At a large round table, only five people were seated: Wang Xinglong, Huang Li, Lu Nan, Chen Lu, and Chen Xiao, who had been dragged along by Wang Xinglong to accompany them. 

Wang Xinglong’s exact words were, “Brother Xiao, if you don’t come tonight, I’ll be the only man at this whole table. It’ll be so awkward. You have to come and boost my confidence… Besides, you’re also Lu Nan’s direct supervisor, after all.” 

Chen Xiao reluctantly agreed to come. 

Originally, Zhou Tian should have been there too, but she directly said she wasn’t feeling well and declined. 

There were only five people, and yet they were drinking so politely. Aside from the sound of the news broadcast in the private room, there was no other noise. This really made Wang Xinglong feel uncomfortable. 

The dinner was hosted by the city office, and the city office provided the wine. 

Normally, for medium-sized distributors—who weren’t exactly part of Hailin City—the meal and wine standard would just be Harmony Wine Nine-Year. 

Considering Lu Nan’s face, Wang Xinglong had asked Jiang Xiaoyun to bring out the twelve-year-old wine from the backup storage. 

Unfortunately, it was all in vain. 

As long as it was white wine, no matter the age, Ms. Huang couldn’t get used to it. 

Back when her father’s company had gatherings, Ms. Huang would also be toasted by employees. Her drinking capacity was basically just one small glass of red wine—any more and she’d start throwing up. 

Lu Nan skillfully poured Ms. Huang a small amount, saying, “Try this, and if you can’t drink it, just have a soft drink instead.” 

Wang Xinglong opened his mouth but ultimately decided to keep quiet: it made sense, as a female distributor and elder, it wasn’t appropriate for him to force her to drink. 

Then, he thought of clinking glasses with Lu Nan—was it like paying off a debt with the daughter? No, not exactly, but he knew Lu Nan could drink, so he thought she could stand in for Ms. Huang. 

But Chen Xiao nudged Wang Xinglong under the table—no parent likes to see their child downing 52% white liquor, right? 

Wang Xinglong thought for a moment: That’s true. 

In the end, Wang Xinglong held onto his last bit of stubbornness, offered Ms. Huang a toast, and then turned to clink glasses with Chen Xiao. 

Since the manager had let things flow naturally, Chen Lu, who didn’t need to drink, was quite happy, but her professional standards remained intact. While eating and drinking, she still kept an eye on Ms. Huang’s needs, occasionally passing napkins or adjusting dishes. 

Sitting between her mother and Chen Lu, Lu Nan noticed her mother’s discomfort and Chen Lu’s hesitation. She smiled gently, patted her left side, then her right side, trying to comfort them both. 

The meal ended. It was Wang Xinglong’s first time accompanying a client and walking away still 70% sober. Of the three bottles of Harmony Twelve-Year he brought, only one had been opened. He stood at the entrance of the restaurant, shook hands with Ms. Huang to say goodbye, and, in her presence, reminded Chen Lu to properly serve the distributors going forward. 

When everyone had left and was heading to the parking lot, Ms. Huang finally said to Lu Nan, “Is this what your job is usually like?” 

Lu Nan honestly replied, “Indeed, it’s part of a group-purchasing manager’s responsibilities.” 

Ms. Huang’s cheeks turned slightly red from the alcohol, and after a pause, she said earnestly, “Nan Nan, you should quit your job.” 

Nan Nan. 

Lu Nan didn’t remember how long it had been since her mother had called her by her childhood nickname, maybe since elementary school? Or perhaps even earlier, when she was in preschool? 

She recalled that her mother had always called her with a strong tone: “Lu Nan.” “Lu Nan?” “Lu Nan!” 

And after each mention of her name, there usually followed something Lu Nan didn’t want to hear. 

Today, Ms. Huang actually called her by her nickname. 

Lu Nan thought: Maybe her mother finally realized that commanding her to live her life according to her plans was impossible. Was this another breakthrough she’d made after talking with her therapist? No, no, the effects of therapy aren’t that significant. So this must be her roundabout approach, and her final intention was still “I’m doing this for your own good,” with the ultimate goal being “Do as I say.” 

Lu Nan quickly understood this, and she wasn’t discouraged. 

She had long known that fighting her mother’s obsession and controlling nature wasn’t easy. 

First, she had to make her leave her previous living environment, distancing herself from her ex-husband, relatives, and friends who knew about her divorce. ✅ 

Next, she had to keep her busy, have her own career, and start seeing profits quickly. ✅ 

Then, she had to encourage her to visit a hospital, whether for consultation about her mental state or to inquire about her daughter’s suspected depression. ✅ 

Next, she had to help her complete more orders to build her confidence. In progress. 

Everything Lu Nan did wasn’t just for her mother alone. 

It was also for her future life, to make it easier, to reduce the forced negativity that had been imposed on her; 

She hoped that her grandmother, who was in the age to enjoy retirement, wouldn’t need to worry about these things anymore; 

And she hoped that her younger brother, Lu Yang, would live more energetically, not too mature for his age—being forced to grow up and becoming too mature for his years always made people feel heartbroken. 

