Don't get married if you're reborn.

Chapter 487 Zeng Wenjie's Situation (10K)

The next day, Zeng Wenjie told Yan Xinyi that he was about to board a plane to Yanjing, thus creating a perfect time difference.

Yan Xinyi said, "I'm at work. I'll treat you to dinner after I get off work."

Zeng Wenjie said, "No need to rush. I have to visit some leaders, so I might not have time to have dinner with you tonight."

Yan Xinyi asked, "You still have so many connections in Yanjing?"

“Some of my senior's former leaders introduced me to them, and he asked me to pay them a visit,” Zeng Wenjie said truthfully.

Yan Xinyi secretly admired Zhuang Aimin, who was truly grooming Zeng Wenjie as his protégé, even introducing him to his former superiors.

"Be careful, Nine City Capital might retaliate against you," Yan Xinyi said.

"I'd love for them to mess with me, to see who gets the most fun," Zeng Wenjie said with a nonchalant laugh.

Yan Xinyi said, "Okay, let's get busy first, and then we'll meet again."

Zeng Wenjie first went to the first branch of Ling Shi Hen Huang in Yanjing. He didn't go in to disturb them, but watched from a distance for a while. The business was pretty good, and there was a steady stream of customers.

The main reason is that the snack brand "Snack Panic" keeps launching various joint marketing campaigns, making customers somewhat unable to resist. To collect all the merchandise, you need to participate in multiple lucky draws.

Walking on the streets of Yanjing, as you pass by the entrances of some shops, you can hear the song "Drifting to the North" playing from the speakers inside.

This song is indeed very popular. Zeng Wenjie received a lot of copyright revenue, and it stayed on the charts for a long time. It is still popular now, and you can often hear the song offline.

This is a song that is deeply loved by those who migrate to Beijing for work, as it fully expresses their hardships and suffering.

After visiting the various leaders that Zhuang Aimin had asked him to visit.

They were all delighted to see Zeng Wenjie and showed their appreciation for his talent.

It's rare to see such a capable and visionary young person. More importantly, he's not arrogant at all and appears very humble.

Zeng Wenjie also wanted to be unruly, but in this environment, that would be tantamount to courting death. He could live a more comfortable life by behaving more obediently and saying more nice things. There was no need to make himself so unhappy.

Some reporters tried to provoke him into making negative comments, but he ignored them, which made officials have a better impression of him.

To be honest, he really disliked the phrase "If you think you're not doing it well, then work on improving it instead of complaining or criticizing it," but now he says it the most. It makes him feel nauseous, but he still has to act it out. And this phrase has genuinely inspired many young people to be positive and motivated.

You have to say what you're supposed to say, and Zeng Wenjie has a deeper understanding of Gu Long's saying, "When you're in the martial arts world, you're not in control of your own destiny."

After visiting all the places, I was exhausted when I returned to the hotel.

Fortunately, Qin Yixuan, who has become quite docile, comes to wait for him after get off work, so it's not too bad.

Tomorrow is the day of my interview.

According to inside sources, the interview is just a formality; all that's needed is to say some nice things. The final evaluation will depend on achievements and the committee's decision.

That's just polite talk, but Zeng Wenjie no longer needs Feng Xiao to ghostwrite for him all the time. After all, he's young, has a strong learning ability, and has learned some of the essentials. He can now write on his own with ease.

However, the kind of in-depth content that fits the spirit and theme of the meeting still needs to be delivered by Ms. Feng herself, while Zeng Wenjie can simply act as a ruthless reading machine to reap praise.

"Dealing with superiors is the most tiring thing. You have to be respectful and humble at all times, speak politely, and sit up straight. It's really exhausting at the end of the day." Qin Yixuan had been doing this for a few months and knew it very well, so he couldn't help but complain.

“It’s not good that you see through things so quickly. What if you get tired of them later?” Zeng Wenjie said.

Qin Yixuan said, "If you get tired of it, you can come and work for me."

That being said, she certainly wouldn't give up her current job, because she's the kind of person who likes to be in the spotlight and get attention, as you can tell from how freely she moves her body on the dance machine.

Some people who work within the system find it both tiring and enjoyable, and Qin Yixuan is currently in such a state.

