The Birth of Shanghai's First Conglomerate

Chapter 73 The Era of Naked Weddings
After returning home, Chen An'an resumed her usual routine.

Dig soil, water the trees, transplant flowers.

And while I'm at it, I'll also offer my favorite little grass a sip of Dad's favorite hot tea, and then... I'll die that very day.

Then dress up the little tree you admire in a floral dress and hang a small bell on it.

Living seven days is all thanks to a long life.

She was saddened even by death, and shed a single tear.

Then she would turn on her computer, which was bigger than herself, and start online shopping.

The little guy is indeed quite clever; he often buys all sorts of random things.

For example, small houses for trees to live in, and cat food for dogs.

It's all for nothing.

She didn't care about the price, since she was using her mom's card anyway.

My dad said that girls should be raised in luxury. How much money could it cost her to buy things that Shu'er likes?

Bai Xin was both amused and exasperated when she learned that Chen An'an had been called in by her parents today, and Chen An'an even tried to comfort her in return:

"Teacher Bai, when I grow up, my dad wants me to go to Harvard. Do you think my grades will be good enough to rank at the top there?"

Harvard?

You still want to be at the front of the line.

Bai Xin didn't know how to tell her, so she could only say:
"That place is even better than Tsinghua and Peking University. If you go there, you'll definitely be among the top students."

"So everyone over there is a complete idiot. I'm relieved."

Chen An'an chuckled. Among the good students, she was like a chicken among cranes, and among the bad students, she was like a crane among cattle.

In short, he's a loner.

When Song Yanxi called her to eat, Chen An'an ran faster than a dog, her two chubby little legs making a gust of wind.

Chen Pingsheng was still inside planning his trip home, but tomorrow was New Year's Day.

The first day of 2014.

He was still thinking of taking Xiao An'an to buy some things, and also picking out some for his grandparents at home.

"Yanxi, shall we drive that Brabus car home again?"

"Sure, but how long do you plan to stay on the road this time?"

"At least a week."

Chen Pingsheng said, "Even though we're parents of two kids now, we still need to take a trip home whenever we want. We should visit Shaolin Temple, Laojun Mountain, Shimenlong Cave in Zhengzhou, and the famous Longhu Mountain in Jiangxi."

"Brother, wouldn't you call this a romantic trip for someone in their middle age?" Chen Qi said with a smile.

"Of course not, your brother is forever eighteen."

Chen Pingsheng laughed and said, "Let's go to a big shopping mall together tomorrow and try to get everything we need."

The next day was New Year's Day.

Chen Pingsheng took his family shopping, buying everything from hiking clothes to photography equipment and barbecue grills.

They buy whatever they see.

After gathering all these items, he went to find Gao Hu and explained to Zhou Chun that he would be leaving for a month.

They won't be back for a while, so the opening of Fei Yang Yang and the renovation of Shui Yun Jian will have to be handled by them.

As for Tencent Entertainment, they can close their doors whenever they want.

With all the people from Tengying filming outside, and Zhang Tao and Liu Jing handling things at Tengsheng Fruits, he didn't need to worry about them much.

Time flies, and half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

Chen An'an finally got a day off, and Chen Pingsheng specially drove the Bosu out and washed it with a bucket.

I bought this car for my journey home, and now it's finally coming in handy.

After finally getting it clean, Song Yanxi took a series of nine photos from multiple angles before setting off.

And accompanied by text.

A Wedding Trip Six Years Late

In 13, the most popular social media app was undoubtedly WeChat Moments, which became an instant hit upon its release.

Post something on WeChat Moments, whether there's something to say or not.

Once the nine-grid layout is posted, it gets a lot of likes.

Song Wu: Have fun.

Du Juan clicked her tongue in amazement and pulled a group of colleagues to the tea bar to say, "Look, our Yanxi has gone on her honeymoon with her husband again."

"I'm so envious. There's a saying that someone once said they'd rather cry in a BMW than laugh on a motorcycle."

As she spoke, she glanced at Yang Dan beside her; these were indeed her words.

"Yanxi doesn't ride in a BMW anymore. She usually drives a Maybach, and when she travels, she drives a top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz van. She really gets special treatment with her own car."

"That's right. Speaking of which, her family has made a fortune too fast this year. Not only have they opened fruit supermarkets all over Shijingshan, but they've also opened a hot pot restaurant called Shuiyunjian."

"You guys haven't been to her beauty salon. If you don't earn hundreds of thousands a month, you won't have the courage to step through that door."

