Chapter 455: You Want to Go Home and Farm?

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

After the meeting, Zhou Chao gathered some of the top executives from the group, including Ling Chen and Qin Ziwei, in the President’s office.

Sitting in his chair, Zhou Chao looked at the standing executives, and his gaze gradually sharpened. “In the upcoming rapid development period of the group, some of the companies under the group are bound to have some hidden issues. This is inevitable. However, I hope that none of you will be involved in such problems. In addition, Ling Chen…”

Ling Chen heard his name and took a small step forward, saying, “Boss!”

“You will assemble an inspection team, the members won’t be disclosed, and you can arrange them as you see fit. From janitors to security guards, all the way up to top-level management, you can select the team members yourself. I don’t want any dirt to tarnish the group’s reputation in the future.”

Zhou Chao’s words caused Qin Ziwei, Zhao Xi, and others to look somewhat concerned.

“Understood, Boss. I’ll come up with a plan as soon as possible!”

“Very well!” After speaking, Zhou Chao turned his gaze to Qin Ziwei and the others.

“For the next week, I allow you to conduct self-examinations. If anyone comes forward voluntarily, 1 won’t hold it against them. However, after a week, anyone discovered by the inspection team will be held accountable, and anyone involved in bribery will face legal consequences.”

“Boss, you can rest assured that none of my people will be involved in such situations,” Qin Ziwei said confidently.

“We are the same, Boss. Don’t worry!”

Seeing the confident assurances of the executives, Zhou Chao nodded and then stood up from his chair.

“The decisions made in today’s meeting need to be turned into the best possible plan as soon as possible. 1 have only one request: leave the professional matters to the professionals. I don’t want to see people who don’t understand the field trying to micromanage the experts.” After saying this, Zhou Chao left with Lin Wu.

After escorting Zhou Chao out of the office, Ling Chen turned to the remaining executives, wearing a stern expression. “You’ve heard the Boss. Those of you who had shady dealings in the past, clean up your act. If any of your subordinates make mistakes, you’ll be demoted to the grassroots level to work your way up.”

“Don’t worry, Director Ling. We understand,” Zhao Xi said with a smile.

“Understand? Zhao Xi, I have to tell you straight up. Do you think you’ve been doing a great job? Everyone knows about your shady activities with some not-so-famous internet celebrities. If your performance at work wasn’t decent, you would’ve been kicked out long ago,” Ling Chen had heard about Zhao Xi’s involvement in some unethical activities with lesser-known internet celebrities. If it weren’t for his decent performance at work, he would’ve been out already.

Hearing Ling Chen’s words, Zhao Xi’s face turned various shades of red, looking extremely embarrassed. He was on the verge of digging a hole in the ground with his toes. Meanwhile, Qin Ziwei and the others simply gave him a slight glance, showing that they were well aware of the situation.

“Director Ling, I got it. I promise not to do it again.”

“I hope you’ll stick to your word. Now, let’s start working on the specific plan. Even if it means working overtime tonight, we need to come up with a feasible solution!” Ling Chen said, looking at everyone.

Leaving the company, the two of them went directly to the underground parking lot.

Zhou Chao sat in the passenger seat, pinching his forehead to relieve some of the fatigue from his brain.

“Boss, are we heading back to The Palms Residence?” Lin Wu asked.

Hearing Lin Wu’s question, Zhou Chao checked the time; it was already almost 5 o’clock in the afternoon. He leaned back in his seat and replied, “No, we’re not going back. I have dinner plans at Huang Gongzi tonight, and it’s about time. Let’s head straight there.”

“Alright, Boss!” Lin Wu didn’t ask further questions and started the car to leave the parking lot.

The journey was slow and sluggish, with the car crawling along the densely packed traffic. Lin Wu wished he could go faster, but the circumstances didn’t allow for it.

With a distance of ten kilometers, Lin Wu took forty minutes, encountered thirteen traffic lights, got stuck in traffic three times, and finally arrived at Huang Gongzi’s parking lot. Lin Wu felt that it was more challenging than a long-distance trip.

At Huang Gongzi’s private room!

“Boss, who’s the big shot that requires you to come early and wait for him?” Lin Wu asked curiously while pouring tea for Zhou Chao.

Zhou Chao put down the menu and smiled mysteriously. “You’ll find out when the person arrives.”

Seeing this, Lin Wu could only shrug and wait eagerly.

After waiting for about half an hour, there was a gentle knock on the private room’s door. Two figures swiftly entered, closing the door behind them.

The person leading the way wore a duckbill cap, sunglasses, and a full-face mask, concealing their identity completely. Fortunately, their sturdy physique gave away the fact that they were a man.

Observing the two individuals sneaking in, Lin Wu took two steps forward and sternly asked, “Who are you, and why are you intruding into someone else’s private room?”

“Lin Wu, take it easy. This is my guest!” Zhou Chao stood up with a pleased expression.

The man turned around and swiftly removed the three-piece disguise he had been wearing, handing the items to the female assistant behind him.