After resting for a while, Zeng Wenjie asked Qin Yixuan to take him out to see the night view of Yanjing.

Qin Yixuan was quite familiar with the surroundings and acted as a tour guide with ease.

"Come and watch the flag-raising ceremony tomorrow morning," Zeng Wenjie said.

“Okay,” Qin Yixuan said immediately, secretly pleased that she could finally do something meaningful with him.

In the early hours of the morning, I came out of the hotel and arrived at the square, where many tourists were already waiting to watch the flag-raising ceremony.

Qin Yixuan found the best spot and stood there with Zeng Wenjie, waiting for the flag to be raised.

Since she started working in Yanjing, she had wanted to come and visit, but she was too busy and tired every day. It wasn't until recently when her family visited Yanjing that she managed to bring them to the visit despite her exhaustion.

This time, she came with Zeng Wenjie, which gave Senior Sister Qin a completely different feeling.

After watching the flag-raising ceremony, Qin Yixuan took Zeng Wenjie to have a special breakfast. She didn't try to trick him into drinking any soy milk, which really shows her conscience.

After Qin Yixuan went to work, Zeng Wenjie rushed off to his job interview.

Upon arrival, show the relevant documents to enter, ask around, and find the interview location.

The corridor was already filled with people, all of whom were nominated this year. There were both men and women, but they were generally in their thirties, with the youngest being in their late twenties. He was the only one who looked incredibly young and fresh.

"It's Zeng Wenjie, the hottest college student entrepreneur right now. He started his business as soon as he entered college and has already achieved remarkable success!"

Someone recognized Zeng Wenjie and immediately started talking to the people around him.

Zeng Wenjie heard the faint whispers and felt a secret sense of satisfaction. His youth was his advantage, and his identity as a college student was the perfect finishing touch.

At 10:30, the interviews began, and those whose names were called went in one by one for the interview.

Those waiting were getting impatient, but Zeng Wenjie remained calm. People who reach such heights are bound to have a certain degree of arrogance!
He felt that with his achievements and the Zeng Wenjie Foundation's donations to education this year, winning this award was a sure thing.

Moreover, the Chongshan Province has already promoted him to be the number one person to help develop the tourism industry in his hometown. At a young age, he has been made into a representative figure of the province.

When it was Zeng Wenjie's turn to go in, there were three judges sitting inside, one woman and two men, all of whom were elderly.

The beginning involves some formalities; just say some nice, polite things.

Until the female judge named Lin Ying casually said, "Then, Mr. Zeng Wenjie, when you do charity work and donate to education, is your purpose and motivation pure?"

The question was a bit pointed and impolite. Zeng Wenjie frowned and asked in return, "Can you tell me what's not pure about it?"

Lin Ying placed her hands on the table, slightly raised her chin, and said, "You named every donated teaching building 'Zeng Wenjie Teaching Building.' Isn't this deliberately high-profile self-promotion?"

The two judges next to her couldn't help but glance at Lin Ying with some surprise, not expecting her to ask such a sharp question.

That said, which charity worker doesn't want to gain some fame? Asking this question is a bit like attacking someone's morals, a deliberate attempt to target them, isn't it?
Zeng Wenjie's expression also turned cold, realizing that the other party was probably targeting him.

"Why don't you answer?" Lin Ying asked.

“Alright, I’ll tell you why I did this now. Because what I’m thinking is that if any of the teaching buildings I donated have problems and cause any accidents, I won’t be able to shirk responsibility. Everyone can find me just by looking at the six words ‘Zeng Wenjie Teaching Building’!” Zeng Wenjie said with a cold laugh.

This was Principal Gu's response when questioned by reporters, which directly slapped the faces of a group of trolls, and from then on, no one dared to criticize him anymore.

The two judges were taken aback upon hearing this, and a hint of admiration appeared on their faces.

Lin Ying raised an eyebrow slightly, not expecting Zeng Wenjie's answer to be so forceful, which left her speechless for a moment.

Lin Ying said, "Alright, I'll accept your statement for now. Next question..."

“What do you mean by ‘temporarily agreeing’? That’s what I think, and that’s what I do,” Zeng Wenjie replied expressionlessly.

