As the saying goes, a tree lives by its bark, and a person lives by their face; one cannot lose face.
Besides, Xu Zhengyang is not short of money now, and he doesn't want to owe Ding Changri too many favors without knowing why.
Unexpectedly, Ding Changri, a man who was extremely adept at handling situations, laughed and said, "I won't be modest and say anything excessive, as that would seem too formal."
Xu Zhengyang cursed inwardly, "You son of a bitch, you think I'm a fool?"
Then Ding Changri took out a shiny card from his bag and handed it over, saying, "This is the Youfu Club's VIP Supreme Gold Card. I've already got one for you, little brother. It's a lifetime membership fee waiver. Don't be offended, little brother."
Xu Zhengyang took it, his expression somewhat amused, but inwardly he was curiously flipping through the gold card between his fingers, admiring it, and said, "I come from a poor background and have limited knowledge, I don't know what this thing is used for?"
Just then, the waiter brought out dish after dish of food and wine. Regardless of the taste, the dishes were exquisitely presented.
The waitress opened a bottle of red wine and poured it for each of the four people at the table.
Ding Changri waved to signal the waiter to leave, then smiled and said, "Youfu Club is one of the few affiliated clubs of IAC International Club in this country. With a Supreme VIP Gold Card, you can enjoy the treatment of a Supreme Member in any country you go to, and directly enter the upper class."
"Hmm, that's impressive." Xu Zhengyang nodded, inwardly shocked. How much would it cost to get this card?
"It's nothing special, nothing special!" Ding Changri waved his hand with a smile and said, "Brother, you must come to Haixia as a guest sometime..." After saying this, Ding Changri nodded to his wife, who was smiling and trying to get closer to Li Bingjie.
Yan Yujiao understood immediately and said with a smile, "I didn't expect to meet you so hastily for the first time, and I didn't even prepare a gift." As she spoke, she took out a small red brocade wooden box from her handbag. She said, "Well, here's a necklace I just bought. I haven't worn it yet, so consider it a small gift. Please don't mind it, sister-in-law."
Unfortunately, Li Bingjie's personality made her ill-suited to such social interactions. Instead of offering a polite refusal, she neither extended her hand nor nodded or shook her head. Instead, she turned to Xu Zhengyang and softly said, "Zhengyang..."
Xu Zhengyang picked up his chopsticks with a smile, and without any regard for manners, he stuffed a couple of mouthfuls of these ridiculously expensive dishes into his mouth. He chewed and nodded with a look of enjoyment, saying indistinctly, "You're too kind, too kind, oh dear!"
Seeing Xu Zhengyang's attitude, Li Bingjie chuckled inwardly, her face slightly flushed, and she accepted the gift from Yan Yujiao with a bit of embarrassment.
"Well, brother, I'm a rough guy, and I always speak my mind. Please don't take offense!" Seeing that Li Bingjie had accepted the gift, Xu Zhengyang grinned and gulped down a glass of red wine like it was a beverage, saying, "This is a matter between us brothers, and it doesn't involve my wife's family background. As the saying goes, courtesy should be reciprocated. I don't have anything to offer, but I opened an antique shop in Fuhe City. I'll give my sister-in-law some antiques and jade to play with later."
"Oh, no problem at all," Ding Changri said with a hearty laugh.
At this point, Ding Changri finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that no matter how young and promising this son-in-law of the Li family was, he was still too young and inexperienced, and could be easily swayed.
But thinking about it, it makes sense; who doesn't love money?
Let alone Xu Zhengyang. Even his wife's family of high-ranking officials—I doubt any of them are clean. It's no wonder their salaries, subsidies, and bonuses barely cover their expenses. So, once they get in touch with Xu Zhengyang and his wife, they might soon be able to contact the Li family in Beijing.
Once we get in touch with the Li family, we should be able to get through this hurdle.
After chatting for a while, Xu Zhengyang finished eating and roughly understood the purpose of the so-called gold card from the conversation. He then handed the gold card to the back of the table and said, "Qingling, go pay the bill. This thing gives you a 20% discount, which can save you a lot of money!"
