The flight did not take off on time. The sudden weather change delayed Wen Liang's return trip by nearly three hours. When the plane arrived at Guanshan Airport, the sky had already turned dark and the lights of the terminal could be seen through the window.
It was not the peak season for flights, so there were not many people waiting for the flight in the hall. Wen Liang had just walked out of the corridor when he saw Qu Rong, who was smiling, striding towards him. Speaking of Qu Rong, since Wen Liang introduced him to Xu Fuyan and Jinlong Construction got involved in the Qingzhou East City Reconstruction Project, the relationship between the two has become much closer than before when they were just cooperating.
As soon as they met, Qu Rong warmly shook Wen Liang's hand and said, "Boss Wen, I'm really sorry. My father has a meeting and Secretary Jiang Lei has called my name. I have to go. Before he left, he specifically told me to apologize to you!"
"You're too polite!" Wen Liang called Qu Donghai before boarding the plane. He wanted to meet him as soon as he returned to Guanshan from Mingzhu. When he saw Qu Rong for the first time, he knew that something must have delayed him. He smiled and said, "Brother Qu, you're too polite. We are all family. There's no need to be so formal!"
"Yes, yes, family, family!"
Qu Rong laughed. His position in the Jinlong Group was far inferior to that of his other brothers. The only Jinlong Construction he was in charge of was just a contractor's job. Since he met Wen Liang, he first took over the central kitchen of Qinghe Soy Milk, then built a five-star hotel in Yishan, and then participated in the construction of Qingzhou East City. His performance in the past two years has been outstanding in the group. Qu Donghai, who was always stingy with praise, had publicly praised him twice. Seeing the jealousy in the eyes of his third brother Qu Ying, who had been trained as the next president of the Jinlong Group, he was so happy that he wanted to drink three cups in a row!
Therefore, Wen Liang is not only his benefactor, but also his strong partner. More importantly, he and his father are close friends regardless of age difference. If he has any ideas about the family business, he has to be more positive, proactive, and even well-behaved.
Qu Rong led Wen Liang outside and said, "Why doesn't Mr. Wen apply for a VIP card? It would be more convenient to travel at the airport. At least the car wouldn't have to be parked so far away, and you could leave directly through the VIP channel."
"Afraid of heights!" Wen Liang tapped his temples and said, "I get a headache when I'm in the air. If I'm not in a hurry, I usually take the train. Although the accident rate of airplanes is low, the mortality rate is too high. It's better not to take them if you can."
Qu Rong gave a thumbs up and praised: "Very insightful!
When they arrived at the Golden Dragon Hotel, Wen Liang did not let Qu Rong arrange a luxury suite, but only a standard room, and then he accompanied him to a private room on the second floor with a table of food and wine. Wen Liang smiled and said, "Brother Qu, there are only two of us, so we can order whatever we want. It would be a waste if we couldn't finish so much."
Qu Rong said: "The old man has to wait a while before coming over. I am a rather dull person, and I am afraid that Mr. Wen will feel bored, so I invited outside help to liven things up."
Wen Liang frowned slightly. He had something to discuss with Qu Donghai today, not to eat, drink, have fun, or meet friends. Qu Rong immediately noticed Wen Liang's displeasure and hurriedly explained: "They are not irrelevant people. They are my wife and daughter who happened to be shopping nearby... How about I call them now and ask them not to come?"
It turned out that they were going to have a family dinner. Knowing Qu Rong's thoughts very well, Wen Liang would not pour cold water on him. He deliberately glared at him and said, "We are family, but you are still so distant. If I were not so busy, I would have visited my sister-in-law when I came to Guanshan. It's a good opportunity to report your illegal activities in Qingzhou to my sister-in-law today..."
Qu Rong smiled and said, "I am an honest man, I am not afraid of you complaining..."
While they were chatting and laughing, there was a knock on the door. Qu Rong went to open the door, and what came into Wen Liang's eyes was a beautiful woman in her thirties. Her long black hair was curled in the most popular big waves. Her eyebrows, eye shadow and foundation made her cheeks exquisite and thorough. She had charming eyes, bright red lips, and a tight silk black knee-length skirt, all of which exuded full of style and charm.
"You Juan, come and meet Mr. Wen. Mr. Wen, this is my wife, You Juan, who works at the Municipal Investment Promotion Bureau."
Wen Liang stood up with a smile and said, "Sister-in-law, I often hear Brother Qu talk about you, praising you like a fairy. We all thought he was bragging, but after seeing you today, I realized that Brother Qu is still too modest..."
You Juan rolled her eyes at Qu Rong. Her flowing gesture made people's hearts skip a beat and their mouths dry. She said, "He is such a useless person, and he still praises me? President Wen, please don't flatter him!"
Qu Rong just smiled and did not refute. He diligently pulled out a chair for You Juan and carefully asked her to sit down. Then he waved to the girl who had been standing still since she entered the door and said with a smile: "Xixi, come here, call uncle!"
This was a little girl of 13 or 14 years old, with bangs that reached her eyebrows and short hair tied into two pigtails behind her ears. She was about 70% similar to You Juan, and had a delicate appearance, but she looked more like a little boy. She was playing with a seven-order Rubik's Cube in her hand, flipping it up and down. When she heard Qu Rong's words, she didn't even raise her head, let alone call him uncle.
