Chapter 63 Beating Around the Bush

Zhao Xinze glanced at the queuing crowd and let out an exclamation. "Is this place really this popular? I've got to buy some to try as well. How did you know there was a cured-meat shop here?"

"I recently met an elderly gentleman surnamed Xu. Knowing I was coming to Rongcheng on a business trip, he asked me to help buy some cured goods to take back."

"What influential person have you managed to befriend this time?"

"I'm not entirely sure either, I only know his surname and not his given name. I'll take you along to visit him another day when I have time. You know plenty of important people, so perhaps you'll recognize him."

Zhao Xinze and I lined up at the back of the queue. Fortunately, there were only seven or eight people ahead of us, which wasn't too many.

Before long, it was our turn. Coming into view was a row of meticulously polished, crystal-clear glass cabinets displaying more than twenty kinds of cooked food. Running the shop was an elderly couple, and hanging from the racks behind them were cured sausages, cured pork, cured duck...

The storefront was small, and a vacuum-sealing machine sat on a table in the corner.

"Young man, what would you like to have a look at?"

"I'll take a bit of every kind of cured good."

The elderly woman smiled at me with squinting eyes and pointed to a WeChat QR code pasted on the glass cabinet. "You're from out of town, aren't you, young man? Add me on WeChat. I'm getting on in years and can't figure out how to use this machine. Let me have my daughter pick them out for you tomorrow, vacuum-pack them, and send them by courier?"

Thinking about it, keeping cured meats in a hotel room would indeed make them difficult to store, so I took out my phone and added the elderly woman's daughter on WeChat.

The WeChat friend request was accepted instantly. Before I could even speak, the other party crisply tossed over an image detailing the price of each cured item, along with the spending threshold required for free vacuum-packing, gift-boxing, and courier shipping.

Zhao Xinze leaned over. "Their stuff is quite cheap. Buy some for me as well and send it to my dad. I'll send you the address and the money in a bit."

Leaving Auntie Liu's Cured Meats, Zhao Xinze and I strolled leisurely back to the hotel. A single main street could house seven or eight barbecue joints, if not grills. Sweeping over us were the scents of smoke and fire, the aroma of rendered fats, and the fragrance of spices.

Tables along the roadside were surrounded by crowds. Walking closer, one could hear the crisp, snapping sound of bottle openers popping off beer caps, accompanied by the bubbling foam as beer was poured into glasses.

People were skewering meat, playing finger-guessing drinking games, and getting intoxicated while bragging loudly. Compared to the decadent, neon-drenched luxury of Tianhai, who could say this wasn't also a slice of vibrant, everyday human life?

Zhao Xinze, who hadn't drunk in a long time, looked with longing at the people clinking their glasses together.

Noticing his thoughts, I spoke up, "You can forget about drinking. We have to sign the contract tomorrow. Let's wait until we get back and invite Fanzi out for a proper drink. How about that?"

"Who's paying?"

"Since I brought it up, naturally I'll treat. But I won't stop you if you're eager to foot the bill."

Zhao Xinze gave me a sidelong glance. "You rascal are full of tricks. I'll have to watch you finish paying before I start drinking, otherwise you'll definitely wait until I'm drunk and trick me into paying the bill!"

I feigned annoyance, glaring at him. "Go on, go on. What kind of talk is that? Am I, Jiang Jian, that kind of person in your eyes?"

"Heh, whether you are or not, you know best in your heart."

bantering all the way back, we each returned to our respective rooms to rest upon reaching the hotel.

Suddenly, a video call popped up. It was from Ye Wanin.

I hurriedly sat up, smoothed out my bathrobe, and answered the call. Ana's cute, round face instantly filled the entire screen.

Blinking her deer-like eyes, she spoke in a sweet tone that could not conceal her bubbling anticipation, "Good evening, Uncle Jiang!"

At that moment, Ye Wanin also leaned in and said to me with a trace of apology, "I'm sorry, Mr. Jiang, is it too late and am I disturbing you?"

"Not at all, not at all. I just got back from outside myself."

Noticing from the video that I was in a hotel room, Ye Wanin asked, "Is Mr. Jiang away on another business trip?"

I nodded. "I arrived in Rongcheng today, and there's a project contract to sign tomorrow."

Remembering that I had added Auntie Liu's Cured Meats on WeChat earlier, I tentatively asked, "Does President Ye like eating cured meats? Coincidentally, Rongcheng's cured meats are very famous, and I could have some couriered to you."

Hearing this, Ye Wanin's eyes widened slightly, seemingly surprised that I would proactively make such an offer, and then she smiled softly.

"Thank you, Mr. Jiang, but how could I trouble Mr. Jiang to go to such expense?"

"Mom, what are cured meats? Are they cured pork?"

Ana looked up curiously at Ye Wanin, then back at me on the screen.

"Ana loves stir-fried cured pork with garlic sprouts!"

Hearing that Ana liked it, I felt reassured. "President Ye, should I buy them and have them shipped directly to your home?"

"Ana, say thank you to Uncle Jiang."

"Thank you, Uncle Jiang!"

Shortly after, a transfer notification popped up.

"President Ye, I really can't accept this. I was the one who voluntarily offered to send these to you and Ana; how could I take your money?"

"Mr. Jiang doesn't need to be so polite. If I don't pay, I won't feel right about it either."

Looking at the string of zeros, I swallowed hard and, with no other choice, accepted the transfer.

"It's getting late, I won't disturb Mr. Jiang any further."

"Good night, Uncle Jiang! Remember to come see Ana!"

Waking up in the morning, I washed up, dressed, and looked at my still somewhat haggard reflection in the mirror, letting out a silent sigh.

I only hope that the person in charge at Long'an won't mind seeing me in this state.

When the appointed time arrived, Zhao Xinze and I grabbed our briefcases and took a taxi to the building where Long'an Company was located.

In the cab, Zhao Xinze muttered incessantly, "Logically speaking, since we've come to Long'an to sign their contract, they should at least send a private car to pick us up from the hotel. To think they actually made us take a taxi here ourselves, tsk."

"Long'an has the Long Group backing them, and besides, they never intended to cooperate with us from the very beginning. This kind of attitude isn't surprising. Xinze, you must keep your composure and not let it affect the contract signing."

"Rest assured, I know my limits."

The cab stopped at the entrance of Long'an. Zhao Xinze and I got out, and a man in a tailored suit accompanied by several staff members came forward to greet us.

"You must be President Zhao and President Jiang from Jianxia, right? Hello, I am Li Xu, the project manager at Long'an, who spoke with the two of you over the phone previously."

With that, he extended his hand toward Zhao Xinze and me. Just as I prepared to shake hands cordially, Li Xu bypassed me and directly grasped Zhao Xinze's hand, only to then perfunctorily shake my hand as if remembering me as an afterthought.

He then turned around and led us into the office building.

Zhao Xinze clearly noticed this detail as well, furrowing his brow as if wanting to say something, but I gently shook my head at him.

Li Xu walked ahead of Zhao Xinze and me the entire time, speaking without even turning his head back. "Since this is the two gentlemen's first time at Long'an, let me give you a tour first."

Instead of taking us to an office to discuss the contract matters first, how strange.

Yet, reflecting that this was Long'an's territory, we couldn't voice any objections and could only acquiesce.

After walking up and down through the office building, time slowly ticked away, wasted bit by bit.

Zhao Xinze leaned in close to me and whispered, "Is this fellow treating us like dogs on a leash?"

Not knowing what Li Xu was actually trying to achieve, I cleared my throat and asked, "Manager Li, we've pretty much finished touring your esteemed company. When will we be able to sign the contract?"