The Wealthy Tycoon's Game of Life-Chapter 1252 - 478: The Vertical City of Capital and Desire (Part 2)
The Magic City’s most expensive office building is also considered the ultimate workplace for any worker. Setting foot in it feels like truly establishing oneself in the Magic City.
For a top student like Jiang Qingkui, she might describe the twin towers of the International Gold Center as:
"The Cold Light Temple of Lujiazui, a vertical city of capital and desire."
All in all, Zhou Wang set the dinner’s location here, and seeing the floors, it wasn’t the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which genuinely surprised Jiang Qingkui.
However, perhaps it wasn’t quite unsuitable.
After all, the business nature of a charity dinner is significant. Hosting it in a top-tier office building in Magic City retains a sense of prestige and grandeur.
With the interruption of Xu Wenqian’s call, Jiang Qingkui dismissed some of her nostalgic emotions and looked around before heading toward the pier.
...
Spending two yuan to take the ferry across to the other side of the Huangpu River, Jiang Qingkui then walked a bit before arriving near the International Gold Center.
The setting sun pierced through the clouds at this moment, bathing everything in golden radiance. The twin towers of the International Gold Center and the IFC mall below glowed brilliantly. The golden exterior walls of LV stood out distinctly, as if reflecting a unique urban extravagant desire.
Jiang Qingkui was slightly dazed because, for her, the International Gold Center was in a certain sense a revisit.
After graduating from Harvard, her first stop upon returning to the country was the Magic City.
The reason was naturally because Magic City is undoubtedly Huaxia’s economic and financial center. At that time, Jiang Qingkui eagerly wanted to forge her own career, choosing to come here first, hoping to start her entrepreneurial journey in the Magic City.
The International Gold Center was her first stop after arriving in the Magic City...
Here, not only are famous international financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase and UBS found, many powerful domestic capital interests also gather. Jiang Qingkui knew she couldn’t avoid this place to make her first riches.
Jiang Qingkui was extremely confident back then, as her resume was exceptionally impressive. Initially, everything proceeded exactly as she expected. When she submitted her resume, almost every company stationed here displayed interest, and those responsible for reception were at least department manager level...
However, upon learning that Jiang Qingkui’s true intention wasn’t job-seeking but financing, all these companies’ attitudes underwent subtle changes.
In essence, it was similar across the board —
If it’s employment, she’s welcome anytime. Jiang Qingkui could name her salary, and they could even provide accommodation and a car. But for financing... emmm, they would think about it.
Jiang Qingkui stayed in Magic City for over ten days and received no response. Realizing that everything was just her wishful thinking, she headed to Beidou, only to face hurdles there too, eventually returning to Yunan Province until she met Zhou Wang.
Standing once more beneath the National Gold Building, Jiang Qingkui felt a bit emotional.
Can she be considered stronger compared to back then?
It’s hard to deny she’s become successful, wearing a Patek Philippe watch worth two hundred thousand, donning designer clothes in the tens of thousands, sporting a ruby ring worth six million, driving a car worth over a million, having an assistant and a driver, and managing projects worth billions...
Isn’t this success?
Though it differs from her initial expectations, at that moment, Jiang Qingkui felt grateful to Zhou Wang, and it lessened her anger toward him.
Checking the time, it was not yet five. Although she didn’t know why Zhou Wang insisted on her arriving at six, Jiang Qingkui didn’t defy his order. She wandered below, finding a café to sit at when she grew tired.
Curiously, midway, Jiang Qingkui bought a nicotine-free e-cigarette.
She didn’t intend to take up smoking but thought she would try it for fun to pass the time.
"Hey, Qingkui?"
While Jiang Qingkui was drinking coffee and exploring why the e-cigarette had a grape flavor, a slightly surprised female voice sounded nearby.
Startled, Jiang Qingkui raised her head to see four or five young men and women chatting at the café entrance, holding coffee, dressed in designer business attire, carrying branded bags. Just by standing there, complementing the surrounding skyscrapers, their urban elite aura shone vividly.
Responding to their companion’s call, three male youths quickly set their eyes on Jiang Qingkui, equally revealing admiration.
One man had actually noticed Jiang Qingkui earlier, for even amidst the abundance of beauties in the Magic City, Jiang Qingkui’s appearance and demeanor stood out. It was only because she had kept her head down, otherwise she would have drawn even more attention.
"Du Mengqi?"
Recognizing the woman who called her, Jiang Qingkui subtly furrowed her brow but quickly relaxed it, smiling as she stood up, "What a coincidence!"
"Yes, it’s such a coincidence that we meet again in Magic City, so coincidental..."
The girl named Du Mengqi walked over with a cheerful smile to shake hands with Jiang Qingkui while discreetly appraising Jiang Qingkui with a fleeting mix of confusion and envy in her gaze.
"Mengqi, who’s this stunning beauty... won’t you introduce us?"
While they exchanged pleasantries, the male youth who had earlier noticed Jiang Qingkui spoke with a smile.
His lead prompted the others to come over too, as Du Mengqi quickly smiled and said, "Let me introduce you, this is Jiang Qingkui, my fellow schoolmate from studying in the Beautiful Country... She’s incredible; a genuine Yunan Province top exam scorer!"
"That’s remarkable! I didn’t even make the top hundred in my province. A top scorer is leagues ahead of my achievement!"
"Hey, Zihao, you’re just being modest. You took the exam in Lu Province—it’s different..."
Upon hearing Du Mengqi’s introductions, the group laughed and complimented her, yet their focus was still more on Jiang Qingkui’s beauty.
After all, having decent jobs in the heart of the Magic City, they were all top students back then. A top exam scorer wasn’t such a daunting presence to them.
Jiang Qingkui felt helpless.
Not liking such scenarios, nor finding amusement in chitchat with these self-righteous people, she couldn’t just turn around and leave, given that during her last visit, Du Mengqi had superficially helped her.
After introductions, the group casually pulled chairs to sit down. Du Mengqi then asked:
"Qingkui, what brings you to Magic City this time? Is it still about financing? Do you need my help?"
"Financing?"
Before Jiang Qingkui could speak, a youth named Liu Heng’s eyes lit up, speaking somewhat reservedly, "If Miss Jiang wants financing, I could probably offer some professional advice."
"Oh right, Qingkui, forgot to tell you, Brother Heng works at UBS too and is already Deputy Manager of the Domestic Investment Department!"
Du Mengqi laughed immediately.
However, Du Mengqi was somewhat disappointed that Jiang Qingkui didn’t display the anticipated expression, only raising her eyebrows plainly:
"That’s quite impressive indeed."
Upon sensing Jiang Qingkui’s casual tone, the slightly uncomfortable Liu Heng smiled dryly and asked:
"What does Miss Jiang do for work?"
