Living in a small county town, earning a million a year

Chapter 104: The best chapter of the book (35 subscriptions requested!)

"At least you weren't laid off. I've seen many companies go bankrupt before! Even big companies laid off employees!"

Xu Mu looked at Zhou Sheng, raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying, "This is a stroke of luck amidst misfortune! At least you still have an income. Otherwise, at your age, after thirty-five, it would be very difficult to find a job again, wouldn't it?"

"That's true, but our company also laid off 30% of its staff."

"Many projects that were still in progress have been cut off directly."

"Not only did we waste a lot of time, but most importantly, we lost money!"

"We had heard before that the original owner wanted to sell Harvest Venture Capital, but the asking price was too high!"

"At its peak, someone offered 8 billion to acquire us. Now, our market value has almost halved. We can only rely on some of the companies we invested in before to stay afloat. Fortunately, we haven't gone bankrupt, all thanks to Thor!"

"Thor has been like a god descending to earth in the past two years. Xiaomi's valuation has boosted our company's performance and given us the confidence to seek investment!"

Zhou Sheng couldn't help but smile as he said this.

"Life really needs opportunities! Any one opportunity can determine the life or death of a company."

"That's normal! It means Jia Shi wasn't meant to die!"

After they finished ordering, Xu Mu listened to their self-introductions and got to know them one by one.

"They're all so young!"

"No matter how young we are, we're not as young as President Xu. He's probably not even thirty yet, is he?"

"No, it will be a few more years before I turn thirty!" Xu Mu said with a smile as she toasted them.

"I envy you guys, wearing suits and ties, working in these commercial buildings! You don't know, I used to wear a suit and tie, and then buy a pair of leather shoes from a roadside stall to go out and discuss business deals. People all thought I was a salesman!"

Upon hearing Xu Mu's words, a burst of laughter erupted from one of the tables.

Breaking the ice!
Soon, you'll start talking about down-to-earth topics to make people feel that you're approachable.

Come from life, and go back to life!
No matter how rich or powerful this person is.

Everyone needs to eat, poop, and sleep, right?
These are the three inescapable laws of life!
In this situation, Xu Mu only needs to talk to them about life to start a conversation!

"Mr. Xu is so humorous! I thought the boss was a difficult person to deal with! I didn't expect him to be not only young and handsome, but also witty and humorous!"

The one who spoke was one of the only two girls, a girl with a high ponytail and black-rimmed glasses. When she first arrived, she had a kind of aloofness that resembled that of an elite white-collar worker!
But now that I've integrated into their group, everything has changed!

"I think you could learn a lot from President Xu! You're too aloof at the company!"

The girl with the high ponytail, named Teng Peizhi, immediately rolled her eyes, pushed up her glasses, and looked at the boy next to her who was speaking. "What do you mean by 'aloof'? If I'm not aloof, am I supposed to wait for you to come and chat with me? Do you think I'd still have a job? Give me a break! I think being aloof is just my protective shell!"

“That’s right!” Xu Mu nodded. “I think Sister Teng is right! Being aloof is just a protective shell. I have a friend who is aloof! But later I found out that she was very different!”

"Does Mr. Xu mean that Teng Peizhi is also a contrast?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Get out!" Teng Peizhi cursed. "I'm not different at all. I'm the same way I am in real life, okay?"

"That's just my personality!"

She was wearing black-rimmed glasses and Balenciaga black stockings.

She has single eyelids, a high nose bridge, and small, thin lips.

Oval face.

She's not a top-tier beauty, but she's very pleasing to the eye.

Moreover, he has a unique charisma!

She may appear aloof, but in reality, every movement she makes exudes a captivating charm!

Xu Mu couldn't help but smile. "There probably aren't many women in senior management positions, right? Sister Teng and Sister Zhu are probably two of the most capable people, aren't they?"

“Yes!” Zhou Sheng said from the side, “Our senior management vetting process is very strict. Teng Peizhi and Zhu Na both got their senior management positions based on their own abilities and outstanding business skills.”

"However, Teng Peizhi is in finance, and now she is the CFO. She is very capable! Sometimes I wonder how her brain works! We need to use a calculator, but Sister Teng can calculate it in her head."

"When we assess the equity stake in a company, it's Sister Teng who handles it!"

"Come on, Sister Teng, let me toast you." Xu Mu said with a smile, holding up her wine glass. "The future of our company still depends on you all!"

"I have already invested one billion yuan this year, and every year thereafter I will put one billion yuan into the company as your investment funds. As long as the project is suitable and you think it has a promising future, you can invest!"

"Holy crap! Mr. Xu, you're awesome!!"

