Financial freedom starts from graduation

Chapter 627 Hidden Rules

Although Zhou Wang didn't think much of the hotel, believing it was just average and lacked character.

However, as the best hotel in Seoul and even the entire country, and as the best room in the hotel, the visual experience of being in it is beyond doubt.

Outside the arched floor-to-ceiling windows that occupy the entire south wall, the lights and neon signs of thousands of homes in the city converge into a dazzling galaxy, and the winding traffic looks like glowing fish in it, silently flowing into the distance.

Wearing a Celine exclusive limited edition coat, the only one of its kind in the world, Lisa stood slightly stiffly at the edge of the corridor.

The carefully designed linear light strips emitted a warm yellow glow, gently outlining her silhouette along with the contours of the ceiling. On the other side of the living room, crackling flames danced in the luxurious fireplace, casting their light and shadow on the face of the man sitting languidly on the sofa, and on the swirling glass of red wine in his hand.

Zhou Wang didn't know why he picked up the red wine; perhaps he simply felt it was more appropriate for the occasion.

Yes, it has a more sophisticated feel, like something out of a movie.

This scene should have been breathtaking, but Lisa's tense expression, which she couldn't seem to calm down, unintentionally ruined the overall atmosphere.

"Come here, and sit down."
Zhou Wang thought for a moment, then spoke in English, patting the sofa next to him.

He had managed to squeeze in some time to learn some Korean these past few days, but it was still only at a rudimentary level. Now that there was no translator around, he thought for a moment and then switched to communicating in English.

Zhou Wang's own English level is only at the level of an "ordinary college student who barely passed the CET-4," but he has used the system-issued item [Yumi's Magic Dictionary], which gives him a natural talent for mastering the eight major languages ​​in the world, and also greatly enhances his ability to learn less common languages.

In fact, if Zhou Wang had stayed in South Korea for a couple more days, he felt he could have easily gotten along in the country without needing a translator.

However, communicating with Lisa is fine now. After all, Lisa is not originally from South Korea, and as an international star, she might be more comfortable with English.

Lisa pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and, as a seasoned veteran of the entertainment industry, though initially a little nervous seeing Zhou Wang alone in the room, quickly composed herself. She walked over, wrapped her coat around herself, and sat down elegantly, flashing a polite smile as she replied in English:

"President Zhou, you can just call me Lisa. I'm more used to that name now."

When Zhou Wang called her "Lalima" as she entered the room, it was her real name in Thailand, followed by a more complicated surname. Indeed, it had been a long time since anyone had called her that.

"Would you like a glass? I didn't notice what kind of red wine it was, but it tasted pretty good..."

Zhou Wang then raised his glass in a gesture of respect.

"I'm sorry, Chairman Zhou, I'm not feeling well today."

Lisa immediately shook her head.

Her wariness was within Zhou Wang's expectations. Zhou Wang nodded, took a sip of wine, and glanced at the Patek Philippe watch on his wrist.

"Actually, it's not too late, but I'm in a hurry to get to other places, so I'll get straight to the point."

Lisa was taken aback by what she heard, but the tension in her heart eased a little.

I saw Zhou Wang in the company lobby today. Although he didn't say much, he was clearly unhappy about Jenny and Rose's absence. Lisa and Kim Jisoo were very nervous, afraid that Zhou Wang would take out his anger on them.

Although they were already lacking confidence due to the public opinion incident, if the anger that should have been shared by four people is now suddenly borne by two people, then the anger they bear will undoubtedly be heavier.

Fortunately, Zhou Wang seemed to return to normal during the rest of the visit. Lisa and Jisoo, who had canceled all their engagements for the day, felt much more at ease after spending a day anxiously at the company, realizing that Zhou Wang didn't seem to have any intention of causing them any trouble.

After having dinner with Jisoo, Lisa was about to go home for a beauty bath and a good night's sleep when Zhou Wang's assistant, Sura, found her in the parking lot and "invited" her here.

"The president wants to see you."

Without any extra words, those five words shut down all of Lisa's rejections.

