How A Ride-Hailing Driver Comes To Dominate The World? [EN]: Chapter 222

## The Grand Show: All This Just to Show Off in Front of Yang Chen? So What If a Ride-Hailing Driver Has Some Money?

Yang Chen stepped forward and hugged Liang Tao, exchanging greetings with his old friend.

However, Liang Tao kept his true identity a secret. He was dressed as a waiter to observe the employees’ work and gather genuine customer feedback on the food.

Apart from the store manager and his secretary, who was also disguised as a waitress, no one else knew who he really was.

He deliberately presented himself as a waiter, concealing his true position, all to show off to Yang Chen and settle the score for all those times he felt inferior as a kid.

So what if Yang Chen was good at studies?

So what if he was the “model child?”

So what if he was always better than him?

Well, let’s see who’s more successful now.

This situation highlights a crucial point: not every child benefits from constant encouragement. Some individuals may have underlying mental health issues or misinterpret their parents’ intentions, potentially leading to psychological problems.

Therefore, parents shouldn’t blindly follow generic advice when raising their children. They need to tailor their approach to each child’s unique needs and aptitudes.

Liang Tao eagerly invited Yang Chen and Chen Qingxia to sit down, presented the menu, and began describing the dishes.

To his credit, Liang Tao was remarkably dedicated. He knew the menu inside and out, including the location of each dish, its price, and a detailed description of its characteristics.

As the chairman, his thorough knowledge was impressive, and it explained how he had successfully turned Heli撈 [a popular hot pot chain] into a nationwide brand.

It was a rare opportunity to reconnect with an old friend, and Yang Chen was genuinely happy. He wasn’t particularly concerned about ordering, so he left it to Chen Qingxia, preferring to chat with Liang Tao.

“After my family’s accident, we moved out of the villa area. I later heard that you went to No. 2 High School and then to MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] for further studies?” Yang Chen inquired.

Liang Tao feigned an awkward expression and said loudly, “Are you looking down on me for coming back from MIT to be a waiter? Ever since I was a kid, my parents have held you up as my role model, but unfortunately, I’m not you, and I can’t ever measure up. But even so, I don’t want you to look down on me.”

The surrounding diners were taken aback.

“Damn, are the requirements for Heli撈 waiters this high?”

“An MIT graduate working as a waiter?”

“If kids don’t study hard, they won’t even qualify to be a Heli撈 waiter in the future!”

Hearing the murmurs around him, Liang Tao couldn’t have been more pleased.

He had inadvertently elevated Heli撈’s reputation, and as the chairman, he was naturally delighted.

Yang Chen quickly responded, “What are you talking about? How could I look down on you? It doesn’t matter what job you do, as long as you’re not stealing or robbing and you’re earning an honest living, there’s no shame in that.”

Liang Tao nodded and said, “That’s good to hear. I’ve been living in your shadow since I was a kid, and I was really worried you’d look down on me for just being a waiter. Tell me, what do you want to eat? It’s on me, since we’re old friends.”

Yang Chen smiled and shook his head, saying, “No need, you’re running around all day, it must be tiring to earn money. No need to treat me.”

Liang Tao: “What do you do now? Your girlfriend is really beautiful!”

Chen Qingxia: “Thank you for the compliment. He drives for a ride-hailing app. It’s nothing special.”

Ride-hailing?

Liang Tao almost burst out laughing with excitement.

Haha…

Is this the “model child” that parents always talk about?

This truly proves the old saying, “A bright child may not be great when grown up.”

Who would have imagined that Yang Chen, who excelled in academics since childhood, would end up as a ride-hailing driver?

Liang Tao deliberately said, “Hey… bro, you don’t have to pity me for being a waiter and pretend to be a ride-hailing driver. I know very well that even if a loser like me goes abroad for some ‘gilding’ [a metaphor for gaining superficial experience or qualifications], it’s useless. My abilities are limited, and I’m only fit to be a waiter. I’m open-minded, you don’t have to pity me and deliberately say you drive for a ride-hailing app.”

Yang Chen: “Damn, you’re overthinking it. I really am a ride-hailing driver for the Bipi platform.”

Liang Tao: “Oh, that’s such a pity. You had such good grades since you were a kid, always in the top few in every exam. What happened? Why did you end up driving for a ride-hailing app? It’s not surprising that a loser like me is a waiter, but it’s truly a shame that you, with such good grades, are a ride-hailing driver.”

