"Hidden tycoon?" Wu Zhiming smiled, unsurprised. In fact, Haixia City had its fair share of such hidden magnates. Many of its residents, quietly thriving in Southeast Asia, often held vast fortunes in their hands while maintaining a low profile.
"Yes! His wealth is conservatively estimated at over three billion! He is undoubtedly among the elite of the elite," Wang Hai reported.
"Just from the jewelry business? Can one make that much money?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"There's a rumor that in his early days, Song Jingsheng's jewelry store was mainly a front for money laundering. He made a huge fortune from it, then cleaned up his act and invested in the then-overlooked new energy sector. When that sector boomed, he struck it rich again. By his sixties, he had already retired. Now, his grandson manages his jewelry business. Throughout his life in Haixia City, he's accumulated numerous connections and is considered one of the top figures in the city's high society," Wang Hai explained.
"Is that so? Then his birthday banquet the day after tomorrow should be quite the event," Wu Zhiming remarked with a smile.
"The banquet will be held at the Hilton Hotel. He's booked an entire floor and even chartered flights from overseas to bring in rare ingredients. This birthday celebration will be on an unprecedented scale!" Wang Hai continued.
"I see."
Meanwhile, at Jin Wufu Jewelry Company in Haixia City, an elderly man with silver hair, Song Jingsheng, reclined in a wicker chair. Beside him, a beautiful woman gently fanned him.
"Have all the invitations been sent out?" Song Jingsheng asked with his eyes closed.
Sitting across from him was his grandson, Song Desheng, the current manager of Jin Wufu Jewelry. He nodded and said, "All sent out."
"None to the Wu family, right?" Song Jingsheng inquired.
"How could we send one to the Wu family? Yesterday, I sent a congratulatory gift to Wu Zhiming, and he refused it. If we invite the Wu family today, it would be a disgrace to the Song family," Song Desheng replied.
"Wu Zhiming is still young. After lurking in the shadows for so many years and finally rising to power, it's easy to get carried away. Yesterday, he offended the entire high society of Haixia City. Let's see in the future who in high society will be willing to associate with the Wu family. Hmph!" Song Jingsheng snorted.
"Typical nouveau riche attitude!" Song Desheng said.
"By the way, have you settled the deal for that earring with those people?" Song Jingsheng asked.
"Not yet. Their offer doesn't meet your asking price. Negotiations are still ongoing," Song Desheng replied.
"That earring is supposedly the 'Luoshen's Earring' linked to the Luoshen Treasure. Such tales are just for fooling the uninitiated. I've been in the jewelry business for so long; I know these tricks well. A piece worth a hundred bucks can sell for ten thousand just by adding a legend or a story. We used to do this ourselves. Now that someone believes in this tale, we should drive a hard bargain. I bought that piece for a few hundred back then. Selling it for anything less than thirty million now is meaningless!" Song Jingsheng said.
"I understand, Grandpa!" Song Desheng nodded.
In the afternoon, the sun blazed fiercely. Most people sought shade, sipping on cold drinks and playing mobile games. But not everyone was the same.
Zhou Yanqiu, with the top down on her Bentley Continental, reveled in the open air. The convertible quickly turned heads on the road. To protect herself from the sun, she wore a sunhat and a pair of sunglasses.
Earlier, Zhou Yanqiu had driven the Bentley around her neighborhood, drawing envious glances and compliments. Only after thoroughly enjoying this did she head towards the airport.
That afternoon, Zhou Yanqiu's brother, Zhou Kaixuan, and his family were arriving from out of town to visit. Hence, Zhou Yanqiu had borrowed the Bentley from Wu Zhiming through Yao Jing, aiming to show off at the airport.
She parked the car at the arrivals terminal and started taking selfies next to the car.
"Ma'am, you can't park here for long!" an airport staff member approached and said.
"Do you know what kind of car this is?" Zhou Yanqiu asked arrogantly.
"A Bentley," the staff replied.
"Do you know how much it costs?" she asked again.
"A few million," the staff estimated, not quite sure.
"A car worth millions parked here for a bit, what's the harm? Those junk cars parked around lower the city's image. My luxury car, on the other hand, adds to Haixia City's prestige! When people step out of the airport and see a car like this, won't they have a better impression of Haixia City?" Zhou Yanqiu retorted.
"You should move your car soon. Don't stay for more than five minutes," the airport staff relented, knowing that dealing with someone who could afford such a car could be troublesome. With that, he turned and walked away.
"Hmph, commoners," Zhou Yanqiu scoffed disdainfully.
