Huo Zongzhuo turned his head and glanced at Jiang Luo. He felt something was a little off, but he didn’t show it on his face.
The topic passed quickly. Huo Zongzhuo steered the car back and said, “When the residential project opens for sale, it won’t be until after the year 2000 at the earliest.”
“I’ll have them set aside a few units for you. Go pick the ones you like—or keep them all.”
“As for the commercial buildings, they’ll be lease-only, no sales. When the time comes, you can go choose first. Pick whichever floor you like.”
Jiang Luo turned sideways to look at him and joked, “What, hiding your beauty away in a golden house?”
Huo Zongzhuo laughed. “Is that really how that phrase is used?”
“Why not?” Jiang Luo replied. “If there’s something good, of course it should go to you first.”
Jiang Luo couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across his face. He looked like he was about to float straight up into the sky.
—
In a taxi on the way to the airport, Zhao Mingshi leaned back in the rear seat. The scenery outside reflected on the glass, flashing past his face one frame at a time.
He had no time to appreciate how Haicheng was steadily advancing along with the times. His mind was filled with a single thought: I can do it. I won’t be worse than Jiang Luo. It’s just a matter of time.
Just wait. Just wait.
Give him two years. When he came back from the U.S., he would definitely make something of himself.
The Zhao family, everyone else—and Jiang Luo included—none of them would be allowed to look down on him.
No one would be allowed to block his path.
—
Before flying to Shenzhen this time, Jiang Luo finally found some time and met again with Deputy Town Mayor Wu Dayong.
Wu Dayong now had a pretty good personal relationship with Jiang Luo. Whenever something came up, he no longer bothered calling Jiang Luo to the town government office. Instead, he contacted him privately by phone, or directly invited him over to his home.
Today’s dinner invitation was partly just to chat casually and catch up, and partly to talk about how quite a few people and investors had recently come looking to set up factories in Juxiang Town as well.
Wu Dayong’s concern was that Jiang Luo might be unhappy about it. After all, if others came in to open factories—especially clothing factories—it would inevitably affect Shengfei’s business to some degree.
Jiang Luo didn’t mind at all, except for one thing: “As long as they don’t copy everything I make, piece for piece.”
If they did that, then they’d really be here to steal business, without even bothering to keep things civil.
“Don’t worry,” Wu Dayong promised. “Before they get their factories up and running, the town will definitely remind them of these things. We won’t make it difficult for you.”
“After all, the town’s economy was built up by you and Shengfei. The town won’t forget that.”
Wu Dayong then asked about how things were going in Shenzhen. Jiang Luo replied, “The factory there has already recruited workers and is slowly getting up and running.”
Wu Dayong was surprised. “You’ve already got a factory? That was fast.”
As they chatted, Wu Dayong suddenly remembered something and, half joking, half reproachful, pointed at Jiang Luo while smoking. “You, you… you’re something else. You’re Director Zhao from the city’s Pudong office’s son—why didn’t you say so earlier?”
“If you’d told me sooner, when you first came to invest in building a factory, I could’ve helped put in a good word with the town.”
“You didn’t say anything, so nobody knew. No wonder you had to run all over the place.”
Jiang Luo froze for a moment.
Wu Dayong continued, cigarette in hand. “Last time the town head and I went to a city meeting, we ran into your dad. He specifically came over to talk with us for a bit.”
“When we found out you were his son, both of us were really surprised.”
Jiang Luo understood. Zhao Guangyuan had put in a word.
What could Jiang Luo say? He said nothing. His expression didn’t change at all as he silently drank the cola Wu Dayong’s wife poured for him.
Wu Dayong went on. “So you were switched at birth back then—no wonder you didn’t have the Zhao surname growing up.”
Jiang Luo just listened, still saying nothing. He didn’t bother thinking about what Zhao Guangyuan’s intentions were in contacting the town.
Whatever.
He wasn’t going to accept the favor anyway.
He had already made things clear with Zhao Guangyuan.
—
The next morning, Jiang Luo flew to Shenzhen.
At this point, there were only two things on his mind: the factory, and Huo Zongzhuo.
Everything else, he couldn’t be bothered with.
And so it went. Jiang Luo stayed busy, and in order to see Huo Zongzhuo more often, he began flying frequently back and forth between Haicheng and Shenzhen. Huo Zongzhuo did much the same.
In the blink of an eye, it was July.
July in Shenzhen was hot—just as hot as Haicheng, but with even higher humidity. At first, Jiang Luo had a hard time adjusting and kept the office air-conditioning set especially low.
That day, someone came to the Shenzhen Shengfei factory. The moment she appeared in the office, she stunned Mo Wanzhen and the others who were in the factory director’s office for a meeting.
Oh my god. She was way, way too beautiful.
The visitor was none other than Yu Dong.
High heels, a long dress, long curled hair—stylish and gorgeous, completely different from the factory girls dressed in work clothes around the industrial park.
She brought Jiang Luo good news:
Two malls in Beijing had been secured, and two more in Tianjin.
