Chapter 374: Is It Possible You're the One Who Was Picked Up

On New Year's Eve, Chen Zong lay on a soft couch by the pool, replying to messages with his left hand while scattering fish food with his right; it looked less like feeding fish and more like tossing rice seedlings.

Before his rebirth, he spent every New Year's Eve this way, with a different girl by his side each year.

The last girl who stayed by his side was Cheng Guo; two days ago at the Yunsu Express annual meeting, he had seen this little girl again, who had tricked a big red envelope out of his pocket.

"Buzz buzz buzz—!"

The phone suddenly vibrated.

Chen Yansen glanced at the caller ID; it was Wang Zihao. Without thinking much, he casually pressed the answer button.

"Brother Sen, have you eaten?" Wang Zihao asked with a grin.

"The chef is prepping the dishes; it'll probably be eight o'clock." Chen Yansen swept his divine sense over the kitchen and replied nonchalantly.

"Uncle Chen is at my place; my dad is keeping him company for a drink," Wang Zihao said.

"Keep an eye on him; he can only handle one cup," Chen Yansen instructed.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Wang Zihao promised, patting his chest.

"Your sister..." Chen Yansen opened his mouth, about to ask something, but swallowed the words back down, then said instead, "Give my regards to Uncle Wang and Aunt Wen."

"Brother Sen, actually, I don't quite get it: you used to bully Ziyan all the time when we were kids, so why is she closer to you than to me now? People who don't know might think you're her real brother," Wang Zihao couldn't help but complain.

She doesn't want me to be her brother at all!

Chen Yansen sneered coldly.

At this moment, Wang Zihao hadn't yet realized it; after all, in his memory, when Chen Yansen and Wang Ziyan first met, his sister was still a snotty little brat.

"We're brothers; are you jealous of me?" Chen Yansen teased with a smile.

"That's not it; I just feel she's turning her elbow outward. Tell me, could it be that she..." Wang Zihao paused.

Chen Yansen's heart tightened; he forced a dry laugh and asked, "What is it?"

"I suspect she was the one our dad picked up; otherwise, why isn't she close to me at all?" Wang Zihao continued.

Chen Yansen breathed a sigh of relief, then joked, "Uncle Wang has sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, with a tall build; Aunt Wen looks like she was a great beauty in her youth. Tell me, is it possible that you're the one who was picked up?"

Wang Zihao was slightly stunned; he couldn't help but recall the little details of his life from childhood to now. It seemed Wang Zhanjun was especially strict with him but very lenient with Wang Ziyan, acting like a total daughter slave.

"Brother Sen, could it really be?" Wang Zihao hung his head, his face full of bitterness.

"Just kidding; your and Uncle Wang's eyebrow shapes are identical; even a printer isn't that precise." Chen Yansen rolled his eyes and said irritably.

"Brother Sen, Happy New Year; Ziyan is calling me to set off fireworks in the yard," Wang Zihao said.

"Brother, are you on the phone? Is it Chen Yansen?"

Hearing the familiar voice from the receiver, Chen Yansen couldn't help but smile knowingly.

"Yes; do you want to wish Brother Sen a Happy New Year?" Wang Zihao turned his head and asked.

Wang Ziyan wore a fiery red down jacket; under the glow of the fireworks, her face was as white as jade, her peach-blossom eyes shimmering with watery luster, and the tear mole beneath her eye was faintly visible.

"Great; give me the phone." Wang Ziyan opened her small hands and said.

Chen Yansen looked at the hang-up button; just as his finger lifted, he heard Wang Ziyan say in a soft, sticky voice, "Brother Yansen, thank you for my New Year's gift. I've prepared a gift for you too; send your delivery address to my QQ, and I'll mail it to you."

"Let Zihao bring it to me." Chen Yansen was very alert.

"Do you hate me?" Wang Ziyan fell silent for a few seconds, then suddenly asked.

"I see you as my own sister; how could I hate you? Don't think wild thoughts." Chen Yansen comforted her offhandedly, thinking: This girl's intuition is quite sharp.

Own sister?

Wang Ziyan felt a block in her chest; her expression was not very happy.

"So, your current address is something even your own sister can't know?" Wang Ziyan countered.

"Couriers often lose packages; it's safer to have your brother bring it to me." Chen Yansen explained calmly.

He had quite a way with dealing with Wang Ziyan.

Three minutes later, Chen Zong hung up the phone; the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a faint smile.

Even if seventeen-year-old Wang Ziyan was as smart as she was, she was absolutely no match for him; besides, he had a cheat code.

"Boss, dinner is ready!"

At this moment, Ye Qiuping, wearing an apron, stood at the living room doorway and called softly.

Chen Yansen raised his hand and glanced at his wristwatch: 7:43.

He had to admit, Ye Shi Fu cooked both well and fast.

Chen Yansen rolled off the couch, put on his slippers, and strolled slowly to the dining table.

