Seeing the two different career paths on the task panel.
Jiang Tao naturally didn't hesitate to choose option 1!
The rewards for Career 1 and Career 2 differed by tenfold!
"I can't just stand by and watch Jiang Yi waste away in a career that doesn't suit her."
"I must guide her toward a profession that's right for her!"
Jiang Tao shifted his gaze from the task panel to Jiang Yi, who was sitting in the back seat, chatting happily and animatedly with the two kids.
With her pure and beautiful appearance, gentle and kind personality, and sweet, captivating voice.
With so many qualities combined in one person.
Even if she sang children's songs like *Dig, Dig, Dig*, she'd probably go viral!
"I'll find a chance to have a good talk with Jiang Yi!"
For the moment, Jiang Tao hadn't figured out how to bring it up with her, so he temporarily pushed the thought aside.
He couldn't just inexplicably tell her to quit her kindergarten job and become a singer, right?
But for the 5 million yuan and 10-point physique reward, he was determined to complete this task!
It was a win-win situation—benefiting both her and himself—so why not?
Jiang Tao put his thoughts aside and looked at Jiang An'an with a smile, saying:
"What does An'an want to eat for lunch today? My treat. Let's celebrate properly!"
Jiang Hai hurriedly said, "Mr. Jiang, I'll treat today. It has to be me. You already spent so much last night."
"Besides, we only found out about this great opportunity today because of your reminder. Our family owes you a huge favor."
Jiang An'an also chimed in playfully, "Uncle Jiang Tao, what do you want to eat? We're treating you! Thank you for helping me get such a great job."
Jiang Yi also smiled at Jiang Tao and said, "My brother's right. We definitely have to treat you to lunch today."
"Hahaha, alright, I can't refuse such warm hospitality. Let's go to Good Luck Comes at Dongxin Store."
"I think the name of that restaurant is quite nice. It symbolizes good fortune always accompanying us and blessings coming from the east."
Seeing Jiang Yi and Jiang Hai insist on treating, Jiang Tao went along with it and cheerfully picked the place for the meal.
However, Jiang Hai and his sister were somewhat surprised when they heard Jiang Tao's chosen location.
"Good Luck Comes" was just an inconspicuous roadside diner in the urban village of Dongxin Store.
Even if they ate to their heart's content at Good Luck Comes, the bill wouldn't exceed 1,000 yuan.
Compared to the 1,800-yuan-per-person meal at Xinrongji that Jiang Tao had treated them to last night, it was a world of difference.
"Uh, Mr. Jiang, how about we go somewhere nicer?"
Jiang Hai thought Jiang Tao was trying to save him money, so he suggested switching to another place.
Jiang Tao smiled and said, "No need, let's just go there. We'll have a simple meal, and this afternoon, Little Xue and I need to head to the train station to pick up her grandparents."
"Alright then!"
Seeing Jiang Tao's insistence on Good Luck Comes, Jiang Hai didn't press further.
After deciding where to eat, Jiang Tao started the car and headed back toward Dongxin Store.
Around 1 p.m.
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class returned to the urban village outside Dongxin Store.
After parking the car, the group got out, chatting and laughing as they walked into the village and entered Good Luck Comes restaurant.
The restaurant was only about twenty square meters, with a few simple dining tables inside.
The five of them—three adults and two kids—sat at one table, and it wasn't crowded at all.
Each person ordered a dish, and they added a meatball soup, making it five dishes and one soup, six items in total.
Since Jiang Tao had to pick up his mother-in-law's family at the train station that afternoon, he didn't drink. They all had lactic acid bacteria yogurt instead.
The meal cost less than 200 yuan in total.
After eating their fill, Jiang Tao said goodbye to Jiang Yi and Jiang An'an, who were reluctant to part with Jiang Xue.
The father and daughter duo then headed to Xiehe Hospital to pick up Xu Li.
Along the way, Jiang Xue chatted nonstop, clearly having had a great time playing with Jiang An'an over the past two days.
