It makes me feel

Zhang Pa swept his gaze across the paper; essentially, it stated that one million was to be used to purchase a house with an area of no less than three hundred square meters.

Strictly speaking, this contract was unorthodox. It lacked a multitude of details, such as the layout, location, actual area, delivery date, and penalty clauses.

Suppose Zhang Pa were someone even slightly more cautious; not only would he have carefully read through this contract, but he might have also taken it home to study. That would be the normal reaction of a reasonable person.

Zhang Pa did not do that. He merely glanced over it briefly, asked where he needed to sign, and picked up a pen to write his name. For the sake of convenience, this fellow even left the date blank, pushed the paper back, and asked, "When should I pay?"

The contract's contents were truly broad, utterly unable to withstand any scrutiny. One could say it was full of flaws and loopholes. Regardless of who it was, if someone were to sign such a contract and hand over the money, only for the other party to refuse to deliver the house, they would have nowhere to seek justice. In particular, there was only one copy of this so-called contract, and it remained in the hands of the other party.

Yet Zhang Pa was truly carefree—or perhaps he genuinely trusted Long Jianjun. He had skimmed the paper, signed his name, and immediately inquired about the payment.

Long Jianjun said, "No rush. You can pay after you move in."

Zhang Pa asked, "Is that alright?"

Long Jianjun smiled and replied, "Why wouldn't it be? Having you sign this thing is primarily for the company to go through the motions. Xiaole signed a copy too, and you two will live right across from each other."

Zhang Pa said, "Give me your bank account number, and I'll transfer the funds."

Long Jianjun said, "Let's not rush to talk about that. There is another reason I invited you to dinner today, not just to sell a house." With that, he called out, "Let's eat first, we can talk while we eat."

Very well, let us eat then. Looking at the six dishes laid out on the table, five people sharing them—wasn't that a bit sparse?

Zhang Pa felt too embarrassed to ask, but Long Jianjun instructed Hong Huo, "Bring out the rest."

Hong Huo stood up and left. Soon, a waiter pushed in a cart holding a clay pot in the center. The waiter placed it in the middle of the table, lifted the lid, and announced softly, "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall."

So this was the main course? Zhang Pa looked back at the previous three meat dishes and three vegetable dishes, thinking to himself that such exquisite fare was actually just the appetizer?

Following the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, a steaming fish was served, completing a total of eight dishes. The banquet officially commenced.

The atmosphere during the meal was very relaxed. Even though Long Jianjun was exceedingly wealthy and was accompanied by a company employee, he was remarkably easy to converse with.

Long Xiaole initiated a topic. "Isn't Zhang Pa something? So decisive and straightforward, he signed the contract the moment it was handed to him. It shows he trusts me."

Long Jianjun remarked, "What is there about you to trust?" He then turned to Hong Huo and asked, "The year-end is approaching. Organize an event for those employees who are still single." Turning back to Long Xiaole, he asked, "Are you going?"

"What for? Why would I go to your company's matchmaking mixer?"

Long Jianjun said, "You aren't young anymore. Find someone and settle down."

Zhang Pa laughed heartily at this and teased, "The script feels off here. You don't look like a major corporate boss at all, nor do you carry the airs of the ultra-wealthy. You look entirely like a worried old man fretting that his son can't find a wife."

Long Xiaole scoffed with disdain, "Vulgar, you are far too vulgar, reducing yourself to the level of a character in a cheesy TV drama. Vulgar!"

Long Jianjun smiled and asked, "What do you think I should look like?"

"You should be stern and unsmiling, constantly pulling a long face while preparing to lecture your son. As for your son, he ought to be rebellious, crossing you every single day, and moreover foolish and easily deceived. When someone like me appears by his side, I'd definitely be harboring malicious intentions to harm him. You should possess the discerning eye of a sage to spot villains early on. You would have seen right through my character long ago and constantly exhorted your son to stay away from me, but your son wouldn't listen, leading to endless conflict between you two. And then, I would become increasingly successful..." He stopped halfway, paused to ponder, and muttered, "Why am I being portrayed as such a villain?"

Long Xiaole glared at him and snapped, "Idiot!" Then he added, "You got one thing right, though. My dad really is stern and unsmiling."

Hong Huo interjected, "I actually see the boss smile quite often. He likes visiting construction sites, and whenever he sees the workers, he's smiling ninety percent of the time."

Zhang Pa noted, "That's just winning people over."

Long Jianjun said, "Of course I have to win people over. Otherwise, who would work for me?" Having said that, he raised his glass toward Zhang Pa. "Let me ask you something."

Zhang Pa raised his glass to clink it. "Go ahead."

"Let's drink this first." Long Jianjun finished the liquor in his cup, set it down, and asked, "Aside from writing scripts, what else do you do?"

"My primary profession is a middle school language teacher, and a homeroom teacher at that," Zhang Pa answered with great pride.

Long Jianjun smiled faintly. "Let's leave teaching aside for a moment. After the new year, Xiaole plans to start a company, and I'd like to invite you to be a partner."

"That won't work," Zhang Pa stated firmly. "Definitely not."

Long Jianjun explained, "I'm not asking the two of you to go into business as equal partners. I'll provide the framework; the company's operations can be linked with mine. If you two are diligent, you can go out and hustle for business, and it will basically be a matter of profit-sharing. I have only one requirement: whenever you go out, you must take Xiaole with you."

Zhang Pa understood immediately. "So you're paying a high price to hire a bodyguard."

"Pretty much. But your role is much greater than a bodyguard's; you'll also be responsible for negotiating business deals. If things develop well, making a million or so a year shouldn't be a problem," Long Jianjun said.

