The banquet organizer stepped onto the stage, lightly tapping a wine glass to draw everyone's attention.
Lin Yan took the opportunity to disengage from their conversation and walked towards the central stage.
"Host, it seems the male lead and you have your eyes on the same plot of land for this bidding," the system's voice held a hint of schadenfreude.
"There's nothing to it. It's all about who has the capability!"
"But host, I feel the male lead won't be able to compete with you." The system understood how wealthy its host was. Although the male lead's family appeared to be more prominent than the host's, the liquid funds he could mobilize were no match for its host. Moreover, the host had Ye Hao's money in addition to her own.
Its host's wealth in the stock market had already accumulated immensely, coupled with the profits from her investments in clothing and daily chemical brands. The system believed the male lead stood no chance against its host.
"He needs to face some setbacks, doesn't he? After all, one cannot have a smooth journey all the way. A sharp sword comes from grinding," Lin Yan said jokingly. A child of destiny, the center of the world; facing some setbacks would allow him to go further. If he couldn't withstand them, wasn't he too fragile? Thinking this, a hint of mockery appeared in Lin Yan's eyes!
"Oh, right, system. How is the female lead doing?" Lin Yan was a bit curious. Although she didn't have much interaction with the female lead, she quite admired the female lead from the original text.
"The female lead applied for a volunteer teaching position this year and went to a relatively remote rural area. She's already started teaching, and she's quite popular with the students."
"Is that so? Then I'll donate some money to that village later. It'll be a way to help improve her living conditions." Although Lin Yan was asking the system, she didn't intend to get its reply.
She felt a sense of debt towards this female lead. After all, she could have married the man she loved, even if she might later discover that the man she loved wasn't as she imagined. She could have lived a life of wealth and become a socialite. Of course, she didn't think Tian Tian was unhappy now. After all, one wouldn't feel loss for something they never had. But she wanted to help the female lead, to make her life a little easier!
By the time the banquet dispersed, Lin Yan hadn't managed to speak with Gu Ting and the others again. She then returned to the hotel she had booked.
As soon as she entered her room, Ye Hao's video call came through. Lin Yan accepted the call, and Ye Hao's face appeared on the laptop screen.
"How did you find the banquet today?" Ye Hao inquired.
"Not great! Very boring! If you weren't busy today, I wouldn't have had to come alone. You know everyone comes in pairs." Lin Yan complained.
"Others? Who?" Ye Hao asked, sounding confused.
"Gu Ting." As Lin Yan expected, the moment these two words were uttered, Ye Hao's expression soured. "What? He's engaged, so why are you still like this?"
"I don't think much of him!" Ye Hao said sternly.
"Yes, yes, yes. You don't think much of him, so why are you angry?" Lin Yan sat down at the vanity, slowly undoing her braided hair.
"I'm not angry."
"Mmm, you're not angry. But how much longer do you need to be busy? Around when can you come over?" Lin Yan placed the hair clip on the table.
"I should arrive tomorrow afternoon. We can stay there a few more days then and have some fun. After all, you've been quite tired these past few days, you can relax a bit first." Ye Hao's voice softened.
"Mmm, that's good. You can come pick me up after the meeting. But have you bought your car yet? We can't drive a rental again this time, especially since Gu Ting is here!" Lin Yan teased.
"Don't worry, I won't lose!" Hearing his stubborn words. He claimed he wasn't angry, yet Lin Yan couldn't understand why he was jealous.
For the next two days, the atmosphere at the bidding was tense. Although everyone was outwardly cordial, there was no such thing as friendship in the business world.
When it came to the plots Lin Yan had set her sights on, her casual demeanor and extremely high bids caused many to stare. After all, when she first appeared, many hadn't taken her seriously. She was too young, and too beautiful, which led everyone to believe she was just there to observe. But no one expected her to secure all the plots she bid on with such immense capital.
She hadn't even brought an assistant, just one bodyguard, and she handled everything herself. But it was this composure that made everyone acknowledge her as a formidable opponent.
Gu Ting lowered his raised hand. He couldn't compete with her, nor did he have her financial backing. If he persisted, he would barely make any profit.
He couldn't understand where she got so much money after only being abroad for four years. Or perhaps she found a wealthy boyfriend? It was hard for him not to suspect her in such a way.
He had actually noticed the seat card in front of Lin Yan that read "Chairman of Jing Yan Apparel." But he knew the Lin Yan from four years ago; they were very close then, and she didn't have that much money. The Lin Yan of four years later, spending such a sum without batting an eye, forced him to consider other possibilities!
"Gu Ting, are you alright?" Shen Wenlin asked with concern, seeing his dazed expression.
"I'm fine. It's just that my objective for this trip wasn't achieved, so it was a wasted trip." Gu Ting glanced at Lin Yan again, his gaze filled with complex emotions.
"It's okay. We can look at other cities. My dad said a few subway lines are under construction, you can check out the surrounding areas in advance," Shen Wenlin comforted Gu Ting softly. "It's okay that we didn't get this plot."
"Mmm, thank you, Linlin." Gu Ting pulled his thoughts back.
"It's nothing! But your classmate is really rich! Is she the chairman of Jing Yan? Jing Yan's clothes are indeed very good. They're completely on par with international big brands. But why is she buying so many plots?" Shen Wenlin asked curiously.
"Who knows? Let's not worry about her. We'll head back soon, and you should get some rest. You've been accompanying me for so long these past few days, you must be exhausted." Gu Ting gently stroked Shen Wenlin's hair.
Leaving the banquet hall, Lin Yan was about to politely decline those who wished to engage her in conversation when an arm wrapped around her waist. The familiar scent told her it was Ye Hao.
Lin Yan turned her head and indeed saw his familiar face. "You're here!"
"Mmm. Just arrived." Ye Hao replied, then turned to those who were trying to speak with his Yan Yan and said, "Apologies, my girlfriend is a bit tired. Can I take her back to rest? Here's my business card. If we have the chance, we can invite you to dinner another time."
Ye Hao distributed his business cards and then led Lin Yan towards the parking lot. This time, he wasn't driving a rental. He drove the car he had bought a couple of days prior. He had asked a friend to buy it for him abroad, so its arrival was delayed. He had ordered it before returning to China, but it only arrived now. The two of them drove back to the hotel together.
Gu Ting stood in place, watching their departing figures as his heart ached. He suddenly seemed to understand the saying "meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land."