Generally speaking, doctors don’t usually perform suture removal themselves, but when it was time for Zeng Zhanhao to have his stitches removed, it turned into a big deal. The department head personally led the rounds.
After the stitches were removed, the head doctor gave some instructions on post-care and inquired about the conditions of other patients, reviewing their medical records and providing feedback and guidance. Once the doctors left, Jiang Nan finally arrived at the ward.
“Jiang Nan, it’s just a small matter of removing stitches, why did you come all the way here?” Fu Yu’s face was beaming with joy.
Fu Yu finally understood that the department head personally came because of Jiang Nan. She immediately felt a sense of pride.
“How is removing stitches a small matter? What did the doctor say?” Jiang Nan asked with a smile, gently holding Fu Yu’s arm. Fu Yu was so focused on Jiang Nan that she completely forgot about Zeng Zhanhao, who was still lying in the bed. She just couldn’t stop looking at Jiang Nan’s face, feeling incredibly pleased. If Jiang Nan hadn’t needed to take a phone call, Fu Yu wouldn’t have let go.
The caller ID showed it was Jiang Ziliu, so Jiang Nan quickly stepped outside to answer.
“Come home today, there’s something we need to discuss.”
“Alright, I’ll head back now,” Jiang Nan agreed readily. She turned back to say goodbye to Zeng Zhanhao and Fu Yu before leaving.
When she got home, Jiang Nan walked in to find both her father and mother looking serious, which made her feel a bit uneasy.
Jiang Ziliu saw her and pointed to the seat next to him. “Sit down, your mom has something to tell you.”
Han Jiayi hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Nan Nan, your dad and I have been discussing it, and we’ve decided that we want to have another child.”
Jiang Ziliu snorted, “Don’t say I was in on this. Did you ever consult me? At our age, you want to take this risk? How do you expect me to feel at ease?”
The moment Jiang Nan heard this, her eyes lit up. “That’s great! I can help take care of a little brother or sister.”
Han Jiayi’s spirits lifted instantly. “You’re not mad? We didn’t even discuss it with you beforehand.”
“Why would I be mad? This is wonderful news. You’re still so young! I read in the news that some people can have kids even at sixty. Why can’t you? Dad’s just being overly cautious. I fully support Mom in this. Yep, just exercise regularly, get checkups, and follow the science on healthy pregnancies.” Jiang Nan was genuinely happy and hadn’t even thought about the inheritance.
“Hold on, don’t get too excited yet. If you have a little brother or sister in the future, half of the inheritance will go to them.” Jiang Ziliu reminded her.
Jiang Nan hugged his neck, “Dad, as long as we have enough to get by, that’s what matters. Besides, I’m grown up now—I can earn my own money. My agency company just landed its first deal, and the client is a Michelin three-star restaurant!”
Hearing this, Han Jiayi smiled, “Old Jiang, it’s your turn to speak.”
Jiang Ziliu picked up a document folder from the table and handed it to Jiang Nan. “Open it and see for yourself. Your mom asked me to handle this after you mentioned it last time.”
Jiang Nan had casually mentioned something before and had completely forgotten about it. Puzzled, she opened the folder and was surprised. “Is this really for me?”
Jiang Ziliu grinned and lifted his chin proudly. “Of course! It’s just a winery. Even if you wanted the moon, I’d figure out a way to get it for you.”
Jiang Nan’s reaction left her parents feeling relieved and pleased. They had planned for one to play good cop and the other bad cop to smooth things over, but they hadn’t needed any of their tactics because Jiang Nan was even happier than they expected.
After considering the transfer agreement for a moment, Jiang Nan decided to put it down. “I don’t want it.”
Now, both parents were surprised. Han Jiayi asked, “It’s yours—why don’t you want it?”
Jiang Nan clung to Han Jiayi’s arm, shaking it playfully. “Mom, if I take over this property now, it wouldn’t be fair to my future brother or sister. Besides, this is your and Dad’s business. You’re still young! I’m just playing around with the agency business—you really didn’t have to take it seriously.”
