Chapter 232: The Rich Old Lady (13)
Zhou Shiya personally went to the company and expressed strong support for Shisui's move to introduce mainland brands, and promised to distribute the products in her personal care products and drugstore chain stores.
Shi Sui asked her bluntly, "Everyone thinks I'm crazy, but you're just pretending to agree with me, just to make me remember your kindness and give you a share of my property when I die?"
She spoke quite harshly.
Zhou Shiya responded in a measured tone, "Aunt, you made this decision because you're optimistic about the development of the inland areas, right?"
"Oh?" Shi Sui nodded and smiled, "Could you please elaborate?"
"Although the inland areas aren't as prosperous as H City at this stage, infrastructure construction has begun on a large scale in various areas. It's clear that the leadership is determined to boost the economy."
"Having the intention is one thing, but being able to succeed is another." Shi Sui sipped her tea gracefully. "The world is bustling with people because of profit. As a businessman, there is a very important principle called going with the flow, but I'm obviously not doing that right now."
"Now is now, and the future is the future. Small wealth comes from hard work, moderate wealth comes from virtue, and great wealth comes from destiny. Destiny, in fact, is vision. My rough estimate is that it will take at least 10 years for the inland economy to truly take off. Aunt, if you introduce inland brands now, you may not make money or even lose money, but it will help you build good relationships with the inland areas, facilitate information exchange, plan ahead, and pave the way for further cooperation in the future."
Facing Shi Sui's series of questions, Zhou Shiya answered them clearly and logically.
She mentioned that after her father passed away last year, she followed his will and moved his body back inland to be buried in the cemetery of her ancestors.
Because of this special trip, she stayed in various places in the inland for nearly a month, and saw the real situation of the inland with her own eyes. She felt that there was great potential and much to be done, so she particularly agreed with Shi Sui's strategy.
It can’t be said that Shisui looked at her with new respect, but at least her liking for her increased a little.
"I haven't really seen this beautiful city since I woke up." Shisui smiled and invited, "When is it free for you to take me, your aunt, for a walk?"
"Today is fine! It's past 6 o'clock now. How about I take you to Victoria Harbor for a quick meal and a night view?"
Zhou Shiya has long wanted to get closer to Shi Sui. Now that she finally has the chance, she certainly won't let it go.
…
Shi Sui didn't want the driver Jiahao to know where she had been, so she asked him to drive the car back and got into Zhou Shiya's car.
Zhou Shiya arranged dinner at a high-end Cantonese restaurant.
The two of them occupied a large private room, and outside the bright floor-to-ceiling windows was the famous Victoria Harbour in H City.
There are tall buildings along the coast of the bay port, with colorful neon lights and an intoxicating prosperity.
It lights up the luxury of the city and obscures the brilliance of the stars and the moon.
"It's really beautiful and full of life. H City is just like that, always full of energy and daring to strive, which is why it has developed so well. It's a pity that some people forget their roots in their struggle..."
After a hearty meal, Shi Sui and Zhou Shiya started chatting.
Zhou Shiya was very attentive in introducing to her which group and family each nearby building belonged to.
"Those buildings in the southeast corner belong to our group. The one opposite, shaped like a Guandao sword, belongs to the Li family. We've been fighting them for over a decade. They hired a Feng Shui master to build their building like this, claiming they were going to split our family apart. How cruel... And those buildings across the way also have a long history..."
Zhou Shiya talked incessantly, but when she introduced a 70-story building, her face suddenly darkened.
Shi Sui looked up and saw that it was the property of the Feng family, where Zhou Shiya's husband worked.
Zhou Shiya entered into a business marriage at the behest of her father.
During the conversation just now, she rarely mentioned her family.
"Your relationship with your husband is so bad...it's amazing that you gave birth to two children." Shi Sui did not hide the fact.
Zhou Shiya was even more direct: "It's not that our relationship is bad, it's that there's no relationship at all. Having two children was both to fulfill the obligations of both families and because I wanted to be a mother... I spend most of the month at my own house with the children, and even when I go back to his place, we sleep in separate rooms. He's out having fun and having a blast, and I don't feel a thing."
Among wealthy families, situations like hers are not uncommon.
Many couples just have their own affairs and just get along for the sake of face.
Shi Sui gave Zhou Shiya spiritual affirmation: "So you are so concerned about your career and property in the Zhou family. That's good. If I were you, I would do the same."
Although Zhou Shiya did not make any resentful remarks about her marriage which was in name only, Shi Sui could clearly feel that she harbored a very strong resentment towards her second uncle Zhou Xin.
Zhou Xin is a typical old-school rich man.
He is ruthless in business, married a wife, and had several mistresses. Now he is 72 years old and has to walk with a cane, but the paparazzi can still take pictures of his gossip from time to time.
He had a mysterious obsession with having sons. He used to show off his several children in front of Zhou Shiya's father, and said regretfully, "If your wife can't give birth to a son, you can marry a second or third wife to give birth. If you respect your original wife, then after the child is born, just give it to the first wife to raise. Men must have a son, otherwise who will leave the money to?"
Zhou Shiya has disliked her second uncle since she was a child.
So after her father's sudden death, the first person she suspected was him.
But Shi Sui found out that on the day when Grandma Zhou's third brother suffered a heart attack, it was not only Zhou Xin who talked to him behind closed doors in the office... However, until there was actual evidence, Shi Sui remained silent on the matter for the time being.
After dinner, she and Zhou Shiya walked to the large terrace to enjoy the night view.
The night was as cool as water. A cold wind blew and Shisui couldn't help but shiver.
Zhou Shiya immediately said that she would accompany her to the luxury goods mall downstairs to buy a coat to keep out the wind.
Shi Sui readily agreed.
But unexpectedly, he met two unrelated women there...
One is the lawyer Wen.
The other one is Zhou Xiaofeng’s Miss Hong Kong girlfriend.
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