“Back then, I already knew that Lil Tang would go far! We can all see how great he’s become!”
Everyone laughed merrily.
Jin Biao turned to look at Qin Xiangyi and said, “I’m sorry, Qin the Femme Fatale, it was a slip of the tongue! I knew that Lil Tang gave his first time to you!”
Everyone burst into laughter again.
Tang Hao blushed. Even Qin Xiangyi could not help but blush.
“Let me fill up your glass, Lil Tang. Here’s another toast to you!” Jin Biao poured liquor into Tang Hao’s glass as he spoke.
“I should be toasting you, Bro Biao. If not for you, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve so much. Here!” Tang Hao said. He lifted his glass with both his hands and handed the glass to Jin Biao.
He had always been grateful to Jin Biao.
Jin Biao was Tang Hao’s first customer. He was the first one to try his potion, and thus changed his life.
Jin Biao had also introduced Liu Dajun, President Li, and the other bosses to him.
Jin Biao laughed heartily and took the glass.
Tang Hao went around the room and toasted the bosses one by one.
After toasting everyone individually, he lifted his glass and told everyone. “Finally, a toast to everyone. If not for all of you, I wouldn’t be here today.”
“You’re too modest, Lil Tang. Without you, there won’t be us today either!” Jin Biao said.
“Right! If not for you, we’ll still have our pot bellies, and Ol’ Huang would still be bald. Ol’ Li would still have weak kidneys, too, he won’t be as manly as he is now!” Liu Dajun shouted happily. (TN: ‘Weak kidneys’ is a Chinese euphemism for ‘poor sexual performance’.)
Everyone laughed.
President Li laughed sheepishly and glared at Liu Dajun. “Ol’ Liu, you crafty bastard! You’re not any better than me before this. We’re about the same!”
“Ha, I was much better than you! You can only last one minute, but I could last two,” Liu Dajun said.
Everyone laughed again.
“Enough talk. Let’s drink!” President Li knew that he could not retort to that and shifted the conversation topic.
“Bottoms up!”
Everyone clinked glasses with Tang Hao.
They lifted their heads and drank the liquor in one gulp.
The dinner lasted until ten o’clock at night before everyone left.
Chapter 377 - First Time In River Delta City
Everyone parted ways after dinner ended.
It was already past ten o’clock. The streets were deserted.
“I’d like you to take a stroll with me, Lil Tang!” Qin Xiangyi leaned close to Tang Hao and whispered gently in his ear.
She was wearing a black form-hugging dress which accentuated her body curves. Crystal sequins on the dress reflected light from the street lights.
She looked as though she came out of a dream.
Even though they had lived together for a long time, Tang Hao’s breath was always taken away whenever he looked at her. His heart started beating faster.
“Mm!” He replied gently, took her hand, and started walking.
There was no one else on the street.
They held hands as they walked along the street, with no destination in mind.
“Lil Tang, do you remember that summer night when we walked along this road… and this store, too, do you remember?”
Qin Xiangyi pointed at both sides of the street as they walked.
They had strolled along that street many times. It was full of memories.
“I think it’s quite unbelievable when I think about it. It’s only been a little more than half a year, and your business has grown by so much… It looks like I chose the right guy after all.”
She smiled proudly and sounded smug.
“Our Lil Tang is now a big boss and an accomplished citizen!” She said mischievously.
She suddenly stopped walking and looked unblinkingly at Tang Hao. Then, she abruptly leaned forward and kissed him.
Tang Hao wanted to respond, but she chuckled and quickly stepped backward. She looked mischievous while doing that.
Tang Hao could not help it but laugh.
“Sis Xiangyi, now that I’m a big boss, shouldn’t you find someone to take over the clothing factory? You don’t need to work so hard every day.”
Qin Xiangyi was surprised. “Why, you want to be my sugar daddy? That sounds like a good idea!” She said with a smile.
She thought about it for a bit and eventually shook her head. “Nah, I don’t think so. The factory is my life’s work, and I want to see it flourish. Also, if I’m not working, then I’ll be very bored.”
“That’s true!”
Tang Hao nodded and never mentioned it again.
They continued walking hand in hand.
“In the future, not only do I want to expand my factory, but I also want to produce better designs. Have I told you about my dream? I always wanted to create an internationally famous clothing brand…”
She spoke about her ambitions as they continued walking.
Soon, they turned around and walked back.
“Right, Lil Tang, are you free in a few days? Go to River Delta City with me!” She suddenly said.
Tang Hao was surprised. “Why are you going to River Delta City?”
“I’m going there to join a university student gathering… I didn’t want to go at first because, as you should know, nothing much happens at student gatherings. I’m not too close to my classmates in university anyway.”
She furrowed her brows and looked disgusted.
“The person who had called for the gathering was my rival back in university. She doesn’t like me, and I don’t like her either. We don’t talk much. That gives me less motivation to go.”
