Unfortunately, once the fourth round officially starts, these props will have to be temporarily sealed, and Zhou Wang is really afraid he won’t adapt at that point.
But for now, he needs to make some preparations, so he doesn’t have to think about it too much; he can still enjoy a few more days of leisure.
First, he went to a well-equipped gym to work out for a while, and when the time was about right, Zhou Wang called for Yun Rou and Yun Lan.
Tonight was the time scheduled with Young Master Jian and his father for the banquet, and out of business etiquette, Zhou Wang had to spruce himself up a bit.
Flower viewing, bathing, burning incense, changing clothes.
Yun Rou and Yun Lan helped Zhou Wang with his hairstyle, and when the clock struck five in the afternoon, Zhou Wang stood in front of the full-length mirror in the large bathroom for a final look at himself.
The vertically striped, textured black suit custom-made by a top-notch master from Brioni arrived the day before yesterday, paired with a beige striped shirt, perfectly highlighting Zhou Wang’s already V-shaped explosive physique.
The hairstyle wasn’t complex, but because his face was so sunny and handsome, even a simple tidy-up achieved the effect of "1+1 greater than 2."
Looking at the mirror, seeing himself as "a gentleman as graceful as jade," to be honest, Zhou Wang was a bit captivated by himself.
This was already at the level of being handsomely against the rules.
Repeated use of the Dream Weaving Underwear and Original Flavored Stockings, although only slightly enhancing his looks and height, just happened to fill some of Zhou Wang’s weak points.
Even Zhou Wang couldn’t help but sigh, not to mention Yun Rou and Yun Lan standing by.
The sisters looked at Zhou Wang with eyes almost sparkling, lightly brushing and slow-picking while fixing Zhou Wang’s clothes, their tones growing increasingly sweet.
"Cough, time’s almost up, I’ll head out first."
But Zhou Wang, having been emptied out once by another pair of sisters the previous night, didn’t dare to tangle with them, so seeing the situation wasn’t right, he quickly slipped out of the room.
When Zhou Wang arrived in the living room, the women who were laughing and chatting instinctively turned to look at him, and then all fell silent.
Zhou Wang noticed their dazed expressions and couldn’t help but smirk, "What, all mesmerized by me?"
In the living room were Zhong Huilan, Lin Ran, and Xu Wenqian. Hearing Zhou Wang’s question, the three women snapped back and Lin Ran and Zhong Huilan awkwardly looked away, while only the bright-eyed Xu Wenqian nodded emphatically.
"Boss, you... you look so handsome today, just like someone straight out of a comic."
Feeling emotionally valued, Zhou Wang laughed heartily and went over to ruffle Xu Wenqian’s hair.
"Guess you know how to talk. Give yourself a note, an extra ten thousand for this month’s bonus."
What, an extra ten thousand just like that?
Zhong Huilan and Lin Ran, who hadn’t seen Zhou Wang being so casual, were wide-eyed.
Why didn’t you say so earlier!
It’s just a few pretty words, it’s not like anyone else wouldn’t say them!
The two women were a bit frustrated for a moment.
...
"Is that person the boss’s friend? How come the boss has a friend who sells roasted chestnuts?"
At the entrance of Tangchen Yipin District, marked with "No Parking" signs, an Aston Martin and a Mercedes business car were parked on the roadside with their hazard lights flashing. Xiao Wang stood by the car smoking, occasionally discussing something quietly with Gao Xing, while Lin Ran and Xu Wenqian were leaning against the window, with Lin Ran curiously asking.
In the distance, behind a stall with signs for "Roasted Sweet Potatoes" and "Fried Chestnuts," Zhou Wang in a high-end suit was rolling up his pant legs, chatting and laughing with a young vendor, occasionally even putting an arm around his shoulder.
In Lin Ran’s bewildered gaze, she could see Zhou Wang frequently helping to greet customers, and this had been going on for over half an hour.
Lin Ran truly couldn’t understand.
"I heard the boss say he seems to be his college roommate..."
