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Author's Note:
Come on, add some to your favorites, let's get this going!
Chapter 57
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THEEGOLF is built on a flat, grassy area on the outskirts of the city. This area was originally a muddy field, which was later developed into a golf club. It operates on a membership system, and ordinary newcomers cannot enter and have to find another place.
The security guard at the gate saw a Land Rover screeching to a stop. The car had been going very fast, not even slowing down at the bend, and he assumed it was some young master speeding around. But upon closer inspection, he saw a young woman with wavy hair wearing sunglasses and a light blue suit in the driver's seat, a clean-cut but pale-faced, aloof woman in the passenger seat, and a terrified girl clutching an iPad in the back seat.
The security guard had a question mark in his mind: what kind of combination is this?
The woman in the passenger seat opened the car door, clearly in a bad mood. She steadied herself against the door and coldly said to the female driver, "Ms. Zhou, are you trying to murder us?"
The female driver lowered her sunglasses, placing them on her high nose bridge, and looked down to reveal a pair of bright eyes. "I'm sorry, Xu Yan, I accidentally drove too fast... I was just afraid of being looked down upon and affecting my image as the Black Widow in her eyes."
S, suppressing the urge to vomit, said, "Sister, I'm sorry, I can't, I feel like throwing up—"
She opened the car door, got out, and, holding onto the door, started vomiting directly at the wheels, but there was nothing in her stomach; she was just dry heaving.
After Xu Yan calmed down for a while, Zhou Luming got out of the car and walked to her side, patting her back to help her catch her breath. "Xu Lang is really something. He was clearly not in the company today, but he deliberately didn't tell us. He told us to come here within 30 minutes, or he would fly away. Is he playing us? If he wants to leave, let him leave. Anyway, he's the one who's most anxious about his son's situation."
Xu Yan said, "He's a veteran of the Zhou Group, and he probably wants to teach us young people a lesson and give us a warning."
Zhou Luming didn't care. With the support of the incredibly intelligent and reliable Xu Yan and the real Zhou Luming, the big spender, she had nothing to fear. Even if the sky were to fall, Xu Yan and the real Zhou Luming would be there to back her up. At most, the fake Zhou Luming would just run away. In any case, she had already received a large sum of money from Xu Yan, so she felt great and her confidence had increased.
"Let's go in first," Xu Yan said, turning towards the entrance of the golf club and looking into the lush green lawn. The weather was perfect for playing golf today. "After all, he's an old man, a bit too formal. He might really leave later."
She then said to S, "You stay in the car and wait for us."
S said "Oh" without objection; she didn't like golf either.
Zhou Luming said, "I'll leave the keys with you. Open the windows for ventilation. There are drinks and biscuits in the box in front of the passenger seat. Find something to eat if you're thirsty or hungry."
S nodded. "Sister, you are so gentle and considerate."
Zhou Luming smiled, "I have many more strengths, which will be revealed slowly in the future."
Xu Yan couldn't help but cough, interrupting their mutual flattery. Zhou Luming introduced himself and stepped onto the golf course. But they hadn't gone far when they heard the sound of a security guard arguing with someone at the main gate. Zhou Luming turned around and looked, "Huh?"
Xu Yan also looked over.
It turned out that the person standing outside the door was an old acquaintance—Xu Lang's son, Xu Yi. Standing next to him was a girl wearing a white dress, who was also very clean and pretty.
Xu Yan and Zhou Luming exchanged a glance; they both recognized the girl next to Xu Yi as his girlfriend, Lin Shuwan.
The golf club is a members-only club, but the security guards would definitely recognize a rich kid like Xu Yi. It's obvious that the security guards were deliberately making things difficult for Lin Shuwan, and Xu Lang must have specifically instructed them to do so.
Xu Yi was still arguing with the security guard, trying to bring Lin Shuwan inside, but the guard was determined to defy him, saying that the lady wasn't a member and couldn't enter. Lin Shuwan didn't want Xu Yi and the security guard to continue arguing for her, and kept trying to persuade Xu Yi, but the more she tried, the angrier Xu Yi became, pointing at the security guard and cursing him for being condescending.