It took a little over half an hour to reach Xiehe Hospital, where Jiang Tao parked the car downstairs at the inpatient department.
The father and daughter got out of the car and took the dedicated elevator for the VIP ward area on the first floor, heading to the obstetrics department and arriving outside Du Ennan's ward.
After Jiang Tao knocked, a childcare specialist from Xinyuehui opened the door.
"Mr. Jiang, you're here! Please come in."
The childcare specialist, who had met Jiang Tao before, greeted him and Jiang Xue with a smile.
"Thank you."
Jiang Tao thanked her with a smile and entered the room with Jiang Xue.
"Mom, Godmother! Grandpa Du, good afternoon!"
"I've got huge news! Sister An'an got selected!"
As soon as she entered, Jiang Xue couldn't wait to share the good news about Jiang An'an with Xu Li and Du Ennan.
"Really? That's amazing!"
"Little Xue's got a superstar friend now."
Xu Li and Du Ennan smiled upon hearing Jiang Xue's words.
They knew a bit about Jiang Xue's new friend.
Hearing that Jiang An'an had successfully landed the script, they were happy for her.
"Yes, yes! Mom, Godmother, when Sister An'an's short drama airs, let's watch it together!"
"Alright! We're curious to see how amazing your Sister An'an is."
"Uh-huh, Sister An'an is super awesome! You'll definitely like her when you meet her!"
Jiang Xue chattered on, telling Xu Li and Du Ennan how great her friend Sister An'an was.
Her little face was full of expressions, like she was Jiang An'an's biggest fan.
"Jiang Tao, you're here. Thanks for looking after Little Xue these past two days."
Du Taiming, who wasn't interested in the women and children's conversation, looked at Jiang Tao with a smile and greeted him.
"No need to be so polite, Mr. Du. Du Ennan is our good friend, so it's only right to keep her company when she's at her weakest."
While greeting Du Taiming with a smile, Jiang Tao's gaze couldn't help but linger on the Vacheron Constantin watch on Du Taiming's left wrist.
Du Taiming keenly noticed Jiang Tao's gaze and found it amusing.
*Is this kid eyeing my watch again?*
Jiang Tao suddenly spoke up, "Mr. Du, could I borrow that watch to take a look?"
"Oh? Are you interested in watches?"
Du Taiming smiled and glanced at the green Submariner on Jiang Tao's wrist.
He thought Jiang Tao was still wearing the watch he'd given him before.
In fact, Jiang Tao had already given that one to his third brother.
The one he was wearing now was a gift from Zhang Chao's mother when they met.
Jiang Tao smiled and said, "The most expensive watch I've ever handled was a Patek Philippe Nautilus.
I've never seen something as high-end as yours in person before.
So I was hoping to borrow it to take a photo and show off a bit on WeChat Moments."
"Hahaha, you young people," Du Taiming laughed heartily. Jiang Tao's honesty made him like him even more.
As he spoke, Du Taiming deftly unfastened the strap and handed the watch to Jiang Tao.
Jiang Tao said with a grin, "Should I get a pair of gloves? I hear people who handle watches always wear gloves."
"Stop talking nonsense, just take it."
With that, Du Taiming tossed the watch, worth five or six million yuan, toward Jiang Tao.
"Whoa, old man, you've got some guts! If this thing falls, how much would it cost to repair?"
Jiang Tao let out a small yelp and hurriedly reached out with both hands to carefully catch the watch.
Though the watch weighed no more than 1,000 grams.
It felt heavy in his hands!
After all, it was a watch worth nearly 6 million yuan!
Most people would never even touch something like this in their lifetime, let alone see one in real life.
Jiang Tao smiled at Old Du and asked, "You don't mind if I wear it for a photo, do you?"
Old Du laughed heartily, "As long as you don't wear it and can't take it off, it's fine."
"Hahaha, no way! I'll definitely take it off. Do I look like that kind of sneaky guy?"
Jiang Tao laughed as well, then took off his green Submariner and put on Old Du's Vacheron Constantin.
He pulled out his phone, switched to selfie mode, and snapped a bunch of photos of himself and the watch on his wrist.