So, for her future, Lu Nan wouldn’t change her life plans just because Ms. Huang said “Nan Nan” or spoke a few soft words asking her to. 

She apologized to her mother, saying, “Mom, this job does involve some unavoidable socializing in sales, but I still want to continue.” 

“You…” 

“I’m planning to compete for the city manager position. It’s highly likely that I’ll be transferred.” 

This was something Ms. Huang hadn’t anticipated. She was shocked, “Transferred?” 

See? Mission accomplished—attention successfully redirected. 

Lu Nan nodded. 

“Where would you be transferred? Within the province or out?” 

“Mostly within the province, though there might be a very few cases of cross-province or cross-region transfers. It really depends on how many vacant city manager positions there are and where they are located.” Lu Nan explained to Ms. Huang. 

Ms. Huang frowned. 

Recently, she had seen her daughter carefully negotiating distributor contracts, witnessing her daughter exert all her effort to figure out the negotiation lines of Yuan Chuan and Green Trading, and had seen her daughter speaking confidently in front of Xu Chengzhi. She had also seen her daughter making polite small talk with city managers at the dinner table… She knew her daughter was truly excellent, and she had already made a name for herself in the Yuan Chuan city office. 

But she just couldn’t get past this mental hurdle: she was still selling alcohol. 

Even though she was also an alcoholic beverage distributor now. 

Lu Nan said seriously, “Mom, actually, I’ve thought about it. I was planning to tell you after the competition process is over.” 

That’s how she used to handle things. Once it was set, what could her mother do? 

Back then, her mother, who had confined her life and harbored cynical views, couldn’t do anything. Now, with a career and commitments, her mother had even less power. 

But, that wasn’t the best strategy. 

Because once her mother found out the truth, she would definitely explode in anger, and then… it would all be for nothing. 

As expected, when Lu Nan said this, Ms. Huang’s expression shifted, and the muscles on her jaw twitched slightly, showing signs of anger. 

Then, Lu Nan laughed and said, “But I still think, even though I didn’t get your approval, I shouldn’t hide it from you completely and make you even angrier. Like now, I’ll find an opportunity to tell you so you’re just mildly angry.” 

This way of speaking was a bit “unrefined,” but it revealed the affection a daughter had for her mother. 

Ms. Huang’s growing anger gradually stopped. 

She stood still and said to Lu Nan, who hadn’t drunk anything all evening, “It’s late. You don’t need to send me. I can take a taxi home by myself.” 

Lu Nan understood that her mother wanted to be alone, so she turned and said, “Alright, I’ll see you off to the taxi.” 

“No need.” Ms. Huang weakly added, “I’ll walk a bit.” 

Being certain her mother hadn’t had too much to drink, Lu Nan nodded, “Alright, let me know when you get home.” 

Even so, Lu Nan secretly followed for a while, making sure her mother got into a taxi before heading back to the parking lot. 

The winter wind in Hailin City was fierce, making the tip of her nose cold. 

Walking back to the parking lot alone, her breath immediately turned into white frost. 

“Who?” From the shadow on the ground, she noticed someone near her car. 

Lu Nan didn’t approach, instead, she asked calmly from about three to four meters away. 

Chen Xiao, who had been leaning against the car playing on his phone, straightened up. “It’s me.” 

Lu Nan breathed a sigh of relief. “Brother Xiao, you scared me. Why didn’t you leave with Manager Wang and the others?” 

Chen Xiao shook his head. “I wanted to ask you something, so I waited for you here… It’s not that I was eavesdropping on your conversation with your mother.” 

Maybe you’re just destined to overhear things. 

“It’s fine.” Lu Nan rubbed her palms together. “Let’s find a place to sit. Standing like this… is a bit cold.” 

Chen Xiao apologized, then after Lu Nan unlocked the car, he got into the passenger seat. 

Lu Nan started the car. “Where to?” Then, she smiled and shook her head. “This feels like déjà vu from a few days ago. So, can I choose the place?” 

Chen Xiao nodded indifferently. 

Lu Nan found a teahouse, went in, and chose a private room, ordering a pot of ripe Pu’er tea. 

After the tea and snacks were served, Chen Xiao spoke. “Do you remember, I once asked you a question?” 

“Mm?” 

“That time, when you were feeding stray cats in the park, I asked you if you thought those stray cats would want to be kept in a cage. You said you weren’t them, so you couldn’t answer.” 

Lu Nan nodded; of course, she remembered. “At the time, you said if having no worries about food and shelter meant losing freedom, the cats who were used to freedom probably wouldn’t want it.” 

Chen Xiao smiled. “Lu Nan, your memory is amazing.” 

Lu Nan shrugged. 

Chen Xiao continued, “Actually, later on, I wanted to ask, if it were humans… would it be better to have freedom or to be kept in a cage?” 

