The Zhejiang business group is known nationwide as a close-knit and wealthy circle. The tea exhibition had been a great success, and the tea association’s executives were quite pleased. The celebration banquet was set in a prestigious hotel in Jinling, with a grand private room featuring a high ceiling and a large round table that could seat 25 to 30 people.
Most of the Zhejiang entrepreneurs were down-to-earth, as many of them had built their businesses from scratch. Familiar with one another, they joked freely without concern for formality.
When people from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas speak Mandarin, it has a slight accent, regardless of their age. For instance, the lady boss who Zhou Yuwen helped sell tea earlier—though in her forties—had sold 30,000 yuan worth of tea in one go and was still delighted, sharing her joy with her friends.
“Oh, when I saw foreign guests, I thought, ‘Let’s go easy on them; I’ll sell it at 2,500.’ But that young man translated, and they went straight for ‘OK, 3,000, ten boxes!’ Hahaha! I was just thrilled, hahaha!”
It was clear this wealthy lady was genuinely happy.
As she laughed and shared her story, Zhou Yuwen and Tao Tian entered.
Seeing Zhou Yuwen, the lady’s eyes lit up. “Ah! It’s this young man! Such a talent! What brings you here?”
She warmly clasped Zhou Yuwen’s hand, as if reuniting with a long-lost son.
Zhou Yuwen glanced over at Wan Tao, who was conversing with so people on the balcony, and replied, “Mr. Wan invited .”
Just then, Wan Tao entered from the balcony.
Unlike the other Zhejiang entrepreneurs who were mostly laid-back, Wan Tao, as the vice president of the Zhejiang Tea Association, maintained a certain formality. Spotting Zhou Yuwen, he nodded and said, “You’re here?”
Zhou Yuwen nodded back. Wan Tao then said, “Now that everyone’s arrived, please, let’s take our seats.”
As everyone began to sit down, the attendees included not only tea association mbers but also the heads of the event’s planning company and other key figures.
Tao Tian, as it turned out, had been wise to insist on joining Zhou Yuwen. Although Zhao Jun had initially invited the girls to “celebrate,” it was likely a lesser gathering of the company’s lower-level staff, more about eating and drinking. In contrast, this gathering was for the top tier, where such unwelco advances were generally absent, as it was a formal business setting with both n and won.
With so experience in Jinling’s business circles, Zhou Yuwen recognized the caliber of the cold dishes on the table, estimating the banquet’s cost.
Two servers stood at the door, each handling two bottles of Moutai and two premium red wines.
“Young man, sit by !” the cheerful lady boss from earlier insisted, pulling Zhou Yuwen to sit beside her.
Naturally, Tao Tian followed suit and sat down as well.
The lady boss, still holding Zhou Yuwen’s hand, continued to chat with him warmly, asking about his age, whether he had a girlfriend, and even offering to introduce him to a potential match.
“Hey, Old Chang, don’t scare the young man!” soone teased, making the table laugh.
She rolled her eyes playfully at them.
Seated at the head of the table, Wan Tao cleared his throat, “Shall we start?”
With Wan Tao speaking, the lady restrained her enthusiasm, and the servers began serving the dishes and pouring wine.
Wan Tao was a refined man. Since he had invited Zhou Yuwen, he was careful to ensure Zhou felt comfortable, showing him proper respect. As a server poured wine, Wan Tao specifically asked, “Would you mind having a drink?”
“I can handle a little,” Zhou Yuwen replied politely. Recognizing the premium Moutai, he decided it would be a sha to miss out.
Wan Tao nodded, though he didn’t even glance at Tao Tian, aware of her different social standing in this context. The server, however, did pour her a glass as well.
Initially, Tao Tian felt a bit nervous at her first formal banquet, but as no one seed to pay her any attention, she quickly grew a bit deflated. At school, she was always the center of attention, but here, no one looked at her twice.
The gathering opened with a toast to the head of the planning company, with Wan Tao comnding his efforts on the event’s successful completion.
The planning company president, Mr. Gao, had also brought along a strikingly beautiful assistant. As Wan Tao raised his glass, Mr. Gao respectfully lowered his cup in deference.
Mr. Gao responded modestly, attributing their success to Wan Tao’s support and downplaying his role.
For Zhou Yuwen, still just a student, this setting was primarily for gaining exposure. However, his previous life experience ant he understood his place, eating quietly without drawing attention.
The lady boss beside Zhou Yuwen was quite attentive, frequently serving him dishes and proudly explaining, “The seafood here is their specialty—flown in fresh!”
Zhou Yuwen couldn’t help but smile at her doting deanor.
As Wan Tao made his rounds toasting the guests, conversations flowed freely about business, vacations, cars, and villas, with property prices at the Lanting developnt in Jinling ntioned frequently.
At one point, they talked stocks, discussing recent als with Ma Yun and the impressive performance of Hundsun Technologies in the stock market.
Tao Tian, listening with rapt attention, was eager to absorb all she could, hoping to learn from these successful figures.
For most people, the words of industry leaders carry a certain authority, and Tao Tian earnestly listened, hoping to gain so wisdom on investnts.
In contrast, Zhou Yuwen remained composed, savoring the Moutai’s unique flavor and the overpriced greens, which tasted crisper than any he’d had elsewhere.
Eventually, Wan Tao’s gaze turned to Zhou Yuwen, signaled by a subtle nod from Mr. Gao, who introduced him, “This is Zhou Yuwen, also known as Xiao Zhou.”
Zhou Yuwen had already t Mr. Gao, so the introduction didn’t feel out of place. He rose slightly in acknowledgnt.
“No need to stand. You’ve got talent, young man,” Wan Tao praised.
Others chid in with their approval, particularly a bald man who gave Zhou Yuwen a thumbs-up, exclaiming, “This kid speaks fantastic English!”
