Chapter 144 1993

Chapter 144: 1993

That same year, through a series of moves, before China had established a securities regulatory commission, Huo Zongzhuo's company Huachen went public in the United States in October 1992, becoming the first Chinese enterprise to list overseas, successfully raising $70 million.

Jiang Luo accompanied him to New York, not only witnessing Huachen's listing firsthand but also visiting Wall Street, touring New York's sights with Huo Zongzhuo, seeing the Statue of Liberty, visiting Central Park, and staying in a high-rise in Manhattan, where he witnessed the modern, luxurious, dazzling night views of Manhattan.

Jiang Luo gazed out the window as Huo Zongzhuo embraced him from behind, their cheeks touching, saying, "Haicheng will be like this someday."

"And many other cities too."

"Yeah."

Jiang Luo admired the view: "So beautiful."

Huo Zongzhuo: "If you like it, we'll buy an apartment in Manhattan too, and come stay when we can."

"Sure."

Jiang Luo smiled.

The two of them looked out together at the forest of skyscrapers, lights and neon.

After a moment, Jiang Luo turned around, facing Huo Zongzhuo, and kissed him, murmuring tenderly between kisses, "You looked so cool when you did the bell-ringing today."

Huo Zongzhuo kissed him back: "I wanted you to join me, but you refused."

Jiang Luo laughed: "I had to take photos of you—I needed to document that moment."

He added: "It's fine, it's not like this is the only time you'll ring the bell."

They kissed, sharing a tender moment.

In June 1993, Wang Chuang and Mo Wanzhen were married.

On this auspicious day, Wang Chuang wore a suit, had his eyebrows specially trimmed, and styled his hair with gel. Dressed in a suit, he looked especially sharp.

Wang Chuang's home was packed with guests, making it especially lively.

Early in the morning, firecrackers were popping off downstairs.

There were also many cars, all Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and black Volkswagens, along with a group of young socialites brought by Zheng Bin, each driving a nice car, waiting for the auspicious time to pick up the bride from the hotel.

"Chuang'er,"

Zheng Bin, wearing a groomsman's suit, asked puzzledly, "Where's Brother Luo? On such an important day, how come he's not here?"

"Not sure."

Wang Chuang was also puzzled; he remembered seeing Jiang Luo in the morning. Where had he gone?

With so many people around today, Wang Chuang couldn't keep track. Soon, he followed two cameramen back upstairs to offer tea to Bai Ting and Wang Junwei. Zheng Bin, too, didn't have time to look for Jiang Luo and hurried back upstairs with several other groomsmen.

While offering tea, Bai Ting, dressed in new clothes and sitting on the sofa, whispered to Wang Junwei beside her: "Do we have this tea ceremony tradition in Haicheng? I don't think so. Where did this ritual come from?"

Bai Ting had been busy all morning and was already feeling overwhelmed.

Jiang Luo had hired a makeup artist for her, and she had gotten up at six.

"Not sure."

Wang Junwei was also clueless but quickly added: "Just drink, the camera is filming."

Bai Ting hurriedly drank the tea properly.

"Mom, Dad, I'm going to pick up the bride now."

After the tea ceremony, Wang Chuang headed out with the groomsmen.

But when he ran downstairs, he saw a flatbed truck parked there.

Wang Chuang approached Jiang Luo, who was standing next to the truck, and asked puzzledly: "What's this truck for? Are we hauling furniture to pick up the bride?"

Jiang Luo tilted his chin: "Look at the license plate, the front."

Wang Chuang looked: the plate ended with "269." Then he looked at the front and was shocked: Damn, wasn't this the truck they used when they started their business at the small market!?

Wang Chuang was thrilled, touching the truck and looking at Jiang Luo: "How did you get it here?"

Jiang Luo sucked a lollipop: "It's our old workhorse from when we started out. I tracked it down and had it brought here to witness your wedding."

He added: "Is it okay to use this as the lead car?"

