 million, except for a few top-tier properties, almost any district in Hang City is avable for you to choose from.
Buying a house isn¡¯t difficult; the difficulty is in not having money.
The properties I¡¯m looking at are within two to three million; you certainly wouldn¡¯t be interested in those. Just download a property viewing appter tonight, pick a few appropriate ones, and that should do."
Gu Heng realized it made sense.
Those who say buying a house is troublesome are often those whose budgets are limited and thus need topare and choose carefully...
With over ten million on hand, he had plenty of options to choose from.
He just hadn¡¯t gotten used to the idea of being wealthy yet, still stuck in the mindset of an ordinary person...
Thinking this, Gu Heng let it go and, as the waiter served him another steak, he picked up his knife and fork and dove into his second feast, devouring the juicy steak and mumbling, "Perfect, it¡¯s the weekend tomorrow. If you¡¯re free, why note and see some houses with me?
Don¡¯t go home tonight; the suite has two other rooms. Just pick any, it¡¯s a waste to leave them empty."
Eating others¡¯ food shortens the mouth...
He Jing was very clear about this principle...
Having dined again on Gu Heng¡¯s thousand-dor meal, apanying him to see some houses wasn¡¯t an unreasonable request. She nodded and agreed right away.
On the other hand, Lin Jiayun, joking yet twisting awkwardly, said, "Isn¡¯t that a bit improper? Two women one man staying together, that might cause a scandal if it gets out. My husband fans would get jealous~"
"Then you can just take a cab home. It¡¯d give me and Jingjing some alone time. If she loses fans over this, I¡¯ll support her," Gu Heng said offhandedly without even looking up.
Lin Jiayun: "???"
"Theter really can¡¯t surpass the original; your heart has only Jingjing!"
He Jing and Gu Heng both nced at Lin Jiayun, who was acting like a drama queen, and very harmoniously ignored her...
As for Gu Heng...
It had already been two meat-filled days in Wuzhen...
He knew quite well that seducing Lin Jiayun might be easier than Fang Xun...
Fang Xun demanded tangible benefits, while Lin Jiayun...
Just satisfying her vanity would be enough.
Chapter 59 - 58 Scumbag’s Thirty-Six Strategies: Encircle Wei to Save Zhao
Aside from consuming the free meal credit of 3000 yuan, an extra thousand plus had been pitched in...
However, that extra thousand was eagerly paid by He Jing...
Gu Heng had a bit of understanding about He Jing.
She belonged to the type who embraced traditional feminism, quite different from the Pastoral Faction...
She waspletely self-reliant and strong, not wanting to depend on anyone, the type who wanted to forge her own path. This was evident from how she rarely bought luxury goods with her earnings, preferring to save for cars and houses instead.
The only blemish might be one... she was a live streaming influencer...
Live streaming influencers on the inte had a nickname, called "begging bowl"...
It roughly meant inte begger.
An inte begger who relied on others¡¯ generosity, yet self-reliant and strong, was somewhat contradictory.
But having spent time at the mediapany, Gu Heng held no disdain for live streaming influencers. Whether they were talent or beauty streamers, the audience donated money to them, essentially buying some emotional value from the influencer.
It was either for showing off.
Or they were true fans, hoping for emotional feedback from the influencer.
As long as it wasn¡¯t a scam forming money circles, Gu Heng really didn¡¯t think influencers differed much from other professions, the only difference probably being that it was too easy to make money...
...
After returning to the room, Gu Heng cleared his mind of all those messy thoughts, walked towards his own room, and spoke to them, "Each room has a bathroom, so just take baths there to avoid creating situations like in soap operas.
Also, feel free to drink the red wine on the counter and the beverages in the fridge without asking me."
He then casually picked up an unbranded bottle of red wine from the cab.
During the days in Wuzhen, Fang Xun had him drink two sses of red wine every night, iming it was good for blood cirction and benefitted sleep...
He hadn¡¯t noticed any benefits for sleep, but he had to admit, enjoying these high-end red wines was quite a pleasure...
And supposedly, high-end red wines were pressed by young girls¡¯ feet; it somehow reminded him of the old sour cabbage beef noodles he used to love, feeling a strange fondness for feet...
Could it be that he was bing a foot...
No sooner had the thought urred than Gu Heng vehemently dismissed it in his mind.
He couldn¡¯t possibly be that kind of person!
Drinking wine pressed by young girls¡¯ feet was barely eptable, but directly cuddling and nibbling on girls¡¯ feet seemed a bit too perverse ow!
Just as Gu Heng was about to close his room door, He Jing suddenly spoke up, somewhat sheepishly asking, "Gu Heng, I¡¯d like to live-stream in your presidential suite for a while, if that¡¯s okay? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll try to keep it down so as not to disturb your rest."
Upon hearing this, Lin Jiayun¡¯s eyes lit up, "Great idea! Live streaming from a presidential suite should definitely boost my poprity, right?"
Hearing their conversation, Gu Heng nodded slightly, "Go ahead with your live streaming, don¡¯t worry about bothering me, I don¡¯t usually sleep this early anyway."
Watching them nod like pecking chickens, he gently closed the door, then poured the wine into a decanter, rested his head on the folded nket, and soaked in the night view of Hang City through the clear ss wall...
.....
Fifteen minutester.
Feeling the wine had breathed enough, Gu Heng set down his phone and climbed out of bed.
He gently swirled the decanter, as the crimson liquid slowly cascaded into the wine ss...
Then he took a sip using the wine-tasting method Fang Xun had taught him, and his eyes narrowed in satisfaction...
Suddenly...
Hearing the noise outside the door, Gu Heng guessed that their live stream had already begun.
At that thought, Gu Heng picked up his phone, found He Jing¡¯s TikTok profile from his following list, and clicked into her live stream...
In the live room, He Jing was holding a selfie stick, introducing the presidential suite¡¯s amenities to her audience with a gentle smile.
The power of TikTok¡¯s beauty feature was unquestionable...
Even an ordinary middle-aged woman with makeup and beauty filters can transform into a 70-point beauty, let alone someone like He Jing whose natural beauty was already notable. With a beauty filter turned on, she was truly a nerd¡¯s dream...
With that look, she could reel in men in the live stream room without doing anything, all eagerly sending gifts.
If she added a sweet "Brother", these hooked men would probably start preparing to take out online loans.
...
After watching for just a few minutes, Gu Heng felt bored.
Honestly, He Jing didn¡¯t have any particr talents; she was a typical chatty streamer. Beyond her looks, she had nothing else.
But he had known her for two years now and bumped into her almost every day, so even the prettiest face lost its novelty to him.
Just as he was about to leave the livestream, he saw both He Jing and Lin Jiayun¡¯s faces appear simultaneously on the screen...
"Jingjing, how about it? Want to y a round? But I must warn you, we have a big brother in our house~"
"Sure, let¡¯s y. You have a big brother, does that mean we don¡¯t have one?"
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Watching the two start to stir things up in the live stream room, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help butugh...
Back when he was at Gxy Media, Gu Heng attended several streamer¡¯s tactic sses, which taught phrases designed to make the audience spend money in their stream rooms...
Honestly, those phrases were pretty dumb.
But they really worked, since there were always viewers who got too caught up in the streams. These phrases targeted exactly such a crowd...
In the few seconds that Gu Heng was lost in thought, people in the livestream had already started sending gifts...
He Jing and Lin Jiayun were eagerly encouraging more gifts...
Watching their earnest efforts, Gu Heng suddenly felt a bit mischievous...
.....
Honestly, as a quintessential scumbag, Gu Heng had a big appetite.
He was smitten with both the women, He Jing and Lin Jiayun.
But his feelings for He Jing were more of a friendly nature. It wasn¡¯t that Gu Heng was too decent; rather, he didn¡¯t know how to win over a woman like her.
Exchanging sincere feelings could work, but he genuinelycked sincerity.
Using money?
That seemed unlikely to work either.
She earned six figures a month and wasn¡¯t the materialistic type. What would it cost him to win her over?
One or two million a month?
It was feasible, but it felt a bit like being a sugar daddy.
At that point, he wouldn¡¯t know whether he was ying her, or she was ying him.
But Lin Jiayun was a different story.
The moment He Jing brought her to one of his dinner parties, Gu Heng knew exactly what kind of person she was.
Materialistic and very good at holding out for a higher price...
Initially, she seemed to be testing him, but as he spent over three hundred thousand at a nightclub and then millions on a car, her attitude toward him grew increasingly ambiguous...
Frankly, she was fishing for him.
Gu Heng didn¡¯t have any strange kinks and disliked being hooked, but he couldn¡¯t bear to let meat that was so close slip through his fingers. Of course, he had to turn passiveness into activeness!
These days, besides reading "How the Rich Are Made", he also picked up a book titled "Scumbag¡¯s Thirty-Six Strategies"...
There was a tactic called "Encircle Wei to Save Zhao" inside...
Now seemed like a good time to try it...
Chapter 60: Let’s have a brief chat about this book, a must-read for readers.
In recent days, as more readers have been picking up the book, there¡¯s been an increase in roasts and criticalments in thements section and chapter reviews. Stay updated via NovelBin.C?m
Today, I¡¯d like to respond briefly.
Firstly, about character design, I believe readers who have made it this far should be very clear that I¡¯m writing about an ordinary person who loves to show off slowly growing after getting a "system." Gu Heng¡¯s intention to rent a car to show off when he arrives home was clearly set from the first chapter.
As for those roasts about the protagonist being a loser, I can ept them with an open heart.
Secondly, regarding the female characters introduced, He Jing, Lin Jiayun, and Xiao Lan¡ªthese three characters were unintentionally settled on when I was skimming through TikTok at the start of writing this book.
Manyined that these three women are ugly, but if everyone just changed their perspective and saw them as virtual original characters, couldn¡¯t you just project your favorite inte celebrities onto them?
Because in my setting for this book, there isn¡¯t a true female lead, nor is it even a harem tale¡ªit¡¯s just a novel about leveling up.
There are many supporting female characters that will appear, such as "inte celebrities," "college students," "urban white-cor workers," and in the future, "models," "stars," and so forth¡ªvarious roles I have or haven¡¯t thought of yet. Inte celebrities are just one type among many female roles; there¡¯s really no need to fuss over a few characters.
Thirdly, plot development¡ªthis is what concerns me the most among the criticisms. As you can see, this is a very traditional feel-good, rich guy novel. When I started this book, I didn¡¯t add any brain-burning plots or gimmicks. Given the prevalence of such storytelling at the moment, I thought this book would just be about clocking in regrly.
But looking at the data now, it has somewhat exceeded my expectations.
Truth be told, isn¡¯t the best kind of feel-good novel exactly the kind that leaves you feeling exhrated? They¡¯re intended as an easy way to pass the time. I try to write with some logic, and I ask you to be more generous with your tolerance.
Fourthly, regarding updates, since this book got rmended quitete, updating frequently wasn¡¯t possible. Two chapters a day at four to five thousand words each is indeed tricky, but now that the book has reached over a hundred thousand words, it will likely go on sale within these 10 days.
Once the book is on sale, I¡¯ll try to update as much as I can write. During the new bookunch phase, I hope you will keep up with reading and not just stockpile the chapters... Reader engagement metrics are really so important...
.....
.....
About the idea of Crowdfunding for ideas for the novel.
I don¡¯t really want to incorporate a business storyline, just a simple feel-good tale about how wealthy people have fun.
But personally, I might be a bitcking in ideas, so I¡¯m thinking of crowdfunding suggestions. If you¡¯ve ever fantasized about what you¡¯d do if you were rich, I¡¯ll open a pinned post in thements section where you can share your thoughts.
I¡¯ll choose ideas with the most likes and then do my best to materialize them with my writing.
Additionally, if any of you have feedback about the book, you are wee to voice it in thements section. I pride myself on being open to advice; if a chapter gets a bad response, I immediately rece it with an alternative plot from my draft.
But please, don¡¯t resort to personal attacks. I¡¯m sensitive, and it breaks my defenses.
If you¡¯ve made it this far, I hope your hands itching for wealth will leave a "1" here. I want to see how many people are reading.
Chapter 61 - 59: I Show off My Wealth to Make Money
"Encircle Wei to Save Zhao," these four words...
are quite easy to understand.
It¡¯s roughly like saying Xiang Zhuang Performs the Sword Dance, but his real intent is on the Duke of Pei.
The "Scumbag¡¯s Thirty-Six Strategies" clearly states that when a woman is stalling and dragging her feet with you, this tactic is very appropriate.
The specific operation is to create a third party, pretend to be pursuing that third person, and make the woman who is pulling at you feel a sense of crisis.
Women are creatures with a strong sense of crisis and possessiveness, once you make them feel threatened, they will start to be disorganized, and their rational thinking will quickly diminish...
This is also why, when many a simpdles out adoration to a goddess, the goddess could not care less, but as soon as the simp decides to stop and finds a decent girl to have a serious rtionship with, she wille back, acting as if she¡¯s cheap.
But this tactic is a double-edged sword.
The prerequisite for using it is that the girl indeed covets some trait of yours, either emotional or economic value.
If the girl merely has a slight fondness for you and has no ulterior motives, and you create a third person and start flirting, the likely result is her saying goodbye to you.
However, Gu Heng wasn¡¯t worried at all, because he knew very well that Lin Jiayun was an out-and-out gold digger.
Her purpose in approaching him was solely because he had money. If he had not received the system one day, Gu Heng believed, Lin Jiayun wouldn¡¯t even nce at him, let alone, like now, inquire warmly every day on WeChat.
What he needed to do now was to spend on He Jing what Lin Jiayun wanted most, to let her know who really had the power of initiative.
As for why he didn¡¯t just use money to overwhelm her, the reason is simple: for girls like Lin Jiayun who are waiting for the highest bidder, there are plenty of rich people around her. The reason she hasn¡¯t made a choice isn¡¯t that her conscience awoke, but because she wants to pick the richest one.
If he were to use his tricks for deceiving young girls on her, buying her luxury goods, spending money on her, he would eventually be caught hook, line, and sinker.
Girls with clear goals have bigger appetites than Tam; buy her one bag, and she¡¯ll find a way to make you buy her a car, and once you get her a car, she¡¯ll want you to buy her a house.
By then, what would be the difference between himself and a simp?
At best, he¡¯d just be a rich simp.
Having studied the inte for so many years, Gu Heng was very clear that spending money on women also required technique... it¡¯s just that he had no opportunity to practice it before...
...
If his judgment turned out to be wrong, it didn¡¯t matter.
There are thousands upon thousands of inte celebrities out there; if one doesn¡¯t work out, he¡¯ll just switch to another.
Lin Jiayun may be beautiful, but she is not irreceable, so missing out on her is no loss.
...
With this in mind, Gu Heng no longer hesitated; watching the two striving hard for votes in the live stream, he directly opened the Douyin recharge channel...
[Payment Sessful: 100,000 RMB.]
He examined it carefully to ensure it was 100,000 and that he hadn¡¯t identally added an extra zero; only then did Gu Heng turn his attention back to the live stream.
Currently, there were about 1,000 people in He Jing¡¯s live stream, but the PK health bar didn¡¯t have much, only over 700 votes, which converted to RMB was just about 70 yuan...
And Lin Jiayun wasn¡¯t lying; indeed, there was a so-called big brother in her stream, with the PK health bar having broken ten thousand. At the moment, her beautiful face was full of smiles, thanking the live stream¡¯s big brother with all kinds of heart gestures...
And He Jing? Although she was also canvassing for votes,pared to Lin Jiayun, she seemed much more subdued...
Thisparison made it clear that He Jing wasn¡¯t cut out for live streaming; with this kind of attitude, if it weren¡¯t for her God-given beauty, even if she wouldn¡¯t starve, she wouldn¡¯t likely earn much from live streaming.
Lin Jiayun continued to act coquettishly and y cute in the live stream, and her health bar was steadily rising. It quickly broke through 20,000 votes, and all these 20,000 votes were from the same person...
With just over two minutes left in the PK, Gu Heng, seeing Lin Jiayun¡¯s face full of surefire confidence, decided not to wait any longer, immediately opened the gift interface, chose the most expensive gift on Douyin live stream, a Carnival valued at 3,000 RMB each, and sent it out.
[User "Guhen" has sent a Carnival x1]
With just a gentle tap, a hail of special effects exploded on the screen.
The health bar, which had been beaten down to a sliver, instantly surged ahead, pushing past the opponent...
He Jing, who was still trying to get votes, saw a Carnival appear on her phone screen and couldn¡¯t help but be stunned... If she remembered correctly, it had been months since shest received a gift like a Carnival, right?
But no matter what, she still had the professionalism of a host, and quickly expressed her thanks.
But Gu Heng didn¡¯t stop his fingers just because of her thanks...
[User "Guhen" has sent 2 Carnival gifts]
[User "Guhen" has sent 3 Carnival gifts]
[User...]
He Jing was stunned by the continuous stream of Carnivals drifting across the screen, and so were the viewers in the live broadcast room... Lin Jiayun, who had been feeling smug, watched the special effects popping up one after another, and her smile froze on her face.
But as stunned as everyone was, He Jing did not stop expressing her gratitude.
"Thank you, Brother Guhen, for the fifth Carnival!"
"Thank you, Brother Guhen, for the sixth Carnival!"
But the more she thanked, the more He Jing felt something was off...
The more she read the name "Guhen," the more it slowly morphed into "Gu Heng"...
Thinking of this, He Jing couldn¡¯t bother with thanking anymore, she quickly grabbed her other phone, essed Guhen¡¯s page, seeing the Douyin ount without a single work, then nced at the IP address, "Jiangzhe"...
She was almost certain that the generous person was Gu Heng; she hurriedly asked her live broadcasting phone, "Gu Heng, is it you?"
"Stop sending, stop sending!"
Lin Jiayun had been envious of He Jing¡¯s luck, wondering why a big spender had suddenly appeared in her live broadcast, but upon hearing He Jing¡¯s words, her face changed in an instant, and she too essed Gu Heng¡¯s Douyin profile...
Gu Heng, however, seemed to have not heard anything, still tapping on the screen...
100,000 RMB seemed like a lot, but for a Carnival valued at 3,000 RMB, it only allowed for 33 clicks...
Very soon.
He Jing¡¯s PK health bar reached 999,000, and Lin Jiayun¡¯s initial big spender, who had tried to struggle by sending another 1,000 RMB, realized the gap with Gu Heng¡¯s Carnival screen floods and helplessly wrote in her live broadcast, "Can¡¯t beat them, the real big spender is on the other side..."
Because of the 33 Carnivals, He Jing¡¯s live broadcast took first ce on the hourly chart, attracting a flood of tourists into her room...
"The boss is tossing money around blindly!"
"100,000 RMB just brushed away, without even getting to touch it. What¡¯s the point?"
"That¡¯s why you¡¯re broke. If you could casually spend 100,000 RMB, you¡¯d know if there was any point. You just don¡¯t understand how rich people y."
"Brother Guhen,e check out our Mengmeng, she¡¯s really hardworking!!"
All kinds of barragements suddenly assaulted the screen.
Some questioned and mocked, while others were fans of other broadcasters trying to divert viewers.
But most were filled with envy, jealousy, and hate...
Gu Heng watched the barrage in the live broadcast with interest, feeling somewhat pleased with himself.
Frankly speaking, he didn¡¯t feel much about the admiration and ttery in thements...
What really thrilled him was the rush of disying wealth...
Those who called him dumb and wealthy, Gu Heng understood well, after all, he came from a poor background.
Different levels of thought, that¡¯s all. In their eyes, 100,000 RMB could be spent on a hundred trips to a bath center, changing a hundred women to y with. Before, he also believed those big spenders in live broadcasts were either wasting money or were paid actors.
But now that he stood in the position of the "big spender," some things were easy to exin¡ªhappiness cannot be bought with gold!
Just like thements in the live broadcast said.
Don¡¯t try to measure wealthy people by your own thoughts, because you don¡¯t understand how rich people y~
As for whether spending 100,000 for this brief thrill was a loss?
The system quickly provided the answer.
[Host disregarded the criticism of others and showed off his wealth online, indulging himself sessfully. Reward: 300,000 RMB. Bnce: 12.85 million RMB]
Others have to spend money to show off and unt their wealth in live broadcasts.
I earn money by showing off and unting, and not only do I make money, but I also have a very good chance of enjoying some delicacies.
That¡¯s the answer.
Chapter 62 - 60: A Girlfriend is a Girlfriend, a Baby is a Baby
Just as Gu Heng was secretly thrilled with the barragements, the live stream suddenly went dark, and He Jing just went offline...
Leaving behind arge crowd of viewers who were kicked out of the live room, all looking dumbfounded.
She just received a gift of 100,000 yuan, and there were tens of thousands of people in the live stream, and she just went offline like that? Was she that full of herself?
But Gu Heng had already guessed the reason why He Jing went offline...
Sure enough, within seconds, his room door was violently pushed open, and there stood He Jing, looking furious.
"Was that person who tipped me just now you?!"
Gu Heng didn¡¯t speak, he simply set his wine ss gently aside, then shed the screen of his phone in front of her, effectively giving her his answer.
Although she had already somewhat guessed it, when she confirmed it, He Jing¡¯splexion gradually turned cold.
"Are you sick?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng was momentarily stunned...
He had tipped 100,000 yuan, and she must have pocketed at least 20 or 30 thousand of that, right? She wasn¡¯t even thankful, and furthermore, she was scolding him for being sick¡ªwhat the hell?
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s expression, He Jing realized that her words may have been too harsh and softened her tone a bit, "I know you have money, but can you spend it on something meaningful? What¡¯s the deal with you randomly tipping me 100,000 yuan?"
"Isn¡¯t supporting your work a meaningful thing?"
"I don¡¯t need your support for my work. I¡¯m going to transfer the entire 100,000 yuan back to youter. If you consider me a friend, don¡¯t do this kind of thing anymore.
In my eyes, those viewers who tip me during the live streams are just like clients I must face in my job. So, when they tip me, I feel no burden.
But you¡¯re different, I truly regarded you as a proper friend. A friend who suddenly tips me 100,000 yuan out of the blue, that¡¯s a kind of support I can¡¯t ept.
If I get used to this kind of thing, I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll face youter, nor do I know what I could possibly use to repay you."
He Jing¡¯s tone was firm, and then she took out her phone, resisting the pain of parting with the money, and reluctantly transferred 100,000 yuan back to Gu Heng.
Then, she turned around and left the room...
Gu Heng was left alone, staring at He Jing¡¯s retreating figure in a daze...
He had considered that He Jing might not ept his tipping; after all, they had known each other for more than two years. Although their rtionship wasn¡¯t very intimate, he still had some understanding of her.
But he really hadn¡¯t anticipated that He Jing would react so intensely...
It was as if his 100,000 yuan was an insult to her...
...
"Sucking up to the wrong person, weren¡¯t you?"
Not long after He Jing left, Lin Jiayun, who had also turned off her live stream, stood at the door, snickering sarcastically.
Gu Heng simply nced at her indifferently, saying nothing.
Seeing that Gu Heng was ignoring her, Lin Jiayun wasn¡¯t angry; she leisurely walked into the room, then softly closed the door...
"Actually, you looked really cool tipping that 100,000 yuan in anger during the live stream tonight, but sadly, you used that move on the wrong person~
Jingjing has been streaming for over two years now, and her live stream¡¯s revenue isn¡¯t evenparable to a mid-level streamer in ourpany. Do you know why?
It¡¯s because she simply isn¡¯t suited for live streaming. No matter how much those big tippers in her live stream give her, she always acts so aloof. Over time, besides those freeloading fans, which big tippers woulde to her stream?"
Hearing this, Gu Heng raised an eyebrow and shifted into a morefortable position, his expression mocking as he said, "So who would be the right person for that move?"
"There are plenty~ Just pick any random live stream room, if you tip 100,000 yuan, any female streamer would treat you like a lord.
Of course, that includes me~"
"So you have a lot of lords then?"
Lin Jiayun curled her lip with disdain, "There are those who want to tip me, but to be my lord, they are not qualified enough."
"?"
Seeing the confusion in Gu Heng¡¯s eyes, Lin Jiayun brushed her hair behind her ear, her fair skin glowing like snow under the light, "I¡¯m a bit different from those who sell themselves under the guise of streaming. They¡¯ll sell out to anyone as long as there¡¯s money involved, but I¡¯m ssier than that. If I were to sell out, it would only be to one person.
If the person who tipped me 100,000 yuan is just a sried worker making a few hundred thousand a year or a small business owner, then even if he sells his house to tip me, I wouldn¡¯t care less. But if it were someone like you, with more than ten million in your bank ount, even if you only tipped me 100, I¡¯d still treat you like a lord~
But sadly, having been an inte celebrity for over a year, I¡¯ve only encountered losers, none powerful enough."
"It¡¯s hard enough to find someone, and then they treat me like I¡¯m invisible, not even sparing me a nce."
As she spoke, she gave Gu Heng a look filled with silent resentment.
Lin Jiayun was very straightforward, admitting that she became a web celebrity to sell herself for a good price.
This was much stronger than those who yed both sides of the fence, priding herself on being candid.
Gu Heng, hearing her words, also revealed a faint smile on his lips...
ording to the thinking of women who hold out for the best offer, they would surely do everything to drive their worth up high. However, her current argument seemed to be deliberately lowering her value in front of Gu Heng...
The only possibility was that his strategy of "Encircle Wei to Save Zhao" had worked...
Lin Jiayun started to panic.
With that thought, Gu Heng asked with a smile, "So if I were to send you 100,000 yuan tonight, what would I get?"
"You¡¯d get... this."
After speaking, she leaned forward to reveal the endless abyss, her red lips pressing directly against Gu Heng¡¯s...
The faint scent of perfume mixed with a girl¡¯s unique fragrance entered Gu Heng¡¯s nose,
....
"You wouldn¡¯t want Jingjing to hear, would you?"
Faced with Lin Jiayun¡¯s initiative, Gu Heng could not just do nothing. He put his artistic skills to work, beginning to sculpt through the thinyer of fabric...
The white y in the hands of artist Gu Heng seemed toe to life, morphing into various shapes.
Lin Jiayun didn¡¯t expect Gu Heng to be so forthright; her pupils dted several times over in the moment, and she started to struggle...
But her vulnerability was firmly in Gu Heng¡¯s grasp, and she couldn¡¯t break free...
"You don¡¯t want Jingjing to hear, do you?"
As her struggles grew more intense, Gu Heng withdrew his tongue, leaned close to her ear, and whispered softly. His warm breath made her go weak, and the intensity of her struggles gradually lessened...
By the end, Lin Jiayun hadpletely forgotten what it meant to struggle, only covering her mouth to prevent any sounds from escaping.
Just as Gu Heng was about to take it a step further, Lin Jiayun seemed to decide that the experience hade to an end. She determinedly broke free from Gu Heng, stood up, straightened her disheveled clothes, and looked him in the eye, "We can continue, but you have to tell me what our rtionship is now?"
Gu Heng met her gaze.
"What kind of rtionship do you want?"
"I want to be your girlfriend."
"That¡¯s possible."
Gu Heng¡¯s decisiveness was somewhat surprising to Lin Jiayun, but she continued, "The one and only kind of girlfriend."
"Also possible."
Gu Heng¡¯s response was still very decisive.
But what he said next sent a chill down her spine.
"However, in addition to a girlfriend, I will also have ¡¯baby¡¯, ¡¯baobao¡¯, ¡¯beibei¡¯. That should be fine, right?"
This ultimate jerk move made Lin Jiayun wish she could lunge at him and bite him.
Gu Heng ignored her murderous stare and smiled innocently, "I didn¡¯t lie to you, did I? I said you would be the only girlfriend, and so you will be.
But well...a girlfriend is a girlfriend, a baby is a baby. They¡¯re not the same, right?"
"Impossible!"
She had been holding out for so long just to wait for a high-quality man like Gu Heng. Now that she¡¯d found him, how could she ept this arrangement that was no different from being kept? Had she wanted to be kept, she would have sold herself during college instead of waiting until now.
Facing Lin Jiayun¡¯s refusal, Gu Heng shrugged indifferently, "I can give you everything that a girlfriend would enjoy."
"What can you give me then?"
Without another word, Gu Heng sent Lin Jiayun a WeChat transfer for the maximum amount of 200,000 yuan, unting the transfer screen in front of her, then once again stared into her eyes, "I can give you anything but love."
Chapter 63 - 61: Innate Scumbag Holy Body
The next day.
Pale golden sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, spilling onto the pure white sheets of the presidential suite¡¯s master bedroom.
Gu Heng, having slept for nearly seven to eight hours, fluttered his eyshes slightly and then opened his eyes.
After waking up a bit, Gu Heng picked up his phone, looked at the 200,000 yuan transfer that Lin Jiayun had returned on WeChat, smiled, shook his head, and then tossed the phone aside...
Last night Lin Jiayun had still not agreed to his proposal.
However, Gu Heng could understand. Lin Jiayun had been holding out for so many years, and the choice he presented her was a sudden one, so it was normal for her to be unable to ept it right away.
These gold-digging girls are often much smarter and more greedy than ordinary girls.
Which one of them doesn¡¯t want to find a young and rich boyfriend, then skyrocket to high society in one step?
The conditions he offered her were not much different from keeping her as a mistress. If those conditions were offered to amon girl who hadn¡¯t seen much of the world, that girl would probably not hesitate to ept right away.
But Lin Jiayun was different, after all, she was big online personality with millions of followers, she had seen too much, and the terms Gu Heng offered simply couldn¡¯t satisfy her appetite. It was reasonable for her not to ept them.
As for Gu Heng...
He was even less concerned.
He purely embodied the innate being of a scum.
Besides, he had taken all the advantages he couldst night, so he certainly wasn¡¯t the one at a loss.
Thinking of this, Gu Heng got up and stretchedzily, and casually called the front desk to order three breakfasts delivered.
After washing up and walking out of the room, Lin Jiayun and He Jing had already gotten up, sitting on the sofa ying with their phones, one on each side. Seeing Gu Henge out, Lin Jiayun, as if nothing had happenedst night, said cheerfully, "Woke up?"
As for He Jing...
She was probably still troubled byst night¡¯s events, just looked up at Gu Heng, and didn¡¯t say a word.
Gu Heng was just about to respond when he heard the doorbell ring.
"Come in."
After the door opened, the smiling room manager led several waitstaff in with breakfast. First, he greeted Lin Jiayun and He Jing, then respectfully said to Gu Heng, "Mr. Gu, the breakfast you ordered has been brought up."
Gu Heng nodded and approached the dining table: "Don¡¯t just stand there; didn¡¯t we agree to go house hunting today? Let¡¯s eat up, look at the houses, and then everyone goes their separate ways."
Lin Jiayun, whether intentionally or not, stood up from the sofa, looking at Gu Heng, "Use and throw away, Gu Heng, you really are heartless~"
With a slight shrug, Gu Heng didn¡¯t care whether she was hinting at him, his tone casual, "I don¡¯t really want to throw away, but you guys might not continue to apany me, right?"
"That depends on what you use to make me stay."
Lin Jiayun said and then winked at Gu Heng.
Seeing her expression, Gu Heng knew this woman hadn¡¯t given up yet; she was still ying tug of war with him.
And He Jing, listening to their bizarre conversation, though keenly sensing something was amiss, couldn¡¯t pinpoint what exactly it was, so she just silently followed Lin Jiayun towards the dining table.
...
Once the waitstaff had arranged all the food, the hotel manager, not wanting to disturb Gu Heng¡¯s dining experience, remained silent, just gestured to the waitstaff with his hands, and then nned to leave the room.
"Wait a second."
"Is there anything else, Mr. Gu?"
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s voice, the hotel manager quickly stopped in his steps and walked back to Gu Heng.
"Do you know of any high-end residences in Hang City?"
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s query, the hotel manager Chen Hao quickly responded, "Mr. Gu, are you dissatisfied with our service at the hotel? If there¡¯s anything you¡¯re unhappy about, please do mention it. We will adjust it as soon as possible."
Gu Heng was stunned for a moment, then realized that Chen Hao had misunderstood him.
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"What I mean is, I¡¯m looking to find out about high-end real estate for sale in Hang City. I¡¯m toozy to visit properties myself, so I was wondering if your hotel had any resources in that area. I can¡¯t stay at the hotel every day, can I?"
He had learned this trick from browsing Douyin the night before.
Douyin said that staying in a luxury hotel presidential suite wasn¡¯t just for show; the hotel genuinely treats you like a president, attempting to solve any issues you bring up and always finding a way to help.
Since he was treated like the president, asking the hotel to find a property should be no problem, right?
The hotel surely had more resources in this area than he did.
Once Gu Heng exined this, the hotel manager understood.
The presidential suite at Park Hyatt Hotel, costing tens of thousands per night, might not be too expensive for most wealthy individuals, but it would be uneconomical to stay long-term.
Staying there for a year would amount to several million, enough to buy a three-bedroom apartment in a top-tier city.
"I see. Mr. Gu, you¡¯re looking to buy a house, right?"
"Exactly."
Understanding Gu Heng¡¯s intention, the room manager stood there pondering for a while. Gu Heng wasn¡¯t in a hurry and savored his exquisite meal.
Meanwhile, Lin Jiayun and He Jing exchanged nces, each seeing a hint of envy in the other¡¯s eyes...
Was the service in this tens of thousands per night presidential suite thatprehensive? To even assist with buying a house?
The room manager thought for about two minutes before slowly speaking.
"As for high-end residentialmunities in Hang City, I do know a few, namely Greentown Spring River Flower Moon and Yaojiang Wending Garden. But these properties wereunched many years ago and there are hardly any new houses left, mostly just resales.
However, I don¡¯t know what Mr. Gu¡¯s preferences are regarding apartments. Last year, a top-tier apartmentplex was listed in the Gongshu District, and our hotel has cooperation with that real estate developer. If you¡¯re interested, I can have someone contact them immediately."
No sooner had the room manager finished than He Jing, who had been quietly eating breakfast, couldn¡¯t help but say, "Is it Longhu Tianyanga Mansion?"
"Exactly that."
On hearing this, Gu Heng nced at He Jing, then asked the room manager, "Oh? Could you give me a brief introduction?"
Before the room manager could finish, He Jing¡¯s voice rose again.
"I¡¯m familiar with that apartment. I visited it several times when itunchedst year. It was literally the apartment of my dreams. But the starting size for one of those apartments is 300 square meters, and the cheapest ones cost eight or nine million. After that, I gave up."
As she spoke, He Jing¡¯s eyes lit up, turning to Gu Heng, "But don¡¯t let it deter you; Longhu Tianyanga Mansion really suits you. They offer luxury decorated apartments, ready to move in upon purchase.
And the full cash price is quite close to your budget, around 30,000 per square meter."
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s budget was around ten million, the room manager¡¯s heart skipped a beat before he quickly added, "It¡¯s roughly as thisdy described, but whether you¡¯ll be satisfied or not can only be determined if you see it for yourself."
Seeing this, Gu Heng nodded.
"Then Manager Chen, please make the arrangements, and after I finish breakfast, I¡¯ll head there to have a look."
"I¡¯m on it immediately and will get back to you as soon as possible."
"Thank you very much."
"You¡¯re wee, Mr. Gu. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go make that contact."
This time, Gu Heng didn¡¯t say anything else, just nodded slightly and continued his breakfast.
Chapter 64 - 62: Is Being Forced to Show Off Also Called Indulgence?
Gongshu District, being the downtown area of Hang City, is also one of the most bustling districts.
Outside Tianyanga Mansion, there was a constant stream of pedestriansing and going.
The area near Tianyanga Mansion is a business district, surrounded by office buildings and various apartments, which typically attract a younger crowd, so most of the pedestrians were fashionably dressed young people.
Since his Bentley Flying Spur had already been taken to the 4S shop for repainting after he had called, he did not drive himself, instead, he was taken there by the hotel¡¯s concierge car, driven by Chen Hao, his personal room manager.
...
Those who could afford to live in such upscale apartments, whether they owned or rented them, were definitely wealthier than the average person, so when Gu Heng, He Jing, and Lin Jiayun alighted from the hotel-arranged Audi A8, although many people gave them a second nce, it did not cause much of a stir.
"Gu Heng, can I start a live stream?"
Hearing Lin Jiayun¡¯s question, Gu Heng turned his gaze toward her.
Lin Jiayun immediately exined, "Today we¡¯re visiting multimillion-dor mansions, which is a great hook. It¡¯d be such a waste not to stream it. Can we, please please~"
A continuous whine came from Lin Jiayun¡¯s mouth, and before Gu Heng could respond, Chen Hao, standing nearby, looked enviously at her and then quickly looked away, gazing into the distance...
In his eyes, this kind of woman was only for someone like Gu Heng, who casually stayed in presidential suites and had a budget of millions to spend on a house¡ªa rich second generation could get her, but he dared not even think about it.
"Okay, okay, stop whining. Go ahead and stream it."
After speaking, he looked towards He Jing, "Jingjing, do you want to stream too?"
"I¡¯d rather not. Apart from the mandatory 100 hours of basic live streaming per month in the contract, I don¡¯t want to stream for even a second."
Gu Heng nodded upon hearing this and said no more.
As for Lin Jiayun, she turned her face to the other side and bit down on her back mrs...
He had touched her all over, and justst night she had sneaked up to wash her underwear, now wearing disposable underwear she bought on Meituan in the middle of the night.
After going to such lengths, it was clear that Gu Heng valued He Jing a hundred times more than he valued her! The fragile friendship between the girls instantly copsed...
.....
After waiting for about two minutes, just as Gu Heng was about to ask the room manager, a woman in her thirties led several professional-looking salespeople who quickly approached them.
"Mr. Chen, hello, sorry to keep you waiting, I am Sun Li, the manager of the Tianyanga Mansion sales office, wee to your visit."
Hearing Sun Li¡¯s introduction, Chen Hao frowned slightly, cursing internally at her stupidity, wondering how someone with her judgment could be a manager.
He had been cautious to stand slightly behind Gu Heng to prevent any misunderstandings, clearly disying their master-servant rtion, but despite his obvious positioning, Sun Li had directed her attention solely at him, ignoring Gu Heng beside him.
Thinking of this, Chen Hao bluntly interrupted Sun Li and introduced, "You are mistaken, your client today is my boss, Mr. Gu here."
Hearing Chen Hao¡¯s rification, Sun Li was initially startled, but being experienced, she quickly rectified her mistake, "I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Gu, you are so young I thought you were just a student here to visit."
Chen Hao, upon hearing this, shook his head again in his heart.
The service industry, which requires a high understanding of interpersonal tact and linguistic skills, made Chen Hao conclude that Sun Li¡¯s rise to manager was not likely based on her own merits. Looking at her somewhat attractive face, Chen Hao had a fairly clear idea of the possible reasons.
Fortunately, Gu Heng, who was still somewhat naive about these linguistic intricacies, did not mind and merely nodded slightly towards her.
"Manager Sun, if you have time now, please take me to see the houses."
"Certainly, Mr. Gu, please follow me this way."
Having said that, she invited Gu Heng toward the interior of the Chao Tianyang Mansionplex...
.....
.....
Sun Li and Chen Hao nked Gu Heng, one on each side, while a few ordinary staff members kept a slight distance behind them, instantly drawing the attention of many pedestrians entering and leaving themunity.
As for Lin Jiayun, due to the need to livestream, she followed behind Gu Heng and, wanting to keep He Jing away from Gu Heng, cunningly pulled her into the livestream as well.
"Family, today I¡¯ll show you one of Hang City¡¯s top luxury homes! Longhu..."
Struggling to remember the name of themunity, she simply pulled He Jing into the camera frame, nudged her arm, and asked, "What¡¯s that Longhu ce called?"
"Longhu Tianyuan Mansion."
"Right, right, right, Longhu Tianyuan Mansion!"
Although it was morning, because it was the weekend, the number of people in the livestream quickly exceeded a few hundred, and a variety of quirkyments followed.
[Damn, Jiajia, are you buying a house?]
[I¡¯m a born and bred Hang City local, let me tell everyone, the most ordinary home in Tianyuan Mansion starts at eight million.]
[Can you put my name on the deed if you buy the house? I contribute billions to your livestream every day, I own a part of that house!]
Watching the increasingly absurdments, Lin Jiayun switched the camera to rear view, naughtily saying, "The one buying a house today isn¡¯t me, it¡¯s Hang City¡¯s top wealthy second generation, Young Master Gu! Just a friendly reminder, he was ¡¯Guhen¡¯ who generously donated 33 carnivals duringst night¡¯s PK with Jingjing."
Lin Jiayun¡¯s voice was not soft, so everyone around could hear...
But besides Gu Heng, who knew he was hardly a rich second generation, Sun Li and Chen Hao actually believed it...
In any city, purchasing a multimillion-dor luxury home has its requirements for proving financial capability. Although Gu Heng was living in a presidential suite, he had also gone through basic financial verification at the hotel, and at just over 20, his bank ount had millions in bnce, if that¡¯s not a rich second generation, then what is?
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A few minutester, when Sun Li led them inside themunity, she turned to Gu Heng and asked, "Mr. Gu, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve looked into Tianyuan Mansion before, we have two types of apartments here, one is fully furnished for sale, and the other is a standard model..."
Although Tianyuan Mansion was a high-end property, even high-end properties have different levels, so Sun Li felt her inquiry was not strange.
This time, Gu Heng didn¡¯t even need to speak, as Chen Hao directly spoke on his behalf.
"Our Park Hyatt Hotel¡¯s external affairs department had already specified our requirements when contacting your sales office. We need the top-tier apartment rooms. If you don¡¯t have the habit of keeping customer requests in mind, please get someone who knows customer needs to serve my boss."
Since he had been appointed by the hotel to assist Gu Heng with these matters, Gu Heng was his boss, and he was the employee.
An employee¡¯s job is to alleviate the boss¡¯s worries, and although Gu Heng might not care about Sun Li¡¯s approach, Chen Hao¡¯s professional integrity told him he must uphold his boss¡¯s style.
Gu Heng was initially taken aback by thement, not catching on at first.
But he quickly understood that Chen Hao was actively maintaining his dignity.
Unspoken, this feeling was indeed fucking exhrating, kind of like having that elite privilege.
Thinking this, he looked at Chen Hao with satisfaction. With the umtion of wealth and his own rising status, he knew he wouldn¡¯t always be a street mutt. When he truly became a godlike wealthy man, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to argue overtly with people like Sun Li. That¡¯s when the importance of his entourage would show.
No wonder the big bosses in TV dramas always traveled with a bunch ofckeys...
So that was the reason...
[Host grasps the true essence of privilege and delights in it, sussfully indulging. Reward: 1 million. Bnce: 13.85 million.]
...
???
So passive showing off counts as indulging?
Hearing the system¡¯s prompt in his mind, Gu Heng looked at Chen Hao in front of him and suddenly found him extremely pleasing to the eye, even wanting to just hug and kiss him.
Chapter 65 - 63 The Greek God in Charge of Showing Off
As soon as Chen Hao finished speaking, even someone as slow-witted as Sun Li knew that the customer before her had be dissatisfied. She suppressed the urge to p herself hard and apologized again, "This was a negligence on my part, please, Mr. Gu, don¡¯t mind it. We still have 6 top-tier apartment suites avable for sale at Tianyanga Mansion."
"They are divided between the top and middle levels. However, there is only one left at the top level now."
"Just take me straight to the top level to have a look."
Although Gu Heng only had a basic understanding of houses, amodity universally needed yet recognized as a luxury, he clearly knew that apart from those standalone vis, therge-sized apartments were definitely better on higher floors than lower ones.
"No problem."
After speaking, she bent slightly at the waist and led the way ahead...
.....
And this entire scene was captured by the camera in Lin Jiayun¡¯s hands.
The barrage ofments in the live stream started rolling again...
"After all, she¡¯s a department manager, and I didn¡¯t see anything wrong with what she said. Wasn¡¯t it a bit too servile?"
"The person upstairs obviously has never bought a house. Only if you¡¯ve bought one would you know, even salespeople at ordinary developments treat you like royalty."
"A sales manager is still a manager? They can act all high and mighty in front of ordinary employees, but facing those powerful clients, who would give a damn about you if you don¡¯t kowtow? If you have money, where can¡¯t you buy a house?"
"That¡¯s right, selling one house means tens of millions, if she isn¡¯t servile, who would be? To put it bluntly, her lifetime wages probably wouldn¡¯t afford one of these suites. Being a sales manager is something any experienced salesperson can achieve, but how many clients can afford tens of millions for a luxury suite?"
"I envy rich people every day. They don¡¯t need to say a word, and someone else expresses their displeasure for them. Unlike me, who wouldn¡¯t dare talk back when scolded by the boss..."
"He literally did nothing, so why do I feel such an imposing presence? Is this the legendary god from Ancient Greece who¡¯s in charge of swagger?"
Lin Jiayun looked at the barrage ofments filled with envy, jealousy, and hate on her phone, her delicate face brimming with smiles, as if all that envy was directed at her...
Looking at Gu Heng¡¯s retreating figure, her thoughts became active once again...
Although she couldn¡¯t afford such an enviable life on her own, if she could secure Gu Heng, couldn¡¯t she enjoy it with him?
The thought made Lin Jiayun¡¯s bottom line unintentionally drop a little more...
Maybe the terms Gu Heng offered were reluctantly eptable?
Wasn¡¯t it just openly epting that Gu Heng would look for other women? As if she didn¡¯t ept, Gu Heng would uphold moral standards and not look for others...
And wasn¡¯t she after his money anyway? Why should she care if his whole heart wasn¡¯t invested in her? As long as the money is right, does any of this still matter?
For a moment, Lin Jiayun¡¯s heart started to waver again...
...
...
Gu Heng was unaware that Lin Jiayun was already manipting her own standards - he followed closely behind Sun Li.
Bringing Gu Heng to the elevator entrance, she swiped the card, all the while exining to Gu Heng, "Our Tianyanga Mansion adopts a one-elevator-per-residence design. It¡¯s chosen by a high-end crowd who, like Mr. Gu, enjoy a quality life, so naturally, we also need to provide you with top-tier service."
Hearing Sun Li¡¯s casual ttery, Gu Heng felt secretly pleased and acknowledged with a nod while ascending from the social bottom to the high-end society she spoke of. Find your next read at NovelBin.C?m
This was the principle of getting what you pay for, wasn¡¯t it? Spending more money to get better enjoyment, that¡¯s a given, right?
The elevator smoothly ascended without stopping, naturally making the journey faster, and in less than half a minute, they reached the top floor.
"Mr. Gu, pleasee in."
After entering the password on the electronic lock, Sun Li then invited Gu Heng inside.
Just stepping through the door and walking past the foyer¡¯s background wall, without waiting for her introduction, Gu Heng gave a brief nce around the hallway and was immediately captivated by theyout.
The aspect that satisfied Gu Heng the most was that the decor of the entire hall wasn¡¯t particrly luxurious but instead had that kind of cool aesthetic that appealed more to young people.
After briefly taking a few minutes to walk around the over 300 square meter apartment, Sun Li began her introduction.
"Mr. Gu, let me give you a tour.
Our entire suite has an open floor n, with a whole wall of transparent ss that highly enhances the view, adopting a traditional and minimalist design style. The corridors or passageways leading to the rooms or other areas of the apartment also follow this style.
It also offers residents an unobstructed view of the cityscape, ensuring the openness and continuity of the view between apartments. Moreover, being on the top floor allows for an unobstructed surrounding environment. Describing it as ¡¯a view from the mountaintop¡¯ couldn¡¯t be more appropriate."
Standing beside Gu Heng, He Jing, who was not here for the first time, couldn¡¯t help but get excited...
This was simply the house of her dreams...
Suddenly, a somewhat urgent breathing sound was heard. He Jing initially thought it was from her own excitement but when she turned around, she realized it was the usuallyposed Gu Heng...
Gu Heng, who stayed in presidential suites that cost tens of thousands a night without any fluctuation in his emotions, was now unable to suppress the excitement in his heart, his hands trembling slightly...
No matter how good a hotel...
It was never truly home...
He had thought that "houses," these luxuries, would probably be irrelevant to him for life. Renovating his old home would be enough tost a lifetime, but now, this once unattainable dream was so close to reality. The thrill he was feeling was far greater than when he bought a car. Even after adjusting his indifferent mindset for so many days, he still found it hard to maintain, slowly crumbling...
Suddenly.
A cool and soft hand took hold of his own.
Gu Heng turned his head and saw He Jing looking at him with a smile in her eyes.
"Are you very excited?"
Gu Heng didn¡¯t lie to maintain his so-called cool. He nodded.
"Every time I saw an apartment I liked, I would be just like you, even more excited than you, because having a house means having a home..."
Gu Heng nodded forcefully again.
This feeling was very different from the show-off thrills in nightclubs, buying luxury cars, or staying in hotels. It was an exhrating sense of social recognition because, after all, the traditional Chinese belief is that having a house means having a home...
Lin Jiayun, who was busy showing off this multi-million apartment to the live broadcast audience, caught a glimpse of He Jing secretly taking Gu Heng¡¯s hand while she was away, and her pupils dted instantly!
This scheming bitch!
On the surface, she said she wasn¡¯t interested in Gu Heng, but in reality, she was secretly seducing him!
Just as she was about to interrupt He Jing¡¯s seductive charm, she heard Gu Heng¡¯s voice.
"I¡¯ll buy this apartment. What¡¯s the total price?"
Gu Heng¡¯s voice was not loud, but it was like a thunderp on a clear day that exploded in everyone¡¯s minds.
Lin Jiayun: "???"
He Jing: "???"
Sun Li, Chen Hao, the live stream audience: "???"
It had only been a few minutes since they entered the room, right?
Was he really so casual about it?
Weren¡¯t they talking about buying a multi-million dor mansion?
Even if he didn¡¯t respect the apartment, he should at least respect the 10-meter high stack of RMB, right?
Chapter 66 - 64 Finding a New Direction for Indulgence
"What the fuck???"
"He bought it just like that? Is the host brought in by the real estatepany to advertise?"
"Confirmed, the host is advertising, that ¡¯Brother Guhen¡¯ and the property sales are all shills they hired."
"I believe that rich guys like Mr. Gu would definitely be more casual about buying houses than ordinary people, but I don¡¯t believe they buy houses like ordering takeout. I even have to be picky when I order takeout!"
The live broadcast room was first filled with shock, followed by a flurry of doubts...
You can¡¯t me them for doubting, mainly because Gu Heng¡¯s move was too explosive,pletely grinding the values of ordinary people into the ground...
...
Not only the viewers in the live broadcast room but even Sun Li herself began to wonder if she had heard wrong...
Tianyanga Mansion had been on the market for over a year, and she had witnessed many wealthy homeowners, but even the fastest decision a homeowner made took them almost half a month...
How long has it been now?
Just a few minutes, and she had only just started introducing...
Thinking of this, Sun Li steadied her emotions and asked with uncertainty, "Mr. Gu, have you decided to buy it, or are you just asking for the price?"
"First, tell me the total price."
Hearing this, Sun Li quickly took theptop handed over by a colleague and started to check.
"Mr. Gu, this penthouse apartment has four bedrooms, two living rooms, four bathrooms. Because it¡¯s a top-floor unit with custom-style decor, the price per square meter is 31,500 yuan, and the total area is 325 square meters, so the total cost is 10.23 million..."
Hmm...
A standard multimillion-dor luxury house...
Hearing Sun Li¡¯s quote, Gu Heng nodded slightly, his bnce was more than enough, "Can we sign the contract now, or is there some process I need to go through?"
This time, Sun Li was sure...
The young man in front of her was not just asking for a quotation nor ying with her; he truly decided to buy this apartment in just a few minutes...
With this realization, Sun Li¡¯s brain began to race, and she immediately turned to a colleague, "Get the contract ready right away!"
After a moment of mental downtime, He Jing quickly tugged at Gu Heng¡¯s shoulder and whispered, "What are you doing?"
Gu Heng looked at her quizzically, with an expression that said it was obvious.
"Buying a house."
"..."
His reasoning seemed solid, and He Jing found herself at a loss for words...
"You can¡¯t just buy a house like this, right? Even if you don¡¯t care about the potential savings, shouldn¡¯t youpare a few more ces?"
Gu Heng nodded earnestly, "You¡¯re right."
Just when He Jing thought Gu Heng had taken her advice to heart and was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she heard his voice continue, "Let¡¯s leave it for this time, I¡¯ll definitely do it next time."
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s resolved demeanor, she could only shake her head helplessly...
Apart from being somewhat speechless about Gu Heng¡¯s impulsiveness, she felt even more envious...
She herself had visited all the property developments in Hang City; was it really because her standards were too high? No, it was just because her pockets weren¡¯t deep enough...
If she had the funds, even if she wasn¡¯t as extravagant as Gu Heng, she wouldn¡¯t be so troubled and take over a year to decide which house to buy...
Lin Jiayun didn¡¯t pay attention to the barrage ofments in the live broadcast room but watched Gu Heng talking so intimately with He Jing, her mind in turmoil...
She felt that if she didn¡¯t make a decision soon, He Jing would get there before her...
If she agreed to Gu Heng first, at least in name she¡¯d still be the official wife, and in the future, Gu Heng would probably favor her somewhat, right?
If she was one step toote, allowing this "green tea bitch" in her eyes to take advantage of her proximity and steal the moon, wouldn¡¯t she have to be the concubine?
If they ended up engaging in group activities in the future, wouldn¡¯t she be the one getting pushed from behind?
The more Lin Jiayun thought about this, the harder she bit down on her back teeth¡
In her eyes, the tactics of her "stic" best friend were far superior to her own; craving what she couldn¡¯t have, she put on a facade of a dignified woman, but wasn¡¯t she actually just as greedy for Gu Heng as herself?
....
....
A short whileter, the salesperson who had left earlier came rushing back, gasping for air, clutching a stack of contracts.
Sun Li quickly took them and then personally handed the contract to Gu Heng, "Mr. Gu, this is the purchase contract for this top-floor penthouse."
Gu Heng had almost finished reviewing all the basic uses of the contract. Such high-end housing wouldn¡¯t have any tricks in the contract. After about ten minutes, confirming there were no issues, he asked Sun Li, "Do you have a pen?"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Suppressing her excitement, Sun Li respectfully handed her pen to Gu Heng.
In the presence of He Jing, Lin Jiayun, Chen Hao, several staff members of Tianyanga Mansion¡¯s sales department, and over a thousand viewers in the live stream, Gu Heng took a deep breath and heavily signed his name on the purchase contract.
Upon seeing Gu Hengplete his signature, Sun Li¡¯s heart finally settled, and she was the first to bend forward and speak, "Congrattions, Mr. Gu, on bing the owner of the top-floor penthouse in Block Three of Xingyao¡¤Longhu Tianyanga Mansion. From this moment on, your satisfaction is the pursuit of all staff in ourpany!"
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The other staff members also repeated the sentiment in unison.
Gu Heng didn¡¯t react much to the scene, but instead took out the ordinary-looking savings card from his pocket, "My card has a single transaction limit of five million, swipe it three times and that should cover it."
As Sun Li carefully took Gu Heng¡¯s card, Lin Jiayun¡¯s live stream room exploded...
"Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!"
"He actually bought it! 10.23 million! That¡¯s enough to buy my life ten times over!"
"This is the first time I¡¯ve truly felt the disparity in this world... I¡¯m 40 years old this year, still struggling with a mortgage, and here¡¯s someone in their 20s who can buy a 10-million house in cash..."
[The host has experienced the authenticity of life and acquired his first haven in the steel jungle, sessfully indulging in desire. Reward: 66.66 million yuan. Bnce: 702.8 million yuan.]
Before Gu Heng had time to marvel at how his wealth almost broke through a billion due to this purchase, the system¡¯s voice sounded again.
[The host has revealed his holiness in front of the public, allowing the masses to feel the disparity in the world, sessfully indulging in desire, reward of 660,000 yuan. Bnce: 709.4 million yuan.]
Gu Heng: "???"
He could understand the first prompt, as nearly every time he spent money it seemed to count towards indulgence in desire...
But what did this second system prompt mean?
He had shown off his wealth several times before, but there seemed to be no prompt, the only time getting a reward was that time at FT Bar...
Suddenly, turning his head to see Lin Jiayun directing her camera at him, he guessed what was going on...
There were many people at the FT Bar that night, and there were also many people in Lin Jiayun¡¯s live stream this time...
Could it be that he had to show off his wealth in front of a certain number of people to meet the conditions for indulging in desire?
While Gu Heng was thinking, after Sun Li cautiously swiped the card three times, she handed the bank card back to Gu Heng with care, "Mr. Gu, the 10.23 million has been deducted. Later, you will need to sign the receipt, and we will follow up with the bank...
In addition, we will immediately manage the property transfer for you, striving to get the property title within a week.
And Mr. Gu, you can move in anytime these days."
Sun Li¡¯s words brought Gu Heng back to reality, and he nodded at her, no longer contemting the system¡¯s quirks...
Next time he had the chance to experiment, if the reward for showing off increased with the number of spectators, then he might have discovered a new direction for indulgence in desire...
Chapter 67: Chapter 65 Mom, I Bought a House
The house was bought...
The thrilling sensation of spending millions surged like a high tide and dissipated as quickly as the tide ebbed...
Holding the property purchase agreement and looking around at the brand-new decor, Gu Heng slowly spoke to He Jing and Lin Jiayun, "You guys go out first, I want to sit here alone for a bit."
Sun Li and Chen Hao heard this and left the room without a word.
Now, Gu Heng was their absolute financial backer, and since 10.23 million had been swiped from his card, the ownership of the house had already be his,cking only a nominal property title...
It wasn''t just politely asking them to leave; even if he had told them to get out, they wouldn''t have dared to utter another word.
Lin Jiayun wanted to continue live-streaming in the room, but she too was pulled out by He Jing...
At that moment, only she truly understood Gu Heng''s feelings...
Although she didn''t know where Gu Heng got such arge sum of money, she was certain that Gu Heng wasn''t some rich second generation... For ordinary people, when distant dreams were suddenly realized, confusion inevitably followed the initial excitement...
...
When the surroundings quieted down, Gu Heng slowly sat down on the sofa, gazing out the window at the scenery, and made a call to his mother...
"Three of bars... Pong!"
The call connected, and noisy sounds immediately came from the phone.
Chapter Read:
"Speak if you have something, don''t dy my mahjong game," his mother Xu Hong''s impatient dialect rang out at the same time.
The old home didn''t have any special products; the only special thing might be the incredibly dense mahjong halls along the road sides, especially now close to the New Year, when people who had ved away outside all year ran back to dominate the mahjong tables. Clearly, his own mother was also among this group dominating the tables...
Gu Heng''s emotions, which he had been brewing for a long time, were suddenly quashed by his mom...
"Are you going to talk or not? If not, I''m hanging up!"
"Wait, don''t move, I''m calling the 60,000!"
Hearing his mother''s impatient tone, Gu Heng couldn''t muster his emotions anymore and could only reluctantly announce the good news, "Mom, I bought a house."
"Bought what?"
"Bought a house!"
"I think you''re crazy, buying a house. You might as well buy a hammer! Day by day, you don''te home, nor have I seen you bring a wife home, only know to post nonsense on social media!"
Gu Heng: "..."
There was no way this conversation could continue...
The reason Gu Heng previously didn''t want to call his parents was precisely this...
They didn''t rush him to make money nor expected him to achieve much, but within three sentences, the conversation immediately turned to urging him to marry...
They had no idea that to young people, marriage and money were equated. They would start by saying how they were also penniless when they had him and still managed to raise him to adulthood.
But in reality, only young people themselves know, who would marry you if you have no money?
Although he now had money and wasn''t worried about finding a girlfriend, Gu Heng still subconsciously wanted to hang up the phone when he heard these words...
Thinking this, Gu Heng didn''t feel like sharing his joy with his mother anymore; he knew well that until she saw it with her own eyes, she would probably think he was just tricking her, no matter what he said.
Seeing that Gu Heng remained silent again, Xu Hong knew that the call was probably going to be hung up soon, and urgently said, "Don''t you dare hang up on me! You''re not skippinging home this year, are you? Even a dog that goes out to find food knows toe home after eating. If you don''te back, your dad and I will end up lonely old folks!"
"I''ll be home, I''ll be home, I''ming back in a few days."
"Then you go continue to find food."
As soon as Gu Heng finished speaking, Xu Hong hung up the phone...
Staring at the phone screen that had reverted to the screensaver, Gu Heng was stunned...
He was certain she was his real mom, for no one else could hurl such words...
....
Having just drawn a card after hanging up, Xu Hong heard a mahjong buddy gossiping nearby, "Is your soning home this year?"
Discarding the unwanted Eight of Circles, Xu Hong absentmindedly nodded.
"He''sing back. If he doesn''te back this year, I''ll go break his legs myself."
"I remember your son hasn''te back for two years, right? Coming back this year must mean he''s made a fortune!"
"What big fortune? As long as he marries safely and gives me a grandson to look after, I''ll let him be. A grown man won''t starve, right?"
After saying this, as if recalling something, she casually mentioned, "But he did call just now to say he bought a house, though I don''t know if it''s true or not."
Sure enough, this statement immediately stirred up excitement at the mahjong table.
"No way! He even bought a house? Isn''t a house nowadays worth at least a couple million? Your son must have really struck it rich!"
"..."
All sorts ofpliments made it harder for Xu Hong to keep quiet than suppressing an AK...
After all, who doesn''t like to hear good things... even if they know it''s not true, they still enjoy it...
That''s how it is in the countryside. People always sayplimentary things to your face, and the nasty stuff only behind your back...
But as the ttery grew more and more outrageous, Xu Hong couldn''t help feeling a bit guilty.
After all, in her heart, she knew her son didn''t have the means to buy a house; it was just the Gu family tradition to boast and show off...
Today it''s buying a house; tomorrow it might turn into buying a vi. After all,pared to city neighbors who might live next to each other for decades without knowing each other, rural neighbors gather everyday to chat, and some stories definitely get blown out of proportion.
For instance, working by screwing bolts might, after a few days, be serving as a soldier in Russia. Saying he''s delivering parcels in the capital could be twisted into owningnd there. Saying he''s a line manager in Dongguang could turn into being the mayor of Dongguang...
Thinking of this, Xu Hong took the chance when others weren''t paying attention to transfer 1000 yuan to Gu Heng on WeChat...
When her sones back, he can deal with these gossips himself...
Consider this 1000 yuan aspensation for Gu Heng...
With that thought, Xu Hong''s slight sense of guilt towards Gu Heng dissipatedpletely, and she wholeheartedly joined the intense game before her...
...
Meanwhile, seeing the 1000 yuan transferred by his mom, unaware that it waspensation, Gu Heng was secretly moved while sitting on the couch...
Although she verbally disparaged him, she still cared about him in her heart...
The money given by his motherpared to system rewards felt entirely different. Gu Heng happily pocketed the 1000 yuan transfer,pletely unaware of what awaited him back at his hometown...
When Gu Heng stepped out of his room, he found only three people at the door. He nced around, somewhat puzzled, "Where''s Jingjing?"
Seeing that He Jing was not around, Lin Jiayun''s mood seemed visibly better. She smiled and said, "The boss called her a while ago; there''s some urgent matter at thepany, so she left first and told me to let you know."
"Alright then. Are you heading back too? Do you need a ride?"
Just as Lin Jiayun was about to speak, she was interrupted by Gu Heng''s ringing phone...
Chapter 68: Chapter 66: The World is a Huge Bitch
"May I speak with Mr. Gu Heng?"
A pleasant female voice came through the phone.
Gu Heng was somewhat puzzled. For such unfamiliar numbers, he had thought it was some inte loan or game advertisement since, in his younger days, he''d left his phone number when signing up on dubious websites, and his number was sold off, making these messy advertisements inevitable...
However, since the caller knew his name, he guessed it might not be an advertisement, so he simply replied, "Yes, I am."
"Let me introduce myself first. I am Zhu Shuting, a senior client manager at the Construction Bank Hang City branch. I noticed that your ount has had frequentrge-scale deposits and withdrawals recently. May I ask if these were made by you personally?"
As soon as Zhu Shuting finished speaking, Gu Heng knew why the call had been made.
Prior to this, there had been expenditures and ies of several hundred thousand or million, but those were still small fry for the bank. The system had just rewarded him with nearly 70 million, a number far from insignificant...
The bank couldn''t remain indifferent.
"It was operated by me personally."
Gu Heng responded quite frankly.
The system had already exined the source of the funds to him, which were legitimate and traceable. He had nothing to hide and, moreover, if the bank had detected any problems with the funds, they wouldn''t be calling him courteously but would have sent the police to his doorstep.
"Since that''s the case, then we are relieved. Also, I''m not sure when you will be avable. Given the substantial amount of your savings, you are considered a premium customer at our Construction Bank. We can tailor a personal financial service for you, including some special courtesies.
If you are avable, I would personally visit you with our staff to exin the services we''ve tailored for you in detail."
Listening to Zhu Shuting''s respectful and polite tone, Gu Heng couldn''t help but grind his teeth a bit.
Fuck, back when his bank card was lost and he went to report it, he had to queue up five or six times. Each time, nothing was said until he reached the front, and then they would tell him the documents were iplete, unable to process the request, just for a damn card which took him days running to the bank.
Now things had changed; he didn''t need to do anything, just because he had more money, the bank''s manager was personallying over to handle his affairs.
No wonder they say the only kind of people banks serve are the rich...
But now, as he had nothing else to do and was curious about how the bank would serve him, Gu Heng said, "No need for the trouble; I happen to have time now. I''lle directly to your branch."
Hearing how straightforward Gu Heng agreed, Zhu Shuting was a bit surprised as she had dealt with many demanding rich clients, but it was her first timeing across someone so forthright.
"Then I will wait here for Mr. Gu."
Having said this, Gu Heng hung up the phone.
"Do you have something to take care of?"
Upon seeing Gu Heng put away his phone, Lin Jiayun had already forgotten what she was originally going to say and asked crisply.
He nodded.
"There''s something at the bank that I need to handle."
As soon as Lin Jiayun heard the word "bank", she became alert and continued asking, "What is it?"
With a mocking expression, Gu Heng jokingly said, "The bank said I have stored too much money, they need me to confirm and handle it, do you want toe with me?"
"Bluff! You spent over a million on a house already, what money do you have left in the bank?"
She first scoffed.
But upon thinking that Gu Heng invited her proactively, Lin Jiayun was quite excited and then proudly lifted her fair neck, "But since you asked so sincerely, I''ll graciously apany you."
With a smile, Gu Heng said nothing further.
By now, he thoroughly understood what kind of woman Lin Jiayun was.
The smarter the woman, the greedier.
She didn''t care about how much money Gu Heng could give her now, but rather, how much money Gu Heng had in total.
Seeing her current behavior, if he wasn''t mistaken, spending 10 million to buy a house had already started to sway her decision. With that, Gu Heng nned to administer a stronger dose next.
Wasn''t she in love with money?
Then this time, he would let her have her fill.
Thinking of this, Gu Heng smiled and said to Chen Hao, "Manager Chen, I''ll have to trouble you to take us to Construction Bank."
"Mr. Gu, you are too polite."
....
....
Twenty minutester.
A sleek, ck Audi A8L parked in the outdoor parking lot of the Construction Bank Hang City branch. This time, Chen Hao did not follow but chose to stay in the car as the driver, waiting for Gu Heng to return.
After entering the bank''s main doors with Lin Jiayun, he headed straight for the office of the lobby manager.
"Hello, could you please contact your customer manager Zhu Shuting, and tell her that my name is Gu Heng and that she asked me toe."
Gu Heng was very polite in his tone.
There wasn''t a hint of amanding attitude.
Gu Heng''s personality was naturally pleasant, especially since the system arrived, it had improved even more; he treated everyone from ordinary servers to salespeople with great respect.
Upon hearing this, the lobby manager first nced at Gu Heng, politely responded, and then immediately made a call to Zhu Shuting''s office to check.
After confirming, he hung up the phone, and it was unclear what Zhu Shuting had said on the other end, but the lobby manager''s attitude became even more enthusiastic, and he stood up smiling, "Mr. Gu, please wait a moment, Manager Zhu will be here shortly."
Gu Heng politely smiled, then casually chatted with Lin Jiayun to pass the time.
In just over a minute, a woman in her thirties dressed in ck tights, a pencil skirt, and a zer hurried over, followed by two men dressed as sales associates.
"Manager Zhu, this is Mr. Gu," said the lobby manager as he quickly introduced them.
Zhu Shuting directly ignored the lobby manager and approached Gu Heng.
"I apologize, Mr. Gu. It was a mistake on my part not toe down earlier to wait for you, wasting your time. I''m very sorry."
Considering the attentive attitude, along with his previous experiences of being treated transparently when losing his bank card, his entire being was permeated with one feeling. Chapter Experience:
Thrilled!
The world was indeed a colossal bitch, serving only those with money.
Gu Heng, though lost in his thoughts and unresponsive, heard Zhu Shuting speak respectfully, "Mr. Gu, please follow me; the lobby is too crowded, we can go to the VIP room and talkfortably."
Themotion caused by Zhu Shuting wasn''t small, and many in the lobby had noticed, but although Gu Heng liked to show off, he didn''t enjoy being spectated like a monkey. He promptly followed Zhu Shuting to the reception room with Lin Jiayun.
After Gu Heng left, those in line for service also withdrew their gazes.
They didn''t need to specte about who Gu Heng was.
The bank''s disy had already given them the answer.
And the answer was simple.
Wealthy man.
Chapter 69: Chapter 67: Is the Happiness of the Rich Really That Simple (Please Follow)
In the VIP room, Zhu Shuting invited Gu Heng and Lin Jiayun to sit down while she busily prepared the tea.
Gu Heng wasn''t in a hurry and deliberately kept his leg propped up as he watched Zhu Shuting bustling about.
How does that saying go?
Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west, don''t bully the poor young!
Now with a cheat code, he wouldn''t face a plotline involving middle-aged poverty, elderly poverty, the dead''s supremacy, or the tomb raider''s tears.
He thought back to his early twenties, when he had to stand like ackey to report a lost card.
Now that he had money, he definitely intended to indulge in all the services he hadn''t experienced before!
Zhu Shuting had been busy for quite a while before she finally got the tea ready, and immediately apologized upon speaking, "I''m sorry, Mr. Gu, for keeping you waiting. Brewing Shifeng Longjing is quiteplex, and any mishap can affect the taste. I don''t trust anyone else to brew it and that took some of your time."
In just a few words, Zhu Shuting''s emotional intelligence shone through.
She ced herself in the lowest position while raising the level of attention to Gu Heng to the limit.
Havinge from humble beginnings, Gu Heng may not grasp the nuances of this linguistic artistry, but he could sense Zhu Shuting''s posture, and his vanity soared.
Lin Jiayun sat beside him, expressionless, but her thoughts were already spinning wildly...
With her ie, she was no stranger to the bank''s VIP room, but she had never enjoyed such considerate service; for her, the VIP room was merely a way to skip the queue...
Now, witnessing Zhu Shuting''s attitude toward Gu Heng, she couldn''t help but recall what he said when they arrived, "I have too much money in the bank, I need to handle it." At the time, she thought Gu Heng was joking...
But now it seemed, it wasn''t as simple as a joke...
...
After respectfully pouring tea for Gu Heng and Lin Jiayun, Zhu Shuting finally got to the main point.
"The reason I contacted Mr. Gu today is because your deposit amount has met the criteria for bing a ck diamond VIP customer at Construction Bank. I''m inquiring whether Mr. Gu is interested in bing our ck diamond VIP customer." Chapter Stay:
Gu Heng gently blew on the mist at the rim of the cup and leisurely tasted this so-called Shifeng Longjing¡
It seemed just okay¡
After living in Hang City for so many years, he hadn''t drunk Shifeng Longjing, but he had certainly heard of it¡ªit was said to cost tens of thousands per pound.
Yet, it tasted not much different than the tea dregs he used to drink that cost a few dozen yuan per pound¡
Setting the tea cup down gently, Gu Heng looked at Zhu Shuting with a hint of confusion and asked, "What is a ck diamond VIP customer?"
He really didn''t know anything about the ck diamond VIP that Zhu Shuting was talking about...
With his prior bank bnce, he wouldn''t have qualified even for the lowest level gold card, let alone what sounded like the more prestigious "ck diamond VIP customer."
Zhu Shuting hadn''t expected Gu Heng to ask this question, but her face didn''t show any change as she patiently exined, "A ck diamond VIP customer is the upgraded version of our diamond VIP customer at Construction Bank, which is akin to the private banking clients at major banks. Only those with deposits over 6 million are eligible for an invitation.
Mr. Gu, your deposits far exceed this standard, and naturally, you are one of the invitees from Construction Bank."
Listening to her exnation, Gu Heng nodded slightly, "So, what are the benefits of bing such a private bank client?"
At this question, Zhu Shuting couldn''t hide her smile anymore.
By 2024, although the national standard of living had significantly improved, there were still only about 100,000 people in Hua Country who met the standard of private bank clients¡
It sounds like a lot, right? But what exactly does that mean?
The permanent poption of Hang City this year is about 12 million. Using a basic filter, there are actually only around 800 people in the whole city who meet the private banking criteria¡
Of course, this isn''t precisely urate; as a new first-tier city, Hang City is a haven for the wealthy, with even more riches than a typical province.
Regardless, each private bank client is considered one of the most precious assets by major banks, and for client managers like Zhu Shuting, it represents a very stable and quality performance...
Gu Heng was now obviously showing interest, and Zhu Shuting hastened to continue her exnation.
"After bing a private banking customer of our Construction Bank, no matter the time or ce, whenever you want to do business, there''s absolutely no need toe to the bank in person. Just send me a message, and we will arrange someone to visit your home and handle it for you.
Additionally, we will provide you with exclusive wealth management services, overseas medical services, personal doctor services, golf club memberships, yacht clubs, high-end private banking lounges, and a series of other special treatments and services."
Listening to Zhu Shuting''s introduction, Gu Heng''s eyes shone brighter and brighter...
He had heard about most of these perks before but was clearly aware of how far they were from his reach...
Now it seemed he didn''t have to do anything but deposit a sum of money in the bank and he could enjoy all of this?
Is the joy of the rich really that simple?
Deposit money and elevate yourself above others?
Barely containing his excitement, Gu Heng steadied his slightly trembling hand, trying not to embarrass himself. He took out a pack of cigarettes, drew one out, and asked, "Can I smoke here?"
"Of course."
Zhu Shuting''s smile remained.
As long as Gu Heng agreed to be a private banking customer of Construction Bank and contribute to her performance figures, it wasn''t just smoking that was eptable¡ªanything would be fine...
With a puff of the heavenly cigarette, Gu Heng''s mood finally rxed a bit, then he asked a question that was quite important to him.
"Can I make a request? I hope thatrge funds can be managed on time whethering in or going out."
After all, the rewards from the system were unpredictable; some days he might receive several rewards, and as he climbed higher in status, the rewards were sure to increase...
The financial controls in Hua Country were rather strict, and all of his money was flowing in from abroad.
It would be quite bothersome if it got held up for auditing or something of the sort.
Hearing Gu Heng''s words, Zhu Shuting quickly responded with a formal tone, "Please rest assured, Mr. Gu, your current deposits have already reached 70 million, exceeding the special service standard of 50 million.
We will establish a special service team for you, providing 24-hour service. Transfers below ten million do not require reporting and can be handled immediately, and those above ten million will also be resolved in the quickest time possible."
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng nodded in satisfaction.
Lin Jiayun had been quietly sitting on the side, pretending to y with her phone, but she couldn''t help but lose control of her facial expressions when the conversation turned to this subject, swallowing hard as she looked over at Gu Heng...
A patriarch?
70 million???
This figure was something Lin Jiayun did not even dare to think about in over twenty years of her life, but now it had so casually appeared from Zhu Shuting''s mouth...
She originally thought that Gu Heng having several tens of millions in assets was already reaching for the stars...
But now, it looked like what she knew was just the tip of the iceberg for Gu Heng?
Deposits of 70 million, not assets of 70 million¡ªshe was not a woman unfamiliar with the world, and she clearly understood the meaning and difference between these two terms...
At this thought, Lin Jiayun''s reservepletely vanished.
Bottom line?
What the hell is that?
Forget about Gu Heng making her gush likest night, even if it happened every day, it wouldn''t matter.
Her waters would flow only for him from now on!
Gu Heng, of course, saw Lin Jiayun''s expression and a discreet smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
This was exactly the result he wanted. In the passive situation, Zhu Shuting had provided a wonderful assist.
Chapter 70: Chapter 68 The privilege is too good... (Please follow)
Half an hourter.
Zhu Shuting returned to the VIP reception room, this time holding a delicate and small bank card in her hand.
"Congrattions to Mr. Gu for bing the distinguished ck Diamond VIP customer of Hua Country Construction Bank. Your satisfaction is our lifelong pursuit!"
The same spiel again, Gu Heng had heard it just an hour before from the sales staff at Tianyanga Mansion, and hearing it once more didn''t excite him much either; after all, one does develop a resistance to ttery andpliments after a while...
He took the bank card from Zhu Shuting''s hand and casually fiddled with it.
The card looked considerably different from his previous ones, obviously much more exquisite by dozens, if not hundreds, of times...
The all-ck card, decorated with the ink dragon design on the edges, made its specialness apparent at a nce, and even the six big characters of [Hua Country Construction Bank]reflected a colorfulser glow.
The words [Private Bank Card] were simply and unostentatiously printed in the center, but anyone who had seen the card would know that all the fancy stuff put together couldn''tpare to the weight these five words carried...
Looking at the modest card, Gu Heng burst outughing...
Seeing Gu Heng''s inexplicable smile, Zhu Shuting was curious but tactfully refrained from asking; during work hours, her status waspletely unequal to Gu Heng''s, in other words, she wasn''t entitled to inquire about personal matters.
But Lin Jiayun was not so reserved and directly asked, "What are youughing about?"
"A reflectiveugh," Gu Heng nced at her, and then casually stuffed the card into his pocket.
"What are you reflecting on?"
With her intent-to-know-it-all demeanor, Gu Heng had no choice but to share his thoughts, "I''m reflecting on how unfair this world really is. This simple card, had it been earlier, would have been worth more than my life."
It was true.
What''s valuable is not the card, but what the card represents.
Inside Gu Heng''s card were 70 million in deposits, to put it harshly, it was worth more than a hundred of his past lives; after all, a poor man''s life is cheap.
Hearing Gu Heng''s remark, Zhu Shuting could only offer apliant smile, "Mr. Gu jests. Where is there absolute fairness in this world? Your money was hard-earned, it''s your capability, and you deserve to enjoy all this."
Although she said this, Zhu Shuting didn''t think so in her heart...
If the world were absolutely fair, would she still need to be here, offering forced smiles?
Gu Heng was unaware of Zhu Shuting''s thoughts but hearing her praise, he couldn''t help but smile again...
Was his money really earned through hard work?
Didn''t seem much different from being blown his way by a strong wind, did it?
However, he did agree with the statement that there is no absolute fairness in this world and firmly believed it too.
For he had experienced the feelings of both an utter nobody and a person of high standing.
As for fairness or theck thereof, it was no longer important.
He believed that for his future life, the scales of fairness would only tip in his favor...
.....
.....
After roughly understanding what the so-called ck Diamond VIP privileges entailed, Gu Heng felt a bit hungry and subconsciously nced at the time on his Ice Blue Daytona on his left wrist. It was already noon, twelve o''clock.
Based on Zhu Shuting''s past experiences, when clients started looking at their watches, it definitely meant they had other matters to attend to.
Gu Heng didn''t voluntarily mention that he had other matters to attend to, indicating that it wasn''t important. ncing at the time, she deduced that it was mealtime and guessed what was on his mind.
Private banking clients had too many privileges to exin in a short time; what she needed now was to make a good impression on Gu Heng.
With this thought, Zhu Shuting stopped her introduction and took the initiative to change the subject, "Mr. Gu probably hasn''t had lunch yet. It''s mealtime now.
How about this, I invite you and Miss Lin for a casual meal, and we can continue our discussion over food?"
