94 Promotion

Everyone present today was a middle or senior manager from the municipal company, with wide circles and plenty of exposure to the wealthy. None of them were strangers to rich people.

Even so, the richest they had ever seen were only in the hundred-million-yuan range. Very few had ever reached the billion-yuan level, and there were basically none whose net worth was a genuine, unembellished five billion yuan.

They did not know whether Xiao Yao had any other assets, but even if he owned only this sixteen percent stake in Huahui Bank, he would already rank within the top twenty richest people in the city if there were such a list.

And if Ji Guangrong’s guess came true after Huahui Bank’s successful listing, and Xiao Yao’s assets truly doubled to the ten-billion-yuan range, then that would be even more astonishing. He would at least be among the city’s top ten richest people.

A tycoon of Xiao Yao’s caliber was already qualified to be an honored guest at the table of city leaders. Before anyone had realized it, that younger generation junior whom they had once paid little heed to had risen to a height they could only look up to. The vast gulf in status was, for a moment, genuinely hard to get used to.

After learning Xiao Yao’s identity, Ji Guangrong naturally no longer dared to put on the airs of a senior official. His words and actions toward Xiao Zhenshan became uniformly respectful. Because of that change in attitude, the atmosphere at the table only grew livelier.

Yang Xuemei, the office director, was also a woman skilled in social finesse and was doing everything she could to draw closer to Bai Yuzhen.

After clinking glasses with Bai Yuzhen and toasting her once, Yang Xuemei looked carefully at the jade bracelet on Bai Yuzhen’s wrist and candidly exposed her own poor judgment. “My eye really isn’t very good. When I saw President Bai at the entrance to the lobby, I noticed that jade bracelet you were wearing. At the time, I thought it was only a high-grade imitation. I didn’t even dare to imagine it was actually a natural Grade A piece. I figured that even if it wasn’t Grade C, it had to be Grade B at best.”

Yu Shan also studied the bracelet on Bai Yuzhen’s wrist for a few moments and said in full agreement, “The bracelet Yuzhen is wearing today is truly dazzling. It’s not just Director Yang who thinks so; to be honest, I thought the same. If this bracelet is really natural Grade A, then with quality this good, the price must be astonishing. To casually wear several million yuan on your wrist, I really wouldn’t have dared imagine that. Yuzhen, how much is this bracelet worth? It has to be several million, right?”

“This was a gift from Xiao Yao. He said the market value was more than thirteen million yuan. It really is a bit too eye-catching. I didn’t want to wear it at first, but after all, it was my son’s heartfelt gift. He insisted that I wear it, and I couldn’t bear to let his filial piety go to waste, so I had no choice but to put it on.”

Although Bai Yuzhen’s words carried a trace of dislike, inwardly she was utterly pleased and delighted beyond measure.

In the past, at gatherings, she could not be called invisible, but she certainly had never been the center. Today, however, everyone was surrounding her and discussing her, which was truly a first.

During this period, she had been promoted to vice president of the provincial branch of Huahui Bank. There were many people flattering her, even to the point of groveling, and she had long since grown used to such praise. She was immune to it.

But today was different. In the workplace, the people flattering her were mostly strangers she had just met—either subordinates or company bosses seeking loans. After a while, she had grown numb to their flattery, feeling neither satisfaction nor pride.

Yet this setting was different. Everyone present were old friends of many years, and she now had the feeling of returning home in glory and standing tall at last.

When Bai Yuzhen personally admitted that the market value of the bracelet was actually more than thirteen million yuan, everyone was stunned.

The bracelet was indeed extraordinarily beautiful, and they had already guessed that its price must be very high, so they had been mentally prepared.

But the sky-high price of thirteen million yuan still far exceeded their imagination.

“I guessed this bracelet had to be very expensive, but thirteen million still gave me a shock! It looks so clear and lustrous, with such excellent translucence. This must be glass-type jade, right? I don’t really understand these things, so if I say anything wrong, President Bai, don’t laugh at me,” Yang Xuemei said ingratiatingly.

In truth, her eye for jade was quite good. Though she could not compare with a professional, she did understand the basics. She had only glanced at the bracelet from a distance. If she were allowed to examine it closely in hand, she would certainly be able to make a correct judgment.

But now, in order to make Bai Yuzhen happy, she could only hide her talent.

“Director Yang is being far too modest. Your eye is very sharp. This jade bracelet really is glass-type, and the translucence is excellent. The green floating pattern is also a vivid imperial green. It’s a pity the pattern covers only a small area; otherwise, the price could be even higher.”

Bai Yuzhen had always loved jade. She was especially fond of the jade bracelet her son had given her today, and simply could not bear to put it down. Since Yang Xuemei had brought the conversation around to jade, it had truly struck Bai Yuzhen’s favorite subject.

Just as everyone was drinking merrily, the private room door was suddenly pushed open, and three people walked in.

The moment Ji Guangrong saw the trio enter, he was greatly shocked and immediately stood up.

Seeing Ji Guangrong suddenly rise with a grave expression, everyone present was quick-witted enough to follow suit.

“Mayor Fan, Director Jiang, Secretary Ran, I had no idea the leaders were also dining here. Please forgive my rudeness,” Ji Guangrong said, his face full of honored surprise as he took the initiative to greet them.

Ji Guangrong had only visited Fan Jingyu’s office two days earlier to report on his work. He had never imagined that Mayor Fan would think so highly of him as to come over personally to toast him. It was truly an unexpected honor.

A leader coming over to toast a subordinate—what a tremendous honor that was. Overcome with excitement, and with a bit too much drink in him, Ji Guangrong’s face turned red.

Mayor Fan glanced at Ji Guangrong seated at the head of the table, merely nodded to him, and then walked straight up to Xiao Yao. With a warm, sincere smile that carried not the slightest falsehood, he said, “Mr. Xiao, what a coincidence. If Secretary Ran hadn’t happened to run into you at the lobby entrance when he arrived, I wouldn’t have even known your whole family was dining here. I’ve been wanting to come by and pay a visit these past few days, to see Uncle Xiao and Aunt Bai, but I never expected to run into you here first today.”

“You’re too kind, Mayor Fan. I know you’ve been especially busy lately,” Xiao Yao said, studying Fan Jingyu’s features carefully before congratulating him, “Another day, I’ll host a special banquet at home to congratulate you on getting what you wished for and moving up yet another step. I’ll also invite Chairman Ding and the others. Such a great occasion deserves a proper celebration.”