"College roommate?"
Lin Ran widened her eyes, "Then they must be very close. Since this person has fallen to the point of setting up a stall, why doesn’t the boss help him in a different way?"
"Uh, I’m not too sure... maybe that person doesn’t want it?"
Equally puzzled, Xu Wenqian shook her head, which was also something she couldn’t understand.
The young man was out there setting up a stall, clearly having a rough time.
Logically, with Zhou Wang’s ability, he should be able to solve all his problems in minutes. If they weren’t close, Zhou Wang’s current behavior wouldn’t make sense.
In short, they couldn’t make heads or tails of it.
"Could this person be a fool?"
Lin Ran thought about it, and that seemed to be the only way it made sense. After all, Zhou Wang wasn’t stingy at all; the only explanation had to be that the other party was unwilling to accept Zhou Wang’s help.
...
At 6:50 PM, an Aston Martin DBX arrived at No.2 Bund, just on time.
The golden glow of the setting sun bathed the old buildings in dazzling brilliance.
"The Magic City Waldorf Hotel has two buildings, a modernized 24-story hotel and this historic building in front of us, which is the hotel’s older structure, formerly the renowned Magic City Club..."
Seeing Xu Wenqian and Lin Ran couldn’t resist taking out their phones to take pictures, Zhou Wang, sitting in the backseat, casually explained.
"Boss, how come it feels like you know everything?"
Having learned her lesson from before, Lin Ran promptly showed a bit of admiration.
"Read more books, read more papers, and you’ll know everything too."
But this compliment didn’t stir any emotional waves in Zhou Wang, so he just replied casually.
A disappointed Lin Ran wanted to continue with a few more flattery words, but just then the car stopped at the hotel’s entrance, and the quick-thinking Xu Wenqian had already gotten out to open the car door for Zhou Wang before the doorman arrived.
Lin Ran felt more and more frustrated; she had always thought she was doing well until she came to Magic City and compared herself with Xu Wenqian, realizing she still had so much to learn...
"Sister Ran, Mr. Zhou has already left."
Seeing Lin Ran still in a daze, Miao Ying in the driver’s seat quickly reminded her.
Lin Ran snapped back to reality, quickly lifting her skirt as she got out of the car, hurriedly catching up.
When she entered the hotel lobby, she already saw Zhou Wang exchanging greetings with a young man and woman. The two young people, about the same age as Zhou Wang, appeared very respectful towards him.
Especially Young Master Jian, who, perhaps having been educated by Mr. Jian, had set aside his casualness from the other day, showcasing the demeanor of a well-bred young master.
The young man and woman who came to greet them were Xu Wenqian’s college classmates, Young Master Jian, and a girl named Wang Lijia.
Mr. Jian was the convener for today’s banquet, and Wang Lijia’s father, a somewhat successful businessman in Magic City, was also a participant in today’s event.
However, even though both Wang Lijia and Young Master Jian’s attitudes were impeccable, with warm smiles, Zhou Wang unconsciously raised an eyebrow.
The reason was simple.
Those who should have greeted Zhou Wang were not them.
It’s not that Zhou Wang wanted to show off, but this involved a basic etiquette issue. As the invited guest of honor, Zhou Wang arrived ten minutes early, which was gracious.
Conversely, for Young Master Jian and Wang Lijia as juniors to greet Zhou Wang here was a bit underwhelming.
Wang Lijia seemed a bit ignorant, but Young Master Jian noticed Zhou Wang’s dissatisfaction and quickly spoke with a wry smile:
"Mr. Zhou, initially my dad and Lijia’s father were going to personally come down to greet you, but they ran into a few friends in the corridor and couldn’t get away, so they had us come down first. We ask for your understanding..."
"A few friends?"
Zhou Wang smiled slightly.
"Those few friends are quite influential figures in Magic City. They also happened to be hosting a banquet here today, and because they are involved in our family’s business, my dad couldn’t ignore them, so..."
Young Master Jian scratched his head, awkwardly explaining.