Chapter 85: Immeasurable

At eleven o'clock in the morning, Huo Xiuzhi drove Yang Yiwen and Fang Yating to the villa complex by the banks of Guixin Lake. This place was a gathering spot for the wealthy of Xijing. The entire villa community was built around Guixin Lake, boasting a prime location and breathtaking scenery. Any businessman of status in Xijing owned a villa here.

After parking the car, Huo Xiuzhi led the two women into one of the villas. The spacious hall was lavishly decorated, with fresh fruit arranged on the coffee table for guests to enjoy. At this hour, few had arrived—just four or five people, chatting and laughing in the living room.

Huo Xiuzhi knew that those present were all prominent figures in Xijing's business world. Jiamei Group had risen to prominence, breaking sales records in just its three-day trial opening and establishing itself as the undisputed leader in the supermarket industry. The rise of Jiamei was unfolding before their eyes, and its president—his own cousin—had secured a spot among the nation's top ten female tycoons thanks to the success of the Jiamei supermarket chain.

As fellow businessmen, the invitees were pleased to receive an invitation from Jiamei's president. Networking among entrepreneurs always brought more opportunities for profit. Glancing around, Huo Xiuzhi recognized one of the men as a wealthy merchant from Xijing. He turned to Yang Yiwen and Fang Yating, saying, "You two help yourselves to some drinks. I'll go say hello."

The two nodded, and Huo Xiuzhi walked over to greet the others. A top graduate from Cambridge, returned from abroad and entrusted by Huo Yutong to manage the crucial Shangjing branch as its general manager, Huo Xiuzhi was proud and confident. Mingling with business magnates, he conversed with ease and humor.

While chatting animatedly, he kept a covert eye on Yang Yiwen and Fang Yating. To him, Yang Yiwen was already within his grasp; Fang Yating, however, would require more effort. But that only made things more interesting. At Cambridge, he’d turned the heads of plenty of foreign girls with his stature and good looks. These two girls posed no real challenge.

At that moment, Yang Yiwen gazed admiringly at the grand, opulently decorated hall and said to Fang Yating, "This is absolutely luxurious! I wonder when I'll ever live in a house like this?"

Fang Yating shook her head. "Just work hard, and you'll have everything you want."

Yang Yiwen replied dismissively, "If we rely on our jobs, there's no hope for a lifetime. But what do you think of Huo Xiuzhi? He’s a Cambridge graduate, and the president’s cousin. If he married me, I'd never have to worry about anything again."

She stole a glance at Huo Xiuzhi, who was engaged in lively conversation, and sought Fang Yating’s opinion.

Fang Yating shook her head. "Someone from such a prestigious university would never look at us, graduates from ordinary colleges. Don’t get your hopes up. Besides, I think he’s not entirely trustworthy."

"Not trustworthy?" Yang Yiwen said in surprise. "I think he's wonderful—a real Prince Charming."

Fang Yating simply shook her head and said nothing more. She couldn’t even pinpoint what was wrong with Huo Xiuzhi—it was just a strange feeling. But Yang Yiwen paid her no heed, instead casting lovestruck glances at Huo Xiuzhi from time to time. In her eyes, Huo Xiuzhi’s education, looks, and career made him the ideal husband.

By now it was nearly noon, and more guests were arriving. Huo Yutong came down from the second floor to greet them. She wore a white deep-V evening gown, a sapphire necklace gracing her snowy neck, and her face was adorned with exquisite makeup, making her appear both beautiful and poised.

After exchanging pleasantries with several guests, Huo Yutong noticed Huo Xiuzhi talking to two young women and walked over.

"Our top scholar is here as well," she greeted Huo Xiuzhi with a smile.

She was very satisfied with her cousin: a graduate of a prestigious university and a professional in management. During Jiamei’s trial opening preparations, she had entrusted him, newly returned from overseas, with the key position of overseeing Shangjing. Huo Xiuzhi had proven himself capable—during the three days of the trial opening, everything in Shangjing was orderly and its sales outperformed all other branches.

