ebonymovies Chapter 1638: If a rich second-generation is still insecure, then all of his parents' efforts h
Chapter 1638: If a rich second-generation is still insecure, then all of his parents' efforts h
Three months have passed in the blink of an eye, and the summer heat in Beijing has reached its peak, with cicadas chirping from morning till night.
On the day Huang Yimei's internship at the design institute ended, Huang Zhenhua stamped her internship certificate, patted her on the shoulder, and said, "Alright, you've successfully completed your task. Go back and prepare your graduation thesis."
Huang Yimei carefully folded her internship certificate and put it into her bag, then looked around at the place where she had spent three months.
"Brother, I'm off then."
"Go on, go on, don't waste my time." Huang Zhenhua waved his hand, but as Huang Yimei turned around, he added, "Let me see your thesis when you're done, so I can check it out for you."
"Okay, okay, stop nagging."
Huang Yimei walked out of the design institute's gate, the sunlight outside making her squint. She stood on the steps and let out a long breath.
My internship is over, so graduation isn't far behind!
Now that Huang Yimei no longer needs to intern at the design institute, Qin Hao naturally doesn't need to go to his father's company every day. Anyway, with Yu Deshui overseeing the project, it doesn't matter whether he, as the nominal director, goes or not.
However, Qin Mo was quite satisfied with his son's performance.
His biggest worry was that Qin Hao would give orders and interfere in the company, making a mess of the project. But instead, the guy just went there and acted like a hands-off boss, playing games and sleeping as usual. Occasionally he would hold a meeting, and what he said sounded quite professional.
Although it wasn't very useful, it didn't cause any trouble either.
This is enough.
Qin Mo even felt a little gratified, at least it showed that his son wasn't the kind of brainless spoiled brat who knew his own limitations and didn't act recklessly.
In mid-July, I will defend my thesis.
Huang Yimei chose the topic of her thesis herself: "The Transformation of Visual Language in the Localization of Western Modern Art in China." The topic isn't particularly broad or narrow, but her strength lies in the effort she put into it; she researched extensively and her arguments are well-founded.
On the day of her defense, Huang Yimei stood on the podium, wearing a white shirt and a black skirt, her hair tied in a low ponytail, looking both capable and refreshing. She spoke clearly and logically, starting from the origins of Western modern art and then moving on to her observations of localized practices in China, presenting her arguments with detailed data.
The professors in the audience nodded frequently, and she answered all their questions fluently.
Finally, the defense committee gave it an "excellent" rating.
When Huang Yimei walked out of the defense classroom, she was in such a good mood that she wanted to hum a song.
Qin Hao's defense was also successfully completed.
On graduation day, the auditorium of the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University was packed with people. The president spoke for half an hour, the content of which was nothing more than clichés such as "You are the future of the motherland" and "Strive to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation".
Huang Yimei sat in the audience, the tassels of her graduation cap swaying in front of her eyes. She secretly glanced at Qin Hao, who was sitting not far away. Qin Hao was looking down at his phone, the light from the screen reflecting on his face, his expression utterly bored.
As if sensing her gaze, Qin Hao suddenly raised his head and looked in her direction.
Eyes facing each other.
Qin Hao raised an eyebrow at her.
Huang Yimei's lips unconsciously curved into a smile.
The principal finally finished speaking on stage, and then came the tassel-turning ceremony. One by one, students took turns going up on stage, and the principal moved the tassel from right to left, followed by handshakes, photos, and then they left the stage.
When Huang Yimei stepped onto the stage, a small commotion arose from the audience. After all, the title of "campus beauty" wasn't given lightly; even in the uniform graduation gown, her stunning face couldn't be concealed.
When the principal turned her tassel, he looked at her a few more times and said with a smile, "Congratulations on your successful graduation, Huang Yimei."
"Thank you, Principal."
As she stepped off the stage, Huang Yimei's gaze unconsciously swept across the audience, finding Qin Hao in the crowd. He was clapping and smiling at her.
Huang Yimei looked away, but she couldn't hide the smile on her face.