The security guard had seen this kind of unreasonable behavior many times before. He was scolded without batting an eye, brazenly enduring the insults and continuing to coldly block the young couple from entering.
Xu Yi brought his girlfriend, Lin Shuwan, specifically to meet Xu Lang today. He knew Xu Lang would be playing golf, so he brought Lin Shuwan along hoping that Xu Lang would change his mind after meeting her. Although Lin Shuwan's family background wasn't great, she was well-behaved and gentle, and her academic performance was good. Xu Yi thought that if Xu Lang met Lin Shuwan in person, he might change his mind and marry her.
Unexpectedly, they were stopped at the gate and didn't even get to see Xu Lang.
Feeling humiliated by the security guard in front of his girlfriend, Xu Yi became furious and started to retaliate. Lin Shuwan looked like she was going to stop him, but she couldn't stop him at all and could only watch helplessly.
Zhou Luming looked at Lin Shuwan for a while, then curled up the corners of his mouth and said, "This girl is clearly gentle enough to persuade Xu Yi to leave, but she just watched her boyfriend get into a conflict with the security guard. Actually, she didn't want to leave. She wanted to see Xu Lang, so she tacitly allowed things to escalate, hoping that Xu Lang himself would have to come forward. She looks innocent, but she's actually very scheming. Xu Yi, this naive young master, is probably going to be completely fooled by her."
Xu Yan shared this thought. Lin Shuwan's gaze fell upon them, landing on Xu Yan and Zhou Luming standing together. She seemed to hesitate for a moment, then gently tugged at Xu Yi's sleeve and spoke a few words to him. After hearing this, Xu Yi also looked towards Xu Yan, arguing even more angrily with the security guard.
Zhou Luming asked with a smile, "What do you think they're talking about?"
Xu Yan said, "We questioned the security guards about why we could enter but they couldn't."
Zhou Luming raised an eyebrow. "So, do you have a membership here?"
Xu Yan shook her head. "No."
Zhou Luming said, "Since we don't have any members, shouldn't we hurry up and run?"
Xu Yan remained calm. "We don't need to run away. The developer here is a real estate company under the Zhou Group. You own 80% of the shares. In other words, this is also your business. You are the boss. What club would kick out its own boss?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Luming puffed out his chest, gesturing with boundless pride, "Look—this is the empire I conquered for you—"
Xu Yan: ...
Zhou Luming calmed down slightly. "Since I'm the boss, I'll have the security guards let them in. The bigger the impact on Xu Lang, the more he'll realize the necessity of our help. He's not satisfied with this daughter-in-law, and we've also noticed that Lin Shuwan has a problem. We share a common goal with Xu Lang, so why not take this opportunity to resolve his family conflict, gain his favor, and trick him—no, get the key address he has?"
Lin Shuwan didn't know what the very pretty young woman said to the security guard, but she saw him bowing and scraping to her, which made her very uncomfortable. That security guard had just been so arrogant towards her, yet he was so subservient to that woman—it was blatant snobbery.
Standing next to that woman was another woman with a cold expression, as if she were the most noble person in the world. Lin Shuwan noticed that she was dressed head to toe in designer brands, and the watch on her wrist alone was worth two hundred thousand yuan. That was a luxury item that ordinary people like her would have to work for a long time without eating or drinking to afford, but they would not be willing to buy it.
"Do you know those two people?" Lin Shuwan asked Xu Yi.
Xu Yi hesitated before saying, "I know them. They're all people my dad knows."
Lin Shuwan probed, "Is the guy with the curly hair Zhou Luming? The heir to the Zhou Group?" She had heard of this person from Xu Yi. Normally, it would be difficult for Lin Shuwan, given her social standing, to meet Zhou Luming, but she was able to find out a lot of things through Xu Yi.
Xu Yi nodded. "The one in the blue suit is Zhou Luming, and the one next to her is... the estate administrator appointed by the Zhou family. Her name is Xu Yan. She is a top student who returned from studying abroad. She has a prestigious university degree and an impressive resume."
Lin Shu-wan said, "Those who can afford to study abroad must come from well-off families, and you wouldn't care about a resume built on money."
Xu Yi felt a pang of guilt, but nodded and smiled in agreement.
