I changed the world.

Page 472

"Chairman Yu, it should be. I asked before, and they are all high-end suites. I heard that they usually cost at least 15,000 yuan a night." After thinking for a moment, President Wang slowly nodded.

The two fell silent for a moment. Well-versed in the rules of social interaction, they naturally understood that all the guests at this moment were directly arranged by Yunxiao Temple. Being able to stay on the 18th floor certainly wasn't about money, because the entire hotel had been booked by Yunxiao Temple.

So what are the standards for measurement here?

It's important to understand that the number of high-end suites in a hotel is limited. Guests attending the ceremony, like this one, are people of high status and influence, for whom money is often not an issue.

Therefore, it is important to have equal status here.

The Oriental Hotel has a total of 21 floors. The top-floor suites, which are the most luxurious, are certainly reserved for royal guests attending the ceremony, which is only to be expected.

As for the lower floors, it is said that the hotel has a total of 22 high-end suites, but the specific guests who have been assigned to them are not disclosed to the public.

It now appears that one of the rooms was assigned to that person from earlier...

Although I don't know what it is, generally speaking, it must be related to identity. That "Brother Baekhyun" from earlier seems to be someone special...

Yu Zhiyuan's mind immediately started racing. He was a shrewd businessman and naturally knew the importance of connections in the business world...

At this moment, the elevator that Wei Hanwen had just been riding came down again, stopped in front of him, and the doors opened. The two of them went inside.

"Sir, which floor are you going to?" the waiter asked respectfully.

“First floor,” Yu Zhiyuan said with a smile, then casually asked, “The guest who went up to the 18th floor just now was my friend. What room was he staying in on the 18th floor? He told me, but I can’t quite remember…”

"That guest, suite 1801, sir," the waiter replied without suspicion.

"Okay, thank you." Yu Zhiyuan nodded in thanks.

Stepping out of the elevator, Yu Zhiyuan immediately took out his phone and dialed a number: "Hello...yes, it's me. Can you check right now if there's a member in the association named Wei Hanwen, courtesy name Boxian..."

After a pause, clearly the person on the other end of the phone was searching, he nodded a few times and hung up.

After putting down his phone, Yu Zhiyuan's expression was somewhat strange.

Seeing this, the vice president tentatively asked, "Chairman Yu, why... is it difficult to investigate?"

“No, I’ve already found out…” Yu Zhiyuan shook his head, but he was clearly confused: “He’s a level two member, doing small commodity import and export to Southeast Asia, not a large-scale business.” He had just called his secretary to check if the Mr. Wei he had just met was indeed a member of the association, and it went smoothly. His secretary quickly found out who he was, but it was a little different from what he had imagined. This Mr. Wei was only a level two member, and to be honest, his annual trade volume was not among the top in the association. He wasn’t dealing in any high-tech or innovative industries, but rather ordinary small commodities.

No matter how you look at it, he's just a "small businessman." Of course, that's in comparison to his own group company. But in his opinion, a company with an annual profit of only around ten million isn't really worth mentioning.

But... if he really is a "small businessman," then how do you explain his current arrangement to live on the 18th floor?

In this world, there is no love without a reason, nor is there hatred without a reason. Yu Zhiyuan saw this clearly. He did not believe that Yunxiao Temple would value Mr. Wei so much for no reason.

So... there's only one possibility here, and that is that this seemingly insignificant Mr. Wei actually has a very powerful background!

After thinking for a moment, Yu Zhiyuan said to the vice president beside him, "Call Master Xu in the guest hall later and ask... never mind, I'll call him myself later..."

The "Master Xu" that Yu Zhiyuan mentioned refers to Xu Dequan, the head of the guest hall of Yunxiao Temple. Xu Dequan is one of the eight stewards of Yunxiao Temple and had met Yu Zhiyuan a few times. They were on good terms.

In particular, temples and monasteries like Yunxiao Temple often act as intermediaries for believers. This is not unique to Yunxiao Temple; religions in this world generally serve this purpose. When fellow believers from the same sect cooperate, they feel more secure and at ease.