This judge named Lin Ying was targeting him, but he wasn't going to tolerate it. He directly gave her a sharp rebuke and didn't bother with any of that back-and-forth or playing games with her. He didn't have the time for that!
Lin Ying said coldly, "Mr. Zeng Wenjie, I would like to ask you to recognize the current situation. You are here for an interview, not to be the chief judge! Your poor attitude towards the judges will affect the committee's perception of you personally."

Zeng Wenjie leaned forward slightly, exuding an air of pressure, and said with a forced smile, "I can't just let him be, tolerate him, and endure it like the monk Shide. I'm a young man, and if anyone takes advantage of me, I only have one way to deal with them—"

"Slap him, slap him, slap him, and keep slapping him until his skin turns red and his face swells up."

The two judges didn't say anything, their eyes rolled upwards as they stared at the ceiling, as if they couldn't hear what they were saying.

Lin Ying retorted angrily, "How dare you! Don't think you can be so arrogant just because you've achieved some success. You're only nominated now, not selected yet! What will you be like once you're selected?!"

Zeng Wenjie said, "It's not that I'm arrogant, it's that you're arrogant. What did I do to offend you that made you target me like this? As a judge, you can't even guarantee fairness and objectivity, what kind of judge are you?"

Lin Ying's face was unusually gloomy as she slowly said, "I will record what you said in the records."

Zeng Wenjie sneered and said, "Then you should record what you said truthfully, otherwise I will find a reporter to expose it! It just so happens that I have a deep cooperation with Tencent, and the front page of Tencent News is always ready for me."

He wasn't afraid of these threats at all. With the other party targeting him like this, what else could he do but break off relations?

Besides, he's just a judge; he has no right to expect him to act like a good boy.

After saying this, he stood up and asked the other two judges in a friendly manner, "Do you two judges have any questions? If not, I'll be leaving now!"

The two judges shook their heads without saying a word, their attitude rather indifferent.

Zeng Wenjie smiled, then turned and left.

Lin Ying took a deep breath and said to the two judges, "See? This is the attitude of this young man. He doesn't take us seriously at all."

Neither of the judges spoke, nor did they respond. Lin Ying wanted to cause trouble for Zeng Wenjie herself, so they didn't need to get involved. They should just give their evaluations truthfully, and leave the decision of whether or not to select to the committee members and leaders.

However, they also felt that Zeng Wenjie was probably out of luck. Lin Ying was targeting him so much, and he was young and couldn't hold back, so it would probably have some negative impact.

When Zeng Wenjie came out, his expression wasn't too good, the candidates in the corridor couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

Just now, they vaguely heard the female judge inside yelling, and they also heard Zeng Wenjie responding loudly.

I didn't quite hear the specifics, but it was clear they had started arguing.

One of the candidates walked up to Zeng Wenjie, gave a sinister smile, and whispered, "You think you can win an award after offending Young Master Lin? Go apologize, and maybe you'll still have a chance."

Zeng Wenjie was taken aback, glanced at him, and said, "Where did you come from, you idiot? Are you talking to me?"

The candidate, not expecting the other person to use such foul language, twitched his lips and sneered, "Country bumpkin, you have no manners at all. No wonder Young Master Lin wanted to teach you a lesson."

Zeng Wenjie smiled and whispered in his ear, "Your mother is dead."

He always only attacks and never defends. He almost said this during the interview, but he thought that cursing like that would definitely leave a bad impression on the other two judges, so he held back.

Now that someone is jumping up and attacking him face-to-face, and there are no judges present, how can he tolerate this?

“Country bumpkin, you… never mind, I won’t stoop to your level. Anyway, you have no chance this year!” the candidate named Xu Sheng sneered.

"Your mother is dead." Zeng Wenjie said this only once, while laughing, and it was extremely damaging.

Xu Sheng instantly felt a sense of vulnerability, clenching his fists, really wanting to punch that smirking face of his.

Zeng Wenjie leaned his face forward, indicating that he should hit him.

But Xu Sheng wasn't so impulsive, so Zeng Wenjie said, "If someone insulted me like that, I'd slap them twice across the face, you piece of trash."

