Chapter 339: Yan Liming Reaches the Pinnacle of His Life
Yu Zhanyan laughed. "Alright, then I’ll do the honors for you, Old Huang!"
With that, Yu Zhanyan imitated Huang Qun and Huang Jianxiang, forcefully pressing the "lighter" a few times.
Then, Yu Zhanyan was dumbfounded.
"This... this isn’t a lighter. It’s just the car key..."
Not a lighter?
Just a car key?
Everyone felt like they were on an emotional roller coaster, plunging from a thrilling peak to a crushing low in an instant!
Huang Jianxiang refused to believe Yu Zhanyan and snatched the "lighter" from his hand.
"Uncle Yu, maybe you just don’t know how to use this kind of lighter. You’re not supposed to press it like that, you have to... Huh? Why won’t it open? This... really doesn’t seem to be a lighter..."
Huang Jianxiang was reeling.
He thought he had exposed the truth: that Cheng Hongbing and his son were just using a fancy lighter to flex.
But the naked truth slapped him hard across the face.
They weren’t the ones trying to flex with a lighter—he was!
Watched by the elders and his peers, Huang Jianxiang’s face turned beet red as he shamefully handed the key back to Cheng Hongbing.
Cheng Hongbing calmly put the key in his pocket and said with some displeasure, "The engagement ceremony is about to start! Why isn’t Xiaoyuan here yet?"
The crowd immediately started trying to curry favor.
"Squad Leader, Xiaoyuan is running a big business now. He’s bound to be busy, so it’s normal for him to be a little late."
"Squad Leader, remember? At our meetings, the top brass always arrives last! With Xiaoyuan’s status now, it’s perfectly acceptable for him to be the last to show."
Huang Qun laid it on even thicker: "I think among the younger generation, Xiaoyuan is doing the best. Even Liming can’t compare."
Huang Jianxiang couldn’t stand his father praising someone else and retorted stubbornly, "Dad, how can you compare Brother Yuan to Brother Liming? Brother Liming is about to get a huge promotion! And just yesterday, he picked up a new Ferrari 488. The total cost was nearly five million! What’s a Maybach compared to that? Brother Liming is the true leader of our generation!"
A five-million-yuan Ferrari?
Everyone’s eyes widened instinctively. Many of them would never earn five million in their entire lifetime, yet for Liming, it was just the price of a car.
’Just how rich is Liming?’
Huang Qun exclaimed in admiration, "Looks like Liming is the one who’s really made it. He has status and money! I’m so jealous! Once he gets promoted, won’t he be even richer?"
Yu Zhanyan chuckled. "Old Huang is right. These days, there’s nothing better than being a high-ranking official! After Liming gets his promotion, he’ll probably move into a huge mansion, won’t he?"
Everyone was heaping on the praise, but Cheng Hongbing couldn’t help frowning. "Keep it down. This isn’t something to brag about. It would be terrible if Liming gets taken down because of this car."
Huang Qun laughed. "Squad Leader, you’re overthinking things. Everybody does it these days! Even running for a village Party secretary costs millions! Just imagine the profits involved. And what’s more, Liming is about to become a Deputy Director!"
Cheng Hongbing frowned but didn’t voice his doubts. He just felt it was improper and far too risky.
Just then, a familiar voice spoke from behind Cheng Hongbing. "Uncle Huang, who told you Yan Liming is about to get a promotion? Yan Liming is about to be disgraced and thrown in prison."
"Xiaoyuan? You’re back?"
Cheng Hongbing turned to see Cheng Yuan, a look of delighted surprise on his face.
Cheng Yuan smiled and greeted his parents. "Dad, Mom, I’m back."
"Come sit, come sit."
Wu Xiuli quickly pulled Cheng Yuan down to sit beside her.
Huang Qun shot Cheng Yuan a slightly displeased look. "Xiaoyuan, we’re all friends here. Even if you and Liming have had a little friction, you shouldn’t be cursing him like that, should you?"
Cheng Yuan said very seriously, "Uncle Huang, I’m not cursing him. Mark my words, Yan Liming will be taken down today!"
Huang Qun demanded, "Xiaoyuan, how could you possibly know Liming is going to be taken down?"
"I’ve heard some inside information."
Huang Qun said irritably, "If you had inside information, why didn’t you tell Liming and Yating sooner? Are you just going to stand by and watch him get taken down?"
"I already told Yan Liming, but he didn’t believe me."
That left Huang Qun speechless.
Liu Kun asked with a broad smile, "Xiaoyuan, what business are you in, anyway? To earn enough for a Maybach in such a short time? You have to help out these younger brothers and sisters of yours!"
The younger members of the group all looked up at Cheng Yuan with expectant eyes.
Even Huang Jianxiang, who had been so defiant just moments ago, had a flicker of longing in his eyes.
Cheng Yuan shot his parents an annoyed look. ’Why did you have to show off our wealth in front of these old comrades?’
’See? Now they’re coming to ask for favors!’
’When I was going through hard times, these people kept their distance. Only Uncle Xiao and Yating offered to help.’
’Now that I’ve made it, they think they can just cozy up to me?’
’It’s not that easy.’
Cheng Yuan opened his mouth and spun a tale. "Uncle Liu, I’m afraid I have to disappoint you. I just got lucky. A while back, I bought an antique from an old woman in the countryside, flipped it for a few million, and that was just enough to buy an apartment and a car. It was pure luck, so I don’t think I can help everyone with that sort of thing."
’He bought an antique?’
Disappointment showed on everyone’s faces. That was something you couldn’t learn; it was all down to luck. If you found a real treasure, you’d be set, but if you bought a fake, you could lose your entire fortune.
While everyone was talking and laughing, several middle-aged men in gray jackets walked into the hall.
The hall instantly buzzed with excitement.
Many of the distinguished guests recognized the newcomers and shot to their feet with ingratiating smiles to greet them.
"Director Zhang, you’re here! Are you free tonight? I’d like to invite you to dinner!"
"Director Gao, when are you free for a round of golf?"
"Director Xiong, I haven’t seen you out fishing in ages. Up for a trip tonight?"
...
Seeing so many heavy hitters show up to support them thrilled Yan Song and Yan Liming to no end.
Feeling like they had reached the pinnacle of their lives, the two of them strode forward with great enthusiasm to greet the officials.
"Distinguished leaders, for you to grace Liming’s engagement banquet with your presence, I, Yan Song, am beyond honored and deeply humbled. Please, allow me to show you to your seats at Table One!"
The officials gave Yan Song a slight nod.
Beaming with pride, Yan Song and Yan Liming led the officials toward Table One, as the surrounding guests looked on, practically sick with envy.
’With so many officials showing their support, the Yan Family is really going to take off!’
Basking in the envious gazes, the father-son duo of Yan Song and Yan Liming were practically floating on air. They deliberately led the officials past Table Six, where the old army comrades were seated, making sure their former peers saw the extent of their connections.
The old comrades and their children were green with envy. After the officials had moved on, Huang Jianxiang turned to Cheng Yuan with a smirk.
"See that? See how powerful Brother Liming’s network is? He got all these officials to come and support him! At this rate, his promotion is a done deal! Cheng Yuan, you still have the guts to say he’s going to be taken down?!"
Cheng Yuan grinned. "Jianxiang, you’re mistaken. Those officials aren’t Yan Liming’s connections. In fact, they’re just here to watch the show."