The index finger Zheng Zhi held up represented far more than ten million.
If he'd said his average monthly revenue was ten million, the other two might have believed him. But if he was talking about annual revenue, even including the Double 11 sales event, there was no way in hell they'd believe that.
That finger had to represent at least a hundred million!
Zheng Zhi had stores on all the major e-commerce platforms—no fewer than thirty in total. His annual revenue had broken fifty million two years ago. Otherwise, how could he be considered financially free?
"Sister Ting, go make the arrangements. The standard is one hundred thousand per person."
Zheng Zhi ignored the disapproving looks from Gao Yuan and Qin Yichuan and gave his order to Meiting, who was standing beside him.
When Meiting heard Zheng Zhi mention the "one hundred thousand per person" standard, she too was stunned speechless.
Gao Yuan and his friends were regulars here, so she knew this President Zheng. He drove a Porsche Panamera and always seemed so refined and gentle.
She never thought he would...
"Just do as President Zheng says and make the arrangements."
Gao Yuan waved a hand at Meiting. He knew Zheng Zhi wanted to send her away so they could talk.
Sure enough, as soon as Meiting had left the private room, Zheng Zhi spoke again.
"Total revenue this year was 1.2 of those 'small goals'."
"But I'm not just crying poor. Business has been genuinely tough this year. The advertising spend shot up like my blood pressure, and when I calculated the profit, it was actually less than last year's."
"On top of that, a few of my store managers are showing signs of wanting to go independent."
"E-commerce is such a rat race!"
After hearing Zheng Zhi's complaints, before Gao Yuan could even say anything, Qin Yichuan unexpectedly started complaining too.
"Yuanzi, Xiaozhi is telling the truth. It should be about the same in your wig industry, right?"
"It's really making me anxious!"
Gao Yuan looked at the two of them with utter contempt. 'Dude, what the hell do you have to be anxious about!' he wanted to shout.
Qin Yichuan continued, "It's the same for me in the used car business. When the platforms had good free traffic, people wouldn't accept cars that had been in accidents. Now they'll accept them, but the platforms have started charging for traffic."
"Business is tough!"
"Alright, you two capitalists can stop crying poor in front of an unemployed guy like me."
Gao Yuan knew, of course, that the market was sluggish this year and every industry was struggling. He threw his arms around his two brothers' shoulders and offered a word of comfort.
'It's true what they say,' he thought. 'The best way to make people happy is to show them someone who has it worse.'
When they learned that Gao Yuan had been fired, the topic of conversation immediately shifted to him.
"Even someone like you got fired? What kind of stunt is your company pulling?"
"Come work for me!"
These were the responses from Qin Yichuan and Zheng Zhi, a clash of mentalities between the second-generation rich and the first-generation entrepreneur.
Qin Yichuan's first instinct was to cry foul on his behalf, while Zheng Zhi's first thought was to poach Gao Yuan for his own company.
"You son of a bitch, if Yuanzi's going anywhere, he's coming to my place. You've already hit your 'small goals,' and you're still trying to compete with me!"
Gao Yuan knew his two friends were just messing around.
They had known each other since they were kids and wouldn't get angry over a few words.
Still, Gao Yuan made his position clear. "I want to take a good long rest, change my mindset. Don't you guys worry about me."
In truth, Gao Yuan was taking his dismissal quite calmly.
Some people graduate and spend years looking for a job. Some become a CEO at 25 but are dead by 28. Others don't become a CEO until they're 50, but live to be 90.
Some people are single, while others are divorced. Everyone has their own time zone.
It might seem like some people around you are ahead, and some are behind. But really, everyone is running their own race in their own time zone. Life is about waiting for the right moment to act. So relax. Don't be anxious.
He believed that in his own time zone, everything was right on schedule.
The three of them were chatting, not realizing that Meiting, who had just pushed the door open, had overheard that Gao Yuan was fired.