Bifenggang Australian lobster, steamed grouper, garlic-backed prawns, celery stir-fried with squid flowers, mouth-watering chicken, duck stir-fried with young ginger—eight dishes in total, beautifully plated, with perfect color, aroma, and taste.

"After the New Year, I'll transfer you to the cafeteria." Chen Yansen gave the highest praise.

"I put rat poison in the soup; I'm afraid you won't last until after the New Year." Ye Qiuping said with a smile.

"I don't believe you." Chen Yansen deliberately ladled a bowl of kidney bean and pig trotter soup, drank more than half of it in one go, then commented, "The taste is a bit bland."

"I made a dipping sauce for you." Ye Qiuping pressed her lips into a smile and brought out a bowl of dipping sauce floating with red chili oil from the kitchen.

After sitting down, Chen Yansen said to Ye Qiuping, "Let's eat; Boss Ye has worked hard."

"Serving the boss is my pleasure." Ye Qiuping twisted her body slightly and said coquettishly.

"Smack!"

Chen Yansen said seriously, "Stop twisting around; sit properly."

Ye Qiuping felt pain and instinctively rubbed her buttocks.

"Knock knock knock—!" A sound of knocking on the door came.

"Your dad?" Ye Qiuping asked.

"Half an hour ago, Old Chen was still in Chunshen; he can't fly." Chen Yansen rolled his eyes at her, then used his divine sense to investigate.

It was Song Yuncheng!

Chen Yansen frowned slightly, glanced at Ye Qiuping, thought for a few seconds, and said, "Quick, find a place to hide."

Ye Qiuping looked at the table of freshly cooked dishes, rubbed her flat belly, helplessly picked up her shoes, coat, and backpack, and hurried upstairs.

With a mere thought, Chen Yansen sent the extra set of bowls and chopsticks flying back into the kitchen.

Once everything was handled, he walked out of the living room at a leisurely pace, crossed the garden, and opened the front door.

Song Yuncheng threw herself into his arms like a stray cat that had finally spotted its master after many days.

"Master, I missed you." Song Yuncheng nuzzled against him in his arms, speaking in a soft, gentle voice.

"We haven't seen each other for only two days; did you have dinner?" Chen Yansen felt amused and顺势 lifted her up.

"I ate a little bit." Song Yunching gestured with her hand.

From Lujiang to Xucheng is over three hundred kilometers, a drive of three or four hours; fortunately, tonight was New Year's Eve, there was little traffic on the road, she drove at the speed limit the whole way, and it took only three and a half hours.

"Let's eat together." Chen Yansen carried her into the living room.

"Did you make this?" Song Yuncheng jumped down from his arms, stared at the table full of dishes, and looked completely shocked.

"A home chef hired from a restaurant." When Chen Yansen lied, his face never flushed and his heart never skipped a beat.

"I happened to get hungry; it seems I arrived at just the right time." Song Yuncheng smiled sweetly and said.

Having finished speaking, she took a set of bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen. Chen Yansen opened a bottle of rice wine brought by Ye Qiuping, poured a cup for Song Yuncheng, and then poured one for himself.

"Master, let's spend next year's New Year in Chunshen again; if I don't come, you'll have to eat the New Year's Eve dinner alone."

Song Yuncheng picked up a piece of lobster meat and put it in her mouth; her eyes instantly lit up, and she gave a thumbs-up, praising, "This chef's skills are really good."

"We'll see about that." Chen Yansen lifted the rice wine and took a gentle sip.

Sweet and cold, carrying a hint of rice fragrance; obviously, Ye Qiuping had refrigerated it in the fridge for several hours.

The two ate and chatted; before long, Song Yuncheng had drunk until her small face was flushed red, and even a pale pink hue had risen on her neck.

"The alcohol content of this rice wine seems a bit high, huh." Song Yuncheng propped her chin with her hand, tilted her head, and said.

"Then drink less." Chen Yansen pretended, reaching to confiscate her cup.

"But it tastes so good; I want more." Song Yuncheng snatched the cup and poured herself another one.

Chen Yansen chuckled helplessly and let her be.

It wasn't until nine o'clock that the two finished the New Year's Eve dinner.

Song Yuncheng lay on the table, eyes half-closed, drowsy and groggy, her vision completely blurred.

Hearing the commotion downstairs, Ye Qiuping crept down the stairs, only then learning that it was the Investment Director of Pinba's major clients.

"What kind of rice wine is this?" Chen Yansen asked in a low voice.

"I brewed it myself." Ye Qiuping replied softly.

"Master, who are you talking to?" Song Yuncheng asked in a daze.

"The sound of the television." Chen Yansen told a blatant lie with his eyes wide open.

"I want to watch Guo Degang perform cross-talk." Song Yuncheng struggled to stand up and walked toward the sofa.

"Watch the replay tomorrow; it's all the same." Chen Yansen waved at Ye Qiuping; after the other person went upstairs, he carried Song Yuncheng to the master bedroom on the third floor.

Mr. Chen was considerate, an old master at peeling eggs; before long, he pushed Song Yuncheng into the bathroom and washed her thoroughly inside and out.

