Chapter 54: Jiang Tingting

"What did you say?" Zhong Zhen asked with a face full of anger. Born into a wealthy family, he had never been questioned like this before.

"Wasn't what I said just now clear enough?" Liu Dong said, plopping down next to Wang Qiang and pulling her into his arms.

Seeing this, Zhong Zhen's breathing suddenly became heavier, his face flushed, and he asked in a low voice, "Wang Qiang, is what he just said true?"

Facing Zhong Zhen's furious gaze, Wang Qiang took a breath and said calmly, "What Xiao Dong said is right, we are boyfriend and girlfriend!"

"Good, good, you two are really great!" Zhong Zhen was clearly provoked by Wang Qiang's words. His body trembled slightly as he spoke, but he knew it wasn't the right time to lose his temper. He took a deep breath, his face returning to a more normal color, "Qiangqiang, I won't give up that easily!" He paused, then turned to Liu Dong and said coldly, "Kid, I advise you to get lost, or I'll make you regret it!"

"Is that so? I really want to see that!" Liu Dong's personality was such that he didn't back down from threats. With his martial arts skills, he always followed the principle of "if others don't offend me, I won't offend them." So, he didn't take Zhong Zhen's threat seriously.

"Let's see if you still talk tough then!" After saying this, Zhong Zhen snorted and turned to leave.

"Kid, you're in for it now!" Jiang Tingting, who had been watching from the side, said to Liu Dong with a smile.

"Enough, Tingting! Don't say such things! I'm worried that Zhong Zhen will cause trouble for Xiao Dong after he leaves!" Wang Qiang was already regretting asking Liu Dong to pretend to be her boyfriend. Seeing Zhong Zhen's angry face and the cold look he gave Liu Dong as he left, she knew he wouldn't let it go easily.

"Don't worry, Wang Jie! I'll be careful. Besides, that guy might not be able to do anything to me!" Liu Dong said calmly.

"Wow, what a big mouth!" Jiang Tingting said with a playful tone, "Do you know what Zhong Zhen's family does? Let me tell you, his father is the vice mayor of Quancheng City, his mother is the chairman of Yangming Group, and his grandfather is the chairman of the Quancheng City Jade Carving Association. Can you match that?"

Hearing this, Liu Dong couldn't help but frown. Although he had guessed that Zhong Zhen came from a powerful family, hearing it from Jiang Tingting still surprised him. What he didn't expect was that Zhong Zhen's grandfather was the chairman of the Quancheng City Jade Carving Association. If Liu Dong remembered correctly, this person was called Wen Zheng, a provincial jade carving master. However, Liu Dong had a low opinion of him because it was rumored that his involvement had turned the Quancheng Jade Carving Competition, which was supposed to promote the industry, into a corrupt affair, a tool for bribery.

Seeing Liu Dong's silence, Jiang Tingting thought he was afraid. She felt a bit contemptuous and secretly thought her friend's choice was not worth it. She lost interest in continuing to talk to Liu Dong. However, seeing Wang Qiang's pleading eyes, Jiang Tingting said helplessly, "Alright, alright, I'll warn that kid Zhong Zhen, but I heard his uncle has some connections in the underworld, so you should be careful!"

"Thank you, Tingting!"

Facing Wang Qiang's grateful look, Jiang Tingting waved her hand and muttered, "I really don't know what you see in this kid, to be so devoted to him!" She paused, picked up her glass from the table, "Alright, let's go! Out of sight, out of mind!" Then she got up and left.

"She's gone?" Liu Dong asked in surprise, not realizing that Jiang Tingting had already formed some opinions about him. Of course, even if he knew, he wouldn't care. Unlike Wang Qiang, he and Jiang Tingting were just acquaintances, not even friends.

"Yes, by the way, Xiao Dong! Zhong Zhen's family has complicated connections. Now that Tingting has agreed to help, I believe Zhong Zhen won't dare to openly target you. But he seems to have an uncle with underworld connections, so you must be very careful!" Wang Qiang said seriously, her eyes filled with worry.

"Underworld?" Liu Dong's lips curled. If Zhong Zhen used his family's connections to target him openly, Liu Dong might have some trouble. But if it was the underworld, that would be a different story.

"Don't worry, Wang Jie! I'll be careful!" Liu Dong responded, not saying more. Seeing the worried look on Wang Qiang's face, he changed the subject, "Wang Jie, you mentioned that Jiang Tingting's family is also not simple!"

"Yes, Tingting's father is the mayor of Quancheng City!" Wang Qiang said casually, which greatly surprised Liu Dong. He never expected the father of the spoiled girl to be the top official of Quancheng City. No wonder Wang Qiang was so confident that Zhong Zhen wouldn't use his family's connections to cause trouble. Compared to the mayor of a provincial-level city, a vice mayor who might not even be in the Standing Committee was several levels lower.

"How did you two meet?" Liu Dong asked curiously.

"Wang Qiang and I are college classmates, and we were roommates! She has helped me with many troubles over the years!" Wang Qiang said.

Hearing this, Liu Dong nodded. A beautiful woman like Wang Qiang, without much background, would probably have been taken in by some powerful figure long ago if not for Jiang Tingting's protection.

"Wow...!" Just as they were talking, a thunderous applause suddenly echoed in the spacious hall. Liu Dong and Wang Qiang couldn't help but turn around and, through the gaps between people, saw the fat man they had met at the department store in the afternoon, holding a microphone and standing in the center of the hall.

"Let's go, we should join them!" Seeing everyone stand up and gather in the center of the hall, Wang Qiang, as a senior executive of Dingfu Jewelry, naturally couldn't stay seated.

"Okay!" Liu Dong agreed and stood up.

"Today, I am very happy that everyone could attend this banquet. I also have some good news to share. Dingfu Jewelry's revenue for the last quarter has exceeded 30 million! If we can maintain this momentum, breaking 100 million this year will not be a problem. At that time, I will throw another celebration banquet for everyone! Of course, no one will be left out of the year-end bonus!"

As he finished speaking, although the applause around them was still enthusiastic, Liu Dong could see little joy on their faces.

"Wang Jie, why don't you look happy about the year-end bonus?"

Hearing this, Wang Qiang smiled and said, "President Xie is known for his stinginess within the company. I've been here for three years, and he almost always promises a year-end bonus and bonus, but nothing ever comes at the end of the year. Over time, everyone has gotten used to it, so no one really believes what he says."

"Doesn't he worry that employees will quit if he keeps breaking his promises?" Liu Dong asked.

"Of course he does, so he tries to win over the senior executives. As for the lower-level employees, although there's no year-end bonus, Dingfu Jewelry's salary and performance bonuses are not low compared to other companies in the same industry, so the number of employees quitting is not high." Wang Qiang explained.

Actually, Wang Qiang had one more thing to say. With the expansion of university enrollment, more and more college graduates are finding it harder to get jobs. The jewelry industry, which is relatively easy and well-paid, even for the most ordinary salesperson, is not lacking in applicants.

Although the employees' reactions made Xie Zhonglin a bit embarrassed, it quickly disappeared, "The reason Dingfu Jewelry has achieved today's success is not only due to everyone's hard work but also thanks to the long-term support of Han's Jewelry...!"

Liu Dong had no interest in such empty talk. He said goodbye to Wang Qiang and returned to the sofa he had been sitting on. However, he didn't expect someone to have already taken his seat.