To be honest, he was very well taken care of; he didn't look like a man nearing sixty at all, but rather like a middle-aged man.
“Although I’ve been taking good care of my health these past few years, I know my own body best. I understand that I’m getting old after all.” Qiaoqiao’s father shook his head and said slowly, “Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder, who will I pass this huge fortune I’ve built up to?”
He seemed to glance at me intentionally or unintentionally, which made me quite uncomfortable.
"Qiaoqiao is my only daughter. I became a father when I was almost thirty-six. It's considered a late-life child, so I cherish and spoil her immensely. I would do anything I can to satisfy her desires! But I also understand that Qiaoqiao has always been a willful and capricious girl, and her personality is simply not suited to taking over my business. I have tried to train her, but I know that the business world is difficult and arduous. I have spent my whole life scheming and plotting, and I don't want my daughter to suffer for the rest of her life." He shook his head vigorously, seemingly helpless yet also relieved: "Sometimes, seeing Qiaoqiao living such a carefree and happy life, I don't know whether to be happy for her or worried for myself."
As Qiaoqiao's father spoke, he suddenly picked up a wine jug from the ground, which he had just knocked over. When he picked it up, half of the wine inside had already spilled, staining the Persian handmade carpet on the ground with its crimson color. Qiaoqiao's father, however, did not care at all. He picked it up, and without even using a cup, he brought the jug to his lips and took a big gulp.
Bright red wine juice dripped from the corner of his mouth, staining his white shirt like blood!
He had drunk too much, and when he put down the wine jug, he was a little out of breath, with a sickly flush on his face. Then he gave a bitter laugh: "Kid, you know what? Sometimes, I can't help but ask myself... Old Joe, you've worked hard all your life and built such a large fortune. Who will inherit this business in the future?"
I didn't say anything, but he shook his head and said, "Sometimes, I can't help but think that I should just sell all these businesses and get hundreds of millions of dollars. That money would be enough for my daughter to eat, drink, and have fun. Even if she lives the most luxurious life, it would be enough for her to live a carefree life for the rest of her life."
I remained silent.
Suddenly, Qiaoqiao's father leaned forward, his hands supporting him on the table. His eyes sharpened instantly! It was as if, in that instant, he transformed from that aged father back into that powerful figure in the business world!
"But I'm not reconciled! I'm not reconciled at all!!" As if shouting, he stared intently at me: "Chen Yang, you're a man too! Can you understand?"
Looking into that sharp gaze across from me, filled with a cry of defiance, I let out a long breath and met his eyes in return, sincerely saying, "I understand you!"
I really understand!
As a man, I suddenly understood the inner conflict and sorrow of Qiaoqiao's father.
Indeed, as a father, he has done far better than those other powerful figures! He even purely and simply hopes that his daughter can live a carefree life and stay away from those troublesome and scheming careers.
Similarly, considering that Thorin is still racking his brains to pass the family business on to his daughter, one can understand how precious Old Man Joe is.
But! As a man, he was conflicted! He was unwilling to accept it!
A man like him, who has navigated the turbulent waters of life, built such a vast empire, and achieved such great success! As the creator of this business empire, how could he possibly want to see the business he has painstakingly built throughout his life vanish in the blink of an eye a hundred years from now?!
Who could willingly let something they've worked so hard for their entire life vanish in an instant? Even if they died and never saw that day, they would still find it unbearable!
“Money? I have enough. Status? I already have that. Power? I can get as much as I want! I lack nothing now. If you ask me my biggest wish… I hope to have an heir!” He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, “I don’t want everything I’ve worked so hard for my whole life to turn into nothing! I hope there’s someone with my blood flowing through their veins to inherit my career! Don’t let my life’s work be wasted!”
I sighed.
It seems that, whether they are ordinary people or powerful figures, few can escape this kind of mental block.
Old Thorin was like that, as was the clever Mr. Yang. And now, the old fox, Joe, is the same.
I suddenly remembered something and couldn't help but ask, "You... Mr. Qiao, why didn't you have another child back then?"
As soon as I said that, I saw Old Man Qiao's face change, and I immediately realized: Oh no! How could I have dared to ask such a question... Could it be that Old Fox Qiao... uh...