Yang Chen vaguely sensed that something was off. Why did this sound so awkward?

However, Yang Chen still didn’t want to assume the worst. He believed that after so many years, Liang Tao must cherish their childhood memories as much as he did and wouldn’t harbor any ill intentions.

Yang Chen: “It’s mainly because I wanted a relaxed and free lifestyle. I can drive whenever I want and sleep at home when I don’t. If there’s anything good about it, it’s probably that I don’t have to clock in, so my work is a little easier than yours.”

Liang Tao: “How much can you earn a month driving for a ride-hailing app?”

Yang Chen: “I used to be more diligent, earning over 10,000 a month. Now I’m lazy and don’t drive as much, so I only make about 5,000 or 6,000 a month.”

Five or six thousand?

That’s not even as high as the salary of a good Heli撈 waiter.

Haha…

As the chairman of Heli撈, wouldn’t I be able to crush you?

But now the question is, how can I reveal my identity in a classy way, without seeming deliberate, and in a smooth and reasonable manner?

Just then, Chen Guangzu, the CEO of Heli撈, called him.

“Sorry, bro, I’ll go out to answer the phone. You guys order first, and I’ll come back to check later,” Liang Tao said with a smile.

Yang Chen smiled and nodded, saying, “Got it, go ahead.”

Liang Tao quickly went outside to answer the call.

Chen Guangzu: “Hello, Chairman, are you still inspecting the store?”

Liang Tao: “Yes! What’s up?”

Chen Guangzu: “It’s like this, the heads of Minghuang Investment, Tianmu Investment, Shengjin Investment, Xingchen Investment, and Peninsula Hotel Management Company are here and want to discuss investing in our company.”

Liang Tao: “Haha… that’s great. Bring them over and say I want to invite them to taste our food at the store.”

Chen Guangzu: “Okay! I’ll take them to you right away.”

Liang Tao was overjoyed. The opportunity to show off had finally arrived.

A group of capital bigwigs coming to visit, his identity being exposed – it would definitely cause a sensation, right?

Yang Chen, as a ride-hailing driver, would definitely feel inferior, right?

“I lived in your shadow when I was a kid. From now on, I want you to live in my shadow. I want you to experience what it’s like to be compared to others and not be as good!” Liang Tao thought to himself gleefully.

Liang Tao went to the dish preparation area and instructed his secretary, Xiao Li, who was also dressed as a waitress. The secretary smiled and nodded, then quickly went to Yang Chen and Chen Qingxia’s table.

Secretary Xiao Li: “Excuse me, you two. Liang Tao has something to take care of, so I’ll be serving you. He also asked me to apologize to Mr. Yang and hopes you don’t mind.”

Yang Chen smiled and shook his head, saying, “It’s okay. We’ve already ordered, take a look.”

Secretary Xiao Li checked the order and then went to place it to prepare the dishes.

After a while, the waiter brought the pot base [the broth for the hot pot], and then Secretary Xiao Li came over pushing a cart of dishes.

While serving the dishes, she asked, “Are you two married?”

Yang Chen and Chen Qingxia both shook their heads.

Yang Chen asked with a smile, “What, are there discounts for married couples?”

Secretary Xiao Li smiled and shook her head, saying, “No! If you’re not married, can we add each other as friends [on social media]?”

Chen Qingxia’s face changed suddenly, and she said, “Beauty, even if we’re not married, it’s not appropriate for you to flirt with him in front of me, right?”

Secretary Xiao Li: “Handsome guys are just too handsome, I’m smitten just looking at him. Don’t worry, I’ll just add him as a friend. As long as you don’t break up, I definitely won’t harass him. If you break up, then I’ll contact him, and you can’t control that, right?”

Chen Qingxia, with her fiery temper, retorted, “You really know how to talk! Call your manager over!”

Secretary Xiao Li put the bill on the table and quickly ran away.

Yang Chen felt there was no need to argue with a waitress and comforted Chen Qingxia, “Okay, what are you arguing with her about? Let’s eat.”

Chen Qingxia snorted coldly and sullenly put the dishes into the pot to cook.

The two had just started eating when Secretary Xiao Li came over again and asked, “Handsome guy, do you need more soup?”

Before Yang Chen could speak, Chen Qingxia immediately replied impolitely, “No! We’ll call you when we need it. Please don’t bother us while we’re eating if we don’t need anything, okay?”

