Chapter 461: Make A Run For It
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The back door of the classroom silently opened.
A person tiptoed into the classroom.
The classroom was noisy.
The students were watching the live stream on their phones intently.
“Brother Hao is missing! Did he sneak away?”
Cao Fei suddenly stood up and shouted.
Tang Hao froze at the back of the classroom. He noticed that the atmosphere in the classroom was the same as outside.
‘I think I should run away!’
Cao Fei turned around abruptly at that moment and happened to spot Tang Hao. He was stunned, and his eyes opened wide.
“Shh!” Tang Hao held up a finger to his lips.
Cao Fei shouted anyway.
“Brother Hao! It’s Brother Hao! He’s here!”
That caused an instant uproar in the classroom.
The students turned around excitedly, stood from their seats, rushed over, and surrounded Tang Hao. Some even blocked the door.
“Dammit!” Tang Hao cursed under his breath.
“Tang Hao! Tang Hao! What happened?”
“Brother Hao! Why did you come back here?”
They asked a barrage of questions while surrounding Tang Hao. All of them looked incredibly excited.
“Ahem! It’s nothing! It’s just a misunderstanding! Haha! Only a misunderstanding!” Tang Hao tried to brush away the matter.
He did not know how to explain it to them.
“Oh, we understand! It’s top-secret, right? You can’t tell us?” Cao Fei and the others became more excited than ever.
Tang Hao laughed helplessly.
The front door of the classroom was opened, and a beautiful figure walked in. It was Jiang Wanying.
It was in the middle of May, and the weather was getting warm. She was dressed in a loose T-shirt and a white dress that extended past her knee. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she remained as charming as ever.
She did not wear make-up on her face, but that did not diminish her beauty.
She held a laptop bag in one hand and some books in her other.
She was surprised when she walked into the classroom.
Her expression sank slightly, and she shouted. “What’s going on? Class is starting!”
The student quickly dispersed and went back to their seats.
Jiang Wanying placed her items on the table and walked casually toward Tang Hao. She was smiling, though Tang Hao noticed that there was a hint of frustration in that smile.
“You’ve been very popular lately, Tang Hao!”
Jiang Wanying said with a superficial smile on her face.
She did not know why she felt frustrated. Perhaps it was because she overheard the girls talking about Tang Hao like he was an idol as she was walking toward the classroom.
“It’s nothing…” Tang Hao replied weakly.
Jiang Wanying gave him a side-eye and said with mock-anger. “Everyone, sit down. We are starting the class!”
Tang Hao did not know what to say. He took a seat and took out his textbook.
Jiang Wanying went to the podium and prepared to start the lecture.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps from outside. Then, a few heads stuck into the classroom.
“Wow! He’s really here!”
The corridor boiled over with noise and activity when they said that. A crowd rushed toward the door and peered into the classroom.
Veins bulged on Jiang Wanying’s forehead when she saw that.
“Get out! Get out!”
She managed to drive the people out of the classroom and locked the door.
The commotion continued outside for a while before the crowd dispersed.
The lesson continued without incident.
Tang Hao sat in the classroom during break time. He dared not go out. When Cao Fei and the others returned from the cafeteria, they were holding piles of items in their arms.
“This is all for you, Brother Hao!” Cao Fei seemed rather resentful.
He dropped the items in his arms on Tang Hao’s desk.
Crash!
A mound of pink envelopes and presents fell onto the floor. The desk was too small to contain everything.
“This is also for you, Brother Hao!”
Another boy behind Cao Fei came up and dumped more things onto his desk.
Crash! The items fell onto Tang Hao’s lap.
Tang Hao’s jaw dropped.
“Sigh!” Cao Fei and the other boys lamented and looked toward the sky. They were about to shed a tear.
‘Dammit! Why is he so different from the rest of us?’
All they wanted was to score some chicks, but no girls approached them. Today, they were approached by many girls they liked, but they only asked them to pass their love letters to Tang Hao.
“Wow, so many love letters!”
The girls shrieked.
Jiang Wanying saw that on the podium. She seemed unhappier than ever.
“You’re so popular, Tang Hao! You can fill up a sack with those love letters!” Jiang Wanying said as she walked over, wearing a superficial smile on her face.
“Ahem! I can’t stop them from doing that!” Tang Hao coughed and said.
Tang Hao prepared to make a run for it after the two periods of morning classes. He thought he should lie low until the commotion is over. Otherwise, he would not be able to attend classes in peace.
He tried to blend into the crowd.
“He’s here!”
He was discovered just when he exited the academic building.
A flood of people rushed toward him and surrounded him. They used their phones to take photos and videos of him, as though he was a rare giant panda.
Tang Hao grimaced and prepared to run away.
Just when he turned around, a figure bumped into him.
“Ah!” That person yelped and fell on the ground exaggeratedly.
She rubbed her heel as she sat on the floor. She had a pitiful look on her face.
Her eyes misted, as though tears would fall down at any time.
Tang Hao looked closely at her. She had fair skin, a beautiful face, and a slender pair of legs.
‘Dammit, is she faking the accident?’ Tang Hao was surprised. ‘This girl is such a good actress!’
However, he soon discovered that her leg was indeed injured.
‘What a relentless character! She even hurt herself!’ Tang Hao thought.
Everyone exclaimed in surprise when they saw who it was.
“Oh? Isn’t she the sophomore beauty queen from the art faculty?”
“That’s right, she’s Su Yuchen!”
“Dammit! She’s such an opportunist!”
Su Yuchen looked pitifully at Tang Hao as she rubbed her ankle.
Tang Hao rolled his eyes and crouched next to her. “Are you hurt? Don’t worry, you’ll be fine!” He grabbed her ankle and gave it a quick rub.
Her entire body trembled. The sudden comfortable sensation nearly made her moan out loud.
She was disappointed that the comfortable sensation was soon over.
“OK, bye!”
Tang Hao put her foot down and prepared to leave.
“Hey, don’t go yet!” Su Yuchen shouted.
Tang Hao walked away even faster.
“Hmph!” Su Yuchen grabbed her high heel and threw it away.
“Haha, you opportunist! Do you think you can manage to win his heart like that? Don’t you know what men like?”
Another girl chuckled smugly and appeared in front of Tang Hao.
Chapter 462: Haotian Group Is Formed
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The girl in front of him was extremely attractive.
She was very tall and slender. She wore a tight black leather jacket, which accentuated all the curves on her body.
The heavy makeup on her face made her look bold and passionate.
“Hey, handsome boy, are you interested in having lunch with me?” She winked at him and bit her lip. It was obvious that she was trying to flirt with him.
She thrust her chest outward and flaunted her twin peaks.
“Oh my god, that’s Goddess Xiao! She’s Xiao Tong, a senior year student from the Faculty of Foreign Language Studies!”
“Goddess Xiao’s body tempts me to commit crimes!”
“That’s Goddess Xiao’s usual style. She’s as candid and eager as ever!”
Everyone exclaimed in surprise.
The boys’ gazes were full of envy.
First, it was Beauty Queen Su. Then, it was Goddess Xiao. They were popular female students at Z University. Encountering either of them on a usual day was a rare occasion, but both of them appeared at the same time, and they had taken the initiative to flirt with the boy.
Tang Hao glanced at her and said, “I’m sorry, I’m busy!”
After that, he turned around and left hurriedly.
The girl stood there, dumbfounded.
“Haha!” Su Yuchen laughed out loud when she saw that. “So what if you have a pair of boobs, Xiao? What a temptress!”
“Wh… Who are you talking about, you opportunistic b*tch?” Xiao Tong was instantly furious.
The two beautiful girls started arguing with each other while everyone looked on.
Tang Hao tucked his head in and walked away, though many other girls continued to surround him. They handed him love letters with bashful faces, which frustrated him greatly.
Meanwhile, at a nearby academic building, some people were squatting in a row on the ground while smoking cigarettes.
They seemed miserable when they looked at the commotion some distance away.
“Sigh, I’m so envious!”
