Zeng Yu didn’t dwell on the issue and checked the time on his phone, “It’s noon. Let’s order takeout first.” Jiang Nan was surprised by his response. This guy suddenly seemed so calm. Was the breakup affecting him that much? He seemed disinterested in the project.
Glancing at his phone, a simple Android device, Jiang Nan asked casually, “What’s wrong with your phone?”
Zeng Yu didn’t look up, “It’s slow, needs frequent cleaning.”
Jiang Nan suggested, “Why not get a new one?”
“It was a gift from my girlfriend… What would you like to eat?” Zeng Yu instinctively answered, his voice trailing off as he lowered his head even more.
“Sorry about that. Just a fried rice will do.” Jiang Nan instinctively apologized, then quickly realized she had considered his financial situation. Jiang Nan didn’t want a class divide between them. Zeng Yu looked up, their eyes meeting. His gaze had a piercing quality, but Jiang Nan resisted the urge to look away, instead meeting his gaze calmly.
“No need to apologize. It wasn’t intentional. Besides, we’ve already broken up, and I didn’t do anything wrong to her.” Zeng Yu couldn’t help but say a bit more. Jiang Nan quietly listened, trying to be a good listener. But Zeng Yu had no intention of saying more, lowering his head to order the food.
The room fell into an awkward silence. Neither had much to say. Jiang Nan pretended to be engrossed in her phone while discreetly hiding her Dior limited-edition handbag behind her. But Jiang Nan soon realized it was unnecessary; Zeng Yu didn’t seem to notice or care about luxury brands.
Taking advantage of the ordering time, Jiang Nan took a closer look at Zeng Yu. His outfit was simple—jeans and a T-shirt, with his entire ensemble probably costing less than a thousand yuan. His hair was a bit messy, clearly not meticulously styled, and he seemed to have rushed to get here.
“Done ordering!” Zeng Yu looked up, their eyes meeting again.
Jiang Nan was caught off guard by the melancholy in his gaze and blurted out, “Let’s split the bill!”
Zeng Yu nodded, “I’ll cover this meal. You can get dinner. Splitting the bill is a hassle.” He showed no signs of traditional masculinity.
“Still fried rice for dinner?” Jiang Nan couldn’t help but ask with a smile. This time, it was Zeng Yu who felt uneasy. This woman’s eyes were like a vortex, drawing him in, “Stir-fry’s the same price.”
“Fair enough! So, what do you usually do outside of work?” Jiang Nan changed the subject, not wanting their interaction to become too dull. Zeng Yu didn’t seem interested in answering, instead, looking around, “Where’s the water?”
Jiang Nan suddenly realized her mistake—she hadn’t even offered him a drink. Fortunately, she had instructed the housekeeper to prepare something. She asked, “Tea or coffee?”
This was a multiple-choice question. Zeng Yu didn’t propose a third option, nodding, “Coffee.”
There wasn’t any hot water ready, so Jiang Nan had to boil some, feeling a bit awkward. Luckily, an electric kettle boiled water quickly. Plugging it in, she leaned against the table, looking at Zeng Yu, “Assuming we can convince Hongda, how should we divide the work?”
“You handle the loan. I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Alright. What should we name the company?” Jiang Nan asked. Zeng Yu glanced quickly at her seemingly calm face. If her hands hadn’t been clasped together, Zeng Yu wouldn’t have noticed that Jiang Nan was slightly nervous.
Jiang Nan was worried Zeng Yu might figure out her background. Her dress was Burberry’s latest collection, a blue-and-white checkered number with a collar. If Zeng Yu could recognize the scent, he’d know it was Chanel Chance perfume. She also wore a Chanel J12 titanium ceramic watch on her wrist.
But Jiang Nan’s worries were unfounded; Zeng Yu had no awareness of luxury brands.
“You decide. I’ll definitely be the minority shareholder.” Zeng Yu’s response revealed his thoughts.
