The voice was a bit loud, which made the waiters standing in the distance and the guests at several nearby tables who were listening to the singers on stage turn their heads to look over.
Song Tianyao poured some wine into the other man's glass and handed it to Chu Xiaoxin. His serious expression attracted Chu Xiaoxin, making him temporarily suppress his anger. "Boss, I have something to ask you to do in a couple of days."
"What's wrong?" Chu Xiaoxin, unusually suppressing his anger, asked.
Since meeting Song Tianyao has always been the one to handle all sorts of things for him. Except when it comes to money, Song Tianyao almost never asks him to do anything else.
"Although we haven't reached a complete agreement tonight, we should have an answer within two days. I think you should find an opportunity to pass on a message to that guy named Zhang Yuliang in a few days. Didn't we say that if he cuts off Likang's leg flesh to fill his stomach, we'll cut his throat to bleed him? Remember to act well, don't be as pathetic as you were tonight. Wow, you've supposed to have had deep conversations with so many actresses." Song Tianyao raised his glass and clinked it with Chu Xiaoxin's.
Angie Perlis listened quietly as Song Tianyao comforted Chu Xiaoxin. She admired Song Tianyao for this, because she couldn't do it. He could convey important matters to Chu Xiaoxin while also using banter to calm him down. This was something that could only be done after thoroughly understanding Mr. Chu's mind. He could plan his own scheme while simultaneously catering to his boss.
As expected, Chu Xiaoxin seemed unconcerned about the earlier remarks, but the last sentence piqued his interest. He clinked glasses with Song Tianyao and said, "My acting is bad? Hey, I rushed over and hugged that worker immediately."
"It's just too fast, that's why it feels fake. You should spend more time learning acting skills from actresses," Song Tianyao said with a smile, taking a sip of his drink.
Chu Xiaoxin laughed, "Hey, renting a theater for a fan meeting costs at least several thousand yuan, and sometimes as much as ten or twenty thousand. You've said that I and Likang aren't allowed to ask for money for the next two months. How am I supposed to interact with those actresses?"
"The 300,000 doses of Santonin Deworming Tablets given to the Foreign Devil shouldn't be needed for too long. In a month, I can hold a grand 'Selection of Young Master Shun' for you at Lichi." Song Tianyao said to Chu Xiaoxin, "After all, you and Young Master Zhong Young Master Shun are family. Let bygones be bygones. There's no need to be so angry. But I'll definitely take the opportunity to get back double what European Coast Company owes Likang. I'll use Zhang Yuliang's money to hold the selection of concubines for you; it'll be his way of apologizing to you."
"A-Yao, I think your acting skills are actually quite outstanding." Chu Xiaoxin said suddenly, looking at Song Tianyao.
Song Tianyao asked, "Why?"
"You rascal, the tone you used when you said that was just like those fortune tellers and sorcerers on the docks. How about I help you change into a long robe, grab a cane, and put on a pair of round-hole sunglasses, and we can pretend to be blind men and try it out at the docks?" Chu Xiaoxin said, punching Song Tianyao on the shoulder.
"Okay, let's make a bet. If I don't succeed in a month, I'll wear a long robe and go to the dock to pretend to be a blind fortune teller for you. And if I do succeed?" Song Tianyao said casually.
Chu Xiaoxin, intrigued by the bet, sat up straight and looked at Song Tianyao: "If you can do it, just name your price."
"I borrowed money; a month later, I borrowed money from Likang."
"Borrow money again? You bastard, you have 100,000 yuan right now that I got from Uncle Yan... Okay, okay, I'll lend it to you. If you earn enough, I'll even give you that Ford outside, and I'll get myself a new car." Chu Xiaoxin reached out and gave Song Tianyao a high five.
After Song Tianyao and the others finished high-fiving, he pulled his hand back and said to Chu Xiaoxin, "Remember to take good care of my car; I want to drive it in a month."
"His tone is as arrogant as the Governor of Hong Kong. He wouldn't even make a penny by pretending to be a charlatan at the docks and scamming laborers." Chu Xiaoxin leaned back on the sofa, most of his previous resentment had dissipated. He lazily waved to a waiter in the distance. "Hey, how much longer does Judy have to wait before she goes on stage? Send ten flower baskets up for me and urge her. Does that mean if I don't send flowers, she'll think I'm not a real leader of Judy's Young Masters' Club?"
"You made this bet too early. The situation isn't clear enough yet. I haven't even collected any information on that Song Tianyao European Coast Company, and there's no plan for how to establish the association. Most of these are just ideas you've come up with yourself, and there might be many variables in the process," Angie Perlis said softly to Song Tianyao after he finished talking with Chu Xiaoxin.
Song Tianyao downed the remaining wine in his glass in one gulp. "It's precisely because the road ahead is unknown that betting and high-fiving are so interesting. If you're already certain you'll win before you even high-five, what's the fun in that?"
Chapter Ninety-Five: Physically and Mentally Wounded
Chu Xiaoxin sent his driver, Chen Xingfu, to take a rickshaw, while Song Tianyao drove Chu Xiaoxin, Angie Perlis, and Chen Judy back to the Dulles Hotel. They got out of the car at the hotel entrance, handed the keys to a waiter, and asked him to wait outside for Chen Xingfu to arrive by rickshaw. The four of them went inside the hotel. Chu Xiaoxin and Chen Judy, naturally, went to spend the night together. While dropping Angie Perlis off at her room, Song Tianyao said, "These next few days, spend more time at the Horticultural Association. If you have time..."
"If you have time, go and see how non-profit community organizations are registered and established? Then reserve one of the three founders and the first president position for Mrs. Bess?" Angie Perlis said, taking off her coat and handing it to Song Tianyao as she stood outside her door.
Song Tianyao nodded. "The company is still short a few people. I'll take some time these next two days to go to the Administrative Division of the Colonial Secretary Administration Department and pick out a few high-achieving students who didn't make it through the interviews. I also need to check out that European Coast Company. We'll meet at the hotel restaurant every night, as usual."
Angie Perlis across from him was very capable, so Song Tianyao didn't bother to give any more detailed instructions. He turned around and walked along the corridor toward his room. He had only taken two steps when he sneezed loudly.
On the way back to the hotel, there was no air conditioning in the car, and Song Tianyao had drunk some alcohol. In addition, the four people in the car were breathing, so to avoid fogging up the windows, they had to keep the windows open. The hotel room was too warm, and this alternating hot and cold stimulation caused Song Tianyao's nose to suffocate. Even though he covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, the noise was still quite loud, attracting the attention of the waiters at the end of the corridor.