Chapter 37 Life's Journey
Nanjiu has a home in Fengshi now, and Xingyao is her home. She devotes all her time to the construction and operation of the new store.
Lin Songyao's decision caused some employees to question it. Another partner, Ding Jun, was in management, and their questioning was naturally directed at Nanjiu.
Lin Songyao often stopped by the new store after a late-night dinner to check on the progress. No matter how late it was, he could almost always spot Nanjiu. She was either crouched amidst cables and debris, dust whipped up by the night breeze and blanketing her shoulders; or she was on the phone, discussing delivery progress with the workers while negotiating drilling locations; or she was nestled deep in the mountain of planks, buried beneath the unfinished cabinets and door panels.
Lin Songyao carefully considered his choice of partner. As a supervisor, Ding Jun not only possessed a deep understanding of industry practices but also held significant influence within the company. However, beyond strategy and experience, he also needed someone who could truly get down to business and bring his vision to fruition.
Nan Jiu gave him the most powerful response with all his strength - the decision he made against all objections was not wrong.
Over the course of a few months, Nanjiu went from a complete novice to a seasoned contractor. Workers were paid by the day, and since it wasn't their job, most didn't bother to even try. Not only did Nanjiu have to monitor the progress of the renovations, she also had to constantly jockey with the workers, the design team, suppliers, and logistics companies. Relying on the project manager would only delay the project, and she didn't want to delay it even for a single day. She coerced everyone around her into doing work, including Lin Songyao and Ding Jun.
Sometimes Lin Songyao just wanted to take a look and leave, but Nan Jiu forcibly pulled him back.
For the first time, Nanjiu stuffed a pair of pliers into his hands and asked him to open the wooden box that had just arrived.
Lin Songyao had never done this kind of work before. In his opinion, if something can be solved with money, there is no need to do it yourself.
Nanjiu sternly retorted, "The workers have all left at the appointed time, and the painters will be coming in tomorrow. If you ask them to help you unpack the boxes, they'll just keep saying it's a carpenter's job. If you actually call the carpenter, he'll say we bought these chairs ourselves, and what does his carpentry have to do with them? Am I going to ask the manufacturer to schedule a job to unpack the boxes just because of a few nails? Is it going to be a problem if I just pile them up here and wait a few more days?"
"Just do it, it's easy, as if this isn't your company."
Lin Songyao, holding the pliers, was speechless for a moment and could only roll up his sleeves. He pried a few nails, and his hands were pierced by sawdust.
Nan Jiu glanced at him speechlessly. If Lin Songyao wasn't the boss, she would have scolded him. She frantically found a Band-Aid, sat down on the floor, and roughly pulled Lin Songyao's hand over to apply it.
Lin Songyao couldn't help laughing at her savagery. Nan Jiu put on the bandage and squinted his eyes. "Stop laughing, Master, and get back to work. Hurry up, I'm starving."
Lin Songyao slowly stood up and said, "You've already called me Young Master, and you still want me to work?"
"Are you going to let a weak woman like me do it?" she urged. "Alright, hurry up, I still need to clear out the boxes."
Lin Songyao picked up the pliers and said, "Come on, are you still a weak woman?"
After locking the shop door, it was already late at night. Lin Songyao suggested, "Let's go get a midnight snack together?"
Nan Jiu glanced at the strange beauty who was the nth one in Lin Songyao's sports car, threw the big bag over his shoulder, waved his hand, and walked away.
Song Ting didn't respond to the message that she would pay back the money as soon as possible. But that didn't mean the payment could be deferred indefinitely. Nan Jiu's desire for profit was a hundred times stronger than Lin Songyao and Ding Jun's.
After the flagship store opened, she compiled an order for all the teas used for hospitality and sent it to Song Ting. During the holidays, companies often requested high-end tea gift boxes. Whether it was Xingyao or some of her partners, she would convert any demand into an order.
She knew that Song Ting would not ask her for interest, so she repaid his kindness in her own way.
