Starting a new chapter in life

He Jin'an raised his hand: "President Fu, please speak frankly. Although I am not very accomplished, I believe my emotions are relatively stable. Please feel free to speak."

Fu Qiusheng nodded. "The film and television industry is becoming more and more prosperous. Of course, the waters are also getting deeper and deeper. My family started out in manufacturing, and we don't have much experience in film and television. In the past, we only invested in a few films and TV series directed by different directors. Of course, there were losses and wins."

I'm currently quite optimistic about Ping An Media and would like to invest in it personally. I wonder if Mr. He would accept? Of course, I won't interfere with Mr. He's management, and within my capabilities, I can act as an intermediary if I have the resources or connections.

He Jin'an tapped his index finger slowly on the table before speaking gently: "As far as I know, Hongyu Group is one of the top leading enterprises in Beijing. With President Fu's wealth, why would he be interested in my small media company that has only been established for a few years?"

At this moment, the waiter knocked on the door of the private room. After receiving a response, he opened the door and began to serve the dishes. Once all the dishes were served, he said something and left. After the room returned to silence, Fu Qiusheng picked up his chopsticks and said with a smile, "Try these dishes first and see if they suit your taste before we continue our discussion."

The brother and sister tried all four dishes and found them to be quite good. Zhizhi didn't stand on ceremony and filled her bowl halfway with rice before starting to eat. He Jin'an wasn't as voracious, but he ate quite quickly nonetheless.

After taking a few bites, Fu Qiusheng answered the previous question: "I am the acting president of Hongyu. In the end, Hongyu Group is not mine; it is an industry left to my younger brother by my parents."

He's currently in university, and I plan to let him gain two more years of experience after graduation before taking over the company. So, I need to start preparing for my future now, and currently, I've set my sights on Ping An Media.

He Jin'an nodded: "The siblings should be able to get along well running the company together, so why did you step aside?"

Fu Qiusheng shook her head: "If my parents were still alive, my brother and I could indeed both work at Hongyu Group. Once my brother is capable enough to stand on his own, he can take over directly. I can be his assistant for life."

But fate played a cruel trick on me. My parents died in a car accident three years ago. At the time, I was interning at the company, and taking over the management of the company in a hurry was out of necessity. However, over the years, I have managed the company and have gained some reputation.

If my younger brother takes over in the future, comparisons will inevitably be made, which is not good for either of us. It's better for me to leave directly; that way, everyone will be better off, and it won't affect our relationship.

"Away from the spotlight of Hongyu Group, my romantic life might encounter new opportunities. But now, as the acting president, regardless of others' true intentions towards me, I always feel their motives are impure."

He Jin'an understood her actions and readily picked up her teacup: "It's settled then, you only have the right to offer suggestions on my decisions, and you can't interfere with them."

Fu Qiusheng smiled, picked up his wine glass, and the two clinked glasses and drank it all in one gulp, officially reaching a preliminary agreement.

He Jin'an put down his teacup, picked up his chopsticks, and took a bite of food. "Is there something else?" he asked casually, putting the food in his mouth and chewing.

"I heard you don't have a girlfriend. If you don't mind that I'm a year older than you, do you think we're a good match?" Fu Qiusheng asked directly, without the slightest hint of shyness.

"Cough cough cough..." He Jin'an choked in fright. It took a while to drink water and have Zhizhi pat his back to get the food out of his mouth. He wiped the tears that had come out of his mouth from choking and said in a trembling voice, "What did you say? The two of us? Partner? President Fu, this joke is a bit too much."

Fu Qiusheng tilted his head. "I'm not one to joke around."

He Jin'an let out a long breath, smiled, and said with difficulty, "To put it this way, I do want to find a girlfriend, but I'm a rather traditional person. I hope to be the dominant one in the family."

"Mr. Fu, you are capable and independent. If we're using a popular term these days, I'm a queen. But I'm not cut out to be a queen's husband. I'm sorry, Mr. Fu, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."

Fu Qiusheng nodded calmly: "Okay, I understand what you mean. It's okay, even if we don't become a couple, we can still be friends. But can I ask about your criteria for a partner? If I happen to know someone suitable, I might be able to play matchmaker."