“How about calling it Jiang Yu Trading Company?” Jiang Nan blurted out, then hesitated, realizing it sounded a bit too personal. But after thinking it over, she decided not to change it.
The name surprised Zeng Yu. Since she suggested it, he didn’t plan on altering anything. Without Jiang Nan, Zeng Yu’s perfectly crafted plan would be worthless.
“Alright, let’s go with that name.” The water boiled, and Jiang Nan turned to face him. Jiang Nan had a dancer’s grace and a well-proportioned figure, and Zeng Yu noticed her slender waist and shapely hips as she walked away. Standing at 1.7 meters tall, she was close in height to his 1.78 meters. If she wore heels, they’d probably be eye-to-eye, maybe even with her slightly taller.
“Sorry, it’s just instant coffee.” Jiang Nan handed him a cup, and Zeng Yu accepted it, “I can only afford this. If I don’t find something to do soon, I’ll be out on the streets.”
“You’re very honest.” Jiang Nan smiled.
Zeng Yu shook his head, “No choice.”
“Need to borrow some money?” Jiang Nan joked.
Zeng Yu shook his head slightly, “It’s not that bad. I still have some savings, and the rent’s paid. I can last a while.”
“By the way, since we mentioned the house, we’ll need an office, right?” Hearing this, Zeng Yu smiled, revealing dimples. It was the first time Jiang Nan had seen his smile, and it was infectious, like the lead in an indie film.
“I think we should have a warehouse but skip the office. We can rent a warehouse and set up our office there. That way, we can keep costs down.” Zeng Yu’s approach was practical, something Jiang Nan hadn’t considered. Oh, I still need to think about costs, Jiang Nan thought, feeling a bit ashamed.
“If you don’t live far, we can use my place as an office. Or we could ask Hongda to provide a warehouse.” Jiang Nan hinted at her idea.
Zeng Yu shook his head, smiling wryly, “Things aren’t that easy.”
“Let’s try. Trying doesn’t cost anything.” Jiang Nan’s eyes sparkled with mischief.
In the Hongda conference room, the coffee had been replaced three times before Han Liren hurried in. He entered, pretending not to recognize Jiang Nan, and checked his watch, “You have five minutes to convince me.”
Jiang Nan inwardly gave Han Liren’s performance a thumbs up, standing with a smile, “Mr. Han, we’re here today to discuss the Sophie distribution rights.” She nodded at Zeng Yu, who immediately set up the projector, displaying the “Sophie” logo on the screen.
Han Liren feigned impatience, “Skip the small talk and get to the point. You have four minutes.”
Jiang Nan was about to speak, but Zeng Yu stood up, lightly tapping her shoulder. The two exchanged a glance, and Jiang Nan sat back down, watching Zeng Yu take the lead.
“Mr. Han, if I’m not mistaken, Sophie’s brand lost over ten million yuan last year. I don’t know how to persuade you, but I can say that if you let us handle it, your losses will decrease, maybe even turn into profits.” Zeng Yu remained calm and composed, speaking confidently. In comparison, Jiang Nan’s performance seemed a bit exaggerated.
“A three million yuan deposit, and the citywide distribution rights are yours. If you don’t achieve ten million yuan in sales within a year, the deposit will be forfeited as compensation for our company’s losses. If I find out you’re selling Sophie elsewhere, we reserve the right to terminate the partnership and keep the deposit.” Han Liren was blunt.
“Two million.” Zeng Yu wasn’t intimidated by Han Liren’s aggressive stance and calmly countered.
Han Liren was noncommittal, staring at Zeng Yu as their gazes clashed, neither backing down.
“Young man, do you know who you’re talking to?” Han Liren coldly asked.
Zeng Yu nodded calmly, “I do, but I won’t do a losing business.”
“Care to explain what you plan to do with the extra million?” Han Liren relaxed, leaning back in his chair, looking down at Zeng Yu.
Zeng Yu glanced at Jiang Nan, who showed no sign of dissent, and then turned back, “There’s only a minute left. Let’s continue this another time.”
