Reborn with Consumption System-Chapter 452 - 216: Good Evening, Little White Flower

Chapter 452: Chapter 216: Good Evening, Little White Flower

"Give me the number." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

As soon as Han Lie spoke, Zhao Zhongshi felt as if he had been granted a great reprieve and hurriedly stepped forward two paces to place the scribbled note on the desk.

After he left, Han Lie shook his head.

In the words of Zhuge Shuren, "This man is not fit for great tasks, just a mere guardian dog."

Having obtained the number, Han Lie didn’t care how many outsiders were in the room; he dialed it straight away.

President Xu’s personal number not only had a custom ringback tone, but the ringback was also the song "Fly Freely" by the band Phoenix Legend. Uh, very trendy~~~

Linghua had sung a couple of lines, and just as the male singer was about to begin, the call connected.

Han Lie took the initiative to greet, "Hello, I am Han Lie from Zhongcheng Investment. May I speak with President Xu?"

"Hello, hello, I am Xu Qiang!"

Xu Qiang’s Mandarin was a bit odd, with a distinct hometown accent, but his attitude was surprisingly warm, much to Han Lie’s astonishment.

"President Han, I’ve long heard of you!"

Han Lie was a bit puzzled. In all the versions he had heard, President Xu was never the kind to be so sociable. This kind of opening was unexpected, wasn’t it?

Despite his bewilderment, Han Lie maintained an impeccable attitude.

"You’re too kind, President Xu. You are my idol, and it’s truly my honor to have this exchange!"

Mutual flattery in business, not embarrassing at all.

It didn’t take long before Xu Qiang couldn’t take it anymore and bluntly transitioned to the main topic.

"President Han, can we find a time to have a chat?"

Han Lie’s interest was piqued. "Do you mean... to talk in person?"

"That’s right! What do you say, will you honor me with your presence?"

Had it been even a year later, Han Lie would definitely not have taken this risk.

Xu Qiang was a source of risk. After the stock market crash of ’15, everyone in the financial circle who was close to Xu Qiang had been thoroughly investigated. Although Han Lie was cautious and didn’t break any rules or laws, it was best to avoid any unnecessary trouble and situations that could arouse suspicion. But now, things weren’t so sensitive. Normal interactions wouldn’t likely lead to much trouble.

So, Han Lie was actually quite curious. He was curious about what kind of person Xu Qiang really was, and also why Xu Qiang insisted on seeing him.

"You’re being far too polite, President Xu. It’s my distinct honor that you’re willing to take the time to meet. Please, don’t mention ’honoring me with your presence.’ You set the time and place, and I’ll definitely be there!"

"How about today then?"

Xu Qiang was decisively quick, not putting on any airs.

"My company is in Qingpu. Wait for me to review the market close; I’ll start heading back at 4:00 PM sharp. Let’s say 5:00 PM? I’ll treat President Han to a casual meal at No. 3, The Bund."

"Great, great, thanks for the generous invitation. See you later then!"

After Han Lie hung up the phone, Xia Hongjuan and Zheng Lei—or Xia and Shi, as they were known—were immediately ecstatic.

"Damn, damn, damn! Xu the Legend is inviting you to dinner?!"

"My god! I couldn’t even dream of such a thing..."

Both of them were finance students and aspired to make a name for themselves in the market, so the person they admired most was Xu Xiang.

Given her age and experience, Jiao Fangyan was relatively composed, but even she was somewhat excited.

"Boss, do you need me to accompany you?"

Han Lie glanced at her. The young married woman’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes twinkling; her calm expression couldn’t hide her inner anticipation.

The era is like a succession of great tides, with legendary figures standing at the crest of each wave. In the early days, there was Mou Zhongqi, followed by Shi Yuzhu, then Chen Tianqiao. Ding Lei and Zhang Chaoyang had their years of glory, succeeded by ’the two Mas and one Li.’ Then Wang Jianlin rose to the top, and after that, TMD had its heyday... They rose and fell, each leading the pack for three to five years. If one didn’t live in that era, they couldn’t fully grasp the weight of these dominant figures.

In today’s secondary market, considering all public funds, private funds, and hot money speculators together, the most influential figure was Xu Xiang.

Just think about it. He, Han Lie, had just made a name for himself in the stock trading competition and was already receiving so much attention. So what was the stature of Zexi, with its eightfold return rate in five years?

Better not to think too deeply.

Once one did, no one would consider Han Lie and President Xu (Xu Xiang) to be on the same level.

Jiao Fangyan greatly admired Han Lie, but in her heart, her young boss simply couldn’t compare to the top figure in their world. She was eager to witness the charisma of this top dog in person.

But Han Lie turned her down.

"What would you go there for? What if Xu Qiang wants to invite me for some risqué entertainment? Would I need to order a male model specially for you too?"

"I..."

Jiao Fangyan, a woman nearly thirty years old, was left speechless by Han Lie.

What is up with this boss?

He’s already making such risqué jokes on my very first day!

"Heh heh..."

The young married woman forced a laugh, a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, masking a cold desire to lash out. Then, she cast a sidelong glance at Zheng Lei and Xia Hongjuan, took a deep breath, and stood up.

"Let’s go. Review the market with me."

Damn leader!

I can’t do anything to you, but I can certainly take it out on your two underlings!

Xia Hongjuan and Zheng Lei’s initial joy turned to misery. They followed Jiao Fangyan in terrified silence, each casting a resentful look at Han Lie, though it was pointless.

Would Han Lie feel embarrassed over this? Please!

Lü Shuli and Yue Xiu exchanged a quiet glance and decided to stay silent.

Actually, they also wanted to go. Who cared if it involved questionable entertainment or not; gaining new insights was always a good thing. However, Han Lie clearly had no such intention and didn’t plan on bringing anyone, so why should they risk embarrassment by asking?

When everyone had quieted down and showed no further intention of vying for a spot, Han Lie began to ponder who, if anyone, he should take along.

Truth be told, whether he brought a female companion or not wouldn’t affect the matters to be discussed today. President Xu Qiang would certainly make the demands he needed to make, and Han Lie was unlikely to agree. The outcome was already clear.