“You haven’t forgotten your ambition, studying finance…” Ning Bingyu nodded slightly.
“But taking my money to study, don’t you think that’s going too far? Half of your salary… isn’t even enough to cover the tuition at HKU. Do you know that even if your whole family didn’t eat or drink for three years, you still couldn’t afford a year’s tuition at HKU?” Ning Bingyu looked at her with a half-smile, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
Salaries in mainland China are terribly low now; even a bank manager only earns a little over a hundred yuan a month.
She wants her boss to sponsor her studies.
Chu Hongyu met his gaze without flinching: "I know why you want me to be your assistant, young master. I will assist you with all your affairs and social interactions in the mainland. In exchange, this is not excessive. I will also try to get a scholarship from the University of Hong Kong."
Ning Bingyu remained silent for a moment, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the table, as if he were thinking about something.
After a long pause, he finally spoke calmly, "What's the other condition?"
"Help me get the paperwork done for me to enter and leave Hong Kong as your entourage. I'm just an ordinary mainland student, and it's difficult for me to freely enter and leave Hong Kong these days," Chu Hongyu said calmly.
"Heh, you've thought of everything." Ning Bingyu chuckled, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. "Alright, I agree."
"Deal." Chu Hongyu was taken aback, then a smile finally appeared on her face, but the smile carried a complex and unfathomable quality.
"It's a pleasure working with you, Assistant Chu." Ning Bingyu raised his coffee cup and lightly clinked it against hers.
...
"In short, her basic qualities as an assistant are quite good. Have Assistant Ye handle her onboarding procedures. Also, since she's not on a government-sponsored visa, it's very troublesome for her to travel abroad now. Try to find a way to resolve that," Ning Bingyu instructed.
“Young Master,” Tony hesitated for a moment, but couldn’t suppress his doubts, “how did you know that Miss Chu would definitely agree to be your assistant?”
Ning Bingyu gave him a cold look: "I'm not a fortune teller, I just understand human nature and am good at observing the market environment."
"Human nature?" Tony was taken aback.
Ning Bingyu picked up his coffee and took a sip, his tone indifferent: "You know what the situation is like in the mainland right now. It's only been two years since the reform and opening up, and the atmosphere is incredibly conservative. Peeping at women taking a bath can land you in jail."
He chuckled lightly: "A woman who loses her virginity before marriage is called a 'broken shoe,' and getting pregnant before marriage is an unforgivable crime. She'll be expelled from her workplace or school, and I heard a few years ago she was even paraded through the streets wearing straw sandals."
Tony had naturally heard about it, and he nodded silently in agreement.
Ning Bingyu narrowed his eyes slightly: "Although Chu Hongyu is in the right on the surface, rumors and gossip are terrifying... She is not the type to compromise, and she will not be able to stay here sooner or later."
“Didn’t she still want to study finance? This offer is the best choice for her. I’m just giving her a way out, an opportunity to continue pursuing her dreams. If it were you, would you refuse?” Ning Bingyu looked at Tony with a half-smile.
“I wouldn’t.” Tony suddenly realized, then looked puzzled: “But I heard her family is quite well-off in the mainland, and they supposedly own a villa. What if she still doesn’t agree?”
Although the Hongyu family's assets were not worth mentioning in the eyes of the young master, and were not even as valuable as the two thoroughbred horses he kept.
But in mainland China, this is already quite advantageous. Hongyu is considered a favored daughter of heaven and has a good backup plan.
Ning Bingyu chuckled lightly, his tone carrying a hint of nonchalant indifference—
"It doesn't matter if she doesn't agree. I've never liked to force women. She's not completely irreplaceable. If she wants me to sponsor her, she should naturally show sincerity."
He never does business at a loss, so since Chu Hongyu has the guts to negotiate with him, she has to show some real skill.
He is neither a philanthropist nor a sucker.
Tony understood that in the young master's eyes, there were only two kinds of people—useful and useless.
Now, Hongyu is considered useful by the young master, so he is willing to invest in and nurture her.
Ning Bingyu lightly adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, looking at Tony with regret—
"The only pity is that you're unwilling to bet with me, otherwise your Lamborghini, which you modified like a car king, should also be in my garage."
That racing legend has long since retired and refuses to come out of retirement. The car he modified is really fun to drive around the mountains.
Tony sighed seriously: "...Boss, you're so rich now, don't always think about ripping off your subordinates, especially your bodyguards. It's not good for your safety."
He now understands why the mainland is suppressing capitalists. Life is hard. Tony sighed, and he even thought about revolting and hanging capitalists on streetlights.
Upon hearing this, Ning Bingyu couldn't help but laugh, propping his hand on his forehead: "Pfft..."
Tony suddenly said, "Young Master, we have news from the Hong Kong government. They have found Miss Mei-ling's record of leaving Hong Kong and entering the mainland."
Ning Bingyu's smile instantly turned grim, and a cold light flashed in his dark eyes: "Ah... my ex-fiancée is really busy."
...
West Lake in Hangzhou
Willow branches sway gently, gracefully, and the lake surface ripples with light.
"Annie, how's your injury? Does it still hurt?" Madam Ning looked at Cha Meiling with concern, her eyes full of heartache.
Cha Meiling smiled slightly, but there was a hint of vulnerability in that smile, making her look pitiful. "Thank you for your concern, Godmother. I'm much better now, but..."
She paused, her eyes slightly reddening, "But thinking about what happened that day, I still..."
"Don't be afraid, it's all over now," Madam Ning said, gently patting Cha Meiling's hand.
Cha Meiling gently shook her head: "I'm actually fine, Godmother, it's just Anderson..."
Her voice choked with emotion: "He was seriously injured while saving me, and he still hasn't gotten out of bed."
She had a really bad time when she came to Hangzhou last time; she was being targeted.
If it weren't for Anderson's desperate rescue and the timely arrival of the train police, she might have been dragged off the train and raped by those highway robbers.
Madam Ning patted her hand and comforted her, "Good people are always protected by heaven. Anderson will be fine. But you, be careful while you're relaxing in Hangzhou. These days are not peaceful, so don't run into any more accidents."
Cha Meiling nodded, then hesitated, "Godmother, does my older brother... does he know I've come to the mainland?"
Madam Ning put down her teacup and sighed, "Your eldest brother, even if I don't say anything, he'll find out sooner or later. Annie, it's not that your godmother is criticizing you, but you really acted too impulsively this time, running off to the mainland without a word."
Cha Meiling bit her lip, her eyes lowered, tears welling up in her eyes, her expression somber—
"Godmother, you know how heartbroken I am. I... I just can't face the rumors from the Hong Kong government... My brother broke off our engagement. He doesn't want me anymore after all."
Looking at her goddaughter whom she had raised since childhood, Madam Ning looked somewhat somber.
"Godmother... Daddy was arrested, my brother died, and I am no longer the so-called number one socialite in Hong Kong." Cha Meiling chuckled self-deprecatingly, tears falling down her face.
She took Madam Ning's hand: "I have nothing left now, only you..."
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