Chapter 43 A Woman's Curiosity

At the same time, in a villa district in Linjiang City.

There were no business banquets scheduled for today. After finishing dinner at home, Zhao Fulong, as usual, called his son into the study to discuss corporate affairs with him.

Zhao Yuanqing sat obediently, not daring to utter a single rough word, behaving with a docility that completely contrasted with his usual self.

Towards his own father, he felt a mixture of awe and fear.

"You'll be thirty next year."

After the official matters were concluded, Zhao Fulong took a sip of Pu'er tea, and the conversation shifted abruptly. "Still don't want to get married?"

A flash of pain crossed Zhao Yuanqing's eyes, but he managed to squeeze out a smile. "I've actually met someone suitable recently, and I'm currently pursuing her."

"What does she do?" Zhao Fulong's interest was piqued.

Now past fifty, he had not slackened in his career, still expanding his territory with bold and sweeping gestures.

His eldest son, Zhao Yuanqing, had never liked studying since childhood, turning in a dismal performance academically. However, he was quick-witted; after graduating and familiarizing himself with various operations within the family company, his performance had been quite respectable.

His younger son, Zhao Dongfeng, was the exact opposite of the eldest. Zhao Fulong had never needed to worry about his grades. Currently studying at a prestigious university abroad, it would still be a few years before he returned to the country.

Unlike Zhao Yuanqing, the younger son had a somewhat introverted personality and showed zero interest in the family business.

Moreover, he had explicitly stated that he would never have anything to do with the company's affairs in the future.

Consequently, Zhao Fulong had long since regarded his eldest son as his successor. In recent years, he had been cultivating him intensively, early on utilizing his own network to pave the way for Zhao Yuanqing.

Zhao Yuanqing had not辜负 (failed to live up to) his expectations, and so far, there were no major issues.

Following this step-by-step progression, the company would sooner or later be handed over to Zhao Yuanqing, and when he grew old, he intended to spend his days peacefully dandling his grandchildren on his knees.

Unfortunately, his previous grandson was not of the Zhao family bloodline.

Whenever he thought of this, even Zhao Fulong's formidable heart would ache faintly.

"A university teacher."

Zhao Yuanqing smiled. "Dad, the girl is really nice. Down-to-earth, sensible, and not the vain type."

"Teachers are good, university teachers are wonderful," Zhao Fulong expressed his satisfaction.

After a moment of contemplation, this commercial tycoon of Linjiang City gazed out the window into the distance, catching sight of the luxury cars belonging to his neighbors' children.

"You'll be thirty next year; I won't hold you back anymore. If you want to change your car, go ahead and do so."

"Remember, sports cars are strictly out of the question—far too imprudent. If you change it, it has to be a sedan."

Zhao Fulong, who had kept his son on a tight leash for several years, finally relented today.

"Would a Bentley do?"

Zhao Yuanqing's eyes lit up.

"That brand is fine." Zhao Fulong nodded and waved his hand to dismiss him. "Go look at the models yourself. Give your Cayenne to your mother later; I still have some reading to do."

"Money! What about the money?" Zhao Yuanqing reached out with a bitter expression.

"Isn't the allowance I give you enough to buy a Bentley?" Zhao Fulong glared at him.

"Ahem, that money was tied up in stocks by me and can't be cashed out for a while." Zhao Yuanqing scratched his head and shamelessly continued to ask for funds. "Dad, lend me a bit first. I'll pay you back once my money is out."

"Stocks?" Zhao Fulong frowned and let out a cold snort. "That stuff will only delay proper business and drain too much of your energy. Stop touching those things!"

Not daring to talk back, Zhao Yuanqing nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, yes! Everything you say is right. Once my money comes out, I won't touch them anymore!"

"When your money comes out, whatever amount is left is the grade of car you can buy," Zhao Fulong waved, signaling him to get lost, and didn't forget to tease him, "Don't end up with just enough left to buy a car worth a few hundred thousand, in which case you might as well keep driving your Cayenne."

"Dad, don't jinx me!"

Zhao Yuanqing left the study with a mournful face.

As soon as he stepped out, he opened his stock account and discovered that the four million he had invested that morning into buying Tongxin Technology and Meijia Pharmaceuticals had already shrunk to 3.6 million.

"Damn it!"

"Down 10% in a single day!"

After deliberating for a moment and recalling Wei Lin's long-term vision and demeanor over the years, Zhao Yuanqing ultimately resolved to keep holding.