A person said while smacking his lips.
“Yes, I’m so envious too!” Tang Bowen, who squatted next to him, said. He seemed rather resentful. “I’d also like to be so popular among the girls too!”
“We’re so envious…!”
The other people said.
They became more disconsolate than ever. Nobody cared about the group of people squatting at a corner, much less any beautiful girls. Meanwhile, that kid was so popular.
When they were reminded about the earlier incident, their bodies trembled, and they reflexively clenched their buttcheeks.
“Sigh!”
Even Fang Qiming sighed. He looked incredibly glum.
He remembered his glamorous past. His Lamborghini had dazzled the boys and impressed the girls. Back then, he felt that he was at the pinnacle of his life.
Everything that happened after that was a nightmare!
That kid somehow got a military helicopter to fetch him!
‘Dammit, that was a military helicopter! It’s at least ten times, no, a hundred times, cooler than my sports car! There’s no comparison!”
None of the female students, no matter his senior or junior, cared for him after that. They only had that filthy kid in their eyes.
“Dammit, why is this kid more and more uncanny?”
He viciously dragged his cigarette and angrily tossed the butt away.
He glared at Tang Bowen. “Didn’t you say that he’s only a poor country bumpkin? Dammit, can a country bumpkin be such a big-timer?
“Are you sure that you’re his cousin? Why are you so much worse than him? Look at him, then look at yourself. Aren’t you ashamed?”
Tang Bowen had no retort to that. He had many grievances but could not air them.
He lifted his head and looked at his cousin again. He remembered that his cousin used to be poor and downtrodden, but the difference between now and then was too great.
Meanwhile, Tang Hao managed to leave the university entrance. He only lifted his head after he was very far away.
“I think I should stay away from the university for now. I should go back to Westridge!”
Tang Hao went to inform Liu Bingyao. He went to New Magical Kitchen after that. In the afternoon, he returned to Westridge with Liu Bingyao.
It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when he arrived at Westridge. He went to his companies to catch up on the latest happenings.
The three companies, Haotian Health Products, Masculine Wind, and Divine Liquor Company, are expanding rapidly. The plantation company was also thriving.
The company had started a few more plantations and recruited more villagers. It had solved the supply problem of medicinal herbs, and at the same time, developed the economy of Dragonrock Village. That was like killing two birds with one stone.
New Magical Kitchen expanded the fastest among all his companies. The restaurant had trained a new cohort of chefs and had opened branches in more than ten major cities.
Of course, there was a branch in Westridge as well.
Finally, Sis Yan updated Tang Hao about Haotian Group’s preparation work.
It had been almost two months since the idea of forming Haotian Group was set into motion. The preparations were almost complete.
They had obtained all the official paperwork to operate Haotian Group Holdings Limited. The necessary manpower, documents, and organizational structure were ready too.
According to Sis Yan, they could start operating Haotian Group at any time.
After Haotian Group was formed, the holding company shall be the parent company, and its subsidiaries would be Haotian Health Products, Masculine Wind, Divine Liquor Company, Haotian Plantations, and New Magical Kitchen.
Of course, there may be more subsidiaries in the future. Those may be started by themselves, or bought over from someone else.
Tang Hao immediately made his decision. He chose an auspicious day and hour for the opening ceremony. It would be in seven days.
The opening ceremony was a momentous event. Preparations for the ceremony began immediately.
In those seven days, Tang Hao was also busy processing the snakes he obtained from Hindustan.
He had a huge haul from that short trip. There were several thousands of small flying snakes, and most of them were charred by electricity.
There were more than twenty of those bigger snakes.
Then, there was the biggest one.
He skinned the small snakes and collected the blood. The charred ones could be eaten, while the raw ones could be minced and turned into fertilizer.
That was how he processed the bigger snakes too. They were all turned into fertilizer.
The snake meat and blood would be a very good fertilizer for the Liquor Trees and the Tree of Youth.
The last, biggest snake was quite troublesome.
It was two times bigger than the sea dragon. Its tough scales were also a challenge.
He first drained the humongous monster of its blood. Every drop was collected.
The blood of the Guardian was very nourishing. He used a small portion of it to produce spirit jade and stored the rest.
After that, he slowly dissected the remaining parts of the snake. None of it went to waste.
Seven days passed in the blink of any eye. It was the day of the opening ceremony.
They held a grand ceremony at noon in front of the new office building. Haotian Group was officially operational.
Chapter 463: The Xue Family Is Here
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
In the evening, at Tang Hao’s mansion.
Tang Hao stood in front of the mirror in the living room and straightened his clothes.
He was dressed in a black business suit and a tie, and his hair was neatly combed back. He seemed more handsome and even noble, which was a stark contrast to his usual appearance.
He wore his wristwatch and tidied his hair as a final touch.
He nodded satisfactorily when he saw himself in the mirror.
He heard a set of footsteps coming from the next room. A beautiful figure walked into the living room.
“Hey, Lil Tang, what do you think of this dress?”
Tang Hao turned his head and was stunned by what he saw.
A beautiful figure stood at the doorway. She wore a sky-blue V-neck and bareback evening gown, which accentuated all the curves on her body.
Her skin was dazzlingly fair. Tang Hao never got tired of looking at her body.
He nodded with a blank stare. “It looks good on you!”
Qin Xiangyi chuckled when she saw his face. “You say that to every dress I wear!”
She sounded like she was disappointed, but she was secretly happy.
“You look good in everything!” Tang Hao said seriously.
Qin Xiangyi pursed her lips and smiled. “You’re such a sweet-talker!”
She turned around, looked at herself, and furrowed her brows. “I think I should change into another dress. I don’t like how I look in blue.” After that, she went into the room.
She reappeared soon, this time in a white sequined evening gown. She looked elegant and charming in it.
“How about this one, Lil Tang?”
She spun around on the spot.
“You look good!” Tang Hao nodded.
She looked at herself again. “I think this one looks good too. That decides it! We’re in black and white, how matching!”
She lifted her head and looked at Tang Hao. There was a peculiar sparkle in her beautiful eyes.
She walked over and straightened Tang Hao’s tie while keeping her eyes on his face. “Our Lil Tang is so handsome today!”
She leaned close and kissed Tang Hao on his lips.
“Mmm, so sweet!” She smiled.
“Let me taste it another time!” She stretched out her silken arms, brought them over Tang Hao’s neck, leaned in close, and gave him another kiss.
The second kiss lasted a lot longer than the first one. It had aroused certain urges in them.
“What’s the time now?” She suddenly asked.
Tang Hao looked at his wristwatch. “There’s half an hour to go!”
“Another half an hour!” She chuckled, then winked at Tang Hao and bit her lip. “Why aren’t you carrying me inside, silly?”
At that instant, Tang Hao’s urges overcame him. He lifted her off her feet and dashed into the room.
The sun continued to set.
The couple hastily got out of the room half an hour later. They straightened their clothes and left the house. Tang Hao drove toward a clubhouse at the north of town.
The opening ceremony was held at noon. At night, they would hold a dinner party.
Everyone important in the Westridge business and political scene was invited.
As the host, Tang Hao had to be there early to greet the guests.
That was the first time he played host to a dinner party.
The car stopped at the clubhouse. Tang Hao held Qin Xiangyi’s hand, and they went inside.
“Chairman!”
The people from Haotian Group were already waiting there. They bowed and greeted Tang Hao and Qin Xiangyi when they saw them.
Tang Hao went around the venue to check on the preparations.
He had reserved the entire clubhouse that night. There were more than thirty tables. The chefs were all from New Magical Kitchen, and the alcohol was all divine liquor.
After that, he stood at the entrance to greet the guests.
People started arriving soon.
“Oh, congratulations, Chairman Tang! Congratulations! Hey, Qin the Femme Fatale, you’re so beautiful today!”
Tang Hao exchanged pleasantries with the guests before ushering them inside.
The business owners from Westridge District arrived. Liu Dajun and the others arrived in a group. They all wore smiles on their happy faces.
