Jiang Nan tilted her head, “That smile is great. Keep it up.” Under Zeng Yu’s gentle gaze, Jiang Nan’s heart skipped a beat. This man’s smile was unexpectedly powerful! She quickly looked away, trying to calm herself, “Alright, let’s get to work. I’ll drive you to the government office, then head to the bank.”
Before driving off, Jiang Nan suddenly asked, “Are you short on money?”
Zeng Yu turned to her, “My savings are under fifty thousand. It should last two years.”
Jiang Nan started the car, “What do your parents do? Can you tell me?”
“My parents are regular working-class people. Together, they earn about seven or eight thousand yuan a month. They’ve always been frugal to support my education. Now that they’re getting older, their health isn’t great. For me, earning money is urgent. I want to improve their lives through my efforts.” Zeng Yu spoke calmly, and Jiang Nan listened, not knowing what to say. She compared herself to him in her mind, realizing the pressure a child from an ordinary family faces when stepping into society was far beyond her imagination.
“My family is much better off. My grandparents were university professors, and my parents are white-collar workers. Some things, whether we like them or not, don’t matter. Since we chose to start a business, we must be willing to pay the price. Doing things we don’t like is just part of the deal.” Jiang Nan skillfully crafted her background story, knowing that if the gap between them was too big, it would be hard to work together. Even if she didn’t care, Zeng Yu might. She needed a friend she could work with, not a follower. Her reasoning came from her upbringing in a well-off family, and she explained it to Zeng Yu, worried he might harbor resentment.
“I worked at Lanmei Bar for three years. My biggest takeaway was learning how to deal with all kinds of people. Don’t worry; I’m a quick learner.” Zeng Yu wasn’t as sensitive as Jiang Nan thought. He was resilient, and having navigated the bar scene, he wasn’t easily shaken.
Halfway to their destination, Yuan Lei called, “Jiang Nan, stop by my place first.”
Jiang Nan replied, “Got it. I’m on my way.”
Instead of heading to Lanmei Bar, the car turned into the Jiangpan Renjia complex. The housing here was expensive, and someone like Zeng Yu, starting from the bottom, might only be able to afford a small unit after a lifetime of work—except there were no small units here, only duplexes. While the metropolis offered many opportunities, few people managed to seize them and succeed.
Yuan Lei was waiting downstairs with a sleepy-looking woman by her side.
When the car arrived, Yuan Lei walked over and said, “Starting a company and handling the paperwork yourself is a hassle. You know Li Kou, we’ve had drinks together. She can help you with the paperwork. She has connections at the bank and can help with the loan too.”
Li Kou approached, barely acknowledging Jiang Nan, but she took a good look at Zeng Yu, “You look familiar! I remember now; you used to be a waiter at a bar, right? I have a friend, Sun Meimei, who had a thing for you. She tried to touch your leg several times, but you always managed to avoid it. If you’re looking for a loan, having him around might save you the trouble of collateral. Sun Meimei works at a bank and has some authority. Young man, how about sacrificing yourself for the cause?”
Zeng Yu didn’t say a word, just gave Li Kou a cold look.
Sensing Jiang Nan’s slight frown, Yuan Lei intervened, “Li Kou, cut the nonsense. But when we get to the bank, Zeng Yu, you’d better stay outside.”
Zeng Yu smiled calmly, “It’s fine. Thanks for the advice, but I believe we should face whatever comes our way, not avoid it.”
Jiang Nan looked at Zeng Yu, feeling her heart flutter slightly. The way he spoke, with such determination and composure, showed that he was clear-headed despite his recent breakup. He was capable of separating his personal feelings from his professional responsibilities.
Jiang Nan admired Zeng Yu more and more. Even Yuan Lei, standing by, found his words impressive.
Li Kou, however, remained unfazed, giving a subtle smile. Her comments had been prompted by Yuan Lei, who, aware that Jiang Nan might have noticed something was off, decided to keep quiet.
Li Kou led them to the bank manager’s office, where they waited outside while she went in with the paperwork. She came out shortly after, smiling, “All done. With the deputy manager’s signature, the credit department will just need to follow the process.”
