On the 36th floor of the Jinmao Tower, Feng Yiping once again pressed the speakerphone on the phone, 'Wu, get me a cup of coffee, no milk, no sugar, no ice,'
'Okay, coming right up,'
However, the person who brought in the coffee afterwards was not the leggy black-silk-clad woman in a standard office lady outfit, the former school beauty queen who had graduated from Shanghai International Studies University, but the owner of the office, Jin Ling.
She was holding the coffee, unable to decide whether to laugh or cry, and said, 'Have you had enough?'
In the short time since morning, her new secretary had already helped Feng Yiping deliver mineral water, orange juice, tea, cola and coffee five times.
'I ate too salty in the morning,'
Why would I eat salty in the morning? At Feng Yiping's insistence, they got up early and went to the Chenghuang Temple to eat steamed buns with soy milk.
'Oh, that's not right, I ate too sweetly. There was too much sugar in my bowl of soy milk, and now I'm a bit dizzy.' Feng Yiping always has an excuse.
'You'd better get ready, you have another interview,' Jin Ling saw that he was occupying his seat and didn't get up, so she could only sit in the chair opposite and work.
Feng Yiping sipped his coffee and sat in the swivel chair, spinning around with panache. 'Sitting in the tallest building in the country, looking down at the Huangpu River below, the waves rushing along, the mighty river flowing on forever, this is befitting of the identity of a CEO,'
he paused, 'especially with a beautiful, generous, gentle and charming schoolgirl secretary who speaks three foreign languages, is highly capable and has long, flowing hair,'
'I won't talk about the office, but you tell me, why do you all have secretaries, but not me?' He looked hurt.
'Haha,' Jin Ling laughed and fell over onto the table, swinging her long hair, which she also wore in a shawl, deliberately or not. Yesterday, as soon as Feng Yiping arrived, he saw her office and secretary and became a little jealous.
'Then I'll get you one too. You pick it out yourself, and then you'll be in the classroom teaching, and she'll be waiting at the classroom door with your bag and phone,'
Feng Yiping understood that that would naturally not work!
'It's just not fair,' he said, still fuming.
'Okay, then, for the next two days, I'll lend you Wu, okay?'
Feng Yiping's occasional childishness never failed to make Jin Ling angry. 'Now, can you give me your seat?'
'What are you talking about, lending it to me? What would Xiao Wu think if she heard you?' Feng Yiping felt that there were several meanings in this sentence, some of them small yellow and evil.
'I don't need to know what Xiao Wu will think,' Jin Ling sat back in his seat and started typing on the keyboard, 'I'm more concerned about what Jingping will think if she finds out about this?'
Feng Yiping collapsed on the sofa.
With Jin Ling saying that, how dare he let that pretty little Wu follow him?
'The clanking sound I just heard, was that the water in your stomach when you fell over?' Jin Ling's comment was like a stroke of genius.
And that wasn't all, 'With all that jealousy in your stomach, should I ask little Wu to bring in some alkaline drinks to help neutralise it?'
...
At first, Feng Yiping was quite happy to be interviewed on TV. Everyone is vain, and besides, appearing on TV not only promotes oneself, but also helps to promote the company.
But now, he is somewhat reluctant. Nowadays, in China, the name 'Feng Yiping' is not just a personal name, but also a kind of celebrity name. And the people at those big companies know that he personally no longer needs to be famous on TV.
However, just after arriving in Shanghai, companies that are eager to get off the ground really need him.
So, despite his reluctance, he once again has to go on TV for an interview.
This interview is about the same topic as the one they contacted last year in Shanghai. Feng Yiping and the phenomenal post-80s writer from Shanghai, Han, are both on the same stage.
To be honest, Feng Yiping doesn't know much about this Han, because the industry he later worked in is completely different from the circles Han hangs out in.
I'm sorry, but I haven't read any of Han's books. It's not that I don't like them, but they were more suitable for reading at school. It's just that I couldn't afford to buy them back then. By the time I could afford to buy books, he had already entered society, and those novels depicting cruel youth no longer appealed to him.