Qingling remained aloof, but Jinka turned and walked away.
Ding Changri didn't bother with politeness about who should pay the bill, and said with a smile, "Brother, your Jinghui Logistics Company is developing well. I'd like to invest in Jinghui Logistics to expand the company and develop international shipping. What do you think?"
“Okay!” Xu Zhengyang nodded without any hesitation and said, “But I don’t know anything about business matters. Later, you can contact our company’s vice president, Wu Juan. I’ll find her phone number for you.” Xu Zhengyang took out his phone and prepared to find Wu Juan’s number.
"Oh, no need, no need, I have Mr. Wu's business card here," Ding Changri hurriedly said.
Xu Zhengyang closed his phone, looked up with a meaningful look in his eyes, and said with a hint of cold laughter, "Brother, it seems you know me very well."
Ding Changri's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained unchanged as he laughed heartily and said, "When your company first established its branch in Haixia City, General Manager Wu came to our company to discuss business and left his business card with me. Don't misunderstand me, brother! But to be honest, at the time I didn't really take a small company like Jinghui Logistics seriously. However, General Manager Wu made a deep impression on me. I felt that your company had a promising future with such a vice general manager, plus... your connections, brother, haha..."
Although the words were not finished, both sides understood that it was the so-called power of the Li family.
"I see, haha, I was just overthinking it, I was just being paranoid." Xu Zhengyang laughed and raised his glass to express his apology.
It's a pity... This kind of occasion, this kind of environment, is not the kind of place where he usually uses a penalty drink to express his apology at banquets. It's a shame that this tasteless mud crab drank that bottle of red wine, worth more than 20,000 yuan, like a beverage or juice.
So Ding Changri and Yan Yujiao witnessed a scene rarely seen in such a high-end club, which was both funny and exasperating. Xu Zhengyang casually ordered another bottle of the same red wine as this one... Well, Xu Zhengyang couldn't name the wine. Damn it, it was written in foreign languages, which he didn't understand.
Before Qingling returned after settling the bill, two beautiful waitresses entered the room, carrying a pot of tea brewed with top-quality tea leaves. They smiled and said that this was a special tea prepared by Youfu Club for its VIP members after each meal, for them to drink while resting.
Ding Changri smiled and gestured, and the four of them got up, walked to the sofa, sat down, and chatted while drinking tea.
When Qingling returned, she didn't tell Xu Zhengyang how much he had spent that day. Of course, she didn't care. At least... having seen too many grand occasions, Qingling was more tolerant of high spending than Xu Zhengyang.
Well, even if Xu Zhengyang knew right now that the meal cost 50,000 yuan, he wouldn't react on the spot. As for his feelings, he would definitely feel both financial pain and heartache.
In fact, Ding Changri understood that Xu Zhengyang should also understand that this so-called interaction was nothing more than a mutually beneficial arrangement. Otherwise, why would anyone give you a VIP gold card worth two million yuan with lifetime free membership for no reason?
What was that saying again? There is no such thing as eternal friendship, only eternal interests.
Ding Changri, who also came from a poor background, believed he understood all too well the mentality of someone like Xu Zhengyang, who got rich by taking shortcuts and climbed the social ladder by luck.
Most importantly, Xu Zhengyang does not hold any official position, so he does not need to be overly cautious and take unnecessary detours due to numerous taboos.
That's why Ding Changri so openly bribed and tried to curry favor with Xu Zhengyang.
The purpose was simply to escape this great calamity.
Ding Changri firmly believed that those who survive great calamities are destined for good fortune, because he, a guy who didn't even finish elementary school, had survived numerous calamities, stumbled and struggled through countless dangerous situations, risked his life and blood, and walked a tightrope to climb into high society.
pity……
It was already nine o'clock at night when Xu Zhengyang left Youfu Club. Sitting in the car, he squinted slightly, leaned back in his seat, and said through gritted teeth, "Fifty thousand yuan for one meal, it hurts my heart..."
“Zhengyang, isn’t this a bad idea?” Li Bingjie took out the necklace and said, “Mom has a necklace like this, worth nearly a million.”