After waiting for over ten minutes, Zhou Yanqiu finally spotted her brother and his family. Waving enthusiastically, she called out, "Kaixuan, over here!"
Zhou Kaixuan, with his wife and child in tow and lugging their luggage, hurried over. In his early fifties, Zhou Kaixuan was balding and had a portly figure. His wife, Xu Meili, still retained some of her looks despite being in her forties. She was slender and dressed flamboyantly. Their son, Zhou Shaojun, had just graduated from college at twenty-two and had yet to find a job.
"Sis, where did you get this car? It's a Bentley!" Zhou Kaixuan exclaimed as he reached his sister.
"A Bentley? That's not even considered a top car. This is our Jingjing's car. It's just for daily use. We have many cars at home; I just grabbed one to come out with," Zhou Yanqiu said with a laugh.
"Many cars? I remember your family only had an Audi that Yao Jing used to drive. Could this Bentley be a rental? It doesn't even have a license plate," Xu Meili chuckled, covering her mouth.
"This car is newly bought, so it doesn't have plates yet. Jingjing is now the assistant to the CEO of a big company, earning over a hundred thousand a month. There's no need for us to rent cars!" Zhou Yanqiu declared proudly.
"Assistant to the CEO? Sister, you should be careful. Nowadays, many CEO assistants end up being mistresses. Jingjing is so pretty and married, even if she's married to a useless husband, it's still inappropriate for her to become a mistress. Our family values its reputation," Xu Meili remarked.
Hearing this, Zhou Yanqiu smiled smugly and said, "I forgot to tell you. My so-called 'useless' son-in-law is the chairman and CEO of the company. And he's also the head of the Wu family now!"
"Impossible! You must be talking about Wu Zhiming. Jingjing must have divorced and remarried, right?" Xu Meili asked in shock.
"No, she hasn't. Our Jingjing is a loyal wife. She's been with Zhiming for four years, and they've never parted ways. Our Zhiming has been secretly working hard all these years and has finally made a name for himself. His net worth now exceeds five billion!" Zhou Yanqiu boasted.
Xu Meili's face was full of astonishment. Every time the two families met, there was an unspoken competition between them. Over the years, they had compared jobs, incomes, and children's success. The competition had its ups and downs, but in recent years, with Yao Jing's marriage to Wu Zhiming, the weak link in their family, Zhou Yanqiu's family had been overshadowed. This time, however, the tables seemed to have turned dramatically.
Xu Meili's first reaction was disbelief. But with the luxury car right in front of her, she had nothing substantial to refute Zhou Yanqiu with. She could only say, "Sister, you've really hit the jackpot! Since your son-in-law is so successful now, you must treat us well during our stay in Haixia City!"
"Of course! Get in the car," Zhou Yanqiu waved her hand and then stylishly opened the car door and got in.
Zhou Kaixuan and his family followed suit, and soon, Zhou Yanqiu drove them toward the city center.
Zhou Yanqiu took them to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Haixia City.
"I booked a hotel room for you here. It's one of the top hotels in Haixia City!" Zhou Yanqiu said. To regain the face she had lost over the past few years, she spared no expense.
"A five-star hotel! I've never stayed in one before!" Zhou Shaojun exclaimed with delight.
"Never? That won't do. When you travel, you should always stay in five-star hotels. Other hotels aren't worth considering; they're like dog kennels. Five-star hotels offer comfort and, more importantly, security. Brother, sister-in-law, never skimp on your child's well-being," Zhou Yanqiu advised.
"We understand, we understand," Xu Meili responded, though looking slightly embarrassed.
"Alright, you settle in. I'll head back for now. We'll have dinner in the restaurant downstairs tonight. I've reserved a table!" Zhou Yanqiu said.
"Make sure to bring your son-in-law. We want to see what he's like now!" Xu Meili insisted.
"Of course, I'll bring him!" Zhou Yanqiu replied as she turned to leave.
"Tch, look at your sister. She's really showing off. Talking about staying in five-star hotels and acting like she's been there often. How many times has she actually stayed in one? I can't wait to see her son-in-law tonight. Last year, I humiliated him, and I don't believe I can't do it again this year!" Xu Meili said through gritted teeth.
"My sister said her son-in-law is rich now. Maybe we should let it go," Zhou Kaixuan suggested.
"So what if he's rich? Having money doesn't change his character. Wu Zhiming has been known as a weakling his entire life. Money can't suddenly make him tough. I don't believe it. Tonight, you better cooperate with me! We've been winning these competitions for years; we can't lose face now!" Xu Meili declared.
"Understood!" Zhou Kaixuan nodded.