Cao Jie took the documents and explained her understanding: "It's about making them think we're awesome, that opening a store in 'Jinghua Center' will definitely bring us fame and fortune."
Jiang Xiaoli laughed out loud, "Yes, that's exactly what I mean."
"Including the brands that Uncle Xiao had previously negotiated with, we now have a total of 42 international high-end luxury brands that have signed agreements to join us. All the brands that have been confirmed are our capital to negotiate new collaborations."
Cao Jie couldn't help but laugh and said, "I understand! Whether it's us Chinese or these foreigners, everyone loves to join in the fun. The more brands we negotiate with, the more wealthy people will come to spend money, and the more other brands will want to get a piece of the pie."
She snapped her fingers. "That's exactly it. When everyone in Kyoto, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and even the whole country knows that to buy high-end luxury goods, you should go to 'Jinghua Center,' then we'll have succeeded."
Cao Jie nodded, "Chairman Jiang, I understand. I'll go back and study these marketing plans right away. I definitely won't hold you back!"
Jiang Xiaoli smiled slightly, "Okay, don't stay up too late, get some rest, see you tomorrow."
The next morning, Xiao Jincheng and Dai Guangbin took them to the airport.
"Little Pear, if you encounter any trouble over there, be sure to tell me. Don't worry about time difference, okay?"
She sighed, "Uncle Xiao, this is the twelfth time you've told me this today!"
"Hey!" Xiao Jincheng flicked her forehead. "Little girl, you already think I'm long-winded."
Jiang Xiaoli chuckled softly, "Uncle Xiao, I know! I wish you all the best over there. We'll go in now."
"Alright, alright." Xiao Jincheng straightened her scarf. "Call me when you arrive."
"Okay, bye-bye, see you in New York."
In the VIP lounge, she made a phone call to Li Guizhi, “Mom, my flight takes about nine hours. By the time I get to New York, Ayu will already be there, so don’t worry.”
"Ayu already told me before she left, so I'm not worried!" Li Guizhi said cheerfully. "Call me when you all arrive to let me know you're safe!"
Jiang Xiaoli advised, "When we arrived in China, it was already one or two in the morning. Please get some rest and call us anytime you wake up."
After hanging up the phone, she turned to Cao Jie and asked, "Why haven't I seen you contact your family?"
Cao Jie shrugged. "There's nothing to contact. I'm all alone."
She quickly apologized, "Cao Jie, I'm so sorry, I didn't know..."
"Haha," Cao Jie explained, "Chairman Jiang, you've misunderstood. My parents, my brother, and my younger brother are all alive and well."
Jiang Xiaoli frowned. "Don't you have a good relationship with your family?"
Cao Jie organized her thoughts before saying, "Well, maybe I'm just naturally rebellious and don't fit in with that kind of family."
Cao Jie's parents were honest and hardworking farmers with a good reputation in the village. They had three children: two boys and one girl. Cao Jie was the only girl in the family, but it was precisely because she was a girl that she was constantly tormented by her well-regarded parents.
From the age of three, she took on the responsibility of caring for her younger brother at home, and she was not allowed to go out and play with the other girls in the village. When she reached school age, her parents were worried that their youngest son would be left unattended and refused to send her to school. It was only after Cao Jie went to the village head's house to complain that she was granted the right to attend school.
Later, Cao's parents went to the city to work and earn money, taking only their two sons with them. They left Cao Jie with her uncle's family in the same village and didn't care about her for five or six years. In order not to be disliked by her aunt, she did any kind of work after school, just to have a bite to eat.
At 18, Cao Jie graduated from high school. Her parents, with the dowry they had just received, demanded that she marry a small seafood business owner they had met while doing business, simply because he promised to supply their small restaurant with seafood at a low price.
Fortunately, Cao Jie had always dreamed of joining the army. When they brought people to make a scene and try to marry her off, she took out her enlistment notice and broke ties with her family.
Two years ago, she was discharged from the army due to injury. As soon as she returned to her hometown, her parents rushed home and took away all her discharge allowance.
Jiang Xiaoli put her arm around her shoulder and said, "With your strength, it should be a very easy thing for you to take the money back."
Cao Jie chuckled lightly, "I think it's worth it to buy out this relationship with a sum of money."
She nodded. "So you came to 'Sunshine Security' because you were heartbroken by your family?"
"Actually, my good friend Wang Ting invited me right after I was discharged from the army. I just went back to my hometown for a visit, and I never expected that kind of thing to happen."
Jiang Xiaoli encouraged her, "It's okay, you're doing very well living on your own now. I believe you'll be more capable than your brothers in the future."
Cao Jie nodded emphatically. "Chairwoman Jiang, I will work hard. Thank you for giving me this opportunity."
She smiled and said, "I think the tenacity you have is very rare. Keep it up, I believe you can do it."
They chatted for a while longer, then the announcement came over the loudspeaker that boarding for their flight had begun. The two of them, carrying their belongings, embarked on their journey to New York.
On the covered bridge, Jiang Xiaoli suddenly saw a somewhat familiar profile; the person was talking to a middle-aged white man next to him.
She tentatively called out, "Xu Xing?"
The man looked over at the sound, his expression showing a mixture of confusion and embarrassment.
Jiang Xiaoli and Cao Jie stepped forward, and Xu Xing came over to greet them, saying, "Long time no see."
She smiled and said, "I thought you were looking down on your old friends after getting into a top international university. How's it going at Princeton?"
Xu Xing replied, "It's great, the professor thinks highly of me."
Just then, a middle-aged white man walked over and said, "Hey, Xu, I never expected to run into someone you know here."
Xu Xing introduced them, "Professor Hawkins, this is my classmate Jiang Xiaoli from China, and this is my professor from Princeton. We are here at the University of Michigan to attend an academic conference."
Jiang Xiaoli greeted him with a smile, "Hello Professor Hawkins, you have excellent taste in choosing Xu Xing!"
Hawkins laughed heartily, "Shouldn't it be that Xu is very honored to have become my student?"
“No, no, no.” She shook her head. “I believe you have seen his potential. He will definitely become famous in the mathematics world in the future. You two will help each other succeed.”
"Hahaha." Hawkins looked at Xu Xing. "Xu, your classmate is so interesting."
Xu Xing explained helplessly, "Professor, she always talks like that, please don't mind."
“No, on the contrary, I agree with her,” Hawkins praised. “This beautiful young lady, Xu is indeed the most mathematically gifted student I have ever met, and I agree with you!”
Jiang Xiaoli smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Did you hear that? Excessive modesty is arrogance, Xu Xiaoxing."
They were chatting animatedly when a flight attendant at the cabin door couldn't help but remind them, "Passengers, please hurry up and board the plane."
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