After the graduation ceremony, the campus was filled with people taking photos to commemorate the occasion. They gathered in twos and threes, tossing their graduation caps into the air, and snapping photos in rapid succession.
Huang Yimei was patted and laughed for a while by her roommates until her face was stiff from laughing. When she finally managed to get away, she saw Qin Hao leaning against a sycamore tree by the playground, holding two bottles of water.
"Finished filming?" Qin Hao handed her a bottle of water.
"I'm exhausted." Huang Yimei took the water, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. "It's more tiring than my dissertation defense."
"Let's go, I'll take you out for something delicious to celebrate our successful graduation."
"That's more like it."
-
After graduation, Huang Zhenhua asked Huang Yimei if she wanted to take the postgraduate entrance exam. After all, with her grades, it wouldn't be difficult for her to get into the graduate program at her own university.
Huang Yimei sat on the sofa, munching on an apple, and said, "I don't want to take the exam."
"Why?" Huang Zhenhua asked, puzzled. "It would be such a waste if you didn't take the exam with grades like yours."
"Brother, why are you taking the postgraduate entrance exam?" Huang Yimei countered. "Isn't it just to find a good job? Why not just find a job directly? Why waste two or three more years?"
Huang Zhenhua was speechless.
Wu Yuejiang naturally wanted her daughter to take the postgraduate entrance exam; in her view, it was never a bad thing for a girl to have a higher education. But Huang Yimei was adamant, and she couldn't force her.
"So what kind of job are you planning to look for?" Wu Yuejiang asked.
"I haven't decided yet, let's see."
Huang Yimei said she hadn't thought it through, but she actually already had a plan in mind. She just didn't want to say it too soon, lest she be criticized before she even got around to it.
Over the next few days, she stayed home and focused on finishing up her thesis, while also browsing job postings.
The job market in 2001 wasn't as developed as it is now. There weren't countless job websites, and finding a job mainly relied on campus recruitment fairs, newspaper ads, and referrals from acquaintances. Huang Yimei spent several days flipping through newspapers and job market announcements, but the positions were either secretarial or administrative roles that she found uninteresting, or they required more than three years of work experience, which had nothing to do with her, a recent college graduate.
Until one day, she happened to see a job advertisement in the margin of a newspaper—
CRAN Culture & Arts Co., Ltd. is seeking an Assistant General Manager. Requirements: Bachelor's degree or above, fluent in English, excellent communication and coordination skills, and preference will be given to candidates with an arts-related background. Competitive compensation package.
CRAN Corporation?
Huang Yimei vaguely recognized the name. She looked it up online and discovered it was a foreign-invested cultural and artistic company headquartered in Paris, primarily involved in art exchange and exhibition planning between China and France. Their Beijing branch had recently been established and was actively recruiting.
Assistant to the General Manager.
Huang Yimei's eyes lit up.
She studied fine arts, and English has always been one of her strengths. This job seems tailor-made for her.
She immediately submitted her resume to the address in the newspaper.
Sure enough, she received an offer of employment three days later.
Huang Yimei was so happy with her job offer letter that she spun around in the house, and then her first call was to Qin Hao.
"Qin Hao! I found a job!"
"What kind of job?"
"CRAN Culture & Arts Company, Assistant General Manager! Foreign company!"
Qin Hao chuckled on the other end of the phone: "Congratulations! We should celebrate tonight."
"We definitely need to celebrate properly. Let's all go to my place for dinner tonight."
Qin Hao was silent for two seconds: "Are you sure? Your dad won't kick me out if he sees me there, will he?"
"It's not that exaggerated... Comrade Huang Jianzhi is just saying it, he won't do anything to you."
-
In the evening, when Huang Yimei and Qin Hao opened the door to their home, Wu Yuejiang was busy in the kitchen.
Hearing the door open, she peeked out and saw Qin Hao had followed her in. She paused for a moment, but quickly recovered, saying, "Little Qin's here too? Perfect timing. I made a lot of dishes tonight. Please have a seat."