Tang Hao understood after she said that.
Tang Hao did not enjoy going to student gatherings either, unless he had very good friends there.
When he went to the junior high school gathering, he found that most of his classmates had become snobbish. Moreover, Sis Xiangyi’s classmates graduated from university and found jobs.
After working in society for several years, people tend to become materialistic.
“Her name is Yan Lili,” Qin Xiangyi continued, “She’s very rich, and her father is a billionaire! She’s the typical rich daughter of a wealthy family. She is quite beautiful, which made her arrogant and petty.
“Back then, I was the beauty queen in the university. She was envious of that and was always trying to pick fights with me. I usually ignored her.
“She organized the gathering this time in her family mansion. She’s been bragging in the chat group about how she married a great husband. You can’t tell how cringeworthy that was.
“That’s why I’ve changed my mind. I want to bring you there to bring her down a notch! You don’t have any other plans, right?”
She looked at Tang Hao with sparkling eyes.
“No! Of course I don’t!” Tang Hao shook his head.
“That settles it! We’ll leave for River Delta City in five days. We can have a vacation there too!”
She grinned and held Tang Hao’s hand. There was a spring in her step as they continued walking.
It was eleven o’clock when they returned to Beyond Heavens Restaurant. The restaurant was closed for the day, and it was quiet all around.
She looked around. “There seems to be no one here…” She mumbled.
She abruptly turned around and looked at Tang Hao with a fetching gaze.
Tang Hao knew that expression too well.
His heart skipped a beat. “Right here?” He blurted.
“What do you think?” She chuckled. She bit her lower lip which made her look more seductive than ever. Evidently, she was in the mood.
Before Tang Hao could reply, she reached out and grabbed Tang Hao’s shirt collar, pulled him over, and kissed him intensely.
‘Holy f*ck! This is too intense!’ Tang
Hao thought.
The couple went into the car.
The car shook rhythmically, though whatever happened inside shall be left to the reader’s imagination. An unknown amount of time passed before the car stopped shaking. Tang Hao got up, tidied his clothes, and started driving home.
The next morning, Tang Hao went to Dragonrock Village.
The construction at Dragonrock Village had been going on for a month. Concrete houses were built on both sides of the wide asphalt road. After they crossed the river, he saw that the village council building had been torn down and rebuilt.
He chatted for a while with the village elder, then went deep into the mountains to collect sap from the Liquor Tree.
He brought many oak barrels. Once they were filled, they could sustain the liquor factory for two or three months.
The liquor factory started operations three days later.
Tang Hao went to attend the opening ceremony.
Meanwhile, preparations for the formation of Haotian Group had begun.
The next day, Tang Hao brought Sis Xiangyi to the high-speed rail station and traveled to River Delta City.
River Delta City was nicknamed ‘the Magical Capital’. It was Huaxia’s economic nexus. The city was a lot more prosperous and crowded than Provincial City of Province Z.
Tang Hao looked at his surroundings with childish curiosity after they arrived at River Delta City. It was the same expression when he first stepped into Provincial City.
Qin Xiangyi was familiar with the place. After all, she had stayed there during her four years in university.
They had left Province Z in the morning, and it was only noon when they arrived at River Delta City. They walked along the streets to take in the bustle of River Delta City.
In the evening, they returned to the hotel to prepare for the gathering.
Tang Hao changed into a suit and leather shoes. He also wore a watch and tidied his hair, which made him look like a noble.
Qin Xiangyi changed into a black bareback evening gown and a pair of crystal high heels. She wore a pair of jade bracelets on her fair wrists.
She also wore a jade necklace, which elevated her beauty and charm.
Chapter 378 - A Clash Between Women
That night, the Yan family mansion was brightly lit up.
Cars or cabs would arrive frequently and people stepped out of them. Most of the people came in pairs and they dressed magnificently. They walked into the mansion.
The mansion was lavishly decorated. Elegant music was playing in the background.
The figures mingled around in the hall, chatting with each other while holding wine glasses. Some of them were boasting about their careers or their significant others.
On the other hand, some of them were brooding by the fringes, feeling dejected.
They used to be in the same class in university, but once they enter society, their career paths and family backgrounds set them apart.
The people with more favorable opportunities were more popular among their friends. Otherwise, they were generally ignored.
The music abruptly stopped and the lights dimmed.
There was a commotion in the crowd.
Suddenly, a spotlight beam shot toward a man and a woman standing at the stairway on the second floor. They walked down the stairs, hand in hand.
The woman was tall and slender and had a beautiful face which was enhanced by make-up. Her pure white evening gown accentuated her beauty, which made the crowd of people downstairs exclaim in surprise.
The men among them even looked eager and passionate.
The woman was none other than Yan Lili. She was one of the most popular girls back in university because of her looks and family background. Many boys had gone after her.
Every man would want to go after a woman who had both looks and money.
