Chapter 102: Cultivating a Female Tycoon

Inside Shang Keqing's office, there is a concealed lounge.

He pushed the door open and entered.

A wonderful perfume scent hit his nose.

Inside, there was not only a soft, large round bed, but also a spotless bathroom, a smart giant-screen TV, an audiovisual playback system, and a wine cabinet and bar stocked with various imported liquors.

This was Shang Keqing's happy leisure area.

Its luxurious standard far surpassed that of a five-star hotel's hourly room; every detail inside revealed meticulously crafted high-end quality, fully displaying luxury and comfort.

As the dreamy ambient lights were switched on, a beautiful woman kept him company.

This, damn it, is heaven on earth!

Before, I really couldn't tell, but Boss Shang sure knows how to enjoy himself.

Faced with this situation and scenery, and then looking at Ye Jiaying, who embodied both beauty and temperament, Lin Dongfan couldn't help feeling a bit depressed and couldn't resist asking her: "You... wouldn't you be the female lead of this lounge, would you?"

"Female lead?"

Ye Jiaying looked puzzled and countered: "You wouldn't be trying to set me up with Boss Shang, would you? He's how old—I'm really impressed with you..."

As she spoke, a wistful emotion again surfaced in her clear, autumn-water-like eyes.

Words left unsaid.

It was as if she were saying, "You're really going too far—five years ago you moved without telling me, which was like leaving without a word! Now you've started a family, I also respect reality and dare not make any demands; how could you push me onto an old man?"

That ten-thousand-year-long wistfulness made Lin Dongfan's scalp go numb as he stared.

He blamed himself.

His question was too subtle; she didn't grasp the implication.

Lin Dongfan avoided her wistful gaze and pretended to admire the room's surroundings.

Seeing a box of DVD discs placed in front of the smart TV, Lin Dongfan was again speechless.

The cover of this DVD disc was damn explosive—it was actually Calabash Brothers!

No wonder he's Boss Shang, who came out of the system.

He really understands the importance of disguise.

Lin Dongfan picked up the DVD disc and asked Ye Jiaying: "I'm not trying to set you up with Boss Shang; I mean, have you and Boss Shang been researching Calabash Brothers together?"

"What nonsense are you spouting."

This time Ye Jiaying instantly understood Lin Dongfan's meaning, and she was both angry and amused.

She candidly gave Lin Dongfan an explanation: "I'm also coming into this lounge for the first time; I've never been in before."

"Really?"

Lin Dongfan pursued the question half-believing, half-doubting.

Ye Jiaying couldn't help pinching Lin Dongfan's arm, laughing and scolding angrily: "You jerk, you actually don't believe me—what do you think I am? Don't think that just because you're married I won't dare to deal with you..."

"I believe you."

Lin Dongfan's arm shrank from the pinch, and it really hurt a bit.

But the DVD disc in his hand had already become Ye Jiaying's focus of attention.

Ye Jiaying recalled those risqué tricks circulating online:

Online, some people name folders full of pornographic videos "study materials"; offline, sellers of pirated discs also label discs that actually contain pornographic content as "Calabash Brothers."

Anti-peeping tactics come in all sorts.

Ye Jiaying shook her head in disbelief: "Boss Shang usually looks like a decent person; I never expected him to watch this in private—it must be prepared for those female stars in the company..."

"Probably."

Lin Dongfan nodded in considerable agreement.

Ye Jiaying curiously asked: "Do you want to take a look?"

"Now? You want me to watch this with you?" Lin Dongfan broke out in a black line: "This... isn't appropriate; better not watch it, it's unsuitable..."

"I just want to know if it's like what's said online."

Ye Jiaying, who had never seen a fake Calabash Brothers, eagerly took out the DVD disc and put it into the player.

The image hadn't appeared yet.

Ye Jiaying stared straight at the TV screen without blinking.

Not knowing whether she was already nervous enough to quicken her heartbeat, nor what she was thinking, Lin Dongfan only knew his arm hurt.