He refused his father's arrangement to study abroad and gain prestige, staying in China and working hard to graduate from an ordinary university with ordinary grades. At the time, he felt he was better than those rich kids who followed orders and did nothing, but in the end, he still felt that without his father, he was nothing. Was the path he chose... wrong?
The two entered the golf course smoothly and saw Xu Yan and Zhou Luming walking ahead, about to board the shuttle bus to find Xu Lang. There was only one bus left, which could seat four people. If they missed this bus, they would probably have to walk to find Xu Lang.
Golf courses are usually very large, and walking several kilometers under such a scorching sun would be exhausting. Xu Yi was wondering how to bring it up with Zhou Luming when he saw Zhou Luming walk over with a bright smile and say, "Xu Yi, we still have empty seats in the car, why don't we come together?"
Xu Yi looked at her, her formal attire accentuating her tall and slender figure, her sunglasses, and her small, delicate face, which made her skin appear even more refined and elegant. He said kindly, "Okay, we were just worried about not having a car. Thank you."
Lin Shuwan sat next to him.
Xu Yan and Zhou Luming sat side by side opposite each other.
Ignoring the awkwardness and restraint of the two people opposite him, Zhou Luming casually sat next to Xu Yan, pointing out the golf course under his name. He would say that the grass here was yellow and almost rotten, or that there was a hole that needed to be filled. Looking further ahead, he felt that it would be too lonely if there were only humans here, and that he could raise a herd of deer...
As her conversation became increasingly absurd, Xu Yan couldn't help but interrupt, "Ms. Zhou, do you play golf?"
Zhou Luming blinked. "To be honest, I'm a golf prodigy."
Xu Yan doubted the authenticity of this statement, but the real Zhou Luming had not left any trace in the sports records, so it didn't matter whether she could play or not.
If he can play golf, he should be able to find common ground with Xu Lang, who also loves golf. This is a business negotiation tactic, just like how some people have to compete in drinking at the dinner table to do business.
The mini sightseeing vehicle, open on all four sides, soon came to a stop. Xu Yan saw Xu Lang swinging a golf club. Surprisingly, besides Xu Lang, there was also a woman with a slender and charming figure present. She was Scarlett, Xu Yi's young stepmother.
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Author's Note:
I almost forgot to update, thank goodness!
Chapter 58
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Zhou Luming gazed at the elegant woman standing on the lawn, tilting his head. "I feel like I've seen her somewhere before."
Xu Yan glanced at Zhou Luming out of the corner of her eye, "She used to be a model and has been on the cover of many magazines."
Zhou Luming said "Oh" in understanding. It wasn't exactly a novel pairing for a wealthy businessman like Xu Lang, who was over 20 years old, to marry a model like Scarlett. However, it was quite remarkable that Xu Lang was willing to risk having his fortune divided up to marry a model who was about 20 years younger than him.
Xu Yan seemed to understand Zhou Luming's eyes. "People like Xu Lang usually do prenuptial agreements to ensure that his wealth will not be lost. Scarlett may get almost nothing after he dies."
Zhou Luming was surprised, "If Xu Lang really did have a prenuptial agreement so that Scarlett wouldn't get a single penny, then why would she still marry Xu Lang?"
Xu Yan shook her head. "Human emotions are the most complex and difficult to understand. Perhaps she really has fallen in love with Xu Lang."
Zhou Luming looked at her and said, "You don't need to understand other people's thoughts, just understand mine."
Xu Yan glanced at her sideways, scrutinizing her face, but couldn't tell from her expression whether she was joking or serious. Having grown accustomed to Zhou Luming's teasing, Xu Yan simply took it as a way for her to communicate.
"This woman will try every means to get benefits from Dad. Although we had a prenuptial agreement, she's always whispering in his ear. Who knows when she'll swindle him out of his money? After all, Dad is old, and she's young. She has plenty of time to scam people." Xu Yi, who had been listening to Xu Yan and Zhou Luming's conversation, gritted his teeth and looked at Scarlett with disgust.
He was originally Xu Lang's only heir, and all of Xu Lang's wealth would be his in the future. But everything changed after Scarlett appeared, making his position precarious. Now, with the addition of the unpopular Lin Shuwan, this rich second-generation could be kicked out at any time for angering Xu Lang.