Yu Zhiyuan immediately dialed a number, his face beaming with a bright smile: "Hello, is this Master Xu? Hahaha, it's me..."

"Yes, yes, yes, hahaha, Master Xu has such a good memory..."

..........................................

………………

While Yu Zhiyuan was on the phone with Master Xu Dequan, in the corridor on the 19th floor of the hotel, Wei Chengguang was leading his parents forward, reminding them as they walked: "Don't pry into other people's business. I never ask these things; it would be too presumptuous..."

"You brat... are your parents such tactless people? This is just to express your gratitude. As a person, no matter how good your relationship is with someone, you still have to show basic courtesy, lest they look down on you even if they don't say it..." Wei Hanwen scolded in a low voice, annoyed.

"Son, is the girl you met the classmate you slept with a cold-hearted girl? Did her family come this time?" the mother, Wei Zhangli, asked from the side.

“Her family didn’t come; she must have come by herself this time,” Wei Chengguang replied, then waved his hand, “Alright, Mom, don’t ask so many questions. We’re all here now…”

“1902… That’s right, this is the one.” Wei Chengguang carefully examined the Chinese-style double doors in front of him. This apartment looked similar to the one he lived in. Just looking at the pair of large, painted vermilion doors, it was extremely impressive. There were only three such high-end apartments on each floor, and Wei Chengguang easily found the location.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind the History Books: Chapter 1007 The Noble Lady

Soon after the doorbell was rung, the door was opened by a young maid dressed as a servant, wearing a moon-white brocade dress. After opening the door, she respectfully bowed her head and stepped aside, displaying the manners of a servant in a wealthy household.

Wei Chengguang's gaze passed over the maid and went behind him, his eyes widening in surprise...

Behind the maid, a smiling young woman approached with a radiant smile. Her face was as white as powder, her lips as red as rouge, and her hair was styled in an exquisite, flowing bun adorned with various hairpins and ornaments, so delicate and luxurious that they were clearly not ordinary.

She wore a light purple satin long coat, embroidered with a brocade pattern of a hundred birds, and a sable fur scarf around the collar, adding to her air of nobility. Her lower garment was a brocade skirt with gold-embroidered tassels, making her appear exquisite, elegant, and refined.

The girl had a pair of bright, clear almond-shaped eyes that were extremely lively. Her bright eyes glanced over and met Wei Chengguang's gaze. She winked at him subtly, then smiled before speaking. Her gaze passed over Wei Chengguang and met that of Wei Hanwen and his wife. Then, she gracefully bowed and said, "Yingwei greets Uncle and Aunt Wei."

Clearly, this girl is Zhu Yingwei.

However, Wei Chengguang was a little taken aback. The usually carefree girl was suddenly dressed so formally, clearly having dressed up beforehand, looking like a noble lady. If he hadn't been so familiar with Zhu Yingwei, he almost wouldn't have recognized her.

"Look at you, child, you didn't even say hello to your classmate..." Upon seeing this, Wei's mother, Wei Zhangli, immediately beamed with joy. She pinched her silly son and quickly stepped forward to help Zhu Yingwei up, saying, "Oh, Yingwei, you're too kind. Look... we've come so abruptly, we don't even know if we've disturbed your rest..."

Wei Zhangli's original name was Zhang Li. Her father was a civil servant in Jiangling. After marriage, she took her husband's surname according to custom. Although she was not born into a noble family, she was still quite knowledgeable. In particular, women naturally have a certain ability to distinguish between clothing and jewelry. In just a short time after the door opened, she was able to tell that the girl in front of her was wearing top-quality handmade custom-made clothes from an old brand, and none of the jewelry was a mass-produced item from a store. They were definitely custom-made jewelry.

"Auntie, you're too kind. It should be the younger generation who comes to pay a visit. Yingwei has been very impolite..."

Zhu Yingwei, supporting Wei Zhangli's arm, led the family into the living room while exchanging pleasantries with Wei's parents. She showed no shyness or timidity, displaying the demeanor of a well-bred lady, and occasionally offered compliments. Soon, the two sides were chatting and laughing.

