Chapter 43

Chapter 44: The Crown Prince

Inside a private room at the Beijing Hotel.

"Mr. Zhang, you're here!" A handsome but somewhat flamboyant young man stood up enthusiastically, "How about it, we've set everything up nicely, it will surely win the heart of the lady you're after."

Zhang Han, however, ignored the man's enthusiasm, sat down with a sullen face, pried open a bottle of 1985 Château Pétrus, filled a glass, and drank it in one gulp.

Seeing the situation, the man knew that Zhang Han had definitely not succeeded in his date today. With a glance, the other men and women who were waiting to celebrate filed out one by one. Within a few dozen seconds, only the man and Zhang Han were left in the room.

The man sat next to Zhang Han, poured himself a glass of red wine, but unlike Zhang Han, he sipped it slowly, observing Zhang Han quietly.

After a few minutes, when the 11,500 yuan bottle of 1985 Château Pétrus was empty, Zhang Han's expression finally eased somewhat.

"Xia Qianhe, what do you think of me?" Zhang Han, for the first time in his life, began to doubt himself.

Xia Qianhe did not answer immediately. After a meaningful look at Zhang Han, he said, "Mr. Zhang, does Liu Yingying have a boyfriend?"

Zhang Han glanced at Xia Qianhe in surprise, but then, remembering that Xia Qianhe was known in this circle for his keen observation, he was no longer concerned.

Seeing Zhang Han's expression, Xia Qianhe knew he had guessed correctly.

"Do you want me to teach him a lesson?" Xia Qianhe suddenly said.

"Xia Qianhe, don't meddle in my affairs. My business doesn't need your interference," Zhang Han warned, not appreciating the offer.

Xia Qianhe just smiled. He had no interest in meddling, and his previous words were just a casual remark to strengthen his relationship with Zhang Han.

"Ha ha, I won't meddle, but I'll drink with you." Xia Qianhe pried open another bottle of 1985 Château Pétrus, filling glasses for both Zhang Han and himself. Drinking red wine like this was indeed like a bull chewing on a peony, but if anyone saw them, Xia Qianhe and Zhang Han would surely be criticized. But what mattered was having a good time.

"Here, cheers!" Xia Qianhe drank in one gulp.

"Xia Qianhe, tell me, how do I stand with her? For two years, I've sent her flowers every day, invited her to dinner, and expressed my feelings to her time and again, but she has rejected me every time. Am I not sincere enough? Or does she look down on me?" Zhang Han, asking Xia Qianhe, seemed to be talking to himself.

"Ha, Mr. Zhang, look at what you're saying. If you, Mr. Zhang, were to speak, the women chasing you could line up from Wangfujing to Xidan." Xia Qianhe laughed heartily. This was no exaggeration. Zhang Han, in terms of character and family background, was the best in their circle. If not for his infatuation with Liu Yingying, countless noblewomen would have thrown themselves at him.

"But why does she look down on me!" Zhang Han clenched his wine glass tightly, speaking with resentment, "She even hired a fake boyfriend to act! Does she think I'm a fool, or that I'm so easy to fool!"

Zhang Han had seen through Lin Feng and Liu Yingying's act from the beginning, which only made him angrier.

"Fake boyfriend?!" Xia Qianhe inwardly laughed but kept a straight face to avoid further angering Zhang Han.

"Acting is one thing, but to hire such a poor actor as a fake boyfriend!" Zhang Han said resentfully.

So, Zhang Han was angry about this. Xia Qianhe shook his head helplessly. He knew Zhang Han's temperament—stubborn and proud. He didn't mind competing for what he wanted, but if his competitor was too weak, he would be extremely angry, considering it an insult.

"From my childhood to now, I have never failed to get what I want. Whatever I desire, I must obtain. Liu Yingying, you will be no different!" Zhang Han drank the red wine in his hand in one gulp, talking to himself.

Xia Qianhe was not surprised by Zhang Han's mindset. In their circle, most people were like this. They had never failed to get what they wanted, whether it was people or things. The only difference was whether they had the ability to get what they wanted.

