After a moment, You Junyu said, “I went to Haicheng a couple days ago. I also went to Jiangsu and checked out your two factories—one in Haimen and one in Haicheng.”
Jiang Luo lowered his eyes and drank his water, not even lifting his lids once.
Unhurried and at ease, You Junyu had regained sixty or seventy percent of his former confidence and composure. He said, “I saw them. Those two factories of yours are genuinely well run.”
“Right now in Haicheng and the surrounding areas, clothes from your factories are everywhere.”
“I also made a point of looking at your designs. I don’t really understand women’s wear, but even I can tell they’re good-looking—and they sell really well.”
Jiang Luo finished his water, set the cup on the tea table, and leaned back. “Done with the buildup? Get to the point.”
You Junyu said, “I’m here to buy goods.”
“I’ve thought it through. You were right—one year is nothing. Setbacks? That’s all bullshit.”
“I’ve got money, I’ve got factories, I’ve got a good dad. I’m doing just fine.”
Jiang Luo had no interest in his rousing declarations and went straight to business. “What are you buying? How much?”
You Junyu sat up, looking at Jiang Luo with confidence and resolve. “I want to pick clothes from your factory—start with one batch—and haul them to Wuhan to sell.”
“That’s where I got arrested before.”
“This time, if I’m making a comeback, I’m doing it right there.”
“I don’t understand women’s wear or the clothing market,” You Junyu said. “I can learn.”
“For now, since I don’t know enough, I’ll buy stock from you. You help me choose.”
“Pick a batch of clothes—enough to fill three trucks. I’ll take them to Wuhan.”
“Fine,” Jiang Luo said.
He wasn’t about to turn down business. He and You Junyu had only had some bad blood before—no deep grudges. A buyer showing up at his door was business, plain and simple.
“I’ll call Wang Chuang to take you over. Someone there will help you pick.”
As he spoke, Jiang Luo stood up, went to the desk, and used the landline to call Wang Chuang.
He had just put down the receiver when You Junyu suddenly said from behind him, “About last time in Macau—thanks.”
Jiang Luo turned back, hands in his pockets, expression calm. “You shouldn’t be thanking me. Thank your dad.”
“You’ve got a good father.”
“If he hadn’t personally brought you to apologize back then, that small-market business in Haicheng wouldn’t have ended so easily with me.”
“I’m not interested in wasting words with you.”
You Junyu stood up from the sofa, walked over, came close, and extended his right hand. His attitude was sincere, his expression earnest, his tone solemn. “President Jiang, I mean it. Let’s be friends.”
Jiang Luo reached out, shook his hand, and said nothing.
“Happy cooperation,” You Junyu said.
Only then did Jiang Luo smile faintly. “Happy cooperation, President You.”
Releasing his hand, Jiang Luo returned to business. “Are the trucks ready?”
“Don’t worry,” You Junyu said. “Once your goods are ready, one phone call and the trucks and movers will be here immediately.”
“I’m here.”
At that moment, Wang Chuang came in, saying, “Got a new client?”
He looked up, saw You Junyu—and froze.
Jiang Luo said, “Take him to pick clothes. See if Yu Dong and Wan Zhen are around—if they’re not busy, have them come along to help choose.”
Wang Chuang was stunned, confused, and looked again at You Junyu.
You Junyu walked over, slung an arm around Wang Chuang’s shoulder like they were old pals, and headed out with him. “Let’s go.”
“Oh right—what’s your name?”
Huh?
Wang Chuang twisted his neck to look back at Jiang Luo, his face saying: why the hell is this guy here?
You Junyu hooked an arm around his neck and dragged him outside. “Stop looking. I’m the client. The client is me.”
“So where do we pick clothes? Which way? Lead the way.”
The two of them left.
Jiang Luo snorted a laugh and shook his head.
Life really was strange. Who would’ve thought he’d end up working with You Junyu one day?
Later that day, Wang Chuang came back to the office looking stunned. “Damn. That You guy is seriously loaded.”
“Cash on the spot. He didn’t hesitate at all when it came time to pay.”
Jiang Luo was at a mannequin, designing clothes, and didn’t even turn his head. Calmly, he said, “Tell the workshop to speed up production.”
Wang Chuang asked, “Can he really handle it? Hauling clothes all the way to Wuhan—it’s far.”
Jiang Luo replied unhurriedly, “Why do you think he got arrested before?”
“What do you mean?”
Still focused on his work, Jiang Luo said, “Because he sold too much, spread too wide, and made too much money. That’s why he got noticed.”
“Otherwise, pirated tapes and knockoffs are all over China. You think the police just randomly picked him to go after?”
Only then did Wang Chuang get it. “So he’s actually pretty capable?”
Jiang Luo continued giving instructions. “Later, have someone get the contact info for the local daily and evening papers in Wuhan.”
“How we advertised in Haicheng before, do the same in Wuhan. Run ads for Saint Fei and Vilanido.”
