Just as Sister Shen had said, Wang Tiechen had known her when he was starting up his business; back then, heâd met her family through a bank loan.
Years had passed and Chairman Wangâs circumstances had certainly changed; he barely had any interaction with Sister Shen anymore.
However, this time, as Jubaozhai faced difficulties, Sister Shen was at the forefrontâa fact Wang Tiechen had been aware of long before. He didnât hold much resentment towards her; instead, he felt a bit of lamentationâwhen the sacred deer is lost, everyone gives chase. Isnât that just the way of the world?
What surprised him more was realizing, âHey, this Secretary Xiao Shen wields quite some power; Iâve underestimated her over these years.â
In fact, if it werenât for her hitching a ride with Feng Jun and unintentionally choosing the best opportunity, Wang Tiechenâs underestimation of her would have made senseâcould she really cause more than a minor annoyance to Jubaozhai? Was there a need to take her that seriously?
Of course, things were different now. He wanted to find someone to mediate, and after considering his options, he couldnât find anyone more suitable than Sister Shen.
So, Wang Tiechen swallowed his pride and proactively contacted Sister Shen yesterday, indicating his willingness to bow to Feng Jun.
Sister Shen had already decided to teach Jubaozhai a good lesson, but when Wang Tiechen himself came to her, she was somewhat flatteredââDamn, so youâve realized just how awesome I am.â
After all, she and the Wang Family did share a certain history; the goodwill from past years could not be entirely obliterated at a whim.
But she wasnât inclined to abandon her pursuits either. After all, wealth beckons, and though Wang Tiechen had someone intercede on his behalf, she merely stated, âI can convey your message, but whether Feng Jun will agree is not my concern.â
Feng Jun gave her a peculiar look, âAre you saying⦠you no longer want to do the Jade business in Youzhou?â
âIâm just passing on a message,â Sister Shen replied somewhat petulantly, âWang Tiechen said, if thereâs absolutely no other choice, heâd sell Jubaozhai to the people from the capital⦠to those who donât get along with you.â
âThen let him sell,â Feng Jun said with a smirk, glancing at Sister Hong, âCan the people from the capital really pull strings in Funiu local market?â
âI could play with them one-armed,â Sister Hong snorted with disdain.
Feng Junâs gaze drifted subconsciously to her long legs, thankful it wasnât about binding both legsâ¦
âWhat the hell are you thinking?â Sister Hongâs mouth curled slightly, âBut you know what? Henglong has been closer to them.â
âHenglong isnât truly committed to the jewelry business,â Feng Jun answered nonchalantly, âThey have many ideas, and Li Yongrui isnât too pleased with them, so⦠this variable isnât too concerning.â
After a pause, he added another sentence, âAnd would the people from the capital really offer a fair price? I doubt it. No one is a fool⦠This is just Jubaozhai trying to save face.â
This analysis made perfect sense; in business, no company starts up by engaging in charity.
Upon hearing this, Sister Shen breathed a sigh of relief, âIâm relieved that you think that way; I had prepared many reasons to try and persuade you.â
It turned out she wasnât entirely willing to relay the message, but if she didnât, someone else would, prompting her to take the initiative. Yet, she hadnât come with the goal of persuading him to agree.
âAs long as you stand firm, Youzhouâs market still offers great prospects,â Feng Jun answered with a smile, âOh, and when itâs time to settle, I hope the payment can mainly be in Gold.â
He had heard that Sister Shenâs chosen partner seemed to have access to a substantial amount of Gold. Even though this personâs supply couldnât possibly surpass that of those who mined Gold illegally, if they could provide a stable supply, it wouldnât matter if the quantity was somewhat less.
âThatâs a bit troublesome,â Sister Shen instinctively wanted to haggle, but quickly realized the folly of her actions and corrected herself with a smile, âHeâs just flipping it, not like Boss Feng, who can connect directly with the miners.â
Feng had sourced some Gold from private miners, which was a rather private affair. Most people might not know about it, but for those in the industry, such a significant change in supply was bound to catch their attention, wasnât it?
âWho I connect with is my business,â Feng Jun stated indifferently. His last acquisition of Gold from private miners had built his reputation, and he believed that no one would dare to mess around in future transactions.
However, Feng didnât intend to take that route again easily; it was different from making a name for himself at the Penglai Grand Hotel.
Penglai was a four-star hotel, committed to legitimate business. Knowing he wasnât someone to be trifled with, theyâd naturally be extra careful in their dealings.
But those illegally mining Gold were engaging in unlawful activities from the start, risking their lives to make a living. If one day they were rash, and plotted against Feng again, it was entirely possibleâwhat fear would someone who doesnât value their own life have?
Even though Feng Jun was highly vigilant and could often outwit his opponents, anyone who often walks by the river will inevitably get their shoes wet. If the other party got into trouble, it could very likely implicate Feng Jun.
