Chapter 291 - 291: Going to Hong Kong Again
When Zhou Chao returned to The Palms Residence, it was already n o’clock at night, and the journey back had been smooth.
After a quick wash, Zhou Chao lay down on his bed, his face reflecting exhaustion. He sent a message to Jiang Li, then drifted off to sleep without further ado.
The night passed without incident.
“Mmm~” Zhou Chao stretched lazily in bed, feeling refreshed.
“System check-in!”
“Check-in successful. Congratulations to the host for acquiring the skill – Appraisal Master! (Can proficiently identify any artifacts, gambling stones, jade, etc.!)”
Zhou Chao instantly sat up from his bed, his face initially filled with surprise but gradually turned placid.
“What’s the use of this skill for me now? If it were a decade or so earlier, I might have been able to make a fortune with it. But now, the streets are filled with fakes, and all the good stuff has already been picked up by others.
Besides, the world of gambling stones is like buying a lottery ticket; one in a million chances. The rest are at best worth a few million. Is it worth the trouble for such a small amount?”
Zhou Chao sighed, but then he thought that having it was better than not having it, and his mood improved.
He got up from the bed, ruffled his somewhat messy hair, and headed to the bathroom. Before long, the sound of a shower filled the room.
After showering, Zhou Chao changed into a casual Armani outfit and retrieved his passport from the closet.
“When will 1 ever have my own private jet? I won’t have to go to the airport to buy tickets and wait anymore. Should 1 buy one for myself?”
Zhou Chao pondered for a moment and shook his head. It didn’t seem worth it. Instead, he could use the money to acquire or invest in a company. Owning a jet would come with its own set of responsibilities.
Checking the time, it was already close to 11 o’clock. Surprised by how late it had gotten, he quickly checked his essentials and left his place.
At the airport, he grabbed a bite to eat and then boarded the plane, which was scheduled to depart for Fog City at 1230 PM. Before boarding, Zhou Chao had sent his flight information to Li Hao.
As the plane took off, Zhou Chao adjusted his seat skillfully, put on an eye mask, and began to rest.
The flight from Fog City to the island took approximately two and a half hours. When Zhou Chao landed, it was already 3 o’clock in the afternoon, and he felt like he had wasted most of the day without accomplishing anything.
As he exited the airport, he spotted a man in a white shirt holding a large sign with his name. However, the color of the sign was a shade of pink that Zhou Chao didn’t particularly like.
“Did Li Hao send you? Where’s Young Master Li?” Zhou Chao approached the man in the white shirt but didn’t see Li Hao around.
“Are you Young Master Zhou? I’m Young Master Li’s bodyguard. Originally, Young Master Li was supposed to personally pick you up, but the boss assigned him something, so I’m here to receive you.”
“Oh, it’s alright. Shall we go directly to the hotel now?”
“Yes, Young Master Li has already arranged a presidential suite for Young Master Zhou at the Peninsula Hotel, and you can check in anytime.”
Zhou Chao nodded at the response. The man in the white shirt led Zhou Chao out of the airport and towards the waiting vehicle.
“Young Master Zhou, please.” The man in the white shirt opened the door of a Bentley and gestured for Zhou Chao to enter.
Without hesitation, Zhou Chao got in, and the man swiftly closed the door and hurried to the driver’s seat.
During the journey, neither of them spoke much. Zhou Chao occasionally glanced in the rearview mirror, noticing that the man in the white shirt was discreetly observing him. However, Zhou Chao didn’t pay much attention to it.
They soon arrived at the Peninsula Hotel. After assisting Zhou Chao with check-in, the man in the white shirt greeted him and left.
Zhou Chao glanced at his outfit and couldn’t help but think, “Is it because I’m dressed too casually? It shouldn’t be the case; this outfit alone costs at least thirty to forty thousand.”
Without dwelling on it, Zhou Chao took the hotel key card and went straight to his room.
As he entered, he found himself in a spacious living room with a window offering a view of the beautiful Bauhinia Square across the street.
Standing on the balcony, feeling the refreshing sea breeze on his face, he couldn’t help but relax.
However, his moment of tranquility was interrupted by the ringing of the phone.
“Hello, Li Hao, are you done with your work?”
“Not yet, I found a moment to call because Yang Bo told me you’ve arrived at the hotel. Just wanted to check if you need anything.”
“Is there anything 1 need? Do you have time to have dinner tonight?”
“I might have to disappoint you tonight. My old man assigned me to oversee this auction, and you have no idea how troublesome it is. I’ve never dealt with it before, and now I realize how complicated it can be.”
“Isn’t that a good thing? It means your old man is starting to value you. You should do your best and not make any mistakes.”
“I know, let’s not talk about it for now. We can catch up after I’m done with this. Okay?”
“Sure, take care!”
Zhou Chao hung up the phone and gazed into the distance, lost in thought. After a while, he turned and walked back into the room.
Zhou Chao, who had nothing to do, lay on the sofa, playing with his phone out of boredom. Being in Hong Kong Island, unfamiliar with the place, and without any acquaintances or a car, he didn’t know where to go for entertainment.
Just when Zhou Chao was feeling bored on the bed, his phone suddenly rang, and he sat up from the sofa as he looked at the name on the screen.
“Hey, Lao Zhou, did you call me to share some good news?”
The caller was none other than Zhou Jilong, the current director of the R&D Institute at Canghai Technology Co., Ltd.
“Hehe, Boss, how did you know? Did Dawu and Wang Feng secretly inform you?” Zhou Jilong chuckled and asked curiously.
“They didn’t call me. Think about it, the fact that Lao Zhou, who hasn’t called me in six months, is personally calling me can only mean one thing: there’s been progress in your research!”
“You can’t hide anything from the boss’s keen eyes, that’s for sure! Yes, after Boss entrusted that data to Old Chai, he and his team managed to manufacture a prototype today. I called to report it to you.”
“Really? How’s the accuracy? Did it meet the specifications in the data?” Zhou Chao’s excitement was evident. If it was indeed a success, his plans could be significantly expedited.
Zhou Jilong fell silent for a moment before saying, “Boss, the accuracy of this prototype already surpasses the majority of high-precision machines in the country, but it falls short of the specifications in the data.”
Initially elated, Zhou Chao’s expression dimmed. He muttered to himself, “Of course, if it were that simple, our country would have already made a breakthrough in high-precision machines and we wouldn’t be restricted by foreign technology.”
“Boss, I haven’t finished yet!” Zhou Jilong quickly spoke up when he heard Zhou Chao’s muttering, fearing he might get scolded later.
“What else is there? Go on!” Zhou Chao’s tone had turned somewhat despondent.
“Boss, if you give us another seven or eight days, we can perfect it and reach the target accuracy without any problem!”
Hearing Zhou Jilong’s words, Zhou Chao erupted with profanities. “Zhou Jilong, damn you! Next time, say everything in one go. If you dare to do this again, you won’t need to speak in the future!”
Zhou Jilong, upon hearing Zhou Chao’s words, couldn’t help but tense up, quickly saying, “Boss, I understand. I won’t dare to do it again!”
“Well, I’m on Hong Kong Island right now. Once I’m done with my work, i’ll come to Peng City. 1 hope you won’t keep me waiting.”
“Boss, please rest assured; we won’t make you wait long!”