The arrival of the new employees created a sense of urgency among the three old employees. Li Geng, who knew Jiang Nan’s true identity, couldn’t help but feel uneasy seeing the newcomers. Zheng Xin and Jiang Jieru, however, were more relaxed. They thought of themselves as helping out; if it didn’t work out, they’d simply leave.
Zeng Yu didn’t stay idle. He called the three new employees, asking their names, which were Zhou Ke, Xu Jian, and Wang Lida. Zeng Yu briefly introduced the company and gave them training materials, instructing them to study independently before starting formal training the next day. Their training would cover more than just basic wine knowledge; Zeng Yu also planned to include marketing content.
Jiang Nan watched Zeng Yu from her office as he briefed the newcomers and then returned to his work. She couldn’t help but feel guilty. Most of the company’s tasks were handled by Zeng Yu, while she, the boss, had become half a hands-off leader, unable to create a conducive environment for the company.
“Zeng Yu, I’m leaving now. Don’t work too late,” Jiang Nan said as she left the office, heading for the bustling commercial district.
After parking her car, Jiang Nan called Han Liren, “Uncle, I’m coming over for dinner tonight.”
Han Liren was a bit surprised but readily agreed, “I’ll be home early.”
After hanging up, Han Liren called Han Jiayi, “Nan Nan is coming over for dinner tonight. Do you think she’s coming to give me a hard time?”
Han Jiayi couldn’t help but laugh, “You’re the head of the family. She might be upset, but if she’s coming for dinner, she probably wants to talk things over. Just share your thoughts and experiences with her. Running a business isn’t easy, and eventually, she’ll have to manage the group on her own. We’re not going to be around forever. If she doesn’t gain experience now, it’ll be too late later.”
Jiang Nan didn’t come empty-handed; she brought gifts. Han Liren was busy in the kitchen, wearing an apron, while his wife, Song Jiajia, opened the door.
“Your uncle hasn’t cooked in years. Today, he said you were coming and are sweating it out in the kitchen, making your favorite pickled pork and braised eggplant,” Song Jiajia said warmly, always friendly with the Jiang family.
“When I was little, I often ate my uncle’s cooking,” Jiang Nan reminisced.
When Jiang Nan was in the first grade, and Han Jie was in the fifth, Jiang Nan would go to her uncle’s house for dinner every day after school. At that time, Han Jiayi was traveling with Jiang Ziliu, and she felt it was better for her brother and sister-in-law to take care of Jiang Nan than leaving her with a nanny.
While chatting, Jiang Nan handed Song Jiajia a handbag, “A gift for you, Aunt—an elegant new clutch.”
Song Jiajia opened it and smiled, seeing the brand. It was a limited edition Hermès. Jiang Nan then placed another gift on the coffee table, “This one’s for Uncle. I noticed his belt was a bit worn last time, so I got him a new one.”
Just as Han Liren walked out, he overheard the comment, and his heart warmed. His niece was thoughtful and had always been close to the Han family. Jiang Nan had never openly criticized Han Jie, even though she could have.
Han Liren smiled appreciatively, “Take a seat. I’m almost done here. Oh, by the way, I remember Jiang Nan likes corn juice, so I’ll make some fresh.”
He then went back to the kitchen, busying himself again.
Song Jiajia sat with Jiang Nan in the living room, making small talk. She couldn’t help but bring up Han Jie, “Nan Nan, could you give your cousin a call and tell him to come home?”
Jiang Nan was curious, “What happened now?”
Song Jiajia frowned and whispered, “Yesterday, a woman came to our door, claiming to be pregnant with Han Jie’s child. I haven’t told your uncle; I’m worried he won’t be able to handle it.”
Jiang Nan’s face mirrored the concern, “What should we do?”
“What should we do? He needs to face the consequences of his actions. Han Jie’s not a kid anymore; he can’t rely on his parents to clean up his messes. How will he ever grow up? This time, I’ve made up my mind. He has to come home and deal with this himself,” Song Jiajia spoke with determination.