When Gu Heng heard Zhu Shuting''s suggestion, he looked at her with satisfaction.
You can''t say these people aren''t professionals.
It was like they had ESP; whatever was on his mind, they could immediately guess and then provide a solution.
With this thought, Gu Heng stood up, smiling, "Okay, then let''s talk over lunch, but since I''m the one troubling Manager Zhu, I''ll treat."
Upon hearing his words, Zhu Shuting didn''t decline outright but jokingly ced her hand over her mouth and lowered her voice, "Our bank covers entertaining expenses, so let me bask in Mr. Gu''s radiance."
Her instinctual thinking was that insisting on paying for the customer''s meal was a faux pas that could offend them.
But the contradiction was, if she really let the customer pay, then that would simply be foolish, and she wouldn''t have been able to climb to her position as a senior ount manager.
This little joke provided a reasonable exnation and also showed the bank''s respect for major clients, disying a clear understanding of corporate etiquette and personal connections.
Gu Heng didn''t have such cunning thoughts; his offer to pay was just a polite gesture and he waspletely unaware of Zhu Shuting''s considerations...
You could say that once people acquire a certain social status, every little action they take is subject to overinterpretation...
This time, Gu Heng simply made a straightforward move, but Zhu Shuting treated it as a major strategy...
After finishing thest sip of tea, Gu Heng smacked his lips.
Chapter Experience:
At first, he felt the Shifeng Longjing tasted no different from the tea fragments that cost a few dozen yuan per half-kilogram, but after a few more sips, the difference became clear: you get what you pay for, and the lingering aroma of tea between his lips and teeth couldn''t lie...
Thinking of Old Gu at home, who liked to wander around with a thermos cup of tea when he had nothing to do, he couldn''t help but ask Zhu Shuting, "Manager Zhu, could you provide me with the purchasing channel for this tea?"
Tobo, alcohol, and tea: these three were almost indispensable when visiting rtives and friends in Hua Country.
However, while ordinary gifts were easy toe by, higher quality items were often counterfeit, with more fakes on the market than the real thing.
Gu Heng didn''t want to bring fake tea home to his dad; he hoped the bank''s procurement channel wouldn''t supply counterfeit products.
"Does Mr. Gu like this tea?"
Zhu Shuting first asked, then continued, "Shifeng Longjing is a seasonal famous tea with very limited production; it hits the market in March, and most of it is quickly snatched up by the government departments in Hang City.
After this period, most of the tea still being sold is fake, so even if I gave you the procurement channel, it would be very difficult to get any at this time."
Gu Heng could only nod his head at this.
He couldn''t me himself; he tried, and it was just Old Gu''s misfortune to miss out.
But after Zhu Shuting added a "please wait" and hurried out of the VIP reception room, returning a few minutester with two elegant gift boxes in hand...
"Mr. Gu, I just remembered we still had two boxes over at the president''s office. After I spoke to the president, he insisted that I personally hand these two boxes of Shifeng Longjing over to you."
Observing Zhu Shuting''s breathless appearance, Gu Heng was stunned...
Was this one of the privileges a private banking client could enjoy?
Things ordinary people couldn''t buy even with money, he didn''t need to spend a penny; just a mention would have someone delivering it to him straight away?
All he could say was... delicious.
Too damn delicious...
Chapter 71: Chapter 69: How Much I Can Give You Depends on Your Value to Me
A meal took over an hour to eat...
Gu Heng had no idea how much Zhu Shuting had spent on this meal, but it definitely wasn''t cheap...
After all, the table just now had more dishes piled up than even those at weddings and funerals back in his hometown.
Moreover, they were all expensive delicacies like swallow''s nest and abalone; casually bringing out a single dish could probably match the cost of an entire country banquet...
After finishing, he called Chen Hao; Chen Hao was already waiting at the hotel entrance. Zhu Shuting apanied Gu Heng as he walked out of the hotel. Seeing Chen Hao open the car door and stand by, waiting quietly, she respectfully smiled at Gu Heng and said, "Since Mr. Gu''s driver has alreadye to pick you up, I won''t impose any further.
If you need anything in the future, just contact me directly."
Zhu Shuting wasn''t the least bit surprised about Gu Heng having a private driver.
For a tycoon with 70 million in liquid cash, having a private driver was nothing. It wouldn''t be surprising even if he had a private jet.
When Chen Hao heard Zhu Shuting mistook him for Gu Heng''s driver, he didn''t feel slighted nor did he intend to correct her; he just stood by the car door with a smile on his face.
Seeing this, Gu Heng didn''t bother to exin either; he exchanged a few pleasantries with Zhu Shuting and then he, along with Lin Jiayun, got into the back seat of the Audi A8L.
As the car started moving slowly, Zhu Shuting still stood there, smiling and waving at Gu Heng until the ck A8L merged into the traffic. Only then did she return to the hotel to get the receipt...
A meal that cost more than ten thousand, if she didn''t im it on expenses, she would be so distressed she might lose sleep for several nights.
.....
Now seatedfortably in the back seat, Gu Heng looked through the car window at Zhu Shuting, who still maintained her respectful demeanor even after he left, and he let out a breath slowly...
He finally understood why people, after getting rich, inexplicably develop a certain demeanor that allows others to distinguish them from ordinary people at a nce.
Surrounded by a group of people who are so respectful all the time ¨C even a pig might develop some demeanor, right?
While Gu Heng was reflecting as usual, an arm slid under his and was then mped tightly between something soft...
The sudden sensation made Gu Heng involuntarily turn his gaze toward Lin Jiayun, who looked up at him with eyes brimming with tenderness...
Seeing her look, Gu Heng couldn''t help but frown and after giving her a once-over, he asked, "Did you eat something strange? Why are you eying me so seductively all of a sudden?"
Lin Jiayun: "???"
Not only was Lin Jiayun puzzled, but even Chen Hao, who was quietly driving at the front, almost couldn''t hold back augh...
If it were any other man saying such things to her, Lin Jiayun would have alreadybeled him as "Shrimp Head Man." But having just witnessed Gu Heng''s power, her fondness for Gu Heng hadpletely skyrocketed, and she selectively ignored such details. She even tightened her embrace around Gu Heng''s arm, pulling him deeper into that soft trap...
"I''ve figured it out," she proimed, out of the blue.
Although Gu Heng knew what she meant, he still yed dumb, "What have you figured out?"
Looking at Gu Heng with his feigned ignorance, Lin Jiayun rolled her beautiful eyes, "You know what I''m talking about!"
At that, Gu Heng''s lips curved into a smile. Sometimes, sess in pulling the strings needed just an instant.
He was well aware that Lin Jiayun was only after his money, and he was only after her body. To put it bluntly, their tug of war was more like a business transaction: one to bargain, the other to inte the price.
But they both had the same goal, and that was to strike a deal.
If after today, Lin Jiayun still wanted to keep up the tug of war, he probably wouldn''t be interested in her anymore. If she could ept it, fine; if not, then it was her loss. Why indulge in a business deal that pretends to be a coy love affair? In the past, he didn''t have the capital to choose, but now, with such substantial capital and so many choices, why should he waste his time on her?
Looking at that confident smile at the corner of Gu Heng''s mouth, Lin Jiayun forced down the indignation rising in her heart and continued, "Now I know you''re very rich, but I want to know, if I agree to you, how much can you give me?"
She knew that if she didn''t discuss the stakes now, once she waspletely in Gu Heng''s grasp, she would have even less right to negotiate.
Chapter Enjoy:
At this moment, reason hadpletely taken over her brain. She had kept herself pure for over twenty years just to wait for a man like Gu Heng. If Gu Heng''s terms couldn''t satisfy her, then she would rather keep waiting.
Hearing Lin Jiayun''s words, Gu Heng thought for a moment and said, "Actually, how much I can give isn''t really up to me; it''s up to you."
"Up to me?"
"It''s about your value to me, do you understand what I''m saying?"
Gu Heng was a money dog, but not an idiot.
Now that he had money, he was willing to trade it for this kind of physical love.
But that didn''t mean he was thoughtless. Since the two of them were conducting business, they should have a businesslike attitude. He would give her material things of equal value to the emotional value she could provide to him.
Lin Jiayun fell silent upon hearing Gu Heng''s words...
Smart as she was, she actually understood what Gu Heng meant, but it was a bit hard for her to ept at first, and then she asked a bit pitifully, "Then, can I publicly announce that you''re my boyfriend?"
After all, she was still a young person in her early twenties. The idea of being purely a caged canary, never able to see the light, was somewhat intolerable to her...
"Of course, why not?"
At this response, a glint of hope reappeared in Lin Jiayun''s eyes.
But the next thing Gu Heng said made her lips pucker in disappointment...
"However, your making it public is your affair, I definitely won''t acknowledge it."
As an obscure ordinary person who neither wished to be a star nor an influencer, it didn''t really matter to him if Lin Jiayun made their rtionship public. Even if some Sherlock Holmes-likeizens managed to dig up dirt on him, all he needed to do was deny it.
Such a small concession, Gu Heng felt he could satisfy her.
Although Lin Jiayun was not entirely satisfied with Gu Heng''s answer, she understood it was the most he was willing to concede and promptly offered her red lips...
Chen Hao, sitting in the front seat, appeared to be focused on driving; in reality, he absorbed every single word of their conversation without missing a beat.
If he wasn''t driving, he might have even wanted to take out pen and paper to jot it all down...
Was this the way rich people picked up girls?
It seemed a little too fantastical...
Especially Gu Heng''s remark, "How much I can give depends on your value to me," practically picked up all the dignity that loser guys and simps had thrown away on behalf of men...
As for Gu Heng, well, he was lost in the game.
The person he used to be could never have said something so impressive.
But the experiences of the past few days seemed to have opened his Ren and Du meridians...
Indeed, money is the most potent Viagra for men! With it, they can stand strong and hard!
Chapter 72: Chapter 70: Because Love is Essentially a Luxury
Chen Hao was still reying the conversation between Gu Heng and Lin Jiayun, although he didn''t have the financial strength and confidence to say the kind of things Gu Heng did, perhaps one day he might strike it rich too?
It never hurts to learn a bit more.
You never know when it mighte in handy.
"Manager Chen."
While Chen Hao was driving and mentally rehearsing, Gu Heng''s voice rang out.
Slowing down slightly, Chen Hao quickly responded, "What is it, Mr. Gu?"
"Let''s not go back to the hotel just yet; head to the nearest shopping mall instead."
Having received Gu Heng''s instructions, Chen Hao didn''t hesitate; he quickly changed course and drove towards the nearest luxury mall, already guessing what Gu Heng had nned and not daring to dy his important business.
Even Chen Hao could guess, and of course, Lin Jiayun understood as well; she held onto Gu Heng''s arm with a slight tremble, trying to stabilize her emotions and feigned ignorance, "What are we going to the shopping mall for?"
"Didn''t you want to know how much you could get from me?"
With Gu Heng''s affirmation, Lin Jiayun, although mentally prepared, couldn''t help feeling excited...
Gu Heng appeared calm, but his excitement was no less than Lin Jiayun''s.
For Lin Jiayun, Gu Heng taking her to the shopping mall was a gain; for him, wasn''t it the same?
In the past, he had only dreamed of using money to smash open the hearts of those aloof goddesses and have them blissfully submit beneath him, but after all, it was just a thought.
Now that he finally had the chance to make it a reality, how could he not be excited?
In just a few minutes, Chen Hao had driven his Audi A8L to the Hangcheng Tower Shopping Mall.
....
After giving Chen Hao a few instructions, Gu Heng proceeded into the building with Lin Jiayun.
At this moment, Lin Jiayun hadpletely opened her heart, hanging onto Gu Heng''s arm with a joyful smile on her face...
To those unaware of the circumstances, the pair just looked like a couple deeply in love.
"Tell me, what do you want?"
Gu Heng, tilting his head down slightly, gazed at Lin Jiayun, who was smiling and nestled in his arms, and slowly spoke.
Having loosened uppletely, Lin Jiayun was no longer reserved. After a moment of thought, her eyes turned towards a sparkling ice blue on Gu Heng''s left wrist, and then, with a hesitant tone, she slowly said, "Could I have a watch?"
"Let''s go."
With that, he led her through the main entrance.
A few minutester, they entered a Cartier gship store.
Actually, the Hangcheng Tower Shopping Mall had many luxury watch brands like Rolex, Vacheron Constantin, and Patek Philippe, and Gu Heng saw the counters, but he didn''t just rush in impulsively to show off.
Chapter Enjoy:
It wasn''t that he couldn''t afford them¡ªwith 70 million in savings, there were hardly any watches in the world he couldn''t buy, especially considering the system rewards he would get after purchases, which left him without any worries.
Gu Heng admitted he had be somewhat inted with the system, but he had certainly not lost his senses.
What kind of woman she was, that was the value he should give; that''s what a proper man ought to do. Raising the bidding price recklessly is something people would criticize sharply!
Lin Jiayun, on the other hand, didn''t think too much.
For her, the Cartier brand was already enough.
Upon entering the store, they were met with the standard high-quality service of luxury shops, as a sales associate greeted them with an extremely warm smile.
"Show her your watches."
Before the sales associate could get a word in, Gu Heng had already spoken up.
"Sure, Sir and Madam, this way, please."
Lin Jiayun, familiar with luxury shops, naturally followed the sales associate.
After reaching the counter, the sales associate''s inquiry sounded, "What type of watches are you two interested in? Do you have a budget in mind? It would help me pick the perfect watch for you."
While the question was directed at both, the sales associate''s eyes were fixed on Gu Heng.
Standing aside, he nced at Lin Jiayun, "Ask her."
Listening to Gu Heng''s casual tone, the sales associate was delighted and then turned an expectant gaze to Lin Jiayun.
"Let''s just have a look."
Lin Jiayun didn''t give a definitive answer but instead gave an ambiguous response.
She thought Gu Heng said this to test her appetite¡ªif it were too high, he might despise her as a greedy woman. But if her desires were too modest, she wouldn''t be content...
"Madam, please take a look at which one you like, and I''ll bring it out for you to try."
Not getting the desired response, the sales associate wasn''t discouraged and continued to speak.
....
For the next half hour or more, Lin Jiayun tried on one watch after another.
Gu Heng soon lost patience to continue choosing with her and casually sat cross-legged at the resting area, ying with his phone.
"Gu Heng!"
Hearing Lin Jiayun''s call, Gu Heng then came over with his phone.
"You''ve decided?"
She shook her wrist, where the watch was, in front of Gu Heng as a response.
"Does it look good?"
Lin Jiayun''s skin was the kind of cool white that would make any girl envious, her pristine wrists paired with the rose-red strap were like those of a hand model...
Gu Heng didn''t answer her but asked the sales associate how much it was, "How much is this one?"
"This is our Cartier Blue Balloon series model WJBB0081, the official price is 214,000 yuan."
It seemed this price was specifically chosen by Lin Jiayun.
Justst night Gu Heng had transferred 200,000 yuan to her, and she also knew that she was only worth that much in Gu Heng''s heart for the time being.
Gu Heng nodded slightly, and then confirmed with Lin Jiayun again, "Is this the one?"
Seeing her quickly nod as if pecking at grains with her head, Gu Heng didn''t waste words and immediately handed over the bank card he had just activated that morning to the sales associate, "Swipe the card."
"Yes, sir!"
The sales associate, smiling like a blooming flower, eagerly took the bank card and started the transaction process after half an hour of effort.
Lin Jiayun watched as the sales associate gently swiped Gu Heng''s card on the POS machine, and as it chimed "Transaction Sessful," she felt her whole body go limp, then gazed at Gu Heng''s face as if her eyes could spin silk...
The sound of "transactionpleted" marked not just the purchase of a watch.
It was also thepletion of the transaction between her and Gu Heng.
After packaging the 214,000 yuan watch, the sales associate carefully presented it to Lin Jiayun with a beaming smile, "I hope your rtionship can be like what our Cartier watch slogan says, ''After so much time, you''re still my loved one,'' and continue to love each other fresh as ever."
Lin Jiayun smiled as she took the gift bag, listening to the sales associate''s wishes, feeling a strange sensation inside...
Was what she and Gu Heng had real love?
By normal standards, definitely not.
But it seemed to qualify...
Isn''t adult love all about weighing pros and cons, being rational yet realistic?
By that count, it seemed she really was in a romantic rtionship with Gu Heng.
Amusing herself with this thought, she felt much relieved as they left the store, even joking with Gu Heng.
"Gu Heng, do you know why luxury brands'' taglines are all about love?"
"Because love itself is a luxury."
As an experienced inte user, Gu Heng of course knew what the next line was.
In the past, he only saw it as a meme, but now...
After experiencing it firsthand, he realized it wasn''t just a meme; it damn well made sense...
Wasn''t love just like those luxury goods disyed in store windows?
Unattainable for themon folk, freely given and taken by the wealthy...
"Gu Heng, where are we going now?"
"Sry has been paid; there''s work to be done, right?"
Chapter 73: Chapter 71 Prepare! Going Home!
Zhang Ailing once said that the road to a man''s heart is through his stomach, and to a woman''s heart is through that way.
After Lin Jiayun hadpletely opened her heart, Gu Heng extended their hotel stay by one more day...
For two whole days, under Gu Heng''s vigorous onught, he hadpletely prated Lin Jiayun''s carefully guarded, never-before-trodden shady path, sessfully reaching into her innermost feelings...
.....
February 1st.
Which is to say, the twenty-second of the twelfth lunar month, with just four days until his childhood friend''s wedding...
He had originally nned to make it back the day before the twenty-sixth of the twelfth month at best, but the speed at which the Bentley 4S shop worked was surprisingly efficient, taking less than a week to get the license te ready, and the scratches caused by Lin Ran''s rear-ending were also fully repaired, the car as good as new...
Since the car was fixed and the license te was also ready ahead of time, Gu Heng had no desire to stay in Hang City any longer... Going home today, he could still make it in time for the twenty-fourth of the twelfth lunar month, the Little New Year...
He was eager to return, which is exactly how he felt now.
Before, every time the New Year was approaching, whether to return home or not was his most troublesome decision.
He missed home, and he wanted to go back.
After all, ording to the simplest sentiments of the Chinese people, who could truly let go of the concept of "home"?
If things were going well, who wouldn''t want to go back?
To put it bluntly, those who''d rather eat New Year''s Eve dinner alone in the big city rather than go home were actually just like Gu Heng, simply avoiding it all...
No money earned, no girlfriend either...
Originally thinking that after being a "dog" in the big city for a year, one could rx at home for a few days, only to find that the pressure at home was even more exhausting than being a "dog" in the city...
Not only facing the iprehension and the marriage pressure from parents, but also bing a backdrop for others to show off their sess, what was the point of going back?
But now, it was different...
Now he drove a luxury car, lived in a mansion, wore famous watches, and yed with socialites.
He would be seen as a sess anywhere, wouldn''t he?
To be wealthy and not return home is like walking in brocade clothing at night!
Especially for someone like Gu Heng, who inherited the gene for showiness, now that he had money, not going back to unt it would be more painful than killing him.
...
"Mr. Gu, we have already ced all the items you instructed us to purchase for you in the car,"
After checking out, Gu Heng headed to the hotel entrance at Chen Hao''s direction.
At this moment, the rear doors and the trunk were wide open...
The trunk was filled with items that were not too expensive, merely over a dozen bottles of Feitian Maozi and Wuliangye, along with twenty or thirty cartons of Jinling Jiu Wu, He Tianxia, and Huanghelou 1916, plus some health products like ginseng and deer antler.
As for Hua Zi, a product already phased out by time, Gu Heng didn''t buy a single pack.
The items in the rear seats were slightly more valuable.
For example, the gold jewelry he had bought for his mother and the collectible coins for Old Gu.
Looking at the fully packed trunk and rear seats, Gu Heng nodded with satisfaction...
Adding the clothes and attire for himself and his parents that he had bought from luxury stores, he had nearly hundreds of thousands worth of goods in his car...
All these trinkets are just for showing off when I go home for the New Year... the capital for honoring my parents!
I''ve never unted wealth like this in my life!
As Gu Heng was fantasizing about the envious, jealous, and hateful expressions of his rtives and neighbors after he went home, Chen Hao''s voice rang out again, "Mr. Gu, you transferred 200,000 to me before, and we''ve only spent more than 80,000. Here''s the invoice. I''ll transfer the remaining 112,000 back to you."
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng took a nce at the invoice and casually crumpled it into a ball before tossing it into a nearby trash can.
"There''s no need to transfer the money back to me, just put the 110,000 into my membership card, and consider the remaining 2,000 yourpensation for these past few days."
Chen Hao, the hotel manager, had really worn many hats while working for Gu Heng these past days...
Personal driver, errand boy, delivery man, he even bought Yu Ting for Lin Jiayun... As for why the Yu Ting wasn''t the sperm-blocking sprite type?
Don''t ask; asking means a real man is never confined!
After all, he was a manager, but he had been made to run errands like a little brother. Giving a 2,000 tip for his services was by no means outrageous.
Although Chen Hao was overjoyed internally, he still had to y his part with a proper face, "Serving you is my job, I can''t ept these 2,000..."
But Gu Heng didn''t entertain him, simply waved his hand and then sat down in the driver''s seat.
2,000 yuan, which was once half a month''s sry for him, now couldn''t stir his emotions at all, no different from two yuan.
....
As the Bentley Flying Spur slowly started up, Chen Hao watched Gu Heng''s departure.
Just as he was about to turn on the car stereo, suddenly remembering something, Gu Heng took out his phone and made a video call straight to his mom...
Hang City wasn''t too far from his hometown Qing''an City. It was only about a four- to five-hour drive. It was just past nine in the morning now, and even if there was traffic on the highway, he should be able to make it home by dinner...
After all, it had been more than two years since he had been home. He guessed his room hadn''t been tidied up. If he didn''t make a phone call in advance, he might not even have a ce to stay when he got back.
The call connected quickly, and his mother, Xu Hong''s, somewhat aged face appeared in the middle of the screen, with the background showing the old building as old as himself.
"Mom, I''ming home today. If there''s no traffic, I should be home by the afternoon."
Seemingly stunned by Gu Heng''s sudden news, Xu Hong first looked stunned, then her expression visibly shifted from indifferent to excited, and she quickly shouted into the old building, "Gu Jianguo! Come out, your son ising back!"
Soon, a middle-aged man rushed out from the old building, running over swiftly.
"What? The son ising back? When will he arrive?"
After that, he snatched the phone from Xu Hong''s hands and started asking questions.
Watching his dad, who seemed even more excited than his mom, Gu Heng felt a sudden tremor in his heart. People always say that fathers are strict and mothers are kind, but it was the other way around at his home. The fiercer one growing up had always been his mom, Xu Hong, while his dad, Gu Jianguo... was definitely the family cook doing household chores...
It could be said he wasn''t aplished...
But he truly, like all ordinary fathers in the world, gave him what he thought was the best of everything since he was a child...
Gu Heng fought the stinging sensation in his nose and managed a toothy smile, "I should be home by tonight. Buy some more meat. I want to eat your braised pork."
"Buy! I''ll go buy it now!"
Seeming to sense Gu Heng''s mood, Gu Jianguo didn''t say much, only nodding constantly on the phone.
After chatting casually for a few minutes and easing the mood, just as Gu Heng was about to hang up the call, his mother Xu Hong''s face came back into the screen.
"Oh, son, how are you nning toe back?"
Gu Heng thought about it; he had mentioned buying a house a few days ago, and she waspletely unconvinced. Now, if he said he had bought a car, he reckoned she wouldn''t believe that either, so he just made up a lie, "I''m riding back with a friend''s car."
Chapter 74: Chapter 72 The Delicate and Naive Girl Tao Miaomiao
Just after he had finished speaking, the mobile phone in Gu Jianguo''s hands was snatched away, and his little aunt''s face appeared before Gu Heng''s eyes.
"Xiaoheng, I heard from your mom that you''re working in Hang City?"
Caught off guard by his little aunt''s sudden question, Gu Heng nodded.
"I remember Hang City is not far from Shanghai, right? Could you ask your friend if there''s still room in the car? Could you go to Shanghai and pick up your sister? Whatever your friend charges for the ride is fine.
Your sister is in her junior year of internship, and she said that herpany required interns to stay for the New Year, so she didn''t buy a ticket home. Now they''ve said she can go home for the New Year after all, but after trying for days she hasn''t been able to get one. Even the long-distance buses are booked up, and your little uncle is about to charter a vehicle to go get her from Shanghai."
Hearing his little aunt''s words, Gu Heng fell silent for a brief moment...
Honestly, he didn''t like his little uncle and little aunt, not one bit.
These two were the kind of people who epitomized snobbery...
His cousin, Gu Xinran, had gotten into the prestigious Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, which was not just top-notch locally but also a mark of excellence nationally.
And him? He went straight to work after high school. Because of that, they felt superior and often mocked his family, always implying he wouldn''t amount to much. As a result, whenever he called home, he would frequently hear his motherin about how she regretted not insisting he pursue a university education, and how their family looked down on them for it...
The countryside...
That''s just how it is...
Having dealt with too many rtives and neighbors before, he knew they always liked topare and boast about everything.
Although he found his little uncle and little aunt detestable, he had no prejudices against his cousin. After all, he and Gu Xinran were close in age, and she used to follow him around like a shadow when they were kids.
It was onlyter, after she went to university and he didn''t make a name for himself or go home much, that they gradually lost touch...
With that thought, Gu Heng decided not to dwell on it anymore. He said to his little aunt on the phone, "I''ll give Xinran a call first and see what''s going on over there, okay?"
"Good, good, good, you get in touch with her, and your little uncle will set up a dinner for you when you get back!"
Looking at his little aunt''s effortless smile, the more Gu Heng saw, the more opportunistic she seemed to him, and unexpectedly, he felt a bit pleased...
This feeling of being sought after by people who once looked down on him was truly satisfying... It really was like the saying, ''Time brings great changes to the world.''
But he was well aware that this was just the beginning, and the real drama of "The Three-Year Promise at Yun Sect" would start once he got home.
....
After ending the video call, Gu Heng scrolled through WeChat for a while before finding Gu Xinran''s contact.
Without overthinking, he dialed her number right away.
The phone rang for a solid half a minute before she answered...
"Brother?"
Hearing the familiar voice and address on the other end, Gu Heng''s lips curled into a smile, as the vivacious image of the little girl who liked to follow him around in a skirt came to mind: "Heard you''re stuck in Shanghai and can''t get back?"
Gu Xinran: "??!!"
"How did you know?!"
"Your mom just told me. Have you managed to get a ticket yet?"
Without mentioning it, Gu Xinran''s voice was fine, but once he brought it up, she sounded miserable: "Wuwu~ Don''t mention it. I''ve been trying for days without sess, and there aren''t even any rideshares avable. I''m probably going to spend the New Year in Shanghai."
"If there''s a ride today, can you make it back immediately?"
"Of course, I can. I''m just an intern, and aside from serving tea and water, there isn''t much for me to do. I''ve already got the time off approved; I just need to sign and then I can leave at any time."
Gu Xinran was very smart, and as the conversation went on, she began to guess the purpose of Gu Heng''s phone call. She hesitated and said, "Brother... you''re not going to..."
"Stop bbering; just send me your location."
"Brother!!! You are the best brother in the whole world!!!"
As a piercing scream came through the phone, Gu Heng couldn''t help but pull the phone away from his ear...
Years hadn''t changed her; she still loved to make a dramatic fuss over everything.
"I''m currently in Hang City; it will take me about an hour or so to get to Shanghai. Get ready now, and we''ll head home directly when I arrive." After speaking, Gu Heng prepared to hang up the phone.
"Wait a second!"
"What now?"
"I have a roommate from Tongcheng; she''s interning at the samepany with me, and she''s in the same situation. Do you still have room for one more?"
Hearing this, Gu Heng nced at the back of the car, filled with stuff, and asked, "Is your friend overweight?"
"Not at all, why?"
"If she''s not overweight, she should be able to squeeze in. Have her get ready as well, then."
"Brother! Love you!"
As the call ended, Gu Xinran in Shanghai leaped up from her desk and rushed to another workstation, shouting, "Miaomiao! We can go home now!!"
After Gu Xinran''s shout, Tao Miaomiao, who had been quietly working on a spreadsheet, seemed to not hear and remained indifferent, not even batting an eyelid as she continued to type diligently, her eyes wide and her twin ponytails bouncing DuangDuang with every keystroke...
Seeing that Tao Miaomiao didn''t react, Gu Xinran wasn''t rushed but instead started to count in her mind...
1...
2...
3...
As the mental count of three ended, Tao Miaomiao, who had been working seriously the second before, suddenly turned around, stood up, and grabbed Gu Xinran''s hand, her face full of excitement. Her naturally youthful face, coupled with this expression of joyful surprise, was endearingly naive.
Gu Xinran: "..."
Having roomed with Tao Miaomiao for three years, Xinran knew her reflex arc couldst up to three seconds when she was fully engrossed in something and didn''t want to be disturbed.
But anyone else might get a jolt from her sudden movement...
Thinking about this, Gu Xinran couldn''t help but tease her, "Miaomiao, your reaction time is getting longer and longer. When I first got to know you, it was one second; now it has be three seconds..."
Hearing Gu Xinran''s teasing, Tao Miaomiao bashfully lowered her head, her cute face gaining a touch of pink...
Gu Xinran had grown used to her roommate and bestie''s habit of blushing at the slightest thing. Shaking her head, she said, "My brother just called to say he''sing to pick me up. Hurry up and pack, we''ll ask the supervisor for leave, and then head home!"
"Mhm mhm, I... I''ll finish this spreadsheet and then go..."
After saying this, she turned back to her desk and started typing away at the keyboard with wide eyes...
Listening to her soft, weak voice, Gu Xinran felt helpless and could only honestly return to her own workstation and start packing her belongings into her little bag, then propped her chin waiting for Tao Miaomiao to finish her work...
She knew her best friend all too well. Although she seemed fragile with her delicate and slender appearance, her stubbornness was something not even nine oxen could pull back...
Chapter 75: Chapter 73: Is This World So Small?
11 a.m.
Gu Heng drove to the location Gu Xinran had sent him, arriving at the base of the Global Financial Center Tower in Lujiazui, Shanghai.
After finding a random spot to park, Gu Heng looked at the endless stream of cars in the Lujiazui area and couldn''t help but sigh to himself...
No wonder they say Shanghai is the ce with the highest concentration of wealthy people in Hua Country.
Especially a financial and business center like Lujiazui, where the wealthy are everywhere...
It''s like the inte joke says, in the capital, one brick might take out three section-level officials.
In Shanghai...
A brick could very well take out three multimillionaires...
The kind of luxury cars you seldom see on the streets, like Maybachs, seem to appear every few minutes...
Before, Gu Heng thought that with his near hundred-million fortune, he could be considered one of the very top echelons in Hua Country. Now, it seemed he was a bit too inted...
A hundred million in assets might be the ceiling of imagination for ordinary people.
Butpared to the real big shots, there was still a distance, after all, their vis alone could easily hit nine figures...
Fortunately, Gu Heng didn''t harbor grand ambitions, so he didn''t feel any disappointment.
In just a few days, with the rewards from the system, he went from a sryman making 4500 a month to a tycoon with nearly a billion in assets. What more could he want? Plus, as long as he continued to indulge in life and his desires, it wasn''t impossible to be a world-ss magnate who could shake the global economy with a stomp in the future.
Lost in his daydreaming, Gu Heng stopped overthinking and leaned against the car door, lighting up a cigarette without calling and instead sent Gu Xinran a photo.
"Get it?"
Gu Xinran: "Get it!!!"
Seeing Gu Xinran''s reply, Gu Heng finally smiled satisfactorily.
This is how people born after 2000municate!
No need to utter an extra word.
Leaning on the car door, bored out of his wits, Gu Heng smoked and surveyed this world-ss city known as the "Magic City."
When Gu Heng''s gazended on the floor indicator signage inside the adjacent Global Financial Tower, he couldn''t help but take a second look...
[Gaoling Capital Shanghai Headquarters¡ú37F]
If this had been a few days ago, seeing the words Gaoling Capital wouldn''t have elicited any response from Gu Heng...
But now, he found himself somewhat fond of thispany, like seeing his girlfriend''s family home.
And why, you ask?
Even though he hadn''t worked at Gaoling Capital, he had been with a senior executive from Gaoling.
Doesn''t that somewhat make him a part of thepany too?
It also felt like a kind of fate to arrive at the tower where Lin Ran worked for his first trip to Shanghai...
Thinking of this, Gu Heng forwarded the photo he''d sent to Gu Xinran to Lin Ran...
Luckily, although Lin Ran was roughed up all night by Gu Heng before, she hadn''t blocked him; the photo was quickly sent out...
...
Lin Ran, who had just finished processing some project documents on the 37th floor of the Financial Center, had just stretched when her phone on the desk dinged with a notification...
Opening her phone and seeing that the message was from Gu Heng, Lin Ran couldn''t help but smile subconsciously...
She was originally expecting no contact after their one-night stand, but here was Gu Heng, reaching out on his own in just a few days...
She tapped open their chat interface.
Zooming in on the only photo in the chat, Lin Ran''s delicate features froze...
She had already worked in this building for several years and was overly familiar with the tower in the photo...
Lin Ran: "!!!"
"You''re in Shanghai?"
Ding-dong.
Gu Heng''s message soon came back.
"If the GPS is right, I should be at the Lujiazui Global Financial Center."
Lin Ran had been quite calm facing Gu Heng''s messages...
But as soon as she realized he was right below herpany building, she started to panic...
Humans, male or female, no matter how high their status, always hold a special emotion toward the other party with whom they shared their first time.
Lin Ran had somehow ended up reversing the roles with Gu Heng in Wuzhen, then left for Shanghai the next day without contacting him again.
Seemingly nonchnt.
But in reality, she was conflicted for days afterwards, or she wouldn''t have run off without even seeing Gu Heng''s face the next day.
This turmoil had only subsided once she threw herself fully into her work.
Just as she was starting to get over it, Gu Heng suddenly appeared right below herpany, making it difficult for her not to overthink...
"Does he think I''m easy and want to hook up again?... No, that can''t be, he''s notcking in women."
"Or is he trying to ckmail me with this?... That''s not it either, he doesn''t need money..."
Mulling over the possible reasons for Gu Heng''s sudden visit to Shanghai while internally dismissing them, Lin Ran''s thoughts grew more jumbled, so she simply stopped specting. It was also time for a lunch break, so she wasted no more time and typed quickly on her phone: "I''ming down now, wait for me at the entrance of the building."
Gu Heng, seeing Lin Ran''s reply, also couldn''t help but smile.
This woman sure takes initiative...
This trip to Shanghai was somewhat worthwhile, perfect for meeting an old me. And if there''s another friendly match, it would be worth going back even just for a day.
After all,st time he was the one being pushed; his urge to conquer wasn''t satisfied.
This time he''d try to push forward and satisfy his need for conquest and, with that thought, he sent an OK emoji back on his phone.
Chapter 76: Chapter 73: Is This World So Small?_2
...
...
Upon receiving the emoji from Gu Heng, Lin Ran didn''t hesitate. He immediately stood up, pushed the door of the office open, and walked out.
The first floor of the Global Financial Center Tower covers over three thousand square meters, and a Fortune 500pany like Gaoling Capital, even just a city headquarters, wouldn''t share a floor with otherpanies.
Although only a deputy director, he belonged to the upper echelons of management. Therefore, on his short walk from the project department to the elevator, nearly everyone who saw Lin Ran would subconsciously greet him.
Already ustomed to it, Lin Ran, while not ignoring them, did not show much emotion. He only slightly gestured in acknowledgement, without breaking his stride.
"Miaomiao, hurry, hurry, if we wait till the break starts, we won''t be able to squeeze into the elevator!"
Just as Lin Ran was lost in his thoughts about why Gu Heng was looking for him, he heard a shout from behind him and turned around with a frown...
Gu Xinran, who was still urging Tao Miaomiao, happened to meet his gaze...
Although just an intern, on her very first day, her superiors had already made her memorize all thepany''s leaders. Seeing Lin Ran''s unsmiling face, Gu Xinran''s heart skipped a beat. She almost choked...
After snapping out of it, she hurriedly mimicked new employees in TV dramas, bowing and saying, "Good afternoon, Director Lin!"
Seeing this reaction, Lin Ran guessed she was probably one of thepany''s interns. He simply nodded politely and then turned to leave again...
For political reasons,rgepanies like Gaoling Capital allocate certain internship spots to top universities in Shanghai every year. In reality, though, these are just formalities. Almost no intern stays on; after the internship, thepany just stamps their internship certificate and sends them away.
Yet still, countless elite students fight tooth and nail for such an opportunity because adding [Interned at a Fortune 500pany] to their resume can significantly enhance their value, no matter where theyter work.
However, these so-called elites mean nothing in front of Lin Ran. He didn''t even remember such people existed in hispany, naturally leading to ack of any desire to converse.
A whileter, Tao Miaomiao finally arrivedte. Still intimidated by Lin Ran, Gu Xinran spoke anxiously: "I think Director Lin disliked me just now..."
Under normal circumstances, Tao Miaomiao''s reflexes were fine. She adjusted her twin ponytails, herrge eyes filled with innocent bewilderment, "Which Director Lin?"
"Which Director Lin? The one we were introduced to on our first day during the training¡ªthe youngest department deputy director of ourpany, Lin Ran..."
"Ah? Why would she dislike you?"
Tao Miaomiao''s mouth gaped open in surprise.
Seeing her naive expression, Gu Xinran became even more frustrated...
"It''s because you were dawdling. I was yelling too loudly just now, probably annoyed her..."
Hearing the problem stemmed from her, Tao Miaomiao''s fair face instantly turned a guilty shade of pink. She bowed her head and said in a low voice, "I''m sorry..."
"That''s the twenty-first time you''ve said sorry today!"
Having said that, although somewhat annoyed by her dawdling, Gu Xinran directly linked arms with Tao Miaomiao, "I really don''t know how your apologetic personality developed. You apologize before I even get angry. It''s totally impossible to stay mad at you."
Seeing her best friend had forgiven her, Tao Miaomiao was still feeling guilty but managed a smile.
"It''s because I caused you to offend her. Just let me go apologize for you..."
"Okay, okay, you really like apologizing, don''t you? When I said offended, I meant I felt I''d offended her, she probably doesn''t even know who I am. It''s not a big deal, after all, we''re just here to get our internship certificates. Even if we really offended her, so be it."
Having said this, remembering Gu Heng was still downstairs waiting for her, Gu Xinran quickly grabbed Tao Miaomiao''s hand and ran towards the elevator entrance.
"Hurry up, hurry up, my brother is still downstairs waiting for us~ Finally, we can go home~"
When they reached the elevator and saw the figure in the maroon wool coat still there, Gu Xinran''s initially excited expression froze...
As the elevator doors opened, Lin Ran walked straight in, and after hesitating a bit, Gu Xinran still held Tao Miaomiao''s hand and followed her inside...
Mainly because the other elevators were still far from reaching the 37th floor, they had no choice but to share the space with Lin Ran...
Lin Ran''s peripheral vision had spotted the two people entering, but he did not lift his head and continued to look at his phone.
As the elevator started, the space inside seemed to freeze¡
A few minutester.
As Lin Ran took the lead stepping out of the elevator, Gu Xinran and Tao Miaomiao finally exhaled¡
God knows what it was like to share an elevator with a superior like Lin Ran¡
The natural hierarchical crushing from a higher-up was simply suffocating...
However, watching Lin Ran''s dashing figure from behind, Gu Xinran and Tao Miaomiao couldn''t help but exchange nces, seeing the admiration in each other''s eyes...
Longing for strength is a woman''s instinct.
Even if the object of their admiration was another woman.
...
...
An impatient Gu Heng, standing at the entrance of the building, just spotted Lin Ran in her usual burgundy coat and smiled, raising his hand in greeting¡
Lin Ran had been thinking the whole time in the elevator what her attitude would be when she saw Gu Heng again.
But upon seeing his face, Lin Ran couldn''t help but reveal a slight smile.
Although her contact with Gu Heng had been brief, she had a pretty good impression of this surprisingly down-to-earth, wealthy young man...
Whether in bed.
Or out of bed...
Just as Lin Ran was about to raise her hand in response, a petite figure darted out beside her like arge ck rat, speaking in an iprehensible dialect, and in a sh, clung to Gu Heng like an octopus...
"Ah! Brother! I''ve missed you so much!"
Seeing Gu Xinran, hanging on Gu Heng''s neck and acting coquettishly, Lin Ran''s hand, which hadn''t fully raised, suddenly froze...
Under normal circumstances, if Gu Xinran had thrown herself at him so closely, she would definitely have ruffled her hair, butpared to an old lover, even a close sister could be forgotten, let alone a cousin...
Without hesitation, he plucked Gu Xinran off with an expression of grievance, akin to picking up a small dog, then walked up to Lin Ran, just stood there smiling without saying a word.
Originally, Lin Ran was quite happy to see Gu Heng again...
But seeing Gu Xinran throwing herself on Gu Heng, she couldn''t feel happy now... she could only stare straight at Gu Heng, ready to cover his mouth the moment he dared to blurt out what happened in Wuzhen. She would have to leave the city by train...
If her colleagues knew that her recent vacation was for a one-night stand, she would probably have to leave the city carrying shame...
And Gu Xinran, standing next to Gu Heng, noticed the situation between the two and, even though not very smart, could tell that the two clearly knew each other, and she was immediately baffled...
She and Director Lin worked at the samepany, on the same floor, and she didn''t have the privilege to be acquainted with her; how did her cousin know her???
Seeing Lin Ran''s prating gaze, Gu Heng could somewhat guess what Lin Ran was thinking, considering that his cousin had just spoken in a dialect, which Lin Ran definitely couldn''t understand. He probably mistook their rtionship, and with that thought, he immediately brought Gu Xinran in front of her and introduced, "Let me introduce, this is my cousin, Gu Xinran."
Just as Gu Xinran was about to introduce Lin Ran, she could only show an awkward smile and greeted again: "Director Lin... hello..."
Gu Heng: "???"
Hearing Gu Xinran''s address for Lin Ran, Gu Heng couldn''t help but blink...
Could it be that his cousin''s internshippany was Lin Ran''s Gaoling Capital?
Is the world this small?
Was his one-night stand his cousin''s boss?
Chapter 79: Product launch notification tomorrow, accompanied by a launch statement
It''s been over a month, just like a farmer tending to wheat, and finally, the harvest season is upon us.
Actually, before editing this post, I always felt like there were countless things to say, but when I actually opened Word, I realized there wasn''t much to mention...
Honestly, this isn''t my first tycoon story; I''ve written two before. The firstcked experience and went overboard in theter stages with international politics, leading to a dozen chapters being blocked in one day. It teetered on the edge of being banned and was hurriedly concluded just shy of a million words.
The second one performed better, but I was even unluckier. Mr. Ao struck, the whole world was affected, I ended up taking several metaphorical bullets, and white lungnded me in the ICU. The subsequent treatment took over a year, and I''m still not fully recovered...
This is my third web novel after a year''s hiatus.
I wrote with trepidation, because after stepping away for so long and picking it back up, my hands felt unfamiliar, and I was constantly on thin ice, anxious about whether I could make it to the other side or not.
Here, I want to especially thank my editor, Qingzhou, who discussed the plot with me numerous times, soothed my emotions, and made me realize that male editors can be gentle too. Let me give him a shoutout here: "For writing group four, seek out Qingzhou!"
...
...
After that bit of rambling, let''s say something useful.
Regarding the plot after going live, it will certainly involve returning to the vige to impress.
But...
Everyone''s living environment is different.
Some may have a pleasant environment, with harmonious neighbors and united rtives, no major disruptive hassles.
But there must also be people like me, surrounded by no-good rtives, opportunists, those who kick you when you''re down, and never having enough advantages.
I might try to cater to everyone''s tastes with the initial and subsequent plotlines, aiming to write something that everybody can enjoy.
But with this "returning to the vige" plotline, there might be some disagreements.
Because of my upbringing, I can''t write about that harmoniousrge family life, because I''ve never experienced that feeling¡
So during the New Year''s story, the protagonist will impress, but there will undeniably be some edge to it, though the edge should not be too severe. I''ll try not to infuse too much of my personal bias, but I want to apologize in advance.
....
....
Let''s also talk about the update issue.
That is, tomorrow at noon, on April 15, it will officially go live.
The update for the day it goes live should be around 20,000 words, not much more, not much less, as that''s the limit of my typing speed~
But tomorrow, I''ll likely only release slightly more than 10,000 words of paid chapters and one free chapter, because Chapter 75 is still a setup chapter. If I charged for it, that would just be scamming because it doesn''t deserve to be paid!
After going live, I summarize the updates in three phrases:
Maintain six! Pursue eight! Chase ten!
Keep a base update of 6,000 words, strive to push it to 8,000, and reach 10,000 words within my capability!
As for the burst update rule...
After going live, the Alliance Hierarch funds an additional 10,000 words... and that''s on top of ensuring the base update carries over...so everyone should just enjoy the smooth reading experience, no need for rewards because my ability is indeed limited. Of course, I believe everyone''s rewards are not aimed at the added updates, but more as support for me...heh heh...
...
...
Finally, to summarize my book.
As you can all tell, this is a pleasurable read, but a modest one.
Because there isn''t much ofrge-scale exhration in the book, it focuses more on the story of an ordinary chap puffing up and seeking minor pleasures after getting some money.
However, as the protagonist''s wealth increases, there will likely be those big moments, and I hope I can maintain a consistent style without being too drastic.
That''s all I have to say, see you tomorrow at noon!
....
...
.....
Promoting two books.
"Snake Monarch: Marrying Dongting Dragon Lady, Certifying Path of Longevity"
Author: A Blue Lotus
I am a white snake under heaven and earth.
Faithful to my lover and to immortality.
...
At this moment, Master Baichang travels to this world, turning into a well-dwelling white snake.
Letting his body float in the well, floating up and down, he strives in his cultivation. In this life, he firmly grasps his fate, climbing towards ces unreachable by ordinary beings.
PS: Written by a nurse, nothing more to say.
...
"The Tycoon Starts with Doing Whatever He Wants"
Author: Peas Minced Pork Noodles
I''ve rmended it before; it''s another tycoon story of the same type. If you like tycoon stories, you really should give it a look; I''ve attached a direct link to this one.
Chapter 80: Chapter 75: Why Dont You Come Back to the Village with Me for the New Year?
About ten minutester.
After parking the car and getting out, he saw Lin Ran waiting in front of a restaurant named "Spring Courtyard".
"Why are you so slow?"
Having stood at the entrance for a few minutes, Lin Ran, seeing the group arrivingte, couldn''t help frowning and said.
Listening to Lin Ran''s matter-of-fact tone, Gu Heng didn''t indulge him and directly retorted, "Cut the crap, meow. You chose the restaurant yourself. Of course, you get here fast since you''re familiar with the route.
You just sent me the name of the ce, and I had to follow the GPS. There are so many cars in Shanghai, how fast could I possibly be?"
Lin Ran: "..."
"Don''t give me that look. Tell me if I''m wrong or not."
"Alright, alright, you''re right. I didn''t think it through, Mr. Gu. You''re generous. How about we go in first?"
Alright, alright, alright!
Usually, other people are the ones inviting him out to eat and waiting for him, but today, it was him waiting for Gu Heng. Aint got him a retort. Originally, she thought she would be angry, but to her surprise, not only did she not feel any anger, she even subconsciously felt appeased...
Thinking of this made Lin Ran shudder a little...
Could it be that she had been smooth-talked into submission?
Gu Xinran, listening to their conversation, gotpletely excited...
Having a deputy director wait in person at the restaurant door for her was a scenario that had only happened in Gu Xinran''s dreams, and now it was really happening to her...
Although she knew Lin Ran was waiting for Gu Heng, after all, Gu Heng was her cousin and adoptive father, right? It''s only right for her to enjoy some benefits!
Right now, she wanted so badly to take out her cellphone and show off on Zhihu with a title like "What It''s Like to Have a Multi-Millionaire Adoptive Father!"...
...
"This private restaurant is usually the first choice for us in the project department to entertain significant clients. I''ve never paid to eat here myself; it should be enough to make it up to you, right?"
Lin Ran said quietly to Gu Heng as they walked.
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng nced at the restaurant''s decor, no worse than the Michelin and ck Pearl-level restaurants he had eaten at in Hang City.
But then he thought it made sense; as Lin Ran said, it was the first-choice restaurant to entertain major clients, so the standard could not be poor.
As they entered the restaurant, a waiter immediately came to greet them.
"Director Lin, the private room is ready. Please, this way."
As a regr customer of this private restaurant, Lin Ran was respectfully greeted by the waitstaff all along the way...
Gu Heng acted quite normally, although he was very aware that this private restaurant was definitely of a very high-end kind. However, after so many days of indulgence, what service hadn''t he enjoyed? Nothing could stir his emotions.
It was Gu Xinran and Tao Miaomiao who followed behind Gu Heng with restrained expressions...
Both of them, like Gu Heng, were kids from the countryside. Even though they had studied in Shanghai for a few years, they had never been to such upscale restaurants...
A monthly living expense of a little over two thousand yuan, in a big city like Shanghai, was barely enough to make ends meet, let alone afford dining in such restaurants?
At the end of the restaurant corridor, the waiter gently pushed open the door to the private room. Once Gu Heng and the others were seated, the waiter slowly followed them in with the menus.
Before the waiter could hand the menu to Lin Ran, she naturally instructed, "Let them order."
Following the instruction, the waiter passed the menu to Gu Xinran, who was the closest to him...
Gu Xinran took the menu with a bewildered face, flipped open the first page, and her eyes went wide...
[Clear Soup Swallow Dish / 698 yuan a bowl]
Never mind that she had never even heard of Clear Soup Swallow Dish, but 698 yuan for a bowl?
Was her ten days'' living expense only worth a bowl of soup here?
The more she looked, the more frightened Gu Xinran became...
[Soup-Filled Yellow Croaker / 2680 yuan]
[Braised Sea Cucumber with Scallion / 2299 yuan]
...
Almost every main dish cost a month''s living expenses...
She didn''t dare to order at all!
Realizing this, Gu Xinran quickly handed the menu back to Lin Ran...
"What''s the matter? Nothing you want to eat?"
epting the menu, Lin Ran asked with some confusion.
Gu Xinran quickly shook her head...
"Then what is it?"
Casting a pleading look at her newly acknowledged adoptive father and noticing Gu Heng wasn''t responding, Gu Xinran said with a gloomy face, "Director Lin... these dishes are too expensive, I dare not order..."
Lin Ran was somewhat puzzled upon hearing this.
In her mind, Gu Xinran was Gu Heng''s cousin; with Gu Heng being so wealthy, Gu Xinran''s family shouldn''t be poor either. She shouldn''t be so afraid as to not even dare to order...
With this thought, Lin Ran cast a questioning nce at Gu Heng.
Gu Heng quickly understood Lin Ran''s questioning gaze, but with no intention of exining, he remained focused on his phone and nonchntly said, "That''s enough, stop pondering. My sister and I are both country bumpkins straight from the countryside. We haven''t eaten any fine grains, so just order whatever, and make it quick.
We''ve still got to take them on the highway afterwards, do you understand the hardship of us migrant workers trying to get home during the Spring Festival?"
After Gu Heng finished, Gu Xinran also nodded like a pecking chicken.
If someone called her a country bumpkin on a normal day, she''d surely argue back, but in such a high-ss restaurant, even being called a bumpkin didn''t feel like a downgrade...
After ncing over the faces of this peculiar brother-sister duo, Lin Ran randomly picked a few dishes enough for four and handed back the menu to the waiter, then addressed Gu Heng, "So, you''re here in Shanghai to pick up your sister for the New Year?"
Gu Heng put away his phone and looked at her, "What else would it be?"
Hearing Gu Heng''s response, Lin Ran unexpectedly felt a little disappointed.
She had thought he came to Shanghai to find her, but now, it seemed like she had been wishful thinking?
Chapter 81: Chapter 75: Why Dont You Come Back to the Village with Me for the New Year?_2
Watching Lin Ran''s expressions change, Gu Heng also felt he might have been a bit too callous. After all, they had been husband and wife for a night... He then changed the subject, "What about you? I remember your family isn''t in Shanghai, right? When are you going home?"
"I''m not going back, just the right time to stay at work for some overtime."
As soon as she mentioned this, Lin Ran seemed somewhat excited, not because she was a workaholic, but because the thought of not having to go back and face marriage pressure, blind dates, and instead staying to work overtime felt joyous.
"What, spending New Year''s alone in Shanghai? Acting like an abandoned elder in the city?"
Gu Heng had experienced several times that deste feeling of eating New Year''s Eve dinner alone in a rental ce, with memories still vividly fresh. The first year away from his parents, celebrating the New Year outside, him weeping messily in his rental room as fireworks crackled outside.
That feeling could be described with just one line from Zhu Ziqing: The merriment belongs to others, I have nothing.
Lin Ran''s feigned excitement waspletely crushed by Gu Heng''s remark...
With a murderous look in her eyes, she stared at him unabashedly.
Seeing this, Gu Hengughed somewhat sheepishly, then made a casual joke to lighten the mood, "If it doesn''t work out, want toe back to the vige for the New Year with me?
It''s perfect ¨C your parents are rushing you to marry, mine are doing the same. We can help each other out. Before the New Year, you help me slip through the radar; after, I visit your family. Wouldn''t everyone be happy then?"
The more he talked, the more sense Gu Heng thought it made!
If he could take someone like Lin Ran back to his mom as a prospective daughter-inw, wouldn''t he be treated like an emperor during the New Year?
Wouldn''t all his childhood friends grind their mrs down with envy?
Gu Xinran looked at her older brother getting more and more excited and couldn''t help but get caught up in the excitement herself.
She had long realized there was something special between her big brother and Director Lin!
She might not get much from her brother making millions, but if he could win Director Lin over, she could surely benefit, right?!
Ensuring her smooth passing of the internship and getting a position in thepany wouldn''t be a problem then, right?
Without considering her own position, Gu Xinran followed Gu Heng''s lead, "That''s right, Director Lin, our New Year celebrations are quite fun. If you''re not going back for the holiday, you could visit us for some fun."
After Gu Xinran spoke, Gu Heng nced at her with satisfaction.
It had to be his little sister; you had to admit they were true family, she was always so reliable when it came to crunch time!
Lin Ran watched the siblings y off each other and couldn''t help frowning as she said, "You two aren''t nning to trick me into going back with you so you can sell me to some old bachelor in your vige, are you?"
Even though sheined with her words, a part of her was genuinely intrigued...
She had always been too serious at work, hardly able to mingle with colleagues, and in Shanghai, she could be described as a lone individual.
It wasn''t a big deal usually since she wasn''t too keen on interacting with others.
During holidays, she could travel and pass the time shooting Vlogs, but during the festive season of the New Year, if she remained alone in Shanghai, she hadn''t experienced that feeling before, but she could imagine how unbearable it would be...
As a city kid, she never had a strong sensation of celebrating the New Year from childhood.
But she had seen many videos of rural New Year celebrations and could feel the warm atmosphere just from those videos...
She never had the chance to experience it, and now that opportunity was close at hand...
Maybe she should give it a try?
The more she thought about it, the more intrigued Lin Ran became...
Gu Heng noticed her changing expressions and immediately sensed an opportunity, signaling Gu Xinran with his eyes to add fuel to the fire.
Gu Xinran immediately understood and continued, "We also have the ''Beat the Five Evils'' event during New Year''s in our ce, which is quite simr to the popr ''Parade of Gods'' online these days! It''s really fun!
I follow your TikTok ount, Director Lin, and I see that your Vlogs often feature local customs. You must like those kinds of things, right?"
After all, a woman understands another woman best.
With just one simple line, Gu Xinran ignited Lin Ran''s interest...
However, after some thought, Lin Ran still didn''t make a decision, ambiguously saying, "We''ll see when the timees. If work isn''t too busy, I mighte visit for a couple of days, just take it as a trip."
Hearing this, Gu Heng and Gu Xinran exchanged nces, then said no more.
The siblings both had decent emotional intelligence, understanding that too much can be as bad as too little...
Sometimes too much enthusiasm can make people suspect you have ulterior motives...
Although they both indeed had their own motives...
One to trick a girlfriend intoing back for a favorable report...
The other, to help her cousin get a girlfriend back home, so she could get a promotion, raise, and reach the pinnacle of her life...
.....
.....
The dishes were served quickly, and everyone ate just as swiftly...
Lin Ran belonged to the small appetite category, feeling full after just a few bites...
Tao Miaomiao was too shy, barely daring to move her chopsticks. If it wasn''t for Gu Xinran sitting beside her, asionally helping her with some dishes, she would''ve likely just sat there and watched...
Gu Heng also noticed this twin-pigtailed girl who hadn''t said a word from start to finish...
It was a bit hard to imagine that in the year 4202, there could still be such girls...
Embodiment of social anxiety, slow reactions, and clueless cuteness,bined with a pale, young and thin look, she was the spitting image of a two-dimensional anime girl stepped out of fiction...
Even Gu Heng, the kind of guy whose first nce at a woman was definitely prefiltered by his lower half before engaging his brain, couldn''t muster any impure thoughts about her¡ªjust a natural protective instinct at most...
"Burp~"
Gu Xinran let out an udylike belch, and upon realizing her faux pas, quickly covered her mouth.
The majority of the dishes on the table ended up in the siblings'' stomachs...
It wasn''t that she neglected to maintain her image on purpose, the main reason was that the food at this restaurant was just too delicious. Gu Xinran swore to the heavens, this was the tastiest meal she had ever eaten in her 20 years!
Seeing that almost everyone was finished, Gu Heng nced at his watch, which showed precisely 12 o''clock, and then stood up and said, "Done eating, right? If we''re full, let''s get ready to head back home."
He had initially thought of making something happen with Lin Ran, but now judging by her attitude, it seemed unlikely.
But he hadn''t been short on meat these past few days, so he wasn''t that desperate.
Since he couldn''t get the "meat" he wanted, Gu Heng couldn''t be bothered to waste more time and figured it was better to head home early.
He said goodbye to Director Lin and promptly left the private room.
Watching Gu Heng leave without a backward nce, with Gu Xinran and the rest in tow, Lin Ran sat there sipping tea after the meal, her expression indifferent, with no intent to get up...
She thought that Gu Heng''s hurried departure was just for show, after she had refused the siblings'' invitation.
In her heart, Gu Heng''s actions were a clear sign that they were settled and done; naturally, she wouldn''t cling onto him.
It wasn''t until ten minutes passed and Lin Ran checked the time that she slowly stood up.
Walking up to the front desk, Lin Ran spoke indifferently, "Can you calcte how much the private room just cost?"
No sooner had she finished her sentence than the front desk hastily replied, "Mr. Lin, your friend has already settled the bill when he left, and he also left you a note."
After saying that, she handed the note to Lin Ran.
Settled the bill already?
Lin Ran paused in surprise, then took the note from the front desk...
"Before the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month, our mutual aid is still in effect. Just a phone call and I''ll be there for you.
Also... I''m a man of responsibility; this ''on-call'' promise is forever valid. ???"
There was also a cute emoticon drawn at the bottom of the note¡
Honestly speaking, Gu Heng''s tactic was very low, and it wouldn''t work on any regr woman.
But for someone like Lin Ran who wasn''t short on cash, had been single for twenty-eight years straight, and had never suffered for love¡ªit worked like a charm...
Her view of love was essentially no different from that of sixteen or seventeen-year-old girls...
She was every man''s dream of a wealthydy...
Teenage girls don''t seek love for material things.
She didn''t either, for she had her own.
Teenage girls are easily fooled due to ack of romantic experience.
Shecked it too.
Apart from being more rational, she was really no different from a young girl.
But as it happened, that bit of rationality had already been lost during that night of madness.
The pattern of ''lust first, loveter'' really does tend to ensnare people, for the path to a woman''s soul is through that, well, you know...
Lin Ran carefully put away the note with a smile on her lips like that of a young girl...
She had intended to delete Gu Heng''s contact information immediately after this, but now it seemed unnecessary; this man did not appear to be heartlessly unfeeling...
.....
Gu Heng, driving toward the highway with the two in tow, had no idea of the immense power of the note he left behind, aimed at coaxing a girlfriend toe home for the New Year¡ªit had made Lin Ran, who had already mentally convicted him, reconsider her verdict...
Chapter 82: Chapter 76 Going Home
As the end of the year approached, it was still quite congested on the highway. A trip that was supposed to take around five hours, Gu Heng ended up driving for a grueling eight hours...
He even took a detour to drop off Tao Miaomiao in Tongcheng, which added another hour to the dy...
However, as the buildings on both sides of the road became more familiar, Gu Heng started to feel an inexplicable nervousness rise within him...
The phrase "nearer to home, the greater the fear" seemed quite fitting to describe his current state...
.....
Inside the old apartment''s living room, several people sat around a television, cracking sunflower seeds and chatting idly while showing off their sugar-coated mandarins.
Gu Heng''s grandparents had passed away before he was born, but he had one elder uncle, one younger uncle, and two aunts. In Gu Heng''s generation, there were six or seven cousins making the Gu family a prosperous one.
But in the countryside...
After the household was divided, they could only nominally be considered one family.
Ordinarily, if it weren''t for the holidays, these people would not gather together.
Gu Jianguo sat on the sofa, smiling and listening to the others'' idle chatter.
"Third, there''s no water left, pour me some water," Gu Jiandang, Gu Jianguo''s eldest brother, said in the manner of a leader.
Gu Jiandang, Gu Jianguo, Gu Jianjun, it really was a tradition of naming in the ''70s and ''80s...
"Eh!"
Gu Jianguo''s father, Gu Jianguo, who had injured his foot and undergone surgery years ago, causing a slight disability, responded and limped over with a hot water kettle to fill the cup in front of Gu Jiandang.
"Do you think Xinran will still recognize me as her big uncle after returning from her internship with a Fortune 500pany?"
As Gu Jiandang took the cup from Gu Jianguo, he didn''t even nce at his younger brother but instead turned his head with a smile and asked the others.
Gu Heng''s younger uncle, Gu Jianjun, quickly spit out the sunflower seed shells from his mouth and eagerly replied, "Big brother, what are you saying? Even if she goes for an internship with a Fortune 500 or studies abroad, she couldn''t forget her big uncle!"
Now she''s the pride of the Gu family, one of these days when I have time, I''ll go to the town and inquire about any college student subsidies from the government, and see if I can help her apply for one."
"I may not be capable, but having been an official in the vige for so many years, I still have some sway," Gu Jiandang said, his back involuntarily straightening as he spoke, despite iming his ownck of abilities.
Upon hearing this, the aunt sitting to the side broke into a grin, "Then we''ll have to trouble you, big brother. You don''t understand, living expenses in Shanghai are so high. You know, Jianguo and I don''t have much ability, we can''t afford it. We''ve relied on you all these years to take care of things."
Laughing, Gu Jiandang waved his hands in response, "If Xinran is doing well, it means our Gu family is doing well. We''re all family; I''ll help however much I can."
Listening to their conversation, Gu Jianguo''s face revealed an awkward forced smile...
It was hard to imagine that this man, acting as the head of the house, was his elder brother...
A few years back, he had asked his elder brother to help him and his wife apply for a rural housing subsidy for the disabled, which hadn''t been approved after all these years.
Yet now, his brother was actively applying for a subsidy for his younger brother''s family.
Moreover, it wasn''t just Xinran who was returning home today, but also his son...
But none of these people had mentioned him...
Just then, Xu Hong, busy in the kitchen, walked over, apron-wrapped: "Jianguo, call your son and ask when he''ll be home. It''s already seven or eight in the evening, and I can''t settle down. It''s the depth of winter, and I heard that idents are especiallymon on the highways..."
Before Gu Jianguo could respond, a suddenmotion came from the yard.
Before the others could react, Xu Hong rushed out of the kitchen. She pushed the door open, and a powerful beam of headlight shone in from outside...
At once, everyone inside the house stood up and headed towards the doorway.
....
Seeing that short figure beneath the high beams, Gu Heng instantly knew who it was. He unbuckled his seat belt with the fastest speed of his life and flung the car door open, dashing out.
"Mom!!!"
Still several meters away, Gu Heng shouted with all his might.
Notpletely sure before, Xu Hong''s eyes immediately reddened when she heard the voice, running towards Gu Heng with unprecedented speed...
If it''s to see you, I think I would definitely run...
This phrase was originally an intimate expression used by couples online, but at that moment, it was perfectly embodied by Xu Hong...
"You scoundrel!! I thought you didn''t want me as your mom anymore!!"
Having not felt her son''s warmth for more than two years, over eight hundred nights, Xu Hong wrapped her arms around Gu Heng and couldn''t bear to let go, crying while forcefully patting his back...
"I was wrong, I was wrong..."
On the way back, Gu Heng had imagined countless scenarios of meeting his mother and what he could do to make her happy. But at that moment, he cast all those preparations aside and just repeated those words, his voice quivering with remorse.
Gu Jianguo also slowly limped over to Gu Heng.
"Dad, I''m back..."
Gu Jianguo''s eyes reddened too, but he wasn''t as demonstrative as Xu Hong. He simply nodded again and again, "It''s good you''re back, it''s good you''re back!"
Xinran, who had gotten out of the passenger seat, didn''t interrupt Gu Heng''s family moment. Instead, she walked towards her own parents.
Chapter 83: Chapter 76 Going Home_2
After crying in Gu Heng''s arms for a good while, Xu Hong stretched out her hand to touch Gu Heng''s face and said, "You can''t see clearly in the video, but you look even more handsome in person."
"Of course, your son has to be handsome!"
Seeing the deep crow''s feet at the corner of his mother''s eyes, Gu Heng couldn''t help but reach out to smooth them away, but despite several attempts, they remained...
"Stop rubbing, once you get older, wrinkles are bound to appear. I''m already fifty, how can they be smoothed away just by rubbing?"
Just as Gu Heng was about to say something, his aunt suddenly came over and said, "Xiaoheng, call your friend down to have a meal as a thank you. It wasn''t easy to bring you all the way back."
Gu Heng snorted in his heart at his aunt''s words.
In the daytime, when she asked him to pick up Gu Xinran, she insisted on paying for the gas and tolls herself. Now that he had been brought back, suddenly she''s not honoring the deal and says it wasn''t easy to bring him back without mentioning anything about picking up Xinran...
Sometimes, he wondered how a couple like them managed to raise their niece so outstandingly?
Although he sneered inwardly, Gu Heng courteously said, "No need for them toe down. My friend said the toll and gas would total 300 yuan, you can just transfer that to me."
"What?!"
"300 yuan? Is your friend heartless or what? Charging 300 yuan just for a lift when it''s on the way?"
As expected, the aunt''s expression changed as soon as these words were spoken.
Now an adult herself, Gu Xinran knew about her mother''s snobbishness and love for a bargain. Realizing that Gu Heng was teasing her, she quickly pulled at her mother''s arm with some embarrassment and said, "Mom, stop talking.
Brother is joking with you. He bought that car himself, and he went specially from Hang City to Shanghai to pick me up."
As Gu Xinran''s words fell, the entire family was stunned...
Gu Heng had bought a car?
If this statement hade from Gu Heng''s own mouth, there would surely be someone contradicting it by now...
In their eyes, Gu Heng, who hadn''t even gone to college and only worked menial jobs outside, couldn''t earn much money. How could he afford a car?
But these words came from Gu Xinran, the most aplished member of the Gu family in their hearts, and her credibility shot straight up to the MAX...
Gu Heng had initially nned to y around with his snobbish aunt for a bit longer, but since Xinran had already revealed that he bought the car, he decided not to pretend anymore andid his cards on the table!
"Auntie, I was just joking with you. Do I look like someone who would fuss over your 300 yuan? Look at you, so anxious! You''re an adult, yet you get excited over the smallest things."
After speaking, he didn''t even nce at her now discolored face but turned instead to Xu Hong and Gu Jianguo and said, "Dad, mom, isn''t this car beautiful?"
"Beautiful!"
"Very beautiful!"
The couple didn''t understand much about cars, but thinking that their son had bought it filled them with pride.
Although cars are not that rare nowadays, that''s only a rtive term.
In Gu Heng''s hometown area, it was only average for a few households to have a car. Any car driven back during the New Year made a statement! Their son was now capable, able to afford a car, and the couple was sweeter than if they had tasted honey.
"Xiaoheng, what car did you buy? You see, you could have at least mentioned it at home. Have you be so sessful outside that you no longer recognize your family?"
Just as the parents were gleaming with joy, Gu Jiandang walked over with his big belly, pulled a pack of soft Zhonghua cigarettes from his pocket, handed one to his younger brother-inw, then put the pack away again.
Looking at this uncle with a big beer belly, Gu Heng still wore a falsely cheerful expression.
Of his uncles and aunts, only his little aunt, whom he cherished, seemed like family to him. The rest were worth nothing to him.
Take the current moment, for instance. He gave a cigarette to his younger uncle without offering one to his own father. Did he not know that his dad smoked too?
This issue of sharing cigarettes might be trivial to some and not worth mentioning, but for others who took notice, it could be seen as disrespectful.
And indeed, Gu Heng was well aware that his uncle and younger uncle looked down on his father, Gu Jianguo.
After all, Gu Jiandang had been a vige official for decades, which, in Gu Heng''s eyes, meant nothing, but in the rural environment, a vige official still carried some weight.
His younger uncle, Gu Jianjun, contracted the family''s rice fields. Though the work was hard, he earned more than the averageborer.
Both considered themselves figures of importance in the vige. How could they respect Gu Jianguo, a man with leg problems who could only rely on his carpentry skills to make a living?
His father? Kind-hearted was a polite way of putting it; spineless was less kind. He knew full well his brothers looked down on him, but he always kept his difort bottled up.
Yet people often respond to strength and back down from hardness. If Gu Jianguo had shown a bit of toughness and cut ties with the two families, they might have restrained themselves.
The more Gu Jianguo endured for the sake of brotherly harmony, the less respect he would garner from others.
As for Gu Heng...
He could endure personal grievances.
But he couldn''t stand it when his father was disrespected. It didn''t matter that he was richer now ¨C even if he had been poor, he wouldn''t have tolerated it!
With that thought, Gu Heng put on a fake smile again and said, "A Bentley, Uncle. You should know this car brand, right?"
Chapter 84: Chapter 76 Going Home_3
"What? A Bentley?"
The cigarette hanging from his mouth quivered uncontrobly.
Having served as a vige official for decades, he considered himself a cultured man; he definitely knew what a Bentley was. Hearing this, he quickly turned his gaze towards the emblem, and upon seeing the big ''B'' emblem, he swallowed and said, "This car mustn''t be cheap, right?"
Gu Heng, seeing his expression, had only one word in his mind:
Thrilling!
Then, with a casual expression, he said, "Cheap, it doesn''t cost much, just about 3.8 million in full payment, not even 4 million."
"What? 3.8 million?! What kind of car costs 3.8 million?"
The first to shout was Xu Hong, who grabbed Gu Heng''s hand, her face filled with disbelief.
Even his own mother could hardly believe it, let alone others. After Gu Jiandang came to his senses, he was full of doubts and continued, "Xiaoheng, you can''t start picking up bad habits of bragging now, we are all family here, you must tell the truth."
"I am telling the truth, you can ask Xinran, she knows more about it."
Gu Xinran, hearing that Gu Heng had a task for her, quickly stood up and exined, "What my brother said is true, the car does cost 3.8 million."
Being a top student sure worked wonders; if it wasn''t for bringing back Gu Xinran today, he wouldn''t have been able to pull this off as smoothly.
Seeing that the pride of the Gu family also confirmed what Gu Heng said, Gu Jiandang could only force a smile, then trying to smooth things over, said, "Xiaoheng, the money for this car, you acquired it through honorable means, right? You''re still young, you mustn''t fool around out there."
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng hadn''t spoken yet when Xu Hong became upset and pulled Gu Heng behind her, saying, "Big brother, I don''t like hearing this kind of talk from you. My Xiaoheng has made a name for himself out there, buying a car worth millions. Even if you, as his uncle, aren''t happy for him, you shouldn''t be saying this, right? What do you mean the money isn''t acquired through honest means?"
Gu Jiandang knew he had gone too far and hastily tried tough it off and exin.
Normally, with the tact he''d picked up over his decades in the vige office, he wouldn''t make such a ridiculous statement. It was just that Gu Heng''s news was too shocking for him.
Seeing the family he''d always looked down on suddenly bing wealthy felt even worse than going bankrupt himself...
Just as he was about to exin, Gu Heng intervened and said, "Mom, don''t overthink it. Uncle is just worried I might have done something illegal out there."
"Right, uncle?"
"That''s right. The Gu family might not be the richest, but we have always maintained integrity. You can''t mess around outside."
Xu Hong looked puzzled at her son.
She knew all too well how much her son despised his uncle and younger uncle. Howe he was now speaking up for him? Could it be that he had changed his ways after these years away?
But what followed made it clear to her that her son was still the same person, and even more over-the-top than before...
"You see, he''s just a small-time vige official. His yearly ie, with all its perks, adds up to mere scraps. How would he understand what 3.8 million means? He probably can''t think of how to make that much money unless it''s through illegal means. It''s just ack of exposure, nothing sinister."
Gu Jiandang, who thought Gu Heng still had some respect for him, had his face turn ashen as soon as he heard these remarks...
The thing he was proudest of in life was being a vige official, thinking he was somewhat a government officer. Now, the source of his pride had been belittled to nothing by Gu Heng.
[Host sessfully released emotions, using innuendos and subtle digs to provoke his status-conscious uncle, causing his blood pressure to rise by 10%, sessfully indulging in schadenfreude, reward: 660,000 yuan. Bnce: 70.94 million yuan.]
Hearing the system''s reward notice, Gu Heng felt delighted.
He had long wanted to properly confront these annoying rtives, and now with the system providing rewards, it gave him a perfect reason to do so.
With this in mind, he prepared to throw more passive-aggressivements, but Gu Jianguo hurriedly stepped in, signaling him to hold back with his eyes.
Seeing his father''s pleading look, Gu Heng suppressed the anger inside and said no more.
He had just gotten home and wanted to give his father some face, not tearing the rtionship apart for now.
But only for now.
Gu Heng never considered himself a good person, and in his eyes, besides his parents, he scarcely acknowledged any rtives.
If someone was kind to him, even a stranger, Gu Heng would reciprocate the kindness.
But if anyone harbored ill intentions towards him or his parents, even if they were blood rtives, Gu Heng would not indulge them.
Chapter 85: Chapter 77: Liquidation in Progress
"Be happy you''re home now, let''s go eat first! Your mom made your favorite braised pork!"
Gu Jianguo said this and then pulled Gu Heng by the shoulder, heading inside...
Seeing his father''s limping steps, Gu Heng''s nose couldn''t help but feel sour again...
Ever since Gu Heng could remember, Gu Jianguo''s foot had always been like this, hobbling around doing carpentry work in the neighboring viges to raise him and support the family...
Thinking of this, Gu Heng quickly stepped forward to support Gu Jianguo''s arm, using his body strength to help him walk more steadily.
Gu Jianguo couldn''t help but look back, his eyes filled with relief...
The son had finally grown up...
.....
.....
Before long, everyone had gathered around the dining table.
This time, Gu Heng didn''t sit down with a grand gesture like he would in a fancy restaurant outside, but instead, humbly followed Xu Hong, serving dishes at the table.
"Oh dear, just sit with your dad and the others. It''s just a few dishes, I can serve them. You must be tired from driving all day, right?"
Xu Hong couldn''t bear to see her son tired, her tone full of indulgence...
Hearing his mom''s words, Gu Heng tugged at the corner of his mouth, "I haven''t driven long, not tired."
This kind of treatment was only to be enjoyed when he had juste home; in three days, any slightziness on his part would surely meet a tough love strike from his mother...
He might as well get used to the sudden drop in family status that was bound toe sooner orter...
Beingmendable outside was possible.
No matter how great an almighty tycoon outside, back home, family status remained unchanged...
It took a few minutes for the mother and son to get all the dishes on the table, and Gu Heng naturally took a seat next to Gu Jianguo.
As soon as he sat down, Gu Heng saw his mother, disregarding his uncle''s twitching eyelids, move the braised pork from in front of him to herself...
She was just a simple rural woman.
One to hold grudges, one to dote on her son.
Part of her action was to spite Gu Jiandang who had ndered her son just before, but more so because this dish was Gu Heng''s favorite from childhood.
Watching his mother''s move, Gu Heng couldn''t help but grin widely, inheriting much of his vindictive nature from her.
ording to rural seating customs, the eldest person at the table must start eating before others could.
In other situations, Gu Heng would willingly follow this tradition.
But who was the eldest person at the table today?
It was his despised uncle, whom Gu Heng couldn''t stand¡ªwould he indulge him?
He simply grabbed his chopsticks and picked up a trembling piece of braised pork and brought it to his mouth, savoring it carefully.
"Is it tasty? I stewed it in a y pot all afternoon; the fat has almost melted."
Xu Hong eagerly asked.
"Delicious! Tastier than what any chef at a five-star hotel could make!"
Truth be told, the vor of the pork couldn''tpare to any high-end restaurant Gu Heng had dined at, nor to an ordinary eatery, but it was made special by motherly love, so he spoke genuinely...
Seeing Gu Heng enjoying it, Xu Hong quickly picked up her chopsticks, selecting several well-cooked pieces of meat to put into Gu Heng''s bowl, "If you like it, eat more, I''ll make it for you every day!"
This affectionate mother-son scene left the families of Gu Jiandang and Gu Jianjun with stiff faces, saying nothing.
Not to mention the carefree Gu Xinran, who also shouted, "Second mom! You can''t be biased, give me a piece too, I love it as well!"
"Alright, alright, Second Mom will get you some."
Gu Heng jokingly guarded the te, pretending to be stern, "What does a girl need with braised pork? Eat more vegetables! What if you get fat?"
"Second Mom, look at my brother!!"
"I''ll take care of him!"
As Xu Hong spoke, her hand reached out and tugged at Gu Heng''s ear.
Gu Heng thought it would take a few days before he''d feel this strike of motherly love, but just because he had gotten cheeky, he got to enjoy it early. He hurriedly pretended to be in pain and pleaded, "Ow ow ow, I was wrong..."
Even though Xu Hong knew she hadn''t exerted much force, seeing Gu Heng like this, she quickly let go, gently massaged his ear, and then red at this impish son.
"Haha~ That''ll teach you to bully me! Back home I''m the favorite! See your ce now?"
Seeing Gu Heng beaten down, Gu Xinran also burst into joyfulughter.
Gu Jianguo, who always emphasized family harmony, knew they were intentionally irritating Gu Jiandang; he then stood up holding a bottle of Hui''an''s famous liquor, Dream Blue, and said, "Big brother, how about a drink?"
Saying so, he bent over to pour some for Gu Jiandang.
With these words, Gu Jiandang''s expression eased a bit, and he resumed his vige officer demeanor.
"This bottle of Dream Blue was meant to be opened by you, it''s just one bottle, a few hundred bucks'' worth, not something to be stingy about! When do I not have this kind of liquor when I go out to eat?"
Gu Jianguo smiled and didn''t argue back.
Seeing this, Gu Heng quickly took the bottle from his hands, saying, "Oh, how can you pour the drinks? It should be me, the younger one."
As he said this, he poured drinks for Gu Jiandang and Gu Jianjun.
Seeing Gu Heng unexpectedly pouring the drinks for them, the brothers exchanged nces, thinking Gu Heng was softening up. Just as they were about to adopt a senior''s demeanor, they saw Gu Heng put down the bottle and suddenly picked up the happily eating Gu Xinran.
"Come on, help me grab some stuff from the car."
"I haven''t finished eating yet!"
"You can eat when we get back!"
Having said that, he ignored her struggles and directly pulled her out by the cor...
Chapter 86: Chapter 77: Liquidation in Progress_2
...
...
"Brother, I''m sorry..."
As she walked out the door, Gu Xinran apologised to Gu Heng with a somewhat dejected tone...