At this moment, Wei's attendants brought some gifts into the room. Upon seeing this, Zhu Yingwei couldn't help but say, "This...you see, this is too formal, how can we accept this..."

"It's alright, it's alright. It's our first time here too, what would it look like empty-handed..." Wei Hanwen waved his hand with a smile, "Besides, it's just some local produce from home, nothing valuable..."

Having been in the business world for a long time, Wei Hanwen naturally wouldn't say anything about how Zhu Yingwei had helped his family and that they needed to show their gratitude. As the saying goes, great kindness needs no words of thanks, and those things couldn't be repaid with just a few gifts. Take, for example, the news his son brought back earlier. Without that news, his family would probably be in dire straits right now, with all their working capital tied up due to the stock market crash.

Not to mention that this "opportunity" is clearly a shortcut to opening up social circles, which cannot be repaid with a few gifts, so it's better not to say anything to avoid causing displeasure.

Sure enough, upon hearing his words, Zhu Yingwei said no more and politely invited them to sit down.

The maids around immediately busied themselves. Some maids boiled water and arranged fruits and vegetables, while others lit incense burners and burned incense sachets.

Wei Hanwen and his wife sat on the sofa, exchanged a subtle glance, and then looked away. They both already had a feeling that the poised and elegant young woman in front of them came from a very wealthy and influential family.

After everyone was seated, Wei Hanwen and his wife made their purpose clear. After all, they had come to express their gratitude, and Wei Hanwen had previously presented the invitation in Zhu Yingwei's name.

....................................

........................

"Uncle, you're too kind. It's nothing. It's just an invitation. Why did you have to come all this way?" Zhu Yingwei said with a smile, quickly smoothing things over.

Meanwhile, the maid who had boiled water began serving tea to everyone. At this point, Wei Chengguang joined the conversation and started talking about some interesting anecdotes from school.

The Wei couple didn't dwell too much on the invitation, since they had already accepted the favor and there was no point in saying more. Besides, it was obvious that the young woman wasn't doing them a favor, and saying more would only annoy them. So, they wisely changed the subject and started discussing something lighter.

..............................

"Oh, you weren't in the same class at school?" Wei Zhangli asked curiously as her son introduced them.

"Auntie, it's like this. I was originally from Jiangling Girls' School, but I was really interested in Professor Hu Jianmin's elective course on folk history in the College of Arts and Sciences, so I went to audit it. It just so happens that Chengguang also took this course," Zhu Yingwei explained with a smile.

“Yes… Professor Hu’s classes are very famous and are usually large lectures. However, the college has never restricted auditing, so Yingwei got an auditing pass to attend the classes…” Wei Chengguang added from the side.

"Speaking of which, I often ask Chengguang to save me a seat..." Zhu Yingwei continued, repeating the statements she had already rehearsed with Wei Chengguang.

After all, the two were not from the same school. Although they were very familiar with each other, it would be easy to give themselves away if they insisted on calling each other "classmates". So they simply agreed to say that they were "auditors". In fact, this is a very common situation, especially in cities like Jiangling and Beijing, where the academic atmosphere is strong and universities are clustered together. It is very common for students to audit classes at different schools.

When Wei Zhangli heard the name Jiangling Girls' Academy, she exchanged a subtle glance with her husband. The name Jiangling Girls' Academy sounded very ordinary, but it was not an ordinary school at all. It was one of the top ten top universities in Da Zhao.

Compared to prestigious institutions with long histories like Tianfu University, Jiangling Girls' School was relatively young, only about a hundred years old. At that time, following the Western Renaissance, the Age of Discovery and the Industrial Revolution brought a wealth of ideas to the East, triggering a series of modern changes. During this period of Western learning spreading eastward, the Western idea of ​​women's liberation entered the country, leading some enlightened gentry to suggest that women should also receive an education.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind the History Books: Chapter 1008 The Great Female Lead

However, the social atmosphere at the time was conservative, and there was considerable controversy surrounding co-educational schools. Therefore, the first school to be established was the Jiangling Girls' School in Jiangling, the wartime capital, thanks to the efforts of the renowned scholar He Chunlin. The school began to teach girls elementary education and simple lessons, and it employed only female instructors with no male students.