As Meiting entered, a line of hot-bodied girls—so "poor" they could barely afford clothes—filed in after her.
"Alright, boys. Set aside your troubles and make some room for the young ladies."
The three men were sitting in the middle of the booth's sofa. Meiting began to make introductions.
"These three girls over here are new. The other girls' performances are all very professional."
As soon as she said this, the three men immediately understood.
The first three girls she introduced were probably here for the first time. They might even be virgins.
The girls after them were more uninhibited. Being lively and hyping up the atmosphere was their specialty.
These were the "actresses" Meiting had specially selected for the three of them. Her introductions were more direct than they would be in other rooms, where she'd just offer a few pleasantries and let the customers choose blindly.
The three men exchanged a glance and had the three girls Meiting recommended stay. Then, they each chose one more from the remaining girls.
There was a technique to choosing "actresses" too. Since they were all uninhibited, you should pick the ones with exquisite makeup who looked like they were in a good mood. That way, it would be more enjoyable.
After the unchosen girls left the room, Gao Yuan called out to Meiting, who was about to prepare the drinks. "Bring in another batch."
Meiting nodded and left.
The reason Gao Yuan had her bring in another batch was because of the tone Zheng Zhi had set at the beginning.
They'd been brothers for years and knew each other well. Tonight's tab was going to be 300,000.
It was also a way to help Meiting boost her sales figures.
Before long, Meiting returned with another group of girls. Since the three guys came often, Meiting knew their tastes, and the girls she brought had already been pre-screened by her.
So, after the three men each chose one more girl to stay, the selection of "actresses" was over.
In total, there were now three men and nine women in the room. Now the party could really get started.
For drinks, Meiting chose three bottles of Louis XIII and paired them with some other beverages, which would be enough for everyone.
Once everything was arranged, Meiting whispered in Gao Yuan's ear, "There's still fifty or sixty thousand left in the budget. It'll be just enough for when Young Master Qin and President Zheng want to take someone with them when they leave."
Gao Yuan couldn't help but look at Meiting.
'Your arrangements are quite suitable,' he thought. 'You've taken good care of my two brothers. But aren't you forgetting something?'
Meiting saw the look in Gao Yuan's eyes and knew exactly what he meant. She leaned in close, her lips by his ear. "I'll take you home later."
"We told you not to go easy on her, but you didn't listen. Now look at you, all tied down!"
Qin Yichuan and Zheng Zhi naturally saw the interaction between Meiting and Gao Yuan. How could they possibly pass up such a perfect opportunity to mock him?
Gao Yuan just smiled.
'To each their own, I guess.'
With the arrival of the drinks, the night's fun officially began.
A DJ remix of "Phut Hon" started playing. The lights in the spacious private room immediately dimmed, and streams of ethereal blue and purple light swirled in the darkness.
Amidst the music, several of the girls stood up and disappeared into the shadows of the room.
The three men clinked their glasses. As the music reached its climax, Gao Yuan suddenly felt a small, warm hand on his body, moving down his shirt, then further down...
He didn't know when, but the three girls who had been beside him just a moment ago had returned, coiling around him like three beautiful snakes.
Gao Yuan couldn't help but let out a low, muffled groan...
Five minutes later, the music gradually faded, and the room was plunged into complete darkness.
Another ten minutes passed. The ethereal blue light reappeared, slowly brightening as the music returned to a normal volume.
By the time the lights were back to their normal brightness, the three girls were sitting beside Gao Yuan, already pouring drinks and preparing fruit.
It was as if everything that had just happened was a dream.
Gao Yuan didn't even know which girl had been the one "eating the lollipop"...
Next up was the game segment.
The three men started by shaking dice, chatting, and drinking. Naturally, they wouldn't ask any mood-killing questions, so they went straight to "Crazy Dares."
At this point, the girls started drinking, and the atmosphere slowly heated up.
Next, of course, came games like High Mountain and Flowing Water, "face wash," "hot spring bathing"...