Now an adult, she understood just how status-conscious her parents were, able to dere their superiority and demean others with great ease, even more so than Gu Jiandang, her dad''s brother...
But Gu Heng tonight only targeted their uncle, not her parents, and she knew Gu Heng was being considerate of her feelings...
Gu Heng was opening the trunk, taking out the items one by one while listening to Gu Xinran''s words and couldn''t help but pat her on the head, saying, "The issues of our parents'' generation shouldn''t affect us, no matter how the two families are fighting. You''re still my sister, don''t think too much."
"Mmm!"
Moved by Gu Heng''s words, Gu Xinran nodded her head.
Before she could feel moved for long, Gu Heng''s voice rang out again, "Now that you know, hurry up and help. Move all these things in!"
"Oh, oh!"
A few minutester, the two of them returned to the living room with their arms full of bags and items.
"Son, what are all these?"
Seeing Gu Heng return, Xu Hong quickly asked.
"Oh, nothing much, just bought some goods for the New Year."
While speaking, he took out a bottle of Moutai from a box and ced it on the dining table, then turning to a stunned Gu Jianguo, said, "Dad, you are also stingy, Dad. Just open that bottle of ''Dream Blue'' Uncle asked you to open.
Let him drink this, Uncle loves drinking ''Dream Blue,'' let him have the whole bottle!"
Gu Jiandang: "???"
What do you mean by let him have it all to himself?
So you get to drink Moutai, which costs thousands per bottle, and you want me to drink ''Dream Blue'' which only costs a few hundred a bottle?
I want to try Moutai too!
Gu Heng''s tant insult had already made him start to think about mming his palm on the table and walking out, but curiosity still made him want to see what Gu Heng had up his sleeve...
"Brother! Hurry and take it, I can''t hold it anymore, it''s about to drop!"
Upon finishing, the box Gu Xinran was holding in her arms suddenly fell to the ground...
The ground was immediately covered with packs of multi-colored cigarettes...
Those who didn''t smoke might not know the names of these cigarettes, but Gu Jiandang and Gu Jianjun, being long-time smokers, recognized them immediately on sight, their eyes widening...
''Jinling Jiu Wu,'' ''Huanghelou 1916,'' ''He Tianxia.''
Just about each type was among the most prestigious and expensive cigarettes avable on the market...
Scattered all over the floor, there must have been dozens of packs?
That was tens of thousands of yuan right there...
This shock was more visceral than knowing Gu Heng had bought a Bentley for 3.8 million yuan...
They were all rural folks with annual earnings of only a few tens of thousands of yuan; where would they grasp the concept of 3.8 million yuan?
But these cigarettes were different, they were essible to them and they clearly understood that just the stuff on the ground was worth as much as their annual ie...
Gu Heng''s peripheral vision nced at his uncle and younger uncle, seeing their expressions, his heart almost flipped with joy.
It really had to be Gu Xinran!
Her unexpectedly perfect timing in setting up this dramatic moment was seamless as if rehearsed!
"Look at you, can''t you do even a little thing right? Can''t you hold onto a few items without dropping them!"
While inwardly giving her a huge thumbs up, he walked over to her with a look of disdain, gently pushed the embarrassed-looking Gu Xinran aside, and casually kicked the cigarette boxes away, looking for something on the ground...
Every kick Gu Heng delivered caused Gu Jiandang and Gu Jianjun''s hearts to uncontrobly twitch...
If it were their own son, both of them would probably rush over and p him by now.
Kicking around premium cigarettes that cost a thousand yuan per pack as if they were trash?
Could this even be done by a human?
After searching for a while, Gu Heng finally found a few small, exquisitely made gift boxes, then walked up to his mother, Xu Hong.
"Mom, this is for you."
"What''s this?"
"Open it and see."
Watching Gu Heng with a mysterious expression, Xu Hong carefully opened one of the boxes...
A glittering gold ne appeared before everyone.
Seeing the ne, Xu Hong''s first reaction wasn''t excitement, but to raise her hand to tug at Gu Heng''s ear, though knowing her own mother well enough, he quickly dodged and continued, "Don''t rush to hit me, open the other boxes too."
As the boxes were opened one by one, Xu Hong''s hands began to tremble...
The gold jewelry was something that a rural middle-aged woman wouldn''t really appreciate.
Because in most rural areas, gold jewelry isn''t appreciated for its style but for its weight...
A world-ss artisan''s handmade piece in their eyes couldn''t match the value of a heavy gold chain...
Not only were Xu Hong''s hands trembling, but even the breath of the younger auntie by her side was getting more rapid... unable to help herself, she spoke, "Xiaoheng, these pieces of jewelry must be quite heavy, right?"
"I''m not sure exactly, but there''s an invoice right here. Let me check."
After saying this, Gu Heng picked up the invoice and nced at it, then read aloud: "Total weight 193 grams, roughly about 4 taels, I guess."
"My goodness! 4 taels? That must be worth over a hundred thousand, right?"
"More or less."
This too was a distinct trait of women in rural areas of Hua Country...
If you ask them about international oil prices, they might call you crazy,
but if you ask about the international price of gold, they would be instantly informed, even able to analyze deeply with you, predicting when it might rise and when it might fall...
Upon hearing Gu Heng mention the weight, the younger aunt immediately approximated the price...
"How much? Over a hundred thousand?!"
Upon hearing the price, Xu Hong''s hands steadied, and she quickly covered all four boxes, hurrying toward the room...
"Mom, where are you going?"
Chapter 87: Chapter 77: Liquidation in Progress_3
"I''m putting it away to pass on to my future daughter-inw! An item worth tens of thousands, worn on me. I''m afraid someone might chop off my head just to snatch the ne!"
"..."
Gu Heng continued with a speechless expression, "Just wear it with ease; when I have a daughter-inw in the future, I''ll buy her a new one!"
"Buy? Why spend money unnecessarily?
I think you''ve lost touch with reality now that you have a bit of money! Tomorrow, you will give me all your money to manage! Once you get a wife, I''ll return the card to you!"
After shouting at Gu Heng, Xu Hong locked the room door and ignored everyone else...
Seeing her act like this, Gu Heng didn''t know what to say...
He had no objection to handing the money over to her for management...
But if just tens of thousands in gold jewelry made her this anxious, what would happen if he handed over the bank card with over seventy million in savings? Would she just pass out on the spot?
After appeasing his mother, he of course couldn''t discriminate against others.
He organized the thirty packs of cigarettes on the ground, then ced the two boxes of tea leaves he was carrying next to his dad and smilingly said, "Dad, these are all for you. The tea is Shifeng Longjing, more than ten thousand Yuan per pound, usually served to guests by top officials in Hang City. The vige officials can''t drink this; you should try and brew someter.
If you like it, make it your go-to tea!"
Gu Jiandang: "???"
It was definitely intentional...
It must have been intentional!
But that wasn''t all, Gu Heng then ced a stack of cigarettes on the nearby cab: "All these cigarettes are for you too, consider them your regr supply. Those what, hard-middle, soft-middle, subpar cigarettes you used to smoke, don''t smoke those anymore. Were those even meant for humans?"
"Bang!"
The table was mmed heavily.
Gu Jiandang stood up with a gloomy face, intending to walk out the door.
He was well aware that today Gu Heng had not intended to save face for him, his own nephew. He was here to settle scores! Staying any longer would only result in humiliation; it was better to leave.
"Hey! Big brother!"
Seeing his elder brother getting angry and about to leave, Gu Jianguo couldn''t help but re at Gu Heng and was about to get up to stop him, but Gu Heng firmly held his shoulder down.
"Uncle? Have you had your fill? Don''t be in a hurry to leave, don''t you love Dream Blue? If you like it, take it and drink it slowly. Throwing away something that costs hundreds would be a waste, wouldn''t it?"
Just as he stepped out the door, Gu Jiandang stumbled upon hearing this, turned around and red bitterly at Gu Heng, then hastened his steps and disappeared into the night.
Seeing that the matter had been settled, Gu Jianguo could only sigh helplessly, his expressionplicated as he looked at his son, "No matter what you say, he is still your great uncle..."
He knew his son was avenging him and was gratified that his son had now made something of himself...
But decades of subdued behavior weren''t easy to change overnight. He thought that what Gu Heng had done was a bit too much...
Gu Heng remained silent upon hearing this.
He knew what his dad was thinking, but he had decided to y the viin today!
He had been powerless in the past, forced to watch his dad being disrespected. Now that he had the means, he of course needed to settle the scores!
However, he didn''t n to take things too far; he didn''t want the family to bebeled as those who, once rich, scorn their poor rtives, causing alienation and resentment.
If these rtives didn''t bother him with too much nonsense, then this would be the end of it.
As a son, he only wanted his parents to be respected in public, not to be the target of pointed fingers and rumors. Gossip was trivial to him, but it mattered to his parents.
The uncles and aunts who were still sitting at the dining table exchanged nces...
As seasoned opportunists, they thoroughly understood the principle of currying favor with the powerful...
Gu Heng''s aunt hurriedly stood up and said, "Oh my, third brother, don''t me Xiaoheng. He was merely standing up for you today. I''ll talk to Jianjunter to smooth things over with your elder brother. After all, we are family. What conflicts could we possibly have!"
After speaking, she looked gleefully at Gu Xinran, who appearedpletely oblivious...
Thankfully, their daughter had a good rtionship with Gu Heng; otherwise, they might have been added to today''s settling of ounts.
Chapter 88: Chapter 78 Bentley Will Speak for You
The next day.
The noise downstairs woke Gu Heng up in his small bed.
Touching his still aching head from the hangover, Gu Heng tried to recall the details ofst night...
It seemed like he had settled ounts with his uncle, and then his younger uncle and his family casually had a bite and took Gu Xinran back with them.
He and his dad opened two bottles of Moutai, one each, eating from after eight until nearly one in the morning...
He couldn''t remember the specifics anymore, only that towards the end, the family of three was hugging and weeping together... it seemed like they were venting all those unbearable past grievances...
.....
.....
Looking around the simple bedroom without even a TV, Gu Heng felt a bit dazed...
It was as if getting the system was nothing but a dream.
After sobering up a bit, Gu Heng got dressed and headed downstairs...
It was only when he reached downstairs that he found out who was responsible for waking him up...
The Bentley Flying Spur he had recklessly parked in the center of the courtyard was being debated loudly by about seven or eight neighbors like some kind of exhibit, with Xu Hong standing nearby, all smiles.
"Wow, such a big car! It looks even nicer and more impressive than the Audi that Li''s second son brought back a few days ago!"
A middle-aged woman looked on enviously, her mouth spitting out an endless stream of exmation marks...
"Of course it''s impressive! The money for Li''s second son''s Audi could only buy one tire of this car!"
"What? I don''t believe it! Don''t talk nonsense.
I heard that his car costs over three hundred thousand! Just one tire? Is this car made of gold or what?"
Hearing someone doubting the price of her son''s car, Xu Hong, who had been smiling by the side, was about to step forward, but then she heard the man who had just rebutted the middle-aged woman speak again, "You really should believe it! Don''t you like to browse Douyin? Just search Bentley on Douyin, and you''ll see I''m not lying to you!
This car, it''s several million!"
Having said that, he looked at Xu Hong with a smile and continued, "Sister Hong, isn''t that the price?"
When Xu Hong heard someone verifying her son''s worth, her smile grew even broader, unting that ancestral Gu family artistry, and she waved her hands nonchntly, "It''s not much money, from what my son said, I think it''s about 3.8 million?"
"How much?"
"3.8 million."
Oh my!
The middle-aged woman quickly withdrew her hand, which she had been about to extend to touch the car.
It wasn''t just her; the other vigers around instinctively stepped back a few steps.
A car worth several million¡ªif they bumped or scratched it, they''d have to sell their ancestral homes just to afford the repairs!
"Your son is really something now, able to afford a big car worth millions!"
"What do you mean something? He''s just messing around outside."
Mothers are such contradictory creatures.
If you criticize her son in front of her, she can turn against you in an instant.
But if you praise her son to her face, she will reluctantly belittle him...
Gu Heng stood at the door watching his mother''s hard-to-control smiles and couldn''t help but join in theughter.
Why did he even think about renting a car to show off when he was broke?
Satisfying his vanity was one reason, but more than that, he wanted to make his parents proud in their vige...
Now, Gu Heng didn''t even have to try to show off.
Why, you ask?
Because you don''t need to say much, the Bentley will speak for you!
....
....
"Mom."
Hearing the call, Xu Hong quickly turned around and saw Gu Heng standing at the door.
"Son, why are you up already? Why not sleep a little longer?"
Her son had finally made her proud, Xu Hong hadn''t been this happy in over a decade¡ªthe motherly BUFF was at full throttle.
"I''m hungry, got anything to eat?"
"Yes, yes, yes! How about I fry you a couple of eggs?"
"Sure!"
Seeing his mother''s ever-present smile, Gu Heng felt a warm glow in his heart.
Those millions were well spent!
Now it was past ten in the morning. If this were the past, waking up at such an awkward time, wanting to eat fried eggs? He would have been lucky not to get a p on the ear.
This kind of pampering would onlyst a couple of days, so he might as well enjoy it while he could...
While his mother was busy in the kitchen, Gu Heng also took the opportunity to walk around smoking, then, with a cigarette in his mouth, he began to greet each of his decades-old neighbors one by one.
"Wow, Supreme 95, that''s a fine cigarette!"
"Xiaoheng, it looks like you''ve really made it."
"I''ve always seen you as capable since you were young, look, I wasn''t wrong, was I?"
"I remember that fortune-teller who''s been dead for several years once said, our vige has umted fortune over hundreds of years, and this generation was bound to produce a great person¡ªI reckon that fortune-teller was talking about Xiaoheng!"
"Right, I was there with Xu Hong at the township health clinic the day Xiaoheng was born, I could tell something was off in the sky then! There was something on both sides hanging, a moon and a sun, it was really bizarre!"
"Hey hey hey! Don''t talk nonsense!"
Gu Heng was initially enjoying the ttery, but as it got more and more extravagant, he quickly cut them off.
If these fools kept going, he''d probably end up beingbeled some sort of reincarnation of a deity born under an unusual celestial phenomenon...
This was modern society, after all. In ancient times, if such talk spread, he would have been executed along with his entire n!
Fortunately, his mother was quick, frying the eggs in just a few minutes and calling Gu Heng to eat. Gu Heng took the chance to slip away, leaving the group still discussing in the yard...
Chapter 89: Chapter 78 Bentley Will Speak for You_2
After a quick wash, Gu Heng squatted at the doorway slurping down his meal from arge porcin bowl.
While eating, he called out to Xu Hong, "I''m heading out for a bit after I finish eating."
"What for?"
"Remember Xiaofeng?"
"Sure, that kid who used to get into mischief with you? What''s up with him?"
Gu Heng devoured two eggs per bite; six eggs disappeared into his stomach in less than two minutes, and then he started gulping down the sweet egg soup with a "glug, glug, glug."
After wiping his mouth with his sleeve, he continued, "He''s getting married on the 26th, I''m nning to drop by his ce today to see if there''s anything I can help with."
On hearing this, Xu Hong quickly nodded in agreement.
"A wedding is a big event; of course, you should help out."
In rural areas, red and white celebrations always involved the assistance of rtives and friends. Under normal circumstances, no one would refuse a call for help unless rtionships hadpletely broken down.
Because everyone knew that one day they too would face these events, and if you didn''t show up today, nobody woulde to your house tomorrow.
But as she spoke, Xu Hong''s face fell, "You''ve got the nerve to talk about someone else''s wedding? Look around, which guy in the vige your age doesn''t have kids running around in the fields?
When are you going to give me a grandchild?"
Realizing he misspoke, Gu Heng hastily replied, "I''m working hard to earn money, once I''ve saved enough, I''ll get married. Then I''ll have ten or eight grandsons and granddaughters for you to look after!"
"Earn money, earn money! How much is enough before you stop? You can already afford a car worth millions, why still make so much money? Are you nning to buy nes and cannons to fight the Japanese devils?"
Gu Heng: "..."
Who knew his mother could be so patriotic...
Probably watched too many of those anti-Japanese dramas with his dad...
Seeing Gu Heng silent, Xu Hong''s maternal BUFF was slowly wearing off, her words bing more heated, and eventually, she took on the air of the head of the household, "I didn''t pressure you before because our family was poor, afraid that the girls would look down on us,
but now that you''ve made some money, they probably won''t have anything to say. After the New Year, I''ll ask some of my old friends to introduce you to a few decent girls! Go on blind dates!"
Gu Heng: "???"
"I''m only 23! And I''ll only be 24 after the New Year, what''s the rush..."
"24 actual age, 25 by the lunar calendar, blink and you''re 26, another year and you''re pushing 27, and in two years you''ll be thirty! Keep dawdling, and in the blink of an eye, you''ll be as old as your father and me!
They say a man should be independent by thirty! Look at you! Without a wife, what are you going to establish?"
As his mother spoke, Gu Heng felt his scalp tingle and quickly said, "Don''t worry, I already have a girlfriend now, and she''s very pretty, we''re just talking about getting married in a couple of years!"
"Really?"
"Really!"
He even took out a photo of Lin Jiayun to show her.
Though Lin Ran seemed somewhat interested at the dinner table, he had not agreed toe, so Gu Heng could only make do with Lin Jiayun for now...
After all, although he couldn''t get Lin Ran toe, getting Lin Jiayun to visit was just a phone call away.
The photos Lin Jiayun sent him were too provocative; this one was selected by Gu Heng as one of the more decent ones.
If his mother saw any of those racy photos, chances are, he''d be thrown out of the house...
"Is this your girlfriend?"
"Of course! Pretty, isn''t she?"
Just as Gu Heng was swearing it to be true, a p descended on his forehead.
"You think I''m an idiot! And you have a girlfriend! You think I don''t use Douyin? Isn''t this one of those inte celebrities from Douyin? You think you can fool me with some random photo?"
While dodging his mother''s ps, Gu Heng put his bowl down and exined, "It''s true! I''ll bring her here in a few days, and once you meet her in person, you''ll know!"
"Still full of lies! You think I''m senile! You really think such a beautiful girl would fall for you?"
Gu Heng couldn''t believe his mother''s prejudice against him ran so deep...
With the conversation taking this turn and still not being believed, he had no choice but to make a quick getaway. He opened the car door and jumped into the driver''s seat...
He ignited the engine, reversed, and carried out the entire set of maneuvers smoothly...
.....
.....
It wasn''t until he drove out of the yard that Gu Heng felt the overpowering pressure from his mother slowly dissipating...
Once he got the car onto the road, Gu Heng turned up the music volume in the car and rolled down the windows, lighting up a ''95 and driving slowly through the rural roads with just one hand on the steering wheel...
In the coldst month of winter, with temperatures only a few degrees, don''t you feel cold driving with the windows down?
The answer is cold!
If it''s cold, why lower the window at all?
Nonsense, if you don''t lower it, who will know that it''s you driving a Bentley?
The town where Gu Heng lived was densely popted, with more than a dozen viges clinging to a main road.
Especially now that it was the New Year, all the workers who had gone out hade back, and there were quite a few pedestrians on the road. Gu Heng''s ostentatious disy immediately drew the attention of many onlookers.
The older generation might just think the car looks nice, but those who worked outside knew very well the value of the car, and soon enough there were quite a few murmurs of discussion.
Now and then heard someone say, "That''s Lame Gu''s son! He''s made something of himself now, became a big boss outside! I heard that car is worth millions!"
In the countryside, any household''s business could spread in a matter of hours.
Gu Heng used to detest being called Lame Gu''s son, but now when he heard it, there wasn''t a hint of anger in him.
He had once felt that people calling his dad "Lame Gu" was an insult, a form of discrimination. Gu Heng didn''t deny that back then it was because of his own inferiorityplex. When you''re poor, an inferiorityplex often magnifies all malice.
But things were different now; he was the sturdy leg his father stood on! Whenever people mentioned "Lame Gu" within ten miles, it was no longer with the previous contempt, but with envy and jealousy!
Once he drove past the scope of his own vige, the faces by the road grew unfamiliar, and Gu Heng no longer wanted to show off, so he casually flicked his cigarette out and rolled up the window.
After all, catching a cold from showing off would be a bad deal...
...
Following the route in his memory, Gu Heng drove towards the home of his childhood best friend...
Although it had been almost five or six years since hest visited, they had run around together for over a decade as kids, how could he possibly forget?
There were a lot of cars on the road, but nearly all the drivers subconsciously kept a certain distance from Gu Heng...
Anyone who could afford a private car wouldn''t fail to recognize the big B logo of a Bentley.
Everyone knew how much it would cost if they scraped or bumped into Gu Heng''s car.
Moreover, the countryside isn''t like the city, with cameras everywhere.
If something like a scrape did happen, it would generally be hard to assign me, and even if the police were called in, they often dealt with it in a conciliatory manner. In the end, it woulde down to whose connections were stronger...
The one with the strongest connections got the advantage, and as for the other party, well, they just had to suck it up.
From the point of view of ordinary people, could someone who drove a Bentley possibly have weak connections?
It was exactly for this reason that no one would unnecessarily go out of their way to mess with Gu Heng...
With so many considerate drivers being forced to yield, plus the rural roads getting better and better, Gu Heng had a very smooth drive.
A few minutester, Gu Heng saw a newly-built house not far away with the character for happiness pasted on the pirs at the entrance of the courtyard and pretty much knew this was his childhood best friend''s home...
Although the house was newly built, the location hadn''t changed, and the festive decorations at the door also served as proof that he hadn''t guessed wrong.
Thinking this, Gu Heng floored the elerator and charged straight into the courtyard.
There were quite a few people in the courtyard, and they all jumped when a car suddenly burst in...
"Beep!!"
Gu Heng nced over and saw that his best friend wasn''t in the courtyard, so he honked the horn.
The piercing sound of the horn filled the entire yard...
"Who''s the dumbass causing trouble at the door?!"
Through the car window, he could hear a familiar roar. When he saw the familiar figureing out of the house, Gu Heng honked again.
"Beep!!"
Li Feng stood there stunned by his own front door at the sight of the Bentley, unable to react.
But the next second, seeing the figure getting out of the car, Li Feng''s eyes widened as he locked gazes with Gu Heng...
"Dude!"
"Dude!"
At almost the same time, both of them shouted out this word and then hugged each other...
What''s a best friend?
A best friend is someone who, no matter how long you haven''t seen each other, the first thing they want to do upon seeing you is to act like your dad.
Li Feng''s parents stood on the side, full of question marks...
Li Feng''s dad: "If he calls my son ''Dude'', then who am I?"
.....
Chapter 90 - 79 You Really Deserve to Die
Although they asionally kept in touch, two years had still passed without a meeting between the two.
When they met again, both were quite excited. After a bear hug, Li Feng punched Gu Heng in the chest and said, "You little rascal, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d be back in a few more days? Why didn¡¯t you call me in advance, you bastard? I would have picked you up!"
In Gu Heng¡¯s local dialect, "bastard" was often used coarsely, irrespective of age or gender in moments of excitement; thus, Gu Heng didn¡¯t feel slighted. Rubbing the sore spot where Li Feng had punched him, heughed and said, "It¡¯s no big deal if Ie backte on other days.
But how could I miss your big wedding, you rascal?"
After speaking, he just grinned and looked into Li Feng¡¯s eyes without another word.
The kind of brotherly bond they shared could feel a bit pretentious in a self-serving society, but no one could deny its genuine existence...
A few seconds of eye contactter, Li Feng, not being overly sentimental, just punched him in the chest again, his feelings unspoken...
Once the emotional stirring passed, Li Feng naturally turned his attention to the pale blue Bentley parked behind Gu Heng...
"Holy shit!"
"Holy shit!!"
"Are you for real, man? You actually drove such a damn cool car back?"
Continuously cursing in awe, Li Feng didn¡¯t slow down as he left Gu Heng behind and circled the car, inspecting it...
"Holy shit, this emblem looks damn slick! It just doesn¡¯t feel quite up to the Maybach¡¯s standard though."
"This winged B is way ssier than BYD¡¯s three-letter logo!"
Gu Heng was a local mutt, and Li Feng, growing up with him, wasn¡¯t much better off. Circling the car with an incessant stream of "holy shits," he finally came back to Gu Heng, panting, and pped him on the shoulder, saying, "This ride is dope!
I¡¯m not going to mince words with you. We don¡¯t need that crap between father and son. When it¡¯s your turn to get married, I¡¯ll rent a Rolls-Royce for your wedding car even if it means taking a loan!"
After saying this, he continued to ask, "Renting this thing for a day must cost a pretty penny, right?"
Gu Heng feigned a throat-clearing and started toy the groundwork for his uing show off, "What do you mean, ¡¯rented¡¯? Bought it, cash down, 3.8 million!"
"Get out of here! Do you think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re like? Buying a Bentley for 3.8 million cash? If you could pay 38 thousand in cash for a used BYD, I¡¯d still buy you thousands of yuan¡¯s worth of fireworks to let the entire town know you bought a car."
Gu Heng wasn¡¯t surprised by Li Feng¡¯s reaction; after all, he¡¯d never hidden his financial struggles from him.
"I really bought it. You told me, you¡¯re getting married, so the next day I went to the 4S shop and got one. How about that? Isn¡¯t that loyal?"
"Go away, you¡¯re really getting into this, huh? You can brag all you want in front of others, but stop the bullshit with me. Enough talk, hurry up and drive, let me experience what it¡¯s like to cry in a Bentley."
The more Li Feng acted like this, the more amused Gu Heng felt, pretending to be helpless as he said, "So what will it take for you to believe I bought this car?"
"How about you tell me what it would take for you to believe your dad bought it?"
Li Feng didn¡¯t notice he was walking right into the trap Gu Heng hadid out for him...
"Alright, alright, I believe you bought it, okay?
Tricking a brother is no big deal, and I really don¡¯t mind being fooled by you for augh, but don¡¯t you start fooling yourself!
Hurry up, take me out for a spin!"
Seeing that the stage was set, Gu Heng¡¯s smile grew ever brighter.
There was nothing quite like showing off in front of a longtime friend who had once stayed up all night with you in an inte cafe, sharing instant noodles because you were both so broke...
He pressed the unlock button in his pocket, and as the car lights shed, Gu Heng slowly walked to the driver¡¯s door and opened it. But instead of getting in, he took out a green-covered certificate, turned, and tossed it at Li Feng.
"Have a look for yourself."
"What¡¯s this?"
Li Feng, who had never owned a car, failed to recognize the green registration book, looking bewildered at its cover until he saw the golden letters "Vehicle Registration Certificate," at which point a bad feeling started rising from the depths of his heart...
He flipped through the registration book, and his eyes grew wider and wider...
"Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!"
The sound of teeth grinding began to emit from Li Feng¡¯s mouth over and over...
Struggling to contain hisughter, Gu Heng said, "Fengzi, what¡¯s the matter? Am I hearing teeth grinding?"
Saying this, he reached out to tap Fengzi¡¯s shoulder...
"Don¡¯t touch me!"
Li Feng dodged at once, staring with eyes as big as bull¡¯s testicles at Gu Heng, clutching the registration book so hard that veins were about to pop out of his hand...
Gu Heng: "???"
What¡¯s the matter?
Did I overdo it and drive him crazy?
A few secondster, Li Feng calmed down just a little and wailed with a sorrowful face, "You son of a bitch really deserve to die!!!"
"How the hell can you afford a Bentley? Huh? What makes you so damn special? Bastard! Look me in the eye!!"
Watching his reaction, Gu Heng could no longer hold back and burst intoughter like a viin from a TV drama...
"Are youughing at your mom? Tell me quick this isn¡¯t real, tell me you got this fake registration over the phone for 20 bucks!"
Li Feng knew well that Gu Heng would never get a fake certificate just to show off, but he couldn¡¯t ept it...
To think they had vowed to be poor together, and now Gu Heng had secretly be wealthy?
Gu Heng remained silent, just watching him with a mocking smile¡
Chapter 91 - 79 You Really Deserve to Die_2
```
Thest shred of hope was mercilessly shattered by Gu Heng. Li Feng threw the green booklet fiercely at him and, clenching his jaw, his face twisted in rage, said, "You¡¯re really asking for death, you know that? This hurts more than if you¡¯d fucking killed me!"
Truth be told, there certainly was envy.
After all, not so long ago we were all a bunch of hard-luck guys huddling together, cursing how fate had dealt us a bad hand. Then, in the blink of an eye, a buddy turns into a big shot driving a Bentley, and I¡¯m still the same damn hard-luck guy.
To not feel a tinge of envy under such contrasting fortunes... Well, unless you¡¯re the kind of friend who¡¯s been through battles together, taking bullets for each other, I doubt any other kind of bond could prevent it.
How does that saying go?
Your own failure is painful enough, but seeing your good brother seed is even more heartbreaking...
That pretty much sums up how Li Feng felt right now...
After a while, Li Feng managed to somewhat calm his emotions. He shakily took out a pack of Puwan cigarettes from his pocket, his hands trembling as he tried to pull out two sticks. However, Gu Heng smacked the pack out of his hand before he could even touch the cigarettes.
"Smoke mine! Does this kind of low grade shit deserve to enter Brother Feng¡¯s mouth?"
Saying that, he took out a pack of He Tianxia cigarettes he had opened that morning, drew one out, and under Li Feng¡¯s nk expression, shoved it into his mouth.
Shielding from the wind, lighting the cigarette, all done in one fluid motion...
Lighting a cigarette for someone used to be the ultimate sign of respect among our group of buddies!
You could bum my smokes, you could even pocket my lighter, but to light your cigarette for you? No way in hell!
Savoring a service he had rarely enjoyed since childhood, Li Feng¡¯s face was still filled with bitterness...
If some emo background music yed right now, perhaps he might even shed a few tears of anguish...
...
...
Gu Heng¡¯s posturing was pretty much done, and Li Feng¡¯s mrs were nearly shattered from the tension. Leaning against the car door, the pair started to talk amidst the smoke they exhaled.
"I never would have guessed that out of all us brothers, you¡¯d be the first one to strike it rich.
Xiaohua, Haibin, and me, who doesn¡¯t have a thicker wallet than you? Back then, you literally had nothing¡ªno degree, no skills, and your dad couldn¡¯t help you much either. But look at what happened?
The three of us are still the same losers, but you, you¡¯re the one who made it first, able to afford a Bentley costing millions. Damn, where¡¯s the justice in that?"
After saying this, Li Feng took a heavy drag of his cigarette, and continued, "But this is fate. You just have that kind of destiny! You were meant to make this fortune!"
Gu Heng smiled faintly as he listened to Li Feng¡¯s words.
Before, Gu Heng didn¡¯t believe in fate¡ªhe had probably read too many web novels, full of the belief ¡¯My destiny is in my own hands,¡¯ always thinking he was the protagonist of his own life story, who would eventually carve out his own slice of heaven...
It wasn¡¯t until after spending a few years in Hang City, having experienced screwing bolts in a factory, delivering takeaways, and enduring a white-cor job that paid 4500 while being exploited by the boss, that he snapped out of it. What the hell does ¡¯My destiny is in my own hands¡¯ even mean in this world?
Once he came to his senses, he actually became more inclined to believe in the saying, ¡¯Fate draws lines that distinguish between the towering and the lowly.¡¯
Some are born lofty and exalted above others, while others struggle their entire lives just to kneel down, begging for a basic living.
He firmly believed that without the system, not to mention five years, even fifty years from now, he¡¯d still be a nobody. He still agreed with the idea that effort could change destiny¡ªbut he no longer believed such things could happen to him.
Gu Heng didn¡¯t want to continue talking about himself with Li Feng¡ªafter all, there wasn¡¯t much to say. Surely he couldn¡¯t naively reveal that he had a game cheat and a system to harness, right?
He then diverted the conversation, "What about you? Still nning to take over your dad¡¯s business and keep driving trucks?"
"What else?"
Li Feng let out a bitterugh, "I might have wanted to strike out on my own before and maybe get rich like you. Now, I don¡¯t have the ambition since getting married isn¡¯t just about feeding oneself anymore.
It was because Zhao Fang got pregnant that I rushed into marriage; otherwise, I would¡¯ve dragged it out another year or two. You know how much it costs once you¡¯re married and have a kid, right?
Though driving trucks is tiring, it pays more. If I¡¯ve got enough work in a month, pulling in two or three grand isn¡¯t a problem."
```
The two of them chatted on and on.
And suddenly the topic turned heavy...
"Oh right, Hengzi, you¡¯ve made it big now too. Have you thought about finding a girlfriend and getting married?"
Seeming to feel that the atmosphere had be too gloomy, Li Feng switched the topic once again.
Upon hearing this, Gu Hengughed and said, "Get married?
Have you forgotten what we said back then? Who was it that said, once we get rich, we¡¯re going to date eighty girlfriends?"
"Come on, that was just boasting and joking around!"
"I never took it as a joke. I¡¯m still a long way from the goal of eighty girlfriends. Without dating eighty girlfriends, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m getting married."
"You little rascal!"
Li Feng naturally took a pack of He Tianxia cigarettes from Gu Heng¡¯s pocket, continued it with his still-lit cigarette butt, then stuffed the cigarette into his own pocket. "It¡¯s enough to y around for a while, but you still need to get married when it¡¯s time. Men, ah! They don¡¯t grow up until they marry!"
"Are you still in touch with Li Mengxue?"
Hearing this name that hadn¡¯t been mentioned in a long time, Gu Heng suddenly thought of the girl in his WeChat contacts stillbeled "First Blood Raider," then shook his head and said, "Haven¡¯t been in touch. There¡¯s nothing to contact about. We¡¯ve been apart for so many years."
Upon hearing this, Li Feng eagerly leaned into Gu Heng¡¯s ear. "You know my wife Zhao Fang is still quite close with Li Mengxue, right?"
"And then?"
"Don¡¯t me your brother for not telling you, Zhao Fang mentioned to me a while ago that Li Mengxue is still single! She¡¯s going to be a bridesmaid at my wedding in a couple of days. Do you want me to y matchmaker for you guys at the wedding, let you pick up where you left off?"
Gu Heng thought about the girl who was beginning to blur in his memory, and also remembered the few words Li Mengxue had typed to him on WeChat when they broke up.
[We will belong to two different worlds in the future.]
He then gently shook his head. "Forget it, isn¡¯t the way things are now pretty good?"
Before the system came, Gu Heng indeed thought that once he had money, he would stand before Li Mengxue again and tell her loudly and proudly that they were not from two different worlds anymore!
But after he got the system, whether it was Fang Xun, Lin Jiayun, or Lin Ran, each was ten to a hundred times better than Li Mengxue...
It was after experiencing the colorful world that he realized that the things he once yearned for but couldn¡¯t obtain were really nothing to speak of.
Constantly thinking about the past losses doesn¡¯t necessarily mean holding onto the past or still having feelings; it may just mean not having encountered anything better...
Seeing that Li Feng was about to persuade him again, Gu Heng hurriedly interrupted him.
"Alright, wow! I just ran out from home because my mom was pressuring me to go on a blind date. If you keep nagging, I¡¯ll leave!"
"Alright, alright, you¡¯re rich now, so you speak loudly, you rotten thing!"
"By the way, you just mentioned Haibin and Xiaohua. Have theye back yet?"
At the mention of this, Li Feng suddenly got excited.
Livid from being shown up by Gu Heng, he felt like biting through his back mrs. He wasn¡¯t going to be the only one losing out! He quickly said, "They¡¯re back, both in Dongguang, came back on the same day, even helped me decorate my wedding room yesterday.
Why don¡¯t I call them over, and we can have lunch at my ce? It¡¯s been years since we all got together, let¡¯s drink a bit at noon. How about it?"
"Make a call? Can you make calls faster than my 2024test model emperor blue, 4.0T discement, twin-turbocharged, 550 horsepower Bentley Flying Spur?
You¡¯re trying to show off your 2000 bucks phone to me? Are you even qualified?!"
Just as Li Feng, who had barely calmed down a few minutes ago, heard this sentence, his blood pressure surged again: "You really deserve to die!!!"
"Quit your bullshit, get in the car! Let me show you what the charm of a 3.8 million luxury car is like!"
Chapter 92: Chapter 80: Becoming the Host on the First Day, Slaying in All Directions!
"Hengzi, you gotta admit, a luxury car is just fucking luxury; sitting in this thing is a pure joy!"
Leaning in the passenger seat, enjoying the massage function of the chair, Li Feng squinted his eyes contentedly.
Hearing his words, Gu Heng had a faint smile on his lips and didn''t respond.
"Ding dong."
Right as Li Feng was enjoying his bliss, the message notification sound from his phone went off, making him reluctantly open his eyes and pull out his phone...
After reading the message, Li Feng turned his head towards Gu Heng and said, "Let''s not go to Haibin''s ce, just head to the mahjong parlor near their house, both of them are there."
"What are they doing there?"
Hearing Gu Heng''s question, Li Feng nced at him and replied, "Have you not been back in a few years and forgotten about the New Year''s activities back home? They''re ying poker over there."
Only then did it dawn on Gu Heng...
The card games in the countryside are quite a feature...
There''s a saying: on the first day of the New Year, being the house gives you fame; by the second, early morning, you''re leaving with belongingsme; on the third, at dawn, you''re to the worksite, just the same...
Working hard to earn some damn money, not willing to spend a dime on oneself, then giving it all away at the card table to someone else...
Gu Heng''s family wasn''t well off, and he was quite restrained, hardly ever joining in the games. After all, for others, losing a few thousand might just sting for a while and they''d move on, but if he lost that much, his entire year would be tough...
But regardless, having grown up amid such an environment, Gu Heng was quite familiar with this card-ying culture. Nodding his head, he directly drove towards the mahjong parlor near Haibin''s house, as he remembered it.
.....
.....
Minutester, following Li Feng''s "This is the ce," Gu Heng parked the car by the roadside in front of a yard.
Unlike the city, where you might find lines painted for parking or open-air parking lots for convenience, rural parking has no rules, and you just park anywhere you like. As long as you''re not blocking someone''s doorway, usually no one would say anything.
As soon as the car stopped, it attracted quite a few stares.
Times had changed, and vigers had be more worldly. Most recognized the Bentley logo, and even those who didn''t could guess from the car''s appearance that it was valuable...
The two of them got out of the car under the gaze of the onlookers...
Gu Heng was fine; his vanity had already been satisfied quite enough, so he appeared rather nonchnt...
But the first thing Li Feng did after getting out was to fix his hair in the reflection of the car window before walking proudly towards the mahjong parlor, giving off the impression that the Bentley was his, and Gu Heng was just his driver...
Side by side, they entered the mahjong parlor, filled with swirling secondhand smoke as if it were some heavenly realm...
However, the asional cursing promptly pulled Gu Heng back to reality...
"The poker yers are all over here."
Li Feng tugged at his arm and headed towards a table crowded with people.
As they approached, they saw piles of red and green bills tossed chaotically on the table like scrap paper. Roughly estimating, there were at least a couple thousand dors. A few thousand per hand was already quite a big deal for a poker game...
On any normal day, a single phone call would have the big-hats over for a visit right away.
But during the holidays, everyone turns a blind eye. No one would make a big deal out of it, and it''s possible some big-hat uncle might be sitting at a poker table somewhere at the same time...
"Keep stewing! I refuse to believe that no good cards wille out through stewing," someone bellowed.
Hearing this voice, Gu Heng and Li Feng exchanged a look, then simultaneously turned their gaze in the direction of the voice...
The two were all too familiar with this rough tone, and without thinking further, Gu Heng walked up behind Haibin and patted him on the head.
Li Haibin irritably swatted Gu Heng''s hand away, not even turning to look, a picture-perfect image of a gambler in desperation, fixated on thest two yers at the table...
Seeing Li Haibin''s neck flushed red, Gu Heng could roughly guess the state of the game...
Clearly, Li Haibin was losing, and judging by the looks of it, quite a bit, nearly seeing red in frustration...
In the face of Li Haibin''s reckless y, the other two who had already seen their cards were not the least bit flustered; one of them even pretended to be kindhearted and said, "Haibin, y for fun, no need to get so worked up. Look at your cards and then continue betting."
"Cut the crap, I''m down six thousand to two thousand.
It''s been more than a dozen hands without a win. This time, it''s got to change; luck goes in turns, it should be heading my way, right?
If I''m truly jinxed and still can''t get a good hand, I''ll burn through these two thousand and just leave," he said as he pulled out a hundred from the remaining two thousand plus dors in front of him and tossed it towards the center of the table: "I''m stewing again."
The other two who had seen their cards must have had significant hands, as they didn''t hesitate to throw in 200 each.
In poker, betting doubles when you''ve seen the cards.
Li Haibin was like a gambler who had nothing to lose, continuously drawing cash and throwing it onto the table...
In a short while, there was over ten thousand dors in cash on the table...
The onlookers also started murmuring among themselves...
"This hand''s getting big, must be at least ten thousand on it, right?"
"More than that, it must be over ten thousand."
"Damn, whoever wins this hand is going to have a fat New Year..."
A ten-thousand-plus dor hand in poker, while nothing in ces like Ao Ind or gambling cities where chips worth tens or hundreds of thousands are the norm, was considered a very high-stakes game in an ordinary countryside setting...
Chapter 93: Chapter 80: Becoming the Host on the First Day, Slaying in All Directions!_2
Just as Li Haibin was about to continue cing bets, he realized that the more than two thousand yuan in front of him had all gone missing. Seeing Li Haibin''s awkward situation, the man who had earlier reminded him to check his cardsughed and said, "If you''re out of money, look at your hand; if it''s good, then bet again, but if it''s no good, just toss it.
By not looking, you''ve made it so that neither Second Brother nor I canpare our hands. We''ve both already thrown in six or seven thousand."
Hearing this, Li Haibin''s face suddenly turned a little unsightly...
He had already followed with nearly three thousand yuan, how could he be willing to look at his cards now?
Just as he was about to ask the mahjong parlor owner to lend him a few thousand yuan, a red banknote flew directly into the middle of the table.
"I''ll help him ce the bet, you all keep ying."
Hearing this familiar voice, Li Haibin immediately turned his head and locked eyes with Gu Heng.
"Fuck, Hengzi, you''re back?"
"Got back yesterday."
The situation wasn''t right for catching up on old times, so Li Haibin just pped Gu Heng on the chest, then his gaze returned to the stack of money in Gu Heng''s hand...
After hesitating for a moment, he somewhat embarrassingly said, "Hengzi, how much money do you have there? Could you lend me some first? As soon as I finish this game, I''ll give it right back to you."
Gu Heng didn''t agree but simply smiled and said, "You just call out from the sidelines, I''ll ce the bets for you. You tell me to bet, I bet; you say stop, I''ll stop."
Seeing this, Li Haibin could only helplessly nod his head.
It wasn''t that Gu Heng was reluctant to lend him the money.
But as buddies for over a decade, he knew all too well that Li Haibin was in too deep; at this point, even if he lent him a million yuan, Li Haibin would bet it all away.
Only if he ced the bets for him, making him a bit more wary, would he be somewhat rational.
Sure enough...
After Gu Heng lost several rounds in a row, Li Haibin began to hesitate as well...
If the person betting for him were Li Feng or Xiaohua, he might be a bit more reckless, maybe betting another couple thousand yuan...
But this was Gu Heng.
In his memory, Gu Heng''s family circumstances had never been too good, and he had never yed cards before.
If he lost a few thousand yuan he''d just get scolded at home, but if he dragged Gu Heng down with him, he''d be pping himself hard in the middle of the night.
Thinking of this, Li Haibin pressed down on Gu Heng''s hand that was about to bet and said, "Let''s just stop here, the table already has twenty thousand on it; it''s not worth throwing in more. I''ll take a look at one hand of cards first..."
As he spoke, he rubbed his hands together and carefully picked up the poker cards that had been sitting untouched on the table...
His trembling hands slowly rubbed the cards, and all the onlookers'' heads leaned in further...
At this moment, no one was going to rush him; for a game involving over twenty thousand yuan, taking his time to reveal the cards was understandable.
When all three cards were revealed, Li Haibin''s face, originally flushed red, turned white...
A mismatched 236...
It was probably the smallest hand in the game of Poker...
Even drawing a 235 would be better than 236, at least ording to their rules, a 235 could beat a trio...
Moreover, with over twenty thousand yuan already on the table, there was no chance of sneaking a win; if Li Haibin dared to call, someone would dare to reveal his hand...
Having already thrown in several thousand yuan, who would care about two hundred yuan to reveal the cards?
Resigned, Li Haibin threw his cards on the table and said with a bitter smile, "Forget it, I''m out. Fucking 236, drawing such shitty cards is like grabbing shit; if I keep ying, I''ll lose the house."
Having said that, he stood up and gave Gu Heng an apologetic smile, "Hengzi, I''ll transfer that thousand yuan to youter!"
Gu Heng waved his hand, not dwelling on the matter, but instead asked, "You''re not ying anymore?"
"y what? Including your thousand, I''ve lost seven thousand already.
ving away at the factory screwing in bolts for a month, and it''s all gone in minutes. If my old man finds out, he''d probablye at me with a club."
"Can I take your seat then?"
Hearing this, Li Haibin was stunned...
"You want to y?"
He remembered very clearly that Gu Heng never touched this stuff, not even mahjong.
Gu Heng smiled casually, sat down in his seat, and said indifferently, "It''s just for fun during the New Year."
After finishing, he turned towards the other five at the table and asked, "Taking over Haibin''s spot shouldn''t be a problem, right?"
"Ha, what''s the problem? We''re all locals here. Are we going to be scared of you ying tricks?"
"But dude, I see you''ve only got a thousand or so bucks left. We''re ying with a base bet of 20, capping the bet without seeing the cards at 100, and capping the bet with cards at 200. That little money you''ve got won''t even cover a round of betting..."
He didn''t say this to belittle Gu Heng; rather, it was a roundabout way of reminding him that he didn''t have enough money...
After all, they didn''t know Gu Heng. If he lost and couldn''t pay up, where would they go to settle theint? The police wouldn''t care about this kind of money dispute.
There was no shortage of card table scammers looking to make a buck without paying in the countryside.
Hearing this, Gu Heng hadn''t even responded when Li Haibin, who was standing beside him, got angry. Pointing at the person who had spoken, Li Haibin said, "Fuck off, Li Xianzhi. Do you think my buddy is going to y you like that? This thousand bucks is enough to decimate you all!
Besides, even if he really loses and has to borrow money at the table, aren''t I still here? Can he run away, can I?"
This was clearly Li Haibin vouching for Gu Heng. The young man called Li Xianzhi stopped speaking after hearing this. Since Li Haibin had said that if Gu Heng lost and couldn''t pay, they could find him for the money, he wasn''t worried anymore.
Listening to their conversation, Gu Heng smiled and said, "Sorry, I haven''t yed cards much before and don''t know the rules. A thousand bucks indeed isn''t quite enough."
After saying that, Gu Heng called out, "Boss!"
A middle-aged man came out from the crowd, all smiles, and said, "Young man, do you want to exchange some cash?"
The most important thing for a mahjong parlor owner is to have a cache of cash because, whether it''s ying cards or ying mahjong, transferring money through WeChat just doesn''t cut it. It''s the feeling of throwing out real cash that feels exhrating.
Gu Heng nodded and said, "Yes, change some cash."
"Okay, how much do you want to exchange?"
Gu Heng thought for a moment, then looked at the money on the table, which he estimated to be around fifty or sixty thousand, and then slowly said, "Let''s start with 100,000. If that''s not enough, I''ll exchange moreter."
As soon as Gu Heng''s words dropped, the already noisy card table suddenly quieted down...
Even the boss was stunned and repeated, "A hundred thousand, young man? A hundred thousand?"
Hearing the figure that escaped Gu Heng''s mouth, Li Haibin quickly grabbed Gu Heng''s arm and eximed, "Are you fucking crazy? You think this is Ao Ind? Spouting out 100,000 just like that!"
Originally intending to continue, Li Haibin was stopped by Li Feng standing behind him, who shook his head at him signaling not to say anymore.
Although he didn''t know what was going on, Li Haibin trusted that Li Feng wouldn''t lead Gu Heng astray, so he closed his mouth.
The boss then said with a wry smile, "Young man, it''s possible for all the cash yers here to have 100,000bined, but you want to exchange that much at once. Where am I going to get that kind of cash for you?"
Gu Heng also realized that it made sense; after all, it was his vision that was too big...
It was indeed a bit outrageous to ask a small local mahjong parlor to exchange 100,000 in cash all at once. Then he said apologetically with a smile, "Then, boss, how much cash do you have?"
After a moment of pondering, the boss slowly said, "I definitely don''t have 100,000, but I cane up with 50,000. However, I need to be clear upfront that this is all on a cash-for-cash basis. No IOUs."
Gu Heng didn''t say much more and took out his phone.
"Send me the code."
Gu Heng''s demeanor made everyone realize that he was truly wealthy and not just faking it...
"WeChat payment received, 50,000 yuan."
With the phone''s notification sound, whether it was those ying at the table or those watching from the side, the look in their eyes changed when they saw Gu Heng...
Whether Gu Heng was pretending to be rich or actually was, exchanging 50,000 in cash at the card table made him look awesome in their eyes!
A few minutester, the boss carefullyid down five stacks of hundred-yuan bills in front of Gu Heng: "This cash is freshly withdrawn from the bank yesterday. They''re all new bills in sequential order, check if there''s any problem."
However, Gu Heng just smiled kindly at the boss and then turned to the other five card yers and continued with a smile, "Now you shouldn''t be worried about me not having money to pay up if I lose, right?"
"Awesome!"
"Young man, you''vee to wipe out the table today, haven''t you?"
Listening to the ttering around him, Gu Heng''s expression remained calm without much change.
Only in the countryside could 50,000 be unted so grandly; in a big city''s bar or nightclub, 50,000 would just make a small ssh...
Chapter 94: Chapter 81 If Youre Still Human, Dont Gamble
```
ying Golden Flower doesn''t require any skills.
Although Gu Heng had never yed before, how does that saying go?
Haven''t eaten pork but haven''t seen a pig run?
Once all six yers had ced their initial bets and the game was officially announced to start...
The way Golden Flower is usually yed is that the dealer shuffles and deals the cards, which leads to a frequent situation of sleight of hand, cheating.
But even though this was just an ordinary mahjong parlor, the rules were quiteplete; none of the yers were allowed to touch the cards, with the shuffling and dealing process fully managed by the mahjong parlor''s owner...
Watching the owner''s proficient dealing speed, Gu Heng suddenly remembered the kind of advertisement often seen at the beginning of certain movies...
"Sexy dealers, dealing online..."
Seeing Gu Heng staring at him, the mahjong room owner immediately exined with a smile, "Young man, don''t worry. My mahjong parlor has been open for twenty years. I''ve been dealing Golden Flower all this time, and in these twenty years, no one has ever raised any objections here. You can y with confidence."
Li Haibin also whispered in Gu Heng''s ear, "You can trust Uncle Liu''s dealing, there definitely won''t be an issue! He''s my great-grandfather''s uncle; he wouldn''t cheat me."
Gu Heng smiled at that...
He hadn''t expected that just by looking a little longer at the owner, they would think so much...
But when he thought about it, it made sense¡ªit was a ssic issue of perspective.
Actually, even if Gu Heng lost all of his fifty thousand yuan, he wouldn''t be heartbroken, but others didn''t see it that way...
How would they know that his half a year''s savings was just pocket money for others to have fun with... They just thought that Gu Heng, ying so big, was bound to be more cautious.
....
....
After all six yers'' cards were dealt, Gu Heng, as the neer at the table and the first to speak...
Tore off the band from a stack of neatly arranged banknotes and tossed a single note into the middle of the table.
"Stake a hundred."
Looking at Gu Heng''s nonchnt gaze, the other yers at the table couldn''t help but exchange nces...
Although thest round had a pot over twenty thousand, which was big, it was still rare...
It probably wouldn''t happen more than a few times in a whole day''s y, and now Gu Heng started with staking a hundred¡ªif they checked their cards and found them good, they would have toe up with two hundred. How could they y?
Thinking this, the yer next to Gu Heng hurriedly said, "Hey man, we can''t y like this, you''re aiming for the cap right off the bat, that''s not fun."
Gu Heng just smiled and replied, "Didn''t you all say that the cap was a hundred? I shouldn''t have broken any rules, right?"
"That''s what you say..."
But before his neighbor could finish speaking, Li Haibin interjected loudly on the side, "Stop spouting crap. If you''re ying, then follow the bet, if you''re not ying, then leave the table. Just quit the bullshit. You were grinning when you were winning my money just now, and now you''re scared to bet?"
Provoked by Li Haibin like this, the guy didn''t say much more. He looked at his cards, which were just an average pair.
If it was a bet of a few tens of yuan, he could follow for a hand, but if he followed, it would cost him two hundred...
A mere small pair, not worth his two hundred.
After reassuring himself, he promptly tossed his cards away...
Clearly, he wasn''t the only one with that mindset; the others did much the same, tossing their cards away after checking them.
Once the round wasplete, aside from Gu Heng, everyone had thrown away their hand...
Li Haibin, grinning, helped Gu Heng to gather the one hundred and twenty yuan of scattered cash from the middle of the table to his own space, saying, "These cowards, they''re afraid of you who hasn''t checked the cards, it''s just hrious."
Hearing Li Haibin''s mockery, the others didn''t look happy, but they didn''t react.
However, when they saw Gu Heng reveal his bottom cards to be nothing more than a high 10 of mixed suits, they all started to regret their decision...
Especially Gu Heng''s neighbor, who only realized after checking everyone''s cards that his pair was the biggest in the hand. He didn''t say anything to show it, but he was kicking himself inside.
...
The card game continued.
Gu Heng had no fancy ys at all.
He just sat quietly in his seat, repeating the move from the first hand...
As soon as the owner dealt the cards, he would stake a hundred.
However, this manner of y only scared people for the first few rounds;ter on, they gradually started to be more daring, with nearly every round someone following Gu Heng''s bet.
Staking high without checking could win money fast, but in the end, it wasn''t as steady as those who checked their cards. Losses coulde just as swiftly...
Half an hourter, Gu Heng''s original fifty thousand yuan dwindled quickly to just over twenty thousand...
The other five at the table had all won something from Gu Heng, and although their nces were friendly, inside they wereughing at him for being a money-doling simpleton...
Even Li Haibin, who had been watching on the side, became anxious and said to Gu Heng, "Hengzi, if you don''t know how to y, don''t y at all. Who ys like that? You''re just giving away money."
Gu Heng, looking at Li Haibin''s urgent expression, just smiled faintly at him and signaled for him not to worry.
.....
In another new round, Gu Heng continued to stake a hundred, but this time, the atmosphere at the table was clearly off...
Out of the six people at the table, apart from one who folded early, the other four seemed quite serene, throwing their cash onto the table as if it were worthless paper...
Experienced card yers knew that this round was a sh of strong hands, with everyone likely having significant cards.
```
Chapter 95: Chapter 81 If Youre Still Human, Dont Gamble_2
The so-called nemesis cards mean that everyone thinks they have the highest hand, all wanting to take a chance, but when they finally bet it all, they realize others are also betting heavily, and they start to panic...
But with so much money already in, it''s too hard to give up.
That''s what sunk cost is all about.
It''s like a simp worshipping a goddess; even if they know it''s hopeless halfway through, they still stubbornly keep on simping out of wishful thinking.
But nemesis cards usually involve only two yers with strong hands, like in this round, it''s rare that five yers are unwilling to fold...
As time dragged on, except for Gu Heng, who had been stewing his cards and only had to put in half the money, the other four yers were already running out, leaving only a thick stack of cash piled in the center of the table, pulling the visual effect to the max...
Li Haibin, standing beside Gu Heng, had already started to breathe heavily...
In fact, not just Li Haibin, but also the spectators around felt almost the same, considering it''s such a big game, you wouldn''t see it even once a year...
Finally, after all the cash was matched, the person sitting across from Gu Heng spoke, "Young man, why don''t you just reveal your cards now? We all put our cash in; if you keep stewing, the game can''t proceed."
In the game of Exploding Golden Flower, as long as there''s still someone stewing, you can''tpare cards.
This entire big game was all thanks to Gu Heng, the shit-stirrer...
Hearing this, Gu Heng hadn''t spoken when Li Haibin, disgruntled, immediately retorted with a sneer, "Where''s that rule? If you''re short on cash, either figure out how to get more or fold your cards. If you can''t afford to y, don''t take a seat at the table.
Asking someone stewing their cards to reveal them, how could you even say that?"
The other party was momentarily stumped, not knowing how to argue...
Although Li Haibin was harsh, he was indeed right...
The rules of the poker table are just so, then determinedly said, "I don''t have that much cash. I''ll use poker cards as money, a thousand per card. We can transfer the money directly afterward; how''s that?"
Everyone knew things were serious, but they also knew his cards weren''t small either.
The always-silent Mahjong parlor owner had to speak up now, "Young man, ying like this has never been done before, how about I add a rule? A maximum of 20 hands can stew, and then you must reveal the cards; how about that?"
Li Haibin wanted to say something, but Gu Heng pulled him back and smiled toward the owner, "No need for the trouble, there are still five yers left besides me stewing the cards, everyone''s bet roughly the same, why don''t we all reveal andpare at once? Winner takes all, alright?"
Gu Heng''s suggestion made those four yers happy all at once.
They all agreed.
Eager for this, the yer sitting next to Gu Heng flipped their cards quickest...
A flush of Aces, already a very high hand in Exploding Golden Flower, second only to a trio of the same card or a straight flush...
As expected, after their cards were revealed, one of the four yers immediately mmed their cards on the table, face red with frustration; they also had a flush of Aces, but hearts instead of spades like the ones below Gu Heng...
But since the other two hadn''t folded...
They must have had even higher hands...
Sure enough, when the other two flipped their cards, a sequence of spades for 678, a sequence of spades for 789...
The man holding the 789 sequence had been the one urging Gu Heng to reveal his cards...
Seeming already sure of victory, he almost wanted to sweep all the nearly 100,000 yuan on the table into his arms but held back the desire, looking at Gu Heng, "Young man, you''re the only one who hasn''t revealed your cards."
Gu Heng nodded, not ying tricks but directly flipped over the three cards on the table...
Mainly because he really didn''t think his blind cards could beat a 789 sequence...
But when his cards were revealed, the man''s face, previously flushed, turned pale in an instant...
Three Ksy silently before everyone...
Three Kings...
Just below three Aces, the highest possible hand, which sent everyone''s heads buzzing...
Even Gu Heng, who had been prepared to lose, felt stunned...
Li Haibin was the first to react, shouting "Fuck!" and then he started frantically pulling the money on the table toward Gu Heng''s side...
"No way! It must be rigged! I''ve never seen a Kings beating a straight flush in my life!"
He pointed at Gu Heng and used, "Did you cheat?"
"Fuck off, when you won over twenty thousand from my brother, no one said he cheated. You lose money and suddenly it''s cheating? Are you the god of gamblers Gao Jin? Allowed to win but not lose?"
Gu Heng remained calm, nced at him, then directed his gaze to the face of the Mahjong parlor owner.
The Mahjong parlor owner knew Gu Heng''s intent, stepping forward, "Da Mao, if you think there''s something wrong with the cards, take it up with me. I dealt them. Our fellow guests here are from my Mahjong parlor, don''t pull this sore loser stunt!"
"It''s not... Uncle Liu..."
The Mahjong parlor owner still had a lot of respect, a single sentence directly dissipated the man''s temper...
Gu Heng''s hometown used to be pretty chaotic over twenty years ago, filled with all sorts of thugs and gangsters. After a crackdown on crime, those who couldn''t show their faces predominantly went into hiding, starting to earnestly run their businesses...
Chapter 96: Chapter 81 If Youre Still Human, Dont Gamble_3
"This ''Uncle Liu'' must have been one of the first hooligans with a bit of prestige..."
A few minutester, Li Haibin and Li Feng, grinning ear to ear, had neatly arranged the money on the table, stacking it in front of Gu Heng...
"I''m done ying, I''m out of money, whoever wants to y, let them y."
"I''m not ying anymore either."
There were originally six people at the table, and suddenly there were only four left...
And no one else was willing to step up...
After all, who could y like Gu Heng and win against him?
Seeing no one willing to y, Gu Heng also stood up and said, "If no one else is going to y, then I''m going to step down."
Long after Gu Heng finished speaking, there was no response. Seeing this, Gu Heng nodded and said no more.
"Awesome, awesome! Damn it, one game of cards and I''ve won back everything I''ve lost over the years!"
Li Haibin was ecstatic at the side and moved to collect the money, but Gu Heng stopped his hand and then counted out 6000 yuan from the pile of more than 100,000 yuan, and in front of everyone ced it in Li Haibin''s hand.
"This is what you lost, take it."
Li Haibin understood Gu Heng''s intention and waved his hands, "I don''t want it, all the money is yours, Hengzi. I, Haibin, have no special talents, I just have good card ethics! If I''ve lost, I''ve lost!"
"Take it if I tell you to!"
Gu Heng''s tone grew more serious.
Li Haibin wanted to insist, but Li Feng took the money from him, "I''ll hold onto it for him."
Just when everyone thought that Gu Heng was splitting the loot in public, Gu Heng took out his phone, opened the QR code, and said to the boss, "Uncle Liu, I don''t want the excess money. I put out 51,000 today, so just transfer 51,000 yuan to me. As for the rest of the money, whether you give it back to them or keep it yourself, it''s none of my business."
"???"
"???"
After hearing Gu Heng''s words, the spectating crowd was stunned...
Used to seeing people with red eyes from losing money, this was the first time they had seen someone refuse winnings.
Hearing this, Li Haibin''s eyes widened in disbelief as he shouted at Gu Heng, "Hengzi, are you fucking insane? You don''t want fifty or sixty thousand yuan?"
"Shut up!!!"
Gu Heng, who had always been very calm, yelled at Li Haibin. It not only silenced him but also gave the onlookers a jolt...
Although the mahjong parlor''s boss was very surprised, he nodded and again transferred 51,000 yuan to Gu Heng, then said, "I won''t take a penny of this money. I''ll return it to them in front of you."
After receiving the transfer from the mahjong parlor''s boss, Gu Heng smiled at everyone and walked out of the mahjong parlor with Li Feng while pulling Li Haibin with them...
After they left, the crowd around the table immediately started buzzing with conversation.
"Does this young man have something wrong with his head? Tens of thousands of yuan, and he just doesn''t want it?"
"Who knows, maybe he''s rich and doesn''t care about this bit of money."
"Da Mao and Xianzhi, they must be feeling good, thought they were going to lose their shirts, but ended up not losing a penny."
"Who the fuck isn''t that right? If I had known, I would''ve yed just now; win and walk away, lose and not have to pay..."
Listening to the crowd''s discussions, the mahjong parlor''s boss, who had been counting money, just smiled and shook his head...
.....
.....
After leaving the mahjong room, Li Haibin broke free from the restraint of the two men and still baffled, said, "No, seriously, I can''t understand why you wouldn''t want the money you''ve won. Are you out of your mind?"
"And then? Keep talking."
"What else is there to say? You''re obviously crazy!"
Gu Heng didn''t exin too much, just looked into his eyes and slowly said, "Do you know why I won money today?"
"Lucky, what else."
"I admit I was lucky, but have you ever thought that if I had only 6,000 yuan like you at the beginning, could I have waited for this wave of good luck?"
As soon as these words came out, Li Haibin''s expression froze...
"Let me put it this way, if no one cheats at the mahjong table today, the only person who could win is me, believe it or not?"
Looking at Li Haibin, who was frowning and unconvinced, Gu Heng didn''t get angry but continued, "I could lose 50,000 yuan and still have another 500,000 to y with. If I lose that, I could bring out 5 million. Can they be lucky forever?"
"I can afford to lose countless times, but if they lose once, they can''t y anymore. You tell me, in the end, isn''t the winner always going to be me?"
Li Haibin was also an experienced card yer. He understood all these truths. The more Gu Heng exined, the quieter he became...
Many people say gambling is all about luck, but in reality, luck only ys a small part.
Because no one can be lucky all the time, those who can win it all are usually the ones with a thick foundation, and those who tend to lose are often the poorer ones...
Seeing Li Haibin silent, Gu Heng spoke again, "I don''t want to preach at you. I didn''te here to y today to convince you to turn over a new leaf; I was just feeling itchy to y a few hands.
But I still have to tell you this, with me here today, I can help you get back the 6,000 yuan you lost.
But have you thought about what you''ll do when I''m not here?"
Li Haibin: "..."
"You''re an adult, and you understand the principles. If you still think you''re a person, don''t gamble anymore. The day you ruin yourself because of gambling, even if you kneel before me and beg, I won''t lend you a penny."
Li Haibin found Gu Heng''s words quite harsh and wanted to argue back, but after a long while, he could only say, "You guys don''t know me? I just y during the New Year when I go back home. When I''m at the factory screwing bolts, I have no thoughts about ying cards...
And cut the crap about 500,000 and 5 million. When you were losing money just now, your heart must have been trembling, right?
And don''t pretend to be generous. You won tens of thousands and don''t want it; we could have spent that money on baths and massages for a month! Seriously sick..."
Gu Heng smiled hearing his words...
It was because he knew that Li Haibin wasn''t a hopeless case yet that Gu Heng had advised him today.
If Li Haibin had really be beyond help, no matter how good their rtionship was, he would cut ties with Li Haibin and stop associating with him.
Gambling addicts are the worst and don''t deserve anyone''s sympathy.
Moreover, Gu Heng wasn''t lying; he really just wanted to experience the excitement of the game.
But to be honest, it was only slightly thrilling...
Because 50,000 yuan was too little for him; he wouldn''t feel sad if he lost it or happy if he won it...
It''s like a university professor taking an elementary school test; what sense of achievement can you get from a perfect score?
As for the tens of thousands he won, it made no difference to him; he might even have the police knocking on his doorter that evening, so it''s better to give it back...
[Host has entered the game in person, tried to pull a childhood friend back from the abyss of gambling, and has forsaken the gambling capital. Reward: 60,000 yuan. Bnce: 71 million.]
Hearing the system notification in his mind, Gu Heng paused...
It had been a long time since such a small reward of 60,000 yuan appeared, and the amount was also simr to what he had just won. Was the system making up to him?
Although the 60,000 yuan system reward is still unclear to others, it is obviously much moreforting to spend than the tens of thousands just won...
Chapter 97: Chapter 82 Designing a Big Villa for Parents
Gu Heng had said everything that needed to be said; if Li Haibin still wanted to gamble with his life, then whatever consequences followed would be of his own choosing, as adults must bear the cost of their actions.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but in this world, aside from freaks like me with a "system", anyone who dabbles in "gambling" is asking for a bad end.
Letting go of the saviorplex, respecting others'' fates, ditching the habit of over-self-reflection, and enjoying a life of depravity¡ªthese four principles governed Gu Heng''s life. Had he not cared about the decade-plus friendship and been unwilling to see his friend descend into an abyss, Gu Heng wouldn''t have bothered mentioning it.
Skipping over this topic, Gu Heng spoke up again, "By the way, where''s Xiaohua?"
Li Haibin responded with augh upon hearing Gu Heng''s question, "He''s next door ying a bit of mahjong. I''ll go call him."
After saying that, he nonchntly made his way back into the mahjong room.
A few minutester, Li Haibin returned, dragging along a youth who was at most 1.7 meters tall and skinny as a rail.
"I''m telling you, I almost had a deluxe seven pairs, why the hell did you drag me out here? I just lost a hundred bucks!"
While griping, the youth caught sight of Gu Heng watching him with a smile, his eyes widening instantly.
"Holy shit! Brother Heng!"
Having said that, he ran straight over to Gu Heng.
Xiaohua''s full name was Song Hua, and as the youngest of the four, he called everyone else ''brother''...
Gu Heng patted his shoulder with a smile, and seeing that all four of them were together, he said inly, "Let''s go."
"Where to?"
"Heading into the city."
All three looked at him quizzically.
"I''m nning to tear down the old house and rebuild it. I''m going to find an architectural designpany in the city, and you guys areing with me."
Understanding that Gu Heng was on an important errand, they all nodded in agreement.
Li Haibin: "Then wait here for me a sec, my car''s still parked at the house. I''ll go get it."
He was straightforward and thought that Gu Heng came to ask him to drive them to the city.
Song Hua also chimed in, "Then I''ll go fetch my car too!"
Li Haibin and Song Hua came from rtively well-off families. With their parents'' support, they both had cars, and naturally, they too wanted to show off in front of their childhood friend Hengzi.
But their chance to show off today was doomed...
Gu Heng didn''t say anything; Li Feng began to boast on his behalf.
"What ss are your cars anyway? A Honda Civic and a Haval H6, you think they''re fit for Mr. Gu to sit in?"
Li Haibin: "???"
Song Hua: "???"
Before they could argue, Gu Heng nonchntly took out his car key and pressed it towards a car not too far away, feigning a casual expression as he said, "No need to bother, we''ll take my car."
Hearing Gu Heng''s words, Li Haibin instantly asked, "Hengzi, you bought a car too? What kind?"
As he spoke, he turned to look...
When he saw the Bentley Flying Spur not far away, he was struck dumbfounded.
"Holy shit???"
"Holy shit???"
Both eximed in unison with that familiar ''holy shit''...
Seeing their reaction, Gu Heng remained unfazed, but Li Feng was thrilled.
He had almost gone mad from the excitement Gu Heng caused him earlier, and now he couldn''t let himself be the only one to feel it, so he acted like a total suck-up, saying, "See that? Only a Bentley of this caliber suits the current Mr. Gu!"
The next few minutes saw them repeating Li Feng''s earlier performance...
...
...
The town where Gu Heng''s family lived was about 30 kilometers from the city center, a trip that took less than half an hour.
As the Bentley Flying Spur entered the city, it became a stunning spectacle that made passersby and other vehicles take notice.
In the third-tier small city of Qing''an, the shiest cars normally seen were BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi¡ªthe old trifecta. Even a Porsche was a rare sight, let alone a brutally extravagant marque like a Bentley.
Following the GPS, Gu Heng drove to a ce called Wan''an Design and Construction Company and parked the car. Then the four of them got out one by one.
Under the influence of the Bentley''s powerful presence, Li Haibin and Song Hua shed their earlier loser vibe, now walking with heads held high behind Gu Heng.
.....
"Wee to Wan''an Design and Construction. How can I help you today?"
As they walked through the door of the designpany, the receptionist quickly stood up to greet them with an exceptionally warm tone in her voice.
She had seen clearly on the CCTV that these men hade out of a Bentley. Even in a big city, arriving in a Bentley tends to get you a second look, let alone in such a small city.
For most people, a luxury car isn''t just a means of travel; it''s a card signaling status.
It represents ultimate spending power!
Anypany eager to take your money will treat you like royalty, practically waiting on you hand and foot.
Gu Heng was already ustomed to such enthusiasm, and he appeared quite indifferent as he said straight out, "I have an architectural design contract for a rural vi on offer. Are you currently taking on business?"
"Of course, we are! Sir, pleasee this way, I''ll contact our manager for you right away."
After leading Gu Heng and the others to the reception room and thoughtfully serving tea, the receptionist said with a smile, "Please wait here for a moment; our manager will be right with you."
And with that, she quietly exited the reception room, carefully closing the door behind her.
"Brother Heng, if you''re building a house, a design would suffice, right? Why go the whole hog and outsource it? There are bricyers all over our ce; outsourcing must be quite expensive, right?"
No sooner had the receptionist departed than Song Hua couldn''t help but speak up to Gu Heng.
Chapter 98 Chapter 82 Designing a Large Villa for Parents_2
He was right; typically, families in the countryside who build their own homes take it upon themselves to hire bricyers, carpenters, and electricians, which does indeed tend to be cheaper than outsourcing everything in one go.
But Gu Heng had never nned to do it that way from the start.
Hiring people was not only troublesome, but the homes built were often not satisfying.
Most importantly, in the countryside, hiring people didn''t just mean paying their wages¡ªyou also had to throw in favors. For him, money wasn''t the issue; favors were much more significant than money, so there was no point in skimping in that area.
"Xiaohua, you might not understand this. Hengzi is now the big boss driving a Bentley; does he care about that small amount of money? "
The bricyers from our area can manage to build a small house just fine, but if you asked them to build a big vi without professional guidance, they might not be up to it! And hiring people involves giving gifts and buying cigarettes, plus the favors; it doesn''t really save any money in the end."
"It''s better to just outsource itpletely, settle everything once and for all. Not to sound harsh, butter if there''s an issue with the house, you can still find someone responsible. If you hire bricyers to build it yourselves, who are you going to find if there''s a problemter?"
Li Feng, having spent all seasons in his hometown, immediately recognized Gu Heng''s concerns.
While they were chatting, two men gently knocked on the living room door and then slowly pushed it open and walked in.
"Hello everyone, myst name is Chen, I''m the manager of Wan''an Design and Construction Company, and this gentleman is ourpany''s top designer, Tang Dabing."
It looked like the receptionist had already informed him about Gu Heng''s arrival in a Bentley; the manager was very enthusiastic.
Gu Heng also stood up to shake his hand and, after introducing himself briefly, got straight to the point, "Manager Chen, I guess the receptionist already told you, but I have a rural vi construction that I want to contract out. Can you take it on?"
"Of course we can take it on! Mr. Gu, please tell us your requirements."
Seeing Gu Heng''s decisive character, Manager Chen did not continue with lengthy pleasantries but sat directly opposite Gu Heng and seriously said,
"I have just two requirements. One is speed; I need all the preparation work done before the end of the year, so construction can immediately start after the seventh day of the new year, and it should ideally bepleted within two months.
The second requirement is that it has to be grand! I am not short of money, so you don''t need to cut corners onbor or materials, but you must ensure that the vi built is definitely grand. This vi is primarily for my parents to live in; as you know, vigers care a lot about prestige, and I hope you can understand."
Hearing Gu Heng''s words, Manager Chen fought down his excitement and quickly responded, "Rest assured Mr. Gu, our Wan''an Design and Construction Company has been established for fifteen years and is the best construction and architectural design contractingpany in Qing''an, with almost a zero negative review rate in these fifteen years!
If you entrust us with the project, we will definitely give you a satisfactory answer!"
He truly loved these wealthy clients.
"Mr. Gu, here are some of the sessful projects we have contracted over the years; you might want to have a look first."
Tang Dabing timely handed over a portfolio to Gu Heng.
Opening the portfolio, Gu Heng felt a thrill as he looked at the variouspleted vis...
The designs of these vis were each more luxurious than thest, and any one of them would stand out dramatically against the houses in his hometown, truly the jewel among them!
Suddenly, Gu Heng saw a vi with a somewhat church-like European style and pointed to it, asking Tang Dabing, "Could you tell me more about this vi?"
Although Gu Heng wasn''t great at aesthetics, that didn''t matter; he only knew that if he could build the house from the picture, his parents would undoubtedly have the proudest standing in the vige in the future.
ncing at the picture, Tang Dabing quickly said, "This is a rather ssic design, a French-style private vi house..."
In the next few minutes, Tang Dabing praised the design to the skies...
After hearing his introduction, Gu Heng directly asked, "Can this vi bepleted within two months?"
"In theory, it''s possible, but this vi covers arge area; I''m just not sure if your family''snd is suitable for this model; we really need to send a design team to conduct a site inspection, which is also our responsibility to Mr. Gu."
"You don''t need to worry about thend; just tell me if this vi can bepleted within two months?"
In the countryside,nd was the least of concerns. There was still quite a bit of opennd around Gu Heng''s home, and although it belonged to the vige, it could be bought with money at any moment. Read exclusive adventures at empire
The vige''s property belonged to all vigers, including thend; as long as thend was sold, everyone would get a share of the money.
An unused plot ofnd being converted into money would be weed by anyone.
Having made his point clear, Manager Chen also didn''t hesitate and affirmatively said, "It can be done! As long as thend area at your end is sufficient and doesn''t affect construction, I can guarantee it will be built within two months!"
"Then it''s settled on this model!"
....
For the next two or three hours, they continued to negotiate prices onbor, materials, and a series of other matters.
Gu Heng didn''t understand much about this stuff; instead, it was Li Feng, who had spent years in his hometown, who knew more. Eventually, they tentatively set the cost at 2.4 million, but the specific expense would still depend on the subsequent situation.
After all, 2.4 million was only a budget, and adjustments were definitely expectedter on.
After the negotiations, Gu Heng signed his name on the contracting agreement and paid a deposit of 50,000 yuan, finally sealing the deal.
"Mr. Gu, tomorrow, we will send our design team to the address you provided to conduct a field inspection, aiming to provide you with a perfect construction n within a week."
Gu Heng paid the deposit promptly, and Manager Chen, of course, did not skimp on his service to such a prime client, immediately making that assurance.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Gu Heng and his group were seen off by Manager Chen as they left thepany''s main entrance...
Outside, Gu Heng looked at the silent trio and asked in confusion, "What''s with you guys? Why the long faces?"
The three of them simultaneously turned their gaze toward Gu Heng''s face...
This trip home had really given the trio quite a shock...
First was the 3.8 million Bentley, and then there was the way he sshed money around at the card table...
Especially now, nning to spend over two million to build a vi for his parents...
If this had happened to someone else, they might merely have been envious or jealous.
But it was happening to their lifelong buddy right before their eyes...
The disparity was just too great...
It was so vast that they were beginning to feel like they hardly knew Gu Heng anymore...
"Nothing''s wrong, it''s just that you, my boy, have really struck it lucky, and we three are a bit uneasy adjusting..."
After a while, Li Feng finally spoke slowly, his tone full of wonder...
Hearing his words, Gu Heng also grew silent.
He had anticipated this scenario, but he didn''t expect it to arrive so soon...
A few secondster, he put his arms around the three of them and said with augh, "Isn''t it a good thing that I''ve made it big?"
"It''s good, you''re having better days now, and we''re all happy for you, but thinking about our own pathetic states, there''s this indescribable feeling..."
"If it''s indescribable, then don''t say it, let''s go have dinner first, after that, I''ll take you to a great ce!"
"What great ce?" Li Haibin, always the least sensitive and quickest to recover, couldn''t help but ask hearing Gu Heng''s words.
"Do you guys remember the Underground Pce?"
"Nonsense! Of course, we do!"
The so-called Underground Pce was a business KTV in Qing''an City.
It was also thergest, most luxurious, and most expensive business KTV in the entire Qing''an.
Every man living around Qing''an wanted to experience it; they would fantasize about taking the gang there for a wild time if anyone ever made money. Now that Gu Heng had money, he certainly wouldn''t forget.
"After dinner, it''ll be around seven or eight, let''s head straight to the Underground Pce! Let''s see what it''s all about!"
Then, ncing at Li Feng, he said, "Fengzi, you''re getting married in a couple of days. Isn''t it inappropriate for you to go to such a ce? Should I get you a cab to go home first?"
"Shut your damn mouth! Don''t even think about ditching me! I''m not married yet, still a bachelor! Pick me up, I can still party!"
Seeing Li Feng so pumped up, everyone couldn''t help but burst into loudughter.
Men, after all, are forever young...
Chapter 99 Chapter 83 Damn it! He really pulled it off!
It was a little past seven in the evening...
Under the nighttime veil, Qing''an, although not as bustling as Hang City, still had its unique charm exclusive to small towns.
Following the GPS, we directly arrived at the long-famed Underground Pce Business KTV in Qing''an...
Watching the continuous flow of vehicles entering, Li Feng, sitting in the passenger seat, couldn''t help but exim, "Damn, I just took a nce, and the least expensive carsing here are Cadics. I didn''t see anything under 200,000."
Li Haibin said, "Isn''t that obvious? Only those who aren''t short of money woulde here to spend.
"If you drive a Chevrolet Malibu or Mazda here, and splurge inside, if the hostess agrees to go out with you, but then sees your crappy car, she''d probably find an excuse about forgetting to check if the stove was off at home..."
"Howe you know so well? Have you been yed by a hostess?"
Li Haibin was honest, not hiding anything, "It''s not about being apanied by a hostess; everything at a Business K''s night scene is too high-end. Just casually having fun starts from a few thousand, and I can''t afford it. Once in Dongguang, I met a foot-washing girl online and went to her workce to spend some money.
