If Lu Nan knew what Chen Xiao was thinking, she would probably say, “Little brother, how many peanuts did you eat? Already drunk? Saying I’m returning the favor is just an excuse, making money is my ultimate goal!” 

… 

After buying the necessary ingredients, Lu Nan rang the doorbell of Teacher Zhang’s apartment. 

Meatball soup was one of Lu Nan’s favorite dishes—and she was certain that Teacher Zhang would like it too. 

She minced the pork with a ratio of seven parts lean meat and three parts fat, then added a little scallion and ginger water to remove the smell. She mixed it with finely chopped tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and water chestnuts, added cornstarch and egg whites, and seasoned it with salt, chicken essence, and a little white pepper. 

She then stirred the mixture in one direction until it became a paste. Once the water in the pot boiled, she squeezed out the meatballs and boiled them until they floated. 

Lu Nan made a large batch of meatballs, but she only used a dozen or so for that evening’s dinner. She added some chopped tomatoes, cilantro, and green onions, and soon a delicious pot of meatball soup was ready. 

Teacher Zhang praised it non-stop, “Xiao Lu, your cooking skills are definitely more than just a little bit. If you downplay it too much, that’s basically bragging!” 

Lu Nan smiled and said, “Teacher Zhang, if you like it, feel free to have more. I’ll put the leftover meatballs in the fridge to freeze, and you can defrost them when you want to eat.” 

With how sweet and considerate Lu Nan was, Teacher Zhang almost wanted to adopt her as a goddaughter. 

That evening, Teacher Zhang even asked Lu Nan to stay and join her for a video call with her son and daughter-in-law—perhaps partly to show off: See? Even though you two are abroad, I’m not some lonely old woman. I have such a lovely younger generation around me.” 

Lu Nan had to admit; her ‘obedient’ appearance still had its advantages at times—it made her less intimidating to others. So, in both her lives, Teacher Zhang’s daughter-in-law, Wu Li, had always liked her quite a bit. 

During the video call, Lu Nan didn’t try to dominate the conversation, but she skillfully steered the topics when needed, subtly guiding the discussion. 

For example, Teacher Zhang brought up how they first met, mentioning how she wanted to test Lu Nan’s character by pretending to see if she would bypass the agency to cut costs, but of course, Lu Nan didn’t. 

Or, when Teacher Zhang sighed about how Lu Nan’s coworkers bullied her, bringing her boyfriend to the dorm without even informing her; 

Naturally, the conversation then drifted to the wine Lu Nan had brought when she last came to deliver the keys. 

Back when Teacher Zhang’s husband was around, they enjoyed a little drink now and then. 

As a son, Xu Chengzhi had also accompanied his father for a drink after he became an adult. 

However, since his father passed away many years ago, during the New Year, even if he pours another glass, there is no longer that lovable old man waving his hand and calling out, “Fill it up, fill it up!” 

Once Teacher Zhang and his son started reminiscing, Lu Nan wisely decided it was time to take her leave. 

On the other end of the video call, Xu Chengzhi rubbed his face and said, “Look at me, I’ve been talking for so long, but I still don’t know what Xiao Lu does for work.” 

Lu Nan explained that she worked in the business department of a winery, mainly responsible for attracting investors and assisting distributors with shipments. 

Xu Chengzhi, like everyone else, was first surprised. 

Then, after the surprise, he was somewhat impressed. 

Later, the conversation then shifted to how domestic liquor was priced lower overseas than in China. Xu Chengzhi mentioned that he should bring back a few bottles next time he returned. 

Wu Li rolled her eyes at him. “Each person is only allowed to bring two bottles, so between the two of us, that’s just four. Even if we bring them back, it won’t be enough to share.” 

“It’s just that it’s so expensive domestically, and even if you have the money, you can’t always get it,” Xu Chengzhi said helplessly. 

As they continued chatting, they discussed how many products had entirely different pricing structures for domestic and international markets. 

Lu Nan observed that Xu Chengzhi indeed seemed interested in trying something, just as Teacher Zhang had mentioned. 

However, he had previously only been a high school Chinese teacher and later moved abroad with his wife, never having ventured into business. (As Teacher Zhang put it, “Our family has been honest teachers for three generations.”) Because of this, he seemed rather hesitant. 

After some thought, Lu Nan asked, “Brother Xu, have you considered testing the waters with liquor first?” 

“Liquor? Test the waters?” Xu Chengzhi said uncertainly. “That might be difficult, right?” 

As soon as he said this, Teacher Zhang frowned: “Difficult, difficult, difficult—you always think about how hard something is first. And you say I don’t support your business ideas? Hmph! With your habit of retreating at the first sign of difficulty, how am I supposed to support you?” 

Xu Chengzhi felt a bit embarrassed by his mother’s words. “Mom…” He wished she could cut him some slack. 

Lu Nan smiled and, seeing that Wu Li was clearly still interested, said, “From what I know, there are a lot of Chinese people on the West Coast of the U.S., which provides a solid market base for Chinese liquor. Moreover, the government has been actively encouraging liquor exports—it even has a dedicated customs code, and the export tax rebate is as high as 15%. That’s one of the reasons why Chinese liquor is actually cheaper abroad.” 

