Chapter 103

 

The kiss between Boss Liang and Miss Ming in the back seat was silent, yet long and intimate.

Above them, the night was ink-dark. The car interior was quiet and warmly subdued. The car moved smoothly, the driver focused on driving, oblivious to everything in the back. Only the occasional turn signal broke the silence, a sound that seemed to come from another dimension.

The shifting neon lights outside blended with the dim and hazy streetlamps. Fingers slid into thick hair and gathered it with a controlling grip. It turned out that the ultimate physical attraction was when two different rhythms of breathing intertwined until they were impossible to distinguish.

Outside the car, the city’s nightscape flowed past like water. Multicolored lights projected onto the glass and refracted into the cabin. The noise of traffic and bustle were sealed outside. The two faces clinging to each other seemed coated with a layer of brilliant color warmed by breath.

In the same space, sharing the same moment of trembling emotion. This act of merging into seamless intimacy was the surging love that had not changed over a long time, transformed into waves of burning desire accumulating in the throat; it was the heartfelt feeling deeply engraved over five years, turning into restrained trembling at the touch of fingertips…

Tonight, Ming Xi truly felt the love Liang Jiancheng had fermented for five years. Yet she could not tell how drunk he actually was. When kissing, he was lucid and proactive. But after a while, he closed his eyes again.

This made Ming Xi feel like a female hooligan taking advantage of Boss Liang while he was drunk—

No, like the client. And the service provider, Boss Liang, had such an excellent service attitude that even half-conscious, he would still cooperate to the utmost…

The car came to a smooth stop in the underground garage.

The driver personally took Liang Jiancheng to his doorstep, politely nodding goodbye to Ming Xi before leaving. During this time, Liang Jiancheng skillfully entered the password to open the door, his steps were not unsteady, only his handsome face was slightly flushed. After closing the door, he took off his suit jacket and loosened his tie, walking step by step into the house. But halfway there, he turned back and carefully took Ming Xi’s hand.

“Tonight, can Miss Ming stay with me? Hmm?” Boss Liang suddenly acted like a young man, offering an embrace with a pleading tone.

“Sure, Liang Jiancheng, I’ll stay with you.” Ming Xi patted Liang Jiancheng’s back, trying to help him to the bedroom, but found that Liang Jiancheng walked more steadily than she did, his steps not swaying at all.

However, to say that Boss Liang was faking drunkenness tonight seemed a bit far-fetched. He was clearly acting strangely—lucid one moment, drowsy the next.

Ming Xi went outside to brew sobering tea for him. When she returned, Liang Jiancheng, who had been lying on the bed fully dressed, had gotten up and gone to the bathroom. The sound of running water came from the shower. Liang Jiancheng had always loved cleanliness; even drunk, he knew to wash himself thoroughly before sleeping.

Tonight, Ming Xi naturally stayed at Liang Jiancheng’s place.

Today’s events had been too dramatic, leaving Miss Ming’s mind in turmoil. She finally realized that to live life to the fullest, one shouldn’t overthink things; just deal with whatever comes her way.

In Liang Jiancheng’s walk-in closet, Miss Ming naturally removed her shirt and trousers, including her underwear and socks. Before Liang Jiancheng even came out, she walked clean and naked into the shower room.

Miss Ming was best at finding answers to things she was curious about. As for how drunk Boss Liang really was tonight, she had her own way to verify it…

Gu Shuangyang’s blessing had not been wasted. Tonight was very enjoyable!

…As the night wore on, Boss Liang was even able to soberly answer Miss Ming’s questions. Half-drunk and half-awake, Boss Liang’s virility hadn’t diminished, only his emotions were more readily expressed. Sweet words came one after another as if free of charge, yet he still kept asking for Miss Ming’s sweet words in return.

Miss Ming wasn’t as good at sweet talk as Boss Liang, so in the end she could only honestly say, “Liang Jiancheng, I will always stay with you, stay with you for a very, very long time.”