298 yuan for an hour, and I generously gave her five hours, thinking I might get to hang out with herter."
"But as soon as she came down with me, she saw my Haval H6 and told me she needed to go back to get something. I naively believed her, waited in the car for half an hour, sent a WeChat message, only to find out she had blocked me... Damn, over a thousand bucks down the drain..."
"So you probably weren''t despised for the car''s low standard; you were treated like a pig ready for ughter..."
"No, that''s not it! I can''t make it clear to you all, butter I managed to contact her again, and she quite frankly told me that by washing people''s feet for a few months, she could pay in full for a Haval H6, and asked why I thought driving that junk could entice her..."
Listening to Li Haibin''s embarrassing confessions, everyone burst intoughter...
Though the story sounded ridiculous, it actually made sense...
It''s an era where mocking the poor, not the prostituted, prevails...
Even a foot-washing girl now feels entitled to disdain the impoverished...
.....
After waiting for several minutes with no more cars in line, Gu Heng slowly drove up to the entrance of the Underground Pce...
Gu Heng understood the congestion all too well...
Business Ks and nightclubs, ces like these are definitely lively in big cities during regr times, but around the Spring Festival, although not deserted, they are surely less crowded than before...
The reason is simple; the regr big bosses all went home...
At this time, Business Ks and nightclubs in small towns start bustling.
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So every New Year, many hostesses who previously apanied drinks in big cities catch wind and flock to smaller towns, serving wherever there''s market demand...
Gently parking the car by the entrance of the Business K, Gu Heng took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed one to each person, leisurely lighting up.
"Come on, Hengzi, find a spot to park and let''s head in. Why block their entrance?"
Gu Heng nced at him and said lightly, "Watch closely, learn well."
Li Feng: "???"
Li Haibin: "???"
Song Hua: "???"
Seeing Gu Heng''s pretentious look, the three were utterly confused...
Teach us what, for God''s sake?
However, within seconds, someone came to give them the answer...
A man dressed in a suit, followed by several attendants, hurried over from inside.
"Good evening, sirs, are you here to enjoy yourselves?"
Gu Heng nodded, then turned back giving a knowing look to Li Feng and the others as he stepped out of the car first.
Once outside, Gu Hengzily stretched, then casually asked the man in the suit, "Are there any private rooms avable now?"
"Yes, of course, for four gentlemen?"
"Yes, find us a big one; the bigger, the better."
"Certainly, we''ll arrange that right away."
Hearing Gu Heng''s request, the man in the suit knew they had a high-spender, and his attitude became even more respectful.
Upon confirmation, Gu Heng nodded again, then casually tossed his car keys to the man, who quickly caught them.
"Find a parking spot for me; I''ll wait in the lobby."
"Certainly, sir, just give me a moment to find you a parking space."
Being able to wear a suit to work, the man was probably a manager, but he didn''t feel insulted being treated as a valet by Gu Heng; rather his respectfulness deepened, catching Li Feng, Li Haibin, and Song Hua off guard...
Is this guy really that meek?
Turning back, seeing their startled faces, Gu Heng chuckled.
You really thought the multi-million dor Bentley was just for afortable ride?
If it didn''t have this kind of clout, why would so many people spend money on luxury cars? Couldn''t they just drive a Mazda? They all have four wheels. How much worse could the experience be?
He snapped his fingers at the trio, "What are you dazed for? Let''s go!"
With that, Gu Heng led the way into the Underground Pce Business K.
"Is this what you wanted us to learn?"
Hearing Li Feng''s question, Gu Heng shrugged and replied, "What else?"
"You want us to learn how to show off?"
Gu Heng chuckled and pped him on the shoulder, saying, "Too small-minded! It''s not just about showing off. I want to show you that the more upscale the ce, the more you can ask for seemingly unreasonable demands without worrying about being turned down.
Because when you have money, you are God, and God is born to enjoy."
Chapter 100 Chapter 83 Damn it! He really pulled it off! _2
This was the experience Gu Heng had gathered after frequenting various luxury stores, upscale restaurants, and high-end hotels upon acquiring the system...
Li Feng and the others nodded, and then Song Hua suddenly piped up, "I''ve learned a lot, Brother Heng, but I want to ask, where does the moneye from?"
"Good question. Don''t ask it again next time.
I only provide ideas on how to spend money, not the means."
Song Hua: "..."
....
....
After waiting in the lobby for about two minutes, the man in the suit finally returned.
He returned the car keys to Gu Heng with a smile and said, "Hello, Mr. Gu, myst name is Ma, you can just call me Xiao Ma."
After a brief introduction, Gu Heng went straight to the point, "How do you charge for your private rooms?"
"Due to the New Year, the consumption has been upgraded a bit. The small room has a minimum charge of 1288 yuan, the medium one 1988 yuan, therge 2999 yuan, and there is also a deluxe private room, with a minimum charge of 8888."
Hearing these prices, Li Feng and the others couldn''t help but shiver...
The mere minimum charge for a private room started at over a thousand yuan, no wonder they said poor people just couldn''t afford this...
Gu Heng, however, seemed unfazed by the prices and said, "Alright, give us a deluxe private room then."
Hearing Gu Heng''s casual tone, the suited man appreciated his spending power once more and reverently said, "Right this way, gentlemen."
With that, he led the four of them towards the elevator.
....
"Mr. Gu, this is our deluxe private room in the Underground Pce. If it''s not to your satisfaction, we can find another one," Manager Ma said as he slowly pushed open the door of the private room.
Gu Heng nced inside...
Threerge sofas were arranged in a U-shape, with four ss tables already covered with cups and fruit tters...
The lighting was nice, quite a bit more mood-setting with its blue and purple hues than the typical gold and glitter of a business KTV...
But to be honest, Gu Heng wasn''t too satisfied with a room of this standard for a minimum charge of 8888...
It wasn''t even up to par with the SPA room at the hotel he was staying in...
But considering this ce was Qing''an, not Hang City, he could understand a bit.
Comparing the consumption level of a third-tier small city with Hang City, which is a fairly developed new first-tier city, did seem a bit unfair...
However, this was merely how Gu Heng felt...
Li Feng, Li Haibin, and Song Hua stared wide-eyed at the room''s setup, each of them looking like country dogs who had just entered the city...
They''d been to KTVs before...
But only to those wholesale-type ones...
Now, looking at the luxurious decor inside the private room, they were all utterly awestruck...
Seeing their reaction, Gu Heng decided there was no need to look for another room and nodded, "This will do."
He walked in first, naturally taking a seat right in the middle of the central sofa, and then signalled with a look that Li Feng and the rest should sit down as well...
"Mr. Gu, here''s the drink menu..."
All entertainment venues operated on the principle of pay first, serviceter, and Gu Heng was quite familiar with this by now.
Looking at the drink menu Manager Ma handed over, Gu Heng waved him off, pulled out his phone, scanned the QR code on the table, and directly paid the 8888 yuan, "Start by covering the minimum charge for this room with drinks, whether we''ll order more will depend on how things go."
Hearing Gu Heng''s words, Manager Ma instantly understood, whoes to business KTV for the drinks and songs?
If it''s just for drinking and singing, why not go to a wholesale KTV instead ofing to a business KTV?
Those whoe to a business KTV are definitely here for thepany of apanying princesses...
Soon after, with a ttering smile, he said, "May I know what style ofpanions Mr. Gu and your friends prefer? Give me some criteria so I can help you pre-select them..."
"Style is not important, quality is," was all Gu Heng left him with before he said no more.
"Got it, Mr. Gu, please wait a moment. Your drinks will be brought up immediately, and I''ll take care of the rest for you!"
After finishing, he bowed slightly to Gu Heng as a sign of respect and then quickly left the private room...
Gu Heng''s spending ability had already been proven.
Driving a Bentley worth several millions, he didn''t even blink before directly paying the 8888 yuan minimum charge.
Now it was his turn to show Gu Heng his capabilities...
Gu Heng''s attitude was very clear; he had plenty of money, but whether he was willing to spend it willingly depended on Manager Ma and the "Underground Pce''s" prowess...
"Hengzi... has Manager Ma arranged for princesses for us?"
"Yep!"
Gu Heng mumbled his response, his mouth full of cantaloupe from the fruit te...
"Let''s just forget the princesses... The minimum charge alone is 8888, and if we pick a few princesses, we could end up spending tens of thousands tonight..."
Tens of thousands, for the three of them, was already a very significant amount...
If Gu Heng spent a few hundred yuan treating them to a foot bath, they could ept it without any difort...
But to spend tens of thousands of Gu Heng''s money all at once, even knowing that Gu Heng was wealthy, they felt a bit embarrassed...
But Gu Heng just nced at the three of them and said carelessly, "You guys just enjoy yourselves, don''t worry about the money, tens of thousands of yuan to me now is like you guys spending a few yuan¡ªit''s no different."
Besides,ing to a business KTV and not picking princesses, would be an idiotic thing to do, right?"
"Fine, fine, fine! Damn, you really know how to unt it!"
Watching them grit their teeth, Gu Heng just smiled and said nothing...
Friends built on genuine feelings should ideally avoid mixing their rtionships with financial interests.
Since he chose to take them out for fun, he wouldn''t care about how much money was spent, not to mention tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, Gu Heng wouldn''t even bat an eyelid.
But if they asked to borrow money from him...
Gu Heng would definitely weigh his options.
This wasn''t stinginess, but as the old saying goes, lending money should only be for emergencies, not for poverty relief.
If any of the three of them had an emergency at home and needed a sum of money, Gu Heng would lend it without a second thought.
But if they only wanted to borrow money because they felt close to him, Gu Heng would definitely not lend it. Once friends started owing each other money, so called financial disputes, even the best rtionships could turn sour...
Luckily, all four of them understood the stakes, and from childhood to adulthood, no one ever asked to borrow money from the others, at most they would send a few tens of yuan through WeChat for a meal...
.....
.....
As they chatted, the waiters had already begun to bring in liquor inrge and small bottles.
Manager Ma was standing to the side, hurrying them along...
After all the drinks were ced on the ss table, Manager Ma then stood beside Gu Heng and whispered, "Mr. Gu, the beauties have arrived, a total of 15. Shall I let them in to greet you and your friends now?"
"Sure, let theme in."
Upon receiving Gu Heng''s instruction, Manager Ma quickly straightened his back and pped his hands...
Following the pping, the first woman, wearing sky-high heels and a ck high-slit gown, led the way in...
After the first one came the second...
In just over twenty seconds, all 15 beauties mentioned by Manager Ma had walked in and lined up, facing Gu Heng and his friends...
Seeing they were all in ce, Manager Ma quickly picked up the microphone from the ss table and spoke loudly, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and greet them!"
Upon the cue, all 15 apanying princesses bowed simultaneously, their voices uniform and respectful, "Good evening, bosses, wee to the Underground Pce!"
Such a disy even made Gu Heng''s heart skip a few beats, let alone Li Feng and the others...
Seeing the slim and shapely girls in front of them, saliva nearly dried up in the mouths of the three men, their toes curling...
"Mr. Gu, would you like to pick one first?"
Gu Heng ignored him, instead lounging with his legs crossed, popping cherry tomatoes into his mouth, his gaze traveling from the first girl on the left all the way to thest...
After he had looked them over, Gu Heng gestured to Manager Ma to hand him the microphone.
Manager Ma quickly passed the microphone to Gu Heng.
Taking the microphone, Li Feng and the others thought Gu Heng had decided on a number, but unexpectedly, after Gu Heng tapped the microphone to test it, he simply said, "Next batch!"
Li Feng: "???"
Li Haibin: "???"
Song Hua: "???"
Chapter 101 Chapter 84 Bro, Stop Singing, Lets Feel for a While
Manager Ma hadn''t expected Gu Heng to just nce over and immediately ask for a new batch...
But there was nothing he could do. From the moment Gu Heng stepped into the deluxe private room, he had be the "Underground Pce''s" emperor...
As a member of the service staff, he could only be considered a eunuch...
Now the emperor wanted a new batch, and there was nothing he could do. He gestured towards the group of girls and waved towards the door. The 15 girls slowly exited the private room the same way they hade in...
After apologizing to Gu Heng, Manager Ma also followed the girls out, preparing to arrange the next batch for Gu Heng...
After Manager Ma left, Li Feng and the others just lost it, pouncing at Gu Heng like a pack of mad dogs.
"Hengzi! Why do you want to change the batch? If you don''t like them, at least ask our opinion!"
"Exactly, exactly! The first one who came in, her legs were longer than my life, and I fell for her the moment I saw her! I can''t even imagine, how happy I''d be if I could just touch those legs!"
"Heh, coward, I dare to think of it!"
Hearing the trio''sints, Gu Heng looked as if he couldn''t hold back augh and said, "Can''t you show a bit of restraint? Thest batch was just at the level of massage parlor technicians. What''s the rush?
Ever heard of ''more haste, less speed''? The good ones are yet toe!
Look at yourselves. Haven''t tried much good pork, have you?"
???
As soon as Gu Heng''sments were out, Li Haibin suddenly grabbed Gu Heng''s throat. "Alright, alright! A full man does not understand the plight of the starving! You indulge yourself in pleasures outside without a care for your brothers!
Technician level! I haven''t smelled a woman in three whole years, let alone a technician! Any woman will do for me!!"
Struggling to pry Li Haibin''s hands off, Gu Heng began to calm the trio down.
"Do you think I''d harm you?
If I happily brought you here, I''ll make sure you leave happy.
Just rx and let me handle it. Don''t you trust me?"
Hearing this, the trio exchanged nces...
They thought about it and realized he had a point.
In their eyes, now that Gu Heng was so wealthy, he definitely knew the best ways to have fun. They quenched the fire in their hearts and obediently returned to their original seats...
As for Gu Heng...
He still looked nonchnt, squinting his eyes as he ate fruit from a tter, waiting for the next bunch ofdies...
....
A few minutester, Manager Ma returned to the private room, panting as he approached Gu Heng...
It was apparent that Manager Ma had tried hard to satisfy Gu Heng...
"Mr. Gu, this batch of beauties has been meticulously selected from various groups..."
Hearing his words, Gu Heng''s expression didn''t change much. He spat out a lychee seed and said lightly, "Let theme in and see."
Repeating the previous action, Manager Ma pped his hands, and a group of garishly made-up, diverse-lookingdies entered from the door. However, this time there were significantly fewer of them, only about seven or eight...
Manager Ma wasn''t lying; this batch ofdies was clearly of much higher quality than the previous group.
But truth be told, Gu Heng was still not quite satisfied. Ever since he had obtained the "system," every woman who had an intimate rtionship with him, if not an absolute beauty, was at least a goddess in the eyes of ordinary people.
Having be picky from eating only the best, he was used to delicacies like shark''s fin and abalone. Ordinary home-cooked food was eptable, but definitely felt a bit odd.
However, seeing the reactions of Li Feng and the others, Gu Heng didn''t want to dawdle any longer. He nodded at Manager Ma, looking unenthusiastic, and said, "Let''s settle for these. Please make sure they take good care of my friends."
Upon hearing that Gu Heng wanted to keep this batch ofdies, Manager Ma was initially delighted.
Thesedies were the top quality from different groups, and the price for theirpany was certainly not low, starting at 1200 each, and he could pocket 200 per person. There were eight of them here, so he could pull in 1600...
Not to mention themission from drinks sales...
Without exaggeration, just this private room with Gu Heng could match his entire evening''s performance...
But this joy was fleeting.
As a service industry professional, being perceptive was a basic skill, and he could clearly sense Gu Heng''s dissatisfaction.
He also knew that whether he could break his record for the night''s performance hinged on Gu Heng. As for Li Feng and the others, they were clearly just background yers...
With that in mind, Manager Ma quickly lowered his head, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Mr. Gu, is there no one in this batch that pleases you?"
Gu Heng did not directly answer but said lightly, "I don''t mind, as long as my friends have a good time."
Although Gu Heng hadn''t directly answered, Manager Ma had already gotten the hint. He paused for a moment before saying, "Would you be willing to wait a bit longer?"
"Hmm?"
Letting out a puzzled nasal sound, Gu Heng focused his gaze on him.
"I know a few part-time high-qualitydies. If you''re willing to wait a bit, I can contact them right away."
"Part-time?"
"Yes, part-time. They all have regr jobs and generally do note to work here on their own. We only contact them when we have a big client like you...
Rest assured, the quality will definitely not disappoint you!"
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 102 Chapter 84: Bro, Stop Singing, Let’s Feel for a While_2
"All right, have theme over for a look; if they¡¯re as you described, your performance tonight won¡¯t becking."
"Got it! Mr. Gu, you go ahead and enjoy; I¡¯ll contact them right now!"
Having said that, Manager Ma picked up the microphone and said to the line of hostesses, "All of you stay."
He didn¡¯t need to say much more; these girls were true business elites, they knew exactly what to do.
With those words, Manager Ma hurried off to arrange part-time "princesses" for Gu Heng...
...
...
As Manager Ma left, the group of girls also loosened up.
They walked towards the sofa with light steps.
Since there were no single requests, they had some choice, the privilege to choose their malepanions...
And naturally, the target was Gu Heng sitting at the center of the sofa...
They were all crafty foxes, each sharp as a needle, from Manager Ma¡¯s attitude towards Gu Heng they already knew who was in charge in this private room, and who would bring greater benefits...
Gu Heng, watching a swarm of hostesses rush towards him, couldn¡¯t help but frown and gave a side nce at Li Feng and the others sitting somewhat bewildered at the sides, and said bluntly, "What¡¯s all this running over here for? Can¡¯t you see?"
After speaking, he pointed to the girl closest to him, "She stays, the rest of you, to the sides!"
Hearing Mr. Gu speak, no matter how reluctant they felt inside, they had to disperse, each taking the arms of Li Feng, Li Haibin, and Song Hua...
The three who had been somewhat embarrassed now found themselves surrounded by beauties, and their mood instantly lifted; they all looked towards Gu Heng with grateful eyes in their gaze...
What is brotherhood?
This, damn it, is brotherhood, picking eight but only keeping one for himself, distributing the rest to his brothers!
As for the girl chosen by Gu Heng, her heart also filled with joy, and she softly took her seat next to Gu Heng, whispering, "My name is Wanwan, what¡¯s yours, brother?"
Sniffing the fragrance of her, Gu Heng¡¯s expression remained as usual.
People...
They grow up.
Put in the same situation a week and a half ago, with such a girl sitting next to him for his taking, he surely would have lost control.
But now...
Gu Heng admitted she was somewhat charming, and to his former self, who was a mere mutt, her allure would have been substantial, but he had evolved, bing Mutt 2.0; she was no longer capable of disturbing his tranquility.
He then said indifferently, "Just sit next to me and y on your phone, and help me pour wine when I need it; you¡¯ll get your tip as usualter."
Wanwan: "???"
Was she being looked down upon?
When Manager Ma called them over, he had said that the customers in this private room were very picky...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
But far from being offended, all of them were eager and excited at the prospect.
Having been in the industry for a while, they knew well that picky customers typically corrted with generous spending; the pickier they were, the morevish they became once they made their choice...
Especially since Manager Ma specifically mentioned that Gu Heng had booked the premium suite...
That had gotten them all excited, thinking they were in for a big payout tonight...
And now, having been selected by the wealthy patron Gu Heng, she thought she had be the sole lucky person, but right after she¡¯d introduced herself, he barely gave her a second look before saying he just needed her to pour drinks?
If it was just for pouring drinks, why not call a waiter!
A waiter would pour all night for a 200 tip!
While her inner monologue railed withints, she dared not let any dissatisfaction show on her face and could only give a feigned nod of submission...
Gu Heng, observing her expression, didn¡¯t waver at all, still leaning back on the sofa with his legs crossed, humming a song lightly.
After a while, seeing Li Feng and the others getting into the swing of things, Gu Heng started to feel somewhat bored and said to Wanwan, "Go help me pick a few songs."
"Ah? Okay."
"What songs do you want to pick, brother?"
Gu Heng thought for a moment, couldn¡¯t think of any, and just said directly, "You decide; if I don¡¯t like them, I¡¯ll change them."
"Okay..."
Half a minuteter, as the KTV¡¯s screen lit up with the big characters "The Song for Myself," Gu Heng¡¯s eyes lit up.
Unlike most of the OO generation who liked pop music, Gu Heng loved those ssic oldies, especially ones by old artists like Li Zongsheng...
He hadn¡¯t expected this girl Wanwan to understand him so well, picking the very song he wanted to sing first, he then grabbed the microphone from the table, saying, "This is it, keep picking more in the same style as this song."
[The Vow of an Old Love~
It¡¯s just like a p in the face~
Every time you remember a phrase~
You get a p across the face~
And then for years on end~
Can¡¯t Stand the Scent of Women~]
A simple song was quickly sung to its end, and apuse followed promptly in the private room...
To be honest, Gu Heng¡¯s singing wasn¡¯t that pleasant to listen to, at most it could be considered tolerable...
Especially since he hadn¡¯t heard this song in years, many parts were out of tune...
But what were these little sisters here for?
Professional tterers!
No matter whether Gu Heng¡¯s singing was barely bearable or truly awful, they could pretend they were hearing the voice of an angel...
The main thing they supplied was an emotional experience...
Li Feng looked at the little sister sobbing quietly beside him, filled with question marks and asked, "Why are you crying?"
"He sang so well, Mr. Gu must have been hurt deeply by a girl before, didn¡¯t you hear the emotion in his voice?"
Your next read awaits at empire
Li Feng: "???"
How did he not hear it?
Even if there were emotions, was there a need to cry?
It¡¯s a shame not to invite you as an audience to a singing contest...
...
In the following ten or so minutes, Gu Heng sung song after song, and although these girls were there to apany Li Feng, Li Haibin, and Song Hua, their attention was entirely on Gu Heng. As soon as he finished a song, insincere praises and apuse were dutifully delivered...
With such a supporting crowd, Gu Heng got carried away singing.
But it exhausted Wanwan, who was seated beside him. She hardly had a chance to warm her seat before having to change songs for Gu Heng, running back and forth almost a dozen times. With any dissatisfaction from Gu Heng, she had to get up again...
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s forehead slightly sweaty, she was filled with speechlessness...
It was her first time seeing someonee to a business KTV just to sing...
As the song ended, just as Gu Heng was about to tell her to change the song, Wanwan stood up, took a few tissues from the table, and gently wiped the sweat from Gu Heng¡¯s forehead like a considerate girlfriend, her face revealing a faint, beautiful smile.
Gu Heng was not the least bit moved by her gesture, showing the demeanor of a Sigma male.
"Change the song."
Wanwan: "..."
But this time, she did not get up immediately to change the song...
She was a hostess.
Not a waitress.
She had her professional standards!
Making herself choose songs all night long, what kind of thing was that!
Thinking this, she mustered up her courage, her voice soft and weak, with a hint of frailty as she slowly said, "Bro, stop singing, let¡¯s touch for a while..."
After speaking, she patted her thighs wrapped in ck stockings...
That DuangDuang feeling was like Jelley, so bouncy...
Gu Heng, puzzled by her flirtatious manner, raised an eyebrow...
He knew this joke.
But wasn¡¯t this woman getting it backward?
What did she mean by "stop singing, let¡¯s touch for a while"?
Shouldn¡¯t it be "stop touching, sing for a while"?
Just as Gu Heng was considering whether to ask this woman, who was disturbing his mental state, to leave, Manager Ma, who had been missing for almost half an hour, finally returned...
Approaching Gu Heng with a radiant smile, Manager Ma said, "Mr. Gu! Mission aplished, everything is arranged, should I let them in now?"
Hearing Manager Ma¡¯s words, Gu Heng nodded slightly.
Though he appeared calm on the surface, inside he was getting anxious...
Although he hadn¡¯t sung in a KTV for a long time, who actuallyes to a business KTV to sing songs! Even if one really wanted to sing, shouldn¡¯t there be a girl to apany the singing?
Watching Li Feng¡¯s side near to drinking a wedding toast, having the time of their lives, he was in a hurry too...
He had even considered whether to just have some fun with Wanwan...
Now that Manager Ma had brought the part-timers over, he was intrigued to see what would happen next.
Chapter 103 Chapter 85 Sigma Man
"Let them in,"
Gu Heng¡¯s words were exactly what Manager Ma had been waiting for.
Upon receiving Gu Heng¡¯s instructions, Manager Ma didn¡¯t do his usual impressive handp but hurried out of the private room personally to invite them in.
Compared to the full-time working women of scant virtuemonce here, these part-timers were the Underground Pce¡¯s real treasures...
Not to mention they already earned a decent ie from their regr jobs, when they were sometimes called upon to apany drinks, they could earn in one evening what was equivalent to several days of Manager Ma¡¯s sales, even the boss had to coddle them, let alone him...
....
"The one sitting in the middle of the couch is the Mr. Gu I just told you about, looks no more than 25, decked out in LV, GUCCI, sporting a Rolex Ice Blue Daytona worth over six hundred thousand. Experience tales at empiren/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
I guarantee you he¡¯s not just another pretender inting his worth.
You can¡¯t say Old Ma didn¡¯t think of you when a good thing came along, if you can secure him, you won¡¯t need to work anymore; justfortably live in a luxury house and be a wealthydy."
Outside the door, the three women, upon hearing Manager Ma¡¯s words, had varying looks in their eyes, wondering what each should do...
Nobody wanted toe to such a ce to please men, especially when they were already considered excellent among ordinary people...
Here, the tips from clients, though amounting to a few thousand, were secondary.
What was more important was whether they could further their chances, be the other half of these people, or at least a pampered mistress...
Almost every one of them had sisters who had already made it big, clocking in daily at luxury brand stores, traveling around the world ¨C of course they too wanted to be the next one ashore...
Seeing their looks, Manager Ma nodded to himself, satisfied.
He didn¡¯t need to say anything, making men happy was just the most basic skill for them...
.....
Shortly after, Manager Ma brought the three women to Gu Heng¡¯s presence.
"Let me introduce, this is Mr. Gu,"
"Mr. Gu, hello~"
The three girls greeted Gu Heng with sweet voices...
Li Feng and his two friends, previously enjoying themselves, also turned their gaze this way, all of them swallowing hard...
For them to be treated as treasures by the Underground Pce, the most high-end business KTV in Qing¡¯an, it goes without saying that their attractiveness needed nomentary...
They were goddesses to mere mortals: only to be gazed upon with sweetness, but difficult to taste the salt...
Each dressed distinctively...
One wore fancy lettered stockings, draped in a plush coat made from some animal¡¯s hide, with a ck slip peeking mysteriously from underneath...
Another wore nothing extra, simply a mini skirt with a strappy top, revealing her smooth, jade-like long legs; Gu Heng guessed she must be over 170 cm tall ¨C truly, legs for days...
As for thest one, Gu Heng¡¯s gaze lingered on her the longest...
Not because she was much prettier than the other two, but wholly because of her outfit which caught Gu Heng¡¯s attention...
A stewardess uniform perfectly showcased her curvy figure...
Initially, Gu Heng had thought she was doing some kind of cosy, but what caught his eye was the badge she wore...
[Hua Country Southern Airlines, Flight Attendant: Yu Han]
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s gaze, Yu Han exined with a smile, "I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Gu, I flew back this afternoon and haven¡¯t had time to change yet~ If you don¡¯t like it, I will go change right now."
???
Change?
Why change?
"No need to change; you look quite nice as is."
What Gu Heng had watched the most in Established Small Films were stewardesses, nurses...
And having lived for over twenty years without having been on a ne, seeing a real stewardess for the first time, it could be said Gu Heng had no resistance whatsoever to this type of uniform temptation.
Yu Han, seeing Gu Heng¡¯s expression, smiled confidently...
Everyone knew her excuse of not having time to change was balderdash; Yu Han believed Gu Heng knew too, but was that important?
As long as Gu Heng liked it, why she wore this outfit was no longer the focal point...
The other two women, overhearing Gu Heng¡¯s conversation with Yu Han, almost cursed this crafty woman inside out... yet they could do nothing but rage helplessly... They could only me Yu Han for understanding men too well...
Observing the two¡¯s envious looks, Yu Han smiled indifferently.
Normally, a stewardess uniform is a representation of the airline¡¯s image, the face of thepany wherever one goes; wearing such a uniform while working part-time at a business KTV, if thepany found out, she would probably be fired instantly...
Yet all this meant nothing to Yu Han.
She didn¡¯t be a stewardess for the sake of this so-called respectable job.
It was solely because the job allowed her ess to a higher echelon of society; just let her snag a wealthy man, and she would quit right away ¨C she was already fed up with serving drinks on the ne...
"Mr. Gu, what do you think? Are you satisfied?" whispered Manager Ma in Gu Heng¡¯s ear.
Gu Heng nodded without saying anything and then turned to the three women, "Alright, take a seat."
"Okay~ Thank you, Mr. Gu~"
The other two women knew they had already lost the initiative to Yu Han but could only hope to overtake her by acting cute and coy.
Li Feng and his friends watched as Gu Heng was surrounded by the three most beautiful women, their eyes revealing full-blown envy, yet without any other thoughts...
They knew all the expenses that evening were on Gu Heng; they were just basking in his glow, so how could they afford to be picky?
As the financial backer, they felt Gu Heng deserved the best; if they were in Gu Heng¡¯s ce, they would do the same.
Chapter 104 - 85 Sigma Man_2
Moreover, the girls surrounding him, although they couldn¡¯tpare to Yu Han and her two friends, were still girls they wouldn¡¯t have dared to dream of before. Gu Heng was eating meat, and even the soup they got to sip was beyond the wildest dreams of others. How could they even think that Gu Heng had wronged them?
....
....
"Mr. Gu, where are you from?"
No sooner had they sat down than Yu Han snuggled up to Gu Heng and asked coquettishly.
"I¡¯m a local from Qing¡¯an."
"Ah? How is that possible? I know quite a few people in Qing¡¯an and I¡¯ve never heard of a big shot like you, Mr. Gu. I thought the circle I used to hang out with was pretty high-end already...
Turns out I¡¯m just a frog in a well, so shallow. I¡¯ll punish myself with a drink first~"
Yu Han had spent quite a few years in Qing¡¯an and could certainly distinguish the local ent.
She had heard everything when Gu Heng spoke in Qing¡¯an dialect to Li Feng just now, and she knew Gu Heng was from Qing¡¯an...
But in the world of drinking, it¡¯s all about saying the right things. What are the right things? Simply put, things that make others happy.
She also knew her opening line was trite, but what could she do? As long as it worked.
Yu Han had long mastered these tactics and knew full well that everyone likes to be ttered, especially by a beautiful woman...
Gu Heng was very aware that Yu Han was demeaning herself to tter him, but he still smiled and said, "I¡¯ve always been in Hang City, only returning here during the New Year. Today is my first time ying here, so it¡¯s normal you don¡¯t recognize me."
But as a worldly man, he loved to hear these things.
If he were some sage with pure thoughts and desires, he¡¯d be cultivating his moral character in a Taoist temple by now, not hugging beauties and drinking in business KTV...
Seeing Yu Han hit it off with Gu Heng so quickly, the other two women immediately became anxious...
The words of Manager Ma still echoed in their ears...
Especially now, havingid eyes on Gu Heng, they were very pleased inside, finding that he matched Manager Ma¡¯s description to a tee...
Dressed in thetest luxury brands of the season, a wristwatch worth over six hundred thousand... Just this aspect alone was enough for them to cling to him. After all, even apartments a bit further from the city center in Qing¡¯an now were going for just over 6000 per square meter, and there was Gu Heng wearing the equivalent of an apartment on his wrist...
Although in terms of looks, Gu Heng could only be considered not badpared to those handsome guys, that was precisely the least important factor for them...
They were no longer naive girls and knew all too well that good looks can¡¯t put food on the table...
As long as he had money, even if he was an ugly man, they could ept him, not to mention that Gu Heng was somewhat handsome...
With such a rarely seen high-quality man, how could they possibly let Yu Han have all the limelight? They knew from the moment they entered the door, they were inpetition with each other...
"Mr. Gu, you haven¡¯t even asked for my name yet~"
They didn¡¯t have the cunning and skills of Yu Han. Appearing here relied solely on their core capital as women: "young" and "beautiful"...
Seeing them all pressing close, as a yboy, it was his basic skill to distribute his favors evenly, so heughed and said, "Then what¡¯s your name?"
"I¡¯m Ranran~"
His gaze then shifted to the girl with legs for days.
"Mr. Gu, my name is Qiuqiu."
Well then...
All pseudonyms...
Indeed all children of the jianghu.
Roaming the jianghu in their cloaks...
If it weren¡¯t for her work badge, Yu Han would probably also tell him her name was Hanhan.
But Gu Heng didn¡¯t care, no matter what these women thought, he just wanted to enjoy one wild night. The next day he wouldn¡¯t recognize anyone anyway, names were just a code for happy times tonight, no big deal...
"By the way, your name is Wanwan, right? Go pick another song for me."
Previously, singing alone was no fun, but now with the three of them, Gu Heng¡¯s karaoke-king personality kicked in again...
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s order, Wanwan could only force a bittersweet smile...
Being chosen by Gu Heng had made her happy for a while, but she never expected to be reduced to a mere song-picker and drink-pourer by Gu Heng, her professional pride trampled mercilessly...
Before, she thought those middle-aged men who hugged and squeezed her in the private rooms were sleazy and disrespectful...
But when faced with a man who didn¡¯t even want to touch her, she began to doubt herself...
Swallowing her grievances, she still got up and went to pick songs for Gu Heng.
Originally, she had nned to seduce Gu Heng, but with the arrival of Yu Han, Ranran, and Qiuqiu, her little scheme hadpletely dissipated, hoping only for this painful night to end quickly...
Soon, the music started up again~
Gu Heng picked up the microphone from the table and began to sing along with the music.
[I spent half a year¡¯s savings~to cross the ocean to see you~
For this reunion~
I even practiced my breathing when we meet, over and over~]
He didn¡¯t know why he was so fond of Li Zongsheng, maybe because he was a scumbag just like Li Zongsheng, resonating with something...
Yu Han watched Gu Heng, who was singing with great emotion, and also stood up to pick up another microphone. She leaned against Gu Heng and began to sing.
[Words never managed to express one in a millionth of my affection~
Because of this regret~
I thought over and over at night, unwilling to sleep~]
Her voice was sweet, and singing such a love song lent it a special magic.
What was even more damnably entrancing was the way her eyes were filled with deep affection as she sang, looking at Gu Heng¡¯s face...
It was as if she were gazing at the one her heart yearned for...
Faced with her eyes, which seemed to drip with tender feelings, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but shudder inside...
If he weren¡¯t a staunch sessor of socialism, disbelieving in such things as reincarnation, he might genuinely think that Yu Han was a lover from his past life with whom he couldn¡¯t unite and then drowned in a pig cage, finally finding him in this life...
Even his first love from high school had never looked at him the way she did so effortlessly...
No wonder they say that women are the best actors in the world...
If they can mimic the look of loving you so vividly, what can¡¯t they pretend?
[How I wish I could apany you for a thousand miles~
n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
Until the end of mountains and rivers~]
As thest line of the duet ended, Yu Han¡¯s sticky gaze did not change one bit, instead it deepened with affection...
Gu Heng could only brace himself to parry...
No wonder those married middle-aged men love going to business KTV...
He didn¡¯t understand before, but now Gu Heng did...
Do you think they¡¯re there to cuddle up to the hostesses?
You¡¯re thinking too small...
They¡¯re clearly there in search of love...
Who says there¡¯s no love in nightlife? Damn it, isn¡¯t love everywhere?
"Mr. Gu, how did I sing?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng feigned indifference and nodded, "You sang quite well; you just couldn¡¯t quite keep up with my tune. Remember that for next time!"
As long as he didn¡¯t take the bait, Yu Han could exert all her wiles on him to no avail!
Sigma men will never fall into a woman¡¯s trap!
"Mr. Gu is right, I don¡¯t get many chances to sing. I¡¯ll practice more to keep up with your tune next time~"
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s shameless words, Li Feng and the others nearby couldn¡¯t help but inwardly rant... His own tune was almost running away to the Antic, yet he had the nerve to say someone else couldn¡¯t keep up with his tune...
Even if Li Zongsheng himself were here, he couldn¡¯t keep up with his tune, right?
The most terrifying thing was that Yu Han actually agreed, mentioning she would be more attentive next time!
Is the life of the wealthy really this pleasant...
Unaware of their internal mockery, if Gu Heng knew, he would certainly tell them earnestly...
The life of a wealthy person is indeed this pleasant.
As long as you¡¯re rich, even if you fart in an elevator, people can only smile and ask you what brand of perfume you¡¯re wearing today,menting on how fragrant it is...
...
"Mr. Gu, I¡¯d like to sing a song with you too~"
Seeing Yu Han taking a head start, advancing step by step, Ranran and Qiuqiu felt they couldn¡¯t sit still any longer...
If they didn¡¯t take the initiative, they¡¯d be ousted from the game before it even started...
Watching the two women scrambling to get into Gu Heng¡¯s arms, Yu Han sneered in her heart...
They were just two try-hards, she initially thought they might be a threat, but now it seemed that they were merely vases whose only asset waspeting with her looks, and in other aspects, they were utterly outssed by her.
Chapter 105 - 86: The Various Faces of Life in Business KTV
Next, Gu Heng, well-versed in keeping everyone equally happy, performed a duet with Ranran and Qiuqiu...
After singing for nearly an hour, Gu Heng felt his throat was beginning to smoke...
ncing at Li Feng and others having a st, his nose almost got bent out of shape. So, he invited them for fun, but he had to y the mood-setter, right?
Thinking of this, Gu Heng grew toozy to sing and just flopped onto the couch. Yu Han, very considerately, handed him a ss of wine and said with a smile, "Tired of singing? Have some wine to soothe your throat."
Gu Heng: "???"
N?v(el)B\\jnn
Since when do good people drink alcohol to soothe the throat?
However, when he nced at the table, it seemed there was nothing but alcohol...
Last night, Old Gu and he had each downed a bottle of Moutai. It hadn¡¯t been long since the alcohol effects wore off, and now even the smell of alcohol was a bit nauseating. He was about to press the service bell to ask Manager Ma to bring some soft drinks, when suddenly he heard a thunderous sound from outside...
"Thank you to Mr. Su in Room 6688 for opening a $38,888 Hennessy Richard! Enjoy a prestigious life!"
The soundproofing of the KTV rooms is generally very good, but despite this, the sound from outside clearly reached everyone in the room...
This was the first time Gu Heng had encountered such a situation, and a bit bewildered, he asked Yu Han sitting next to him, "What¡¯s this about?"
"It must be that some room has opened some fine wine, and the staff is going around making the announcement," she exined.
Gu Heng: "???"
Going around?
He knew about floor shows. A few days ago, at the FT Bar, he had spent over three hundred thousand on alcohol, and they had made a floor show of it too, satisfying his vanity thoroughly. But, it was the first time he¡¯d heard of this floor walking thing...
"Isn¡¯t this kind of y only popr in nightclubs? What, KTVs are adopting it too?" he eximed.
Yu Han nodded, "I¡¯m not sure about other ces, but it¡¯s always been like this at the Underground Pce. It¡¯s essentially the same as a nightclub, meant to tter the customers and simultaneously boost sales," she said.
Hearing her exnation, Gu Heng started to make sense of it...
Giving face to customers was likely secondary.
The main goal was still to stimte consumption...
Imagine, you¡¯re just cozying up with a girl, discussing which hotel to go to tonight, and suddenly from outsidees the announcement of some room popping a bottle of expensive wine. Then, the girl sweetly tells you, "Darling~ I wish our room could be promoted like that, then I could boast about it to my friends~"
In such a scenario, would you get tempted?
If you had any sense and declined, the girl would have her reasons too.
Thinking that her small wish wasn¡¯t fulfilled, she might question your intention to sleep with her. "Talk to me next time, then how would you handle that?"
Thus, these nightclubs and business K TVs have endless marketing tricks, targeting human weaknesses. After abination of moves, some people inevitably get tempted and end up swiping their cards...
As Gu Heng smiled without speaking, Qiuqiu in her tiny tank top moved closer, her voice sharinely sweet, "Mr. Gu, our table is almost out of drinks. Shall we order some more?"
Women¡¯s intuition is always sharp.
She could clearly sense that Gu Heng was more interested in Yu Han...
Since she couldn¡¯t win Gu Heng¡¯s favor, she naturally prioritized profit...
If she could get Gu Heng to order a few expensive bottles, besides a tip, she would also get a heftymission, making up for her effort.
Ranran also understood Qiuqiu¡¯s intentions and was thinking the same. She immediately cooperated, pressing her considerable cleavage against Gu Heng¡¯s arm, acting coquettishly...
Yu Han just watched like a detached viewer, chuckling at their tactics...
She also wanted to test Gu Heng¡¯s financial power and reassess his status...
Although Gu Heng was dressed in luxury brands including an expensive watch worth several hundreds of thousands...
But this was 2024.
Anything could be faked.
Stories of people posing as wealthy heirs, renting supercars to deceive women in nightclubs, were heard almost every other time...
She wasn¡¯t any naive young girl, well-acquainted with the ways of the material world.
The only way to ascertain if a man was genuinely wealthy or just a pretender was through his spending capabilities...
Gu Heng wasn¡¯t foolish, previously his thinking had just been hindered bymon people¡¯s knowledge. However, living a wealthy lifestyle had altered his thinking...
Using an inte phrase, it was like he had "awakened."
With his awakening, his understanding of human nature deepened, and he was very aware of the three women¡¯s intentions...
Yet he didn¡¯t say much and instead pressed the service bell.
The waiter waiting outside immediately pushed open the room door at the ring. Before he could even ask, Gu Heng had already instructed, "Bring Manager Ma here."
"Yes, sir, I¡¯ll go get him right now," the waiter replied.
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s instructions to the waiter, both Ranran and Qiuqiu thought Gu Heng was about to order drinks, their faces breaking into happy smiles.
As for Yu Han...
While she was equally happy on the inside, she didn¡¯t show much on the surface, acting as if she had no intentions of interfering with Gu Heng¡¯s actions...
The disparity in cunning among the three women was clearly evident.
Less than a minuteter, Manager Ma entered the room with a smile, facing Gu Heng.
He was obviously happy because he thought Gu Heng was about to boost his performance for the evening...
Why else would he be running around all evening if not to earn a ster performance from Gu Heng?
Chapter 106 - 86: The Various Faces of Life in Business KTV_2
"Mr. Gu, do you need anything?"
Manager Ma stared at Gu Heng eagerly, hoping that the next second Gu Heng would grandly gesture and say, "Bring me a Shenlong Set, a Big Three Yuan," or something of that sort...
Ranran and Qiuqiu were also full of anticipation, pressing closer and closer to Gu Heng...
Even Yu Han, who had been maintaining a calm facade, couldn¡¯t help but squeeze her palm...
But the next second, the words that came out of Gu Heng¡¯s mouth made everyone¡¯s smiling faces freeze.
"Get me two bottles of Wangzai Milk. I¡¯ve been singing for a while, and my throat feels ufortable; I need some milk to soothe it."
After hearing this, Manager Ma¡¯s heart, originally burning with anticipation, suddenly cooled, but still holding onto a sliver of hope, he kept bending over, waiting for Gu Heng to continue...
But after waiting for two or three seconds, as Gu Heng already leaned back into the sofa, Manager Ma did not hear the answer he hoped for, and his dangling heart finally died...
All night, he had been busy selecting girls backstage and personally arranging for Yu Han, Ranran, and Qiuqiu toe and serve. Wasn¡¯t it all to sweeten up to this big shot in front of him?
And after all that anticipation throughout the night, was he dismissed with just two bottles of Wangzai Milk?
But regardless of everything, in terms of the current spending, Gu Heng already qualified as a big customer. Disappointed as he was, Manager Ma couldn¡¯t show a trace of it on his face, still wearing a respectful expression, he cautiously asked, "Only the Wangzai Milk? Mr. Gu, do you need anything else?"
"Not for now. Just bring the milk first. My throat is almost smoking."
This time, not only Manager Ma¡¯s heart died, but the hearts of the three women Yu Han also died halfway...
Qiuqiu, who had been rubbing up against Gu Heng with her ample bosom, stiffened her smile, and her bosom inadvertently drifted away from Gu Heng¡¯s arm...
A sh of annoyance passed through Ranran¡¯s eyes as well...
The one who appeared mostposed was still Yu Han, who seemed to have no reaction on the surface. But in her heart, Gu Heng¡¯s importance had already significantly decreased...
He saw all their expressions clearly.
Whether you call their behavior too materialistic or too opportunistic, it was somewhat understandable.
After all, why were Manager Ma and the women trying so hard to please Gu Heng, to make him happy?
It was all for his money...
When Gu Heng was spending, he was the big boss; now that he wasn¡¯t spending, a change in attitude was to be expected...
"Alright, Mr. Gu, please wait a moment, I¡¯ll bring it right over."
Just as Manager Ma prepared to leave, Gu Heng, having witnessed their reactions and no longer in much of a yful mood, waved at Manager Ma again and said, "Wait a minute."
"Mr. Gu, do you need anything else?"
"Also, get me a bottle of Hennessy Richard, two bottles of Louis XIII, and a few bottles of Ace of Spades."
Upon hearing the additional request from Gu Heng, Manager Ma was stunned for a moment, and then his excitement soared through the roof!
What a casual mention!
Isn¡¯t this big shot¡¯s way of speaking?
Two bottles of Wangzai Milk priced at 10 yuan each, casually added with a bottle of Hennessy Richard priced at 38,800 yuan, two bottles of the simrly priced Louis XIII, and even several vague mentions of the Ace of Spades...
How many bottles?
Although Ace of Spades can¡¯tpare with Hennessy Richard or Louis XIII in terms of prestige and price.
But still, that¡¯s a top-tier champagne costing 6888 yuan per bottle, right? A single bottle of Ace of Spades in an ordinary private room could hype up an entire evening, but at Gu Heng¡¯s ce, it didn¡¯t even warrant a measured quantity...
"Would six bottles of Ace of Spades be enough? Our club can bundle six bottles of Ace of Spades into a Shenlong Set, priced the same as a bottle of Hennessy Richard, only costing 38,888 yuan, saving over two thousandpared to buying individually..."
Gu Heng waved his hand: "Just see to it."
"Okay, Mr. Gu, please wait a moment, I¡¯ll arrange for the liquor delivery team right away!"
But before he could take a step, Gu Heng spoke again, "Drop all that fancy stuff; it¡¯s all meaningless. Just hurry up and bring the items over; I told you my throat is almost smoking."
"Sure sure, I¡¯ll arrange for someone to deliver it to you as quickly as possible!"
After confirming there were no other instructions, he quickly walked out of the private room, speeding towards the elevator entrance like a sprinter. While running, he shouted loudly into his pager, "Contact the beverage department immediately!
Organize a Hennessy Richard, two bottles of R¨¦my Martin Louis XIII, and a set of Golden Edition Ace of Spades Shenlong Set to be delivered to room 6666 right away!! Make it quick!!"
The set of drinks Gu Heng ordered totaled more than 150,000 yuan...
He hadpletely surpassed his highest performance ever since being in business.
His peak performance was just two bottles of Louis XIII in one night, and that too from two different private rooms...
Now, Gu Heng alone had broken his own sales record, even doubling it, how could he not be excited?
Heaven rewards the diligent...
All his hard work this evening was not in vain...
.....
.....
Not only was Manager Ma excited.
Yu Han, Ranran, Qiuqiu were excited.
It¡¯s just that everyone¡¯s reason for excitement was different...
Ranran and Qiuqiu were simr in thought to Manager Ma, excited about themission, about making money off Gu Heng...
As for Yu Han...
She had bigger and greedier desires than Ranran and Qiuqiu...
She wanted themission from the drinks, but what pleased her more was the person Gu Heng himself...
She knew the value of the drinks Gu Heng had just ordered, over 150,000 yuan, to be able to spend so freely andfortably, Gu Heng¡¯s capabilities needed no further exnation...
When it came to judging people, she had her own methods.
Whether Gu Heng was biting the bullet or genuinely didn¡¯t care about the tens of thousands of yuan, she could tell at a nce.
Besides the three of them, the ones most affected were actually Li Feng, Li Haibin, and Song Hua...
Throughout the day, Gu Heng kept on reshaping their perception of him...
Even though they had epted that Gu Heng was no longer the same impoverished brother as before, they still couldn¡¯t help feeling a mix of emotions...
"Mr. Gu, it¡¯s my first time seeing Hennessy Richard here, can I try itter?~"
N?v(el)B\\jnn
Just like a change-face artist, Qiuqiu clung to Gu Heng again.
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng smiled, "Then when the drinks arriveter, drink a few more sses."
As he spoke, he subtly pulled his arm out of her bosom...
He had seen their behavior earlier, and while their upational nature meant if they weren¡¯t a bit realistic, sooner orter, they¡¯d be eaten up and wiped out.
He could understand that, it was just life... Everyone had their own way of handling things.
But understanding is one thing, he didn¡¯t wish to ept it and had the luxury not to.
Qiuqiu also sensed Gu Heng¡¯s distancing and clearly knew why, although she inwardlyined about Gu Heng not directly ordering the drinks and unnecessarily ying the game of restraining then indulging, she could only keep warming her face to Gu Heng¡¯s cold butt, trying to find ways to salvage her image in Gu Heng¡¯s eyes...
Gu Heng leaned back on the sofa, enjoying the cherry tomatoes Yu Han fed him...
A few minutester, apanied by a knock on the door, the recently departed Manager Ma returned, still with a face flushed with excitement.
"Mr. Gu, your drinks have been brought up, should we bring them in now?"
With cherry tomatoes in his mouth, Gu Heng mumbled a response, "Bring them in."
Upon Gu Heng¡¯s consent, Manager Ma gestured towards the door, and a group of waitstaff filed in.
Apart from a few carrying drinks, there followed a troupe of voluptuous, scantily d girls, almost all baring plenty...
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s puzzled look, Manager Ma quickly exined, "It¡¯s like this, Mr. Gu, our boss said since you did not require the drink-patrolling service, as a gesture of respect for you, we¡¯ve specially arranged our dance group toe up and perform for you, to enhance your fun and enjoyment."
Gu Heng¡¯s right not to like such mboyant stuff was his privilege.
But if they [Underground Pce] genuinely considered it appropriate, then that was their problem.
Although Qing¡¯an is a third-tier small city, the Underground Pce being the top business KTV there, the management definitely wasn¡¯t brainless...
Chapter 107 - 87 One-Stop Service
```
"Mr. Gu, the drinks have been prepared for you. Which bottle would you like to open first?"
Having ced the drinks, Manager Ma asked respectfully.
But Gu Heng waved his hand: "Don¡¯t rush to open the drinks yet, I have a question for you."
"Mr. Gu, please ask."
"When I buy drinks here, who gets amission?"
Although he didn¡¯t know why Gu Heng was asking, he pondered for a moment before answering honestly, "The first person to get amission from the drinks is me, because you¡¯re in the VIP room I¡¯m in charge of.
The other recipients of themission are the youngdies who apany you for drinks¡ªYu Han, Ranran, and Qiuqiu, the three of them."
Hearing Manager Ma¡¯s words, Gu Heng nodded slightly.
Although Manager Ma didn¡¯t specify how much each person could earn, the amounts were unlikely to be small.
After all, a bottle of Hennessy Richard and Louis XIII that sells for thirty-eight thousand here only costs around ten thousand outside; with such a huge markup, themission on drinks wouldn¡¯t be low...
But Gu Heng wasn¡¯t concerned about that; after all, his money was already spent and how they divided it had nothing to do with him.
"Can I designate who receives themission for these drinks?"
At these words, Manager Ma was taken aback, his gaze quickly sweeping over Yu Han, Ranran, and Qiuqiu...
With his years of experience, he knew there had to be someone who upset Gu Heng or someone who pleased him immensely...
Otherwise, as customers, they usually wouldn¡¯t care whose hands themission fell into.
However, these things didn¡¯t matter to him; after all, his share of themission was definitely secure, and he promptly answered honestly, "Of course, Mr. Gu. You bought the drinks, so you can give themission to whoever you wish; it¡¯s your right."
Hearing this, the hearts of Ranran and Qiuqiu sank...
They had been hoping to get a cut from Gu Heng¡¯s purchase of drinks worth over a hundred thousand, but now, it seemed that they might not get a share...
And Yu Han couldn¡¯t help but feel a rush of excitement...
If Gu Heng decided to attribute all themissions to her, she¡¯d receive more than ten thousand yuan...
Plus her nightly tip of three thousand six hundred, it meant she could earn close to twenty thousand just for showing up...
And knowing a wealthy young man like Gu Heng, it seemed like a deal too good to be true...
As they were all embroiled in their thoughts, eager to know who Gu Heng intended to designate themission to, Gu Heng stood up.
Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Gu Heng picked up a bottle of Hennessy Richard and ced it in front of Li Feng¡¯s table. Before he could inquire what was going on, Gu Heng repeated his earlier move, cing the other two bottles of Louis XIII in front of Li Haibin and Song Hua, respectively.
While everyone was still puzzled, Gu Heng¡¯s voice filled the room.
"I won¡¯t say much else, but I¡¯ve already ced these three bottles at my buddies¡¯ tables; you are free to drink.
As for themission...
Whoever can make the three of them happy tonight will get themission for the drinks."
The moment he finished speaking, the eyes of the girls circling around Li Feng, Li Haibin, and Song Hua lit up...
Initially, the drinks Gu Heng ordered, worth over a hundred thousand, didn¡¯t bring any real benefits to them; they were just there to fill up the room, and themission was unlikely to fall into their hands. At most, they were able to share some good drinks...
But now, things were different...
For drinks worth over thirty thousand a bottle, even if theirmission was just one-tenth, that was close to four thousand yuan.
After strenuously attending to clients all night, you might make a little over a thousand in tips, but now there¡¯s a chance to get another four thousand¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t want that opportunity?
Li Feng and the others, having heard Gu Heng¡¯s words, also looked over with gratitude in their eyes...
This motherfucker is a real bro...
He never forgets his own people...
Gu Heng gave them a reassuring look and sat back down...
His actions were actually born out of necessity; he had put on enough of a show that night, but what about his bros? They ended up bing the backdrop for his showpiece...
Although he didn¡¯t do it on purpose, that was the reality.
And every girl there serving drinks was eyeing up their prospects¡ªIf he didn¡¯t give them some tangible benefits, they would all likely pat their backsides after the event and go their separate ways...
n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
This was also why Gu Heng felt nauseated by the smell of alcohol, yet still ordered more: showing off in front of Yu Han was secondary; he was mainly thinking about these old friends. Otherwise, if he just transferred the money to any of the three women, who wouldn¡¯t willingly follow him?
.....
[Host stays true to his roots, enjoying the vulgar pleasures of the world with his gang and seeding in indulging. Reward: 500,000. Bnce: 71,300,000.]
Spent 150,000, rewarded 500,000, profited 350,000.
Not bad, it¡¯s not much, but it¡¯s enough...
After arranging everything, Manager Ma said to Gu Heng, "Mr. Gu, would you like the dance troupe to do a number for you first?"
"Sure, let them dance."
With Gu Heng¡¯s approval, Manager Ma turned back to the group of dancers on standby and said, "Come on, give Mr. Gu a big humdinger to warm things up!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the lights in the private room dimmed...
The purple ambiance lights shone on the group of sexy and spicy girls...
Their graceful figures flickering in the light.
Gu Heng sprawled back, resting his legs on the ss table, wrapping his arms around Yu Han, who was in a stewardess uniform, watching the sexy dance in front of him and squinting his eyes, enjoying everything... Experience new stories on empire
```
Chapter 108 - 87 One-Stop Service_2
Is it tacky?
It¡¯s incredibly tacky.
Intolerably tacky! Read exclusive chapters at empire
But he just can¡¯t resist it because he loves it!
Back when he had no money, he always imagined himself as incredibly virtuous, fantasizing about helping the world once he became rich. But when he actually got rich, he realized that he was just a vulgar man...
He just wanted to enjoy these trivial things.
Maybe after indulging in all these mundanities, there might be some other spiritual pursuits, but definitely not now...
As Gu Heng reflected internally, Yu Han leaned her head on his shoulder and softly said, "Mr. Gu, you¡¯re really good to your friends~
I often see people bringing friends out for fun, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone care so much about friends, considering everything for them..."
Gu Hengughed upon hearing her words.
In his heart, he was acutely aware that people have sses... it¡¯s just reality...
The reason he got along so well with Li Feng and the others over the years was simply because they were all the same, just ordinary poor brothers.
But now that he had the system, his future was bound to soar higher and higher...
As his social status rose, it would be difficult to have such gatherings anymore...
Or, to put it more hopelessly, this year might be thest time they could enjoy themselves together without any barrier...
In the future, once he reached levels they couldn¡¯t even imagine, even if he managed to stay true and treat them sincerely, they would develop a sense of hierarchy, and their feelings would degrade, not due to other factors, but because of human nature.
So Gu Heng wanted to take this time to properlymemorate this friendship.
However, these thoughts were something Gu Heng would only ponder in his heart and not blurt out to Yu Han after having his fill. Instead, he moved the head resting against him and whispered in her ear, "Then do you want me to treat you as well as I treat them?"
"I do..."
"Then it depends on your performance."
Yu Han immediately understood Gu Heng¡¯s implication, leaned in proactively, and left a lipstick mark on his face...
Time ticked away bit by bit.
The atmosphere inside the private room gradually heated up...
The scent of hormones permeated every corner of the room...
With the temptation ofmissions, the girls surrounding Li Feng and his group each used all kinds of tricks to please them...
With Gu Heng¡¯s support, they were no longer as timid as at the beginning...
They began to let loose...
Hands started reaching towards those improper ces...
They also knew that tonight might be the only chance in their lives to enjoy themselves like this, so they began to revel in the present...
...
...
Not knowing how much time had passed, Gu Heng also began to feel a bit bored. He nced at Li Feng, Li Haibin, and Song Hua, noticing that the excitement there had started to diminish. Assuming that the initial thrill had worn off, he stood up and said, "Are we about done? If so, let¡¯s head out."
After saying this, he stretched, loosening his body up.
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When Gu Heng announced it was time to leave, everyone knew that tonight¡¯s gathering wasing to an end...
"Mr. Gu, did you have fun tonight?"
"It was okay."
After responding, Gu Heng looked at the table where at least half of the alcohol was untouched and said to Manager Ma, "Can these drinks be kept forter?"
"Of course they can!"
After answering, he handed over a card inscribed with [Underground Pce Diamond VIP] to Gu Heng with great respect, "Mr. Gu, this is our Underground Pce¡¯s diamond VIP card,
Normally, this card can only be obtained by customers who spend over 200,000, but our boss has upgraded your membership directly. From now on, with this card, you can enjoy an 8.8% discount whenever youe here to y! For all private rooms below therge size, there is no minimum charge, and you can open a room for free!
In addition, all your drinks are saved on this card."
After receiving the card, Gu Heng toyed with it for a moment before tossing it to Li Feng beside him. As Li Feng registered surprise, Gu Heng exined, "Take this card. There should be a few thousand bucks left from the drinks today. You¡¯re always at home; when you need to entertain, you can bring people here to have fun."
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s exnation, Li Feng nodded, then carefully stowed the membership card.
This card was worth tens of thousands of yuan after all...
Gu Heng might not care about it, but Li Feng couldn¡¯t afford to disregard it...
The tip for ady apanying drinkers ranges from 1200 to 1600, and if you add Ranran and Qiuqiu¡¯s tips, it¡¯s 3200...
After Manager Ma finished calcting, Gu Heng also gave him a gratuity of eighteen thousand...
However, this time he did not trigger the reward for indulgence; perhaps the system had calcted this expense together with the earlier drinks...
Watching Gu Heng transfer the eighteen thousand without even blinking, Li Feng was already numb by this point, with hardly any emotional fluctuation...
From Gu Heng¡¯s visit to his home during the day to now, he had already spent more than two hundred thousand...
What¡¯s the idea of spending more than two hundred thousand?
It was what he could earn from running his big truck all year round without a single day off, and yet Gu Heng had spent it in one day so effortlessly...
Soon, the originally packed private room began to gradually empty, leaving only a few people...
Ranran and Qiuqiu were the first to leave...
Neither of them had amission on drinks and they couldn¡¯t please Gu Heng like Yu Han did; staying any longer would have been just embarrassing. After receiving the 3000 yuan tip transferred by Manager Ma, they left...
As for the otherdies who apanied drinkers, they, too, mostly left straight after the party was over.
Gu Heng looked around and noticed Li Haibin and Song Hua each cuddling a girl, while Li Feng stood alone at the side.
"Fengzi, what¡¯s the deal with you? Not satisfied with the girls?"
Upon hearing this, Li Feng hurriedly shook his head and said, "It¡¯s not that I¡¯m dissatisfied; you know, I¡¯m getting married in a couple of days... It¡¯s fine to have a bit of fun, but really doing something, I just can¡¯t get over that mental barrier..."
Listening to his words, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but stare at him a few seconds longer...
He really hadn¡¯t expected his buddy to be a good man with boundaries...
After teasing him a bit with Li Haibin and Song Hua, Gu Heng didn¡¯t press further...
If he wanted to be a good man, nobody could force him to sleep with other women, right?
His gaze shifted, looking at Yu Han who was still clinging to his arm, Gu Heng said with a smile, "Ranran and Qiuqiu have already gone back, aren¡¯t you going back?"
Seeing the smile on the corner of Gu Heng¡¯s mouth, Yu Han also smiled and showed an intention to leave: "So you want me to go back? If you want me to, I¡¯ll go right now."
Though her words suggested that, her body did not move an inch.
Yu Han was a smart woman; she knew that Gu Heng disliked beating around the bush, so she made her actions upfront and direct.
Gu Heng wasn¡¯t a fool; who would refuse to eat the meat that hade to their mouth? He had spent nearly two hundred thousand in one night, wasn¡¯t this the result he was after?
He pulled Yu Han over to him.
"Well, since you¡¯re not going back, then you can¡¯t go back tonight."
Yu Han, being pulled by Gu Heng, naturally leaned onto him.
Watching this scene unfold, envy mixed with jealousy was apparent in the eyes of all the men present...
They wished they could take his ce...
Being begrudged the opportunity to have such a beautiful woman willingly offer herself was unique to Gu Heng; no one else here had the slight credentials topare.
Manager Ma restrained his envy and slowly said, "The eighth floor of our building is a sauna club, specifically built by the Underground Pce for private use by members, not open to the public.
Mr. Gu, if you don¡¯t mind, you could choose to rest there tonight; it¡¯s more convenient. Additionally, you can rest assured, although the sauna club is just an auxiliary service of our establishment, the quality is not at all inferior, definitely on par with those star-rated hotels in Qing¡¯an. I can take you up there to have a look first, and if you¡¯re not satisfied, you can choose another ce."
Listened to Manager Ma¡¯s words, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but be momentarily stunned...
Excellent, indeed!
No wonder the Underground Pce holds the top position among Qing¡¯an¡¯s business KTVs.
This level of service reaches the maximum...
The lower floors handle the business KTV, earning from drink sales...
Then after the party¡¯s over, they guide customers to the private sauna club upstairs to make another fortune...
The main draw is the seamless, all-in-one service...
Earn away...
Who could out-earn you, right?
Although it might be unappealing to look at, it¡¯s genuinely considerate for the patrons whoe to spend here...
No sooner does one step out the private room door than one can directly enter the hotel door...
With that thought, Gu Heng gave a nod and instructed Manager Ma, "Lead the way."
"Right away, Mr. Gu, please follow me."
Chapter 109 - 88: It’s Just a Bit of Frost and Cold
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains.
At this moment, Yu Hany sprawled across Gu Heng like an octopus, without a shred of clothing on her.
After waking up, Gu Heng saw the sight before him and merely chuckled, then pushed her away.
The cellphone on the bedside table rang.
Gu Heng picked up the phone, nced at the caller ID, and directly answered the call.
"Son, where are you? A bunch of people have shown up at home, iming to be from some constructionpany, what¡¯s going on?"
N?v(el)B\\jnn
"Thatpany is so efficient, huh?"
Hearing Old Gu¡¯s words over the phone, Gu Heng responded with some surprise...
He hadn¡¯t expected that just after he made a deposit yesterday, people from Wan¡¯an Design and Construction Company had alreadye knocking...
"What efficiency?"
Facing Old Gu¡¯s confusion, Gu Heng didn¡¯t bother to exin, "These people are from thepany I contracted, you don¡¯t need to deal with them, I¡¯ll be back soon."
"Oh, okay, will you make it back for lunch?"
Experience tales at empire
"I¡¯ll make it."
After a brief conversation, Gu Heng hung up the phone.
He put down the phone, carelessly tossing it onto the bed.
"Quit pretending to sleep, you¡¯re awake."
As he dressed, he spoke nonchntly to Yu Han in bed, his attitude a stark contrast to the tenderness he had disyed in bed the night before.
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s tone, Yu Han felt somewhat disappointed but didn¡¯t take it to heart as she peeked her delicate head out from under the covers.
"How did you know I was awake?"
"I was just on the phone, using my mouth. My eyes aren¡¯t blind."
Yu Han threw back the covers, her smooth skin looking exceptionally pale in the sunlight. She stretchedzily, showcasing her wonderful figure to its fullest extent.
"Was that your parents on the phone just now?"
No response.
Now dressed, Gu Heng simply admired the beautiful scene for a moment, then turned away without a second nce, picked up his phone, and walked straight toward the door without looking back...
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s decisive back, Yu Han felt a lump in her throat and with a trace of hope said, "Can I asionally contact you?"
Her tone was as meek as that of a simp who couldn¡¯t get what they wanted...
Hearing her voice, Gu Heng turned his head, a smile on his face, "Depends on if I have time.
Oh, by the way, I¡¯ll extend the room for another day before I leave. You can sleep a little longer."
After finishing, he walked out without the slightest hint of reluctance and gently closed the door behind him...
Yu Han listened to the sound of the door closing and copsed back onto the bed...
As a smart woman, she already knew what Gu Heng had decided...
And the first thing Gu Heng did after stepping out of the room was to delete Yu Han from his WeChat...
The main theme was a heartless detachment.
If he felt a bit of affection for Lin Jiayun, his night with Yu Han was nothing but pure indulgence. The purpose of going out was to have fun, and once the fun was over, of course, it was time to return to normal life.
As for what Yu Han was thinking, Gu Heng actually understood very well.
But clearly, her tactics were wasted on him.
If she had picked a man in his thirties or forties with a bit of disposable ie, maybe he¡¯d be willing to maintain a long-term sexual rtionship with her.
But why would he choose her when he was in his twenties, with over seventy million in assets, and a future that promised continued growth, giving him endless options?
For her good performance in bed? For her gag reflex, orck thereof?
Other women had those qualities too.
.....
After a while.
Li Feng, Li Haibin, and Song Hua were all seated in Gu Heng¡¯s Bentley.
Apart from Li Feng, who had merely slept the previous night, Li Haibin and Song Hua were both excited, boasting about their conquests from the night before...
Gu Heng watched them, simply smiling faintly without dampening their spirits...
"By the way, Hengzi, how was your night? That Yu Han must have been much more thrilling than the girls Xiaohua and I took home..."
"It was just okay."
Gu Heng wasn¡¯t in the habit of using such matters as conversation pieces, so he glossed over it carelessly.
"My woman even asked me toe over again in a few days for another round and a meal!"
Li Haibin said, his face beaming with pride.
Hearing this, Gu Heng feltpelled to speak, "Haibin, I have to advise you, don¡¯t takest night¡¯s fun too seriously."
Li Haibin: "?"
Perplexed, Li Haibin listened to Gu Heng¡¯s advice.
"You can¡¯t handle this kind of girl. How she treats you now indicates how she would treat others, unless you¡¯re wealthy."
Seeing Li Haibin fall silent, Gu Heng continued, "With these girls, if you have money, they can lick you to death, but once she¡¯s squeezed you dry of everyst bit of value, she¡¯ll kick you to the curb.
The happier she makes you feel now, the more pain she¡¯ll cause youter.
But if you can be so wealthy that she remains utterly devoted to you, then disregard what I said today."
Further words would have been too hurtful, and Li Haibin already got the point...
He was straightforward, not stupid.
He understood some lifestyles were not within his reach.
In an instant, his joy faded, and Li Haibin took out his phone, deleting the woman who had sweetly called him "baby" just minutes before, then closed his eyes and leaned back in the seat...
...
...
An hourter, the time reached eleven in the morning.
After dropping off Li Feng and the others at their homes, he drove towards his own ce.
Upon arriving at his home, he was bewildered to see a throng of people encircling his yard, threeyers deep...
What had happened to his home?
Then he honked the horn.
"Has Xiaohenge back?"
Chapter 110 - 88: It’s Just a Bit of Frost _2
```
"Make way, make way, let his car in."
"Is that car really worth millions? My goodness!"
Hengzi parked the car with difficulty, got out, and gazed at his mother Xu Hong, who was stillughing and chatting with the people around her. He walked over and called out to her.
Seeing her son¡¯s return, Xu Hong quickly stopped chatting and asked hurriedly, "Is my son back?"
Gu Heng nodded and then nced at the crowd, unable to help himself, he asked, "What¡¯s going on here?"
"Isn¡¯t it because of you?"
"Because of me?"
Gu Heng was even more confused...
Xu Hong gestured with her lips towards a spot not far away: "Those people have been measuring and surveying our yard since early morning. The vigers thought our house was going to be demolished and believed that the money for your expensive car came from the demolitionpensation. They are all here to ask what¡¯s happening."
"???"
He hadn¡¯t been home for years, and now rumors had be so preposterous?
He had merely hired a constructionpany to build a house for himself, and it had turned into rumors of demolition?
Not to mention the money for his car being said to be demolitionpensation...
In this remote vige, not to mention that it would take another 100 years before it¡¯s their turn for demolition, even if it did happen, a householdpensation of a few hundred thousand would be the death of them, let alone millions for a Bentley?
"Xiaoheng, can you tell your aunt if our vige is going to be demolished? Starting with your house?"
"Yeah, Xiaoheng, we¡¯re all from the same vige, you can¡¯t hide it from us!"
Listening to the absurd questions around him, Gu Heng didn¡¯t even know where to begin with his denials...
"Mr. Gu!!"
Fortunately, at this moment, a voice came from outside the crowd, followed by a man who ran excitedly up to Gu Heng.
Looking at the man d in a suit,pletely mismatched with the vige folks¡¯ attire, Gu Heng filtered through his memory and asked with confusion, "Mr. Tang?"
The man was Tang Dabing from Wan¡¯an Design and Construction Company whom he saw just yesterday.
"Mr. Gu can just call me Dabing."
Hearing the dialogue between the two, the surrounding vigers instinctively lowered the volume of their conversations...
But one could still catch an asional remark or two.
"Gu Heng has really made something of himself, did you hear what they called him? They called him Mr. Gu!"
"My son is also called President Xu outside!"
"Pull the other one, your son only runs a scrap recycling station in the county. Can the boss of a scrap recycling station even be called a boss?"
Ignoring thements, Gu Heng turned to Tang Dabing and asked, "Have you finished measuring?"
Tang Dabing nodded quickly and responded, "Almost. Based on the measurements just now, I¡¯ve found that if we build based only on theyout of your old house, it definitely won¡¯t be sufficient. Not to mention a courtyard with a garden, even the main body of the vi would seem very cramped.
If we want to fully realize the design from the blueprints, we need to extend at least six meters in depth and add seven to eight meters in width."
Having anticipated these issues earlier, Gu Heng knew that his family¡¯s property size was more than enough to build a typical rural house with a courtyard, but definitely not enough for a vi with a garden courtyard.
With this in mind, Gu Heng said directly, "Don¡¯t worry about this; just measure ording to thergest scale of the design. Whatever space is missing, just draw me a detailed blueprint."
"Yes, sir!"
As a viger himself, Tang Dabing quickly grasped Gu Heng¡¯s intentions.
If Gu Heng could spend over two million to build a house, then why would he care about the cost ofnd?
No matter how expensivend is in the city, in the countryside, nothing is cheaper thannd.
Adding six meters in depth and seven to eight meters in width might sound like a lot, but in reality, it would cost at most a hundred thousand to acquire. Compared to the budget of 2.4 million for construction, that¡¯s a drop in the ocean.
However, speaking of construction costs, Tang Dabing brought it up again: "But Mr. Gu, while we were measuring, we found that this area has a thinyer of soil. Considering the future stability of the house, I suggest we deepen the foundation by one-third. This will lead to increased material consumption, and the 2.4 million budget might not be enough."
"Didn¡¯t I tell you? For material costs, calcte using the highest quality. No need to save money."
"Understood!"
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Tang Dabing felt a spark of excitement.
As the construction party, they dislike clients who nitpick on every aspect, binding their hands and hindering performance.
Clients like Gu Heng, without a strict budget, truly allowed them to unleash their potential.
But Gu Heng was not a fool. He might be wealthy, but he certainly wouldn¡¯t y the sucker. Once the project got underway, he nned to hire a professional auditingpany to oversee the entire process.
Earning his money was fine.
But if anyone thought about conning his money, they were dreaming.
"Then Mr. Gu, you go ahead with your business; I will continue to inspect the site and strive to perfect the design drawings as quickly as possible."
Gu Heng waved his hand, and Tang Dabing tactfully withdrew.
...
After Tang Dabing left, the surrounding vigers got excited all at once.
They had heard every word of Gu Heng¡¯s conversation with Tang Dabing without any discount."
They may not have understood everything, but two key pieces of information were unmistakably heard.
Gu Heng was going to build a vi!
The vi would cost 2.4 million!
These two pieces of information put together were like a bomb thrown into water, creating a massive ssh...
"Hengzi? Is your family building a new house?"
N?v(el)B\\jnn
"Goodness me! 2.4 million, that¡¯s enough to build ten houses like mine..."
"Not a demolition? I got excited for nothing!"
Gu Heng had predicted their reaction; he left the impressive act to his mother Xu Hong while he escaped the crowd and headed towards his own house...
```
Chapter 111 - 88: It’s Just a Bit of Frost _3
.....
.....
As he walked into the hall, he saw Old Gu sitting on the sofa, watching a patriotic war drama...
Compared to his mother Xu Hong¡¯s meddling nature, his father Gu Jianguo was much more reserved.
Seeing Gu Henge in, Gu Jianguo turned his head and smiled, "You¡¯re nning to demolish our house and rebuild it?"
It was quite normal for Old Gu to guess that he was nning to build a house given that he had made such a big show of having thend measured; Gu Heng hadn¡¯t nned to keep it a secret anyway, and he simply nodded, then sat next to him and said, "Yes, this house is over twenty years old already.
Though it¡¯s not exactly a dpidated house, it¡¯s not veryfortable to live in anymore. You see my room upstairs: aside from a bed, there¡¯s nothing left.
I thought about renovating it all over again, but it seemed troublesome, so I figured it might be simpler to just tear it down and rebuild."
"How much do you n on spending?"
"The budget for the main structure is a couple million, and with the renovations, about five or six million."
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Gu Jianguo¡¯s hand, which was holding a teacup, couldn¡¯t help but tremble...
"That little?!"
"Five or six million?!"
"Five or six million is enough for you to buy a house outside, why waste the money?! No way, I won¡¯t allow it!"
Gu Heng rarely saw his dad loseposure like this; seeing it now was actually quite amusing, and he smiled and said, "If you two are willing toe live with me outside, then I could save this money and instead buy you a big vi outside, how about that?"
He was serious with this offer.
If his parents were willing to live in a big city, he would certainly spend all of his remaining 70 million on them.
But knowing them, he knew that would nearly be impossible.
Sure enough, as soon as Gu Heng finished speaking, Gu Jianguo immediately refused without a thought: "Why should I go out there? Your mother and I have lived here all our lives, we can¡¯t even speak Mandarin clearly, would life be better outside than at home?
I¡¯m not going.
"Then if you¡¯re not going, I¡¯ll just build you a big vi here to make your living morefortable. Five or six million is nothing to me now!"
Gu Heng¡¯s words also had not a hint ofpromise.
Before Old Gu could continue, Gu Heng changed the subject, "I remember our family has been in debt these years, right?"
Hearing this, Gu Jianguo nodded, then continued, "Yes, we owe a few tens of thousands. Although we can repay it, I¡¯ve also saved up a few tens of thousands over the years...
I¡¯ve been putting it off because I was thinking you weren¡¯t married yet, hoping to have some money at home in case of emergencies.
My few old buddies have never pressed me, but now that you¡¯re capable, the money I¡¯ve saved probably doesn¡¯t seem like much to you. I was nning to pay off the debt before the New Year, dragging it out any longer would be embarrassing."
Listening to this, Gu Heng didn¡¯t speak but simply took out his phone and transferred 200,000 to Gu Jianguo¡¯s WeChat.
Gu Jianguo stared at therge figure on the phone, looking at Gu Heng with wide eyes...
"Don¡¯t look at me like that, use this money to pay off the family¡¯s debts, and keep the rest as your private fund. Don¡¯t go out to work for others anymore, just stay at home and watch TV, and maybe go y cards with friends asionally.
People say to raise children to provide for old age, isn¡¯t this just it?"
Seeing Gu Jianguo¡¯s trembling lips, Gu Heng also felt bad, and could only stand up, faking a smile, "When you have time, go open a bank ount and keep this money in it, just don¡¯t let mom know!
"Don¡¯t overthink it, things are getting better!"
Then, without waiting for Gu Jianguo to react, he ran upstairs, calling out as he went, "Call me when it¡¯s time for dinner, I¡¯m going to lie down on the bed for a bit."
[The host has dutifully rewarded his father, thus sessfully indulging his desires. Reward: 10 million. Bnce: 81.1 million.]
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The system¡¯s reward this time was remarkably brief and the amount was also significantly substantial.
Having given Gu Jianguo 200,000, it was essentially moving money from one hand to the other, yet he received a reward of 10 million...
However, this time, Gu Heng wasn¡¯t excited, but instead hid at the stairway entrance, looking at the trembling figure sitting on the sofa with both hands over his head...
This scene was something he had never even dreamed of before...
After standing at the stairway entrance for a solid three or four minutes and seeing that Gu Jianguo had managed to pull himself together and walk toward the kitchen, Gu Heng also stepped into his small room...
Just as he had reassured Gu Jianguo earlier.
With the system, life had improved.
The memories of past struggles, now seem,
to be merely a bit of frost...
Chapter 112 - 89: Jianguo Wants to Bring Glory to His Ancestors
Lunchtime arrived.
All the vigers in the yard had gone back to their own homes.
Gu Jianguo, limping, ced the dishes on the table, first shouted upstairs for Gu Heng, and then stood at the backdoor, tirelessly calling out to Xu Hong, who was still boasting to a few vigers...
"Alright, alright, we¡¯ll chatter, my other half is calling me for lunch."
Hearing Gu Jianguo¡¯s voice, Xu Hong said to several middle-aged women, with a smile spreading across her face...
"Sister Hong is so lucky, married to a good man, she usually doesn¡¯t even have to cook, and now her son is so promising! Unlike me, I see no silver lining in my days!"
"You¡¯re telling me, if only my life could be half as good as Xu Hong¡¯s, I¡¯d wake upughing even in my sleep!"
As ttery filled the air, Xu Hong, humming the tune "Good Days," walked briskly towards the house, leaving behind envious gazes.
.....
At the dining table.
Xu Hong served Gu Heng, who had just sat down, a piece of chicken leg, then asked with a smile, "Son, was what you discussed with that designer real or not? Are you really going to tear down our old house and rebuild it?"
Mouth full with food, Gu Heng mumbled a reply: "Yeah."
"Really costing over two million?"
Hearing the figure, Gu Jianhua, who had been quietly eating, joined the conversation: "Over two million! Your son just told me, over two million is just for the main structure! Including decoration, it¡¯ll cost five to six million!"
"What? Five to six million!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Hong quickly put down her cutlery, her gaze urgently fixed on Gu Heng.
"Really?"
"Really."
