19. Please whisper sweet words in my ear.

“Son, tell your mother where you learned all these things. My boy is really something now.”

After Chen Tianhong left, Su Meiqing, without even tidying up or paying attention to the little princess, cheerfully approached Chen Che.

In her eyes, getting the usually stern Chen Tianhong speechless was quite a feat.

Especially since there was the natural dominance of bloodline between father and son, Chen Che’s fluent retort filled his mother with pride.

“Brother, I’m done eating.”

The little princess put down her spoon, wanting to escape, but Chen Che immediately went over to help remove her napkin and said to his mother beside them:

“Mom, I’m already twenty, and I spend six or seven hundred thousand a year. There should be some results, right?”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

Chen Che said with a smile, and Su Meiqing felt this made sense. She realized they had underestimated their son all along.

In fact, her son was quite outstanding.

This was evident from his schooling.

Although Chen Che came to study in Jinmen, and the couple ended up spending some money due to unfamiliarity with the system, he managed to advance from Huachen Middle School to No. 47 High School, which would be considered a top student achievement anywhere else—no exaggeration.

Jinmen’s educational resources were certainly better than Hebei’s, but the competition was just as fierce, especially the leap from junior to senior high school. Getting into a key city high school required brains.

And the person Chen Che had to thank for getting into No. 47 High School was Comrade Xu Jiarou.

Naïve love isn’t just wishful thinking; it’s more like a driving force pushing one forward, a yearning.

Had Chen Che not met Xu Jiarou, whether he could enter No. 47 High School would have been uncertain, given the high cutoff scores of the city’s best high school.

After letting the little princess run around the living room, Chen Che helped his mother clean up and said on the way:

“Mom, forging documents is a crime. You’ll have to quietly persuade Dad about this.”

“Eh.”

Su Meiqing paused, then, realizing what her son meant, scolded him with a hint of irritation:

“What are you talking about, you little rascal?”

The strong never complain about their environment; only foolish women constantly blame or doubt their husbands.

Independent career women are a different matter.

Once a family is formed, truly smart women fall into two types: like Li Yao and Su Meiqing.

Though she may seem ordinary, Su Meiqing had skillfully managed her husband for years—not just empty talk.

Her husband, an engineering boss, wasn’t exactly pure, but they both maintained a certain dignity, not because he was clean at heart, but because behind him stood a woman who knew how to play the game.

“Anyway, please talk some sense into Dad, really.”

Words alone won’t convince her, so Chen Che planned to play with his sister for a while before going out to persuade their father.

Su Meiqing noticed his distracted mind, gently pushed him away, signaling him to tend to his sister, but still asked:

“Xinxin, when you told Dad earlier about wanting to start a business, was that serious? Mom still has some money here.”

“I’ll think about it later, Mom. Not urgent.”

Chen Che carried the tray, washed it in the kitchen, then returned to the little princess without much explanation.

Starting a business was one of his goals. Since turning twenty-two and no longer working for others, he always knew exactly what he wanted.

No fluff—whether the little or the big boss wanted it, he was clear.

Though he wanted to be a second-generation rich kid, life was long and he needed something to do. And since he was still a student, not going to school to start a business was a good move.

His summer vacation was almost three months, and for now, his priority was to change his family’s fate.

He hadn’t been home long before leaving again. Standing outside the neighborhood, he stared blankly across the street.

Being reborn was a huge blessing.

On the taxi ride, he rented a Porsche Panamera 4S Executive Extended 4.0T...

But as soon as he completed the order, he was stunned!

This car wasn’t available in Jinmen; the rental company was in Yanjing and wouldn’t rent it out of the city for just one day.

He knew many people in Yanjing, but none recognized him yet.

No choice but to ask Qin Yanan for a favor.

He made sure to let her know he wasn’t short on money, so she wouldn’t think he was some desperate man.

After getting her address on WeChat, Chen Che directly gave it to the rental company.

Whether Qin Yanan could drive the car was her business. He was generous this time—after all, it was a Panamera.

And the 4S Executive Extended 4.0T version at that.

In fact, the Panamera was a small obsession for Chen Che, the first car he wanted to buy after getting his license. His mother promised to buy it for him after graduation.

Online, everyone flaunted Ferraris, but in reality, starting from scratch and buying a Panamera was almost impossible.

Chen Tianhong had gone to the company near Nancang Station, about ten minutes away.

Chen Che’s destination was farther, in Zhangjiawo Town near Jinmen South Station, over half an hour away.

The ride-sharing car soon arrived at the Zhangjiawo archway, and he waited patiently by the roadside for a few minutes.

Before long, a long-wheelbase Range Rover pulled up beside him. The passenger window rolled down and a voice said:

“Did you get a haircut? Almost didn’t recognize you.”

Chen Che opened the door and got in, smiling as he accepted the cigarette offered by Liu Shijie:

“This short side part is the trend now.”

The man before him, about 1.75 meters tall, wearing a neat black Polo shirt, was Chen Che’s cousin.

His real cousin, the son of his eldest aunt.

Coincidentally, he was also twenty-six this year.

Unlike his uncle’s questionable character, Liu Shijie, who dropped out at fifteen to work with Chen Tianhong, was steady.

Of course, it was forced upon him. Chen Tianhong’s strictness towards Liu Shijie was no joke.

After the family’s bankruptcy, Liu Shijie bore no responsibility but still worked in municipal engineering.

Tough as nails, the cousin was naturally trustworthy and a key member of the company.

“You weren’t in Yanjing?”

Liu Shijie quickly drove on. Chen Che smiled before answering:

“I wanted to come see you. I’m free now.”

The company was based in Beichen, but it had more than just one project. Currently, there were three engineering projects.

Liu Shijie was project manager for one of the small municipal projects in Zhangjiawo Town.

Chen Che’s visit was to drag his cousin in, persuade his father from another angle, and to advance his plan.

Chen Tianhong valued talent, but Liu Shijie had always been assigned finishing touches or minor tasks.

At present, besides Hongye Construction’s own departments and staff, the Banghe Residence project involved four outsourced contractors, including loyal supporter Liding Construction, and partners Huang Zhongshan and others under Shanhai Civil Engineering.

Chen Che aimed not only to convince Liu Shijie to take over Huang Zhongshan’s work but also to get an introduction to the business department manager he had only met once and had no contact information for.

Bringing down Huang Zhongshan was far easier than toppling Gong Yaowu—just a matter of disciplinary violations.

Hongye Construction Group’s association wasn’t a formal unit, only an alliance where Hongye Construction had the final say.

According to the rules, if Huang Zhongshan’s workers went on strike or demanded unpaid wages, he was finished. Chen Che just needed to whisper in his father’s ear, and Chen Tianhong would have no choice but to let him go.

The construction industry was getting tougher. Without Hongye Construction Group and with negative media exposure, how could Huang Zhongshan continue to act so arrogantly in the future?