"Of course!"

Wang Chuang was overjoyed: "Absolutely!"

No wonder there were flowers tied to the front.

Jiang Luo grinned mischievously.

So the truck served as the lead car, with Jiang Luo driving and Wang Chuang in the passenger seat, followed by a line of cars. The procession headed to the hotel to pick up the bride.

At the bride's door, however, Yu Dong, dressed as a bridesmaid, stopped them and pointed to the bedroom door in the suite: "Hey! Hold on! Drink first!"

A group of groomsmen immediately surged forward: "We'll drink! No problem! Bring the glasses!"

After happily picking up the bride, Wang Chuang escorted Mo Wanzhen in her wedding gown to the truck, excitedly saying: "Wife! Look! This is the truck we used when we started our business at the small market! I told you about it!"

Mo Wanzhen was also delighted: "Who found it? Brother Luo? That's so meaningful!"

"Right! I think so too! So meaningful!"

"Let's go! Get in the car!"

So Wang Chuang drove the truck himself, taking Mo Wanzhen back to their new home.

Jiang Luo went to one of the following cars, his Mercedes, driven by Old Fourth.

As soon as he got in, he said to Huo Zongzhuo in the back seat with a laugh: "I wanted to drive for them, but they didn't want me to—they insisted on driving themselves. All that sentiment wasted."

Huo Zongzhuo smiled, reached out, and straightened Jiang Luo's collar, which had gotten turned inside out during the wedding games.

Jiang Luo slid over, sitting next to Huo Zongzhuo: "Whew, it's so hot."

Huo Zongzhuo slipped an arm around his shoulder and handed him a bottle of water with the other hand.

And so, with the truck as the lead car, followed by a long procession of vehicles, they made their way down the road.

The scene definitely turned heads.

That evening, at the wedding banquet, the place was packed and rowdy, especially with their usual group of young friends egging everyone on and making a scene. Wang Chuang drank an enormous amount, and Mo Wanzhen didn’t hold back either. Jiang Luo, helping to take drinks for others and feeling elated, drank until he was completely wasted.

Huo Zongzhuo carried Jiang Luo out of the hotel bridal-style, and everyone who saw it was cracking up. Bai Ting, after seeing off the guests, caught up with them and exclaimed, “Oh man, how did he get this drunk?”

“Dad.”

Jiang Luo was still mumbling in Huo Zongzhuo’s embrace.

“Get going already.”

Bai Ting urged Huo Zongzhuo.

Huo Zongzhuo bid farewell to Bai Ting, carried Jiang Luo, and put him into the car driven by Fourth Brother.

Once in the car, leaning against Huo Zongzhuo, the heavily drunk Jiang Luo started singing again—Cantonese songs, slurring so badly that it sounded like some made-up language to anyone who didn’t know better.

Even Fourth Brother, who was driving, laughed. Huo Zongzhuo couldn’t help but chuckle either, rubbing Jiang Luo’s face, holding him tight in his arms, and patting him.

Back at their home on Wukang Road, Huo Zongzhuo carried Jiang Luo upstairs. Jiang Luo started singing again, this time exceptionally loudly, clearly in a very good mood.

Huo Zongzhuo carried him into the bedroom, laid him on the bed, knelt down to take off his shoes. The completely drunk Jiang Luo lay there mumbling and said, “Dad, did you know? They were a couple in their previous life, got married early, and even had boy-girl twins.”

Huo Zongzhuo laughed, stood up, sat on the edge of the bed, and touched Jiang Luo’s face. “Didn’t you get married in your previous life?”

“No.”

Jiang Luo muttered with his eyes closed, fidgeting.

He added, “You did. Three wives, ten sons—no, ten daughters.”

Huo Zongzhuo found it amusing. “Impossible. I don’t like women. I would never get married.”

“Little liar.”

Jiang Luo lay there, squirming and chuckling.