Secretary Xiao Li nodded, quickly bowed, and left.

The diners next to them whispered that Chen Qingxia was too arrogant, bullying people just because they were waitresses.

If Chen Qingxia wasn’t concerned about her image, she would have stood up and argued with them.

“Damn it, flirting with her man in front of her, couldn’t she be a little angry?”

“It’s as if they wouldn’t be angry if a waitress flirted with their boyfriends in front of them.”

Secretary Xiao Li came back after a turn, and just as she passed by Yang Chen, Liang Tao quickly ran over, knelt on one knee, and presented a large bouquet of flowers with a ring box on top.

“Jingjing, marry me! I’ve liked you for a long time, let me spend the rest of my life with you,” Liang Tao said loudly.

Secretary Xiao Li was stunned for a moment and then quickly refused, “Liang Tao, I’m sorry, I have someone I like. I wanted to give you a chance before and try to get along. But I don’t want to give you a chance now, I think you’re too far behind him.”

Liang Tao quickly got up and asked, “Ah? Who is it?”

Secretary Xiao Li shyly turned her head to look at Yang Chen, who was watching the scene with a gossipy expression.

The smile on Yang Chen’s face immediately disappeared, and he thought, “Damn, isn’t she talking about me? Damn it, don’t play like this!”

Secretary Xiao Li walked to Yang Chen and said:

“The person I like is him. Although he has a girlfriend, I’m willing to wait. If they eventually get married, then I’ll give up and never get married in this life. If they break up, my chance will come.”

Liang Tao was shocked and asked, “Do you know what he does?”

Secretary Xiao Li: “I don’t know, but I don’t need to know. He’s handsome!”

Liang Tao: “But he’s just a ride-hailing driver!”

Secretary Xiao Li: “Then he’s still better than you! How much do you make a month? Isn’t it easy to earn more than 10,000 a month driving for a ride-hailing app? Also, look at his watch, it’s very expensive. If I’m not mistaken, the clothes he’s wearing should be Louis Vuitton, which is considered a second-tier luxury brand, and it’s also very expensive. Can you afford these? Don’t blame me for being realistic, people who earn a few thousand a month in Hai City don’t deserve to get married. Everyone, do you think I’m right?”

The diners responded one after another.

“That’s true! How can you live on a few thousand a month? Eating three or four meals at Heli撈 a month would cost more than two thousand.”

“You have to be realistic in life. Who are you going to turn to when you’re hungry if you’re not realistic?”

“This isn’t even called being realistic, you have to be able to survive at least. What’s the point of getting married if you can’t even survive?”

“It’s okay for people who come to work from other places to go back to their hometowns to get married, as long as they don’t settle down here. If they’re local to Hai City or want to settle down here, this salary really isn’t enough. I may be saying something unpleasant, but it’s all the truth. Love is a luxury after all, not everyone deserves to have it. Isn’t that right?”

…

Yang Chen quickly said, “Beauty, don’t mess around! Liang Tao and I are old friends, you’ll ruin our friendship if you do this.”

Secretary Xiao Li: “I’m not messing around? I’m just saying what’s on my mind. Don’t worry, I definitely won’t bother you if you don’t break up. I just hope you can consider me when you break up.”

Liang Tao immediately said, “Yang Chen, we haven’t seen each other for many years, I didn’t expect you to be like this when we met… Hehe… that’s great. You drive for a ride-hailing app, and you’re no better than me, why are you bullying me like this? If you were the CEO of a company, wouldn’t I have no way to survive?”

The diners launched an attack on Yang Chen.

“Wow, you’re really going too far! Although I don’t agree with this beauty accepting his proposal, you’re being too much of a jerk by doing this as his friend.”

“You can’t bully a friend’s wife! If you do this kind of thing in the underworld, you’ll definitely be killed by your brothers!”

“You’re just a ride-hailing driver, you’re not any better, what’s there to be proud of? It really proves the saying that the most ruthless people who harm those at the bottom are often those at the bottom themselves. For example, security guards bullying food delivery and courier workers, factory line leaders bullying small workers, etc.”

…

Chen Qingxia couldn’t bear it anymore, stood up, and said loudly, “Don’t make comments if you don’t understand what’s going on. It’s because there are too many fools like you who are keyboard warriors online and moralists offline that the world is so messed up. Please understand the truth before you comment, don’t use your self-righteousness to influence others!”

