184: Chapter 184 An Unexpected Joy

Just then, Lin Ning's phone rang—it was "Brother Tao."

Seeing the caller ID, he signaled to Wang Qiao, answered the phone, and said affectionately, "Brother Tao."

Tao Shuyu's gentle laughter came from the other end, sounding quite relaxed. "Xiao Lin, there's been progress on that financial fraud case."

Lin Ning was stunned for a moment before he remembered—it was the fraud case involving that man named Duan Pingheng who had been impersonating a partner of a Malaysian private equity fund.

At the time, he and Wang Qiao had followed Brother Tao to a banquet to broaden their horizons. That Duan Pingheng wasn't just a "red name"; the name displayed above his head was different from the one he had given himself. They had specifically looked him up after returning and then reported him.

Lin Ning and Tao Shuyu had even gone to the municipal bureau together to make a statement. It was only then that he learned Huang Zhixing had already been swindled out of two hundred million.

A cross-border case like this, and there was progress so quickly?

Tao Shuyu continued, "The police have already recovered most of the two hundred million from Mr. Huang. He specifically contacted me, saying he must thank you in person."

Lin Ning hesitated slightly. "Brother Tao, Mr. Huang hasn't even recovered all his money yet, so he must be upset. He's just being polite; how could I be embarrassed enough to actually accept this thanks?"

Tao Shuyu's tone was serious. "Why be embarrassed to accept it? If it weren't for you, not only would he have lost the entire two hundred million, but the several hundred million in the fund he spearheaded would also have been dragged in. He genuinely wants to thank you. It's a good opportunity for you two to interact more; it will only be beneficial for your and Xiao Qiao's company."

Since things had reached this point, Lin Ning nodded readily. "Okay, then I'll listen to Brother Tao. Let me know when Mr. Huang has time, and Wang Qiao and I will pay a visit."

"Good, I'll arrange it." Tao Shuyu's laughter carried obvious appreciation. "You kid, you're getting better at speaking."

After hanging up, Lin Ning turned to look at Wang Qiao and briefly explained what had happened.

Wang Qiao's eyes lit up instantly, his face flushed, and his voice was full of excitement. "Mr. Huang? That is a real, bona fide golden thigh! If he just reveals a few resources and brings us along, our company could take off directly! This is a connection you couldn't even buy with money and gifts!"

He became more excited as he spoke, patting Lin Ning on the shoulder and clicking his tongue in wonder. "Not bad, Lin Zi, you are absolutely our company's lucky star and main pillar!"

Lin Ning couldn't help but laugh.

He had originally just reported it for the reward money; he hadn't expected this kind of unexpected gain. Now that he had seen a bit of the world, he naturally knew that Mr. Huang's favor was the biggest gold mine of all.

With this connection, the company could establish a firm foothold in the circle. Wang Qiao wouldn't have to rack his brains trying to network and socialize only to be looked down upon, and they wouldn't have to rely solely on Brother Tao's help, stuck just trading stocks and coins.

They could start expanding the company's business with fewer detours.

It felt like everything was moving in a good direction, and the future was bright!

Lin Ning was in a great mood. He slapped the table and shouted heroically, "Waiter, bring a crate of beer! Let's celebrate!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his waist was attacked by Jiang Yu.

She said testily, "You're driving! What are you drinking?!"

Lin Ning instantly cowered, chuckled, and obediently changed his tune. "Not drinking, not drinking. I got excited and forgot."

Wang Qiao held back his laughter nearby, thinking to himself: One hundred percent henpecked, no doubt about it. Lin Ning, you kid, you have this coming!

After the meal, just as Lin Ning was about to call for the bill, his phone vibrated. A WeChat message from Tao Shuyu arrived:

"Tomorrow at noon, Mr. Huang is hosting a banquet at home to thank you in person. I'll send you the address, let's meet at the intersection at eleven."

Lin Ning handed his phone to Wang Qiao.

Wang Qiao's eyes lit up. "A home banquet?! Mr. Huang is treating you as one of his own!"