As for love, did it exist? At least Xia Qianhe did not believe in love. For their group of princelings, love and marriage were merely exchanges of interests.

"Mr. Zhang, in terms of looks and demeanor, I, Xia Qianhe, admit I am inferior to you." Xia Qianhe poured another glass of red wine for Zhang Han, saying proudly, "But when it comes to pursuing women, in this circle, I am second to none."

"What can you do? What are your conditions?" Although Zhang Han was somewhat upset by Liu Yingying, he was not confused on key issues. In their circle, they seemed to have boundless power, almost tyrannical, but tragically, there was no sense of brotherhood or friendship among them. Only naked exchanges of interests existed.

However, neither Zhang Han nor Xia Qianhe rejected such purely interest-based friendships. These friendships, though seemingly insubstantial, were often more solid and lasting than so-called brotherly bonds.

"Ha ha, Mr. Zhang, I have a batch of private cars detained at the Shanghai customs. You know, if my father finds out, I will definitely be scolded again. So, I hope Mr. Zhang can speak to the Director of Shanghai Customs, Mr. Zhao, and ask him to be lenient and let me off. Of course, I will take care of the other aspects myself," Xia Qianhe said straightforwardly.

Xia Qianhe's matter was not difficult. The Director of Shanghai Customs, Mr. Zhao, had previously worked under Zhang Han's father. As long as Zhang Han spoke up, and Xia Qianhe took care of the other aspects, the matter would be easily resolved. For them, this was just a small matter. Given Xia Qianhe's family background, solving this issue would be easy.

However, as Xia Qianhe said, if such matters were brought to their elders, they would be scolded for being useless. On the contrary, if they sought help from their friends, they would not be looked down upon but rather considered to have extensive connections and deep networks. Therefore, among the princelings, when problems arose, they often sought help from each other and helped each other out.

In the eyes of their parents, this was both a way to strengthen the relationships among these second-generation elites and to train their social skills. It was a win-win situation, so their parents mostly turned a blind eye and even often gave them advice.

However, Zhang Han did not want to agree so easily. For a woman, though he liked her very much and wanted her, agreeing too easily would be too cheap for Xia Qianhe. In a transaction, there must be equal stakes. Otherwise, it would not be a transaction but a mockery.

Seeing Zhang Han's expression, Xia Qianhe knew what he was thinking.

"Mr. Zhang, in this batch of private cars, there is a newly produced global limited edition Mercedes. Although you, Mr. Zhang, who likes to drive BMWs and ride in Mercedes, might not care, consider it as a token of respect from me to your mother. Your mother is busy with many tasks, and a more comfortable car would show your filial piety," Xia Qianhe said.

Zhang Han was not interested in the car. His mother's Cadillac was also a limited edition and bulletproof, even resistant to ordinary rocket launchers. However, Zhang Han's initial refusal was just to ensure an equal exchange. Now that Xia Qianhe had offered the car, the transaction was basically equal.

"Alright. But if your plan fails, I won't forgive you," Zhang Han, returning to his usual self, said jokingly.

"Ha ha, Mr. Zhang, rest assured, I, Xia Qianhe, have never failed," Xia Qianhe said, feeling relieved to resolve this annoying matter.

"Tell me, what is your plan?" Zhang Han asked.

"Simple, a hero rescues the beauty," Xia Qianhe said with a raised eyebrow.

"Hero rescues the beauty? Isn't that too cliché?" Zhang Han frowned.

"Ha ha, Mr. Zhang, although the hero rescues the beauty is cliché, it is the most effective," Xia Qianhe said confidently.

"Uh, won't Liu Yingying see through it? She is the top talent at Peking University, very smart," Zhang Han said worriedly.

"Ha ha, don't worry, there will be no problem. Have you, Mr. Zhang, ever done such a thing for Liu Yingying in the past two years?" Xia Qianhe laughed, "It's precisely because you are Mr. Zhang that this old trick will be even more successful."