While driving to the bank, Ye Fei couldn't stop pondering over the words Manager Ma had just said. There was no doubt that those words had shaken him.
He was well aware that his biggest weakness was his solitary nature. He lacked a dependable support system, a ready-made social status, and most importantly, influential connections. In this society, one cannot achieve success solely through individual effort. Even if one manages to earn a lot of money, they would only be considered nouveau riche. To gain status and influence in society, one must establish their own network of contacts from scratch.
Therefore, whether it was the greedy Liang Pangzi, the untrustworthy Meng Fei, the arrogant Hong Yaqin, or the carefree and generous He Linlin, Ye Fei maintained a cautious attitude. Wang Yue had once told him that there are no useless people in this world; it all depends on how well you can make use of them. These people, regardless of their nature, had deeper roots than Ye Fei, who started from scratch. The process of interacting with them was one of mutual benefit and utilization. In this situation, he could foresee his social circle gradually expanding. Currently, he looked up to them, but in the near future, they would look up to him.
It was not surprising that Manager Ma had his own goals and hidden agenda. Although he was also a member of Fei Cui Pavilion and, to some extent, under Xiao Fei's command, the current situation showed that he and Duan Fei were not on the same page and that he harbored intentions of replacing him. So, could Ye Fei exploit this person's ambition? As long as he didn't offend Ye Fei, Manager Ma was nothing more than a greedy small fry climbing up the ladder for the sake of his ambition.
If everything went smoothly, Duan Fei would fall into his trap without a chance of turning things around. At that point, the control of Fei Cui Pavilion might transfer to his hands. He could give up a portion of the benefits to satisfy Manager Ma's demands, and in return, Manager Ma would provide him with greater rewards.
It seemed that he needed to put some thought into it. Manager Ma was just a small player, but it was precisely because of this that he could do anything for his own benefit. Perhaps, when the time came, as long as an adequate price was offered, he might even betray Xiao Fei. Ye Fei was unaware of the conflict between Manager Ma and Duan Fei, not only because of Manager Ma's pursuit of power but also because they had different bosses behind them.
Arriving at the entrance of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Ye Fei walked in carrying the password box containing the jadeite.
The branch manager recognized Ye Fei, seeing that he had millions of dollars in his account and frequent incoming remittances recently. Such a big customer was noted by the branch manager.
"Mr. Ye, you're here. How can I assist you?" the branch manager approached and asked.
Ye Fei nodded and said, "I want to rent a safe deposit box."
"Please follow me. I'll assist you with the procedures," said the branch manager.
Sitting in the VIP room, the branch manager quickly completed the procedures with Ye Fei's ID card. Ye Fei began to savor the changes that money had brought him. When he had applied for a safe deposit box in Tiancheng before, he had never enjoyed such preferential treatment.
Walking out of the bank, Ye Fei couldn't help but ponder. With only millions in his account, he was already receiving such considerate service. What if he had billions in wealth? Would they come to serve him at his doorstep with just one phone call? Furthermore, if he had his own company, would he still need to personally intervene in such matters? Just like how Xiao Fei handled Wang Yue's matter, he didn't personally step in but let Niu Jinda handle everything.
Thinking about these things, Ye Fei's ambition swelled even more.
On the way back home, Ye Fei kept contemplating this matter. As he approached the residential area, he noticed a private restaurant by the roadside. He slowed down and hesitated for a moment before turning on the indicator and parking the car at the restaurant's entrance.
Entering the restaurant, Ye Fei immediately spotted He Linlin sitting at the cash register playing games.
When He Linlin saw Ye Fei, she sneered and said, "Oh, I knew it was you. So, it's Ye the gambler. I wonder how your gambling on stones went. I hope you didn't lose everything!"
Ye Fei frowned and asked, "Is Hong Yaqin here?"
"If you want to see Sister Hong, you have to pass my test first. I've never seen someone like you. Sister Hong is doing all this for your own good, yet you, this guy, don't appreciate it. Who do you think you are? I just can't understand who gave you such audacity." He Linlin said.
Ye Fei's expression turned serious as he stared at He Linlin, speculating whether it was her own choice or Hong Yaqin's decision. He didn't want to give up easily regarding Hong Yaqin's matter. He had agreed to the deal with Hong Yaqin not just for a few meals but for his own future and development. Judging from the current situation, whether Hong Yaqin was present or avoiding him, there was no need to continue discussing it.
Furthermore, Ye Fei firmly believed that he held the initiative. Unless Hong Yaqin and her parents revealed the truth, she wouldn't take the initiative to approach him. Thinking about this, Ye Fei coldly said, "Fine, I understand."
After saying that, he left the private restaurant without looking back.
As soon as Ye Fei drove away, Hong Yaqin returned in her car. After getting out of the car, she tightly held the car keys and looked at the departing vehicle with a puzzled expression. She remembered the license plate number of that car; it was Ye Fei's car. It seemed that he had indeed been here just now, but what was strange was why he didn't stay for a meal and just left like that?
Hong Yaqin pushed open the door and walked in, asking, "Lilin, was that Ye Fei just now?"
He Lilin nodded, "That annoying guy, I scolded him and drove him away."
"Why did you scold him?" Hong Yaqin asked, her expression turning cold.
He Lilin's mouth rattled on like a machine gun, "Because he doesn't know how to be grateful. You were kind to him, advised him a few times, and he actually dared to get angry at you and hang up your call. I hate people like him the most, so self-righteous. I told him the deal is off, and he's not allowed to come anymore."
Hong Yaqin's face immediately darkened, and she coldly said, "Lilin, who gave you the right to say those things! My affairs are none of your business."
He Lilin stood still, not understanding why Hong Yaqin suddenly got angry.
"Hong Jie, wasn't I venting for you?" He Lilin said, puzzled.
"These are my affairs, and I know how to handle them. Besides, this deal was made between him and me. What right do you have to cancel it?" Hong Yaqin angrily said.
She had put in a lot of effort to find a suitable person, just barely dealing with her parents' inquiries, and now He Lilin had caused her so much trouble. How was she supposed to handle this? How could she explain it to her parents? Just thinking about facing her parents' questions when she got home made Hong Yaqin's head ache. She angrily threw the car keys on the ground, sat on a chair, and glared at He Lilin.
"Hong Jie, what's wrong with you? Why are you so angry? I just wanted to help you vent," He Lilin said in a grievous tone.
Hong Yaqin rubbed her temples and said, "Is this helping me vent or causing more trouble? I put in a lot of effort to get him to agree to this deal. Now, how am I supposed to explain it to my parents? Are we breaking up? Should I tell them the truth? Lilin, can't you let me handle this quietly?"
Only then did He Lilin remember that from the beginning, it was Hong Yaqin who actively pursued Ye Fei.
"I'm sorry, Hong Jie. Should I apologize to him? I can call him right now and apologize!" He Lilin said.
"No need, you don't have to get involved anymore," Hong Yaqin said with a headache.
It seemed like she had to handle it herself. Hong Yaqin glared at He Lilin and pushed open the door, got in her car, and drove off to catch up with Ye Fei.