Vilannido had gained four more counters.
Yu Dong stood in front of Jiang Luo’s desk with her arms crossed, her face full of confidence and pride. “Alright, go on. Praise me.”
Jiang Luo replied, “Praise what? Go collect your bonus.”
He then introduced Yu Dong to everyone, especially Mo Wanzhen, who had previously sold Vilannido products.
Mo Wanzhen shook hands with Yu Dong. “Hello.”
Her gaze was full of amazement and admiration.
Yu Dong smiled back. “Hello. I know you—some of the sales associates at the Haicheng counters have mentioned you to me more than once.”
Jiang Luo looked at the two of them. “You’ll be working together from now on.”
“And Yu Dong, don’t travel for business for the time being.”
“The Shenzhen factory is short-handed. Stay here for now.”
Yu Dong nodded. “Sure.”
Managing a factory—especially a garment factory—was exactly what she wanted.
Later, as they left the office, Yu Dong and Mo Wanzhen walked together.
Mo Wanzhen asked, “Is your outfit Vilannido?”
Yu Dong said, “Yeah.”
“You wear it too?”
Mo Wanzhen replied, “No, I’m wearing something from a Guangzhou wholesale stall.”
Yu Dong blinked. “A stall? What’s that?”
—
That evening, Huo Zongzhuo’s flight arrived. On his way to Shengfei Factory, he passed by the office windows and happened to see the brightly lit room inside. A pretty girl was sitting on the sofa, animatedly chatting with Jiang Luo at the desk.
Huo Zongzhuo had seen her before in Haimen and knew she was Yu Dong. Jiang Luo had also mentioned her recently on the phone, saying she’d come to Shenzhen to help out.
Huo Zongzhuo stood outside the window and watched quietly for a moment, a little lost in thought. He thought: A woman with the same name as me. A beautiful woman.
Just watching her—even without seeing Jiang Luo’s expressions while talking to her—he couldn’t help imagining Jiang Luo falling in love, getting married, scenes from a future life.
His thoughts drifted too far. He found himself thinking that if Jiang Luo were to get married someday, marrying a woman with the same name as his own…
“President Huo?”
Wang Junqing reminded him softly from the side.
Huo Zongzhuo snapped out of it, didn’t let his thoughts continue, and stepped away from the window.
He knocked, entered. Yu Dong turned her head from the sofa, puzzled since she didn’t recognize him.
But she was perceptive. She stood up immediately and smiled. “You two talk.”
With that, she headed out.
Jiang Luo didn’t stop her. He stood up from behind the desk, walked over, and smiled. “You’re here?”
The door closed, and Jiang Luo immediately jumped up onto Huo Zongzhuo.
Huo Zongzhuo smiled with gentle indulgence, catching him and supporting his legs. He reminded him, “You should install blinds or curtains on that window. At night, once the lights are on, everything inside is visible.”
Jiang Luo didn’t care. “You’re the only one hugging me in the office. What’s there for others to see?”
“And you hugging me isn’t something people can’t see.”
Then he suddenly thought of something, slid down from Huo Zongzhuo, turned back to the desk, and pulled something out of a drawer before coming back.
Huo Zongzhuo saw that it was two neckties.
Jiang Luo straightened them with his hands and hung them both around Huo Zongzhuo’s neck, looking him over. “Looks pretty good.”
Hm?
Huo Zongzhuo glanced down and guessed right away. “You made them?”
“Yeah.”
Jiang Luo stood very close, face-to-face, lifting his hands to start tying the knot as he spoke. “I happened to see two bolts of fabric that were suitable, so I cut a section of each and made them in my spare time.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Huo Zongzhuo had already noticed the sewing machine tucked in the corner by the desk.
He looked at the young man in front of him, his gaze soft. “What made you think of making ties for me?”
Jiang Luo finished tying one and started on the second, his eyes lowered. “No special reason. I thought of it, so I did it.”
Then he added, “You’re a rich boss, Huo. You don’t lack anything. Buying you something never feels quite right.”
“So I figured I’d just make something myself.”
He finished tying the second tie, looked it over, smoothed the shirt collar, and admired the result. “Not bad. The colors suit you.”
Huo Zongzhuo lifted his hand and adjusted the knots, his gaze on Jiang Luo especially gentle.
Jiang Luo took the opportunity to drape both arms over Huo Zongzhuo’s shoulders, facing him. “Mm… I really should think about what to give you regularly.”
“I’ve been too busy lately. No time to go shopping.”
Huo Zongzhuo’s eyes stayed locked on him. “Why do you want to give me gifts?”
With his arms around Huo Zongzhuo’s neck, Jiang Luo shot back, “Then why did you give me a factory?”
Huo Zongzhuo replied calmly, “Too much money.”
Jiang Luo snorted and rolled his eyes.
Huo Zongzhuo laughed. “Mad?”
Jiang Luo gritted his teeth playfully, grabbed the two ties around Huo Zongzhuo’s neck, and pulled him down toward himself. Leaning in close to his ear, he whispered, “Bad… daddy.”