"President Xu is incredibly capable!"

"So young, yet worth billions—is this the difference between people?"

"Stop fucking envious, Mr. Xu's life is different from ours!"

"Hahahaha!"

"Hahaha!"

The atmosphere was great, and everyone was drinking beer.

"To be honest, it's been a long time since I've eaten barbecue in a place like this! Since I came to Shanghai, I've always felt like an elite person and I don't really like coming to places like this, afraid of being looked at strangely by others."

"But now that I think about it, this is where I truly belong!!"

The fact that they were able to become senior executives shows that each of them has unique abilities!

However, after living in a big city like Shanghai for a long time, it's easy to forget yourself!

"Who says otherwise! Which of us here is a native of Shanghai? Didn't we all change our destiny through our own hard work and education? That's how we stayed in Shanghai! And we usually go to high-end places; sometimes I even forget who I am!"

"You can't say that! You're all so outstanding, your academic performance must have been excellent! You must have been among the top students, the pride of heaven, the academic superstars in other people's eyes. Why be so self-deprecating?"

"I invited you here to eat simply because I don't like eating in the kind of high-end places you're talking about."

"You've adapted and can handle it with ease, but for me, it's very awkward! Similarly, you'll feel awkward coming here too!"

Teng Peizhi nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with admiration as she looked at Xu Mu.

These women hold management positions in the workplace.

In fact, they all share a common mindset: they are more vulnerable than men, so they need to be more assertive in the workplace to disguise themselves.

After all, there is still a lot of malice towards women in this world!

“I think Mr. Xu’s personality is great. Actually, Zhu Na and I don’t have that kind of personality because we both came from humble beginnings. We used to love street food stalls because they were cheap!” Teng Peizhi smiled sweetly.

Xu Mu then noticed that she had dimples on both sides of her cheeks.

"I didn't have any money when I was in college! I just liked to meet up with friends and eat at roadside stalls!"

"On the contrary, my roommates' classmates like to take pictures in some upscale-looking restaurants."

"Later, they dragged me along! Over time, street food stalls and roadside barbecue stands became synonymous with guys, while small and charming shops became synonymous with girls! Because you can take photos and get great shots!"

"I remember there were a few girls in our team who looked down on these street stalls and the like. I can understand that, though. When they come to a big city like Shanghai, they want to present themselves as people from that big city!"

"It has that sense of sophistication."

"On the contrary, I think that when people like President Zhou and President Xu reach their level, as well as us senior executives, we yearn for the idea of ​​pursuing our original aspirations. However, the pressure of life and work is too great. Sometimes we want to relax, but work keeps coming one after another."

"That's right! Old Teng has spoken his mind!"

"Who says it's not?"

"Does Sister Teng drink alcohol regularly?" Xu Mu asked, looking at Teng Peizhi.

"Yes, I like to have a drink at home after get off work."

"By the way, have you all bought houses in Shanghai?"

"How could we afford it? With our meager salaries, social engagements, gatherings with colleagues, and rent, it's hard to save any money in a year! And we also have to send money to our parents, unless we engage in shady income! But we don't have the guts to do that."

“Those companies in finance, where everyone earns a million-dollar annual salary, and with insider information, they can make a fortune and buy a house in Shanghai with ease. How could we possibly qualify?”

When they said this, their words were filled with helplessness towards the big city.

Big cities offer more opportunities, but survival is much harder!

"By the way, where is Mr. Xu from?"

"I'm from Taizhou, Zhejiang Province. I grew up in Ningcheng, but I went back to Taizhou for high school! I went to university in Ningcheng!!"

"what?"

“I’m a native of Ningcheng. I went to Ningda University for my undergraduate studies, but later I went to a finance and economics school in Shanghai for my postgraduate studies.”

"Huh?" Xu Mu's eyes widened. "I'm also from Ningda!"

"Holy crap! Senior!"

Xu Mu's eyes widened.

That's right, Xu Mu studied in Taishi for three years of high school and then went on to attend Ningbo University!

"I'm from the class of 14."

"I graduated in 18!"

"That's right." Teng Peizhi nodded. "I'm four years older than you!"

"I never expected that Teng Peizhi and President Xu would have such a connection."

"Come on! Cheers!"

"cheers!"

After the meal, everyone left in high spirits!

Xu Mu paid the bill and added their contact information.

"Let's go back to the city. I'll treat you all to a big party to celebrate my acquisition of Harvest Venture Capital. You're all on holiday tomorrow!"

"Mr. Xu is awesome!!"

"Mr. Xu, you're my idol!!"