Xu Lang wasn't someone who wouldn't do such a thing. After all, he had been through countless ups and downs in the business world, and with Scarlett married, there was no telling if they would have more children in the future. Xu Yi's position could be taken away at any time.
Zhou Luming tossed her hair, smiled, and asked Xu Yi, "Which do you want, love or bread?" Her gaze shifted to Lin Shuwan, who was standing next to Xu Yi. This girl had a pure and innocent air, but her eyes occasionally flashed with sharpness. Zhou Luming was extremely good at reading people and knew that Lin Shuwan was a little fox disguised as an innocent rabbit. She must have something she wanted from Xu Yi.
“Of course it’s love,” Xu Yi blurted out.
Zhou Luming smiled faintly, not taking Xu Yi's answer to heart. This was just a rich second-generation's momentary impulse to pursue freedom. He had never experienced hunger and was not qualified to make such a choice.
Zhou Luming brushed aside Xu Yi and turned back to Xu Yan, saying, "Xu Yan, it's so sunny here! Do you have sunscreen? How about we go to the general store inside and buy a hat? Also, it's all your fault for making me wear a formal suit today. How am I supposed to play golf like this? Let's go to that store and buy some comfortable clothes. If it affects my performance, Chairman Xu will laugh at me—"
But she didn't buy sportswear or sunscreen. Instead, she led Xu Yan towards Xu Lang and Scarlett.
Left behind, Xu Yi and Lin Shuwan were ignored like this. Xu Yi felt a little embarrassed. Not only did his father look down on him, but even someone like Zhou Luming looked down on him. He gritted his teeth and said, "Let's go too. It wasn't easy to bring you to see Dad. I'll be the one to talk to him later. Try not to have any conflicts with Dad."
"Okay, sure," Lin Shuwan replied considerately.
When the two walked over, they found Xu Lang and Zhou Luming chatting happily. Zhou Luming's little mouth kept running, and she could chime in on everything from the swing of the club to the twisting motion. Occasionally, she would turn her head to ask Xu Yan some questions about running the company, mostly about stocks and futures.
Xu Lang was clearly impressed by the knowledge and professionalism of the two young women. He hadn't expected Zhou Luming to be a golf expert, nor had he expected Xu Yan to have such understanding and insight into running a company and the financial industry. Seeing these two outstanding women, and then looking at his own timid and incompetent son, Xu Lang felt a stinging pain in his eyes and a throbbing in his temples.
Ugh, what bad luck!
After greeting Zhou Luming and Xu Yan, Scarlett quietly stayed by their side. As expected of a former model, even though she no longer shoots for magazines, she still maintains a good figure and posture. She has an oval face, a high nose, thin lips, and slender limbs and waist. You can tell she is a beauty just by looking at her back, and she has even more temperament when you look at her from the front.
Xu Yan was in charge of discussing business with Xu Lang, while Zhou Luming was in charge of playing golf. Later, Zhou Luming casually took off his cumbersome suit jacket and threw it to Xu Yan, then continued playing golf on the spot wearing only a white shirt and suit pants, looking as serious as if he were playing the World Cup final.
Xu Yan and Scarlett stood watching them play. Xu Yan had Zhou Luming's jacket hanging on her arm, still carrying his cologne. Xu Yan stared at Zhou Luming, slightly lost in thought, a slight smile playing on her lips. Zhou Luming's hair was neatly tied up, his neck long and slender, his shirt collar open, revealing his signature V-shaped collarbone. His sleeves were rolled up, his long, thin fingers gripping the golf club. He turned, aimed, raised his arm, and swung—the movements were fluid and graceful.
The shirt hem was neatly tucked into her suit trousers, which confirmed that her waist muscles were strong and muscular, otherwise she wouldn't have such a beautiful waistline.
Xu Yan suddenly felt her mouth was dry and pursed her lips.
Scarlett clapped her hands lightly. "Good shot."
Xu Yan was brought back to his senses by her voice, "Good shot."
Scarlett said meaningfully to Xu Yan, "Miss Zhou looks this way after she finishes hitting a ball, like a child who has achieved something and wants to be praised."