During her first Spring Festival after graduating from university, Nanjiu declined her parents' invitation and spent the holiday alone at Xingyao. After ten years, she finally understood a truth: in a family that had never reserved a place for her, whether she tried to accommodate or resist, every attempt would ultimately become a self-destructive torture. The only way out was to leave completely, with her whole self.
During the Spring Festival, Lin Songyao came by and wanted to grab something and leave, but he saw Nanjiu squatting in the corner, unpacking a foam cardboard box. Inside was a tea set she had bought before the New Year, and she hadn't had time to unpack it until she had some free time during the holiday.
Nan Jiu opened his eyelids and glanced at Lin Songyao, then said indifferently, "Happy New Year, Mr. Lin."
"I see you didn't have a good New Year. Didn't you go home?"
"That's great. The company is my home, and I dedicate myself to everyone."
Lin Songyao sneered and said, "Our company doesn't have that kind of corporate culture."
Nan Jiu lowered his head and continued to busy himself with his own things.
When Lin Songyao finished taking his things and was about to leave, he glanced at Nanjiu again. He turned around, walked over to Nanjiu, pulled up his pants, and squatted down.
Nanjiu stopped what she was doing and raised her head to look him in the eye. The black, slim-fitting sweater clung to her body, making her look even slimmer.
Lin Songyao stared at Nan Jiu without blinking. There was an exquisite sense of contradiction in his features. His bones were clear, but his facial lines were soft. His eyes, which were full of sweetness, were so affectionate that even a dog could be looked at with such affection.
"Sometimes I feel sorry for you." He said for no reason.
Nan Jiu sneered: "What have I done to make you feel bad? Even if you feel bad, you didn't ask me to come and help me with the work for a few more days. Move aside, don't block my light."
The smile on Lin Songyao's lips gradually faded, and he slowly stood up: "Happy New Year, President Nan."
Nanjiu paused for a moment, picked up a fairness cup and held it in his palm.
The door closed again, and Lin Songyao didn't linger. He saw more clearly than anyone else that Nan Jiu didn't need anyone's sympathy. Her heart was strong enough to survive this harsh winter.
Nan Jiu picked up the tea set and placed it on the table. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the office afforded a view of the main road outside. Parked at the door wasn't Lin Songyao's sports car, but a sleek black Bentley.
The window rolled down, and the middle-aged man in the back seat looked at Nanjiu and nodded slightly. Nanjiu met his gaze, a flicker of surprise crossing her heart. She had seen this man before; she had seen his face in a press release from an economic forum while researching for her university thesis. After a brief pause, she nodded to him.
Lin Songyao walked around to the other side and got in the car. The car slowly drove away from Xingyao. Lin Shengkang looked away: "She is your partner?"
"My name is Nanjiu. Doesn't he look quite young?"
"When I opened the shop on Huadong Street, I was about her age. That year, during the Spring Festival, I didn't go back home to save money on a train ticket. Your grandfather scolded me for being an unfilial son for a whole year."
In the car, the father and son talked about the past, and the atmosphere became harmonious and comfortable. This is a rare moment of fatherly love and filial piety throughout the year.
After the spring, Song Ting sent Nan Jiu a few boxes of new tea. She gave some to Lin Songyao and Ding Jun, and kept the rest for herself.
People's preferences change with age. As a teenager, Nan Jiu disliked tea, preferring boiled water. In college, she settled on coffee, and she couldn't say she liked or disliked tea. Later, tea replaced coffee.
The boiling water washed open the delicate leaves, and the sweetness spread across her taste buds and slid into her throat, always soothing the anxiety in her heart.
Regarding the rumors circulating in the company about Nan Jiu and Lin Songyao, Ding Jun was the first to stand up to Nan Jiu. Like Lin Songyao, he watched Nan Jiu work late into the night on the project, meticulously focusing on details, and gradually rise to become a capable leader.
People tend to admire the strong. Capable people will naturally attract like-minded partners, regardless of age or experience.
