Chapter 395: A Chance Encounter at the Airport

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“Good morning, Boss!” Zhou Jilong received a call from Zhou Chao as soon as he arrived at the research institute.

“Well, how was Xu Yu yesterday? Did he badmouth me behind my back?” Zhou Chao chuckled.

“How could that be, Boss? Xu Yu knows he was wrong and he’s asking for another chance.”

“I’ve already arranged for the issue with the second phase of the industrial park. After it’s resolved, if anything like this happens again, tell him to pack up and leave. Also, inform Xu Yu that he won’t be getting a year-end bonus this year.”

“Understood, Boss. Are you not coming to the office today?”

“No, I’m heading back to Modu. There are some new developments in our previous plans, and 1 want to be there to oversee things and handle any issues promptly.”

Zhou Jilong hung up the phone and breathed a sigh of relief. He immediately called Xu Yu and briefed him on the situation.

Meanwhile, Zhou Chao and Lin Wu had already boarded Wang Feng’s car and were on their way to the airport.

“Boss, why are we rushing back to Modu like this? Did something happen there?” Lin Wu asked, a bit puzzled.

When they got up in the morning, Zhou Chao instructed him to contact Dole and mentioned that they were returning to Modu today. After holding it in for a while, Lin Wu couldn’t help but ask.

“It’s not a big deal, just some new developments in our previous arrangements.

Returning to Modu will allow me to be on-site and handle any issues promptly.”

After Zhou Chao finished speaking, he remembered the phone call he had received from Lei Du in the early hours of the morning. Lei Du had informed him that the cooperation had been successfully initiated, and they would take the lead in handling the domestic side of the project. Zhou Chao’s hurried return was driven by his desire to implement the plan as quickly as possible!

After Zhou Chao explained, Lin Wu nodded understandingly. He knew when to ask questions and when not to.

Soon, they arrived at the airport, and just as they entered, they ran into a familiar face.

“Young Master Zhou!” As they entered the airport, a man wearing a mask and sunglasses, with a slightly chubby figure, called out.

Zhou Chao stopped in his tracks and looked at the man, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

The man quickly removed his mask and sunglasses.

Oh? It’s you! Long time no see. Where are you headed?” It was Qiao Shan, the same person Zhou Chao had shared a drink with at the horse racing track in Jingdu.

“Young Master Zhou, I’m heading to Modu for a film shoot,” Qiao Shan said while putting on a mask again.

Zhou Chao didn’t find it impolite, as Qiao Shan was indeed a celebrity, and being recognized might attract unwanted attention from fans and photographers.

“Coincidentally, I’m also returning to Modu. Are you traveling alone?”

“It’s just me and my assistant. He’s buying tickets at the moment.”

“Why don’t you give your assistant a call and tell him not to bother buying tickets? 1 can arrange it for you,” Zhou Chao offered. They were friends, and Zhou Chao had a favorable impression of Qiao Shan.

Qiao Shan hesitated for a moment, then took out his phone and made a call to his assistant. After a brief conversation, he hung up.

In no time, a young man carrying a suitcase hurried over.

“Brother Shan, why didn’t you let me buy the tickets? 1 had just reached the front of the line to collect them!” The young man didn’t notice the person standing beside Qiao Shan and complained quietly.

“Xiao Yang, why are you complaining? Be quiet!” Qiao Shan scolded hastily, glancing at Zhou Chao to see if he had caused any offense. Seeing no change in Zhou Chao’s expression, he breathed a sigh of relief.

It was only then that Xiao Yang noticed there were two other people standing beside them, observing the exchange.

“Alright, let’s go with us,” Zhou Chao said without concern. He nodded at Qiao Shan and headed towards the fast-track lane.

Qiao Shan quickly followed, and his assistant carried their luggage as they moved ahead.

“Brother Shan, can we board the plane without buying tickets?”

“Shut up. Whatever happens later, I hope you can keep your mouth shut,” Qiao Shan replied. He didn’t know if they could board without tickets, but since Zhou Chao had said so, there must be a way.

Seeing Qiao Shan’s serious expression, Yang nodded in agreement.

Soon, they arrived at the fast-track lane. Lin Wu had a brief conversation with the airport staff, and they were allowed to enter. A shuttle was also arranged for them.

The four of them followed the airport staff and boarded a small shuttle.

“Zhou Chao, where are we going? Are we boarding directly?” Qiao Shan couldn’t help but ask. He had never experienced such a setup before.

Zhou Chao smiled and replied, “You’ll find out in a moment.”

The shuttle quickly stopped in front of a large aircraft—the private jet, BBJ747-8VIP, belonging to Zhou Chao!

Exiting the shuttle, Zhou Chao looked around before making his way to the plane, with Lin Wu closely following.

Qiao Shan and his assistant were a bit perplexed as they looked around. There were no other passengers in sight. Seeing Zhou Chao boarding the plane, they hurriedly followed suit.

Once they stepped onto the plane, a beautiful flight attendant led Qiao Shan and his assistant to the lounge area.

By now, Qiao Shan had a rough idea of what was happening. After all, he had been in the entertainment industry for many years and had seen quite a lot.

Looking at the luxurious and almost extravagant interior of the plane, even the well-traveled Qiao Shan felt a bit bewildered. His assistant, Xiao Yang, who was behind him, was already in a daze.

