In the world of the affluent, things were never simple.
Take Jason Hart's mother, for instance. It was quite evident she had her eye on Isabella, hoping to lure her in as her daughter-in-law. In light of the current rampant rumors, she also advised Jason to keep a low profile in his future actions.
If the two families were to truly unite, it would be akin to the merger of two medium-sized publicly traded companies – undoubtedly a significant event.
However, due to Jason's recent scandal involving his teacher, it was clear to his mother that it wasn't the right time to broach the subject. She figured she would wait for the storm to pass before finding another opportunity.
When Jason met Isabella for the first time during an elective course, he still found the short-haired girl beautiful. However, he had undergone a complete transformation and was no longer as enamored with her as before.
So, when his mother brought up the idea of a marriage between them, Jason simply shook his head and replied, "Forget it. Relationships should evolve naturally. Without a foundation, even being together won't bring happiness. Besides, Isabella isn't interested in me. She never gives me a second glance. I'm still young and won't consider marriage for now."
His mother was exasperated and jokingly scolded, "Who was the one asking for my help on the phone? You've changed your mind so quickly? Good matches are hard to come by. Don't wait until it's too late. Don't bring home models or celebrities. They just make me angry."
"Similar values are enough, right? There's no need for a perfect match." Jason retorted. "Making money isn't easy, but it's not impossible either. I should be able to support myself. Happiness is what matters."
"Support yourself? I'll thank the heavens if you can do that!" His father scoffed disbelievingly. "Just spend less, and I'll be satisfied."
Pretending not to notice the sarcasm, Jason continued, "The property prices in Hong Kong have peaked and could plummet anytime. Why not cash out early and invest in land in the mainland? From what I know, some developers in Hong Kong have already begun making moves, indicating it's a good opportunity for bargain hunting."
"I've considered it, but I'm not well-informed about the current situation. I've been wanting to visit and inspect the business environment firsthand, but I haven't had the time..."
Jason saw through his father's excuse of not having time. To him, it was a sign of not having faith in the market's prospects.
However, what others saw as a market downturn was undoubtedly an opportunity for Su Yehao. Perhaps in the future, he could really make a name for himself, provided he accumulated enough capital first.
But for now, as a high school student with meager resources, he couldn't do much.
He was contemplating if there was a way to squeeze some money out of his parents as startup capital.
After his father finished his meal, they left together in Jason's car.
The couple had been separated for many years.
Jason's mother had another house in the gambling city and didn't want to see Second Auntie and Third Auntie again. She left alone, with a driver to send her.
The next morning, Jason's mother personally picked him up and took him to the meeting room of their family-owned hotel.
Facing several media outlets, Jason, Principal William, and Teacher Linda explained the situation thoroughly.
His mother publicly stated that she had reported the matter to the police and would sue the math teacher, Lucas, for spreading rumors.
The PR expenses were already taken care of.
If all went well, the contents of the interview would be published in the evening paper, clarifying the rumors.
Jason had never dealt with such matters before, but his mother managed several private hospitals and was well-versed in handling PR matters.
Linda wasn't famous, and Jason wasn't famous enough.
Facing this post-dinner gossip, a simple explanation would suffice, and there shouldn't be any problems.
The principal promised to post notices at the school gate, exonerating Jason and Linda.
With one troublesome matter resolved, Linda was in a good mood.
During tea time with Jason and his mother, she agreed to work part-time as a tutor for Jason for a while, tutoring him in his courses individually.
With his mother occupied and Linda busy, they ended the press conference and left separately.
On the weekend, Jason went for a walk by the seaside in the afternoon and had dinner with Bamboo and Buckteeth in the evening.
The next day, he stayed at home all day, only accompanying his father to the golf course in the evening.
Jason's family's golf course was located at the southern end of Taipa Island, with a resort club built in, complete with an outdoor swimming pool.
Perhaps because his father noticed Jason's growing interest in business, he specifically took him out to broaden his horizons.
Their conversation ranged from the property market in Hong Kong to the future of the gambling city's gaming industry, horse racing, who had an illegitimate child, who made a fortune, and who chose to emigrate. It was more like a group of old men gossiping, with no important topics discussed.
During this time, Jason saw Emma's father.
This teacher, in terms of capability, was also considerable. Over the years, he had helped Jason's father a lot.
At this moment.
Jason approached the teacher and asked, "How are our properties in Hong Kong doing? Yesterday, when I asked my father, he refused to say much and treated me like a child."
"Really? Young Master, have you also heard the rumors? Overall, those properties are still profitable. However, we originally planned to hold off and sell at a higher price, inadvertently missing the best opportunity. Now, the prices have dropped again. Don't worry; everything's fine!"
Different from Emma's aloofness, her teacher father was obviously more talkative.
When speaking, he was animated, appearing quite slick.
"I know that, but I'm asking about the partner who plans to withdraw his investment. What's going on with him?" Jason continued to ask.
The teacher told him, "You've met him before. He's quite reliable. He just celebrated his sixtieth birthday last month. He was fined a large sum for tax evasion last year and is waiting to raise money to pay the fine. His mining business in Malaysia is also in trouble, so he's eager to withdraw his money. He's selling all his shares at 80% of the market price, including your father's shares. Many people are tempted."
Jason's heart stirred, and he hurriedly asked, "Is my father planning to take over?"
The teacher shook his head, "Not necessarily. It's mainly because it's such a large sum of money, and it's difficult to raise. Even if he wants to, he can only take a portion. He probably needs to find other partners to cooperate and try to negotiate the price down further. Besides, it's not easy to do real estate business in Hong Kong now. Your father is still considering..."