Upon hearing the word ‘reward,’ Yang Lingxue excitedly squeezed out of the car, her eyes sparkling!
"Hey, hey, hey, Ren Yuanhao, someone’s treating us! Skewers, hotpot, whatever we want!"
Ren Yuanhao’s face was a mess of black lines. He thought to himself that since it was Uncle Qiu’s arrangement, and his nephew at that, he had to save face.
"Cough, cough, sorry to keep you waiting." Ren Yuanhao pressed down on Yang Lingxue's head, smiling as he shielded her behind him, looking a bit awkward.
"Not long, not long, we just arrived too. I’m Chen Tao."
Chen Tao appeared poised and generous, extending his hand warmly.
"Ren Yuanhao."
Ren Yuanhao stated his name and, after shaking hands, followed behind their Volkswagen, slowly driving into this city of stone that seemed forgotten by the world.
Before getting into the car, Chen Tao gave Ren Yuanhao a walkie-talkie, saying that there were some rules within the city and he could explain them during the drive.
The two cars drove slowly, one after the other.
The architecture in the stone city was predominantly gray and white. Due to the abundance of natural stone, most buildings were constructed from it. The roofs were gabled, covered with gray tiles that resembled dragon scales, and the streets were paved with smooth, massive stones. Although the road surface had minor bumps, it didn't hinder their progress.
The three women looked around. Unlike the colorful shop signs in Ai Shen City, here they were made of uniformly arranged, carved, and hollowed-out bluestone slabs. Craftsmen chiseled the shop names onto them. As the craftsmen’s skill and calligraphy varied, while unified, the signs didn’t appear monotonous; instead, they exuded a robust, ancient charm.
The maple trees on both sides were as bright as fire. A gentle breeze stirred, and the flames danced, complementing the gray buildings and imparting a strong sense of exoticism.
At this moment, after passing through a large park adorned with a carved statue of Venus, a slightly noisy voice came from the walkie-talkie.
"Young Master Ren, there are a few minor rules in Yun Jin City that I must explain to you first."
"Don't use honorifics, we’re probably around the same age, right?"
"Okay, then I'll call you Big Brother. Big Brother, there are three places in Yun Jin City that cannot be entered casually. First, buildings with red roofs. Second, the large mountains in the southwestern suburbs of Yun Jin City. Third, you’ll see it soon."
As soon as Chen Tao finished speaking, the four of them saw several giant stone pillars, each requiring four or five people to embrace, standing on a vast, grassy plain. They were about ten meters tall, appearing ancient and powerful.
Even more astonishing was that at the top of the stone pillars stood a sprawling, palace-like majestic building. It had intricately carved beams and painted rafters, green tiles, and gray walls. On the roof, a fantastically carved royal griffin stood with wings spread wide, spanning seven to eight meters. The griffin’s eyes were inlaid with large pieces of green agate, and its sharp claws flashed with golden radiance, appearing to be made of pure gold.
"The griffin is a symbol of royalty, and it's so opulent and imposing. It must be some super conglomerate, right?"
Ren Yuanhao speculated.
"That’s right, that is indeed the largest conglomerate in Yun Jin City, but it might be a bit different from what you imagined."
Chen Tao’s tone became somewhat mysterious.
"Oh? Tell me about it."
Not only Ren Yuanhao but also Shen Lanni and the others were piqued by Chen Tao’s words.
"The important figures within this top conglomerate are all women, and furthermore, the president of the conglomerate is also a woman."
"Impressive. This Yun Jin City is so grand. It seems we'll have to be more careful."
Ren Yuanhao said with genuine admiration, only to be mocked by Yang Lingxue, "Hmph, are you plotting something again, you brat?"
"No, absolutely not. My mind is full of grilled skewers and hotpot right now."
"That’s more like it."
After their playful banter, Chen Tao lowered his voice and said, "Actually, Yun Jin City is generally a good city. Tourism has been increasing in recent years. With your skills, as long as you remember these three prohibitions, you should be able to move around freely."
As he spoke, Chen Tao’s Volkswagen suddenly turned under an overpass on the left, and the sunlight was instantly blocked by the massive structure.
"Big Brother, prepare to park. We’re almost there."
...
After parking their cars, Chen Tao hurried over to Ren Yuanhao and the other three.
Yang Lingxue had already astonished him earlier, and now two more incredibly beautiful women emerged from the car. Chen Tao felt his breath catch, and he froze for several seconds before reacting.
"The three sisters-in-law’s appearances are too eye-catching. In a place like this, it might be better to cover up a bit to avoid unnecessary trouble."
Ye Lan was already accustomed to it, while Yang Lingxue and Ye Lan never had the habit of wearing sunglasses or masks. However, to avoid causing trouble for Ren Yuanhao, although she was a bit reluctant, she complied.
"Here, I’m only being this obedient for the sake of the grilled skewers and hotpot. If it doesn't suit my taste later, don't blame me for getting angry."
Because Yang Lingxue’s face was so small and she was petite and thin, after putting on the glasses and mask, only her forehead was exposed, making her look rather amusing.
Chen Tao bowed, "You can rest assured, sister-in-law. The taste at this place is considered among the best in Yun Jin City."
Ren Yuanhao was too lazy to argue about the titles at this point. Led by Chen Hao, they entered a luxuriously decorated restaurant under the overpass, named: Yun Xian Hotel.
"Wait, I’m not going into the hotel."
Yang Lingxue suddenly blocked everyone’s path.
"Why?" Chen Tao asked, puzzled. Did he think this restaurant didn't meet her standards?
Unexpectedly, Yang Lingxue put her hands on her hips and said, "I want to eat grilled skewers with that wok hei. Places like this are only for people like you who are trying to show off when treating guests. You can’t even eat your fill, and it’s ridiculously expensive."
"Oh, Miss Yang is being thrifty now? That's rare, that's rare."
Ren Yuanhao's remark immediately drew soft chuckles from Shen and Ye. Even with their faces masked, their figures were graceful and alluring like willows swaying in the breeze.
Just then, two tall, well-dressed men in suits and ties, with slicked-back hair, walked out of the brightly lit glass doors. As soon as they saw Chen Tao, they sneered.
"What’s this? Did the sun rise from the west today? You, a penniless pauper, actually thought of treating guests here?"
After speaking, the man turned and looked at Ren Yuanhao and the three beautiful, masked and sunglass-wearing women. He then smiled slowly and said, "Impressive, impressive. Chen Tao, I say you've splurged this time to treat guests and brought along three ladies for companionship. This person must have a very high status, right?"
Chen Tao tried to resist, but someone behind him pulled him back. Chen Tao could only force out an awkward smile.