Later, Elder Gao said no more. After watching the auction for a while and eating some fruit to quench his thirst, he asked Old Ghost to keep me company, saying he had a New Year's charity event in the evening, and dinner would be with Gao Xiaozhi and Qin Sisi.
I stood up to bid farewell to Elder Gao. Elder Gao smiled and said, "Tang Nan, I heard your wife is in the antique business. If you see anything you like, pick one as a gift to take with you."
"Thank you, Elder Gao, I will choose carefully."
After Elder Gao left, I stretched my stiff body. I didn't know when it started, but sitting beside this old man made me feel immense pressure. Especially when he casually spoke about me becoming an economic guide, it inexplicably piled on the stress. I couldn't deny that an unknown world held an indescribable allure for me.
Old Ghost looked at me and asked seriously, "What are your thoughts?"
"What thoughts should I have?"
"Are you going to help him?"
"Isn't he a bad person?" I whispered, a sound only Old Ghost could hear.
"The winner is king, the loser is a bandit. Good and bad are defined by the victor. I know Elder Gao's true nature, but he has always been a kind and benevolent elder in the hearts of the people, a great hero during the economic crisis."
I understood Old Ghost's meaning and casually added, "You mean, he has always been the winner."
"Yes!"
I let out a long sigh and asked with a smile, "How should I choose a gift?"
"Someone will bring auction paddles later. Just raise your paddle and bid for what you like."
"Shouldn't I go over there?" I pointed to the auction seats.
The auction area was chaotic, like buying eggs at a market, but bids started in the tens of millions.
"No need."
I smiled and said to Old Ghost, "I'm returning to Beijing tomorrow. I won't do any more overestimating my abilities. I'll book a business class ticket first. If I can't get one, does your promise to charter a plane still stand?"
"It does, after all, you bought me roast duck."
"This roast duck is truly worth it!"
...
I spotted a jade necklace with a jade pendant the size of an egg, looking exceptionally translucent. In antiques, my knowledge is limited to jade. I bought the Qianlong dynasty jade necklace for 22 million. As I was leaving, a hostess handed me an exquisite box. Like a country bumpkin, I asked, "Don't... don't I need to pay first?"
The beautiful hostess looked at me with utter astonishment. She must have seen wealthy individuals before, but perhaps not a foolish rich person sitting in VIP. Old Ghost chuckled, "That paddle you have is a blank check."
I looked at Old Ghost and pouted.
"What's wrong?" Old Ghost asked, surprised.
"If you had said so earlier, I would have bought something more expensive."
...
How much for a pound of cabbage? Three mao! I'll take the whole cart. Oh, then I'll give you a discount. No need, brother isn't short on a few cents.
When I have money, I'll eat a bowl of tofu pudding and pour another one out! In front of the old man selling cabbage, pretending to be rich – this is my real life. Living extravagantly, spending twenty million on a gift for my wife, plus investing, I can accept all of that.
I'm willing to be a rich person, but turning money into economics, and letting me be the trendsetter of the world – I can't do that. One must have self-awareness and not overestimate their abilities.
...
I somewhat understood Old Ghost's feelings. Living in this world, he wouldn't be happy.
He doesn't want me to be like this either, so I'll take his advice and return to Beijing.
...
However, there's still a dinner party tonight, attended by Elder Gao's eldest son, Gao Xiaozhi, accompanied by Qin Sisi.
Dinner was at a high-end Western restaurant. Gao Xiaozhi wore a sharp suit, and Qin Sisi, on his arm, was in an elegant cheongsam. As soon as we sat down, a waiter informed us that our seats had been changed.
The new location resembled an elegant concert hall, with a Western band on a platform playing graceful, rich music. The entire hall was adorned with a king-sized, dark green dining table.
The waiter guided Gao Xiaozhi to the head of the table. Old Ghost sat to his right, I sat next to Old Ghost, and Qin Sisi, also a guest, sat next to me. I saw two more seats opposite us, also set with golden cutlery.
At that moment, the occupants of those seats appeared: a man in his thirties and a woman in an evening gown.
Suit, evening gown – only Old Ghost and I were dressed in casual jackets, like mere extras. I, who should have felt awkward, found my gaze fixed on the woman in the evening gown. Her deep V-neck perfectly showcased her slightly voluptuous figure. She wasn't conventionally beautiful, but exuded immense charm. Most importantly, I knew her intimately; she was my senior sister, Cao Qian.
After only half a year, she had transformed into a lady of status.
