Blackening starts from the golden years

The next morning, Yuan Xudong and Guan Juer came back from a run and met Andy who was also running. They walked back together and talked as they walked.

Walking side by side, Andy looked at Yuan Xudong and said:

"Mr. Yuan, I wonder if I can ask you a question."

"You said."

Yuan Xudong smiled. Guan Juer walked beside them. She looked at Yuan Xudong and Andy and suddenly felt a little inferior. Yuan Xudong and Andy were both social elites, but what about her?
She is just a female college student who has just graduated from college and is now an ordinary clerk. Although she is an intern in Zhongxin Securities, a Fortune 500 company, this job was found for her by her parents through someone with connections. Otherwise, she would not even be able to get into Zhongxin Securities with her diploma from an ordinary university.

Just like Michelle, they are also interns like her, but they all graduated from prestigious universities. Not only do they have high academic qualifications and good English, they also know a lot of other things. For example, when they see a piece of clothing or a piece of jewelry, they can tell what brand and style they are. They can also make a preliminary judgment on a person's personality, wealth and other information based on his external dress.

Everyone around her is so outstanding, which inevitably makes Guan Juer feel a little self-deprecating.

At this moment, she began to have wild thoughts. What on earth did Yuan Xudong like about her?

Her boyfriend is so outstanding that Guan Juer starts to worry about everything.

At this time, Yuan Xudong did not notice Guan Juer's abnormality, he was looking at Andy.

Also looking at Yuan Xudong, Andy asked with a smile:

"Just last night, I heard Sister Fan say that you told her that Lao Tan asked me to come back to help Shengxuan Group acquire Red Star Group. I wanted to ask, where did you hear this news?"

Looking at Andy, Yuan Xudong smiled and said:
"Is this important?"

"Very important."

Andy nodded, she looked at Yuan Xudong and said seriously:
"This is directly related to whether this acquisition can be successful, and it is a trade secret of the company. How did you know this?"

"Trade secret?"

Yuan Xudong couldn't help but smile. He looked at the serious Andy and said with a smile:
"Ms. Andy, I can't tell you how I know this. I can only say that the domestic financial circle is very bad, far worse than you can imagine. There are no so-called business secrets in the circle. Everyone who should know knows that there are some things that can be done but cannot be said, and there are some things that can be said but cannot be done. Do you understand what I am saying?"

"Wow, actually, sometimes I think Chinese is really interesting. It sounds like nonsense, or even contradictory, but if you think about it carefully, how should I put it, it's like Tai Chi. The meaning is the same, but it just doesn't make it clear. People who can understand it will understand it, but those who can't understand it will be a little confused. But why do you do this?"

Andy grew up in the United States. Although he knows Chinese, he doesn't know much about Chinese culture.

Looking at her, Yuan Xudong smiled and said:
"In China, when doing business, especially big business, background comes first, and social skills come second. For example, the CEO of Shengxuan Group, Tan Zongming, was able to do such a big business not because of his personal ability, but because he had a background that could connect with the world."

"Can it reach the sky?"

Andy nodded and smiled:
"Interesting, Tongtian, I think I understand what you mean."

"Sister Andy, Xudong, what do you mean?"

Guan Juer asked in a daze. Looking at her, Yuan Xudong couldn't help but smile and said:

“Ten years of hard study is not as good as three generations of your family doing business, and three generations of your family doing business is not as good as your ancestors building a successful business.”

Hearing this, Guan Juer understood. It was like what a certain successful person had said, how can ordinary people change their destiny now?

He replied with a smile, "I hope I can be born into a good family in my next life." How can an ordinary person want to change his fate?

At this time, Qu Xiaoxiao drove by. She honked the horn, lowered the window, looked at Yuan Xudong and the others and said with a smile:

"Great, I was just looking for someone to help me when I saw you guys."

As she said this, she pulled over, got out of the car and said with a smile:

"Three of you, please help me carry the cat food to the 22nd floor."

"Cat food?"

Guan Juer glanced at Qu Xiaoxiao's car and saw several large bags of cat food on the back seat. She was surprised:

"Qu Xiaoxiao, why did you buy so much cat food at once?"

“Feed the stray cats.”