Luckily, Han Liren wasn’t there to hear this; otherwise, he would have scolded her for being too soft. Jiang Nan knew that most of Han Jie’s problems were the result of Song Jiajia’s indulgence. She wisely chose not to press the issue, instead offering, “My cousin’s situation isn’t something I can change. Besides, he’s always been good to me, and I can’t bring myself to speak harshly to him. When I was little, he used to help me out whenever I got into trouble at school, and I would cheer him on.”
Song Jiajia was pleased and held Jiang Nan’s hand, “That’s right. Han Jie might have his flaws, but he’s always been good to the family.”
“Exactly. Don’t worry, I’ll call him and tell him to come home. There’s no place like home,” Jiang Nan knew how to press the right buttons with Song Jiajia, saying what she wanted to hear.
At that moment, Han Liren brought out the corn juice, just in time to hear Jiang Nan’s words. He grumbled, “Don’t call him. Let him stay out there and rot for all I care.”
Jiang Nan laughed, “Uncle, you can’t say that about your son. He hasn’t done anything that bad. Men take longer to mature. Were you any better at his age?”
Song Jiajia, hearing her husband’s words, bristled like a porcupine, “Han Liren, how dare you criticize Han Jie? How do you explain those strange calls on your phone back in the day? You even used Roman letters. Why didn’t you use hieroglyphics?”
Sensing a fight brewing, Jiang Nan quickly intervened, “Uncle, I’m starving.”
Han Liren quickly seized the opportunity to defuse the situation, “Alright, there’s just one more dish to finish. Give me a minute.” A potential family argument was averted.
Jiang Nan pulled out her phone and called Han Jie, who answered promptly.
“Nan Nan, what’s up?”
“I’m at your place right now, sneaking in a call. Just so you know, a woman showed up claiming to be pregnant with your child. You’d better sort this out before Uncle finds out, or you’re dead. Also, stop fooling around and come home. Aunt misses you.”
Song Jiajia, overhearing the conversation, smiled warmly at Jiang Nan. This niece treated Han Jie like a real brother.
Jiang Nan was loyal and valued relationships. Although she had a low opinion of Han Jie’s behavior, she never openly criticized him. As long as he wasn’t gambling or doing drugs, Jiang Nan could tolerate it. Crossing that line, however, would change everything.
Dinner was a warm and pleasant affair. As Jiang Nan accepted the tea cup Song Jiajia handed her and was about to say thank you, Han Liren suddenly said, “There’s something I want to discuss. Let’s talk in the study.”
Once they were in the study with the door closed, Han Liren smiled, “You’re here about the supermarket issue, right? Zeng Yu came to see me, and yes, I did give him a hard time. But don’t misunderstand; I’m just concerned that the partner you’ve chosen might have some problems, so I did it on purpose. From what I’ve observed, if this young man isn’t an exceptional actor, he’s destined for great things.”
Jiang Nan looked surprised, “You think so highly of him?”
Han Liren nodded, “Do you think you can manage him?”
Jiang Nan was puzzled, “Why would I need to manage him? We’re partners. If he can turn the Sofi brand around, what complaints could I have? If he doesn’t want to work with me anymore, he’s free to go elsewhere. I can’t stop him from being successful, can I?”
Han Liren chuckled, “No other factors at play?”
Jiang Nan shook her head, confused. At this point, she still hadn’t recognized her feelings for Zeng Yu, which made Han Liren relax a bit.
Jiang Nan thought for a moment, “At first, I just wanted to gain some experience. Then Zeng Yu appeared, and he happened to be interested in the Sofi brand. I could see he had put a lot of effort into it, and I admired his repositioning of Sofi. We have some history, so I decided to partner with him.”
As long as there were no romantic complications, Han Liren could accept the situation.
“I knew it. You did this for my benefit, to test him a bit. I’ll have him come back, but please don’t make it difficult for him. Give him a chance to prove himself,” Jiang Nan smiled, and Han Liren agreed, ending their conversation.
Jiang Nan was pleased that the issue could be resolved smoothly. She didn’t want a small matter like this to affect her family relationships. Han Liren was also reassured, seeing that Jiang Nan approached things with a methodical and thoughtful mindset rather than a simplistic approach.