He remembers that Han seemed to have changed a lot of identities: young writer, avant-garde writer, racing driver, and later it seems that he was talking about a thinker?
His final impression was that he had followed the trend and become a film director, doing all kinds of publicity and lowering himself for the sake of the box office, that is, for the money.
At that time, Feng Yiping also understood that, to put it bluntly, no matter what kind of family, after starting a family, the primary task is to make money to support the family.
In essence, everything they do is no different from that of a small businessman like himself, all for the sake of making money, but one makes it easily and the other makes it hard.
In the dressing room, Feng met Han for the first time in person. Han was accompanied by his parents, and seemed a little envious that Feng had brought along two beauties in Jinling and Xiao Wu.
At first glance, Feng Yiping felt very familiar. It was the smile on Han's face that was so familiar to Feng Yiping. It was harmless and a little shy. Wasn't that Feng Yiping's other face?
Feng Yiping felt an immediate sense of familiarity. It turned out that they were kindred spirits. 'Hello,' he said, enthusiastically shaking Han's hand. 'I've heard a lot about you,'
Han was slightly uncomfortable with Feng Yiping's enthusiasm and his eyes darted around a little. "Hello,'
His father was prepared for this and took two books out of his bag, the very same books Feng Yiping had. "Yiping, Han admires you very much, please sign his book,'
Admire? Feng Yiping smiled. This was probably not what Han meant, but just a polite thing his father said on an occasion like this.
Since ancient times, there has never been a first in literature or a second in martial arts. With Han's temperament, how could he say such a thing?
Later, he and another, also post-80s writer, had various arguments, including him making a movie, which was not without meaning in competing with that person. From this, it can be seen that he is not someone who will easily give in.
Feng Yiping reckons that even his parents were probably gritting their teeth when they said it.
In their minds, their child is definitely the best, and Han is indeed the idol of many of his peers, something that his parents can be proud of.
Besides, as Shanghainese people, they know that they have a natural advantage over people from other places. If it hadn't been for Feng Yiping's Jiasheng Group investing 100 million US dollars in Pudong, it would have been in the news a long time ago, and they probably wouldn't have said such polite things.
Fortunately, Feng Yiping was not unprepared – mainly Wu was prepared. 'Uncle, you're too kind. I also have books that I want you to sign,' said Wu, who was behind Feng, handing over two books. They were the first novel published by Han last year.
'I read it in one night,' said Feng, holding the book.
Feng Yiping's flattery made the family, including Han, quite happy, and they all laughed.
'Han always says that your novel has beautiful writing and that he really likes it,' Han's mother said.
'I also like the humour in his novel,' Feng Yiping added.
Jin Ling turned around, with her back to the door, afraid that she would laugh.
Feng Yiping did spend one evening reading that novel, but it was only a few minutes of that evening – he read the beginning and then the end, and that was what he meant by spending one evening reading it.
'You two are the same age and are also considered to be in the same industry. When you go on stage later, support each other a little,' Han's father said with a smile, "Among the guests this time, there are several education experts,'
'Uncle is right, help me out a little later," Feng Yiping said to Han's classmate with a smile.
Nowadays, all kinds of talk shows in China are catering to the audience's preferences, and the safe and steady style is not liked by anyone, so there are no shortage of sharp questions that are difficult to answer during the interview process.
Even before the official recording began, Feng Yiping, who is usually good-natured, raised objections to the temporary set-up.
In order to highlight the conflict, the other guests invited today were also divided into two camps. The two groups of guests with opposite views sat facing each other, and together with the two post-80s who sat facing the host, there were a total of four parties surrounding a small circle.
However, Feng Yiping felt that the arrangement looked like they were being judged.
He said to the number one host at Shanghai TV, 'Teacher Cao, aren't we being disrespectful to the audience by turning our backs on them? Can we adjust our positions?'
Well, Cao Mingzui didn't expect that Han, who he had worried might not be cooperative, would seem so obedient and easy to talk to, but Feng, who he had thought was easy-going, didn't seem to be a nice person to get along with.