Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Swelled Up, Didn’t It? (Third

Update)

Feng Jun had a trick up his sleeve, but he couldn’t possibly say it out loud, so he just chuckled dryly, “Mining is grueling physical work, taxing both mind and muscle. After some time on the job, it’s hard not to shed some weight.” Sister Hong’s eyes twinkled, “Then you should be able to come up with an effective fitness regimen, right?”

“Oh, my dear Sister Hong, this is work,” Feng Jun replied with a mix of laughter and helplessness, “is working out in a gym really comparable to digging m the wild? And besides, I’m not great at summarizing things.” “But you have double degrees from a 985 university, even better than a master’s degree holder, how can you not have that level of ability?” Sister Hong chuckled, “Modesty is a virtue, but too much of it is just hypocrisy.” Wang Haifeng was dumbfounded, “Sister Hong, you actually remember all that? I always thought you never paid much attention to Feng Jun… it turns out you had your sights on him for a long time.”

“You’re no angel yourself!” Sister Hong glared at him fiercely, then picked up her teacup and took a light sip before speaking slowly.

“I’ve always had a good memory, I just didn’t want to let you guys know… If I’m not mistaken, Feng Jun was eating an ice cream when he first received his salary and got into an argument with Zhao Hongqi.”

Damn, Feng Jun gasped inwardly in shock, “Sister Hong, your memory is… just amazing. I never realized it before.”

Putting down her teacup, Sister Hong said unhurriedly, “Why should I let you all in on it? As a boss, you need to keep a distance from your employees; it’s kind of an art of management… Being a boss these days is tough, with many showing resentment from afar and insolence up close.”

“Enough about that,” Feng Jun waved his hand; no matter what, he was happy to know that Sister Hong had always kept him in mind, “Do you want me to work out a fitness plan for you?”

Sister Hong nodded, “If you could, that would be just wonderful.”

“I’m afraid that’s easier said than done,” Feng Jun shook his head, “actually, I practice martial arts, which you know, and martial arts and fitness are different things. Even if I developed a plan, it wouldn’t have the necessary theoretical support, especially regarding injury prevention… I don’t even have a coaching certificate.”

Nowadays, fitness regimens require scientific validation, particularly because injuries from exercise are inevitable, and people today are far too delicate. In the event of such incidents, clients are likely to kick up a fuss.

If there’s scientific theory to back it up and proper injury prevention, the fuss won’t be too great; without it, the consequences are unpredictable.

His reasoning was solid, but Sister Hong snorted disdainfully, “A coaching certificate… pfft, just pay the fee and you can get that. At worst, you’d just have to wait a bit longer. If you’re truly skilled in martial arts, Hongjie can issue you a special certificate; any issues that arise would be on me.”

“Is that necessary?” Feng Jun laughed, then it dawned on him, “Are you… trying to lure me back again?”

Let’s not even mention the saying “a good horse does not turn back to graze,” my status now is much more than just a former waiter, can you afford me? Just as a special consultant, I’m not asking you to be tied down to a desk ” Sister Hong responded with a smile, “as a consultant, just give advice when you can. Agreeing to it wouldn’t really cost you anything, right?” Feng Jun fell into deep thought; he had a hunch that her offer of a special consultancy was tied to their potential cooperation on the Jade business. Then Wang Haifeng chimed in again, “Sister Hong, he’s considering buying a villa in Peach Blossom Valley; what benefits can you offer him?” “I have a villa in Central Capital’s Beautiful County I can rent to you,” Sister Hong looked at Feng Jun as she spoke leisurely, “It’s a quiet place with nice scenery, and if you’re interested in buying, I can sell it to you.” “Central Capital’s Beautiful County… It’s a bit far, isn’t it?” Wang Haifeng muttered softly, “But it’s convenient for playing golf.”

Feng Jun had also been looking into villas recently and was familiar with Central Capital’s Beautiful County. The place… how to put it? It truly was out in the countryside, definitely secluded. The scenery was nice, and the properties were more like vacation villas, reasonably priced too.

Those who bought villas there typically went for a weekend or even just a few days during the National Day holidays to enjoy the green mountains and fresh air, and to experience nature up close.

The place was quite similar to where Feng Jun currently lived but a bit further away, making shopping inconvenient and the atmosphere not as lively; however, it was certain that no one would bother about electricity generation there.

Most importantly, Central Capital’s Beautiful County was very quiet, each house had its own yard, and what he wanted to do in his own villa was no one else’s concern.

Feng Jun felt tempted, but Wang Haifeng yelled out, “Sister Hong, that place is so secluded, and you have the nerve to rent it out? If you ask me… the consultancy fee should cover the rent.”

“That’s no problem at all, I’m not short on cash,” Sister Hong squinted at Feng Jun, her words teasing, “What do you say, Xiao Feng?”

Feng had always felt something wasn’t quite right. Hearing this, he now understood—in this way, he and Sister Hong would be tied together in a way that wouldn’t be easy to untangle.

He was aware that among people, the exchange and entwining of interests were what deepened mutual trust, and as social creatures, who could live outside of society?

But he didn’t like the implication, especially being a consultant for Hongjie, which ultimately meant he’d still be under Sister Hong’s influence.