As Jiang Nan was leaving, Han Liren walked her to the door, and Jiang Nan turned back, saying, “Uncle, I’ve been keeping my real identity from Zeng Yu, so please don’t let him know. I just want to see if I can earn his respect with my abilities alone.”
While Jiang Nan was having dinner at the Han residence, Yuan Lei and Han Jiayi were dining at a Western restaurant.
“Over the years, the domestic wine market has gradually expanded. The investment Uncle Jiang made should have paid off. How did things get to this point?” Yuan Lei asked as she sliced her steak.
Han Jiayi rolled her eyes, “Are you blaming me?”
Yuan Lei smiled, “I wouldn’t dare! If you bring up marriage to my mom, I’ll have no home to return to.”
“Sofi Winery was a gift your Uncle Jiang bought for our twentieth wedding anniversary. Over the years, my health has declined, and I haven’t had the energy to manage it. Thinking gives me headaches, so I handed it over to my brother. Unfortunately, Han Jie lacks ambition, and his focus isn’t on the business. He even used company funds to buy luxury goods, leaving my brother in a difficult position. When Jiang Nan wanted to take over, I was initially happy but didn’t consider the issue with that young man. But according to what you’ve said, if he’s a talented young man who treats Jiang Nan well and accommodates her in everything, then their life together could be harmonious. My only worry is that he might not be as sincere as he seems.”
Han Jiayi voiced her concerns about Zeng Yu.
Yuan Lei put down her knife and tilted her head thoughtfully, “Before they partnered up, Zeng Yu’s girlfriend had just dumped him. So, he’s either extremely resilient or very heartless.”
“Although there’s no romance yet, who can predict what will happen? When two people with such different family backgrounds get together, the issues don’t surface during the dating phase but after marriage. That’s when the real conflicts begin,” Han Jiayi mused. She was still uneasy about Jiang Nan and Zeng Yu’s relationship. “You’re clever; if you can’t do anything about Jiang Nan, then try to work through Zeng Yu.”
Yuan Lei wiped her mouth with a napkin, “I’m not sure if it will work, but I’ll give it a try.”
Seeing Yuan Lei’s serious expression, Han Jiayi became curious, “Tell me more.”
“Well, Zeng Yu’s ex-girlfriend is named Xiao Xiao. They broke up the day Jiang Nan visited me…”
Yuan Lei began with the background, then explained her plan. After listening, Han Jiayi hesitated, “Isn’t this a bit too much?”
Yuan Lei smiled, “Xiao Xiao’s current boyfriend is Ning Hui, who does business with Jianghan Group. He’s also married. If we create some obstacles for him in business and his wife finds out about the affair, he’ll likely blame Xiao Xiao for his misfortune. In that case, she’ll be kicked out. She’ll probably turn to Zeng Yu for help, and we’ll see how he handles the situation. This kind of test really reveals a person’s true nature.”
After a long silence, Han Jiayi finally nodded, “Let’s go with that.”
Three days later, Ning Hui left Jianghan Group, his balding head covered in sweat. The funds he had been promised were suddenly withheld, and he had no idea where the problem was. He had bank loans and an engineering payment, both relying on those funds.
His phone rang, and Ning Hui’s headache intensified when he saw the caller ID—it was the bank calling again to demand repayment. He tried to explain, but they made it clear that if the loan wasn’t repaid within three days, they’d seek a court order. Being blacklisted would ruin his credit.
Ning Hui drove to the apartment he had rented for Xiao Xiao, only to find a crowd gathered at the entrance. To his horror, he saw his wife leading two other people in a physical confrontation with Xiao Xiao.
Without hesitation, Ning Hui turned his car around and sped away, wondering how his wife had discovered Xiao Xiao. What was going on today?
Xiao Xiao was beaten, but the security guards saved her before it got too bad. She fled back to the apartment, locking herself in, and tried calling Ning Hui, but he didn’t answer any of her frantic calls.
As she sat there, trembling with fear, her phone rang again.
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