"Pop!" Taking advantage of the moment Chen Yansen was drying her hair, Song Yuncheng pecked his lips.

"Eating the boss's tofu openly without permission; fine of five hundred yuan." Chen Yansen said with a mischievous smile.

"Pop!" Song Yuncheng kissed him again, then squinted her eyes and said, "Sister has money; I can afford to kiss!"

Song Yuncheng had drunk to intoxication for the first time; her whole body felt like she was stepping on cotton, her two arms tightly hugging Chen Yansen, trying to stuff him into her embrace.

Chen Yansen was not the type to take losses without fighting back; he settled his score on the spot.

Outside the door, Ye Qiuping heard the murmuring sounds from inside the room; her cheeks burned intensely, and she unconsciously pressed her legs together.

Immediately after, she fled downstairs with a red face; she hadn't eaten yet, and now hunger made her legs feel weak.

The table was a mess of cups and plates; Ye Qiuping felt a bitter ache in her heart, silently cleaned up the mess, and then cooked herself a bowl of egg and vegetable noodles.

Based on her understanding of Chen Yansen, going upstairs in two hours was most appropriate.

Thinking of this, Ye Shi Fu felt a surge of bitterness; obviously, in Chen Yansen's heart, her status was not even as high as Song Yuncheng's.

At eleven fifteen, Ye Qiuping went upstairs on time; just as she wanted to slip back into her bedroom, she ran straight into Chen Yansen.

"Boss, may I go back now?" Ye Qiuping asked tentatively.

"If you want to go back, why did you come upstairs in the first place?" Chen Yansen directly exposed the other person's little scheme.

"If discovered, Mr. Chen would be in trouble." Ye Qiuping pressed herself against the wall, deliberately thrusting her chest forward to perfectly display her figure.

Chen Yansen never stood on ceremony with Ye Shi Fu; he grabbed the other person and led her into the bedroom.

The next morning, Song Yuncheng woke up with sleepy eyes; the moment she opened them, she saw Chen Yansen sitting at the desk not far away.

"Master, you woke up really early." Song Yuncheng said.

"You woke up too late." Chen Yansen stared at the computer screen without turning around.

He had woken up at two o'clock; first, he checked the data reports of various subsidiaries, then reviewed the architecture design of Tiangong T100 once more, and read dozens of miscellaneous books before the sky outside the window began to lighten slightly.

"I seem to have heard someone crying last night." Song Yuncheng looked puzzled.

"Just a dream." Chen Yansen smiled slightly and casually made an excuse.

"Maybe so." Song Yuncheng smiled; in this house, there were only her and Chen Yansen; if it wasn't a dream, what else could it be?

At the same time.

The lottery results for the Fortune Cards of Chengzi Pay were also sent by netizens to the trending search list.

Over sixteen days, a total of 3,200 users won the 4,999 yuan grand prize; the remaining users split 84 million yuan in cash.

Chen Yansen was more generous than Ma Liyun; ultimately, 32,000 users collected all five lucky cards, averaging over 2,600 yuan each.

During the campaign, Chéngzi Pay added 49 million new registered users, increased daily active users by 18 million, and earned over 70 million yuan in advertising fees.

In addition, products such as Toutiao, ofo bikes, Pinbei, Lingxi Browser, Kuai Run, and Kuai Di Taxi all saw some growth in daily active users due to the campaign.

Even before the 2013 Five Lucky Cards event began, dozens of brands waved cash, eager to buy the naming rights.

Chen Yansen naturally refused; next year, domestic smartphone shipments would reach at least 300 million units, and Chéngzi Pay's daily active users would rise accordingly.

Selling the naming rights and ad slots too early would only be counterproductive.

Next, Chen Yansen would not stay quietly in Xūcheng; instead, he took Song Yuncheng to Hong Kong Island, Macau Island, and Hainan Island for a few days of travel.

On the other side.

Liu Qiangdong left his hometown of Suyu and flew to the Lighthouse Nation across the ocean.

With money and investor connections, Liangzai Dong smoothly entered Harvard Business School.

The academic atmosphere in North America was open, and so were its people; he came across a sweet-looking international exchange student on an app called Mimo.

The youthful aura radiating from her made Liangzai Dong feel as if he had returned to twenty years ago.

He had seen many beautiful girls, but such pure ones were rare.

Liu Qiangdong immediately took interest and began scheming silently.

……

……

The seven-day Spring Festival holiday passed in the blink of an eye.

On his first day back in Hangcheng, Wang Zihao, after communicating with Hu Weiyi, launched the expansion plan for the southern market.

On February 17 and 18, ofo bikes deployed another 50,000 shared bicycles, and within the following week, increased that number by 300,000; the newly added central and southern markets would follow suit, raising bike deployment to 200,000 and 300,000 respectively.

A total of 800,000!

Tencent, Sequoia Capital, and Gao Ling Capital had collectively invested nearly 400 million yuan; naturally, they needed to accelerate expansion and seize the southern market first.

(End of Chapter)