Lisa didn't even have time to contact other senior executives in the company, and could only arrive at the prestigious Shilla Hotel with a heavy heart.

When Lisa saw that it really was a hotel room and that Zhou Wang was the only person there, three words naturally popped into her mind...

"Unspoken rules".

So Zhou Wang's revenge wasn't carried out during the day because he had already planned for the night?
Despite her wild thoughts, Lisa had no intention of giving in easily.

In the eyes of fans and even many people in the industry, Lisa is probably the most uninhibited member of BlackPink.

Her dance moves are incredibly sexy; she's been photographed exposing her underwear at concerts on more than one occasion, and she even participated in a notoriously glamorous fashion show in Paris...

But Lisa wouldn't dare say she's truly chaste, yet her private life isn't as bad as many people maliciously speculate.

Before she became famous, she was just an inconspicuous foreign trainee. Back then, she was even a bit dark-skinned and thin, and the so-called unspoken rules of the big shots were simply not available to her.

After BlackPink was formed, she rose to prominence at a comet-like speed. Her role in the company was that of a ruthless money-making machine. The company wished she could work 366 days a year. The so-called "sleeping with someone" scandal never reached her.

So yes, Lisa hasn't really encountered any so-called unspoken rules along the way. Even when some big shots showed interest in her, she had the confidence to refuse, and with Jenny's help, she still managed to get by steadily.

So far, she has no confirmed scandals. Although she can't be called an innocent girl, in the notoriously dirty Korean entertainment industry, the four girls of BlackPink do have a bit of a "pure and untainted" quality.

She didn't know how to resist Zhou Wang. On the way here, Lisa had imagined countless scenarios, but she had made up her mind to firmly show her resistance.

So when Lisa heard that Zhou Wang seemed to really be talking about serious business and that there were other things to take care of later, she breathed a huge sigh of relief.

However, just as she relaxed and faced Zhou Wang, she heard Zhou Wang put down his wine glass and leisurely say:

"I want to sexually harass you, are you willing?"

hum!
Zhou Wang's words were not loud, but they were like a silent thunderclap that exploded in Lisa's mind, making her thoughts chaotic and speechless for a moment.

One second she was thinking she was being petty and judging others by her own standards, but the next second Zhou Wang said it so openly and frankly, as if he were asking her, "Have you eaten yet?"

"President Zhou, you...you must be joking, right?"

Finally regaining her senses, Lisa could only manage a forced smile, but her body tensed up again as she forced herself to remain calm and said...

"No, I'm very serious."

Zhou Wang said calmly, "You might be surprised why I'm being so direct, but I just don't want to waste time. After all, I have a lot to do, and I won't be staying in South Korea for long... So, would you like to become one of my people?"

“Chairman Zhou, as a member of YG Entertainment, I am your person by nature…” “No, what I want is not just a superficial contractual relationship. Besides, you yourself know that after you all established your own studios, the so-called contract has reduced its binding force on you to a minimum.”

Zhou Wang calmly said, "If it weren't for some lingering concerns about the capital behind the company, you might not even have renewed your team contracts. After you've all become famous, the BlackPink group only holds sentimental value for you, doesn't it?"

At this point, Zhou Wang looked at Lisa, his eyes filled with undisguised aggression.

“I won’t play any tricks on you, and I won’t interfere in your private life, but I want you… I want you to let me do as I please and not disobey any of my orders. It seems that this is the quickest way to show your sincerity.”

Lisa's eyes darted away, a mixture of shame, shock, and anger swirling within her.

What does it mean to be at your mercy?

Do you need me to obey you and for you to show my sincerity?
Lisa, who came from an ordinary family, is quite intelligent to have gotten to where she is today. She vaguely guessed that Zhou Wang's intentions were not just to satisfy his own desires, but to achieve certain goals by controlling her...

However, due to her inherent disadvantage in status, and the fact that Zhou Wang's gaze was indeed somewhat frightening, Lisa did not choose to argue with Zhou Wang. Instead, she hastily stood up and said:

"President Zhou, I don't understand what you're saying. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave..."

Did your mother call you today?

Zhou Wang asked calmly at this moment.