Lu Nan frowned slightly. “Brother Xiao, you already used the word ‘cage,’ so you must already have a preference.” 

Chen Xiao’s expression shifted from mild confusion to realization. “Is that so? It’s like that!” 

Lu Nan guessed that Chen Xiao was using the cats as a metaphor for something, so she spoke more cautiously. “But I believe humans are different from animals. For humans to be kept in a cage, it can only be for two reasons: either they have no choice, or they willingly accept it.” 

He agreed with Lu Nan’s words and continued, “Let me correct my phrasing. If a person is emotionally manipulated into doing something they didn’t want to do… for example, I thought that after you helped your mother sign the distribution rights for the Harmony wine, you’d become her assistant.” 

“You think I was ‘manipulated’ by my mother’s emotions? So before I talked to Director Tong about the competition, you must’ve thought I was planning to resign, right?” Lu Nan asked curiously. 

Chen Xiao nodded. 

“No. Your statement doesn’t apply to me. I wasn’t manipulated by emotions.” Lu Nan shook her head firmly. “As you later found out, I wasn’t planning to resign, and I even planned to explore further opportunities. That’s why, tonight, my relationship with my mother, which had already eased, has now hit a low point. But I don’t regret it. Because deep inside, I’ve always been clear that the time and energy I’m willing to spend on helping her is limited. The rest, she must face on her own. I have my own life.” 

Lu Nan looked at Chen Xiao and said, “After all, she’s over forty. Although the saying ‘she has eaten more salt than I’ve eaten rice’ is a bit exaggerated, don’t underestimate her past experiences; those are gifts from time. I helped her up and sped up her recovery, but I won’t underestimate how quickly she can stand on her own. That’s the thing you wanted to ask me tonight—you’ve probably encountered the same issue. You’re also considering how to strike a balance between respecting your father or mother while still keeping your own identity, right?” 

Chen Xiao nodded. “You’re very perceptive.” 

“No, I just have a good memory.” 

Chen Xiao took a sip of tea, then looked back at Lu Nan. “I have to apologize to you.” 

“Mm?” 

He put down his cup and seemed to struggle with where to begin, but in the end, he just laid it all out: “I once used the name Shen Xiyao. Shen Jianbang, chairman of Yuan Chuan Group, is my biological and legal father. But my parents divorced when I was very young. My mother took me away and changed my name. I came back last year, and to avoid drawing attention from headquarters, I let Liu Tao take credit for your original video footage. It was a personal reason that caused harm to you. Even if it was unavoidable, it’s inexcusable. I wasn’t honest with you, and I owe you a proper apology.” 

Lu Nan smiled. “About the video, I already said, no hard feelings. As for your identity… I understand. You couldn’t just go around telling everyone you’re the chairman’s son, right? Since you started as an anonymous junior, of course, you had to keep it a secret. I’m guessing even Xiang Yunfeng back then and Wang Xinglong now don’t know. I’m just your subordinate—if I knew such a big secret early on, I’d be afraid you’d silence me.” 

Lu Nan stopped smiling and said seriously, “Since it wasn’t an intentional deception, the idea that you weren’t sincere doesn’t hold.” 

Chen Xiao had imagined what Lu Nan’s reaction would be when he revealed his identity. 

He hadn’t expected her to react so calmly. 

But indeed, only this kind of response was what he expected from the Lu Nan he knew. 

“So, Brother Xiao, you’re saying this now because you don’t need to hide it anymore? You’re being transferred back to headquarters, right?” If he were still in the field, he’d have to continue hiding his identity. Lu Nan didn’t need to guess. 

“Mm.” Chen Xiao wasn’t surprised that Lu Nan had guessed this. 

Since you’re at least capable of apologizing—though I don’t need it—I’ll show some kindness. 

Lu Nan asked again, “So, do you think your situation is similar to mine?” 

Chen Xiao nodded. 

“Going back to headquarters wasn’t your choice?” 

Chen Xiao nodded again. “Actually, Yuan Chuan wasn’t my first choice.” 

Lu Nan shook her head, rejecting his explanation. “You used the word ‘first,’ which means you don’t regret joining the company now.” 

“…That’s right.” 

“Then, what’s there to hesitate about?” 

Chen Xiao froze for a moment. 

Lu Nan said in exasperation, “Yuan Chuan Group’s sales reached over ten billion last year. If I were you, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second. After gaining experience in the field and understanding the work dynamics in the middle and lower levels, why waste time in the field? Of course, it’s: go back to headquarters!” 

“But what about you?” He wondered why she didn’t follow her own advice. 

“My situation is different,” Lu Nan said calmly. “At a certain point, I realized the things in this world aren’t about whether I want to do them, but whether they’re worth doing. If you quantify your decisions instead of qualifying them, life gets a lot easier.” 

In short: 

If my father’s small company or my mother’s newly established company had sales exceeding ten billion, no matter how distant or estranged our relationship, I’d find a way back!