C18 First Young Master

First young master?

The room fell into a stunned silence. Lin Hao was the first young master?

The hotel manager, who had been with Yu Zexin for many years, gaped in disbelief. Was this the same man who always exuded a cool, unflappable presence?

"I'm no longer the first young master, Mr. Yu. Just call me Hao," Lin Hao insisted, catching Yu Zexin's arm to prevent a formal bow and whispering into his ear.

Fate is a peculiar thing. Lin Hao had spotted Yu Zexin earlier but hesitated, unsure of how to approach him, and had turned away.

As a teenager, Lin Hao had saved Yu Zexin's life. Back then, Yu Zexin was a well-known gangster in the Northern Region, notorious enough to have enemies.

Yu Zexin, betrayed and left for dead, would have perished if not for Lin Hao, who was visiting an exhibition with his bodyguards. Without Lin Hao's intervention, there would be no Wanggaang Hotel today.

When Yu Zexin decided to venture into business without a penny to his name, it was Lin Hao who generously provided him with half a million yuan. Lin Hao had never imagined that, within six or seven years, Yu Zexin would achieve such remarkable success.

Now, as Yu Zexin gazed upon Lin Hao, his heart swelled with gratitude and reflection.

With that half a million, Yu Zexin had heeded Lin Hao's advice to leave the perilous Northern Region. He ventured to Wangjiang City alone, starting anew, and eventually established the grandest, most opulent Wanggang Hotel in the city.

Yu Zexin had long intended to reconnect with Lin Hao but feared his own lack of strength might cause trouble for Lin Hao and the Lin family. After finally resolving his old conflicts three years prior, he planned to seek out Lin Hao, only to discover that Lin Hao had been cast out of the Lin family.

Despite extensive searches across the Northern Region, Lin Hao's whereabouts remained a mystery. And yet, in a twist of fate, Lin Hao had also found his way to Wangjiang City.

He had an eye for detail that surpassed others. When Yu Zexin caught Lin Hao's glance, he instantly grasped his intent and quickly corrected himself, "My mistake, it's Hao."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The idea of Lin Hao being the first young master was far-fetched, after all.

But how did Lin Hao come to know Boss Yu from the Wanggaang Hotel? That was the question on everyone's mind.

"Mr. Yu, could you have a waiter check something for me? Add the two hundred thousand yuan share to my table's bill. What's the total? I'll be paying by card."

"You're paying for a meal in your own house?" Yu Zexin was about to comp Lin Hao's meal and was planning to inform the hotel manager that all of Lin Hao's future meals should be on the house. That's when he caught Lin Hao's wink.

Yu Zexin got the message right away and swiftly altered his approach, "Eating here, you definitely deserve a discount! Let's make it 50% off! Ah Gang, calculate Mr. Lin's bill and bring it to me."

The hotel manager nodded promptly, "Of course, just a moment."

Old Lady Meng and Meng Junjie couldn't hide their shock when they heard Yu Zexin was offering Lin Hao a 50% discount.

As Old Lady Meng looked at her unpaid bill, she approached with a smile, "Boss Yu, I had no idea you and our Lin Hao were friends. We're paying this bill together. How about a discount for us too?"

Yu Zexin gave Old Lady Meng a half-smile, "Didn't someone just mention Lin Hao has no ties to the Meng family? It's only right that the bills are settled separately."

Old Lady Meng's expression stiffened; she realized they wouldn't be getting the same discount.

Soon, Lin Hao's bill arrived. After the discount, it totaled approximately 1,030,000 yuan. Yu Zexin rounded it down by 30,000 yuan, asking Lin Hao to pay an even one million.

"Hehe, one million yuan. Lin Hao, you were all talk just now. I'm curious to see how you'll cover this one million today," Meng Junjie sneered, eyeing the bill. His annoyance was palpable; Yu Zexin had offered Lin Hao a 50% discount but refused to extend the same courtesy to him.

Meng Shuran and Soong Yan watched Lin Hao with concern from the sidelines. They were both eager to see him produce the million, yet they doubted it was even possible.

Lin Hao caught Meng Junjie's expectant look, as if he were ready to enjoy some drama, and let out a derisive chuckle. He pulled a bank card from his wallet and handed it to the hotel manager.

"Just a moment, please." The hotel manager promptly brought over the card reader, took the card, and began the transaction.

Nearby, Meng Junjie was settling his own bill. He sneered upon noticing Lin Hao's bank card. "A poor man without even a basic Huayuan card can only resort to empty boasts."

"Right, I wouldn't be surprised if the hotel manager comes back to say the card was declined."