"Auntie, let me help you." Qin Hao put down the fruit he was holding, rolled up his sleeves, and headed into the kitchen.
"No need, no need, you can sit with Rose."
"It's okay, I cook at home too, I can help out."
Wu Yuejiang glanced at him and did not refuse again.
Huang Yimei watched Qin Hao go into the kitchen, then sat down on the sofa, picked up the remote and turned on the TV.
A dozen minutes later, Wu Yuejiang came out of the kitchen with the last dish, wiped her hands on her apron, and sat down at the table.
Huang Jianzhi also came out of the study, and the family, including Qin Hao, sat around the dining table.
Halfway through the meal, Wu Yuejiang finally spoke: "Rose, how did the interview go?"
"Passed." Huang Yimei picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs, her tone tinged with pride. "Starting work next Monday."
Wu Yuejiang put down her chopsticks, remained silent for a few seconds, and then said, "What about your postgraduate entrance exam?"
Huang Yimei paused in her act of picking up food: "Mom, didn't I tell you I'm not taking the postgraduate entrance exam?"
“I know you’re not taking the postgraduate entrance exam.” Wu Yuejiang’s tone was calm, but her words instantly tensed the atmosphere at the table: “I thought you were going to find a job first as a temporary measure, working while preparing for the exam. But are you planning to give up on it altogether?”
“That’s right, why take the postgraduate entrance exam if you’ve already found a good job?” Huang Yimei put down her chopsticks and looked at Wu Yuejiang seriously. “Mom, what’s the point of taking the postgraduate entrance exam? Isn’t it just to find a good job? I’ve already found a job, and it’s in a foreign company, as the general manager’s assistant. That’s a pretty good starting point.”
Wu Yuejiang frowned: "Can you compare them? Can a master's degree and a bachelor's degree offer the same career prospects? You think you've found a good job now, but have you considered that when you want to switch jobs after a few years, employers will still be looking at your degree?"
“Mom, I’ve thought about all of that,” Huang Yimei said calmly. “But I really don’t want to spend another two or three years studying. I’ve studied for so many years; I want to go out and see the world, and do something challenging.”
Huang Yimei's tone became somewhat anxious: "Mom, I know you mean well, but I really have my own ideas..."
As she spoke, she glanced at Qin Hao without making a sound.
The meaning in his eyes was clear—say something for me!
Qin Hao felt that gaze, and his hand holding the food paused in mid-air for a second.
He looked up and met Wu Yuejiang's gaze.
That gaze wasn't exactly sharp, but it certainly wasn't gentle either. It was a look that said, "You'd better think carefully before you speak."
Qin Hao's mind raced for a moment, then he cleared his throat: "Auntie, let me say something, please listen and see if it makes sense."
Wu Yuejiang remained silent, which was taken as tacit consent.
"I've heard of Rose's company, CRAN, a wholly French-owned art and culture company that just opened a branch in Beijing. The entry requirements for such a company are quite high; the fact that she was hired shows that they truly recognize her abilities."
He paused, then continued, "Besides, the probationary period at foreign companies is very rigorous. It's three months, and there's no guarantee you'll be hired permanently. If Rose doesn't get a permanent position after three months, she can always take the postgraduate entrance exam then."
Upon hearing this, Huang Yimei immediately objected: "Hey, what do you mean by that? What do you mean by 'what if I don't get a permanent position'?"
"I was just saying, what if?" Qin Hao winked at her.
Huang Yimei opened her mouth, but ultimately swallowed her rebuttal.
After listening to Qin Hao's words, Wu Yuejiang remained silent for a moment.
"Alright, let's try it out first." Wu Yuejiang finally relented: "But Rose, let me make this clear beforehand, if you don't get a permanent position, come back and study for the postgraduate entrance exam honestly, don't go causing trouble outside."
"I understand, I understand." Huang Yimei nodded quickly, unable to hide her smile.
-
After dinner, Qin Hao sat for a while before getting up to say goodbye.
