Financial freedom starts with the daily intelligence system!

The "Smurfs" were returned to the dock owner intact.

Jiang Tao only got back 1000 yuan of his deposit; he considered the remaining rent as a tip for the boss.

According to Brother Tongzi's intelligence, the piece of ebony he just acquired is worth tens of millions.

He wouldn't hesitate to give the boss a small tip of a few dozen yuan.

As for the timing of the sale of this piece of submerged wood...

Since returning to Beijing from his hometown, Jiang Tao has felt that he has been visiting Zhang Bo's family a bit too frequently.

He wasn't in a hurry to sell the piece of ebony he had just acquired.

Moreover, this thing has always been in short supply and its price is unlikely to fluctuate much in the short term.

Therefore, he plans to hoard it for a while and then sell it for money at a suitable time.

"At 11:18, I'll go to Jinghua Pavilion to meet Zeng Lingyun and have this free lunch first."

Jiang Tao raised his hand and glanced at the Richard Mille watch on his wrist.

We still have plenty of time to head to Jinghua Pavilion.

Although he was invited by Zeng Lingyun as a guest at noon today, he still had to be punctual and not arrive too late.

Punctuality is also a basic quality.

So, as Jiang Tao strode towards the park exit, he dialed Yuan Mengqi's number on his phone.

beep-

The call was answered in less than 10 seconds, and Yuan Mengqi's excited voice came through the phone.

"Honey, did you miss me?"

Jiang Tao laughed and said, "Yes, I miss you. Where are you now?"

Yuan Mengqi: "The driver said that it will be almost over in about half an hour. What about you? Don't be later than me."

"It shouldn't be too much later than yours."

"If it gets really late, take a few more photos in front of that magnificent vermilion gate and post them on WeChat Moments or something."

Every time Jiang Tao visited Jinghua Pavilion, he saw many online celebrities taking selfies or live streaming in the parking lot in front of the building, using phone stands.

As one of the top high-end consumption venues in Beijing, Jinghua Pavilion is also a popular spot for internet celebrities to take photos.

Of course, most online celebrities just hang out at the entrance of Jinghua Pavilion.

Although some online celebrities earn much more than ordinary people.

However, very few people actually get to dine at Jinghua Pavilion.

"Get lost! I don't want to stand there like an idiot taking selfies, it's so weird."

Yuan Mengqi's coquettish tone was just like a girlfriend pouting at her boyfriend.

The two chatted idly on the phone.

They chatted about everything from traffic conditions to clothing, and then casually talked about other trivial matters. Time slipped away quietly in the relaxed conversation.

Coincidentally, they arrived at almost the same time.

Moreover, the cars the two were traveling in were both black BMW 7 Series.

"Brother Tao~"

The moment Yuan Mengqi got out of the car and saw Jiang Tao, she seemed to brighten up instantly and immediately ran forward to hug his arm.

In order not to embarrass Jiang Tao, Yuan Mengqi dressed up carefully before coming.

A well-tailored champagne-colored dress accentuated her snow-white skin and highlighted her slender waist.

After meeting Xu Li, Yuan Mengqi not only marveled at her stunning looks but also envied her fit and toned physique without an ounce of excess fat.

Since then, she has become more self-disciplined and incorporated exercise into her daily life.

It comes with the support of a whitening facial mask, a Shenwuzi Yanzong pill, and a treadmill plus for strengthening the body.

Yuan Mengqi's fitness results are also very obvious.

She's in a much better state now than when she was working as a real estate salesperson in Ping County!
It's as if he suddenly became more than ten years younger.

If she were to meet her former colleagues again, she probably wouldn't recognize them.

"Let's go, I'll treat you to something nice for lunch today."

"You've been training every day lately, you must be exhausted."

Jiang Tao smiled and reached out to pinch Yuan Mengqi's prominent nose, leading her towards the main entrance of Jinghua Pavilion.

The two female greeters standing at the entrance had clearly been notified in advance.

They didn't ask any questions, but instead bowed and greeted Jiang Tao and Yuan Mengqi.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Jiang! Welcome to Jinghua Pavilion!"

Jiang Tao ate at Jinghua Pavilion for three consecutive days, and the two girls had already memorized him.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard inside the Jinghua Pavilion.

Jiang Tao looked up and saw Zeng Lingyun, whom he had met yesterday, and an elderly man in a Chinese-style jacket with an extraordinary air, walking towards the door surrounded by several account managers.

Moreover, Zeng Lingyun, the vice president, was actually one step behind the old man.

Clearly, the old man's status was more prestigious than that of Zeng Lingyun, the deputy general manager!
"President Jiang! And this beautiful lady, welcome to both of you, welcome to Jinghua Pavilion!"

Zeng Lingyun immediately stepped forward, a sincere and warm smile on her face.

"Young friend Jiang, it is an honor to have you grace our humble abode with your presence."