Business is a completely different field, and Xu Chengzhi was clearly learning something new. He nodded thoughtfully and asked, “Then why is it so hard to buy top Chinese liquor domestically, while sales overseas are just average?” 

Lu Nan continued, “It’s still about culture and taste. First, foreigners don’t understand the culture of Chinese liquor. Second, the premium brand for national liquor in China is too high. In fact, based on some of the research I’ve done, many people just drink it casually and aren’t necessarily fans of strong-flavored baijiu. After pouring it into a glass, they can’t even tell which one is national liquor and which one is our Yuan Chuan classic. Since even domestic consumers are like this, it’s not surprising that foreigners don’t find the rich, sauce-like aroma of Chinese liquor particularly appealing.” 

Xu Chengzhi suddenly realized, “No wonder! When I used to drink with my dad, I always preferred Tequ!” 

“Tequ is a strong-aroma liquor. It does have a crisper and drier taste,” Lu Nan nodded. After answering Xu Chengzhi’s question, she returned to the main topic. “In addition to the high export tax rebate, liquor exports are also profitable because they have high value and small volume. Even though it’s classified as a type-three hazardous material, the overall shipping cost is still low. Of course, I have my own reasons for bringing this up.” 

Lu Nan continued, “Although I’m in charge of the Classic Liquor, the one I’m recommending to you, Brother Xu, is the Harmony Liquor.” 

Wu Li was curious. “Why? As far as I know, the Classic Liquor from Yuan Chuan is the flagship product of your company.” 

“Because Harmony Liquor has a clear and pure taste. It doesn’t have the strong aftertaste of sauce-flavored liquor or the earthy taste of strong-fragrant special liquor. It’s more suitable for ice drinks and as a base for cocktails. In theory, it’s also more suitable for international markets.” This was a new branding concept Yuan Chuan planned to launch in a year or two, but Lu Nan decided to use it in advance. 

What Lu Nan said made a lot of sense, and Xu Chengzhi was tempted, but making this move wasn’t that simple. 

“If you’re worried about the funding and sales, let’s do this. I can provide the first batch of liquor and cover the shipping costs. You can pay me after the liquor is sold. Of course, we need to set a latest payment deadline. During the first collaboration, I’ll only earn the tax rebate. The final price overseas won’t affect me.” Lu Nan said seriously. “Does this sound okay?” 

Lu Nan played the role of a recently graduated, naive university student perfectly. She explained, “Earlier when I mentioned my personal interest—it’s not about making a profit, but about finding something for my mother to do. I want her to have her own career.” At the end, she briefly mentioned how her parents separated a few years ago and how she recently realized her mother was becoming increasingly fixated on things. 

Teacher Zhang gave Lu Nan’s leg a firm pat. “Xiao Lu, I have to say something to you. You need to be more cautious. How could you openly tell us all this? I don’t mean your parents’ marriage—I mean discussing business deals so easily with strangers, even saying you’re willing to invest and cover costs upfront. That’s very risky. Let me tell you, there are a lot of bad people in this world. Some people aren’t bad at first, but when faced with temptation, they change. And you’re still smiling?” She said this while giving Lu Nan another light slap. 

Lu Nan couldn’t help but smile—because this was just how lovable Teacher Zhang was. She was the very reason Lu Nan had insisted on renting this apartment after her rebirth. 

Laughing and nodding vigorously, Lu Nan said, “Teacher Zhang, I understand! I’ll be careful with strangers in the future and won’t show off my finances.” 

Teacher Zhang nodded, “That’s more like it.” 

At this point, she patted Lu Nan’s knee in a comforting gesture. “Such a good kid—just a little too honest. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been bullied by her roommates like that!” 

Lu Nan lowered her head and smiled shyly. 

Even though this conversation had a bit of a hidden agenda, Lu Nan spoke from the heart. “I truly hope my mother can have her own career and move on from the shadow of her failed marriage.” 

“Chengzhi, you should think it over. You were the one who spoke the most about this before, and now I think what Xiao Lu said makes sense. Whether to do this or not is up to you,” Teacher Zhang couldn’t help but speak up. 

Wu Li also added, “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll help Chengzhi with the details. If we’re really going to cooperate with Xiao Lu, we must make sure the rights and responsibilities are clear on both sides. It’s not fair to let Xiao Lu bear all the risks.” 

Lu Nan smiled and agreed obediently. She knew very well that Teacher Zhang’s family was sincere and trustworthy. 

Since the cooperation details couldn’t be settled in one night, both parties agreed to discuss them further the next day. 

Before the next video call, Lu Nan needed to prepare the information and samples for the Harmony Liquor, while Xu Chengzhi, due to the time difference, went out to visit the nearby Chinatown and Asian supermarkets. 

Having successfully connected with Teacher Zhang, Lu Nan was in a great mood. When she returned to the dormitory, Xiang Feifei curiously asked, “Went on a date?” Seeing her come back looking so radiant. 

