Chapter 045: A Charitable Act

This story is purely fictional.

In the spacious lobby of Duhau Company’s office building, a handful of customers lingered, inquiring about loan-related services. Their expressions were somewhat dazed, when suddenly, a customer who did not meet the loan requirements burst out, “Your conditions are far too harsh! I’m a dignified civil servant, and even borrowing thirty or fifty thousand is this damn hard?” The customer seemed a little agitated.

Gao Yating had just entered the lobby and, hearing the commotion, hurried over to see what was happening. “Are you facing some difficulty?” she inquired gently.

The customer looked up to see a beautiful young woman, her demeanor both delicate and distinguished. He quickly replied, “Yes, I’m a civil servant. I’ve run into some financial trouble and wanted a small loan from your company to tide me over, but they’ve got all sorts of reasons, saying I’m not qualified. I really don’t get it.”

“How much do you need? Bring your ID and come upstairs with me,” Gao Yating said.

“Just thirty or fifty thousand,” the customer replied, gazing at the elegant woman before him.

“Come with me then,” Gao Yating told him.

Sensing that the issue might finally be resolved, the customer followed her, casting a scornful glance at the manager who had been explaining things to him and letting out a loud “hmph.”

He followed Gao Yating upstairs to Lü Jiahui’s office. Lü Jiahui was reclining with his legs crossed, lazily smoking in the office. Upon seeing Gao Yating, he immediately sprang to his feet.

“What wind blows General Manager Gao to our humble office? Welcome, welcome! It’s an honor to have you here,” Lü Jiahui said, bowing obsequiously. Noticing the unfamiliar young man behind her, he asked, “And this is...?” spreading his hands toward the customer.

“This gentleman is a customer looking to take a loan,” Gao Yating replied, taking the customer’s ID and scanning it on the card reader atop Lü Jiahui’s desk to check his personal details and workplace, then returning the ID. “Approve the loan for him,” she instructed Lü Jiahui.

Lü Jiahui processed the application on his computer and looked at the customer. “How much do you need?”

“Thirty or fifty thousand.”

“Thirty or fifty? Which is it?” Lü Jiahui was a bit impatient.

The customer finally understood—maybe he could actually get fifty thousand. He plucked up his courage. “Fifty thousand,” he said.

Lü Jiahui scribbled his approval for the fifty thousand on the application. “Go next door to complete the paperwork, and the funds will be released. We’ll deduct the interest for this term at ten percent, so you’ll receive forty-five thousand in principal. Every month on this date, you must pay the interest on time. When you’re able to return the principal, you can settle it all at once. Understand?”

The customer nodded repeatedly. “I understand, I understand.”

After the customer left, Gao Yating’s face darkened with dissatisfaction. “If I hadn’t run into that customer just now, we’d have lost another source of business. No wonder your operations have stagnated, and revenue keeps falling—you’re driving customers away! Our funds are piling up like mountains for you to expand the business, but instead, your income is like a blind man celebrating the New Year—worse each year. Didn’t you notice who that customer was? The ID reader we obtained internally is connected to the police system—it cost us a fortune, and it’s meant to be put to use! You have to combine principle with pragmatism, uniting discipline with flexibility. Only then can our enterprise thrive. From now on, remember the ‘two absolutes’ I’ve told you: First, any civil servant who asks for a loan gets it; second, any official in need gets it. These people have status, stable income—their loans are secure. With such clients, there’s no need to worry about bad debts or defaults. Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes, we’ll definitely follow your ‘two absolutes’ and work hard to grant and recover our funds. You can rest assured.”

“Good. Some clients are referrals, some we’ve observed for a long time, and some come from secret information gathered by MC’s contacts in the ‘birdcage.’ They are big clients—under no circumstances can you be careless. Especially with the World Cup about to begin, there will be more customers with needs in that area. This is our golden opportunity to make a fortune—don’t let it slip away. We must seize this moment and rake in profits without hesitation.”

“I heard about the safe incident—the last time, we almost had a disaster. Fortunately, the police tipped us off in time and we escaped by the skin of our teeth. That event taught us a hard lesson—never forget it. Although our insider cleaned up the hotel’s surveillance footage, I heard Officer Wu Zhengzhe combed through the cameras at the hotel entrance. Luckily you stayed hidden in your room and didn’t come out—it was dangerously close. If you’d slipped, it would have been hard to fix things.” Gao Yating lectured Lü Jiahui sternly.