After saying this, he turned and left, not giving Xu Sheng a chance to retort.

Xu Sheng was a little dazed. When he came to his senses, Zeng Wenjie had already walked some distance away. In a fit of anger, he wanted to chase after him and yell at him, but he felt that it would be beneath him.

Who would have thought that a young billionaire with a net worth of hundreds of millions would have such an extremely foul mouth?
Zeng Wenjie went outside, sat down casually by the flower bed, and then took out his phone to call Feng Xiao.

"Xiao, I'm really suffering. There's an old woman surnamed Lin in the judging panel who's targeting me. I guess she's some kind of relative of Lin Dong?" Zeng Wenjie said with a sigh.

"Really? How is she targeting you?" Feng Xiao asked, feeling very displeased after hearing this.

She treated Zeng Wenjie like a nurturing game, and every time she saw Zeng Wenjie win an award or receive an honor, she would feel a strong sense of accomplishment.

But now, someone is acting as a stumbling block to hinder Zeng Wenjie's progress, which makes her very unhappy!
Success after overcoming some difficulties is certainly more rewarding, but resorting to underhanded tactics is simply disgusting.

Zeng Wenjie told Feng Xiao about the matter, and then said with a smile, "It seems that this year's top ten in the country is out of the question. It's going to be ruined by an idiot, unless I apologize to Nine City Capital on the spot."

Feng Xiao said coldly, "I know their character all too well. Even if you apologize to them outright, they'll just treat you like a monkey! We can simply not take this award and achieve even better results to slap these people's faces in the face."

Zeng Wenjie said, "I was afraid you'd be disappointed, so I called you."

Feng Xiao said, "What do I have to be disappointed about? As long as you earn money while standing tall and achieve success along the way, I'll be very happy."

Zeng Wenjie said, "Alright, I'll be back in a couple of days, we'll talk about it then."

Feng Xiao said, "I'm hanging up now, I'm still busy."

After ending the call with Feng Xiao, Zeng Wenjie was not upset. Getting angry over a petty person would only be a waste of his life.

He was thinking of launching WG overseas as soon as possible this year, and then using Hollow Knight to attract a wave of overseas players, build a good overseas user base, and lay an important foundation for the already launched Dark Souls.

Once he earns foreign exchange, even if the King of Heaven himself comes, no one can steal his prize!
"That son of a bitch Lin Dong, I'll teach him a lesson later," Zeng Wenjie thought.

Then, racking his brains, he could recall some shady dealings with Nine City Capital, but exposing them wouldn't have a good effect.

The best approach is to use some underhanded tactics and get the big shots to personally take care of them.

Lin Dong is, after all, a member of that top circle. Without resorting to dirty tricks and being ruthless with yourself, it would be really difficult to shake him.

After all, Feng Xiao never intended to retaliate.

This woman is quite vengeful; she still keeps bringing up the time Zeng Wenjie slapped her at the dock.

While he was deep in thought, smoking a cigarette, he received a call from Yan Xinyi, who asked, "How did the interview go?"

"Not good. One of the three judges is surnamed Lin, and he's probably related to Lin Dong. He's really targeting me," Zeng Wenjie said.

"Sigh, I knew it wouldn't be that easy! Um... are you free? Our Director Sa from the General Administration is currently hosting a program, and he heard you're in Yanjing, so he'd like to have you record an episode," Yan Xinyi said.

"Please tell Teacher Sa on my behalf that I don't want to record any programs recently. We can talk about it when I have time later," Zeng Wenjie said.

Zeng Wenjie wasn't too interested in recording TV shows; after all, those appearances weren't formal occasions, and aside from providing entertainment for the audience, they didn't have much impact. However, if it was an officially sponsored conference or something similar, he'd happily go no matter how busy he was.

Yan Xinyi smiled helplessly after hearing this and said, "Alright, then I'll go back to Teacher Sa?"

Zeng Wenjie said, "Mm."

Back at the hotel, Zeng Wenjie called Zhuang Aimin again to tell him about the situation.

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Aimin's breathing became heavy, clearly indicating his anger. He said resentfully, "Are you going to hinder the development of Chongshan because of personal grudges?"

