Chen Pingjiang didn't plan to take Ge Mengshi to a public hospital.
It would be crowded and messy there, and if they were exposed, it would be a huge mess.
In comparison, private hospitals would be much better, with fewer people and more concern for reputation.
After Chen Pingjiang made several calls in the room, he took Ge Mengshi downstairs.
"Isn't the hospital open at 2:30? Going this early means no doctors."
"I've already made arrangements; someone is waiting for us there. We can just go directly."
After going downstairs, Dai Sheng, Zhou Guanghan, and Zhao Shaoyang all gathered around.
Dai Sheng was the one Ge Mengshi contacted in the morning.
Zhou Guanghan and Zhao Shaoyang usually wouldn't wake up until the afternoon, so coming this early made them still yawn.
"Great-uncle!"
"Brother Chen!"
Chen Pingjiang nodded, then turned to Dai Sheng and said,
"Take some cash, put it in several bags, and then come with me."
"Alright!"
Dai Sheng nodded and quickly went to get things ready.
It wasn't until Chen Pingjiang and the others had left that Zhao Shaoyang nudged Zhou Guanghan next to him:
"Er Zi, don't you think Manager Ge's relationship with our boss seems unusual? Just now, when going down the steps, Brother Chen put his arm around her waist as if he was afraid she would fall."
Zhou Guanghan said bluntly,
"Don't inquire about things you shouldn't."
"Damn it, I'm not going to spread it around, I'm just curious. If I'm not mistaken, we have another boss lady."
"You'd best pretend you saw nothing!"
Two cars drove into Minghua Hospital, one after another.
Chen Pingjiang and Ge Mengshi were both heavily disguised; a casual acquaintance wouldn't recognize them at a glance.
After entering the outpatient building, they went directly to the obstetrics and gynecology department on the 12th floor.
The head of the obstetrics and gynecology department was already waiting.
Director Liu, in her early fifties, had originally planned to go home for lunch, but unexpectedly, President Qiao from above spoke, asking her to work overtime at noon.
It was easy to imagine how unwilling Director Liu was, even complaining,
"Who exactly is this important person, making such a fuss?"
When she saw Chen Pingjiang, Director Liu thought for a long time but couldn't figure out who he was, yet he looked particularly familiar.
It wasn't until she opened the requisition form and asked Chen Pingjiang to take Ge Mengshi for blood tests that she slapped her forehead:
"It's him! I knew he looked familiar."
Her own son started working at Renren.com after graduation, so she usually paid close attention to Renren.com's news, and had seen Chen Pingjiang's photos or videos online more than once.
President Qiao was quite reliable; not only did he have the head of obstetrics and gynecology waiting at the hospital, but even the blood test technicians hadn't left work.
Everyone was working overtime to serve Chen Pingjiang.
"There are no issues; all indicators are good. You need to rest well after you go back. If you didn't take folic acid while preparing for pregnancy, you should take it now."
"Additionally, you need to come for regular prenatal check-ups."
After these instructions, Chen Pingjiang and Ge Mengshi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
All good!
"Dai Sheng, go."
Seeing Chen Pingjiang helping Ge Mengshi out of the outpatient clinic, Dai Sheng quickly stood up.
After hearing Chen Pingjiang's instructions, he quickly went in with the bag of cash and eagerly contacted Director Liu.
After taking care of everything, Dai Sheng returned to Tiangong Bar alone.
Zhao Shaoyang was a bit persistent, chasing Dai Sheng and asking,
"Where did you go?"
Dai Sheng didn't say a word to any of his questions.
Finally, getting annoyed, he glared at him fiercely:
"If you really want to know, call Brother Chen yourself and ask him, don't bother me."
Joking aside, this kind of matter, whether big or small, even if it gets out, it absolutely cannot come from his, Dai Sheng's, mouth.
Otherwise, would he want to continue living his life comfortably?
Since Tiangong Bar opened, Dai Sheng had thoroughly experienced the thrill of a successful person, with people affectionately approaching him and sweetly calling him "Manager Dai" whenever he came and went.
He usually dealt with second-generation rich kids and small bosses, and no one ever dared to cause trouble at Tiangong Bar.
He was very content with such days and hadn't forgotten how he had become who he was today.
Chen Pingjiang hadn't spoken, so he intended to keep this matter to himself and not tell anyone.
On the other side, Chen Pingjiang accompanied Ge Mengshi back to the house she lived in alone.
"This won't do; tomorrow I'll have a domestic service company find two ajummas to come take care of you and cook some soup for you."
Ge Mengshi felt delighted now; on one hand, she had a baby in her belly, and on the other hand, Chen Pingjiang's attentiveness made her satisfied.
"The company cafeteria has everything, no need for such trouble. It's such a small house, it would be inconvenient to have an ajumma come."
