338: Chapter 338 President Su - 1

As steaming hot Northeast Chinese dishes were served one after another, the atmosphere in the private room finally began to warm up amidst the enticing aromas.

Everyone began to dig in and toast one another, exchanging auspicious greetings like "Happy New Year" and "Wishing you prosperity," maintaining a veneer of harmony.

After three rounds of drinks and a good sampling of the dishes, a few glasses of baijiu had left the elders with flushed faces.

Second Uncle glanced at Jiang Ye, who was currently reading Tian Lijuan’s palm. His eyes darted around for a moment before he smiled and patted his son on the shoulder.

"Haoran, didn't you say you were going to bring your girlfriend over today for everyone to see? Where is she? Why isn't she here yet?"

As soon as he said this, several gazes at the table turned toward Tian Haoran.

Second Uncle was clearly satisfied with the effect; without waiting for his son to answer, he smiled and explained to everyone,

"Hehe, our Haoran is dating a girl now—she's a flight attendant! Oh my, that girl is something else; she has the looks, she has the height, and I hear she has a great personality and is very thoughtful!"

The mention of "flight attendant" instantly caused quite a stir at the table.

To these ordinary working-class families, the profession of flight attendant carried a certain prestige, representing high income, good looks, and sophistication. It was undoubtedly the gold standard for what "other people's children" would choose in a partner.

Immediately, a chorus of sincere envy and praise rang out:

"Oh my! A flight attendant! Haoran really has some skills!"

"That’s right, that’s right! A flight attendant is great—the job is respectable, and she earns good money too!"

"Boyuan, your Haoran has really brought honor to the family!"

Tian Haoran felt a bit embarrassed by all the praise, but the uncontrollable smile tugging at the corners of his mouth betrayed his pride.

"Dad, I've told you so many times, we haven't officially started dating yet!"

He feigned modesty, clicked his tongue, and waved a hand. "Besides, she's not a flight attendant yet. She's currently studying for the certification, and she hasn't received her license yet."

Li Ting, sitting across from him, blinked and smiled. "I get what you mean, Cousin. It just means you two are still in the 'talking' stage—neither of you has broken through that final barrier yet, right?"

"Oh, Tingting, you really..."

Tian Haoran, having his secret exposed by his cousin, laughed and waved his hand. "Well, that's more or less it. Things are going pretty well, though."

"The 'talking' stage? That just means you're one sentence away from making it official!"

Second Uncle raised an eyebrow, his voice rising a notch. "Hurry up, send her a text and ask where she is! Since so many elders are here today, we can all help you vet her and see what this girl is really like!"

"Alright, alright, I'll ask her if she's free."

Tian Haoran put on an expression that said "I really can't do anything with you guys," but his hands were honest as he opened WeChat.

Not long after, his phone vibrated. He glanced at it and said, "She said she just finished handling some family matters and is already on her way."

Second Uncle’s face broke into a wide grin, and he raised his glass with satisfaction. "Good, good, good! It's great that she's coming! We'll all have a lively time together!"

Having laid the groundwork for so long and feeling he had earned enough face, he finally turned his attention back to the "key target" of the evening—Jiang Ye.

"Little Jiang..."

Second Uncle took a sip of his drink, his tone becoming earnest.

"Look, Juan'er isn't in school anymore and is just helping out at her dad's little noodle shop. You know how things are with their family; Boguang has been an honest, simple man his whole life and doesn't have much ambition. In the future, the family's hopes will be pinned on you."

He paused, then continued, "We won't even talk about where you're interning. It's almost June, and you're about to graduate. Do you have any concrete plans for the future? Have you secured a job yet? As your elders, we really should help you weigh your options, don't you think?"

He patted his son as he spoke. "Our Haoran is graduating this year too. Even if his school isn't as prestigious as yours, he's a go-getter. He's already sent out resumes to several great companies—like Neusoft and BMW—and is waiting to hear back. Young people need to have that kind of drive!"

"..."

Jiang Ye listened without answering immediately. Instead, he smiled and turned to look at Old Tian beside him. "Uncle Tian, this..."

"Second Uncle!"

