Chapter 129: Hidden Crisis [28th 11/13]
Wang Zhong, hearing Xu Hao's words, asked with concern, "Boss, is the situation really that severe?"
"Yes, some old fellows are probably smelling something and getting restless, but for now, I am here to support things, and we can hold on for a while longer. I just hope that in this time, he can truly grow, stand on his own two feet, so that even if I were to pass away, he wouldn't be bullied by others..."
"Boss, that will never happen! Those clowns are just that, clowns, they will never become significant!" Upon hearing Xu Hao's father speak in such a low tone, Wang Zhong quickly said.
"Sigh, nevermind, let's not talk about this now. Have Xiao Hao find time to visit his foster father, after all, he raised him for such a long time. I can't go myself, otherwise, it would bring him fatal trouble, but as for Xiao Hao, those people aren't insane enough to kill an ordinary person who couldn't even harm a chicken."
"Okay..." Wang Zhong hadn't finished speaking when a busy tone came through the phone; the other side had hung up.
"Sigh! Perhaps even the young master himself wouldn't expect that after an unexpected windfall, he would bear such a heavy responsibility and mission. Although he is now carefree, with more money than he can spend, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Anything that seems free has a price marked in the shadows. I just hope that when the young master learns the truth, he won't be too panicked..."
Wang Zhong sighed deeply and went about his own business.
He was just a steward, not very powerful or high in status; many things were only clear to Xu Hao's biological father.
...
Xu Hao had Wang Zhong arrange for someone to secretly protect Chen Suyi while he himself went to find his university classmate Zhao Feng, planning to invite him to join the company for the product development of jadeite jewelry.
Originally, Xu Hao had improved his constitution and had him take a master as his mentor, all with this in mind. After all, Xu Liu Group was bound to grow and strengthen, and he wouldn't let Zhao Feng lose out.
Just as he arrived at Zhao Feng's home, he found sculptures everywhere, some half-finished and some lifelike completed works.
At that moment, Zhao Feng was focused on carving a piece of jadeite the size of a walnut.
Xu Hao didn't disturb him and just stood quietly behind him, watching.
He saw Zhao Feng holding the jadeite in his left hand and a very thin knife in his right, slowly carving.
Before long, a miniature boat appeared, complete with a cabin, sails, and on the cabin windows, eight small characters on the right reading "mountains tall, moon small, water falls, stones appear", and eight on the left reading "gentle breeze comes forth, the ripples do not stir".
After a while, three lifelike figures appeared in the boat, with the man in the middle wearing a tall hat, with a thick beard, the one on the right a bald monk with twelve scars on his head, and on the left, a scholar.
Xu Hao immediately understood that Zhao Feng was recreating the miniature walnut boat described in Su Shi's famous work "He Zhou Ji".
Finally, Zhao Feng even carved the two people at the stern who were propelling the boat.
"Phew!"
Zhao Feng took a long breath, looked it over carefully, and muttered to himself, "Finally finished. My master said if I could also carve the 'Ode to the Red Cliffs,' I would nearly be ready to graduate, but with my current skill, the jadeite would probably break apart before I could finish the 'Ode to the Red Cliffs.' The main reason is that I haven't mastered the strength control in my carving technique."
At this moment, Xu Hao suddenly laughed and said, "It's already very good, I feel like your carving skill is stronger than Uncle Wang Yuan who carved the walnut boat back then."
Zhao Feng immediately looked up and saw Xu Hao standing behind him, and quickly stood up saying, "Brother Hao, you're here! I haven't seen you these past few days."
Xu Hao smiled, "I was busy with some things in Huadu."
Zhao Feng's mother, hearing voices, hurriedly came out and saw it was Xu Hao. Now, she would no longer look down upon Xu Hao, instead she was very attentive, offering tea and water.
After all, it was thanks to Xu Hao's recommendation that her son Zhao Feng was able to take Gu Junyi as his master.
She did not know that Xu Hao had helped Zhao Feng improve his constitution, thinking that her own son was extremely gifted. If she knew, she would be even more grateful to Xu Hao.
Then, Xu Hao briefly told Zhao Feng about the situation in Huadu, considering that after all, Zhao Feng was an ordinary person, and some matters he didn't need to know.
After Xu Hao finished, he asked, "How are you doing now?"
Zhao Feng laughed and quickly said, "Very good, I learn from my master every morning, and then in the afternoon, I go to a Jade Store and carve things for them. They pay really well."
Zhao Feng's mother too showed a face of pride; her son was making something of himself, and that made her feel honored as a mother.
Xu Hao smiled and said, "Just carving for a Jade Store is not enough. I plan on relocating our Xu Liu Group to Huadu and hiring you as our Chief Carving Master. Your job will be simple, only to carve the finest quality, the best of the best, we want to have all levels of high, medium, and low-grade goods."
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