When Shang Bingrong clearly expressed his views, the atmosphere in the private room became quiet.
Shang Honglian's eyes widened in astonishment. Not only did her parents not want her to work in Beijing, but they even wanted to decide where she would marry in the future, right in her hometown.
This was the first time she had heard her parents impose such strict demands on her. For her, who was only twenty-two, this was too distant a matter, something she had never even considered, and it was almost completely contrary to her ideals.
"Dad, I'm not even twenty-two after the New Year, how can you already be thinking about my future marriage!"
Shang Honglian was anxious, her face flushing red.
"Didn't I tell you I don't want to live the kind of life you do!"
"The iron rice bowl might seem good, very stable, enjoying all sorts of national welfare and subsidies, working nine to five every day, but that kind of life is just not what I want!"
"Those things are completely incompatible with my major!"
"What's the point of all the hard work I put into studying computers for so many years?"
Seeing his daughter's intense reaction, Shang Bingrong said earnestly, "Child, we are truly doing this for your own good!"
"You are still very young, and we have been young too, we know some of your thoughts."
"You young people, all so arrogant and full of drive, wanting to start businesses and make a name for yourselves, but reality and ideals are two completely different things."
"In a few more years, you will change your mind."
Shang Bingrong's wife quickly chimed in, "Daughter, Mom and Dad are truly doing this for your own good!"
"You are still young and can't understand our way of thinking, so we've invited your idol, Qin Chuan ge, to come over today to have a good talk with you."
"Are our thoughts wrong?"
"We even think it would be more reliable for you to work in Qin Chuan's current electronics factory than the e-commerce project you are researching now."
Finally, Shang Bingrong's wife clearly expressed her views, her attitude becoming very stern.
Qin Chuan couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. The more he listened, the more he felt Shang Bingrong's wife's words were a bit awkward. What did she mean, "it would be more reliable for you to work in Qin Chuan's current electronics factory than the e-commerce project you are researching now."
Could this be interpreted as, they actually looked down on his current modest enterprise?
Her words carried a sense of arrogance, looking down from above.
Qin Chuan had never interacted with Shang Bingrong's wife before, only knowing that she was a section chief working at the Administration for Industry and Commerce.
In a place like Yongnan County, this position was indeed not low, and coupled with her husband being the head of the Industrial and Commercial Bank, it was quite influential.
Considering his relationship with Shang Bingrong, Qin Chuan held back. With such a dual status, it was normal for her to be a little arrogant.
However, Qin Chuan held back, but Shang Honglian could no longer tolerate her parents' admonitions.
"Who says starting a business is impossible?"
"Isn't Qin Chuan ge the most obvious example?"
Shang Honglian shouted emotionally.
"He's only a year older than me, and now he's worth tens of millions, with such a vast business empire."
"Your Qin Chuan ge is an exception, and he is completely different from you."
Shang Bingrong's wife said, "Qin Chuan is a man, and he should strive for his career. This is a man's basic ambition. But we are women, there's no need to work so hard. Finding a job within the system, working nine to five, having weekends off, and being able to take care of the family after marriage, isn't that great..."
Qin Chuan sat silently listening. If he had known this lunch would be like this, he really shouldn't have come.
Even a wise judge can't settle family disputes. From the parents' perspective, Shang Bingrong and his wife were not wrong in their actions at all. Parents love their children, especially those with daughters, and even more so if they have only one.
They truly didn't want their daughter to be too far away, nor did they need her to achieve great things. As long as she stayed by their side, even if she was ordinary, it would be fine.
The greatest wish of parents was simply for their children to be healthy and safe.
But from Shang Honglian's perspective, she had grown up, had her own opinions and dreams. What had all those years of hard study been for?
She didn't want to accept the old generation's idea of stability. Her blood still carried the passion and drive of youth. Only by doing so could she avoid a life that was too ordinary and unremarkable.
Neither of these viewpoints was wrong. The only mistake was the divergence of thoughts across different age groups.
"Uncle, Auntie, may I say a few words?"
When the atmosphere reached a stalemate, Liu Dongqiang, who had been quietly invisible, finally couldn't help himself.
Everyone's gaze fell on Liu Dongqiang's face.
Liu Dongqiang coughed and cleared his throat, "I have witnessed the whole situation just now. Besides not wanting Honglian to be far from you, I think another reason is that you cannot see the future or hope in the e-commerce business we are currently doing. It seems too ethereal!"
"Right!"
"We just feel that the online shopping platform you are researching now is not reliable at all!"
Shang Bingrong decisively answered, completely disregarding Liu Dongqiang.
Liu Dongqiang didn't seem to mind, as if he had long grown accustomed to such situations.
"Uncle and Auntie, regarding this point, I must say that I do not agree with your views."
"Online shopping is not an ethereal thing; it can actually be realized in reality!"
Liu Dongqiang patiently explained:
"Uncle and Auntie, think about it, what are the current shortcomings in our shopping environment? For example, when you need to buy something and it's not available in your city, you feel very inconvenienced. You have to find someone to buy it for you, which costs money and incurs a favor..."
"What we are doing now is to gather items from various cities in reality, and even foreign goods, on a virtual shopping platform online."
"As long as people go online, they can browse products from all over the world. If they like something, they can just place an order and buy it!"
"It's not only convenient, but you don't owe anyone favors..."
"If we can truly create such a perfect platform, it will definitely be a historic leap for humanity and will completely change our current way of life!"
By the end of his speech, Liu Dongqiang became extremely emotional, as if he had fully immersed himself in it.
Qin Chuan coughed, interrupting Liu Dongqiang's self-indulgence.
"Uncle Shang, actually, I am also very optimistic about the direction of research that Boss Liu is currently pursuing."
"To be honest, I am planning to invest in the e-commerce platform that Boss Liu and Honglian are developing together and participate in it."
"Initially, I don't plan to invest too much, probably around two million yuan."