"They only told me to be forceful, not gentle."
"Hahaha... You’re so funny, President Lin."
Lin Qiangwei’s laugh was full of womanly charm, which came through clearly even over the phone.
"So, what is it?"
"I’m at the airport, about to board. My flight lands around seven. President Lin, could you come pick me up tonight?"
"Sure, I’ll be there."
Lin Jiang had no reason to refuse Lin Qiangwei’s invitation.
When she took the initiative to contact him, it was usually about something important, with a little passion on the side. Since he didn’t have any other plans for the evening, there was no harm in seeing her.
After hanging up, Lin Jiang drove back to the company.
He hadn’t been in for a few days and noticed some new faces—all recent hires.
Huang Youwei, who was working part-time, was as smooth as ever.
Upon seeing Lin Jiang, he had all the new hires stand up for a very formal introduction.
Lin Jiang nodded, acknowledging them. He then called a meeting with Chen Jingxian, Huang Youwei, and the others to get an update on the company’s status.
The expansion of the processing plant was proceeding smoothly and on schedule.
Yong’an was still slashing prices, but its market share and customer demand had fallen, showing clear signs of decline.
’As long as I expand production, it won’t be long before Yong’an is beaten. What happened to Mu Xing is what’s in store for them.’
’The core problem, however, was the processing plant’s insufficient production capacity.’
Lin Jiang’s solution was simple: partner with the small processing plants near Red Star Town to do contract manufacturing.
Costs would increase slightly, but they would still be manageable. This would allow them to quickly capture the market.
Once Yong’an collapsed, it would trigger a chain reaction, inevitably impacting its parent company, Xiangrong. When that happened, they’d have even less standing to raise a fuss at board meetings.
The two new noodle shops were also stabilizing, with daily revenues consistently over twenty thousand, which met Lin Jiang’s expectations.
The next step was to start on the barbecue restaurant. After all, he had the recipes, and his funds had grown. It was time to put that on the agenda.
After the meeting ended, Chen Jingxian came to Lin Jiang’s office.
Lately, her style had become more and more business-like. Her chest was ample, and she now favored skirts and high heels.
"So, what do you think of my outfit today? Are you satisfied, President Lin?" Chen Jingxian teased with a smile.
"Turn around, let me have another look."
Chen Jingxian was very obedient and actually turned around.
He appraised the ample, peach-like silhouette facing him and commented:
"The skirt’s a little long, and you’re not wearing any stockings. I’m giving it a bad review."
"You’re getting more and more demanding. There was something I forgot to mention in the meeting."
Chen Jingxian turned back around and said:
"Xingcheng Bay Phase II is now for sale. I heard they’re looking for a major supermarket to move in. If that information is correct, it could have a significant impact on Berkeley."
"Xingcheng Bay Phase II..." Lin Jiang muttered. "Sounds a bit familiar. It’s not far from here, right?"
"It’s only two kilometers away, so the customer base would almost completely overlap with Berkeley’s. The distance is negligible."
Lin Jiang fell silent, pondering.
’Foot traffic at Berkeley has improved, but it still hasn’t reached a satisfactory level.’
’The place with the most foot traffic is the Huipin Supermarket on the first basement level. Because of its affordable prices, many nearby residents go there to buy daily necessities.’
’If the supermarket at Xingcheng Bay Phase II opens, it will definitely impact business at Berkeley.’
"Keep an eye on the situation over there for now. Let me know when you have more concrete information."
"Okay."
After talking with Chen Jingxian, Lin Jiang checked his watch. It was already past five, so he drove to the airport.
Meanwhile, a Lexus 570 was parked in the airport’s parking lot.
Pan Yongbin and Wang Haichen sat in the car, the former holding a bouquet of roses.
"Brother Bin, are you sure Sister Wei is coming back today?"
"Of course I’m sure," Pan Yongbin said.
"She went to San Ya to see Lin Jiansheng off. Finance booked her return flight, so there’s no mistake."
"I just found out today that you’re quite the romantic."
"This has nothing to do with romance," Pan Yongbin said.
"She went there this time to see Lin Jiansheng off to his retirement. After she comes back, she’s going to take over the Lin Family’s business completely. As long as I play my cards right, I’ll win her over soon, and the Lin Family’s assets will all be mine."
"But there’s one thing I don’t get," Wang Haichen said.
"Why would she suddenly decide to come back a day early?"
"Is that even a question? She must be coming back early to handle the Lin Family’s business," Pan Yongbin said.
"Think about it. Lin Jiansheng is gone, and he left the entire Lin Family business to her. She must have a lot to do when she gets back. I bet she didn’t want me to know, so she planned to come back early, get her family’s affairs in order, and then meet with me."
"That’s definitely possible," Wang Haichen said with a cigarette dangling from his lips.
"Lin Qiangwei is a sharp woman. It’ll definitely take some effort to win her over."
"That’s why I came early and even prepared flowers, to give her a surprise," Pan Yongbin said.
"This makes me seem very considerate, and at the same time, it throws off her rhythm. She’ll never guess that I’ve already figured out her plan."
"With preparations this thorough, you’ll be getting some serious action tonight, right?" Wang Haichen said with a wicked grin.
"Not necessarily," Pan Yongbin said.
"Weiwei... she likes to dress up and has an outgoing personality, but she’s actually very conservative. She’s not like other girls."
"Something doesn’t sound right about what you’re saying," Wang Haichen said.
"You two have been together for several months. Don’t tell me you still haven’t hit a home run?"
"Nope. I’m not in a rush anyway. I can always find other women. It’s not like I have to sleep with *her* to get some release, right?"
"That’s true, but the problem is you two have been together for so long and you still haven’t rounded the bases. The progress is way too slow."
"What else can I say? Weiwei’s conservative. She’s planning to save it for the wedding night," Pan Yongbin said.
"If she wasn’t like that, I wouldn’t say she’s different from other women."
"No wonder she never joins in when we’re talking about women. So that’s the reason."
"It’s not easy to find a good girl." Pan Yongbin laughed. "Sometimes, I almost feel bad about gobbling up her family’s assets."
"Feelings are one thing, but you still have to take what’s yours. Haha..."
"That’s for sure. With Lin Jiansheng gone, she has no one left to advise her. As long as we take care of Lin Jiang, the territory in Beiqiao Street will be ours," Pan Yongbin said.
"But I have to admit, that Lin Jiang guy is really something. Taking him down might take some effort."
"My dad has already thought of a way. He’s discussing it with your dad right now," Wang Haichen said.
"We have to deal with Lin Jiang. His noodle shops are making so much money... damn, it makes me jealous just looking at it."
"As long as there’s a plan, it’s just a matter of time."
"Huh..."
Wang Haichen suddenly let out a questioning sound. "Look at that Maybach. Isn’t that Lin Jiang’s car?"

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