“Hmm?” Han Liren stood up, glaring at Zeng Yu, “Don’t try playing hard to get with me.”
Zeng Yu remained composed, “I said I won’t do a losing business. One minute isn’t enough to explain my plan.”
Han Liren sat back down, visibly relaxing, leaning against the chair with an exasperated expression, “Fine, two million it is. I’m on a tight schedule. You can discuss the details with my assistant.” He nodded at them and left the room.
Jiang Nan silently gave Zeng Yu a thumbs up, mouthing, “Well done.”
The door opened again, and a man in his thirties entered, smiling at them, “I’m Mr. Han’s assistant. Let’s discuss the details of the distribution rights.”
Jiang Nan stood up, smiling as she extended her hand, “Hello. You two talk; I’ll be back from the restroom.” She winked at Zeng Yu and walked out with a smile.
Back in his office, Han Liren had just sat down when the door cracked open, and Jiang Nan slipped in, “I’m exhausted.”
“Where did you find this kid? Does he even know how to negotiate? If it weren’t for our prior arrangement, I would have had security throw him out!” Han Liren scolded her, though his face was full of affection.
Jiang Nan slumped on the couch, kicking off her heels, “He was looking out for my interests. Uncle, you’re too harsh, demanding three million for a single city’s distribution rights.”
Han Liren couldn’t help but laugh, “You’ve got some nerve. There are only so many major cities in the country. The wine market is concentrated in the first-tier and provincial capitals. I’m giving you a first-tier city’s distribution rights, and you’re not satisfied? Do you want me to tell your mom you’re undermining your own family’s business?”
Jiang Nan didn’t care, rubbing her feet, “High heels are so uncomfortable. By the way, Uncle, I told Mom I want Sophie Winery as a birthday gift. The property will be in my name, but you’ll still manage it. If Zeng Yu does well, we can gradually expand and eventually take on nationwide distribution.”
Han Liren gasped. If Jiang Nan was saying this, it meant the decision was nearly finalized. The winery was worth five billion yuan, and she was calling it a birthday gift? This was getting serious.
“Your mom agreed?” Han Liren asked.
Jiang Nan smiled, “She has no objections. Now it’s up to my dad.”
Han Liren shook his head, “Your dad definitely won’t agree. Even if your mom says yes, she might not actually want to. She probably doesn’t want to discourage you. Think about it. After graduation, you didn’t go to the group headquarters. Instead, you traveled the world for half a year. Do you think they’ll trust you with a winery?”
“Exactly. They don’t trust me, and neither do you. That’s why I plan to start small and gradually build something bigger. When I succeed, they’ll naturally trust me more.” Jiang Nan’s carefree attitude left Han Liren with little to say. He didn’t want to risk pushing her too far.
“Do you think Zeng Yu is reliable?” Han Liren asked with a smile, still worried she might be getting carried away.
“He’s definitely more reliable than I am!” Jiang Nan slipped her shoes back on and headed for the door.
Han Liren almost stopped her, raising his hand but eventually letting it drop. “Don’t wear high heels so much.” He originally wanted to say, “You’re being reckless,” but quickly thought of his son Han Jie and bit his tongue. Jiang Nan said Zeng Yu was more reliable than her, and if he questioned Zeng Yu, wasn’t that implying Jiang Nan wasn’t reliable either? Then what about Han Jie? Was he reliable? Letting him manage the brand was a mistake, wasn’t it?
Han Liren chuckled to himself, “No wonder she’s the daughter of Jiang Ziliu and Han Jiayi, showing such sharpness at such a young age.” With that, he picked up the phone and dialed a number. When the call connected, he laughed, “Ziliu, it’s me. Jiang Nan just left my office. She…”
Be my Patron ~ Buy me Ko-Fi
✨Be a part of the story – support my translations✨
✨Buy me some Ko-FI | Paypal to support my effort✨
✨✨Advance chapter at Patreon✨✨
