CH 22.2

Chapter 22: “Luo Lingsheng, can I pursue you?” (Part 2/2)

He carefully searched through his memory, “Wasn’t the very first product packaging a small white vial with a large bouquet of flowers printed on it?”

Shi Yunnan lost his mother at a very young age, and was ruthlessly left abroad when he needed the company of his family most…..

It was precisely because of this growth experience that Shi Yunnan was particularly attached to the beauty of his mother when she was alive, he would not be mistaken.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Lou quickly responded.

“That’s right, in fact, this product was very popular in the imperial capital circle back then. I did not expect that second young master Shi’s mother was also one of our customers.”

Lou Desheng saw that Shi Yunnan was interested in this product, and said, “Five years ago we tried to do an upgrade on the product packaging, wanting to get closer to the big foreign brands’ designs.”

Lou brand wanted to use this to broaden the market, but the effect was minimal.

When Shi Yunnan heard the other party’s words, he immediately shook his head and said, “This kind of following design is a misconception.”

“Domestic brands blindly imitate the designs of foreign brands, but fail to meet their high standards in terms of materials and costs, it will only appear cheap instead.”

Luo Lingsheng didn’t speak, but he agreed with Shi Yunnan’s point of view in his heart——

If domestic brands wanted to gain a foothold, the first was irreplaceability, and the second was to make their own unique style.

As he was thinking, Shi Yunnan said something similar to him.

“Since Lou is an old domestic brand, it has such advantages in terms of qualifications, so it should make its own unique appearances.”

Although differences in professions made one feel worlds apart, as a jewelry designer, certain concepts were the same in term product design.

“Hua Zhong Ge.”

Shi Yunnan muttered silently, and casually put forward his own opinions——

“Using the hundred flower elements and Chinese national style as the core of the design should be better than the previous imitating appearance.”

“Mr. Shi is right, I have put forward this idea a long time ago.”

Lou Yuan saw that Shi Yunnan’s thoughts were consistent with her own, and immediately responded.

Mrs. Lou sighed, “Second young master Shi was not aware of this, whether it is the cost of the high-end design itself or the replacement of the product packaging after the renewed design is formed…”

It’s all a big expense.

Right now, Lou’s production funds were very tight, so they were unable to support this idea. The most fearful thing was, what if there was no significant increase in sales after all the changes?

Seeing their expressions, Luo Lingsheng pointed out sharply, “Lou’s products can’t be sold now?”

Lou couple looked at each other, and a sense of powerlessness rose in their eyes.

Lou Yuan was the one who knew the situation best. Hearing Luo Lingsheng’s question, she said frankly, “Nowadays, Internet marketing is thriving, to put it bluntly, money is the only way to get things done.”

“The reason those popular online products are selling well is because they have spent a lot of money on marketing. Many of them disappeared into the market after making a wave of quick money.”

Lou’s products adhered to conscientious workmanship, and the cost was inherently higher than those shoddy products. However, due to peer competition, they could not sell at high market prices, and their low profit margins became lower.

All the money earned by the company had to be used for the manufacturing of the new season’s products. Without money for marketing and promotion, the sale became narrower and narrower, and with it, came a smaller space for survival.

This was a vicious circle!

In this way, if their competitors were eyeing their family and made a malicious hassle, they would be devoured sooner or later.

“Blame me, blame me for being too traditional.” Lou Desheng shook his head.

When online shopping first sprung up, their Lou company was a few steps behind compared to others, when they wanted to catch up again, they were unable to.

Especially in the past five years, their entire line of products had been replaced by new products on the market. With the current situation, it was unsure how long they could last.

Shi Yunnan looked at the product in his hand, probably out of nostalgia for his deceased mother, he was eventually moved by this tiny bit of gentle memory.

“I should be able to help with the product design.”

Although there was a certain field difference between jewelry design and visual design, they weren’t completely unrelated.

What’s more, Shi Yunnan knew a lot of friends in the field of visual design, and could ask for help.

Luo Lingsheng looked at him, “You know how to design?”

“Just some superficial knowledge, and have some friends who understand this area.” Shi Yunnan deliberately hid his weakness.

He said to Lou family, “I don’t need a design fee. I’ll try to cut down the production costs for you while ensuring quality.”

“Of course, it’s up to you whether you need it or not, I’m not forcing it.”

In a rare moment, Shi Yunnan had the intention of being a good person, but he was by no means a Virgin Mary. If others were unwilling to accept it, he didn’t need to bother with that effort.

Lou Desheng did not expect Shi Yunnan to have such thoughts. He was moved in his heart but hesitated to express his position, “Mr. Shi, thank you for your kindness, but it is not good to trouble you for no reason.”

“That’s right.” Mrs. Lou shook her head with gratitude.