Huo Xiuzhi smiled and responded, "How could I miss your celebration banquet, cousin?"

Huo Yutong nodded with a smile and looked at the two women beside him. "And who are these lovely ladies?"

"They’re secretaries at our company. We met on the plane, and today is their first day reporting for work. You might not know them yet, but they’re your fans," Huo Xiuzhi explained.

"So we’re among friends—welcome to Jiamei," Huo Yutong said warmly, shaking hands with the two girls.

Yang Yiwen, thrilled to shake hands with President Huo, exclaimed, "President Huo, you look stunning today!"

Huo Yutong smiled graciously. "Thank you for the compliment. You both look beautiful as well."

Just then, another guest entered, and Huo Yutong excused herself to greet them, waving to Huo Xiuzhi and the two girls as she left.

Watching her go, a flash of greed crossed Huo Xiuzhi’s eyes. Ever since his return to the family, Huo Yutong’s sudden rise had made him determined to pursue both wealth and beauty. Confident in his looks and education, he was sure he would win over his cousin. But this would require patience—unlike with Yang Yiwen and Fang Yating, where a few tricks might suffice, with Huo Yutong he needed to truly win her heart to have a chance at marriage.

With his skill in romance, he knew that only by genuinely moving Huo Yutong would he have any hope of marrying her. Huo Xiuzhi was certain that, with his talent and appearance, the day would come when his cousin would fall into his arms—then he would have both love and fortune, ascending to become one of the most prominent tycoons in China.

Meanwhile, Huo Yutong was mingling with the guests. Seeing the hall full of notable people from Xijing, she felt a swell of pride. She remembered when the family’s company teetered on the brink of collapse, and she was at her wits’ end, nearly out of options. If not for Lu Ming, she might have become the family’s scapegoat. It was Lu Ming who helped her through those hard times, not only reviving the company but taking it to new heights. Now, thanks to a single word from Lu Ming, she had leapt onto the list of China’s wealthiest. It was undeniable that he had changed her life—and the fate of the entire Huo family.

Then there was Ye Qi Meiyu, whose loyalty to Lu Ming had opened Huo Yutong’s eyes. She had also glimpsed the true strength of an international consortium like Changwu Corporation. Ye Qi Meiyu had poured billions of yuan into the venture without so much as a frown, acquiring all the assets that once belonged to the Meilian Group, and used her own influence to bring in many major international brands, greatly elevating the status of Jiamei supermarkets.

It was only with Ye Qi Meiyu’s support and her billions that Jiamei Group was able to operate successfully within a month and achieve such miraculous sales. Huo Yutong marveled at the boundless power of Mr. Lu.

After chatting with guests for a while, Huo Yutong went upstairs. She knew that Lu Ming disliked attention, so a room on the second floor had been prepared just for him. Yet it was almost noon, and Lu Ming still hadn’t arrived, making Huo Yutong anxious. Lu Ming was the key to Jiamei’s success; it would be a great pity if he missed the celebration banquet.

Downstairs, a plump man entered, glancing around before his eyes landed on Huo Xiuzhi. Delighted, he hurried over.

"Hello, Manager Huo, I’m Lu Jianping from Hanwei Beer," he greeted enthusiastically.

Huo Xiuzhi looked briefly surprised, then smiled. "Oh, it’s you. Hello."

He shook hands with Lu Jianping. Hanwei Beer was one of the brands Jiamei was selling, and with Jiamei’s successful trial opening, Hanwei Beer’s sales had surged. Lu Jianping had never met Huo Xiuzhi in person, but on the plane, he’d overheard Huo Xiuzhi introduce himself to the two girls. Learning that Huo Xiuzhi was Jiamei’s general manager in Shangjing and the president’s cousin—a key figure at Jiamei—Lu Jianping immediately decided to make his acquaintance.