After thinking for a moment, she added,
"Besides, I'm just pregnant, not disabled; don't make such a fuss."
"Haha, you really intend to embody the term 'strong woman' to the end."
Ge Mengshi rolled her eyes at Chen Pingjiang:
"Don't worry, I know what's important. I'll move back to my parents' house tomorrow."
After leaving the community, Chen Pingjiang frowned; the current situation needed some changes.
To be honest, just leaving Ge Mengshi in an empty house like this felt somewhat inhumane and cruel.
He needed to find time to talk properly with Ge Mengshi's parents.
He also had to find time to confess openly to Empress Dowager Xu; even if he couldn't always be by Ge Mengshi's side, he needed Empress Dowager Xu's help to take care of her.
...
Chen Pingjiang didn't know much about private jets, so after returning to the company, he immediately asked Guan Yifeng to prepare relevant materials.
That's right, he was ready to make a move.
Buy early, enjoy early.
He had originally planned to wait until the Gulfstream G650 was delivered in 2012 before buying, but now he couldn't wait.
In a few months, Ge Mengshi would be going abroad to await childbirth, so Chen Pingjiang had to prepare all relevant matters properly.
Round-trip transportation, overseas properties, and security personnel.
The most famous private jet manufacturers were undoubtedly Bombardier and Gulfstream.
The former was a Canadian company, the latter American.
Chen Pingjiang preferred the Gulfstream G550.
Lao Ma, Jianlin, and Xu Jiayin all used this model, priced at three hundred million yuan.
It had a range of 11,686 kilometers, a maximum cruising altitude of 15,545 meters, could carry 18 passengers, and was the most luxurious business jet in China with the longest range, optimal performance, most spacious cabin, and best comfort.
Gulfstream Aerospace had a branch office in China, and upon learning that Chen Pingjiang wanted to buy a private jet, they immediately arranged for a crew to fly a Gulfstream G550 from Beijing to Dongjiang.
The other party was very sincere; an ordinary person certainly wouldn't receive such good treatment, as flying a private jet once costs a lot of money.
But this new rich tycoon in China naturally deserved it.
"Mr. Chen, this is our Gulfstream G550. It's 29.4 meters long, with a wingspan of 28.5 meters, a height of nearly 8 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight of 24,721 kilograms."
Inside Dongjiang Airport, a Vice President for China from Gulfstream Aerospace, who came with the team, eagerly introduced it to Chen Pingjiang.
"The difference between a business jet and a traditional commercial aircraft is that the engines are placed at the rear of the fuselage, which effectively reduces noise during flight and provides a better experience for users."
After entering the cabin, the other party continued the introduction.
"The interior layout of each business jet varies and is completely customized according to customer requirements. Our G550 can seat approximately 14-19 people, with the number depending on the cabin configuration. There are 10-14 main seats, and the rest are sofa seats, which can also be converted into beds upon request."
"The G550 cabin has a clear height of 1.96 meters, an interior width of 2.6 meters, and a length of 15 meters, totaling over 40 square meters. Typically, there are four tables, one of which is a four-person table, capable of accommodating six people for a meeting.
The entire aircraft's cargo hold has a volume of 6 cubic meters and can hold over 20 large and small suitcases, with a capacity of 400 kilograms. If there aren't many accompanying guests, luggage can also be placed in the cabin."
"Furthermore, because the G550's flight altitude is 15,000 meters, while ordinary commercial airliners can only fly at 10,000 meters, the G550 can fly in the stratosphere, thus avoiding turbulence during cruising and enhancing passenger comfort."
"In-flight meals will be specially customized by the crew you hire, according to your and other guests' tastes. Business jets have dedicated FBOs for guest lounge and boarding, usually at VVIP level. At the same time, FBO customs clearance and boarding are also the fastest."
What Chen Pingjiang didn't expect was that there was also a third party in the Gulfstream team, a specialized business jet airline, suggesting a close relationship between the two companies.
"Mr. Chen, after purchasing a private jet, you'll need to apply for an operating license and other certificates from the civil aviation department, along with a series of cumbersome procedures.
However, all these can be handled by agents authorized by the aviation department, and our company has the corresponding qualifications. After the documents are processed, you'll need to entrust the aircraft to our company for management.
We can help you apply for routes according to your schedule, arrange flight attendants and pilots, and provide on-board and off-board services. In addition, we will also provide daily maintenance, upkeep, storage, security, and refueling for your private jet."
"For example, for customs procedures, there will be dedicated personnel to assist you. No matter which airport, you can take a private car to leave immediately after disembarking."
Private jets are expensive to buy and even more expensive to operate; very few ordinary tycoons can afford to play with them.
According to this airline's introduction, annual maintenance costs would be at least ten million yuan, and annual management fees would be around 5 million yuan.
In addition to that, operational costs must be paid; 300 hours of use per year would cost nearly 20 million yuan.