Wu Yuejiang saw him to the door, her attitude much better than last time. Huang Yimei also saw him to the door, watching Qin Hao's figure disappear into the corridor, then closed the door and turned around.
In the living room, Huang Jianzhi was sitting on the sofa watching TV, while Wu Yuejiang was washing dishes in the kitchen.
Huang Yimei rolled her eyes, poured a cup of tea, and placed it in front of Huang Jianzhi.
"Dad, have some tea."
Huang Jianzhi took the teacup, glanced at her, and said, "Why are you being so attentive? Tell me, what do you want this time?"
"Dad, what are you saying? What's wrong with me pouring you a cup of tea?" Huang Yimei sat down next to him, looking completely innocent.
Huang Jianzhi didn't reply, but picked up his teacup, took a sip, and waited for her to continue.
Sure enough, Huang Yimei came over within two minutes.
"dad--"
"Um?"
"I'm already working, so don't you think I need a cell phone? Otherwise, my boss won't be able to reach me."
Huang Jianzhi paused, his hand holding the teacup still.
Mobile phone.
Cell phones weren't cheap in 2001. Although prices have dropped somewhat in recent years, a decent cell phone still costs two or three thousand yuan.
His first instinct was to refuse.
He swallowed the words back down his throat.
"Don't ask that kid for anything." Huang Jianzhi put down his teacup, his face stern. "You two have only just started dating, what kind of attitude is it to ask him for things?"
Huang Yimei was taken aback.
She hadn't originally planned to ask Qin Hao for money. In her mind, love was love, and money was money; she had never considered spending Qin Hao's money.
Huang Jianzhi sighed and lowered his voice, saying, "I still have some savings of mine. You can take it. But I'm telling you—don't let your mother know about this."
Huang Yimei's eyes lit up instantly.
She rushed over and hugged Huang Jianzhi's arm, grinning like a fox who had just stolen a chicken: "Dad! I knew you loved me the most!"
"Alright, alright, stop trying to sweet-talk me." Huang Jianzhi was dizzy from her shaking, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.
Huang Yimei released his arm, her smile never fading.
She was happy not only because she was going to have a new cell phone—the phone was nice, but more importantly, she had found her father's Achilles' heel.
-
The next morning, Huang Yimei was having breakfast when she heard a car horn coming from downstairs.
Two sounds, short and crisp.
She carried her rice bowl to the window and looked out—downstairs, there was a silver-gray Porsche 986, and Qin Hao was leaning against the car door, wearing a black short-sleeved T-shirt, waving at her.
"Your personal driver has arrived," Qin Hao called out, looking up.
Huang Yimei rolled her eyes, turned around and shouted towards the kitchen, "Mom, I'm leaving!"
"You haven't finished breakfast yet!"
"I'm not eating anymore!"
She grabbed her bag and rushed downstairs.
Once outside the building, she walked up to Qin Hao and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I'll take you to work." Qin Hao said matter-of-factly, opening the car door and gesturing for you to enter.
Huang Yimei looked at him and suddenly laughed: "When did you become so petty?"
Qin Hao said frankly, "There's nothing I can do about it. I just found such a beautiful girlfriend. I can already imagine the scene when you appear in the office later, and all the male colleagues' eyes are practically sparkling with admiration."
Huang Yimei covered her mouth and chuckled: "It's not as exaggerated as you say."
"You lack even a basic understanding of your own beauty."
Although she knew Qin Hao was flattering her, Huang Yimei still felt a sweet warmth in her heart. She teased, "You're handsome too, otherwise why would so many girls like you?"
"So, the two of us who are good-looking can just settle things internally; there's no need to create chaos."
"Pshaw, that's just like a peddler selling melons."
Huang Yimei feigned disdain but still smiled and got into the passenger seat.
The Porsche slowly drove out of the residential area and merged into the morning rush hour traffic. Outside the car window, Beijing was awakening; breakfast stalls along the roadside were steaming, and buses were swaying and inching forward with a full load of passengers.
-
Twenty minutes later, the Porsche stopped in front of the office building where CRAN was located.
