"Hah! The young man is quite the schemer!"
After listening to Xiao Ming's words, Duan Hongqing scoffed, "Originally, I was simply entrusted to give you a hard time, to test your mettle. I didn't expect to be backed into a corner by your few clever words in the end.
Alright, name your price, whatever you want.
But let me be clear upfront, your greed will be directly proportional to the difficulty of the test you'll face."
Xiao Ming's lips slightly curled up: "Truly worthy of Sir Duan, such sharp insight. My request is indeed quite greedy, but for you, it should not be considered too much."
"Cut the crap! Spill it."
"I've heard that Sir Duan's Qingyuan Group plans to step into the electronics technology industry. I, who am of modest abilities, am also very optimistic about the prospects of this field.
Therefore, I wish to hitch a ride on your coattails, so to speak. No matter how much you plan to invest in the future, I hope you can allocate ten percent of that amount to me.
Of course, I will pay according to the costs incurred; I'm not asking for a handout."
"Hmm, this demand does seem a bit greedy, but it's indeed not too excessive."
Zhou Jicang nodded and then said, "However, Sir Duan, that's not very kind of you! You have a new opportunity and didn't tell me. What, afraid I'm going to compete with you?"
"Right! I didn't know about this either. Sir Duan, you're being sneaky. What bad trick are you up to this time?"
The other big shots at the table also expressed that they hadn't received the news, and they all questioned Duan Hongqing collectively.
At this moment, however, Duan Hongqing was already beyond shocked, even suspecting Xiao Ming had planted spies around him.
Because his plan to invest in the electronics technology industry had only just begun, with his assistant starting to collect information. He hadn't even finished drafting the initial proposal—how could Xiao Ming possibly know about it?
And Xiao Ming himself was also helpless at this time.
He only remembered that in his previous life, not long after, news reports claimed that Qingyuan Group had acquired several obscure technology companies in one fell swoop. Who would have thought that hadn't even begun yet?
He unintentionally put on an act again—hopefully, he wouldn't be taken for a charlatan and dissected for it.
After a while, Duan Hongqing let out a breath and said to Zhou Qingyuan, "Girl, your uncle has a feeling that today is going to be unlucky. If I had known, I wouldn't have agreed to your request."
Zhou Qingyuan stamped her foot and complained coquettishly, "Uncle Duan, how can you betray a friend?
Besides, you're thinking of admitting defeat before it's even started. You're really deflating your own morale and boosting his confidence!"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Jicang frowned, "Qingyuan, what's going on here?"
Zhou Qingyuan pouted and simply put it bluntly, "It's simple, you've made him out to be something magical, but to me, everything he does seems like a charlatan's trick.
For instance, the resale of river sand. Anyone with a friend in the police force and the slightest business acumen could anticipate that after the illegal sand mining gangs were busted, the price of river sand would inevitably shoot up.
And take the university branch next to our land, for example. Who knows if he has relatives or friends who are close with Vice Principal Song?
Everything has traces; in plain terms, there's nothing original, he's just good at mystifying."
"I purposely came with you today just to expose his true face of a scammer on the spot!"
"You..."
Zhou Jicang was so angry that his face turned red, and he pointed at his daughter, unable to speak for a moment.
"Girl, this time you might really be wrong," Duan Hongqing spoke up, "Nobody in Qingyuan Group's top management knows about my plan to invest in the electronics technology industry yet."
Zhou Qingyuan was stunned, her face full of disbelief as her worldview was shaken.
"All this time, I thought you were the smartest child, and the most like me. I didn't expect that..."
Zhou Jicang shook his head with a sigh, his tone defeated, "I didn't expect that you would share the same view as that fool Fang Jing.
Zhou Qingyuan, do you really think that with your little cleverness, you can afford to look down on all the talents of this world?
Like a frog at the bottom of a well, you have such a narrow view!
I'm so disappointed in you."
Zhou Qingyuan's pretty face turned from green to white, and after a moment, she glared at Xiao Ming through clenched teeth, "It was my idea to have Uncle Duan test you. Now that everything's out in the open, let's just have me pose the question. Do you dare accept it?"
Xiao Ming shrugged indifferently, "As long as the reward Sir Duan promised still stands, whatever."𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮
Zhou Qingyuan looked toward Duan Hongqing; the old man shook his head with a bitter smile, "Being old means you have to accept it, you can't meddle in the affairs of the young. You all should take me as a warning!"
"Serves you right!"
Zhou Jicang said bitterly, "Xiao Ming, you don't have to give me face, just do as you would. It's also a good opportunity to let my daughter realize that there are always people better than us.
It doesn't mean you are qualified to be so arrogant just because you've studied abroad for a few years!"
Her father's unreserved reprimand made Zhou Qingyuan grind her teeth even harder, looking as if she wanted to bite Xiao Ming to death.
"Since you even know about things that Uncle Duan hasn't put into action yet, why not guess about me too?
I'm planning on starting my own business; what industry do you think it will be?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Jicang raised his eyebrows but said nothing, instead looking curiously at Xiao Ming.
Xiao Ming looked deeply into Zhou Qingyuan's eyes, his lips curling into a smile, "Seeing Miss Zhou so energetic, I think we should add a harmless little wager."
"What kind of wager?"
"If my answer is wrong, then for the rest of my life, I will steer clear of Sir Zhou, you, and the entire Canghai Group by three feet. Whatever business the Zhou family wants to meddle in, even if it bankrupts me, I will withdraw without hesitation."
Zhou Jicang was shocked, "Xiao Ming, don't..."
"Sir Zhou, I'm not angry, nor am I acting out of spite. On the contrary, it's because I am so confident that I dare to make a significant bet,"
Xiao Ming said with a smile, "Of course, if Miss Zhou is afraid to bet, then we can drop it, no big deal."
"Don't try that reverse psychology on me!" Zhou Qingyuan snorted coldly, "Just say what you want in return!"
"It's simple. I feel a kinship with Sir Zhou, barely enough to consider each other as peers. So, if I answer correctly, I hope Miss Zhou will learn to respect her elders in the future and call me 'Uncle' when we meet."
Zhou Qingyuan was taken aback, while Duan Hongqing burst into applause, laughing loudly.
"The young man is interesting, more and more to my liking. Now I declare that after this, win or lose, you definitely have the right to sit at this table!"
Zhou Qingyuan was silent for a moment before slamming her small hand onto the table, "Fine! I'll take your bet!"
Xiao Ming shook his head, thinking to himself that she had asked for this. In the last life, you didn't get to call me uncle, and in this life, you deserve it.
"The answer to Miss Zhou's question is simple: within a short term, the industry that Canghai Group is involved in is the industry you have in mind.
In other words, you never actually planned to start your own business!"
Zhou Qingyuan's eyes suddenly widened.
"That doesn't sound right," Duan Hongqing chimed in, "Yuan girl is not ordinarily proud. With her personality and talent, she shouldn't be content to bask in the achievements of her forebears.
Don't you young people always pursue your own worth? Even my good-for-nothing grandson is always ranting about making his mark, so how could Yuan girl just obediently follow old Zhou's arrangements?
Xiao Ming, I'm afraid you're going to lose this one!"