After taking the photos, Jiang Tao returned the watch to Old Du, his gaze lingering on him for a few seconds.
**[Name]: Du Taiming**
**[Talent]: Business**
**[Career Path]: Commerce (5 stars), Real Estate (3.5 stars)**
After using the [Bole] title to see Du Taiming's talent and career path, Jiang Tao's trust in this [title] grew even stronger.
As expected, people tend to achieve great results when they work in industries that match their talents.
With a net worth of billions, even with the help of the [Intelligence System], Jiang Tao couldn't catch up to Old Du anytime soon.
Wealth accumulation is like rolling a snowball.
Jiang Tao's snowball was still small. Even if he rolled it a hundred or a thousand times, it wouldn't compare to the money Old Du's massive snowball could generate with a single roll.
They chatted idly in Du Ennan's ward until around 4 p.m., when Jiang Tao, Xu Li, and Jiang Xue said goodbye to Du Ennan and her father.
Jiang Tao's in-laws' high-speed train was arriving around 5 p.m.
After parking the car in the underground lot at the south plaza of the train station, the family of three chatted and laughed as they headed to the exit to meet them.
…
Inside a high-speed train speeding toward the capital.
Xu Wencheng, Du Yongmei, and Xu Sha sat in business-class seats, even more comfortable than first-class on a plane, chatting quietly.
It wasn't their first time in the capital, but it was their first time riding in business class.
Du Yongmei had been grumbling the whole way about her eldest daughter spending money recklessly, but the smile on her face betrayed her pride.
"Your sister and brother-in-law have finally made it. Their lives are getting better."
"In the future, Sha Sha, when you look for a partner, find someone like your brother-in-law who can make money, takes care of the family, and knows how to pamper his wife."
Du Yongmei's attitude toward Jiang Tao had done a complete 180!
The contrast was so stark that Xu Sha, sitting nearby, felt embarrassed for her.
In the past, Du Yongmei always used Jiang Tao as a negative example, warning Xu Sha to keep her eyes open when choosing a partner.
She'd told her not to pick someone like her brother-in-law, who was all talk but couldn't earn money, leaving his wife and kids to suffer.
Now it was the complete opposite!
Whenever the topic of finding a partner came up, she told Xu Sha to find someone like her brother-in-law, Jiang Tao!
Xu Wencheng chimed in from the side:
"Your sister said your brother-in-law started his own company."
"While we're there, ask your brother-in-law if he can arrange a job for you or something."
Upon hearing her dad's words, Xu Sha replied without hesitation:
"I'd rather starve than work for relatives. I'm not going to work for him."
"You silly girl! Your sister and brother-in-law aren't just any relatives."
Du Yongmei added, "Your sister only has you as her younger sister.
Now that their family is doing well, even a little help from them would be better than you struggling out there and getting battered by the world."
"Then I still won't go. If you want, you and Dad can go work for him. Let him take care of his father-in-law and mother-in-law."
The thought of her previously strained relationship with Jiang Tao made it impossible for Xu Sha to imagine working for him.
"You stubborn child, you're like a mule! I bet you'll regret it once society teaches you a lesson."
Du Yongmei knew her younger daughter's stubborn personality and didn't bother saying more.
Luckily, girls have an inherent advantage over boys.
Even if they don't have a job or can't make money, they still have the option of marrying well.
"Dear passengers, the final stop, Beijing West Station, is arriving soon. Please gather your luggage and prepare to disembark."
"Thank you for your support and companionship throughout the journey."
Just as Du Yongmei finished speaking, the train began to slow down, about to pull into the station.
The three of them were traveling light, each carrying only a couple of changes of clothes.
At 5:06 p.m., the train came to a steady stop at the platform.
Xu Wencheng and his family followed the crowd, guided by the station signs toward the exit.
"Grandma, Grandpa! We're over here~"
Jiang Xue, with her sharp eyes, was the first to spot her grandparents and excitedly waved at them, jumping up and down.