Because she was gripping a piece of his flesh tightly, she seemed to have forgotten to let go.

The air was surging.

The blood was boiling.

"Calabash Brothers, Calabash Brothers, seven flowers on one vine, unafraid of wind and rain, la la la la..."

When the picture appeared and the familiar childhood melody played, Lin Dongfan froze on the spot—is this something adults should be watching?

Too much!

As the head of a media company, he's utterly shameless—at his age, he's still living in the two-dimensional world of Calabash.

Lin Dongfan furrowed his brows in distress: "I want to smash the TV..."

"Breaking it would cost money; just put up with it, no need to get angry." Ye Jiaying also felt a bit down, casually flopping onto the bed and gazing at the starry ceiling, letting her thoughts wander: "You've been standing all this time—aren't you tired?"

"I'm not tired."

That unromantic answer instantly plunged Ye Jiaying's mood to the bottom.

"Then let's have a drink."

Ye Jiaying got up and turned off the TV.

Turning around, seeing Lin Dongfan still unmoved, Ye Jiaying angrily pushed him toward the bar: "It's fine—I've already locked the door; outsiders can't open it..."

Before the words had finished, the door was pushed open by someone.

Shang Qing gazed at Lin Dongfan and Ye Jiaying, who looked as if someone had cast a freezing spell on them, and exclaimed with a laugh, "What are you two up to?"

"Manager Shang, you… how did you get in?"

Ye Jiaying laughed embarrassedly.

Shang Qing was dumbfounded by the question: "I just walked in, what's wrong? Is it a bad time? Then I'll leave, you carry on."

Saying that, he turned and closed the door.

Just as he closed it,

Shang Qing suddenly pushed the door open and stuck his head in.

He reminded Lin Dongfan and Ye Jiaying: "By the way, I wanted to remind you that the computer can monitor the office. If you want to know why Li Hengbo came here, you can turn on the computer."

"Thank you, Manager Shang."

After Shang Qing pulled his head back, Ye Jiaying hurried forward to bolt the door from inside, and carefully inspected the chain's quality to ensure there would be no further problems.

By the time she turned around, Lin Dongfan had already opened the computer on the desk.

"I was careless, I forgot to put on the chain just now…" Ye Jiaying covered her chest and took two deep breaths; after calming herself, she went to the bar side and poured two glasses of wine: "Have a drink to steady your nerves."

Lin Dongfan stared at the surveillance on the computer screen: "During work hours, you can't drink alcohol."

Ye Jiaying acted as if she hadn't heard.

She walked over holding two glasses of red wine, handed one to Lin Dongfan, and said: "Tomorrow I'm returning to my hometown for the New Year; consider this a farewell drink for me—'West of Yang Pass, no old friends.'"

Upon hearing "West of Yang Pass, no old friends," Lin Dongfan found himself unable to refuse.

Ye Jiaying's hometown lies far in Xiliang Province.

In ancient times, that was a land beyond the frontier.

"Why should the Qiang flute lament the willow? The spring breeze does not cross Jade Gate Pass!" This describes the desolation and loneliness of her hometown, so poets also say, "Urge another cup of wine—west of Yang Pass, no old friends."

If this were placed in the ancient era of slow carriages and horses.

One parting, and they'd be separated to the far ends of the earth; for the rest of their lives they would basically never see each other again.

Lin Dongfan took the glass and lightly clinked it against hers: "Are you driving back yourself, or taking the train?"

"I couldn't get a train ticket, so I'll first fly to the provincial capital, then rent a car to drive myself."

In their chatting and laughing, Ye Jiaying merely took a small sip of red wine; what truly intoxicated her was obviously not the wine, but the person before her.

Lin Dongfan said: "Since you plan to stay and develop in Nanzhou, you should buy a place there and bring your parents over."

"I haven't even paid off my car loan—how could I afford a house? Nanzhou's housing prices are rising so fast." Ye Jiaying gazed at Lin Dongfan with a smile and asked: "You had Manager Shang raise my salary to 500,000, didn't you, just so I'd stay and settle down?"

