The day Zeng Yu got beaten up, he had already completed his resignation procedures and could have just been a bystander. Afterward, Yuan Lei tried to thank him but couldn’t reach him. Some female customers who frequented the bar often asked about Zeng Yu, and when they heard he had left, they expressed their regret.
Yuan Lei didn’t know how Zeng Yu managed to go three years without a single customer complaint, which showed he had high emotional intelligence. Yet, someone with such emotional intelligence was played by Xiao Xiao, making him a walking contradiction.
When Zeng Yu left the bar, he wasn’t drunk at all—the little bit of alcohol had no effect. He simply wanted to have a drink. After leaving in a daze, he realized he had forgotten his things.
Less than half an hour after Jiang Nan left, Zeng Yu returned to the bar.
Yuan Lei had changed into a cheongsam and was sitting behind the bar with a complicated expression as she looked at Zeng Yu, “Jiang Nan took your things. Here’s her phone number. Don’t get the wrong idea. Do you remember the day you resigned? You took the beating for Jiang Nan. She just wants to thank you.”
Zeng Yu still hadn’t fully recovered from the blow of Xiao Xiao’s departure. His eyes, slightly unfocused, glanced at Yuan Lei. He nodded without saying a word and turned to leave.
Yuan Lei sighed. Zeng Yu had resigned because of Xiao Xiao. Yuan Lei had told Zeng Yu that she had seen Xiao Xiao with another man at a certain club, and the two were quite intimate. Yuan Lei meant well, hinting to Zeng Yu that he was just a backup. Unexpectedly, Zeng Yu immediately resigned.
“Ms. Jiang Nan? This is Zeng Yu.”
Zeng Yu’s polite greeting came through the phone. Jiang Nan held the phone, unable to detect any emotion in his tone. She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly and said, “Perhaps it was presumptuous of me, but I just wanted to thank you in person. If you’re available, I’d like to treat you to a meal.”
Zeng Yu was silent for a moment, “Today?”
Jiang Nan smiled, “If it’s convenient for you.”
“Text me the time and place,” Zeng Yu said before hanging up.
Jiang Nan noted the phone number and texted him an address. She could have chosen a restaurant near the bar but instinctively wanted to be farther away. Maybe it was because the bar was a place of heartbreak, or perhaps she didn’t want to be seen—perhaps a bit of both.
Jiang Nan chose a restaurant that served braised chicken and rice. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford something better, but she didn’t want to put any pressure on Zeng Yu. Jiang Nan remembered Zeng Yu’s shirt with the yellowed collar and the proposal he had left behind—it was clear that his situation wasn’t great.
The restaurant was small but clean. Jiang Nan arrived first and found a seat. Zeng Yu arrived at 5:25, exactly five minutes early. His punctuality left another good impression on Jiang Nan.
There weren’t many customers at the time. Jiang Nan stood up and smiled, “Hello.”
Zeng Yu only glanced at her but immediately felt a strong sense that this woman’s smile had a healing power that could easily affect those around her. As he looked at her serene smile and clear eyes, the heaviness in his heart lifted somewhat.
“Hello, Jiang Nan.” Zeng Yu tried to smile but couldn’t completely hide the lingering sadness in his eyes.
Hearing her name, Jiang Nan smiled again. Zeng Yu was once again infected by this pleasant smile, and the agitation he had been feeling gradually calmed down.
“Have a seat. I’m sure Yuan Lei has already told you.”
“Actually, you didn’t need to do this. You don’t owe me anything.” Zeng Yu spoke slowly. He had almost forgotten about that incident.
“I asked Yuan Lei. You had already resigned at the time.” Jiang Nan’s smile deepened, not the kind of professional smile honed over time, but a natural one.
She’s a girl who loves to smile, Zeng Yu thought.
“Alright, you’re right. After this meal, you won’t owe me anything.” Zeng Yu was straightforward, without any intention of dragging things out.
“Do you know much about wine?” Jiang Nan held up the proposal. Seeing a hint of displeasure flash across Zeng Yu’s face, she quickly explained, “I just glanced at it earlier. Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it.”
The timely explanation made Zeng Yu reconsider.
“It’s okay. I’m just too sensitive.” Zeng Yu gave a self-deprecating smile, and the melancholy in his eyes returned.
Jiang Nan didn’t say anything, just smiled at him. When Zeng Yu met her gaze, he felt a sudden urge to confide in her.
“I’ve oversimplified things. Even if this proposal is brilliant, why would such a big company trust it from a stranger? Maybe I should find a similar job, gain more experience and connections, and then consider starting my own business.”
These thoughts had been bottled up inside Zeng Yu for a long time. The moment he walked out of Hongda’s office, he felt like his proposal might just end up in the receptionist’s trash can. So, Zeng Yu couldn’t help but add some self-mockery.
“Your eyes tell me you won’t give up easily.” Jiang Nan smiled again, like apricot blossoms in spring, dispelling the gloom in Zeng Yu’s heart. In fact, what Jiang Nan wanted to say was that his eyes had an unspoken resilience.
“Here comes our food. Let’s eat.” Zeng Yu, freshly heartbroken, suddenly felt a pang of fear. Jiang Nan’s smile made him feel a sense of closeness, which he quickly dismissed. After all, they were just two strangers who happened to meet.
The young waitress who brought their food took another glance at Zeng Yu before leaving. Jiang Nan could see that this man indeed had a unique charm. He wasn’t a dazzling star on the screen, yet he still managed to capture women’s attention.