Without her fashionable dresses, she can be busy and hardworking on a dusty construction site; after putting on a neat suit, she can also calmly step into the negotiation field and argue her case in rounds of confrontation.
Day after day, the doubts and rumors that once raged on gradually faded away with her footsteps.
Lin Songyao had connections and a strong background, while Ding Jun was well-versed in industry rules and management techniques. And Nanjiu, with his many ideas and quick thinking, was dedicated to making money. After several months of working together, the three of them gradually formed a strong triangle. Xingyao's development continued at a breakneck pace.
Nanjiu stopped substitute teaching and plunged headfirst into various revenue-generating projects. She worked almost year-round, focusing on both the core business and its derivatives. With a combination of tactics, the new store quickly entered combat mode.
She set about establishing a club model, developing a variety of courses, training camps, and seasonal products. Furthermore, Xingyao officially embarked on hosting tournaments and large-scale events, partnering with numerous television stations and organizations. With the rapid rise of live-streaming platforms, Nanjiu proposed digital online courses, determined to capitalize on the self-media trend.
Her proposal was bold and innovative, backed by a detailed implementation plan. It was just like when she had rashly placed her proposal before Lin Songyao during her junior year. The difference was that now, she had the right to sit at the negotiating table.
Her life finally became meaningful. Every day when she opened her eyes, countless big and small things filled her daily life.
The originally expected payback period was shortened by 7 months due to such a desperate fight.
Nanjiu's vision for the future was no longer blank; it finally had a concrete picture. Over the years, she and Xingyao had grown together, unknowingly, becoming an inseparable community.
On the day Nanjiu received her first dividend, Lin Songyao suggested she buy a new phone. The one she already had was several generations old.
Nan Jiu just laughed it off: "I'm used to it, too lazy to change it."
Seeing her about to leave, Lin Songyao asked, "Are you not working overtime today?"
"Brother, I have to go back and pack my luggage to catch the high-speed train tomorrow morning."
"How many days will you lead the team out this time?"
"I had to follow the filming crew for a whole week, and there were commercials."
Lin Songyao raised an eyebrow. "No wonder you're so enthusiastic. I'll give you a ride so you don't have to rush to the subway."
Nan Jiu didn't hesitate. Lin Songyao's cars, each more eye-catching than the last, crisscrossed the elevated highway, and the wind from the convertibles blew Nan Jiu's hair into a mess. After irritably pushing her hair out of her face for the nth time, she turned to him and said, "Can you please close the roof of your lousy car?"
Lin Songyao smiled and closed the roof of his car. "Why don't you buy a car? I see you live quite a distance from the subway station."
"Let's talk about it later. I don't have any money now."
"Didn't you just get the money?"
"I'm useful."
Lin Songyao glanced at her and asked, "What's the use?"
Nan Jiu leaned his elbows against the window and said nothing.
"Ding Jun asked you how many days of leave you'd like to take after you return from this trip?"
"My grandfather is having his birthday, so I have to go back to my hometown."
The light and shadow outside the car passed over Lin Songyao's profile, flickering on and off. As the car turned off the overpass, he asked, "Are you still dating that boyfriend from your hometown?"
"Stop prying into my private affairs."
Lin Songyao smiled faintly and said, "Can't you just show some concern for your friends?"
"Thank you, but it's not necessary." Nan Jiu had his usual expression on his face, not displeasure, but an indifference that saved his emotions, but it was enough to make his whole face cold and elegant with an unfathomable sense of distance.
Lin Songyao parked his car downstairs from her rental apartment. As Nanjiu opened the door and prepared to leave, Lin Songyao stopped her and said, "I have something I want to talk to you about."
Nanjiu closed the car door again: "What's the matter?"
Lin Songyao said nothing, turning to look at her. His features were relaxed, and radiating masculine charm was a natural quality for him, always captivating women.
However, Nanjiu was an exception. She scoffed, "You'd better talk to me about work."
"What if it's not about work?"