Boss Liang was satisfied after hearing this, and finally fell asleep completely with a smile on his lips.

The next day, Liang Jiancheng woke up a little earlier than Ming Xi.

He rubbed his forehead, the effects of alcohol gone, and looked at Ming Xi beside him, wrapped in a thin quilt yet still exposing a large expanse of fair shoulder. He pulled the quilt up, then got up to wash.

Above the sink, besides his own toiletries, were Miss Ming’s skincare products.

In the walk-in closet, their clothes were mixed together in the laundry basket…

When a man and a woman live their days together, it is probably like this.

In the past, he thought it did not matter much who he lived with. But thinking carefully, Old Liang was right. Life can only be truly enjoyable when you’re with someone you’re willing to be with. And only when you’re truly enjoy life can you experience another side of life under the intense pressure of work.

In the afternoon, Liang Jiancheng had to fly out on a business trip again.

Next month, Ming Xi would also fly to the United States. Mingzhou Company would participate for the first time in the textile trade fair in New York.

In recent years, the US market had undoubtedly been the easiest to penetrate in the foreign trade industry. A saying circulates in Haigang to describe female sales representatives in foreign trade—perhaps jokingly, perhaps reflecting some reality—suggesting they are obsessed with US dollars.

Nowadays, people never criticize men for loving money and making money; they considered it a natural thing. However, the idea that women love money and make money was highly controversial. But most of those critical voices came from the lower levels. As long as one strives upward, the rules of the social game would change.

True strong competitors never distinguish by gender—only by interests.

Unlike other foreign trade companies that only sought large American orders, Mingzhou Company’s current business distribution was relatively broad. In recent years, relying on the advantages of internet platforms, the company’s customer markets were widely distributed. This stemmed from Ming Xi’s early business strategy—there were no small orders, only big business.

However, losing a large order due to price issues was like cutting off a piece of flesh for any foreign trade boss.

At 2 PM on Friday, Xiao Tian, ​​the only male sales rep at Mingzhou, walked into the office to discuss an order price with Ming Xi. He had a very stable client who suddenly demanded an 8% price reduction for their next order, threatening to terminate their long-term partnership with Mingzhou.

Ming Xi knew this client well. This was an American customer who paid readily and caused relatively few issues, purchasing about two million U.S. dollars’ worth of outdoor products from Mingzhou each year. The supplier of Mingzhou’s outdoor products was Zhang Xia, Boss Zhang.

Undoubtedly, this was a major business for Mingzhou. The client’s sudden demand to cut the price by 8%—if Ming Xi could not immediately think of the reason behind it, it would mean she had wasted four years in this industry.

Mingzhou’s outdoor product orders typically had a 10% profit margin. An 8% reduction would mean only 2% profit. Yet follow-up work for outdoor products was particularly troublesome, and after-sales issues were relatively numerous. With only 2% profit left, this business could not continue—unless she could press down the price from Zhang Xia’s side.

Xiao Tian came to see Boss Ming precisely with this idea: to see whether something could be done with Zhang Xia. As a sales rep, and with such a major client in his hands, Xiao Tian naturally wanted to retain the customer. Ming Xi understood him well. His bargaining ability was very strong; it was impossible he had been led by the nose by the client into lowering the price. The only possibility was that the client had obtained a direct factory quotation and learned the purchase price.

“Alright, I understand. I will personally contact this client. As for Boss Zhang Xia, I will also negotiate,” Ming Xi said calmly.

Xiao Tian gratefully pressed his palms together toward Boss Ming.

The reason he remained wholeheartedly devoted at Mingzhou was that Boss Ming never blamed salespeople for client issues. Unlike other foreign trade companies, where product quality problems were pushed onto sales staff and if goods could not be sold it was deemed their incompetence. But that was not the case here. A company’s business, production, and sales were closely connected. Sales was only the terminal point, not an omnipotent starting point.