Zhang Pa shook his head. "This is far too absurd. In TV shows, it's always wealthy fathers hiring bodyguards for their daughters. Your daughter must be—wait, the liquor today tastes off, why am I feeling dizzy? Oh dear, I'm dizzy, dizzy, dizzy." As he spoke, he slumped forward onto the table.

Liu Xiaomei pinched him playfully and chuckled, "Shouldn't there be an exceptionally gorgeous wealthy heiress hiring you as a bodyguard, who is never satisfied with you, constantly locks horns with you, and creates all sorts of naive trouble before eventually being moved by you and ending up in bed together?"

Long Xiaole asked, "What does 'naive and sweet' mean?"

Zhang Pa casually replied, "It means the female version of you."

"The female version of me... Damn it, are you insulting me?" Long Xiaole demanded, incensed.

Long Jianjun said, "From my own perspective, I hope Xiaole can take over my business. But in business, based on my experience, there's no need to look that far ahead. Perhaps before Xiaole is ready to take over, I'll be gone, or the company will be gone, or real estate will tank and collapse entirely. Therefore, I want Xiaole to venture out on his own. I don't care how much money he makes, as long as he can support himself."

Long Xiaole protested unhappily, "Dad, is that necessary? Am I incapable of even supporting myself?"

Long Jianjun smiled. "I originally thought about dumping the two of you in some county town or small city with one or two million, and letting you set up a trading company on your own. I was quite curious how long it would take you to lose everything and quit. But since it's clearly impossible for you to leave the provincial capital, and Xiaole got into trouble again a few days ago... How about this? Xiaole will undoubtedly be the legal representative, but you will have the authority to report directly to me. If the two of you have any disputes—business-related disputes, I mean—you can come to me, and we can discuss them together. As for the profits, meaning your salary..."

He paused here, looked at Zhang Pa for a moment, and continued, "If it were anyone else, I would definitely negotiate every single detail. But with you, there's no need. Earn whatever we earn first, and once there's a profit, we can talk about the salary. How about it?"

Zhang Pa replied, "Sounds very doable, but I don't have time to do business."

Long Jianjun said, "It won't take up much time. Besides, you're the boss; you can decide when to go to work, and missing every single day wouldn't matter either."

Zhang Pa smiled. "Are you simply watching us squander money?"

Long Xiaole interrupted, "What do you mean, squander money? The two of us are going to make a fortune, enough to become a wealthy family."

Zhang Pa glanced at him. "You really aren't as smart as your father."

Long Xiaole pondered for a moment. "Fine, let's assume you're right."

Long Jianjun smiled as he looked at Zhang Pa. "Why do you say that?"

Zhang Pa said, "No need to explain, I can give you the answer directly: I'm not participating." He raised his wine glass as he spoke. "Thank you, Uncle Long, for this meal. Let me toast you first."

Long Xiaole was still somewhat bewildered. The two of them had been talking right in front of him, yet he hadn't understood a single word?

Seeing that Zhang Pa was determined not to get involved, Long Jianjun dropped the subject and cheerfully brought up other matters, such as writing a script for Xun Rudyu.

After chatting like this for half an hour, Long Jianjun stood up to leave, telling them to eat slowly as he needed to head back to the company. He took Hong Huo and departed.

Only then did Long Xiaole have the opportunity to ask his burning question: Why did you say my dad is smarter than me?

Zhang Pa didn't explain. Instead, he asked Liu Xiaomei if she was finished eating.

Liu Xiaomei said she was quite full. Zhang Pa told Long Xiaole, "We're leaving. Go back and ask your dad when the house payment is due."

"What's the rush? Nobody's pressuring you for it." Long Xiaole asked again, "Why did you say my dad is smart? What did he mean just now?"

Zhang Pa smiled. "I'm not telling you." He stood up, gathered a pile of belongings, said his goodbyes, and turned to walk out.

Liu Xiaomei helped carry a few bags. As they waited for the elevator, she asked, "Why did you say Long Xiaole's dad is smarter than him?"

Zhang Pa replied, "His dad invited me to join the company, saying I don't even have to go to work and that the worst-case scenario is just blowing through the money. It sounds like he's just finding a toy for his son, but is that even possible? Once I agree to work there, how could I stand by and watch myself help Long Xiaole lose money? Making money is extremely troublesome. By then, it would inevitably consume the vast majority of my energy. Long Jianjun is trying to leverage my sense of responsibility."

He paused there. Liu Xiaomei smiled and said, "Ginger is hotter the older it gets; he's seen right through you."

"Seeing right through me is a stretch, but that he is very smart is true," Zhang Pa said. "As long as Long Xiaole stays away from vices like gambling and drugs, he'll definitely coast through life effortlessly."

Liu Xiaomei said, "I don't want you doing business either. Business ties people down. It's much better to just be an irresponsible teacher."

Zhang Pa smiled and asked, "Guess why Long Jianjun wants me to do business?"

Liu Xiaomei said, "To protect Long Xiaole?"

Zhang Pa said, "That's a tiny part of it. Long Jianjun wants to ignite my desire to make money. Once I have that desire and become increasingly eager to make money, I'll be bound tighter and tighter to Jiulong Real Estate. Long Jianjun is prospecting for treasure, finding a reliable partner for Long Xiaole." At this, he smiled. "This alone is enough to show that Long Jianjun has committed his fair share of illegal deeds. Secondly, he truly is wealthy—wealthy to the point of needing to find assistants for his heir."

Liu Xiaomei looked somewhat surprised. "What are you really thinking? I don't believe his motives are that complicated." (To be continued.)