The school was quite successful, especially among the gentry and noble families in and around Jiangling, who sent their daughters to the girls' school. In addition to academic studies, the school also taught a wide range of courses such as painting, needlework, music theory, and finance, which were highly praised.

As a result, many wives and daughters of gentry, nobles and wealthy families, who were graduates of Gangneung Girls' School, would send their daughters back to their alma mater to study. As a result, Gangneung Girls' School continued to develop very smoothly.

After decades of development, Gangneung Girls' School was renamed Gangneung Girls' Academy, becoming a comprehensive modern university. However, as before, the school still only admitted female students. The school adopted an elite education system with extremely high admission standards; its recommendation letter system and high tuition fees were beyond the reach of ordinary families.

As a result, many of the students who enrolled in Gangneung Girls' School were daughters of prominent families with deep-rooted backgrounds.

Back then, Wei Zhangli's parents actually hoped to send her to Jiangling Girls' School, but they gave up because they couldn't find a recommender. As a result, Wei Zhangli had a very deep impression of Jiangling Girls' School.

"So Yingwei goes to a girls' school, that's amazing... I heard that the management of girls' schools is much stricter than that of regular schools..." Wei Zhangli exclaimed, her tone slightly exaggerated.

"Auntie, you flatter me. It's not too bad, but the workload at the girls' school is indeed heavier than at regular schools. In addition to the regular courses, horseback riding, music theory, and art appreciation are compulsory, and you also have to choose a musical instrument..." Zhu Yingwei was embarrassed to say that she was a well-known truant at school. If it weren't for her family background, she probably would have been expelled long ago...

Just as everyone was chatting, a maid came over and whispered in Zhu Yingwei's ear, "Second Miss, the second young master of the Marquis of Runan and the young master of the Earl of Changping heard that you have arrived and want to come and pay their respects..." Although the maid's voice was soft, it was just enough for the guests to hear. This was a kind of skill. If the host felt that the time was about right, then she could take this opportunity to end the conversation without losing face. In fact, some shrewd guests would also take the opportunity to say goodbye and leave.

Sure enough, Wei Hanwen, standing to the side, felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this. To him, whether it was the Marquis of Runan or the Earl of Changping, they were undoubtedly veteran nobles, truly important figures, the kind of people one would only see in the news. For a businessman of his caliber, his social circle was simply not at the level where he could even have any interaction with them.

Before Zhu Yingwei could answer, he said, "Since we have such an important guest, we'll take our leave now, so as not to keep you any longer, Yingwei..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Yingwei waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "No need, no need, Uncle and Aunt, please sit for a while longer. Don't pay them any attention; they're just idle people who don't matter..."

As she spoke, she merely glanced at the maid beside her and said indifferently, "I won't see her. I'll find an excuse to decline..."

"Yes, Second Miss, then I'll say you've had a long journey and are a little tired." The maid said respectfully, and seeing her mistress nod slightly, she bowed and withdrew.

Seeing this, Wei Chengguang couldn't help but secretly give a thumbs-up gesture to his waist, feeling that Zhu Yingwei was very respectful and had the demeanor of a leading lady in a novel.

However, Wei Hanwen and his wife were not as natural as their son. In their eyes, this young lady, who had always been well-mannered and had the demeanor of a well-bred lady, seemed to exude a distinct aristocratic air in her every move, making them subconsciously feel somewhat restrained.

In fact, Zhu Yingwei's attitude remained unchanged throughout, and she always chatted with Wei Hanwen and his wife very respectfully. However, psychological factors are indeed subtle, which made the couple less relaxed than before.

The group chatted for a while longer, and a maid came forward to refill their tea. Wei Chengguang sensed his parents' unease and said, "Alright, Yingwei, we've had enough of talking. We'll be going now. We'll talk about it later."