Zhang Xin wore a short white fur coat, revealing an ivory-colored snug sweater underneath, her lower body fitted with tight leather pants and slender high-heeled leather boots, which accentuated her long, slender, and straight legs.
She carried a handbag on her wrist, walking gracefully towards the section chief. With just a few steps, her hips swayed gently, exuding a captivating charm.
"Where are you heading?"
Zhang Xin spoke softly and gently, with her tone intentionally rising at the end, making her already pleasing voice sound even more enticing and unique.
The section chief smiled wider, with a hint of flattery in her demeanor: "This year, I’m planning to rearrange the sales floor, so I’m going down to check things out."
Zhang Xin looked at her and smiled, "You’re quite dedicated."
Hearing this, the section chief didn’t bother with pleasantries, instead she smiled and asked, "Miss Zhang, are you here to see President Zhang today?"
Zhang Xin shook her head and took out a cigarette case from her handbag, "No, I just wanted to smoke a cigarette."
The section chief was slightly taken aback, knowing that President Zhang’s daughter was never like a regular girl, she didn’t ask further, and they both waited for the elevator.
After the elevator arrived, the section chief stepped back and waited for Zhang Xin to enter first before following her inside.
While pressing the elevator buttons, the section chief turned and asked, "Which floor, Miss Zhang?"
President Zhang’s office was on the sixth floor, this was the fifth floor.
Zhang Xin looked at the section chief, seemingly pondering, then she asked, "The two people you were just talking to, are they your friends?"
"Who?" The section chief paused for a moment, then remembered Shi Yang and Qu Chaozong and quickly shook her head, "No, they want to rent a space in the mall."
"Are they renting a booth?" Zhang Xin asked, her voice tinged with a hint of doubt.
The section chief nodded, "Yes."
Zhang Xin seemed genuinely interested in this matter. She glanced at the still elevator, stretched out her hand, and pressed the open door button.
The section chief was taken by surprise as Zhang Xin walked out.
Zhang Xin stood outside the elevator door, beckoning to her.
The section chief quickly followed her out.
Holding a folder, the section chief looked at Zhang Xin, who was holding a cigarette case and handbag, and explained herself: "They plan to rent a spot in the luggage area, aiming to open a Naughty Castle near the elevator entrance."
Zhang Xin softly uttered "Oh" and asked, "Did you agree?"
The section chief shook her head, gauging Zhang Xin’s expression, thought carefully, and explained, "The brand directly opposite the elevator has already engaged with us to move in. Last year, their sales topped the floor’s chart..."
With high annual sales, the mall’s profits would naturally increase, so giving them a prime location was only fair.
The section chief didn’t finish her sentence, but Zhang Xin understood.
She smiled, "Indeed. So, what are they planning to do?"
The section chief gave a detailed explanation.
Zhang Xin looked slightly surprised, "The project sounds quite innovative."
The section chief nodded, "If it succeeds, it might be quite good, but for now it’s an emerging project, no one can say for sure if it will attract customers."
In other words, this kind of risky venture is far less reliable than securing a big brand, with at least guaranteed stable revenue.
Zhang Xin suddenly asked, "So you turned them down earlier?"
The section chief did not answer immediately but first examined Zhang Xin’s expression. Unfortunately, Zhang Xin’s beautiful face was like a calm pool, without a ripple.
The section chief responded with the same words she had given to Shi Yang and Qu Chaozong earlier.
Zhang Xin suddenly laughed and lightly patted the section chief’s arm, seeming to praise or commend her.
The corner of the section chief’s eye caught a flash of Zhang Xin’s delicate fingers, painted with vibrant nail colors, the fleeting red glimmer flickered strikingly under the lights.
Zhang Xin withdrew her hand without saying anything, smiled slightly at the section chief, and walked away.
The section chief watched her balanced and graceful back, swaying as she left the elevator area, and only after her figure completely disappeared did she let out a quiet sigh.
She couldn’t help but flash back to President Zhang’s extraordinarily handsome yet serious and astute face, sighing inwardly, she remarked that heaven is fair as it gives and takes in equal measure.
She shook her head, pressed the elevator button again, and stepped inside.
Shi Yang followed Qu Chaozong out of the mall, pulled out his phone, and called his dad. The phone rang twice with no answer, likely busy at the factory, Shi Yang casually hung up.
Qu Chaozong was worried, asking, "What now?"
Shi Yang leaned back in the passenger seat, exhaled, "There’s no rush with this, let’s go pick up the printed flyers first. If there’s time, we’ll visit a couple of kindergartens to discuss cooperation."
Qu Chaozong said nothing; he felt disturbed as the new project hit roadblocks from the start, making him anxious.
He’d experienced this with internet work before, so he was inherently repelled by this tough uphill climb, somewhat dissatisfied, like going through endless trials just to cross one river, reaching the other side only to be dragged into another, and he couldn’t foresee whether the opposite side was lush green hills or an endless ocean.
Qu Chaozong inherently craved stability, yet he found himself following Shi Yang, who thrived on risk-taking and challenges.
Qu Chaozong felt his limits being constantly pushed by Shi Yang, a feeling both exciting and challenging which intensified his desire for stability day by day.
Since he had decided to stick with Shi Yang in work, he could only compensate for his frustrations in other areas, hence his increasingly stringent search for an enduring affection, yearning for a stable relationship with a reliable woman to lead a steady life.
The flyers featuring colorful cartoon characters, from slogans to actual pictures, were completely copied from Li Shuren’s originals.
The two drove around all afternoon, visiting only two kindergartens. They didn’t know how many kindergartens existed in the city, so they drove from neighborhood to neighborhood, asking around.
After leaving the second kindergarten, Shi Yang glanced at the time; it was four o’clock, and kindergartens were about to dismiss.
Qu Chaozong asked, "What to do next?"
Shi Yang thought about it and replied, "Head home, continue tomorrow."
Qu Chaozong drove Shi Yang home, and after Shi Yang got out, he waved, "Pick me up directly tomorrow morning."
Qu Chaozong nodded and drove away, while Shi Yang watched the car disappear before turning to walk home.