“In a few days, a city leader in charge of economic affairs will come to inspect our work. But let’s be honest—it’s really about collecting donations for his son. The old man’s been running all over the place lately—he deserves some help. Prepare yourself—when you opened, Mayor Bian attended, and I heard he wasn’t pleased. This time, don’t make the same mistake. Offending Mayor Bian is dangerous. The police chief has already warned me—he’ll be our protector if we run into trouble. So when he visits Duhau, make sure he leaves satisfied. His son’s got liver cancer and urgently needs money. Leng Junfeng and I have already arranged it—get at least two million in cash ready. Remember, cash only. The old man only wants cash—give it to him when he comes, so his son can go to America for treatment. Also, I hear he has a fondness for young girls, and only virgins. When he visits, notify us in advance so I can have the manager at Supreme Hotel make preparations. Mayor Bian must be pleased.” Gao Yating listed out the necessary preparations.

“Should we keep any evidence?” Lü Jiahui asked for her opinion.

“No need for evidence—just keep records, noting the purpose of the funds. Of course, the records shouldn’t be in the official ledgers—keep them in a secret account. As for evidence, we’ll handle that. We’ll keep the old man firmly in our grasp. We already have financial evidence from before; for the next time, we’ll get something trendier—videos from the bed will keep the old man thoroughly on our side.”

Lü Jiahui nodded over and over, fawning, “General Manager Gao, you’re truly brilliant—brilliant beyond compare!” A lewd grin spread across his face.

“There’s one more thing today. Prepare fifty thousand in cash and come with me to Hexi. The Hexi Vocational School and a few elderly villagers have long been our charity recipients—many years now. Recently, we’ve been busy with the betting business and haven’t made time for them. If we don’t find time soon, we’ll lose this year’s opportunity. Are you free?”

“Yes, yes, I have plenty of time. It’s an honor to do charity with you, General Manager Gao.” Lü Jiahui was practically giddy.

He counted the money, packed it into a leather bag, and said, “General Manager Gao, everything’s ready. Shall we go?”

“I have my own car—I’ll drive myself. Get one of your men to drive you, and just follow me.” Lü Jiahui was a bit disappointed to hear Gao Yating would drive herself. He’d hoped to ride with the beautiful woman, and had always heard she exuded a special feminine fragrance. Now, up close, he found the rumors true—her scent was enough to make a man want to tumble into bed. But perhaps because the time was too brief, he hadn’t had his fill, and his wish to linger near her was dashed.

Their cars left the bustling city, and by the time they reached Hexi, it was already midday. They first arrived at Hexi Vocational School, where several reporters waited at the gate.

Before their cars came to a full stop, the reporters surged forward, flash bulbs bursting everywhere.

“General Manager Gao, we’ve been following your work for a long time. The Hope Project at the vocational school has always been a flagship for our city’s charitable efforts, and you’ve been devoted to philanthropy. Can you share your feelings and future plans for your charitable work?”

“Charity has always been a cherished value in our country, and is one of the most effective ways to care for youth. Children are the flowers of the nation, and indeed its future. To nurture their growth is to nurture our country’s future. When you have the means, doing something to support these children purifies your soul, and the sense of achievement grows as your heart is cleansed. I grew up poor, unable to go to school, so I understand the pain of struggling families. Hexi Hope Village has been a focus of mine since I arrived in Dahe. Over the years, we’ve helped support them—some children have been admitted to top universities, some have graduated and joined Fortune 500 companies, becoming key personnel, others work in government. Watching them grow and progress fills us with joy, and convinces us our charitable work is worthwhile. So we’ll continue, as always, to make the Hope Project even better.” Gao Yating spoke passionately about the school’s charity work.

After the interview, accompanied by school leaders, they donated funds and posed for photos beneath the flashing cameras.

Their charitable work at the school complete, they headed to nearby Hope Village to visit two elderly villagers living alone at the edge of the village. The old men, frail in body but sharp of mind, clung to the soft, fair hands of the elegant woman, tears streaming down their faces, unable to let go.

Beside them, Jiahui spoke loudly to remind the old men to be careful walking at night. The elderly, nearly deaf, cupped their hands to their ears, trying to catch his words. Seeing this, Gao Yating leaned in and softly said, “Be careful not to fall.” Though her voice was low, the old man nodded repeatedly, “Yes, yes, thank you.”

After visiting the elderly, they took their leave and returned to their respective workplaces.

(To be continued)