“Oh, are ride-hailing drivers so arrogant these days?”

“Which platform are you from?”

“Are ride-hailing drivers so crazy these days?”

…

Yang Chen quickly pulled Chen Qingxia down and said, “Don’t argue with them, you can’t explain it clearly. These people are like this, they always think they’re righteous. I’ve seen it a lot, I’m used to it, don’t pay attention to them.”

Chen Qingxia: “But it’s really annoying that they make comments without knowing anything.”

Yang Chen: “Calm down.”

Then, Yang Chen smiled and said to Liang Tao, “Liang Tao, I don’t want to explain, just don’t bother us while we’re eating.”

Liang Tao snorted coldly and said, “I treat you as an old friend and treat you so warmly. Although I don’t earn much, I still want to treat you to a meal. Is this how you treat me? Do I deserve this?”

As he said that, Liang Tao walked to Yang Chen and deliberately tripped over his foot, then fell to the ground in a very exaggerated manner.

Liang Tao angrily pounded the ground and pointed at Yang Chen and Secretary Xiao Li, saying, “Yang Chen, you’re going too far! You’ll regret this!”

After saying that, Liang Tao ran out.

The surrounding diners condemned Yang Chen.

“Wow, you’ve gone too far, haven’t you? No matter what, he’s still your friend. It’s not necessary to steal his girlfriend and deliberately humiliate him!”

“I really can’t stand it anymore. Kid, which platform are you a ride-hailing driver for? If I don’t get your account banned, you’re lucky!”

“This kind of person is too immoral, it’s really stomach-churning.”

…

Yang Chen grabbed Chen Qingxia’s hand and said with a smile, “Let’s eat, don’t pay attention to them.”

Secretary Xiao Li quickly cleaned the floor.

At this time, Liang Tao, who had changed into a suit, came back with Xue Yinong and others.

“Wow…” The whole place exclaimed.

“Damn, this guy is really good at showing off.”

This scene was reminiscent of a movie starring Sun Honglei and Li Bingbing, where Sun Honglei confronts Duan Yihong with a group of people. It had a similar air of dominance.

Yang Chen smiled and said softly, “Why is this guy so good at showing off? He’s better at it than me. It seems like I’m not good enough, I have to learn more about showing off.”

Secretary Xiao Li dropped the cleaning tool in her hand, then quickly picked up the ring box, opened it, took out the ring, put it on her finger, and ran to Liang Tao, saying, “Honey, I accept your proposal. Honey, I was just testing you.”

Liang Tao flashed a dragon king-like crooked smile [a reference to a trope in online novels where the protagonist is secretly powerful and wealthy] and said, “Is that so? That’s not what you said just now? Didn’t you like that ride-hailing driver very much? Weren’t you willing to wait for him to break up with his girlfriend and then step in?”

Secretary Xiao Li immediately put on a shy look and said, “You’re so annoying, I was just saying that on purpose, otherwise how could I have found out your true identity? Honey, you’re so majestic. Who exactly are you? Why are you disguised as a waiter here?”

At this time, the store manager ran over and said loudly, “This is Liang Tao, the chairman of our Heli撈 Group, Chairman Liang. Chairman Liang is conducting a micro-service visit to inspect the performance of the store’s employees and understand the customers’ real feedback on our dishes, so as to formulate targeted reform measures for the company’s future development. It’s rare for Chairman Liang to take a liking to you, but you rejected him for a ride-hailing driver, you’re really blind! Get out of the way!”

Secretary Xiao Li suddenly cried exaggeratedly and said, “Chairman Liang, I really know I was wrong, I was blind, please give me another chance. I’ll propose to you, okay? Chairman Liang, marry me, I don’t want anything, as long as you love me.”

The store manager quickly stepped forward and pulled Secretary Xiao Li away.

Liang Tao walked arrogantly towards the smiling Yang Chen.

At this time, the diners were chattering.

“Wow, this plot twist is a bit intense!”

“This woman is so realistic, she looked down on a waiter just now, but now that she knows he’s the chairman, she’s actively begging to marry him.”

“Haha… that’s great! I want to see what that ride-hailing driver does!”

“Damn, isn’t this the plot of the Dragon King War God with the crooked mouth? I’m being honest, I like to watch it.”

…

Yang Chen quickly shook his fingers at Xue Yinong and others, signaling them not to say anything.