“Even if we designed a low-cost and good-looking appearance, the production costs and marketing costs are indispensable… Our production funds on hand are really limited. We are powerless and afraid of wasting your kindness.”

Shi Yunnan frowned slightly, and understood——

Last week, the reason why Mrs. Lou went to the Zhao family banquet was most likely to get acquainted with people who could cooperate, but she was mocked by Mrs. Zhao in public, and right now no one should be willing to help out.

When Shi Yunnan thought of this, he came up with an idea of investment, but he soon dispelled it.

The nightclub had not yet opened to the public, and the investment had not been paid back for the time being. Moreover, to invest in a company, the amount required for the investment would only be higher.

He was ashamed and didn’t have the face to ‘beg’ Luo Lingsheng for another huge sum of money.

“Dad, mom!”

Lou Yuan yelled at the two anxiously, “If the capital chain is not enough, you can find other companies to invest and cooperate. If that doesn’t work, you can continue to apply for bank loans…”

“Yuan Yuan! Stop talking!” Mrs. Lou hurriedly stopped her. She felt somewhat embarrassed.

Her daughter was too anxious about the future of the company, so she said words such as ‘cooperative investment’ in front of Luo Lingsheng. If the other party misunderstood their intentions, it would be too shameful!

Luo Lingsheng captured the expressions of all the three Luo family members in his eyes, “Mr. and Mrs. Lou, you don’t need to be so anxious for fear that I would misunderstand. In terms of seniority, I can’t be compared to you, but I still have some experience in reading people.”

Compared to the average person, the Lou couple indeed had a sense of propriety.

He considered for two or three seconds and decided to say, “I need comprehensive information about your entire line of products, as well as product qualifications and product inspection reports…”

Hearing Luo Lingsheng’s brief and concise report, Lou Desheng asked incredulously, “Patriarch Luo, do you plan to invest?”

Luo Lingsheng continued with a straight face, “I will let the company’s investment department evaluate all aspects. It will take some time to go through the ordeal and inspection before both sides can discuss about investment.”

“Yes, yes, yes, we understand, it should be, it should be.” Lou Desheng rubbed his hands together in excitement, his complexion faintly flushed.

Shi Yunnan was surprised by Luo Lingsheng’s impromptu decision. As a result, he heard the other party proceed to make suggestions——

“If the investment is confirmed, then Shi Yunnan will be the investment partner with you. At that time, the design cost will be calculated according to the market price. In the future, the losses will be counted as mine, and the profit will be counted as Shi Yunnan’s.”

In short, Shi Yunnan was directly placed in the position of the beneficiary.

“……”

Shi Yunnan was stunned, completely didn’t expect that Luo Lingsheng would make such an arrangement.

The Lou couple didn’t know how to answer for a while, they always felt that a pie had suddenly fallen from the sky, just like a dream.

Having had enough of her parents’ conservatism and timidity, Lou Yuan couldn’t help but take a decisive stand before them, “Mr. Luo, Mr. Shi, please believe that our Lou company is definitely a conscientious enterprise.”

“I firmly believe that as long as there is a chance to break out of this predicament, there is definitely a market for our products!”

She took out her business card from her small bag and handed it over, “Please consider it carefully, thank you.”

Shi Yunnan saw the name card handed to him, and reached out for it. In the next second, Luo Lingsheng quickly picked it up before him.

“Miss Lou, I will let someone contact you.”

After speaking, he put the business card in his pocket.

When Shi Yunnan saw Luo Lingsheng’s uncharacteristic initiative, the curvature of his mouth unconsciously pressed downward. He secretly looked at Lou Yuan twice, completely forgetting his inner compliment at the beginning——

Not bad, right? She just looked a little more beautiful than average.

…

The two stayed in the private room for half an hour, then got up and left.

It was not until he got into the car that Luo Lingsheng handed Lou Yuan’s business card to Qin Jian, “Look for someone to meet and evaluate Lou company. If there is no problem, confirm the cooperation within a week.”

Qin Jian was surprised, not expecting that Luo Lingsheng would be interested in such a small company.

“Patriarch, do you want to cooperate with Lou company?”

Shi Yunnan leaned back on the car seat, and casually hummed twice, “Yes, I thought your Patriarch would feel bored attending the banquet. I didn’t expect Lou…”

“The Lou couple are quite attractive. Patriarch Luo actually took a fancy to them.”

——Luo Lingsheng was reluctant to go at the beginning, and now he had taken the initiative to help with the investment. He didn’t really take a liking to Lou Yuan, did he?

Shi Yunnan secretly poke a glance at Luo Lingsheng, and happened to hear the other party’s rebuttal.

“I think the Lou couple must have gotten into second young master Shi’s eye. I saw that you were sending multiple gifts, and even volunteered to come up with the design.”

