Bill secretly told Harold:
“This should be Chairman Du’s fifth wife.”
What the hell!
America had long practiced monogamy, and although Harold knew polygamy existed in some parts of the world, this was his first time dealing with such people directly.
In Hong Kong, Du Chenrong wasn’t the only wealthy businessman with multiple wives.
Harold suppressed his inner criticism and displayed perfect composure:
“Harold Wilson, the owner of this club.”
“You can call me Vivi, I’m Mr. Du’s wife.”
Xia Ziyu’s breath was fragrant.
This Harold Wilson was like a domineering CEO straight out of a novel. Du Chenrong said this man had great ambitions and had recently been getting close to Hong Kong shipping tycoons. Du Chenrong himself had made his fortune in shipping during the 1960s, and although the Chenrong Group had long since expanded beyond shipping, Du Chenrong remained cautious.
This American was making money in mainland China and wanted to make money in Hong Kong too.
Creating a golf club seemed more like a high-profile announcement that the Wilson family was entering the Asian market—Du Chenrong wasn’t the only Hong Kong tycoon invited. Though Du Chenrong was interested in Harold, he couldn’t give Harold too much face, and after receiving the invitation, he had no intention of coming personally.
Du Chenrong had originally planned to send Du Zhaohui.
Sending his eldest son seemed feasible to Du Chenrong.
But Xia Ziyu had fought for this opportunity herself, using an impeccable excuse, saying that since Du Chenrong had agreed to fund her business venture, this would be a good chance for her to gain experience in high society.
Xia Ziyu repeatedly promised not to offend anyone in the high-level VIP lounge or cause trouble for the Du family.
Du Chenrong reluctantly agreed.
This led to the scene of Xia Ziyu arriving with Du Chenrong’s invitation.
Many thoughts flashed through Xia Ziyu’s mind. Her journey had been so difficult. The wealth and status that some people were born with, she had to pay a heavy price for… But finally, she could enter such circles.
Each high-level VIP was an important connection for Harold.
He needed to accompany each high-V member to the lounge to show how much he, as the club owner, valued them.
Speaking differently to different people was part of Harold’s upbringing… but conversing with Ms. Vivi still made him impatient. This lady had no experience with the Du family business, appeared to be pregnant, clearly unsuitable for golf, and unsuitable for drinking, so what exactly was she here for?
Was she dressed up just to attend a fashion party?
This wasn’t a fashion party.
Harold patiently exchanged pleasantries before going to receive the next high-V guest.
He disliked dealing with empty-headed women.
He hadn’t always been like this, having dated many women before—well, this was his standard now, some changes were inevitable.
Butler Allen, wearing a tailcoat and looking every bit the old gentleman, walked casually past Harold:
“I saw Miss Xia in the VIP members’ lounge. Such a charming person should be invited to the high-level VIP lounge. For heaven’s sake, her assets are just slightly below the requirement, why be so strict with her!”
“Allen—”
Harold wanted to say that without these rigid standards, the club’s development would struggle to meet expectations.
Allen handed him a glass of water, “Sir, you need to stay hydrated. I’m just rambling, you know, some people might only have 50 million in personal assets for now, but they might also have a beautiful face worth another 50 million.”
Harold put down his water glass, his gaze inadvertently turning toward the VIP lounge.
Of course, he couldn’t see anything from there.
“Allen, you’re wrong. Saying her face is worth 50 million isn’t a compliment. You should point to this.”
Harold pointed to his head, “What’s truly valuable is her mind. Her intellect is worth more than 50 million yuan, perhaps even more than 50 million dollars.”
And for precisely this reason, Xia Xiaolan would never accept such “goodwill.”
The regular VIP membership with its 100,000 annual fee was just right for Xia Xiaolan.
While Harold could certainly grant her a high-level VIP membership—which normally required personal assets of over 100 million—he felt she wouldn’t accept it. Not qualifying this year didn’t mean she wouldn’t qualify next year. She was a woman whose abilities matched her intelligence, and what she wanted, she could obtain through her power.
Perhaps next year, Xia Xiaolan would become a high-V member on her own.
That is if she was still interested in the golf club then!
…
From Japan, Macau, and Singapore.
Invited high-V members continued to arrive.
Harold was more generous than Xia Xiaolan had thought, with broader connections. At the club’s opening, a total of 20 high-level VIP invitations were sent out, and 17 people responded.
Members from Hong Kong and Macau were closer, so coming for a round of golf wasn’t unusual.
Those from Japan, Singapore, and other places were truly giving Harold a face by having their names associated with the club. Wealthy people weren’t just eating, drinking, and playing all day; their schedules were tight. Without other reasons, the possibility of flying to Pengcheng, especially for golf was small.
Of these 17 who responded, even if they couldn’t come personally today, they sent representatives of sufficient standing.
The invitation to the Tang family was special. When screening the club’s first batch of high-level VIP members, Tang Jinyun was still alive, and the invitation was sent to him—the Tang family was in the hotel business, and Harold had similar inclinations. He had communicated with Tang Jinyun personally, and both were looking forward to meeting at the club.
Unexpectedly, Tang Jinyun suddenly fell ill and passed away.
The Yuhua Group fell into internal and external troubles.
Harold thought this invitation was practically void, and of the 17 responding members, only 16 would attend today.
But to his surprise, Bill said someone from the Tang family would attend today.
…
“Zhaohui, why be so upset? You haven’t experienced what my family has, otherwise you’d be quite calm now.”
Tang Yuanyue consoled Du Zhaohui.
Wasn’t it just Du Chenrong giving the golf club’s high-level VIP membership invitation to his fifth concubine to make her look good?
Just an old man’s way of pleasing women.
A concubine without company shares, no matter how glamorous, was just a plaything.
Tang Yuanyue had just experienced his father’s death, brotherly betrayal, and formerly kind uncles showing their fierce faces… In his view, Du Zhaohui’s troubles were unnecessary worries.
But since Du Zhaohui cared, Tang Yuanyue simply brought him along to the club.
He had found the club invitation while sorting through his father’s belongings, and after confirming with the club that he could inherit his father’s high-V membership, Tang Yuanyue could bring Du Zhaohui into the high-V member circle.
Between the Du family’s eldest son and the Du family’s fifth concubine, how would others choose?
He Shi’en, sitting in the back, called out:
“Brother-in-law, you and Young Master Du are close!”