Jiang Ziliu calmly took out a cigar, glanced at Han Jiayi, then put it away. “This business is ours, and we’ll give it to whomever we please. The winery is a birthday gift from us to you. Just accept it. You don’t need to worry about anything else. The transfer process is already complete, so you can’t refuse. Otherwise, my lawyer’s fees would go to waste.”
“Alright then.” Jiang Nan said, finally agreeing and accepting the gift after thinking it over.
Jiang Ziliu smiled contentedly. Han Jiayi added, “Your birthday is coming up in a few days. Remember to come home for dinner.”
Jiang Nan clasped her hands together and pleaded, “Mom, Dad, I’d like to celebrate with my friends that day.”
Jiang Ziliu nodded. “Whatever makes you happy.”
Han Jiayi frowned and started to complain, “Sure, go ahead. We’ve become the leftovers now.”
Jiang Nan quickly wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck, nuzzling against her affectionately. “Oh, come on, you’re still so young! People on the street even mistake you for my sister.”
“Go on, you’re just talking nonsense.” Han Jiayi was secretly delighted, though she pretended to be annoyed.
“Alright, it’s settled then. I have to get back to work now. I’ll put away the papers and head to the office.”
This time, Han Jiayi was firm. “No way, you’re staying for lunch. Look at the time!”
Jiang Nan checked the time and had to agree. “Okay, no problem. I’ll stay and have lunch with my handsome and beautiful parents.”
Back in her room, Jiang Nan opened her safe and placed the agreement inside.
During lunch with her parents, Jiang Nan tried her best to keep them entertained, but she was also contemplating how to bring up Zeng Yu. The opportunity just wasn’t right, so she decided to wait a bit longer.
After lunch, Jiang Nan hurried off.
Watching her leave, Han Jiayi couldn’t help but grumble, “See? This is what happens when your daughter gets a boyfriend—her mind is never at home.”
Jiang Ziliu put down his chopsticks and said calmly, “That’s just how it is. Have you met the young man? How far have they gone? We should find a time to ask her and meet him.”
Han Jiayi nodded in agreement. “Yes, we should meet him.”
She added silently to herself, Seeing photos and hearing about him isn’t enough. I need to see for myself.
The reason Han Jiayi hadn’t yet met Zeng Yu wasn’t because she didn’t care, but because she worried that Jiang Nan might get upset if she found out.
Jiang Nan’s temperament was something Han Jiayi knew all too well.
When Jiang Nan arrived downstairs at the company, she felt another wave of dizziness and a slight headache.
She leaned against her car for a moment to rest, then headed upstairs once she felt better.
At noon, the office was quiet—there wasn’t a single person in sight.
Where did everyone go?
As she walked further inside, she spotted Lü Qin coming out with a lunchbox.
“Hello, Jiang Zong!” Lü Qin greeted her.
Jiang Nan smiled and nodded. “Where is everyone?”
“Oh, them? Li Geng is like a taskmaster; he dragged everyone out. The A and B teams are competing on performance, and Zeng Zong said there’d be bonuses for the top group. I think they’re all out having lunch right now.” Lü Qin explained with a grin.
Zeng Yu was really getting things done.
“Alright, you carry on.” Jiang Nan quietly entered the office, where Zeng Yu was eating while typing on his computer.
Seeing this, Jiang Nan couldn’t help but complain, “You’re not even eating properly.”
Zeng Yu looked up, smiling as he set down his lunchbox and stood up. “Why aren’t you at home resting?”
Jiang Nan blushed, glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then playfully tapped him on the arm. “Stop talking like that. What if someone hears?”
Zeng Yu naturally wrapped his arm around Jiang Nan’s waist as they stood there, embracing for a moment. After a while, Jiang Nan gently pushed him away and moved over to the computer to check out the document he was working on. It was a categorized list of potential clients.
“What did you tell Li Geng?” Jiang Nan asked, recalling what Lü Qin had mentioned.
“I talked about it in the morning meeting. I told them to first screen these potential clients. The A and B teams—whichever team secures a client first, each person gets a 1,000 yuan bonus. Since the sales team is just getting started, it’s important to reward any success. Employees work hard for their salary and bonuses, so they need motivation.”
“You look like a typical ruthless capitalist.” Jiang Nan teased.