Part Three: The Pinnacle, Chapter Seventy-Seven: A Night of Ghostly Fun in Shanghai
Qiaoqiao's father suddenly fell silent. He gave me a deep look, then sighed, gritted his teeth, and cursed, "Hmph, if I could have another child, how could I allow you, this brat, to be so arrogant in front of me now!"
Old fox Qiao stared at me: "Chen Yang! If it weren't for Qiao Qiao's unwavering love for you, even if a hundred of you knelt down and begged me, I wouldn't give you a second glance! Hmph, you are indeed outstanding, but there are many outstanding young people!"
I nodded, completely unconcerned about Old Fox Joe's words.
“Originally, my carefully selected candidate was Li Wenjing! Whether it's his talent, background, upbringing, or ability, he's one in a hundred. He's someone I really thought highly of, but Qiao Qiao just doesn't like him.” Old Fox Qiao seemed to still have some lingering resentment when she talked about this.
"There's no point in saying more about these irrelevant things." I waved my hand. "I understand Mr. Qiao's meaning and wishes. Now you might as well state your conditions."
"Heh heh!" He sneered, looking at me with a hint of mockery.
I was waiting for him to continue, but I never expected what he said would be so outrageous!
“Chen Yang, my conditions aren’t too high, but they’re not too low either…” He looked at me, his expression somewhat gloomy. “I just want you to go back, divorce your current wife, and then publicly marry my daughter! Of course, what I said before still doesn’t count. You can keep that girl with you, you can support her for life, for as long as you want. Men, especially men of our status, can’t stay with only one woman for their entire lives. I won’t interfere with any of that, and I believe Qiao Qiao won’t either… I just want a title! A title that allows you to officially become part of my Qiao family…”
Before he could finish speaking, I stood up and walked out without looking back.
"Stop right there!!" he shouted. "Chen Yang! How dare you!"
I raised my chin and stared at him without any attempt to hide it, then said coldly, "Mr. Qiao is joking with me, but I'm not in the mood for such jokes."
Old fox Qiao seemed about to explode in anger, but his expression changed, and his momentum weakened. He looked at me with a glimmer of hope in his eyes: "You...you really won't consider it?"
"No, that's impossible." I said firmly, "If you asked for something else, it might be more difficult. But you've helped me a lot this time, and I'll do my best to do it. But this is the only thing, absolutely no discussion!"
Not even a little?
“Not even a little bit!!” I replied.
I originally thought that Qiaoqiao's father would get angry, or that he would yell at me in his anger.
I was even prepared to turn against him. I even wondered, since I'm on his turf now, would he be so ruthless as to harm me if I turned against him...?
But... we stared at each other like fighting cocks for a long time, and then he suddenly laughed!
This old guy's ability to change his expression and shift his emotions is no less than Yang Wei's! I sighed inwardly.
"I knew you'd probably refuse, and I only asked just in case." Old Fox Qiao shook his head, then flipped open the document on the table, quickly turning to the last page, and laughed, "My real conditions are already here. I've drawn up a contract! Take a look. As long as you agree to the conditions above, I'll transfer this place to you, just like I said earlier! Of course... not for free, but sold to you!"
Only then did I put away my sullen face, grab the document on the table, and quickly flip to the last page...
A minute later, I finished reading what was on it, and the expression on my face was as strange as could be. I couldn't help but look at Old Man Qiao, wanting to see again from his expression whether the old man was still joking.
"are you serious?"
"Seriously."
I took a deep breath, my expression growing increasingly strange, and finally glanced at him: "I... I need to think about this."
On my way home from the restaurant that night, I couldn't help but look up at the sky...
Has the whole world gone mad?
When I got back to my place, Lei Xiaohu was already dressed and sitting there waiting for me. When I asked him what was wrong, he said that he had gotten up after I left, and was so hungry that he had found something to eat in the house.
I felt a little guilty; after all, this kid had come from afar, and I had left him to go hungry. But he didn't seem to care at all. When he saw me return, he jumped up happily and laughed loudly, "Uncle-Master, you're finally back... Perfect timing, let's go out and play!"
"Go out to play? Now?" I glanced at my watch; it was nine o'clock at night.