"Wei Lin wouldn't screw me over. It's just the price of a car; if it's gone, it's gone."

Seeing the stock dropping, although he felt a bit anxious and flustered, he didn't call Wei Lin to complain or inquire.

...

Wei Lin had no idea that Zhao Yuanqing had used virtually all of his spare cash to buy the two stocks he had recommended.

Accustomed to taking the long view, he didn't constantly stare at the ticker and naturally had no inkling that both stocks had plummeted sharply today.

Therefore, he was completely oblivious to Zhao Yuanqing's anxiety.

After finishing the barbecue, the three fitness coaches chose to walk back to the gym, while he found a designated driver and headed home with An Xin.

"Brother, what do you think of Sister Xiaorou?"

An Xin, still immersed in the euphoria of his first "date" with Yu Xiaorou, said blissfully on the road, "This was my first intimate rendezvous with her, and there will be a second and a third!"

"An intimate rendezvous takes two people; what you two had was just a group gathering." Wei Lin rolled his eyes. The mere thought of the way Yu Xiaorou had looked at him across the dining table made his heart flutter with panic.

His target was He Jingxuan, not Yu Xiaorou.

Who would have thought that after a series of slick maneuvers, he would accidentally inflict collateral damage on Yu Xiaorou, actually causing this young married woman to develop favorable feelings for him?

"Next time, it'll be a one-on-one date between just the two of us!"

An Xin was already pondering when to ask Yu Xiaorou out over the next couple of days.

"Huh?"

Wei Lin, who didn't have to drive, was boredly flicking through his phone when he suddenly noticed a friend request on WeChat.

"Mu Qingfeng? Who is this? Sounds kind of familiar..."

Wei Lin absentmindedly tapped accept.

Once home, after taking a shower and picking up his phone again, he saw a message from Mu Qingfeng: "What on earth did you say into that female coach's ear?"

"Mu Qingfeng? Mu Lanyan!"

Wei Lin snapped to his attention. No wonder it sounded familiar; it was Teacher Mu, recommended by Teacher Wang.

He had proactively added her back then, but the other party hadn't accepted. He hadn't expected her to add him herself today.

"Heh, the damned curiosity of women."

Wei Lin suddenly found it amusing.

"Who might you be?" Wei Lin asked, pretending not to know.

Mu Qingfeng: "We've met, did you forget?"

"Who might you be?" Wei Lin repeated the question.

Mu Qingfeng: "..."

"Not saying? Deleted!"

Well-versed in the dynamics of male-female tension, Wei Lin didn't humor her at all and directly deleted the newly added WeChat contact.

Afterward, Wei Lin went about his business.

He perused the books he had purchased, looked up knowledge regarding the benefits of meditation, and casually glanced at the two newly bought stocks of the day.

"They dropped."

Wei Lin chuckled softly, unconcerned, knowing that fluctuations of ups and downs were entirely normal.

Who knows, starting from some day, those stocks might surge all the way up, hitting consecutive limit-ups.

Before going to bed, Wei Lin performed another session of deep meditation.

His entire being entered an ethereal state, as if drifting in some unknown outer space, his whole body bathed in warmth.

"I've never felt so relaxed, never so settled. Super meditation is of immense help to me!"

He held a vague intuition that the super meditation chosen for his third biological evolution possessed other, yet-unmanifested benefits.

"Could it one day enhance my brain and increase my intelligence?"

"Legend has it that some people can briefly foresee the future and read human hearts, all related to the degree of brain development. Will I reach that day in the future?"

"The explosive improvement in physical functions is real, so there might very well be such a possibility."

Wei Lin was filled with yearning for the future.

...

Late at night.

"Deleting my WeChat, he actually dared to delete my WeChat!"

Mu Lanyan tossed and turned in bed, glaring at the WeChat chat interface, still holding a grudge.

"I am Mu Lanyan!"

That was the message she had sent.

She had already stated her identity, but simply because she had delayed just a fraction too late, she had received a ruthless exclamation mark.

That bright red exclamation mark seemed to be mocking her loudly, appearing exceptionally glaring to her eyes.

"So what if I was a little late?"

"Why did he delete me so fast?"

"What exactly did he say to that female coach to leave her in such a panic?"

"Damn it, I want to know the answer so badly!"

"Wei Lin, you really deserve to die!"

The more Teacher Mu thought about it, the angrier she grew, not falling asleep until well past midnight, her mind filled entirely with the image of that bastard Wei Lin and the bastardly things he had done.