Chapter 381: Ambition Exposed

After lunch, Wang Chenning planned to take Zhao Xiao'an, Li Fuzhen, and Li Yanxian to the Six Harmonies Pagoda and Xiaoyingzhou, with dinner reservations at Lou Wai Lou.

Upon hearing Wang Chenning's itinerary, the pretty tour guide assigned to them immediately offered her own suggestions.

They could spend about an hour and a half touring the Six Harmonies Pagoda, then charter a small boat to Xiaoyingzhou, followed by a visit to the Mid-Lake Pavilion and Ruan Gongdun.

The Mid-Lake Pavilion and Ruan Gongdun were no longer open to tourists, but certain special guests could still visit the islands.

If Wang Chenning's group wanted to take a look, it would certainly be no problem.

"In that case, we'll follow our host's lead. We're in your hands!" Wang Chenning did not object to the guide's arrangement.

And so, the driver first took them to the Six Harmonies Pagoda.

Once they arrived at the scenic area, the group of four ascended the Six Harmonies Pagoda, led by their pretty guide.

After giving a detailed introduction to the history of the pagoda and the surrounding scenery, the guide quietly asked Wang Chenning and Zhao Xiao'an if they could promote the beauty of Qiantang on social media to let more people know about its culture and magnificent views.

Wang Chenning naturally agreed.

He had Zhao Xiao'an take a photo of him with the pretty guide, then added a few landscape shots and a short caption before posting it to Weibo.

"Memories of Jiangnan, but what I miss most is Qiantang. Seeing it with my own eyes, I feel this truly is heaven on earth. Standing atop the Six Harmonies Pagoda, gazing at the beauty of the Qiantang River, with a pretty young guide by my side—how many of you wouldn't call this a heavenly experience?"

Zhao Xiao'an had also wanted to post something to her Moments or Weibo, but after some thought, she ultimately held back.

'But not posting anything felt even worse.'

So, as she was leaving the Six Harmonies Pagoda scenic area, she posted this message to her Weibo: "To compare West Lake to a great beauty, she's lovely whether with light or heavy makeup. Time to see the crimson peaches and green willows by West Lake!"

Wang Chenning's Weibo post, and Zhao Xiao'an's somewhat cryptic one that followed, were immediately linked together by netizens.

Many said that because Wang Chenning was in Qiantang, Zhao Xiao'an was pining for him and preparing to go to West Lake to meet her man.

Many people clamored in the comments that they were going to Qiantang too, hoping to run into Wang Chenning and Zhao Xiao'an by West Lake.

However, Zhao Xiao'an's post also rubbed Yang Xiaofei and a few others the wrong way.

Yang Xiaofei sent Wang Chenning a private message: "I want to come see the peaches and willows by West Lake too. Am I welcome?"

"Welcome!" Wang Chenning replied, then told Yang Xiaofei about how Wang Jiangxing was hosting them and that he and Li Fuzhen were planning to invest in the Jiangnan region.

"Then I'm in!" Yang Xiaofei agreed readily. "I'll come over tomorrow morning. I'll find you guys directly by West Lake then."

Wang Chenning was amused by her response and sent back a teasing remark: "If I could see you and Zhao Xiao'an get into a fight by West Lake, that would definitely be a memory for a lifetime."

"Don't you worry. No matter what happens, Zhao Xiao'an and I will never have a nasty fallout!" Yang Xiaofei expressed her strong contempt for Wang Chenning's tendency to judge a gentleman's heart with his own petty mind. "The world will keep spinning without you, and our lives will go on just the same, so don't think so highly of yourself."

Then another message arrived: "Compared to our family interests, you're relatively insignificant. So, don't get too carried away! This isn't a warning, just a well-intentioned reminder. Everything I do and say is for your own good!"

"I must say thank you!"

Yang Xiaofei: "Don't just say it. Show your gratitude with some real action!"

Wang Chenning: "Oh, so you're not satisfied with just my words? Then next time I'll use a few more 'techniques' to make sure you're satisfied!"

"Disgusting!" Yang Xiaofei added a string of head-bonking emojis. "Will you die if you don't act like such a perv?"

Wang Chenning: "I just love seeing you get all flustered. It's so much more animated than your poker face!"

"If you dare call me poker-faced again, you and I are not finished!" Yang Xiaofei's message was followed by a series of angry emojis.

Wang Chenning didn't reply to Yang Xiaofei.

Xiaoyingzhou was crowded. Led by the guide, the group of four walked a circuit, took a few photos of the Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon, and then headed for the Mid-Lake Pavilion.

Upon arriving at the Mid-Lake Pavilion, Li Yanxian leaped nimbly from the boat, rushing ahead of everyone to be the first on the island, then took out her phone to snap a picture of them.

After taking the photo, she asked Zhao Xiao'an with a smile, "I want to post a picture of me and Wang Chenning on social media. Is that okay with you?"

"He's nothing to me, why do you need my permission?" Zhao Xiao'an shot Wang Chenning a look. "He's surely delighted to take a photo with a pretty girl!"

"Of course I'm delighted!" Wang Chenning chuckled, pulling Li Yanxian to stand before the "Chong Er" stele and asking Li Fuzhen to take a picture for them.

The guide also took a few photos for them, repeatedly assuring them that the pictures were for work-related exchanges only and would not be used privately.

Wang Chenning, Zhao Xiao'an, and the others didn't pay it much mind.

After the photos, the guide asked the group, "Does everyone know what the two characters 'Chong Er' mean?"

Wang Chenning smiled at Li Fuzhen and Li Yanxian. "If you know the meaning, I'll give you an extra-large gift!"

But Li Fuzhen and Li Yanxian just shook their heads. "We don't know!"

Zhao Xiao'an gave Wang Chenning a playful look. "If I know the answer, do I get a generous gift?"

"You do!"

"It means 'boundless scenery,' right?" Zhao Xiao'an glanced at Wang Chenning, her eyes full of mirth. "You take the characters 'fēng' (wind) and 'yuè' (moon), and remove their outer frames, and you're left with 'chóng' and 'èr.' Legend has it that the Qianlong Emperor himself wrote this..."

The guide immediately picked up from there, launching into a grand and eloquent introduction, recounting in detail all the legends associated with the Mid-Lake Pavilion and its island.

After listening to the guide, Wang Chenning looked at Li Fuzhen and Li Yanxian with a smile. "The Chinese language and its literature are truly vast and profound. It's a real pity that you abandoned such an excellent writing system and, in doing so, destroyed your own history. I hope you aren't such short-sighted people!"

Li Yanxian nodded. "That's true. Changing the script completely severed the link to history. It's gotten to the point where young people today can't even read their own history anymore."

"And because they can't read history, they like to spout nonsense!" Wang Chenning laughed. "If you admire traditional Huaxia culture and recognize its excellence, we can work together to slowly recover the things that have been thrown away over the years. We can make everyone understand that culture needs to be passed down, and that you can't negate history because of the present. One more thing: there's no shame in correcting a mistake!"

Wang Chenning's words were quite shocking to Zhao Xiao'an, Li Fuzhen, and Li Yanxian.

Others who heard his speech might not have understood its implications, but they knew exactly what he meant—especially Zhao Xiao'an.

With those words, Wang Chenning's true ambition was laid bare.