After learning that Lu Nan had only gone to Teacher Zhang’s house for dinner, Xiang Feifei was puzzled—was Teacher Zhang’s cooking really that good? 

Xiang Feifei considered herself to be quite familiar with Lu Nan. She was different from Dong Hui. 

If Dong Hui was someone with ambition but lacking ability, who put on a tough front but was insecure inside, and was overly obsessed with relationships, then Lu Nan was a highly self-disciplined and clear-headed young woman. 

People with this personality weren’t interested in deceiving others. Lu Nan would answer the questions she was willing to answer, and whatever she said was sure to be the truth. If there was something she didn’t want to discuss, she would simply smile and move on. 

So, when Lu Nan said that her happiness today wasn’t due to any romantic matters, Xiang Feifei believed her. 

Lu Nan cheerfully walks upstairs to change, wash her hair, and take a bath. 

After freshening up, she grabbed her laptop and worked on her side project. 

Her quick-transmigration novel, including the extras, was already in the draft folder with the release schedule set. It would be finished in a little over ten days. 

She was currently working on the outline for her new novel. 

After working on the outline for more than an hour, Lu Nan’s mood calmed down, and she finally went to sleep. 

The next day was Sunday. Lu Nan spent the day writing the outline and character settings, exercising, and then heading to Teacher Zhang’s house with product information and samples of Harmony Liquor. It was another productive day. 

The discussion with Xu Chengzhi had gone quite smoothly. 

They had basically reached a preliminary agreement—exporting liquor seemed like a good idea! 

However, Xu Chengzhi was still cautious. He asked Lu Nan to first send him samples of Harmony Liquor from three different years, which he would have someone in the U.S. evaluate to test the waters. “This would be a sample, right? I’ll need to cover the sample fee.” 

Lu Nan smiled. “Sure, I can offer you the factory price. I’ll send you the list shortly.” 

Considering the shipping time, Lu Nan suggested, “Let’s go with air shipping. I’ll cover the shipping costs. However, air shipping charges start at 100 kg. I recommend sending six cases—three of Harmony Liquor and three of Classic Liquor. After all, what I mentioned earlier was just my personal opinion. Whether Harmony or Classic Liquor is better suited for the overseas market is something you’ll need to verify yourself, Brother Xu.” 

Xu Chengzhi nodded. “You’re right.” Since Xiao Lu didn’t mind covering the air shipping, he, as a grown man, could afford the courage to ask for three more boxes of wine. 

Teacher Zhang chimed in from the side, “You need to finalize the sample fee today—don’t drag it out.” It was as if the person in the video call was her stepson, while the one beside her was her own daughter. 

“Mom, can you pay Xiao Lu first, and I’ll transfer the money to you later?” Xu Chengzhi said helplessly. 

Lu Nan lowered her head and chuckled. 

The three bottles of classic wine from different years were sourced through Feixiang. Sister Pei was very straightforward, saying, “Since it’s for you, we’ll just charge the factory price.” 

Lu Nan didn’t bother with pleasantries. It was common industry practice for salespeople to source a small quantity of goods at factory price from distributors. 

The other three cases of Harmony liquor were obtained from Chen Lu. Lu Nan only mentioned she needed them but didn’t specify the reason. 

Chen Lu naturally assumed that a client from Feixiang needed them, so she sold them together with the classic wine—this kind of situation was not unusual. She had everything sorted for Lu Nan that afternoon. 

Although Green Trading had sent a termination notice to Yuan Chuan, Chen Lu was still willing to buy wine from them. Green Trading wouldn’t turn down money, so she was able to secure the goods at factory price. 

When it came to work, Lu Nan always followed the principle of “never leave today’s tasks for tomorrow.” That afternoon, she called a former colleague—more precisely, her mentor—Rong Wei from CIMC Logistics to discuss the shipment. 

Rong Wei confirmed multiple times, “Liquor is classified as a hazardous material, so the shipping cost is already higher than regular cargo. You do realize how much air shipping to the U.S. will cost, right?” 

Lu Nan replied, “Yes, yes, I know. Please calculate the exact cost for me.” 

“No trouble at all. You’re helping my business, I’m happy to do it,” Rong Wei said on the phone as he calculated the price. “Alright, you’ve been gone for just half a year, but you should still remember the key factors for air shipping. Give me the details for the cargo. Six items, each box 454545 cm, 108 kg, right? Heavy cargo, so there’s no way to reduce the chargeable weight… Shipping from SHA (Shanghai Airport), right?” 

To Rong Wei, his former apprentice had only been gone for half a year, but for Lu Nan, it had been years since she had last spoken to her mentor. “Yes, from SHA. And stop teasing me—there’s no way liquor could be considered heavy cargo.” 

“CA or HU? You know HU is cheaper. Anyway, both are direct flights, the time difference isn’t much,” Rong Wei kindly gave his suggestion. 

Lu Nan thought for a moment. “Alright, let’s go with HU.” 

“Great, give me the address, and I’ll have a driver pick up the goods this evening.”