Chapter 170: Uncle
Chapter 170: Uncle
Zhong Yunxiu was nineteen years old this year. She was from Huhai and currently attended the acting department at Modu Film Academy.
Her dream was to become a world-famous superstar!
That was all the personal information she told Gao Jing on the way.
Gao Jing introduced himself as coming from Yuncheng, a timber merchant who also dealt in jade and precious stones.
“My family is in real estate.”
Zhong Yunxiu lifted her delicate chin and said, “If your performance tonight satisfies me, I could introduce you to my brother. He might give your business a boost.”
She had the air of a rich family’s young mistress.
Gao Jing chuckled. “That would be great, thanks. Please pull over at the flower shop up ahead.”
Zhong Yunxiu’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”
People usually tore down the bridge after crossing the river, but Gao Jing hadn’t even crossed yet and already wanted to tear down her bridge?
“I’m buying flowers,” Gao Jing explained. “I can’t show up empty-handed for your friend’s birthday, right?”
Zhong Yunxiu’s eyes grew even rounder. “Just giving one bouquet of flowers?”
Gao Jing felt that might be inadequate too. “Then two bouquets, okay?”
Zhong Yunxiu nearly slammed on the brakes!
After parking by the roadside, Gao Jing went into the flower shop and came back quickly.
Zhong Yunxiu gasped in surprise. “You actually bought two?”
Gao Jing said it like it was obvious. “One is for you. Thanks for helping introduce me to potential business.”
Zhong Yunxiu gritted her teeth. “How thoughtful!”
Gao Jing smiled. “You’re welcome.”
Teasing this young girl was actually quite amusing.
Mainly because his senior schoolmate had stood him up that evening – otherwise, he wouldn’t be this bored.
They got back on the road.
The Ferrari was a two-seater, so Gao Jing placed the two bouquets on the rack behind them.
Curious, he asked, “Honestly, you don’t know me at all. Dragging me along as your escort – aren’t you afraid I might do something bad?”
“Not afraid.”
Zhong Yunxiu answered confidently, “I’ve had special abilities since I was little. I can tell good people from bad with one look. You might be a ruthless, greedy businessman, but you’re not a villain.”
Gao Jing grinned. “Thanks for the compliment.”
“And…” Zhong Yunxiu declared proudly, “This young lady is a black belt in judo and level five in Taekwondo!”
Gao Jing looked at her with awe. “Impressive.”
Chatting and laughing, the two became much more familiar during the ride.
Until they reached their destination.
Huhai Shangri-La Hotel.
Her friend was holding her 19th birthday party in this luxurious five-star hotel.
After parking the car, Gao Jing followed Zhong Yunxiu to the banquet hall on the hotel’s third floor.
It was only then he noticed Zhong Yunxiu was about 1.75 meters tall. Her long legs were as straight as compass needles, and her proportions were excellent, looking more outstanding than many professional models.
The issue was, though young, she was remarkably well-endowed! He wondered what she ate growing up!
Inside and outside the hotel’s banquet hall were lavish decorations – clouds of balloons, oceans of flowers, and “Happy Birthday” signs in Chinese and English visible everywhere, filled with a joyful atmosphere.
There were countless male and female guests, elegantly dressed and chatting cheerfully amid music, dancing, and clinking glasses.
It was truly a grand celebration!
Even the weddings Gao Jing had attended before didn’t have such high standards.
He noticed most guests really did come in pairs and were mostly young people in their early twenties.
“Wenwen!”
Zhong Yunxiu hugged a girl wearing a white princess dress and a diamond tiara tightly. “Happy Birthday!”
“Muah!”
The princess-dressed girl beamed. “Xiuxiu, I thought you’d be coming alone! I really wasn’t expecting this!”
She eyed Gao Jing beside Zhong Yunxiu with curiosity.
Like she’d discovered a new continent!
“Let me introduce you both,” Zhong Yunxiu said easily. “Gao Jing, my friend. And this is Fang Jingwen, tonight’s birthday star!”
Gao Jing offered the bouquet with a smile. “Miss Jingwen, happy birthday.”
“Thank you,” Fang Jingwen took the bouquet, laughing. “Xiuxiu, you’re terrible! Knowing such a handsome guy and not telling us.”
Zhong Yunxiu wrinkled her nose. “Just friends, don’t get the wrong idea. Are Xiao Qing and Yuanyuan here?”
Fang Jingwen grinned. “They’re here. Want me to take you?”
Zhong Yunxiu turned and blinked at Gao Jing.
The meaning was clear.
Gao Jing smiled gently. “Don’t mind me. Go have fun.”
