I was forced to start the second round because I was raised in poverty

Chapter 331 He's the expert I hired

night.

After waking up, Su Cheng sent Jiang Shuyue a message saying that he might need to use the car again that night and would drive it to the company to return it to her the next day.

Jiang Shuyue readily agreed, indicating that Su Cheng could use it.

Su Cheng put on the formal suit that Zhang Yangwen had ironed and hung up to prevent further wrinkles, and drove her Lexus away from her residence.

With about forty minutes left until 10 o'clock, Su Cheng chose to drive to a gas station to fill up Jiang Shuyue's tank first, and then followed the location sent by Ma Ru to a six-star hotel.

This six-star hotel is also one of the Ma family's properties, and Macau is one of the very few cities where Emperor Hotel does not have a six-star hotel.

Upon arriving at the hotel entrance, Su Cheng handed the car to the valet. After informing the lobby manager that she had an appointment with Ma Ru, she was led to a VIP elevator that went directly to the top floor.

The VIP box on the top floor is suspended high above the island of Macau. The lights inside the box are bright but unusual. They are not evenly distributed, but rather carefully designed beams of light.

Concealed spotlights in the ceiling precisely illuminate the large, stately Italian leather sofa in the center of the private room, making it the undisputed focal point of the space.

Setting aside the furnishings and decorations, the most striking feature is the entire frameless floor-to-ceiling window.

Streetlights and traffic are nothing more than tiny, creeping streams of light.

The towering skyscrapers in the mid-ground now appear as chess pieces on a chessboard.

Not only can you take in the entire city's prosperity from here, but you also feel a sense of power, as if the whole city is at your feet.

Looking into the distance, the city's edge blends into the darkness, and the blurred horizon seems to be the boundary that the tentacles of power can extend to.

Upon seeing Su Cheng, Ma Ru stood up to greet him and introduced him to the other friends in the private room.

"Let me introduce you first. This is Ms. Su Cheng, whom I mentioned to you before."

Ma Ru wasn't alone in the private room; there were several other young men dressed in elegant and luxurious robes.

After Ma Ru introduced them to Su Cheng, she began to introduce Su Cheng to each of them.

"This is Yin Jiazhi, the son of the president of Atlantic Bank."

"Hello," Su Cheng greeted him first.

The Banco Nacional Ultramarino (BNU) opened a branch on the Australian island in 1902 and was once the only banknote issuing bank on the island, as well as the agent bank for the official public treasury of the island.

It wasn't until after the millennium that it shared the responsibility of issuing and disbursing Australian dollars with the national bank.

"This is Fan Li, the second son of the chairman of Jinghu Hospital."

Kiang Wu Hospital is one of the largest private hospitals on the island of Macau. Founded in 1871, it offers comprehensive medical services, including advanced assisted reproductive technologies.

Their reproductive medicine center offers third-generation IVF technology, boasting a high success rate and a good reputation, ranking among the best in the world.

Jinghu has opened hundreds of chain cosmetic surgery hospitals in mainland China, making money not only from men "giving birth to sons" but also from women "becoming beautiful".

In fact, these two businesses can be considered a small money-printing machine. After the crackdown on entertainment venue intermediaries in mainland China, the Fan family's money-making speed could rival that of the Ma family.

Su Cheng thought back for a moment and realized that the hospitals in Australia seemed to have particularly advanced reproductive medicine, but he still couldn't figure out why.

"Wan Hua, the eldest son of the chairman of Jiabai Film Industry."

"You know 'A Better Tomorrow', right? They made it."

"Baolong Group, Xu Ning."

Baolong Group mainly operates in commercial real estate and hotel tourism. Founded in 1990, it began investing in mainland real estate in 92 and was listed on the main board of Hong Kong Island in 09, becoming the first commercial real estate company in Kyushu to be listed in Hong Kong.

These people all have very strong backgrounds, no less so than Ma Ru.

Their families either own the most prestigious private hospital, the largest local film and television investment company, or are banking giants or real estate tycoons.

In other words, Ma Ru is good at self-promotion, which is why she is more famous than them.

If she were on the street, Su Cheng wouldn't recognize anyone.

Let alone these second-generation rich kids, Su Cheng probably wouldn't even recognize their fathers if he walked down the street.

Although Ma Ru has a somewhat effeminate appearance, she is undoubtedly a core figure in their circle. Observing her words and actions, Su Cheng could vaguely sense that Ma Ru had a bit of an "elder brother" vibe.

