When Gu Jiaojiao heard the name Zhou Zhenhui, she took another careful look at his face.

He was still very young, but she could vaguely imagine what he would look like in his old age.

The image overlapped with the world’s richest man she had seen on TV in her past life. ’It can’t really be him, can it?’

’That’s the richest man in the world! To think I’m actually lucky enough to be eating at the same table as him—what an honor!’

Gu Jiaojiao’s eyes were filled with adoration as she looked at Zhou Zhenhui. She enthusiastically extended both her hands, wanting to shake hands with the future tycoon.

Zhou Zhenhui noticed Gu Jiaojiao’s unusual enthusiasm for him and couldn’t quite understand what the young woman was thinking.

But he didn’t dislike her. It wasn’t because of her ethereal beauty, her picturesque features, or her dazzling charm, but because of her clear, bright eyes.

He politely nodded and extended his hand. "The big boss of Yuetai Restaurant, I presume? A pleasure to meet you."

Zhou Zhenhui knew some of the Imperial City’s elite were very keen on him, but he hadn’t expected the general populace to be so enthusiastic as well.

He had been in the Imperial City for several days but still hadn’t decided on an investment project.

"Please don’t tease me, Boss Zhou. Calling me ’big boss’ is too awkward," Gu Jiaojiao said with a grin. "My name is Gu Jiaojiao."

’Having the future richest man in the world call me ’big boss’... I can’t help but feel a little undeserving!’

"In that case, I’ll call you Jiaojiao. This must be your older brother. And this is?" Zhou Zhenhui asked, gesturing toward Second Brother Gu and Li Xiulan.

"He’s my second brother, and this is my sister-in-law. Please, have a seat."

"Alright, please, both of you sit down. Don’t be so formal," Zhou Zhenhui said amiably to Second Brother Gu and Li Xiulan.

Zhou Zhenhui’s two assistants watched in disbelief. It was one thing for their boss to personally introduce himself to the girl across from them.

But for him to be so polite to her brother and sister-in-law... The two assistants were so shocked their jaws nearly hit the floor.

Their boss had never shown any particular liking for women. Whether they were young girls or mature women, he never let any of them get within three feet of him.

He often told them that women were a troublesome bunch and instructed them not to let any get close to him.

What they hadn’t expected was that today, not only did their boss personally introduce himself to the young woman, but he even extended his hand to shake hers.

The young woman looked to be seventeen or eighteen. Her skin was fair, her features delicate and beautiful. When she smiled, dimples appeared on her cheeks, making her even more charming.

Despite her youth, she wasn’t the least bit timid and actually reached out to shake their boss’s hand.

’Does this mean their boss is finally interested in a young woman?’

After all, their boss never initiated contact with any woman, let alone did business with one.

’They’d always thought their boss simply wasn’t interested in women!’

Zhou Zhenhui paid no mind to the shock of those around him. He took the menu from the waiter and said, "Jiaojiao, why don’t you order?"

Gu Jiaojiao didn’t stand on ceremony. "You should all take a look at the menu too and add anything you like. I’ll just order the signature beef hot pot. And feel free to add more; don’t worry about waste. I eat a lot."

Zhou Zhenhui was amused. "We eat a lot, too. These two especially can eat half a cow between them. Nothing will go to waste."

He tossed the menu to one of his assistants. "Order whatever you like. Don’t be shy on Jiaojiao’s account."

After ordering the beef hot pot, Gu Jiaojiao started chatting with Zhou Zhenhui.

As they talked, they discovered they had a great deal in common.

Zhou Zhenhui came from a prominent family in Hong Kong City and had studied abroad, so his perspective was naturally broad.

What surprised him was that this young woman wasn’t just beautiful and vivacious, but she was also incredibly knowledgeable.

She even seemed to know more than he did. From astronomy and geography to current events, she could discuss anything with confidence and clarity.

It wasn’t just Zhou Zhenhui who was surprised; even his two assistants found themselves captivated by Gu Jiaojiao.

They were listening so intently that they forgot to order, and in the end, it was Second Brother Gu who added a few of the restaurant’s specialty dishes.

They were quite happy to see their boss getting along so well with the young woman.

Their boss was usually cold and aloof with everyone. It was rare for him to meet someone he clicked with, so of course, they were happy for him.

Their boss was already twenty-seven and still unmarried. If this young woman could marry into the Zhou family, their old master would probably jump for joy.

But the old master had been sick and bedridden for several years, and his condition had recently worsened.

Zhou Zhenhui also greatly admired Gu Jiaojiao’s personality. The two of them hit it off immediately.

They continued chatting about trivial matters as they ate. After the meal, Gu Jiaojiao smiled and asked, "Mr. Zhou, what kind of project are you looking to invest in here in the Imperial City?"

"I haven’t settled on anything yet. I’m personally quite interested in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, but the raw herbs themselves are low-cost and don’t require major investment."

"So you want to invest in pharmaceuticals, Mr. Zhou. Why not choose Western medicine? It works much faster," Gu Jiaojiao probed.

"Western medicine is indeed fast-acting, but you can build up a tolerance if you take it too long, and then it stops working," Zhou Zhenhui lamented, his tone turning somber.

His grandfather suffered from a severe stomach ailment. He used to take a certain stomach medication that was quite effective, but eventually, it stopped working altogether.

He assumed Gu Jiaojiao wouldn’t understand such things, so he didn’t elaborate.

Hearing the implication in Zhou Zhenhui’s words, Gu Jiaojiao perked up. She had been trying to steer the conversation away from medicine all evening.

She didn’t want to sound like a broken record, boring everyone by only talking about her field.

But who would have thought he actually wanted to invest in pharmaceuticals? ’In that case, don’t mind if I do! Heh heh.’

"Boss Zhou, is there someone in your family suffering from a chronic illness? Like a stomach condition, or a heart problem?"

"My grandfather has had stomach problems for many years. The medicine used to work, but maybe the side effects from taking it for so long have taken their toll. For the past two years, he’s been mostly bedridden."

"Is it stomach pain or bloating? When it comes to nurturing the stomach, traditional Chinese medicine is often better. It’s much gentler on an elderly person’s system.

For some conditions, however, I’d suggest an integrated approach. The results can be quite different. Western medicine is excellent for treating acute illnesses and providing immediate relief.

Chinese herbal medicine can also treat them, but it works more slowly. On the other hand, for some complex and chronic diseases, Western medicine is often ineffective."

"You understand pharmacology as well?"

"I’m not just a medical student at Imperial University; I’m also an expert in traditional Chinese medicine. Professor Frank himself has asked to be my student!"

Gu Jiaojiao said proudly. ’When you’re talking to the future richest man in the world,’ she thought, ’there’s no point in being too modest.’ 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Professor Frank is your student? Then you must be able to write a prescription for treating stomach pain, right?"

"Of course I can, but the medicinal herbs available in Hong Kong City might not be as high quality as the ones from my hometown. Has it ever occurred to you, Boss Zhou, to invest in cultivating them?"

Gu Jiaojiao thought about Su Shuochi, who was currently organizing the villagers back home to grow medicinal herbs. It wouldn’t hurt to bring in an investor.

"That’s precisely why I came here—to invest in herb cultivation. Besides cultivation, what other investment opportunities are there in traditional Chinese medicine?"

"The herbs can also be processed into proprietary Chinese medicines, like being formed into medicine pills. All of those are options."