"No, Jiayi, let me explain..."
"Get lost, just get out!"
Zhou Wang found himself shoved out the door, with an angry Qi Jiayi finally using the Taiwanese accent Zhou Wang had long-awaited, although the situation seemed a bit off.
Bam!
Staring at the tightly shut door, Zhou Wang couldn’t help but ponder if there really was something wrong with his proposal.
But after some thought, he felt there wasn’t anything wrong. He was genuinely thinking about Qi Jiayi’s welfare, though he objectively reviewed himself for any perverse motives and concluded—
Except for Qi Jiayi’s soft, tender allure and her explosively voluptuous figure, and that extreme CN contrast, there shouldn’t be any.
Zhou Wang patted his conscience... Yep, still there, nothing to worry about.
Just then, the door opened a crack, Zhou Wang felt a flicker of joy only to have a coat thrown at his face, and Qi Jiayi, with a frosty expression, slammed the door shut again with a "bam."
Well, that excitement was for nothing.
Though chased out by Qi Jiayi, Zhou Wang was still in quite a good mood.
He turned towards the elevator, dialing Lin Ran’s number.
"Remember that lawyer Qi Jiayi you met last time? Yes, I’ll send you her number. Get in touch with her about the employment stuff, alright? She’ll be... one of us from now on."
...
In the afternoon, kindled by the recently acquired "Quantum Reading" skill card, Zhou Wang visited the fabled National Library.
Given that Zhou Wang drove a Lamborghini Aventador, the fiercely roaring engine attracted considerable attention from passersby, speculating if another online celebrity had come to make a spectacle.
Being the center of attention wherever he goes was something Zhou Wang had grown accustomed to. Unperturbed, he parked the car and dived straight into the library.
Entering one of the world’s largest and most advanced libraries, Zhou Wang experienced an unusual sense of insignificance since obtaining the system.
This was not just a sea of knowledge; it could also be called a cultural expo. Zhou Wang spent nearly an entire afternoon simply touring around on his first day here, without reading much at all.
Apart from the book collection areas, there are also diverse and vivid exhibitions like the Oracle Bone Script Memory, the Return and Reconstruction of the Yongle Encyclopedia, the Prosperous Tang Era, and collections of works from contemporary literary artists.
Upon finishing all today’s exhibits, Zhou Wang, who had just quivered through last night, felt a genuine sense of spiritual baptism, and his waist didn’t hurt as much anymore.
With a pilgrim heart, before closing time, Zhou Wang issued himself a reader card at a self-service kiosk, placing this free card solemnly into his wallet alongside his credit card with a thirty-million limit.
...
October 1st, 8 PM.
The 75th Anniversary Gala, co-hosted by the Huaxia TV Station along with several key departments, was held punctually at the Beidou Grand Hall.
Zhou Wang returned home to change into simple attire, then took a cab to the venue with the invitation sent by Qiu Zeyu, arriving early and seating himself in the VIP area up front.
In the auditorium, Zhou Wang spotted quite a few familiar faces, apart from Qiu Zeyu and others who participated with his parents, Zhou Wang also noticed Vice Director Zhou, whom he had met at the western restaurant last time.
Besides them, there were some celebrities Zhou Wang recognized, even if they didn’t know him.
Notable figures like the hosts of Huaxia TV, some veteran artists, as well as heads of major conglomerates.
Xue Mingyuan was among them too.
In the very front row, Zhou Wang noticed a few frequently-TV-appearing faces, among which a middle-aged man caught his attention; if he wasn’t mistaken, that should be Xia Xiwei’s father.
According to the system’s intelligence, Xia Xiwei’s father ought to know him and presumably had a favorable initial impression.
Originally when arriving in Beidou, Zhou Wang intended to visit him, but without Xia Xiwei’s introduction, it wasn’t appropriate to drop in unannounced.
In such a serious occasion crowded with influential figures, Zhou Wang remained upright and formal, even though on his right along the aisle stood the beautiful host Ma Fanshu of Huaxia TV, Zhou Wang didn’t dwell on it.
"Young man, you look quite familiar, have we met before?"
An amicable voice sounded beside Zhou Wang.
He turned to see an elderly man, face weathered but posture erect, gleefully looking at him from the adjacent seat on his left.
Zhou Wang’s gaze lowered, upon seeing the elder’s medal-adorned green attire, he solemnly replied with all due respect, "Hello, sir, I believe this is our first meeting."
"Is that so?"
The elder paused, then shook his head, "Maybe I got it wrong. By the way, whose child are you?"
"Sir, I’m from Yunan Province, my parents are just regular wage earners."
"Oh?"
The answer piqued the elder’s interest, "But sitting here, you can’t be that ordinary, right?"
"I just got lucky starting a business, earned some money, barely considered a modest achiever for now..."
Zhou Wang hastily replied with humility.
"How much is ’some money’?"
Apparently unbothered if the question was appropriate, the elder went straight to the point.