NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22:
Chapter 22: The Richest Woman, Han Mei:
The Qingling Center Building stood tall as the most luxurious and iconic office building in Qingling, soaring 505 meters into the sky.
This massive structure housed over 50 prominent companies, both domestic and international. Among them, Fenghua Group stood out, occupying a staggering 20 floors—a clear testament to the dominance and arrogance of its owner, Han Mei, the richest woman in Qingling.
On the building’s top floor, the Fenghua Group headquarters was nestled in pristine luxury.
It was the afternoon break when the tranquility of the president’s office was interrupted. Strange sounds echoed faintly from the lounge inside when the office door was abruptly pushed open.
A young man in his twenties stepped inside, cautiously knocking on the lounge door.
“Mom, I need to talk to you about something important,” he called out.
“Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me during my lunch break? Are you deaf?!” came an irritated and icy voice from behind the door.
The young man flinched, clearly aware of his mother’s hatred for interruptions during her rest. He hesitated but persisted. “Mom, please don’t be angry. It’s urgent.”
Minutes later, the lounge door opened, and out walked a stunning woman.
Despite being close to forty, Han Mei looked like she was in her mid-twenties. Years of meticulous maintenance, costing her at least 8 million annually, had kept her youth intact—a trivial expense for someone of her immense wealth.
Han Mei seated herself in a plush office chair, her expression gloomy as she stared at the young man—her son, Han Jie.
Han Jie’s father, who had married into the family, had passed away young, leaving him to take his mother’s surname.
“Mom, are you attending the charity summit tonight?” Han Jie asked nervously, standing straight as if awaiting orders.
“If you have something to say, say it,” Han Mei replied coldly.
Han Jie swallowed and said carefully, “This charity summit was organized by Wang Zhenxing. His company’s performance isn’t great right now. We can take this opportunity to squeeze him, force him to donate more to charity, and push his company’s finances to the brink. It’ll collapse eventually!”
Han Mei stared at her son and replied flatly, “Do you have any idea how much Fenghua Group has spent suppressing Zhenxing Group over the past year?”
Han Jie scratched his head awkwardly. “How would I know?”
“Suppressing the Zhenxing Group has cost us over 100 million yuan. This fight has been a case of harming the enemy while also hurting ourselves,” Han Mei said calmly.
“I just can’t stand it! I let Qin Yi escape back then, and now I have to vent my anger on his mother, Xu Yourou. But Wang Zhenxing keeps shielding her!” Han Jie said bitterly.
Han Mei watched her son ranting and sighed softly. “You should be thankful that you’re my only child.”
“Mom, does this mean you agree? Thank you, Mom! I’ll leave you to rest now!” Han Jie’s face lit up with joy as he rushed out of the office.
Once he was gone, Han Mei let out another quiet sigh. If she had another child, she would never indulge Han Jie like this. But fate had left her no choice.
Her husband had died unexpectedly just a day after their wedding, and having Han Jie was nothing short of a miracle. Since then, Han Mei had remained single. The recent arrival of her thirty-ninth birthday had left her in an introspective mood.
She recalled the fortune-teller from her youth who had predicted her life. The fortune-teller told her she would experience great wealth and prosperity between the ages of twenty and thirty-nine. Han Mei’s life had unfolded exactly as foretold—her business had flourished, and she became the richest woman in Qingling by the time she turned thirty. However, her husband’s premature death had also confirmed the fortune-teller’s words of “Kefu,” a fate of bringing misfortune to her spouse.
Now, after turning thirty-nine, her fortune was supposed to decline. Han Mei couldn’t help but wonder if Fenghua Group could continue to thrive without the great luck she once possessed.
Still, Han Mei dismissed the thought. She had not relied solely on luck to build her empire; her strong management skills had been just as important. Even if her fortune waned, she was confident she could maintain Fenghua Group’s success.
After collecting her thoughts, Han Mei returned to the lounge, washing her hands and preparing to relax once more. Her husband’s death had left her unwilling to remarry, but she still found ways to adjust her life as needed.
However, just as she was about to settle back in, her thoughts drifted elsewhere. Could she consider finding another partner?
The idea lingered briefly, and a faint expectation flickered on her cold, proud face. But it was quickly snuffed out. Han Mei was a proud woman with her own sense of cleanliness. She would never settle for just anyone, no matter her needs. Unless a man could truly move her heart, she would remain alone.
Over the years, she had met countless elites in the business world, yet none of them had stirred her emotions. Her marriage had been a mere business arrangement, devoid of love or passion.
…
Night fell over Qingling Pier.
Luxury cars arrived in a steady stream, and an enormous cruise ship loomed at the dock, its lights glowing brightly against the dark sky. Tonight’s charity summit would take place aboard this grand vessel.
A Bentley worth three million yuan rolled up, carrying Wang Zhenxing to the pier. In any other setting, the luxury car would have drawn considerable attention. But here, it looked modest amidst a sea of Rolls-Royces and other high-end vehicles.
Taking out his invitation pass, Wang Zhenxing stepped onto the cruise ship.
Although the summit hadn’t officially begun, most of the guests had already arrived. It was a golden opportunity for networking, and both familiar faces and strangers greeted one another with polite smiles and firm handshakes.
As the organizer of the event, Wang Zhenxing quickly became the center of attention. Many businesspeople greeted him warmly, though he knew their smiles were mostly insincere. Behind those grins, they likely cursed him for forcing them to spend money on charity. After all, how many businessmen truly cared about charitable causes?
However, not all smiles were fake. Government officials, in particular, beamed at Wang Zhenxing. To them, he was a living saint. They didn’t have to spend money—organizing the event alone earned them good reputations and impressive performance marks.
As Wang Zhenxing stood on the deck, surrounded by polite chatter, he couldn’t help but feel the weight of the evening’s expectations.