Therefore, Feng Jun thought that unless absolutely necessary, one transaction was enough. He had already found a channel to supply silver dollars on a large scale. Although this currency was somewhat heavier and cost a bit more, it won out in safety.
As for gold, he was no longer keen on it. His rough idea was to store some, but if possible, he would prefer to use silver dollars for transactions in the mobile phone realm.
After all, his ultimate goal was cultivation, and at that point, spirit stones would probably be the real hard currency. Why store so much gold?
Of course, while his demand for gold was not strong, he wouldnât fully capitulate to the other partyâs position. He asserted his willingness to follow market rules, âLetâs put it this way, whoever wishes to settle in gold will have the priority to purchase.â
Facing such a response, Sister Shen could only smile and nod her head, âThatâs fine. Iâm not afraid to compete with others.â
Feng Jun felt that the Jubaozhai matter could be put to rest for now. He lifted his teacup and took a light sip, âHmm, the tea is passable⦠Did Sister Hong invite me for tea today just to discuss Jubaozhai?â
âJubaozhai is what Sister Shen wanted to talk to you about,â Sister Hong stirred the juice in front of her with a straw, speaking casually, âI wanted to find out about the jade supply for next year, how much you can guarantee, and whether⦠we can start some new businesses?â
âAs for the jade supplyâ¦â Feng Jun drew out his words and glanced at Sister Shen with a smile, not continuing further.
Sister Shen really wanted to eavesdrop on such trade secrets, but seeing the clear unwelcoming stance, she could only give a bitter smile, âSeems like Iâm a bit redundant here.â
Sister Hong was quite proper in her approach. She gave a smiling suggestion, âItâs a good opportunity for Sister Shen to reply to Wang Tiechen, why donât we all have dinner together tonight?â
Seeing the situation, Sister Shen could only pick up her mobile phone, stand up, and signal the waiter to move her coffee to another seating areaâcanât I avoid problems I cannot provoke?
Seeing this, Feng Jun slightly gestured with his chin towards Li Xiaobin, indicating that she should follow alongâit would be impolite to leave someone like Sister Shen alone.
The personal assistant stood up and followed, leaving just the three of them in the booth.
Only then did Feng Jun speak up, âRegarding jade, I can supply it in large quantities, at least ten times this yearâs amount. However, for the short term, I donât plan to focus on this.â
âTen times?â Sister Hongâs eyes lit up upon hearing this. This year Feng Junâs total jade sales already amounted to around six or seven billion yuan. Ten times that next year would mean several tens of billions, wouldnât it?
She didnât think that such a large supply of jade would increase the difficulty of sales. In fact, she was very confident in selling the product.
âOur brand has already made its mark, and our channels are quickly becoming more efficient. A five or six-fold increase in sales can be achieved with guaranteed quality and quantity. But⦠arenât you considering the issue of the total jade reserve?â
Feng Jun laughed upon hearing this, âYou might not believe what Iâm about to say⦠but I plan to build a villa made of jade in the next two or three years. My current worry is, might that be a tad too flamboyant?â
Zhang Caixin had been quietly listening to their casual conversation until she couldnât hold back a chuckle, âPresident Feng, youâre really quite something. Others hide their mistresses in houses of gold, but you, on the other hand, are planning a villa of jade.â
âI donât think jade has less class than gold at all,â Feng Jun spread his hands and said seriously, âYou know, gold is valuable, but jade is priceless. A gold mansion is so tacky, how can it compare to the chicness of a jade villa?â
âI never said you were lacking in taste,â Zhang Caixin looked at him with interest, âIâm just curious about what you might hide inside a villa made of jade?â
Caught off guard by the question, Feng Jun then laughed and replied, âA house of jade would still need a bathroom. In the end, one canât escape the basic human needs. As for what kind of person I would hide, I havenât thought about that yet, but⦠surely a personal assistant would be necessary, right?â
Indeed, bringing Li Xiaobin today had indeed been intended as a show for someone.
âIt appears the class of your house is limited after all,â Zhang Caixin huffed in dissatisfaction, her complexion souring, âA mountain need not be high; if it houses a fairy, itâs spirit-filled. Without the right person living in it, itâs just a case of all that glitters is not gold.â
âOh? Is that so?â Feng Junâs eyebrows raised as he laughed at her, âBy your logic, I should have you move in. That way, the house would be fully utilized, and it would be filled with a fairyâs aura, right?â
âHow did the conversation turn to me?â Zhang Caixinâs face turned slightly red, her eyes showing a bit of panic. As she reached for her glass of juice, she accidentally spilled some of it.
This made her even more flustered, and while she grabbed some napkins to frantically wipe the table, she murmured in complaint, âHere I am, my sisterâs working so hard for you, and to think that in your eyes, sheâs less worthy than just a minor assistant!â
(First update, congratulations to the alliance master @riy for the quick advance, the transitional passage will soon be over, summoning for monthly tickets.)