The airplane landed, and the cabin door slowly opened.
The passengers included both Chinese and foreigners, as expected for an international flight.
George spotted a foreign elderly man and waved at him – someone wearing a full suit and tie despite the hot weather, looking quite serious.
“Hi, I’m over here!”
The other party had already seen him, and several well-dressed foreigners walked over.
Although Ji Ya was usually pretentious and arrogant, especially in front of her less sophisticated compatriots, she had to contain her pride when meeting an American billionaire.
“Uncle Harold, welcome to China!”
The elderly man gave her an odd look.
“Dear, this is Uncle Harold’s butler Allen. When I was young, Allen also took care of me.”
Allen carried himself with great dignity. Ji Ya had made a fool of herself by mistaking the butler for George’s uncle.
However, besides Allen who had the air of a billionaire, Ji Ya couldn’t find anyone else among the well-dressed group who better matched her image of Uncle Harold.
George was also craning his neck to look around when Allen spoke in his heavy British accent:
“Mr. Harold arrived on an earlier flight and successfully reached China yesterday. George, you know how he always handles things.”
George felt quite embarrassed. Uncle Harold never trusted others’ judgment. Though George had convinced Harold to invest in China, Harold wouldn’t follow George’s suggestions and would investigate China’s situation himself.
It was precisely this kind of person who had defeated other family members to inherit the family company, and George naturally felt uncomfortable about this.
Having brought Ji Ya to the airport to receive people, yet not meeting the main person – George felt quite humiliated.
On the way back, Ji Ya’s words were full of meaning:
“Your uncle seems to be particularly strong-willed.”
Strong-willed people aren’t easily fooled and won’t readily believe what others say. It wouldn’t be possible for her and George to say something and expect him to follow their words exactly. Of course, this better matched Ji Ya’s image of a billionaire – how could someone meek and compliant possibly manage George’s family company?
George mumbled, “Following Allen, we’ll eventually meet Uncle Harold…”
He hadn’t even realized how pathetic his words sounded – needing to rely on a butler to meet his uncle.
This revealed that George and his uncle weren’t particularly close. Ji Ya lowered her head, lost in thought, and the car fell silent for a while. Allen’s group naturally didn’t need to take a taxi – before coming to China, they had already booked rooms at the Great Wall Hotel, which had sent cars to pick them up.
The Great Wall Hotel opened in 1984, built through cooperation between China and foreign investors, with a total investment of 75 million US dollars, making it currently China’s most luxurious five-star hotel.
The Nanhai Hotel was nothing in comparison.
Nanhai Hotel only had over 300 rooms, while the Great Wall Hotel had more than a thousand, costing three times as much as Nanhai Hotel, which wasn’t surprising.
However, when Ji Ya and George rushed from the airport to the Great Wall Hotel, they still couldn’t meet Uncle Harold.
The room was empty – Harold, who had arrived yesterday, hadn’t stayed at the Great Wall Hotel at all after checking in!
What could the hotel staff say?
Foreign capitalists were rich enough to do as they pleased, paying for rooms they didn’t use, taking their assistants, and disappearing to who knows where.
Allen gave George an apologetic smile:
“This is just how Mr. Harold is. No one can guess his thoughts. When he wants to appear, he’ll naturally show up!”
George could barely maintain his smile.
Surprisingly, Ji Ya hadn’t lost her temper. “George, let’s follow Butler Allen’s advice and not worry about Uncle Harold. When he finishes his schedule, we can be his guides and show him around Beijing. Although China isn’t as developed as America, it has a long history. In Beijing, we can visit the Forbidden City and climb the Great Wall.”
The Great Wall was indeed famous – why else would this joint-venture hotel be named after it?
Butler Allen gave Ji Ya another look.
When Ji Ya wasn’t acting crazy, her image was quite deceptive. Her taste and elegance stood out in economically backward China, showing both the charm of an Eastern woman and the progressiveness of American metropolitan life, making even Butler Allen feel she was someone worth talking to! Heaven knows how disappointed Allen had been seeing Chinese people pushing bicycles along the way, having no interest in communicating with Chinese people – Ji Ya was different, no wonder she had George, that playboy, completely besotted.
Being a playboy wasn’t unique to George’s family; all rich people had similar issues.
Having money meant facing more temptations and naturally having more choices!
“Madam, I thank you on Mr. Harold’s behalf. You will meet Mr. Harold!”
Since Ji Ya and George couldn’t meet Harold, they couldn’t stay at the Great Wall Hotel indefinitely.
On the road, George tried to salvage his image by proving he was still close to Uncle Harold: “Ji Yuan and Uncle Harold must have something in common. I remember Ji Yuan won the IPSC regional championship. Uncle Harold also likes guns!”
George was also looking for opportunities to help mother and son reconcile.
This was a perfect opportunity.
If Ji Ya wanted Harold to invest in Pengcheng, she needed to appeal to his interests, right?
Cutting ties with Ji Yuan wasn’t a good choice – who knows if Tang Hong En had been trying to win him over during the time Ji Yuan hadn’t been home!
Ji Ya’s expression darkened.
She had never intended to cut ties with her son. After putting so much effort into raising him, why should Tang Hong En benefit?
She just wanted Ji Yuan to suffer a bit.
But Ji Yuan had unhesitatingly signed that ‘nurturing bill,’ leaving Ji Ya in an awkward position. Moreover, Ji Yuan hadn’t come home begging for money as she had expected – why wasn’t he short of money? It must be because Tang Hong En was taking the opportunity to provide for him!
Ji Ya ground her teeth at the thought.
“I understand now. I’ll have his uncle talk to him. He still hasn’t repaid my nurturing expenses, so he still owes me. I spent so much on his education, and now when I need him, he must help!”
Horseback riding, fencing, and shooting.
These things were preparation for entering American high society.
Now that a real American tycoon had come to China, the opportunity was right in front of them. Ji Ya felt that the things she had paid for Ji Yuan to learn were finally going to be useful. As for George’s uncle still enjoying shooting at his age, Ji Ya didn’t think much of it.
Many foreigners don’t act their age – the older they get, the more they like sports, and they even like dating young girls to prove they’re still vigorous!
George kissed Ji Ya’s cheek:
“Dear, talk to Ji Yuan properly. His major would be wasted working in China. If he can make a good impression on Uncle Harold, even if he doesn’t work at our family company, Uncle Harold’s letter of recommendation carries a lot of weight – Ji Yuan could get into excellent companies!”
If Ji Yuan returned to America, Ji Ya wouldn’t be stuck in China.
And George wouldn’t have to stay in China either.
George understood this chain of cause and effect clearly.
Ji Ya nodded, “I’ll have his uncle talk to him. This time, he must serve as Harold’s guide. Huaqing University will soon start summer break, so he has the whole summer vacation to handle this matter!”