His managers, Shi Yiwen, Yao Qing, and the others, soon arrived.
The village elders and the rest of the council from Tang Village and Dragonrock Village arrived.
Tang Hao also invited Principal Cai of First High and many other friends from there.
Very soon, half of the hall was filled with people. The party was getting lively.
As the sky became darker, many more cars arrived. More and more people walked toward the entrance of the clubhouse.
Tang Hao had been standing at the door for more than an hour. Qin Xiangyi stood next to him to welcome the guests.
She was the highlight of the party. Her beautiful and glamorous looks had stunned all the guests.
Every guest could not help but praise her.
Qin Xiangyi returned their praises amiably.
After greeting another couple of guests, Tang Hao looked at his wristwatch. It was a little past seven o’clock.
“Another half an hour, and all the guests should be here!” Tang Hao mumbled.
He turned around and spoke to Qin Xiangyi, “Are you tired? How about you go inside and take a rest?”
Qin Xiangyi shook her head and clasped his hand. “I’m not tired! I want to stay next to you.”
Tang Hao was moved. He clenched her hand a little tighter.
Soon, a convoy of seven cars arrived at the event hall.
Tang Hao furrowed his brows when he saw that.
As far as he knew, all of the remaining guests would be arriving separately, yet the seven cars looked like they belonged to the same group.
Tang Hao was wondering if they were customers of the clubhouse who did not know that the venue had been reserved.
However, when the doors opened and people started to get out of the cars, his expression changed.
In the car at the front, several figures helped an old man walk. In one of the cars behind it, a man in a trim business suit got out.
Some people in bizarre clothes got out of the last four cars. Some of them were dressed in black traditional Chinese suits, while some were dressed in Taoist robes.
“Those are…”
Qin Xiangyi was surprised. She looked at Tang Hao.
“I don’t know them!” Tang Hao said.
He narrowed his eyes and looked closely at the group of people behind.
His expression became curious. He could not sense any qi in the group of bizarrely-dressed people, which meant that they were not cultivators.
He looked closely at the people in the black traditional Chinese suits again, wondering where he had seen those clothes before.
He realized that they were geomancers!
‘Are those people from the Xue family?’ He thought as he looked at the old man in front.
Chapter 464: A Group of Geomancers
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The old man was thin, slightly hunched, and looked to be in his seventies. He wore a Chinese tunic suit.
His figure might be gaunt, but his gaze was cold and harsh.
He walked with the help of two people and a walking stick, while the group of people followed behind them. They looked like they had unfriendly intentions.
Qin Xiangyi also noticed that those people did not look like they would congratulate them.
“They should be from the Xue family!” Tang Hao leaned close to her and whispered.
“The Xue family?” Qin Xiangyi was surprised.
She recalled who they were.
It had been a long time since her incident with the Xue family, but she could never forget those names. She knew what happened to Xue Cheng and Xue Kai. One of them died abruptly, and the other fell into a vegetative state.
She did not ask for details, but she could guess what could have happened to them.
Was the Xue family there for revenge?
She furrowed her brows, feeling a little worried.
The Xue family were not pushovers. They were a wealthy family from Southport with billions of assets. Their Sky Tycoon International Group was also renowned worldwide.
The group of people soon arrived in front of Tang Hao and Qin Xiangyi.
The old man was helped up the steps. His eyes glared coldly at Tang Hao.
Tang Hao returned the cold glare.
Tang Hao did not feel guilty about what he did to the Xue father and son, and he was not afraid that Old Master Xue came to look for him. After all, he had only given them a taste of their own medicine.
One step, two steps…
The old man worked his way up the steps. He finally stood in front of Tang Hao.
“How capable! How talented!”
He glared at Tang Hao and abruptly burst into laughter. “I’ve been away for too long. I didn’t expect that Westridge would produce an accomplished individual such as you!”
“You’re only nineteen years old, but you’ve already achieved so much! And you’re a self-made man too! How amazing!”
“You flatter me, Old Master Xue!” Tang Hao replied coldly.
The old man was surprised. He did not expect Tang Hao to recognize him.
“You’re a smart one… If you already know who I am, then you should know why I’m here, right?” He said coldly.
“Honestly, I’m not too sure!” Tang Hao said calmly, “It’s an auspicious day for Haotian Group. If you’re here to offer your congratulations, I welcome you and I’ll arrange some seats for your group.
“However, if you’re here to look for trouble, then I’m sorry to say that we don’t welcome you!”
Tang Hao’s tone of voice turned cold.
“Auspicious day?”
The old man mumbled. He suddenly burst out laughing loudly, though his laughter carried a hint of resentment and sorrow.
He stopped laughing a while later, and his expression turned vicious. “I’m proud that you’re so successful! But my son, Xue Cheng, cannot rest in peace.
“As for my grandson Xue Kai, he’s still lying in the hospital, like a corpse! Don’t you feel any guilt?”
Tang Hao remained unfazed. “I’ve heard of what happened to them, Old Master Xue, but I fail to see what that has to do with me.
“Why should I feel guilty about what happened to them? You are my elder, Old Master Xue, and I respect you for that, but I cannot tolerate any baseless accusations!”
Tang Hao’s tone of voice became rather hostile.
“Hmph, are you still trying to deny it? Who else could it be, other than you?” The old man yelled.
“I’ve hired many investigators over the past few months. No one followed my son and grandson when they came to Westridge, which meant that the deed must have been done by someone from Westridge.
“Furthermore, while they were in Westridge, their only conflict was with you. If you didn’t do it, then who else could it be? You have the money and power to do so!”
Tang Hao chuckled. “What power do you think I have, Old Master?
“The police have done their investigations, and they found no reason to relate it to me. There seemed to be no plausible cause for what happened to the three people, and so the case was shelved.
“Old Master Xue, are you saying that I have the power to harm or even kill someone without leaving a trace?”
“You…” The old man could not find a retort. His face turned red with anger.
“Stop denying it! You must have hired a powerful geomancer to harm them!”
“Geomancer?” Tang Hao chuckled. “Do you believe in that nonsense?”
He turned his gaze a little farther away. “Those weird people behind you. They must be the geomancers you mention, right? Are you sure that they’re not con artists?”
The geomancers were instantly furious when they heard that.
“What did you say, you filthy kid? You must have a death wish!”
“Did you say that I’m a con artist, insolent brat? I’m a master geomancer, the number two in Southport!”
The people started shouting and glaring angrily at Tang Hao.
The old man’s expression sank. “You’re still not admitting to it? Fine! Then don’t blame me for not showing any mercy. I don’t know where you hired your geomancers, but they’re definitely not a match for mine.
“These people are master geomancers from Southport. They can make your life a living hell.”
“Is that so?” Tang Hao asked matter-of-factly.
He nearly rolled his eyes when he looked at those people. Those false cultivators were no match for him!
They obviously did not know what Tang Hao could do!
‘This old man is too naive!’
The group of geomancers was livid when they sensed Tang Hao’s condescension and started shouting and cursing again.
Many people inside the clubhouse were drawn to the commotion. They went outside to see.
“Who are these people? How dare they look for trouble on this auspicious day?”
“It’s the Xue family! The old man is Old Master Xue!”
Someone recognized them.
Many people instantly understood what the commotion was about.
They knew what happened to Xue Cheng and Xue Kai. They could also roughly guess that Tang Hao had something to do with it. Old Master Xue must be here to settle the score.
However, they looked upon Old Master Xue with disdain.
Any discerning person would have guessed what happened to Xue Cheng and his son.
They came to Westridge with some ‘master geomancer’ in tow, and Tang Hao had humiliated them at the dinner party they hosted. They must have instructed the geomancer to harm Boss Tang with fengshui.
Somehow, they were on the receiving end of their sinister plot instead.
They had brought it upon themselves. How could Old Master Xue blame it on Tang Hao?
“What’s going on?”
Secretary Qian and the other officials arrived. They noticed the commotion.
“Who are you, and why are you causing trouble?” Secretary Qian seemed unhappy.