"I apologize, Father. This was not Zi Hui's idea, but my own doing. I booked this hall. Tang Nan is my junior brother and a rare relative to see."
Hearing the word "relative," I scoffed inwardly, but I had grown. My expression remained controlled.
"Your grandfather dislikes extravagance, but since Tang Nan is your esteemed guest and family, a little indulgence is acceptable. Please, sit."
Simultaneously, the man in the suit bowed politely to me, a characteristic smirk on his lips. He said courteously, "Tang Nan, hello. I am Gao Zihui, the eldest grandson of the Gao family. It's our first meeting; I hope we can get along well in the future."
"Hello, hello. I am Tang Nan." I stood up, extended both hands, bowed almost ninety degrees, and shook Gao Zihui's hand. At the same time, I stole a glance at Gao Xiaozhi. Gao Xiaozhi maintained excellent composure, but I still detected a hint of disdain.
"Master, you're here too."
After shaking hands with me, Gao Zihui greeted Old Ghost. Old Ghost, who was usually amiable, merely gave a cold nod.
I didn't know who this Gao Zihui was, but seeing Old Ghost's demeanor, my first impression of him was not good. Furthermore, my dear senior sister, whom I hadn't seen in less than half a year, had suddenly become the eldest grandson's wife in such a prominent family. Her intelligence and scheming were as strong as ever.
...
They said they were accompanying me for dinner, but it was merely out of respect for Elder Gao's influence. Gao Xiaozhi completely disregarded me, treating this as a family gathering and discussing industrial matters with Gao Zihui. My senior sister, Cao Qian, like a proper young lady, quietly enjoyed the exquisite Western meal, which I found rather unconvincing. At the same time, I noticed that Old Ghost, who usually loved to eat, seemed uninterested in this refined French cuisine.
I stood up, preparing to excuse myself. Unexpectedly, Qin Sisi also stood up and said with a smile, "Are you going to the restroom? I'll show you the way."
I followed Qin Sisi out. Once outside the door, she quietly began to explain the current situation. Elder Gao was advanced in age, and the question of who would inherit the family business was a major point of contention within the Gao family.
Gao Ji had two sons and one daughter. The eldest son, Gao Xiaozhi, was fifty-two years old and managed the family's primary industries in Hong Kong. The second son, Gao Xiaoqing, was fifty and responsible for overseas operations. He wasn't in Hong Kong at the moment, but his twenty-six-year-old daughter, Gao Ziyan, lived there. Gao Ziyan was an anomaly, not participating in any family business activities and working as a kindergarten teacher. Gao Ji's youngest daughter, Gao Xiaojuan, passed away in 1990 at the age of thirty, leaving behind a three-year-old son, Gao Ziming, who was now twenty-one.
Unlike typical aristocrats, Gao Ji was not a womanizer and maintained strict self-discipline. In his lifetime, Gao Ji had only one wife, who passed away three years prior from illness. In the last two years, Gao Ji's health had also declined, and his children had begun eyeing his fortune.
I was uninterested in the Gao family's inheritance dispute. Instead, I was curious about my senior sister's situation.
"When did my senior sister Cao Qian become the eldest grandson's wife of the Gao family?"
"It was two months ago. She met Gao Zihui at a party. They claim it was love at first sight?"
"Do you believe it?" I asked Qin Sisi seriously.
"Their lives are different from ours. In relationships, they never talk about feelings, nor do they have the concept of chastity. Having the eldest son marry a virgin is something from television dramas. Here, they are driven by profit. Miss Cao Qian is intelligent and resourceful, a crucial tool for Gao Zihui in his quest for the family business. Marrying Cao Qian was a very wise choice for him."
"Wise?"
"Don't you think so?"
"There's an old Chinese saying: inviting a wolf into the house."
"Are you referring to me as the 'wolf'?" Senior Sister appeared behind me without a sound.
I frowned but didn't answer.
Senior Sister smiled at Qin Sisi, "Sisi, thank you for explaining the current situation to him. I'll speak with him myself from now on."
Qin Sisi nodded and walked back towards the banquet. I politely nodded to Senior Sister and turned to leave. Senior Sister called out, "Where are you going?"
"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."
Senior Sister smiled, "Tang Nan, can't you be less naive? Since you're here, do you really think you can escape this 'war'?"
"I'm flying back to Beijing tomorrow. Whether this is a 'war' or not, it has nothing to do with me."
With that, I entered the restroom without looking back.