Old Xing was not what Han Lie had anticipated.
He was a gaunt man with a long, mournful face, like a bitter lon. An Hermès belt was cinched conspicuously around his waist, and he had his arm around a pretty young woman in her early twenties.
Today’s banquet was indeed a private affair, with only three n present.
Old Dou hadn’t even brought his usual buxom young companion; instead, he’d brought an unfamiliar girl.
Both young won were quite attractive; one was dressed in a China Eastern Airlines flight attendant uniform, the other in yoga pants and a bandeau top.
Unfortunately, when Guo Qingting gracefully made her entrance, Han Lie only saw two trembling little quails.
"AIYOH, Teacher Han, your friend is that..." Old Xing said, surprised as he shook hands with Han Lie, his eyes darting towards Guo Qingting.
"Just a minor entertainer."
Han Lie nodded reservedly and replied with a faint smile, "Does General Manager Xing also follow the entertainnt industry?"
This air of nonchalant aristocracy was incredibly suave, instantly setting a high bar from the get-go.
"I know a little, a little..." Old Xing forced himself to suppress a pang of jealousy and gave a dry laugh. "Teacher Han, you’re certainly lucky with the ladies!"
His bitter-lon face turned even more sour...
Truth be told, with his position, he could have his pick of beautiful won within his organization. However, outside that system, things weren’t so easy, let alone attracting celebrities. Opportunities to et them arose, but unfortunately, he could only look. He neither dared to make a move nor possessed the ans to satisfy their desires. It wasn’t that Old Xing’s influence wasn’t significant enough, but rather that its reach was too limited.
After exchanging pleasantries, they sat down to eat and chat, and Old Xing began to probe again.
"Teacher Han, you were doing so well in the secondary market. Why suddenly branch out into the ABS business? Won’t it affect your primary operations?"
"Let’s just say the opportunity presented itself!"
Han Lie slowly wiped his mouth, casually rested his left hand on the table, and turned his body slightly to the right to face Old Xing.
"Policies were tightening and the general situation was shifting. So friends suddenly found themselves needing to reallocate resources. Knowing I had so expertise in this area, they ca to for help, and I couldn’t very well refuse."
Han Lie casually toyed with Old Dou’s lighter, a half-smile playing on his lips as he looked at Old Xing.
"The market is always there, and there’s always more money to be made. But opportunities to use one’s abilities to help friends through hardship, to offer tily aid, are rare. If I miss this chance and later rely offer superficial help when they’re already doing well, that’s not the true way to build friendships. General Manager Xing, what are your thoughts?"
The Oscar-worthy Han Lie was truly a master of acting and pretense. In an instant, Old Xing’s mind raced, imagining all sorts of scenarios.
"You’re right! True friendship is indeed about offering help in tis of need!" he agreed, then his brow furrowed. "But right now, all companies are short on funds; it’s difficult to help..."
"Heh, not entirely!" Han Lie chuckled softly, cutting off Old Xing’s second attempt to probe.
"Private enterprises are one thing, but very few of Magic Capital’s state-owned enterprises are short on funds. The new fiscal year is approaching, and everyone is finding it hard to draft their budgets!"
A shiver ran down Old Xing’s spine, his pupils instinctively constricting. He actually understands budgeting! But the problem is... at your age, how do you know everything?! This is too damn ridiculous...
Old Xing continued to maintain his composure, sighing, "Indeed. But even the banks are having a tough ti, tornted by the cash crunch to the point of madness."
"Yes!" He sighed, and Han Lie sighed in concert. "We haven’t even reached the toughest part yet. Just wait until after the Lunar New Year. Those bank presidents and vice presidents will be practically begging at your door, pleading for you to take their money."
Damn, he’s really hard to deal with! Old Xing suddenly fell silent, then raised his glass and offered an enthusiastic toast.
"Teacher Han, let’s have a drink! I’ve always heard Old Dou praise your exceptional character and abilities. Seeing you today, you truly are remarkable!"
Han Lie smiled amiably, raising his glass with both hands, holding it about a centiter lower as he clinked glasses with Old Xing.
"Just a bit of quick wit, hardly worth ntioning. We young people trying to accomplish things still need to rely on the support and guidance of respected seniors like yourself."
"Haha, we’re all friends here! Let’s dispense with such formalities!"
"Alright, cheers!"
Sitting to the side, Guo Qingting was completely dumbfounded by the conversation between Han Lie and General Manager Xing.
What in the world are they talking about? Every word, every sentence, I can understand them individually. But put them together, and it’s complete gibberish. Am I too slow? Or are you two the strange ones?!
Guo Qingting wasn’t the type to obsess over such things, but her curiosity about Han Lie deepened.
...
After two more rounds of drinks, Old Xing suddenly noticed the watch on Han Lie’s wrist, and his interest was imdiately piqued.
"Huh? Teacher Han, your watch is quite distinctive. What brand is it?"
Han Lie, ever the sly one, seeing Old Xing hadn’t recognized the watch at first glance, imdiately grinned and set a trap for him. "A Patek, I suppose? That’s what I was told."
"It was a gift?"
Realizing Han Lie was a novice in the watch world—influential but clearly not a connoisseur—Old Xing grew animated.
Leaning past the young woman beside him, he craned his neck and squinted at it from afar. "Hmm, looks unfamiliar... Probably a gift from soone else who doesn’t know watches. Who buys a Patek Philippe for under a million, anyway!"
With that, he raised his own left hand, flashing his watch. "’Rolex first, heaven later! Precise and tough, truly divine!’"
The Panda Daytona on his wrist glead brightly; it was quite stunning.
He unstrapped his watch and grandly presented it to Han Lie. "Teacher Han, how can you be into watches and not own a Rolex? Apart from the ’Big Three’—the Nautilus, Royal Oak, and Overseas—for everything else, a Rolex is all you ever need!"
Han Lie smiled but said nothing. He quietly took off his 6002G and placed it on the table, then picked up the Panda Daytona, examining it from different angles.
To be honest, the white-dial Panda Daytona was exceptionally good-looking. The more Han Lie looked at it, the more he liked it.
So, he genuinely praised it, "General Manager Xing, this watch is truly beautiful. What model is it?"
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