Chapter 43: The Young Heiress Ouyang Bingbing

“Cheers!”

Inside the rented apartment!

He Tian, Wang Xinrou, Ouyang Bingbing, Lin Ying, Li Yingying, and Li Kai were all seated together, sharing a meal.

“Now, as the chief investor, I have the right to be updated on the progress of all your respective projects. Who would like to begin the report?” Wang Xinrou set down her juice and spoke with a mock seriousness.

“I’ll go first!” Lin Ying raised her hand.

“Then let’s have our boss Lin go first!” Wang Xinrou laughed, “Everyone, let’s give her a round of applause!”

Lin Ying stood up.

“I’ve completed the integration of the three restaurant locations. I’ve also signed brand new leases with the landlords. The new design plan is finished, and renovations have already begun. It should be done in about two weeks, and we’ll be ready to reopen in a month!” Lin Ying introduced with a smile.

“What about the details of the design?” He Tian asked.

“Good question!” Lin Ying grinned. “After integration, the total area is seven hundred fifty-eight square meters. Once redesigned, about six hundred fifty square meters will be available for business. I’ve arranged private rooms that can accommodate three hundred, two hundred, and one hundred people dining together, along with some ordinary private rooms. Plus scattered tables... In total, the restaurant can seat eight hundred people at once! If we can maintain this rate, the daily gross profit is estimated at eighty to a hundred thousand per day.”

“It’s too early to talk about profits. The main task now is the renovation. Also, we need to start preparing to hire servers and chefs,” Wang Xinrou said with a smile.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll work overtime and do my best to serve you, my capitalist boss!” Lin Ying replied playfully.

“How dare you... is that how you speak to your boss?” Wang Xinrou put on a mock look of anger.

Of course, no one was intimidated by Lin Ying; instead, everyone burst into laughter.

“All right, let me report on the snack street situation next,” Li Yingying said with a smile.

Everyone turned to her.

“Li Kai and I first contacted Director Li from the City Construction Bureau,” Li Yingying said, glancing at Li Kai.

“Wow… isn’t that called pulling strings?” Wang Xinrou teased, eyeing the two.

“It would be a waste not to use our resources—as long as there’s no shady business, no personal gain, it’s fine,” Li Kai responded with a slight smile.

“Wang Xinrou, you capitalist, isn’t this exactly why you wanted to use my Li Kai?” Li Yingying feigned indignation. “Don’t think I don’t know!”

“Hahaha! Yingying, you’re so blunt!” Lin Ying laughed heartily.

He Tian glanced at Li Kai, a bit surprised.

Director of the Tianhai City Construction Bureau—now that was a position of real power. Li Kai’s family background was indeed extraordinary.

“All right, let’s stay on topic. In any case, the Construction Bureau will negotiate with the university for us. The land for snack street should be no problem as long as we submit our business plan. I believe the university will support us. Of course, the campus cafeteria might object… but can the arm really twist the thigh? Securing snack street will be no trouble at all,” Li Yingying said with impressive confidence.

“Good! That’s an auspicious start, Yingying. But the work ahead is even more important. Those street vendors have it tough; their work is not easy. Be careful,” Wang Xinrou said with gravity.

“That’s true—it will take time. We’ll develop a thorough plan,” Li Yingying nodded seriously.

“All right! Now, you two are the spenders, but the one who’s already making money is our beautiful Bingbing. Bingbing, tell everyone how things are going on your end.” Wang Xinrou turned to Ouyang Bingbing.

“Hehe, there’s not much to say. Fifty million invested in the market, and before you arrived, I just finished closing my positions. Now the total fund is one hundred and forty million,” Ouyang Bingbing said with a gentle smile.

“One hundred and forty million? That’s a net profit of ninety million! Oh my god! Bingbing, you’re incredible!” Li Yingying stuck out her tongue, her face full of admiration.

“I just happened to ride the wave this time. Such high returns will be hard to achieve again,” Ouyang Bingbing replied modestly.

“Even so, that’s amazing! Ninety million! What’s five percent? Four and a half million! Wow, our Bingbing is about to become a rich lady!” Lin Ying joked.

Indeed, with a five percent commission, ninety million in net profit meant a bonus of four and a half million.

Calling Ouyang Bingbing a little rich lady was no exaggeration.

“Sigh, hearing Bingbing speak makes making money sound so easy. In reality, it’s very hard. Bingbing’s situation is rare,” Li Yingying said with feeling.

Ninety million in net profit was truly astonishing.

But one shouldn’t be fooled by the number into thinking that money comes easily.

That’s simply not the case.

Besides, anything can happen in the stock market.

Some become rich overnight, but far more lose everything they have.