The next morning, before Lin Ning was even fully awake, he was woken up directly by a call from Wang Qiao.

"Get up! Get ready, go get a haircut, and buy some clothes!"

Lin Ning checked the time; it was only eight in the morning. He was completely numb. "It's just meeting a Mr. Huang, is it necessary?"

"It is necessary!" Wang Qiao said decisively. "The first visit must be presentable! Get up quickly, I'm coming to pick you up!"

Lin Ning hung up the phone speechlessly.

Wang Qiao had long since booked a hair salon. The two men spent over an hour messing around. Lin Ning didn't know how they could spend so long on such short hair just by cutting and blowing it.

Once finished, Lin Ning had no temper left.

He was dragged by Wang Qiao straight to the mall, plunged into the men's clothing section, and tried on outfit after outfit.

After Lin Ning changed into his fifth outfit, he laughed speechlessly. "I feel like I'm going on a blind date."

"I'm helping you check your impression score!" Wang Qiao said righteously. "You might not care, but I can't afford to drop the ball!"

Lin Ning couldn't be bothered to argue with him.

After getting ready, looking at his sharp, spirited self in the mirror, he had to admit—Wang Qiao was right.

At 10:40, the two arrived at the meeting point on time, and Tao Shuyu's car was already waiting there. Seeing them, Tao Shuyu rolled down the window and smiled, looking them over. "Yo, you two look sharp today."

Wang Qiao chuckled. "That's a must."

Three cars drove one after another into a quiet villa area.

Lin Ning glanced out the window while driving. The trees were lush, and the detached houses were spacious. Being able to live in a place like this in Yanjing, Mr. Huang's background was even deeper than he had imagined.

As soon as the car stopped in front of a three-story villa, the gate opened from the inside.

Huang Zhixing walked out with big strides and stood at the door to welcome them.

Tao Shuyu got out of the car first, followed closely by Lin Ning and Wang Qiao.

Huang Zhixing stepped forward quickly, shook hands with Tao Shuyu first, then immediately grabbed Lin Ning's hand, shook it forcefully, and patted his shoulder heavily with his other hand. "Xiao Lin!"

Lin Ning was taken aback by his enthusiastic gesture and tone, and quickly smiled and greeted him. "Hello, Mr. Huang."

Mr. Huang patted Wang Qiao as well and greeted him warmly. "Xiao Wang! Come, come inside and sit!"

He ushered them inside, with one hand around Wang Qiao and the other greeting Tao Shuyu and Lin Ning.

Lin Ning followed behind, feeling emotional. The steady and reserved Mr. Huang from the previous banquet seemed like a completely different person today.

Upon entering, there was a high-ceilinged living room with sunlight streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows, making it bright and imposing. The furniture was low-key but had great texture. There were landscape paintings on the walls, green plants in the corners, and tea sets and fruit plates already prepared on the coffee table.

"Sit, don't be polite!" Mr. Huang greeted everyone to take their seats. "Drink some tea first; lunch will be a while."

Just as they sat down and Mr. Huang was about to start brewing tea, Wang Qiao suddenly spoke up. "Mr. Huang, let me do it." Mr. Huang was stunned and looked at him.

Wang Qiao smiled a little embarrassedly. "I'm from Fujian. I've been drinking tea with my family since I was a child, so my skills are decent. Would you like to try it?"

Mr. Huang's eyes lit up. "Fujianese? That's great! Come, show us your skills!"

Wang Qiao sat in front of the tea table, washed his hands, scalded the cups, rinsed the tea, and brewed it. His movements were smooth and flowing, steady and efficient. Mr. Huang watched intently. When he received the teacup and took a sip, his eyes brightened even more. "Good! Authentic! Much better than what I brew!"

The atmosphere suddenly became relaxed and warm.

After drinking two rounds of tea, Mr. Huang put down his cup and looked at Lin Ning, his expression serious. "Xiao Lin, I have a few words from the heart."

Lin Ning immediately straightened his body.