As soon as Su Gengsheng got out of the taxi, he saw a silver-gray Porsche 986 parked in front of the company. The streamlined body gleamed under the sunlight.
She glanced at it again instinctively.
Then she saw Huang Yimei get out of the passenger seat.
Huang Yimei was wearing a white shirt with a dark blue skirt and black low-heeled leather shoes. Her hair fell straight over her shoulders, and she exuded an elegant air. She bent down, waved to the people in the car, said something, and then closed the car door.
The Porsche slowly drove away.
Huang Yimei withdrew her gaze, turned around, and saw Su Gengsheng standing not far away.
She paused for a moment, then a bright smile bloomed on her face as she quickly went to greet her: "Su Su! Good morning!"
Su Gengsheng frowned slightly: "What did you call me?"
"Su Su, doesn't this make you seem more approachable?" Huang Yimei's smile was completely unguarded, as if she hadn't noticed the coldness on Su Gengsheng's face.
Su Gengsheng was silent for two seconds, then looked her up and down.
She noticed this girl during her interview—she was stunningly beautiful. So beautiful that she was instantly memorable, so beautiful that it was hard to ignore her.
What happened this morning further confirmed her judgment.
A recent female college graduate arrived at her first day of work in a Porsche.
Having worked in the corporate world for so many years, Su Gengsheng had seen far too many similar cases. It was not uncommon in this industry for pretty girls to use their looks to gain advantages.
She doesn't dislike this behavior, but she doesn't want the people she hires to be like that.
“Huang Yimei,” Su Gengsheng spoke, his voice cold and clear, “Your beauty is an advantage, but it could also be a problem for you.”
Huang Yimei blinked, somewhat confused. But she could sense the goodwill in Su Gengsheng's tone, even though it was wrapped in a cold exterior.
"Thank you, Susu, I'll remember."
Su Gengsheng glanced at her, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards the company gate.
-
The moment Huang Yimei stepped through the company gate, she became the center of attention.
The employees coming and going in the lobby, regardless of gender, all had their eyes on her.
The men's eyes held undisguised amazement, as if they had seen a masterpiece suddenly appear in the corridor. The women's gazes were far more complex—some were envious, some scrutinizing, and some even harboring a hint of hostility.
"Who's this? New here?"
"I don't know, she's just too beautiful..."
"I heard it's a newly hired assistant general manager, and today is his first day on the job."
"General Manager's Assistant? So beautiful, she must be—"
"Shh, keep your voice down, don't let anyone hear."
Several male colleagues huddled together, their eyes glancing at Huang Yimei almost imperceptibly.
"Wow, this new girl, Huang Yimei, is so beautiful!"
"I wonder if she has a boyfriend. If she doesn't..."
"Come on, these kinds of stunning beauties aren't meant for ordinary people like us. Be careful not to get yourself into trouble."
Is it possible that there are too many people like you who worry too much, which is why many beautiful women are actually single?
"You guys, forget about it. This morning when I came to work, I saw Huang Yimei get out of a Porsche 986 with my own eyes. Do you know how much that car costs? At least over a million!"
"Oh well, then I'm out of luck. Even if I sold myself, I couldn't afford an engine."
"I only have enough money to buy a car wheel."
These words drifted into Huang Yimei's ears in bits and pieces, but she walked forward without changing her expression, as if she hadn't heard them at all.
From elementary school to university, she had long been accustomed to such attention and gossip. It wasn't her fault that she was beautiful, and she never thought of using her appearance to gain anything.
What others think is their business.
She just needs to do her own thing.
-
In the blink of an eye, Huang Yimei has been working for a month.
She learns things very quickly, so quickly that it surprises everyone. She always completes the tasks assigned by the general manager in a timely manner, and does them even better than expected.
That morning, a furious shout came from General Manager Jiang Xueqiong's office.
"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!"
Jiang Xueqiong's voice pierced through the office door and could be heard throughout the entire floor. This woman was capable, shrewd, and decisive, but also had an astonishingly bad temper.
