Chapter 132: Mr. Zhang Doesn't Know You!

Chapter 132: Mr. Zhang Doesn’t Know You!

For a moment, Chen Hao and the others thought they were hearing things.

Wasn’t Zhang Lin just a driver at Liyuan Farm?

Didn’t everyone know that?

What had they just heard?

Was Zhang Lin’s role as a driver just a misunderstanding?

Was he actually the owner of Liyuan Farm?

This realization left them feeling incredibly embarrassed.

They had come here thinking they could call Zhang Lin over, with a bit of condescension in their minds.

Moreover, on their way, each of them had praised Liyuan Farm, expressing admiration for the farm’s owner and hoping to meet him.

Now, the farm’s owner turned out to be Zhang Lin?

They felt like fools.

Their faces turned red with embarrassment.

Chen Hao still couldn’t believe it. He quickly took out his phone, pulled up a photo from their university graduation, and showed it to Zhan Lili, the manager of the camping site. "The Zhang Lin we’re talking about is him. Are you sure you didn’t make a mistake?"

Zhan Lili looked at the photo and became even more courteous. "So, you are indeed Mr. Zhang’s classmates. I’ll contact him right away. He should have just finished work and hasn’t left the farm yet!"

The photo was indeed of Zhang Lin, still in his graduation gown.

If these people were really Mr. Zhang’s classmates, they had to be treated with respect.

With that, she dialed the phone.

Chen Hao and the others were suddenly in a panic, wanting to stop her but not knowing how to speak up.

If they had wanted to call Zhang Lin over before, it was because they thought he was just a driver at Liyuan Farm, and they felt a sense of superiority, a psychological satisfaction.

Now, they felt a sting of humiliation.

But as they watched the manager make the call, a strange sense of anticipation crept into their minds.

What if they had a classmate who had become so successful, and they could somehow build a connection?

At the office center, Zhang Lin was reviewing a document written by Lin Mengyao, concerning the employee cafeteria.

The farm now had over 600 employees, but their dining arrangements were quite scattered.

The original campsite and the flower sea area had a simple kitchen, but it was very basic, just a leftover from the construction workers.

The situation at Liyuan Farm was even more chaotic. Some employees ate at the campsite, others in the restaurant, and those recruited by the system ate in the core area’s prefabricated houses. There was no unified dining area, and the lack of proper facilities was a significant issue.

This was a common problem when a farm grew too quickly.

For another agricultural tourism company to go from zero to 15,000 visitors, it might take years, even a decade.

But how long had it taken Liyuan Farm?

Rushing too fast could lead to problems, and the farm’s rapid growth had exposed various issues, such as the employee dining problem.

The campsite and restaurant were both used to serve tourists, and sometimes the employees’ meal times clashed, which could affect the visitors’ experience.

So, this was something that needed attention.

The Human Resources Department, headed by Lin Mengyao, was responsible for handling such issues. She had written a report to Mr. Zhang, and the solution was up to him.

After reading the document, Zhang Lin agreed that it was a problem.

With over 600 employees, a 1,500-square-meter employee cafeteria should suffice, but to allow for future expansion, he decided to build a 3,000-square-meter cafeteria with two floors.

This would provide more space for future growth.

However, this would require a significant investment, with the main building alone costing over 3 million yuan, and additional expenses for interior decoration. He wanted to build a high-quality cafeteria, not just a makeshift one.

"I understand, I’ll take care of it," Zhang Lin told Lin Mengyao.

After she left, he called Huang Tao, an old classmate.

While construction wasn’t Huang Tao’s primary business, he had done a good job with the skin cream workshop, and Zhang Lin planned to give him this opportunity.

He didn’t have many classmates he kept in touch with, and Huang Tao was one of the few he still had a good relationship with.

Huang Tao wasn’t like Chen Hao and the others, who had been so pretentious in university.

As soon as the call connected, Huang Tao’s voice came through. "Hey, Zhang Lin!"

Zhang Lin replied, "Come to the farm for tea tomorrow. I mentioned I had some good tea for you to try."

"Sure, I’ll come by in the morning," Huang Tao said with a smile.

Zhang Lin hung up the phone, checked the time, and was about to head home when he received a call from Fu Yao.

He answered with a smile, "Fu Yao, what's up?"