Xiao Tian gently closed the door for Ming Xi.

Ming Xi glanced at the time; it was past 2 a.m. Eastern Time in the United States. No matter how impatient she felt, she could not call the client at this hour to ask about the reason for the price reduction.

She took out her phone. The smile rising on her face was even faster than the speed at which she dialed.

However, something seemed to confirm her guess. Zhang Xia, who usually answered her calls immediately, rejected her call for the first time.

Ever since the day she played golf with Director He, Ming Xi had harbored a concern—that she might have offended Zhang Xia, this important supplier. Yet based on her understanding and judgment of Zhang Xia, Ming Xi felt she would not go so far. Then the only possibility for her behavior was that she wanted her to take the initiative to find “her.”

Ming Xi tilted her head back. If losing the American client, Gilson, was due to Zhang Xia’s personal feelings for her, she certainly wouldn’t want that. They had always cooperated smoothly before, yet now Zhang Xia had bypassed her and directly contacted the client with a quotation, prompting the client to test her bottom-line price. If such a thing happened between other foreign trade companies and suppliers, it would be normal. But happening between her and Zhang Xia, what Ming Xi felt was not only a headache, but also something almost laughable.

In the years they’d known each other, the sentence Zhang Xia had said to her most often was: “Ming Xi, don’t get involved with men, it’s bad luck.”

Bad luck! Ming Xi’s fair, slender fingers pressed lightly against her temple as she scrolled through the text messages she had sent Zhang Xia recently. Very regrettably, she had not replied to a single one.

Ming Xi called Xinyu over and asked her to order a bouquet of yellow roses to be delivered directly to Zhang Xia’s factory. At the same time, she told the delivery person to pass along a message. Xinyu made an OK gesture toward Miss Ming and immediately went to arrange it.

After a pause, Ming Xi called Xinyu back…

Since she was ordering flowers anyway, then order one more bouquet.

At five in the afternoon, a bouquet of yellow roses was delivered on time to Zhang Xia’s office on the sixth floor of her factory’s office building.

Zhang Xia owned many properties in Haigang, but didn’t have a proper home. Instead, she lived in her factory on the outskirts of Haigang year-round. In recent years, having made considerable money, she had organized her factory with impressive flair. On the top floor of the plant, she had not only installed a golf practice range, but also a KTV room for singing and a gym for exercise. In addition, there was her favorite amber collection gallery.

Ming Xi had known Zhang Xia for a long time and had naturally visited her factory residence several times. Each time she came, Boss Zhang would give her a piece of amber. In short, Zhang Xia’s lifestyle and demeanor were more “boss-like” than the average male boss…

Originally, she thought Zhang Xia was just bold and masculine, but it turned out she had purely found her true “self.”

The yellow roses were brought up by a factory clerk together with the delivery boy while Zhang Xia was practicing golf. When the clerk opened the door, the delivery boy handed over the bouquet and conveyed the message left by the sender: “Remember when we first met? You were as special as this bouquet of yellow roses.”

Damn it…

This person’s cheesy sweet talk gave Zhang Xia goosebumps. She immediately dropped her golf club, unable to resist the urge to call that woman. Even if she had only slightly “dealt with” her, that person shouldn’t retaliate like this!

Yes—seeing the bouquet and this method of delivery, Zhang Xia understood at once. In this world, the only person who would think to send her yellow roses was Ming Xi.

…

After years of cooperation, Ming Xi could not possibly know nothing about her friend and supplier. If Zhang Xia had been refusing her calls before, this bouquet of yellow roses should at least earn her one answered call.

After the flowers were delivered, Ming Xi received a message from Xinyu. Just then, her car drove into Zhang Xia’s factory and stopped in front of the six-story office building in the center.

This building, rather than an office, was more like Zhang Xia’s palace for enjoying wealth.