Once the man removed his disguise, his true appearance was revealed. Lin Wu couldn’t believe his eyes as he looked at the man in front of him, with sharp eyebrows, starry eyes, and a handsome face. Lin Wu exclaimed, “You’re Brother Hu!”

“Hello!” Brother Hu greeted Lin Wu warmly.

“Hello… You’re my fan, no, I’m your fan!” Lin Wu said excitedly.

Zhou Chao, watching Lin Wu’s reaction, couldn’t help but say, “Alright, calm down, don’t embarrass yourself.”

Upon hearing Zhou Chao’s words, Lin Wu quickly composed himself, standing to the side.

“Hello, Brother Hu!” Zhou Chao extended his hand, greeting him warmly.

“Hello, Young Master Zhou!” Although he hadn’t met Zhou Chao before, he had heard from Yuan Hong that this young master had a significant and influential background. He had tried to gather some information through his own connections, but the details were scattered, and he couldn’t determine how high Zhou Chao’s status really was.

As for today’s sudden invitation from Zhou Chao, Brother Hu had initially declined but later thought it wouldn’t hurt to expand his network. Offending people for no reason wasn’t his style.

“Please, have a seat. No need to stand!” Zhou Chao warmly invited.

Brother Hu didn’t hesitate and sat next to Zhou Chao, while his assistant took a seat near the door.

Zhou Chao glanced at Lin Wu, nodded subtly, and Lin Wu left the private room to inform the waiter to start serving dishes.

“Today’s dinner was a bit rushed. I originally planned to wait for you to have a rest for a couple of days before inviting you. But recently, I’ve been quite busy, and I can’t stay in Modu for more than two days at a time. I didn’t know when the next opportunity would arise, so I took the liberty of inviting you out for a casual meal. 1 hope the dishes suit your taste, and I hope you don’t mind!”

Indeed, the invitation to Brother Hu today was somewhat abrupt. He had just returned to Modu and hadn’t had a chance to rest, yet Zhou Chao had invited him out. They hadn’t met before, so Zhou Chao already considered it a success that Hu Ge had accepted. If Brother Hu had declined, Zhou Chao wouldn’t have been upset over such a trivial matter.

Upon hearing Zhou Chao’s words, Brother Hu’s face showed a hint of emotion. Given Zhou Chao’s status, offering an explanation was already quite a show of respect for him. This respect was something he couldn’t ignore.

“Young Master Zhou’s invitation is a great honor for me, and besides, I’ve always been a food lover. How could I miss such an opportunity?” Brother Hu didn’t exaggerate; it wasn’t his style. He was straightforward, with at most a touch of politeness in his words.

“Hahaha, it seems we share a similar interest. I also love food and enjoy cooking myself. If there’s a chance, maybe you can come over to my place!” “If the opportunity arises, I’ll definitely visit. At that time, I hope Zhou Shao won’t mind me enjoying your hospitality!” Brother Hu smiled with a hint of warmth.

“Of course not. I’m always available in Modu.”

As they were engrossed in their conversation, there was a knock on the private room door, and the waitstaff began bringing in a succession of exquisite dishes.

Brother Hu looked at the array of dishes on the table. Even though he was used to attending numerous events and banquets, some of these dishes were unfamiliar to him. Judging by the quality of the dishes, which could easily rank among the top ten he had ever had, Brother Hu was impressed by the high standard of Zhou Chao’s hospitality.

While Brother Hu was still contemplating, Zhou Chao’s slightly regretful voice broke in, “Today’s time was a bit rushed, so we’ll have to make do with these dishes for now. I’ll make it up to you next time!”

Brother Hu was momentarily taken aback by Zhou Chao’s words, but his extensive experience quickly brought him back to reality. He could only wear a wry smile on his face.

“Young Master Zhou, speaking frankly, this meal is the best private meal I’ve had in the entertainment industry up to this point.”

After saying this, Brother Hu had a momentary sense of unease, thinking to himself, “I said something wrong. I indirectly commented on Zhou Chao’s extravagant and wasteful lifestyle.”

With a hint of anxiety, Brother Hu glanced at Zhou Chao beside him, but to his surprise, Zhou Chao had a calm expression on his face.

“In fact, I don’t really enjoy eating out. Nothing beats the taste of the dishes I make myself. I love cooking, and if it weren’t for my recent busy schedule, I would have invited you to my place.”

“I’ll definitely visit when the opportunity arises!”

Zhou Chao smiled and then said, “Let’s eat first; it won’t taste as good when it gets cold!”

They all began to use their chopsticks. Zhou Chao knew that Brother Hu liked seafood, so most of the dishes were seafood-based. However, the majority of these ingredients had been flown in from abroad, with only a small portion sourced domestically. The time was too short to use the premium ingredients in his warehouse, or else Zhou Chao would have served those as well.

For seafood enthusiasts like Brother Hu, his fingers were already itching to dig in. Seeing Zhou Chao starting to peel the shells with his hands, Brother Hu didn’t hesitate to follow suit. His assistant, initially thinking of advising against it, couldn’t resist the temptation of the seafood feast and also joined in.

As they were enjoying the meal, there was a knock on the private room door..