Liang Tao walked to Yang Chen, smiled, and spread his arms, saying, “Brothers, let’s have a hug.”

Yang Chen smiled and wiped his mouth, saying, “Let’s skip the hug, you might fall down again and blame it on me.”

Yang Chen took out five hundred-yuan bills from his wallet and put them on the table, saying, “Okay, you put on such a big show just to vent your anger from when you were a kid. I can understand your feelings, so I won’t bother with you. These friends should all be here to discuss investment, right? I won’t bother you, you guys get down to business.”

Heli撈 is also preparing to go public. If it can successfully get investment, it can earn at least 10 times the money after the company goes public. Yang Chen doesn’t want to miss such a good opportunity to make money.

But Liang Tao didn’t want him to leave.

Liang Tao stretched out his right arm to stop Yang Chen and said with a smile, “You ruined my proposal and deliberately humiliated me in public, it’s not appropriate to just leave like this, right? Everyone, let me introduce you. This handsome guy is called Yang Chen, he’s my friend from when I was a kid. Back then, he was amazing, his grades were always in the top few in the grade. And me, I was always at the bottom. My parents used him to pressure me every day, I lived in his shadow since I was a kid. But now, he’s actually become a ride-hailing driver. And me, I’ve already built Heli撈 to the point where it’s about to go public. I deliberately disguised myself as a waiter, mainly to inspect the service of the employees and the real feedback of the customers on our dishes, I didn’t expect to meet him here for dinner. I didn’t resent him because of what happened when we were kids, and I still treated him well. But I finally took a liking to a girl and was about to propose to her, but he actually ruined it and deliberately tripped me. I’m not a petty person, nor am I a bully. But he’s bullying me, so I can’t just let it go. Bro, shouldn’t you bow and apologize and say sorry to me?”

Yang Chen chuckled and said, “In the end, you still resent me for what happened when we were kids. I was born to be so good, you were born to be inferior to me, what does it have to do with me that your parents used me to pressure you? You feel like you’re living in my shadow, why don’t you try to be better and surpass me? You put on such a show just to make me say sorry to you? You’re too childish, no wonder your parents wanted to use me as an example for you.”

Liang Tao: “You’re good? I haven’t surpassed you? Haha… get your facts straight, these capital bigwigs are all here to discuss investing in me. My company is about to go public. I’m a ride-hailing driver, I’m not as good as you? Haha… that’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard!”

Yang Chen: “Say whatever you want. You guys talk business, we’ll leave first.”

Liang Tao grabbed Yang Chen’s arm and said, “Bro, things have developed to this point, you want to leave without saying anything today, how am I supposed to get by in the future? Everyone is watching, they can testify for me. You ruined my proposal and deliberately tripped me. It’s not like I’m bullying you, you’re already shitting on my head, you can’t just wipe your ass and leave, right? Distinguished guests, what do you say?”

Those diners were already arguing with Chen Qingxia, and they were all snobbish, so naturally they would stand on Liang Tao’s side.

“That’s right! We can all testify!”

“Although he didn’t initiate the proposal, it was indeed ruined because of him.”

“But everyone saw very clearly that he tripped the chairman.”

“That’s right, there’s no escaping this, he did trip the chairman. If it were me, I definitely wouldn’t let him leave like this!”

“I think an apology is a must, not to mention that he’s the chairman of Heli撈, even if he’s really a waiter, he should apologize to him.”

…

At this time, Jin Ming, the head of Yang Chen’s Xingchen Investment, said, “Mr. Yang, we don’t necessarily have to invest in Heli撈. Haili撈 [likely a typo and meant to be another hot pot chain] is also planning to go public recently and is also interested in financing to expand its store scale to prepare for the listing. If Heli撈 can’t be invested in, we can invest in Haili撈.”

That would be easy, Yang Chen didn’t have to hold back.

At this time, an old couple walked in.

Yang Chen recognized them at a glance as Liang Tao’s parents, Liang Aihe and Zhang Huili.

Liang Aihe recognized Secretary Xiao Li at a glance and asked, “Xiao Li? What are you doing here? And dressed like this? As the chairman’s secretary, shouldn’t you be by the chairman’s side at all times?”

Secretary Xiao Li panicked and stammered, unable to speak.

The whole place was shocked. This waitress is actually the chairman’s secretary?

Which company’s chairman’s secretary is she?

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