Chapter 83

The Donghai Entrepreneurs Annual Conference, a platform for elite businesspeople to exchange ideas and a grand gathering of business elites, does not have a fixed location. However, this year’s event is being held in Donghai, hence it is called the Donghai Entrepreneurs Annual Conference.

Of course, not just any businessman can attend. Those whose assets do not reach the minimum threshold of one billion will not receive an invitation.

The specific venue for this year’s conference almost led to a fierce competition among Donghai’s top hotels. Being the venue for the Entrepreneurs Annual Conference is a matter of both fame and profit, and no one would envy it less. However, in the end, the Ivory Coast, with its substantial strength, won the bid.

For many, this was expected. In Donghai, when it comes to hotel star ratings and service levels, if the Ivory Coast says it is second, no one dares to claim first.

For a time, the Ivory Coast became heavily guarded, with armed police dispatched by the Donghai municipal government manning the entrances, preventing any non-essential personnel from entering. Patrol boats also cruised the waters, prohibiting any unauthorized vessels from approaching the Ivory Coast.

While the streets and alleys of Donghai were buzzing with discussions about which tycoons would attend, Lin Zixian had no interest at all. "I’m just a driver, why should I care?" he muttered, and as soon as he started work, he hunkered down in the office, typing away.

Deputy Minister Lin: Are you upstairs or downstairs? Are you a man or a woman?

Upstairs Downstairs: What if I’m a man? What if I’m a woman? Does it matter?

Deputy Minister Lin: Then tell me which floor you’re on, and I’ll see if I can find you. If I do, I’ll give you a surprise!

Upstairs Downstairs: I refuse to answer... What if I’m a beauty?

Deputy Minister Lin: Haha! That depends on how beautiful you are. If you make my heart skip a beat, I might consider pursuing you.

Upstairs Downstairs: Oh! Who do you think is the most beautiful in our company? President Qiao is known as the most beautiful woman in Donghai. Do you think she’s the most beautiful?

Deputy Minister Lin: Her? She always looks so bitter and resentful, known as the 'scourge of the Famous Flower Group.' It’s a real downer. Why don’t you show me a photo? I bet you’re a beauty.

This time, Upstairs Downstairs didn’t respond. Deputy Minister Lin called out several times, but the person’s icon turned gray and went offline.

"Damn it, I’ll dig you out eventually and make your life miserable," Lin Zixian muttered to the screen.

Leaning back in his chair, he lit a cigarette and found that several of his friends were offline. He was considering whether to add more people when the phone rang. It was Zhang Xiaohua, the general manager’s secretary: "Deputy Minister Lin, come upstairs to try on your clothes."

"What clothes?" Lin Zixian asked, puzzled.

"The clothes for the Entrepreneurs Annual Conference tonight! You’ll be driving the general manager back and forth, and wearing a security uniform would damage the company’s image, so we’ve had two sets of work clothes made for you," Zhang Xiaohua explained.

Lin Zixian touched his face, a bit annoyed, and said, "What a joke, my handsome looks only add to the company’s image, how could they damage it?"

"Stop being a smart aleck, come up quickly! The tailor is here, and we need to make adjustments if they don’t fit. We need them ready for tonight," Zhang Xiaohua urged.

"Okay!" Lin Zixian hung up, reluctantly shut down his computer, and left the office.

Upstairs, Zhang Xiaohua led him to a small meeting room. A man with a tape measure around his neck, who looked a bit like a cross-dresser, was sitting inside, holding a cup of coffee with a delicate finger. Zhang Xiaohua pointed at Lin Zixian and said, "Xiong Dada, this is him."

The cross-dresser, dressed in flashy attire, put down his coffee and stood up, circling Lin Zixian twice. He took a black suit from a plastic bag on the table and handed it to Lin Zixian, saying, "Put it on."

Lin Zixian took off his security cap and uniform, put on the black suit, and immediately looked like a different person. His well-proportioned figure and the suit fit him perfectly, making him a good clothes hanger.

Xiong Dada clapped his hands in approval, "Great figure!"

"Pretty good," Lin Zixian stretched his limbs and then asked Zhang Xiaohua, "How did you know my measurements?"

"Didn’t you report them to the general manager?" Zhang Xiaohua asked, surprised.

At that moment, Qiao Yun, dressed in a sky-blue velvet business suit, walked in. Her fair legs were clad in black high heels, and she walked in expressionlessly, arms crossed, and chin resting on her hand. She looked Lin Zixian up and down, a hint of admiration flashing in her eyes, though it was not obvious.

She walked behind Lin Zixian, pulled the waist of his suit, and said to Xiong Dada, "The waist is a bit loose, tighten it a bit more."

"No problem!" Xiong Dada made an OK sign, had Lin Zixian take off the suit, and measured him again with the tape measure. During this, he pinched Lin Zixian’s arms and waist, covering his mouth and smiling at the two women, "Your muscles are so firm, what a great figure."