“That simple?” Jiang Nan was surprised.
Li Kou laughed, “It’s a normal loan. We just took a shortcut. The process still needs to be followed; we just skipped some unnecessary steps.”
Zeng Yu remained silent, quietly observing.
The credit department was bustling with people waiting for their loans. Li Kou led them straight into the credit director’s office. She seemed well-acquainted with him, exchanging a few polite words before he called in someone to assist Jiang Nan and Zeng Yu. The entire process went smoothly.
As they left the bank, the officer who had assisted them said, “Ms. Li, the funds should be in your account by tomorrow.”
Li Kou smiled, “Thank you. Let’s grab a meal sometime. I’ll call you.”
Jiang Nan remained quiet throughout, only speaking up after they got into the car, “When we were handling the loan, I noticed many people waiting in line. I overheard two of them saying they’d been here several times.”
Li Kou chuckled, “Are you implying this isn’t fair? You disapprove of using connections to take shortcuts?”
Jiang Nan didn’t respond but turned to Zeng Yu, “What do you think?”
Zeng Yu thought for a moment and replied, “I’ve always enjoyed reading history. The people and situations we encounter in real life can be found in history books. The appearances may differ, but the essence is the same.”
Li Kou stared at Zeng Yu for a long moment, then discreetly took out her phone and sent a message to Yuan Lei: “He’s quite an impressive guy.”
Yuan Lei quickly replied, “I think so too.”
With Li Kou’s help, everything was handled quickly. This woman, though average in appearance, had extensive connections. Wherever they went, she knew someone. What Zeng Yu had planned to take a week to accomplish—getting the loan and registering the business—Li Kou had completed in a day.
The company was now officially established. Back at Jiang Nan’s place, Zeng Yu chose not to go upstairs, opting instead to leave.
“Wait a minute. The company’s officially up and running. Don’t you want to celebrate?” Jiang Nan asked with a bright smile.
Zeng Yu looked at her, noticing her dimples, and replied calmly, “It’s too early. Let’s wait until we’ve got the office space and transportation sorted before celebrating.”
“You’re terrible at small talk. Fine, I’ll find my own fun.” Jiang Nan said, watching Zeng Yu turn and walk away.
As she watched him go, a trace of helplessness crossed her face. He was a good business partner, but he was cautious. It was likely that after what happened with Xiao Xiao, Zeng Yu had developed a guarded attitude towards women.
Jiang Nan received a message from Yuan Lei and headed to a nightclub. When Han Jiayi found out, she sighed and made a phone call. Jiang Nan had no idea that her every move was under her mother’s control.
Zeng Yu reached his apartment building and ran into Wang Zheng and Ye Xiyan.
“Taking Xiao Ye to work?” Zeng Yu greeted them with a smile, feeling in a better mood.
Wang Zheng was surprised, “What happened?”
In truth, Zeng Yu and Wang Zheng’s relationship was far from just neighbors.
When Zeng Yu was in his third year of high school, Wang Zheng’s family encountered some difficulties. One evening after class, Zeng Yu found Wang Zheng drunk on the street and helped him home. Wang Zheng spent the entire night talking about his troubles while Zeng Yu listened. By dawn, Wang Zheng had fallen asleep, and Zeng Yu, exhausted, also dozed off on the floor next to the bed. That’s how they became friends. Despite being three years older, Wang Zheng found a kindred spirit in Zeng Yu.
When Zeng Yu went to university, Wang Zheng, having regained his footing, moved to the same city to start over. While Zeng Yu worked at the bar, Wang Zheng was busy at various schools. They would occasionally run into each other, exchange a nod, and go their separate ways. Their friendship was low-key but steady.
When Zeng Yu graduated from university, Wang Zheng came to congratulate him and suggested they go out for drinks. Xiao Xiao and Ye Xiyan joined them, and the four of them spent the evening chatting and drinking at a roadside stall. That was one of Zeng Yu’s happiest moments.
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✨✨