Huo Zongzhuo leaned down, concerned. “Are you feeling unwell? Do you feel like throwing up?”

Jiang Luo didn’t hear him at all and continued mumbling, “You know, I used to be such a flirt—I'd fall for anyone I laid eyes on.”

Huo Zongzhuo caught that clearly. “Oh, so you were a playboy.”

As if engaging in a conversation, he asked, “How many were there?”

Jiang Luo raised his hand and made a grand sweeping gesture. “Count…! Too many to count! Lost track!”

Huo Zongzhuo laughed even more, grabbing Jiang Luo’s hand. “So that’s how it was. You loved so many, how come you never loved me?”

Jiang Luo squinted at him. “You ignored me! You always gave me the cold shoulder!”

Huo Zongzhuo snorted. “If you fall for everyone you see, why would I give you the time of day?”

Even as he said that, he leaned down and kissed Jiang Luo on the lips. “I’ll give you attention, of course I will. I love you.”

“However many you loved before, I love you just the same now.”

He said to Jiang Luo seriously, “As long as you don’t bring them home for me to see.”

“Huh?”

Jiang Luo actually caught that. He looked at Huo Zongzhuo, struggling to sit up. “How can you say that?”

“Of course I can’t love anyone else!”

Huo Zongzhuo laughed. “Just teasing. If you dare love someone else and bring them home, I’ll tie you up with the tie you made and lock you in the house.”

“Huo Zongzhuo~!”

Jiang Luo threw his arms around the man’s neck, murmuring loudly, “I love you so much.”

Huo Zongzhuo, still leaning down, turned his head to kiss him. “Can you manage? Or you can lie on your stomach.”

Jiang Luo immediately started pulling at his clothes. “Do it, do it.”

Soon, Jiang Luo couldn’t utter a single word. His fair shoulders exposed against the pillow, his body being pushed forward rhythmically again and again, he was pounded until he felt like his soul was leaving his body, his moans broken and gasping.

I can’t, I can’t.

Those three words were all that filled his mind.

I really can’t.

When they finished, Huo Zongzhuo came over and kissed Jiang Luo, asking, “Still love anyone else?”

Jiang Luo was barely conscious, lying there with his eyes closed, drenched in sweat, coming back to himself.

Soon, he fell asleep.

Little did he know, the next morning, Jiang Luo got busted.

Huo Zongzhuo asked him, “Who is Xiao Liang?”

Jiang Luo, aware that he had been heavily drunk the night before, started sweating.

Later, he went to Huo Zongzhuo’s office and had to stay bent over Huo Zongzhuo’s desk for a long time before finally getting past that awkward moment.

In his mind, he thought hard: Wait, who exactly is Xiao Liang? Which one was called Xiao Liang?

Why would he call out that name?

Alcohol really did a number on him! I'm never drinking that much again!

In 1994, Mo Wanzhen had twins in Shenzhen.

Jiang Luo, who was out of town, received the call and burst out laughing, thinking to himself, Wang Chuang, you son of a gun, you really are destined to have twins.

While in Shenzhen, Jiang Luo bought apartments for both kids and one for Mo Wanzhen.

By then, Jiang Luo’s wealth was already immeasurable.

He and Huo Zongzhuo had built skyscrapers one after another on their land in Pudong.

They owned land all over the country, constructing high-rises for various purposes everywhere.

Several garment factories were operating smoothly, including a few clothing brands that had earned Jiang Luo a fortune over the years.

Industries they had ventured into, such as electronics, automobiles, and semiconductors, were also booming.

Just like his early investment in JOVE, Jiang Luo invested in many other sectors, such as Huawei, which got its start selling phone switchboards.

Looking back, I realized that in just a few short years, I'd come such a long way.

In October 1994, the towering structure on the other side of the Huangpu River was finally completed and officially opened.

Everyone in Haicheng city knew it as the "Oriental Pearl."

China's pride, the pearl of the East.

Two years later—