At this moment, Zhou Chao was contemplating whether to visit Hang City or Peng City first. After all, Hang City was closer, less than 180 kilometers away, and it would be convenient to drive there. He could meet Daddy Ma and have a chat. He could spend a couple of days there and then take a direct flight to Peng City before heading to the Northeastern city of Chun City. There was still enough time to make these plans.
"System, how many days have I accumulated so far?"
"The host has accumulated 13 days. Would you like to check in?"
"Not for now."
He didn't really need anything at the moment. He would wait until he reached a month of accumulation before checking in. Besides, when the time came, he could consider signing some company shares. It would be necessary for him to establish an investment company to help manage these shares. Zhou Chao pondered over the things he needed to do in the near future.
Zhou Chao made an appointment for a chauffeur service online. He planned to visit Hangzhou first to meet President Ma. Thinking that it was his first visit to pay respects to Ma Yun, he decided to bring some gifts. He remembered the Wuyi Mountain Dahongpao tea he had obtained from the old mansion. It should be an acceptable gift for him. President Ma shouldn't be surprised.
Zhou Chao was interrupted from his daydreaming by an incoming call. It was an unknown number, and he was about to hang up. But then he realized it could be the chauffeur calling, so he answered the call.
"Hello, Mr. Zhou. I am your appointed chauffeur, Lin Wu, employee number 9527. I'm wondering when Mr. Zhou plans to depart."
"Where are you currently?"
"Mr. Zhou, I'm already at the entrance of The Palms Residence. I can't enter, so I'm waiting outside for you."
"Alright, just wait a moment. I'll be driving out soon."
Zhou Chao changed into different clothes, put all the Wuyi Mountain Dahongpao tea into a bag, and thought of adding two varieties of uncommon tea he found in the market. He grabbed the keys to the Rolls-Royce Phantom and stepped out of the door.
As Zhou Chao drove the Rolls-Royce Phantom out of The Palms Residence's gate, he spotted a young man in a chauffeur's uniform standing by the roadside, looking tall and upright. Zhou Chao parked the car next to him.
Zhou Chao got out of the car and asked the young man standing by the roadside, "Are you Lin Wu?"
"Yes, are you Mr. Zhou?"
"Yes, it's me. Get in the car." Zhou Chao opened the passenger door and got in.
Seeing this, Lin Wu quickly went around to the driver's seat, opened the door, and got in.
Soon, the car entered the highway. Zhou Chao looked at the passing scenery outside the window and turned his head to the driver, Lin Wu. "Lin Wu, were you in the military before?"
"Yes, I served for 10 years."
"10 years in the military. What branch were you in, and why did you retire?"
After a moment's hesitation, Lin Wu, who was driving the car, said, "I was in the special forces. One night, my dad was hit by a car while he was out for a walk. The driver fled the scene. Thankfully, a passerby found him in time and saved his life. My mom is also in poor health, and I have a younger sister studying. I had no choice but to retire."
Zhou Chao looked at the iron-willed man before him, whose eyes had already become moist. "Is your uncle still in the hospital? How is he doing?"
"He's still in the hospital. He's in good spirits for now. The doctors say he may need another month before he can be discharged. My mom is taking care of him at the hospital."
"You're just working as a chauffeur now. Haven't you considered anything else?"
"I had no choice. Most of the money from my retirement went into my dad's surgery. I'm not sure what to do at the moment, so I had to find a job to make ends meet."
"How much can you earn as a chauffeur in a day?"
"It varies. On a good day, I can earn around 1,000 yuan, but on a bad day, it may only be a few hundred yuan."
After a brief silence, Zhou Chao spoke up, "Are you interested in working with me as a part-time driver and bodyguard? I'll pay you 50,000 yuan per month."
Lin Wu pondered for a moment before asking, "Mr. Zhou, what kind of business are you in?"
"I'm an investor. I don't have much to do usually, just occasional travel. You can rest assured that my business is legitimate and proper."
"Thank you, Mr. Zhou, for considering me. I need some time to think it over. After all, my dad is in the hospital, and there's no one else to support the family. I'd like to give you an answer once he's discharged. Is that okay?"
"Sure, no problem. Keep my contact information, and when you've made up your mind, you can give me a call. Is your father in Modu City as well?"
"Yes, I'm from Xiangxi. I came to Modu City because of my father's accident."
The two of them continued chatting, and before they knew it, they had reached the highway exit to Hang City. Lin Wu asked where they were heading next.
Checking the time, it was already past 4 p.m. Zhou Chao felt it might not be the best time to visit Ma Yun at this hour. He replied, "Let's go directly to the Green City. Taohuayuan. Huanglong Resort Hotel."
"Alright."
Lin Wu drove towards the resort hotel, and by the time they arrived, it was already 5:30 p.m. Lin Wu was also ready to end the chauffeur service for the day.
Seeing Lin Wu about to leave after parking the car, Zhou Chao said, "You don't need to go back today. We'll make another trip tomorrow. Just inform your family. Let's arrange our accommodation for tonight first."
Lin Wu made a phone call to his family, explained the situation, and hung up. He then followed Zhou Chao into the hotel. Zhou Chao booked two rooms at the resort hotel, and they both retired to their respective rooms for some rest.
Lying on the bed, Zhou Chao thought for a moment and decided to give Ma Yun a call. He wanted to set up a time to visit him tomorrow. He dialed Ma Yun's number.
"Hello, President Ma, it's Zhou Chao. I hope I'm not disturbing you with this call."
"Well, well, you finally remembered to call me. Weren't you planning to come to Hang City and have a chat with me? I've been waiting for quite a while."
"Haha, President Ma, I'm already in Hang City. As soon as I arrived, I called you."
"You're already in Hang City? Let's make arrangements for tonight. Let's have dinner together."
"There's no need for that, President Ma. I just wanted to check if you're available tomorrow. I plan to pay you a visit."
"When Zhou Chao speaks, how can I not have time? I'll be waiting for you tomorrow morning at Green City Taohuayuan."
"Alright, President Ma. See you tomorrow morning." Zhou Chao confirmed the meeting time and then hung up to find Lin Wu.
It took Zhou Chao some time to locate Lin Wu in the garden. At that moment, Lin Wu was on a phone call, and his emotions seemed slightly agitated. Zhou Chao only caught a few fragments of the conversation, indicating that the hospital expenses were running out. Lin Wu's mother called to explain the situation. Zhou Chao thought for a moment and quietly walked away.
Back in his room, Zhou Chao called Big Bro Li.
"Hey, Big Bro."
"I need a favor from you." Zhou Chao promptly informed Li Yang about Lin Wu's situation. Li Yang fell into deep thought upon hearing the news.
"Don't worry, I'll arrange it as soon as possible." After saying that, Li Yang hung up the phone.
Once Zhou Chao had everything sorted out, he went out to find Lin Wu. Mainly because he was hungry and wanted to taste some of Hang City's delicacies.
When Zhou Chao found Lin Wu, he had already finished his call and was sitting in a chair. Zhou Chao walked up to him and invited Lin Wu to join him in sampling Hang City's cuisine.