"Dad, Mom, Sha Sha! You must be tired from the trip!"
"Lili! Jiang Tao."
Du Yongmei's tone when calling Jiang Tao was now much more polite and warm.
"Dad, Mom, Sha Sha, welcome to Beijing. You must be tired from the journey."
Jiang Tao also greeted them with a smile. The past was in the past.
He showed his magnanimity toward Xu Li's parents and sister.
There was no need to act like in novels or short dramas, constantly slapping the mother-in-law and sister-in-law in the face after getting rich. That was pointless.
A harmonious family leads to prosperity in all things.
"Sis, you look so beautiful and elegant!"
Seeing her sister again after a little over a month, Xu Sha's face showed utter astonishment.
Xu Li was still the same Xu Li, yet she wasn't.
In the past, she was reluctant to spend money and rarely dressed up.
Her entire outfit, from head to toe, wouldn't cost more than 500 yuan.
Now, just the Cartier necklace around her neck, a gift from Du Ennan, was worth over 90,000 yuan.
To welcome her parents today, she'd also worn the Hermès spring outfit Jiang Tao had bought her for over 80,000 yuan.
Her boots were Bulgari's new model for the year, costing over 20,000 yuan.
Xu Li's full outfit today, including the necklace, bracelet, and watch, was worth around 300,000 to 400,000 yuan.
The air of frugality she once carried was gone, replaced by a subtle aura of a refined lady.
The old Xu Li could only be considered "mature."
The Xu Li now, exuding endless charm and confidence, was the ultimate version.
Xu Wencheng and Du Yongmei also looked at Xu Li, noticing the immense change in her.
Seeing their eldest daughter living better and better, they were genuinely happy for her.
Though Du Yongmei was a bit snobbish, she wasn't inherently bad.
When Jiang Tao was poor, she looked down on him.
Now that Jiang Tao had made it, her attitude toward him had changed accordingly.
In the past, whenever she talked about her son-in-law, she felt embarrassed and couldn't hold her head high in front of neighbors.
Now, her son-in-law had become her pride and a source of bragging rights among the neighbors!
After the group reunited and chatted briefly, Jiang Tao led everyone toward the parking lot.
When they saw the angular, imposing Mercedes-Benz G-Class parked in the lot.
The father-in-law's family of three was dumbfounded.
Xu Wencheng said, "Huh, how come you switched to a G-Class? I remember you drove a GLS back home before the New Year."
"The GLS had a minor accident and is in for repairs. This car was a gift from a friend."
Jiang Tao spoke lightly, but his words were like a thunderclap in the ears of his father-in-law's family.
Their gazes toward Jiang Tao were filled with shock, admiration, and confusion.
A car worth millions, just given as a gift—what kind of friend was this!
Back in Ping County, a fully paid 130-square-meter house only cost about a million yuan.
This was like giving away two houses for free!
The kind of people someone associates with reflects how well they're doing.
It seemed their son-in-law had truly made it big and was thriving!
In the past, Du Yongmei wished her daughter would divorce Jiang Tao as soon as possible.
Now, she was starting to worry about them getting divorced.
"Men change when they get rich. I'll have to remind Lili to keep a close eye on her Jiang Tao and not let anyone steal him away."
"But Jiang Tao doesn't seem like that kind of person, does he?"
Du Yongmei had some faith in Jiang Tao's character but couldn't help worrying a little.
"Let's go, get in the car. I'll take you to the place where you'll be staying. Tonight, I've booked a welcome banquet."
After Jiang Tao ushered everyone into the car, he drove toward Baigezhuang New Village.
It was rush hour in the late afternoon, and it took an hour and a half to get from the train station to the neighborhood.
After parking downstairs, Jiang Tao and Xu Li took the father-in-law's family of three upstairs to see the apartment.
"Dad, Mom, this apartment is mine and my husband's. Treat it like your own home—make yourselves comfortable."
"All the bedding, daily necessities, and kitchenware were newly bought by my in-laws."
"If you need anything else, just let me know."
After entering, Xu Li showed her parents around the apartment.