Lisa stiffened, remembering that her mother had indeed called her twice during dinner. However, since Jisoo was nearby, she had planned to call her mother back after she got home. After all, when her mother called her, it was usually either to ask for money or to introduce her to some wealthy man who wanted to have dinner with her...

"President Zhou, what do you mean by that?"

Upon suddenly hearing "mother" from Zhou Wang, Lisa turned around, finally unable to hide the shock and anger on her face.

Many guesses flashed through her mind, and fear, confusion, and anger overwhelmed her at the same time, causing her body to tremble slightly.

"Don't be nervous."

Zhou Wang picked up the cigar on the table and took a sniff... He still couldn't get used to smoking this kind of stuff, but the smell was still quite appealing.

“Your mother is fine now, and is even living quite comfortably.”

Zhou Wang said calmly, "She lives in the hotel's presidential suite, with two butlers serving her around the clock. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all cooked by Michelin-starred chefs... Well, I might not even be as comfortable as her. Of course, it's only temporary. It's hard to say whether things will change in the future."

Lisa suddenly stood up and looked at Zhou Wang with a look of horror.

"You...you kidnapped her?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Wang's face darkened. "I'm not a gang leader, why would I do something so illegal..."

As he spoke, Zhou Wang remembered YG Entertainment's current background, and his tone softened further.

Seeing that Lisa still had an incredulous expression, Zhou Wang could only say helplessly, "No one is restricting your mother's personal freedom. She is currently at the Galaxy Hotel in Australia, which is where she chose to go."

"Australia?"

For some reason, Lisa's expression didn't improve much.

"It seems you have a certain understanding of your mother."

Zhou Wang smiled and said, "Yes, she received an internal invitation to review the new casino as a VIP client. She was chauffeured around by a private jet and stayed in the presidential suite throughout the trip. But the invitation isn't the point. The point is that invited clients enjoy a certain amount of free credit. Your mother seems to have received a good internal rating, and Galaxy Group gave her ten million in entertainment credit."

"Oh, don't worry, it's not US dollars, it's not that exaggerated, it's just Hong Kong dollars."

"Ten million Hong Kong dollars...that's close to two billion Korean won?"

Lisa's face had turned deathly pale. She finally couldn't hold back her anger and said, "How dare you, how could you..."

Knowing her mother well, she knew almost instantly that Zhou Wang was telling the truth.

Her mother, who was all looks and had spent most of her life scheming, would have traveled halfway around the world to take advantage of even a mere 100 million won, let alone 2 billion won falling from the sky.

She worked herself to the bone to earn money, thinking that as long as she gave her mother enough pocket money every month, this kind of thing would never happen again. But she never expected that someone would still take advantage of her.

Having figured everything out, Lisa closed her eyes weakly for a moment, then seemed to calm down again.

"President Zhou, rest assured, I will take care of this 2 billion won debt for her..."

"You've misunderstood again."

Zhou Wang interrupted her at this moment, "I've already said that although it's none of my business, that ten million Hong Kong dollars is a 'free quota,' which means it's a gift. No one is asking your mother to repay it..."

"then you……"

"But as I said, it's just a free quota."

Zhou Wang's tone was devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if he were simply stating an objective fact: "After the free credits were used up, the hotel wanted to send your mother back to China, but your mother didn't seem to give up, so she continued to play at the casino for two more days."

"In just the last two days, she not only squandered all her money, but also borrowed a large sum of money with your name as guarantor..."

Upon hearing this, Lisa's face turned ashen.

"How much... how much?"

Lisa's voice trembled.

"thirty million."

Lisa quickly calculated in her mind that 30 million Hong Kong dollars was close to 6 billion Korean won. Even for her, it would be extremely difficult to come up with such a large sum of money, since she had only established her own studio at the beginning of this year, and most of the money she had earned before was taken by the company.

But that was her only mother, and she couldn't just ignore her. However, just as Lisa bit her lip, her eyes blurry with tears, about to speak, Zhou Wang seemed to remember something and clapped his hands:

"Oh right, I forgot to mention... the unit this time is US dollars."

(End of this chapter)