Though he was being used as an accessory, he didn’t feel cheated.
Because the long tables lining the hall, covered in pure white cloths, were piled high with all sorts of delicious dishes.
Gao Jing was famished. He naturally grabbed a plate, piling it high with fresh seafood.
He took a glass of champagne too, sat in a corner, and started eating heartily.
Gao Jing planned to eat and drink his fill, then make up some excuse to tell Zhong Yunxiu and leave.
He didn’t know anyone here.
Staying would be a pure waste of time.
But before he’d finished one plate of seafood, Zhong Yunxiu actually found him again. “Hey! Why are you eating alone here? Come with me. My friends want to meet you.”
Gao Jing sighed, looking at the uneaten lobster on his plate.
Oh well.
The long-legged beauty pulled him towards a VIP room.
The private room was spacious – equipped with KTV and a separate bathroom.
A dozen or so young people sat around a table, while several couples snuggled on the nearby sofas.
Some drank, some sang; the atmosphere was quite lively.
The birthday star, Fang Jingwen, was there too.
Clearly, the people inside were all her closest friends.
As Gao Jing followed Zhong Yunxiu into the private room, he immediately drew everyone’s attention.
“This is Gao Jing.”
Zhong Yunxiu smiled sweetly and linked her arm with his, saying, “Now we’ve all met him, haven’t we?”
Gao Jing glanced around and understood perfectly.
Birds of a feather flock together. These young men and women were all either wealthy or powerful, basically belonging to elite families.
“Xiuxiu,”
said one of the girls with a playful smirk, “your taste is pretty good. This uncle looks quite handsome.”
Uncle?
Gao Jing almost choked, feeling his breath hitch.
Sure, compared to the youngsters present, he was somewhat older — turning twenty-seven after the new year.
But being called “uncle” was just too much!
The girl had a decent look, around a seven out of ten, but wore rather heavy makeup.
The large, dangling earrings on both sides were quite eye-catching.
Gao Jing noticed sharply.
As she spoke, the young man sitting next to her stared at Gao Jing with a look of sheer jealousy. The atmosphere in the private room became delicate.
“Exactly,”
Zhong Yunxiu pulled Gao Jing to sit down on an empty seat, lightly resting her head on his shoulder as she shot back with a smile, “I just like handsome uncles — mature, steady, and they give you a sense of safety.”
Gao Jing couldn’t help turning his head to look at her.
Girl, Bro really isn’t that close to you. What are you trying to pull?
But looking at Yunxiu up close,
her skin was like fine jade, her long eyelashes fluttered nervously, and a faint blush of shyness spread across her pretty face.
It suddenly made him think of his own Xiao Jiu!
Their intimate closeness
made many onlookers feel bitterness.
Especially the young man with the crew cut opposite them. His eyes seemed about to spit fire, as if he wanted to devour Gao Jing whole.
“Ahem! Ahem!”
A handsome young man seated next to him suddenly coughed twice and patted the crew-cut guy’s shoulder. “Xiao Wu, didn’t you say you had a special birthday gift for Wenwen?”
“Right!”
The crew-cut guy snapped back to reality, regaining much of his calm.
He cast a deep look at Gao Jing and Zhong Yunxiu, then placed the wooden box he’d prepared on the dining table.
The box was about fifty centimeters tall, made of rosewood, and exquisitely crafted.
It radiated an intense sense of luxury.
“Wenwen,”
the crew-cut guy said in a restrained tone, “this is my gift to you. Wishing you forever young and a happy birthday!”
“Thank you.”
Fang Jingwen asked curiously, “What is it?”
She was shrewder than her peers. Seeing his deliberately mysterious show-off act, she knew this gift must be extraordinary.
So, she played along and asked.
Otherwise, she could have just accepted the gift directly without another word.
The crew-cut guy was indeed pleased by this prompt.
He glanced at Zhong Yunxiu again and asked, “Have any of you heard of Hundred-Fruit Wine?”
“Hundred-Fruit Wine?”
Fang Jingwen sounded surprised. “You mean the Hundred-Fruit Wine that sold for tens of millions a bottle at the Jiashang Autumn Auction?”
The crew-cut guy nodded. “Exactly!”
He patted the rosewood box in front of him.
He didn’t spell it out, but his meaning was unmistakable.
Someone immediately gasped, “Fifth Brother, your gift for Wenwen… it can’t be Hundred-Fruit Wine, can it?”
The crew-cut guy chuckled and pulled open the hinged lid of the box.
The wine bottle stored inside was instantly revealed.
He became the center of all attention!