The men seemed envious when they turned their gaze toward the man standing next to Yan Lili.
Meanwhile, the women almost shrieked.
That man was too handsome. He was almost like a fashion model. His face was masculine and his jaw was square. His eyes were profound and had a hint of melancholy in them, just like Prince Charming.
“Wow! He’s so handsome!” Many women muttered under their breaths.
The corners of Yan Lili’s mouth curled upward when she saw that. She could not help it but feel smug.
She was very satisfied with her husband, and she wanted to let the entire world know. That was her main motivation for organizing the student gathering.
Meanwhile, the man smiled modestly and nodded at the people downstairs.
They walked toward the crowd.
The lights turned back on and the music continued playing.
A group of women pulled Yan Lili over and started gossiping.
“You were right, Lili! He’s really handsome!”
“You said that he can speak eight languages fluently, and he’s also a champion in swimming, horse-riding, and many other sports. Is that true?”
Yan Lili became prouder than ever. “Of course it’s true! Why would I lie about that?” She boasted, “He’s also a graduate from a prestigious university overseas too.
“Look at his figure. He’s also a bodybuilder! He has eight-pack abs! Isn’t that amazing?”
“Wow!” The women exclaimed. Their eyes were sparkling.
Yan Lili glared at them and said sternly, “Don’t have any ideas on him though! There’s no use anyway. My honey is very loyal to me. He only loves me and me alone.”
As she spoke, she leaned toward her husband, hugged his arm tightly, and looked at him coyly.
The man hugged her waist.
They looked like a match made in heaven. The men were envious while the women were jealous.
Yan Lili smiled. She could not hide her glee.
She enjoyed being at the center of attention and being showered by flattery. It fed into her vanity. She felt as though she was at the top of the world.
At the same time, someone walked in through the entrance.
She wore a black bareback evening gown that hugged her figure.
She had light make-up on her face, which made her even more attractive.
Compared to her, the other women in the hall seemed dull and unattractive.
The people in the hall turned around to look at her and were instantly stunned.
They only had one thought in their minds. ‘Who is she?’
There were many beautiful girls in their university class, but they did not recall one that could take their breath away!
‘Is she at the wrong party?
‘Or, is she someone’s girlfriend?’
Someone eventually figured out. “She’s Xiangyi, our beauty queen!”
“What? She’s the beauty queen? Oh my, how is she even more beautiful than before? I can’t recognize her!”
“The beauty queen is here? Didn’t she say that she’s not coming?”
The men exclaimed excitedly. Their enthusiasm was almost fanatic.
She was the most beautiful woman in the class or even in the entire university back then. She also came from a wealthy family, even though her family was not as wealthy as Yan Lili’s.
Even so, she was more popular than Yan Lili.
Now that she had become more beautiful than ever, she was poised to be the center of attention of the gathering.
Some of the men were eager to make their move. They knew that the beauty queen did not have a boyfriend back in university, and they hoped that she had not found herself one.
Meanwhile, the women had mixed reactions. After their initial shock, some of them displayed expressions of disgust and envy.
Especially Yan Lili, whose expression sank thoroughly and looked extremely unpleasant.
The envy in her heart was driving her mad.
The two women had been rivals in university and never looked at each other eye to eye. Yan Lili had invited Qin Xiangyi to the gathering because she wanted to show-off her husban
d. She did not expect that Qin Xiangyi would steal her spotlight upon her arrival.
She turned to look at her husband and noticed that he had the same crazed look in his eyes.
“Filthy whore, cheap woman, b*tch!”
She gritted her teeth, muttering curses under her breath.
She reached around and pinched her husband at his waist.
He Zhengyu grimaced and gasped. Then, he turned away sheepishly.
“What’s so good about that filthy whore? She only knows how to seduce other men!” She cursed softly.
“That’s right She might look pure, but she’s a seductress!” The women around Yan Lili agreed with her. They were Yan Lili’s best friends.
However, their opinions did not stop the men from rushing forward and crowding around Qin Xiangyi.
Chapter 379 - Trading Blows
“You’re here, Xiangyi!”
“Long time no see, Xiangyi, you’re more beautiful than before!”
The men crowded around Qin Xiangyi and showered praises on her.
They devoured her alluring body with their hungry eyes. Some of the less savory characters were beginning to drool.
“Are you here by yourself, Xiangyi? What a coincidence, me too! That makes the two of us. I’m the class representative, Wang Jiadong! Don’t you remember me?”
A tall man squeezed past the crowd and introduced himself eagerly.
He had bushy eyebrows, big eyes, and a masculine face. He wore an Armani suit, and his hair was impeccably styled with mousse.
He seemed to be incredibly excited. He had been interested in courting the beauty queen since their university days but he never had the chance.
Now that he saw the beauty queen arriving at the gathering alone, he thought that she did not have a boyfriend and therefore he had a chance.
The other men also introduced themselves to Qin Xiangyi one after another.
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