Zeng Wenjie is undoubtedly a key element in Chongshan Province's development plan. Promoting him as a flagship figure is naturally aimed at winning as many awards as possible.

Moreover, he was someone Zhuang Aimin promoted, and the more brilliantly he achieved, the more Zhuang Aimin could gain.

"I will find someone to handle this matter. Don't let it affect your mindset. In Yanjing, they can't cover up the truth," Zhuang Aimin said coldly.

"Alright, senior brother!" Zeng Wenjie said with a smile.

My senior brother is a little angry, which is a good thing. Don't underestimate the influence of a regional governor in the capital.

Zeng Wenjie texted Qin Yixuan saying he had something to do and told her to go back to her place and rest well today.

Qin Yixuan had indeed felt exhausted these past two days, so when Zeng Wenjie said so, she readily agreed.

Then, Zeng Wenjie naturally arranged to meet Yan Xinyi.

But Yan Xinyi didn't come alone; she brought Teacher Sa with her. He was all smiles and immediately came up to shake hands with Zeng Wenjie when he saw him.

Yan Xinyi smiled helplessly, "Don't blame me, Teacher Sa insisted on coming to see you and personally persuade you."

Zeng Wenjie shook Teacher Sa's hand and said, "Teacher Sa, I've long admired your name. I'm a fan of yours, and it's great to finally meet you today."

Teacher Sa said, "President Zeng, you're exaggerating. Everyone in our entire bureau is your fan! Whenever you have news, everyone discusses it immediately. Your 'Village BA' and 'Village Super' ideas are absolutely brilliant! As soon as those two ideas came out, the tourism industry in Chongshan Province took off!"

Zeng Wenjie just smiled; he was just relying on his cheat code to parrot others' ideas.

"This meal is on me, Mr. Zeng. What would you like to eat?" Teacher Sa asked politely.

"Teacher Sa, I promised to come, why are you taking over again?" Yan Xinyi said unhappily.

Teacher Sa waved his hand and said, "Xiao Yan, you often interview President Zeng, so you have plenty of opportunities to treat me. I'm different; I'm only meeting President Zeng now!"

Yan Xinyi smiled at Zeng Wenjie and said, "You see, it's not that I don't want to treat you, it's just that the senior insisted on taking it, and I couldn't win against him."

Zeng Wenjie then joked, "You couldn't be happier, could you?"

Yan Xinyi curled her lips and raised her chin, remaining silent. It was rare to see a hint of girlish pride in her usually capable demeanor.

Teacher Sa finally chose a stir-fry restaurant in a hutong and, familiar with the place, ordered several specialty dishes to treat Zeng Wenjie. He had also brought wine with him, and it just so happened that the restaurant was open.

The famous host personally invited him and gave him a lot of face, making Zeng Wenjie, who was a freeloader, feel a little embarrassed.

"Mr. Zeng, look, it's like this, I have a program that you're really not suitable for. But I also have an interview assignment that I can't find anyone to do. Could you do me a small favor and help me complete this assignment?"

After several rounds of drinks, Teacher Sa finally revealed his true intentions.

Yan Xinyi gestured to Zeng Wenjie with her eyes, indicating that he should do as he pleased.

In China, there's a strong drinking culture. Once you've had some wine and food, and the alcohol has taken effect, it's really hard to refuse.

Teacher Sa said, "In recent years, the authorities have been paying more and more attention to online games. Although they are profitable, there are always people who believe they are corrupting teenagers. You are a promising young man, and you happen to be working in the game industry..."

Teacher Sa revealed some information, implying that Zeng Wenjie shouldn't easily venture into the gaming industry. This displeased some bigwigs who initially valued him but were rather old-fashioned. However, Yan Xinyi's article clarified WG's ambition to earn foreign exchange overseas, which made those bigwigs feel comfortable again...

The information revealed by Teacher Sa was something Zeng Wenjie was unaware of, which made him feel a tightness in his anus.

Indeed, if you want to wear the crown, you must first bear its weight!
It seems that few of the "red-hat merchants" (merchants with official connections to the government) have a good ending...