Fu Yao's voice came through, "Uncle, there's a group of people at the campsite who claim to be your college classmates. They want to invite you over for a chat. Do you want to come?"

Zhang Lin was taken aback. This must be Chen Hao and his group.

These people are really something.

He replied to Fu Yao, "Fu Yao, I don't have any college classmates visiting the farm. If I did, wouldn't they have called or messaged me? They're probably just random people, so ignore them."

At the Nanlu Campsite, Fu Yao found Uncle's reasoning sound.

If they were really college classmates, why wouldn't they have called or messaged Uncle?

Since they have no connection, Uncle isn't someone anyone can just meet.

She immediately called back the supervisor.

When Zhan Lili received the call, her face turned sour, and she glared at Chen Hao and his group.

These people aren't actually the boss's college classmates.

But, they do have a photo of the boss in his graduation gown.

She's not stupid. In this situation, it's either that they have a poor relationship with the boss or they just didn't have the chance to get to know him. They probably heard he's the farm owner and are trying to meet him.

Thinking this, she coldly told Chen Hao and his group, "Ladies and gentlemen, our boss says he doesn't have any college classmates visiting the farm and doesn't know you!"

This left Chen Hao and his group feeling awkward and their faces turning red.

They knew Zhang Lin must be too proud to acknowledge them. Their boasting in the group chat probably made them look like clowns.

Wu Ling, however, was visibly upset. "What do you mean he doesn't know us? We were classmates for four years. Just because he got lucky and became successful, he thinks he's better than us? Or is he just looking down on us?"

Zhan Lili now understood why the boss said he had no such classmates. It was truly laughable.

She smiled sweetly and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I can give you a discount on your barbecue, but don't try to meet our boss this way. He doesn't just see anyone."

With that, she left, leaving Chen Hao and his group with red faces.

"Um, I have some business to attend to, I'll be going now," Hu Dong said awkwardly and walked out of the campsite. He planned to take a taxi to the city and find a hotel.

It felt too awkward to stay at Zhang Lin's farm. He didn't have that thick of a skin.

Seeing this, the other classmates also got up and left awkwardly, abandoning their barbecue.

They had no appetite now and decided not to attend any more class reunions, as it was too embarrassing.

In the end, only Chen Hao and Wu Ling were left.

"Let's go too," Chen Hao said sheepishly.

This time was truly embarrassing. If Zhang Lin's status were to be revealed in the class group, they wouldn't even have the courage to chat in the group anymore.

"Zhang Lin is just too despicable. He's clearly doing well but pretends to be a nobody, clearly looking down on us," Wu Ling grumbled, still upset.

Chen Hao didn't know how to respond. After all, why should the boss look up to them?

Just like how they looked down on Zhang Lin when they thought he was a driver.

The gap between a driver and them wasn't insurmountable, but the gap between them and a boss like Zhang Lin was completely unmeasurable.

The boss's Nanlu Campsite alone generates a million yuan in accommodation fees per day, which is equivalent to their 2-3 years of salary.

Moreover, the Liyuan Farm's income isn't just from the campsite.

"Mr. and Mrs., don't rush to leave. Although I've given you a discount on the barbecue, you still need to pay the bill," Zhan Lili's voice suddenly rang out beside Chen Hao and Wu Ling. She looked at them with a teasing gaze, and security guards were already watching them.

Chen Hao felt even more embarrassed, as if they were trying to skip out on the bill.

But there was no choice. Even though they hadn't eaten a thing, he quickly paid the bill and left in a hurry.

Zhang Lin didn't give Chen Hao and his group a second thought and went straight home after work.

Time passed, and the next day, he arrived at the farm and called Huang Tao, inviting him over for tea.

Huang Tao was at his company, arranging the day's business with his employees when he received Zhang Lin's call. He hurried out of the company.

It was rare for this old classmate to call him specifically for a tea session, so he couldn't keep him waiting.

Besides, the early morning call might mean another project for him.

To be honest, it was a wise choice to show kindness to Zhang Lin when he returned to Youcheng. No one could have predicted his current success.

Zhang Lin had somehow latched onto this sturdy leg.

Now, his high school classmates didn’t even know that Liyuan Farm belonged to him, let alone have the chance to latch onto his leg.