"How many times have I told you? The Sino-French exchange exhibition is the company's highlight this year! The highlight! Have you even taken it to heart?!"
In the office, employees from several project teams kept their heads down, not daring to breathe.
Jiang Xueqiong stood behind her desk, her hands resting on the surface, her chest heaving. A pile of documents and photos lay before her—materials for the Sino-French exchange exhibition she had been preparing for over half a year.
But there was one step that got stuck—
Collector Mr. Teng.
Mr. Teng is a renowned art collector both domestically and internationally, possessing a collection of extremely valuable French Impressionist paintings. Jiang Xueqiong wishes to use these paintings for her exhibition, which will greatly enhance the exhibition's prestige and influence.
But the people she sent made seven or eight trips, and still couldn't even see Mr. Teng.
"President Jiang, regarding Mr. Teng... we really did our best." The project leader said, forcing a smile, "His assistant always makes excuses, saying Mr. Teng is too busy to see us."
"No time? Then schedule a time! If you can't schedule one, keep scheduling! Are you just going to give up like this?"
"Mr. Jiang, it's not that we're giving up, it's just that... Mr. Teng doesn't seem to have much interest in our exhibition."
Jiang Xueqiong slammed the documents on the table in anger: "Get out! Get out of here, all of you!"
The project team members felt like they had been granted a pardon and scurried out of the office with their heads in their hands.
Huang Yimei stood at the door with a cup of coffee in her hand, just in time to meet the few employees who were fleeing in a disheveled state. She glanced inside and saw Jiang Xueqiong standing by the window with her back to the door, looking like a volcano about to erupt.
She took a deep breath and carried the coffee inside.
"Mr. Jiang, your coffee."
She gently placed the coffee cup on the desk, then took a half-step back, without leaving immediately.
Jiang Xueqiong turned around, her expression still unpleasant: "I'm not in the mood for coffee right now."
"Calm down," Huang Yimei said calmly, her voice carrying a reassuring quality. "It's not worth ruining your health."
Perhaps because her tone was too calm, Jiang Xueqiong glanced at her but did not get angry. Instead, she picked up her coffee and took a sip.
"Try it, I added some osmanthus syrup to it, it's refreshing."
Jiang Xueqiong took another sip, and her brows relaxed slightly.
Huang Yimei tactfully left the office, gently closing the door behind her.
Instead of going straight back to her workstation, she turned a corner and found Su Gengsheng's office.
"Susu, are you busy?"
Su Gengsheng was looking down at his documents when he heard this form of address. He looked up, frowned, and said, "How many times have I told you not to call me that at the company?"
"Okay, Su Su." Huang Yimei sat down opposite her with a smile.
Su Gengsheng looked at her and sighed helplessly, "What do you want?"
"I'd like to ask you about something." Huang Yimei leaned forward and lowered her voice, "Is there something wrong with Mr. Jiang's Sino-French exchange exhibition?"
Su Gengsheng put down his pen, looked at Huang Yimei with a scrutinizing gaze: "Why are you asking about this?"
“I just wanted to find out,” Huang Yimei said. “I’ve noticed that President Jiang has been under a lot of pressure lately. If there’s anything I can do to help, I’d like to try.”
Su Gengsheng leaned back in his chair and remained silent for a moment.
Then she said, "Huang Yimei, I have a piece of advice for you—just do your job well."
-
At 9 p.m., only a few lights were still on at CRAN.
Huang Yimei sat at her workstation, the search results displayed on her computer screen—she was looking up Mr. Teng's information.
There is not much publicly available information about Mr. Teng online. He is a low-profile art collector who began collecting Western oil paintings in the 1980s. He is said to own more than 30 original Impressionist paintings, including works by masters such as Monet, Renoir, and Degas. He rarely appears in public and almost never gives media interviews; his whereabouts have always been shrouded in mystery.
Huang Yimei flipped through more than a dozen pages of search results and finally found a useful piece of information in an old post on an art forum—
"It is understood that Mr. Teng will attend a charity gala dinner hosted by the China World Hotel on the 20th of this month."