"That's because her husband is amazing. He can seize opportunities when they come. Look at the life Yanxi is living now. Every woman would be envious, right?"

Du Juan joined them in their nonsense, and her former colleague, who had only been gone for less than a year, suddenly became very wealthy.

This has become their biggest topic of conversation in private.

It would be a lie to say that I am not envious.

I just don't know where to find another man like him.

They would be willing to marry any man like Chen Pingsheng, even if he were still riding a bicycle.

I have no idea what they're talking about.

Just as Chen Pingsheng was about to set off, a sudden downpour began.

The car's windshield wipers swung left and right; the first stop was Shijiazhuang.

The entire journey is 280 kilometers and takes three and a half hours.

He was too tired to drive alone, so he pulled Chen Qi up with him.

This young woman has absolutely no sense of being a driver; she actually sat in the second row with her sister-in-law.

She tilted the chair slightly, covered herself with the blanket, and opened her little mouth to eat a big cherry.

Let's also catch up on Tong Jiaqian and Liu Yiyang's "Naked Wedding Era".

As a top-of-the-line business vehicle, Brabus naturally comes with a large TV.

Chen Pingsheng himself also enjoyed watching this TV series. Tong Jiaqian disregarded everything and stole the household registration book to marry Liu Yiyang.

Yet he still didn't live a good life.

"I was saying that you two were watching the show so much that you were crying your eyes out, but you didn't consider my feelings as the driver at all."

Song Yanxi was sitting comfortably in the second row, while Chen An'an was alone in the third row watching her own Balala the Fairies.

"Honey, why do you think Tong Jiaqian wants a divorce?"

"Before marriage, it was all romance and happiness; after marriage, it's all about the mundane realities of daily life. If it weren't for your understanding all these years, we wouldn't have made it this far."

A wedding without any financial support or resources may seem appealing, but it often ends tragically.

In previous years, bare-bones weddings were very popular among young people, but as housing prices have continued to rise...

Young people who opt for a "naked marriage" (marrying without any financial support) ultimately cannot withstand the reality of mortgage payments.

Within a few years, they all went their separate ways.

Nowadays, fewer and fewer people are talking about "naked marriage" (marrying without a dowry or wedding ceremony), especially mothers-in-law.

They're all just like Liu Fen; they wish they could chase him down half a street with a knife.

There are quite a few scenic spots in Shijiazhuang, such as Rongwang Mansion, Bailu Hot Spring, and Zhengding Ancient City, which are relatively famous.

Chen Pingsheng set his first travel destination as Longquan Ancient Town.

The pavilions and towers are quaint and elegant, and there are also the small bridges and flowing water of Suzhou. Taking a small boat for a night cruise would be absolutely beautiful. We bought four tickets. Chen An'an is of a suitable weight, and it would feel like a waste of their boat trip if we didn't buy her one.

There were many performances in the evening, so Chen Pingsheng took Song Yanxi for a stroll. It was impossible to rent Hanfu.

We must buy two.

He dressed up as a talentless Tang Bohu, while Song Yanxi resembled Li Qingzhao.

A person with a wealth of knowledge naturally exudes elegance; that feeling is exquisite.

After walking around for several hours, the family felt a little hungry.

Chen An'an was the first to speak up: "Dad, I want to eat."

"Let's go eat."

Chen Pingsheng led them to find a shop. There was also a snack street nearby, and those who know about tourist attractions will understand.

No matter how much money you spend, you still won't eat well.

"Big brother, are you going out to eat?"

A male student who looked like a college student stopped them, followed by a reluctant female student.

It's obvious that these two are a couple.

The kind where you don't have much money.

Chen Pingsheng smiled and said, "Yes, you have an introduction?"

"Then you've come to the right person, brother."

Making money in tourist areas is actually quite easy. The simplest and most direct method is undoubtedly attracting customers and earning commissions from shops.

He knew all about this, but he didn't refuse.

The person who called them was Hu Longsheng, a college graduate who just graduated this year.

The woman behind him is his wife; they got married right after graduating from university.

Weddings without any financial support are all about love.

"Then you lead the way."

Hu Longsheng led them to a secluded inn, where the price was neither high nor low.

It costs around 200-300 yuan per person; that's the typical price for tourist attractions.

"Big brother, is this your first time visiting here?"

"correct."

"You might not be too familiar with this area. Longquan Ancient Town is most lively at night, and there are many performances there. If you want to sing, there are also special places available."