The elderly man, dressed in a traditional Chinese jacket, nodded with a smile, looking at Jiang Tao and Yuan Mengqi with gentle eyes.

The old man's voice was very steady, and he spoke with great confidence, displaying an extraordinary demeanor.

Just by looking at his demeanor, you can tell that his level of understanding is more than one level higher than Zeng Lingyun's!
Zeng Lingyun introduced to Jiang Tao: "President Jiang, this is Duan Hongming, the head of our Jinghua Pavilion."

"Hello, Mr. Duan, it's an honor to meet you here."

Jiang Tao greeted Duan Hongming with a smile and took the initiative to shake his hand.

"Hello, young friend Jiang. I have read a lot about your achievements and you can be described as a young talent of our time."

Originally, today's banquet would not have attracted the attention of someone of Duan Hongming's stature.

However, when Duan Hongming looked through Jiang Tao's information this morning, he was immediately surprised.

That's why he personally went to entertain Jiang Tao.

"Mr. Duan, you flatter me."

Jiang Tao smiled and withdrew his hand. He had sensed the extraordinary nature of the old man in front of him the moment he shook hands with Duan Hongming.

Duan Hongming's hands were strong and powerful; holding them felt like holding a pair of iron pliers.

Clearly, the Mr. Duan in front of us is no ordinary person.

He's a trained fighter!
"Hehe, I hit it off with young friend Jiang immediately, calling him Chairman Duan would be too formal."

"If you don't mind, from now on, young friend Jiang can call me Lao Duan. It sounds more friendly, don't you think?"

Duan Hongming looked at Jiang Tao with a smile and took the initiative to get closer to him.

Clearly, his regard for Jiang Tao increased significantly after reviewing Jiang Tao's information.

Jiang Tao laughed heartily, "Haha, Chairman Duan, you flatter me. If I were to be so formal with you, wouldn't I seem a bit ungrateful?"

Duan Hongming laughed and said, "Hahaha, then why do you still call me Chairman Duan? What should you call me?"

Jiang Tao readily agreed, "Then I'll take the liberty of calling you Old Duan from now on."

"Hehe, that's right! And who is this beautiful lady?"

Duan Hongming looked at Yuan Mengqi next to Jiang Tao and asked with a slight puzzlement.

When he was reviewing Jiang Tao's intelligence this morning, he only saw two women.

One was He Jing, and the other was Xu Li. But the woman beside Jiang Tao at this moment had changed to Yuan Mengqi.

Jiang Tao introduced Yuan Mengqi with a smile, saying, "This is my girlfriend, Yuan Mengqi."

Yuan Mengqi looked slightly nervous and said:

"Hello Mr. Duan, it's an honor to meet such a big shot as you."

"Haha, since you're Xiao Jiang's girlfriend, you can just call me Lao Duan from now on!"

After hearing Jiang Tao's introduction of Yuan Mengqi, Duan Hongming couldn't help but sigh that even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman.

This young man, Jiang, has quite a few women around him!

Moreover, they are all so beautiful.

Duan Hongming greeted him with a smile:
"Xiao Jiang, Xiao Yuan, let's not stand outside anymore. Please come in and sit down so we can talk."

"Mr. Jiang, Ms. Yuan, this way please."

Today, Vice President Zeng Lingyun actually took on the role of a guide, turning around and leading Jiang Tao and his group into the Jinghua Pavilion.

The group walked through a deep corridor and finally arrived at the door of a private room called "Tingsong Pavilion".

Upon entering, the private room's decor resembled that of an ancient scholar's study.

The interior furnishings are mostly made of rosewood and sandalwood.

The antique display shelf contained not imitation porcelain, but several genuine ancient inkstones and scrolls.

Pushing open the window on one side, one sees several ancient pines with gnarled and vigorous postures in the courtyard. A gentle breeze blows, and the sound of the pines rustling is faint, creating a profound and distant atmosphere.

"Xiao Jiang, Xiao Yuan, please have a seat."

Duan Hongming smiled and invited the group to sit down next to a large Ming-style tea table.

Immediately, a tea master dressed in an elegant cheongsam stepped forward and performed a smooth and flowing tea ceremony for the group.

Zeng Lingyun then personally placed the beautifully prepared menu in front of Jiang Tao and Yuan Mengqi, and asked with a smile:
"Mr. Jiang, Ms. Yuan, what would you like to eat for lunch today?"

Jiang Tao didn't stand on ceremony with Zeng Lingyun and Duan Hongming. He flipped through the menu, pointed to a set meal, and said:

"Try this 'Longevity and Health' set meal, it looks pretty good."

The "Pine and Crane Longevity" set meal is about 1 yuan cheaper than the set meal Jiang Tao ate yesterday.

It is also one of the most premium set meals on the regular menu of Jinghua Pavilion.

