After the video ended, the Ling Chen couple was still unable to wake from their shock.
"Why?" Ling Chen slumped back in his chair, his expression terrified.
"Lele... how is this possible?" Xia Xin covered her mouth, already crying, "Lele... she couldn't have already..."
Lin Qiang tried to speak as slowly as possible, trying to calm the couple down.
"Don't worry, I've investigated. Lele hasn't been taken advantage of in a major way."
"What do you mean 'taken advantage of in a major way'?!" Ling Chen immediately slammed the table in anger, "This ungrateful daughter! How dare she do this!"
As he spoke, he took out his phone, but due to his extreme anger, his hand shook and he dropped the phone on the ground. Ling Chen didn't bother to pick it up, instead directly taking out his car keys and standing up, ready to rush out.
"Director Ling! Please calm down! Listen to me for a moment!" Lin Qiang stood up to block him, "I've talked to Ling Lele, this approach won't work!"
"This approach won't work?! What approach will work?!" Ling Chen's entire face was red with anger, "Is it okay if she accompanies drunks at night? Is it okay if she sleeps with some hoodlum?"
Xia Xin knew her husband was out of control and also came forward to stop him, "Wait a bit... let Lin Qiang say a few words..."
"Speak!" Ling Chen's hand shook, shaking off Xia Xin, and faced Lin Qiang.
Lin Qiang knew the crucial moment had arrived.
"I feel that Ling Lele is doing this to anger you."
He quietly uttered this sentence, waiting for Ling Chen's reaction.
Ling Chen's expression changed constantly, his fists clenching and unclenching. After a struggle, he let out a long sigh, "Ah..."
After speaking, he quietly walked back to the table and sat down powerlessly.
"Brother Lin, you're right," Ling Chen held his head dejectedly, "I didn't have time to accompany her; afraid of bad influences, I strictly limited her pocket money. It's all my fault."
Xia Xin also returned to her seat, gently rubbing her husband's back, and turned to ask Lin Qiang, "So what do you think we should do?"
"Well..." Lin Qiang looked slightly embarrassed, "This is after all your family matter. As an outsider, I shouldn't say too much. But I've also just been through that age, so I understand Ling Lele's feelings. She's definitely a good girl. As long as she's guided properly, this matter can be resolved quietly."
"Go ahead and speak," Ling Chen waved his hand, looking at Lin Qiang tiredly, "Since you invited us here, you must have prepared what to say. It's difficult for an outsider to judge family matters, but we should also listen to the views of you young people."
Only after getting permission from the couple, did Lin Qiang dare to express his opinion. Otherwise, he would have been seen as meddling in others' affairs.
"First, this can't be blamed on the parents, nor should Ling Lele be blamed. It's the school's problem," Lin Qiang stated his first point, "As far as I know, this school is far from being as clean as it appears. The principal himself is not a good character. The female students who come to the karaoke bar to pour drinks are far more than just Ling Lele. Thinking negatively, it's possible that the principal deliberately made connections, though this still needs to be investigated."
"Didn't you say this school's management was very strict?" Ling Chen turned to question his wife, "Now look, they don't care if students don't return at night, don't care if they drink?"
"..." Xia Xin looked aggrieved and started crying again, "I also heard it recommended by a friend. Besides, I talked to her homeroom teacher yesterday, asking the teacher to be strict. How could this..."
"I'm at fault too..." Ling Chen's emotions finally stabilized, "I shouldn't blame it all on you. It's me who never inquired about these matters."
Seeing the couple's attitude, Lin Qiang felt slightly relieved. The first sentence shifted the blame for the daughter's involvement in the entertainment industry to the school, which undoubtedly made the couple feel better.
Under the gaze of the Ling couple, Lin Qiang moved on to his second point: "Secondly, that karaoke bar clearly knew they were students, yet still encouraged them to come and pour drinks. Even after I warned them, there was no response. This is extremely despicable and completely immoral behavior that should be severely punished."
"Hmph..." Ling Chen's anger flared up again, though this time it was more restrained and rational, "I heard what that madam said too. I'd like to see what kind of protection she has. This debt, I will definitely settle."
Indeed, in the conversation with Fang Qing, Lin Qiang had specifically warned that Ling Lele's father was not someone to be trifled with. However, this only invited Fang Qing's mockery - "If he wasn't someone to be trifled with, would his daughter be doing this?"
These words, when passed to Ling Chen's ears, would make even the most even-tempered person want to take action.
"Third... this matter is also partly the fault of you two..." As Lin Qiang spoke, he watched the couple's expressions. Seeing that they both accepted it calmly, he continued, "You should know that the tuition for that private girls' school is very expensive. The students who go there are naturally quite wealthy, and comparisons between them are absolutely unavoidable. I understand that you two strictly educate your daughter with good intentions, but this can't overcome the influence of the environment. After all, she spends most of her time at school, and it's inevitable that she might be led astray."
"I admit this point," Ling Chen shook his head and frowned, asking, "Are you suggesting we give her more pocket money, so she naturally won't go there anymore?"
"No, giving her more money will only make her feel that money comes easily and not value it. Instead, she might compete more with those around her."
"Then what should we do?" Ling Chen felt that being a father was much harder than being a director.
Lin Qiang quietly opened his briefcase and took out several promotional materials, uttering two words: "Financial management."
"Financial management?" Ling Chen puzzledly took the materials and looked down at them, "Sunshine Student - Financial Management Account..."
Ling Chen and Xia Xin read through the materials, nodding from time to time.
The principle of this financial management product was simple.
Parents would make a one-time investment into this financial account which would then be invested, and the child could withdraw some money each month. Taking a one-year period as an example, if the parents deposited 10,000 yuan, the child could withdraw at most 2,000 yuan in the first month, which is 20% of the total financial funds. In the second month, they could withdraw at most 20% of the remaining 8,000 yuan, which is 1,600 yuan. In the third month, they could withdraw at most 1,280 yuan, and so on. In subsequent months, they could withdraw 1,024 yuan, 820 yuan, 655 yuan respectively...
Which would result in the funds gaining no growth whatsoever, and by the last month, there would only be a few yuan left.
On the contrary, if the child withdrew less than 10% of the money each month, the remaining money could generate returns from stock investments etc, which would be given as a one-time dividend in the last month. According to market conditions, the annual growth rate ranged from 3% to 8%. At the same time, the child could choose to roll the remaining money and dividends into the next year's funds.
This product, named "Sunshine Student - Financial Management," actually brought little profit to the bank. It was mainly used to create a brand, cultivate financial management habits in young people, and tie in potential customers. When children pestered their parents for money, parents could also tell them, "I've given you your allowance for the year, it's up to you to manage it."