Someone went up to the old man and whispered into his ear.
The old man nodded. Then, he turned to speak to Secretary Qian. “Cause trouble? Nonsense. I’m here to seek justice.
“Don’t you know that this kid is an underhanded, despicable, and unmentionably cruel fraudster? He is the one who caused my son’s death and made my grandson fall into a coma.
“Right, my surname is Xue. Xue Cheng is my son, and Xue Kai is my grandson. I believe you must have heard their names before!”
Everyone exclaimed in surprise when they heard that.
Chapter 465: VIP
“What? Lil Tang wouldn’t have harmed anyone! I trust his character!”
“Who’s this old geezer? Does he think that he’s such a big deal, that everyone would know who he is from his surname?”
Tang Dashun, Shi Xuenong, and the other people who don’t know him talked among themselves. They felt angry for Tang Hao.
Shi Xuenong yelled angrily, “Hey, damn old geezer, you said that Lil Hao harmed your family, but do you have any evidence?”
“That’s right, that’s right!” The Dragonrock Village council also agreed. “You sound like you’re the underhanded, despicable, and unmentionably cruel fraudster!”
Lil Hao was the major benefactor of Dragonrock Village. They believed in his character, which was why they could not tolerate Old Master Xue’s slander.
Moreover, they were celebrating an auspicious event that night. Only an underhanded and rude person would disrupt it.
Old Master Xue’s eyes opened wide out of anger.
‘Dammit, just who are these people? Looking at their shabby clothes, they’re just normal peasants!
‘Why would these peasants be at such a grand event? There’s so many of them!’
“Shut up! What do you peasants know?” Old Master Xue chided.
Shi Xuenong, Tang Dashun, and the others were instantly furious.
“F*ck your mother! So what if we are peasants? Do you think you are that high and mighty?”
“That’s right! Your ancestors are all peasants too!”
“Hey, brothers, don’t bother reasoning with them. They’re noble Southporters, unlike mere mortals like us!” Someone jeered.
“Oh, no wonder! They’re from Southport!” Shi Xuenong laughed.
“That’s not exactly right. They’re like us, from Westridge, but they migrated to Southport and made a fortune there!”
“Oh, is that so!”
Shi Xuenong’s disdain grew. “That means you’re just a wannabe!”
Old Master Xue’s facial muscles twitched. He was at his boiling point.
‘Dammit, these peasants are making fun of me!’
Commissioner Xia was suddenly reminded of that case. He went to Secretary Qian and briefly explained it to him.
“So that’s how it is!”
Secretary Qian’s expression sank. He looked at Old Master Xue and said, “Back then, the case was mysterious. The police couldn’t find any leads at all. If you said that he did it, I don’t think you could back it up with any proof.”
“Hmph! Of course the police can’t find any leads. That’s geomancy! He must have hired a powerful geomancer to harm my family,” Old Master Xue said.
Secretary Qian was taken aback, but he immediately broke out laughing.
Geomancy, or the study of fengshui, was a supernatural belief. He could not tell if it was actually real.
Even if it was real, it could not be used as evidence in court either.
According to Commissioner Xia, the third victim was said to be a master geomancer from Southport. How could he be a victim of fengshui then?
Commissioner Xia also said that the Xue father and son indeed had a conflict with Tang Hao, but there was no evidence that Tang Hao did anything.
Instead, while retracing the Xue father and son’s footsteps, they found that they had gone to Tang Hao’s factory at the night of the conflict.
They obtained the security footage from the factory and found that they had done something curious there, as though they were laying a fengshui formation.
It was clear that the Xue father and son were the ones with malicious intent.
After that, they could not figure out how the Xue father and son were harmed.
Without evidence, it did not matter what the truth was.
“You must be joking, Old Master Xue. You can’t trust supernatural things like fengshui! Even if a master geomancer was involved in this, how can you say that he was the one who hired them?
“Fengshui isn’t popular here. It’s more of a Southport thing!
“And… all those people, don’t tell me that they’re all geomancers? What are you planning by bringing all of them here?”
Secretary Qian sounded harsh and accusatory.
“That’s right. What do you want to do? Are you planning to harm someone? Get lost, all you Southporters! Get out of Westridge!”
The people were restless.
The details of the incident spread out among the crowd. Even Shi Xuenong and the other villagers knew that the Xue father and son were the ones at fault.
“Dammit, it’s your son who wants to harm our Lil Hao. How dare you place the blame on Lil Hao? Your son probably deserves to die, so there’ll be less bad people in the world!”
Shi Xuenong took off his shoe and flung it at Old Master Xue.
His movements were very fast. Old Master Xue did not manage to dodge it, and the shoe hit him squarely in the face.
The shoe was unbelievably stinky. Old Master Xue nearly fainted from the smell.
“Father!”
A middle-aged man defended him from behind.
Old Master Xue’s body wobbled. His anger made him light-headed.
He was insulted by a peasant! That peasant even threw a shoe at him!
That was… utter humiliation!
“You… Just you wait! You’re the province secretary here, right? You’re a nobody to me! My Xue family has connections in the mainland. Just you wait, you’ll be out of a job soon!
“And you too, and you, and you, and you… don’t be too happy yet. This Haotian Group will go bankrupt very soon. It’s too easy for my Xue family to ruin you.
“And you too, you filthy kid. Prepare to suffer!”
Old Master Xue yelled. His face was contorted.
Just as he finished speaking, another shoe flew toward him.
It was a very accurate throw. The shoe hit its target again.
Old Master Xue’s body stiffened.
He was trembling with anger. “Just you wait, all you filthy peasants! I’ll make sure that you are dead!” He yelled madly.
“Dammit, can’t you shut up? Do you think that you’re in Southport now?”
Shi Xuenong grumbled. He turned around to yell at the people behind him. “Take off all your shoes! Throw them all at him!”
Everyone’s expressions seemed hostile.
That old person had been ill-mannered. He said that he was not afraid of Secretary Qianb, and he also boasted that he would bring down Haotian Group.
“You don’t believe me? Just you wait!” Old Master Xue yelled again.
At that moment, everyone heard the sound of car horns from the road. A few black cards came into the venue.
The cars stopped, the doors opened, and people got out of the cars. Two of the people were Province Secretary Weng and Vice Governor He.
The other people looked like they were high-ranking officials too.
They furrowed their brows once they saw the commotion.
The newly-arrived guests walked toward the commotion, with Secretary Weng leading the way.
Old Master Xue was in the middle of his tantrum. He was about to open his mouth and spew curses.
However, one person from his group happened to glance at the incoming guests and shook with fear.
His lips trembled. “How… how could this be…” he mumbled.
He could not believe that the top-ranking officials from the province were invited to the party.
How… was that possible?
They were in Westridge, a small, backwater district!
Haotian Group was not very significant either. How could it attract the attention of all the top brass of the province?
That was ridiculous!
Secretary Qian and the others went ahead to meet those people.
He also told them about the situation.
“Oh, there’s something like that? They’re Southporters, right? How disrespectful!” Secretary Weng said coldly.
Vice Governor He also seemed unhappy.
Secretary Weng’s expression sank. “Drive them away quickly! A few more VIPs are coming!”
Secretary Qian was shocked. ‘VIPs? Isn’t Secretary Weng already the highest-ranked official in the province? Is there anyone higher?
‘Oh my god!
‘If Secretary Weng calls that person a VIP, who might they possibly be?’
Secretary Qian and the others broke out in cold sweat. They could not believe what they heard.
He was not that surprised that Province Secretary Weng and Vice Governor He were there. They knew that Tang Hao was Old Master He’s benefactor, and Vice Governor He was Old Master He’s son.
Their appearance at the party was no surprise at all.
They were shocked that Tang Hao managed to invite a higher-ranking official.
“Who else did Tang Hao manage to invite? This is ridiculous!”
They were shocked beyond belief.
They hastily rushed back to the crowd and tried to shoo away the Southporters. The Southporters resisted, and they called Commissioner Xia and his subordinates over to pull them all away.