“……”

Shi Yunnan got stuck, he thought for a half a day before retorting vaguely, “…I just missed my mother a bit, she was quite fond of their product when she was alive.”

His words were exceptionally gentle.

Luo Lingsheng caught the loneliness that flashed past his eyes, and said nothing.

Shi Yunnan was not a person who liked to sell misery. He put away that bit of inconspicuous emotions and asked serious questions.

“Do you really want to invest in Lou company? I said I would help with the design, purely from personal sentiment. You don’t have to do this, what if you lose money?”

“Lose money? Luo family has never done business at a loss.” Underneath Luo Lingsheng’s calmness was a strong confidence.

He paused for a moment, and then asked, “If the profit is made, isn’t it good to give you a portion as pocket money?”

“Pocket money?”

Shi Yunnan chuckled, finding this word interesting.

He had passed the age to ask for pocket money, but Luo Lingsheng’s inquiry gave him the illusion that he could be ‘tolerated and not grow up’.

Shi Yunnan suppressed the visible change in his heart, and casually teased, “No wonder so many people regard you as Monk Tang’s meat1. They can’t wait to squeeze their heads to have a relationship with you. Patriarch Luo’s pocket money is too generous.”

Luo Lingsheng didn’t refute, he turned his gaze back to suppress another reason in his heart.

His willingness to invest in Lou family was completely rooted in Shi Yunnan’s nostalgia when he mentioned his deceased mother.

Those products and fragrances hidden in the other party’s memory, even doing business at a loss, he was willing to pay for Shi Yunnan to keep those memory.

…

The street scenes on both sides regressed rapidly.

In a blink of an eye, the two returned to Luo’s Manor.

Housekeeper Qin greeted them, “Patriarch, second young master Shi, you’re back already?”

“En, we just sit for a while and left.”

Shi Yunnan looked at Luo Lingsheng and joked, “If your Patriarch, the big Buddha, stayed there for a long time, I’m afraid the guests will be too scared to chat.”

Hearing Shi Yunnan’s joke, uncle Qin laughed in a happy mood, then he turned to pick up a delicately wrapped gift box from the cabinet.

“Second young master, not long after you and Patriarch left, the delivery staff delivered this item, saying that you ordered it half a month ago?”

Uncle Qin handed the heavy gift box to Shi Yunnan.

“Oh, I bought it.” Shi Yunnan’s eyes drifted for a second towards Luo Lingsheng at his side, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll go back to my room first.”

Luo Lingsheng’s eyes followed Shi Yunnan’s back as he hurried upstairs, and asked in a low voice, “What did he buy?”

Uncle Qin shook his head, “The gift box has no logo on the outside, and without his consent, I would not dare to open it without permission.”

Luo Lingsheng didn’t get to the bottom of the question, and mentioned other business instead, “Qin Jian, you should settle things related to Lou company as soon as possible. If their company doesn’t violate any regulations, find someone to take charge.”

“Understood.”

Qin Jian remembered the brief chat between the two in the car, and asked tentatively, “Patriarch, second young master Shi said that he wants to design the outer packaging of Lou products? Do we need to find someone to assist in this matter?”

Shi Yunnan’s design abilities were hidden deeply, Luo Lingsheng still didn’t know much at the moment. He thought about it carefully, and decided to give full respect.

“Let him do it for now, and if he needs it, you can arrange for someone to help.”

“Ok.”

As soon as his voice fell, uncle Qin reminded him, “Patriarch, Doctor Michele’s team called and said that it is time for you to arrange your rehabilitation treatment this month.”

Luo Lingsheng looked down at his legs, and for the first time, he replied in a tone that wasn’t quite repulsive.

“Okay, book a flight for tomorrow.”

…

Back in his room, Shi Yunnan first opened the gift box. He stared at the brand-new items inside, and sighed hard, “…almost forgot about this.”

There was a slight movement in the corridor, which was the usual sound of Luo Lingsheng’s wheelchair sliding pass.

Shi Yunnan’s eyes were fixed in the gift box, after thinking about it, he got up with the stuff, pushed the door open and shouted, “Luo Lingsheng.”

Luo Lingsheng sitting in a wheelchair was at the door of the study room. After a few seconds, he adjusted the wheelchair to face Shi Yunnan, “What’s the matter?”

“I have something for you.”

Shi Yunnan took a few steps forward, stood still, opened the gift box in his hand and passed it over, “…Do you want it?”

Luo Lingsheng moved his gaze over——

In the gift box lay a men’s watch, the case was pure gold, there was also a circle of diamonds with a diamond edge. The dial was made of precision ceramics with white background, and the most eye-catching wristband was made of an inky blue animal print leather.