If a factory owner could make money and possess a rough and bold disposition, she must be one of the happiest people in the world. After dealing with many factory suppliers, Ming Xi believed there was no one more carefree than Boss Zhang.

Not only adept at accumulating wealth, but also fully enjoying life.

Why would such a bold and free-spirited person make things difficult for her, a female boss in foreign trade industry?

If Zhang Xia wanted her sincerity, her apology, her attitude; no problem, she could give them all!

Ming Xi stepped out of the car, leaned lightly against it, wearing sunglasses and tilting her head upward to scan the six-story building.

At the same time, she dialed Zhang Xia’s number.

Beep, beep, beep…

Ming Xi knew Zhang Xia would answer the phone; she just needed to be patient. Sure enough, after the phone rang for a full half minute, Zhang Xia answered.

“Oh, Ming Xi’er, long time no contact. Are you calling to invite me to dinner? Sorry, I’m not in Haigang right now.” The same familiar slippery tone.

The flowers had clearly been signed for, yet she still lied about not being in Haigang.

However, when Zhang Xia rushed to speak first like this, it actually meant there was room to turn things around.

Ming Xi didn’t beat around the bush and said directly, “Boss Zhang, look out the window. I’m already downstairs.”

Zhang Xia: “…”

Half a minute later, Zhang Xia pushed open the sixth-floor window, revealing a flat haircut neither distinctly male nor female, and looked down.

Ming Xi also slightly raised her head, lowered her phone, removed her sunglasses, waved at her, and smiled brilliantly with triumphant satisfaction. “Hi, Boss Zhang. Seeing you is harder than seeing the God of Wealth!”

Zhang Xia: “…”

Ming Xi tilted her head: “Come down quickly, let’s go get something spicy.”

Zhang Xia: “…”

If one had to accurately describe Zhang Xia’s feelings toward Ming Xi: after years of cooperation, she also hoped to maintain a long-term partnership with Mingzhou. But she could not accept being stepped on by Mingzhou after it developed further. So whether it was introducing Ming Xi to Director He on the golf course that day, or learning that Mingzhou had successfully acquired three parcels of land, both events gave her a faint premonition that in the future she might be suppressed by Ming Xi.

In business, either the east wind prevails over the west wind, or the west wind prevails over the east wind. Even if she felt reluctant, she had to strike first.

But at this moment, with one looking up with bright eyes and the other forced to face her, Zhang Xia could only compromise with Boss Ming of Mingzhou. Because Ming Xi’s smug, triumphant smile was even more radiant than the bouquet of yellow roses she had received!

Ming Xi took Zhang Xia to Xujiang, to the restaurant where she, Caini, and Dezi had eaten during their first meeting in Haigang. The name was the same, and the owner was still the same.

Ming Xi and Zhang Xia sat down, ordered several dishes that suited Zhang Xia’s tastes, and then got her favorite beer. She personally opened the beer bottle and poured her a glass.

Seeing Ming Xi’s smooth actions, Zhang Xia felt incredibly guilty and almost confessed that she had gone to great lengths to contact Gilson in America and offered a price lower than the cost.

“Ming Xi’er, did you look for me just to treat me to something spicy?” Zhang Xia could never hide her words in front of Ming Xi. Before, she did it to show off; now, she did it to probe.

“…Even if I said yes, you wouldn’t believe it.” Ming Xi picked up a peanut from the complimentary dish the owner had provided, her movements calm and unhurried. She looked at Zhang Xia again and smiled slightly. “However, whether we can continue cooperating afterward or not, I still want to treat you to this meal as a friend.”

Zhang Xia chuckled. She had expected Ming Xi to beat around the bush, but she hadn’t expected her to so directly mention the possibility of ending the cooperation.

Yes. In choosing suppliers, Ming Xi had always been cautious. The reason she had maintained cooperation with Zhang Xia for so long was partly because their business philosophies were similar, and partly because in terms of sincerity, although Mingzhou might not be Zhang Xia’s biggest partner, it was certainly the most trustworthy.