The people jostled and argued at the entrance. Before Old Master Xue and his gang could be driven away, two cars stopped amid the commotion.
Chapter 466: The Taoist Masters Are Here
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The scene in front of the event hall was chaotic.
Shi Xuenong, Tang Dashun, and the other villagers shoved the group of Southporters while cursing at them.
Secretary Qian and the other district leaders were worried. They joined in the furor.
The Southporters were flustered. They yelled and cursed, and they were close to throwing punches at the people who jostled them.
At that moment, the two cars drove in and parked in front of the clubhouse.
Tang Hao noticed the cars. He quickly separated the crowd, pulled Qin Xiangyi, and walked toward the cars.
Secretary Weng also seemed worried. He quickly walked toward the cars.
Secretary Qian and the other district leaders panicked. The VIP that Secretary Weng mentioned had arrived.
The crowd eventually calmed down. The people in front of the event hall turned their heads toward the two cars.
They were both curious and surprised at the same time.
Who could possibly garner the attention of all the leaders in the province? All the officials, including Province Secretary Weng, had to greet them personally.
Tang Hao, the host, had also brought Qin Xiangyi over.
They knew that even the Province Secretary did not receive that sort of treatment.
The Southporters stopped struggling.
Old Master Xue was clueless when he saw that.
‘What’s going on?
‘Unless… the person in the car is more important than the province secretary? Otherwise, why would the province secretary deign to greet them personally?
‘How is that possible?
‘It’s already rare enough that so many high-ranking officials gather at Westridge. How could there be someone even more important?’
The doors opened. Two old people came out of the first car, while an old man and a man in his fifties came out of the second car.
Everyone was confused when they saw those people.
They did not know who those four people were.
However, Tang Hao and the other officials walked up to them and greeted them eagerly. It seemed as though the four people were incredibly important.
Very soon, a few people recognized one of the old people.
“That’s Old Master He, Vice Governor He’s father!”
Everyone exclaimed in surprise when they heard that.
“What? So he’s the Old Master He of the He family?”
“Oh my god, it’s him! Who’s the old man next to him? Even Old Master He has to be courteous toward him!”
Their shock grew by the moment.
Tang Hao brought Qin Xiangyi to greet the two old men.
“Thank you for coming, Old Master Zhou!”
“Thank you for coming too, Old Master He! Your presence is an honor!”
Tang Hao smiled and bowed at the two people.
“Good evening, Old Master Zhou, Old Master He!” Qin Xiangyi also bowed at them.
The two old men smiled. “Don’t mention it. We can’t possibly decline your invitation, Divine Doctor Tang!” Old Master Zhou said.
He turned his head, and his gaze fell on Qin Xiangyi.
Old Master Zhou was surprised. He smiled curiously at Tang Hao with a hint of mischief in his eyes.
After they exchanged some pleasantries, Tang Hao brought Qin Xiangyi to the second car.
The people from the second car were none other than Old Master Bai and General Bai.
“Not bad at all, Comrade Tang Hao! Your business is already so prosperous! Your future is limitless!” General Bai laughed heartily as he shook Tang Hao’s hand.
Province Secretary Weng and the other officials went to greet Old Master Zhou after Tang Hao.
Secretary Qian and the other district leaders hesitated.
They wanted to greet those people, but they thought that they might be unqualified and might accidentally offend them.
They hesitated for a long time before eventually gathering the courage to shake hands with them.
From talking to the Province Secretary, they found out that those people were the elite from the Capital.
“Oh my god, they’re VIPs from the Capital!” They exclaimed incredulously.
They could not believe that VIPs from the Capital were willing to come to a small district like Westridge to attend the opening ceremony of a corporation.
What made them even more surprised was how close Tang Hao seemed to be to those VIPs.
Shi Xuenong and the other villagers stood there, caught in a daze. They pinched their faces to see if they were dreaming.
However, they yelped in pain.
‘Dammit, it’s not a dream! It’s real! Lil Hao knows all those people from the Capital!’
They were incredibly excited by the discovery.
“Lil Hao is truly the pride of Tang Village!” Tang Dashun slapped his thighs and said excitedly, “Are you saying that I get to be at the same party with a bunch of VIPs from the Capital? I can boast about this until the day I die!”
“Wow, Lil Tang has become a big-timer! He knows people from the Capital!” Liu Dajun and the other bosses were also very excited.
Old Master Xue was thoroughly dumbfounded.
‘A VIP from the Capital?
‘Is this some kind of joke?
‘How can this backwater place and this snotty kid invite someone from the Capital?’
Old master Xue’s body wavered. He felt light-headed, thinking that it was all too ridiculous.
His face turned pale, and he began to fear for his life.
His Xue family indeed had some connections in the mainland, but they were small fry compared to VIPs like Old Master Zhou and the others.
He remembered that he boasted about bankrupting Haotian Group and making Secretary Qian lose his job.
How was he able to achieve all that with those VIPs backing them? He should have been thankful that they did not find fault with the Xue family.
Cold sweat started dripping down his forehead. His hand on the walking stick was shaking.
Old Master Zhou and the others noticed Old Master Xue and his people.
“Who are they?” Old Master Zhou furrowed his brows. He seemed unhappy.
Secretary Qian briefly explained the incident earlier to him.
“So, that was what happened? Those Southporters are too brazen!” Old Master Zhou said coldly.
The people from the Xue family suffered a huge fright when they heard that.
“Let’s leave!” Old Master Xue said urgently.
The people sneaked away defeatedly.
Old Master Xue turned back and shot a resentful glance at Tang Hao.
“I didn’t expect the kid to have such powerful backing. I have to use covert methods now!
“Just you wait, you filthy kid, I’ll make sure that you’ll eventually die in my hands! You’ll suffer a terrible death!” He mumbled resentfully.
He had brought along all the master geomancers from Southport. He did not believe that their combined might would not be able to bring the kid down.
They arrived at the main entrance of the clubhouse.
They saw a few cars with high beams driving into the main gate and parking there.
The car doors opened, and a group of people got out. From their graying hair, those people looked to be in their fifties. They wore neat business suits and trendy hairstyles. They were the Taoist masters from Mao Mountain.
Chapter 467: The End of the Party
“Wow, they’re so cool!”
Many people in the crowd exclaimed in surprise.
They regarded the group of people who had just arrived with shock.
Those people instantly took the spotlight. They were already old men, but they wore business suits and tied up their long hair in a trendy hairstyle. Many of them also wore sunglasses, which made them look cooler.
One or two of them would not have been as surprising, but there was a whole group of them!
“Who are those people?” The people were curious.
They were still reeling from the shock of seeing those VIPs from the Capital.
The group of Taoist masters tidied their hair and straightened their ties after they got out of the cars. They wore smiles on their faces as they walked toward Tang Hao.
At the same time, they saw a group of people walking toward them, away from the venue.
They were surprised to see those people.
Those people were slinking away defeatedly, as though they were thrown out.
They looked at the entrance of the clubhouse and noticed many people standing there. They guessed that an incident might have happened earlier.
They turned their gaze back at the group again and wondered why some of them were dressed as Taoist masters.
“Hold it right there!” Taoist Master Qian Ji shouted at the group.
The geomancers were immediately furious.
“Who the hell do you think you are? Get lost, you filthy old geezer!”
“F*ck off! I’ll cast a curse on you, damn old man!”
They finally found an outlet for their frustration and anger. They pointed their fingers at the Taoist masters and cursed them loudly.
Taoist Master Qian Ji was instantly confused.
‘Who are these fake Taoist masters to curse me?’
His eyes widened and his temper flared. He stepped forward and slapped at one of the geomancers in a Taoist robe. That person flew outward while spinning.
“You… you… how dare you hit me? Let me tell you, you’re dead meat! Don’t you know that I’m a renowned geomancer from Southport?”
That person got to his feet while covering his face.
Taoist Master Qian Ji rolled his eyes. “Geomancer? What’s so great about that?” He said disdainfully.