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but take a deep look at Yan Xinyi. He never expected that the information he gave out for the purpose of flirting would actually save his life.
If Yan Xinyi hadn't promptly revealed that WG's ultimate goal was to earn foreign exchange overseas, the crackdown would likely have come much sooner.

Yan Xinyi was also slightly taken aback, then frowned and pondered for a moment before saying, "Teacher Sa is right. For example, within the State Administration of Radio and Television, there are leaders who really dislike online games. When parents complain, they usually just hold the manufacturers accountable without asking about the specific reasons."

Zeng Wenjie grimaced as he listened; if he didn't earn any foreign exchange, he'd probably be in for a beating.

Fortunately, they managed to poach Hidetaka Miyazaki beforehand. With this legendary player, plus Feng Ji and Yang Qi, two pioneers in the history of Chinese AAA games, they're sure to create a Dark Souls that surpasses the original. Winning over foreign fans shouldn't be a problem...

Steam is acting like a fool right now, and Valve's slow and inefficient practices have also angered players. WG is bringing a lot of high-quality games overseas, and they will definitely be able to compete with them.

The most crucial thing is to see how Tencent handles the overseas recharge channels.

"In recent years, the conflict between schools, parents and online games has become increasingly serious. An anti-addiction system was introduced in 2005, but the results have been mediocre," Teacher Sa said, shaking his head.

“Okay, Mr. Sa, then I’ll do this episode with you. I’ll also bring up some ways to prevent minors from becoming addicted to games and spending money recklessly in games…” Zeng Wenjie said thoughtfully.

Zeng Wenjie has always presented himself as an upright, responsible, and visionary entrepreneur, so it's hard for him not to suspect that the information that Teacher Sa revealed to him was not deliberately arranged by some bigwig.

There's no way to deal with people in power circles; you have to tread carefully and be extremely cautious.

Teacher Sa patted Zeng Wenjie on the shoulder happily and said, "Well done, President Zeng! Facing difficulties and problems head-on without shying away, it's no wonder so many leaders appreciate you! I hope that after this episode is produced, those big shots will have an even better impression of you."

Zeng Wenjie clicked his tongue, feeling somewhat conflicted after hearing what Teacher Sa had revealed about his thoughts.

Yan Xinyi seemed to sense his brief moment of confusion and said gently, "It's inevitable. No one can have a smooth journey all the time."

Zeng Wenjie was just struggling internally. This struggle stemmed from being pretentious. Getting something for free is good, but don't expect to get something from the official sources for free. Every free gift has a price tag attached to it.

“Let’s add each other on QQ, and I’ll send you the file in a bit. Let’s finish this task the day after tomorrow!” Teacher Sa said with a smile.

“Yes, Teacher Sa.” Zeng Wenjie then gave him the trumpet.

The main account is basically unused. The more you use it, the higher the risk of exposure. For now, I'll just stick to playing the role of "Tolstoy".

Zeng Wenjie felt helpless. He had accompanied Teacher Sa on this program, and people would likely say that he was "eating from the bowl and then smashing the pot."

I'll call Tony later and have a good talk with him to avoid any disagreements. After all, games are Tencent's most profitable business.

After the meal, Teacher Sa was slightly tipsy and had a pleasant conversation with Zeng Wenjie.

Teacher Sa asked, "Mr. Zeng, what does it feel like to achieve financial freedom at such a young age? How can you possibly spend all that money?"

Zeng Wenjie was taken aback, then recalled the famous scene between Jack Ma and Teacher Sa, and coughed, saying, "Actually, I'm not interested in money!"

Upon hearing this, Yan Xinyi turned her head away and spat out her drink, feeling choked by Zeng Wenjie's extremely Versailles-esque remark.

Teacher Sa's smile froze instantly, and Zeng Wenjie said, "Don't you also think that being recommended to Peking University is so-so?"

After hearing this, Teacher Sa coughed twice, wondering how Zeng Wenjie had seen through his deep-seated pretentious thoughts.
Zeng Wenjie spread his hands and said, "I have no interest in money. I don't even touch money. After making so much money, I am not happy! I remember the happiest time of my life was during junior high school. Every day at noon, I would ask my grandma for 50 cents to buy a bottle of soda. If she was in a good mood and gave me 1.5 yuan, I could even buy a bottle of Coke."