“He really does! Helped those foreigners find their way!”
Wan Tao, observing with satisfaction, said, “Mr. Gao, don’t let such a talent slip through your fingers.”
Mr. Gao chuckled, feigning modesty. “Oh, he’s invaluable.”
One guest, clearly tipsy, blurted out, “Kid, how much is Old Gao paying you? Co work for
instead!”
Zhou Yuwen smiled and clarified that he wasn’t employed by the planning company but was just a student gaining experience.
“A student? Impressive!” the bald man exclaid.
Wan Tao, watching with a smile, suggested to Mr. Gao, “Don’t lose such a talent, Mr. Gao.”
“To be sure!” Mr. Gao, a bit tipsy himself, joked that he’d sign Zhou Yuwen on as soon as they returned.
The bald man, persistent, chid in, “Hey, co be my translator with that English of yours!”
Given the age gap of at least a decade or two between Zhou Yuwen and the other guests, he responded politely, keeping to himself.
At one point, they discussed the foreigners who’d attended the exhibition. Wan Tao casually revealed that Tom, the man Zhou Yuwen had helped, was a lead engineer for a major foreign corporation with considerable authority. This revelation caught the table’s attention, as it underscored the significance of Zhou Yuwen’s encounter.
Appreciating Zhou Yuwen’s ability, Wan Tao asked if he had any relevant work experience. Zhou Yuwen simply shook his head.
“I noticed that those students seed to respect you, and that girl with you…”
To most guests, Tao Tian was clearly Zhou Yuwen’s girlfriend, and they took her presence as an indicator of his influence over the students.
Zhou Yuwen explained, “This is part of our Student Union’s community outreach project to help students apply their skills in real-world scenarios.”
“Oh, right—he’s the Student Union President of Xianlin University City,” Mr. Gao added, as if just rembering.
“Not bad, impressive for soone so young!” This, though mostly flattery, was based on their acknowledgnt of his capabilities.
Wan Tao then casually asked, “How about pouring
a drink?” effectively signaling Zhou Yuwen to bring him a glass.
Without hesitation, Zhou Yuwen obliged, understanding that this simple gesture was significant.
The bald man chid in jokingly, “Hey, Old Wan, why don’t you make him your godson?”
Everyone laughed, but Wan Tao simply smiled, not actually interested in such a gesture.
Wan Tao then pulled out his phone, “Let’s add each other on WeChat.”
After they exchanged contacts, Wan Tao shared that the Zhejiang Tea Association would be hosting exhibitions in Hefei and Suzhou and asked if Zhou Yuwen was interested in joining as a planner.
Wan Tao’s keen eye recognized Zhou Yuwen’s talent, and he knew that hiring Zhou would be more cost-effective than the planning company.
Zhou Yuwen politely declined.
Wan Tao pressed, “Do you know how much I paid your boss, Mr. Gao, for this event?”
Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Mr. Gao looked away.
Zhou Yuwen replied, “That’s between you and Mr. Gao. I’m just here for the experience.”
The guests laughed, and
Mr. Gao managed a polite smile.
Unperturbed, Wan Tao raised three fingers. “300,000 yuan. That’s what I paid Mr. Gao!”
Zhou Yuwen remained neutral, his expression unchanged.
Seeing this, Wan Tao’s enthusiasm dimd slightly, and after sharing another drink, he let the matter drop.
As the evening wound down, a few guests finally noticed Tao Tian’s presence, raising a glass and saying, “Co on, a drink with Xiao Zhou’s girlfriend!”
Unaccustod to such situations, Tao Tian stood to accept, but Zhou Yuwen quickly intervened.
Smiling apologetically, he said, “Sorry, she can’t hold her liquor. How about I drink with you instead?”
Reluctantly, the man accepted, grinning, “Fine, I’ll have a drink with you then.”
As the rounds continued, guests began smoking, offering Zhou Yuwen a cigarette.
Not wanting to smoke, he hesitated, prompting Tao Tian to ask, “Not smoking?”
Zhou Yuwen, a bit tipsy, looked at her and quipped, “You hold onto it for .”
At around 9:30, Zhou Yuwen feigned being too drunk to avoid further drinks, saying he needed to head back to school.
As an unimportant guest, no one objected, seeing him out with casual farewells.
Tao Tian, struggling to support him alone, was helped by the lady boss as they escorted him to the hotel entrance and hailed a cab.
Inside, with the window rolled down, the cool night air helped Zhou Yuwen clear his head.
The lady boss instructed Tao Tian, “Make him so honey water when you get back. You have honey, right?”
Tao Tian nodded and took note as the driver pulled away.
Looking at him with concern, she said, “I could’ve held my own. You didn’t need to cover for .”
“What?” Zhou Yuwen asked.
She leaned in closer, repeating her words in his ear.
Gazing at her affectionately, Zhou Yuwen blew lightly on her ear, replying, “If you drank one glass, would you keep drinking every ti soone toasted you?”
“?” It took Tao Tian a mont to realize he was right—if he’d let her drink, every other guest would surely follow suit, eager to see a girl drunk.
But feeling slighted, she huffed and threw herself into his arms, pouting, “Can you stop treating
like a child?”
Zhou Yuwen glanced at her, “But you are one.”
This only made her more annoyed, and she murmured softly, “I could bite you right now!”
Spurred by an uncharacteristic boldness, she gently bit his earlobe, resting fully in his arms, nestled close, with her head against his shoulder as he turned to watch the night view through the window.
Her quiet voice cut through the hum of the car, “Don’t you want to look at ?”
She wore a fitted tank dress and a loose sweater, which had slipped slightly as she lay against him. Her eyes sparkled in the dim light as she gazed up at him, hoping he’d glance her way.
Reviews
All reviews (0)