"Haha, Xiao Jiang, you know a lot about health preservation. The 'Pine and Crane Longevity' package is the healthiest one we offer here."

Duan Hongming thought about how many women Jiang Tao had around him, and when he saw the set meal Jiang Tao had ordered, his smile clearly carried a hint of teasing.

"Uh……"

Jiang Tao was speechless; he really hadn't considered that aspect!

With a super-powerful tonic like the [Divine Five-Seed Progeny Pill], why would he need any dietary supplements?

Upon hearing Duan Hongming's slightly teasing words, Yuan Mengqi blushed and secretly pinched Jiang Tao's waist under the table.

Jinghua Pavilion's kitchen is extremely efficient.

After all, they dared not be careless in the slightest when the boss personally received the distinguished guests!

Soon, one after another, delicacies were brought in by waiters in uniform.

First came four appetizers.

These are amber borneol jelly, jade hibiscus cup, golden thread phoenix tail shrimp, and jade dew-infused abalone.

The waiter served the dishes while announcing their names.

Otherwise, Jiang Tao and Yuan Mengqi really wouldn't know what these dishes were called.

Anyway, it looks very high-end and exquisite.

Coupled with the names of each dish, a sense of sophistication immediately comes through!

After the appetizers, the soup was served.

"This Snow Lotus and Matsutake Soup uses wild snow lotus from an altitude of over 4,000 meters and top-quality matsutake from the primeval forests of Shangri-La."

"Furthermore, it's made with a clear broth simmered for over ten hours using ingredients such as old hens over three years old, Jinhua ham, and lean pork..."

Listening to the waiter's introduction, Yuan Mengqi was certain that the soup must be delicious even before she tasted it!
After the soup is served, the main course is served last.

Supreme Roasted Golden Pig, Black Truffle Baked Green Dragon, Sea Cucumber Stuffed with Hundred Flowers, Steamed Grouper Using Traditional Method, Wild Rice Stewed with Bird's Nest in Golden Broth...

Just as Duan Hongming said, this "Pine and Crane Longevity" set meal is indeed a very nourishing set meal!

Moreover, each dish is not just food, but more like a meticulously crafted work of art.

Even the plating is so poetic that it's almost too beautiful to eat.

Yuan Mengqi looked at the incredibly lavish lunch in front of her, her eyes filled with astonishment.

After she came to Beijing, she did go to some high-end restaurants with Jiang Tao.

But this was the first time she had personally experienced a place like Jinghua Pavilion that had perfected the ingredients, techniques, and artistic conception.

"Xiao Jiang, Xiao Yuan, please."

Duan Hongming, as the host of today's lunch, smiled and raised his glass, saying:

"This is just a simple meal, nothing special. I mainly wanted to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to you, young friend Jiang."

Duan Hongming spoke subtly, but Jiang Tao and Zeng Lingyun both knew what he was talking about.

After all, family scandals should not be made public.

Duan Hongming didn't want to bring up what happened last night again.

"President Jiang, I can't thank you enough with words; everything is expressed in this drink. I toast you!"

After saying that, Zeng Lingyun tilted his head back and finished the wine in his glass.

He really should thank Jiang Tao.

Otherwise, his time as vice president would have been over.

"Old Duan, Manager Zeng, you don't need to be so polite. It's just a small matter."

Jiang Tao smiled and said something, then raised his arm and finished the wine in his glass.

With his current superhuman physique, his metabolic rate is more than ten times that of an average person!
He drinks alcohol like it's water now, without feeling anything at all.

If there were no limit to the number of times one could go to the restroom, Jiang Tao would have truly achieved the ability to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk.

After the first drink was finished and everyone got to know each other, the atmosphere at the table became even more harmonious.

Jiang Tao, Duan Hongming, and Zeng Lingyun got along very well, and they talked about all sorts of topics.

Yuan Mengqi sat quietly next to Jiang Tao like an obedient little wife, occasionally chiming in to liven up the atmosphere.

After three rounds of wine, five flavors of food.

After the waiter cleared away the leftovers, he served refreshing aged Pu'er tea and seasonal fruit platters.

Duan Hongming then took out a simple envelope that he had prepared beforehand from the inner pocket of his Chinese-style jacket and handed it to Jiang Tao.

"Xiao Jiang, it's our first meeting, and I didn't prepare any gifts. This is a small token of my appreciation."

"Then I won't stand on ceremony with you, Lao Duan."

Jiang Tao didn't stand on ceremony with Duan Hongming. He smiled and said something, then readily accepted the envelope from Duan's hand.

Du Taiming had given Jiang Tao some pointers at a dinner party previously.

When an important person gives you something, accepting it openly and generously will earn you more respect than feigning refusal.

As expected, Duan Hongming's smile became even warmer when he saw Jiang Tao accept his kindness so readily.

Although their interaction today was brief, he really liked Jiang Tao's poised and generous personality. (End of Chapter)