"Um."
Xu Zhengyang nodded and sighed softly, "Ding Changri is probably in trouble..."
"Let's go, next stop is Haixia City, let's see what kind of person this Ding Changri is."
Volume 5, Spirit Official, Chapter 272: Aircraft Carrier, Chess Piece, Which is Bigger or Smaller?
The city is on the sea, and the sea is in the city.
Haixia City is a charming "garden on the sea".
Local customs, seaside cuisine, and exotic architecture. Islands, reefs, rocks, temples, and flowers and trees complement each other, blending into one. The year-round spring-like climate adds to the beauty of this seascape; surrounded by the sea, with wide beaches, warm sunshine, and intoxicatingly fresh air.
This is one of the cities with the best environment in the country.
Xu Zhengyang felt that this place was definitely no less impressive than Yasan City in the South China Sea Province, which he had visited a few days earlier. Southwest of Haixia City, a five-minute ferry ride takes you to Gulangyu Island, a nationally renowned tourist destination.
It was midday. On the open-air balcony of a detached villa in a five-star hotel by the beach, Xu Zhengyang sat in a wicker chair, sipping fragrant tea, watching Li Bingjie and Ye Wan stroll leisurely along the sandy beach not far away. Beside them, at a round wooden table, Chen Chaojiang smoked a cigarette with a stern expression, gazing at the vast expanse of blue waves and the seamless blend of sea and sky.
Upon learning that Xu Zhengyang and Li Bingjie were in Haixia City, Ye Wan immediately decided to travel to Haixia City as well. Chen Chaojiang also received the approval of Ye Rongchen, the head of the Ye family, and finally came to Jiangjing City to visit the woman's family.
So the young couple traveled from Jiangjing City to Haixia City by plane.
Xu Zhengyang naturally welcomed Ye Wan and Chen Chaojiang's arrival; after all, his trip was purely for tourism. As for Ding Changri, he was just passing by to see what was going on. He wouldn't let Ding Changri's appearance spoil his blissful honeymoon.
Of course. Necessary work still needs to be done. For example, after arriving in Haixia City, he spent the night intimately with his wife. After Li Bingjie fell asleep from exhaustion, the energetic Lord Xu Zhengyang left his body and established a nominal City God Temple in Haixia City.
Xu Zhengyang assigned Wang Yonggan, a ghost messenger who was closely following Ding Changri, to follow him and investigate what he did in his daily life.
Xu Zhengyang didn't have time to cuddle Cheng Juan and check on Ding Changri's daily life.
"The Ye family has agreed to your marriage?" Xu Zhengyang asked with a smile.
“They haven’t agreed yet, especially her mother and brother,” Chen Chaojiang said in his usual cold tone. “However, her father doesn’t seem to object.”
“It’s understandable that they can’t quite grasp things right away.” Xu Zhengyang sipped his tea, gazing at the seabirds flying in the distance, and said with a smile, “The fact that they’re willing to meet you and even allow you to stay at their house for two days speaks volumes.”
"Hmm." Chen Chaojiang nodded, then took a deep drag of his cigarette and said earnestly, "Zhengyang, thank you."
"Stop talking nonsense." Xu Zhengyang waved his hand. "Do your job well. You have to achieve something yourself. You can't rely on others for everything..."
Chen Chaojiang lowered his head, remained silent for a while, and then said, "I have the will but not the ability."
"how?"
"With a weak cultural foundation, it's very difficult..."
"That's no excuse!" Xu Zhengyang waved his hand and said shamelessly, "It's all about human effort. Compared to Ding Changri, Chen Chaojiang has a higher level of education and diploma. Ding Changri manages a group company worth hundreds of billions, and he started from scratch."
Chen Chaojiang was taken aback, then said, "Didn't you say he wasn't a good person?"
"Choose the good and follow it, and correct the bad." Xu Zhengyang lit a cigarette and said with a smile, "Whether he takes the right path or the crooked path, his ability to build such a great career from the bottom up is undeniable. There are many things you can learn from him."
Chen Chaojiang nodded.