“Of course I’m great! Cursing you to death would be like child’s play! What’s your name, and where are you from? Tell me that if you dare!” He said viciously.
“I’m Qian Ji, from Mao Mountain!”
“Mao Mountain, right? Haha! Just you wait! I’ll curse you to…”
The geomancer suddenly choked. He realized that something was amiss.
“What… what did you just say?”
“I said I’m from Mao Mountain! You got that?”
The geomancer’s jaw dropped at that instant. He laughed awkwardly. “Haha, so we’re in the same profession!”
“Don’t put me at the same level as you, useless scum! I’m from the interior Mao Mountain! Understand?” Taoist Master Qian Ji said coldly.
The geomancer in the Taoist robe was once again dumbstruck.
His eyes opened wide and nearly fell out of their sockets. His mouth sucked in mouthfuls of cold air. His face was twisted under extreme shock.
His mind was totally blank.
‘The interior Mao Mountain?
‘Oh my god, it means that he is a true cultivator!’
His legs started shaking and his face turned pale. He looked like he was almost crying. The other geomancers were also shocked by the revelation.
Geomancers lingered on the periphery of the cultivation world. They had heard of the renowned Mao Mountain before.
Their abilities were nothing more than parlor tricks in front of true cultivators from Mao Mountain.
“Big… Brother…” The geomancer greeted him with a trembling voice.
“Who’s your Big Brother? Do you think you deserve to wear that Taoist robe? You’re a disgrace to the robe! Take it off, now!” Taoist Master Qian Ji yelled.
“Yes, yes!”
The geomancer quickly took off the Taoist robe.
“And the rest of you too!” Taoist Master Qian Ji pointed at the other geomancers in Taoist robes.
Those people took off their robes while wearing flattering smiles on their faces.
“Get lost now, all of you! If I see you sneaking around here, I’ll make sure that you die a horrible death!”
The geomancers turned around and quickly ran away as though they were escaping. A few of them did not look at where they were going. They tripped and fell on the ground, then crawled on all fours for some distance before getting to their feet and continuing to run.
The people from the Xue family as well as the people standing in front of the clubhouse were shocked when they saw that.
‘What’s going on?
‘Didn’t they say that they were master geomancers from Southport? Some even said that they were the number two or number three geomancer there. In any case, they were so disrespectful earlier. Why did they run like they were afraid of something?
‘Just who are those people? How could they scare away those master geomancers just like that!’
“Hey, masters, where are you all running? I’ve paid you good money!” Old Master Xue was nervous.
“I don’t want the money anymore. I’ll refund it to you! Let me give you a word of advice, Boss Xue, don’t think of coming back here, and don’t think of revenge. You cannot afford to cross that kid!”
A geomancer told him that and quickly ran away.
Old Master Xue was dumbfounded when he saw the shock on that person’s face.
How powerful must those people be to scare away the best geomancers in Southport?
He trembled and his face turned pale again when he looked at the group of old people in suits.
“Go, let’s go! Forget about the revenge!” He escaped defeatedly with the people behind him.
Taoist Master Qian Ji grunted coldly after the previous group of people left. He turned around, resumed smiling, and walked toward Tang Hao.
“Congratulations, Little Brother Tang, congratulations!”
The other Taoist masters also crowded around him and greeted him.
After exchanging some pleasantries, Tang Hao invited everyone inside.
The guests turned around and headed into the clubhouse while chatting with each other.
Tang Hao stood outside for a while longer before confirming that all the guests were in attendance.
Tang Hao then brought Qin Xiangyi into the hall.
The dinner party began in a cheerful atmosphere.
Glasses clinked and people laughed. The festive mood permeated the entire hall.
Tang Hao lost count of how much liquor he drank. The villager elders pulled him over to drink with the villagers. After that, he had to toast each of the Taoist masters.
That was divine liquor! Even though he had diluted it, it was stronger than usual liquor. Tang Hao felt a little tipsy after a round of drinks.
Fortunately, those who tried to outdrink him were knocked out. More than half of the Taoist masters were slumped on the table.
It was a little past nine o’clock when the party ended.
Tang Hao stood at the front door to see the guests out. He found rides for those who were already drunk and sent them away.
It was ten o’clock when the final guest left.
Standing at the front door, Tang Hao breathed a sigh of relief.
The celebration was finally over.
“It’s so troublesome to host a dinner party!” Tang Hao said.
Qin Xiangyi smiled next to him.
She drank a lot of alcohol, and her face was blushing red. Her beautiful gaze wavered, which gave her a seductive charm.
Standing under the light, she was as beautiful as a dream.
“Let’s go!”
She smiled, held Tang Hao’s hand, and led him away while chuckling.
Chapter 468: Target: Yu Lin Group
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Late at night.
The streets were deserted.
Two people walked hand in hand along those deserted streets.
The street lights cast a long shadow behind them.
They strolled along the streets for a very long time. The cool early summer wind was comfortable and refreshing.
Suddenly, they stopped walking in front of a construction site.
A skyscraper was currently under construction.
“Look, there it is! That will be Haotian Plaza, the future landmark of Westridge!” Tang Hao pointed at the construction site.
Qin Xiangyi looked toward where he was pointing and exclaimed in surprise. “So that’s the future Haotian Plaza!”
She turned around and looked at Tang Hao. “I’m so proud of you, Lil Tang!”
She leaned over and pecked Tang Hao’s cheek.
Tang Hao was surprised. He wanted to pull her close and kiss her.
She abruptly let go of her hand, took a step back, and smiled mischievously. “You’re not gonna kiss me! Catch me if you can!”
She turned around and walked away briskly.
She laughed as she walked, frequently turning around to cast seductive glances at Tang Hao.
Tang Hao chuckled. He jogged over and, after fooling around for a bit, caught her hand and pulled her into his embrace.
Her body was soft and delicate as though she had no bones. It was warm and fragrant.
Her face was so tender and pink as though it would bounce at the slightest touch.
She bit her lip and said coyly, “Tonight… let’s not go home!”
She lifted a finger and pointed it skyward. “We’ll go up there and bask under the moonlight!”
Tang Hao was surprised by her suggestion, though he was instantly aroused. “Doing it in the open? That’s an exciting idea!”
He carried her and rode the wind to the rooftop of a skyscraper.
The night became darker.
The couple whispered and moaned on top of the skyscraper, bringing some life to the dead of night.
…
The morning sun was bright and invigorating.
Sizzling sounds could be heard from the kitchen.
Tang Hao stood in front of the stove, flipping a piece of meat in the pan. The meat was white and tender. After frying it for a while, it started bubbling and emanated an incredible fragrance.
“Oh, this smells so good! What are you cooking?”
A beautiful figure came out of the room.
She wore a sheer negligee, which partially obscured her incredibly sexy body. She yawned as she walked into the kitchen.
“It’s also snake meat, but this isn’t a normal snake!” Tang Hao said.
“Oh, is it the humongous snake that you mentioned before? It already smells delicious!” Qin Xiangyi said while swallowing a mouthful of saliva.
Her eyes were sparkling with anticipation.
“It’s definitely delicious!” Tang Hao said with a smile. “Go and dress up. The food will be ready soon!”
A while later, she returned in her office clothes, which made her look active and diligent. Her slender legs were wrapped in silk stockings which gave her an extra seductive charm.
Her face was alluring even without make-up.
Tang Hao placed the meat on a plate in front of her.
She took a fork and knife, cut a small piece of meat, and put it in her mouth.
Her eyes widened. “This is delicious! Oh my god! It’s better than the meat last time!” She exclaimed.
Tang Hao looked at her and smiled. “Then you should eat more!”
After that, he got up and fried another piece.
She ate both pieces of meat. “I’m so full! I’ll be fat. What should I do?” She said coyly as she patted her stomach.
She shot a side-eye at Tang Hao. “It’s all because of you. You always fill me up!”
1
She blushed hard when she realized the double meaning in her words.
“Ahh, never mind. Send me to the factory!”