"It's great, really great. Having such a big apartment in Beijing is impressive."
Du Yongmei looked at the apartment's size, decor, and furnishings, praising it repeatedly.
In Beijing, even a modest apartment would cost three to five million yuan. Houses in Ping County were nowhere near comparable!
The value of Jiang Tao's apartment already surpassed the wealth Xu Wencheng had accumulated through most of his life!
Xu Sha looked at her sister's spacious apartment with envy in her eyes.
In the past, one of her strict requirements for a partner was that he had to own a fully paid house in Ping County, at least 130 square meters.
She didn't want to spend her married life scrimping to pay off a mortgage!
Now, seeing the big apartment her sister had provided for her and her parents.
While envying her sister, she began to wonder.
Should she raise her standards to a house in Beijing?
A little later, Jiang Tao's parents also came over to meet and chat with their in-laws.
That evening, Jiang Tao and his father drove two cars, taking the entire family to Beijing Grand Hotel.
Jiang Tao had reserved a 18,888-yuan banquet to welcome his father-in-law's family.
It wasn't that he was intentionally showing off.
It was almost the end of the month, and besides the 50,000 yuan he'd recently spent on his parents using the [Filial Piety Card], there was still over 40,000 yuan left!
This welcome banquet for his in-laws qualified for using the money in the [Filial Piety Card].
Jiang Tao also wanted to take advantage of his in-laws' visit to experience a legendary ultra-luxurious meal.
Upon entering and seeing the opulent, golden decor, Xu Wencheng and Du Yongmei couldn't help but sigh in awe.
The Xu family had paid off their house and had seven or eight hundred thousand yuan in savings.
Xu Wencheng himself had a stable job earning over 10,000 yuan a month.
In Ping County, the Xu family was in the middle class—better off than some, but not the elite.
They had essentially achieved "food freedom" and "fruit freedom."
After all, in a small 28th-tier county like Ping County, the cost of living was relatively low.
But compared to Beijing's high consumption levels, it was a world apart!
Tonight's meal alone cost what an average worker in Ping County might earn in half a year.
Even for Xu Wencheng, who earned over 10,000 yuan a month, he'd never experienced such a high-end banquet in his life.
A waiter led them to a private room, and soon the dishes began to arrive.
At the center of the table was a dazzling caviar platter.
It contained Ossetra caviar imported from Russia.
Each caviar bead was plump, round, and translucent, as if it held the essence of the sea, exuding a rich and unique oceanic aroma.
They were meticulously arranged into a small mound, decorated with fresh ice and delicate lemon slices.
This caviar dish alone cost two to three thousand yuan.
Next to it was Australian wagyu steak.
This wagyu lived a far more luxurious life than the beef cattle raised in Tianjiazhuang.
In fact, it lived better than many people.
Raised on a top-tier Australian ranch, it grew up listening to music and receiving massages from ranch workers.
The meat was tender and fine, with each steak's marbling clear and beautiful.
Served on a white jade-like plate, it was like a work of art!
French blue lobster, the pinnacle of lobsters.
The blue lobster was massive, its shell a captivating azure that shimmered under the light.
The chef meticulously cleaned and cooked it with butter, garlic, herbs, and other seasonings.
Its tender meat and rich seafood flavor blended perfectly, each bite a gift from the ocean.
The seafood platter included fresh Japanese Mitsubishi scallops, Norwegian king crab legs, and New Zealand green-lipped mussels.
All were high-end ingredients imported from their places of origin.
There was also white truffle soup and matsutake mushroom rice.
And other dishes that looked incredibly upscale just at a glance.
Without the waiter's detailed explanations, the group wouldn't have recognized a single dish.
The ultimate in luxury!
From the grandeur of this welcome banquet, Xu Wencheng and his wife could feel how much their son-in-law valued them.
The meal lasted from just after 7 p.m. until past 9 p.m.
After returning to the neighborhood, everyone gathered in the apartment Jiang Tao and Xu Li had prepared for the in-laws, chatting until after 10 p.m.