Nanjiu raised his hand: "Stop it, don't look at me like that, it's scary."
Lin Songyao laughed out loud: "I really do have a collaboration to discuss with you." Nanjiu relaxed his posture: "Go ahead."
"Like you, I did street dance for a few years when I was in college, then I returned to China and invested in a few dance studios. Later, I integrated them and created Xingyao.
"Star Glory was just a hobby when I was young, not something I really wanted to do. So over the years, I haven't put too much energy into it. Star Glory will remain like this until you join and want to take it to the next level.
"When I proposed the flagship store project, I wanted my dad to see me working on it and increase my bargaining power with him. You contributed a lot to this end.
"In March, I took over the Zhonghao Tiandi complex project and Huakang Real Estate. However, these are just appetizers. What I really want is..."
Lin Songyao paused and turned to look at Nanjiu: "It's the comprehensive retail industry owned by my father."
Nanjiu tilted his head slightly: "So?"
"My brother probably won't get married in his lifetime. The previous generation wanted to pass on the business they worked so hard for their entire lives. My father used to value my brother and entrusted him with a lot of the business, but in the past two years, the focus has shifted towards me. Perhaps it's because I was too playful in the past, so he still has concerns about me. In their minds, marriage means settling down. I need an opportunity to make him let down his guard against me."
Nan Jiu turned his head and looked ahead. The streetlights were on, and the wind blew the leaves of the sycamore trees against the car window, swaying.
"You should have quite a few people on your shortlist, right? Why bother looking for me?"
Lin Songyao's eyes lit up with admiration. He liked interacting with Nanjiu, in large part because she was smart, clear-headed, and quick to understand.
"Other people can have fun, but not marry me. What they want from me cannot be quantified, but you can."
Nanjiu's eyebrows moved slightly: "How can I be okay with this?"
Lin Songyao turned sideways, his eyes unusually serious: "You want Xingyao."
Nanjiu's expression finally showed a slight fluctuation, and his look gradually became more serious.
"I can give you the management rights of Xingyao. To be honest, you are more suitable for this industry than me.
"I've been observing you for a few years. Essentially, we're the same kind of people. We both want to win the big game. You get what you need, and I get what I want. It's a win-win situation."
Nanjiu's mouth curled up in a mocking arc: "Why do you think I will accept this kind of marriage model?"
Lin Songyao leaned back in his seat, the car window lowered a crack, letting in the cool evening breeze. He smiled faintly, fitting perfectly into his relaxed tone. "You're not a love-brained person. For people like us who want to get things done, emotions can be a spice, but not a necessity. You don't have so many unrealistic expectations of marriage."
The unrealistic thing he was referring to wasn't just about love, but also about profit. Love breeds possessiveness, turning desire into a bottomless pit. Lin Songyao didn't need a woman bound to him in the name of love. Similarly, he didn't need a marriage of convenience, where he'd have to live in a world of hypocrisy and calculation, playing fast and loose with his partner.
He needed a marriage where they could both get along and move in and out of each other's lives. Nanjiu didn't have those rosy fantasies about love, so she could naturally maintain a relatively relaxed relationship. While ambitious, she wasn't greedy. For Lin Songyao, Nanjiu was the perfect match.
More importantly, Nan Jiu joined Xingyao as a freshman and, over the past six years, has grown from inexperienced to mature, from substitute teacher to partner. Along the way, she and Xingyao are connected by blood, growing together and forming an inseparable bond. If Xingyao must be handed over to another person, that person must not only have the skills to take on the responsibility and the vision for development, but also be worthy of his unconditional trust.
In a sense, Nanjiu was cultivated by him personally. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, he provided her with a platform to display her talents, and she never let him down.
Although Lin Songyao values Nanjiu, he will only hand over Xingyao to her if they reach an alliance in a legal sense. This is a prerequisite for trust.
"Don't be in a hurry to reject me. I'll give you time to think about it slowly."
Nan Jiu turned his head, glanced at him, opened the door and left.
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