"Qu Xixi!" Qu Rong said with a dark face, "Put the toys away!"
"Why are you yelling? You scared the child!" You Juan was obviously very doting on the little girl. She pulled her hand over and said softly, "Xixi, look, this is Uncle Wen, your father's good friend. He just came back from Mingzhu and hasn't eaten yet. If you only care about developing your intelligence and let others go hungry, isn't that rude?"
You Xixi lowered her head, and her fingers, which had been performing magic, finally stopped. She pulled out a chair, sat down with her hands flat on her thighs, but still didn't say a word.
Qu Rong sighed to Wen Liang and said, "Boss Wen, I'm sorry to make you laugh. The child has grown up and is in his rebellious period. He doesn't obey me. Anyway, as a father, I can't do anything about it."
Wen Liang didn't mind and smiled, "Who hasn't had a childhood? We all went through this. In a year or two, when we go to high school, everything will be fine..."
Before he finished speaking, You Xixi sneered, not disguising her disdain and contempt for Wen Liang's words. Qu Rong was overwhelmed, doubting whether it was the right decision to let his daughter come with him. You Juan covered her mouth, giggled, and said, "Boss Wen, you are wrong. My Xixi is already a senior in high school this year and will take the college entrance examination next year!"
"ah?"
This time it was Wen Liang's turn to feel troubled. He looked at Qu Xixi carefully again and found that she was definitely not over fifteen years old. Logically, she should be at most in the first year of high school. How could she possibly take the college entrance exam
"Sister-in-law, how old is Xixi?"
There was a hint of mischievous pride in You Juan's eyes, but for someone her age, it didn't seem artificial or incongruous. She said, "Fourteen years old, my birthday just happened a few days ago!"
If the person who spoke had not been Qu Rong's wife, Wen Liang would never have believed it. Even if he started school at the age of five, he would have to be sixteen to graduate from high school according to normal procedures.
Fourteen? A child prodigy
"Although this child is not obedient, she has been smart since she was young. Her studies have never worried me and her mother. She skipped several grades in elementary and junior high school, so she is a little young," Qu Rong explained.
What a child prodigy!
Wen Liang was a little speechless, but he was even more speechless when he heard Qu Rong say, "Actually, it's too late to take the college entrance examination this year. When I was in the first year of high school, someone from the junior class of the University of Science and Technology came to recruit students and took a fancy to Xixi. However, You Juan was worried that the child was too young and would face great pressure and hardship in Beijing, so she rejected him..."
People who have experienced that era are all well-known for the HKUST Junior Class. This program for nurturing young talents initiated by Tsung-Dao Lee has generated huge controversy since its inception. Some praise it, while others detract from it. But no matter what, it is a gathering place for child prodigies in the minds of many people, and being able to enter it undoubtedly means that your child has become the best among his or her peers.
Although Qu Xixi did not become a member of the junior class because of You Juan's doting, it is still a proud thing to talk about it. So when they meet people who don't know the situation, such as Wen Liang, telling them about it and seeing the surprised expressions on their faces has become a regular entertainment program for Qu Rong's family.
“Great, great!”
Wen Liang joked, "Brother Qu, I never realized that you have such good genes... No, that can't be said. It should be that my sister-in-law has a good foundation. Brother Qu, you are at most the icing on the cake!"
"That's what my sister-in-law likes to hear," You Juan stood up and said, "Boss Wen, I've always heard Lao Qu talk about you. Today is our first meeting, so I want to toast you on behalf of my whole family."
You Juan quickly filled the glass with wine, put it to her lips and drank it all, very generous and straightforward. Wen Liang didn't want to show off, so he drank the glass of wine and said, "Sister-in-law, I have something to do tonight, so let's drink this glass, okay?"
"How can this work?" You Juan worked at the Merchants Bureau and knew the ways of drinking better than anyone else. She was about to do everything she could to get Wen Liang to drink, but Qu Rong coughed twice beside her. She knew in her heart that this was a warning to her to stop. Then she stopped talking and smiled, "But, Mr. Wen, you are the leader of my old Qu. Whatever you say is the right thing to do. I will listen to you!"
Wen Liang has a good impression of You Juan. She can be restrained or generous, serious or humorous. He can see that she has a very good relationship with Qu Rong and is a smart person who has made her way in officialdom.
After exchanging polite words, they became more familiar with each other. They then started chatting about all sorts of things while eating. Somehow the topic turned to the recent major events in Guanshan. Wen Liang asked, "I heard that your Merchants Investment Bureau just got a big project?"
"The one with Xiang? That's not the credit of our bureau. If Mayor Chen hadn't stepped in personally, I'm afraid we wouldn't have been able to recruit this golden phoenix..."
Qu Rong was surprised and asked, "Don't you usually say that you summon a goose that lays golden eggs? How come it's a phoenix now?"
"What do you know, you rough guy!" You Juan choked him and sighed, "Boss Wen, I am a worldly-wise person after all, but when I first met Boss Xiang of Xiang Group in the city, I was really shocked. There is a saying that goes, she is so beautiful that she doesn't look like an ordinary person... The vice president who follows her seems to be Boss Xiang's younger brother, and he is as handsome as those celebrities..." (To be continued)