Having been tempered by life's experiences, He Jin'an's skin had thickened considerably, and upon hearing this, he didn't mince words: "Then thank you for your kindness, Mr. Fu. I'm a rather superficial person."

As for a wife, she has to be good-looking. I don't have to say she's stunning, but she should at least be a 70 or 80 out of 100 according to general beauty standards. After all, I'm not ugly either.

Height and weight don't matter to me, but I hope she has a gentle personality. It would be best if she's talkative and cheerful, but not the kind of girl like Lin Daiyu who's always lamenting the passing of spring and autumn. I don't have the mood to coax young girls like that.

Whether it's housework or cooking, it's best if you can do it, but it's okay if you can't. If all else fails, you can hire a nanny to get by. I don't have any bad habits, and I'm very reluctant to gamble, drink excessively, or smoke.

Of course, it would be best if she had a stable job. I don't care how much she earns, as long as she has something to do. You know the nature of my work; business trips and social engagements are unavoidable. Having work to distract her from overthinking at home is good for family harmony.

Seeing He Jin'an put down his chopsticks, Fu Qiusheng looked at him and asked, "That's all?"

He Jin'an nodded firmly: "Ah, that's all. I've already asked for quite a lot, haven't I?"

Fu Qiusheng shrugged: "Your requirements aren't high. I actually know four or five girls who meet those criteria. How about this, I'll organize a party later, and I'll invite Zhizhi to attend and introduce her to my friends."

"You should come with her. If she sees someone she likes, I can introduce you. As for whether it will actually work out, that's not something I can control. How about that?"

He Jin'an sincerely thanked him: "Thank you very much, President Fu. How about I call you Sister Sheng Sheng like Zhizhi does? You can just call me An'an like my family. That would make it sound more intimate."

Fu Qiusheng readily agreed: "No problem, An'an."

After finishing their meal, the brother and sister were satisfied. Fu Qiusheng had also achieved her wish and successfully became an important shareholder of Ping An Media. After sending the brother and sister back to the banquet parking lot, they said goodbye to her, found their car, and An'an drove home.

When they got home, Zhizhi happily told Jingyan about what happened that night. After listening to the whole story, Jingyan asked An'an curiously, "That President Fu is a very good catch, why didn't you agree to give it a try with her? With her help, your company's growth and expansion are just around the corner."

An'an shook her head: "She's very capable. A strong woman means she's also quite assertive in life. Mom, I don't have Dad's magnanimity. What I need is a sense of being needed, a feeling of expansiveness."

But it's not the kind of relationship where I can be completely dependent on someone. Sister Sheng Sheng isn't right for me. Knowing a relationship isn't right for me, it's better not to start at all; it's better for both of us.

Jingyan was just asking and didn't take it to heart. "With this shareholder, does your company have entered a new chapter? You've got brand recognition, resources, and background all in place?"

An An shrugged: "I don't know yet, but we definitely have a powerful backer. Hongyu Group is one of the top companies in Beijing. In the future, when our competitors in the industry try to suppress or manipulate our company, they will be more careful. That's enough."

After chatting for a while, An'an went back to rest and arranged to pick up Zhizhi the next day so they could go to the company together.

While Zhizhi was preparing for the filming of her TV series, her debut work, the documentary "Life," premiered. Thanks to Fu Qiusheng's recommendation, and given its excellent concept and production quality, it was even broadcast on CCTV-8.

Although the broadcast time wasn't prime time, being on that TV station was an honor in itself. Through this film, director Ho An-chi finally gained some recognition within the industry.

Director Liu was also good at seizing opportunities, releasing the news that Director He Anzhi was a rising star and also his protégé. In an instant, Zhizhi became the talk of the town.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Fu Qiusheng's banquet also began. She indeed had a wide network of connections, not only in business but also in film and television industry capital. Of course, her girlfriends were also present.

When An'an accompanied Zhizhi to the banquet, the siblings were led around by Fu Qiusheng, who introduced them to everyone they met: "This is He Anzhi, the new director of the documentary 'Life,' and also Director Liu's last disciple. Director He, this is her brother, and also the boss of Ping An Media, President He..."

