98: Di Song

Jiang Chen glanced sideways at him but said nothing.

Wang Hao's voice dropped, as if he were reminiscing about that moment. "I told her, 'Mom, trust me just this once. My brother has inside info, it's a guaranteed profit.'"

"My mom hesitated for a long time before finally transferring fifty thousand to me. She said if I lost it, I should just consider it my marriage fund going down the drain."

"You have no idea. When she sent the money, she specifically called to warn me repeatedly not to get scammed. She said there's so much of that stuff online nowadays and told me to be extra, extra careful."

As Jiang Chen listened, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

"And now?" he asked.

Wang Hao looked down at his account balance, his voice suddenly becoming raspy. "Now... I've turned her fifty thousand into seventy-nine thousand. Adding my own twelve thousand, that's ninety-four thousand in total."

He sniffled and looked up at Jiang Chen. His eyes were Rimmed with red, but the corners of his mouth were already starting to curl upward uncontrollably.

Jiang Chen didn't say anything; he just patted him on the shoulder.

Wang Hao stood there for several seconds to compose himself, then suddenly slapped his thigh. "No way, I have to call my mom."

He pulled out his phone, swiped across the screen a few times, and dialed. It was picked up after just two rings.

"Mom!"

Wang Hao's voice suddenly boomed, filled with an excitement he couldn't suppress. "Your son didn't let you down! I made money! Over thirty thousand! Your fifty thousand has become seventy-nine thousand!"

A series of exclamations came from the other end of the line. Even through the screen, one could hear the shock and joy of Wang Hao's mother.

Wang Hao pulled the phone slightly away from his ear, but her voice still came through clearly.

"Really? You actually made money? You're not lying to me, are you?"

"It's true! Mom, my brother guided the trades. I watched it go up with my own eyes. I just sold today, and the money is already in the account!"

Wang Hao was grinning from ear to ear, his voice full of pride. "When has your son ever lied to you?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end, and then Wang Hao's mother's voice softened significantly, carrying a heartfelt sense of relief. "That's good then, that's good. Was it that boy Jiang Chen who helped you?"

"Yes, yes, yes, it was him! Mom, you have no idea, he..."

Mid-sentence, Wang Hao glanced back at Jiang Chen and swallowed the rest of his words. "Anyway, he had the info, so I followed his lead, and we made a profit."

"Jiang Chen is truly a promising boy."

Wang Hao's mother's voice took on a serious tone. "You should learn more from him at school. Don't just play video games all day."

"By the way, you have to treat him to a meal. You can't let him help you make money for nothing, you hear? Don't be stingy with your money; treat him properly."

Wang Hao chuckled. "I know, Mom. I'm just about to treat him now."

"Good. Make it somewhere nice. Don't go to those roadside stalls to brush him off."

Wang Hao's mother gave a few more instructions, her tone brimming with happiness. "Keep the money safe, don't spend it recklessly. Save it for later..."

"Alright, alright, Mom, I get it. I'm hanging up now."

Wang Hao hung up and turned around, his face wearing an expression of both pride and embarrassment as he scratched his head. "Chenzi, you heard that, right? My mom said I have to treat you to dinner."

Jiang Chen looked at him. "Your mom is right. You should."

Wang Hao was momentarily choked up by his words, then he burst into laughter. "Fine, fine, fine! It's on me! What do you want to eat? Take your pick; it's my treat today!"

Jiang Chen thought for a moment. "Whatever. You decide."

"That won't do. 'Whatever' is the hardest thing to deal with."

Wang Hao pulled out his phone and began searching seriously, his brow slightly furrowed as if he were completing an important mission.

After searching for a while, he suddenly stopped, his eyes lighting up. "Chenzi, I heard a new Japanese restaurant called 'Sushi Matsu' opened on the top floor of the Financial Center in the Jiangcheng CBD. It's eighteen hundred per person."

"Supposedly, it's the top Japanese restaurant in Jiangcheng right now. The head chef comes from a three-star Michelin restaurant, and all the ingredients are flown in from Japan that very day. Since we made money today, why don't we go there!"

Jiang Chen looked at him. "Are you sure? Eighteen hundred per person—that's not a cheap meal."

"Positive!"

Wang Hao thumped his chest. "Without you, I wouldn't have made this money. A good meal is only right. Don't worry about my wallet; I'm happy today!"

As he spoke, he booked a table on his phone, muttering as he worked. "Two people, seven PM... Okay, it's booked. Let's go, let's get the car."

The two walked side by side toward the parking lot. The setting sun stretched their shadows long, casting two faint silhouettes across the campus path.

The autumn wind drifted through the plane trees, carrying the scent of osmanthus—the signature fragrance of autumn in Jiangcheng.

"Get in."

Jiang Chen had already sat in the driver's seat and said it without looking up.

Wang Hao opened the passenger door and sat inside.

The Volcano Grey panamera drove out of the parking lot, merging into the Friday evening traffic and heading toward the Jiangcheng CBD.

Outside the car window, the setting sun was sinking toward the river, plating the entire city in a warm orange-red glow.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Wang Hao watched the street scenery retreat rapidly. He was in a fantastic mood, humming an unknown little tune.

After driving for nearly twenty minutes, they entered the core financial business district of Jiangcheng.

High-rises stood in clusters, their glass curtain walls reflecting the last rays of daylight in the twilight.

The panamera turned into the exclusive driveway of a super-tall building. A valet dressed in a black suit quickly stepped forward and respectfully opened the car door.

"Sir, for dining, please take the exclusive elevator to the fifty-eighth floor."

After getting out of the car, Wang Hao stood in the lobby and looked up at the elevator hall that led straight to the top floor.

Crystal chandeliers hung from the three-story-high ceiling, and the floor was paved with imported Carrara white marble, polished to a mirror-like shine.

He looked down at the sneakers on his feet and shrank back a bit, feeling awkward.

He usually frequented small eateries and barbecue stalls near the school. This was his first time at a Japanese restaurant that cost one or two thousand per person, and he had never even imagined visiting a place of this caliber.

"What are you dazing out for?" Jiang Chen locked the car and patted his shoulder.

"Nothing, it's just... first time in a place like this, I'm a bit nervous."

Wang Hao muttered quietly as he followed Jiang Chen into the elevator.

The elevator doors closed, and the cabin rose smoothly, with almost no perceptible vibration.

The floor numbers flickered on the screen. It took less than half a minute to go from the first floor to the fifty-eighth.

The moment the elevator doors opened, the night view of the entire city of Jiangcheng rushed toward them.

The entire restaurant floor was surrounded on three sides by floor-to-ceiling glass. Beneath their feet were the bustling city lights, and in the distance was the winding Yangtze River.

The restaurant's interior was decorated in a minimalist Japanese style, with a primary palette of natural wood tones complemented by dark grey stone and hand-hammered copper accents.

Each dining table was separated by a translucent washi paper screen, ensuring privacy without feeling cramped.

A hostess in a kimono bowed slightly, said a welcome in Japanese, and then led them through a corridor lined with tatami mats into a private window-side booth.

The booth faced the Yangtze River, with an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling glass offering an unobstructed view of the city's night landscape.

Behind a long bar made of hinoki wood, the chef was already standing there, dressed in a snow-white uniform with a golden nameplate pinned to his chest.

He bowed slightly and introduced himself in fluent Chinese: "Good evening, gentlemen. I am Chef Chen, your head chef for tonight. I trained for seven years at 'Sushi Masuda' in Ginza, Tokyo. Tonight's menu has been personally arranged by me. I hope you will be satisfied."