“Don't worry about this. There are hotels with a homey feel. I've stayed there before. I can recommend it to you. I know the boss there. Maybe we can even get a discount.”
“Discount?” The second aunt and second uncle exchanged a glance. They looked at each other with a pained expression, then gritted their teeth. “Fine then!”
“How many rooms do you want to book, second aunt and second uncle?” Huo Cheng seemed to be making a phone call. After chatting for a while, he asked this side.
“Two... No, one... Forget it. We'll contact your friend directly.”
Huo Cheng nodded with a faint smile and sent their phone numbers over. “Just contact them then.”
The reason why Huo Cheng helped them was simply that he was annoyed. If this family kept sticking to Sisi's family, he might be affected too.
The second uncle took a second look at Huo Cheng. He originally thought he was a poor guy, but unexpectedly, he was quite capable.
“Kid, what does your family do? Where do you live? How did you get to know my Sisi?”
Huo Cheng answered one by one, but he skipped as much as he could. He just said that he was an ordinary office worker.
“What's the point of earning a fixed salary? Money, just like people, needs to be in motion. Otherwise, it'll just go to waste.” The second uncle started preaching, and Huo Cheng listened patiently.
“In this society, the bold get rich while the timid starve. If you make the wrong choice, you'll just have to accept your fate in the end.”
The flesh on his face twitched, which reduced the credibility of this seemingly reasonable remark.
“What fate? In my opinion, it's just stupidity. They don't seize the opportunities themselves.” The youngest son also chimed in, looking like he was going to do great things in the future.
No one else said a word. Basically, it was just the second uncle and his son chatting away.
“Don't just chat nonsense during the meal. Can you talk money out of thin air?” When the food was served, Gu's mother interrupted them directly.
“You're wrong, auntie. Ninety percent of business deals are made at the dinner table. But since you don't do business, it's normal that you don't understand.”
Gu's mother rolled her eyes silently. What a strange family.
“Brother, I just happen to have an investment project. Are you interested?”
Sure enough, the topic finally shifted to this.
Gu's father didn't answer directly. “Have you forgotten when you went bankrupt before? Don't get carried away just because you've earned a little money. You might get trapped again.”
“Brother, I didn't understand back then. But now I know everything. I'm sure we can make money.” The second uncle still tried to persuade him.
“You know everything? Then why are you still mooching off my family?” Gu's father, who was usually gentle, also seemed a bit annoyed with his younger brother.
“Brother, I'm moving here this time to develop myself. I've come across a really good investment project. The other side is a listed company. It's a sure - fire deal. Really, brother, just listen to me.”
“What company?” Huo Cheng, who had been quiet all this time, thought it was strange. There was no such thing as a risk - free investment. It sounded too good to be true.
“Yeda Finance. You can check it online. There's detailed information. It's for real!” The second uncle had been waiting to say this. He finally found an opening and said it. Then he looked at Huo Cheng.
He was just a young guy. He probably hadn't been working for long. His dressing style didn't look like he was rich. This was the second uncle's initial impression of Huo Cheng.
But even a small mosquito has meat. With the idea of not letting any opportunity slip by, the second uncle started preaching again. In fact, he also wanted to say it to his elder brother.
“Kid, we'll be family in the future. It's fate. Uncle will show you a way to get rich. I guarantee you'll make a fortune and become a success!”
The second uncle's eyes lit up when he mentioned investment, as if all the money was already in his hands.
“Dad, what are you talking to him for? He doesn't understand investment!” The second uncle's son seemed to be disdainful.
“Just do a good deed once in a while.” The second uncle chuckled.
“Thank you, uncle.” Huo Cheng wasn't interested in this, but he still remembered the name silently. He'd find someone to check it out later.
After the three of them finished eating, they went out to find a hotel. Gu's parents seemed to have something to discuss, so they found an excuse to send Gu Sisi and Huo Cheng out.
This was an old residential area full of human touch. Many people greeted them while they were taking a walk. Huo Cheng responded patiently one by one.
“Sisi, who's this?”
“Hello, I'm Sisi's boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend! That's great. He's so handsome. Sisi has good taste!”
By the time they finished walking, almost everyone in the community knew that Gu Sisi had brought her boyfriend back to meet the parents.
Gu Sisi was fuming all the way. She stood behind Huo Cheng, grinding her teeth in anger. She wanted to grab him but didn't dare. When Huo Cheng looked back, he just saw her retracting her claw - like hands.
“What's wrong?”
“Nothing?” Gu Sisi looked away. “Wow, that puppy is so cute!”
Could your acting be any more fake?
But Huo Cheng liked the atmosphere here.
Gu Sisi had grown up here and didn't think much of it. She complained, “You're just used to fancy food. That's why you find simple food rare.”
“I don't like fancy food, and I'm not here for simple food either.” Huo Cheng turned around and stared at her. “I'm here for you. You're the only one I cherish.”
“...” I'm sorry. I shouldn't have teased you.
“Someone fainted.” There was a panicked shout at the community gate. They walked over and saw an old lady in her seventies lying on the ground. The people around hesitated.
After seeing so many social news stories, it was hard not to put themselves in the victim's shoes. No one dared to step forward.
“Whose old lady is this?”
People around were talking, but most of them shook their heads. Someone had already called 120.
Finally, Huo Cheng was sharp - eyed. He saw the patch on the old lady's pocket and stepped forward to help her up.
“Kid, aren't you afraid of being framed?”
“It's okay. He's rich.” Gu Sisi followed Huo Cheng's movement and squatted down beside him.
People around shook their heads. This wasn't the time for humor. If he was framed, he'd surely regret it.
The ambulance came. Huo Cheng personally sent the old lady to the hospital. Gu Sisi wanted to go with them, but he stopped her. “I'll call you if there's anything.”
“Let's go to the hospital later to check on the situation.” Gu's mother was a bit worried when she heard about it.
“Okay.” The mother - daughter duo discussed all the way about what kind of fruits would be suitable to buy.
Gu Sisi's mind was elsewhere. She had a completely new view of Huo Cheng.
She didn't even realize that her opinion of Huo Cheng had changed strangely because of what had just happened.
When they got to the ward, Gu Sisi was stunned. The old lady was holding Huo Cheng's hand, tears streaming down her face. “Thank you. I'm so lucky to have met a good person today.”
Huo Cheng not only sent her to the hospital but also paid the hospitalization fee voluntarily.
“Let me write you an IOU. I'll definitely pay you back in the future.”
The old lady's hands were covered with dark spots and veins, with some calluses and cracks. Obviously, she had a hard life.
Gu Sisi felt a bit sad. “Grandma, you should rest well. Consider this money our little kindness.”
After the old lady regained consciousness, she insisted on being hospitalized. After asking, Huo Cheng found out that the old lady had a seriously ill grandson at home. They had spent a lot of money, and now she lived by picking up waste on the street.
The grandson had said several times that he didn't want to be treated anymore, but the old lady couldn't bear to see her grandson die.
“I can help your grandson get treated, but I have a condition.”
Hearing this, the old lady was so excited that tears welled up in her eyes. “Kid, if you can save my grandson, I'll agree to any condition.”
“There's a security guard position vacant at our company's entrance. Ask your grandson to report there after he recovers. The medical expenses will be deducted from his salary.”