He was a man of fortune, so why should he be subordinate to others? And mix in some unclear grudges?

“Forget it,” he said with a smile and shook his head, “Let’s not trouble Sister Hong. Given the current situation, with you being so beautiful, I need to avoid suspicion… Hai Feng has a big mouth, too.”

“Oh come on,” Wang Haifeng said angrily, showing his teeth, “Are you implying that if I weren ‘t here, you two would have something going on? Am I in the way, huh?”

“Huh?” Sister Hong didn’t take offense with this guy but instead looked at Feng

Jun with surprise, “You have such a grudge against Hongjie?”

Feng Jun just smiled, “Am I someone who holds petty grudges?” His temper was like a spring, sometimes expansive and sometimes petty. Today he had just accepted a favor from Sister Hong, so he frankly pointed out what was making him uncomfortable, “I can buy your villa, but let’s not link it with Hongjie’s consultant.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Wang Haifeng expressed confusion, “Sister Hong’s assets are lying idle, and you happen to need them; she needs you too, so isn’t that how relationships… are formed?”

Feng Jun smiled and gave him a look, saying nothing. Coach Wang was really too much. While what he said seemed all right, there was a clear double entendre, another layer of meaning, which was frankly quite vulgar.

But Sister Hong didn’t catch any of it. Although she claimed to be “streetwise,” she really hadn’t though these guys would be so trivial. Shaking her head, she’ said, “Xiao Wang, you’re wrong. Xiao Feng has lofty ambitions; the water here is too shallow for him.”

She had understood Feng’s point-Xiao Feng didn’t want too much involvement with Hongjie. Wang Haifeng was unaware, though, and with a playful smirk, he said, “Boss Feng’s standards are so high, even Sister Hong isn’t impressive enough for you? I reckon you just don’t know her worth yet.” “Bastard!” Sister Hong finally caught on, glaring at him fiercely, her cheeks flushing with a rare blush of anger, “You’re such a piece of work. Can we have a decent conversation without it always heading down gutter lane? Feng, make it clear to him.”

Feng, unable to hide his bemusement, shook his head, “Hai Feng, I have some business of my own now. To be clear, in the business world, personal feelings are one thing, business is another… they should not be confused.”

Wang Haifeng opened his mouth wide in surprise at the words, “So you and

Sister Hong are like… clear accounts between brothers?”

He hadn’t realized that Feng Jun’s ambitions had become so grand-was this still the Xiao Feng that I knew?

Feng Jun nodded with a smile, “That’s pretty much it. Sister Hong doesn’t want to work for me; she talks about partnership. I feel the same way, business and personal feelings must be kept separate.”

Wang Haifeng was not stupid. He had been jesting earlier, but after hearing a detailed explanation, he chuckled in resignation, shaking his head, “You’ve changed quite a bit… um, and so has your vision.”

He obviously found Feng Jun’s statement somewhat unrealistic. You’ve only left Hongjie a few days ago? Even if you’ve made some money, your foundations are not stable yet, and still, you refuse to cultivate connections with Hongjie?

This line of thinking was quite normal for him. His father was in manufacturing, and after decades of ups and downs in business with a net worth close to a billion, he still valued networks and relationships very much. A phrase he often uttered was, “First be a good person before doing good work.” Therefore, Wang Haifeng felt that Feng Jun was getting a bit too inflated and decided that he needed to have a word with him.

But Sister Hong didn’t see it that way. In her opinion, Xiao Feng was indeed somewhat naive about the way the world works, but truly outstanding individuals often had this trait. Those who were overly cautious and rigid by the book often had very limited achievements ahead.

Of course, having personality didn’t guarantee success. Most still crashed and learned hard life lessons from the reality of society. Only those who could withstand repeated blows and eventually shine were the real outstanding figures of their time.

For someone at Xiao Feng’s age, if he were too cautious and lacked spirit, life would be much less interesting.

So she spoke with a smile, “What’s the fun in not being a little showy? Xiao Feng, you’ve been drinking. Are you going to Peach Blossom Valley this afternoon? Why don’t you ride in my car?”

“I’ll also ride with Sister Hong,” Wang Haifeng chimed in, “Boss Feng, I’ll give you some advice on the way, that okay?”

Feng Jun replied with a smile, “I’d be delighted.”

His Passat contained jade and cash, but the car was parked at the entrance of Fushouju Restaurant, monitored by security guards, so it shouldn’t pose a problem. He opened the trunk and took out the box containing three million in cash, just as Sister Hong’s driver arrived.

Seeing that Wang Haifeng was going with them, Sister Hong also got in, indicating she wanted to take a look too.

Her seat was the boss’s, behind the driver. Seeing this, Wang Haifeng sat in the front passenger seat, quietly muttering, “Sitting up front with my head feels a little cramped.”

Sister Hong snorted, “Do you want me to call you a car? You could lie down and nobody would care.”

Wang Haifeng fell silent, while Feng sat in the back next to Sister Hong, shoulder to shoulder. He sniffed, catching a whiff of her subtle perfume, and for a moment his thoughts wandered wildly.

(Third update here, please recommend and vote for the monthly ticket)