"Of course, I'm not asking you to learn to do bad things or illegal things," Xu Zhengyang emphasized.
After considering for a moment, Chen Chaojiang said, "Zhengyang, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."
"Hmm?" Xu Zhengyang paused, then smiled wryly, "Chaojiang, when did you become so indecisive? Just say what you have to say..." This statement did sound a bit like someone talking without understanding the situation. In truth, Xu Zhengyang knew that, unintentionally, even old friends and family felt pressured when speaking to him. This wasn't solely due to his clerical status or his current social standing, but rather stemmed from the invisible aura of power he exuded—a superior presence that commanded respect.
"For an ordinary person to climb up from the very bottom in today's society, do you think they can do it without taking some unorthodox shortcuts, in other words, without resorting to opportunism or even violating some laws and morals?" Chen Chaojiang sighed and said, "Perhaps they can, but how astonishingly high level of personal ability would they need to reach?"
Xu Zhengyang paused for a moment, then nodded noncommittally and said, "Yes."
Besides personal ability, strong financial resources and power determine whether a person can get corresponding rewards through hard work.
This reminded Xu Zhengyang of a satirical joke, which included the following couplet: "If they say you can, you can, even if you can't; if they say you can't, you can't, even if you can."
Horizontal inscription: You have to admit it.
After a long silence, Xu Zhengyang waved his hand and said, "Besides these factors that cannot be completely eliminated for the time being, there is also the element of opportunity and luck... There is no room for complaint about this. Fate, which even the gods cannot control, will always give everyone a chance. It just depends on whether you seize it or not. Some people are luckier. There is no point in complaining about this."
“For example, I, Xu Zhengyang, have incredibly good luck; while you, Chen Chaojiang, are quite lucky.”
"At least you've met me. As long as you work hard, there won't be any unfair situations that will hinder your efforts, right?"
Chen Chaojiang nodded in agreement without hesitation.
Yes, he was very lucky because he had a brother named Xu Zhengyang.
Xu Zhengyang fell into deep thought again. The bright sunlight shone on him, gilding his body with a white glow. Dressed in light-colored casual clothes, he was somewhat dazzling and blurry when Li Bingjie and Ye Wan occasionally looked over from a distance.
Through Wang Yonggan's investigation over the past few days, Xu Zhengyang learned some basic information about Ding Changri.
This man, who started from nothing as a humble mud crab, amassed considerable wealth through extraordinary courage, ability, and diligent effort. However, money and fame, like drugs, fueled the greed inherent in human nature. He was not content with the rate at which his wealth grew and dreamed of becoming even richer and a true tycoon.
The shortcut he chose, however, was smuggling.
Ding Changri was not inherently a completely evil person. Everyone desires money and fame, and Ding Changri's pursuit of fame might have been a way to soothe his anxiety and unease about walking a tightrope. Whatever the reason, he did a lot of good deeds, such as personally funding the construction of Hope Primary Schools, building roads in his hometown, and donating to charitable causes.
Xu Zhengyang admired Ding Changri for this. Just like Wu Guanxian of Dun Shibo, he never forgot his hometown and didn't forget his roots even after becoming rich.
However, Ding Changri went too far; he really went too far.
His Far East Group was an unprecedentedly massive smuggling carrier, surrounded by countless high-ranking officials and dignitaries, as well as Ding Chang and the Japanese.
Yes, bribery!
Ding Changri resorted to any means necessary to bribe officials, including indulging in wine, women, wealth, and power. He even went so far as to eliminate many who stood in his way of smuggling. Now, Ding Changri could be said to wield absolute power in Haixia City, and even throughout Jianfu Province!
The reason Ding Changri took the initiative to approach Xu Zhengyang and curry favor with him was to get in touch with the Li family.
Because Ding Changri received inside information that his Far East Group had been noticed by higher-ups, and that a covert investigation into the Far East Group had begun at the beginning of last year. The so-called upper-level people in charge of this case were powerful figures in the Li family faction, including Li Ruiqing.
However, because Ding Changri's personal protection network is extremely complex, with one large tree after another growing close together, it is so tight that it is impossible to find anything about him in the short term.