However, if she had done everything well and still lost the cooperation opportunity, she would not look for reasons in herself. If there was a reason, it would only be that she had done too well. Being too outstanding could instead cause Zhang Xia to feel wary.

So—was this a breakup dinner?

Zhang Xia suddenly felt conflicted. She lit a cigarette and began to smoke. Pale smoke rose slowly with the subtle movement of her hand.

Ming Xi watched the faint red glow at the tip of her cigarette, her gaze carrying a straightforward, jianghu-like boldness… Whether today would be a breakup dinner or the start of a new partnership did not depend on her, but on Boss Zhang herself.

Some things could not be hidden. After Mingzhou acquired land, it would inevitably build its own factory and produce its own products. Zhang Xia’s prediction was correct. What she intended to do next was not the already mature and increasingly competitive fabric business, nor small appliances, but outdoor apparel and outdoor products—the very businesses Zhang Xia’s factory currently handled.

Because she and Zhang Xia would eventually become direct competitors, Zhang Xia had chosen this method to make things difficult for her. However, it was only making things difficult, not pushing her into a dead end. Therefore, there was still room for negotiation between them.

No matter what gender identity lay at Zhang Xia’s core, in Ming Xi’s eyes she was an excellent partner. The hardest thing to find in this world was someone who fully understood each other’s abilities and temperaments. If such a person became a competitor in the future, Ming Xi would feel deep regret.

Thus, toward Zhang Xia, Ming Xi held a purely sincere desire for mutual success. Like Liu Bei visiting the thatched cottage three times to invite Zhuge Liang, she hoped through this act to let Zhang Xia understand her intentions.

Mingzhou would soon build factory buildings, recruit workers, introduce equipment, and then put them into production. Later stages would involve product promotion, market competition, and many other links. Matters inside and out, top to bottom, would not only require opening government channels, but also the help of various local power brokers. She was willing to present full sincerity in cooperation and invite Zhang Xia to take part.

“Zhang Xia, I won’t speak in empty words with you. If I didn’t have even a bit of ambition, I wouldn’t have come to you today.”

“You suspect that I’ll do OEM outdoor products and compete with you. I can tell you clearly: I will do OEM, but Mingzhou will also build its own brand.

“The international OEM market is huge. Securing clients can indeed bring in overflowing profits for a time. But what about ten years later? If we don’t have our own technology and brand, not only foreign trade companies like mine will struggle to survive — factories like yours will be the same.

“The paths available to us right now are few. But as long as we step onto this road, we can develop for the long term.”

Over the course of one meal, Ming Xi laid out all her plans from this period without reservation. This wasn’t commercial secret material. Without Xinghai’s fifty million, she wouldn’t have had the courage or confidence to say these things. Assets determine one’s future; she had to face the challenge head-on. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to repay Liang Jiancheng’s fifty million, and those three plots of land would be useless in her hands.

She had already calculated the numbers. Even if annual orders doubled each year, she still wouldn’t be able to clear her debts within three years. Only by leveraging this funding and utilizing existing resources to build an industry could she possibly have a chance to turn things around.

Of course, she wasn’t making this decision purely to repay the debt.

Rather, the market was becoming more active, wealth in society was so abundant — how would she know whether it would work if she didn’t try?

She had already thought it through. If she really lost the fifty million, at worst she would mortgage the completed factory to Liang Jiancheng. And if he calculated interest with her — she herself would be the interest.

After explaining all her thoughts, Ming Xi patiently waited for Zhang Xia’s response.

Regardless of Zhang Xia’s true gender, at heart she was ultimately a profit-driven businessperson.

Like Ming Xi, Zhang Xia’s appreciation for Ming Xi was based on recognition of her ability.

Zhang Xia flicked off the cigarette ash, smiled, and asked a curious question: “How much support did that Boss Liang give you? That makes you so bold, Miss Ming?”

