Tycoon: From Rags to Riches

Chapter 198: Chapter 174: Wolf Pack and Wolf King

Night fell, spreading a silver frost.

Fine snowflakes drifted slowly from the canopy of the sky, like countless weightless feathers.

At the mountaintop villa, the ground lights in the courtyard cast a soft, warm glow, illuminating the falling snow like a cascade of twinkling stars that shimmered with a crystalline, gentle light.

Outside, the wind was bone-chillingly cold.

Inside, it was as warm as spring.

Gu Heng, Jiang Ruan, Qian Zhengxing, Wang Baoshan, and Jiang Man sat around a round table of natural marble. In the center sat a traditional Chinese copper pot with an enamel finish. Beneath its sealed base, charcoal burned fiercely, bringing the rich broth to a rolling boil and filling the room with a fragrant aroma.

"Ruan Ruan, where’s that case of liquor I just brought down from upstairs?"

Gu Heng, dressed in deep blue silk pajamas, spoke to Jiang Ruan while attending to Qian Zhengxing and the others. "Find it and bring it over."

"Okay."

Jiang Ruan was using a pair of serving chopsticks to add small seafood to the hot pot to enhance the broth’s flavor. After hearing Gu Heng’s request, she immediately put down the chopsticks and walked toward the elevator.

She wore the same style of pajamas as Gu Heng, though hers were a creamy white. Standing together, the two of them looked no different from any young, stay-at-home couple.

At this, Jiang Man, who was helping Gu Heng look after Xu Mo, and Qian Zhengxing, who was helping him look after Luo Xiwen, showed no change in expression. Seeing this scene, they were completely unfazed, as if it were routine.

They had lived for the better part of their lives and were all high-status socialites; they had long grown accustomed to many things that others might find strange.

Even ordinary A9-level middle-aged tycoons could have very public polygamous relationships, to say nothing of a young, top-tier magnate of Gu Heng’s A10-level status.

Jiang Ruan looked around near the elevator and quickly found the case of liquor Gu Heng had mentioned, then carried it over.

Wang Baoshan, who was sitting next to Gu Heng, looked at the case Jiang Ruan was carrying with a hint of surprise. "Is that a full case of 2013 National Moutai?"

"Oh?"

"President Wang, you truly are a professional connoisseur. What a sharp eye!"

Gu Heng responded with a chuckle, grabbing a box cutter and raising his hand to slice open the plastic seal on the case.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

"Wait a second!"

Seeing this, Wang Baoshan instinctively reached out to stop him.

"What’s wrong, brother?"

Gu Heng paused, looking at Wang Baoshan with some confusion.

"My friend!"

Wang Baoshan explained, "This is just a casual family dinner today. A couple of bottles of regular Moutai would be more than enough. There’s no need to bring out the National Moutai, especially a full case. You should keep it at the bottom of your collection, it would be great for your cellar!"

"Brother Wang, after we’ve had our fill of food and drink."

"I’ll take you all upstairs for a tour to show you the fruits of my latest trip."

Gu Heng smiled. "For something to be considered the centerpiece of my collection, a bottle of National Moutai doesn’t quite make the cut."

As he spoke, the sharp blade of the box cutter emerged, and he sliced open the case of liquor before him.

"Besides..."

"Who said this was just a casual family dinner?"

"I just heard that Dean Jiang has good news on the horizon."

Gu Heng’s gaze shifted to Jiang Man, who was sitting directly opposite him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Hm?"

"What good news?"

Wang Baoshan froze for a moment, then also turned to look at Jiang Man.

"Chairman Gu, your information travels fast."

Jiang Man looked slightly surprised. "This just happened this morning, and you already know about it tonight?"

"Dean Jiang, it’s not that my information travels fast."

"I just heard it from Qian Hang. When it comes to being well-informed, Qian Hang is the one."

Gu Heng took the brown bottles of National Moutai out of the case one by one, replying with a grin.

"What?"

"So you all knew, and I was the only one left in the dark?"

Wang Baoshan’s eyes widened, his expression making everyone smile.

"Today..."

"The organization called me in for a talk."

Since Gu Heng and Qian Zhengxing already knew, Jiang Man didn’t try to hide it anymore. She revealed the news openly with a slight smile.

"Holy shit!"

"Jiang Man, you really did it!"

"Such great news, and you were trying to keep it from us!"

Although Wang Baoshan was a businessman, he was well-versed in the inner workings of the system, so he knew exactly what Jiang Man’s words implied.

Before, Jiang Man was only the Vice Dean of Jilin University Ninth Hospital.

Now, that "Vice" in her title would likely be removed very soon.

"I wasn’t trying to hide it from everyone, I just wanted to wait until things were more certain before saying anything."

Jiang Man explained, "After all, it was just a talk for now. There’s still a chance things could change."

"Good, good, good!"

"Such wonderful news really calls for a celebration!"

Wang Baoshan was in high spirits. "Today, we’ll just consider this a warm-up. After you officially take up your new post, Jiang Man, I’ll host, and we’ll celebrate properly!"

Jiang Man was about to be promoted from Vice Dean to Dean. Though it seemed like just one step, the difference in social status and resources between the two positions was heaven and earth. It wouldn’t even be an exaggeration to describe it as a carp leaping over the dragon gate.

Within the system, no matter the department, the top leader always held nearly absolute power. And Jilin University Ninth Hospital, where Jiang Man worked, was a provincial-level Class A Grade 3 hospital. Its medical resources were among the best in the entire province.

If the authority of Jiang Man’s original position was a 10, then the authority of her new position would be a 100. Moreover, the latter held absolute control over the former. If the new dean wished, she could reduce the vice dean’s authority to a 1, or even to zero, at any time.

"Thank you, everyone."

Jiang Man smiled at the group. "But please just keep this among yourselves for now. Don’t spread it around yet. We can talk after the dust has settled."

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