As a Magnate, I Started Checking in at a Convenience Store - Chapter 482
Chapter 482: Star City (2)
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“I’m going to take a nap. I woke up too early this morning, and I still feel sleepy now,” Jiang Li said, yawning.
“Sure, go ahead!”
Jiang Li nodded and walked towards the rest area behind her.
“Do you want to take a couple of days off when you return to Star City this time to see your father?” Zhou Chao asked Lin Wu, who was beside him.
Lin Wu pondered for a moment but ultimately shook his head.
“Boss, I won’t go back this time. Star City is quite far from my home, and the round trip by train would take a whole day. I think I’ll pass.”
“Well, if you change your mind later, just let me know.”
“Thankyou, Boss!”
Zhou Chao waved his hand lightly, and Lin Wu got up and headed towards the study.
Two hours passed quickly, and when the plane landed at Fog City Airport, Zhou Chao checked on Jiang Li and found her still sleeping soundly, unaffected by the plane’s landing.
“Lin Wu, do you have Guo Yan’s phone number? Can you go outside the airport and pick her up?”
“I have her number. I’ll go right away,” Lin Wu said, picking up his phone and heading outside. A shuttle was already waiting by the plane.
While Zhou Chao leisurely watched a short video on a social media app, he received a call from Ling Chen.
“Ling Chen, is there something you need?”
“Boss, there’s some movement from the White Eagle Alliance side. According to the information from Miles, it seems they want to impose certain restrictions on our group’s businesses.”
“Restrictions? What do we have that can be restricted? We don’t rely much on imports. Let’s see what they’re up to first. By the way, release some information about the mass production of nanoscale machine tools, if you catch my drift.”
“Hehe, Boss, you’re getting naughty,” Ling Chen chuckled. Most of the decision-making power within the White Eagle Alliance was held by financial conglomerates. If mass production of nanoscale machine tools was indeed achieved, many tech companies, including some in the defense industry, would come knocking at their door to verify.
Moreover, Zhou Chao’s own strength was not to be underestimated. Even if they were targeted, there were other ways to resolve the situation, considering the several Fortune 500 companies under his command.
“Do you dare speak ill of your boss like that? Watch out, 1 might deduct your salary,” Zhou Chao joked.
“Uh, Boss, I have something else to do here. I’ll hang up now.”
“Sure thing. Watch your mouth next time.”
Zhou Chao shook his head, smiling, and resumed scrolling through his social media feed.
“Brother, I’m here! Why don’t you come out and welcome my grand arrival?” Her voice could be heard even before she arrived.
Hearing Guo Yan’s voice, Zhou Chao sighed and couldn’t help but wonder if picking her up was the right decision. He put down the book he was reading and walked outside.
As he stepped out of the study, he saw Guo Yan bouncing in.
“Brother, is this your big plane? It’s so cool, big and handsome!” Guo Yan exclaimed in amazement.
“Lower your voice; your sister-in-law is still sleeping inside,” Zhou Chao said, extending his hand to gently tap Guo Yan’s head.
“Oh, sister-in-law is here too!” Despite the slight pain, Guo Yan’s voice had indeed softened a bit.
“Yeah, did you come on your own or did uncle bring you here?”
“I’m a grown-up now; you can see that I came on my own,” she replied, even puffing out her chest a little proudly at her initial development.
At this moment, Lin Wu also came up carrying two large suitcases, muttering to himself, “It’s just two suitcases, why are they so heavy!”
Zhou Chao looked at Guo Yan, who was sitting next to him, with a puzzled expression. Guo Yan smiled apologetically and explained, “My mom packed some local specialties for me, to have when I get to school.”
“Local specialties? What kind of local specialties can you have in Fuzhou? Probably just pickled vegetables and fermented rice, right?”
Guo Yan nodded helplessly.
“My mom packed several types of pickled vegetables, she was worried I wouldn’t like the food outside, and even though 1 told her I didn’t need them, she insisted on packing them. I had no choice.”
“Haha, it’s because Third Aunt is worried about your diet. If you don’t want them, you can give them to me later, and I’ll take them home to enjoy,” Zhou Chao said. It had been many years since he had eaten the local specialties of his hometown. Even though he could find them in most supermarkets, the homemade ones had a special taste.