Gu Heng hadn¡¯t grasped the seriousness of the issue, and as he was about to pick another piece of chicken, his chopsticks were swiftly snatched by Xu Hong...
"Are you insane! Spending five to six million to build a house, are you building a pce? To be an emperor in it?!"
Not expecting his mother¡¯s strong reaction, Gu Heng could only meekly retrieve the chopsticks from her hand, resignedly smiling, "It¡¯s all to make you live morefortably, and to give you something to boast about."
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These words really resonated with Xu Hong...
Perhaps Gu Jianguo didn¡¯t care much for appearances, but Xu Hong did...
This was evident from the way Xu Hong behaved after Gu Heng came home...
Having been married to Gu Jianguo for so many years, Xu Hong hadn¡¯t many days offort. Now that living conditions had improved, seeing others building new houses and buying cars, she might not have spoken out, but she was nearly green with envy...
Thanks to Gu Heng¡¯s sess, these past days had really given Xu Hong some face, turning those barely familiar faces on the street into ones that would stop to greet her, even those who had conflicts with her in the past would rather avoid her...
This sense of triumph and dignity that straightened her spine kept her face smiling since Gu Heng had returned...
Thinking about this, Xu Hong hesitated, "How about we build a cheaper one? Spend only a few hundred thousand, and I¡¯ll just tell your dad we spent over two million, what do you think?
As long as we don¡¯t spill the beans, who else would know how much our house cost?"
"Five to six million, that¡¯s a lot of money! Your dad and I haven¡¯t saved that much money our whole lives, spending so much on a house, just thinking about it makes me reluctant.
Why not save that money and buy a nicer house outside? Everyone says buying a house in the big city is an investment, you can still sell it if you run out of money.
A house in our hometown, if built, can¡¯t be sold! Total loss!"
Watching his mother¡¯s meticulous calctions, Gu Heng shook his head and said, "Don¡¯t worry about a house outside, didn¡¯t I tell you over the phone, I¡¯ve already bought a house in Hang City for over ten million. When we find the time, I¡¯ll bring you and dad over to see it!"
Previously, Xu Hong doubted Gu Heng¡¯s house purchase because she didn¡¯t believe in her son¡¯s ability.
Now that Gu Heng brought it up again, Xu Hong¡¯s eyes were filled with unwavering trust.
"It¡¯s good you bought a house..."
As she spoke, she seemed to remember something, and Xu Hong¡¯s anger red up again.
"Now you¡¯ve bought a car and a house! When are you going to get married?! Right now, your dad and I can still help you with the kids, but in a few years, we¡¯ll be too old to manage!"
As soon as the conversation barely drifted, the topic switched back to urging marriage, Gu Heng rapidly sped up his eating, while also giving his dad a desperate look for help...
Seeing his son¡¯s predicament, Gu Jianguo braved Xu Hong¡¯s rising anger and said, "Let¡¯s eat quickly, after this we have a meeting at the vigemittee hall."
Sure enough, Xu Hong¡¯s anger immediately directed at Gu Jianguo.
"The moment marriagees up, you father and son are just alike!
The son sidesteps me! The father only knows how to y nice, making it seem like I¡¯m the only bad person here! Marry or don¡¯t marry! Ultimately if there¡¯s no descendants, it won¡¯t be Xu who suffers, but you, Gu Jianguo!"
Xu Hong grew more invested and aggrieved the more she spoke...
But seeing the father and son just keeping their heads down and eating quietly, not backtalking, her anger dissolved after a while, and she picked up her chopsticks again, asking Gu Jianguo, "What meeting are they holding at the vigemittee again?"
"What else could it be, our vige¡¯s ancestral hall has copsed halfway, they¡¯ve been talking about repairing it for years, and the fundraising has been going on for years with no end in sight. Unless there¡¯s a surprise, today¡¯s meeting is probably still about this."
"These people, all year long they brag about how much money they make, and now when it¡¯s time to donate for the ancestral hall, they all shy away, each more poverty-stricken than thest! They make a fortune yet disown their ancestors! Their homes are built fabulously, but the tablets of our ancestors are nearly crushed by copsing structures!"
Chapter 113 - 89: Jianguo Wants to Bring Glory to His Ancestors_2
Gu Jianguo, who was usually so mild-mannered that people almost walked all over him, got angrier and angrier as he spoke about this issue, until he couldn¡¯t help but m his hand down on the table...
His way of thinking was very traditional, and he had always ced great importance on these matters.
As a child, if Gu Heng said something disrespectful about the ancestors during New Year¡¯s or Qingming Festival, he would inevitably get a beating.
Listening to his dad¡¯s words, Gu Heng was also unusually quiet, without much to say.
He was rather indifferent, and in his life, aside from his parents, there were few others he cared about, let alone those ancestors who had been dead for decades or centuries. It was just that their customs were such, and he could only choose to ept them. Otherwise, he didn¡¯t even want to get involved with the annual rituals like tomb-sweeping...
"Xiaoheng, when the vige collects moneyter, can I contribute a bit more? Just use the money you just transferred to me.
You have made something of yourself now, and it can be considered a blessing from our ancestors. I¡¯m thinking of contributing more money so we can fix the ancestral hall sooner and let our ancestors settle in. That way, we, their descendants, can fulfill our filial duties."
As he spoke, Gu Jianguo turned his questioning gaze towards Gu Heng...
Without realizing it, Gu Heng had be the mainstay of the family, and even Gu Jianguo felt the need to consult Xiaoheng¡¯s opinion before making decisions...
Hearing this, Gu Heng just shrugged. He scoffed at the idea of ancestral blessings. If there really were any blessings, it was the system that had blessed him. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t n to thwart his old man¡ªas long as he was happy, that was fine.
He casually said, "That money was transferred to you to use as you see fit. It¡¯s fine for you to spend it however you want; If it¡¯s not enough, just ask me for more."
"That¡¯s great, that¡¯s great..."
Seeing his son¡¯s support, Gu Jianguo felt relieved.
Xu Hong, listening to their conversation, couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Son, what money did you transfer to your father?"
Before Gu Heng could answer, Gu Jianguo revealed it himself: "Just now, the boy transferred 200,000 yuan to me so I could pay off the family debts of a few thousand yuan. I thought after paying it off, there would still be over a hundred thousand left.
The vigers said the cost to rebuild the ancestral hall was 30,000 yuan per household. Now that my son is sessful, I n to pay for two households, 60,000 yuan, to speed up the repair of the hall."
Upon hearing this, Xu Hong instantly became enraged.
She mmed down her chopsticks and eximed, "What the fuck are you talking about, Gu Jianguo! You think you¡¯re so grand! While others don¡¯t even want to contribute 30,000 per household, you¡¯re throwing in 60,000! Do you have too much money to spend? If you have spare cash, why don¡¯t you give me some to spend?
If you¡¯re so capable, donate with your own money! Why use my son¡¯s money? My son followed you through hardship from a young age; what have you done for him? Now that he¡¯s made something of himself, that he¡¯s earned some money through hard work, you want to use his money to show off? Putting on airs like you¡¯re someone important!"
Usually met withughter, Gu Jianguo could not hold back this time either. He too mmed his chopsticks down and pointed at Xu Hong¡¯s nose, yelling, "What do you mean I¡¯m pretending to be all high and mighty?
Doesn¡¯t Xiaoheng bear the Gu surname? Are my ancestors not his ancestors? People always say, ¡¯bring glory to the ancestors¡¯! What is this if not bringing glory to them?
I, Gu Jianguo, may not have had the ability to bring glory to the ancestors, but now my son does. What¡¯s wrong with spending a bit more to fix the ancestral hall? This money is for the old ancestors, knowing that they have such a sessful descendant like Xiaoheng would allow them to walk with their heads held high!"
Gu Heng, who had been quietly eating his meal, was taken aback by the sudden argument...
Just a moment ago everything was peaceful, but in the blink of an eye, a quarrel had erupted.
Before Gu Heng could interject, Gu Jianguo banged the table and walked towards the door...
The angrier Xu Hong got, the louder she shouted after him, "Bullshit about honoring the ancestors! I think you just want to y the fool!!"
However, this time, there was no reply from outside, and Xu Hong could only sit back down, fuming...
"Alright, alright, what¡¯s there to argue about? If my dad wants to donate more, let him donate more. It¡¯s just tens of thousands; why get so worked up over it..."
Gu Heng set down his utensils, patted his mother¡¯s back,forting her while helping her cool down.
"It¡¯s not that I¡¯m angry! I can¡¯t stand to see the money you worked so hard for wasted by him!"
Women are made of water, and even someone Xu Hong¡¯s age was no exception. She started to tear up as she spoke...
"When other people¡¯s sons buy cars or houses, which parents don¡¯t chip in a little? We¡¯re not capable enough to help our son, and that¡¯s fine, but now we¡¯re dragging him down! Using our son¡¯s money to y the fool! I can¡¯t stand it!"
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face as she touched Gu Heng¡¯s head, sobbing, "Others only know that my son bought a nice car, that he¡¯s going to spend a lot of money on building a house; they have no idea how much he¡¯s suffered! Others might not know, but shouldn¡¯t his father be aware?!"
Having started working in his teens and never asking for money from home in five or six years, whenever I tell others about this, I say how sensible you are, but my heart aches more than if it were pricked by needles!
Why should other people¡¯s children livefortably while I, as a mother, am of no use and can¡¯t help at all?
You are flesh of my flesh; how can I not feel heartache for you!
Listening to his mother cry more and more painfully, Gu Heng could only hug her head and repeat the words "I know" over and over again...
....
Outside, Gu Jianguo sat on the steps, smoking a cigarette, and listening to Xu Hong¡¯s sobs, feeling equally upset...
But soon, after soothing his mother fairly well, Gu Heng walked out from the room, took a seat next to him, and lit a cigarette...
Father and son sat on the steps together, puffing clouds of smoke.
"I didn¡¯t mean what your mother said, I just wanted to bring glory to our ancestors once..."
It took a while before Gu Jianguo could express this thought with a trembling voice.
Just like Gu Heng aspired to stand out among men, Gu Jianguo had always dreamed of bringing honor to his ancestors...
Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t as lucky as Gu Heng to activate a system; he had to live an ordinary life like most people...
He had thought he¡¯d never be able to fulfill his wish in this lifetime, but in his old age, Gu Heng gave him a glimmer of hope; his son could easily achieve what he didn¡¯t have the means to do...
It was precisely for this reason that the always honest Gu Jianguo chose to indulge himself for once, wanting to make a name for himself in the construction of the ancestral hall.
Listening to his father¡¯s words, Gu Heng smiled frankly and put his arm around his shoulder, "No need to exin; don¡¯t I know my own father?
"I¡¯vee to terms with it, I¡¯m old enough not topete anymore. I¡¯ll listen to your mom; we won¡¯t donate too much, just the right amount."
Hearing this, Gu Heng winked at him while holding his cigarette, "Don¡¯t worry about it, leave it to your son to handle.
"Keep the money I give you and spend it slowly."
For a son, what¡¯s the big deal about fulfilling an insignificant wish for his father?
After saying this, he stood up, helping Gu Jianguo to his feet as well.
"Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time for the meeting."
"Right, off to the meeting."
Just as the two were walking shoulder to shoulder to the vigemittee courtyard, a cough sounded from behind.
They both turned around to see Xu Hong looking at them with a sideways nce.
Seeing this, Gu Jianguo as usual caved in, "Wife, are youing too?"
Xu Hong gave him a look, "What about the pride you had when you threw down the chopsticks earlier?"
Gu Jianguo could only manage a sheepish smile...
Watching Gu Jianguo¡¯s submissive manner, Xu Hong didn¡¯t continue to harp on it, she locked the front door and walked ahead of the father and son.
"How can I not go to the vige meeting? Am I not a part of Anping Vige just because you father and son are?"
She said, walking proudly ahead...
Looking at her demeanor, father and son exchanged a smile...
They say poverty makes for a sad couple, but the harmony and stability in Gu Heng¡¯s family, despite years of poverty, had a lot to do with Xu Hong¡¯s temperament...
She was always the fiercest with her words but also the softest at heart...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Chapter 114 - 90: Dedicate a Separate Page in the Gu Family Genealogy for Old Gu!
Anping Vige¡¯s vigemittee courtyard just has a nice ring to it.
In reality, it¡¯s the big courtyard left behind after the former collective grain station was shut down, which was repurposed as the vige office, andter became what¡¯s called the vigemittee courtyard.
By the time Gu Heng and his family of three arrived at the vigemittee courtyard, it was already bustling with people¡ªthere were quite a few of them.
Anping Vige isn¡¯t veryrge, with only a little over a hundred households.
But even if each household only sent one representative, that would still make over a hundred people, so the originally spacious courtyard now seemed quite crowded¡
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"Gu Laosan is here?"
"Come,e, over here, I brought a long bench, let¡¯s sit and listen."
"Xiaoheng is here too? In the blink of an eye, he¡¯s grown into a strapping young man."
Someone with sharp eyes spotted Gu Jianguo¡¯s family of three and hurriedly greeted them with a smile.
Hearing the nickname "Gu Laosan," Gu Jianguo felt somewhat uneasy for a moment¡
It had been over a decade since he wasst called Lame Gu, and now suddenly being addressed as Gu Laosan, he didn¡¯t know how to respond¡
Compared to Gu Jianguo, who had a touch of social anxiety, Xu Hong, the social butterfly, seemed right at home in this environment, diving straight into the crowd with a beaming face to chat people up¡
Just then, someone burst out of the crowd, took Gu Jianguo and Gu Heng by the arm, and started making his way inside, saying as they walked, "Third Brother, why are you sote? The meeting is about to start.
I brought an extra long bench,e sit with me."
Looking at his overly enthusiastic uncle, Gu Heng was a bit stunned¡
In his memory, this particr uncle always kept a wide berth from their family, as if afraid thating too close might lead to some loss, and today¡¯s harmonious brotherly demeanor had almost never appeared since Gu Heng could remember¡
But upon a moment¡¯s consideration, he understood¡
Huang Bo once said that when he was poor and down on his luck, he was surrounded by bad people; when he became wealthy and famous, he found himself among good people¡
For his mercenary uncle¡¯s family to show such a change was all too normal¡
Although Gu Jianguo was slow-witted, he had, after all, eaten decades more rice than Gu Heng, so he reacted first. Father and son exchanged a smile, and with that, they were pulled by Gu Jianjun to the spot he had imed much earlier¡
"Third Brother is here? Have a seat, have a seat, this long bench was brought especially for your family."
Gu Heng¡¯s aunt was even more enthusiastic than Gu Jianjun, and upon seeing Gu Jianguo and Gu Heng, she immediately stood up with a sycophantic smile and invited the father and son to sit down¡
Only after seeing that the father and son had both taken their seats did the couple then sit down beside them with a smile.
"By the way, Auntie, where¡¯s Xinran?"
Suppressing his difort, Gu Heng asked with a smile towards his aunt.
As the vige¡¯s one and only top student, Gu Xinran was usually his aunt and uncle¡¯s most powerful bragging right. In such arge gathering where most of the vige was present, it was hard for him to believe the couple wouldn¡¯t bring Gu Xinran along.
Hearing Gu Heng initiate conversation with her, his aunt¡¯s mouth stretched almost to her ears.
She was afraid Gu Heng, now sessful, would still be holding a grudge against her family for their previous snobbish behavior. Now it seemed Gu Heng was willing to let bygones be bygones¡
While inwardly rejoicing at having such a brilliant daughter, she replied with a smile, "We did n to bring her along, but that darn girl saidst-minute she needed to pick someone up and couldn¡¯t make it, so it¡¯s just your uncle and me who came."
Gu Heng nodded without asking further.
As more and more people arrived, the vigemittee courtyard became increasingly lively.
With the New Year approaching, those who worked outside had alle back, and nobody wanted to miss this big event; almost no family was absent¡
A few minutester, several middle-aged men with their hands sped behind them ascended a tform in the center of the courtyard, where a simple yellow table and a few chairs had been arranged¡
Gu Heng¡¯s eldest uncle was among those middle-aged men¡
Gu Heng¡¯s seat was in the front row, quite conspicuous. Gu Jiandang could see him at a mere nce¡
As soon as Gu Jiandang saw Gu Heng¡¯s face sporting a faint smile, his previously cheerful expression instantly turned sullen¡
Clearly, he still held a grudge against Gu Heng for the other night¡¯s confrontation.
Gu Heng also saw Gu Jiandang¡¯s dark expression and didn¡¯t care in the slightest¡
Fortune determines status, and status determines mindset.
If it were in the past, his uncle¡¯s role as a vige official might have caused him some concern, and he would¡¯ve considered whether this uncle could use his small amount of authority to make life difficult for his parents.
But that was only in the past.
With his current wealth, if he truly wanted to do something significant, such as opening a factory back home, he could create tens or even hundreds of jobs in an instant.
At that time, even the town mayor would have to butter him up.
Let alone his uncle, who hadn¡¯t even be the vige head, just amon vige official¡
¡
¡
"Ahem! Quiet down, everyone!"
On the tform, the vige chief sat in the center, pulled the meeting microphone closer to his mouth, deliberately coughed a few times, and slowly began to speak.
He had been the vige chief since Gu Heng was a child and had held the position for more than a decade. He had some authority, and as his voice faded, the originally noisy vigemittee courtyard gradually quieted down.
Seeming quite pleased with the effect, the vige chief nodded and continued, "I¡¯m sure everyone is clear about the purpose of today¡¯s vige-wide meeting, so I won¡¯t beat around the bush.
Our vige¡¯s ancestral hall has been in disrepair for over three years, with the issue dragged out year after year. Now, the spiritual tablets inside are still stored in the vige office. A while ago, when town officials came for an inspection, they pointed at the pile of spiritual tablets in our vige office¡¯s storeroom and asked me what was going on.
Chapter 115 - 90: Dedicate a Separate Page in the Gu Family Genealogy for Old Gu!_2
I had no choice but to answer truthfully.
"The town leaders have also ordered me to deal with this matter as soon as possible. It¡¯s really inappropriate to keep the ancestral tablets in the vige office!"
"The town leaders put pressure on me, so now I have to put pressure on you all!"
Today I have just one question: do we want to restore the ancestral shrine or not? If we¡¯re going to restore it, every household needs to contribute money. We¡¯ll organize the efforts from the vige office and hire people to rebuild the big shrine. If we¡¯re not restoring it, then take advantage of everyone being here today and take your respective family¡¯s ancestral tablets back home to worship!"
As the vige chief¡¯s words ended, the originally rtively quiet vigemittee courtyard became noisy again.
Everyone was whispering and discussing.
It seemed the vige chief was also angered by this situation. He pped the table and said, "Let¡¯s vote now. Those who agree to restore, raise your hands. Those who disagree, stand aside. I want to see everyone¡¯s opinion!"
Before even a few seconds had passed after the vige chief finished speaking, Gu Jianguo, who was sitting beside Gu Heng, immediately raised his hand.
Then almost everyone else raised their hands. Gu Heng nced around and, with no other option, followed the crowd and raised his hand...
In the countryside, no one would vote against something like restoring a shrine...
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If someone actually stood to the other side just now, they would probably be cursed out immediately, andter on they would be targeted with criticism whenever they walked down the road...
The vige chief had anticipated the results of the vote and without any dy, spoke again: "Since everyone unanimously agrees to the restoration, I¡¯ll briefly exin the vige office¡¯s n."
"We in the vige office have been preparing for this matter for three years, and all the processes are already in ce. Now the only thing weck is money."
"To rebuild a big shrine, the total cost will be about four million yuan. We have a total of 133 households in our vige; each household should contribute 30,000 yuan, with the option to refund excess or make additional contributions! Also, once the work on the shrine begins, the bills will bepletely transparent. Everyone can check the ounts at the vige office at any time.
If anyone discovers any problems, I will step down as vige chief immediately!" (PS: Actual price.)
Normally speaking...
The wages of vige officials can¡¯t evenpare to what one could earn by farming at home...
The reason they can live sofortably in the countryside is that they can skim some extra from collective projects...
Now the vige chief even dared to talk about transparent billing...
There was only one possibility...
He must have been pushed to the edge by this issue, preferring to forgo skimming off the top just to get the job done quickly...
When the vige chief asked if to restore the shrine, almost everyone was willing to restore, but when it came to each household shelling out 30,000 yuan, most of them were deted...
Thirty thousand yuan per household was no small sum...
Immediately someone shouted, "Chief, isn¡¯t 30,000 yuan per household too much? Why does restoring a shrine cost so much money?!"
"My family didn¡¯t even spend over two hundred thousand yuan building our house; 30,000 yuan could almost build us an extra room!"
"Exactly!"
Upon hearing this, the vige chief almost popped his eyes out in anger and mmed the table, saying, "Can youpare restoring the big shrine with building your own house? If we don¡¯t restore it properly and it copses again, then what? Restore it again?"
"All that¡¯s well and good, but 30,000 yuan per household is still too much. Our family of three doesn¡¯t even save that much in a year..."
Though slightly exaggerated, the sentiment reflected the feelings of most vigers.
These people earn a meager sry through manualbor, and after all the living expenses, a family might save around a hundred thousand yuan at most by the end of the year. To fork out 30,000 yuan all at once, nobody was willing...
The vige chief¡¯s voice rose again.
"It¡¯s not just your family paying 30,000, every household is paying 30,000! Other families can pay, but yours can¡¯t?"
A response came almost simultaneously, "Some families are rich, some are poor, can you really calcte it like that?
Gu Jianguo¡¯s family spends four hundred thousand yuan just on a car and now they are building a house worth several million yuan. They can easily take out 30,000 yuan, but how can ordinary families like ours afford it?"
Hearing his family mentioned, Gu Heng gave up on enjoying the drama and turned around to look.
"Exactly! What¡¯s totally fair is actually unfair! I say, those who have money should pay more, and those who don¡¯t have as much should pay less!
Am I right, everyone?!"
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Gu Heng, hearing even the adage "What¡¯s totally fair is actually unfair," couldn¡¯t help butugh inwardly...
These people really would say anything to pay less...
Just then, a discordant voice sounded.
"Exactly, the Gu Laosan family is so wealthy now, why can¡¯t they pay more? If he contributed 300,000 yuan, the rest of us 132 families could pay 2,000 yuan less each. Think of all the things we could do with that!"
Gu Heng had been so conspicuous in the vige these days.
With those who were envious, there naturally were those who were jealous.
Although Gu Heng had guessed that someone would eventually target and pressure his family, he was still mentally prepared.
But when he heard such shameless remarks, he couldn¡¯t help but revise his perception of shamelessness...
Just as Gu Heng was about to retort, his mother Xu Hong began cursing loudly among the crowd: "Bullshit! Just because my son is wealthy, he should pay more? Why don¡¯t I see you bowing extra times at my ancestors¡¯ graves during Tomb-Sweeping Day?"
Gu Heng¡¯s aunt, who was standing beside him, also stood up and pointed at the man, shouting, "Zhang Laoba, have you gone mad from poverty? You can actually spit out such shameless words. If your family doesn¡¯t have the money, why don¡¯t you just ce your parents¡¯ ancestral tablets in the toilet? That way, you wouldn¡¯t have to spend a penny!
Plus, they could bless you every time you¡¯re having trouble taking a dump, making it smooth for you!"
Chapter 116 - 90: Dedicate a Separate Page in the Gu Family Genealogy for Old Gu!_3
Rural women, when they curse, are absolutely filthy and venomous...
But what Gu Heng hadn¡¯t expected was that this time his little aunt would stand up so unequivocally in support of his family...
Seeing Gu Heng looking at her, the little aunt cursed even more vigorously...
Her actions were obviously making a statement...
As for what kind of statement, there¡¯s no need to say more...
Opportunistic people have both good and bad points...
The bad part is that when you¡¯re at your lowest, not only will they not give you a hand, but they might even step on you...
The good part is also obvious...
Just like what Gu Heng¡¯s little aunt was doing, when they need to suck up to you, they will push you up high, wishing they could let you stand on their heads to speak...
Seeing her husband getting cursed out like this, Zhang Laoba¡¯s wife couldn¡¯t help it either and stood up to join the quarrel...
The others were just standing by, looking on with great amusement at themotion...
A perfectly good vige-wide meeting turned into a shouting match between two families...
Seeing this, Gu Heng first told his little aunt to stop cursing, then charged into the crowd and pulled Xu Hong over...
Even when being dragged, Xu Hong asionally let out a couple of vicious curses, and Gu Heng could onlyugh and cry tofort his own mother...
Under the vige chief¡¯s table-pounding and furious roaring, Zhang Laoba¡¯s side also stopped, but the vige-wide meeting had already turned into a joke. Just as the vige chief was about to dismiss the meeting and think of another n, Gu Heng directly climbed onto the stage.
"Young Gu, what are you doing?"
Hearing the vige chief¡¯s question, Gu Heng smiled and said, "Uncle, may I use your microphone for a moment, okay?"
The vige chief thought Gu Heng was there to take revenge for Xu Hong using the microphone and quickly said, "We¡¯re all fellow vigers, let the past disputes go, don¡¯t make a big fuss out of it."
Gu Heng smiled and exined, "Uncle, don¡¯t think too much. Just now Zhang Laoba said that my family should contribute more, right? That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m up here to do."
Having said that, before the vige chief could react, Gu Heng directly picked up the desk microphone in his hand, and addressed the crowd below, "Just now Zhang Laoba said that my family should contribute more, right? I think so too."
Hearing this, the crowd below, who were still making noises, instantly quieted down.
Xu Hong, hearing her son saying something foolish, was about to go up and pull Gu Heng down, but Gu Jianguo, as if he had anticipated it, held her back.
"Just now the vige chief said that building the ancestral hall would cost 4 million, I can represent the Gu surname in Anping Vige to donate 2 million directly!"
In an instant, all the people below started whispering to each other and discussing...
In their minds, they were all thinking whether Gu Heng had lost his mind...
Only Gu Heng was very clear about what he was thinking, and he continued, "However, my donation of this 2 milliones with one condition.
It is that once the new ancestral hall is built, regardless of how the spirit tablets were arranged before, from now on, the Gu family¡¯s tablets must be ced in the foremost position.
As long as you all agree to this condition, I will directly contribute 2 million for the construction of the new ancestral hall, and the remaining 2 million can be shared among yourselves."
Of course, if you do not agree, that¡¯s also fine, if you don¡¯t agree, my family will not contribute anything toward the new ancestral hall. In that case, I¡¯ll simply build a small ancestral hall next to my house, solely for the Gu ancestors¡¯ spirit tablets, since I¡¯m not short of that bit of money."
Anping Vige has 133 households but many surnames, almost a dozen different ones...
The Gu surname is the leastmon in Anping Vige, with only Gu Heng¡¯s and his granduncle¡¯s and uncle¡¯s families bearing the Gu surname.
Previously, the cement of the spirit tablets was done based on surnames, withrger surnames at the front and smaller surnames at the back...
The Gu family¡¯s few tablets, those were ced in the very back corner...
Such an arrangement was not wrong originally, asrger surnames had more people and thus contributed more money and effort to the construction of the ancestral hall; it was quite normal.
But since he was now willing to contribute 2 million, of course, he wanted his ancestors¡¯ spirit tablets to be ced in the foremost position, otherwise wouldn¡¯t the money be spent in vain?
n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
"Impossible! The Gu surname only adds up to a few people? And you want to be in the foremost position?"
"Exactly! Having the ancestors of so many people give way to just one Gu family, aren¡¯t you afraid of being struck by lightning?"
People are always greedy and despicable...
They have countless reasons when ites to contributing money.
Now that someone is willing to donate, they are unwilling to give up their own benefits.
Hearing the shouting from below, Gu Heng was not angry; he put the microphone back and then smiled and said, "Uncle, I¡¯ve given you a suggestion, whether it works or not is up to you now, I don¡¯t really mind, if all else fails, I¡¯ll just build a separate Gu family ancestral hall myself."
After saying that, he nonchntly patted the vige chief on the shoulder and jumped off the stage.
Then he sat back down, under the excited gaze of his father Gu Jianguo...
His son¡¯s words had been crystal clear to him. The idea that the Gu family¡¯s ancestors¡¯ spirit tablets could be ced in the foremost position was something he wouldn¡¯t even dare to dream about...
It was a glory that would honor his ancestors.
Seeing the look in his father¡¯s eyes, Gu Heng smiled.
If this matter really seeded, he would have to spend 2 million.
These 2 million might be considered the most unworthy expenditure since he had gotten the system, but seeing his father¡¯s demeanor, Gu Heng felt it was also the most worthwhile...
Experience tales with empire
After all, Gu Heng had already decided that if the matter didn¡¯t go through, he would build a Gu family ancestral hall with his own money ¨C in any case, he had to honor his father and his ancestors!
He had to make the Gu family genealogy dedicate a separate page just for him!
Chapter 117 - 91 Hello Auntie, I am Gu Heng’s Girlfriend
Before Gu Heng could settle down, he felt the soft flesh around his waist being pinched by a ¡¯hand of fate¡¯...
"Wu hoo hoo... it hurts!"
Seeing Gu Heng grimacing, Xu Hong¡¯s heart softened a bit, and she lessened her grip slightly, whispering, "You smelly brat! Just like your father, you get cocky once you have some money! We¡¯ll settle this when we get back!"
In Xu Hong¡¯s eyes, whether Gu Heng spent millions on a Bentley or millions on building a house, it was all spending on his own family.
Though still somewhat reluctant, this was due to a fear of poverty and the difort of suddenly living a good life... and not because of being stingy with her own family.
But what Gu Heng said on stage just now had truly crossed Xu Hong¡¯s line...
In her view, anything involving therger collective, even if her own family paid a penny more, was a huge loss...
However, in this situation, she chose to save face for Gu Heng, not creating a scene as she had done earlier at home...
Gu Heng was clear about his mother¡¯s thinking...
She epitomized the typical rural woman¡¯s mindset of prioritizing the family essentials above all, for in her heart, nothing was more important than that small plot of familynd...
If it were a usual affair, Gu Heng would be willing to indulge her, but on this matter, he had no choice but to defy her...
After all, to fulfill his father Gu Jianguo¡¯s dream, this money had to be spent...
....
....
Clearly, Gu Heng was a bit too idealistic and had underestimated theplexity of rural people¡¯s hearts; sometimes, even spending money could be a difficult task...
On the high tform, it took the vige chief half a minute to recover from Gu Heng¡¯s speech.
He hurriedly addressed the crowd through the microphone, "You all heard what Gu Heng just said, Gu Heng is willing to donate 2 million! For the remaining 2 million, each family only needs to contribute 15 thousand. Do you have anything else to say now?"
The vige chief only wanted to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
As for the positioning of each surname¡¯s ancestral spirit tablets, he couldn¡¯t care less.
But the vigers below clearly weren¡¯t nning on cooperating, with Zhang Laoba, who had just quarreled with Gu Heng¡¯s family, being the first to voice opposition, "Impossible, our vige¡¯srgest surname by number is Li, with around 30 households. Larger surnamese first, smaller surnames follow, that¡¯s the rule set by our ancestors.
It doesn¡¯t matter if Gu Jianguo spends 200 million, even if his family covers all the costs for repairing the n hall, it still can¡¯t happen!"
Zhang Laoba¡¯s mind was quick, and with just one sentence, he stirred up conflict between thergest Li surname in the vige and the Gu family...
After all, putting the ancestral spirit tablets of the Gu surname in the first ce didn¡¯t really affect others much; the ones truly affected were just the Lis...
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"Exactly, there¡¯s over a hundred of us Lis, and we should make way for just a few of the Gus?"
"If I agreed, tonight my ancestors would surelye to take me away!"
"This is impossible to ept in my family; I could never agree!"
As expected, following Zhang Laoba¡¯s instigation, many of the Lis began to speak out in opposition.
The vige chief, sitting above, twitched with anger as he listened to these opposing voices...
These damn fools...
They cry poverty and put on an act of misery when it¡¯s time to donate.
Now there¡¯s someone willing to contribute arge sum, and they¡¯re still finding things toin about...
If it were anything else, he might be able to assert his authority as vige chief, but on the matter of repairing the n hall, he really didn¡¯t dare...
It was a new era, but rural areas still revered ancestral worship, and if he dared to make decisions on their behalf, he could expect some bold enough to create trouble at his home. By then, it wouldn¡¯t just be the Gu family¡¯s ancestral spirit tablets that couldn¡¯t be ced at the forefront; his own family¡¯s spirit tablets might end up being burned to ashes...
Gu Jianguo, noting the dissent around him, looked rather displeased...
He had never imagined that despite his family¡¯s willingness to shell out 2 million just for the prime cement of an ancestral spirit tablet, these people would still disagree...
Gu Heng, seeing his father¡¯s expression, knew exactly what he was thinking and maintained a serene smile on his face...
He then helped Gu Jianguo up, saying, "Dad, let¡¯s go home."
Gu Jianguo also realized that his hope of honoring his ancestors was hard to fulfill...
His son had made the greatest effort; if there was me, ity only in his own underestimation of the shamelessness of these so-called fellow vigers...
Having helped Gu Jianguo stand up, Gu Heng said with a smile to the group of vigers who were staring at the three members of his family, "Since everyone seems so eager to save me money, then I reluctantly ept everyone¡¯s kindness.
I won¡¯t donate the 2 million. Our Gu family will also stay out of the n hall repair. Arrange the spirit tablets however you wish, it has nothing to do with me."
Having said that, Gu Heng led his parents out of the vigemitteepound.
Gu Jianjun¡¯s family was now following Gu Heng¡¯s leadpletely. Seeing that Gu Heng was leaving, the couple each picked up a long bench and followed behind him...
"Is the Gu family abandoning their ancestors? Makes sense; driving a Bentley worth millions, why would you need those poor ancestors?"
Seeing that Gu Heng¡¯s family was jeered away, Zhang Laoba felt extremely pleased, unable to resist verbally mocking them.
Could Xu Hong tolerate this?
Readtest chapters on empire
Just as she was about to retort, Gu Heng stopped her.
Gu Heng, still wearing his gentle, spring breeze-like smile, said, "Zhang Laoba, are you hard of hearing?
Didn¡¯t you hear what I just said? Since you disagree, then I will simply build a small n hall next to my house, exclusively for the spirit tablets of our Gu surname. It¡¯s just a matter of spending money, right? I¡¯m already nning to spend five to six hundred million on building a house for my parents, so what¡¯s a few hundred million more?"
Chapter 118 - 91 Hello Aunt, I am Gu Heng’s Girlfriend_2
"I¡¯m notcking those few million."
"And what you said just now was right, our Gu family ancestors should be offered a ce too. What ss do your poor ancestors belong to, Zhang Laoba? To be ced in the same ancestral hall as my Gu family ancestors?"
Thest sentence was so insultingly disparaging it turned Zhang Laoba¡¯s face green from anger...
But he was unable to even retort...
They were all poor ancestors, but at least someone from our family has made something of himself, while Zhang Laoba¡¯s family is still toiling in the fields living a bitter life...
Feeling that hisst remark may have been too sweeping, Gu Heng continued to exin to the vigers, "I¡¯m willing to give 2 million as a welfare to our Anping Vige. You all watched me, Gu Heng, grow up. Now that I¡¯ve made it, I¡¯m also willing to contribute more to such meritorious deeds."
"But since someone can¡¯t stand to see others do well, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it."
"You can¡¯t me me for this, me those who disagreed just now."
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After saying this, he immediately left the vigemittee courtyard with his family...
....
After Gu Heng left, the vigemittee courtyard became lively again...
Although the Li surname managed to keep the prime offering position for their ancestral tablet, Gu Heng¡¯s final heart-piercing words triggered rifts between the Li surname and the others...
After all, to the other surnames, it made little difference whether the Gu surname or the Li surname tablets were ced first, since it would never be their turn anyway...
At this time, Gu Heng, who had offered to donate an additional 2 million, was definitely more popr with the people...
After all, with Gu Heng contributing more, each family would save over ten thousand yuan, which was a tangible benefitid out before them...
Now that Gu Heng had left, people immediately started to give a hard time to those who had disagreed earlier: "Since you don¡¯t want the Gu family to spend the money, now you, Zhang Laoba and the Li surname, cough up the 2 million. Anyway, I¡¯ve made it clear today, I¡¯m only contributing 15,000 for the ancestral hall renovation! Not a penny more.
"Look, the Li family has more people, right? Then just let your Li family pay for their own ancestral hall."
"I¡¯m only offering 15,000 too. If this can¡¯t be resolved, I¡¯ll just go and plead with Gu Laosan. I¡¯ll give the money to the Gu family and ask them to make a few extra offering spots when they build their ancestral hall. I¡¯ll ce my family¡¯s ancestral tablets in their hall. After all, they¡¯ve got money now, they wouldn¡¯t covet this ten thousand or so!"
"Hey! That¡¯s a good idea. Didn¡¯t that kid Gu Heng just say he was going to build an ancestral hall? Why don¡¯t we just go directly to his family then?
Gu Laosan is easy to talk to, I¡¯ll find a chance to speak with him."
The conversation took a sudden turn...
Not a moment ago, it was Gu Heng¡¯s family being targeted, with no one standing up for him.
But as soon as Gu Heng flipped the table and walked away, it was Zhang Laoba and the Li surname who became the unlucky ones...
The fickle nature of a ruralmunity¡¯s sentiments was just like this...
That¡¯s also why many people with money don¡¯t want to return to the vige...
It¡¯s not that they have forgotten their roots; they simply don¡¯t want these irritating and nonsensical issues to get to them.
.....
.....
Gu Heng was unaware that his remarks had turned the vige assembly into a joke, as he walked home cheerfully talking andughing.
Seeing his father, Gu Jianguo, with his brows furrowed, Gu Heng reassured him with a smile, "Dad, don¡¯t worry, what I said earlier wasn¡¯t just out of anger.
When we get home, I¡¯ll call the constructionpany and tell them to design an additional ancestral hall. We¡¯ll start construction of the hall at the same time as the house! I guarantee you that the ancestral hall I have built will be even more imposing than our vige¡¯s hall!"
In his eyes, this money was all spent to make Gu Jianguo happy.
Spending a bit more or a bit less didn¡¯t matter; after all, he had the system to reimburse him.
Upon hearing this, Gu Jianguo¡¯s furrowed brows gradually rxed...
He had been ipetent all his life, and now, his proudest achievement was having a son like Gu Heng...
Listening to Gu Heng reassuring Gu Jianguo, Xu Hong snorted discontentedly, "All these things cost money! I was already heartbroken over spending five or six million building a house, and now we have to spend a few million more to build an ancestral hall. How much will that cost?
"Son, give it to me straight, how much have you actually earned out there?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Jianjun, who was walking nearby carrying a bench with his wife, also pricked up his ears.
If Gu Heng were to say that his savings were close to a hundred million, he would have to tell countless lies to cover it up, so he fobbed them off, "I never really calcted how much I¡¯ve earned, but the money for building your house and repairing the ancestral hall, I can earn that in a month, so don¡¯t worry too much about it."
"Goodness me! That¡¯s a lot, isn¡¯t it?"
"Building a house and repairing an ancestral hall might add up to eighteen million, right? You can earn that much in a month? That would be a hundred million a year! With that kind of money, you¡¯d be on the Hurun list, wouldn¡¯t you?"
Before Xu Hong could speak, Gu Jianjun and his wife¡¯s mouths fell open in shock.
The ie Gu Heng spoke of hadpletely surpassed their imagination...
To them, ten million was already an astronomical figure, not to mention Gu Heng was talking about ten million a month...
"Uncle, you even know about the Hurun Rich List? No wonder my dad always says you¡¯re the most knowledgeable among all his siblings."
"But you¡¯re thinking too much. The lowest ranked on the Hurun Rich List are worth several billions. The little money I make isn¡¯t enough to get on that list."
Gu Jianjun immediatelyughed proudly, "Well, Xinran said during her internship that she was working for a Fortune Global 500pany, and her boss was a billionaire listed on the Hurun Rich List, so I looked it up online..."
If the old Gu Heng had said thispliment, Gu Jianguo might have smiled just to be polite.
But now, knowing his nephew was not only wealthy but a billionaire changed his entire mindset.
Being ttered by a billionaire, how could he not be happy?
"Son, what exactly do you do to earn so much money outside? You¡¯d better not be doing what you told your uncle, doing something..."
The rest of the sentence, even though Xu Hong didn¡¯t voice it, Gu Heng knew what it was...
A rural woman who had no concept of a billion, let alone how to make one, could only think in a negative direction...
Of course, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t retort against his uncle as he would against her, so he simply smiled and exined, "It¡¯s from trading foreign exchange futures, it¡¯s not illegal."
"What¡¯s foreign exchange futures?"
Seeing his mother¡¯s determined attitude to get to the bottom of things, Gu Heng felt a bit troubled...
These questions would be easier to exin to Gu Xinran, but exining them to a mother who hadn¡¯t finished elementary school, and had rarely traveled far in her life, would probably take several hours to rify...
Just as the group was about to reach the front door, the keen-eyed aunt spotted two cars parked in the yard...
"Xiaoheng, are your friends looking for you?"
At these words, Gu Heng looked in the direction his aunt was pointing, and saw his Bentley parked next to a red BMW...
His impressions of the Shanghai-licensed BMW were far too vivid...
After all, his first car ident was caused by it...
"Brother! Auntie! Uncle! You¡¯re back!"
As Gu Heng stared at the cars in a daze, a crisp and joyful voice rang out from behind him...
The whole family turned around and saw Gu Xinran standing excitedly behind them, but they only nced at her for a moment before their eyes shifted to the elegant figure beside her...
Unbeknownst to them, Lin Ran had dyed her previously wine-red hair back to ck...
Even her signature red coat had been switched out for a light camel-colored one, with a gray turtleneck sweater underneath, and a matching LV bag hung from her hand...
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Her face bore a light smile...
The contradictory temperaments of grace and vivacity were both fully exhibited in her alone...
Gu Jianguo, Xu Hong, including Gu Jianjun and his wife, had only seen such beauties of temperament on television; they had never witnessed one in person...
In the countryside, you¡¯d mostly see girls who had gone out to work ande back dressed slightly more fashionably, but never someone who had both the air and looks like Lin Ran...
Just as Gu Heng was about to speak, Lin Ran approached with a smile, covertly winked at him...
She then looked over his shoulder, politely scanning each of Gu Heng¡¯s elders before setting her eyes on Xu Hong. Her gaze brightened, and she brushed past Gu Heng to stand before Xu Hong, saying softly in Mandarin, "Auntie, hello, my name is Lin Ran, and I¡¯m Gu Heng¡¯s girlfriend.
A couple of days ago, I was nning toe back with Gu Heng to see you, but I got held up with work, so I was dyed for two days.
Now that work is done, I immediately rushed over."
After Lin Ran finished speaking, everyone stood frozen in ce...
Gu Heng: "Is she this direct? Not going to discuss it with me first?"
Gu Xinran: "Did Director Lin seriously be my sister-inw?"
Xu Hong: "This is my daughter-inw?!"
Chapter 119 - 92: Why is your girlfriend not the same person you showed me?
Xu Hong, although always urging Gu Heng to find himself a daughter-inw...
but when the "daughter-inw" actually appeared before her, she panicked... Stay tuned to empire
She opened her mouth and then closed it, struggling for a long time without saying a word, and could only cast a pleading look towards Gu Heng...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t know why Lin Ran was being so cooperative, but wasn¡¯t the reason he invited her initially to pretend to be his girlfriend?
Now he didn¡¯t need to spend any effort or promise any benefits to willingly y this role, so he felt no need to worry...
With a shameless smile, he said, "Mom, this is my girlfriend, Lin Ran."
Then he turned to Lin Ran and introduced, "This is my dad."
"This is my uncle and aunt, they¡¯re also Xinran¡¯s parents."
At this moment, Lin Ran didn¡¯t put on any airs of the high-ranking corporate executive, and after hearing Gu Heng¡¯s introduction, she greeted everyone with a big smile...
"Eh, eh, eh, okay, okay, okay!"
After adapting for a while, Xu Hong also put on a smile and excitedly responded to Lin Ran.
"Don¡¯t just stand in the doorway,e on,e in, let¡¯s sit in the house!"
After speaking, Xu Hong was about to affectionately take Lin Ran¡¯s hand and lead her inside the house...
But just as she reached out halfway, she saw Lin Ran¡¯s delicately manicured hand, her skin as fair and wless as a baby¡¯s... she then looked at her own hands, rough and lined with wrinkles and callouses from years of hard work, and awkwardly withdrew her hand...
Lin Ran noticed Xu Hong¡¯s gesture, and with augh, she swung her purse onto Gu Heng¡¯s body, then took the initiative to take Xu Hong¡¯s hand, pulling her closer, "Xinran and I have been waiting at the door for almost half an hour, we are so tired."
Seeing this scene, Gu Heng¡¯s fondness for Lin Ran grew even more...
On hearing this, Gu Heng¡¯s aunt hurriedly scolded Gu Xinran, "That darn girl, she didn¡¯t tell us who she was picking up today! If we had known it was Xiaoheng¡¯s girlfriend, we wouldn¡¯t have gone to that vige meeting!"
Gu Xinran: "???"
Seeing a big pot being dumped right on her head, Gu Xinran felt bitter but couldn¡¯t express it...
She was originally going to call Gu Heng directly, but Lin Ran wanted to stroll around the vige, and she ended up apanying her for half an hour...
Now it became her fault?
But upon seeing Lin Ran¡¯s strikingly beautiful profile, Gu Xinran could only silently sigh in her heart...
A higher official three grades up could crush a person to death, let alone the gap between herself, an intern, and Lin Ran, a deputy director...
Taking the me unconditionally for superiors, isn¡¯t that the first rule of corporate life...
....
....
After a brief chat, the group cheerfully headed towards the old house.
Gu Xinran also forgot the pain of being med and cheerfully followed everyone...
Just as she was about to enter the house, arge hand grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her aside.
Seeing the eyes of her parents and uncle and aunt on them, Gu Hengughed it off, "You guys go ahead and sit, Xinran and I need to talk for a bit."
"Hurry up ande in! What can¡¯t you discusster? Leaving your girlfriend alone? That¡¯s so thoughtless!"
Listening to Xu Hong¡¯s scolding, Lin Ran, although not understanding the dialect, could roughly guess what was said and portrayed herself as understanding and obedient, "Auntie, it¡¯s fine, they probably just have some private things to discuss, I¡¯ll stay with you."
Seeing Lin Ran being so understanding, Xu Hong couldn¡¯t help but smile even bigger...
Then, without caring about the siblings, she led Lin Ran to the sofa.
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
After seeing his parents go inside, Gu Heng then turned his gaze to Gu Xinran, looking at her critically, "Speak up."
Gu Xinran shrank back, feigning confusion, "Speak... speak about what?"
"What do you think? Why would Lin Ran suddenlye over?"
"Didn¡¯t you invite her over when we ate together a couple of days ago... why are you asking me..."
Gu Heng tightened his hold on the back of her neck and continued, "Yes, I did invite her, but I want to know how she managed toe over without making a sound?"
"Ouch, ouch, ouch!"
Struggling for a while but unable to escape Gu Heng¡¯s grip, Gu Xinran could only look up at him with big, pleading eyes... trying to appeal to his familial feelings...
Unable to charm her way out, Gu Xinran finally hung her head, fidgeting with her fingers, and began exining...
"Yesterday afternoon someone added me on WeChat, and I epted, but I didn¡¯t expect it was Director Lin..."
Gu Heng nodded, as thepany¡¯s director, getting an intern¡¯s contact information would indeed be simple.
"Continue."
"After Director Lin added me, she directly asked me to send her my home location."
"And you agreed?"
On hearing this, Gu Xinran¡¯s eyes widened, taking on a righteous air, "How could that be? Am I that kind of person? I sternly refused her! And I even lectured her severely about the importance of the privacy of home addresses!"
Gu Heng, hearing this, didn¡¯t say anything, just stared down at her sternly...
After being watched by Gu Heng for several seconds, Gu Xinran weakly added, "Okay, fine, I sent it to her..."
"Then why didn¡¯t you tell me she wasing today?"
"I was going to tell you!!" she started to say, but then her tone softened, "But Director Lin told me not to tell you... saying that once she arrived, you¡¯d figure it out yourself...
Foster father, you know, I¡¯m just an ordinary intern...
Chapter 120 - 92: Why is your girlfriend not the same person you showed me?_2
And she¡¯s a top executive in thepany, holding great power over my life and death. Our statuses are too disparate, I simply didn¡¯t dare to refuse... Plus, Director Lin tempted me with a formal contract, and under her carrot-and-stick approach, I just couldn¡¯t resist the temptation and agreed..."
"So, you mean to say Lin Ran deliberately didn¡¯t want you to tell me?"
"Yes, yes! I swear to the heavens! I wouldn¡¯t hide it from you, my adoptive father!"
Watching Gu Xinran pledge his loyalty with a face full of goofiness, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and say, "If you wanted a formal contract, couldn¡¯t you have juste straight to me? Do you think your brother doesn¡¯t even have that much capability?
We from the Gu family are, after all, a family of anti-Japanese war heroes, everyone with loyalty and integrity. How did we end up with you, a traitor seeking glory through betraying his father?"
"Well, I just thought it would be overkill for you, a multimillionaire adoptive father, to handle such a minor matter... Next time! If there¡¯s a next time something like this happens, I¡¯ll definitely inform you in advance!"
"Alright, enough with the fooling around,e inside the house, it¡¯s freezing out here."
Gu Heng thought about it for half a day but couldn¡¯t figure out Lin Ran¡¯s reason for keeping things from him. Feeling toozy to ponder it further, he took Gu Xinran straight into the house.
.....
.....
Entering the house, Gu Heng saw Lin Ran sitting elegantly in the center of the sofa, with his mother Xu Hong and his aunt on either side, chatting and warming up to her...
"Ranran, it¡¯s okay if I call you that, right?"
Lin Ran didn¡¯t feel the slightest difort at the address, smiling sweetly and saying, "It¡¯s fine, aunty, my parents also call me that at home, it sounds affectionate."
Although she had only interacted with Lin Ran for a few minutes, Xu Hong¡¯s fondness for her was simply beyond measure...
So beautiful...
So well-behaved...
And doesn¡¯t scorn their rural family roots...
Unlike Li Lao¡¯er¡¯s daughter-inw from their vige, a city dweller by im, but looking like a big ck bear, burly and rugged, always walking around with her nose in the air. Li Lao¡¯er and his wife initially boasted everywhere about their son marrying a city girl, thinking they were set for life.
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And the result?
The daughter-inw, treated like a queen at home, and at the slightest discontent, she would berate the old couple nonstop.
Now, look at Lin Ran sitting before her, as different from Li Lao¡¯er¡¯s ¡¯big ck bear¡¯ as two different species of animal...
"Ranran, how old are you this year?"
"I was born in February 1996, so I¡¯m 28 this year, and after my birthday, I will be 29."
Upon hearing her age, Xu Hong initially was taken aback...
Then, with some surprise, she said, "You don¡¯t look 29 at all, you seem to be about the same age as our Xinran..."
Auntie chimed in from the side, "Sister-inw, that¡¯s because you don¡¯t understand. Girls from the city like Ranran know how to take care of themselves. By the time they reach our age, they still look like they¡¯re in their twenties.
Look at those celebrities on TV, aren¡¯t they all like that?
And look at Ranran, isn¡¯t she even prettier than a celebrity?"
"Right, right, right, you¡¯re absolutely right."
Xu Hong nodded in agreement and then sheepishly smiled at Lin Ran, saying, "I¡¯m a country person, not very knowledgeable, don¡¯t take my words to heart, dear."
"Oh Aunty, what are you talking about! You calling me young, I couldn¡¯t be happier~"
"¡¯96 is good, our Gu Heng was born in the year 2000, you are just four years older. You know the old saying, ¡¯a woman four years older, a lifetime of good fortune!¡¯"
Standing to the side, Gu Heng listened to his mother¡¯s old saying, which she had picked up from who knows where, and felt an inner face-palm...
Seeing Gu Heng standing by the sofa like a block of wood, Xu Hong, who was full of satisfaction seeing the intelligent and sensible Lin Ran, then looked at Gu Heng with disdain and shouted, "Why are you standing there like a wooden stake? Hurry up ande over, I have something to ask you!"
She just couldn¡¯t understand how a fine ¡¯cabbage¡¯ like Lin Ran ended up with her ¡¯pig¡¯...
If Gu Heng had gotten himself an ordinary ¡¯cabbage¡¯, she could have consoled herself...
But the issue was, Lin Ran was too fine a ¡¯cabbage,¡¯ and her own ¡¯pig¡¯ getting it made her feel a bit guilty...
After speaking, Xu Hong excused herself with a smile to Lin Ran, "Ranran, you chat with Xinran and your aunt for a bit, I have something to talk to Xiaoheng about."
Then she unceremoniously pulled Gu Heng into the bedroom. Enjoy new tales from empire
Having been dragged into the room, Gu Heng still had no clue what was happening when he got thwacked hard on the back of his head...
Xu Hong lowered her voice, urgently saying, "Tell me the truth! Is this Lin Ran someone you paid to pretend?
I didn¡¯t know where I had slipped up, but at this time, I certainly couldn¡¯t admit it, and could only respond defiantly, "How could that be possible! Don¡¯t you believe in your son¡¯s charm? If I wanted to, I could immediately have hundreds of girls fighting to be your daughter-inw. Why would I need to pay someone?
What exactly made youe up with such a dangerous idea?"
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s determined expression, and considering that Lin Ran was indeed quite well-behaved and sensible, which she really liked, Xu Hong could only express her doubts half-believingly, "Really? She¡¯s your girlfriend?"
"Absolutely true!"
"Then why does this Lin Ran look different from the one you showed mest time?"
Upon hearing this, a cold sweat ran down Gu Heng¡¯s neck...
He had thought it was Lin Ran who had slipped up, but it turned out the problem was with him...
Last time, the photo I showed my mom was of Lin Jiayun, but this time it was Lin Ran...
Although both were beauties, they were as different as heaven and earth. It was natural that Xu Hong could tell they weren¡¯t the same...
"The one I showed youst time is my ¡¯little girlfriend¡¯; this one is my ¡¯big girlfriend.¡¯ If you want, I can have the girl in the photoe over some day for you to see," he replied.
As one of the people who knew his mother best...
He knew that if he tried to exin it normally right now, it would only make her more suspicious. Only by spouting nonsense could he shift her attention...
And, sure enough, after Gu Heng¡¯s ramblings, Xu Hong¡¯s p arrived as expected...
But after this p, Xu Hong¡¯s suspicions gradually dissipated.
"Do you have any cash on you?"
Hearing Xu Hong¡¯s abrupt change of topic, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but be startled...
One second she was questioning whether his girlfriend was real, and the next she was asking if he had any cash...
Seeing his mother¡¯s hand about tond on him again, Gu Heng hastily took out all of the more than 1,000 yuan in cash he had on him: "Yes, yes, yes! There¡¯s still over 1,000..."
"That¡¯s enough, off you go! Go chat with Lin Ran for a bit. I¡¯m going outter," she said.
After taking the money from Gu Heng, Xu Hong started to shoo him out...
Although Gu Heng had no idea what his mother was up to, he obediently left the room...
Upon returning to the living room, he found only Lin Ran and Gu Xinran sitting on the sofa. Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Where are my parents?"
"Uncle said he was going out to buy vegetables, and your aunt and uncle went with him. They told Xinran to stay and keep mepany," she replied nonchntly.
Lin Ran gave Gu Heng a nce and responded indifferently.
Now that there was no one else in the hall, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t be bothered to pretend any longer. He sat down next to Lin Ran and stared directly into her eyes, "Why did you make Xinran keep it a secret from me, not letting me know you wereing here?"
Hearing this, Lin Ran turned her head to look at Gu Xinran...
Gu Xinran hadn¡¯t expected Gu Heng to betray her so directly and started ying ostrich...
"Whether I keep it a secret or not, it shouldn¡¯t affect you, right?"
Without Xu Hong beside her, Lin Ran was no longer the obedient and well-behaved girl, returning Gu Heng¡¯s gaze with equal sharpness...
"It doesn¡¯t affect me, I was just curious, that¡¯s all," he said.
After a long stare-down with Gu Heng, Lin Ran picked up a disposable cup from the table, took a casual sip, and casually said, "Just consider it a wicked whim of mine.
I just wanted to see if, apart from being your ¡¯daughter-inw,¡¯ you would bring other women home.
If I had let you know in advance, wouldn¡¯t that have given you time to prepare?"
Gu Heng: "???"
Listening to Lin Ran, Gu Heng¡¯s mind grew more perplexed...
What was this woman implying?
Hadn¡¯t he told her that she would pretend to be his girlfriend, and after the New Year, he would go pretend to be her boyfriend?
Apletely fair trade!
So why was she now acting as if she were the main wife catching a cheating husband?
Could it be that she actually wanted to make the charade real, to truly hold sway over him?
Chapter 121 - 93: The Broken Childhood
"It¡¯s all just home cooking. I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re used to it," she said.
At the dinner table...
Xu Hong smiled broadly...
Though she voiced her concern about whether Lin Ran would be ustomed to the food, her hands were busy cing one dish after another into Lin Ran¡¯s bowl...
Lin Ran seemed to have adapted to the role of daughter-inw already, sweetly saying "Thank you, Auntie" over and over, making Xu Hong grin from ear to ear...
Seeing this, Gu Heng and Gu Xinran couldn¡¯t help but exchange nces...
In the past, it was only Gu Xinran who would asionallye to dine and vie for attention... Find your next read on empire
Now, Lin Ran had been here for just an afternoon and had already usurped the siblings¡¯ ce...
This wasn¡¯t a relief visit; this was a mom-snatching mission...
Thinking of this made Gu Heng unable to resist saying to Xu Hong, who was still busily serving Lin Ran, "Mom, pass me some braised pork, I can¡¯t reach it."
No sooner had he spoken...
Xu Hong, who had just been all smiles, suddenly switched expressions...
"Can¡¯t reach it? Don¡¯t you know how to stand up? Have your buttocks grown roots?"
Gu Heng: "???"
Could motherly love spoil so easily?
Lin Ran, seeing this, turned her head to look at Gu Heng and discreetly winked at him...
This arrogant gesture almost made Gu Heng grind his mrs...
His decision not to marry was right...
He already had a low status in the family. If he actually got married, wouldn¡¯t he be just inviting another woman to lord over him?
...
"I¡¯m full!"
A few minutester, having forced himself to eat till almost full, Gu Heng stood up and hurried Lin Ran: "Eat quickly. I¡¯ll take you to the hotel in town afterwards."
Hotel?
Upon hearing this word, Xu Hong instantly red up.
She stood up and pointed at Gu Heng¡¯s nose, scolding, "Are you out of your mind? Lin Ran hase all this way from Shanghai, and you want her to stay in a hotel? Can¡¯t she stay at our house?"
Gu Heng, having anticipated Xu Hong¡¯s furious reaction, responded calmly, "If not the hotel, then where?
To sleep in my room? Is my bed big enough for two people?"
As expected, upon Gu Heng finishing his words, Xu Hong fell silent...
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The bed in Gu Heng¡¯s room had been handcrafted by Gu Jianguo when he was studying while smaller than the bed he slept on in his rental. It was barely 1.2 meters wide...
Sleeping two people would be too cramped...
Xu Hong didn¡¯t mind Gu Heng sleeping ufortably, but how could she let Lin Ran, a delicate city girl, squeeze into such a small bed with Gu Heng?
After hesitating for a long time, Xu Hong finally found an excuse to continue: "Then your dad and I will sleep upstairs, and you and Lin Ran can sleep in our room. Can¡¯t you sleep in the house? Isn¡¯t it cleaner than a hotel?"
"Alright, Mom, stop worrying. The town is only about a ten-minute drive from here. I can just go pick her up every day."
Xu Hong still wanted to say something, but then she saw Lin Ran stand up and smiled: "Auntie, it¡¯s okay. I can sleep anywhere. I¡¯m almost done eating too; it¡¯ll be nice for Gu Heng to show me around outside."
Upon hearing Lin Ran speak like this, Xu Hong could only smile awkwardly: "The house has been here for over twenty years without renovation, and the guest room is filled with clutter. Otherwise, your uncle and I could sleep in the guest room, and you and Xiaoheng could sleep in our room.
But Xiaoheng is already nning to build a new house next year. When youe over then, you¡¯ll stay at our house!"
"Okay."
Lin Ran still wore a sweet, obedient smile.
Just as Lin Ran and Gu Heng were saying goodbye to his parents and uncle and aunt, preparing to leave, a hesitant Xu Hong stopped them.
"Lin Ran, wait a second."
Lin Ran turned back, asking puzzledly, "What is it, Auntie?"
Xu Hong, somewhat awkwardly, pulled out a red envelope from her pocket and approached: "ording to our local custom, a man brings a woman to his home for the first time, he should give a red envelope."
As she spoke, she tried to press the bulging red envelope into Lin Ran¡¯s hand.
Lin Ran, seeing the plump red envelope and sensing it contained a sizeable amount, instinctively pushed Xu Hong¡¯s hand away: "Auntie, there¡¯s no need. I have money; you don¡¯t need to give me any."
Seeing the red envelope being pushed away, Xu Hong quickly said: "There¡¯s 6,666 yuan in the envelope, just for a good omen!
Auntie knows you city girls are all wealthy and don¡¯t care about these few thousand, but you must take it. It¡¯s a token of my affection..."
"No, Auntie, it¡¯s not about the amount of money..."
Lin Ran, having never experienced such a situation, suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say...
Gu Heng, watching the back-and-forth over the envelope, helplessly shook his head...
He had just been wondering why his mother asked him for cash, so it turned out she was using his money to fill Lin Ran¡¯s red envelope...
The total of all the red envelopes he had received since childhood probably didn¡¯t add up to 6,666 yuan, and given what he knew about her, the cash in the envelope was probably all the cash reserves at home...
Otherwise, she definitely would have rounded it up to an auspicious number like 10,001...
Typically, she was penny-pinching with him, but now, she was going all out for his marriage, giving Lin Ran more than 6,000 yuan after just meeting her for an afternoon, which was a substantial sacrifice...The more Gu Heng thought about it, the worse he felt. He suddenly took the red envelope from Xu Hong¡¯s hand, saying, "Enough, stop pushing it. I¡¯ll ept it on behalf of Lin Ran."
"Let go of my hand!"
Xu Hong shouted, startling Gu Heng and causing the red envelope to drop to the ground...
After ring fiercely at Gu Heng, Xu Hong picked up the red envelope from the ground, then turned back to Lin Ran with a smile and stuffed the envelope into her hand: "Take this money and buy a couple of nice outfits."
Chapter 122 - 93: The Broken Childhood_2
Having said that, she tightly gripped Lin Ran¡¯s hand and turned her head to re at Gu Heng, "What are you doing standing there? Hurry and pack a change of clothes. Stay in the hotel with Ranran. Ranran is a girl, unfamiliar with the ce. Are you at ease letting her stay in the hotel alone?"
Gu Heng heard this...
It did seem to make sense...
They say badnds raise tricky folks...
Even though this ce couldn¡¯t be considered harsh terrain, it definitely wasn¡¯t as safe as a big city, especially now during the New Year when many local troublemakers returned...
Letting Lin Ran stay in town alone didn¡¯t sit well with him either. She hade a long way to help, and if anything happened to her here, he would be a real beast...
Furthermore, the houses at home weren¡¯t really suitable to live in, especially that bed¡ªboth hard and small, hardly better than the ones he slept in when he was a soldier, not to mention the beds in various luxury hotels he¡¯d slept intely...
Gu Heng then nodded and said, "Alright, I¡¯ll go pack some clothes."
After saying this, without dawdling, he quickly dashed upstairs.
...
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...
After going upstairs, Gu Heng took out one piece of clothing after another from the unopened bag beside him and threw them on the bed...
In the past, he dressed like a bumpkin because there was no need. No matter how he dressed, it wouldn¡¯t change the fact that his monthly sry was 4500, nor would dressing like a yboy make girls approach him...
However, since bing wealthy, Gu Heng still cared quite a bit about his image.
Although he didn¡¯t understand clothing styles, all these luxury garments were matched in sets by the sales associate, and he just needed to switch sets each time...
Now he was nning to select the outfits the sales associate had matched for him...
Just as Gu Heng selected the clothes and casually stuffed them in a bag, ready to head downstairs, Lin Ran¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind.
"I wouldn¡¯t have guessed that Gu the Big Boss, who stays in vi suites in Wuzhen costing tens of thousands a night, would have such a shabby room~"
Hearing her sarcastic tone, Gu Heng could only roll his eyes and say, "Ever heard of pensatory consumption¡¯? It¡¯s because I never had the good life before that I chose to stay in vis."
After speaking, Gu Heng walked straight up to her and started frisking her...
The warmth of hisrge hand made her heart tremble involuntarily. Thinking Gu Heng was letting his animal instincts take over and was about to do something to her, she quickly dodged to one side and said, "What are you doing!"
"What can I do? I¡¯m getting my money back! Hurry up, hand over the red envelope my mom gave you.
I¡¯ve never received such a big red envelope in my life, and look at you, only here for the afternoon and you¡¯ve snagged 6600!"
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Lin Ran finally rxed...
If Gu Heng had really done something to her just now...
Thinking about it, it sounded quite thrilling...
Especially since Gu Heng¡¯s whole family was still downstairs...
Stabilizing her excited emotion a bit, Lin Ran smoothed her hair and nced at Gu Heng, saying, "This red envelope was given by Auntie, and it¡¯s mine now."
Gu Heng: "???"
"Are you even ashamed? Taking everything, both meals and gifts?"
"How am I unashamed? Weren¡¯t you the one who asked me to pretend to be your girlfriend? Just say it, how well did I y the part? Was your mom satisfied?"
This series of rhetorical questions rendered Gu Heng speechless...
Believe it or not, Lin Ran¡¯s acting was indeed impressive...
This image of a docile daughter-inw, much better than those young male actors...
Although he was scolded the entire afternoon, there was no doubt his mother was really happy and very satisfied with Lin Ran...
That fulfilled his original purpose for having Lin Rane; after all, inviting her here was all to make his mother happy...
Seeing Gu Heng fall silent, Lin Ran then smiled contentedly and said, "See, this red envelope is my payment for ying your girlfriend."
"How about this, let¡¯s split it? You get 3333, and I get 3333?"
Hearing this figure, Lin Ran felt an inexplicable displeasure...
6666 was an auspicious number...
But split into two, it¡¯s just a pair of decidedly inauspicious numbers...
Scatter, scatter, scatter...
Lin Ran didn¡¯t know why she disliked the number, especiallying from Gu Heng¡¯s mouth. She immediately frowned and refused, "No way, you¡¯re not getting a cent!"
"If you won¡¯t give it, then I¡¯ll just have to take it!"
Gu Heng didn¡¯t care about the 6000 plus yuan, but this money was his mother¡¯s goodwill...
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Even if he was to give it away, it should be to his real girlfriend, not a fake one!
As he said this, he was about to grab it from her.
But before he could touch her, Lin Ran opened her mouth and yelled loudly.
"Ahh!!"
Before she could finish shouting "Auntie," Gu Heng covered her mouth...
Alright, alright, she had indeed found his weak spot...
He knew that the only one who could really subdue him now was his own mother...
"What¡¯s up?"
Xu Hong¡¯s voice came from downstairs.
Hearing this, Gu Heng immediately conceded in a low voice, "Alright, alright, it¡¯s all yours! I don¡¯t want it anymore!"
If his mother found out he was trying to take the red envelope she gave to Lin Ran, he feared he¡¯d have no good flesh left on him soon...
Seeing Gu Heng concede, Lin Ran also called down to the downstairs, "Nothing, Auntie. I just saw a mouse and got startled, but Gu Heng has already chased it away."
"Upstairs, I¡¯ve stored some cured meat; it¡¯s easy to attract mice, Ranran keep an eye out."
"Alright, Auntie."
After speaking, Lin Ran haughtily nced at Gu Heng...
Chapter 123 - 93 Broken Childhood_3
```
Gu Heng couldn¡¯t be bothered with her haughty look and said directly, "Enough, stop dawdling, let¡¯s head out."
As he spoke, he prepared to drag her downstairs.
But Lin Ran broke free of his hold and looked around Gu Heng¡¯s empty room, "What¡¯s the rush? I¡¯m taking a stroll in your room. Honestly, I¡¯ve never browsed a guy¡¯s bedroom before.
Your room is really in a sorry state though."
Saying this, she began to look around Gu Heng¡¯s room...
"Is this you as a kid?"
Lin Ran pointed to a photo embedded on the mirror of the wardrobe.
In the countryside, there weren¡¯t many photo albums, and pictures were a rarity, so any photographs were ced in obvious spots like a mirror...
Gu Heng nced over.
In the photo was a boy around ten years old, making a big peace sign with his fingers...
He casually nodded and said, "That¡¯s me as a kid, should be from when my school took it for free when I was in elementary school."
Hearing Gu Heng admit it, Lin Ran immediately pulled the photo out and stuffed it into her coat pocket.
"Confiscated."
"???"
Gu Heng looked at her with a feigned expression of shock, "You don¡¯t have some weird fetish, do you? Wanting to collect my childhood photo and then do indescribable things with it?"
Such teasing didn¡¯t faze her at all...
Lin Ran nced down at Gu Heng¡¯s crotch and shot back, "You can¡¯t even arouse anything in me now; you think your childhood photo will do the trick?"
"Your mouth is really tougher than my hook, talking as if it wasn¡¯t you begging for mercyst time."
Reminded of their previous wild time, Lin Ran involuntarily blushed, but quickly pretended to beposed, "Don¡¯t you know women are born actresses in that regard? It was all just an act to amodate you.
No way, no way. You didn¡¯t take it seriously, did you?"
"How about we try again tonight?"
"Get lost."
In the end, she didn¡¯t give Gu Heng¡¯s photo back...
Suddenly, she noticed two small Ultraman toys on a side cab next to the wardrobe. She walked over, picked one up in each hand, and teased him, "I wouldn¡¯t have guessed you were still so childlike. Holding onto Ultraman toys, huh?"
Gu Heng didn¡¯t react when Lin Ran took his photo, but his face changed when she picked up the Ultraman toys. He hurried over and snatched them from her hands...
The material of the Ultraman toys was of poor quality...
There were some rough edges here and there, and in his haste, Gu Heng had been too forceful, scratching Lin Ran¡¯s fair hand with a long, red mark, causing her to inhale sharply from the pain...
Gu Heng saw her hand and felt that his reaction was a bit over the top, but only after carefully cing them back where they were did he apologize, "Sorry."
Lin Ran wasn¡¯t some delicate princess and didn¡¯t dwell on such a scratch¡ªit would only hurt for a moment before healing soon after. Rather, she became more interested in Gu Heng¡¯s agitated behavior.
"What¡¯s up? Was this a token of love given to you by some childhood sweetheart?
Quite simple love symbols you had; loyalty tokens of Ultraman."
Gu Heng nced at her and said dryly, "Nonsense about a sweetheart. This was my childhood."
"What do you mean?"
"Just what it sounds like.
I had collected over forty Ultraman toys back then. I had all five colors of Ultraman Tiga. Everyone within ten miles knew me as the Ultraman prince. No exaggeration, when Ultraman Tiga was at its peak, I borrowed more ¡¯light¡¯ than everyone else in this townbined!
But damn it, it must have been that he borrowed too much light at once, leaving me with no light at all for the next decade or so."
Talking about this, Gu Heng was brimming with pride...
"Then why are there only two left here?"
"My dad threw them away; out of 45 Ultraman toys, only these two survived. And thesest two are only here because I hid them."
Gu Heng¡¯s offhandedment sent a chill through Lin Ran...
She could clearly sense the pride in Gu Heng¡¯s eyes vanish in an instant...
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"When were they thrown out?"
"During my senior year of high school."
"Why did he throw them away?"
"What else? My dad had high hopes for me; he wanted me to attend a good university. But I was ranked over 300 in my school, lucky to even get into amunity college, and I didn¡¯t want to study anymore.
Then my dad wanted me to bring him honor, so we argued.
In the end, he threw away all my collections in anger¡ªYu-Gi-Oh! cards, Ultraman toys, and A-shuaiics. That day marked the end of my childhood."
After finishing, he turned to look at the Ultraman toys on the table, smiling, "These two Ultraman toys are like fragments of my broken childhood memories, I guess."
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s carefree tone, Lin Ran fell silent...
She had been a model student excelling in both academics and character since childhood, plus her family was well-off, and her parents were enlightened...
She simply couldn¡¯t empathize with Gu Heng...
But she knew that if the same had happened to her, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to ept it...
This was the second time that Gu Heng had opened up about his childhood regrets to her, the first being in Wuzhen.
"Enough of this, why am I telling you so much? Let¡¯s get going."
With these words, Gu Heng pulled Lin Ran out of the room.
```
Chapter 124 - 94: A Firework Feast for You
"Be careful on the road and drive slowly!"
After Gu Heng and Lin Ran got into the car, Xu Hong stood by the car and softly instructed...
"Got it."
Seeing the worried look on his mother¡¯s face, Gu Heng was full of jealousy...
She had never been so gently cautious with him when he had gone on long trips before... Usually, it was all curses and warnings not to starve himself out there...
Now, he was just taking Lin Ran to the town, a mere 10-minute drive, and she was this worried...
Indeed...
His son was an ident, his daughter-inw was her true love...
With this thought, Gu Heng floored the elerator and drove straight into the distance, his speed surge of 0 to 100 kilometers in 3.8 seconds truly kicking up a cloud of dust...
"That jerk, definitely doing it on purpose!"
Xu Hong, startled by the speed, stomped her foot in the yard.
....
....
"Slow down a bit."
As the car left the vige and hit the main road, Lin Ran said softly from beside him.
"What¡¯s up? Scared?
Don¡¯t worry, the rural roads are well built these days, no worries there."
"No, I want to take a good look at the scenery outside. Also, I want to see what the ce where you grew up looks like."
Lin Ran, facing the window, responded faintly...
Hearing her answer, Gu Heng was stunned and couldn¡¯t help but retort, "What¡¯s there to see? I barely recognize it myself, it¡¯s changed so much over the years...
You¡¯re not getting addicted to ying my girlfriend, trying to make it real, are you?"
Despite his words, he gradually slowed down, and thendscape outside the car window began to clear.
Rolled down the window...
The cold night air rushed in, causing Lin Ran to shiver involuntarily, tightening her cor, but she did not close the window¡ªinstead, she leaned out curiously to look at the varied shapes of the small buildings along the road...
"These beautiful buildings were built in recent years, I hardly remember them.
But I remember those dpidated buildings like my own house quite clearly; there¡¯s a small temple up ahead. When I was a kid and didn¡¯t want to go home after school, I¡¯d always hide and y there."
"Why did you hide in the temple?"
Lin Ran turned her head, looking at Gu Heng with puzzlement.
The wind blowing through the car window tousled her hair, covering most of her exquisite face, but the half that was visible was still stunningly beautiful...
"When I was a kid, my mom hit me the most, though my dad rarely did.
But my mom is devout, and she thought if I was in the temple, the Bodhisattva would see her hitting me, which she felt would be disrespectful in front of the Bodhisattva.
By the time we got home, she usually didn¡¯t want to hit me anymore."
"Is your fear of your mom now because she hit you so much back then?"
"What else did you think? Childhood trauma, that¡¯s what! A minor beating every three days, a major one every five days. If I weren¡¯t tough, I don¡¯t know how I would have survived this long!"
As Lin Ran remembered the photos of Gu Heng¡¯s childhood and imagined how Xu Hong beat him, she couldn¡¯t help but break into a radiant smile...
Suddenly...
"Bang," an explosion sounded from afar...
Immediately after, a splendid firework burst into the night sky.
Gu Heng turned his head to look at Lin Ran...
Lin Ran¡¯s smile and the fireworks entered Gu Heng¡¯s eyes at the same time as if the scene froze at that second...
They stared at each other for a few seconds and, very in sync, both turned away...
Although the car fell silent, the sound of fireworks outside grew denser...
Countless fireworks rendered the night sky, already past eight o¡¯clock, as bright as day...
Seeing this sight, Lin Ran quickly tapped Gu Heng¡¯s arm and said, "Pull over quickly, I want to record this scene, hurry, hurry."
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As she said this, she rummaged through her bag for her video camera.
Gu Heng also considerately pulled over to the side.
After getting out of the car, Lin Ran held up the video camera, spinning around to capture the dazzling fireworks in the night sky.
"Do you guys set off fireworks like this every New Year¡¯s night?"
"Every night? What are you thinking, that everyone is made of money? You think what¡¯s being sent up into the sky is what? That¡¯s all money, alright. I won¡¯t speak for other ces, but just this town here, setting off fireworks like this could cost someone hundreds of thousands!
What family can afford to do this every night?"
"What¡¯s special about today, then?"
"Twenty-fourth of the Twelfth Lunar Month, Little New Year¡¯s Eve, huh? Don¡¯t you celebrate Little New Year?"
After Gu Heng finished speaking, Lin Ran couldn¡¯t help but retort, "Isn¡¯t Little New Year on the Twenty-third of the Twelfth Lunar Month? We celebrate it on the Twenty-third in Jinmen."
"That must be a north-south difference then; I heard that along the coast they even celebrate Little New Year on the twenty-fifth. Anyway, it¡¯s all more or less the same idea, just for the festive spirit."
After finishing, Gu Heng suddenly realized, looking incredulous, "You¡¯re from Jinmen?
Howe I¡¯ve never heard you speak with a Jinmen ent?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Ran¡¯s face involuntarily reddened, "Isn¡¯t it better to speak Mandarin?"
It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t want to speak in her hometown dialect; it¡¯s just that the Jinmen dialect is so recognizable¡ªonce spoken, it¡¯s unmistakablyical as if vored with stand-up. She cared quite a bit about her image, and except around family, she had never revealed her Jinmen dialect to strangers...
However, considering that Gu Heng had opened up so much around her, she didn¡¯t want to keep up appearances, smiling she said, "Do you want to hear it?"
Gu Heng, hearing this, eagerly replied, "Then could you recite the Menu for me¡ªthey include steamed bear paw, steamed deer tail, that sort of thing."
Lin Ran: "???"
"Do you think all people from Jinmen know how to perform stand-up?"
"Isn¡¯t that the case? I had a colleague who did deliveries, a big brother from Jinmen¡ªhe could rattle off stand-up routines at the drop of a hat; if you didn¡¯t know better, you¡¯d think he graduated from De Yun She."
Chapter 125 - 94: A Firework Feast for You_2
Lin Ran: "..."
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Not willing to deal with him any longer, Lin Ran nced at the camera¡¯s disy and let out a sigh of regret, "It¡¯s a pity. The fireworks are set off too far away. Otherwise, it would have made great Vlog material."
"What¡¯s wrong, this won¡¯t do?"
"It¡¯s not that it won¡¯t do, it¡¯s just too distant. It looks beautiful to us here, but the recorded effect is mediocre."
"That¡¯s easy to fix. Get in the car."
"What for?"
Before she finished speaking, Gu Heng had already pulled Lin Ran into the car, didn¡¯t answer, and just sped off towards town.
The journey that should have taken six or seven minutes was cut in half by Gu Heng¡¯s amateur racer driving skills, and they arrived in town.
Although it was called a town, it wasn¡¯t much more bustling than Gu Heng¡¯s ce¡ªreminiscent of the suburbs in the city years ago. But regardless, the ce was bustling.
Especially because of the Little New Year, many children were setting off firecrackers on the roadside...
From time to time, crispughter could be heard...
Gu Heng paid no attention to these scenes but stopped at the entrance of a fireworks wholesaler...
"Get out, get out..."
"What on earth are you doing?"
Lin Ran was a smart woman. Seeing that Gu Heng had brought her to a firework store, she had roughly guessed what Gu Heng was about to do, but she couldn¡¯t help asking.
"Never mind what I¡¯m doing. Hurry up and get out."
After that, Gu Heng got out of the car first and went straight into the fireworks store.
"Boss!"
As soon as he entered, Gu Heng called out loudly in dialect.
"Hey! What do you want to buy?"
"Do you still have fireworks for sale?"