Hearing Xu Mu say that, the group of men in their thirties and forties were overjoyed.

Everyone had been drinking, but they all restrained themselves because they had to go to work the next day.

But upon hearing Xu Mu say that, he instantly became excited.

"Go, go, go!"

They went back to the city, and Zhou Sheng found a party venue!

Nineteen people arrived at the party venue. Some played mahjong, some sang, and some played video games!
The atmosphere was incredibly lively.

"President Xu, you've shown us another side of the workplace today!" Zhou Sheng walked at the back with Xu Mu, put his arm around Xu Mu's shoulder, and said with a smile, "They all felt the joy!"

Don't you usually have opportunities to have meals together?

"We do have dinners together. Colleagues often get together to talk about the pressure from the company and investment projects! Everyone's pretty worried."

"It's good that a drink can dispel the sorrows in my heart, but I've never been as happy as I am today!"

"The previous boss was a middle-aged man in his fifties. We didn't have much in common. He only had one KPI requirement, which was like a sword hanging over our heads. We didn't know when it would fall. From last year to now, our company has laid off more than a hundred people!"

Zhou Sheng rubbed his temples, a bitter smile on his face. "And then there are those who clearly don't understand investment, yet they still point fingers and give orders. They've invested in many of their relatives' companies, lost everything, and then turned around and blamed our investment analysis team for being incompetent!"

"You won't call me that again, will you?"

Xu Mu smiled and looked at Zhou Sheng, asking, "After all, I'm also that damned boss!"

"No way! I really like Mr. Xu's personality, and besides, doesn't Mr. Xu not participate in the company's management?"

"I won't participate; I hate this kind of thing. But there are some important things you still need to report to me!"

"this is necessary!"

The two chatted as they arrived at the party venue.

Xu Mu paid the bill and ordered drinks and a fruit platter from the waiter.

After they all came in, Xu Mu took the microphone, looked at them and said, "I'll just say a few words."

"Because it's the first time we've met, the first time we've gotten to know each other!"

"Have a blast tonight! After get off work, you're all your own people! You're free!"

"Of course, once you start working, you'd better work hard! Although I may seem easygoing and easy-going, I can actually be quite fierce!"

"Received, Mr. Xu!"

"Okay, boss!"

"You're so mean!!"

"Go, go, go!"

Laughter filled the air.

"Mr. Xu is treating today! Mr. Xu, shall we sing the first song?"

"Mr. Xu, sing a song! Sing a song!"

They were all very excited.

It mainly stems from today's indulgence!

There's also the joy of having a new boss.

This joy comes from the heart; it's the happiness of having a good boss!
At least, there won't be as much KPI pressure as before!

"Alright, since everyone is so kind, I'll sing a song!"

Let's play "When Dreams Awaken"!

"Wu Bai's 'When Dreams Awaken'!"

When the intro started, Xu Mu looked at everyone and gave them a funny smile, "You've all heard this song, right?"

"I've heard of it!!"

"Then you've all seen Wu Bai's concerts on Douyin, right?"

"Mr. Xu, we understand!"

Xu Mu laughed heartily as the first line of lyrics began.

Xu Mu began singing, accompanied by Wu Bai's signature hand-waving gesture, "You said..."

Then, Xu Mu pointed the microphone at them.

You loved someone you shouldn't have!

Your heart is full of scars!

Xu Mu: "You said..."

"You made a mistake you shouldn't have made." "You're filled with remorse!"

Xu Mu: "You said..."

"You have tasted all the bitterness of life."

"I can't find anyone I can trust."

Xu Mu: "You said..."

You feel extremely frustrated.

"I even started to question the meaning of life!"

Xu Mu: "I knew that heartbreak was inevitable."

Why must you be so deeply in love?

"Because of love..."

Everyone sang together: "It's always so hard to part!"

Xu Mu: "Come on, let's go!!"

Why bother with that little bit of tenderness?

Xu Mu: "To know how heartbreaking it is..."

Everyone: "It's always inevitable!"

"At the moment of waking from a dream!"

"... "

After finishing the song, Xu Mu was exhausted!
Everyone was exhausted!
"How many lyrics did Mr. Xu sing in the whole song?"

"I get really tired doing this, you know?" Xu Mu said speechlessly. "I feel like all I'm missing is a piece of polyester fabric!"

"Mr. Xu, you can get one!"

After Xu Mu's opening, everyone else started requesting songs.

Several other executives went to play King of Fighters.

Or it's the old Metal Slug!
All configurations are available here.

There's also billiards and all sorts of game consoles.

And the Switch.

And the PS5!

Play whatever you want!
Tonight might be their happiest moment.

