"Yangzi, you're back without even a word. Have you forgotten about us?" Li Minxi emerged from inside.
"I just got back yesterday, why are you all here?"
"Brother, I've missed you so much." A fat man, like a rolling ball, came over and hugged him tightly.
Who else could it be but Pi Xiaoqian?
"Fatty said it. Otherwise, how would we know?" Li Minxi replied.
"Don't be so disrespectful all the time. Brother! I'm your Brother Qian, alright?" Pi Xiaoqian said.
"See? I told you as soon as my brother got back, so I'm still your brother, right?"
"Tch. Even if you hadn't told me, I would have found out anyway. Isn't there Mr. Wu?"
"Would Mr. Wu tell you? Mr. Wu didn't even tell me. If I hadn't called him this morning, he wouldn't have remembered to tell me."
"Uh, yesterday there was a special situation, please don't blame me." Wu Youzhi felt a bit embarrassed by Pi Xiaoqian's jab.
"I didn't let him say it yesterday," Cheng Xiuping interjected.
"Yesterday, Director Jiang was hosting a welcoming dinner for Director Guo, so you weren't invited. This is all my fault. Please don't blame Mr. Wu."
With everyone listening to Cheng Xiuping, it was awkward to continue teasing Wu Youzhi.
"I'm hosting today, let's all have a lively evening together," Cheng Xiuping continued.
"Don't be stingy with me. We'll drink Erguotou."
"Uncle Cheng, you can't be that cheap, there are girls here too."
"You guys drink juice. Children shouldn't drink alcohol."
Cheng Xiuping's words stirred up a hornet's nest.
"Who's a child? Ranran is an adult, and I'm older than her. You can't just allow officials to start fires while forbidding the common people to light lamps. Don't you think so?"
Li Minxi's lips moved quickly, spewing out a string of words.
"Then let's drink some red wine," Cheng Xiuping said.
"Fatty, you'll drink red wine with us later. Yangzi, who is this beautiful young lady? Aren't you going to introduce her?" Li Minxi glanced at Iliana and asked.
"This is my friend Iliana, whom I met in South Africa. She's Brother Liang's partner. This is Lu Liang, Brother Liang, Director Jiang's capable subordinate."
Guo Xuyang introduced the two to Fatty and the others.
"This beautiful lady is Li Minxi, and this is Su Ran, Li Minxi's friend. This is Pi Xiaoqian, my brother."
Pi Xiaoqian was very happy when Guo Xuyang introduced him this way.
"We'll get to know each other better from now on. I have a small shop in Panjiayuan, and you're both welcome to visit. If you need anything, just come and pick. I guarantee cost price." He promoted his little shop with all his might.
"Certainly, certainly, we'll definitely visit in the future," Lu Liang said.
"Hey, Fatty, Brother Liang also retired from your unit. Perhaps you know each other?" Guo Xuyang said.
"Really? Which unit did Brother Liang retire from?"
"That's not convenient to say. There are regulations."
"Oh. Then it must be a very elite unit. Ordinary units wouldn't have such confidentiality regulations."
"Alright, let's chat after we eat. It's getting late, and I'm sure everyone is hungry. Let's go eat," Cheng Xiuping said.
Everyone followed Cheng Xiuping to the restaurant, and the nine of them filled one table perfectly.
Today, Cheng Xiuping sat as the main host, Wu Youzhi as the deputy host, Jiang Qixin as the main guest, and Guo Xuyang as the deputy guest.
Iliana sat next to Guo Xuyang, with Li Minxi and Su Ran next to Iliana.
Lu Liang sat next to Jiang Qixin, and Pi Xiaoqian sat with Wu Youzhi.
"This dinner has two purposes: one is to thank Director Jiang for his kindness, and the other is to invite Director Jiang to invest in our jade business," Cheng Xiuping said, raising his glass.
"I know Director Jiang has a large business domestically and internationally. If you're interested in jade, we can do business together."
"What are the terms?" Jiang Qixin asked.
"Mr. Wu, Brother Guo, and I, along with Xiao Yun, have established a jade company. We mainly purchase rough stones and cut and sell jade. We had a small trial run recently, and our profits multiplied over fifty times. So, we'd like to invite Director Jiang to invest as well."
"How much? Over fifty times? Is it really that amazing?" Jiang Qixin was very surprised.
"It's not us who are amazing. It's Brother Guo. In Jieyang, he earned over ten billion with less than ten million."
"Your calculation is wrong! It should be a thousand times."
"When it comes to this matter, we have to thank President Pi for his contribution," Cheng Xiuping said.
"When we first went to Jieyang, Mr. Wu, Xiao Yun, and I each put in less than three million to buy a rough stone. Brother Guo spent seven hundred thousand to buy a rough stone.
Brother Guo's rough stone was cut and sold to President Pi for fifty-two million.
Mr. Wu's was bought by President Pi for eighty million.
Mine was bought by President Pi for ninety-eight million.
Xiao Yun's sold for thirty million.
Later, Brother Guo used these over two hundred million to buy rough stones and transported them all back to the provincial capital.
A while ago, Mr. Wu told me that the company account already had over ten billion.
There are still about one-fifth of the rough stones that haven't been cut.
That's why I say it multiplied over fifty times."
"No way? Brother, aren't I the big fool here?" Pi Xiaoqian called out to Guo Xuyang from the side.
"Let me ask you, did the jade you bought make money?" Guo Xuyang asked.
"It did."
"Then what are you complaining about? You made money."
"No, this is like 'you can't get rich without killing the poor'." Pi Xiaoqian spoke a bit carelessly.
"What do you mean 'can't get rich without killing the poor'? We were the poor ones back then. Your wording is inaccurate. It should be 'rob the rich to help the poor'."
"I spent over two hundred million and only made a little, while you made over ten billion with less than ten million. It's just not fair."
"Be content. Didn't you get goods from me? You contributed to this over ten billion as well," Wu Youzhi added from the side.
"No way. I'm investing too. I don't care, I have to invest next time too," Pi Xiaoqian said.
He was practically about to stand up and cling to Guo Xuyang like a spoiled child.
"So today I want to invite Director Jiang to invest. The rough stones will be almost depleted soon.
We are preparing to go to Myanmar with Brother Guo for a big score. What does Director Jiang think?"
At this moment, Jiang Qixin had a new understanding of Guo Xuyang through the conversation.
This kid is truly a treasure boy. His ability must be clairvoyance or the ability to see through the superficiality of things.
He now firmly believed that Guo Xuyang possessed supernatural abilities.
"Okay, I'll invest ten billion and take a stake."
"No, Director Jiang, with you investing so much, how can I still invest?" Pi Xiaoqian cried out in distress.
"How about this: this time we go to Myanmar, we'll prepare a hundred billion for seed capital. Director Jiang will invest ten billion for a ten percent stake.
President Pi, you can invest as much as you want, the more the better.
Anyone present who wishes to invest, no matter the amount, I will accept," Cheng Xiuping said, looking at everyone.
Cheng Xiuping's words were directed at Lu Liang, Iliana, and the others.