Hu Longsheng introduced the dishes very enthusiastically, and Chen Pingsheng ordered six dishes: three meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and a soup.

Don't worry about not being able to finish the food, because the food at the scenic spot is usually not too full.

It's considered good if they can fill half a plate for you.

"There's singing too?"

Chen Pingsheng was eager to try, as if he hadn't sung in many years.

"Yes, they all request their own songs, which is why the prices are higher."

"Okay, okay, take us to see it tonight."

Song Yanxi giggled: "You haven't sung in years, how come you can still come?"

"Absolutely! I used to be a singing prince too."

He can brag without even thinking; he just opens his mouth and spouts nonsense.

Hu Longsheng joked with them for a bit, then went outside to solicit customers again, saying goodbye to the boss before leaving.

His girlfriend, Zhang Yan, felt very awkward about leaving him to eat there. They had finally managed to get together for a trip, but their planned wedding trip had turned out like this.

Song Yanxi sensed her thoughts, perhaps also thinking about her own past. When she invited her to sit down and eat together, she asked, "Did you two just get married?"

"Yes, he secretly got married right after graduating from university without his family's knowledge. He wasn't like this before."

Zhang Yan looked worried, but Chen Pingsheng smiled and asked, "What do you mean by 'what'?"

"I just can't..."

She wanted to say she was ashamed, but found it hard to say it.

During his university years, Hu Longsheng was a prominent figure on campus, excelling in basketball and achieving good grades.

I have many brothers and friends, but after getting married I found that all my previous strengths have become weaknesses. What good is being good at basketball?

Every time my brothers and friends come over, we go out drinking, and each time it costs several hundred yuan.

Not only can't I save money, but having to go on a trip like this makes me very unhappy.

Chen Pingsheng knew everything, but he didn't say anything, and neither did Song Yanxi.

The two of them actually went to sing karaoke that night.

Chen Pingsheng, who hadn't sung in a long time, borrowed a large guitar from someone.

They said they were borrowing it from someone, but actually they were just buying it at a fixed price.

It doesn't matter, it's rare to be happy.

"Dad can play the guitar?"

Chen An'an was unaware of this.

Song Yanxi laughed and said, "Your dad used to love playing these games, but he gave them all up after getting married and now he only focuses on making money."

"They say details ruin love, but I'd say, if it can't withstand the test of details, can it still be called love?"

Chen Pingsheng looked at Song Yanxi and said, "With this song, I pay tribute to my wife who married me against all odds. Meeting you is the greatest happiness of my life. With this song, I also pay tribute to our era of naked marriage."

"Who are you waiting for, who built the castle?"
"Waiting for the swans to roost"
"Your empty heart cannot be hidden."
Whom are you gazing at, who possesses the world?
"yet unable to possess ordinary love"
"The lonely figure is accompanied only by the sound of bells."

"This guy sang with a down-to-earth feel to it!"

"Who knows, he might be a billionaire?"

Even though the song might not have been very good, Chen Pingsheng was still very happy.

"The era of naked weddings belongs to us, and it is also our lost youth. To express my blessings for naked weddings, I will pay for everything today."

"He really is a billionaire."

"No wonder he's so approachable; it turns out he's really capable."

Renting out an entire area within a scenic spot and demanding everyone pay their share, while not as extravagant as a bar, can still easily cost hundreds of thousands of yuan.

If someone can afford to spend like that, there's no doubt they must have at least a hundred million.

When they were about to leave, Chen Pingsheng patted Hu Longsheng on the shoulder.

"I was once just like you."

Song Yanxi comforted Zhang Yan, saying, "Marriage is not the grave of love; it's the lack of understanding that is."

It was obvious that both of them had figured it out.

This young couple, who had recently married without a wedding ceremony, encountered the same problem that Tong Jiaqian and Liu Yiyang faced.

Perhaps it won't be long before they part ways and become strangers to each other.

Looking back, I'm afraid all I'll feel is endless regret.

As their senior, Chen Pingsheng felt it necessary to offer a word of advice, but it was only one word.

Not every woman is like Song Yanxi, who doesn't mind his poverty or his unkempt appearance every day.

They didn't mind that he lived like a dog just to make money.

They bowed and scraped to the urban management officers.

He could only smile apologetically at those unreasonable customers.

No matter how glamorous someone is, they all started from humble beginnings.

I wish all my subscribers smooth sailing and boundless success.

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(End of this chapter)