Qu Xiaoxiao smiled and said:
"Isn't it getting colder? Stray cats will have a harder time finding food. I recently counted the number of stray cats in our community. These cat food are enough for them to eat for the whole winter. Can you help me?"

Looking at Qu Xiaoxiao who wanted to feed stray cats privately, Yuan Xudong said:

"If you feed stray cats privately, you are actually forming a feeding relationship. If those stray cats hurt people in the community in the future, such as scratching children or tripping up the elderly, you will be held legally responsible. Are you sure you want to feed those stray cats?"

"what?"

Qu Xiaoxiao widened her eyes, she really didn’t know this. She just felt that the stray cats were very pitiful and wanted to feed them some food. Did she have to bear legal responsibility for this?

Looking at Yuan Xudong, Qu Xiaoxiao stared with her big eyes and asked:

"I just wanted to do something good, and I have to bear legal responsibility for this?"

"if not?"

Looking at Qu Xiaoxiao, Yuan Xudong smiled and said:
"Do you think kindness is free? Let me tell you, kindness is also a commodity. If you don't have money, don't talk about kindness."

"what should I do then?"

Qu Xiaoxiao opened her big eyes and said:
"Then I won't feed them? Am I just going to watch them starve to death in the winter?"

"You can give them a warm home and take them home to raise them."

Yuan Xudong said so. Qu Xiaoxiao was speechless. It was fine to ask her to feed stray cats to show her kindness, but to take them home to raise? Was she crazy?
Just like when the rich see the suffering of the poor, it’s okay to let them shed a few crocodile tears, but how is it possible to ask them to give up part of their profits and become rich together with the poor?

After rolling her eyes at Yuan Xudong, Qu Xiaoxiao said:

"Forget it, I'll just take legal responsibility. I have plenty of money, and I don't believe that stray cats can cause any big trouble."

Seeing Qu Xiaoxiao's wealthy appearance, Yuan Xudong deliberately said:

"That's your parents' money, not yours. Have you ever earned a penny yourself?"

"What does this have to do with you?"

After glaring at Yuan Xudong fiercely, Qu Xiaoxiao smiled smugly:

"My parents' money is my money. Who made me born rich? Some people work hard all their lives but still can't reach my current standard of living. Why, don't you accept that?"

"No, I am very convinced because what you said is true."

"That's pretty much it."

After giving Yuan Xudong a blank look, Qu Xiaoxiao waved her hand and said with a smile:
"Okay, I won't waste my time talking to you. Hurry up and move the cat food."

After Qu Xiaoxiao finished speaking, Guan Juer was about to go forward to help her move the bags of cat food from the car, but Yuan Xudong grabbed her and Guan Juer looked at him with some confusion.

Yuan Xudong did not explain, but looked directly at Qu Xiaoxiao in front of him and smiled:
"You want us to help you move the cat food? You have five big bags of cat food here. I'll charge you 100 yuan for each bag. How about that?"

"what?"

When Qu Xiaoxiao heard that Yuan Xudong actually wanted money, and that it was a sky-high price of one hundred yuan for a bag, she immediately refused to do it. She could spend tens of thousands of yuan to buy a bag for herself, but if this money was spent on others, she would have to calculate it carefully.

"It's a hundred bucks a bag, why don't you just rob it?"

"Robbery is illegal, but what I'm doing now is not illegal. I'm asking for a hundred dollars, and you can refuse me."

Looking at Qu Xiaoxiao, Yuan Xudong smiled and said:
"Just like your family runs a real estate company, isn't it the same reason why houses are sold at such high prices?"

"How can they be the same? The house is that price, and it costs a hundred dollars to move a bag of cat food. How can labor be so expensive?"

"Why not? I don't think there is any difference between the two. They are both selling a commodity. I sell my labor. How much money I want is my business. Whether you give it to me or not is your business, right?"

Yuan Xudong laughed. He was just teasing Qu Xiaoxiao. But Miss Qu was really a principled person. If she were an ordinary rich lady, wouldn't it be just a hundred yuan? Five bags of cat food only cost five hundred yuan. Wouldn't she just throw money at someone?

But Qu Xiaoxiao is different. She thinks that if it is expensive, it is expensive. She will not throw money at others. Looking at Yuan Xudong, she said with a playful smile:
"Let's discuss it. How about fifty?"