Huang Tao soon arrived at Liyuan Farm. As he headed to the office center, he saw a very attractive woman standing at the entrance.

This woman was truly beautiful, dressed in an OL outfit with sheer stockings that added a touch of elegance.

Zhang Lin’s farm seemed to be attracting more and more beautiful women.

"Mr. Huang, Mr. Zhang has been waiting for you. Let me show you in!" Zhong Miaoying greeted Huang Tao with a warm smile. She had already seen his photo from Mr. Zhang’s office.

"You’ve been waiting for me?" Huang Tao was instantly surprised.

"I’m Mr. Zhang’s secretary, so naturally, I’m here to welcome you, Mr. Huang. Please follow me," Zhong Miaoying said, inviting Huang Tao to follow her inside.

Huang Tao followed her, admiring her graceful figure. He couldn’t help but think how enviable Zhang Lin’s life had become.

Huang Tao soon arrived at Zhang Lin’s office, where Zhang Lin greeted him by the tea table.

Zhong Miaoying took her place to brew the tea.

Seeing this, Huang Tao felt even more envious. A beautiful secretary and a beautiful woman brewing tea—this was what a boss should look like.

He suddenly thought about hiring a beautiful secretary to brew tea for guests. How prestigious would that be?

Just as Zhong Miaoying was about to start brewing the tea, Zhang Lin said, "Use the tea leaves from my collection!"

He was referring to the special Da Hongpao he had bought for 2 million yuan and added, "Today, I’ll treat you to some truly good tea."

Zhong Miaoying knew that her boss had a precious stash of tea leaves stored in his office. She quickly fetched the bamboo tube containing the tea leaves and carefully placed a small amount into the teapot.

She remembered how cautiously her boss had handled these leaves when he brewed them last time.

Even though she didn’t know much about tea, she could tell that these leaves were very expensive and didn’t want to waste them.

Huang Tao was curious about this.

What kind of tea required such careful handling?

As Zhong Miaoying began to brew the tea, his eyes lit up.

The aroma of the tea! He thought he knew why.

"Mr. Huang, please enjoy your tea!" Zhong Miaoying finished brewing the tea and poured two cups, each filled to about seven-tenths.

Huang Tao, already captivated by the tea’s aroma, eagerly took a sip and couldn’t help but exclaim, "Wow, the aftertaste of this tea is incredible. Zhang Lin, where did you get this tea? Introduce me to the seller, and I’ll buy some too."

Not only was the aroma and aftertaste remarkable, but he felt his mind become refreshingly clear after just one cup.

"2 million yuan per pound!" Zhang Lin smiled.

"Wow, I’ll just have a few more cups here then!" Huang Tao said, realizing that this tea was far beyond his budget.

If he had 2 million yuan to spend on tea, wouldn’t it be better to buy a house, a car, or a gift for his wife to make her happy? Or to charm a girl?

Huang Tao took another cup of tea and immediately handed his empty cup to Zhong Miaoying, saying, "Miss, one more cup. If I don’t drink a few more, I’ll feel like I wasted my time here today."

Zhong Miaoying laughed at his words and refilled his cup.

After several cups, Huang Tao finally asked, "Zhang Lin, you didn’t call me here just for tea, right?"

Zhang Lin didn’t hide his intentions and said, "We plan to build a cafeteria for the farm, a two-story building covering 3,000 square meters. Are you interested? I can entrust both the construction and decoration to you."

This caught Huang Tao off guard, and his heart began to race.

For him, this was definitely a major project.

Looking at Zhang Lin, he felt as if he had latched onto a sturdy leg covered in thick fur.

He knew that Zhang Lin was taking care of him, an old classmate. So, he calmed himself and said, "Zhang Lin, I’ll take the project. I won’t say more, but I’ll ensure it’s done beautifully!"

"I trust you. I’ll have the farm’s project director, Lin Muxue, get in touch with you about the details!" Zhang Lin smiled and took out his phone to call Lin Muxue.

She was the project director of the farm, and the employee cafeteria was also a project, after all. The capable should be given more responsibilities.

However, before he could make the call, Lin Muxue, his senior, rushed into the office and said, "Mr. Zhang, check the internet. There’s another popular video about you, and you might be facing some trouble soon."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end