Ning Yuan stuffed a small pastry into his mouth: "A business elite like Ning Bingyu has countless people around him begging him to invest money."
She shrugged: "I'm just a student, not a big businessperson. If I want him to spend money, I can only try to make a 'deep impression' on him."
He's arrogant but has substance; he's not qualified to sit in front of big shots and solicit investment.
The project is decent, but it's not exactly high-end.
Such people are usually labeled by business tycoons as "potential stocks".
Rong Zhaonan raised an eyebrow slightly: "So, you've taken an unconventional approach."
She paused, then continued, "Well, as for whether the family reunion went smoothly..."
Ning Yuan was silent for a moment, then subconsciously touched the jade chili pepper hidden in her collar: "I... I'm still worried."
Perhaps it's a case of kinship trepidation, a longing for family affection yet fear of encountering relatives like Ning Zhuliu or Ning Jinyun again...
Now, by simply taking out the jade chili pepper, he could have the chance to find out the result he's been longing for—
To confirm whether his biological parents were actually members of the Ning family, and to confirm whether Ning Bingyu was his brother.
But then she hesitated for some inexplicable reason.
In her past life, she spent her entire life seeking her parents' approval and her partner's love, striving to be a traditional, good woman.
Yet he has never received recognition from anyone.
Ning Yuan looked at the desserts on the plate, picked up a piece and put it in her mouth, feeling the sweetness of cream and fruit spread on her tongue.
Therefore, she spent her whole life trying her best to grasp what she could reach.
For example, taking the college entrance exam, these delicious foods in front of you, and money.
She changed herself and gained Rong Zhaonan, Grandma Xia, Grandpa Tang... She is already very lucky.
However, people who are not loved from childhood are prone to a sense of unworthiness and anxiety.
I always question things when I see love and family ties.
Is this for real? Can I really get it? Are there any traps involved?
Rong Zhaonan suddenly grasped her delicate fingers: "Why think so much? I already said I'm here. I'll tell you if I find out the inside story of the Ning family's two branches."
The curly-haired rabbit has been taking better care of its little paws lately; the calluses from farm work are gone.
Ning Yuan felt a little nervous when she saw him grab her hand so casually.
She immediately looked around and said, "Don't go too far. This is in public. Be careful you don't get arrested as a pervert!"
Rong Zhaonan looked at the girl in front of him and chuckled softly, "If the boss won't let me eat, then can you make me a cup of coffee?"
"What would you like to drink?" Ning Yuan pulled her hand away, her face burning. What kind of dirty talk was that!
Rong Zhaonan: "Latte - nine parts milk, one part coffee, and three parts sugar."
Ning Yuan was speechless for a moment: "Captain Rong, why don't you just drink milk? Why are you drinking coffee?"
What's the difference between 90% milk and pure milk?
CEOs usually drink iced Americano or pure Italian espresso.
Captain Rong's tastes are just like a primary school student's, not aloof at all—he likes to drink milk.
But she still made him a cup of "coffee" that was almost entirely milk.
Rong Zhaonan calmly accepted it as usual: "I've never liked bitter things since I was a child. I prefer soft, sweet, fragrant, and white things. Why should a person be afraid of not experiencing any hardship in their life?"
Ning Yuan's big eyes flickered, a little suspicious. Had she misunderstood?
Was he talking about milk? She felt like he was talking about her...
Unfortunately, Young Master Rong now looks respectable and indifferent, like a domineering CEO, so you can't tell the difference.
Ning Yuan suddenly took a few White Rabbit milk candies and stuffed them into his hand: "Here, then eat more sweets."
Rong Zhaonan looked at her, grasped the White Rabbit milk candy, and smiled gently: "Mm."
Ning Yuan felt a little embarrassed by his deep gaze. This guy is really... thank goodness he was born in this era!
If this guy had been born a few decades later, and had a bit of a wicked heart, he would probably have made countless girls want to die for him!
Yan Yangyang suddenly came over with a plate of snacks, looking at the wall with a puzzled expression: "Ningning, why is there a big door on this wall?"