“And what about you? That makes you the wife of a ruthless capitalist?”
After a passionate kiss, Jiang Nan pushed Zeng Yu away, gasping for air. “I can’t breathe!”
Zeng Yu gently patted her back, his voice soft, “I’ll be more careful next time.”
Jiang Nan lifted her chin slightly. “Vice President Zeng, don’t overlook online sales channels either.”
“Online sales? You mean opening an online store? We don’t have the manpower for that right now. Maybe later.” Zeng Yu replied.
Jiang Nan, who had just casually suggested it, couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his response. “You could always partner with an existing online store.”
The conversation had shifted to work, and the momentum was picking up.
“Online stores vary greatly in quality, and it’s hard to regulate them. If we partner with one, I’m concerned it could negatively impact our brand.” Zeng Yu explained.
Zeng Yu was fully aware that e-commerce was the trend, and he wasn’t against online sales. However, he wanted to move forward cautiously and steadily. While online shopping was becoming commonplace, considering that the brand was still in its market development stage and there were logistical challenges, Zeng Yu felt it was necessary to proceed with caution.
“Then we’ll just have to create our own website.” Jiang Nan suggested.
Zeng Yu sighed. “Do you think servers are free? Maintenance costs money too. You don’t realize how much things cost until you’re in charge. Let’s put it on hold for now. I’ll give it careful consideration in the future.”
Jiang Nan tapped the table, quoting, “We need to think long-term. Those who don’t plan for the future won’t be able to manage the present.”
Zeng Yu tapped the table back. “If you can’t even sweep a room, how can you expect to rule the world?”
“Who knew you were so good at banter?” Jiang Nan couldn’t hold back her laughter.
Zeng Yu cleared his throat. “Alright, that’s enough for now. I suggest you go home and rest. You didn’t sleep well last night.”
Jiang Nan looked at him shyly.
Zeng Yu turned his face away. “No acting cute during work hours.”
“Hmph! Fine, I’ll go.” Jiang Nan stood up. “Bye, don’t bother seeing me off.”
Zeng Yu made himself a cup of coffee, smoked a cigarette on the balcony, and then got back to work.
However, Jiang Nan didn’t leave. She went back to her office and picked up the phone to call Yuan Lei.
“How’s the preparation going?” Jiang Nan asked with concern.
Yuan Lei sounded down. “I suddenly don’t feel like getting married.”
“Wait, what happened?” Jiang Nan was startled.
“The closer it gets to the wedding, the more nervous I feel. I wanted to talk to him about it, but my dad won’t let me. He says he’ll send someone to help, but my dad refused, saying it’s the bride’s side’s responsibility and not his concern. How can I not feel anxious?”
“I get it, you miss your man. Your dad can’t watch you 24/7, can he?” Jiang Nan teased.
Yuan Lei perked up at that. “You’re right. Come over and cover for me.”
Jiang Nan smirked. “Figure it out yourself, I’m busy right now.”
“Just you wait, I’ll get back at you on the wedding day.”
“Bring it on, I’m not afraid of you.”
The two of them chatted happily on the phone.
When Zeng Yu heard a knock on his door, he looked up. “Come in.”
Li Geng entered, his face full of excitement. “Zeng Zong, we did it. Both teams have secured deals with some decent restaurants.”
Zeng Yu perked up immediately and stood up. “Sit down and tell me everything.” He poured Li Geng a glass of water.
Li Geng felt a warm feeling in his heart and stood up to take the glass before sitting down again.
“Today, I took Team A to six restaurants. One of them, upon hearing that we supply wine to a Michelin three-star restaurant, immediately agreed to place an order to try it out. However, they requested to receive the goods first and pay after selling them. I told them I’d need to check with you first. Two other restaurants said they want to visit the company for a wine tasting before making a decision. Team B visited four restaurants, all of which requested to come for a wine tasting tomorrow before deciding.”
Zeng Yu kept a calm expression, but he was mentally calculating. After thinking it over, he looked up and said, “We can allow installment payments, but the first payment must be at least 30% of the total order value. Tomorrow, go back to that restaurant and see how they react to my terms. If they still insist on selling before paying, I suggest putting them on hold.”