The store owner stood up from the counter with a smile upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, "What kind of question is that? How could we not have fireworks during the New Year? Which ones are you interested in?"
"What kinds do you have?"
As the store owner spoke, he led Gu Heng to the ce where the fireworks were disyed, "Here they all are.
There are some that only make a bang for 20 yuan each, with no fireworks to show for it.
There are small fireworks for 60 yuan, and the big ones for 120 yuan."
Looking at the fireworks, Gu Heng frowned slightly with dissatisfaction, "Is this all? Don¡¯t you have the bigger type?"
"Yes, yes, yes! There¡¯s a kind that costs 400 yuan and makes 36 bangs. The fireworks from that one are so big that people in the neighboring county can see it!"
Ignoring the store owner¡¯s exaggerated sales pitch, Gu Heng asked, "Is 400 yuan the biggest you¡¯ve got?"
"That¡¯s the biggest. You won¡¯t find anyrger than that in the other shops around town, I guarantee."
Although still unsatisfied, Gu Heng nodded and said, "Then get me one of those 400 yuan ones."
The store owner loved doing business with young people who don¡¯t haggle over prices. If it had been older folks, they would have bargained endlessly. He quickly put on a broad smile and asked, "How many do you want?"
"How many do you have?"
The store owner was taken aback by Gu Heng¡¯s question...
This was the first time he¡¯d encountered someone shopping like this. Then he said, "I¡¯m a wholesaler. I can sell as many as you want."
"Alright then. For the 400 yuan ones, I¡¯ll take a hundred."
As soon as Gu Heng¡¯s casual words were uttered, the store owner gasped in shock...
"What¡¯s the matter?"
"A hundred might not be enough. That kind isn¡¯t an easy sell. I only ordered eighty to begin with, and have sold half. There are only about forty left..."
"Didn¡¯t you just say you could sell me as many as I want?"
"Well, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d want so many... You ask for a hundred right off the bat, and the biggest size, too. Even people whoe in to stock up for weddings or funerals don¡¯t buy that many..."
Gu Heng didn¡¯t want to squabble with the store owner, so he continued, "Then give me all the ones you have left, and top up the rest with the slightly smaller ones until you have a hundred. That will be enough, right?"
"Enough, enough, enough! But, young man, purchasing so many might be hard to transport. You would need a small truck to haul them. If you¡¯re not in a hurry, I can deliver them to your doorstep. Just give me an address, and I¡¯ll bring them to your ce tomorrow."
The owner¡¯s tone was even more polite than before, as he was about to close a substantial deal and even offered to deliver the goods to Gu Heng¡¯s doorstep.
But Gu Heng wasn¡¯t the least bit moved by this offer, waving his hand and saying, "Don¡¯t take them away."
"Not taking them? So you¡¯re not buying?"
The store owner thought Gu Heng was messing with him, and his tone rose sharply...
Customer service in the countryside is straightforward: they¡¯re nice to you if you¡¯re buying. If you aren¡¯t, they couldn¡¯t care less about you.
"When I say don¡¯t take them away, I mean set them off here!
Find some people to move the fireworks outside your store. I saw a big open space next door, just set them up there."
"No way, you¡¯re saying you¡¯re buying all these fireworks just to set off here for fun?"
Gu Heng was tired of the back-and-forth, impatiently saying, "Just tell me if you¡¯re selling or not. If you are, hurry up and give me the total."
"I¡¯ll sell, but you have to pay first. This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered someone purchasing like you.
40 units of the 400 yuan fireworkse to sixteen thousand, plus 60 of the 120 yuan ones make seven thousand two hundred. That¡¯s a total of twenty-three thousand two hundred. Just give me twenty-three thousand."
Hearing the price, Gu Heng scanned a QR code that the owner, with a suspicious look, pointed towards.
[WeChat payment received: Twenty-three thousand yuan]
Following the chime of the received payment from the phone, the store owner finally smiled and said, "Hold on, I¡¯ll call my son toe over."
"How long will it take?"
"Not long, my ce is just around the corner, they¡¯ll be here in two minutes."
....
....
Lin Ran had been standing at the entrance all along, listening to Gu Heng¡¯s conversation with the store owner. Watching Gu Heng walk out with aplicated expression, she said, "Actually, it wasn¡¯t necessary. The Vlog I shot was barely passable."
Chapter 126 - 94: A Fireworks Feast for You_3
Gu Heng pulled out a cigarette and was about to light it when he saw the room full of firecrackers and fireworks, so he had to walk a few steps forward, leaving the range of the fireworks store before lighting it, then nced at her and said, "No way, no way, you don¡¯t think I bought all these fireworks just to show you, do you?"
Lin Ran didn¡¯t say anything, just stared straight into Gu Heng¡¯s eyes.
This time, Gu Heng was the first to yield...
But he still stubbornly said, "I¡¯ve had this idea since I was a kid.
You know those small fireworks tubes?"
"What small fireworks tubes?"
"The kind you hold in your hand, light it, and after lifting it, it just ¡¯whooosh¡¯ ¡¯pop¡¯ goes up into the sky, much smaller than fireworks."
"And then?"
"When I was a kid, I used to love setting these off, but when it came time to prepare for the New Year¡¯s goods, my dad usually only bought me one pack, and a pack had just ten of them.
These ten I still had to save for the New Year¡¯s celebration.
Back then I swore, when I grew up and had money, I¡¯d buy a hundred big fireworks and set them all off at once! So now you know, huh? Making a Vlog for you was just incidental; I just wanted to fulfill my childhood dream!"
"You had quite a few dreams as a kid, did you n to aplish them one by one?"
Gu Heng took a deep breath of smoke, exhaling rings one after another, and said faintly, "Where can all be aplished? If I think of it, I satisfy myself; if not, I let it go.
Even now that I can, it doesn¡¯t have the same feeling as when I was a kid. A poor family¡¯s child, even dreaming of legitimately farting was a dream.
Back then, I also dreamed of eating KFC every day; now, not to mention eating it daily, even opening a store and serving only myself would be doable, but what¡¯s the point?"
Lin Ran remained silent...
...
While the two were chatting, the shop owner along with his wife, son, grandson, and a big family of over a dozen people, had ced all one hundred of the fireworks on the open ground.
Panting, the owner walked up to Gu Heng, smiling broadly, and said, "Young man, all the fireworks are ready for you."
During the conversation, he couldn¡¯t help but nce a few more times at Lin Ran...
No wonder Gu Heng could afford to spend over twenty thousand on fireworks for fun...
If he had such a beautiful girlfriend in his younger days, he too would have been willing to splurge like this...
"Boss, if it¡¯s not too much trouble, can you help me light them? With these hundred fireworks, it¡¯ll take me forever alone¡"
Having earned quite a sum from Gu Heng, the owner didn¡¯t hesitate and smiled, "Okay!"
Then he turned to his sons and grandchildren, "Don¡¯t hurry back home; let¡¯s help this young man get these fireworks going, he can¡¯t manage them alone."
The owner¡¯s grandsons and granddaughters, all teenagers, upon hearing this immediately jumped up in excitement and hurried inside to grab some lighters...
A few minutester...
Gu Heng and the owner¡¯s family all stood in front of their assigned fireworks...
With one hundred fireworks and over ten people, each person only had to fire about seven or eight...
Gu Heng plucked the half-smoked cigarette from his lips and called out to Lin Ran, who wasn¡¯t far away, "Are you ready?!"
"Yep, ready!"
Lin Ran held up the camera, nodding like a pecking chicken.
Gu Heng took a deep breath, then gave themand to the owner¡¯s family, "Start!"
Having spoken, he shakily stretched the cigarette end toward the fuse...
"Ssszzzz~"
The fuse was quickly ignited, and Gu Heng ran to the next firework, repeating the process...
"Whoo~"
"Bang~"
As the first firework soared into the sky, the subsequent fireworks continuously burst into the night sky...
A fireworks disy might seem mundane when done alone, but one hundred fireworks set off together were absolutely spectacr, turning the night almost into day with their countless blooms...
Many people who were at home watching TV came out upon hearing such loud explosions, taking out their phones to capture it...
After finishing the fireworks assigned to him, Gu Heng threw away the cigarette butt and quickly ran up to Lin Ran, shouting, "Did you get that on film?!"
"Got it!"
"Good."
After saying this, Gu Heng looked up at the sky fireworks, his mouth curving into a smile, a series of "woo-hoos" screamed out from his mouth...
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Lin Ran, watching Gu Hengughing like a child, could not resist turning the camera to Gu Heng¡¯s side face...
[The host gifted a beautiful woman a grand fireworks disy, simultaneously fulfilling a childhood dream and indulging heartily. Reward: 1.8 million yuan, bnce: 81.3 million yuan.]
Lin Ran had seen fireworks disys...
But those costing tens to hundreds of millions paled inparison to tonight¡¯s...
This time, it was exclusively hers.
Chapter 127 - 95 Regretful Ex-girlfriend
On the 26th of thest month of the lunar calendar...
Just before 8 a.m., Gu Heng was rudely awakened by a phone call...
"Hengzi!"
Answering the call, Gu Heng heard the anxious voice of Li Feng on the other end...
"What¡¯s wrong?"
"Did you fucking forget something?!"
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Forget something?
Gu Heng groggily checked his phone, then realized it wasn¡¯t even 8 yet and confusedly said, "Aren¡¯t we supposed to fetch the bride at nine? It¡¯s not even eight now, what¡¯s the rush?"
No sooner had he spoken than Li Feng¡¯s roar came through.
"I said to fetch the bride at nine! That means you should be at my wife¡¯s house by nine! Not that you should fucking get up at nine!!!"
"I¡¯ve got the whole wedding motorcade here except for your car leading the way! If I don¡¯t see that Bentley of yours outside my house within 20 minutes, you¡¯d better be ready for me toe smash your windows!!"
Even through the phone, Li Feng¡¯s voice was powerful enough to make Gu Heng¡¯s ears ring... One could only imagine how agitated he was feeling right now...
After being yelled at by Li Feng a few times, even the drowsy Gu Heng had be somewhat more alert...
"Alright, alright, I know you¡¯re anxious, but just calm down for a second.
I¡¯m getting out of bed now and will be at your ce in 20 minutes at most."
With Gu Heng¡¯s assurance, Li Feng finally hung up...
Being the groom, he had a lot to deal with today and couldn¡¯t keep hounding Gu Heng, so he could only hope that Gu Heng would be reliable...
After hanging up, fighting the urge to crawl back into bed for a few more minutes of sleep, Gu Heng vaulted out of bed, dashed into the bathroom to ssh his face with cold water, and finally felt a bit more awake...
After spending two or three minutes freshening up, he pushed open the door of the hotel room and walked straight out...
Before leaving, Gu Heng nced at the room next door, contemting whether to wake Lin Ran as well, but after a brief consideration, he decided against it...
He wasn¡¯t sure if Lin Ran liked these kinds of events.
And besides, he¡¯d taken her around Qing¡¯an for the entire day yesterday, exploring every ce worth seeing. The two of them had also battled it out in bed for several hours. Given how his own physical stamina was nearly drained, let alone Lin Ran, a woman.
There was no need to disrupt her sweet dreams...
Thinking this, Gu Heng immediately headed downstairs to the hotel lobby...
...
...
20 minutester.
When Gu Heng¡¯s Bentley Flying Spur came to a stop in front of the gate, all eyes in the courtyard turned towards it...
The rarity of a Bentley appearing in the countryside was much higher than that of a wedding itself...
Stepping out of the car at a leisurely pace and seeing Li Feng, who was busy enough to start steaming from his head in the cold winter, Gu Heng was just about to greet him with a ssy ¡¯Happy Wedding¡¯ when Li Feng dragged him aside and said anxiously, "Your best man suit is on the bed in my bridal chamber, go change into it quickly!"
Saying this, he hastily directed the helpers, "Hurry, hurry, hurry, decorate this wedding car, set it up as the lead car."
Seeing that Gu Heng was still standing there motionless, Li Feng looked at him and said, "Don¡¯t tell me you think you¡¯re done by just driving the wedding car and picking up the bride, and then you can rx and enjoy the banquet?
Think again! Today you¡¯re the best man, and it¡¯s all on you towork with the folks at the bride¡¯s side, your old ssmates!"
Gu Heng: "???"
.....
.....
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Compared to Li Feng¡¯s urgency, the bride Zhao Fang was leisurely sitting on the bed, dressed in a traditional Chinese bridal outfit, chatting away.
Three bridesmaids in blue cheongsams were seated around her.
Two of the bridesmaids were fairly average-looking, one fat, one thin, typical vige girls...
But the third bridesmaid looked quite different from the other two...
Long hair draped over her shoulders, her face adorned with a simple bridesmaid makeup...
Though her makeup and dress were very in, her delicate features nearly eclipsed the bride¡¯s radiance...
"Fangfang, time flies so fast. It feels like it hasn¡¯t been many years since we graduated from high school, and now you¡¯re getting married..."
The thin bridesmaid said with emotion as she sat beside Zhao Fang.
"What do you mean ¡¯fast¡¯? It¡¯s been six years, and I¡¯ve been dating Li Feng for seven years.
At first, I thought we were both young and could have fun for a couple more years, but now there¡¯s a baby inside my belly. It¡¯s about time to get married, or it wouldn¡¯t look good..."
As she said this, Zhao Fang¡¯s face beamed with happiness as she gently caressed her gradually swelling belly...
"Mengxue has it easy, sitting in an office andfortably making over ten thousand a month now. We graduated the same year, and I¡¯m still just a nobody in a smallpany, earning only five to six thousand a month. I have no idea when I¡¯ll get ahead..."
No sooner had the thin bridesmaid spoken, than the plump one chimed in.
"How can you evenpare yourself to Mengxue? She¡¯s a high-achiever from a 211 university, whereas you majored in an obscure subject at a second-tier school.
But the most pitiful one isn¡¯t you, it¡¯s me... If I¡¯d known how hard it is to make it in society, I would¡¯ve insisted on going to a good university no matter what. How could I have stopped studying right after high school? Graduating from a good university would¡¯ve at least allowed me to join a decentpany.
Even finding a boyfriend would¡¯ve been a bit easier!
Now, I¡¯m just screwing parts in a Suzhou factory, surrounded by guys from the countryside like me. Dreaming of buying a house in the city is just that, a dream ¨C I¡¯m not interested...
Sitting nearby, Li Mengxue listened to their envious tones. Though she didn¡¯t speak, the faint smile curving her lips betrayed her contentment.
She was incredibly grateful for her past efforts...
Had she not been diligent in her studies back then, she could have been the one sitting there, full of envy...
But at that moment, the bride Zhao Fang¡¯s voice rose again.
"What¡¯s wrong with just finishing high school? Isn¡¯t my husband a high school graduate? He works hard with cars and can earn more than twenty thousand a month, which is much better than me, a primary school teacher. Anyone can make it no matter if they only finished high school."
Chapter 128 - 95 Regretful Ex-Girlfriend_2
You know my husband¡¯s brother Gu Heng, right? He only graduated from high school too.
Now he¡¯s driving a 4 million Bentley, has bought an over 10 million luxurious t in Hang City, and today he¡¯sing back home ready to spend another 5 million to build a vi for his parents!"
Having said this, she turned her head to Li Mengxue and said, "Mengxue, I remember you dated Gu Heng for a year in high school, right? Are you still in touch with him? If not, you better get in touch! His worth probably makes him the richest man in our town now!
Your looks now are ten times better than they were in high school, aren¡¯t they?
Plus, you two had a history, maybe just a little contact and the old me could reignite."
Hearing Zhao Fang¡¯s words, Li Mengxue¡¯s face, which had been quite indifferent, suddenly stiffened...
Although she hadn¡¯t been in contact with Gu Heng, she never deleted him from WeChat, and she had evenmented on his Moments a while back...
At that time, she had seen that Bentley in his Moments too, but she always thought it was just a picture he had stolen from the inte to show off...
You can¡¯t me her for thinking that way...
Among the graduates of their senior year, although she wasn¡¯t the top of the top, she was still pretty up there, but now even buying a 300,000 car for herself would take another two years of saving.
Gu Heng went to work right after high school graduation, how could he afford a Bentley?
She had never even considered if Gu Heng was a rich second generation.
She knew all too well about Gu Heng¡¯s family situation; the first time they booked a room together, she was the one who paid...
"A 4 million Bentley? And an over 10 million t? That must be bullshit, right?
There are so many people nowadays who don¡¯t do well outside ande back home trying to impress others. That Bentley could very well be rented. Last year, there was someone from our vige who rented an Audi A7, and when the car got into an ident, the rentalpany came straight to his door, nearly drove his parents to their wit¡¯s end."
If Zhao Fang was talking about a car worth a few hundred thousand, they could still believe it, since although it was a rural area, there were better-off families. Biting the bullet to buy a BMW 5 Series or a Mercedes E-ss was doable.
But a 4 million Bentley...
That was beyond their imaginations...
Upon hearing these words, Li Mengxue nced at the plump bridesmaid and couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful to her in her heart...
What a good sister!
She had been elevating and ttering her earlier, and now she was speaking up for her.
What she said was exactly what Li Mengxue wanted to say, but Li Mengxue, who felt she had left the rural circle behind, still needed to maintain her image. If she said it herself, wouldn¡¯t it seem too narrow-minded...
Zhao Fang scoffed at the bridesmaid¡¯s words: "Rented? My husband has seen the green book for that car, and it has Gu Heng¡¯s name written all over it!
Also, when he went to the city to find a constructionpany, my husband was with him, and he gave the 50,000 yuan deposit just like that. Do you really think someone would be crazy enough to spend 50,000 yuan just to show off to friends?"
As someone who had been love-struck for seven years with Li Feng, she wasn¡¯t rebutting for Gu Heng, but for her own husband...
She wasn¡¯t close to Gu Heng, but she trusted Li Fengpletely; if her husband said Gu Heng was a millionaire, then he surely was!
The two bridesmaids, listening to Zhao Fang¡¯s firm tone, had no choice but to reluctantly believe her...
The plump bridesmaid also took Li Mengxue¡¯s arm and said, "Mengxue, did you hear that? Your ex-boyfriend is at least a millionaire. Why not chase him back? If I had an ex who was a millionaire, I¡¯d be clinging to him every day now!
It¡¯s so hard to find rich men these days! You really can¡¯t miss this chance!"
The slim bridesmaid, who wasn¡¯t as close to Li Mengxue, managed to suppress her envy and said, "Why do all the good things fall on Mengxue¡¯s head? Beautiful, did well in school, has a good job after entering society.
And now even the boyfriends she¡¯s had are so good...
Why does the gap between people have to be so huge..."
This time, Li Mengxue didn¡¯t feel a bit happy hearing their ttery...
Speaking of whether Li Mengxue still had feelings for Gu Heng?
Li Mengxue could assert that she did.
But those feelings definitely weren¡¯t because of so-called love...
After all, she had dumped Gu Heng almost six years ago, how could there still be such thing as love...
The main reason was actually because Gu Heng was her first man, the first person she had given herself to... people always ce more importance on their first time...
Besides that, nothing.
Moreover, in the past six years, she had never once regretted breaking up with Gu Heng.
The reason was simple...
When she was in university, she gradually became addicted to the hustle and bustle of the big city. After all, like most children from rural areas, her wish since childhood was to enter the big city and be somebody important...
If Gu Heng had been able to go to university, even if it meant a long-distance rtionship, perhaps she could have held on for a while.
But what about Gu Heng?
He went straight to work during the summer holidays, and furthermore, in a factory...
When Gu Heng excitedly told her that he had received his first month¡¯s sry of 3750 yuan, Li Mengxue didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit happy for Gu Heng; on the contrary, she had already started to think about breaking up...
It wasn¡¯t until she was at university and a roommate bragged about her handbag costing several thousand and a lipstick costing hundreds, that she confirmed this was the life she wanted.
And that life was definitely something Gu Heng couldn¡¯t give her.
So, she broke up with Gu Heng without hesitation.
And while breaking up, she used various words to belittle Gu Heng and even dered that from then on, they belonged to two different worlds...
After all, from the perspective back then, a factory worker who screwed on caps after graduating high school and a talented student from a prestigious university indeed seemed toe from two different worlds...
And indeed, she had made it. Now she was a city white-cor worker earning more than ten thousand a month, moving step by step towards the goals she set for herself all those years ago. The men around her were ten times, a hundred times better than Gu Heng had been back then.
But unexpectedly, in just a few years, Gu Heng had actually made something of himself?
Had she really misjudged him in the past?
Thinking of this, Li Mengxue felt more ufortable than if she were crawling with ants...
She could only secretly hope in her heart that Gu Heng was just puffing himself up to appear grand...
...
As the group continued chatting, a series of firecrackers sounded outside the door, and Zhao Fang¡¯s mother came in with a few family members, all smiles, saying, "Li Feng¡¯s family has arrived, Fangfang, hurry up and put on your clothes. It¡¯s time to go to his house."
They didn¡¯t have the tradition of blocking the door to collect red envelopes. Usually, when the groom¡¯s car convoy arrived, the bride¡¯s family members would simply get in the cars.
Moreover, Li Feng¡¯s home and Zhao Fang¡¯s were in neighboring towns, only about a fifteen-minute drive apart. Returning to her parents¡¯ home was just a matter of moments. Zhao Fang, who had long since given her whole heart to Li Feng, was filled with nothing but joy and didn¡¯t consider clinging to her mother and crying...
As the sound of firecrackers grew closer, Zhao Fang, along with Li Mengxue and the other bridesmaids, stood by the gate of the courtyard.
While Zhao Fang looked on in anticipation, a pale blue Bentley emerged through the smoke of the firecrackers, leading the way into everyone¡¯s sight...
"Wow, the groom¡¯s family is really generous! That must have cost quite a bit to rent a Bentley to lead the procession!"
"So impressive, so impressive! Being ostentatious means they value our Fangfang; she won¡¯t suffer after marrying into their family!"
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Listening to thements around her, Zhao Fang couldn¡¯t stop grinning and started to show off, "It¡¯s not rented! The car belongs to a friend of my Li Feng!"
Connections are also a way to show off, aren¡¯t they?
Otherwise, why would some people always brag, "I know so-and-so"?
"Li Feng is so aplished? He even knows someone who drives a Bentley?"
Listening to Zhao Fang boast to the neighbors and rtives with such certainty, Li Mengxue¡¯s heart tasted even more bitterness...
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The tacky stic flowers in no way diminished the prestige of the Bentley Flying Spur; as it came to a smooth stop, it was still the most eye-catching position in the wedding car procession...
"Fangfang! I¡¯m here to pick you up!"
As soon as the car stopped, Li Feng hurried out from the back seat.
Zhao Fang wasn¡¯t shy at all, she just let go of her mother¡¯s hand and rushed forward to embrace him.
All eyes were on the newlyweds, except for Li Mengxue...
Her gaze settled on Gu Heng, who was stepping down from the driver¡¯s seat, dressed in a groomsmen¡¯s suit...
Looking at his calm demeanor, so different from the Gu Heng of years ago...
A sentiment called "regret" began to grow slowly in Li Mengxue¡¯s heart...
Chapter 129 - 96 Does He Really Have a Girlfriend?! (Two in One Mega Chapter)
Gu Heng also saw Li Mengxue.
Their gazes met instantly.
There was no helping it...
Amid a crowd of ordinary faces, Li Mengxue¡¯s delicate face was just too striking...
There¡¯s a saying that¡¯s quite true.
Women change a lot when they grow from girls to women.
Women in their twenties are at their most charming stage, having both the youth of a girl and the grace of a young woman... Compared to her greenness at eighteen, the difference was just too significant...
If it had been the Gu Heng of the past, seeing Li Mengxue¡¯s face, which he couldn¡¯t get over in his youth, he probably would have lost hisposure...
But now...
It seemed like he felt nothing.
Li Mengxue was indeed beautiful, but her beauty was only rtive to that of ordinary people.
Compared to Lin Jiayun, He Jing, and Lin Ran, she was still a tier lower. He was now used to eating high-ss steaks; who would reminisce about the wild pork they had eaten before?
That would be degrading!
Thinking this, Gu Heng merely nodded towards her, a casual indication...
Neither warm nor cold, as if she were an ordinary friend he hadn¡¯t contacted in many years.
And Li Mengxue, having seen that look in Gu Heng¡¯s eyes, couldn¡¯t help but tremble in her heart...
If Gu Heng were still down and out as before, she probably would have proudly lifted her head, feeling fortunate about her past decision, then walked past Gu Heng with poise and grace...
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
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But now the situation waspletely reversed...
How does that saying go?
It¡¯s not scary to meet with an ex; it¡¯s only awkward for the one who is worse off...
The words she had spoken when dumping Gu Heng, fueled by the passage of time, had finally turned into ps that loudly hit her face, making it burn red.
Just as Li Mengxue deliberately avoided Gu Heng¡¯s gaze, Zhao Fang had already left Li Feng¡¯s embrace and grabbed Li Mengxue¡¯s hand, saying, "Mengxue,e sit in this car with me!"
Saying so, she pulled Li Mengxue to the passenger side door of the Bentley Flying Spur without waiting for a reply.
Li Mengxue made a symbolic struggle... but it was just symbolic; Zhao Fang barely used any force, and Li Mengxue had obediently seated herself...
She also wanted to know if Gu Heng really had no feelings for her anymore...
If there was even a slight chance, she nned to try again with Gu Heng. Just like the bridesmaid said before, rich men were scarce nowadays, and everyone around her was just an ordinary sry earner, the highest ie being only tens of thousands a month.
In the eyes of ordinary people, such an ie was already quite good, but it was far from meeting Li Mengxue¡¯s standards for choosing a spouse...
Zhao Fang knew Li Mengxue was the kind of person who valued appearances and didn¡¯t expose her; after all, she pulled Li Mengxue to the passenger side to create a chance for her best friend to get close to Gu Heng.
Li Feng also knew his wife¡¯s intentions, and as he also wanted Gu Heng to shed his bachelor status, both of them tacitly sat in the back without speaking.
As for Gu Heng...
He was aware of the intentions of Li Feng and his wife.
But his feelings for Li Mengxue were now even stranger than those for a stranger; to put it bluntly, his impressions of Yu Han, with whom he had been intimately entangled just two days before, were deeper than hers.
So he had no objections at all, and without a word, he took the driver¡¯s seat, acting as the chauffeur.
....
....
"Hengzi, first take Fangfang to my house, cross a threshold, and after my parents give the changing mouth fee, let¡¯s go straight to the city. The hotel already called me; our wedding banquet is from 11 AM to 2:30 PM."
"OK."
Nowadays, even rural people rarely hold weddings in their hometown; most opt for hotels that specialize in hosting weddings.
Although it is a bit more expensive, it is more presentable.
A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so naturally, they try their best to make it more ceremonious...
Li Mengxue sat in the passenger seat looking at Gu Heng¡¯s profile, hesitated for a long time, and was just about to speak when Gu Heng¡¯s phone suddenly rang...
Seeing the caller ID on the phone screen, Gu Heng quickly maneuvered the steering wheel with one hand and brought the phone to his ear.
"Is this Gu Heng, Mr. Gu? I am Zhang Yong, Xu Song¡¯s agent; we contacted each other yesterday."
"Yes."
"We have already received your deposit of 400,000. Xu Song is now ready at the Qing¡¯an Grand Hotel. Do you have time for a meeting now? Also, could you settle the remaining 400,000 final payment?"
Hearing the voice on the phone discussing money, Gu Heng not only didn¡¯t feel the slightest annoyance but rather felt a sense of relief.
He promptly responded, "Then please wait for me at the hotel, I should be able to arrive within an hour."
"Good, I¡¯ve already brought the contract. It is drafted ording to our discussion yesterday. You just need to confirm it."
"OK."
After a short conversation, Gu Heng hung up the phone.
Inviting Xu Song to Li Feng¡¯s wedding was a spur-of-the-moment decision...
It was mainly because he had thought a lot yesterday about how to make Li Feng¡¯s wedding memorable.
Whether it was giving a red packet of 888,888... gifting a luxury car... or a wedding house...
But in the end, he rejected all these ideas...
The reason was simple; it wasn¡¯t that he was reluctant, but such gifts wouldn¡¯t deepen their rtionship, and might even turn a friend into an enemy. Gu Heng had heard plenty of such stories growing up around him.
There were not many friends he could confide in; he didn¡¯t want to test so-called human nature.
Plus, he was only Li Feng¡¯s "dad" in name, not his biological father.
He thought it best to let him handle such matters of housing and vehicles himself.
Chapter 130 - 96 Does He Really Have a Girlfriend?! (Two in One Mega Chapter)_2
It was ultimately Lin Ran who reminded him to ask Gu Heng if he wanted to hire a celebrity, perhaps a singer to perform a couple of songs at the wedding...
This would not only give Li Feng face but also build up his own reputation without causing too much entanglement of interests between the two...
As an executive of a Fortune 500pany, Lin Ran had a pretty goodwork. In just a few hours, he managed to get contact information for several celebrity and singer agents...
Gu Heng inquired about almost seven or eight of them.
Either their schedules were full, or the notice was too short for them to make it.
Only a singer like Xu Song, who was neither very famous nor obscure and didn¡¯t have many engagements, agreed right away.
And coincidentally, Xu Song hailed from Hui¡¯an and was currently spending the New Year at his hometown in Lu Zhou. It would take just over an hour to drive to Qing¡¯an City.
In the end, with Lin Ran¡¯s bargaining skills, they agreed on a price of 800,000 yuan.
The gig was 40 minutes long, for five songs...
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.....
"Who is that, Hengzi? You¡¯re making such a big move, and you have to go to the hotel to see him in person?"
As Gu Heng hung up the phone, Li Feng, with Zhao Fang in his arms, teased with augh.
Gu Heng didn¡¯t n to tell him right then and brushed him off with, "Just a friend of mine. He said he¡¯sing over to y for a couple of days and asked me to meet him."
"Okay, butter you should invite him to the wedding too. Your friend is my friend, right?"
Listening to Li Feng¡¯s words, Gu Heng replied with a secretive smile, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely bring him to your wedding.
And you know him, too."
"I know him? Who is it?"
"You¡¯ll know when he gets here."
Talking as he went, Gu Heng then dialed Lin Ran¡¯s number again, "Are you up yet?"
In the car, Li Feng and Li Mengxue turned their heads subconsciously upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s gentle voice...
Li Feng had never seen Gu Heng talk to anyone like that over the years...
As for Li Mengxue, it was a woman¡¯s intuition...
Her intuition told her that the person on the phone with Gu Heng was definitely a woman...
"Just woke up..."
On the phone, Lin Ran yawned. Her voice was hazy and soft,cking any trace of a strong businesswoman...
"As long as you¡¯re awake. I¡¯ll send you an address,e pick me up, and we¡¯ll head to the city together. That person you helped me book yesterday has already arrived."
"He¡¯s there, so why don¡¯t you go? You pay him, he performs, simple as that. Why do you need me to go?"
"I¡¯m just afraid of getting scammed. Besides, you helped me contact him, shouldn¡¯t you follow through as a good Samaritan?"
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s roguish tone, Lin Ran couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, continuing, "Even if you¡¯re scammed, it¡¯s only 800,000 yuan. Are you short of that much money? Don¡¯t you trust my connections? I personally asked someone for the contact info; how could it be fake?"
"Enough talk, are youing or not?"
Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire
"Fine, I¡¯ll wash up, do my makeup, and head over. Send me the address on WeChat."
After speaking, Lin Ran hung up before Gu Heng could continue the conversation...
Gu Heng was ustomed to this straightforward way of interacting with Lin Ran and tucked his phone back into his pocket, humming a tune as he focused on driving...
But this incident indeed served as a wake-up call for him. As his wealth slowly grew, every little thing he did seemed to involve tens or hundreds of thousands of yuan. It was time to hire a personalwyer¡ªdealing with affairs like this by himself was getting too exhausting...
.....
Li Mengxue had wanted to find an opportunity to speak to Gu Heng, but from the moment he got in the car, he was busy on the phone and didn¡¯t spare her a nce...
Although she knew that Gu Heng probably no longer had any feelings for her, the persistent part of her adjusted her emotions, preparing to make another initiative...
Even if humbling herself to her ex-boyfriend, whom she had once kicked to the curb, felt humiliating...
But she couldn¡¯t help it...
Gu Heng¡¯s posture while driving the Bentley with one hand was just too cool...
But just as she was about to speak, Gu Heng seemed to preempt her intentions and said to Li Feng, "Fengzi, after I drop you off at home, my girlfriend will pick me up to go downtown.
I won¡¯t take the car, just find someone to drive itter."
Interrupted once more by Gu Heng, Li Mengxue nearly burst an internal organ in frustration...
She could only muster an awkward smile, listening to their conversation...
"No way! Who dares to drive this thing? What if it gets scratched? Who¡¯s going to take the responsibility for that?"
"If no one wants to drive, just do it yourself. Anyway, I¡¯m leaving the car with you."
"You son of a..."
Li Feng wanted to scold him some more, but he suddenly caught on to the key word in Gu Heng¡¯s statement, puzzled, "Girlfriend? When did you get a girlfriend, kiddo? Howe I didn¡¯t know about this? Could it be that you¡¯re jealous of me getting married and made up a girlfriend out of thin air?"
As he said this, Li Feng nced at Li Mengxue with the corner of his eye and saw her feigned smile...
"I don¡¯t have the free time to lie to you. You¡¯ll meet herter."
This time, Li Mengxue no longer had any desire to catch up with Gu Heng...
Whether Gu Heng truly had a girlfriend or was making one up as Li Feng suggested,
The answer was pretty clear...
He was telling her not to harbor any unrealistic thoughts...
In fact, that was exactly what Gu Heng meant.
....
....
Ten minutester.
Gu Heng parked the car outside Li Feng¡¯s house,
And as he got out, he saw many faces he couldn¡¯t name but still found familiar...
"Damn, Gu Heng, you¡¯re actually driving a Bentley? When Li Feng was chatting with me the other day, I thought he was bullshitting!"
"That¡¯s a Bentley Flying Spur, right? Thending price has got to be at least 3 million, right?"
Chapter 131 - 96 Does He Really Have a Girlfriend?! (Two in One Mega Chapter)_3
```
"You must be the most sessful one from our high school ss 7 by now, right?"
Listening to these words filled with either envy or ttery, Gu Heng gradually remembered these people...
They were all ssmates from back then...
Hearing the ttery, Gu Heng just gave them a faint smile as a greeting, not showing much enthusiasm.
The rtionship between ssmates is the least valuable in the spectrum of human connections, and having returned to the vige for these few days, Gu Heng had grown tired of putting on airs.
But they didn¡¯t care...
It¡¯s human nature to be drawn to power and sess...
Even though Gu Heng seemed so detached, people still crowded around him, trying to rub shoulders with him...
For a while, Li Feng, the supposed star of today, was left out in the cold...
But he didn¡¯t mind at all.
Listening to the cost-free ttery being heaped on Gu Heng, Li Feng genuinely felt happy for him...
Many of them didn¡¯t believe Gu Heng could afford a Bentley, but no one voiced their doubts, resulting in unified, harmonious praise.
This was the norm... In social interactions, only idiots with no EQ would openly question others. Normal people would either stay indifferent or participate in sycophancy, lifting you higher when everyone else does.
And they¡¯ll be the first to kick you when you¡¯re downed by others.
Suddenly, someone spotted Li Mengxue getting out of the passenger seat and quickly someone eximed, "Holy shit, Li Mengxue?
I remember you two dated in high school, it¡¯s been seven years. You guys must be close to having your wedding right?
Li Mengxue is still so beautiful, Gu Heng, you lucky bastard!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng, who had been quietly listening in, finally spoke up.
"Don¡¯t talk nonsense, I have a girlfriend.
I broke up with Li Mengxue almost six years ago, she¡¯s the bridesmaid today, and I just gave her a ride here."
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
The person who misstepped with ttery could only offer an awkward smile in response...
As for Li Mengxue, upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s firm denial, she could only walk away with a forced, open-minded smile while mingling with the crowd...
At this moment, a red BMW drove from afar, stirring up a trail of dust beforeing to a smooth stop outside the courtyard, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.
The car window slowly rolled down...
Lin Ran¡¯s exquisitely beautiful face was revealed to everyone...
Li Mengxue, previously praised by everyone, was not even on the same level...
She waspletely overshadowed¡
As everyone was quietly specting who Lin Ran was, her cool voice suddenly broke the silence.
"Gu Heng, get in."
Gu Heng felt grateful at her words...
If she hadn¡¯t arrived in such a timely manner, he would probably have been annoyed to death by these old ssmates whose names he couldn¡¯t even recall...
He then tossed his car keys to Li Feng, saying, "Fengzi, I¡¯m heading out first, I¡¯ll see you at the hotelter."
After repeating the same message to his old ssmates, he got into the passenger seat of the BMW...
Without dallying, Lin Ran hit the gas pedal, taking Gu Heng away from the sight of the crowd...
Leaving a bunch of old ssmates still confused in ce...
Both Li Feng and Li Mengxue had the same thought cross their minds...
He really has a girlfriend?!!!
...
"Who was the woman standing next to you just now?"
After Gu Heng gave the address, Lin Ran casually asked as she drove ording to the GPS.
"Ex-girlfriend."
Hearing these words, Lin Ran felt a tinge of difort, "You have low standards. She¡¯s not evenparable to Fang Xun."
When Lin Ran mentioned Fang Xun, Gu Hengughed awkwardly...
After all, with Lin Ran¡¯s intelligence, it was impossible for her not to know that he had slept with Fang Xun...
He could only try to change the subject, "What¡¯s the matter, jealous?"
Caught by the question, Lin Ran paused... then quickly denied it, "You¡¯re overestimating me. With their level, it¡¯s impossible to make me jealous."
After speaking, feeling something was amiss, she hastily added, "And why would I be jealous?"
Listening to Lin Ran¡¯s contradictory words, Gu Heng just smiled...
People...
Everyone has their ws...
One can hardly talk about Lin Ran¡¯s capabilities; being a young executive at a sizeablepany speaks for itself.
But when ites to experience in love, she is simpler and more naive than an ordinary teenage girl... unable to hide her true feelings...
If he were a man with a conscience, perhaps Lin Ran would be the best choice for the other half...
But unfortunately...
He was a bastard without a conscience...
He admitted he had a good feeling about Lin Ran, but to give up the whole forest for one big tree seemed impossible...
If he were to be a righteous man with correct principles, wouldn¡¯t the system be a waste?
With that thought, Gu Heng very honestly shut his mouth, not wanting to delve any deeper¡
Lin Ran also noticed Gu Heng¡¯s change and felt slightly disappointed, quietly driving the car...
....
....
Half an hourter.
The BMW 5 Series stopped in front of the Qing¡¯an Grand Hotel.
After asking which room Xu Song was in, Gu Heng directly led Lin Ran upstairs.
After knocking on the door, a slick-looking middle-aged man ushered the two inside.
"Are you Mr. Gu and Miss Lin?"
Gu Heng and Lin Ran nodded simultaneously.
Seeing the key yers, Zhang Yong quickly smiled, "Please,e in and have a seat, Xu Song is just warming up for his performance."
With that, he led them to the suite¡¯s adjoining small living room.
```
Chapter 132 - 96 Does He Really Have a Girlfriend?! (Two in One Mega Chapter)_4
Zhang Yong hadn¡¯t lied; Xu Song was indeed warming up his voice by producing a series of strange sybles...
"Sorry for the inconvenience, our Xu Song takes music very seriously, treating even a regrmercial performance with dedication. Please forgive us if this seems neglectful..."
He then interrupted Xu Song: "Xiaosong, stop practicing, the guests who invited us for themercial performance are here."
The Xu Song before him was exactly like the one on TV and smartphones, slim in figure, wearing sses, and looking refined and cultured...
Continue your saga on empire
To be honest...
When he stepped into the room, Gu Heng was very excited...
He had never seen a celebrity in person before; after all, with his living conditions, a concert ticket costing hundreds, thousands was too extravagant...
Especially since Xu Song was the youth icon for their generation of people born in the 90s and 00s...
But now, seeing Xu Song in the flesh, the excitement Gu Heng felt inside him dissipated, leaving him exceptionally indifferent...
He himself couldn¡¯t understand why he felt this change...
"Mr. Gu, Mr. Lin, hello."
Faced with Xu Song¡¯s greeting, Lin Ran¡¯s response was particrly indifferent, treating him as if he were an ordinary person.
In her younger days, she might have had a tiny crush, followed Zhou Jielun, but as she got caught up with work, she encountered quite a number of so-called celebrities and saw how even the ones morous in public could grovel before capital. That feeling of adoration towards celebrities had long vanished...
Because she was well aware that celebrities were, in essence, just ordinary people with greater exposure...
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhang Yong quickly took out a contract from his briefcase and handed it to Gu Heng with a smile: "Mr. Gu, this is the contract for Xu Song¡¯s invitation to themercial performance, please take a look."
The contract was a standard one, more or less the same as any other.
"As for the other conditions, we¡¯ve already settled them yesterday. As soon as the performance fee of 800,000 is paid before the show, Xu Song will perform for 40 minutes at the wedding, singing at least five songs."
Gu Heng didn¡¯t even nce at the contract, just handed it over to Lin Ran.
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s hands-off approach, Lin Ran could only helplessly be freebor, carefully reviewing the contract for him.
As for Gu Heng, he was chatting away with his childhood idol...
Lin Ran was meticulous in her review...
Though she knew that 800,000 wasn¡¯t much for Gu Heng, it was, after all, an expression of his trust in her. It took her a good ten minutes to finish reviewing a contract that was less than two thousand words long...
She had never taken her job at thepany so seriously...
After making sure there were no issues, Lin Ran handed the contract back to Gu Heng: "Sign it, there¡¯s no problem. They¡¯re quite conscientious, only charging the appearance fee of 800,000. They haven¡¯t included the cost of amodation and transportation."
Hearing this, Zhang Yong was quick to say: "Xu Song rarely participates inmercial performances. He agreed to perform this time because he heard it¡¯s for a wedding of fellow townspeople from Hui¡¯an. Since a wedding is a happy asion, of course, we won¡¯t nickel-and-dime and spoil the both of you¡¯s mood."
Gu Heng wasn¡¯t interested in Zhang Yong¡¯s polite talk. Since Lin Ran said there were no issues, he confidently signed his name on the contract and then transferred the remaining 400,000 to Zhang Yong.
[The host has furiously paid 800,000 for a childhood idol to perform at a best friend¡¯s wedding, attaining supreme satisfaction. Reward: 3.2 million yuan. Bnce: 83.7 million yuan.]
The system¡¯s reward arrived as promised...
Now that everything was taken care of, Gu Heng didn¡¯t n on staying any longer; he had to go and make arrangements with the hotel where Li Feng was getting married.
"Then I¡¯ll take my leave now. You just need to arrive at the address I gave you before 11 o¡¯clock. We¡¯ll contact each other by phone then."
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Zhang Yong quickly stood up: "Rest assured, Mr. Gu, we will strictly adhere to the spirit of the contract!"
Without further ado, Gu Heng and Lin Ran left the room, escorted out by Zhang Yong...
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
After they left, Zhang Yong¡¯s Buddha-like smile instantly disappeared, and he turned to Xu Song with a serious face: "Xiaosong, you must take thismercial performance seriously, you can¡¯t mess it up!"
"What¡¯s the matter?"
Although Xu Song wasn¡¯t some top-tier celebrity, an appearance fee close to a million made him barely a top-streamer. Though he rarely appeared in public, his poprity never waned.
He had taken part in many suchmercial performances and couldn¡¯t understand why his agent was taking this one so seriously...
"Just listen to me and you won¡¯t go wrong.
I inquired about this Mr. Lin when she called me yesterday. She¡¯s the vice president brought back from abroad by Gaoling Capital¡¯s Director Zhang with a hefty sum, just 28 years old, and already half a step into the decision-making circle.
Look at her attitude just then; do you think someone like Gu Heng can be an ordinary person? Don¡¯t think that small-town bossesck power.
I know music is all you think about, but it¡¯s best for us to try and be on good terms with people like this. Even if we can¡¯t be close, let¡¯s not leave on a bad note. In the entertainment industry, it¡¯s not enough to have just good works!"
Hearing this, Xu Song could only helplessly nod...
...
...
Unaware that because of Lin Ran, he¡¯d inadvertently be a figure Xu Song feltpelled to please, Gu Heng said to Lin Ran in the car: "Lin Ran, I have a question for you."
"What question?"
Lin Ran¡¯s beautiful eyes looked towards Gu Heng.
"Actually, Xu Song was my idol during my childhood. I spent almost my entire student life listening to his songs, and I was quite excited at the chance to meet him. I even wanted to get his autograph or something..."
Chapter 133 - 96 Does He Really Have a Girlfriend?! (Two-in-One Big Chapter)_5
But when he finally met him, he wasn¡¯t excited at all; what¡¯s that about?
"That¡¯s it?"
After hearing Gu Heng¡¯s question, Lin Ran couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes.
Experience tales with empire
No man can stand the insult of the words "That¡¯s it?" Just as Gu Heng was about to explode, he heard Lin Ran say, "Looking at your situation, you don¡¯t seem to be born wealthy, probably came into money suddenly, right?"
Gu Heng nodded honestly.
"If you could keep being wealthy like this, you wouldn¡¯t have to ask anyone else, you would understand it yourself."
"How so?"
"It¡¯s just a simple ss issue...
You used to be an ordinary person, these celebrities appeared morous on TV and phones, spotlights and cheers of fans rendering them high above, of course you would think they are idols."
"But now? He¡¯s just someone you paid 800,000 to sing and cheer you up. Why should you be excited to see him?
Do you ever see a boss getting excited over seeing his own employee?"
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
With that exnation from Lin Ran, Gu Heng was enlightened...
At the end of the day, it¡¯s just that he has been rich for too long and his cognition hasn¡¯t reached the level of his wealth...
Seeing how Gu Heng looked, Lin Ran continued, "Celebrities are just a group of public figures put in the spotlight; they are actually at the bottom of the despise hierarchy within the upper circles.
Once you¡¯re wealthy enough, not only will you not be excited to see them, but they will consider it an honor to meet you."
"You earn an annual sry equal to what they make for onemercial performance, so why does it seem like your tone is full of disdain for these celebrities?"
When Gu Heng countered him like that, Lin Ran couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes again...
"Money is only part of social status, okay? No matter how easy they earn money, they cannot be truly respected.
In China, due to the national conditions, they might hold back a bit, but abroad, it¡¯s somon for celebrities to be presented with price tags in front of the wealthy. And they can¡¯t refuse, because if they do, they won¡¯t be able to make easy money anymore."
Although my annual sry is only a million plus, do you see anyone daring to treat me like that?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng¡¯s eyes shed...
Money is enough?
It seems he found himself a new path to indulgence...
Seeing the lust in Gu Heng¡¯s eyes, Lin Ran didn¡¯t need to guess what he was thinking, his tone turning cold and sarcastic, "I do know some channels in the entertainment industry; how about I introduce them to you? Let you experience what it¡¯s like to be served by celebrities?"
"Cough cough... What are you talking about? Am I that kind of person, Gu Heng?"
"You can stop thinking about it. These celebrities might not be able to refuse those big shots, but rejecting upstarts like you is still possible. Celebrities aren¡¯t fools; they know the difference between a one-time meal and a regr one, unless you are willing to offer them an irresistible huge amount, they would rather do long-term business within the circle than with you."
"Then how do you know I won¡¯t be a big shot in the future?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Ran quickly said, "There you go! I¡¯ve struck a nerve! And you said you were not that kind of person!"
"No, listen to my exnation!"
"I¡¯m not listening! I¡¯m not listening! I¡¯m not listening!"
After finishing his words, Lin Ran stepped on the gas pedal all the way, driving off into the distance...
On the road, Lin Ran was sulking and didn¡¯t say a word to Gu Heng, while Gu Heng was pondering how he could be a big shot...
Even with all the systems, just being a simple wealthy person would be too sad...
And there are many things that can¡¯t be enjoyed by money alone...
Just as Lin Ran just said.
Celebrities...
Chapter 134 - 97: It’s So Hard to Be a Scumbag...
It was eleven in the morning.
The backstage of the wedding hotel.
"So, I¡¯ll start the show with ¡¯Dust of Beauty¡¯, then follow up with romantic songs like ¡¯As Promised¡¯ and ¡¯I Want to Hold Your Hand¡¯, which are kind of suitable for a wedding, right?"
As a web-celebrity singer who had debuted nearly 20 years ago, Xu Song had released quite a few songs over the years¡ªat least two hundred¡ªbut not many were suitable for wedding performances...
Especially well-known ones like ¡¯The Funeral of the Rose¡¯; if he dared to let him sing that, Li Feng would absolutely jump out and kill him...
A few people had spent half an hour backstage before finally settling on five songs...
The hotel manager stood by with a grin, lookingpletely cooperative...
Xu Song singing at their hotel was equivalent to a free advertisement for them, and it didn¡¯t cost a penny... Later, they could just record the wedding scene and post it on TikTok, which was neither copyright infringement nor promotion and was simply delightful...
Gu Heng nodded slightly as he listened to the five songs Xu Song had proposed...
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Asking a singer who usually sang about breakups to squeeze out a few wedding-appropriate songs from his repertoire was indeed a tough task for him...
Just as everything was almost arranged, Gu Heng¡¯s phone rang.
"Hengzi, where are you? Haven¡¯t you arrived yet? The wedding is about to start, and the best man needs to make a speech!"
"I¡¯m already at the hotel, I¡¯ll be right there."
"Hurry up, the MC is already prepared."
After hanging up, Gu Heng didn¡¯t linger backstage any longer; he gave a few instructions to Xu Song and then took Lin Ran¡¯s hand and headed towards the wedding hall.
Suddenly having her hand grabbed by Gu Heng, Lin Ran couldn¡¯t help but shiver, blurting out instinctively, "What are you doing?"
"What do you mean? We¡¯re going to the wedding."
Gu Heng led her out of the backstage, turning his head with a puzzled look upon hearing her words.
"Do I have to go too?"
"You don¡¯t like these kinds of asions?"
Lin Ran thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like them, but I don¡¯t know anyone at the wedding, and me being there as a stranger seems a bit inappropriate."
Gu Heng chuckled when he heard this...
Without caring about her reaction, he pulled her hand and hurried towards the direction of the wedding hall.
I already told them you are my girlfriend, so in these kinds of settings, we are practically one, pretending in front of my family or theirs, just might as well go all the way through."
Besides, you, a high executive of a bigpany, have seen all sorts of scenes, right? An ordinary vige wedding, what¡¯s the big deal?"
Lin Ran didn¡¯t say anything after hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, just fixed her gaze on his back, wondering what...
....
....
"You finally arrived, damn it, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event for me; can you not mess it up?!"
After arriving at the wedding hall, Li Feng handed the car keys back to Gu Heng, unable to help butin.
Although he was cursing Gu Heng, his eyes were fixed on Lin Ran, who was led by Gu Heng...
"And... aren¡¯t you going to introduce us?"
Gu Heng smiled and waggled the hands they held in front of him: "Need an introduction? This is my girlfriend, Lin Ran."
Lin Ran didn¡¯t think much when Gu Heng introduced her to his parents, but being led and introduced to his friends like this brought a strange and indescribable feeling...
Suppressing that feeling, Lin Ran disyed a proper smile: "Hello, I¡¯m Lin Ran..."
But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say the rest...
It wasn¡¯t until she turned her face and saw the smile on Gu Heng¡¯s face that she continued, "Gu Heng¡¯s girlfriend..."
After Lin Ran verbally acknowledged it, the only doubt in Li Feng¡¯s heart began to dissipate, and he started toin to Gu Heng, "I say, Hengzi, that¡¯s really not cool of you. You¡¯ve got such a beautiful girlfriend and you¡¯re keeping her secret? Don¡¯t you consider me a brother?"
If he had known earlier that Gu Heng had a girlfriend, he wouldn¡¯t have deliberately tried to set up Li Mengxue with Gu Heng...
After talking briefly, Li Feng pointed to a big round table not far away that was already filled with quite a few people: "Everyone else sitting there are old men anddies; you guys can sit at the ssmates¡¯ table."
Those old ssmates you all know, just sit and catch up, and introduce Lin Ran to them."
"I¡¯ve got to go prepare for going on stage, so I can¡¯t entertain you for now."
Knowing he was busy today, Gu Heng didn¡¯t say much, just patted his shoulder and led Lin Ran to the ssmates¡¯ table...
The lively group that had been chatting energetically fell silent as if on cue when Gu Heng and Lin Ran approached...
He had already figured out how to deal with these people...
But the sudden silence caught Gu Heng off guard...
Scanning the room, he saw Li Mengxue, who was sitting on the side with her head down, probably figuring out why the group went silent...
The ex and the current facing each other...
In their eyes, wasn¡¯t it obviously a vtile situation?
If it were just ordinary ssmates, they might have teased a bit...
But since it involved Gu Heng, they didn¡¯t feel like joking at all...
After all, among them were many realistic, opportunistic ssmates who wanted to establish a good rtionship with Gu Heng, perhaps needing his help in the future.
And those without such intentions wouldn¡¯t go out of their way to annoy Gu Heng.
Gu Heng noticed that the seats were almost all taken, with only two spots left next to Li Mengxue; he hesitated about sitting there...
Being frank, he really didn¡¯t want to interact too much with Li Mengxue...
And he wasn¡¯t interested in showing off in front of her, unting how well he was doing now...
Chapter 135 - 97: It’s So Hard to Be a Scumbag..._2
After all, it¡¯s been almost six years since we broke up, we were just teenagers in love back then, now we¡¯re all at the age to start families and build careers...
When Li Mengxue dumped him, he truly wanted to make something of himself and then show her, let her realize how wrong she was to dump him.
But once that idea became reality, he no longer felt that way...
It wasn¡¯t that he was broad-minded enough to smile away the hurt others caused him...
The main reason was just that too much time had passed...
So much time that Gu Heng no longer felt any desire for revenge over that insignificant romantic rtionship...
As Gu Heng hesitated, a female ssmate noticed his awkwardness and stood up, saying, "Gu Heng, why don¡¯t youe sit over here? My spot¡¯s a bit more spacious, there¡¯s room for two."
Hearing this, Gu Heng instantly felt that this unimpressive-looking ssmate, whose name he couldn¡¯t even remember, was exceptionally adorable...
Just as he was about to respond, he saw that Lin Ran had already taken the seat...
Leaving only a spot sandwiched between her and Li Mengxue...
Since Lin Ran had taken a seat, it certainly wouldn¡¯t do to leave her and switch ces alone, so he could only offer an apologetic smile to the ssmate and say, "No need, anywhere is fine to sit..."
With that, he took a seat between the two...
The whole table of more than a dozen people were all silent, not speaking a word...
In contrast to the lively atmosphere at other tables, this one felt eerily quiet...
Lin Ran sat on Gu Heng¡¯s left, serene and elegant. Though she made no movements, the poise she inadvertently revealed made it clear she was no ordinary girl...
As for Li Mengxue, well, she was looking down, ying with her phone, with no intention of speaking...
She was afraid that as soon as she spoke, she would bepared with Lin Ran...
Although she also considered herself proud and among the ranks of excellent girls, she still had enough self-awareness...
Lin Ran was not only more beautiful than her, but in every other aspect, she also eclipsed her...
Her previous red BMW was not even worth mentioning; right now, she didn¡¯t even have a car for basic transportation.
And that handbag she had, one she had never seen used by anyone around, only caught glimpses of on Xiaohongshu, a Louis Vuitton worth over forty thousand... that was about half a year¡¯s sry for her...
Then there were the clothes she wore, all from luxury brands that she could only dream of wearing...
But beyond self-awareness, another feeling started to rise slowly from the bottom of her heart...
That feeling was jealousy...
Your journey continues at empire
In her way of thinking, it was only natural for men to give women luxury items...
So she never considered that Lin Ran¡¯s car, handbag, and luxury goods were her own, assuming they were all gifts from Gu Heng...
And all of these, she once had the opportunity to have...
...
After an unknown period of silence, someone finally couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and started to cosy up to Gu Heng...
"Gu Heng, what exactly have you been doing out there these past few years to make such a fortune?
Show us some of your ways, will you? Ever since the controls were lifted, it¡¯s been harder and harder to make money. In two years, I opened three little restaurants, and all three went under.
Not only did I make no money, but I also lost over a hundred thousand."
With this opening, everyone began tomiserate...
The economy was in downturn, and even the wealth of those on the rich list had shrunk; thesemon folks on the lower rungs, while not to the point of tightening their belts, were indeed not living asfortably as before, be they wage earners or business owners.
In the past, ssmates met to unt wealth, but now theypared miseries, and with the sudden appearance of such an odd one out as Gu Heng, it was only natural he became the target of everyone¡¯s envy...
Listening to this, Gu Heng just smiled lightly and said, "I¡¯m just making a bit of money by chance and luck. If I really knew a way to get rich, would I not think of you old ssmates?"
What good way did he have to show them...
It couldn¡¯t be that he suggested they do nothing, indulge tirelessly, and wait for the system to activate, right?
Not getting the answer they wanted, the group of old ssmates were a bit disappointed, but quickly began to curry favor again...
Gu Heng had be the absolute center of the table at that moment...
"Gu Heng, I want to eat that."
Saying this, she pointed to two tes in the center of the table...
One had fruit, and the other various kinds of wedding candy...
Upon hearing this, an eager ssmate immediately pushed the tes closer to Lin Ran¡¯s reach, saying with a smile, "This table is too big, it¡¯s normal for girls to not be able to reach."
Lin Ran politely thanked Gu Heng¡¯s ssmate, but she remained still, her eyes fixed on Gu Heng¡¯s face.
Gu Heng: "???"
Something was seriously off with this woman today...
Since I¡¯ve known her, when has she ever shown such a girlish demeanor?
Has the ¡¯strong woman¡¯ personapletely copsed now?
But though I was thinking this, all I could do was honestly grab a handful of wedding candies from the te and put them in front of Lin Ran, "Eat."
Seeing that Gu Heng hastily took the candies for her, Lin Ran smiled satisfactorily in her heart, peeled the candy wrapper, and before Gu Heng could react, extended the candy to his mouth and said, "You taste it for me first, see if it¡¯s good."
"..."
Gu Heng, not knowing what trick she was ying, could only helplessly eat the candy put to his mouth...
Only after seeing Gu Heng eat did Lin Ran peel another one, put it in her mouth, and even cast a provocative nce at Gu Heng...
The others at the table, unaware of the underlying dynamics between the two, could only envy Gu Heng...
Having money was one thing, but he also had such a gorgeous girlfriend...
Having such a gorgeous girlfriend was one thing, but she was also so understanding...
What was even more maddening was that the second most beautiful girl at the table was his leftover... where the hell do you go to make sense of that?
Suddenly...
Li Mengxue, who had been silent with her head down, saw a fair hand extend in front of her, holding a piece of candy wrapped in red, and before she could react, she heard Lin Ran say, "Have one, it¡¯s pretty sweet."
Li Mengxue, in a daze, uttered a thank you and subconsciously epted the candy...
This scene was not only unexpected by Li Mengxue...
Everyone at the table was shocked...
Including Gu Heng, who was caught in the middle...
He finally understood why Lin Ran had pulled such a stunt...
Clearly, Lin Ran was asserting her dominance over Li Mengxue...
She couldn¡¯t really be taking the girlfriend role seriously, could she?
With that thought, two feelings emerged simultaneously in Gu Heng¡¯s body...
One was a secret delight, the other was sitting on pins and needles...
The reason for the secret delight was simple, Lin Ran was the most outstanding girl he had met so far; being liked by such an outstanding girl, how could that not be a reason to rejoice?
Sitting on pins and needles was simpler yet...
He had no intention of dating, really...
All he wanted was to maintain this ideal, ambiguous rtionship with Lin Ran...
If Lin Ran really wanted to pierce this veil of ambiguity, what was he supposed to do?
Agree?
That was the least likely...
He believed Lin Ran was the kind of woman with an open mind who wouldn¡¯t harp about his past as a yboy.
But he did not believe Lin Ran could ept sharing him with other women... He didn¡¯t consider himself charming enough to that extent...
But if he refused...
He couldn¡¯t bear that either...
Once the nature of a rtionship with a woman is exposed, there¡¯s no going back...
Knowing Lin Ran¡¯s character, if he truly rejected her, she would definitely delete all his contact methods and sever any connection with him...
N?v(el)B\\jnn
If this scenario urred in Wuzhen, Gu Heng might firmly reject her without a second thought...
But now...
He had to admit, he couldn¡¯t do it...
A man¡¯s possessiveness is a strange thing...
Right now, what he wanted most was to enjoy the intimacy with Lin Ran without having to take responsibility...
The very definition of a yboy...
Just as his mind was a tangled mess, a ssmate sitting across from Gu Heng said to him, "Gu Heng, aren¡¯t you a groomsman? Hurry up, the host is calling for the groomsmen to give a speech. Li Haibin and Song Hua are already up there."
ncing at the stage, Gu Heng no longer dwelled on it, told Lin Ran he¡¯d be right back, and headed for the stage...
Let things be as they may...
Being a yboy is too hard...
Just starting out, and already running into problems...
Chapter 136 - 98: You Don’t Realize Your Mistake; You Just Have Regrets
"Next, let¡¯s invite the three best men of today, also the groom¡¯s best buddies, toe up and give their blessings to the newlyweds!"
Gu Heng, Li Haibin, and Song Hua, who were waiting on the side, exchanged nces, straightened their best men suits, and walked up shoulder to shoulder.
Seeing the three men take the stage, the host immediately stood by their side, jokingly saying, "No wonder when I saw the groom backstage earlier, I thought he was a handsome guy. Turns out all his brothers are also heartthrobs."
He then held the microphone toward Song Hua, who was closest to him, and said, "As the groom¡¯s brothers, you must be the happiest for him on this joyous special day. Is there anything you would like to wish him?"
Even though the audience was filled with familiar faces, Song Hua still felt a bit shy and scratched the back of his head, saying, "I wish him a harmonious marriage and hopes he has a child soon."
After finishing, he stepped back...
The host still had the microphone raised, and not hearing a follow-up, he pulled it back asking, "That¡¯s it?"
"That¡¯s it..."
"Well, it seems this best man isn¡¯t very close to the groom, just a couple of sentences."
A wave of friendlyughter went through the crowd.
The host made a quick joke to liven up the atmosphere before continuing, "The first best man was quite shy; let¡¯s see if the second best man has more to say to the groom. Otherwise, this segment will end too quickly, and the groom might say I did a poor job hosting¡ªit might even cost me my sry."
With that, he held the microphone toward Li Haibin...
Li Haibin was much more solemn...
"I wish my brother Li Feng and his bride Zhao Fang a life of happiness together, hearts united forever; may they harmonize like the strings of a lute, a century of bliss..."
A series of customary well-wishes spilled from his mouth,sting well over a minute...
The host¡¯s role was to adjust the mood of the venue. After confirming Li Haibin was finished, he brought the microphone to his own mouth andughed, "This best man did quite well; it looks like he must have memorized his speech, a long string of blessings that even I couldn¡¯t say so fluently.
Not only did he pour out blessings for the newlyweds, but he also saved my sry."
"Now let¡¯s hear from thest best man, and then we¡¯ll invite our newlyweds to make their entrance!"
As he spoke, he prepared to hand the microphone to Gu Heng, but Gu Heng took it directly, smiling as he began to speak, "Many years ago, us buddies¡ªFengzi, Haibin, Xiaohua¡ªmade a promise that no matter what happened in the future, anyone of us getting married couldn¡¯t do it without the others present.
We managed that.
As for blessings, well, Haibin has already said all I could think of, so I won¡¯t repeat all that.
Next, I want to give a special blessing to the bride and groom! Fengzi,e on out!"
Li Feng and Zhao Fang, who had already put on her wedding gown, exchanged nces and then walked out from backstage...
Li Feng knew Gu Heng too well...
If he said he was giving himself a special surprise, it could only mean one thing...
He was going to pull off a big one...
Seeing Li Feng and Zhao Fang take the stage, the host tried to take back the microphone from Gu Heng¡¯s hand, but unexpectedly, Gu Heng pushed his hand away...
Host: "???"
Was he here to steal my job?
Gu Heng, holding the microphone, turned to Li Feng, who was in a dapper suit, and said, "Looking sharp today!"
Li Feng didn¡¯t speak; he just walked up to Gu Heng and hugged him.
Li Haibin and Song Hua nced at each other, quickly joining in... Explore stories at empire
The four men huddled together, much like when they were 18, ying basketball on the field, winning against the tall guys from the next ss by a slim margin...
"A few days ago, I was thinking about how I could give you a wedding to remember.
I rejected many ns until, with Lin Ran¡¯s reminder, I thought of a special way to make everyone remember your wedding!"
Gu Heng stepped back three paces from the group hug and, holding the microphone, shouted, "Music!"
As soon as Gu Heng gave the prearrangedmand, the intro to "Dust Beauty" began to y...
Li Feng, Li Haibin, and Song Hua looked at Gu Heng, still thinking he was about to sing himself...
Li Feng hastily shouted, "Hengzi, don¡¯t do this, the thought is enough, we still have to eatter; your singing could ruin the appetite, and the meal costs over two thousand per table!"
Listening to Gu Heng howling off-key at business KTV was one thing...
But at this asion, they really did not want to suffer through Gu Heng¡¯s torment...
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
But Gu Heng paid him no heed...
As the intro grew closer, he took the microphone and began to sing...
"In June three~ by the locust shade~
To the wind in the branches the new cicadasin~"
Gu Heng¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t unpleasant to hear; the reason his singing sounded bad was simply because he was tone-deaf...
Singing some ordinary pop songs was barely eptable, but singing Xu Song¡¯s twisty tunes was like a car crash scene...
Just as Li Feng was reluctantly epting the situation, Gu Heng put down the microphone...
A voice a hundred times nicer than Gu Heng¡¯s came from behind them.
Xu Song, wearing a bright red suit, holding the microphone, walked slowly from backstage...
"After the rain, the small lotuses are overturned~
Their love was ignited in that early summer~"
Seeing this figure, everyone was stunned...
Until Gu Heng, holding a microphone, turned to Li Feng with a smile, saying, "Fengzi, you¡¯ve always said Xu Song is your favorite singer¡ªthis is the special blessing I have for you!"
"Holy shit!"
"Xu Song! Holy shit!"
"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!"
A session of holy shits erupted from the crowd...
The older folks might not know who Xu Song was...
But half of those sitting down were from the post-90s and post-2000s generations...
Chapter 137 - 98 You Don’t Know You’re Wrong, You Just Regret It_2
```
It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that if you were online in the 90s or 2000s, there¡¯s no way you wouldn¡¯t know who Xu Song is, and even if you didn¡¯t recognize him, you¡¯d definitely have heard his songs...
And among the young crowd at the venue, there were quite a few die-hard fans of Xu Song...
Suddenly, the entire wedding hall erupted with "holy shit" and the high-pitched screams of girls...
Older folks were all full of question marks in their heads, wondering if this group of young people had lost their minds?
Gu Heng slowly made his exit, handing the stage over to Xu Song, Li Feng, and Zhao Fang, while casually returning the microphone to the emcee, who stood there dumbfounded...
He counted as a veteran emcee...
But this was the first time he encountered such a situation...
Wasn¡¯t he just hosting a wedding? How did a celebrity suddenly pop up?
....
....
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
At Gu Heng¡¯s table, most had taken out their phones to start recording...
While recording, they said, "Gu Heng is awesome... He managed to get Xu Song to the wedding ceremony directly for Li Feng..."
"I never imagined Gu Heng actually knew Xu Song... I wonder if I can get Gu Heng to help me get an autographter, I¡¯ve been a fan for ten years..."
Li Mengxue watched Xu Song passionately singing on stage, her eyes filled with bitterness...
She also liked Xu Song but couldn¡¯t even get tickets to his concerts normally, and now Gu Heng could get Xu Song himself toe...
The better Gu Heng performed, the more pain she felt inside...
"It¡¯s not necessarily personal acquaintance, Gu Heng might have hired Xu Song for amercial performance."
"That¡¯s even more impressive, okay? Xu Song might not be as popr as Zhou Jielun or Lin Junjie, but his appearance fee isn¡¯t low, okay? Just to sing a few songs probably costs three to four hundred thousand, right?"
No sooner had they spoken these words than someone at the table directly answered their question...
"Three to four hundred thousand?"
As they spoke, they typed Xu Song¡¯s appearance fee into Baidu and then showed him: "See for yourself? Xu Song¡¯smercial performance fee is 1.1 million."
"What the heck?!!"
The person who had just spoken squeaked in disbelief...
"1.1 million? That much? My damn 120 sqm apartment in the city center only cost me 850,000... Just for singing a few songs, I can¡¯t even cover it by selling a house..."
"Gu Heng and Li Feng must be really good friends to spend over a million to have Xu Song sing and bless them at their wedding..."
As they said this, they turned envious eyes towards Li Feng...
They were now kicking themselves inside...
Why had they lost touch with Gu Heng after graduating from high school?
If they had maintained a good rtionship with him, wouldn¡¯t they be the ones standing on the stage by now?
If a brother can casually spend over a million on a wedding, they didn¡¯t dare to imagine just how wealthy Gu Heng was...
They figured even a single hair from his leg could crush them...
They weren¡¯t the only ones with such thoughts; nearly everyone at the table shared this sentiment to some extent...
In this day and age, having a powerful benefactor to cling to could save so many years of struggle...
Compared to those with regrets, Li Mengxue was the most regretful of all...
Hearing that Gu Heng could so casually spend over a million for Li Feng made her feel worse than if she had swallowed ten tons of shit...
She knew how generous Gu Heng was. Back in high school, he had even saved up his lunch money to buy her a lipstick that cost hundreds of dors...
If she had stayed with Gu Heng all this time, she didn¡¯t dare to imagine how happy she would have been...
Would she need to work as hard as she did now?
The more Li Mengxue thought about it, the more she felt the injustice...
Her gaze naturally drifted towards Lin Ran, who was mere inches away from her...
The feeling of envy was almost making her dizzy... Although she knew she couldn¡¯tpare to Lin Ran, she still wanted to give it a try...
The more she thought this way, the more determined she became...
Gu Heng had no idea that inviting Xu Song to Li Feng¡¯s wedding could make these people think so much, nor could he have imagined Li Mengxue was so envious that she was losing her mental bnce... He just stood quietly at the edge of the stage, watching Xu Song sing one song after another...
Finally...
After more than half an hour...
In the midst of Xu Song¡¯s well-wishes, the 800,000 quota waspletely depleted...
The bride Zhao Fang had nearly cried her makeup off...
This was simply the wedding of her dreams...
Li Feng, who hadn¡¯t recovered from the excitement, took the microphone from the emcee¡¯s hand, locking eyes with Gu Heng who was calmly smiling down at him. He finally couldn¡¯t hold back and shed a few tears, "Thank you!"
Unlike when he saw Gu Heng driving a Bentley to meet him, he made no promises like he did back then, saying he¡¯d even take out a loan to rent a Rolls-Royce to lead Gu Heng¡¯s wedding procession.
Although he didn¡¯t know how much Gu Heng had spent to bring Xu Song there.
He was very aware that it was definitely not something he could afford...
He guessed he would never be able to pay it back in this lifetime...
Gu Heng knew what Li Feng was thinking and responded with a calm smile...
If he was seeking something in return from Li Feng, he wouldn¡¯t have bothered with all this; he would have simply gifted a few thousand in cash as a wedding present¡ªsimple and convenient. Besides, when his own wedding came around, given Li Feng¡¯s personality, he would probably go broke trying to give an equally substantial gift...
He just wanted to do right by the friendship of their youth...
Because he was very clear that the ship carrying him would continue sailing forward, while they, unless by some miracle, had already run aground on the shallow sands of life.
...
Past one o¡¯clock in the afternoon...
The wedding was almost over...
Gu Heng, having had his fill, turned to Lin Ran and asked, "Did you eat enough?"
Wiping her mouth elegantly with a napkin, Lin Ran nodded gently.
"If you¡¯re full, then let¡¯s get ready to go back. Fengzi will be busy this afternoon. We¡¯ll go back and rest for a bit, and I¡¯ll take you to experience the rural room teasing at night."
Lin Ran herself wasn¡¯t very interested in the room teasing...
```
Chapter 138 - 98 You Don’t Know You’re Wrong, You Just Regret It_3
But the moment I thought about participating with Gu Heng, I agreed without a second thought.
"Fengzi!"
Li Feng, who was busy toasting, hurried over.
"What¡¯s up?"
"I¡¯m getting ready to head back with Lin Ran."
Li Feng thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, I¡¯ll be busy this afternoon and probably won¡¯t be able to take care of you guys, so you go back and rest for a while. Tonight, juste directly to my house."
shing an OK sign, Gu Heng took Lin Ran by the hand, said goodbye to the group of old ssmates at the table, and headed straight for the hotel exit...
Li Mengxue, seeing Gu Heng and Lin Ran leaving, hesitated in her heart for a long time but couldn¡¯t help chasing after them...
The ssmates at the table watched this scene, and the melon-eating interest intensified...
"Gu Heng is leaving, why is Li Mengxue following him?"
As this question came up, a female ssmate who had long been disdainful of Li Mengxue snorted and said, "What else could it be?
Seeing Gu Heng has made it, she regrets it, huh? Thinking of going up to see if there¡¯s a chance to rekindle the old me."
"That shouldn¡¯t be possible, right? Gu Heng has a girlfriend now..."
"So what if he has a girlfriend? Do you think a woman like Li Mengxue would care about that?"
"..."
This was too cutting...
They hardly dared to respond...
....
....
Just as Gu Heng and Lin Ran had reached the parking lot, Li Mengxue, watching Gu Heng¡¯s back, hurriedly called out.
"Gu Heng!"
Hearing his name called, Gu Heng turned to look back...
But seeing it was Li Mengxue, a trace of irritation shadowed his gaze...
Ever since he first saw her today, he had been keeping his distance, disying a clear message of estrangement. If she really kept pestering him, it would genuinely be disgusting...
With this thought, he responded with slight impatience, "What is it?"
At the sound of Gu Heng¡¯s impatient voice, Li Mengxue¡¯s heart trembled, beginning to regret that she had impulsively rushed over...
She should have chatted more with Gu Heng on WeChat first, to make him reminisce about the sweet times they had together...
But now that she was here, with the arrow on the string, she had to shoot; Li Mengxue could only brace herself and feigned a pitiful look as she said, "I wanted to apologize to you for what I said in the past. It was too hurtful, and now I know I was wrong."
"That¡¯s it?"
Li Mengxue was startled by his response, frozen on the spot, unsure of what to say...
"I don¡¯t know what you expect to achieve bying here and saying these things to me.
But you see...
You don¡¯t realize you were wrong, you just feel regret.
Regret for the choices you made back then.
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We were together for over a year, after all; I got to know you pretty well and understand what you¡¯re thinking.
Using your words from back then, we are no longer people from the same world. Let¡¯s be dignified about this and wish each other well."
Having said this, he turned and walked away hand in hand with Lin Ran, leaving Li Mengxue with a decisive back...
Lin Ran was obediently led away by Gu Heng, not saying a word...
Li Mengxue, however, stood there bewildered, not knowing what to do...
...
This time returning home, I did a lot of things...
I brought honor to my parents...
Gave a dignified wedding to a childhood friend...
And even slightly fulfilled a childhood regret...
Last but not least, I resolved an unresolved issue from five or six years ago...
This was my second growth since I acquired the system.
The first growth was saying goodbye to over five years of my office drone life in Wuzhen.
The second is now.
Saying a thorough goodbye to my unbearable past.
Chapter 139 - 99 Hang City! Your Emperor has returned!
```
"Alright, Mom, I got it."
"Once I arrive, I¡¯ll hang up the bacon and the cured fish right away to make sure they don¡¯t spoil."
"You and Dad can stay at my uncle¡¯s ce for two months, and move back after the house is finished."
"Okay, let¡¯s not talk anymore, I¡¯m about to exit the highway, I¡¯ll call you again in a couple of days,"
After pacifying his old mother, Gu Heng ended the call and carefully drove towards the toll station, then joined the long line of cars queuing up...
Today is the eighth day of the Lunar New Year...
The Spring Festival holiday had ended, and a crowd of office workers who had enjoyed a few days of warmth back home were starting their year¡¯s struggle, evident from the long line of traffic jam on the highway...
Lowering the car window, Gu Heng took out a cigarette from his pocket and slowly lit it up...
Having stayed at home for nearly half a month, aside from the first fewfortable days, the rest had been torture...
Every day was filled with endless visits from rtives...
Some rtives rarely kept in touch, but somehow, word got out that Gu Heng had made it big, and almost every day brought rtives Gu Heng didn¡¯t recognize to his door, truly making him understand the saying, "In poverty, in the bustling market, no one asks; in wealth, deep in the mountains, distant rtives will seek."
Lin Ran wasn¡¯t a fan of lively gatherings, and being introduced to so many strangers by Xu Hong every day, though he didn¡¯tin aloud, he was getting somewhat annoyed...
Furthermore, since Qing¡¯an didn¡¯t have much entertainment, he returned to Shanghai after a few days... He even skipped the idea of having Gu Heng pretend to be her boyfriend to pay a New Year¡¯s visit to her family...
Since Lin Ran didn¡¯t bring it up, Gu Heng also acted oblivious...
If he really continued spending close time with her, Gu Heng felt he would fall for her...
Keeping a prudent distance, sometimes close and sometimes far, was his ideal state...
Originally, he had nned to bring his parents to live in Hang City for a while, before sending them back once the house back home was finished, but the old couple refused to agree, no matter what...
Having lived in the countryside their entire lives, and rarely having ventured out, suddenly moving to a big city would likely not suit them, so Gu Heng didn¡¯t insist and left his home vige after the seventh day of the Lunar New Year...
...
After queuing up for several minutes, he finally reached the toll booth...
As it was just after the New Year, even the toll booth operators seemed to have an extra bit of formality, with a smile on her face, she handed Gu Heng a ticket and said, "Sir, there is traffic congestion ahead, please reduce speed and drive safely.
Wee to Hang City."
The toll booth operator wasn¡¯t very pretty, but the smile on her face was quiteforting...
This swept away the frustration that had been building up in Gu Heng after being stuck on the highway for seven or eight hours. He returned the smile with an OK gesture, pressed the gas pedal, and slowly drove away...
Upon exiting the toll booth, although the traffic was still heavy, Gu Heng felt much better...
During the half month at home, he had almost gone crazy.
Who could understand the feeling of having nearly a billion in the bank ount and no chance to spend it in the countryside?
You often hear people say they can¡¯t stand the pompous life of the fast-paced big city, yearning for the idyllic country life where one can "pluck chrysanthemums under the eastern fence and leisurely view South Mountain."
For Gu Heng, that was just the talk of people who had eaten their fill and had nothing better to do.
Those people obviously hadn¡¯t tasted the hardships of rural life, where youck everything. Not to mention anything else, just getting up in the middle of the night to make something to eat was torment enough. In the city, a few taps on the phone would have delicious food delivered to your door in less than an hour.
Isn¡¯t that nice?
Gu Heng, a neer to wealth who had no idea what other rich people thought, only hoped for a life asvish as possible...
Set a small goal...
Starting in 2024, meet at least 100 girls, visit dozens of cities, and experience the life he had never lived before...
The first stop, starting with the five-year-long home, Hang City!
The more he thought about it, the more Gu Heng felt hopeful for life. He tossed his cigarette butt out the window, nearly screaming, "Hang City! Your emperor has returned!"
Just then, a roar of an engine resounded in his ears, and Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but turn to look...
A convertible sports car with a silver and red mix crept along beside him at a snail¡¯s pace...
The slim and sleek car stood out in the traffic, especially the Ferrari logo on the wheels and the front of the car was unmistakable...
Although the pace was slow, the engine¡¯s roar was loud. Gu Heng didn¡¯t know whether this was just the sports car¡¯s inherent roar or if the driver was purposefully attracting attention, but it made many nearby people turn their heads to look...
