114 A Wealthy Tycoon Is Still a Wealthy Tycoon

The "Mount Tai Eternal" piece was intricately carved from a single block of frozen Hetian jade, its immense size alone making it priceless. This congratulatory gift was presented by the esteemed Southeast Asian tycoon, Mr. Qin Huali, and General Manager Wang estimated its value to be over thirty million yuan. The moment the topic of price came up, the enthusiastic bystander couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride.

"Another gift worth over ten million, Xiao Yao really has some wealthy friends," Zhao Weidong said, enviously, after learning the value of the two gifts.

Just the worth of these two presents alone was more than what their family could earn in a couple of busy years. Xiao Yao was merely celebrating the opening of a new restaurant, yet the value of just these gifts surpassed their profits for a year or two. The disparity between people was staggering.

“Take a look at who Xiao’s friends are,” the enthusiastic man said, pointing to the third gift. “The ones displayed earlier were all from top-tier figures. Besides these two, there are several other gifts behind, each worth over ten million.”

He pointed to a jadeite cabbage presented by Ding Songqing, president of the provincial Chamber of Commerce. Though it couldn’t compare to the national treasure jade cabbage housed in the National Palace Museum of Taiwan, its value was estimated at around thirty million yuan, a figure confirmed by General Manager Wang of Yiyun Auction House.

“See the Hetian jade treasure bowl next to the jadeite cabbage? That was gifted by the investment magnate Lu Yahong, worth about twenty million. Beside the treasure bowl is a coral tree, also valued at around twenty million, a gift from Wang Xiaoxian, General Manager of Yiyun Auction House. Further back, there's a bloodstone ‘Wealth and Prosperity’ seal and a gilded bronze Pixiu encrusted with gems, both valued at about twenty million each. These were presented by Chen Guangzhi, owner of Hanguang Group, and Guan Yonggang, chairman of Taihe Group, respectively.” The enthusiast detailed each item meticulously.

“This is incredible! One gift worth fifty million, two worth thirty million, four worth twenty million each—that’s nearly two hundred million in total!” He Jiayi’s eyes widened in amazement. “The gifts at the restaurant’s opening have exceeded two hundred million yuan. The speed at which wealth is gathered is astonishing. Even if the restaurant doesn’t make a profit, it’s already worth it.”

Gu Weiwei gave He Jiayi a light pat on the back. “Don’t talk nonsense about profiteering. Xiao the tycoon isn’t the type to take advantage. These gifts will be reciprocated sooner or later; it’s just the etiquette of giving and receiving. Xiao wouldn’t be so cheap as to keep them all.”

Realizing her slip, He Jiayi quickly clarified, “I didn’t mean that. I just wanted to say that tycoons are tycoons, and their friends are the same. The gifts casually accepted at the opening already exceed two hundred million. Today, we’ve truly had our eyes opened.”

After the enthusiast left, Sang Qingye and the others continued to admire the remaining gifts. Though all appeared valuable, without the guide’s explanations, it was hard to guess their worth.

Once all the gifts were photographed, Sang Qingye’s livestream had already erupted with excitement. Viewers from all walks of life chimed in, many showcasing their expertise by appraising Xiao Yao’s gifts.

While the later gifts were less extravagant, with values topping out at two or three million yuan, to many in the chatroom—ordinary folk struggling to make ends meet—such sums were unfathomably high. Coupled with the earlier gifts worth tens of millions, the total value exceeding two hundred million yuan sparked envy and admiration alike. Some viewers wished those treasures could be theirs.

Sang Qingye’s livestream audience became more vibrant and active. Some expressed admiration, others jealousy, and a few even joked about trading places. This event elevated Xiao Yao’s renown within the community significantly.

“Good thing we didn’t bring any gifts; otherwise, it would have been embarrassing,” Zhao Weidong sighed, relieved by his prior decision.

“The gifts Xiao received were all so costly. Those who sent cash gifts must have contributed hefty amounts as well. Let’s check the gift list—I'm worried the card balance might not be enough,” Gu Weiwei grew uneasy.

He Jiayi, ever the gossip enthusiast, volunteered to investigate. Soon, she returned with a heavy step.

“You look serious. What did you find? Are the cash gifts that high?” Zhao Weidong sensed trouble.

He Jiayi shook her head. “Not all are large. Some gave a couple of thousand yuan—about a dozen people. More gave around ten thousand, but those were mostly companions of the bosses here for the free meal. The cash gifts over a hundred thousand were from company owners; some gave several hundred thousand. How much do you think we should give?”

Gu Weiwei pondered briefly. “Too little won’t do. Xiao the tycoon’s restaurant prices are steep, and today’s dishes are likely signature ones. A standard of ten to twenty thousand per person seems reasonable. We can’t just come to eat for free. So at minimum, ten thousand. We’re still dependent on our parents; we can’t match those big shots. Eighteen thousand seems appropriate. What do you think?”

Zhao Weidong felt that was a bit low. His aim today was to get closer to Xiao Yao, but he didn’t want to be extravagant. He considered adding another ten or twenty thousand but thought Xiao probably wouldn’t value such an amount much.

He opened his mouth to object but ultimately said nothing.

“Alright, eighteen thousand it is—not too much, not too little. I can’t really spare more anyway,” He Jiayi reluctantly agreed, feeling torn between pride and practicality.

“You guys are the detestable rich second generation; I can’t compare. But since Xiao the tycoon waived my bill, I’ll treat this eighteen thousand as my future meal expenses,” Sang Qingye said. With a monthly income of several tens of thousands and modest spending habits, the sum was manageable for her.

After agreeing, they saw that all the guests who had come to pay their respects had departed. They hurried over to register their cash gifts.

Once the formalities were done, they found a table with vacant seats and settled down. Among the four, Sang Qingye and He Jiayi were the busiest.

Sang Qingye had her hands full running the livestream—talking and working her phone continuously. He Jiayi, leveraging her gossip expertise, quickly mingled with other diners at the table, subtly probing into Xiao Yao’s background.