“Brother, don’t go back on your words!” Guo Yan jumped up and ran to the suitcases, starting to unpack them. In no time, several large bags of various pickled and preserved vegetables appeared on the table.
“There’s also dried radish, did Third Aunt make these herself?” Zhou Chao opened a bag and started eating, savoring the familiar taste.
“Mom bought them from our hometown. This kind of dried radish is only made in rural areas back home. She spent several days searching for these.”
Looking at the bags on the table, Zhou Chao couldn’t help but suspect that Third Aunt had bought these for him, as he knew that Guo Yan had no particular fondness for pickled vegetables.
“What are you discussing? Oh, why are there so many preserved vegetables?” Jiang Li had somehow arrived behind Zhou Chao without him noticing.
“Sister-in-law!” Guo Yan happily ran over to Jiang Li.
“Slow down, your sister-in-law is pregnant,” Zhou Chao quickly warned, fearing that Guo Yan might inadvertently harm her.
Upon hearing this, Guo Yan immediately stopped in her tracks and looked at Jiang Li’s slightly bulging belly.
Approaching slowly and looking at Jiang Li’s belly, she said, “Sister-in-law, you’re really pregnant.”
“Of course, it’s true. You’re going to be an aunt soon,” Jiang Li said, touching her own belly with a happy smile.
“Haha, I’m going to be an aunt! I’m going to be an aunt!” Guo Yan exclaimed excitedly, jumping up and down.
Zhou Chao watched Guo Yan’s joyful expression and shook his head in amusement.
“Little one, grow up quickly. When the time comes, Auntie will take you out to play!” Guo Yan crouched in front of Jiang Li, gently caressing her belly with her right hand.
“All right, come over and sit. The plane is about to take off,” Zhou Chao initially wanted Jiang Li to sit next to him and touch her slightly bulging belly.
However, to his surprise, Guo Yan, that little mischief-maker, pulled Jiang Li to sit opposite him, and the two of them started chatting quietly. Seeing this, Zhou Chao could only take out his phone and entertain himself.
The plane took off soon after, and once it had stabilized, Zhou Chao noticed that Jiang Li and Guo Yan were still engrossed in their conversation. He decided to go to the study and read a book.
The distance from Fog City to Changsha didn’t seem far, but it still took about an hour and a half by plane. When the plane landed, it was already one o’clock in the afternoon.
“Guo Yan, when are you going to report to school?”
“I’ll report tomorrow. Today, I can hang out in Star City for a bit. Come on!”
As they walked out of the airport lobby, they were stopped by a man dressed in a black silk shirt.
“Excuse me, are you Mr. Zhou Chao?” the man asked respectfully.
“You must be from Qin Qingchun, right? I’m Zhou Chao, let’s go.”
Hearing Zhou Chao directly mention Qin Qingchun’s name, the man in black silk shirt became even more respectful.
“Yes, Mr. Zhou. Director Qin has some urgent matters abroad and couldn’t come in person. Please forgive him.”
“No problem, let’s go. Don’t stand here; we’re attracting too much attention,” Zhou Chao said, noticing that many people were turning their gazes toward them.
“Mr. Zhou, this way, please!” The man in black silk shirt hurriedly led Zhou Chao and his companions toward the waiting cars.
Three black Rolls-Royces were parked by the roadside, with two black-suited men standing next to each car. Many passersby were taking photos with their phones. Zhou Chao, seeing the attention they were getting, didn’t hesitate and opened the car door to sit with Jiang Li. Guo Yan and Lin Wu sat in the other two cars.
“Mr. Zhou, Direvtor Qin has already arranged a hotel for you, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel. If Mr. Zhou is not satisfied, I can immediately arrange another hotel.”
“No need, let’s go with that hotel.” Zhou Chao had heard of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, a five-star top-tier hotel with over a century of history. He also believed that Qin Qingchun wouldn’t arrange a subpar hotel for him. It must be a hotel he approved of. After all, if there were any negligence, it would reflect poorly on Qin Qingchun..