"Mr. Xu!"

Just then, Teng Peizhi walked over to Xu Mu with a wine glass in her hand, "Let's have a drink together!"

"Thank you!"

Xu Mu took the wine glass, glanced at the wine inside, and asked, "What's this?"

Champagne!

"Oh, oh..." Xu Mu nodded, "Cheers!"

After downing the champagne in his glass, Xu Mu looked at Teng Peizhi and said, "I never expected that we'd be so destined to meet, especially since we're juniors..."

"Is there something you need, senior?"

Xu Mu looked at Teng Peizhi and asked curiously.

"It's nothing! Can't we try to build a good relationship with President Xu?"

Teng Peizhi had already drunk quite a bit of alcohol during dinner.

On the way here, a gust of wind made her pretty face blush slightly!
"That would be a good idea!"

Xu Mu smiled and invited, "This is a whole villa. I heard it has a terrace. Shall we go up and enjoy the breeze?"

"Okay!"

Upon arriving at the terrace, you'll find drinks laid out there as well.

What would you like to drink?

"Have some champagne! I just brought it up!" Teng Peizhi gestured to the open champagne bottle in her hand and said with a smile, "Mr. Xu, what made you decide to acquire Harvest?"

"I don't have any particular plans, I just want to acquire an investment firm, and I happen to have the money to acquire you guys..."

"... "

Teng Peizhi was speechless at Xu Mu's sincerity!
What's the reason?

Ok.

She couldn't understand the world of the rich.

"And you? When did you join the company?"

"I started working here after graduating from university, and I climbed up the ranks step by step!"

Teng Peizhi poured champagne for Xu Mu and herself, then took another sip. "I think many of the things Mr. Xu said during dinner made a lot of sense... You're so young, yet you live so wisely, unlike us, trapped in this big city, unable to leave or stay!"

"why?"

Xu Mu ignored Teng Peizhi's praise and instead became curious, "When you came to Shanghai to take the postgraduate entrance exam, wasn't it precisely so that you could stay in Shanghai?"

"Yes!"

"Shanghai is great, but after so many years, I'm still single. I've dated so many boyfriends, but I've never gotten married..."

"You probably have colleagues at work who are pursuing you, right?"

Xu Mu pretended not to understand the hidden meaning in Teng Peizhi's words.

They were all adults, yet Teng Peizhi came alone to have a drink with him, and then they went to the terrace to enjoy the breeze and chat!

Either they're really chatting.

Or perhaps they have ulterior motives…

That's quite normal.

For working women, surviving is significantly more difficult than for men. And for high-level executives like Teng Peizhi, who control the finances, the pressure is even greater than for the average person. With no outlet for their frustrations, drinking becomes their only option…

"Yes, but I don't like any of them... One of my colleagues at the table just now pursued me, but I didn't agree... Besides, President Zhou doesn't allow office romances! Unless someone leaves the company! So it just fizzled out!"

"You have such strict requirements?"

"Of course!"

"I'm afraid the two of them will abuse their positions for personal gain... Of course, most importantly, I don't like him!"

"So what kind of guy do you like?" Xu Mu raised an eyebrow and asked curiously.

Teng Peizhi turned her head and glanced at Xu Mu. Although she had single eyelids, her eyes were very beautiful.

Beneath the thick lenses were a pair of clean eyes.

But amidst the cleanliness, there was a hint of weariness!
Living in a big city, especially for a girl, is very tiring.

Xu Mu was not afraid to meet Teng Peizhi's gaze; on the contrary, he stared intently at her.

Teng Peizhi was the first to look away, gently shaking her head. "I don't know!"

She stood up and leaned against the balcony railing.

She was wearing a business suit today, but it couldn't hide her beautiful figure and long, straight legs!
On the contrary, Balenciaga accentuated her leg lines even more perfectly!
"Have you never thought about getting married?"

"I have thought about it," Teng Peizhi said, her voice full of anticipation. "I really want to get married. It would be so wonderful for two people to live in Shanghai, work hard together to save money for a house. That would be a very happy thing... Only under such circumstances can I find meaning in living in this big city!"

"How long did you talk?"

"I've had many relationships, but none of them lasted long! And none of them lasted long either, at most six months, because everyone was too impetuous. Eventually, even I became impetuous myself! I stopped believing in love, and I still do now!"

“My mom urged me to go home and go on blind dates many times, but…” Teng Peizhi turned around and looked at Xu Mu, “But, Mr. Xu! You know, how can we, who have been in big cities for so long, bear to go back to Ningcheng?”

"Ningcheng is indeed very nice, but this is Shanghai!"