“Zeng Zong, are you worried there might be something wrong with this restaurant?” Li Geng asked cautiously.
Zeng Yu shook his head. “I don’t think so. Our initial marketing targets are all reputable establishments, but every restaurant has its own way of doing business. After the wine tasting tomorrow, we’ll see how they react. Selling before payment isn’t out of the question, but the quantity must be strictly controlled. Even with familiar clients, we shouldn’t provide too much stock at once. In short, it’s better to be cautious.”
Zeng Yu could see that Li Geng was a bit disappointed. He had thought that securing a restaurant meant the bonus was in the bag, but Zeng Yu’s reaction was more reserved.
Marketing is tough these days, and the “goods first, payment later” model is common. Zeng Yu instinctively felt that this approach wasn’t ideal. If they went with “goods first, payment later” how would that be different from placing products in a supermarket?
“Also, when you visit them again, be patient. Bring a copy of our contract with the Michelin-starred restaurant and show it to them. Let them know that we’re not trying to make things difficult for them, but that this isn’t a precedent we’ve set. If they still insist, let’s put it on hold and contact them again in a few days, offering a smaller quantity on a ‘goods first, payment later’ basis.” Zeng Yu explained patiently, and Li Geng felt much better.
“I’ve got it.” Li Geng nodded and took a sip of water.
He realized that while Zeng Yu was cautious, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. There have been times when goods were sold, but the payment was hard to recover. He had experienced this before. When too much stock is held up without payment, it creates a lot of pressure on the company, especially for a small agency like theirs.
“Alright, is everyone back? Let’s go out and say a few words.” Zeng Yu said, getting up to head out. Just then, Jiang Nan also stepped out of her office.
Their eyes met, and Zeng Yu was surprised. “Jiang Zong, weren’t you going home to rest?”
Everyone greeted Jiang Nan as they saw her.
Jiang Nan kept a straight face and nodded seriously. “Something came up that needed handling, so I got delayed. Are we having a meeting? Great, I’ll join in.”
Zeng Yu shot her a subtle look, expressing his dissatisfaction.
Jiang Nan sat next to Zeng Yu, took out her phone, and sent a text with a blank expression.
Zeng Yu’s phone vibrated, and when he checked it, he saw the message: I just don’t want to be too far from you.
Zeng Yu stood up and clapped his hands. “Everyone’s been working hard. Li Geng just briefed me on the situation, and I have to say, it’s a promising start. Keep up the good work. Now, I’ll let Li Geng give today’s summary.”
After Zeng Yu finished, Li Geng took over.
Zeng Yu then texted back: Remember, it’s work hours. Be mindful.
Jiang Nan pretended to listen intently to Li Geng’s report, but her hands weren’t idle. She replied: Nope.
Zeng Yu sent back an ellipsis, to which Jiang Nan quickly responded: Don’t send ellipses, it shows no sincerity. Do it again, and I’ll bite you.
Zeng Yu hesitated for a moment and then boldly replied: Go ahead, I’m ready for you.
Jiang Nan didn’t reply.
Both of them returned to their usual focus, continuing the meeting. After Li Geng finished speaking, he glanced at Jiang Nan and Zeng Yu. Jiang Nan slowly stood up and said, “Everyone’s work efficiency is commendable and deserves praise. If both teams secure clients tomorrow, you’ll all receive cash bonuses before the end of the day.”
Everyone applauded, and Jiang Nan gestured for silence before continuing. “That’s all I have to say. Zeng Zong, come to my office after the meeting.” With that, Jiang Nan turned and left, leaving Zeng Yu with just a view of her back.
Zeng Yu stood up and said, “Meeting adjourned.”
He then followed Jiang Nan to her office. As soon as he closed the door behind him, Jiang Nan pounced on him, playfully wrapping her hands around his neck and whispering, “That’s what you get for teasing me.”
Just then, Jiang Nan’s phone rang. She glanced at the number—it was Yuan Lei.
“What now?” Jiang Nan asked.
Yuan Lei’s voice was a bit hoarse. “Nothing, just realized my fear of marriage is gone.”
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