Operating costs include fuel fees and route fees.
Fuel fees are easy to understand, but what are route fees?
For international and inter-regional flights, charges vary by country.
Domestically, it's about 0.2 yuan per kilometer, and abroad it's even more expensive.
Do you think that's all?
You also have to pay crew costs: a captain's salary is 2500-3000 yuan per hour, a co-pilot's is 1500-2000 yuan per hour, and flight attendants are extra.
Furthermore, airport parking fees range from 10,000-20,000 yuan per night, and at some major international airports, 30,000-40,000 yuan is not impossible.
One can only say it's good to be rich!
"Mr. Chen, rest assured, our company is professional in the area of aircraft management. Shi Yuzhu, Zhang Jindong, and Li Yanhong all have their planes managed by us."
After thinking for a moment, Chen Pingjiang said,
"The plane is good, and I can use your airline for management. I have only one request: the fastest possible delivery. How long would it roughly take you?"
The Vice President of Gulfstream Aerospace replied without hesitation:
"At least a year!"
Chen Pingjiang chuckled, a hint of sarcasm in his expression.
"If it's a year, I might as well choose Bombardier; they've been contacting me recently. I won't beat around the bush with you. If you can deliver in half a year, I'll place an order with you. If you can deliver in three months, I can pay a 10% handling fee."
Just as the other person was about to speak, Chen Pingjiang cut him off:
"Don't say it can't be done. What's wrong with letting me jump the queue? You all think about it yourselves."
Money talks!
The Vice President immediately called headquarters from the spot, regardless of any time zone differences.
However, ten minutes later, he rushed back to report:
"Mr. Chen, no problem. We'll proceed as you said. Delivery will be within six months at the slowest, and three months at the fastest."
For a transaction of 300-400 million yuan, a test ride is an essential step.
Even for a car costing several hundred thousand yuan, you need a test drive.
Because applying for a flight route in China takes a day, Chen Pingjiang could only go back and wait overnight.
In this regard, foreign countries are more convenient; flight route applications only take a few minutes, truly allowing for flying on demand.
The next morning, Chen Pingjiang grandly brought over more than a dozen people.
The bar trio, Empress Dowager Xu and Chen Guangming, and executives from several companies.
Everyone initially didn't know what they were coming for, until they saw the car drive directly onto the airport tarmac.
"You little brat, where are you taking us? I didn't hear anything about a long trip."
Chen Pingjiang smiled and waved his hand:
"Not a long trip, just a spin in the sky."
While Empress Dowager Xu was still bewildered, she saw the Maybach 57S stop in front of a small, all-white airplane.
"Oh, this plane is different from the ones I've flown before; it's small, short, and quite cute."
After getting out of the car, everyone else was already gathered around the plane, looking around curiously.
Zhao Shaoyang excitedly came closer:
"Brother Chen, this couldn't be your plane, could it? Holy cow, that's awesome."
Chen Pingjiang rolled his eyes:
"Just for a test ride."
Everyone pulled out their phones and continuously took photos from various angles.
"Mr. Chen, distinguished guests, good morning, you may board now."
A flight attendant, about 1.7 meters tall, attractive and elegantly dressed, smiled and guided everyone.
After entering the cabin, everyone gasped in amazement.
"A private jet really is different, so comfortable."
"You can play cards, watch TV, go online, and even sleep."
"Mr. Chen, how much does this plane cost?"
Chen Pingjiang didn't hide it:
"Over three hundred million yuan; by the time everything is settled, it'll be close to four hundred million."
Li Xi clicked his tongue repeatedly; indeed, it wasn't something ordinary people could afford.
Xu Fangjuan was also shocked upon hearing this; no matter how broad her horizons, it was difficult for her to imagine how large a number four hundred million yuan was.
At most, she could now react calmly to figures of several million or tens of millions.
"Are you saying this plane absolutely must be bought? Isn't flying by commercial plane the same? Zhongshan Villa, such a good location, only costs twenty million yuan. This one plane could buy nearly twenty such villas."
Chen Guangming tugged on Xu Fangjuan's sleeve, signaling her to say less.
"Ajumma, that's different. Bosses with some money can afford villas and luxury homes, but very few can afford private jets. Which rich person nowadays doesn't get a private jet? Our Mr. Chen is already the richest man in China; which other bosses, far less wealthy than him, don't have a private jet?"
The flight attendant, quick to understand the situation, quickly explained.
This was their livelihood, no joking matter.
Whether it's a pilot or a flight attendant, who doesn't know flying a private jet is easier?
Even if the income is similar, they fly much less.
Working for a commercial airline, you could almost say they fly every day; they rush out early every morning and return home or to a hotel when it's already dark.
Working on a private jet is much more relaxed, after all, no one can fly every day.
(End of Chapter)