The 20th of this month.
Huang Yimei glanced at the date in the lower right corner of the computer screen—the 19th.
tomorrow?
Her heart skipped a beat.
If Mr. Teng appears at the charity gala at the China World Hotel tomorrow, that will be the best opportunity to get close to him.
but--
She did not receive an invitation.
For charity galas of this caliber, invitations are sent to specific guests in advance; without an invitation, you simply cannot get in.
Huang Yimei bit her lip, her mind racing through all the possibilities.
Just then, her phone vibrated.
Qin Hao's name was displayed on the screen.
She answered the phone, but before she could even speak, Qin Hao's voice came through: "Still at the company?"
How did you know?
"The lights are still on downstairs in your office building. I'm downstairs."
Huang Yimei paused for a moment, then took her phone and walked to the window to look down—sure enough, the Porsche 986 was parked under the streetlight, and Qin Hao was leaning against the car door, looking up at her.
When did you arrive?
"I just arrived. I guessed you were still here, so I stopped by to drop by." Qin Hao's voice carried a hint of amusement. "Come on down, I'll take you for a late-night snack."
Huang Yimei didn't agree immediately, but said, "Qin Hao, I have something I want to ask you."
"What's up?"
Did you know there's a charity gala at the China World Hotel tomorrow?
Qin Hao on the other end of the phone was silent for two seconds: "I know, what's wrong?"
"I need an invitation."
Qin Hao was taken aback: "Why do you need an invitation?"
Huang Yimei briefly explained Mr. Teng's situation. After listening, Qin Hao remained silent for a moment, then patted his chest and said, "It's just an invitation, leave it to me."
"Are you sure?" Huang Yimei asked, somewhat surprised.
"It's just a China World Hotel. Don't underestimate your rich boyfriend's father's social circle."
Huang Yimei was amused by his words: "Why do I get the feeling that you're quite proud of being a second-generation rich kid?"
"What else can I do?" Qin Hao's voice carried a hint of self-righteousness. "I can't possibly feel inferior because I'm a rich kid, can I? Wouldn't all my parents' hard work over the years have been for nothing?"
Huang Yimei was speechless, then smiled and shook her head: "Okay, then I'll leave it to my rich second-generation boyfriend."
"Is one enough? Do you want me to come with you?"
"You think I can't handle this by myself?"
"I'm not worried about whether you can handle it, I'm worried that you're too beautiful and those old men will have designs on you."
"Stop being so stingy. Two tickets it is then, you'll come with me."
"Okay, I'll let you know first thing tomorrow morning."
After hanging up the phone, Qin Hao didn't get into the car immediately. Instead, he leaned against the car door and dialed another number.
It rang three or four times before the call was answered.
"Hello, son?" Qin Mo's voice carried a hint of doubt—this kid usually wouldn't call him unless there was nothing wrong.
"Dad, are you going to that charity gala at the China World Hotel tomorrow?"
Qin Mo was taken aback for a moment: "Why are you asking this? Don't you hate these kinds of occasions the most?"
"I've changed my mind," Qin Hao said matter-of-factly. "I want to go and see for myself."
Qin Mo was silent for two seconds, then asked with obvious suspicion, "Are you up to something again, kid?"
"What do you mean, 'what new tricks'? Can't I just go over for a free meal?"
"Don't give me that crap. Is it because you're trying to woo that girl named Huang Yimei?"
Qin Hao wasn't embarrassed by his father's blunt remark: "Since you already know, then do me a favor. Two invitations, one for me and one for my girlfriend."
Qin Mo was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, then let out a meaningful laugh: "Okay, I'll have it delivered to you tomorrow."
Thanks.
"When did you become so polite, kid? But I'm quite curious—what kind of girl could make you take the initiative to talk to me?"
"Aren't you going tomorrow too? You can see for yourself then."
After hanging up the phone, Qin Hao put his phone back in his pocket and looked up at the window upstairs where the light was on.
You never know how powerful your dad is until you push him a little. (End of Chapter)