In her previous life, when Lu Nan joined, Feixiang Advertising was already a distributor for Yuan Chuan.” 

“So, she didn’t have the opportunity to witness negotiations like the one between Chen Xiao and Mr. Yang today. 

Lu Nan couldn’t help but be curious. So, back then, who did Chen Xiao rely on for cooperation? 

It definitely wasn’t Sasha. Although Sasha’s uncle was a distributor of Yuan Chuan Classic Wine in Fengyun County, Hailin City, the contract amount wasn’t significant. Chen Xiao wouldn’t disclose how much extra subsidy he could receive from Mr. Yang. Even if Sasha suspected this, she wouldn’t have the opportunity to learn the specific details or amounts. 

It couldn’t have been Chen Lu either, because Chen Lu deals with Harmony Wine series and is already in touch with Green Trading. 

The possibility of Wang Xiaoxue is also unlikely because the office assumes she handles group purchases for Yuan Chuan Harmony Wine, much like Chen Lu. Moreover, Lu Nan objectively observed that Wang Xiaoxue tends to act and speak impulsively. 

So, unless there are any surprises, Chen Xiao’s initial choice should have been Liu Yang. 

But why did he decide to bring me along today? Lu Nan was somewhat puzzled. 

One thing worth praising about Lu Nan is that whenever she encounters something she doesn’t understand, she puts herself in the other person’s shoes and tries to understand their perspective. 

Thinking it over—Firstly, Liu Yang wasn’t Chen Xiao’s top choice to begin with, just a last resort; secondly, my early start and the conversation at the collection shop might have left a deep impression on Chen Xiao. 

Actually, Lu Nan missed one thing: this morning when Manager Wang chatted with Li Li and Zhou Tian, Chen Xiao was there too. He noticed that Zhou Tian’s praise was just a casual remark, but Li Li seemed quite satisfied with Lu Nan, mentioning that she showed good judgment and communication skills at yesterday’s Lishui Chamber of Commerce meeting. 

Considering all of this, Chen Xiao’s decision to bring Lu Nan along to meet Mr. Yang at Feixiang doesn’t seem so surprising. 

… 

Chen Xiao and Mr. Yang chatted for a long time. During their conversation, Chen Xiao apologized to Mr. Yang. Afterward, he stepped out to call his leader for instructions. (Lu Nan thought, “These are all just standard procedures.”) 

Each time this happened, Lu Nan would sit quietly, prepare another cup of tea for Mr. Yang, or engage him in casual conversation. She never mentioned the wine or the contract; instead, she would simply comment on things like the glossy appearance of Mr. Yang’s tea sets or the particularly sweet taste of the brewed tea. 

Time passed unnoticed, and after Chen Xiao and Mr. Yang painstakingly discussed many details, they finally reached a basic agreement on the subsidy amount. 

It can be said that everything is set, except for signing the contract. 

Chen Xiao was very pleased with how smoothly the negotiations had gone. He checked his watch and said, “Mr. Yang, we should be going now.” 

“Please stay for a meal,” Mr. Yang insisted. 

Chen Xiao politely declined, “Let’s save the meal for next time. My colleague and I will head back first, finalize what we discussed into written form for approval by our superiors. Once that’s done, we’ll draft the contract for your confirmation. If everything is fine, we can proceed with signing. To be honest, I want to facilitate this cooperation as soon as possible, not just to achieve good results for our office and my personal performance in the first half of the year, but also because we have various activities planned for the second half, and signing earlier would allow us to collaborate with Mr. Yang and provide maximum support.” 

Lu Nan had to admit, Chen Xiao had a way with words. 

He was straightforward yet sincere. 

Mr. Yang didn’t insist. He escorted Chen Xiao and Lu Nan to the elevator, shook hands with them, bid farewell, and made sure not to overlook Lu Nan either. 

Mr. Yang’s handshake was firm and solid, unlike the gentle handshakes exchanged by celebrities in the entertainment industry, where men typically lightly grasp only the tips of women’s fingers. His grip was dry with calloused hands, just the right amount of strength, neither casual nor disrespectful. 

Lu Nan sensed Mr. Yang’s respect for her, despite being a newcomer and a minor figure in their dealings. 

She suddenly felt that while slacking off was something she wanted to do, if an opportunity presented itself, she shouldn’t refuse it— For example, in her ‘previous life’, Feixiang Advertising Company was the distributor assigned to her by Manager Wang and Chen Xiao, even though she was the last one to arrive at the post during that time). It was likely the same this time around. Of course, she couldn’t pretend to be clueless and mess things up, nor could she let others take advantage of her. 

Reflecting on this during the taxi ride, Chen Xiao praised Lu Nan for her quick response, and she accepted the praise with a mixture of humility and calmness. 