Lin Zixian was covered in goosebumps from being touched and quickly put on his security uniform.

Xiong Dada recorded the measurements and packed up his things to leave. Lin Zixian thought everything was over, but Qiao Yun glanced at him and said, "Xiaohua, buy him two shirts, two ties, and two pairs of shoes."

"Isn’t that unnecessary?" Lin Zixian hesitated. Qiao Yun ignored him and left.

"You should be grateful! The general manager personally requested it, and it’s on the company’s tab, so you don’t have to pay a cent. Are you unhappy?" Zhang Xiaohua scolded, then took out a notebook to ask for his shirt and shoe sizes before leaving.

Money talks, and by the end of the day, Zhang Xiaohua had delivered the bought items and the adjusted suit to the security department office, urging him to change quickly, saying the general manager would be checking. Before leaving, she added, "If you don’t like the shoes and shirts, don’t blame me. The styles and colors were chosen by the general manager, and I just followed the instructions."

Qiao Yun left work on time today because there was a dinner at the Ivory Coast tonight, a prelude to the entrepreneurs getting to know each other. After all, new tycoons rise each year, and some go bankrupt. The actual conference would start tomorrow.

As a renowned entrepreneur, Qiao Yun naturally had to go home to get dressed, as she couldn’t attend the networking dinner in her work clothes.

Back at the Qiao family’s villa on the hill, Mr. and Mrs. Qiao had already prepared their formal attire. Xiao Hua’s eyes lit up when she saw the transformed Lin Zixian and said, "Xiao Lin, you look so handsome today!"

Qiao Yun glanced at Lin Zixian and nodded to the stylist waiting in the living room before going upstairs.

Naturally, Lin Zixian complimented Xiao Hua on how beautiful she looked. Mr. Qiao, checking the time, politely said to Lin Zixian, "We need to visit a few old friends first, so we’ll leave ahead of you."

After the couple left, Lin Zixian went outside to chat with Hong Tao and the others. He noticed that everyone was dressed similarly, in black suits and white shirts, clearly a group of bodyguards, but the quality and style of their clothes were clearly superior.

When Qiao Yun, now dressed up, appeared again, all the men present were momentarily stunned by her beauty.

She wore a dark green evening gown with a fitted waist, which highlighted her fair and smooth skin. The deep V-neck revealed a deep cleavage, and a ruby necklace adorned her elegant neck. Her hair was styled high, and diamond earrings sparkled. Her naturally beautiful eyebrows and charming eyes, along with her delicate nose and red lips, were captivating. Her beauty was more than just a word; it was absolutely stunning.

Everyone present was seeing Qiao Yun so meticulously dressed for the first time and was thoroughly impressed.

Lin Zixian couldn’t help but glance at Qiao Yun’s chest a few times, surprised that this cold woman had such a stunning figure. If it weren’t for today, he wouldn’t have known.

Suddenly, he noticed Qiao Yun looking his way, and he quickly averted his gaze, feeling guilty, and hurriedly drove off. Qiao Yun’s eyes flashed with a hint of satisfaction, thinking to herself, "To call me a bitter and resentful scourge..."

The convoy arrived at the Ivory Coast, and Hong Tao and the others were stopped outside, only allowing Lin Zixian’s car to enter.

To Lin Zixian and Qiao Yun’s surprise, the main venue did not allow drivers to enter. The security personnel directed Lin Zixian to a large outdoor tent, saying there was food and drink there.

Lin Zixian didn’t mind, but he felt that dressing up so formally was a waste. Qiao Yun’s eyes also flashed with disappointment, but seeing that the tent was filled with drivers from other companies, she didn’t say anything and entered the main venue with the greeter.

Inside the tent, Lin Zixian looked around and saw no one he knew. The drivers sat obediently, with no alcohol but various beverages. He picked up a bunch of grapes from the table, eating and spitting out the skins, and wanted to walk to the beach, but was stopped by the security personnel, who said drivers couldn’t wander around.

At that moment, Meng Zidan, dressed in a white short cheongsam that accentuated her curvaceous figure, burst in, looking around the group of drivers. Seeing a man facing the sea, smoking and throwing grapes in the air to catch with his mouth, she smiled and walked over.

If Lin Zixian had blended in with the crowd, Meng Zidan might not have recognized him immediately, but his unique behavior made her identify him from behind. She walked up behind him, patted his shoulder, and said in a deep, suppressed voice, "Sir, please don’t spit grape skins around."

"Damn it! What kind of ridiculous dinner is this with so many rules? I’ve never encountered this before. Can’t I even fart? I’m going to cause a scene..." Lin Zixian was about to lose his temper, thinking that the other side was a dinner and this side was a pigsty. When he turned around and saw her, he was taken aback and asked, "Why are you here?"