Seeing that car, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but swallow, unable to hide his rural ir...
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
That car was all too familiar to him, it was the car of his dreams...
The Ferrari 296...
Back when hey in his rental room, he often spent time on car forums, watching videos...
Although back then he had thought he would probably never have a chance with a sports car in his lifetime, dreaming was not a crime, and he had be well-versed in various sports car models...
The owner of the Ferrari 296 was also a young man, who seemed to thoroughly enjoy being the center of attention, his grin more resilient than an AK47. As his gaze shifted, he locked eyes with Gu Heng...
Seeing the unintentional admiration in Gu Heng¡¯s eyes, the young man¡¯s vanity seemed fully satiated. He snorted disdainfully, looked down on him, pressed the gas pedal, and drove ahead, no longer side by side with Gu Heng...
Gu Heng: "???"
Was this jerk looking down on him?
Is there something wrong with this guy?
```
Chapter 140 - 99 Hang City! Your Emperor has returned! _2
My Bentley Flying Spur is almost the same price as his Ferrari 296, surely he doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m envious of him...
I admit I was envious just now, but all I envied was the car...
But Gu Heng didn¡¯t think too much about it and then shook his head with a smile...
If it had been in the past, someone looking down on him with such a disdainful gaze would definitely have made Gu Heng angry...
But now, not really...
It¡¯s mainly because my mindset has changed.
The life coach Kamil from Hero Alliance once said, "Lies don¡¯t hurt people, the truth is the sharp knife"...
What truly breaks people isn¡¯t the lie, but the truth.
Like when you¡¯re ying games, if someone curses, "your mom died", how many people would take it seriously? Aside from a few hot-tempered dudes, it¡¯s unlikely that many would take offense.
But if the person¡¯s mother had indeed passed away, that would hit them hard in an instant...
Likewise, if Gu Heng was still a penniless nobody, the young man¡¯s scornful look would have deeply wounded his pride.
Unfortunately for him, my bnce is enough to buy dozens of his prized supercars...
So such disdain can only serve as a spice in my otherwise mundane journey...
But I really do want to buy a sports car now. The Bentley Flying Spur feels alright to drive, but at my young age, it¡¯s too easy to be mistaken for a chauffeur. Just like that guy in the Ferrari probably thought...
Driving supercars might be seen as tiring...
But I¡¯m young... Readtest stories on empire
How can young peoplein about being tired?
The more I think about it, the stronger bes my desire to buy a supercar...
....
....
Half an hourter, the Bentley Flying Spur drove into the parking lot of Gxy Media...
It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to reminisce about thepany where he once ved away, but in Hang City, he hardly knew many people. Besides having close rtionships with Lin Jiayun and He Jing, the others were just casual acquaintances, with no need to keep in touch...
"I¡¯m downstairs at thepany now,e down."
Without leaving the car, Gu Heng sent a voice message directly to Lin Jiayun¡¯s WeChat.
Unlike her usual immediate responses, Lin Jiayun took several minutes to reply this time, and it was quite a while before the WeChat call¡¯s ringtone sounded.
"What are you doing?"
Already chased away by the building¡¯s security guards twice, Gu Heng was getting impatient, and his tone was quite sharp.
Double standards are the essential skill of a scumbag...
Treating Lin Jiayun, he wouldn¡¯t be as gentle and soft-spoken as he was with Lin Ran...
After all, I¡¯ve already provided for her material needs, do I still need to satisfy her emotional value?
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s impatient tone, Lin Jiayun quickly exined, "Why don¡¯t you find a ce to park and have a coffee first? There¡¯s trouble at thepany and I can¡¯t leave right now. Once I¡¯m done, I¡¯lle find you."
Lin Jiayun¡¯s voice was deliberately subdued...
Gu Heng could clearly hear themotion on the other end of the call.
"What¡¯s going on?"
"There¡¯s a rift in the live broadcasting room; you¡¯ve been at thepany long enough, you should know it¡¯s no big deal. I have to hang up now, I¡¯lle to youter."
After saying this, Lin Jiayun ended the call...
Staring at the chat interface with the call disconnected, Gu Heng frowned slightly, pondered a moment, then started the car and drove towards a nearby parking lot...
.....
On the other hand, after hanging up the call, Lin Jiayun let out a long sigh of relief and looked guiltily at He Jing, who was pale-faced and not far away...
I hadn¡¯t informed He Jing about Gu Heng¡¯s return to Hang City... I didn¡¯t let Gu Henge up precisely because I wanted to avoid him having contact with He Jing.
Even though I hade to ept the fact that Gu Heng would fool around, He Jing absolutely could not be the one...
In my heart, He Jing ys the same role as myself...
If Gu Heng really got together with He Jing, my own significance in his heart would definitely diminish...
Therefore, for the sake of my happy life, I had no choice but to sacrifice this so-called bestie...
.....
"I came here today just to ask if you¡¯re scamming me!
I¡¯ve spent over 300k and you can¡¯t even meet up for a meal? ying innocent? If you want to act pure, don¡¯t be a livestreamer then!"
The man speaking was a middle-aged man in his forties named Ning Baojun, with a Douyin ount named [Da Bao]. He had some fame in the livestreaming circle as a wild spender who had doled out millions...
Dressed in a suit and wearing sses, he looked proper on the outside, but his mouth never stopped spewing foulnguage...
The person he was cursing at was He Jing, who stood to one side...
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
At that moment, He Jing¡¯s face was pale, her lips trembling continuously, and she was silently supported by another female broadcaster...
As Lin Jiayun had just exined to Gu Heng, such incidents weremon inpanies that mized through broadcasters ¨C it was pretty much routine to have someone kick up a fuss every so often...
It was 2024...
The big spenders in the live broadcasting rooms had wisened up.
Gone were the days when whales would mindlessly ssh cash in the rooms...
Now, the remaining whales spending in the live rooms have clear goals, and if they can¡¯t achieve what they want, they¡¯ll swiftly move on to another target.
But there are always some who have spent a lot and are still being strung along; frustrated and humiliated, they end up confronting the broadcasters in person...
Many of thepany¡¯s broadcasters had encountered such situations, but He Jing, who had always broadcasted with a calm demeanor, was facing this for the first time, and waspletely panicked...
Chapter 141 - 99 Hang City! Your Emperor Has Returned!_3
"Don¡¯t you y dead! Either join me for a meal today, or return all those 300,000 votes you brushed up in no time!"
Seeing He Jing stay silent, Ning Baojun couldn¡¯t contain his anger and grabbed a potted nt from the nearby table, hurling it violently to the ground...
The loud crash made many onlooking female colleagues scream...
Only He Jing¡¯s face turned even paler...
Although they were only ¡¯stic best friends,¡¯ Lin Jiayun quickly stood in front of He Jing and pointed aggressively at Ning Baojun¡¯s nose, shouting, "Stop your madness here! No one forced you to shower gifts in the livestream!"
"If you cause more trouble, I¡¯ll call the police right now!"
Saying that, she took out her phone, ready to call the police.
He Jing, grateful, nced at Lin Jiayun standing in front of her... Lin Jiayun also whispered a few soothing words...
The previously silent owner of Gxy Media, Zhang Yang, hurriedly intervened, "Let¡¯s not call the police first!"
Who used to cause trouble in thepany before?
It was always those who splurged and couldn¡¯t even get a touch of the livestreamer¡¯s hand.
Reporting such people meant little, as they couldn¡¯t stir up any trouble...
But this Ning Baojun is different...
Being somewhat renowned within the circle, it¡¯s better not to offend him if possible...
If we really call the police, that would mean burning bridgespletely...
Not only is the entertainment circle tight-knit, so is the inte celebrity circle...
Burning bridges is no big deal; after all, it¡¯s awful society, and he isn¡¯t scared of getting killed.
But what if, after burning bridges, Ning Baojun decides to stir things up, or perhaps spend money to sway public opinion by iming that Gxy Media is scamming and inducing consumption? The reputation of inte celebrities is already not great, and any opinion will be magnified indefinitely by the onlookers.
If that happens, the impact on thepany would be fatal...
His entire fortune is tied up in this Gxy Media; he can¡¯t afford to take that risk... Enjoy exclusive content from empire
Upon realizing this, Zhang Yang firstforted Ning Baojun with a big smile, then turned to He Jing, "Jingjing, why don¡¯t you have a meal with Mr. Bao? Mr. Bao is the only big brother in your livestreaming room; what good does angering him do you?"
Saying so, he even winked at her...
Ning Baojun, hearing Zhang Yang¡¯s words, nodded satisfactorily...
Zhang Yang¡¯s few sentences had given him enough face...
But He Jing widened her eyes, somewhat unable to believe that this person, who was usually kind and cajoling towards her, was her boss...
Zhang Yang, noticing He Jing¡¯s disbelief, didn¡¯t feel guilty and met her gaze...
It¡¯s true that He Jing is the top earner of thepany.
Butpared to his importance to thepany, she didn¡¯t weigh enough...
If he lost the top performer, he could spend money to build up another one, but if he ran out of money, he¡¯d have nothing...
He Jing had always thought that thepany was decent to her, allowing herckluster streaming because she didn¡¯t need to pamper donors like other livestreamers, just calmly act in web dramas to maintain fan engagement and secure advertisements.
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
So, she was willing to ept a lower revenue share...
After all, she wasn¡¯t as ambitious as Lin Jiayun, only wanting to buy an apartment in Hang City to live worry-free...
But it was only at this moment that she realized... her previous sense of dignity was her own wishful thinking; in reality, she was purely a money-making tool for thepany...
Just then, after parking his car, Gu Heng walked into thepany from the outside main gate...
Looking at the crowded office area and then at the mess on the floor, he asked, "What happened here?"
Chapter 142 - 100: Revisiting Galaxy Media
"Gu Heng!"
Lin Jiayun was the first to react, her face alight with excitement as she ran over and, in the amazed gazes of everyone present, threw herself into Gu Heng¡¯s arms...
Although she hardly interacted with this group of colleagues in the past, at the end of the day, they had spent more than two years together every day. Gu Heng had resigned less than a month ago, so of course, they couldn¡¯t possibly have forgotten about Gu Heng...
Seeing Lin Jiayun hug Gu Heng like that, the hearts of many male colleagues at thepany who had a fondness for Lin Jiayun shattered, their hope vanishing into thin air...
And the female colleagues were filled with a fervent desire to gossip...
Thepany¡¯s leadingdy, getting together with a recently departed nobody?
If there wasn¡¯t any behind-the-scenes manoeuvring involved, they would never believe it...
"What exactly is going on?"
n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
In the face of Lin Jiayun¡¯s excitement, Gu Heng remained calm and asked again.
"This old guy, before the New Year, sent Jingjing over 300,000 yuan worth of gifts. However, he didn¡¯t have good intentions and kept asking Jingjing to go out with him.
Then when Jingjing disagreed, he brought people to make trouble at thepany."
This so-called "Mr. Bao" actually sent gifts to Lin Jiayun, He Jing, and also Xiao Lan.
But unfortunately...
Xiao Lan was still a student and only had food on her mind. She didn¡¯t understand Ning Baojun¡¯s hints at all, so after he spent a few thousand yuan, he gave up on her...
As for Lin Jiayun, well...
If it had been before she met Gu Heng, she might have continued to lead Ning Baojun on, thinking of scraping off some benefits from him...
But now, with a solid support like Gu Heng, she lost all interest in Ning Baojun, who was notorious in the live streaming circle. If it weren¡¯t for the live streaming hour requirements in her contract, she would have followed He Jing¡¯s approach and given up altogether...
After all, isn¡¯t coaxing Gu Heng much nicer than pandering to a streaming room full of freeloaders and the asional big spender?
What surprised her the most was that He Jing, who had always been uninterested in live streaming, dramatically increased her streaming hours during the New Year and even began actively asking for gifts...
Such behavior was unimaginable for the old Lin Jiayun...
She even wondered if He Jing had been possessed...
It was precisely because of this that Ning Baojun set his sights on her...
After dumping over 300,000 yuan into her streaming room, he then invited her out for a meal...
Although he said it was just for a meal, pretty much everyone knew what he really had in mind...
He Jing knew as well, which was why she resolutely rejected Ning Baojun...
He Jing, who rarely streamed and didn¡¯t understand the ins and outs of the live streaming circle, thought at worst she would lose a big spender who gave her money. However, she didn¡¯t expect that soon after the New Year, Ning Baojun woulde all the way from the Northeast to confront her...
...
Although Lin Jiayun really didn¡¯t want Gu Heng and He Jing to meet...
But since Gu Heng had asked twice already, she could only ry the general situation to him...
After listening to Lin Jiayun¡¯s words, Gu Heng nced towards He Jing, who stood pale and without a trace of her former liveliness, and he had a rough idea of what was going on...
It was simple.
A streamer baiting a "big brother" had overyed her hand and got burned.
He had spent more than two years in Gxy Media, and he had seen plenty of drama like this.
But what he didn¡¯t expect was for this kind of thing to happen to He Jing...
No way...
With He Jing¡¯s previous upetitive demeanor, this sort of situation would never have arisen...
He vividly remembered thest time when he furiously dumped a hundred thousand yuan in her stream and He Jing, frustrated, returned every penny to him, leaving him taking a financial hit...
Could it be that in the half-month since he went home, He Jing hadpletely changed?
The thought made Gu Heng¡¯s gaze fix intently on He Jing¡¯s face...
Feeling Gu Heng¡¯s stare, He Jing¡¯s eyes darted about,pletely unable to meet his gaze...
"Jingjing, let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time to eat."
Gu Heng had no interest in dealing with this so-called Mr. Bao, but instead called out to He Jing.
After saying that, he gave Lin Jiayun a knowing look.
Lin Jiayun caught on in an instant and then, taking He Jing¡¯s hand, said, "Let¡¯s go eat first, let this old man make his fuss."
Lin Jiayun was naturally forthright. Without Gu Heng, she dared to stand up and directly confront Ning Baojun. Now, with Gu Heng as her backer, she felt even bolder, disparagingly referring to him as "old man," aggravating Ning Baojun to the point of twitching eyes...
He Jing knew that Gu Heng was giving her a way out...
She was ready to leave with Lin Jiayun...
But Ning Baojun, who had been holding back his anger, couldn¡¯t stand to see He Jing leave. He suddenly objected.
Apanied by a few men who hade with him, he blocked their way, saying, "Leave? Where do you think you¡¯re going? You think you can just walk away before this matter is settled?"
Surveying these burly men, Gu Heng weighed his options internally...
Although he had some [Basic Fighting] skills and could probably take on two or three men his size, Ning Baojun¡¯s men from the Northeast...
They might not be covered in muscle, but they were certainly strappingds...
If a real fight broke out, it would be too disadvantageous for him, especially since it was for someone else¡¯s problem. Getting injured andnding in the hospital, that would be even less worthwhile.
His bank ount numbers were already catching up with the length of his phone number; to enjoy life or to risk it over some trivial squabble with these fools? That would be downright foolish.
"Let¡¯s call the police first."
With this thought, Gu Hengmanded Lin Jiayun in an indifferent tone.
Lin Jiayun wasn¡¯t sluggish; she immediately took out her phone and started calling the police.
Zhang Yang hadn¡¯t expected the situation to circle back to calling the police. He hastily interjected again, "Don¡¯t call, don¡¯t call the police!"
After speaking, he pointed at Gu Heng¡¯s nose, "Gu Heng, you¡¯re no longer an employee of ourpany. Get out now and stop stirring up trouble!"
Chapter 143 - 100: Revisiting Galaxy Media_2
Lin Jiayun didn¡¯t even pay attention to him, and after connecting the call, she began reporting the situation to the operator.
As for Gu Heng... Listening to Zhang Yang speaking in the same old tone, he oddly wanted tough...
"Zhang Yang? I¡¯m here to pick up my girlfriend for dinner; that shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?
After all, I¡¯m a boss, shouldn¡¯t I have some poise?"
Apparently not expecting Gu Heng to speak to him in that tone, Zhang Yang¡¯s eyes widened incredulously behind his sses, staring at Gu Heng...
And those former colleagues, upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, also cheered internally...
Some who had been nning to resign were even more determined about their decision...
If they really resigned, they definitely had to give that stupid boss a piece of their mind...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t know about these former colleagues¡¯ thoughts; he just quietly waited for Lin Jiayun to call the police.
If it weren¡¯t for today¡¯s special circumstances, he hadn¡¯t nned on stepping back into Gxy Media¡¯s doors...
Showboating in front of these former colleagues with whom he had no rtionship brought him no pleasure... With that time, he¡¯d rather find a massage parlor and chat with the masseuse about her miserable life...
"Yes, the address here is..."
Finally, after giving the address to the operator, Lin Jiayun turned to Gu Heng with a sweet smile: "All done!"
Ning Baojun, seeing that someone had actually called the police, felt agitated...
He had just wanted to recover his dignity today...
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
If He Jing really wasn¡¯t willing, he didn¡¯t have the power to force her; worst case, he would just ask for the money he spent back...
Now that the police were involved, things had gottenplicated...
But since the report had already been made, Ning Baojun wasn¡¯t going to back down, pointing at He Jing and saying, "Calling the police?
Is calling the police useful? I consulted with awyer beforeing here, your actions constitute inducement to consume, and at worst it¡¯s fraud!
I still have our chat record, if you don¡¯t pay back the 300,000, just wait and see who the police will trouble."
The more he spoke, the more confident Ning Baojun became...
He grabbed a chair nearby and sat down.
After hearing Ning Baojun¡¯s words, Gu Heng took a deep breath and turned to He Jing, saying, "Is this true?"
He Jing still avoided eye contact, too scared to speak...
Exhaling slowly to release his tension, Gu Heng¡¯s tone grew colder: "Then just pay him back the 300,000. You¡¯re not short of money, better to avoid furtherplications."
Disappointment.
That was probably the feeling in Gu Heng¡¯s heart right now...
Why had he always treated He Jing much better than Lin Jiayun?
Wasn¡¯t it because He Jing was different from other inte celebrities? Compared to the other inte celebrities¡¯ decadence, He Jing was like a breath of fresh air...
She didn¡¯t want to livestream, didn¡¯t fish for wealthy patrons, and didn¡¯t indulge in flirting.
Other inte celebrities¡¯ IPs wandered all over the country, their social circles full of luxury goods and high-end hotels.
She merely treated being an inte celebrity as a profession, honestly filming web series and taking advertising splits, never engaging in those lowly acts.
Maybe the world of inte celebrities was just like that, even the cleanest person could get tainted once they entered this huge dye vat...
Sensing the coldness in Gu Heng¡¯s voice...
He Jing, who had been holding herself together, finally couldn¡¯t hold back anymore...
Tears streamed down her cheeks...
"I have no money left, I put all my savings into the down payment for a property recently, and I even took out 150,000 from my credit card to make up the rest..."
"And I didn¡¯t induce him to spend money, I didn¡¯t even add his WeChat, we just chatted on TikTok about how I was short of money for buying a house, hoping he could support me a bit, and I would pay him backter once I had the funds..."
The more she cried, the more agitated He Jing became...
While speaking, she pulled out her phone from her bag and held it up to Gu Heng: "Here are our chat records, look!
I¡¯m not the kind of person you think I am!"
Upon hearing this, both Gu Heng and Lin Jiayun were stunned...
Lin Jiayun was stunned because during the New Year¡¯s period, she had been with He Jing the entire time,pletely unaware of the details of He Jing¡¯s constant livestreaming...
As for Gu Heng...
Indeed, he hadn¡¯t thought about that aspect...
He knew buying a house was He Jing¡¯s obsession, but he didn¡¯t realize she was nearly driven mad by it.
Then, somewhat awkwardly, he said, "If you¡¯re short of money, why didn¡¯t you borrow from me?"
Frankly, if He Jing had asked him for a loan of one or two hundred thousand, Gu Heng really wouldn¡¯t have thought too much about it...
First off, He Jing had the ability to repay the debt.
Secondly, he trusted He Jing immensely.
However, seeing her with tears streaming down her face, a mess of snot and tears, he guessed that she wouldn¡¯t listen to anything he said.
Moreover, given He Jing¡¯s strong personality, it would be hard for her to ask people close to her for money, which is probably why she was fiercely livestreaming and ended up attracting Ning Baojun over.
"Crying helps? If crying could make over three hundred thousand vanish, I¡¯d cry every day!"
He Jing¡¯s sobbing only made Ning Baojun¡¯s attitude even more arrogant...
As someone who profited from real estate demolitions, he was the type who spent his money without thinking.
Before Douyin Lives became popr, he had already spent several millions on other livestream tforms and had tasted quite a bit of sweetness from that.
Later, when Douyin Lives became popr, a flood of hosts joined Douyin, and this inte sensation naturally followed...
At the beginning, he was somewhat restrained, throwing ten or eight thousand to a small host could easily get them to meet up...
Untilter on, he found ying with the small hosts boring, no different from the paidpany of hostesses and techs in the past, costing just a few thousand, and he started targeting inte celebrities with millions of followers...
But unexpectedly, the first time he splurged over three hundred thousand, he was snubbed.
Where would that leave the face of a god of the inte who had bedded countless small hosts?
In a fit of pique, he spent money to have some guys rush over from the northeast.
Even if he couldn¡¯t bed them, he still had to get his three hundred thousand back. There wasn¡¯t much left from the demolition money now, and three hundred thousand could be considered a huge sum in his eyes... He couldn¡¯t bear this loss...
Gu Heng looked at Ning Baojun¡¯s arrogant face...
The more he looked, the more annoyed he became...
He didn¡¯tck three hundred thousand and could easily pay on behalf of He Jing, and without idents, He Jing would definitely repay him as soon as possible.
But the thought of actually returning the money to such a jerk made him ufortable...
He had acted tough several times, throwing out vast amounts of money each time.
Although the system reimbursed him, the money was still spent!
And this guy?
Not only did he act tough, but now he wanted to act tough and run away...
Life¡¯s not that sweet...
Just as Gu Heng was contemting how to handle the situation, something suddenly popped into his mind...
[Solve a Trouble Once: 500,000] (Can solve troubles worth up to 500,000 yuan for the host once)
This item was something he bought when he first acquired the system...
At that time, he spent 2.5 million and bought three items.
[Basic Driving Skills] [Basic Fighting] Both of these were quite practical...
His dashing one-handed driving skill came from [Basic Driving Skills]...
[Basic Fighting], although he hadn¡¯t used it, acted as a passive skill that made him slightly more aggressive when going out, and he certainly wouldn¡¯t end up like Principal Wang, taking a girl to northeastern barbecue and then getting shot in the head.
As for this [Solve a Trouble Once], if not for today¡¯s situation, he would have truly forgotten about it...
With his personality of acting tough but not seeking trouble, he really had little use for such an item...
Especially as his savings increased...
He almost didn¡¯t need it at all...
After all, most troubles could be resolved with money, and if not, just add more money.
If he really encountered a problem that almost a billion in savings couldn¡¯t solve...
Then probably this item wouldn¡¯t cut it either...
After all, the limitation of the item was clear, solving troubles worth under 500,000 once...
Gu Heng gave it no more thought and directly said to the system in his mind, "Use the [Solve a Trouble Once] item."
[Detected the current trouble¡¯s value for the host is: 370,000, do you want to use it?]
"Yes."
[The item has taken effect, the trouble will be resolved within 2 hours in a normal, reasonable, and legal manner, with no supernatural phenomena involved.]
After saying this, the system disappeared without a trace...
Gu Heng nced around at the people nearby, everything was still the same, and he couldn¡¯t help but blink...
An item worth 500,000 per use, just like that?
It couldn¡¯t be a counterfeit or shoddy product, could it?
Chapter 144 - 101: The System Teaches You How to Spend Money
"Who called the police?"
In Hang City, arge city like this, the police respond very quickly.
Especially inmercial districts like this one, the efficiency is even higher.
Within minutes, several police officers appeared inside Gxy Media...
Ning Baojun, who had been acting arrogantly all along, quickly stood up when he saw the police and said, "I called the police! Officer, I¡¯m reporting a fraud!
This female broadcaster induced me to tip and made me spend over 300,000! It¡¯s her!"
As he said this, he pointed at He Jing, who was still trying to regain herposure...
Hearing this, even her body couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly...
The leading police officer frowned at Ning Baojun¡¯s words, nced back at his colleague with some confusion, and asked in a low voice, "Is this the information we received from the report?"
Before anyone could answer him, Lin Jiayun calmed He Jing down a bit and then stood up.
"Don¡¯t listen to his crap! I¡¯m the one who called the police!
This man came to ourpany to cause trouble and insult my colleague! Ourpany has surveince; you can check it out for yourselves!"
Upon hearing this, Ning Baojun displeasedly said, "What do you mean causing trouble?
This is called seeking a resolution to the problem, a legitimate demand.
Officer, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask the owner of thispany."
With that, he nced at Zhang Yang.
Zhang Yang, seeing that the police had arrived, could only hope that the situation wouldn¡¯t escte and nodded reluctantly.
With Zhang Yang¡¯s acknowledgment, Ning Baojun felt even more confident: "Since we couldn¡¯te to an agreement, I called the police too. There¡¯s now that says I can¡¯t call the police just because you did, right?"
He then turned to the police officer and said, "Officer, I want to report right now. This woman, named He Jing, I want to sue her for defrauding me of over 300,000!"
Faced with the chaotic situation, the police officer could only frown and say, "It doesn¡¯t matter who called the police, let¡¯s go back to the police station and talk about it."
The entiremercial district was full of offices belonging to various live-streamingpanies big and small...
The police were ustomed to handling disputes like this one and naturally directed people to go to the police station...
...
Gu Heng had been waiting for the system to kick in since using the props and was getting a little anxious when the arrival of the police didn¡¯t conclude the matter...
Although he had the system for a month and had been through quite a lot...
He was still an ordinary person at the end of the day.
The situation had clearly exceeded his ability to handle...
Just when Gu Heng was about to take He Jing to the police station to wait for further developments, a knocking sound came from the ss door that stood open at the entrance.
"Excuse me, is Gu Heng, Mr. Gu, here?"
At this voice, everyone turned their attention to the door.
Two men and one woman, all dressed in business suits. Whether man or woman, their hair was neatlybed and impable, not particrly imposing, but just the three of them standing together emitted a sharp aura.
"I¡¯m here."
Upon hearing his name called, Gu Heng quickly responded.
n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
As expected, the system¡¯s reinforcement had arrived.
After receiving Gu Heng¡¯s response, the woman who stood at the center smiled and walked up to Gu Heng with the other two, "Hello Mr. Gu, we are businesswyers from Tiance Law Firm, and we rushed over as soon as we received yourmission.
My name is Qin Ya, and these are my assistantwyers."
Qin Ya was dressed in a bluedies¡¯ business suit, petite, with clean-cut short hair, delicate features, and light makeup that was perfect¡ªnot overly formal yet not too mboyant. Although she wore a faint smile, her demeanor asionally revealed a sharp temperament that kept others at bay.
Upon hearing Qin Ya¡¯s introduction, everyone turned their surprised gazes towards Gu Heng...
It had only been about 20 minutes since Gu Heng came upstairs. Had he found awyer that quickly?
Gu Heng was unaware of these thoughts. When he heard Qin Ya introduce herself, his eyes shed...
He had to give credit to the system again.
For legal troubles like this, of course, one should seek professionals.
At that thought, Gu Heng¡¯s face also wore a more rxed smile.
Qin Ya looked around, gave a slight nod to the policemen, and then turned to Gu Heng, "Mr. Gu, could you tell me what happened? It would help me to provide you with the appropriate legal service."
After Qin Ya asked, Gu Heng exined the general situation to her.
"So, Mr. Gu, you would like me to help Ms. He Jing with legal services, right?"
"Roughly.
After nodding again, Qin Ya turned to He Jing, "Ms. He Jing, Mr. Gu mentioned you had a chat record with that gentleman. Could you please show it to me?"
He Jing was about to take out her phone when the impatient police officers at her side intervened. The leading officer with a stern face said, "No matter what the situation is, let¡¯s discuss it at the police station first."
At these words, He Jing¡¯s hand trembled in fear as she reached into her bag...
"Mr. Gu, do you n to go to the police station to deal with this, or resolve it here?"
He had a choice in the matter?
Gu Heng was a bit confused...
In his mind, if the police asked to go to the station for an investigation, all citizens of Hua Country would have no choice but toply, right?
But seeing Qin Ya¡¯s confident expression, he managed to say, "Of course, if it can be dealt with on the spot, that would be best."
"Very well."
Upon getting Gu Heng¡¯s reply, Qin Ya turned and spoke directly to the police officers in a calm voice, "Hello officer, my client called the police for on-site assistance and is hoping for conflict resolution within the scope of police functions."
Chapter 145 - 101: The System Teaches You How to Spend Money_2
And my client has not been involved in any criminal or civil cases and has very legitimate reasons to refuse your verbal subpoenas."
There wasn¡¯t a trace of the previous respect for Gu Heng in her tone; instead, there was a hint of haughtiness...
Ordinary people might feel restrained when facing these uniformed officers, but for Qin Ya, dealing with the police was routine. No matter if they were officers from a local station or detectives from the criminal police, none could affect herposure.
Having said that, she didn¡¯t care about the increasingly unfriendly looks from these men as she bent her head to browse through the chat logs of He Jing and Ning Baojun...
The officers, though resentful of Qin Ya¡¯s tone, found her argument logical and couldn¡¯t counter it...
They could only exchange looks, seething silently...
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
No wonder the profession the police dislike most iswyers...
Just because these people know the legal statutes inside out, they can escte any minor issue, and police work is not always done by the book, leaving loopholes for thesewyers to exploit...
Seeing the police subdued, Ning Baojun hastily said, "Who says there¡¯s no case? I¡¯m going to sue her for fraud!"
Qin Ya, who was focused on the chat records, didn¡¯t even lift her head upon hearing Ning Baojun¡¯s words, her voice not loud but enough to echo throughout the room.
"Then wait until you file a report, and after the police officially open a case, let them bring a subpoena to summon my client."
Ning Baojun: "..."
He was beginning to regret not bringing awyer with him...
As for Gu Heng, seeing Qin Ya¡¯s precise demeanor, he was inwardly thrilled...
What defines a professional?
This is the mark of a professional!
Regardless of the police, she cared not!
The chat log between He Jing and Ning Baojun wasn¡¯t lengthy, and it only took Qin Ya a few minutes to read through it all.
"Miss He Jing, may I copy these chat logs?"
Havingpletely lost her initiative, she nodded her head quickly at the sound of Qin Ya¡¯s voice, just like a pecking hen.
Qin Ya passed the phone to her assistantwyer standing by her side, then raised her head to look at Mr. Gu and said, "Mr. Gu, I have reviewed the chat logs. We now have two options."
"One option is to wait for Mr. Ning Baojun to sue, and I will serve as Miss He Jing¡¯s defense attorney. The chat records show that Miss He Jing has not fabricated any facts to defraud him. Mr. Ning Baojun¡¯s expenditures in the live-streaming room were entirely voluntary. We handle many such financial disputes in our firm every day and have a wealth of litigation experience.
As long as we have this chat log as evidence, even an averagewyer could ensure a 100% victory."
"And what¡¯s the other option?"
As long as it didn¡¯t cost him money, Gu Heng would be satisfied.
But he was genuinely curious to hear what Qin Ya would propose as the second option...
"The second option is for Miss He Jing to report a case against Ning Baojun for [soliciting prostitution], and use this chat log as evidence for the prosecution. In the chat records, I¡¯ve seen Mr. Ning Baojun using money in several attempts to lure Miss He Jing into selling her body.
Although his criminal act wasn¡¯t consummated due to Miss He Jing¡¯s refusal, given the significant sums of money involved, there¡¯s a high chance it constitutes an attempted crime."
"Even if ultimately considered an attempted crime, the minimum penalty could still be detention or surveince, andpensation for the mental distress suffered by Miss He Jing."
Qin Ya knew very well that the likelihood of a sessful prosecution based on the chat log was very low; the same would be true even if it were awless ouw.
But as an employer, she was bound to ensure Gu Heng¡¯s interests were fully protected.
Even if she knew it to be a futile effort....
....
After listening to Qin Ya¡¯s words, everyone froze in ce.
Ning Baojun: "???"
He was the victim, so how did he suddenly be a criminal in need of incarceration after her few words?
As for Gu Heng and He Jing, they were too absorbed in Qin Ya¡¯s words to react immediately...
Gu Heng¡¯s thoughts were simple; he just wanted to help He Jing get rid of this nuisance, satisfied as long as He Jing didn¡¯t have to refund Ning Baojun in the end.
He Jing was even more confused...
If it weren¡¯t for ack of money, she would have taken out the 300,000+ yuan to settle everything peacefully by now...
But now, with Qin Ya¡¯s arrival, it seemed she wouldn¡¯t have to return the money, and she might even be able to retaliate?
Thinking of this, He Jing looked towards Gu Heng...
Qin Ya had been summoned by Gu Heng, and she wanted to hear his thoughts...
Catching He Jing¡¯s gaze, Gu Heng immediately understood her and directly said to Qin Ya, "Let¡¯s go with the second n!"
"Okay."
Upon receiving Gu Heng¡¯s instruction, Qin Ya turned to her assistantwyer and said, "Start the recording."
After that, she approached the still-confused police and said, "Officer, good day. I am here to file a report on behalf of my client, Miss He Jing. My client, as a media industry professional, has always earned her ie legally and earnestly."
"Mr. Ning Baojun, with substantial sums of money as his bait, attempted to coerce my client into selling her body and performing acts of prostitution. His criminal behavior even escted from online to offline, where he tried to use violence to intimidate her!"
"As a result, my client Miss He Jing, distressed by his actions, suffered severe mental stress. I hope the police force will open a case and protect thewful rights and interests of my client Miss He Jing!"
A stream ofwyer¡¯s rhetoric flowed from Qin Ya¡¯s mouth, making the officers wipe their brows...
Although they were unsure of the specifics, having listened on the side, they had a rough understanding of the situation...
Chapter 146 - 101: The System Teaches You How to Spend Money_3
It was just someone in the live streaming room spending money to sleep with the female broadcaster, then failing to get her, both money and person lost...
Usually, they let them sue each other over these things...
But today, this attorney defined the matter as enticement to prostitution in just a few words...
This is a serious crime...
If convicted, imprisonment of not more than five years, detention, or surveince is no joke...
So, in peaceful times, you can offend anyone, just don¡¯t offend an attorney...
But as much as heined in his mind, since Qin Ya had already reported the case, they had no choice but to ept it, only able to helplessly say, "Reporting is fine, but this time you¡¯lle to the police station with us, right?"
"Of course, assisting the police with their investigations is the duty of every citizen."
Police: "..."
Why didn¡¯t you say it was a duty just now?
Qin Ya knew the police wereining about her in their hearts, but she didn¡¯t care in the slightest, walking back to Gu Heng and saying, "Mr. Gu, next we will need Miss He Jing to cooperate with the police.
I will also follow up on this case and provide legal assistance for Miss He Jing."
With a nod, Gu Heng could only smile and say, "Then I¡¯ll trouble Miss Qin."
"No trouble at all, as a service industry, protecting the interests of our employers is our first principle.
If I didn¡¯t give my all, I would feel terribly sorry for the 2.4 million annual fee Mr. Gu spends."
Boss Zhang Yang: "???"
Lin Jiayun: "???"
Colleagues, police, Ning Baojun: "???"
Aside from the police and Ning Baojun, almost everyone knew Gu Heng.
Hearing about the 2.4 million annual fee from Qin Ya, the looks they gave Gu Heng were full of question marks...
He was just an ordinary office drone before the New Year, howe after not seeing him for a month, he had suddenly transformed into a big shot?
Even if Gu Heng were to unt 2.4 million in cash right now, it wouldn¡¯t shock them as much as what they were witnessing...
2.4 million in cash and spending 2.4 million on aw firm annually, that¡¯s not the same concept at all, is it?
Especially boss Zhang Yang, who ran apany and inevitably dealt withwyers...
When Qin Ya first introduced herself as an attorney from Tiance Law Firm, he was already about to bite his tongue...
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
As Hang City¡¯s true NO.1w firm, their business capabilities need not be discussed, gathering elitewyers from all over the world, with many of them involved in internationalwsuits.
But their prices are really high, even the fees for regr attorneys from the firm are not affordable for ordinary people.
So when Qin Ya said that Gu Heng had to pay an annual fee of 2.4 million, he didn¡¯t doubt it...
What he really didn¡¯t understand was how this humble employee who resigned in front of him before New Year suddenly became a tycoon who could afford an annual fee of 2.4 million?
In fact, the most surprised person was Gu Heng himself...
He was very clear that he had not spent a penny on Tiance Law Firm.
Without a doubt, this was arranged by the "system"...
Thinking of this, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help butmunicate with the system in his mind...
"System, what¡¯s this about Tiance Law Firm¡¯s membership fee?"
This time, the system wasn¡¯t aloof; the response came quickly to Gu Heng¡¯s brain.
[The fee has been paid by the system on behalf of the host through the inte. The host enjoys a year of privilege ess. To continue enjoying after one year, you need to pay on your own.]
Gu Heng: "???"
Is this teaching me how to spend money?
[Yes.]
???
Shocked by the system¡¯s straightforward answer, the question marks in Gu Heng¡¯s mind multiplied.
Since getting the system, he thought his spending was quite extravagant, surely he didn¡¯t need to be taught?
[The system won¡¯t interfere with any of the host¡¯s indulgent behaviors, but a friendly reminder: every indulgence has its price.
As the host¡¯s identity elevates, the price will also be greater. The host should minimize the cost within a normal range.
The system will not support the host with anything beyond "money" because in modern society, money is the greatest help. The host needs to leverage the advantage of money, making full use of the privileges that money can bestow.]
After saying this, the system disappeared without a trace...
And Gu Heng was left standing there in silence...
Since obtaining the system, his simple expenditures had indeed granted him certain privileges...
But those privileges were nothingpared to his fortune...
If he could fully utilize the advantage of his fortune, then a situation like today would be incredibly simple to resolve, without the foolish need to use a prop card...
The system was right, the help provided by this prop card was negligible, because he could have just used money to hire awyer; the system merely simplified the process.
It was really just teaching him how to spend money...
Chapter 147 - 102 He Jing’s Awakening
It was after 7 p.m...
Following a two-hour police reporting process,
upon leaving the station, Qin Ya still wore that light, faint smile.
"Mr. Gu, the report registration and case review phases areplete. After these stages, the police will proceed with the case filing review. Under normal circumstances, the review period is seven working days, during which a decision will be made on whether to file the case or not.
But to be honest, due to the limited evidence we¡¯ve provided, it¡¯s difficult for the case review process to pass¡
However, rest assured, ourw firm will continue to follow up on this case and apply legal pressure as needed. Even if we can¡¯t secure a criminal filing, we¡¯ll strive for a civil filing to protect Ms. He Jing¡¯s legal rights," Qin Ya said with an air of professionalism, which was something Gu Heng, who had never dealt withwyers before, wasn¡¯t quite used to.
He didn¡¯t know how to respond, so he just nodded...
Sensing Gu Heng¡¯s reluctance to talk further, Qin Ya took out her phone: "Mr. Gu, how about we add each other on WeChat? That way, I can keep you updated on the case¡¯s progress in real time."
Her professional instinct originally made her n to add He Jing on WeChat first.
But after a brief consideration, she decided to add Gu Heng instead¡
There wasn¡¯t any other reason; Gu Heng was her employer. Although she was following up for He Jing, in reality, she was dealing with issues for Gu Heng; after all, he was the one paying. She didn¡¯t know what kind of person Gu Heng was. What if adding He Jing first would upset him?
After all, it¡¯s the service industry; even in higher-level jobs, understanding the client¡¯s perspective muste first...
Hearing what Qin Ya said, Gu Heng didn¡¯t think too much of it, nor did he realize that in just those few seconds, Qin Ya had thought through so much. He took out his phone and showed her his QR code.
The system was very clear; it had paid his annual membership fee for him. Over this year, Tiance Law Firm would go to great lengths to resolve his legal issues...
2.4 million a year...
Who knows if he¡¯d need them in the future?
Since I can use it for free, I might as well take advantage of it...
After adding each other on WeChat, Qin Ya gave him a few more details and then left with her two assistantwyers, leaving behind Gu Heng, Lin Jiayun, and He Jing.
Looking at He Jing, still looking a bit traumatized, Gu Heng didn¡¯t bother tofort her. He took out his car keys, unlocked the car, and walked over: "All right, let¡¯s go eat. I¡¯ve been driving for seven or eight hours and then spent another two at the police station without even a sip of water. I¡¯m starving."
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯sint, He Jing could only remain silently ashamed...
If it hadn¡¯t been for Gu Heng¡¯s sudden arrival, she really didn¡¯t know how she would have solved the situation on her own.
Lin Jiayun didn¡¯t think much about it. She was hungry too, so she took He Jing and got into the back seat of the car...
...
...
A few minutester, the Bentley Flying Spur pulled up in front of the Park Hyatt Hotel.
Coming to this ce, Lin Jiayun was reminded of those crazy two nights before Gu Heng left Hang City...
After Gu Heng left, it took her a good two or three days to recover. Now, revisiting the location, a damp feeling started spreading again in her lower body...
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
"Are you nning to stay in a hotel tonight?"
Gu Heng, who was focused on parking, nomittally said, "Otherwise?"
"I was actually nning to go to Tianyanga Mansion to take care of the property title transfer, but now it¡¯s sote, they¡¯re probably closed.
I still have a bnce of around a hundred thousand on my Hyatt Group membership card, so I might as well make do with a night in the hotel," he said, stepping out of the car first.
Hearing about Tianyanga Mansion, Lin Jiayun¡¯s beautiful eyes flickered, and she quickly clung to Gu Heng¡¯s arm. She didn¡¯t care about the passerby as she cooed, "My rent is due, and it¡¯s more than four thousand a month. It¡¯s ridiculously expensive. Since the house you bought is so big and has so many empty rooms, it¡¯s just a waste. Why don¡¯t I move in and live with you? Any rent saved is beneficial~"
Hearing Lin Jiayun¡¯s words, Gu Heng gave her a sidelong nce with a teasing expression: "Are you sure you just want to save that four thousand plus rent a month?"
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s yful tone, Lin Jiayun wasn¡¯t offended but continued to yfully say, "Well, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d be too lonely living alone~ If I live with you, I can keep your bed warm at least~"
She whispered thetter half directly into Gu Heng¡¯s ear.
Gu Heng merely smiled and nodded in response.
Ever since Lin Jiayun had given herself to himpletely, she indeed had be more forting, even starting to actively seek benefits.
But this didn¡¯t irk Gu Heng.
On the contrary, he found it gratifying, as that¡¯s the effect he was looking for.
This meant Lin Jiayun was clear about her role, aware of her worth...
He was just worried that Lin Jiayun would be one of those women who after getting money, would still want love, trying to seize all the best things in the world.
He hadn¡¯t nned to stay long in Hang City; the house would mostly be empty, so it would be better to have Lin Jiayun move in to add some life. Besides, if he ever came back to Hang City suddenly, he wouldn¡¯t need to inform her in advance. He just needed her waiting with her buttocks perked up for him.
Thinking of this, Gu Heng said directly: "Then prepare in the next few days. Have a movingpany transfer your stuff over."
"No need to prepare. I¡¯ve already packed almost everything. I¡¯ll just call the movers tomorrow," she replied, and then nted a firm kiss on Gu Heng¡¯s cheek...
Chapter 148 - 102 He Jing’s Awakening_2
He Jing, who had heard every word of their conversation, only inwardly chuckled in bitterness...
She had put all her savings of recent years into making a down payment, had even incurred hundreds of thousands in credit card debt, and had almost gotten into legal trouble...
Meanwhile, what about Lin Jiayun...
She earned less than He Jing but normally checked into all kinds of high-end restaurants and entertainment venues, living a life a million times morefortable than her own...
Especially when just a few sweet words could get her into a ready-made mansion worth tens of millions...
The disparity was simply too great...
Under the press of a series of today¡¯s events, He Jing¡¯s mentality was extremely fragile...
She began questioning what the point of her many years of persistence really was...
Gu Heng had no idea what He Jing was thinking; he walked into the Park Hyatt Hotel with Lin Jiayun wrapped in his arms...
The room manager Chen Hao, having received the news beforehand, was already waiting in the lobby, chatting with the front desk when he saw Mr. Gu, he immediately greeted him, "Mr. Gu."
Having not seen him for more than half a month, Chen Hao was dressed the same as ever, unchanged.
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Seeing Chen Hao¡¯s enthusiasm, Mr. Gu also smiled and greeted him while instructing, "Get me a room. Just give me the cardter, I¡¯m going up to eat first."
"The presidential suite again?"
"Whatever you see fit. Also, arrange someone to show me the way to the restaurant, I n to eat first."
Gu Heng¡¯s casual reply was seen as affirmation by Chen Hao, who quickly gestured to a waiter and instructed, "These guests want to dine, take them up."
Having said that, he switched back to his respectful demeanor and faced Mr. Gu, "Is Mr. Gu nning to go to the Chinese restaurant or the Western restaurant?"
Without even thinking, Mr. Gu said, "Chinese restaurant."
Starving to the point of being able to feel his front sticking to his back, what Western food? He just wanted to eat some rice to fill his stomach.
"Then Mr. Gu, you go up and dine first, and I¡¯ll proceed with the check-in for you, I¡¯lle upter to find you."
Mr. Gu nodded slightly and followed the waiter toward the elevator...
Watching the waiter press the elevator button for him, though it was just a small gesture, it made Mr. Gu feel subtly privileged...
That long-missed sense of privilege...
Being back home for half a month, he had been serving others every day...
Taking his parents out to visit for the new year goes without saying, serving his own parents was only right.
The main trouble was also driving those rtives who didn¡¯t have cars back to their homes...
They were scattered all over, one here, another there, even in the neighboring county. During that time at home, the ces Mr. Gu frequented the most were gas stations, making him feel like an illegal taxi driver...
...
"Sir, the Chinese restaurant is here," said the waiter as the elevator stopped on the 37th floor.
As Mr. Gu stepped out, the waiter promptly started to lead the way.
Although it was the same ck Pearl Two-Diamond Restaurant, this Chinese restaurant was clearly of a higher ss than the Western restaurant he visitedst time...
Right at the entrance, through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he captured in one nce the expansive view of the Qiantang River. Mr. Gu didn¡¯t know much about interior design, but this warm-toned Chinese decor was far superior to the cold feel of the Western restaurant...
The asional wafts of food aroma were already stirring Mr. Gu¡¯s appetite...
Seeing Mr. Gu seated at the table picking up the menu, a waiter who hadpleted the handover came up to him promptly, saying, "Sir, our Yue Xuan Restaurant specializes in Jiangzhe Cuisine and Cantonese Cuisine. Today¡¯s chef¡¯s rmendation is West Lake Bamboo Fish.
Unlike the traditional Hangzhou Cuisine West Lake Vinegar Fish, our restaurant uses fresh bamboo fish to avoid the muddy taste that carps or grass carps bring. Moreover, our chef personally prepares the vinegar sauce, which greatly enhances the vorpared to the traditional West Lake Vinegar Fish."
Mr. Gu paid no attention to the waiter¡¯s introduction.
In his eyes, the most humiliating way for a fish to die was to be turned into West Lake Vinegar Fish.
Forget about some bamboo fish he had never heard of before, even if this restaurant used wild yellow croakers costing thousands per pound, Mr. Gu had no interest in trying it.
He nced at the menu featuring signature dishes like crab meat tofu, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, Longjing shrimp, and many others all adding up to over a dozen dishes, then he pointed to the West Lake Bamboo Fish rmended by the waiter and spoke slowly, "Give me a portion of everything except this West Lake Bamboo Fish."
The waiter, thinking Mr. Gu was impressed with his introduction, was just about to praise more when he heard Mr. Gu¡¯s words and became slightly bewildered...
But that feelingsted less than half a second before he responded, repeating to confirm, "You mean to order one portion of each of the remaining 11 signature dishes, excluding the West Lake Bamboo Fish?"
"Yes."
"Okay, I¡¯ll arrange that right away."
"Tell your kitchen to speed things up, don¡¯t dawdle."
The already departed waiter quickened his pace upon hearing Mr. Gu¡¯s words.
No matter how unreasonable the guest¡¯s request, they always had to handle it with care, a line repeatedly emphasized during their training.
With the waiter gone, taking advantage of the moment, Mr. Gu looked at He Jing sitting silently across from him and asked, "So, what¡¯s the situation exactly?"
"Ah?"
Initial confusion crossed He Jing¡¯s face, then with a self-mocking smile, she exined, "Didn¡¯t I tell you before at the office? I used all the money for the down payment, I¡¯m really short on cash. That¡¯s why I thought about trying hard with live streaming to make some money. I streamed all day and night, but it¡¯s useless...
After calcting my share every day, I make at most a thousand dors..."
Chapter 149 - 102 He Jing’s Awakening_3
I was already nning to give up and look for other ways when Ning Baojun came out and directly sent me 370,000 over two nights...
After I withdrew the money, I borrowed another 150,000 from my credit card just to make it enough..."
Hearing her exnation, Gu Heng snorted with augh, "I don¡¯t believe for a second you don¡¯t know what Ning Baojun is thinking. Would someone give you hundreds of thousands for no reason?"
With Gu Heng¡¯s disdainful snort, the bitterness on He Jing¡¯s face became even more intense...
"I know...
Actually, he made it very clear to me afterward. If it were any other time, I would definitely have returned my share to him. But after I paid the down payment, I really had no money left. I could only cate him, saying the money was a loan and I¡¯d pay him back when I had the funds. After that, I stopped dealing with him..."
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
I just didn¡¯t expect that right after the New Year, he woulde rushing over..."
Listening to He Jing¡¯s words, Gu Heng furrowed his brow and continued to ask, "That¡¯s not right, didn¡¯t you say you had enough for the down paymentst time?"
"I did have enough. I always get a year-end bonus at the end of each year. Zhang Yang told me earlier that my bonus would be 300,000 this year, and I counted that in...
But after I scheduled everything with the bank for the mortgage, he told me that the advertiser¡¯s payment had note through and that my bonus would be dyed..."
And then this whole series of events happened..."
Hearing He Jing¡¯sints, Lin Jiayun frowned and said, "That¡¯s not right. We all received our year-end bonus. Although it¡¯s not as much as yours, when added up, it¡¯s definitely more than 300,000. Howe everyone else got theirs and you didn¡¯t?"
"It¡¯s because my contract is up for renewal. My profit-sharing ratio with thepany has always been 3 to 7. This time I requested a 55% share, and they weren¡¯t happy about it.
So, I decided not to renew and am nning to sign with another MCN. That¡¯s why they are holding back my earnings.
That¡¯s still one of the better oues. I guess the next step will be for them to sue me."
Lin Jiayun: "Isn¡¯t that just disgusting?"
He Jing smiled, "Disgusting? When you think about it, it¡¯s not so bad actually. After all, I chose this job.
I thought that after all these years of making a good amount of money for thepany, even if we couldn¡¯t renew the contract, we could part on good terms. But you saw what happened today, how Ning Baojun made a scene at thepany; did they show any intention to protect me?
They even suggested that I go apany Ning Baojun.
Previously, my friends all advised me to get a respectable job, saying that this industry was utterly rotten. I didn¡¯t believe them, thinking that as long as I held onto my bottom line, the environment wouldn¡¯t affect me. It was only today that I realized it was all just wishful thinking...
In such a rubbish circle, it¡¯s simply impossible to make money while standing tall.
I n to leave the industry after my contract expires. A university ssmate of mine started apany and invited me to do nning work there. I can make twelve to twenty thousand a month, which is just enough to scrape by for my mortgage."
Listening to He Jing¡¯s words, Gu Heng gave her a somewhat surprised look.
Skeptically asking, "With your current poprity, couldn¡¯t you earn more than a hundred thousand a month just from small advertisements?
Are you willing to give up that ie to be a nner?"
It¡¯s easy to move from frugality to extravagance, but hard to return to frugality from extravagance.
Gu Heng had a hard time believing what He Jing was saying...
"I¡¯ve already achieved my initial goal of earning money, a down payment of 50% to buy a house in Hang City.
Why should I continue to debase myself?"
Hearing He Jing¡¯s rhetorical question, Gu Heng paused...
It seemed he hade to view all women in the world like Lin Jiayun...
Chapter 150 - 103: That’s the right taste! This is the taste from before!
The dishes were quickly served...
The small table was packed tightly with eleven dishes...
Rejecting the waiter¡¯s suggestion to change tables, Gu Heng started showing off as soon as he picked up a bowl of rice...
The chopsticks nearly left afterimages on the tes...
Partly because he was really hungry.
On the other hand, he had never really had good food at home...
When he first returned home, maybe because of the familial love, Gu Heng had noints about the home food, even finding it quite tasty...
But as he spent more time at home, the taste of those ordinary dishes faded over time, saying they were unpleasant was an overstatement, but they were just filling...
To truly enjoy good food, one must go to these high-end restaurants...
In less than two minutes, Gu Heng had polished off an entire bowl of rice with the delicious crab powder tofu and casually handed the clean bowl to the waiter to serve himself another, then turned to He Jing, "Zhang Yang even held back your year-end bonus, are you sure you can get this month¡¯s sry?
What about the credit card debt and mortgage afterwards?
You don¡¯t want to work hard for years to buy a house and have it taken away by the bank before you even move in."
He Jing had thought about this issue too, and after a slight silence, she put down her chopsticks.
"I¡¯m thinking of letting my parents sell the house in the county town at a low price ande live with me in Hang City. Although the house in the county isn¡¯t worth much, it should help us get through for a while."
This decision was also made out of necessity...
Who would have thought that a mega influencer with millions of followers copsed just because of a house...
Seeing her look, Gu Heng shook his head helplessly and then took out his phone and transferred the maximum limit of 200,000 yuan to He Jing¡¯s WeChat.
Seeing the notification on her phone, He Jing widened her eyes and looked up at Gu Heng, full of confusion.
"Alright, keep it.
Don¡¯t think I¡¯m pitying you, just consider it a loan from me. Pay me back when you have money.
Also, you¡¯ve added Qin Ya on WeChat. Let her handle thewsuit with thepany; it¡¯ll save you somewyer fees. I¡¯ll talk to herter."
Listening to Gu Heng¡¯s words, He Jing¡¯s eyes instantly reddened...
Gu Heng, quick to notice, hurriedly said, "Don¡¯t give me that look; I find women crying most irritating. When women cry, it makes me want tough. Don¡¯t make meugh in such a public ce."
Lin Jiayun was already seething with jealousy...
She hadn¡¯t gotten Gu Heng to spend 200,000 yuan on her yet, but without doing anything, He Jing had 200,000 transferred to her...
How could she not feel jealous...
But knowing her ce, she could only suppress her jealousy and try tofort He Jing alongside others...
As the waiter brought the food, Gu Heng, while gobbling down his meal, muffledly said, "What if, I mean just if, I invested in an influencer mediapany and invited you to manage it, do you think it has potential?"
He Jing: "???"
Lin Jiayun: "???"
Both put down their chopsticks, staring straight at Gu Heng.
Seeing their wide eyes, Gu Heng swallowed his food and said, "Why the ghostly expressions?"
"You said you want to invest in an influencer mediapany?"
He Jing and Lin Jiayun said in unison.
"What¡¯s wrong?"
Lin Jiayun¡¯s sense of crisis surged instantly...
There were quite a few shellpanies in the influencer circle merely funded by wealthy people, not to turn a profit but rather to create a harem for themselves...
After all, most decent-looking girls nowadays want quick money...
And there are only a few ways to make quick money...
Either be an influencer or a star.
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Those rich second generations, the wealthy, they just know these girls¡¯ mindset, thereby creating mediapanies directly, making these girls fall into their traps without needing to scout for beauties elsewhere...
Lin Jiayun thought that was Gu Heng¡¯s intention...
If Gu Heng knew her thoughts, he would surely kiss her fiercely...
But obviously, he wasn¡¯t...
With his current understanding, he couldn¡¯t imagine the wealthy could y such intricate games, no longer actively chasing after girls but starting mass production...
As for why he suddenly said he wanted to invest in an influencerpany, it was just a sudden inspiration...
If anyone asked what he did in the future, he could just say he owned a smallpany, a cover for hisrge assets...
And through the system¡¯s teaching, he learned that having money alone wasn¡¯t enough, one must also know how to spend it. He was indeed nning to establish his own industry to give himself a social identity, mere wealth was too flimsy, a bit like rootless duckweed...
After He Jing¡¯s initial intense reaction, she resolutely shook her head.
"Such MCN incubators are already saturated, nine and a half out of ten entering this field suffer losses,panies like Gxy Media seeded wildly with the rise of short videos. If you asked him to start anotherpany now, he could hardly make money.
Moreover, the cycle is too long. The signing fee for digging up a major influencer runs into tens or hundreds of millions, and self-cultivating one takes at least a year or two to see results. If you really want to make money, better put your money in bank finance, don¡¯t overthink it."
"Is it that troublesome?"
Having thought he learned something during his time at Gxy Media turned out to be nothing, Gu Heng could only helplessly shake his head, "Then I guess I won¡¯t invest."
Chapter 151 - 103: That’s the right taste! This is the taste from before!_2
After hearing He Jing¡¯s persuasion, Gu Heng also gave up on that idea...
Delving into his own business wasn¡¯t urgent at least until his assets reached several billion.
With his current asset just past a billion, no one would set their sights on him. For now, the main goal was to enjoy life...
Moreover, after the initial excitement, Gu Heng also sobered up a bit...
The inte celebrity industry was too low. Even if he became a leader in the industry, like Three Sheep Group or Xin Xuan Group, what of it? In most people¡¯s eyes, it was still just an inte celebritypany with a low social status...
If he were to get involved, he¡¯d need to be like Lei Jun, a big shot in the investment industry...
All it would take was investment...
N?v(el)B\\jnn
It was less stressful, more convenient, and if the investment failed, the system would cover it.
....
....
They had been eating for over half an hour.
Gu Heng boasted about downing fourrge bowls of rice...
Ten dishes were reduced to mere scraps...
Most of which ended up in Gu Heng¡¯s stomach.
Part of it was due to Gu Heng¡¯srge appetite, but an even bigger reason was the small portion size of the dishes...
Take, for instance, the dish of dragon well shrimp priced at 368 per serving. It had so little that Gu Heng scooped it up with a spoon three times before it was gone, simr to the other dishes...
This was typical of high-end restaurants...
If you quibbled about it, they would retort with "we offer quality," and that would be that...
"Alright, everyone full?"
Gu Heng wiped his mouth, not caring about his image, and patted his stomach...
"Full."
Lin Jiayun and He Jing had stopped eating ten minutes earlier and had been quietly waiting for Gu Heng to finish. Hearing his question, they both nodded.
Seeing this, Gu Heng didn¡¯t bother with the service bell and raised his right hand, snapping his fingers loudly.
"Waiter."
The waiter, who had stayed away to not disturb Gu Heng while eating, quickly jogged over.
"Check, please."
The waiter, holding a tablet, nced at the price and respectfully told Gu Heng, "Sir, your totales to 4,265 yuan.
Manager Chen has just informed us that you¡¯re staying in the presidential suite tonight, so you get a 3,000 yuan dining credit. You only need to pay 1,265 yuan."
Hearing the price, Gu Heng was stunned...
Not because he thought it was too expensive...
But because it seemed too cheap...
He had ordered ten dishes and thought it would cost at least ten thousand...
Turns out this restaurant was pretty decent...
While thinking, he pulled out his phone and scanned the QR code on the tablet...
[Host returns to the city, enjoys life, enjoys cuisine, indulges sessfully, reward: 30,000 yuan. Bnce: 83.53 million yuan.]
Listening to the system¡¯s voice, Gu Hengfortably squinted his eyes...
Right!
That¡¯s the spirit!
Although it was only a 30,000-yuan reward, the vibe was back! This was the taste of the past.
As Gu Heng reflected this internally, He Jing initially instinctively considered paying to express her gratitude for Gu Heng¡¯s help during the day...
But before her hand reached her phone, she gave up on that idea...
Herrgest avable bnce right now was 200,000 yuan in WeChat, recently loaned to her by Gu Heng. If she insisted on paying now, it wouldn¡¯t show her as an independent woman but rather a totally foolish one...
....
People who eat too much tend to get restless, and Gu Heng was one of those people...
Having driven all day, he had nned to rest in his room after dinner, but with the expensive food squeezing the limited space in his stomach, he felt no trace of sleepiness. He then turned to He Jing and Lin Jiayun, saying, "Do you two have any ns for tonight?"
Lin Jiayun quickly replied, "No, actually, I n to take a few days off. I¡¯ll be with you these next few days."
He Jing definitely didn¡¯t have to work those days. Lin Jiayun was worried that He Jing might get too cozy with Gu Heng while she was at work, which is why she had already nned to take leave during dinner...
He Jing also shook her head: "No ns."
"No ns, how about going for a walk to help digest the food?"
He Jing, Lin Jiayun: "Digest walk?"
Gu Hengughed and said, "I¡¯ve been staying in my hometown so long that I almost rusted over, but now that I¡¯m back in Hang City, I definitely need to get out and about."
"I came across some videos on TikTok recently depicting nightclubs with dance floors where, apparently, if you¡¯re handsome, girls wille up and rub against you. With my looks, there should be quite a few girls approaching me, right?"
"Last time at FT Bar, I was too busy showing off andpletely missed out on the real fun of nightclubs. I need to make up for that this time!"
Lin Jiayun: "???"
Although she could only consider herself half a girlfriend, hearing him say this in front of her was a bit too much, wasn¡¯t it?
Gu Heng caught a glimpse of her emotional face and said indifferently, "I see you¡¯ve been using that bag for quite a while, haven¡¯t you? I¡¯ll get you a new one in a couple of days."
Lin Jiayun immediately showed off a woman¡¯s talent for quick changes of face, and instantly smiled, "I know quite a few of the atmosphere girls at FT Bar. Wait, I¡¯ll have them alle dance with you!"
Satisfied, Gu Heng nodded in approval...
Damn, Lin Jiayun was such a simple woman...
Just a little benefit, and she had absolutely no bottom line...
Not like Lin Ran and He Jing...
Those two always had such clear boundaries...
But, as unspeakable as it was, it was exactly because of their boundaries that Gu Heng regarded them more highly and didn¡¯t treat them like a mere fling like Lin Jiayun...
Descending from the 37th floor, Chen Hao, who had been waiting at the elevator, immediately greeted Gu Heng with a smile.
"Mr. Gu, was your meal satisfying?"
Nodding, Gu Heng ordered, "Does your hotel offer limousine service at night? Arrange a limo for us to go to FT Bar.
If not, find me a driver. I¡¯ve been driving all day, I¡¯m a bit tired, and besides, I¡¯ll be drinkingter, so getting a designated driver might be troublesome."
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s instructions, Chen Hao hurriedly replied, "The limousine service ended before eight o¡¯clock, and it won¡¯t start again until eight tomorrow morning.
If Mr. Gu doesn¡¯t mind, I can be your driver and take you all over."
Of course, he didn¡¯t mind.
But upon hearing Chen Hao¡¯s offer, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but stare at him and asked, "Don¡¯t you have to get off work? I¡¯ll need a ride backter too."
"As long as you need me, my working hours are 24/7."
"Alright then, I¡¯ll trouble you, Manager Chen. But, may I ask, how much is your sry per month?"
To be honest...
Gu Heng really liked this guy, Chen Hao...
But not in that way...
It was because his service was just so meticulous...
Last time I stayed at the hotel for a few days, this guy treated me like an emperor...
Watching TV, those tycoons all have their own personal butlers to handle some of their life¡¯s trifles...
Should I get a personal butler too?
Especially since I have a lot on my te right now.
Not to mention, my family is building a house back home with expenditures often reaching millions; my folks definitely can¡¯t handle it, and I can¡¯t be running home every three days. Isn¡¯t this where a personal butler would be useful?
This Chen Hao is clearly perfect butler material...
Staying here as a room manager is simply a waste...
His only w is that he¡¯s not female. If he were a woman, it would be even better...
But that¡¯s just a minor pity. If I want to find girls, that¡¯s easy¡ªjust so long as you aren¡¯t scared of getting sick, you could change them daily. The job of a personal butler still suits someone like Chen Hao, who has such great service skills. Gender isn¡¯t that important...
When Chen Hao heard Gu Heng¡¯s sudden question, he was stunned for two seconds. Although he didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind Gu Heng¡¯s question, he answered truthfully, "I earn about twenty to thirty thousand a month, maybe a bit morest month because of themission from Mr. Gu¡¯s recharge."
"Twenty to thirty thousand..."
Gu Heng muttered softly...
"So, your ie isn¡¯t fixed, right?"
"In the service industry, there¡¯s nothing like fixed ie. It¡¯s normal to have more some times and less at others."
Gu Heng nodded and then went straight to the point, "I¡¯m currently in need of a personal butler to help me handle some trivial matters of life. Are you interested in quitting your job to help me? As for your sry...
Let¡¯s go with double your current one, forty thousand a month."
"What?"
This time, Chen Hao really was taken aback, just gawking with his mouth wide open...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t repeat himself but just patted Chen Hao on the shoulder andughed, "You can think it over. If you¡¯re interested, just let me know.
For now, just do your current job well and drive us to FT Bar."
With that, he left the hotel entrance along with the equally astonished Lin Jiayun and He Jing...
Chapter 152 - 104: Come Out to Play, No Need to Worry About Girls
Throughout the journey, Chen Hao¡¯s mind was consumed with Gu Heng¡¯s invitation.
To be honest, he was hesitating...
The sry Gu Heng offered him was very tempting; 40,000 a month, which added up to 480,000 a year...
Even in big cities like Shanghai and Beijing, this level of sry definitely ranked among the highest, tens of thousands more than his own annual ie including the year-end bonus...
If it were another hotel trying to poach him, he would have epted without hesitation and immediately jumped ship...
But now it was just Gu Heng¡¯s private invitation that made him hesitate...
Chen Hao wasn¡¯t worried that Gu Heng couldn¡¯t afford the sry, after all, he had seen for himself the level of Gu Heng¡¯s spending; just one night¡¯s amodation was equivalent to half a month of his own sry.
What truly concerned him was stability...
Although his current ie wasn¡¯t very high, it was stable. Arge hotel group like Hyatt Group was a ce countless people were breaking their heads to get into.
But if he became Gu Heng¡¯s personal butler and after some time Gu Heng wasn¡¯t satisfied and kicked him to the curb, where would he go to cry?
While Chen Hao was lost in his thoughts, the Bentley Flying Spur had already stopped at the entrance of FT Bar.
Professionalism brought Chen Hao back from his thoughts. After parking the car, he hurriedly got out and went to the back seat, slowly opening the car door...
Many young men and women were outside FT Bar at the moment, all turning their gazes in this direction...
Generally speaking, ces like bars and nightclubs were no strangers to luxury cars; not just Bentleys, but even Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and McLarens were amon sight...
But there¡¯s a saying that goes well.
N?v(el)B\\jnn
It¡¯s not frightening to encounter a Bentley on the street; what¡¯s frightening is a Bentley with a chauffeur.
Bentleys, being a brand that focuses on businessfort, are primarily made for sessful middle-aged individuals, except for models like the Continental that are sports cars.
Seeing a young person driving a multi-million-dor supercar might not mean they¡¯re wealthy because too many people rent cars to show off nowadays.
Buting across a Bentley on the road, like Gu Heng has, with a professional driver¡ªthere is no doubt that¡¯s a wealthy person.
And the next scene further confirmed the suspicions of those around...
"Mr. Gu!"
Jiajun, who had been waiting at the door, had sharp eyes and spotted Gu Heng stepping out of the passenger side immediately, approaching with a smile apanied by several of the bar¡¯s security guards...
Casting a discreet nce inside the car and seeing that Gu Heng was alone, he couldn¡¯t help but ask again, "Mr. Gu, are you alone? Aren¡¯t Sister Jia and Sister Jinging?"
Initially, Gu Heng nned toe with He Jing and Lin Jiayun, but upon leaving the hotel, He Jing suddenly didn¡¯t want toe, so Gu Heng didn¡¯t insist and even left Lin Jiayun at the hotel to apany her.
"Yes, I¡¯m alone," Gu Heng briefly replied and then turned to look at Jiajun¡¯s several security personnel who were dressed in substandard suits and resembled gangsters, inquiring, "What¡¯s with this charade?"
Truth be told, Gu Heng¡¯s taste had gradually improved.
But!
He still enjoyed this kind of lowbrow showing off; otherwise, why didn¡¯t he just get out of the car right away instead of sitting inside waiting for Chen Hao to open the door?
Jiajun really got Gu Heng¡¯s point...
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s question, Jiajun hastily grinned and said, "The club¡¯s just been through the New Year, so all sorts of people are around. I called a few guys to ensure your safety, Mr. Gu, to prevent any ignorant fools from disturbing your fun time."
Jiajun had figured out Gu Heng¡¯s character thest time Gu Heng spent money at FT Bar and had deliberately called for some security personnel because he knew Gu Heng liked to show off.
But of course, he couldn¡¯t admit that he was there just to help Gu Heng with his pretense...
The excuse was quite reasonable.
Gu Heng was well aware that Jiajun was talking nonsense but still smiled at him in satisfaction...
No wonder ancient emperors liked sycophants; it was mainly too satisfying. What difference was there between someone like this, who knew how to cater to his preferences and coulde up with a reasonable excuse, and the sycophants of ancient times?
"Mr. Gu, your VIP booth has been arranged. After receiving your message, I immediately had the manager reserve a BOSS card for you."
Gu Heng nodded slightly to Jiajun¡¯s words and then turned to Chen Hao, who was still standing by, and instructed, "You can go back first. I¡¯m probably going to y for a while inside; I¡¯ll let you know in advance when it¡¯s time to return."
"Alright."
Chen Hao continued to stand and watch until Gu Heng entered before he got back into the car.
...
...
This was Gu Heng¡¯s second visit here, and he no longer had the surging excitement he¡¯d had thest time; he was much more nonchnt.
As Gu Heng walked towards the booth led by Jiajun, people in the ordinary booths nearby couldn¡¯t help but cast their gazes toward him...
In ces like nightclubs, it¡¯s very easy to feel the disparity.
And this sense of disparity is caused by nothing more than envy and jealousy.
Others sit in booths with a minimum spend of tens of thousands, while you sit at stand-alone tables.
Others drink expensive liquors costing thousands or tens of thousands, while you drink beer that¡¯s just a few tens of yuan.
Even the girls cuddling in their arms are prettier than yours¡ªcould there be no disparity?
And now...
Someone like Gu Heng, with security guards clearing the way specially for him, was unmistakably a person of extraordinary status, as long as one wasn¡¯t blind.
"Mr. Gu, here is our FT Bar¡¯s number 03 BOSS booth, which also offers the best view in the ce," Jiajun said, working to make his voice heard over the ring music while introducing the spot to Gu Heng.
Gu Heng responded with an OK sign and then settled grandly into the sofa.
Chapter 153 - 104 Come Out to Play, No Need for Girls to Worry About Themselves_2
"Mr. Gu, would you like to order drinks first or shall I bring up the ones you stored fromst time?"
The boss card¡¯s minimum spend was twelve thousand eight hundred, which Gu Heng knew when he messaged Jiajun to reserve the card. He immediately said, "First bring up the drinks I stored previously, then just top it up with enough to meet the minimum spend."
Gu Heng was just here to have some fun this time; he didn¡¯t have any strong desire to show off.
Having bought drinks worth over three hundred thousandst time and barely drunk any, there was no need to continue buying. Moreover, putting on the same show twice in a row wasn¡¯t very appealing.
Jiajun, though slightly disappointed, could still understand. Even the coolest big shots have spending cooldowns, right? There are big shots who drop hundreds of thousands each visit, but ny-nine out of a hundred are night club shills, and thest is a thoughtless, newly-rich boaster...
The real big shots whoe out to y usually behave like Gu Heng; they¡¯llvish spending without blinking when needed. But when it¡¯s not necessary, they won¡¯t spend a single undeserved penny.
"Alright, Mr. Gu, please wait a moment while I arrange that for you."
With that said, Jiajun efficiently made the arrangements for Gu Heng.
Meanwhile, Gu Heng lounged on the sofa, legs crossed, ying with his phone...
He had initially thought about asking Jiajun to arrange somepany for him, but then decided not to.
The girls Jiajun could arrange were merely part-time hostesses from the nightclub scene, no different from Yu Han, with quality hard to match Yu Han¡¯s level...
His previous experience here had taught him that once the ce heated up, there would be no shortage of girls eager to strike up a conversation and sponge off his booth.
Instead of dealing with a bunch of hostesses, he might as well quietly wait for thedies toe to him like opening blind boxes...
If he opened one of good quality, he¡¯d consider himself lucky.
If of poor quality...
He¡¯d simply have Jiajun send her away...
...
About a few minutester, another long procession of servers, like a winding dragon carrying colorful lights, headed toward Booth 03, immediately drawing a slew of gazes...
The DJ on stage, having received the message through his headset, yelled with passionate fervor, "Let¡¯s wee Mr. Gu from Booth 03 to FT, wishing him an exuberant and thrilling night!"
At that moment, many eyes were
Normally, retrieving stored drinks didn¡¯t involve such fanciful fanfare...
This was essentially a gift from Jiajun within his greatest authority, also an investment...
ying to Gu Heng¡¯s preferences like this, as long as Gu Heng remembered any of Jiajun¡¯s kindness, the benefits were guaranteed...
"Mr. Gu, your stored drinks are here. Additionally, I¡¯ve added a few cases of fruit beer for you and fetched a bottle of Golden Edition Ace of Spades, with the rest made up of various other beverages to round it off."
Gu Heng didn¡¯t even nce at the drink list Jiajun handed him, simply scanned the payment code and paid the twelve thousand eight hundred.
It wasn¡¯t that he trusted Jiajun so much...
It was just that spending twelve thousand eight hundred was merely to meet the booth¡¯s minimum spending requirement...
A bottle of Golden Edition Ace of Spades was priced at eight thousand eight hundred here, leaving little room for Jiajun to skim much off even if he wanted to.
But to Jiajun, that gesture was pretty much trust cemented...
Being trusted in such a way meant his investment was not in vain, somewhat touching him. He promptly said, "Mr. Gu, it looks a bit lonely for you sitting here by yourself. How about I fetch somedies to make things more lively?"
Gu Heng shook his head.
"Let¡¯s just keep it this way; the ones you fetch are just hostesses. If I really wanted to y, I¡¯d rather go to Business KTV. Just don¡¯t stop anyone if theye up to tag along. I¡¯m heading to the dance floor first."
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Jiajun could only awkwardly smile, "Alright, Mr. Gu, enjoy yourself, I¡¯ll keep an eye out here for you."
Seeing Gu Heng walk away, Jiajun hurriedly snapped a photo of the Ace of Spades and Louis XIII on the booth and sent it to the marketing group.
The usually rather quiet marketing group instantly became abuzz.
"???"
N?v(el)B\\jnn
"What the heck, did you open another Big Three Yuan set? Are you even human? Please stop making money; it hurts more to see you earn than my losses!"
"It can¡¯t be, can it? I didn¡¯t see a massive group message about someone opening the Big Three Yuan."
Jiajun had no time for jokes as he rapidly typed on the screen.
"Booth 03, anyone know a beautiful girl currently in the club, hurry get her here. I don¡¯t need to mention much about the booth owner¡¯s capabilities; he¡¯s the one who ordered our FT¡¯s first grand m set. A guy who¡¯d pay a booth¡¯s minimum spend of over ten thousand without even blinking. But let¡¯s make it clear first!
It must be regr customers, don¡¯t send those hostesses over; it puts me in an ufortable position if I have to shoo them away.
Old rules, if tonight results in extra beveragemissions, the introducer gets a direct three-way split of my cut!"
"Received!"
"Contact them immediately."
The purpose of creating this marketing group was for resource sharing...
After all, every alcohol marketer knew some beautiful female customers.
These beauties often went out to y with the goal of meeting some rich second generations.
But the wealthy were always the minority... not easy to encounter...
And these marketers took this opportunity to start resource integration...
The beauties could sessfully cling to the wealthy...
The wealthy could have fun in the club, and once happy, they would spend money...
After spending, the marketers would get amission...
A situation happily beneficial for everyone...
...
The marketers in the group were quick to act, and it only took a few minutes to spread the word, and people began rushing to Boss03¡¯s card table...
Before long, over ten girls had gathered around the booth...
Thin or plump, each with a distinct style...
But each one of them had that slutty air...
That was normal, since they¡¯d chosen to fish for sugar daddies in a nightclub. Could you really expect them to be from decent homes?
Jiajun watched these girls continuously head his way but wasn¡¯t thrilled at all. He picked a few who were somewhat decent to sit at the booth, and as for the rest, he apologized over drinks...
After sending off thest hopeless case, Jiajun red up in the group.
"Are you kidding me? These are the beauties you talked about?"
Jiajun¡¯s message popped up in the group, and someone immediately replied, "These aren¡¯t beauties to you? Do you expect us to find a celebrity to apany you at the table?"
"Bro, let¡¯s be real, you could scrape half a pound of greasepaint off their faces. They¡¯d be unrecognizable without makeup, and you¡¯re pushing them to me?
These might pass for those greasy old business owners who aren¡¯t picky, but think about it. The owner of this booth is a young man in his twenties, a young man who doesn¡¯t see a few hundred thousand as big money. Do you think he hasn¡¯t seen real beauties?"
This long message reflected Jiajun¡¯s feelings at that moment...
Just then, a photo suddenly appeared in the group.
"I have three girls who just came from another club. This is one of their photos; the others are of simr quality. If it works for you, I¡¯ll send them over."
Looking at the photos, Jiajun quickly typed: "Are these their real photos?"
"Nonsense, you think I¡¯d deceive you?"
"Hurry up and send them over."
Though they had the typical inte-celebrity faces, their features were still pretty good...
Mainly, their figures were very appealing, which most people would probably find hard to resist...
And he was bringing these girls over just to entertain Gu Heng, not to find Gu Heng a wife. Close enough was good enough...
Jiajun valued that these girls knew how to party and stir up fun...
A minuteter, the marketer¡¯s message appeared again in the chat.
"OK, I¡¯ve already asked them toe over. They¡¯ll be here in at most ten minutes.
But let me make it clear beforehand, they are my clients. Every month, they contribute tens of thousands to my performance. They are purelying out to have fun, so be careful not to offend them."
"Sure, rest assured!
If there¡¯s any problem, I¡¯llpensate you for any losses, okay?"
"Fine, just remember your words."
Right now, Jiajun was just focused on making Gu Heng a regr client of his.
He had really put a lot of effort into it today...
That¡¯s the advantage of the wealthy: they don¡¯t need to worry about handling the girls themselves when they go out...
Chapter 154 - 105: Scumbag Ancestor
All kinds of colorful lights were shing, and from time to time the dance floor would erupt with a wave of heat, along with girls dancing with their sultry bodies.
Gu Heng had been lingering at the edge of the dance floor for quite some time, watching the girls dancing inside, and had only onement to make...
And that was saucy...
Besides the girls...
There were also quite a few guys searching for their targets within the dance floor...
It only took a nce...
As soon as two people saw eye to eye, they would immediately cling to each other and twist away...
The more conservative ones might stop at some physical contact...
But the more open-minded ones would start kissing as they danced...
Gu Heng witnessed a man and woman who didn¡¯t know each other before, but now they had been embracing and kissing for at least five minutes, tongues probably going numb...
FT nightclub¡¯s motto was about being reckless youth, selling happiness, releasing stress, escaping reality...
But the more Gu Heng watched, the more it resembled arge-scale pimping venue...
He wasn¡¯t socially anxious, but he still hadn¡¯t gone down to the dance floor after almost 20 minutes...
Mainly because the visual impact was too much...
He considered himself quite open-minded, but it was clear thatpared to these people, he was still far behind...
These people were truly indifferent to meat or veg...