"Lin Hao is truly embarrassing himself. Even if he's acquainted with Boss Yu, what good is that if he can't cover his bill? I bet Boss Yu won't spare him later." A young woman tried to flirt with Yu Zexin as she spoke, but Yu Zexin didn't spare her a single glance.

Yu Zexin, growing tired of the chatter, swept a cold look over the group. He thought Meng Junjie was as annoying as a crow, wishing he could just sew his mouth shut.

Feeling Yu Zexin's icy stare, Meng Junjie's face blanched. He swallowed hard and quickly fell silent, and the rest followed suit, not daring to utter another word.

Meng Shuran, unable to contain her anxiety, tugged Soong Yan closer to Lin Hao. They both fixed their eyes on the hotel manager, dreading the possibility of a declined transaction.

"Mr. Lin, the transaction for one million yuan is complete. Please take your card back," the hotel manager said with utmost respect, presenting the card back to Lin Hao with both hands. Lin Hao nodded, took his card, and slid it back into his wallet.

What? The transaction went through?

How could that be?

The crowd's view of Lin Hao shifted from ridicule to astonishment, envy, jealousy, and bewilderment.

Unable to contain her curiosity, Meng Shuran reached out and tugged at Lin Hao's sleeve. "Where did you get all that money?"

"You don't need to worry about that. Just enjoy the party," Lin Hao replied, looking down at her with a broad, toothy smile.

Meng Shuran bit her lip, refraining from asking any further questions.

Lin Hao paused, then added in a hushed tone, "By the way, I have some things to take care of later. You and mom should head back first. Don't wait up for me, and be careful on your way home."

Meng Shuran glanced at Yu Zexin, then back at Lin Hao, nodded, and left with Soong Yan.

Once the Meng family had settled the bill, they too departed one by one. Lin Hao, meanwhile, was escorted from the Wanggang Hotel by Yu Zexin, who took him by car to another location.

"First young master, have you spent the last three years in Wangjiang City?" Yu Zexin asked, driving the car while Lin Hao sat comfortably in the back seat.

Gazing out at the swiftly passing streets, Lin Hao nodded. "Yeah, roughly two and a half years. And you? Have you been in Wangjiang City all this time?"

Yu Zexin chuckled. "Indeed. You advised me back then that leaving the North would be better for my career. I considered several places, but ultimately a friend was in Wangjiang, so I came here. I've managed to live up to your expectations over the years and achieve some success."

"That's quite an accomplishment, Mr. Yu. I never imagined you'd own the Wanggang Hotel. Impressive! I was right to have faith in you. And remember, there's no need for 'first young master'—just call me Hao. It feels more personal," Lin Hao said with a smile, shaking his head at Yu Zexin's continued enthusiasm.

Yu Zexin kept his eyes on the road ahead. "Alright, I'll call you whatever you prefer."

"So, where are you taking me?" Lin Hao inquired, noting that they had been traveling for quite some time without reaching their destination.

"Do you remember Qiao Ying? A couple of years ago, I found out she was looking for you, and that's how we met. She's the one behind Yinghuo International Group. I mentioned running into you today, and she was thrilled. We thought it over and decided to prepare a little surprise for you." Yu Zexin said, flashing Lin Hao a secretive grin.

Lin Hao quirked an eyebrow. Qiao Ying? He hadn't expected her to make such significant strides.

He had met Qiao Ying after leaving his handbag at a drink shop where she worked. She had found it and, upon seeing that Lin Hao had driven off, chased after his car for three blocks on foot. It was only when Lin Hao realized he'd forgotten his bag and circled back that he saw her catching up.

At the time, Lin Hao learned of Qiao Ying's entrepreneurial ambitions and decided to invest five hundred thousand yuan in her venture as a partner. To his surprise, Qiao Ying proved to be quite the savvy businesswoman, and in just a few years, she had established Yinghuo International Group.

Upon reaching their destination, Lin Hao and Yu Zexin exited the car and entered the Greek-styled Wangjiang City headquarters of Yinghuo International Group.

As they entered the lobby, they were greeted by a stunning attendant with a beautiful face and a striking figure.

"Mr. Yu, the president is awaiting you on the third floor. Would you like me to accompany this gentleman to explore the first floor first?" the attendant asked in a gentle, soothing voice. However, Yu Zexin declined with a shake of his head.

"There's no need. Mr. Lin can look around by himself. Having someone accompany him might make him uncomfortable."

Lin Hao quickly agreed, "Right, no need to tag along. I'll have a look on my own. You all go ahead with your work."

"Feel free to explore, Hao," Yu Zexin said, gesturing towards the display shelves. "These items in the lobby are the latest releases. Take some back for your wife; I'm sure she'll appreciate them." He nodded towards the array of skincare and cosmetics products.