"..."

Teacher Sa didn't want to talk anymore.

Yan Xinyi also felt that Zeng Wenjie's act was a bit outrageous; the strong smell of arrogance was almost overflowing from him.

Teacher Sa sighed and said, "President Zeng really has some of the elegance of Tao Yuanming, making me, Teacher Sa, feel inferior! I've had my fill today, so I'll take my leave now. You and Xiao Yan, the two young people, can chat a little longer."

After saying this, Teacher Sa cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and left, perhaps feeling that Zeng Wenjie's arrogant attitude had offended him.

Zeng Wenjie turned to look at Yan Xinyi and laughed, "Was I that obvious just now?"

Yan Xinyi said, "The richer a person is, the more obvious it is when they say such things!"

Zeng Wenjie retorted, "But the poorer a person is, the more they are looked down upon when they say such things."

Yan Xinyi thought about it and felt that this made sense, so she smiled helplessly and said, "So, was the time when you received one dollar and fifty cents really the happiest time?"

Zeng Wenjie shook his head and said, "No, the time we spend together is the happiest."

Yan Xinyi was taken aback and said, "Didn't Coke cost one yuan and fifty cents back then? You couldn't buy Coke for one yuan."

Zeng Wenjie said, "For example, right now, being with Xinyi, isn't that wonderful?"

Ever since that dinner and karaoke date, Zeng Wenjie stopped calling her "Sister Yan" and started calling her by her given name, but Yan Xinyi never said anything about it.

Even Yan Xinyi was momentarily taken aback by Zeng Wenjie's sudden cheesy pickup line. She paused, her face slightly flushed, and subtly smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear before laughing, "A man as rich as you who's so good at sweet-talking girls is really dangerous. If you're not careful, you might fall for him."

Zeng Wenjie smiled, then changed the subject, sighing, "I really didn't expect Teacher Sa to reveal such important information to me. Do you think his insistence on seeing me and revealing this information was at the behest of a powerful figure, or was it simply his own idea?"

Yan Xinyi hesitated for a moment, then reminded him, "As a colleague, and moreover, as my senior, I shouldn't speculate about him like you do. But, I think it's more likely the former..."

Zeng Wenjie nodded and said, "Great minds think alike! I think so too!"

He spoke with a hint of excitement, and took the opportunity to grab Yan Xinyi's small hand and hold it firmly.

Yan Xinyi thought to herself that the dog really knew how to seize the opportunity. Although it was a bit presumptuous, it was hard to find fault with it. In addition, she already had a good impression of him, so she really couldn't hate this action.

"The movie 'Men's True Colors' is about to be released. Don't forget your promise to me, okay? Come see the movie with me then," Yan Xinyi said with a smile.

"Don't worry, I usually keep my promises," Zeng Wenjie said earnestly.

"It's still early, how about we have a couple of drinks?" Yan Xinyi said with a light laugh.

“Sure, you find a place,” Zeng Wenjie said.

Yan Xinyi found a quiet little bar with an elegant atmosphere, ordered a few drinks, and then explained to Zeng Wenjie, "The reason I didn't drink earlier is because I've established a persona of not drinking at work. Otherwise, it's easy for girls to suffer when they drink."

Zeng Wenjie nodded in understanding. Drinking parties are unavoidable in the workplace, and the only way to avoid them is to cultivate an image of not drinking from beginning to end.

Especially for girls, if someone next to you gets drunk and puts their hand on your leg, do you angrily call them a pervert or pretend you don't know? What if they take advantage of you further?
"So, no one at work knows you can actually hold your liquor?" Zeng Wenjie laughed.

“Yes, anyway, I’ve never drunk in front of them. Even if I did drink and they smelled it, I would just say that I was out socializing and accidentally smelled alcohol on myself. No one would investigate.” Yan Xinyi raised her glass. “As the host, I’ll drink this first as a sign of respect and to express my apologies for any shortcomings in our hospitality.”

After saying this, she downed most of her mixed drink in one gulp, her expression unchanged, truly demonstrating her remarkable alcohol tolerance.