Old Tian had learned his lesson this time. Before Jiang Ye could ask, he quickly whispered, "Little Jiang, this is my younger brother. You can just call him Second Uncle."

"..."

Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow and glanced at Tian Lijuan, who had put down her chopsticks and was pouting, clearly unhappy. He began to understand the situation.

Old Tian was indeed good-natured and patient, but his "pushover" approach essentially gave tacit permission for his relatives to repeatedly engage in behavior that was disguised as concern but was actually disparaging.

Tian Lijuan was in the midst of adolescence and came from a single-parent household, so she was already sensitive. Living in such an environment for a long time, with her self-esteem repeatedly taking hits, it would be strange if she didn't act out or seek validation elsewhere.

"Second Uncle is right..."

Jiang Ye’s smile remained unchanged as he spoke in a very sincere tone:

"Young people should indeed plan ahead and be prepared. Haoran’s initiative in sending out resumes so early and striving to land a job is the right approach. It’s commendable."

Second Uncle felt that something about the remark was off, but he couldn't find any fault with it, so he had to follow the thread of conversation:

"What about you, Little Jiang? Do you have any specific plans? Tell Second Uncle. I’ve been out in the world for many years, so maybe I can offer you some advice."

Jiang Ye picked up a piece of steamed fish, carefully removed the bones, and placed it into Tian Lijuan’s bowl before answering in a leisurely tone:

"As for me, I’m researching a few startup projects. I plan to start my own business after graduation. If I can make it successful in the future, I hope to create more job opportunities for society and for talented young people like Haoran."

"Start a business?"

Second Uncle’s voice faltered, and he nearly laughed out loud. "Little Jiang, that’s quite the ambition! But starting a business… it’s not as easy as just saying the words. Startup capital is a huge problem. Given the current economic climate, money is hard to earn and even harder to borrow."

Second Aunt, who had been sitting to the side, couldn't hold back anymore. She didn't believe for a second that Old Tian’s family could find such an "impressive" son-in-law. She sneered, her tone sharp:

"Exactly, Little Jiang. Startup capital is no small sum. What do your parents do? How much money can they actually give you? Don't pretend to be rich when you aren't—you’ll just end up ruining yourself and dragging our Juan'er down with you."

"Hehe, it's easy to say, easy to say..."

Facing the aggressive questioning from both of them, Jiang Ye chuckled and casually pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"I wouldn't dare to hide anything from you elders. I consider myself quite capable, and the project I’m working on is very promising. An angel investor has already expressed interest, and we are currently discussing the specific investment amount."

"An angel investor?"

Second Aunt looked as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world. She rolled her eyes dramatically and turned to look at Old Tian.

"Boguang, is this son-in-law of yours… for real? He’s making it sound so convincing, but don’t tell me he’s been scammed? There are so many con artists out there these days who use 'investment' as a cover!"

"..."

Old Tian opened his mouth, looking at his "prospective son-in-law" who was speaking complete nonsense with a straight face, and then at his sister-in-law’s mocking expression. He really didn't know how to respond, so he could only cast a pleading look toward Jiang Ye once more.

"Since you uncles and aunts are so concerned, I suppose I can't keep it under wraps anymore."

Facing the suspicious and curious gazes of everyone at the table, Jiang Ye shook his phone. "It just so happens that I can take this opportunity to prove it to everyone right here and now."

As soon as he said this, the private room fell silent. Even Tian Haoran, Li Ting, and Xu Xuan, who had been playing on their phones, looked up in curiosity.

"The person I’m about to contact is the angel investor I’m currently in talks with: President Su."

Jiang Ye unhurriedly unlocked his phone, scrolling through his contact list while saying with a serious air:

"I’ll take this opportunity to call her and ask about the status of the approval process for my angel round investment, so you elders won't have to worry on my behalf."

With that, he dialed a number and pressed the speaker button.

"Beep... beep..."

The call was answered quickly. A crisp, pleasant, and slightly lazy young girl’s voice came from the other end. She had just managed a "Hello?" before Jiang Ye cut her off.

"President Su, Happy New Year! This is Jiang Shu. I’m sorry to disturb your rest, but I wanted to ask: has there been a final decision on the angel round investment for the project I submitted?"