162 Xiaoyi's Troubles

The secretary said, "It's almost ready. The land is already suitably formed. Hence, there is almost no cost for that. As for the construction, if we were to build it based on the highest industry standards, that would cost about five million. All the best furnishings and equipment will add up to about one million. If we add in all the other miscellaneous spendings, the accounts department estimates that the total cost should not exceed twenty million. This amount of investment is comparable to prestigious high schools within the city. The thing is, we are still not sure what levels our school will cater to. If it's catered for junior high to university, the projected cost will be higher."

Hong Weiguo said without hesitation, "Let it be higher, then. Let's work on an estimate of thirty million first. Make it from primary school to university. Wait!" Hong Weiguo's eyes suddenly lit up. "This little rascal unwittingly paved a road for me!"

The secretary was momentarily shocked. "Ah?"

Hong Weiguo laughed. "In the future, when our company requires a certain kind of talent, we will simply start a faculty of such a subject in the school! Internet programmer, animator, web developer, data center… anything we need! The effect might not be immediate, but in the long run, this school has the potential to be one of the core facilities of Sangle!"

The secretary gaped. "I will never try to outsmart Young Master Dali again."

…

Within Tianjing City.

A man who looked like a boss asked his butler, "The superprodigal son of the Hong Family is holding a coming of age ceremony?"

The butler respectfully handed the invitation over. "Yes, Old Master. They have already sent the invitation card."

"Yes, let me take a look. May 28th, in the evening, on the Changjiang Gold cruise ship? Isn't this ship a bit small? Whatever. Anyway, I have to go to Beijing shore. I will just take it as a two days holiday. The location is…" The boss took a quick glance at the invite and was confused. After taking a closer look, his eyes widened in surprise. "The location is at Fengyuan Lake?! The Fengyuan Lake at Tianjing City West Fourth Loop?!"

…

"Did you hear about it? The Hongs have really outdone themselves this time. They actually transported the entire cruise ship to Fengyuan Lake for their superprodigal son Hong Dali's coming of age ceremony. That ship weighs tens of thousands of tonnes. I wonder how he did it!"

"How would I not know such big news. I heard that the transportation fees alone cost tens of millions. And that's only because Fengyuan Lake is linked to one of the big rivers used for transportation in Tianjing City. Otherwise, it would cost more."

"This prodigal son Hong Dali, Hong Weiguo is actually playing along with him. Sigh, there's no way to compare!"

"You can stop thinking about it. There is really no way to compare. The way I see it, Hong Weiguo is being so generous this time because he wants to send everyone a message. He means to say that if anyone dares to even touch Hong Dali, he will protect Hong Dali by all means necessary."

"That goes without saying. Spending ten million just for transportation fees for a coming of age ceremony—any fool could tell how much Hong Weiguo dotes on Hong Dali. Sigh, Hard work can't win getting born into a good family!"

"There's no point for us being envious and jealous. We are of different levels."

…

Fengyuan Lake surroundings.

"Mummy, see, why is there such a huge ship there?"

"Don't be silly. Fengyuan Lake is not big enough for a huge ship… there's really a huge ship!!"

"Mummy, are aliens invading Earth? How did such a big ship get here?"

"I don't know, either. Maybe someone transported it over. Sigh, it's impossible for us to understand the rich…"

"Mummy, can we go up and take a look?"

"Of course not. Can't you see the people crowding around the side of the lake? No one dares to get on."

"Oh… Okay then…"

…

At the intersection of Tianjing City, West Fourth Loop and North Second Loop, Lin Chuyin's laboratory.

Lin Chuyin's voice was calm as usual as she spoke to a levitating phone in the middle of her laboratory, "Ok. Hong Dali's coming of age ceremony? Yes, I know. I will be there."

When Lin Chuyin agreed to attend Hong Dali's coming of age ceremony, her father on the other end of the phone was shocked. "Chuyin, you are really going? You don't usually attend such events?"

Lin Chuyin flatly replied before turning off the phone and continuing her research. "Hong Dali is my friend. So I will go."

…

Tianjing City, Villa by Hong Lake in the Southwest, Villa no. 16.

Hong Anbao leaned angrily on the sofa and kept yelling, "Dammit. Hong Dali is one impossibly lucky guy. His coming of age ceremony is such a large scale event. The whole Tianjing City knows that my fifth uncle spent more than ten million transporting the cruise ship to Fengyuan Lake. I wonder how they did it. I heard they mobilized ninety heavy trucks and twenty helicopters to move it. What a squanderer. He had too much money and nowhere to spend!"

Hong Anbao's father, Hong Jianye, held a glass of red wine and sat with his legs crossed. "Why do you bother thinking about it? My bigger concern is, Weiguo did this on purpose to show off to us. Hehe. Such a huge coming of age ceremony. He is telling us anyone who has any bad intentions towards Hong Dali to think twice. The family meeting is coming to him, and he is giving us a warning."

