Recently, Zhao Jianhua felt his luck was unstoppable, never expecting the Huangfu Group to approach his construction team.
Although it was a small project, getting involved with people from the Huangfu Group was almost unimaginable.
During the construction of Jinyi Building, he personally oversaw the work. This was a rare opportunity, and he was determined to make a deep impression on the Huangfu Group personnel so they would consider him for future projects.
What he didn't expect was to meet Huangfu Sishu while supervising this minor renovation project, and they hit it off quite well.
Huangfu Sishu had invited him to dine at a high-end club tonight, which delighted him immensely.
Although Huangfu Sishu held no real power, he was still a member of the Huangfu family. Establishing a connection with the Huangfu family was akin to finding an inexhaustible money bag.
The Huangfu family were major players in Lancheng's financial world; no group or company in Lancheng did not hope for their favor and investment.
At the appointed time, he arrived at a VIP private room in the high-end club. He discovered that Huangfu Sishu had invited not only him but also several general managers from financial companies, which was more than he could have hoped for.
If he could build good relationships with these people, his group would no longer have to worry about funding issues in the future, nor would he have to beg for favors or be controlled by people like Xie Zhendong.
During the dinner, he made an effort to showcase himself, praising his group to the skies, and drank quite a bit. By the time the gathering dispersed, he was tipsy.
After seeing off the others, Huangfu Sishu personally supported him, asked for his address, and offered to send someone to take him home, showing no pretense.
Zhao Jianhua gave his address, and Huangfu Sishu had his luxury car sent to take him home.
His wife, Zhang Yuyun, helped him out of the car and chatted with the driver who had brought him. She learned that the driver was from the Huangfu family, thanked him politely, and then had the household servants help him to his room.
Zhang Yuyun wanted to ask him what was going on, how it was that a Huangfu family car had brought him back, but he had already passed out drunk.
Waking up the next morning, Zhao Jianhua found himself in his own bed, his clothes changed.
Zhang Yuyun was asleep by his bedside, apparently having taken care of him all night, which surprised and pleased him.
In the past, when he came home drunk, Zhang Yuyun would never have bothered with him.
He nudged her and said, "Go back to your room to sleep. Sleeping like this is very uncomfortable."
"You're sober now, have some more water," Zhang Yuyun said, getting up to pour him a glass of water.
Zhao Jianhua took the glass, looked at her, and thought she had finally let go of past grievances.
"Thank you, we..."
"Why was a Huangfu family driver bringing you back last night? Are you very familiar with the Huangfu family?" Zhang Yuyun asked directly.
Zhao Jianhua, having been drunk last night, couldn't recall how he got back. He said, "Huangfu Sishu even sent someone to bring me back, how thoughtful of him."
"Huangfu Sishu? You were drinking and dining with him?" Zhang Yuyun asked, surprised.
Zhao Jianhua proudly replied, "Yes, at dinner last night were also other big shots from the financial world. I finally got to know quite a few wealthy patrons. We won't have to worry about funding issues anymore."
Zhang Yuyun said disbelievingly, "Is there such a good thing? Why would Huangfu Sishu be so attentive to you? Does he have some ulterior motive?"
"I'm not as rich as he is; our small group can't compare to their Huangfu family. What could he want from me?" Zhao Jianhua thought she was overthinking.
"You must have some value to him," Zhang Yuyun warned him. "This might be an opportunity, but you need to be careful, keep your wits about you, and don't end up ruining ourselves."
"What value could I possibly have to him?" Zhao Jianhua couldn't understand.
Zhang Yuyun had said what she needed to say and didn't want to elaborate further. "If you continue to associate with him, you'll naturally find out."
With that, she left his room and went back to rest.
Zhao Jianhua was somewhat bewildered. Zhang Yuyun's words were not without reason.
There was no such thing as a free lunch. Whether to eat this pie, and how to eat it, still required some consideration.
...
Tonight, the group had matters to attend to, and Tianyi was working overtime and hadn't returned.
Susu was telling the two children a story. After they fell asleep, she returned to her room and couldn't find her phone anywhere.
She remembered checking her phone when she got home. After dinner, Hengheng and Tiantian insisted that their mother accompany them, so she put her phone aside.
She searched the living room and dining room again but still couldn't find it.
Suddenly, she remembered that Xiaoxing had not sought her out after dinner, nor had he come to the children's room to play with his younger siblings.
During dinner, he had kept glancing at her phone. Could this little one have taken it to play games?
The thought of Xiaoxing also developing the habit of secretly taking adult phones to play games made her a little annoyed, and she went to Xiaoxing's room.
She found him already lying in bed, covered by the blanket, with his eyes closed as if asleep.
Susu didn't expose his feigned sleep nor immediately lecture him. She sat by his bed, reached out, and gently stroked his head, tucking the blanket in for him.
Xiaoxing couldn't maintain his pretense and opened his eyes, looking at her and calling out, "Mom."
"You're not asleep yet?" Susu asked, smiling at him.
He slowly took one hand out from under the blanket, holding her phone, and returned it to her, saying, "I'm sorry, here's your phone back."
Susu took her phone and said, "If you want to play games in the future, just tell me directly. I'll download them onto the tablet, so it won't be as hard on your eyes."
Xiaoxing pouted aggrievedly and said, "Mom, I didn't want to play games. I just wanted to use your phone to contact Uncle Xiao."
"What do you want to contact Uncle Xiao for?" Susu asked, surprised.
Xiaoxing whispered, "To ask him for Xiaoxiao's contact information."
Susu said "oh" and asked, "Did you get it? Did you manage to contact Xiaoxiao?"
Xiaoxing shook his head while lying down. "Uncle Xiao didn't answer the phone."
Susu thought that Tianyi was working overtime at the group, and An Jing was likely working with him.
They might be in a meeting, with their phones on vibrate.
"Uncle Xiao is probably busy with work with Dad, that's why he didn't answer," Susu explained, then stroked his head again to comfort him. "Uncle Xiao will reply when he sees it."
Seeing that Susu wasn't blaming him, Xiaoxing's voice grew louder. "Mom, you all don't want me to contact Xiaoxiao, right? I asked Dad before, wanting Uncle Xiao to tell me Xiaoxiao's current contact information, but Dad unhappily told me not to inquire about this matter again and to forget Xiaoxiao."
Susu was slightly taken aback. She hadn't realized Tianyi had spoken so directly to the child.
It seemed the child couldn't accept Tianyi's explanation at all. She bent down and hugged Xiaoxing.
"Xiaoxiao has gone to live with her birth father and needs a period of adjustment. Your father's intention is that it's best if we don't disturb her now. If you contact her, it will only make her miss us more, and she won't be able to settle down and live there."