"Fifty-one bags? That's fine. Since we're neighbors, I'll give you a 50% discount."

Yuan Xudong nodded.

"What do you mean by fifty-one bags? It's fifty. There's not one bag left. That's fifty in total. Do you want to do it?"

Qu Xiaoxiao widened her eyes and said, "Bye."

Yuan Xudong waved at her, then took Guan Juer away. After looking at the huge bag of cat food in the car and looking at his own small body, Andy also left.

"Hey, you guys..."

Qu Xiaoxiao wanted to cry but had no tears. What kind of world is this now? We are all neighbors, so why won’t you help with such a small favor?
……

In the elevator.

Yuan Xudong, Andy, and Guan Juer were riding in the same elevator. Looking at Yuan Xudong beside her, Guan Juer said with some entanglement:

"Is this really okay for us?"

"Hmm? What's wrong with that?"

Looking at Guan Juer, Yuan Xudong smiled and said:
"You have to learn to say no to others. Helping others is a favor, not helping others is your duty. Qu Xiaoxiao is so rich, will she donate money to help those poor people?

Don't think she is kind just because she feeds stray cats. Some people exploit their employees and squeeze the poor out of their lives, while shedding a few tears and saying that the poor are so pitiful.

Qu Xiaoxiao is such a person. She may be kind-hearted occasionally, but deep down she still represents the interests of the wealthy class she belongs to. She looks down on the poor, takes advantage of them and exploits their surplus value.

All the etiquette and morality you know are to teach you to be an obedient person. Today I will teach you a very simple truth: you should love yourself first and do what you want to do instead of forcing yourself to do what others want you to do. Do you understand?"

"Ah."

Guan Juer nodded. She knew what Yuan Xudong meant, but she had never been able to do it. When others asked her for help, even if she didn't want to help them, it was still difficult for her to directly refuse them, and in the end she would always force herself to help.

……

Here, after Yuan Xudong and others left, Qu Xiaoxiao had no choice but to ask the property staff to help move the cat food. As an owner of the Ode to Joy community, she often gave small gifts to the property staff to win their hearts, so they were willing to help with this little favor.

After moving the cat food to the 22nd floor, Qu Xiaoxiao passed by the door of 2202 and saw Fan Shengmei packing clothes.
“Street stall goods.”

Her voice was full of condescending disdain, and she didn't even realize her disdain for Fan Shengmei. But Fan Shengmei was furious when she heard this. She was vain by nature, and had no money before, so the clothes she bought were naturally "cheap goods" as Qu Xiaoxiao said. But she couldn't bear to be said so to her face by Qu Xiaoxiao.

Seeing that Fan Shengmei was about to rush out to argue with Qu Xiaoxiao, Guan Juer quickly stopped her and advised:
"Sister Fan, Sister Fan, let's not bother with her. Calm down, calm down."

"Really? What kind of person is this? She thinks she's great just because she's rich. But she's just spending her parents' money. Has she ever earned any money herself?"

Fan Shengmei said angrily.

I leaned my head out of the door and took a look at 2203. I saw Qu Xiaoxiao directing the property staff to move all the cat food into the house. Guan Juer closed the door.

At this moment, she suddenly felt that what Yuan Xudong said was right. A rich girl like Qu Xiaoxiao might be kind-hearted for a while, but deep down she still represented the interests of the wealthy class. Inadvertently, she would show disdain for the poor, reveal a sense of superiority, and comment on other people's affairs.

……

On the other side, Tan Zongming called Andy and said that the person sent to look for her brother had returned and had found clues about her brother. Andy immediately drove to the villa where Tan Zongming lived, or it would be more appropriate to say, a private manor.

Along the way, Andy was very nervous. She didn't know how her brother was doing now. She and her brother had been separated for more than 20 years, and her memory of her brother had become vague.

Arriving at Tan Zongming's manor, Andy parked the car and saw Tan Zongming coming over. She said:
"I want to change my car. This one is too eye-catching."

"Oh."

Tan Zongming nodded, frowned slightly and said in a serious tone:
"Then tell me which of my cars is not eye-catching."

Hearing this, Andy glanced at the cars parked nearby. She directly selected a black Panamera and said with a smile:

"I think this car is good, just right."