"Of course, the nightlife is just getting started!"
I'm speechless. It seems this kid has really gone astray in Hollywood; he's even learned to go out and fool around at night.
However, I soon realized that I had misunderstood this kid.
Seeing how excited he was, I couldn't help but ask him, "Didn't you find it unbearable to live that kind of glamorous, noisy life in Hollywood, partying and having fun every day?"
“Sigh! Uncle-Master, you have no idea what’s so fun about those celebrity parties in Hollywood.” Lei Xiaohu stared at me, wide-eyed. “The guys around are all rich, and they’re all so pretentious. And the girls at the parties, they’re all pretty, but they’re all just there to hook up with rich guys. And some people are so obsessed with you, you can’t get rid of them! Those people are crazy! You also have to watch out for paparazzi. If you get drunk, the next day someone will have photos of you looking terrible and be all over the world. And…”
"What else?" I asked with a smile.
"And..." Lei Xiaohu suddenly looked frustrated and pained: "Uncle-Master, in that kind of place, even though I was surrounded by beautiful women, I felt like I was being tortured!"
"What's wrong?" I asked, puzzled. "Hollywood is full of beautiful women..."
“First…” Lei Xiaohu counted on his fingers. He sighed helplessly, “My old man won’t allow me to date foreign women. Although he never says it, I know he’s definitely unhappy about it. Last time, when Jessica and I had that rumor, he barely gave me a friendly look when he saw me. During the few days I was home, he practically killed me with all the martial arts training… And secondly… in Hollywood, those celebrity parties are full of beautiful women. But those women are either those pretentious actresses, which I don’t like. Or they’re socialites, which I dislike even more. Or… they’re girls who’ve desperately tried to get in, all dreaming of becoming stars, hoping to hook up with some celebrity and become famous overnight. I’ve encountered that a few times. The most outrageous time was when I was in the bathroom, and suddenly a woman rushed in from outside trying to seduce me. I threw her out… That woman is now telling the whole world that she’s my girlfriend. She’s even on the front page of a few tabloids. Sigh… that place is too crazy. I don’t dare mess with the women there.”
I looked at Xiaohu for a while and suddenly laughed, "Yeah, that's true. You're all grown up now, you should have a girlfriend or two."
"One or two?" Lei Xiaohu's eyes widened. "One is enough! If I dare to do anything reckless, the old man will break my legs!"
We chatted for a bit more, and it seemed that this guy just wanted to go out that night to find a place to drink and relax.
If you're looking for a place to drink, this club has the most expensive and luxurious bar in all of Shanghai, but that's not what Lei Xiaohu likes.
"If you go to a top-tier club like that, what's the difference between that and those celebrity parties in America? It's so boring..." Lei Xiaohu said, then lowered his voice slightly embarrassed, "Actually, back when I was still at my dad's martial arts school, he was very strict with me and never allowed me to go out and have fun. But a few of the guys at the school secretly took me to a small bar on our street a couple of times... Sigh, even after living in Hollywood for so long, I sometimes can't help but think about it. Those ordinary bars are much more fun; they're crowded, lively, and have a relaxed atmosphere."
"OK! Let's go out and find a bar for a drink."
"Yes! The lower the grade, the better; the more ordinary, the better."
That being said, when it comes to actually going out to have fun, I certainly wouldn't take Lei Xiaohu to one of those really low-class bars or nightclubs. Those places are full of all sorts of delinquent girls and thugs, a real mixed bag. After all, Lei Xiaohu and I have different identities now, and I don't want to cause trouble.
In the end, we went to a mid-to-high-end place: BabyFace, a famous nightclub in Shanghai. Located in one of Shanghai's most bustling areas, it's an entertainment bar with top-notch dance floor and sound equipment. The prices weren't too high, but a bottle of beer still cost around thirty yuan. This level of spending at least ensured that no petty thugs or hooligans would dare to cause trouble. After all, with prices like that, those street thugs wouldn't be able to get in.
Lei Xiaohu changed into more casual clothes, since he could wear my clothes anyway. He also wore a baseball cap, pulling the brim down a bit to cover his face. With the dim lighting in the nightclub, it seemed that unless someone stared at him up close, no one would recognize him.