There is no other reason.

Ma Ru's father had been operating in Australia for many years and had a large sphere of influence. He was a powerful local figure, and their fathers had been friends for generations.

No matter what kind of business they are in—banking, real estate, or film—their status in the local market can't compare to that of the son of an Australian casino tycoon.

Actually, Su Cheng had always wanted to say that Ma Ru and he looked completely mismatched; she seemed harmless but was actually a bit cunning.

It was evident from the fact that he and Ma Shuning conspired to scheme against Zhang Yangwen.

Su Cheng appeared polite and smiling, engaging in normal pleasantries with them, but in reality, she remained highly vigilant.

The card games in Australia's high society are a highly secretive circle at the very top of the pyramid.

Today's card games are not just gambling, but also a social activity for the top wealthy elites, a symbol of status, and a special business arena.

The operation of this kind of game relies heavily on a strict entry mechanism, and Su Cheng must be able to understand this as well.

Ma Ru's invitation to Zhang Yangwen's private card game immediately after agreeing to resolve his debt issues was actually purposeful.

It wasn't "playing with someone" as Su Cheng guessed.

It's not about squandering newly acquired favors on trivial matters.

He just wanted Su Cheng to experience the atmosphere of high society and feel what it's like to stand at the top of Macau.

Once Su Cheng tastes the power and wealth, she will become unstoppable.

Su Cheng will do everything she can to climb into high society, and will spend the rest of her life doing her utmost to maintain and preserve that status.

Power can be addictive too.

This addictive feeling is not related to traditional physiological factors like pornography, gambling, and drugs, but rather to psychological factors.

As long as Su Cheng touches this thing, she will obey him without question.

If something can be addictive and create an obsession, then it's a very profitable business.

This hunt is not only about the Emperor Group, but also about whether the Ma family can rise to a higher level in their circle in the future.

So... for Su Cheng, what is the fastest way to climb into high society?
Of course, we should "climb" to the Ma family's coattails!

These days, Ma Ru, Su Cheng's brother-in-law, has shown great kindness and appreciation towards her.

Ma Shuning's hint was spot on.

If Su Cheng agrees or has this inclination, then it will be a natural progression.

It all depends on Su Cheng's decision.

If he wanted, he could immediately become the son-in-law of the Ma family and enter the upper class.

This card game was a skill Ma Ru learned from her father, and it also represented her ultimate understanding of human nature.

Contrary to Su Cheng's expectations, the others were actually quite interested in him.

The fact that Ma Ru was able to bring Su Cheng to their private card game shows that Su Cheng has a very strong background.

The same is true.

Casinos, banks, real estate, movies.

All these companies combined are not worth a single hair of the Dihao Group.

Ma Ru didn't elaborate on Su Cheng's identity, only hinting that Su Cheng had a background with the Emperor Group.

Emperor Group!

These people grew up surrounded by their fathers' offices and company meeting rooms, practically living under the influence of the business world. The name "Emperor Group" was something they had heard every day since childhood.

This mega-corporation has achieved T0 level status in almost every industry, and is a symbol of absolute strength, absolute reputation, absolute wealth and power.

The Emperor Group is shrouded in mystery for them, with numerous legends surrounding it, and many of its business cases can be described as "legendary."

However, they knew very little about the founder and internal affairs of the Dihao Group, unlike Ma Ru who knew a lot of inside information.

These rich kids only know that the Emperor Group is a business owned by the Su family.

And coincidentally, Su Cheng also shares the surname Su.

That makes sense.

Regardless of whether he is the heir of the Emperor Group or not, even if he is a collateral descendant of the Su family, he is still on equal footing with them.

With Ma Ru's "verification," they were naturally exempt from the screening and testing process. Everyone respected Su Cheng very much, at least on the surface.

Except for one person.

Xu Ning, the son of Baolong Group.

Su Cheng vaguely sensed the hostility in his eyes.

However, Su Cheng was still unsure of the nature of his hostility—whether it was aggressive or xenophobic.

Xu Ning, with a cigar dangling from his lips, asked somewhat impatiently, "Mario, where's Shu Ning? Why isn't she here yet?"

Ma Ru glanced at her watch: "They should be here soon."

As soon as the words were spoken, the sound of high heels clicking away came from afar.

Ma Shuning was present.

She was wearing a black, deep-cut backless dress tonight.

The front was blurred by light and shadow, but the entire back was exposed to everyone's view without reservation.