He Jin'an prided himself on having a thick skin, but after running around like this, his face was almost cramping from laughing so much. Finally, after dealing with everyone, the three of them hid in a corner. Fu Qiusheng pointed to five or six girls sitting or standing on a sofa and asked:

"Those are all single right now, between twenty-three and twenty-six years old. Do you see any that interest you? If so, I'll take you over and introduce you. If not, let's just treat this as a regular networking event."

An'an has good eyesight; even from a distance, she immediately spotted a girl with long, straight black hair, a gentle smile, and wearing a light pink dress: "That girl sitting in the pink dress is quite pretty."

Fu Qiusheng looked over and suddenly realized, "You have a really good eye, kid. That's my cousin's sister. She just graduated from university this year. I think she studied finance. She has a really good personality. She and you are a good match."

Since some of you are interested, let's not waste any more time. Come on, I'll introduce you two to them. Um... mainly, I want to introduce them to Zhizhi, and you're just tagging along."

With a smile, An'an followed the two. As they approached, Fu Qiusheng warmly introduced them to each other. The girls welcomed Zhizhi and, after introductions, they were acquainted.

The girl An'an had her eye on was named Fu Zixu. She was from a branch of the Fu family and her family was considered well-off, with no worries about food or clothing. However, compared to Fu Qiusheng's family, it was like comparing heaven and earth.

However, Uncle Fu was an honest man who never had any ambition in his life. His wife was also the kind of person who was simple-minded. So the whole family was content with what they had and Fu Zixu was also influenced by his parents and was very easygoing.

Fu Zixu hadn't originally planned to attend the banquet, but her uncle persuaded her: "You're already twenty-three. I've told you to have a relationship since you were in college, but you wouldn't listen."

Now that you've graduated and are working in accounting at your cousin's company, there aren't any single men you're interested in at such a big company. Your cousin's banquet this time is sure to have some good prospects; you should go and see. Who knows, you might meet your soulmate. With your cousin overseeing things, you won't get the short end of the stick.

Don't put it off any longer, or you'll really be an old maid. A girl's youth fades quickly, only a few years are left. Why don't you hurry up and settle your personal life?

Fu Zixu was actually quite speechless. She just hadn't met the right person; she wasn't against marriage. Why was her father so anxious? Besides, while most people's mothers nag, her father was far more nagging than her mother. Her mother hadn't even pressured him, yet her father was getting incredibly anxious.

No matter how unwilling I was, I was still forced to come. Fortunately, I had a few good friends at the banquet to chat with, so the whole banquet wasn't boring.

When Fu Qiusheng introduced them, Fu Zixu never expected that the man she hadn't even noticed would become her husband. However, decades later, she never regretted it and was glad that she had listened to her father and attended the banquet.

They were all young, and quickly became familiar with each other after a few words. He Jin'an naturally didn't expect the girl to take the initiative, so he walked up to Fu Zixu and spoke first:

"My name is He Jin'an, but my family calls me An'an. I'm twenty-eight years old, five years older than you. I have parents and a younger sister named He Anzhi. I've never been in a relationship."

I'm currently the general manager of Ping An Media. I own an apartment in Beijing, but I don't live there; it's rented out. I'm currently renting an apartment near the company. If you think I'm a good person, would you like to get to know me better?

He introduced himself to himself, and the girls who had been chatting quite well with him suddenly stared quietly at the two of them. Even Fu Qiusheng was a little dumbfounded.

They said they'd let the two get to know each other first, and then take things slowly. Is this guy really in such a hurry? Is he just launching his offensive so directly? The point is, even if this is a blind date, there's no need to be so rigid. How is the girl supposed to respond?

Although Fu Zixu was also taken aback, she managed to remain composed. She looked at He Anzhi and asked, "With so many people here, why are you introducing yourself to me? Are you lusting after me?"

He Anzhi nodded: "You could say that. You're good-looking, and your smile is beautiful too. When I see your smile, my heart softens. I'm actually a pretty good person, and my parents are easy to get along with. We won't be living together for long, at most for a short period during holidays. After all, my mom doesn't want to live with me."

Fu Zixu laughed: "I have an older brother. If we can reach an agreement in the end, and you ever make me angry, be careful my brother might cause you trouble. You'd better not regret it if he beats you up."