Knowing they were going out to play, Qiaoqiao, Aze, Mutou, and the others naturally all came running...
Uh... As for the little money-grubber, I'm worried that if she brings up anything about censored or uncensored porn again, it might anger Xiao Hu and he'll throw her out. It's better to keep her at home to sleep.
As she left, Qiaoqiao couldn't help but cheer and howl: "Oh! Yay! Let's go fooling around! Let's go fooling around! Let's go see pretty girls!!"
I gave her a strange look, but Qiaoqiao glared at me instead: "What's wrong? You're not convinced?"
I sighed, but looked at Lei Xiaohu with infinite pity, and said, "Xiaohu, I almost forgot to tell you... Didn't you want to go to the bar to pick up girls? Let me tell you, with Qiaoqiao there tonight, you can forget about it! All of us men combined can't beat Qiaoqiao in picking up girls! Not to mention you, even our playboy Aze is no match for Qiaoqiao in this regard! When we get there, if the girl you like is taken by Qiaoqiao, you're not allowed to cry."
"No...no way?" Lei Xiaohu's eyes widened.
“That’s true.” Aze looked helpless, his eyes so melancholy they could almost fit inside Tony Leung’s, and he had a “very hurt” expression.
We found a less flashy, ordinary minivan (if we rode in Old Joe's extended Lincoln at a time like this, wouldn't that attract attention?), and our group went out to get drunk.
Upon entering the famous "BabyFace," the faint, deafening heavy metal music was immediately noticeable. Around me were young men and women, seemingly indulging in nightlife and recklessly wasting their youth. As we entered, the manager immediately came over to greet us, only to inform us that there were no seats available.
I casually pointed to a booth above, which was empty.
"I'm sorry..." Amidst the loud music, the manager looked troubled: "That was reserved by someone else. Besides, the minimum charge for a private room is eight thousand."
Aze and I exchanged a glance, then I smiled, gently patted the foreman on the shoulder, and whispered something in his ear…
The foreman paused for a moment after hearing what I said.
Just as I patted him on the shoulder, I quietly slipped a few large red banknotes into his jacket pocket. The supervisor's smile immediately widened, but he seemed a little puzzled as he looked at me wearing sunglasses in such a dimly lit and noisy place.
He then noticed my wrist patting his shoulder.
I was wearing a Patek Philippe watch! In this kind of setting, the supervisor must be a very discerning person! He immediately noticed my watch; its exquisite craftsmanship told him he knew its value. This kind of world-class, No. 1 watch isn't something an ordinary person can afford. His attitude immediately became more respectful.
What's more, what I whispered in his ear was: "This is your tip... Also, open a few bottles of Royal Salute for me. Take care of the rest. I don't want to hear 'no' again."
My meaning is quite clear... Isn't the minimum spend 8,000? If I order a few bottles of Royal Salute, my total will easily reach tens of thousands. The more I spend, the more commission he, as the manager, earns! Plus, I gave him a generous tip, so why wouldn't he be happy to do it?
Soon, the problem became "no problem".
Since she was out having a wild time, Qiao Qiao, this vixen, naturally dressed to be incredibly alluring. She wore a form-fitting, ice-blue mid-length dress, the length ending just three inches above her knees, the collar almost reaching her shoulders, revealing the unmistakable curves of her snow-white, captivating neck. And beneath the hem, a pair of long, slender legs attracted countless gazes. Qiao Qiao's outfit today was undeniably seductive. And undeniably seductive.
Many males around them cast glances their way, but Qiaoqiao was completely oblivious and sat down with us.
Several bottles of Royal Salute were opened, and on the dance floor below, young men and women swayed their bodies vigorously to the music. There were also some unconventional and daring girls, dressed like bewitching demons, trying their best to expose their young and unrestrained bodies to the air and the ambiguous lighting.
The DJ worked hard to create an atmosphere. One upbeat and exciting song after another was played. When "We Will Rock You" came on, I knew it was Qiaoqiao's favorite song. She cheered, jumped onto the table, her high heels clapping loudly on the surface, and clapped and shouted joyfully along with the rest of the audience.