“Young Master Zhou, is this… your private jet?” Qiao Shan couldn’t help but stammer as he spoke.

“Yes, 1 bought it recently. Please, have a seat. Don’t stand. We’ll be taking off shortly,” Zhou Chao said, sipping on the juice the flight attendant had prepared.

Qiao Shan swallowed hard, feeling nervous. He sat down on the plush sofa, finally experiencing a sense of reality.

Seeing his assistant still looking dazed, Qiao Shan couldn’t resist giving him a nudge. Xiao Yang quickly snapped out of it and sat beside his boss, feeling a bit awkward.

“Brother Shan, this young master is truly remarkable. This private jet is incredibly luxurious. Even in the entertainment industry, I’ve never heard of anyone having this kind of treatment!” Xiao Yang whispered softly, unable to contain his amazement.

“Just as I told you before, you talk too much. 1 warned you not to blab,” Qiao Shan replied with a slight frown.

Assistant Yang quickly closed his mouth upon hearing this.

“Zhou Chao, 1 apologize for the spectacle. I’ve never seen such a luxurious plane, let alone flown in one. It feels like a dream!” Qiao Shan said, his face showing a mix of excitement and disbelief.

“Haha, it’s perfectly normal. 1 was just as amazed the first time I saw this plane. Don’t feel awkward; be yourself and let loose, just like when we were having drinks together. If you act reserved, it will only distance our friendship.”

Qiao Shan’s face brightened at Zhou Chao’s words. Getting to know such a big shot was like a stroke of luck in his life, and Zhou Chao’s down-to-earth attitude made him even more likable.

As Qiao Shan was about to respond, a foreign pilot-like man entered the lounge.

“Boss, I have something to discuss with you.”

Dole walked in and noticed Qiao Shan and his group.

“Boss, I’ll discuss it with you later,” Dole didn’t want to disturb their conversation and was about to leave.

“It’s fine. They’re all friends. Go ahead, what’s the matter?” Zhou Chao replied, gesturing that it was okay to continue.

Dole glanced at Qiao Shan and his assistant, Yang, before saying, “Boss, you haven’t given your aircraft a cool name yet.”

Zhou Chao realized he hadn’t given a name to his prized possession yet.

“Let’s all think about it and come up with a nice and meaningful name!” Zhou Chao looked at Qiao Shan, Lin Wu, and the others.

“This…” Lin Wu looked a bit troubled. With his level of education, how could he come up with a nice and meaningful name?

“As the saying goes, ‘Two heads are better than one.’ Let’s brainstorm together!” Z

The group lowered their heads to ponder.

Dole, who was standing nearby, didn’t know what to do for a moment.

Zhou Chao asked, “When is the plane taking off?”

Dole checked his watch and replied, “Boss, we have about 10 minutes until it’s our turn.”

“Alright, you can go for now. I’ll let you know when I’ve made a decision.”

“Understood, Boss!” Dole left and headed toward the cockpit.

“Zhou Chao, how about naming it ‘Air Force One’?” Qiao Shan suddenly looked up and suggested.

“‘Air Force One’? Nah, I’m afraid that name will attract too much attention,” Zhou Chao chuckled. The name would certainly raise eyebrows and draw undue attention.

The thought of every airport’s control tower announcing, “Air Force One, permission to land!” or something similar, made Zhou Chao feel inexplicably amused.

Boss, how about naming it ‘Revival’?” Lin Wu suddenly looked up with excitement in his eyes.

Zhou Chao couldn’t help but tease, “Are you trying to compete with the high-speed trains for the name?”

“Huh!” Lin Wu realized that ‘Revival’ was indeed the name of the high-speed train currently operating in China.

“How about ‘Dragon Soars’?” Xiao Yang suggested quietly.

Dragon Soars,’ like a dragon soaring over the four seas!” Zhou Chao murmured softly. Considering his own connection to the dragon as part of his heritage, he liked the idea of symbolically having the dragon soar over the four seas.

“Yeah, that sounds good. Let’s go with that name!” Zhou Chao decided on ‘Dragon Soars.’ He wasn’t too concerned about the name and felt that it had a meaningful connotation.

Qiao Shan and Xiao Yang both smiled, feeling glad that they could help with the decision.

Soon, the sound of Dole’s voice came over the intercom, announcing that the plane was preparing for takeoff.

Zhou Chao and the others fastened their seatbelts.

After a brief moment, they felt the slight vibration of the plane. Watching the buildings outside rapidly recede, they knew the plane was taking off.

Once the plane reached a certain altitude and stabilized, everyone unfastened their seatbelts.

“Young Master Zhou!” Qiao Shan stood up hesitantly.

“You can stay seated; no need to stand.”

“I’d like to take a look around and snap a few photos, if that’s okay!”

Zhou Chao immediately understood and chuckled, “Feel free to take photos; you can even post them online. Just avoid capturing any personal information about me. Other than that, you’re free to shoot.”

Qiao Shan was thrilled and expressed his gratitude to Zhou Chao, understanding that Zhou Chao had grasped his intention.

Both of them were sensible individuals, and Qiao Shan was delighted that Zhou Chao had agreed.

“In that case, we’ll go for a tour now!”

“Sure!” Zhou Chao nodded.

Qiao Shan and his assistant got up and left the lounge to explore the plane..