While giving people a sense of luxury, it also had a stoic and low-key style, which was very much in line with Luo Lingsheng.

Seeing that he hadn’t spoken for a while, Shi Yunnan cleared his throat and explained, “I saw it when I visited the official website before. I thought it was pleasing to the eye and bought it…”

Due to professional requirements, Shi Yunnan was accustomed to browsing the official websites of various luxury goods during free time to understand the new products of each one and the current trend of the season.

That day, he had just finished ‘borrowing money’ from Luo Lingsheng to invest in the nightclub. When browsing the official website at night, he took a fancy to a watch.

After he clicked and prepared to buy it, he realized that it was a pair of lovers’ watches.

For some reason, Shi Yunnan was reminded of Luo Lingsheng when he looked at this watch.

By the time he reacted again, he had already finished the order in a ghostly manner, and really bought the couple’s watch.

The refund process on the official international website was very complicated, and Shi Yunnan found it troublesome, plus he forgot about it as soon as he was busy.

Now, the couple’s watch was delivered to him.

Shi Yunnan hesitated for a while, and intended to try to send one of them out, “Are you used to wearing a watch? Do you like it?”

Shi Yunnan had not seen Luo Lingsheng wearing any watches during the time they were living together.

Luo Lingsheng met his gaze, “Did you buy it casually, or did you buy it specifically for me?”

Is there a difference between the two?

As soon as Shi Yunnan was about to blurt out, he caught the joy that flashed in Luo Lingsheng’s eyes.

A brief but easily hidden fondness.

Shi Yunnan’s uneasy feeling of ‘giving a gift’ disappeared instantly. He deliberately narrowed the distance between the two, and the tone of his voice kept rising——

“I think it suits you, I bought it for you on purpose, okay? If you don’t want it, I’ll give it to someone else.”

The second after his voice fell, Luo Lingsheng picked up the watch in the gift box.

He slowly put it on his wrist, but asked, “You seem to like giving things to people? You also gave Lou Yuan a bracelet.”

The second half of the sentence was added very deliberately.

Unfortunately Shi Yunnan’s attention was completely focused on the name ‘Lou Yuan’, and he didn’t notice this overly deliberate question at all.

Shi Yunnan’s previous surging mood abruptly plummeted back down, and he straightened back up, “My brother prepared all the gifts for the Lou family. He said it was a matter of etiquette.”

“I don’t know Miss Lou, why should I give her a gift the first time we meet?”

As Shi Yunnan said, he looked at the man close at hand with a complicated look, “Luo Lingsheng, are you interested in Miss Lou Yuan?”

“You took her business card so aggressively, and even fussed over the gift I passed on to her.”

“…..”

Luo Lingsheng’s thoughts seldom solidified, not expecting the other party’s thoughts to deviate like this.

Where does this little fox’s usual cleverness go?

A sigh spilled out of Luo Lingsheng’s throat, and he looked away with a faint smile.

“You think too much, I’m not interested in young girl who just graduated.”

When Shi Yunnan got this answer, he unconsciously covered the curved at the corners of his mouth, “Oh, I didn’t really think much about it.”

“Is that so?”

Luo Lingsheng controlled the wheelchair to Shi Yunnan’s feet, with an obvious but inscrutable smile on his face, “I thought second young master Shi was jealous.”

The word jealous is particularly heavy and clear.

Shi Yunnan met Luo Lingsheng’s gaze, and his thoughts were disturbed for a moment.

The man just sat quietly in front of his eyes, with a faint light on the lens, and the overly deep eyes hidden behind often gave people a sense of impenetrable mystery.

The occasional smile was like a hard-won warm breeze, blowing away the overly abstinent indifference, leaving people in a trance with the illusion that he was flirting with them.

Shi Yunnan considers himself to be very discerning.

In these years abroad, he had seen countless handsome men and beautiful women, yet he had never been amazed or attracted to anyone.

But when Shi Yunnan saw Luo Lingsheng at Shi house for the first time, he had to admit that——

This person was completely in line with his aesthetic.

Otherwise, with a willful personality like Shi Yunnan’s, he would never agree to a seemingly absurd ‘marriage agreement’ .

He was not a playboy who could ‘flirt’ with people anywhere, anytime, or at random.

Before today, Shi Yunnan had never thought anything deeper, but at this very moment——

He suddenly felt an impulse that he had never felt, and perhaps should never felt.

Shi Yunnan leaned down and hooked off Luo Lingsheng’s glasses, smiled and focused on his eyes, “Luo Lingsheng, Can I…”

Can I pursue you?1

Buddhist monk Tang Sanzang, a character in Journey to the West. It is rumored that whoever eats his flesh will attain immortality, that’s why he was coveted by many monsters.