Women are naturally inclined to drink half a pound of liquor, so Zeng Wenjie almost never drinks with girls. Winning isn't something to brag about, but losing is just embarrassing.

“Xinyi has a good capacity for alcohol, I’ll have one with you too,” Zeng Wenjie said, raising his glass.

"Hmm?" Yan Xinyi pressed her slender fingers against the rim of the cup, preventing him from lifting it. "You just drank some baijiu, so drink slowly now. I have a day off tomorrow, so I'll take you to climb the Great Wall and visit the Forbidden City! Speaking of which... your Forbidden City series is selling like hotcakes, but as the boss, you've never actually been to the Forbidden City, have you?"

Zeng Wenjie thought about it and realized he really had never been here before. In any case, before university, he was a country bumpkin who had never left the province.

Yan Xinyi laughed and said, "If Marlenia's customers find out, they might beat you to death. What do you mean by inspiration from the traditional culture of the Forbidden City?"

Zeng Wenjie couldn't help but smile, and said helplessly, "I went for a job interview today and was targeted. I'm afraid I'll fail. Can't I even have a couple of drinks to drown my sorrows?"

Yan Xinyi said, "It's not necessarily true. It depends on whether Mr. Zhuang is willing to put in the effort... You should have already told him about it, right?"

Zeng Wenjie nodded, and Yan Xinyi said, "It's a really good test."

"Isn't that a bit presumptuous? My senior brother and I are of one mind; I wouldn't dare to play any tricks," Zeng Wenjie said.

Yan Xinyi said, "It might fool others, but it's not enough to fool me."

The two clinked glasses and both felt that their relationship had become much closer since their last meeting in Fengzhou, and they were even more willing to talk about some sensitive topics.

Zeng Wenjie didn't take the opportunity to suggest playing "Truth or Dare," as that would be far too simplistic for a woman of Yan Xinyi's caliber.

What she enjoyed more was chatting and laughing with successful and powerful men like Zeng Wenjie, rather than playing any shitty games.

Zeng Wenjie is now considered a semi-knowledgeable person, so he must know this much. Therefore, he only chats with Yan Xinyi and doesn't even hold her hand.

After a few drinks, both of them became slightly tipsy.

"Let's go, I'll take you back to your hotel. After all, you're a visitor, and if you get lost, I'll have to come to the station to pick you up." Yan Xinyi smiled and picked up her small handbag.

When she stood up, her swaying was just right, and Zeng Wenjie took the opportunity to support her, and she in turn took his arm.

What a despicable couple!

Yan Xinyi laughed and said, "If someone takes a picture of it, then it'll be a lot of fun!"

Zeng Wenjie said, "You've really messed up. The reputation of being a gold digger isn't very good."

"Tch!" Yan Xinyi glared at him. "You'd better get ready tomorrow too, so no one can tell."

Zeng Wenjie nodded. As a detail-obsessed person who flushes things down the toilet, how could he not notice such a small thing?

Not far from Zeng Wenjie's hotel, Yan Xinyi took his hand and walked slowly back with him. They chatted and laughed along the way, creating a harmonious atmosphere, and one could feel a peculiar subtlety and tacit understanding between them.

Even though he didn't do anything to cross the line, Zeng Wenjie felt a sense of satisfaction.
The emotional value that Yan Xinyi provides is subtle and pervasive, so high that men of lower levels of understanding and experience probably wouldn't grasp it at all.

"We're here. You can go back now. I'll hail a taxi on the street. See you tomorrow morning. I'll take you to eat fried liver." Yan Xinyi said, letting go of her hands.

“Okay, see you tomorrow,” Zeng Wenjie said.

"Hmm, let's get up early, otherwise we might not make it to the destination! Besides, I think there's a 40% chance of rain tomorrow, I wonder if the weather will cooperate?" Yan Xinyi said, walking to the roadside to hail a taxi.

Zeng Wenjie turned and walked into the hotel without looking back.

Yan Xinyi glanced at him a few times, and seeing that this real man never turned around, she couldn't help but mutter a few curses in her heart.

However, after getting into the taxi, recalling the subtle interaction in the bar earlier, although there was no physical contact, the occasional eye contact and tacit conversation made a smile unconsciously appear on her face.

(End of this chapter)