"It's a place where you can pursue your dreams!"

Xu Mu smiled!
He poured champagne, stood up, and handed it to Teng Peizhi.

"you're drunk."

"I don't!"

Teng Peizhi shook her head and said softly, "I just feel very tired sometimes."

She took the glass, tilted her head back, and drank it all in one gulp, revealing her snow-white neck!

"Mr. Xu, I'm saying these things to you only because I consider you a friend, a junior from school, not my boss!"

"I know!"

"If you were the boss, you definitely wouldn't say this to me. But since you don't treat me like a boss, but rather like a junior, then don't call me President Xu! Just call me Xu Mu!"

Xu Mu leaned against Teng Peizhi and said with a smile, "I actually envy you two. You're so busy every day, and your lives are so fulfilling! Unlike me, I'm so empty and bored every day. I'm either playing games or writing... As for investments, I don't want to care about them at all!"

"Huh? Typing?"

"What do you mean? A programmer?"

“No, I write novels!” Xu Mu looked at Teng Peizhi and said, “When I was poor, I wanted to make money by writing novels. Now that I have money, I can’t let go of this. As long as I write novels, my soul can find peace and my inner world can be unleashed!”

"I really like a song!"

"Guo Yuanchao, I don't know if you've heard of him,"

"The lyrics say, 'High-rise buildings will ultimately lead young people astray, and freedom will sooner or later disrupt the rest of one's life!'"

"This line is my favorite. Of course, the line 'We didn't meet before the mountain, and we won't meet again after the mountain' is also good, but it's never as good as the line 'The tower will never see the young again,' which really touches my heart!"

"I didn't know you liked folk music?"

"Do you not like it?"

"We don't have time for that in our lives!"

Teng Peizhi tilted her head back, smiled, and turned her face to look at Xu Mu.

Xu Mu didn't speak, but instead looked at Teng Peizhi.

The evening breeze rustled the leaves.

The sounds of frogs croaking and birds chirping rustled in my ears.

Teng Peizhi slowly closed her eyes, and Xu Mu turned his face and kissed her red lips.

Teng Peizhi had drunk too much; her face was flushed, but her lips were ice-cold.

Xu Mu gently wrapped his hand around her waist, caressing her smooth and delicate skin!

She takes very good care of herself!

Moreover, as the kiss deepened, she took the initiative to wrap her arms around Xu Mu's neck, and soft whispers could be heard between the kisses.

After kissing for about five or six minutes, Xu Mu lifted her up, supporting her bottom.

Teng Peizhi hugged Xu Mu and rested her head on Xu Mu's shoulder.

There are two guest rooms on the third floor. Xu Mu pushed open the door, went in, and then locked the door behind him.

After placing Teng Peizhi on the bed, Xu Mu bent down.

The atmosphere in the room became ambiguous.

Two people's clothes were lying on the ground, carelessly tossed about.

"bath!"

Xu Mu looked at Teng Peizhi and spoke softly.

"Hold me."

Xu Mu carried Teng Peizhi into the bathroom, where there was even a bathtub!
Would you like to take a bath?

"No," Teng Peizhi shook her head. "I heard that taking a bath after drinking alcohol is dangerous."

"But we just did some strenuous exercise, and you sweated a lot, so it shouldn't be a big problem!"

Are you awake now?

"I'm awake, but also a little confused!" Teng Peizhi covered her face, feeling ashamed.

She actually seduced her own boss!

The thing is, they were shouting so loudly just now!

Full of contrast.

This made Teng Peizhi feel like her aloof image had been shattered.

She hadn't expected that she would react so strongly to something she hadn't dealt with in so many years.

However, after her soul was filled, Teng Peizhi felt completely relaxed and free!

Was I being very promiscuous just now?

Teng Peizhi felt she still needed to face her boss, otherwise it would be very awkward for the two of them to meet in the future.
"No," Xu Mu shook her head. "I think you've just been holding it in for too long!"

"Appropriate release helps with dopamine secretion; I only felt your happiness!"

"!"

The two of them finished taking a bath in the bathroom.

Then, Teng Peizhi looked at Xu Mu and said softly, "You can go out now."

Xu Mu smiled and walked out of the room.

When we went downstairs, they were having a great time drinking.

Upon seeing Xu Mu appear, he immediately shouted, "President Xu, come on, let's have a drink together!"

"We were just looking for you, but we didn't know where you were!"

"I just made a phone call, then went out to meet a friend, and just got back after chatting. It's still early, isn't it? Can't you guys drink so fast?"

"Let's stay up all night! Let's have a blast!"

Come on! Let's have some fun!

(End of this chapter)