As Jiang Nan quietly enjoyed her flavorful braised chicken and rice, she thought about Zeng Yu, who had stood out so distinctly during university. Even if he wasn’t so lucky after leaving campus, he still had a unique brilliance.
Zeng Yu observed Jiang Nan as she ate. Her dining manner was something he had never seen before—elegant. Though he had eaten with women before, Jiang Nan ate neither too quickly nor too slowly. With each bite, she would slightly lower her head, covering any chance of her teeth showing.
The weather was a bit hot, and when she wiped her sweat, she did so slowly, pressing the tissue gently on her face.
As Zeng Yu observed Jiang Nan, she was also observing him. Zeng Yu ate quickly, but his eating manner was orderly. After finishing his meal, he set down his spoon and patiently waited for Jiang Nan without any hint of urging. When Jiang Nan had eaten her fill, she wiped her mouth and said with a smile, “I think your proposal is well done, but you don’t know much about wine.”
Zeng Yu’s face remained unchanged, “I don’t know much about wine, but I do know a little about marketing. From what I’ve seen, Hongda’s marketing strategy is unimaginative—a complete mess.”
“Where did you get your information?” Jiang Nan asked calmly.
Zeng Yu, without a hint of defensiveness, answered frankly, “From the official website and some promotional materials. Hongda’s decision to sell Sophie in supermarkets—whoever came up with that idea must have been brainless. There’s a huge problem with the brand’s positioning.”
“You can’t deny that selling in supermarkets cuts costs significantly. You can’t just open a specialty store, can you?” Jiang Nan didn’t blindly agree with him but instead spoke up for Hongda’s marketing team.
“That’s too low. Don’t you think selling wine in a supermarket lowers its value?”
“You’re quite interesting. But how do you plan to execute your plan? Just talk won’t get you the distribution rights from Hongda. Even if they did give you a regional distribution right, do you have the funds to operate?”
Just as Zeng Yu was about to respond, he paused, looking at Jiang Nan’s smiling face, so serene, so pleasant. He shook his head with a bitter smile, “Forget it. There’s no point in telling you all this.”
“Zeng Yu, you can’t talk to a potential partner like that—you’ll lose an opportunity.” Jiang Nan playfully said, showing a hint of girlishness.
“Partner? With you?” Zeng Yu looked surprised.
Jiang Nan nodded, “Of course, but we should continue this conversation somewhere else.”
Zeng Yu stood up, smiling, “I think I should take my leave. I don’t see us as having any chance of working together.”
“How can you be like this?” Jiang Nan’s usual smile faded, and she seemed a bit anxious, her voice rising slightly.
“Is your family rich?” Zeng Yu stopped.
Jiang Nan hesitated for a moment, realizing where the issue lay, and quickly shook her head, “My grandmother left me this house, and I can mortgage it with the bank. I also have connections in the bank. After graduation, I worked at a bank for six months. I quit to take care of my grandmother when she fell ill. She passed away three months ago, and now I’m unemployed.”
As Jiang Nan said this, a faint sadness appeared on her face.
Although she wasn’t very close to him, when Zeng Yu saw the sorrow on her face, he felt a slight prick in his heart.
“Let’s talk tomorrow. I’m not in the mood for this today.” Zeng Yu finally relented. Jiang Nan smiled, “Alright. Call me when you’re ready.”
As they left, Zeng Yu suddenly asked, “Where’s your car?”
Jiang Nan’s car was parked near the Blue Charm Bar, but she replied on a whim, “It’s Yuan Lei’s car. I borrowed it.”
Zeng Yu felt a bit more at ease. If there was too much of a gap between them, they really couldn’t be friends.
Jiang Nan could tell that Zeng Yu wasn’t very interested in the partnership. The reason was simple—Zeng Yu didn’t want to work for her.
“Wait a minute. I really like your proposal. If we partner, you can have 51% of the shares.”
This piqued Zeng Yu’s interest. After hesitating for a while, he said, “I’ll think about it. Let’s talk tomorrow.”
Zeng Yu left, his steps heavy, reflecting his current mood.
No love, no sorrow. Easy to find priceless treasures, but hard to find a loyal lover, Jiang Nan thought as she watched his tall figure walk away.
Jiang Nan also hailed a taxi and left.
Zeng Yu, standing across the street, saw this before finally turning to leave.
In the taxi, Jiang Nan called Han Liren, her tone completely different, “Uncle, are you at home or the office?”
Han Liren was the general manager of Hongda and Jiang Nan’s uncle. Hongda had originally been her mother’s business before marriage. After marrying, her mother focused on family, handing over the business to Han Liren. He had managed it well, and the company was quite profitable every year. His only disappointment was with his son, Han Jie, who, after studying abroad, was more interested in sheep than books. When Han Jie returned to China, he talked big, so Han Liren handed over the Sophie brand to him, only for it to be a disaster. Over a year, nearly ten million yuan was lost, half of it due to Han Jie’s lack of effort.
“That rascal Han Jie messed up a good brand and then went on vacation abroad. If it weren’t for your aunt, I would have broken his legs long ago.”
No matter how troublesome, he was still his son. Even if Han Jie was a worthless playboy, Han Liren had no intention of disowning him. He only felt sorry for his sister and planned to manage the brand himself.
“Alright, it’s nothing. Uncle, get some rest early. There’s always more work to be done.” Jiang Nan didn’t say much more. Her uncle was very capable, running the company well. His only regret was his wife and son. That was his family business, and Jiang Nan couldn’t say much.
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