Lin Dongfan smiled without answering, his eyes again fixed on the surveillance footage on the computer—Li Hengbo had already appeared.

In Ye Jiaying's eyes, there was only Lin Dongfan, as if she could never look enough: "No matter what, I still want to thank you…"

"There are plenty of things for you to thank me for—I couldn't possibly list them all."

Lin Dongfan took a sip of red wine to wet his throat.

He continued with a laugh: "An annual salary of 500,000 is just a starting point; first accumulate some capital. Later, when you start your own business, I can back you to become the country's first female tycoon."

"Although that pie is a bit unrealistic, I still like hearing it."

Ye Jiaying never imagined that the three words 'female tycoon' were no joke; when Lin Dongfan made such a promise, the box of fate's magic had already been flung wide open.

Lin Dongfan's starting point was very simple:

For five or six years, you've still been wearing that cheap lucky ring as a pendant around your neck, willing to throw yourself into my endeavors without hesitation—how could I let you down?

I can't give you love, but I can help you open the door to wealth!

Lin Dongfan instructed Ye Jiaying: "In three days, that is February 6, the world's first Bitcoin exchange will be launched; at that time you go buy Bitcoin, buying as much as you can."

"Buy Bitcoin?"

As a media professional, Ye Jiaying spends time online every day; she had previously seen news about blockchain and had heard of Bitcoin.

But she was like those onlookers.

At this stage, she didn't see any investment value in Bitcoin, so she found Lin Dongfan's proposal hard to understand.

Lin Dongfan also understood her doubts.

Lin Dongfan said: "Right now it might not be worth much—ten thousand Bitcoin could only buy a pancake. But you must believe in the market's hype power. In the future, one Bitcoin could be exchanged for seven or eight hundred thousand."

"Really?"

Ye Jiaying wore an expression of utter disbelief.

Lin Dongfan lifted his red wine, sipped slowly, and smiled faintly: "The lucky ring will bless you; do as I say, buy as much Bitcoin as you can and hoard it. Use any remaining funds to invest in real estate in first-tier cities, acquiring as many units as possible. Once you've accumulated sufficient capital, you can build your own business empire."

This big, round wealth pie, though it carries an unfathomable fantastical flavor.

But Ye Jiaying felt warm inside.

In an instant, her eyes brimmed with tears.

In this world, besides her parents, only Lin Dongfan had ever sincerely cared for her, and only Lin Dongfan cared whether she was poor or rich.

She set down the wine glass in her hand.

Unable to restrain herself, she flung herself into Lin Dongfan's arms, tightly embracing him: "Don't push me away; let me hold you and cry for a moment…"

As she spoke, her tears really streamed down.

Lin Dongfan felt embarrassed, not knowing where to put his hands, and laughed while crying as he patted her shoulder: "Can't you first collect your emotions? After you become a truly wealthy lady, it's not too late to cry…"

"Five years ago, when you moved, why didn't you tell me? I hate you."

Ye Jiaying sobbed uncontrollably.

All the emotions she had bottled up for years turned into tears, falling onto Lin Dongfan's collar.

This gradually intensifying emotion left Lin Dongfan worried sick—helping her open the door to wealth, supporting her to become the nation's richest person, yet still drawing hatred?

It's simply unjust.

Lin Dongfan glanced at the surveillance video on the computer screen.

The image was very clear.

But the computer's bottom-right corner speaker was muted, so he couldn't hear what Li Hengbo and Shang Qing were talking about, and he couldn't unmute it.

Ye Jiaying held him tightly, so he couldn't reach the mouse at all.

Lin Dongfan gently pushed Ye Jiaying.

He couldn't push her away.

Instead, she held him even tighter, her sobs continuous.

Lin Dongfan said helplessly:

"Although my chest is broad, it really can't hold your tears. Could you please hold back your tears? Right now I just want to hear how Li Hengbo is badmouthing me."