"What's just right?"

Tan Zongming pretended to be serious and said:
"I've only driven this car twice since I got it back."

"That couldn't be more appropriate."

Andy smiled and threw the Porsche 911 car keys to Tan Zongming. Tan Zongming took the car keys and smiled:

"It's really a case of a small favor being paid in vain. All right, I'll get you the key later. Let's go. Lao Yan is waiting for us in the backyard."

"it is good."

The smile on Andy's face faded, and she followed Tan Zongming to the backyard. The Lao Yan that Tan Zongming mentioned was the person he sent to investigate Andy's brother.

……

backyard.

"Old Yan has just told me in detail what he did in the past month. The situation is more complicated than we thought. I am also surprised. Why don't you tell me about it?"

"it is good."

The three of them sat on the sofa, and Lao Yan looked at Andy and said:

"Ms. Andy, it's like this. Some things in China are different from those abroad. These adopters don't want others to know that they have adopted a child. It's like announcing to the world that they are infertile. They don't want the child to have any connection with the original family. After completing the adoption procedures, they will leave quickly, so it is really difficult to find them.

Besides, this happened more than 20 years ago. I went through a lot of twists and turns and contacted many people before I found the information of the adoptive father. Later, they sent your brother back to the Daishan Welfare Home. "

"Sent back to the orphanage again? Why?"

Andy couldn't help but ask.

"because……"

After taking a look at Tan Zongming, Old Yan looked at Andy and explained:

"I asked a lot of people, and they all said that your brother showed signs of low IQ and slow reaction time shortly after he was adopted, so they suspected he might be mentally retarded. The adopters didn't want to take responsibility, so they had to give him up."

"My brother is mentally retarded? How is that possible?"

Andy found it hard to accept. His IQ was so high, how could his brother be mentally retarded?

"I didn't say that, many people said that. Otherwise, the adoptive parents wouldn't have chosen to give up."

"So where is my brother now?"

"The Daishan Welfare Home has long ceased to exist, so no one knows where your brother is now. After all, more than 20 years have passed. I plan to go to Daishan again and ask the staff of the former welfare home."

"That means I don't know whether my brother is dead or alive now?"

"I'm sorry. We've been investigating for such a long time. The only thing we know for sure now is that your brother was sent back to Daishan. Give me a little more time, and I will help you find him."

"it is good."

"I'm going to go back first. You should take care of the company's affairs these days."

After saying something to Tan Zongming, Andy got up and left. Her brother was probably mentally retarded, which was a big blow to her. She suspected that her brother had mental problems because her mother was mentally ill. If it was inherited, would she also go crazy in the future?
She cannot have any physical intimacy with others and has to drink water when she is nervous. Is this a mental problem?
With this worry, she left Tan Zongming's private estate.

"Andy, wait a minute, can you drive?"

……

After watching Andy hurried away, Lao Yan looked at Tan Zongming and said:

"Then should we tell her about Miss Andy's background first? So she can be mentally prepared."

"No, we can't tell her. Telling her now will only make her think too much. Let's check her brother's affairs first. Once we have thoroughly investigated the matter, we can decide whether to tell her or not."

"it is good."

Old Yan nodded. While investigating the whereabouts of Andy's brother, he also found out who Andy's father and grandfather were.

The father abandoned his daughter, the husband abandoned his wife. The woman with intermittent mental illness was pregnant with Andy. Later, the crazy woman became pregnant with an unknown child, Andy's younger brother. In the village, who knows who raped the crazy woman?
Poor and bad mountains and rivers produce unruly people. Fortunately, Andy was still very young at that time and was not harmed by any or some unruly people. Later, the crazy woman died, and Andy and his sister went to the Daishan Orphanage. Later, Andy was adopted by a couple from overseas and grew up in the United States. This is Andy's past life experience.

Now, Andy's father and grandfather are still alive. Her father is the well-known economist Wei Guoqiang, and her grandfather is the well-known painter He Yunli. Unable to tolerate Andy's mother's madness, they chose to abandon their wives and children. Poor Andy's mother stayed alone in the village, and no one knew who raped her. Later, she gave birth to Andy's half-brother Xiao Ming.

...(End of chapter)