She stood up, went into her room, and put on some light makeup.
After sending her to the factory, Tang Hao drove to a hotel.
Half of the Taoist masters were knocked out by the alcohol at the dinner party yesterday, while the other half were in no condition to drive. They did not return to Mao Mountain but instead stayed at a nearby hotel.
Most of them were still sleeping when Tang Hao arrived. Taoist Master Qian Ji had just woken up.
Tang Hao visited the Taoist masters because he had promised to give Taoist Master Qian Ji some snake meat.
While they chatted, Tang Hao asked the Taoist master if they had any news about Wang Changsheng.
Mao Mountain was not sure whether Wang Changsheng was truly dead. They had been on the lookout for him or any news related to him.
“I can’t say for sure! We haven’t found any clues. Perhaps he’s truly dead, but there’s still a chance that he’s still alive and out there somewhere… Don’t worry about it, Little Brother Tang, we will inform you immediately if we find anything,” Taoist Master Qian Ji told him as it is.
Tang Hao left the hotel after chatting for a while more.
He drove to the new office of Haotian Group. It was a ten-minute walk from Spring River Plaza and Liu Dajun’s Sunshine Plaza.
Haotian Group had rented the entire building. His office was on the top floor.
“Good morning, Chairman!”
The workers bowed at him when he entered the building.
Tang Hao stopped walking and nodded at them to return the greeting.
Tang Hao met Han Yutong on the top floor. Her office was right in front of his.
“This office is so big! I’m not used to it!”
Han Yutong complained to Tang Hao as she spun around in a leather chair.
Tang Hao chuckled. “Isn’t that good? You’ve been complaining that the previous office was too small!”
“But this is too big!” Han Yutong stuck her tongue out.
Tang Hao smiled and said, “Right, can you tell Sis Yan to come and see me later? I want to discuss some things with her.”
“Oh, alright!” Han Yutong replied.
Tang Hao exited her office, took a few steps, and pushed open the door to his office.
Beyond the door was an extremely wide office with modern and luxurious furnishings.
At the other end of the room was a floor to ceiling window, from which he could see half of Provincial City.
Next to the window was an office table.
It was a very simple setup. The table had nothing other than a computer and a pen holder.
Tang Hao felt emotional as he looked around his office.
The office he was in now was much bigger than his previous office.
He looked outside the window and saw the city below him. He felt a rousing sense of ambition grow within him.
He stood there for a long time, thinking of something.
“Now that Haotian Group is operational, the next target is Yu Lin Group!” He mumbled to himself.
He had been plotting to bring down Yu Lin Group. That was why he started Magical Kitchen earlier, to bring down Yu Lin Group’s chain of restaurants, Spring Brook.
It was time to bring the plan further.
Chapter 469: Sports Drink
Knock knock!
Someone knocking on the door pulled Tang Hao’s thoughts back to the present.
He turned around and sat in front of his table. “Come in!” He shouted.
Liu Yan opened the door and walked in.
“Chairman!” She greeted him.
“Please sit down!” Tang Hao said with a smile as he pointed at the chair in front of him. “How is it your first day? Are you used to your new position?”
Liu Yan smiled. “It’s not bad! It’s just that I feel a bigger responsibility now. This is a group of companies and not just a single company like before.”
As the most veteran employee of Haotian Co. Ltd., Liu Yan was promoted to be the president of Haotian Group. She was placed in charge of all the subsidiary companies.
Meanwhile, Haotian Co. Ltd. promoted a veteran employer as its manager.
As Liu Yan spoke, she seemed excited.
The first reason was because of her promotion. She had never dreamed of being the president of a group of companies.
Secondly, she was still excited about the incident the night before. She did not expect that Tang Hao managed to invite not only the leaders of the district, but also the higher-ups in the province, and even important people from the Capital.
She was utterly shocked when she saw those VIPs, but at the same time, she was excited.
With such strong connections, the group would definitely thrive. Moreover, the group’s products had no competition in the market. The potential of the companies was limitless.
Perhaps one day, Haotian Group shall stand among the biggest conglomerates in the country.
She was extremely excited when she thought of that.
She was talking about the group’s prospects with Shi Yiwen, Yao Qing, and the other managers at the dinner party the night before.
All of the other managers were very confident about the group’s future too.
Tang Hao smiled. “Of course you have a bigger responsibility now. We’re a group of companies!”
“Right, Chairman Tang, do you have something to discuss with me? I happen to have the companies’ reports with me, and I also want to discuss the group’s future projections with you,” Liu Yan said.
“I wanted to discuss with you about the group’s future too. Let’s hear about the reports first!”
“Alright!” Liu Yan replied. She took out some documents and handed them to Tang Hao.
“We currently have five subsidiary companies under Haotian Group. These are the quarterly financial reports of Haotian Health Products, Masculine Wind, Divine Liquor, and New Magical Kitchen.
“Look at the profits column. After we increased the factories’ production capacity, Haotian Health Products netted one hundred and fifty million yuan in profit last quarter. That is a fifty percent increase from the one hundred million yuan in the previous quarter.
“Masculine Wind Health Products performed spectacularly too. It earned one hundred and thirty million yuan in the past quarter. The aphrodisiac is too popular. Every man needs it, no matter if they are young or old.
“It’s being crowned as every man’s miracle cure!”
Liu Yan chuckled when she said that.
Tang Hao also laughed. He had been paying close attention to the news on the Internet. Some people have even called the inventor of the medicine the Masculine Cult Leader.
Tang Hao thought that the nickname was quite weird.
“Please continue!” Tang Hao said.
“Next is Divine Liquor Company. The company has been operational for only about three months. Its scale isn’t as big as the previous two, but it’s growing strong.
“The profit for the past three months is almost seventy million yuan.
“Finally, New Magical Kitchen’s profits are quite significant. The profits for the past quarter is almost one hundred million yuan.
“If this trend of growth continues, the yearly profits for our group is estimated at two billion yuan. It’s quite impressive, considering that we only started Haotian Co. Ltd. less than a year ago.”
Tang Hao nodded in agreement.
A yearly profit of two billion was perhaps loose change for the biggest conglomerates in the country.
Those conglomerates earned at least tens of billions every year.
However, it was already quite impressive for a newly formed group.
Liu Yan handed him several more reports and briefly updated him with the latest happenings in each company.
“Masculine Wind and New Magical Kitchen can continue with what they’re doing. However, I was thinking of several product innovations for Haotian Health Products and Divine Liquor Company,” Tang Hao said.
“Innovations?” Liu Yan was surprised.
“Just like you mentioned before. We can introduce different tiers of products for different markets,” Tang Hao said.
Liu Yan nodded.
She had suggested catering their products to different markets. However, the company’s priority back then was to increase production capacity, which was why the suggestion was shelved.
“I’m also thinking of introducing a few more products soon. One of them is a healthcare tonic, another is a sobriety potion, and finally, a hair growth medicine. They will all go under the Masculine Wind banner.
“I’d also like to start another company too.”
“What company?” Liu Yan was surprised.
“Beverage!” Tang Hao said matter-of-factly.
The beverage company under Yu Lin Group was its biggest contributor, even more so than its restaurant chain.
Taking over Yu Lin Group’s share in the beverage market would be a huge blow to them.
“Oh, and it will be a sports drink that can replenish one’s energy,” Tang Hao added.
Liu Yan’s expression changed imperceptibly. She understood what Tang Hao was trying to do.
She was good friends with Han Yutong, and she knew about the situation with her and Yu Lin Group. Moreover, Tang Hao had asked her to investigate Yu Lin Group’s background.
Now that New Magical Kitchen had taken the market share of Yu Lin Group’s Spring Brook, it was time to attack Yu Lin Group’s other subsidiaries.
“Is there something?”
“No. You have my full support, Chairman Tang! That Han Chenglin isn’t a man at all for abandoning his wife and daughter just so that he could chase after wealth and fame. He deserves to be bankrupted.”
“That’s good!” Tang Hao said with a smile.
