The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 798 - 797: Fulfilling the Promise

The Zhuang Family’s performance and development in Y Country over the years has been evident to all, even if the Zhuang Family has gone bankrupt now, but as long as you announce your intention to start a project, there will be plenty of enterprises and individuals knocking on your door. What you need to do is to sift through them and find those that have investment prospects and development potential and toss them in front of the rich kids at home who want to make some personal achievements."

After hearing Pei Ziheng’s explanation, Zhuang Xu had an epiphany, "I see, you’re saying that I should go into investment banking?"

"This is the only and fastest way for you to acquire sufficient funds and make a comeback in the domestic market. With your abilities, choosing to engage in the industrial track might mean that even up to the day you die, you might never reach the heights your father did when he was in charge."

"But I’ve never done it before, I’m afraid I might not do well."

Though inspired by Pei Ziheng’s words, Zhuang Xu was also acutely aware of his own limitations.

Pei Ziheng looked at him, "Find a way to intern at HSBC headquarters for a while to understand corporate financing and investment management operations, and in addition, locate the talented individuals who can help you make money."

"You must realize that as a boss, you don’t need to have strong working abilities, but you must know how to recognize and employ the right people. Whatever you can’t do, find employees who can do it for you, all you need to do is provide them with generous compensation after they complete their work."

Zhuang Xu had a sudden realization, "I understand."

Shen Mingzhu only stayed in London for two days due to limited time, met up with friends she made during her studies, revisited Cambridge for a trip down memory lane, and then took a detour to visit Zhao Yun in Eugene.

Zhao Yun had changed quite a bit in the year they hadn’t seen each other.

He slimmed down, his features became more defined and angular, and he looked much more composed.

He transformed from the sunny boy-next-door into a manly, long-legged oppa with presence. If he were to clean up and stand in front of a camera in future times, who knows how many girls he would charm.

However, that’s on the condition that he didn’t speak.

Once he opened his mouth, his true nature revealed itself, grinning ear to ear, just as goofy as he used to be.

"Auntie Mingzhu, you’ve gained weight, huh!?"

Shen Mingzhu couldn’t respond and just returned with a smile.

"But you’re still pretty just like before, and you don’t look old at all, hehe."

Shen Mingzhu noncommittally nodded her head, leaving the space to the kids, and went back to her room to rest, taking the chance to check herself in the bathroom mirror.

Although she was a bit rounder than last year, it wasn’t to the extent of being fat, right?

In the living room.

Pei Tang said very seriously to Zhao Yun with a stern face, "Brother Hei Xiong, you’re not allowed to say my mom is fat anymore.

"Why not?"

"Mom doesn’t like when others say she’s fat."

"Auntie Mingzhu might have gained a bit of weight, but she’s still beautiful."

"You still can’t say it, anyways, you can’t say the word ’fat.’"

Zhao Yun didn’t understand, but he expressed his respect, "Alright, I won’t say it anymore."

They hadn’t seen each other for a year, and the siblings had endless topics to talk about, chatting from noon until night, and if Shen Mingzhu hadn’t reminded them to rest, they probably would have stayed up all night.

Happy as he was, Zhao Yun still remembered the matter Pei Ziheng had promised him.

In the middle of the night, when Shen Mingzhu and Pei Tang were both asleep, he quietly sneaked into Pei Ziheng’s room.

"Ziheng, wake up."

Pei Ziheng, disturbed from a pleasant dream, looked at him with a deathly gaze, "You should be thankful that I don’t have a gun under my pillow, or else I would surely shoot you."

Zhao Yun, ever so vain, said, "You wouldn’t have the heart."

As he tried to get into the bed, Pei Ziheng disdainfully kicked him away.

"Go sit on the sofa."

Zhao Yun glared at him, "We haven’t seen each other for so long, let’s lie down and have a chat."

"I’m not accustomed to sleeping in the same bed with another man."

Zhao Yun laughed, "Are you implying that you want to sleep with a woman? Are you secretly in love? Who is it, do I know her?"

Pei Ziheng rolled his eyes speechlessly and got up from the bed to sit down by the coffee table.

Zhao Yun, however, made himself at home on the bed, placed his hands behind his head, crossed his long legs, and had a teasing look on his face.

"I’ve waited for you for a full year. When do you plan to fulfill your promise?"

Pei Ziheng looked at him, "Here I am, aren’t I?"

Zhao Yun sat up from the bed with a flip, "Are you serious?"

"Which team do you want to get into?"

"Isn’t that a silly question? Of course, it’s best to get into the top ten teams, but the top twenty would do in a pinch."

Pei Ziheng was noncommittal, "Pick one, I’ll take you to talk about a tryout tomorrow."

Every June, each NBA team selects their desired players through the Rookie Draft, according to their needs and strategies.

Those players not selected can join an NBA team through tryouts, training with other players for a while. If both sides are satisfied with the tryout results, they can sign a contract with the team.

This year’s NBA Rookie Draft had concluded, and if Zhao Yun wanted to join a team, he had to either wait until next year or attend tryouts.

Zhao Yun chose the Seal Team, which ranked eighth last season.

The Seal Team lacked strong guards, and as his specialty was shooting and three-pointers, he was confident he could secure a spot on the team.

After selecting his target, Pei Ziheng prepared to take Zhao Yun to Los Angeles.

The Seal Team belonged to the Pacific Division, headquartered in Los Angeles.

There was a small incident before they left.

Zhao Yun was currently a student at the Basketball Academy and couldn’t contact NBA teams privately—he had to apply to the school and receive approval first.

Actually, it wasn’t difficult; it was just a process.

Fill out a recommendation form, get the head coach’s signature, and with the school’s approval stamp, it’s all set.

But the head coach William, who was racist, had always looked down on Zhao Yun and took every opportunity to suppress him.

Learning that Zhao Yun wanted to try out for a team, William not only ridiculed and belittled him but also refused to sign the recommendation form.

In his own words: Sending a poorly performing student like Zhao Yun out was utterly embarrassing for the Basketball Academy.

Zhao Yun was so angry that he almost got into a fight with William.

In the end, it was Pei Ziheng who stepped in and resolved the issue.

"What did you say to that dumbass for him to agree to sign?"

Once out of the Basketball Academy, Zhao Yun couldn’t help but ask, driven by curiosity.

William had stubbornly refused to sign the recommendation form, but after Pei Ziheng pulled him aside for a few words, he signed it without further ado.

"I told him if he didn’t sign, I’d send the photos of his affair with Auntie Mingzhu to his wife."

Zhao Yun’s eyes widened, "No way, how did you know about that?"

Pei Ziheng replied succinctly, "Hired a private investigator to look into it. I never fight an unprepared battle."

Zhao Yun felt a bit regretful, "Damn, that got him off easy."

"I only said I wouldn’t send the photos of his affair with Auntie Mingzhu. I didn’t say anything about not sending evidence of him with the nanny, his daughter’s history teacher, and the one-night stands he’s had elsewhere."

Zhao Yun almost burst with laughter, "Man, you’ve collected quite a comprehensive set of evidence."

Pei Ziheng spoke calmly, "It took me a year and a half. What do you think?"

Zhao Yun’s smile froze.

A year and a half ago was precisely when he first complained to Pei Ziheng about the unfair treatment he received from William.

At that time, Pei Ziheng had advised him to "accumulate quietly for a powerful emergence" and to "advance steadily for a long journey." Little did he know that Pei Ziheng had quietly begun making plans for him behind the scenes.