“Enough about that! Four and a half million, Bingbing, I’ll give you five million—an extra half-million as a reward! Don’t argue! Haha, the big profit is still mine. You’ve made a huge contribution and deserve a reward!” Wang Xinrou declared with a grand gesture.

He Tian fully agreed in his heart.

It seemed Ouyang Bingbing was truly a stock market genius...

Otherwise, how could someone so young have such achievements?

Don’t believe all that talk about years of research—many have studied for years, but how many of them make money?

In this regard, Ouyang Bingbing really was gifted and talented.

“You’re all doing great; I need to step up my game too,” Wang Xinrou murmured.

After the meal, everyone went to class together that afternoon.

Li Kai was in a different department and went off to his own lecture.

But all afternoon, Wang Xinrou and Ouyang Bingbing were both in low spirits.

Why?

The reason was simple—He Tian drew too much attention. The girls in their own class were one thing; they all knew about his relationship with Wang Xinrou. But girls from other classes, even upperclassmen—not only from their department but from others as well—kept coming over! Some sent notes, some wanted to get to know him, others just asked for his phone number.

He Tian turned them all down, but always with a smile.

That’s what irked both Wang Xinrou and Ouyang Bingbing.

The difference was, Wang Xinrou was openly displeased, while Ouyang Bingbing tried hard to hide her feelings.

Only Lin Ying and Li Yingying seemed completely unbothered, taking every chance to tease Wang Xinrou.

“Lin Ying! Someone’s looking for you!” In the midst of their banter, someone came to find Lin Ying.

“Who is it?” Wang Xinrou finally found a chance to retaliate.

Unfortunately, from her seat, she couldn’t see who it was.

“Who’s looking for me?” Lin Ying was puzzled, but still went outside.

“Let’s go, let’s follow her!” Li Yingying tugged at Wang Xinrou and a somewhat distracted Ouyang Bingbing, and they sneaked out together.

Seeing this, He Tian didn’t want to stand on the sidelines and quietly followed as well.

“Xiang Yang?”

“It really is Xiang Yang from the basketball team!”

“What’s he doing here?”

“How would I know?” came the whispered reply.

“Could he have a crush on our Yingzi?”

“That’s possible!”

Li Yingying and Wang Xinrou exchanged conspiratorial whispers.

Ouyang Bingbing, not wanting to raise suspicion, forced herself to chime in as well.

Only He Tian, watching Ouyang Bingbing’s retreating figure, felt helpless… and troubled.

How could he not see through Ouyang Bingbing’s feelings?

He could also sense the pain she endured because of Wang Xinrou’s presence.

He just didn’t know what to do.

He might always seem to tease Wang Xinrou, but that was just a strategy to keep her from confessing her feelings.

He Tian admitted that after all this time together, he genuinely liked both Wang Xinrou and Ouyang Bingbing.

Wang Xinrou’s liveliness and occasional fierceness always made him happy.

Ouyang Bingbing’s gentle beauty made him want to care for and cherish her.

He Tian had experienced too much life and death.

So, he wouldn’t mind enjoying the blessings of two companions, like the legendary daughters of Emperor Yao.

But that was just wishful thinking.

Modern young women—how could they accept sharing a man?

Wang Xinrou and Ouyang Bingbing probably wouldn’t agree to that.

That was the crux of the matter.

On top of that, the two of them were such close friends.

It left He Tian at a complete loss.

When everyone returned to the classroom and class resumed, they immediately put Lin Ying on the spot.

“Lin Ying, confess and you’ll be treated leniently, resist and you’ll be punished harshly! Tell us, what’s your relationship with Xiang Yang?” Wang Xinrou demanded.

“What relationship? I only met him yesterday, thanks to you all! What else could there be?” Lin Ying put on a look of exasperation.

“We’re not just being nosy; we really feel there’s something between you two! Why did he come looking for you?” Li Yingying pressed.

“He asked if I had time to watch a practice game. I turned him down,” Lin Ying replied.

“He’s pursuing you!” Ouyang Bingbing said.

“That’s pursuing me?” Lin Ying was astonished.

“Absolutely! But honestly, Lin Ying, since you didn’t know them well, you were so reserved at dinner yesterday—just like a real lady! Maybe that’s what attracted Xiang Yang?” Wang Xinrou winked.

“Hahaha! If that’s true, poor Xiang Yang! Once he gets to know you and finds you’re not like that at all!” Li Yingying teased, following up on Wang Xinrou’s words.

“I think that’s likely! Yingzi’s reserve in front of strangers is really misleading,” Ouyang Bingbing said.

“Oh, come on! Nonsense… Besides, the real me is much more attractive than the reserved version! I don’t buy it!” Lin Ying retorted, feisty as ever.

He Tian couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat at that.