Hong Anbao disdainfully said, "Isn't it so that Hong Dali will not be at too much of an disadvantage during the family meeting? By doing that, even if Hong Dali is completely useless, no one would dare to lay a finger on him. Furthermore, either Hong Dali is really having a lucky streak or he has some real talent. Every project he dabbled in so far has earned quite a fair sum of money. It's really hard to deal with him."

Hong Jianye chuckled. "Kek, we will take appropriate measures when the situation calls for it. Even if he manages to get past this family meeting, he will just take the opportunity to squander more in the future. The sales of your Fierce Bull beverage has recovered quite a bit these two days. Although it's still unable to meet our expectations, it's likely enough to get you a position among the top three of the younger generation. I heard that those old fogies have a plan to increase the number to five during the family meeting. It seems that there are another two amongst the younger generation that proved their potential. No matter what, you just have to keep our position within the five and go for third place."

Hong Anabo nodded. "Yes, I understand. Once we get the funds from the family and expand our business, our sales figure will definitely improve further. But father, don't you think we should do something about Hong Dali? It's not a good idea to let him expand his business without interference. He has such good ideas, he will be trouble for us in the future."

Hong Jianye sipped on his wine and said, "Haha. Don't worry. I have already thought of something and made plans. We might not do anything to Hong Dali, but we have no qualms about the people around him."

…

The next few days were calm, and it was soon Hong Dali's birthday, May 28th.

When the dismissal bell rang, Hong Dali stretched lazily and sprung up from his seat clutching on to Quentin. "Wahahahaha! School has finally ended! It's too boring. Let's go play!"

Ling Yi called out to him from behind. "Big Bro Dali, it's your coming of age ceremony tonight. We will all be there, hehe."

Hong Dali held on to steel bullet and ran out. "Ah, everyone is gone. Haha. I'll see you tonight, then!"

His classmates were all envious of him. "Aye, they actually transported such a huge cruise ship for his coming of age ceremony. There's no comparing." "Yes, yes, I just had my eighteenth birthday, and all we did was reserve one floor of a restaurant. Big Bro Dali transported an entire cruise ship, the difference is huge. Sigh." "Stop sighing, comparing with him would be the death of you. Hurry home and get ready!"

And so, the group of classmates packed up and made their way home to get ready for Hong Dali's coming of age ceremony that night. All those that were invited were not from simple backgrounds. If one was not from an affluent family, it would be hard to even see what was going on inside.

Tang Muxin was smiling and waiting for Hong Dali as he stepped out of the classroom. She went up to him and smiled as she said, "Dali, tonight is your coming of age ceremony. Do you have anything to say about it?"

Hong Dali raised his hands up high and laughed as he shouted, "Of course! Finally, I've been promoted from a small prodigal son to a big prodigal son. Yeah!"

Tang Muxin regretfully said, "I shouldn't have asked, people around are giving us weird looks now…"

Both of them stepped out of the school gates together and boarded the Soaring Angel. Hong Dali asked Xiaoyi out of habit, "Xiaoyi, are there any good news recently?"

Usually, when he asked this question, Ling Xiaoyi would promptly give him a rundown of the day's happenings. But there was no response from her today.

Just as Hong Dali was wondering what happened, driver Wang Mingyu turned around and reported to him, "Young Master Dali, it seems there was an emergency in Miss Xiaoyi's family, and she rushed off. I wanted to ask her about it, but then thought the better of it and decided to wait and see your decision."

Hong Dali frowned. "Something happened in Xiaoyi's family? What is so urgent?"

Tang Muxin said, "Sister Xiaoyi is usually so calm and collected. It must be something serious if it made her leave in such a hurry. Dali, quickly ask her about it!"

With Ling Xiaoyi handling matters for him regularly, Hong Dali had little to worry about. Now that Ling Xiaoyi's family was in trouble, as her young master, he should naturally be concerned. Hong Dali whipped out his phone decisively, located her number and dialed. "Xiaoyi, what happened? I heard something happened in your home?"

Unlike her usual demeanor, Ling Xiaoyi was clearly crying. "Young Master, help my younger brother. Please help my younger brother!" She must have encountered something bothersome. Otherwise, from her current status and relationship with Hong Dali, she would not be so flustered.

Tang Muxin pressed her ear against the phone and heard Ling Xiaoyi's cry. It made her anxious. "Sister Xiaoyi must be in some kind of trouble!"

Hong Dali quickly consoled her. "Don't cry, don't cry. Your Young Master is here. What happened?" He wanted to probe for more details but instead asked, "Where are you? I better go to you."

Ling Xiaoyi thought about it, but gritted her teeth and said, "I… I am… Young Master, I can't tell you!"