Watching the wild antics of the crowd, Gu Heng suddenly thought of a phrase he saw back when he was still a corporate drone...
Nightclubs are like a primeval forest.
Here, there is a scene simr to that of primitive society¡¯s courting and reproduction, where men search for women they like and then show off their best side, which might be wealth, good looks, or even conversational skills, all in the hope of finding a woman to mate with, much as primitive men would showcase their prey and strong bodies; women have it even simpler, same as before, by disying their face, breasts, legs, their physical stamina and liveliness in dance and conversation, even seductive charm is enough, without needing to show their capacity to bear children.
Because what¡¯s considered in nightclubs is not the n for a century but rather a one-time, or multiple, mutually beneficial arrangement.
After all, it¡¯s a nightclub.
Other than some who indeede to blow off work stress or like himself, who¡¯s just idling about looking for fun...
Going to such a ce, everyone understands the intentions people bring with them.
Shaking his head, Gu Heng abandoned his inner musings. He might be vulgar, but not to the extent of desperation shown here; he would rather discuss life with gold-digging women than associate with these living dictionaries.
What is a living dictionary?
A dictionary is something that anyone can look up.
Without looking back, he headed towards his own private booth...
....
....
Meanwhile, inside booth Boss03, the atmosphere was very lively...
The presence of Louis XIII, Martell Cordon Bleu, and Ace of Spades on the table let the girls know that the marketer who invited them hadn¡¯t lied: the person who opened the booth was definitely wealthy.
As regrs in the nightclub scene, they were quite clear about the value of these drinks...
Right now, they were eager to see what the booth¡¯s owner was like...
These girls were out to have fun and were somewhat different from hostesses. Normally, hostesses have a clear price tag; as long as the money is right, anything goes.
But they had more freedom to choose. If someone was just rich but looked like Zhu Bajie, they would still take time to think it over...
It was fair...
Just as others were selecting them, they were also making choices, it was just a matter of whose capital was more substantial...
This was the love found in nightclubs, more like a transaction based on interests...
As everyone¡¯s thoughts varied, Gu Heng had already returned to the booth from the dance floor.
"Mr. Gu, these are the girls who wanted to get to know you, I¡¯ve kept them here as per your instructions," said Jiajun, prompting Gu Heng to nce inside the booth and see that the women, who were all rather attractive, patted Jiajun on the shoulder, saying, "You¡¯ve been through a lot."
He was no fool...
Every woman here had a attractiveness score of more than 80...
Any one of them could be touched up with a Photoshop app, thrown online, and instantly be a social media star. How could it be possible that they would all rush over to freeload off a booth?
Without even thinking, he knew for sure that Jiajun must have arranged this while hemented life by the dance floor...
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Realizing that Gu Heng had figured out he had arranged for these girls to be there, Jiajun stopped hiding it, leaned in close to Gu Heng¡¯s ear, and said, "Mr. Gu, you can rest assured, not one of them is a hostess; they¡¯re all regrs at our nightclub. I had a huge bunch of them earlier and I screened them down to just these few for you. I know them fairly well, and they all have proper jobs.
I can¡¯t guarantee they¡¯re clean, since saying so would be nonsense for anyone frequenting nightclubs regrly, but I can assure you they aren¡¯t dirty. I have a personal acquaintance with them, and they¡¯re quite picky. You know, such picky women would rather stay single than mess around."
Gu Heng said nothing more and just smiled and nodded his head before stepping into the booth.
"Hi Mr. Gu, my name is Zhuang Zijing, and these are my friends Yuan Wan and Liu Feifei. We came to freeload off your booth, I hope you don¡¯t mind?" said Zhuang Zijing, dressed in a light brown halter top, standing up with a coy smile and greeting Gu Heng.
The other women also greeted him.
Seeing this, Gu Heng smiled and responded, "Don¡¯t you think this booth only became interesting after you arrived? And stop calling me Mr. Gu, just call me Gu Heng."
Chapter 155 - 105: Scumbag Ancestor_2
Having said that, hefortably sat down amidst all thedies...
The view of the stage from the boss card was excellent, and everyone had a clear view of the boss¡¯s card as well...
The people sitting in the surrounding booths almost gritted their teeth in envy as they saw Gu Heng weaving through the crowd of women...
....
Zhuang Zijing was an interview hall assistant at Jiangzhe TV Station, used to interacting with people quite often, and had seen her fair share of real big shots.
She wasn¡¯t confident enough to distinguish between genuinely confident men and those who were putting on airs at a nce, but she was experienced. Within just under two minutes of interaction, she could more or less guess that Gu Heng wasn¡¯t the type to feign importance...
Mainly because Gu Heng acted too casually...
He showed none of the difort that came with feigned sophistication.
This type of young, wealthy guy was considered the prime choice for most girls, and Zhuang Zijing quickly made her ns...
Unknown to Gu Heng, within just those two minutes, Zhuang Zijing had almostpletely seen through him...
Thanks to his recent change in mindset, he had adapted to his wealthy identity. If it were a month ago right after the system activation, Zhuang Zijing might have left after exchanging just a couple of pleasantries.
"Gu Heng, let me toast you first."
Having made her choice, Zhuang Zijing, without any pretense, poured herself a drink and daintily toasted Gu Heng.
Gu Heng casually picked up the ss, clinked hers slightly, took a sip, and then put it down.
Although Zhuang Zijing was quite attractive, she was a notch below He Jing and Lin Jiayun. And for him, there was no need to pretend like a flirtatious fool¡ªwhatever made him happy.
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s casual demeanor, Zhuang Zijing felt even more agitated inside. She wasn¡¯t arrogant, but she was quite confident in her looks.
Although there were quite a few men like Gu Heng who were straightforward with her, she knew that most were just ying hard to get, but the circumstances now were different.
This was a nightclub, a ce where adrenaline soared and hormones surged.
If you wanted to see whether a man was really interested in you, this was the perfect ce.
Here, all men would forego using their brains, thinking only with their lower bodies, whether it be from genuine interest or some other sponge-like organ was unknown.
Yuan Wan and Liu Feifei were somewhat surprised by Zhuang Zijing¡¯s forwardness.
They knew their friend was quite selective and rarely came across men in nightclubs who caught her eye; they had agreed to warm up in this booth and then do their own thing, but this didn¡¯t seem like what had been nned.
However, being frequent nightclub visitors, they had their own sets of standards.
These standards would change depending on whom they were dealing with, and the prerequisite for change was typically the number of digits in the other person¡¯s bank ount.
Yuan Wan guessed that Zhuang Zijing must have spotted something extraordinary about Gu Heng.
"Gu Heng, you don¡¯te to nightclubs often, do you?"
Zhuang Zijing moved closer to Gu Heng, her subtle perfume scent following her breath into his nostrils, her bare forearm seemingly inadvertently brushing against the back of his hand.
Feeling the fleeting coolness on his hand, Gu Heng chuckled, "Could it be that I haven¡¯t hidden my bumpkin aura deep enough and you spotted it instantly?"
"There are many nightclubs in Hang City, but the crowd is pretty much the same. If you frequented here, I definitely would have heard of you by now, so I guessed you don¡¯t normallye to nightclubs. it looks like I guessed right ~ I bet you¡¯re usually very busy with work."
Despite thepliment, Gu Heng could tell she was fishing for information about his background.
But it was normal. Anyone who¡¯d take nightclub girls for fools was the actual fool.
It¡¯s 2024, the days when you could impress a girl with a fancy car key lighter at a nightclub are long gone. What girl looking to catch a big fish would act without seeing the "rabbit"?
"I¡¯m just an unemployed drifter; what¡¯s there to be busy about?"
Gu Hengid out his whole story without any concealment.
Wealthy second-generation!
As Gu Heng¡¯s words fell, this term popped into everyone¡¯s mind.
n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
Aside from rich second generations, which unemployed loafer hangs out at a nightclub, upying a booth with a minimum spend of over ten thousand, sipping expensive booze that costs tens of thousands per bottle?
"I didn¡¯t expect you to be a rich second generation, Gu Heng. What to do, I think I¡¯m a bit smitten~"
Zhuang Zijing was far more direct than the other girls, blurting out exactly what she was thinking without reservation.
When Gu Heng heard her calling him a rich second generation, he paused...
He had lived for over twenty years, and this was the first time someone had referred to him as a rich second generation...
But he didn¡¯t exin; instead, he smiled and epted thebel.
If it were about family wealth, his family could be considered poor. The term "rich second generation" definitely had nothing to do with him, but if you count the system, then he really was a rich second generation¡ªafter all, a system daddy is still a daddy.
Seeing that Gu Heng didn¡¯t deny it, Zhuang Zijing knew when to stop, and after making some observations about him, she changed the topic. Clearly, she got the answer she wanted.
As the atmosphere escted, Yuan Wan noticed that her best friend had no intention of leaving and decided to join in. Both were intermittently amused by Gu Heng¡¯s racy jokes, their continual coquetry evident.
Just then, Jiajun, who had been absent for a while, approached the booth and asked in Gu Heng¡¯s ear, "Mr. Gu, one of our former shareholders from FT is livestreaming here tonight. However, the booth is now full, and the other four boss cards are crowded, making it hard to join them. Our manager asked me toe over and see if you¡¯d mind letting our former shareholder join your booth...
Of course, it won¡¯t be for free. Tonight, your minimum spend is on the house. We¡¯ll refund the twelve thousand eight hundred you paid earlier."
Gu Heng, who had been enjoying thepany of beautiful women, raised an eyebrow at Jiajun¡¯s query, "Former shareholder? Livestream? Tong Jingcheng?"
"Yes, Mr. Tong. We invited him to do some publicity."
"You mean he¡¯s going to livestream from my booth?"
Jiajun thought Gu Heng was expressing displeasure. Although Tong Jingcheng was somewhat of a celebrity online, the term "inte celebrity" inherently carried an inferior connotation in the eyes of most wealthy people; he thought Gu Heng was one of those wealthy individuals who looked down on inte celebrities.
He hurriedly said, "Mr. Gu, if you mind, I¡¯ll go and decline on your behalf."
Saying this, he was ready to decline on Gu Heng¡¯s behalf. After all, it was just a former shareholder, not someone who paid his sry. Gu Heng was now his cash cow, and there was noparison between the two.
But Gu Heng stopped him with a hand.
"I didn¡¯t say no. Go tell them, I still have space here. If he doesn¡¯t mind, he¡¯s wee to join."
Tong Jingcheng, the forefather of yboys!
Although I¡¯m not his fan, I¡¯vee across his videos on TikTok quite often.
Especially his ssic lines, like "Money is for showing to women, not for spending on them," "Good girls don¡¯t miss out, bad girls don¡¯t waste it," "No matter how many girlfriends I had in the past, you are the only one I truly love."
How many simps have found their way back thanks to these master¡¯s ssic lines?
I¡¯m currently worried about my own low yboy status; dealing with just Lin Ran has me feeling overwhelmed, let alone more women in the future¡ªI¡¯d be totally doomed, how would I enjoy life then?
If Tong Jingcheng¡¯s prior performance isn¡¯t just for show but actually holds genuine skill, I wouldn¡¯t mind learning a few tricks from him.
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s agreement, Jiajun quickly said, "Alright, I¡¯ll go back and inform my manager."
With that, he hurried off again.
"Why let Tong Jingchenge over? Are you his fan or something?"
Zhuang Zijing, who had been listening to their conversation, couldn¡¯t help but ask after they finished talking.
Working at a TV station, especially a major one like Jiangzhe Satellite TV, she was no stranger to celebrities and inte stars, but Zhuang Zijing was never too impressed with them...
They were nothing more than actors and digital pets, after all...
Gu Heng nced at her and took a sip from the drink on the table, "Just a bit curious about him, that¡¯s all. Since he¡¯s here, might as well let him join the fun."
A fan?
Xu Song, a childhood idol, couldn¡¯t hold a candle in front of me, and you think I would be a fan of an inte celebrity? Crazy?
Chapter 156 - 106: Need Skills to Flirt with Girls? Isn’t Money Enough? (9000-word Mega Chapter)
A few minutester.
Under Jiajun¡¯s lead, four or five people walked in from outside the booth.
Gu Heng, who was whispering to Zhuang Zijing, couldn¡¯t help but look up.
Seeing the so-called ancestor of jerks in reality for the first time made him look a bit longer.
A height slightly over one meter seventy, somewhat skinny... with ash-white fringe casually scattered across his forehead and beside his ears.
Truth be told, even without the livestreaming filters, Tong Jingcheng¡¯s features were still quite striking, definitely much handsomerpared to Gu Heng. Otherwise, even if it were scripted, there wouldn¡¯t be so many girls willing to be jerked around...
But after just two seconds, Gu Heng looked away...
When he had no money, Gu Heng might have envied him, after all, he had once fantasized about being a handsome guy who could find a rich woman to mooch off...
But now...
That kind of idea had long been thrown out of the window...
In modern society, having money is always more attractive than being good-looking...
Otherwise, why would Principal Wang, despite his demeanor, have so many influencers rushing to please him? Just the girlfriends he publicly changed numbered over a dozen, not to mention those not exposed in private.
If you say Gu Heng envied Principal Wang, that would still be understandable...
After all, that guy was truly enjoying life, traveling in private jets, indulging in top-tier entertainment, even the lifestyle of his dog was better than that of most ordinary people. Gu Heng was well aware that he was still far from enjoying life at Principal Wang¡¯s level.
But envy Tong Jingcheng?
Give me a break...
Envy and jealousy are words only used for those who surpass you...
Tong Jingcheng might have earned a decent amount of money over the years, perhaps even more than his own savings of over eighty million, but that wasboriously earned online, ying the digital grasshopper. The money Gu Heng spent on a month of leisure could match what he had strained over for years. What right did he have to be envied?
Without realizing it...
Gu Heng¡¯s mindset had undergone a drastic change...
He was now setting his standards not on ordinary people, but on the likes of rich second generations like Principal Wang...
"Mr. Gu, hello, I¡¯m really sorry for disturbing you."
Upon entering the booth, Tong Jingcheng greeted Gu Heng with a smile.
Gu Heng replied with a smile, shaking his head, "Just call me Gu Heng.
What¡¯s there to disturb, we¡¯re all out to have fun, the more the merrier."
He had felt from watching Tong Jingcheng¡¯s videos before that the guy had a good temper, and seeing him now, it really seemed to be the case...
Noticing two others holding live-streaming equipment, Gu Heng knowingly asked, "Are you live streaming?"
Tong Jingcheng, thinking that Gu Heng minded the live streaming, quickly exined with a smile, "Yes, I¡¯m live streaming. Gu Heng, if you mind, I¡¯ll tell my assistant to be mindful, and try to keep you out of the shot."
Gu Heng didn¡¯t mind being in or out of the shot...
He wasn¡¯t the type to hide,pletely unnecessary.
He then said jokingly with a teasing smile, "Being in the shot is fine, but your assistant has to make sure I look handsome. Also, help me check if there are any youngdies in your stream interested in me, and pass on their contact details to me."
A simple joke quickly made the atmosphere in the booth much more congenial.
Seeing how easygoing Gu Heng was, Tong Jingcheng also turned to his phone, "Did you hear that,dies in the live stream? Any interesteddies hurry and send your contact info in a private message, I¡¯ll pass it to him after the stream!"
The live-streaming assistant aptly turned the camera over...
Zhuang Zijing, Yuan Wan, Liu Feifei, and other women, upon seeing the live streaming camera turn towards them, promptly moved to another side, unwilling to be on camera...
For these women with regr jobs, nightlife was just a way to dpress. In the daytime, they were still the picture of elegance in front of others. To maintain their public image, of course, they couldn¡¯t appear on a live stream watched by thousands...
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
If there was someone they knew in the live stream, wouldn¡¯t that spoil the image they worked hard to maintain? They knew well what was more important.
Gu Heng seemed to understand their thinking, his lips curved in a mocking smile, nothing more said.
...
Although the majority of viewers in Tong Jingcheng¡¯s live stream were male, there were inevitably females present...
The chat instantly began rolling...
[This guy seems a bit ordinary, huh?]
[Tong, tell this bro to give up, women worth 798 are hawks!]
[That¡¯s right, hawk-like women aren¡¯t going to fall for such an ordinary guy...]
Tong Jingcheng, keeping an eye on the live chat, couldn¡¯t help butugh upon seeing the words "ordinary" associated with Gu Heng, "Guys, are you misunderstanding the word ¡¯ordinary¡¯?"
After saying that, he motioned for his assistant to aim the camera at the table.
"Martell Cordon Bleu, priced at sixty-six thousand.
Louis XIII, priced at fifty-eight thousand.
You might not recognize these, but you should know these bottles, right? Golden Edition Ace of Spades for 8888 per bottle, and the tinum Edition for twenty-eight thousand eight hundred per bottle. Just this table of drinks is worth at least two hundred thousand. How many of our bros in the live stream drive cars worth over two hundred thousand?
After saying so much, do you want to redefine what ordinary and unimpressive mean?"
As Tong Jingcheng spoke, the chat filled with question marks.
[?????]
[I apologize for what I said before, please ask this boss for me, Tong, does he need men¡¯s contacts too? Location: Chengdu.]
Chapter 161 - 107: Experiencing the Vicissitudes of the Human World (8000 words)
Next day.
Outside Hangcheng High-Speed Railway Station.
The Bentley Flying Spur was steadily parked in the temporary parking lot outside the station...
Last night, on the way back to the hotel from FT, Gu Heng asked Chen Hao to book a ticket from Hang City to Shanghai for him...
Having driven so much over the past half month back home, Gu Heng truly no longer wanted to drive himself...
Since Chen Hao had not given a definitive answer about bing his personal butler, Gu Heng certainly couldn¡¯t order him to drive to Shanghai, so he had to opt for the high-speed train...
Originally, Gu Heng had nned to experience his first flight and take a ne to Shanghai...
But there was only one flight route from Hang City to Shanghai, from Xiaoshan Airport to Hongqiao Airport, and when checking the route, it would almost take an hour to drive from Park Hyatt Hotel to Xiaoshan Airport...
An hour, by which time he could have already reached Shanghai by high-speed train...
For this reason, Gu Heng gave up the absurd act and chose the high-speed train...
Life is long; he could always experience his first flight some other time...
.....
.....
"Mr. Gu, we have arrived at Hangcheng East Station."
Gu Heng, who had been catching up on sleep in the back seat, heard Chen Hao¡¯s voice and struggled to open his heavy eyelids, slowly opening his eyes...
Last night was too crazy...
Lin Jiayun hadn¡¯t seen him for half a month and became like a juicer, eager to squeeze every drop out of Gu Heng...
Returning after eleven at night, they went at it three whole times, for over four hours of ¡¯plumbing¡¯...
Recalling how numb his ¡¯plumbing tool¡¯ wasst night, Gu Heng finally faced reality, realizing it¡¯s all lies in the novels...
Those who brag aboutsting an hour for each plumbing session and doing it six or seven times a night are likely just talking big...
At twenty-four, in the prime of his life, vigorous and full of energy, he almost doubted his life after ¡¯plumbing¡¯ for over four hours; what makes those people so special?
He was particrly d he hadn¡¯t brought Zhuang Zijing backst night...
Otherwise, with two ¡¯juicers¡¯ squeezing him, his body weighing over 150 pounds would probably have been left in the hotel...
After shaking his head slightly and feeling his brainpletely awake, Gu Heng asked Chen Hao, "What time is it?"
"It¡¯s exactly one in the afternoon now, there are 44 minutes left before the high-speed train you¡¯ve booked departs. Mr. Gu, would you like to rest on the train or go straight into the station?"
Chen Hao looked at his watch and considerately answered Gu Heng.
No matter how spacious and luxurious the back seat of a Bentley is, it¡¯s still just a car cabin after all, and you can¡¯t really stretch out. Sitting for so long, his limbs felt somewhat stiff...
Without a second thought, Gu Heng replied, "Let¡¯s go straight into the station, it¡¯s a good opportunity to move around a bit."
Upon receiving Gu Heng¡¯s response, Chen Hao quickly unbuckled his seat belt, got out of the driver¡¯s seat, and then opened the car door for Gu Heng...
Gu Heng, who had gotten used to Chen Hao¡¯s attentive service, didn¡¯t feel anything amiss, and slowly stretched his legs to step out of the car as he waited...
Railway stations, especially one in arge city like Hang City, are typically bustling with crowds of people. As soon as he got out of the car, Gu Heng noticed quite a few nces heading his way...
Amongst the hurried travelers, Gu Heng, with a nonchnt attitude, stepping out of the Bentley Flying Spur under the watchful service of Chen Hao, indeed seemed like an anomaly...
By now, Gu Heng was fully able to ignore these envious, jealous, and even resentment-filled stares...
Having stretched and loosened up his muscles, Chen Hao had taken out a small LV suitcase from the trunk and stood by Gu Heng¡¯s side, quietly waiting without rushing him...
"Let¡¯s go."
After loosening up his stiff body, Gu Heng took the sunsses from Chen Hao¡¯s hand, put them on, and walked slowly towards the station interior...
.....
The walk from the parking area to the waiting hall wasn¡¯t far, just a few minutes¡¯ stroll.
Just as Gu Heng was ready to follow the crowd into the waiting hall, Chen Hao quickly reached out and grabbed his arm...
"What¡¯s up?"
Gu Heng looked back at him in confusion.
"The ticket I booked for you, Mr. Gu, is a business ss ticket, whiches with a separate entrance and VIP waiting hall, over this way..."
As he spoke, he led Gu Heng towards another entrance that wasn¡¯t crowded...
Hearing what Chen Hao said, Gu Heng subconsciously paused, and when he realized what was meant, he couldn¡¯t help but blush with embarrassment...
Though he had taken trains and high-speed trains several times before, he had always traveled in regr seats and had never taken business ss. The idea of a VIP waiting hall hadn¡¯t even crossed his mind as he instinctively headed for the main waiting area. It was fortunate that his embarrassment was hidden behind therge sunsses...
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Otherwise, the cool image he had built up in front of so many people would have been utterly shattered...
Adjusting his mindset, Gu Heng followed Chen Hao to the VIP entrance...
Compared to the busy scenes of the waiting hall, the VIP entrance was much quieter. At the door, he heard two women chatting andughing in the Hang City dialect...
They straightened up quickly and became formally attentive when they saw Gu Heng and Chen Hao approaching, promptly standing up: "Wee to Hangcheng East Station¡¯s VIP passenger waiting channel. Please present your IDs."
The women¡¯s voices carried the uniquely soft intonation of Jiangnan, both wearing disposable masks so that only their eyes were visible. Even just by these pairs of eyes, one could guess that their appearances were probably quite pleasant...
However, Gu Heng wasn¡¯t there to look at beautiful women. Heplied and handed over his ID...
Chapter 162 - 107: Experiencing the Diversity of the Human World (8000 Words)_2
"Where¡¯s this gentleman¡¯s ID?"
Having received Gu Heng¡¯s ID, the staff member asked softly.
"Oh, never mind him, just check mine. He¡¯s just seeing me off at the station."
"Okay, sir, please wait a moment."
While the staff member was handling his travel arrangements, Gu Heng turned to Chen Hao and said, "That¡¯s enough for now. You can go back first.
As for Lin Jiayun, no matter how long she wants to extend her stay, just take care of it for her. Just deduct it from the bnce on my membership card, and if the bnce is insufficientter, just let me know and I¡¯ll top it up."
"All right.
I¡¯ll wait for you outsideter. Mr. Gu, if you need anything, just let me know before the train departs."
After listening to Gu Heng¡¯s instructions, Chen Hao responded respectfully, gently ced the luggage beside Gu Heng, and then retreated from the VIP entrance...
The two staff members exchanged a quiet look upon witnessing this scene that resembled a conversation between master and servant...
More than ten secondster, having verified the ID without any issues, the staff member raised her head once more and said to Gu Heng, "We need to confirm your ticket information."
Gu Heng was about to show her the information sent by the trainpany on his phone when he suddenly thought of something. He took out a pure ck card from his wallet and handed it over, asking, "Will this do?"
That card was the Construction Bank ck diamond card he had applied for previously...
Vaguely remembering what Zhu Shuting had told him when he was getting the card, this card could provide VIP services at any high-speed train station or airport within the country...
No matter how you looked at it, the value of this card definitely surpassed that of a business ss train ticket worth over two hundred yuan, right?
Upon seeing the ck diamond card that Gu Heng presented, the staff member¡¯s expression showed a hint of subtle change...
They were familiar with their job, encountering privileged customers of banks like Gu Heng with cards simr to his ck diamond card was not umon, so they couldn¡¯t appear too astonished...
Even that slight change was solely due to Gu Heng¡¯s age...
After all, most sessful individuals were middle-aged, and it was quite rare to see younger people like Gu Heng...
"Of course, sir, right this way."
Having returned the bank card to Gu Heng, another staff member quickly got up, approached him, took hold of his small travel case, and proficiently ced it into the security scanner...
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
And Gu Heng only needed to go through a gentle check by the security officer...
By the time Gu Heng stepped out of the security checkpoint, the previous staff member was already waiting with his travel case in hand...
"Sir, it¡¯s my duty to serve you exclusively until you board the train"
Without waiting for Gu Heng to react, she led him into the VIP lounge...
The staff member dragged the luggage to a secluded sofa spot and, after inviting Gu Heng to sit down, asked with a smile, "Would you like some tea or some snacks?
We provideplimentary snacks here."
Gu Heng, who had already eaten before arriving, replied softly, "Then please, just bring me a cup of in hot water."
"Certainly, sir. Just a moment."
It wasn¡¯t until she left that Gu Heng began to look around...
To be honest...
Lately, Gu Heng had experienced too many luxury services. The so-called VIP lounge¡¯s decor didn¡¯t seem much more luxurious than a regr restaurant, nor did he feel any particr VIP experience...
But turning around, he saw the hurried people dragging their luggage outside the lounge...
Looking at the crowd sitting on the cold public seats not far away, and noting that many had no choice but to rest on their suitcases due to theck of seating...
Withoutparison, there¡¯s no harm...
Compared to that group, the passengers lounging on sofas in the VIP lounge really did seem like VIPs, the difference in treatment was simply too great...
In less than half a minute, the staff member who had left returned with a cup of steaming in hot water in hand, carefully cing it in front of Gu Heng and kindly adding a warning, "Be careful, it¡¯s hot."
Then she stood silently at Gu Heng¡¯s side, her hands crossed and resting on her abdomen, waiting for his nextmand...
Initially nning on using his phone, Gu Heng felt slightly ufortable with her standing beside him and softly asked, "Don¡¯t you have other things to do?"
"Didn¡¯t I tell you earlier? Until you board the train, I¡¯m dedicated to serving you. Whatever you need, just let me know, and I¡¯ll take care of it for you."
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng swept his gaze around the VIP lounge again...
It seems only one person is special?
While others had to take their own snacks or drinks, it seemed that all he needed to do was to direct this staff member...
He then exchanged a puzzled look with her...
She responded with a smile in her eyes...
All was understood without words...
If he hadn¡¯t guessed wrong, this special service was probably provided by his personal bank card...
If the lounge guests were VIPs, what did that make him?
A VIP among VIPs?
At this thought, Gu Heng smiled and shook his head, then said to the staff member, "Then sit down and chat with me for a while."
In the next half hour, the staff member sat opposite Gu Heng and providedpanionship, sharing some interesting anecdotes about the station...
And when the time for ticket checking was nearing and Gu Heng stood up ready to say goodbye and leave, the staff member was quicker, grabbing his suitcase first. With Gu Heng¡¯s puzzled expression, she continued, "The ticket gate you need is quite far. It would be inconvenient to walk over there. Please wait for two minutes."
Chapter 163 - 107: Experiencing the Ups and Downs of Life (8000 words) _3
Having said that, she immediately walked briskly toward the staff room...
In less than a minute, she returned to Gu Heng¡¯s side, picked up his suitcase, and smiled, "Let¡¯s go."
Gu Heng could only follow her with a puzzled expression...
As they exited the VIP lounge, before Gu Heng could even ask what was happening, an indoor sightseeing car approached from a distance...
"We can take this car to your ticket gate," she said.
After cing the suitcase on the seat, the youngdy smiled and invited Gu Heng aboard.
Gu Heng: "???"
Isn¡¯t this a bit too much?
Even if Hangcheng East Station is big, walking from one end to the other would only take a few minutes at most...
For just these few minutes, do they really need to provide me with a personal sightseeing car?
But since the car was already there...
Gu Heng didn¡¯t bother to fuss and simply got on...
The sightseeing car started slowly...
Originally, it would have only taken a few minutes to walk from the VIP lounge to his ticket gate, but with the sightseeing car, it was even faster...
It only took one minute to arrive...
And during that one minute, Gu Heng truly garnered a lot of attention...
When they arrived at the ticket gate, seeing the line stretched out like a dragon, Gu Heng was about to speak when the youngdy jumped down from the car with the suitcase, reminding him: "The ticket gate for VIP guests is separate, over here."
Saying this, she led Gu Heng to the side...
With two or three minutes to go before checking tickets, the people in line could only watch helplessly as Gu Heng was led inside by the staff...
To be honest...
Gu Heng¡¯s brief half-hour waiting experience hadpletely overturned his impression of train stations for over twenty years...
Before, he would be carrying his bag, weaving through the dense crowd, asionally asking staff for help with an issue, usually receiving an impatient response...
But today?
From the moment he entered the VIP channel, he hadn¡¯t touched his suitcase...
While waiting, he even had thepany of the youngdy to chat and pass the time...
And unlike before, where queuing was a rush, afraid of missing the boarding time, this time... Before the check even began, he had already entered through the so-called "VIP guest ticket gate."
It¡¯s not that the service was exceptionally good...
Any high-end hotel¡¯s restaurant would offer better service...
But the psychological pleasure felt much stronger than at a high-end hotel...
Because there were countless ordinary people around him forming a stark contrast, and he, himself, had once been one of those ordinary people...
[The host senses the discrepancies of humanity and is rightfully enjoying the privileges endowed by money, sessfully indulging. Reward of 10,000 yuan, bnce 85.01 million yuan.]
...
...
After personally escorting Gu Heng to the business-ss carriage, the youngdy exined the usage of some basic items and then left with a smile, turning back every three steps...
Whether intentional or unintentional...
Right at thest moment, the youngdy even took off the mask she had been wearing on her face...
Gu Heng took a brief look; she could probably score seventy or eighty points, not exactly a top beauty, but still much better than most ordinary girls...
It was quite normal, just as the flight attendants in first ss are definitely prettier than those in economy ss, no doubt about it...
Being assigned to work in the business lounge, how bad could her appearance possibly be?
Gu Heng was sure, if he asked for her contact information, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be too difficult.
It wasn¡¯t that Gu Heng was confident in his own looks, it waspletely about the confidence in the Construction Bank private bank card he¡¯d pulled out...
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
To those who recognized this card, it represented supreme attractiveness, even more valuable than its actual mary value...
The fact that the youngdy frequently turned back also indicated that Gu Heng wasn¡¯t wrong...
As for why Gu Heng hadn¡¯t spoken from the beginning to the end, it wasn¡¯t because he was pretending to be reserved, but simply because he wasn¡¯t interested...
Since getting the system a month ago, Gu Heng had already had close encounters with four beauties, including Fang Xun, who had failed to be his kept woman and was just a passionate experience bought with money...
There was also Lin Jiayun, who had been sessfully kept...
And Yu Han, who was just a straightforward mary transaction.
But the one who really evoked feelings in Gu Heng was Lin Ran alone...
Because with Lin Ran, he had actually felt some emotional attachment...
As for the other three, it was just indulgence after bing suddenly rich, spending emotions on them was too luxurious...
If he took this high-speed train staff youngdy¡¯s contact information, then invited her for a meal, then took her to experience his luxurious life, and then naturally proceeded to a hotel for a night of passion, what then?
Too dull...
He could be a sower, but he didn¡¯t want to be a heartless sower...
Now that he was so wealthy, he should consider the pleasures of the mind a bit more.
The convergence of the mind and body would be much more pleasurable...
The high-speed train started moving slowly...
There were five seats in the entire business-ss carriage, but only he was there...
As for the facilities in the businesspartment, Gu Heng wasn¡¯t too impressed; it was essentially just a regr carriage with a bit more space, bigger seats, and more service facilities...
After a dedicated greeting by the attendant, Gu Heng closed his heavy eyelids...
...
...
At half past two in the afternoon...
Deep in sleep, Gu Heng was gently awakened...
"Sir, the train will be arriving at Shanghai Hongqiao Station in three minutes, may I help you pack your belongings?"
Chapter 166 - 108: What is it like to live inside the Oriental Pearl Tower?
After paying the taxi fare and chatting with the driver for two minutes, a knocking sound on the window interrupted their conversation.
By now, the rain had stopped. Gu Heng turned his head to look at the bright smile outside the window and opened the car door...
"Hello Mr. Gu, I am the butler at Sky Hotel Room 230. You can call me Xu Ying."
Xu Ying¡¯s features were delicate, and she was tall. Her short ck hair was neatlybed, and her small suit was wrinkle-free without appearing overly extravagant... Her eyes were bright and vivid, and she exuded a sense of maturity and confidence...
Although her appearance was neat and professional, there was a stark contrast...
Her voice sounded as youthful as a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl,pletely at odds with her mature and professional appearance...
Gu Heng always felt that this voice was simr to the customer service he had spoken with earlier...
Hesitantly, he asked, "The customer service I was talking to earlier..."
With an appropriate smile on her face, Xu Ying said, "Yes, the customer service you were talking to earlier was me."
Upon confirmation, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but tease, "It seems your hotel really understands cost management, huh? A hotel butler who has to multitask."
Worried that Gu Heng might misunderstand the hotel¡¯s professionalism, Xu Ying quickly exined, "Our Sky Hotel Room 230 only has one suite. The business we handle isn¡¯t extensive, so the position of customer service is also held by the hotel butler, which also ensures the mostprehensive understanding of customer needs."
"Okay, let¡¯s see what the hotel is like. On the way here, the taxi driver kept asking me if I was being scammed. He said he¡¯s been living in Shanghai for more than forty years and didn¡¯t know there was a hotel inside the Oriental Pearl."
"I also want to see what a hotel even more expensive than a five-star presidential suite is like."
Both the Al Hotel and the Park Hyatt Hotel are five-star hotels.
Their presidential suite prices had just barely broken ten thousand.
The rate at Sky Hotel Room 230 was the most expensive stay Gu Heng had ever had, costing 48,000 for a day...
With such a high price, there had to be services and an environment that matched this price, right?
"Since our Sky Hotel officially started operations on the National Day of 2020, we have never actively promoted ourselves. We rely on an unparalleled stay experience to win word-of-mouth. It¡¯s normal for most people not to know about it.
"But don¡¯t worry, if this is your first time in this style of hotel, we will definitely give you a whole new experience."
At this point, Xu Ying¡¯s face was full of proud smiles.
The taxi driver, while helping Gu Heng with his luggage, listened to their conversation and was full of cynical thoughts...
At a price of 48,000 a night, staying in this hotel for half a year could buy a house in the suburbs of Shanghai. If there weren¡¯t a good experience, he would be justified in calling the police!
Receiving the luggage from the driver, Xu Ying bowed slightly and said, "Mr. Gu, there is an exclusive passage to the altitude of your stay. Please follow me."
Gu Heng bid farewell to the enthusiastic driver and followed Xu Ying towards the exclusive passage...
The driver watched as Gu Heng¡¯s figure gradually disappeared and shook his head...
A woman a little over one meter sixty helping a man about one meter eighty with his luggage...
All he could say was that being rich really must be nice...
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
...
...
Speaking of a VIP passage, it was merely a barricade separating it from the ordinary tourists...
At this time, many tourists were still queuing for the elevator, hoping to take in the splendid view of Shanghai from the top of the Oriental Pearl Tower...
In such a crowded public ce, having an exclusive passage was a privilege in itself, which immediately drew many nces toward Gu Heng...
"Mr. Gu, this way please. We are about to take your VIP exclusive elevator to your room."
"Exclusive?"
"Yes, this elevator serves only special guests and doesn¡¯t cater to regr tourists, ensuring no waiting time for VIPs."
Gu Heng: "..."
It seems he had misunderstood...
He had thought that the word "exclusive" meant it was solely for his use... Perhaps he was thinking too much. An elevator serving one person all day likely existed only in a ce like the seven-star presidential suite at the Dubai Sail Hotel...
But still, it was decent enough...
The Oriental Pearl Tower, as andmark of Shanghai, is amon check-in spot for tourists visiting Shanghai...
If he had to queue with these people, then there was no point in staying at the hotel; going up and then back down would take up nearly all his stay time...
This service alone was already meeting the standard demand for a 48,000-night room rate...
Although he didn¡¯t know who the other VIPs Xu Ying mentioned were, he figured there couldn¡¯t be too many, otherwise the term ¡¯VIP¡¯ would be too cheap. Having basic privileges should be considered good enough at 48,000 a night, not 480,000 a night...
Following Xu Ying to the elevator entrance...
An elevator attendant was already ready at the entrance...
Meanwhile, Xu Ying was continuously rubbing her hands regardless of her image... Her originally fair hands gradually turned rosy...
Gu Heng initially wanted to ask what she was doing but thought better of it...
Who knew if it was some special service etiquette? Now, Gu Heng was already trying to move away from being naive. If he didn¡¯t understand something, it was better to keep quiet than to embarrass himself...
Then, under the envious gazes of arge crowd of people queuing outside, he slowly stepped into the elevator...
Xu Ying seemed to know the elevator attendant, with just a simple exchange of nces, the attendant pressed the elevator to stop at 230 meters...
Chapter 169 - 108: What is it like to live inside the Oriental Pearl Tower?_4
She couldn¡¯t treat him like a canary, nor could she take responsibility for him. They were just dragging this on...
But now that everyone knew he hade to Shanghai, if he avoided seeing her, she would probably never contact him again with her cleverness...
Tugging, tugging.
You pull a little, I tug a little, maintaining stability is what tugging is all about...
If you break the line all at once, what¡¯s the point of tugging?
Before Lin Ran could reply, Lin Ran switched the call to video mode...
The environment Lin Ran was in suddenly appeared on the phone screen...
Looking at the decor style, it seemed to be a hotel too...
Before Gu Heng could get a clear view, he saw Lin Ran directly aiming the camera outside the window...
It was still broad daylight where he was, but Lin Ran showed him a pitch-ck night...
The image then shifted, and Lin Ran¡¯s delicate face appeared in front of Gu Heng...
Though makeup-free, she was still prettier than most made-up inte celebrities, making Gu Heng involuntarily swallow his saliva...
Such a goddess, unreachable in the eyes of ordinary people, and yet each time he would stand up and even avoid her...
It did seem a bit excessive...
Lin Ran, unaware of Gu Heng¡¯s indecent thoughts, said, "It¡¯s past one in the morning here, are you sure you want me to grace you with my presence for dinner?
But well, if you are sincere, it¡¯s not impossible. Buy me a ticket from the United States back to Shanghai, and I wille back directly, how about that?"
As he listened to Lin Ran¡¯s reply, Gu Heng was immediately delighted...
He almostughed aloud...
Lin Ran caught every expression on Gu Heng¡¯s face through the phone...
"I¡¯m not in Shanghai, and you seem quite happy?"
Gu Heng: "???"
"How could I! It¡¯s truly regrettable; I actually wanted to treat you to a good meal, to thank you for your generosity. Now that you are not here, my heart is tormented..."
"Alright, spare me the exaggerated acting...
With that kind of acting, you could only y a traitor even in an anti-Japanese drama."
After finishing, without waiting for Gu Heng to retort, she yawned, "Alright, just enjoy yourself in Shanghai, have Xinran go to my office and take out a red box, it¡¯s a gift I bought for you. I was nning to mail it, but since you are here, you might as well take it yourself.
I have a meeting tomorrow, better get some sleep."
The video abruptly ended, just as Gu Heng had expected...
But honestly, the fact that Lin Ran wasn¡¯t in Shanghai didn¡¯t seem to make him feel particrly happy...
Instead, he felt a bit of loss...
This contradictory emotion was indeed befuddling...
The main issue was that as an ordinary person, he truly couldn¡¯t choose between desire and morality...
It was unfortunate that the system only gave him money and did not provide him with the same imposing aura as other magnates...
If only he could disy that imposing aura, even the most outstanding women would willingly join his harem...
...
Lin Ran, on the other side of the ocean, also felt quiteplicated...
She was very aware that Gu Heng was avoiding her...
She even knew the reasons why Gu Heng was avoiding her...
If this had happened when she was twenty, she might have already deleted Gu Hengpletely...
But she was almost thirty now...
The relentless pressure from her family to marry had already affected her mindset...
Plus, the days she spent with Gu Heng were indeed pleasant, causing her to have quite a fondness for him...
This fondness did not arise because Gu Heng was particrly outstanding...
She had met many men who were better than Gu Heng, and she had seen many who were wealthier too...
But none of them had made her feel the way Gu Heng did...
If it hadn¡¯t been for that crazy night in Wuzhen...
There probably wouldn¡¯t have been any entanglement between them...
She probably wouldn¡¯t be feeling agitated over a man right now, right?
The more she thought about it, the more annoyed Lin Ran became, punching her pillow several times...
Cursing Gu Heng as a bastard, and feeling regretful.
Why had she acted like a rebellious teenager ying at a one-night stand after drinking a bit of alcohol, when she was a woman in her thirties...
If it had just been a one-night stand, that would have been somewhat forgivable; she would only feel slightly guilty towards her future husband...
But what about the oue...
He left after one night, entering her body but not her life...
She was even worse...
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
He entered not only her body but also her life, and if this continued, she might even end up spending the rest of her life with him...
Chapter 170 - 109: Service can be thoughtful, but not outrageous! (7000 words)
Descending from a room 230 meters above the ground, Gu Heng once again experienced the "ear-cupping service"...
Although even without having his ears cupped, he probably would not have felt any difort...
But Gu Heng still epted Xu Ying¡¯s service without any intention of stopping her...
Who would refuse a beautiful woman using her warm little hands to gently cover your ears while looking at you with affection?
Especially since he had paid for it...
If it weren¡¯t for the hefty sum he spent, why would Xu Ying be so attentive?
So, it was a service he had bought with his money, and even if he didn¡¯t need it at all, enjoying it came without any psychological burden...
....
At this time, a Toyota Alphard was parked not far from the hotel entrance below...
Seeing this bulky business car, Gu Heng nced at a sign nearby...
[No Vehicles Beyond This Point!]
The six bold characters were quite ring...
Following Gu Heng¡¯s gaze, Xu Ying knew what he was thinking and exined with a smile, "This sign was set up by the cultural tourism department during construction to restrict the random parking of tourists¡¯ vehicles which may disrupt order."
Hearing her exnation, Gu Heng just smiled without saying much.
If it really was about stopping illegal parking, then it should be done without exception, not allowing any vehicles to pass through...
Just say it¡¯s a privilege for the few and be honest about it.
No need to dress it up as maintaining order...
Why can¡¯t they be as honest as those in the capital service industry? Although they also practice privilege, there¡¯s no hiding it; they make it clear that as long as you have money, you are God...
No need to y the whore while setting up a shrine...
Honestly, although Gu Heng was somewhat repelled by this hypocrisy, he didn¡¯t show it...
For a simple reason...
He was the beneficiary... why make things difficult for himself?
How is this any different from "Why would His Majesty rebel?"
Lightly pulling on the door handle, the electric sliding door automatically opened...
Xu Ying turned around and invited him, "Mr. Gu, please get in the car."
Gu Heng nced at the car¡¯s interior and couldn¡¯t help but marvel again inside, just how many luxuries are there that rich people can¡¯t think of...
A seven-seater business car was genuinely transformed into a four-seater...
The interior decoration was even superior to that of his Bentley Flying Spur...
Seeing Gu Heng had stepped into the back seat, Xu Ying eagerly began to introduce the vehicle.
"This Toyota Alphard had its rear halfpartment stripped of excess seating, reced with dual massage chairs, and the interior was redecorated by designers from Toyota at a great expense by our hotel. It¡¯s unparalleled infort," she said.
Then, pointing at a button next to the armrest of the seat, she continued, "The car is fully soundproofed, not only is it difficult for outside noise to get in, but even the voice of the driver can¡¯t be heard.
So if Mr. Gu has any needs while in the car, you can press this button, allowing me to attend to your needs from the front passenger seat immediately."
Gu Heng, already sitting in the seat, looked around while listening to Xu Ying¡¯s exnation...
To be honest...
In terms of prestige, the Toyota Alphard isn¡¯t a match for his Bentley Flying Spur.
But from just a few minutes inside, it was enough for Gu Heng to make aparison...
And the soundproof feature Xu Ying had mentioned...
At first listen, it doesn¡¯t seem so useful...
But after some thought, its potential benefits seemed considerable...
If he were to take a girl on a trip in such a car, Gu Heng dared not think how fast the idle time would pass...
Maybe not a thousand miles in a day,
but a hundred miles would certainly be doable...
"Mr. Gu, if you¡¯re ready, shall we depart?
Do you need me to turn on the LCD screen and y a movie or something to pass the time?"
Gu Heng shook his head.
"Just ten or so minutes, no need."
"Alright then, the electric storage cab is beside you, inside are disinfected eye masks. If you feel tiredter, you can wear the eye mask and rest a bit. Don¡¯t worry, the vehicle will not have any vibrations to disturb you."
After she finished speaking and saw Gu Heng nod, Xu Ying pulled the door handle again, and the electric door gently closed...
Xu Ying herself then sat in the front passenger seat...
As the vehicle slowly moved off, the scenery outside began to change...
Xu Ying didn¡¯t exaggerate in the slightest...
Sitting in the car, Gu Heng didn¡¯t feel the slightest sign of movement from the vehicle...not even riding high-speed rail was this stable.
Although he was not very knowledgeable about cars, Gu Heng knew that this Toyota Alphard had undergone significant modifications...
The cost was likely even higher than his Bentley Flying Spur...
Thinking of this, Gu Heng had an idea...
Not only did he want to buy a supercar while in Shanghai; afortable car like this was indispensable...
And to get a personal secretary as well¡ªdirectly upgrading from an ordinary person to the lifestyle expected of the rich!
....
After driving for about ten minutes, Gu Heng, who was taking a brief nap, was awakened by his mobile phone¡¯s ringtone...
The small ringtone seemed so jarring in this quiet cabin...
ncing at the caller ID, Gu Heng instantly chose to answer.
"Brother!!!"
The startled voice of Gu Xinran rang in Gu Heng¡¯s ear...
Causing him to instinctively pull the phone away from his ear...
"What¡¯s the situation?"
"Have youe to Shanghai?"
Gu Heng didn¡¯t deny it.
"You¡¯re being too much! Am I still your sister? To think that I only found out you were in Shanghai through someone else!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Chapter 172 - 109: Service Can Be Thoughtful, But Not Absurd! (7000 words)_3
The backseat¡¯s spacious area was converted into dual seating, which definitely increasedfort, but as for practicality... it seems just average...
A big seven-seater business vehicle can¡¯t even amodate three people...
"Maybe I just won¡¯t go up then..."
Tao Miaomiao said tentatively from the side...
But before she could finish her sentence, Gu Xinran smacked her naive head.
"Are you stupid? Not going out when you have the chance? Do you really want to go back to being a corporate ve? I¡¯ve already arranged it with Qianqian, and she wille pick us up with Leyi in a while!"
Tao Miaomiao seemed to be used to acquiescence...
Instead of retorting after being criticized by Gu Xinran, she even apologized, hugging her arm...
"Stop stop stop! Apologizing again, huh! I¡¯m fining you to only say ¡¯sorry¡¯ 10 times today! You¡¯ve already said it 8 times, and this is the 9th, you have one chance left!"
Watching the two of them, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help butugh and shake his head...
A girl with the personality like Tao Miaomiao would be bullied to death if she were ced next to people with even a slight bit of ill intent...
Except when it¡¯s his own cousin...
Besides being a bit careless, she didn¡¯t have a bad thought in her mind and didn¡¯t take advantage of her at all...
As Gu Heng frowned, watching Gu Xinran scolding Tao Miaomiao and thinking about how to solve the situation, Xu Ying¡¯s voice rang out beside him.
"Mr. Gu, should I ask the hotel to arrange another car? "
"Would that be troublesome?"
Xu Ying hurriedly said, "Not at all. The hotel is very close to the Global Financial Center; it will only take a few minutes...
However, the other vehicle may not be asfortable as this one because the one you¡¯re currently in is a special custom model, and our entire hotel group has only this one."
Gu Heng waved his hand indifferently, "It¡¯s fine, just arrange another car as quickly as possible."
n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Following Gu Heng¡¯s instructions, Xu Ying quickly stepped aside to make a phone call...
Meanwhile, Gu Xinran was sizing up Gu Heng with a twinkle in her eye...
Seeing her yful expression, Gu Heng noogied her on the head: "What are you looking at? Don¡¯t recognize me?!"
After crying out in pain, Gu Xinran held her head and said with a wince, "No, it¡¯s not that!"
"It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve changed, brother. You¡¯re bing a bit like my boss. Are you influenced by Director Lin? "
Hearing Gu Xinran¡¯s words, Gu Heng just nced at her lightly without offering an exnation.
Lin Ran was right...
He had indeed changed.
The reason Gu Xinran thought he was bing like her boss...
Was purely because Gu Heng was now slowly getting used to bossing around those who served him...
Initially, Gu Heng would have hesitated to inconvenience others, but not anymore. He was beginning to enjoy the privileges that money brought him; this was the first lesson the system taught him, and he was now starting to grasp the basics...
"Right, hand me the thing Lin Ran gave me."
"Oh right, I almost forgot. It¡¯s quite heavy."
While speaking, she passed the box she was holding to Gu Heng...
"Open it and see what¡¯s inside?"
As Gu Heng took the box and the curious Gu Xinran leaned in, he didn¡¯t mind and opened the package in front of her. He was also quite curious...
Upon unwrapping it, they saw a transparent box made of an unknown material...
Inside the box were seven differently colored Ultraman Tiga action figures, each in a different pose...
The figures were exquisitely crafted...
So exquisite that, besides being small in scale¡ªan each only tens of centimeters tall¡ªthey were indistinguishable from the Ultraman on TV...
Compared to the cheap ones he collected in his childhood for a few bucks each, these were substantially superior...
"What¡¯s this?"
"Brother, how boring can you and Director Lin get?"
"This is what you two exchange as gifts? She gives you an Ultraman, did you give her a Barbie doll in return?"
It wasn¡¯t until she saw clearly what was in the box that Gu Xinran¡¯s gossip fire was extinguished as she couldn¡¯t help but tease...
However, Gu Heng faced her teasing with silence, instead, a faint smile appeared on his lips...
He hadn¡¯t expected Lin Ran to be so thoughtful...
Back at his ce, he casually mentioned his childhood regrets, and she remembered it...
And actually sent him such a set...
Speaking frankly, with his current wealth, anything Lin Ran could gift him was easily within his reach...
What made Gu Heng smile was the realization that aside from himself, there really was someone who cared about his broken childhood...
But the sentimentality onlysted a moment before the smile on Gu Heng¡¯s lips faded again...
Damn it...
The emotional debt he owed to Lin Ran...
Seemed to have grown a little more...
But a heavy debt isn¡¯t burdensome; since he aspired to be a yboy, how could he be swayed by a woman?
He might as well focus a bit more on her in the future...
.....
A few minutester, an Audi A8 drove from a distance and parked steadily beside the Toyota Alphard.
Xu Ying¡¯s voice also followed,
"Mr. Gu, the car is here."
Gu Heng nodded, then turned to Gu Xinran, who was still standing by the side, "Are you two riding in this one or that one?"
Gu Xinran giggled, "I¡¯ll ride in this one with you!"
As if he had guessed Gu Xinran¡¯s choice, Gu Heng smiled, shook his head, and got out of the car: "Go on, get in."
"Hehe~ Thanks, brother!"
With that, she cheerfully pulled the still-bewildered Tao Miaomiao onto the car...
Chapter 175 - 110: The Four Sisters of Dorm 404_2
Although he didn¡¯t know much about Tao Miaomiao, he was quite familiar with his cousin.
If Tao Miaomiao really was some kind of green tea bitch, Gu Xinran wouldn¡¯t have hung out with her, since his straightforward cousin hated such girls to the core...
So the only other possibility remained.
That was, having a low EQ...
But having a low EQ sometimes wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing...
Just like Tao Miaomiao, although her EQ was low, she truly and genuinely showcased her innocence...
Seeing all the ingratiating, obsequious modern people around, it was pretty interesting to suddenlye across a unique flower that bloomed in mud without being tainted...
.....
It was past four in the afternoon...
Tao Miaomiao, who had already filled up andid down her chopsticks, bent her eyes into two crescents, her face adorned with slight dimples as she looked at the siblings who, by chance, both burped...
"I can¡¯t eat anymore, I really can¡¯t. It feels like I¡¯ve eaten tomorrow¡¯s share already..."
With no regard for image, lounging in her chair, Gu Xinran looked at Gu Heng and said, "Bro, why don¡¯t you just settle down in Shanghai?"
"Why?"
"You trade forex anywhere regardless, might as well do it in Shanghai. Plus, you can spend more time around Director Lin. You don¡¯t know, Director Lin has quite a few admirers. I¡¯ve seen two who followed her to thepany! If you don¡¯t keep an eye out, who knows, she might be snatched up by someone else one day!
And most importantly...
If you are in Shanghai, you can asionally take me out for better meals!"
Hearing this from Gu Xinran, Gu Heng lit a cigarette, enjoying a drag...
A cigarette after meals beats a living god, I¡¯m not joking with you, although I don¡¯t understand why, the cigarettes smoked after meals and after events truly feel much more satisfying...
"Thest part is your true agenda, isn¡¯t it?"
"What do you mean by agenda! Don¡¯t you know how tough your sister has it? A living expense of more than 2000 a month in Shanghai is just enough to barely keep me fed, I can¡¯t even afford a piece of clothing I like...
As a real brother, what¡¯s wrong with helping your sister improve her living conditions?"
"Cousin."
"Cousins have duties too!"
Just as the siblings were bantering, Gu Xinran¡¯s phone rang again.
"I¡¯m already outside Baoli Xuan, hurry up ande out, I won¡¯t go inside."
Still in that same tone...
Hearing this made Gu Heng raise his eyebrows again...
"Good timing, I¡¯ve finished eating too. Wait for me outside, I¡¯ll be right there."
Saying this, Gu Xinran immediately stood up, pulling Tao Miaomiao along, "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, Qianqian and Leyi are here!"
Saying so, she hopped and skipped, dragging Tao Miaomiao out of the private room...
Gu Heng, however, sat quietly in his ce, smoking, and shook his head with a smile at Gu Xinran¡¯s retreating figure...
Pampering a sister feels somewhat more interesting than pampering a woman...
....
....
Outside Baoli Xuan Restaurant...
A pink Mercedes Benz C200 was parked on the side...
The two girls were thus leaning against the car door, chatting...
One was a morous woman, her dense ck hair hanging straight down, her face lightly makeupped, dressed in a loose casual jacket revealing her delicate corbone. Perhaps because she seldom smiled, her face bore a deeper beauty...
The other had golden wavy hair, her face full of gentle smiles. Though her facial features weren¡¯t particrly refined, theybined to make her very pleasant to look at, the most notable characteristic being her exposed skin...
To say it was white as snow might not be enough¡ªit was nearly luminous...
And her asional giggles carried a hint of allure, leaving one with only one impression...
That of a quintessential heartbreaker...
As they chatted, Gu Xinran¡¯s voice suddenly intervened.
"Qianqian! Leyi!"
Perhaps because it had been a long time since theyst met, the two girls greeted the approaching Gu Xinran with a hug...
Leyi, with her blond big waves, touched Tao Miaomiao¡¯s head like an elder sister, her face full of indulgent smiles, "Shuishui seems to have grown a bit taller..."
"I haven¡¯t grown taller..."
Continue your saga on empire
For Tao Miaomiao, there was never such a thing as a joke...
Any question asked, whether in jest or otherwise, she responded to it seriously...
While Leyi¡¯s gentle teasing was clear, Yu Qianqian seemed more subdued...
Her gaze slightly scrutinizing as she said to the two, "How did you end up at Baoli Xuan?"
Gu Xinran was about to answer when she heard Leyi follow up on Yu Qianqian¡¯sment, "Yeah, Qianqian was just telling me on the way here that you two couldn¡¯t possibly have interned at a Fortune 500pany, met a rich boyfriend, and got brought here for a meal.
Baoli Xuan, huh?
Even Qianqian, being a rich second generation, probably hasn¡¯t been here more than twice.
n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Don¡¯t forget our promise from dorm 404, the four sisters¡ª ¡¯If we rise to riches, let us not forget each other.¡¯ If you really meet a rich boyfriend, you must ask if he has a brother and introduce one to me. If not, I¡¯m fine being the second wife as long as you¡¯re the first!"
Listening to Leyi¡¯s words that only a true heartbreaker could say, Gu Xinran rolled her eyes, "Will you listen to yourself?
Also! Neither Miaomiao nor I have boyfriends. My brother came to Shanghai today and took us here to give Miaomiao and myself a treat!"
Leyi, hearing this, blinked her seductive peachy eyes, "Brother? The kind of brother I know? Not the kind that ends up ¡¯doing¡¯ the brother, right?~ Xinran, you better not have fallen!"
Listenting to Leyi, who still talked dirty even after months of not seeing each other, Gu Xinran didn¡¯t want to bother with her anymore, turning her head to chat with Yu Qianqian instead.
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Chapter 178 - 110: The Four Sisters of Dorm 404_5
"Wee to LV, pleasee this way,"
she said as she led the way ahead, taking Gu Heng and the others to a sitting area on the side...
Gu Heng was fine, as it was not his first time visiting such a luxury store; he had developed a resistance, coupled with a bank ount bnce that allowed him to shop freely at any brand¡¯s store worldwide, and he acted quite nonchnt.
As for Gu Xinran with her carefree nature, to her, there was no difference between a luxury boutique and a small clothing store in a shopping center...
Not to mention, she had Gu Heng by her side as her rock...
In contrast, Yu Qianqian and Leyi seemed a bit restrained...
It wasn¡¯t until they reached the sitting area that the salesperson began...
"Would you prefer to look at something specific or would you like to browse the store first?"
Upon hearing the salesperson¡¯s words, Gu Heng nced at Gu Xinran, "Did you see anything you liked earlier, like clothes or bags?"
Gu Xinran quickly shook her head, somewhat speechless at Gu Heng¡¯s question...
What was her level anyway...
When she bought clothes on Taobao, she had topare prices repeatedly, how could she possibly know about LV clothes?
"Then please have someone take them around to browse first,"
"Okay."
The salesperson, upon receiving instructions from Gu Heng, hurriedly called over a few other avable salespeople to assist...
Encouraged by Gu Heng¡¯s gaze, Gu Xinran followed the salesperson towards the disy area...
She even dragged Tao Miaomiao along as they left.
Leyi, with her wavy blonde hair, seemed very interested in LV and didn¡¯t need Gu Xinran to pull her along; she promptly followed.
As for Yu Qianqian...
She sat down on another sofa, picked up thetest season¡¯s LV magazine from the table, and started reading without needing anyone to tend to her...
"Would the gentlemen anddies like something to drink? We have fresh juice and freshly ground coffee avable,"
the original salesperson asked with a smile after Gu Xinran and the others had left.
"Coffee,"
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Yu Qianqian responded without even looking up.
Gu Heng nced at her, then turned to the salesperson and said, "A ss of orange juice."
As for Xu Ying...
As the salesperson¡¯s gaze shifted to her, she shook her head...
The salesperson didn¡¯t insist. Being in the service industry as well, she could clearly sense that Xu Ying was different from the others, probably guessing her identity. She then asked Gu Heng and Yu Qianqian to wait for a moment before turning to make arrangements.
Seeing Xu Ying standing by his side like a statue, Gu Heng couldn¡¯t help but say, "Why don¡¯t you have a seat for a while?"
"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Gu, but I¡¯m not tired,"
Gu Heng: "..."
This personal butler was indeed professional, clearly defining her position...
But perhaps a bit too professional...
Impossible to have a conversation with...
Thinking this, Gu Heng spoke again, "Then why don¡¯t you go with my sister? Later, if she tries on or picks outfits that you think are nice, just give the salesperson a heads up to reserve them.
I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll try to save money for me and hesitate to buy."
"Okay."
Watching Xu Ying¡¯s departing figure, Gu Heng shook his head...
Could it be that every personal butler has a bit of a masochistic trait?
He kindly suggested she rest, and she decisively refused.
Then, when he gave her a task to do, she immediately agreed...
Hearing Gu Heng¡¯s words, Yu Qianqian, who had been focused on her magazine, couldn¡¯t help but nce at him from the corner of her eye...
...
Shopping is a woman¡¯s nature...
And once this nature is unleashed, it¡¯s unstoppable...
Gu Heng had been lounging and reading magazines, his legs crossed, until he finished several of them and Gu Xinran and the others finally returned.
He nced at the time...
In just one store, the girls had nearly spent an hour...
"Brother! I want to buy this!"
Gu Xinran said as she excitedly held up a pink LV bag...
Gu Heng stood up and stretched, and without asking the price, he smiled and said, "Alright, then let¡¯s buy it."
"But this bag is a bit expensive¡ªit¡¯s eleven thousand!"
Gu Heng: "???"
"You shopped for an hour and just picked one bag? Didn¡¯t you find anything else?"
Gu Xinran excitedly nodded: "Just this one bag is fine, I don¡¯t really like the clothes here."
Hearing her, Gu Heng immediately turned his gaze to Xu Ying.
Seeing the meaning in Gu Heng¡¯s gaze, Xu Ying quickly took out her phone and walked up to him...
Gu Heng nced at the phone, where the memo had recorded various LV garments, and after a rough look, there were about five or six...
"Is this all?"
"These are all very suitable for Miss Xinran¡¯s temperament, and there were some I didn¡¯t think appropriate, so I didn¡¯t record them."
Gu Xinran, Leyi, and even the sales associate all looked puzzled at the two conversing.
Only Yu Qianqian understood the meaning of their conversation...
Gu Heng nodded and waved over the nearest sales associate, then handed her Xu Ying¡¯s phone: "Wrap up all the models listed here for me."
This sales associate was the same one who had assisted Gu Xinran earlier...
Recognizing the familiar models listed, she hurriedly eximed with excitement, "Sir, please wait a moment."
As she spoke, she and a few other sales associates got busy...
"Brother, what are you doing..."
Gu Xinran was no fool; she roughly guessed what Gu Heng was about to do...
"Wasn¡¯t it about buying you clothes? I guessed you¡¯d try to save money, and not let Xu Ying follow you, did your hour get wasted then?"
As Gu Heng was speaking, the nearby sales associate had already calcted the price and turned to Gu Heng, saying, "Sir, the total price for all the garments you asked to be packaged just now is 256,000 yuan."
Hearing the sales associate¡¯s quote, Gu Heng sighed softly...
After all, women¡¯s money is easy to earn.
These six garments and one bag had already matched the price of several sets he had previously bought at luxury stores...
Upon hearing this price, Leyi instinctively pinched Tao Miaomiao¡¯s arm...
It wasn¡¯t until Tao Miaomiao moaned in pain that she realized she had acted out of turn...
As for Yu Qianqian...
Though she had been mentally prepared, she still felt a pang in her heart...
The Mercedes C200 she drove cost around three hundred thousand on the road...
Was the clothing Gu Heng bought for Gu Xinran in one hour nearly as much as her own car?
Although she was from a wealthy second generation...
She wasn¡¯t from the wealthier kind...
In Shanghai, many were like her second-generation rich kids...
While they nevercked the basic necessities and generally used better quality goods than ordinary people, they definitely didn¡¯t reach the level of spending several hundred thousand in one luxury store visit...
Gu Heng was unaware of their inner thoughts, but he took out his wallet¡¯s card and handed it to the sales associate, saying indifferently, "Charge it."
At this moment, Gu Xinran¡¯s mind felt sluggish...
She knew Gu Heng came to Henglong za today to buy her things...
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But she didn¡¯t know it would be on such avish scale...
She had only resolved to ask Gu Heng to buy that 11,000 yuan bag because she liked it too much...
If her parents knew their cousin had spent over 200,000 yuan on clothes for her...
Wouldn¡¯t they go crazy?
Chapter 180 - 111 Why do you have to force me to show off?_2
Upon hearing that they were going to continue shopping, Gu Xinran hurriedly declined, "No more shopping, no more shopping. If we keep on like this, I¡¯m afraid my heart can¡¯t take it..."
"Besides, I rarely wear makeup, just a dash of lipstick at most, so there¡¯s no need to buy any makeup products."
Gu Heng nodded slightly in agreement...
Even though it¡¯s now normal for girls to wear makeup...
Gu Heng still preferred a more natural look.
His sister was naturally beautiful, blooming like a flower at her age; indeed, she did not need makeup.
"So are you guys going to keep shopping?"
Upon hearing Gu Heng¡¯s question, Gu Xinran turned her head to nce at Yu Qianqian and Leyi... As for Tao Miaomiao, well... she usually didn¡¯t express an opinion and just followed along with the others...
Leyi and Yu Qianqian exchanged nces upon hearing the question, unsure of what to say...
As girls, they were quite partial to shopping...
However, the past hour had been a bit too shocking for them,pletely dampening their desire to continue browsing the shops...
They estimated that they probably couldn¡¯t spend 250,000 even if they shopped dozens of times...
What else was there to shop for?
"Let¡¯s not shop anymore... It¡¯s getting dark, and we just nned to shop to kill some time. We¡¯ve pretty much done that."
After a few seconds of looking at each other, it was finally Yu Qianqian who spoke up...
Upon hearing that they did not want to shop anymore, Gu Heng nodded...
"Then are you going straight home, or what?"
As soon as Gu Xinran heard him, she immediately said, "It¡¯s still early, even if we don¡¯t shop we can still hang out a bit longer. What are you nning to do, brother?" Read exclusive content at empire
"I¡¯m nning to go buy a watch."
"Buy a watch?"
Gu Heng nodded again in affirmation.
The stimtion wasn¡¯t only upon them in the LV store just now; Gu Heng himself felt it too...
He had thought his 85 million in cash was quite a lot, but now it seemed to be not much at all. He intended to make some money to fatten his bank ount bnce and ovee his fear of not having firepower enough...
Although he would be rewarded just for indulging, if he didn¡¯t actively indulge, he had no idea when his wealth might increase...
After all, nothing is more reassuring than the bnce in one¡¯s bank ount...
The first step to making money is to spend money...
In the short term, Gu Heng could think of only three things he could spend a lot of money on...
House, car, watch.
He ruled out buying a house for now; it seemed to be a bit of trouble to buy one in Shanghai... Although he believed that if he were to buy those hundred million, or even several hundred million dor mansions, someone would take care of the policy troubles for him, it still wouldn¡¯t be a short-term matter.
As for cars...
He came to Shanghai to buy a car; if push came to shove, he could go on another spree tomorrow.
After all, his heart wouldn¡¯t be at ease today if he didn¡¯t get his bnce up to a billion!
After ruling out two options, the only one left was watches...
Gu Heng then asked Xu Ying, "I want to buy a watch, do you have any rmendations?"
Xu Ying, with several shopping bags in her hands and a couple more hanging on her arm, struggled to turn her head and nced at the Rolex Ice Blue Daytona on Gu Heng¡¯s left wrist...
This model was very familiar to those who knew their watches...
Especially at a price of over 600,000, it had already been categorized as extremely high-end...
Although Xu Ying did not understand why Gu Heng would want a different watch when he already had the coveted Ice Blue Daytona, she knew better than to ask questions that shouldn¡¯t be asked. It might just be the whims of a wealthy person, so she earnestly began to introduce what she knew.
"I don¡¯t know that much about watches...
If Mr. Gu you are nning to get a new watch, my suggestion is to pick one from the brands Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, or Richard Mille...
Because the Rolex Ice Blue Daytona you¡¯re currently wearing already belongs to the special high-end watch series, and it¡¯s difficult for general watch brands to find many models that canpete with it."
It was as good as not saying anything...
The reason Gu Heng asked her was to help him choose a brand...
Of course, he knew that Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Richard Mille were awesome watch brands...
"You don¡¯t need to go into so much detail, I just want you to pick a brand for me."
"This..."
Xu Ying was somewhat troubled...
If the brand she rmended wasn¡¯t good and Gu Heng didn¡¯t find a style he liked there, she could very well be the target of his irritation...
It seemed Gu Heng sensed Xu Ying¡¯s hesitation and continued, "You don¡¯t need to think about it so much, just rmend one of these three brands to me."
"Alright then..."
Xu Ying sighed inwardly...
"If it¡¯s a choice between these three brands, then my personal rmendation is Patek Philippe.
Although Richard Mille is called ¡¯the billionaire¡¯s ticket,¡¯ it was established too recently, only twenty-three years ago. I think it¡¯s more marketing than heritage, and many watch enthusiasts who stay at our hotel hold Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and the Rolex you are wearing in high esteem, while they have more negative to say about Richard Mille...
As for Vacheron Constantin, I can¡¯t really evaluate the brand... It¡¯s just that I have a personal preference for Patek Philippe a bit more..."
Hearing Xu Ying¡¯s honest answer, Gu Hengughed and then directly said, "Okay, you arrange an appointment for me at the Patek Philippe store in Shanghai right now. We¡¯ll head directly to Patek Philippe."
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"Alright, I¡¯ll arrange the appointment for you right now."
Xu Ying hurriedly ran off towards where they parked,den with bags big and small...
"Since you n to hang out for a bit, why don¡¯t youe with me to buy a watch?"
Chapter 181 - 111 Why do you have to force me to show off?_3
Seeing Xu Ying leave, Gu Heng turned his head and smiled at Gu Xinran.
"Not bad!"
After finishing, Gu Xinran turned her gaze towards Yu Qianqian and Leyi, "Qianqian, Leyi, why don¡¯t you go back first? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely be at our ss gathering tomorrow!"
Hearing this, Leyi quickly responded in a pitiful tone, "So it¡¯s like this, Gu Xinran, you don¡¯t want your sisters anymore now that you have your brother, whine~ I¡¯m so sad~"
Just as Gu Xinran was about to exin, Yu Qianqian spoke up, "Let¡¯s go together; I also want to check out Patek Philippe."
She then turned her gaze to Gu Heng, "Can Brother Xinran take us to experience it?"
Yu Qianqian was the type who was straightforward...
Perhaps it was her good family backgroundbined with her good looks that had shaped her direct nature from a young age...
This type of personality, to put it nicely, is frank and natural; to put it unpleasantly, it is disregard for others¡¯ feelings.
If she were an ordinary girl, this kind of personality would probably make her disliked.
But unfortunately...
She was a beauty, and in an era where simps prevail, beauties always have privileges.
When Gu Heng heard Yu Qianqian¡¯s words, he nodded and said, "Of course we can, it¡¯s also my first time visiting such a top-tier luxury shop, so let¡¯s gain some experience together."
Yu Qianqian didn¡¯t take Gu Heng¡¯s words seriously...
After all, how could a man who could casually spend over 250,000 on his sister and wore an Ice Blue Daytona possibly have never been to a top luxury store?
She just assumed Gu Heng was being considerate of their feelings...
She really did want to gain some experience...
She quite liked watches, owning two variants herself...
However, they were just two ordinary Cartier watches, totaling just over 60,000, not even one tenth of Gu Heng¡¯s Ice Blue Daytona...
Forget about her, even the Earl watch her father wore was only worth a bit over 300,000...
She couldn¡¯t afford a super brand like Patek Philippe, but having someone take her to experience it was also a nice experience...
.....
.....
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After more traveling...
Guided by the navigation, Gu Heng drove the Toyota Alphard to the banks of the Huangpu River...
As the car stopped, Xu Ying came to the door until Gu Heng opened the electric door, then slowly started speaking, "ording to the address information given by Patek Philippe Origin Mansion, that small mansion building up ahead is it."
Hearing this, Gu Heng looked in the direction Xu Ying pointed...
A vi with countryside charm was dotted amongst dazzling lights, just across the river from the Oriental Pearl Tower where Gu Heng lived... This feeling was quite novel... It was because in such a bustling and noisy ce, there existed a vi so out of ce with its surroundings, immersing oneself in it felt like escaping from all the hustle and bustle of the city, peaceful and secluded.
Honestly...
Even before entering Patek Philippe, that kind of prestige had already taken root in Gu Heng¡¯s mind...
After getting out of the car, just then Yu Qianqian also pulled up in her Mercedes C200...
After getting out of the car, Gu Xinran couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Bro, are we here?"
"We are."
Hearing this, Gu Xinran looked around puzzledly, "Where is it, I don¡¯t see it?"
Yu Qianqian, who had already parked the car, exined, "That mansion up ahead."
Gu Xinran: "???"
If Yu Qianqian hadn¡¯t mentioned it, she would have thought it was just a fancy vi for the wealthy...
Xu Ying also timely joined in to rify, "That¡¯s right, apart from counters in major malls, Patek Philippe only has two proprietary stores, named Shanghai Patek Philippe Origin Mansion and Capital City Patek Philippe Origin Mansion.
It¡¯s somewhat akin to the salons that Patek Philippe has opened in Geneva, London, and Paris, just renamed to suit our Chinese culture."
Hmm...
Useless luxury knowledge seems to have increased a bit...
Gu Heng thought to himself and then interjected to halt the conversation, "Alright, let¡¯s go over there."
Just as they reached the gate, a middle-aged Western man performed a strangely formal greeting and began speaking in fluent Chinese: "Wee to Patek Philippe Origin Mansion.
Are you Mr. Gu who made the reservation just now?"
"Yes, it¡¯s me."
"We¡¯ve been expecting you for a while now, and I¡¯m very happy to serve you."
With that, he gestured for Gu Heng to enter.
You see, they were right when they said ¡¯the customer is God,¡¯ a phrase first coined by the West...
With this level of service attitude, he¡¯s much humbler than the sales associates in other luxury stores, with just a few words, this Westerner was bending over backwards, practically licking Gu Heng¡¯s shoes...
Recall the days when Shanghai was a concession and there were signs excluding Chinese and dogs...
As a true and devoted sessor to socialism...
Seeing the Westerner¡¯s posture, patriotic feelings surged all at once.
From another perspective, wasn¡¯t this also a weird way of bringing glory to his country?
Under the Westerner¡¯s guidance, Gu Heng and Yu Qianqian, among others, walked into the vi.
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The vi¡¯s interior space was vast, directly visible upon entry was an extremely luxurious hall, borate lighting emitting a piercing light, with tall walls on all sides casting deep shadows on the soft carpet.
The floor paved with ck marble, tiles as shiny as mirrors, luxurious crystal chandeliers, glistening pure ck wooden tables with shiny surfaces, imported brand-name cushion chairs, and finely carved details made the entire hall appear exceptionally luxurious and elegant.
If it weren¡¯t for the disy stands established around, Gu Heng would have thought he walked into some mogul¡¯s home...
After Gu Heng entered, another two people came to receive them...
One was a Westerner, the other had a face from Hua Country...
Chapter 183 - 112: Deposits Exceed Hundred Million
Several minutester.
A weary employee from Construction Bank, led by staff members, arrived at the reception room.
Clearly...
Someone had described Gu Heng to him on the way there, and the moment he saw Gu Heng, he hurried over and respectfully said, "Mr. Gu, here is the asset appraisal report you requested."
With that, he handed the brown document bag to Gu Heng.
Gu Heng didn¡¯t even take it but immediately turned his attention to the manager of Patek Philippe Origin Mansion and said, "Give it to them."
The Construction Bank employee quickly turned and handed the document bag to the manager.
Upon receiving the document bag, the manager of Patek Philippe Origin Mansion, Qi Shuming, did not open it, but bowed and formally apologized to Gu Heng, "Mr. Gu, we sincerely apologize for our service error, but please believe us, we did not mean any offense to you.
We will deal seriously with the two staff members involved afterward and will also inform you of the oue at the earliest possible.
Now, let me take you on a tour of our Patek Philippe Origin Mansion, hoping that our service from here will make you forget about the earlier unpleasantness."
The fact that Construction Bank personnel personally delivered the asset appraisal report had already proven Gu Heng¡¯s wealth, and at this point... the appraisal report itself wasn¡¯t that important anymore...
Hearing Qi Shuming speak, Gu Heng did not persist further.
He had only intended to vent his feelings...
Now that he had vented, it really wasn¡¯t a big deal anymore, and Qi Shuming had clearly stated his stance. They were going to deal with those two guys, and how they handled it wasn¡¯t important; what mattered was that the attitude had said it all.
Were those two service staff wronged?
Wronged.
Everyone present, including Gu Heng, knew they were wronged.
After all, they were merely following the rules set by Patek Philippe themselves...
But no matter what, this rule had displeased Gu Heng, so someone had to pay the price for this "displeasure"¡
And it wasn¡¯t just Gu Heng; any wealthy person would feel the same today.
This is the privilege of being wealthy, and Gu Heng was one of them.
Patek Philippe, as a globally renowned top-tier luxury watch brand, seems to cater to the public, but in reality, they serve just that small group of wealthy people. All they need to do is to maintain the wealthy¡¯s impression of Patek Philippe...
[Host has preliminarily mastered the power of money, fully enjoyed the rights granted by money, and sessfully indulged. Reward: 880,000 yuan. Bnce 86.62 million yuan]
Listening to the system¡¯s prompt, a smile curled on Gu Heng¡¯s lips...
This is the power of money, isn¡¯t it?
Indeed very alluring...
And he had earned 880,000 yuan without doing anything...
Good omen!
Then he followed Qi Shuming out of the reception room...
Yu Qianqian, Leyi, Gu Xinran, and Tao Miaomiao exchanged nces, their feelings quite mixed...
No matter what, they were all still university students in their ivory towers, and this was their first encounter with such a situation, feeling as if everything was turned upside down...
Being able to work at Patek Philippe Origin Mansion, no matter what, should be considered elites in their field, right?
Just because they followedpany policy, they will be punished afterwards?
This ispletely contrary to their long-held values...
But one person did not think so, and that was Leyi, who was staring intensely at the retreating figure of Gu Heng...
This damn upper-ss privilege was exactly the life she longed for, wasn¡¯t it?
Previously, when she spoke of wanting to be Gu Xinran¡¯s sister-inw, it was more in jest, but at this moment, the joke seemed to have turned sour...
....
....
"Mr. Gu, how much do you know about Patek Philippe?" Qi Shuming asked, standing beside Gu Heng.
"Not at all."
Gu Heng felt his question was superfluous...
If he had known about Patek Philippe, would there have been the earlier awkwardness?
"Then shall we start with some basic models, and perhaps I could introduce you to our brand¡¯s history along the way?"
Gu Heng waved his hand.
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"Forget the brand history, just introduce me to the watches in your disy case." Explore stories on empire
If this were earlier, Gu Heng might have been a bit interested in learning about it, but now, he had lost all interest...
Seeing Gu Heng¡¯s outright refusal, Qi Shuming was not embarrassed; his face still bore a humble smile as he led Gu Heng to the outermost disy.
"Mr. Gu, what you are looking at now is our best-selling Nautilus series, and this model is the Parrot Snail 5724G-001 model, which is also a model that is hard to find elsewhere.
This watch made it from Geneva headquarters to here in just three days and has already attracted over ten customers toe and admire it, but all of them have been deterred by its price."
Gu Heng first nced at the wristwatch in the showcase, then, intrigued, asked, "How much?"
"About 1.4 million yuan."
"About?"
Hearing Qi Shuming¡¯s repsonse, Gu Heng gave him a puzzled look.
Logically speaking, Gu Heng had a vague understanding of the value of watches.
On one hand, he felt that such a small, impractical item costing millions or tens of millions was indeed not worth it...
On the other hand, the fact that so many wealthy people across the world coveted these famous watches indicated that they had their merits...
He didn¡¯t believe he was the only sober one; whether it was self-made first-generation wealthy individuals or second-generation wealthy individuals relying on their parents¡¯ shadows, they weren¡¯t foolish...