Ming Xi smiled back, a gentle yet magnanimous smile.

It seemed that since receiving the fifty million, her boldness had indeed increased considerably.

Ming Xi, of course, wouldn’t reveal the specific amount, but she said something that deeply moved Zhang Xia: “If I wanted to do something, the support Boss Liang would give would definitely not be as much as his mother’s.”

“Gu Shuangyang, you know her too,” Ming Xi stated.

Zhang Xia picked up a thick slice of spicy blood curd, took a bite, and suddenly understood, saying, “Alright, I know where I lost. As long as I didn’t lose to a man, I’m fine. Losing to Gu Shuangyang — I accept that.”

Ming Xi chuckled, but she didn’t want to explain too much, nor did she need to explain her feelings to Zhang Xia. Looking at Zhang Xia’s face, she was perfectly clear that Zhang Xia not only had a tough work style but also a shrewd calculating ability.

In the world of the strong, there was no distinction between men and women. She didn’t care whether Zhang Xia was male or female.

Zhang Xia nodded and lifted her beer glass. With a light “clink,” the two glasses met again.

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle things with Gilson. As long as I don’t give him cost price, he’ll naturally come back to cooperate with you.”

“Thank you.”

When she came to see Zhang Xia today, she already knew that Gilson in the US had asked to cut the price by eight percent, not ten. The two-point difference was the room Zhang Xia had deliberately left her.

A smart boss never pushes things to the extreme. Why had she chosen to cooperate with Zhang Xia? Because Zhang Xia was smart — not like He Yuan, the foolish sort who rose by exploiting male privilege and social advantage.

Although the cooperation model hadn’t been fully settled, the intention to cooperate was basically clear. Ming Xi nodded in satisfaction and urged Zhang Xia again: “And those two containers of goods, hurry up and get them to me.”

“Okay, okay, so annoying!” Zhang Xia finished her beer in one gulp.

If in the next life she were a man, would Ming Xi consider it?

Don’t ask such a question. What next life or not — in this life she would never set limits for herself… Ming Xi shook her head, her eyes bright, her smile fresh.

Her whole being was clean, clear, fearless. Once the direction was set, her heart became firm.

Why had she chosen to dine with Zhang Xia in Xujiang? Because after thinking it over, she guessed that Gu Shuangyang might call her tonight.

This afternoon, when she had Xinyu order flowers, besides sending that bouquet of yellow roses to Zhang Xia, she had also sent a bouquet of tulips to Gu Shuangyang.

…

Gu Shuangyang was not at home. The business car moved quietly along the elevated highway, while she sat in the back seat. On the empty seat beside her lay a bouquet of pale yellow tulips. The card read: “Even if we can’t be family for now, I still hope to get to know Director Gu. I’m sorry, Director Gu, can you forgive this ignorant child?”

“Miss Ming, I’ll arrive home in about thirty minutes. If you wish to get to know me, you’re welcome to visit my home,” Gu Shuangyang said inside the car, dialing Ming Xi’s number, which had long been saved in her phone.

As before, Gu Shuangyang’s understanding of Miss Ming was certainly greater than Miss Ming’s understanding of her. But today, Miss Ming still surprised her. She had thought the proud Miss Ming would take much longer to come around.

Miss Ming’s turn had been faster than she expected.

Since Miss Ming was sincere in apologizing, Gu Shuangyang was equally sincere—a deal worth hundreds of millions, it was up to Miss Ming to see if she could close it.

This was her way of apologizing to Miss Ming, simple and direct.

When Ming Xi received Gu Shuangyang’s call, she was driving her Mercedes around a corner.

At that moment, the sky was covered in a vast stretch of starlight. Guided by the stars, she drove alone to the villa where Gu Shuangyang lived. Only in the capacity of a visiting guest did she park her car in a rear parking space of Gu Shuangyang’s villa.

From the back seat of the car, Ming Xi took out the prepared visiting gift.

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