Chen Xiao asked her opinion about Mr. Yang. 

Lu Nan carefully considered her words, “Mr. Yang, seems like a decisive person, someone who acts more than he speaks.” 

Chen Xiao wanted to ask more, but Lu Nan’s phone rang. 

Seeing the caller ID, it was her father. 

“Go ahead, it’s fine. It’s lunchtime once we’re done with business,” Chen Xiao gestured for Lu Nan to answer. 

Lu Nan smiled apologetically and answered the call, slightly turning away, “Dad, hmm, yes, she called me a few days ago, didn’t say much. Oh, okay, thank you.” 

As soon as she thought about it, the money for buying the car that she had been thinking about a few days ago was about to be transferred to her account. But Lu Nan, who was about to receive a large sum of more than two hundred thousand, didn’t feel as happy as she had expected. The impatience implied in the other party’s words ignited an unnamed anger in Lu Nan, who had become as sensitive as dust. 

To her father, and to herself—the person she once was. 

Her former self. 

The twenty-three-year-old Lu Nan. 

Upon hearing that her father, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, was going to provide financial support so she could buy a car, she felt immense joy. As a recent college graduate, her happiness was tinged with pride and a touch of admiration. 

Back then, she happily accepted the money and spent a lot of time and effort choosing a car. When she found that she still needed more than thirty thousand yuan for taxes, insurance, and registration, she called her father again, trying to ask him gently for more money, only to realize that even the initial sum was not given willingly by her father. 

Now, psychologically, Lu Nan, who is 33 years old, is much more sensitive than she was back then. From the tone of her father’s call, she could tell that he was offering the money because her mother, who had come to cause trouble again, criticized him for not showing any concern for his daughter, who had just graduated from college. He had also paid the down payment on a house for his mistress, so he was “spending money to buy peace. 

Lu Nan’s feelings towards her parents had always been complex, sometimes bordering on hatred, but she couldn’t deny that they had never mistreated her materially—regardless of their intentions or the proportion of the wealth they provided. 

After all, the money was now in Lu Nan’s hands. 

Lu Nan was a direct beneficiary, through and through. 

Perhaps sensing that Lu Nan wasn’t in the best mood after hanging up the phone, Chen Xiao didn’t attempt to strike up a conversation with her again. 

After a while, the taxi stopped in front of a Sichuan restaurant, the same one where Lu Nan and Yan Kai had dinner last time. Chen Xiao paid the fare, got out of the car, and said to Lu Nan, “Come on, let me treat you to a meal.” 

Lu Nan, who had already adjusted her mentality in the car, coughed dryly, asked the driver for the receipt, and walked into the Sichuan restaurant under Chen Xiao’s slightly surprised gaze. 

Chen Xiao asked Lu Nan what she would like to eat. 

Lu Nan replied, “I’ll eat anything except celery. I’m fine with medium or spicy.” 

They casually ordered three dishes and a soup. As Chen Xiao set the tableware, he said, “Don’t worry. Actually, the accountants know that you guys often request receipts and then exchange them privately. I used to do the same when I was running a business. Otherwise, at the end of the month, there wouldn’t be enough receipts, and I’d have to buy some.” After setting up one set, he handed it to Lu Nan before setting up his own. 

“Thank you, Brother Chen,” Lu Nan said quietly. I really didn’t worry about that. Such things are trivial matters to you. You definitely wouldn’t hinder me by going to the accountant for this. On this point, I’m absolutely confident. 

After the meal, Chen Xiao took Lu Nan back to the office. The office was quiet, with only the provincial office’s internal affairs manager He Manlin, accountant Xu Yao, and HR Zhu Lingling, along with a municipal office clerk Wu Fang. 

Wu Fang’s workstation was outside. When she saw Chen Xiao and Lu Nan, she greeted them warmly. 

Chen Xiao asked, “Has Manager Wang left?” 

Wu Fang made a gesture of ‘don’t even mention it, it’s been a disaster,’ and whispered, “Yes, after the morning meeting, Director Tong (the head of the East China region of Yuan Chuan Liquor) called and scolded Manager Wang, and now both he and Director Xiang have gone to Green Trading. But when Manager Wang left, he said that if you came back, he wanted you to wait for him in the office; he has something to discuss with you.” 

Chen Xiao nodded. “I understand. Lu Nan, come help me organize the report from this morning.” He has a small office where no one can disturb him when the door is closed. 

“In the morning, when I was talking with Mr. Yang, whether you understood it or not is secondary. How much do you remember?” Chen Xiao asked. 

“I should have everything noted down, Brother Chen,” Lu Nan opened her notebook. “During your conversation this morning, I took some quick notes. The main points are…”