“I’ll start sourcing for a new location for the factory and prepare the necessary paperwork. Right, that sports drink…”
“I haven’t concocted it yet, but it won’t take long,” Tang Hao said.
They talked about official business for a while more before Liu Yan left the office.
Tang Hao was very busy in the next few days. He had to concoct the sports drink as soon as possible.
His sports drink needed to have amazing effects so that it could take over the market by storm.
A sports drink should replenish the body’s lost fluids and nutrients quickly.
Tang Hao devised many prescriptions based on those two functions. After several rounds of continuous improvements, he eventually settled on a prescription. As for the name, he thought for a long time and decided on ‘Vitality’.
Vitality Sports Drink was made of all-natural herbs. Not only could it quickly replenish lost fluids, it could also restore one’s energy instantly. Even if you ran for a few kilometers, one bottle of Vitality Sports Drink could make you feel instantly energized. The effects were nothing short of miraculous.
He handed some samples to Liu Dajun and the others, and they could not stop praising it.
“This is f*cking great! This is a miracle for men! It’ll go so well with the aphrodisiac!” Liu Dajun said candidly.
“That’s right! Drink a bottle after you’re done in bed, and you’re good to go again!” President Li said.
Tang Hao rolled his eyes when he heard that. That was supposed to be a sports drink. How did they find alternative uses for it so quickly?
However, he thought about it and realized that in-bed activities could be considered sports too.
“Damn, why didn’t I think of that?” Tang Hao muttered to himself.
“Let me warn you, the effects of the drink and the aphrodisiac are only superficial, so you’d better not overdo it in bed. It’ll still cause you problems,” Tang Hao said.
Masculine Wind Aphrodisiac had minor medicinal effects, and it could not help someone who did not control himself in bed.
“Heheh! Lil Tang, when are you coming up with kidney medicine then? That’ll be the last thing we need!” Liu Dajun and the others smiled curiously.
Tang Hao rolled his eyes again.
He had the prescription for kidney medicine, but he was not going to release it that soon.
Chapter 470: Glorious Return
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The next six days passed in the blink of an eye.
Tang Hao finalized the recipe for the sports drink in those six days. He also bought more raw jade so that he could produce spirit jade to craft talismans and Artifacts.
He had to replenish his depleted inventory from his last trip to Hindustan.
He realized that he had stayed in Westridge for almost half a month. Tang Hao wanted to return to the university, but after calling Liu Bingyao and finding out that the Tang-Hao-mania was still raging, he began to have second thoughts.
He weighed his options and decided that he should stay in Westridge for longer.
He received a call late in the morning.
The call was from Principal Cai of First High.
“Lil Bro Tang… no, I should call you Chairman Tang by now!” Principal Cai laughed heartily over the phone.
“Is there something, Principal Cai?” Tang Hao said.
“It’s like this. You’re an honorary alumnus of First high, and your success story can be a great motivation to your juniors. I’d like to invite you to come to the school and give a talk,” Principal Cai said.
“Ah? A talk?” Tang Hao was stunned.
“Yes, a talk. You can introduce yourself and share with the students about your path to success,” Principal Cai said with a smile.
Tang Hao did not have a reply to that.
He did not know how to give a talk. Furthermore, his ‘path to success’ was not exactly conventional.
“Well…” Tang Hao hesitated for a while and planned to decline.
Principal Cai continued, “The gaokao will start in a few days. I’d like to use your success story to motivate the third-year students.” (TN: The gaokao, or the National College Entrance Examination, is the exam that all high school students in China take for university admission. As with any other major examination in East Asia, it is Very Important.)
Tang Hao was surprised. He looked at the calendar and noticed that the gaokao was in seven days.
He felt rather emotional.
It was one of his regrets that he could not participate in the gaokao.
For any high school student, what was studying hard for, if not for the gaokao?
The gaokao was very important to a student. It might not decide the rest of one’s life, but it certainly would affect the trajectory.
He was reminded of Yan’er. She would be taking her gaokao in the coming week.
Tang Hao’s lips curled upward subconsciously when he thought of her. The smile was genuine from his heart.
He thought for a while more and agreed to Principal Cai’s invitation.
“Remember, it’s in the morning after tomorrow,” Principal Cai said.
After the call ended, Tang Hao looked at the calendar and got emotional.
“It’s almost a year!” He mumbled wistfully.
This time last year, he was riding his three-wheeled motorcycle and barely scraping by. A year later, he was sitting in his personal office and looking down at the entire city.
He sat there for a very long time, deep in thought…
Two days later, at about nine o’clock in the morning, An Audi A8 drove out of Haotian Plaza’s basement parking lot toward First High.
Tang Hao sat in the backseat. He wore a business suit and looked very formal.
Han Yutong sat next to him, dressed in black office clothes.
She wore light makeup, which enhanced the beauty of her face.
In the driver’s seat was a driver in a uniform.
Tang Hao was planning to drive there himself, but when Liu Yan caught wind of that, she insisted on hiring a driver and getting Han Yutong to accompany him.
She also instructed Tang Hao to dress formally.
“That way, you would look like you’re a capable man, and you wouldn’t embarrass Haotian Group,” she said.
Tang Hao had no choice but to listen to what she said.
The car arrived at First High after about fifteen minutes of driving.
Tang Hao lifted his head to see and was shocked.
A crowd had gathered at the entrance. All the students were there, and the people in the front were the teachers and administrators of the school.
Even the cafeteria ladies and janitors were there.
He brought his gaze higher and saw a banner hanging on the front gate.
“Welcome Honorary Alumnus Tang Hao to First High…” Han Yutong softly read the words.
She could not help but chuckle. “You’re famous now, Chairman Tang!”
Even the driver laughed out loud too.
Tang Hao grimaced helplessly.
The atmosphere at the school entrance was incredibly lively.
The students stretched their necks and looked down the road. They had curious and excited expressions on their faces.
“Hey, have you heard? That Tang Hao is the rumored boyfriend of the beauty queen.”
“Yes, yes, I’ve heard of that! That Tang Hao is amazing! He’s only a year older than us, but he’s already the chairman of a group of companies. He’s very, very rich.”
“Most importantly, he’s handsome! He’s the perfect Prince Charming.”
Everyone discussed excitedly.
Even the cafeteria ladies and the janitors were talking.
“I remember that I’ve served lunch to that young man. I can’t be wrong, that’s him! He was very skinny back then, he looks like he’s malnourished. He only buys two vegetable dishes and never any meat.”
A cafeteria lady pointed at Tang Hao’s face in a booklet.
“I felt quite sorry for him back then, but he’s found his success now. Wow, the chairman of a group. What a big-timer!”
The middle-aged woman seemed emotional.
“I remember that he looked quite poor and dressed quite shabbily. He was shy and didn’t speak much,” another middle-aged woman said. “He’s made it big now!”
Some teachers were also talking among themselves.
A nineteen-year-old who started his own group of companies and became a self-made billionaire was earth-shaking news.
They were utterly shocked when they heard the news a few days ago.
If they had not heard it from the principal’s mouth, they would not have believed it.
The principal also said that many VIPs were in attendance at the dinner party that night, which had shocked them even more.
Tang Hao had always kept a low profile when he was a student in First High. His grades were not bad, but he was not very remarkable. His teachers would have forgotten about him if not for that fighting incident.
From that incident, they only remembered that he was a hooligan who got himself expelled from school.
They could not imagine that the student would go on to make a name for himself.
He had exposed the misdeeds of the dean, then started his company and donated a few million yuan to the school. Now that he had made it big and was making a glorious return to the school, the teachers treated him differently.
“Ha! To be frank, I knew from back then that he’s not a normal boy. I had expected that he’d do great things in the future! See what I mean?”
“Haha, Tang Hao was my pride! He’s the most accomplished among all the students I’ve taught. Back then, I also thought that his cool temperament and unique fashion style made him different from the rest.”
Those teachers who were boasting excitedly had taught Tang Hao back when he was in First High.