It was a smooth, flowing, and unobstructed curve that extended downwards from the back of her neck, her skin gleaming with a porcelain-like cool luster under the light, silently telling the story of strength and beauty.

Her skin was delicate, without any excess, narrow and strong, with an astonishingly smooth inward curve; every inch of its texture silently proclaimed the perfection of this body.

What's most breathtaking is precisely the moment when she turns around unintentionally, raises her hand, or simply changes the angle of light and shadow.

Unlike deep V-neck dresses, low-cut dresses, and strapless dresses that create a strong frontal impact, this dress is hidden in the back half in front of the ribs.

Everyone could see Ma Shuning's clear waistline, and even some of her ribs. When she turned her body slightly to the side of the camera, raised her arm to breathe, or even when the light swept across her from a certain angle, no one could ignore the secret hidden beyond the edge of the fabric.

Right next to the edge of the fabric was a smooth, full bulge, no longer an extension of the flat back, but the beginning of a full, white, rounded arc.

This creates a suffocating visual contrast with Ma Shuning's conservative front, representing a tug-of-war between absolute openness and confinement.

A small, extremely delicate, and elastic curve appears and disappears at the boundary between shadow and light.

Every tiny movement triggers a subtle rhythm in the back muscles, making the junction between the fabric edge and the skin a breathtaking focal point.

It seemed to be the last weak anchor point between her and the fall of her kingdom.

Ma Shuning's evening attire was neither completely revealing, yet it precisely accentuated her voluptuous curves with every shift in light and shadow.

This extreme design is less about concealment and more about a meticulously planned declaration of display, pushing sexiness itself to a dangerously sharp edge and challenging the limits of public gaze.

"Oh, you're all here? So I'm the last one to arrive?"

Ma Shuning's tone was natural; she seemed more familiar with the occasion and the people around her.

Or rather, she is better suited to this environment.

Xu Ning was clearly familiar with Ma Shuning: "Otherwise, you'll have to be punished later."

"Why are you punishing me? I wasn't late."

“If you’re the last one to arrive, you’ll be punished. How about this, Shu Ning, bring over that bottle of whiskey that Lao Ma bought a couple of days ago for us guys to try.”

"You're not worthy. My father gave you away a long time ago."

Judging from their conversation, Ma Shuning is an old friend of theirs, and they probably grew up together.

It is worth mentioning that.

Xu Ning referred to Ma Yingyao as "Old Ma" instead of using terms like "your dad" or "your father."

This is a huge offense to Ma Yingyao.

However, Ma Ru, as the "big brother" in the circle, seems to tacitly allow Xu Ning and Ma Shuning to communicate in this way.

To see the whole leopard through a tube.

This detail suggests that Ma Ru might not respect his father as much as he does at home?

Or.

Do these second-generation kids all harbor a special hostility towards their fathers?
In private, they all use terms like "your dad," "my dad," or "my old man."

Calling someone affectionately by their name, such as dad, daddy, or papa, to their face.

It seems to be a consensus among these few people.

how to say……

Put aside everything else.

Su Cheng shares this consensus and common ground with them.

Yin Jiazhi urged, "Alright, enough talk, let's get started, my hands are itching."

Ma Ru teased him, "What's wrong, Hong Kong and Macau spendthrift? Didn't you lose enough last week?"

"I was drunk last week and my mind wasn't quite right. Otherwise, when have I ever beaten you guys?"

"Oh my, he's even blowing it up now."

As the game was being prepared, the 4K screen lit up simultaneously, playing a live sports match.

Poland vs. Portugal?
If Su Cheng remembers correctly, this match was the 2016 UEFA European Championship in France?

Quarterfinals?

Seeing this, Ma Shuning asked, "What did you all buy?"

Yin Jiazhi stated, "I bought Poland."

As a result, Ma Ru scolded him: "Why are you betting on Poland? Ronaldo is in such good form!"

"Nonsense, everyone knows Portugal is awesome, but Poland has higher odds!"

Why didn't you buy it from my stall?

"forget."

While the group was arguing, Ma Shuning called over a mature-looking man in his thirties to act as the dealer.

"Alright, alright, stop arguing and sit down to play."

After everyone had chosen their seats, Ma Shuning pulled Su Cheng to sit with her.

"Hmm? Mr. Su, aren't you going to play?"

Ma Shuning answered for Su Cheng: "He doesn't play; he plays with me."

"This is the expert I've invited tonight; he'll win all your allowance for this month!"

(End of this chapter)