She had just taken a stroll around when she noticed a rather large door beneath the oil painting on the wall—
Or perhaps there's an oil painting on the door, depicting a deep mountain forest, so lush and green that you might not even notice it if you're not paying attention.
Ning Yuan followed her gaze and smiled, "Because there are still about 50 square meters over there that haven't been fully furnished yet."
Yan Yangyang was a little puzzled: "They're all coffee shops, why didn't they decorate together?"
Ning Yuan shook her head: "It's not a coffee shop, it's a clothing store over there."
Yan Yangyang was taken aback: "Selling clothes?"
Rong Zhaonan looked at Ning Yuan: "Weren't you still waiting for Ning Bingyu to invest in opening a fruit sparkling water shop? How come you're selling clothes now?"
Ning Yuan smiled and said, "Actually, the reason I initially wanted to go to university in Guangzhou was because the clothing and electronics industries there are very developed."
Based on my experience from the previous life, these two industries have a broader and brighter future.
Making sparkling water was simply the easiest way for her to make money in the first place, with the lowest barrier to entry.
Rong Zhaonan frowned slightly: "You've already opened a coffee shop, and now you're going to open a fruit sparkling water shop. Just focus on that. You're still a student, your studies should come first."
If she expands her business too much or too haphazardly, it will take up too much of her time and energy.
Ning Yuan shook her head: "With Old Tang and Grandma Xia at the Heart of the Era Café, and with students working part-time to help out, there's not much for me to worry about."
Starting anything is difficult, and opening a coffee shop is especially challenging during the initial preparation stage, as ingredients and decoration are troublesome matters.
But once it's up and running, there won't be any problems with the supply of coffee beans, cream, cocoa powder, and the like.
Grandma Xia's ancestors were also very successful businessmen, and she herself had returned from studying abroad, so she was more than capable of handling the coffee shop's accounts.
As for Ning Bingyu...
Ning Yuan said calmly, "Even if Young Master Ning invests in me, it won't be a lot of money."
She could calculate that at most, she could only open about ten fruit-flavored sparkling water stores in places like Shanghai and Guangzhou.
She paused for a moment: "He just wanted to use me to test the waters of the mainland market, a kind of trial balloon."
Yan Yangyang couldn't help but mutter, "But it's already amazing that a city has more than a dozen fruit sparkling water shops like this!"
Ning Yuan smiled and said, "Yes, but there are no barriers to making fruit-flavored sparkling water like this."
"If we can't quickly open a row of stores, standardize the production process, and seize the market, we'll soon be copied by others."
The main ingredients in fruit-flavored sparkling water are citric acid and flavorings, two raw materials that are difficult to obtain in the food industry.
But it's not easy to handle; it's not impossible.
When she can't get them herself, she uses lemons and vinegar instead.
If Uncle Fang can get the permit, others certainly can too.
Otherwise, how could there have been so many privately owned soft drink workshops in the mid-to-late 1980s?
Simply put, fruit sparkling water is a highly replicable product, making it a good opportunity to make a quick buck and accumulate capital while it's still fresh!
Sufficient funds are required to enter industries with certain technical and aesthetic barriers, such as clothing, electronics, and antiques!
"Besides, who knows when Ning Bingyu will agree to sign a contract with me and allocate funds? It's normal for him to change his mind and not invest!" Ning Yuan shrugged.
She doesn't like to put all her eggs in one basket.
Ning Bingyu's investment in her is a good thing.
Even if we don't invest in her, we still need to do what we're supposed to do according to the plan!
Rong Zhaonan looked at Ning Yuan, his brows furrowing slightly: "But if Ning Bingyu really invests in you, how do you plan to balance your clothing or electronics business with your studies?"
And what about him?
He's already so busy, and if she's also incredibly busy, when will the two of them have any time to spend together?
But he couldn't bring himself to ask that question in public.
Rong Zhaonan was a little annoyed. He had thought that this state of everyone being busy with their own things would not occur until Ning Yuan graduated from university.
Ning Yuan looked at Young Master Rong, about to explain something.
Chu Hongyu, who had been silent all along while sipping her espresso, suddenly spoke up—
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