“And call Yu Dong for me—have her make a trip to Wuhan too.”
You Junyu’s appearance and cooperation had both been unexpected.
And precisely because it was You Junyu, Jiang Luo set his sights on the Wuhan clothing market.
So soon enough, as You Junyu pulled himself together and hauled three truckloads of Shengfei Factory clothing to Wuhan, Yu Dong boarded a train to Wuhan as well. At the same time, calls went out to the offices of several Wuhan daily and evening newspapers to arrange advertising.
Almost immediately after, You Sen called. Over the brick-sized mobile phone, he thanked Jiang Luo profusely, over and over, saying that without Jiang Luo, You Junyu wouldn’t have snapped out of it so suddenly.
To show his gratitude, he even sent over an entire truckload of fruit and ice cream to the factory.
“President You, you’re too kind,” Jiang Luo said with a light smile over the phone, while Fourth and the others directed people unloading the fruit and ice cream and handing them out to the workers. “I didn’t do anything. It’s Young President You—he’s perceptive and smart.”
You Sen was delighted. “President Jiang, from now on, we’re friends.”
“If you ever need anything—anything at all—just give me a call. I’ll put in money and effort and help all the way.”
Jiang Luo laughed. “If you say that, then I won’t hold back.”
“Don’t hold back,” You Sen said. “Please, don’t hold back with me.”
So a few days later, when Huo Zongzhuo came by, the grapes Jiang Luo peeled for him in the office were from another special delivery You Sen had arranged.
Huo Zongzhuo sat on the sofa, listening to Jiang Luo talk about You Junyu and their chance meeting at the Macau casino. He smiled. “Fate between people really is unpredictable.”
“Yeah,” Jiang Luo said.
As he talked, he peeled grapes and personally fed them to Huo Zongzhuo.
Huo Zongzhuo ate several in a row. “Why are you giving them all to me?”
Jiang Luo kept peeling. “These grapes are really good. I heard they’ve been specially bred, so they’re extra sweet.”
“Yeah.”
As he spoke, he fed another one to Huo Zongzhuo.
“Enough,” Huo Zongzhuo said, stopping him. He caught Jiang Luo’s wrist and held it in his palm, using his other hand to wipe Jiang Luo’s fingers with a tissue—one finger at a time—while saying, “These hands are for designing clothes and signing documents, not for this.”
“Then you peel them for me.”
“All right.”
So Huo Zongzhuo took over, peeling the grapes and feeding them to Jiang Luo.
But Jiang Luo didn’t behave. He opened his mouth and deliberately used his teeth to nip at the fingers near his lips.
“Don’t mess around.”
Jiang Luo insisted on messing around, lightly grazing a fingertip with his teeth before finally taking the grape into his mouth.
Huo Zongzhuo looked over and saw the young man’s lips—red, glossy with moisture—first close around his finger, then slide along it to take the grape.
To him, Jiang Luo’s lips looked even softer and more succulent than the peeled grape itself. The way they parted, pressed, and closed sparked all kinds of imagination.
Huo Zongzhuo didn’t show it, but his gaze darkened.
“Hm?” Jiang Luo noticed him staring at his lips.
Huo Zongzhuo, whose hand was still raised, used the pad of his thumb to gently wipe the corner of the young man’s mouth.
Oh.
Jiang Luo instinctively lifted his own hand to wipe his lips, then smiled at Huo Zongzhuo. “I want more. Peel a few more.”
Late that night, holding the sleeping Jiang Luo from behind, Huo Zongzhuo lifted his chin slightly. His nose brushed against the soft hair in front of him.
He breathed in deeply, silently. The daytime image of feeding Jiang Luo grapes flashed back through his mind, stirring his heart again. Desire surged and collided within him like a ferocious beast trying to break free.
Jiang Luo had been sleeping deeply. Later, perhaps sensing the absence beside him, he half-woke. Drowsily, he heard the sound of water from the bathroom and thought he was dreaming.
Some time later, he smelled steam and soap and fell back into a familiar embrace. Confused, he murmured “Hm?” and lifted his neck slightly, opening his eyes a crack.
“It’s nothing. Sleep,” Huo Zongzhuo said, his hair still damp, patting him gently.
Jiang Luo relaxed, closed his eyes, and went back to sleep.
Once he was sound asleep, a pair of lips lightly touched his forehead, and a gentle voice whispered, “Good night.”
………………………………………………
A few days later, back in Haicheng, Jiang Luo received a call from You Junyu in Wuhan. The three truckloads of clothing had all sold out.
It turned out that back when You Junyu had been flipping goods in Wuhan, he already knew many shop owners there. He had decent connections and was familiar with both the big and small markets in the city.
This run—hauling three trucks of clothes back to Wuhan—was basically him returning to his old trade, so it came naturally.
As for exactly how he sold everything, You Junyu didn’t say, and Jiang Luo didn’t ask. Jiang Luo only cared about one thing: “Do you want more? If you do, I’ll have the factory ship another batch.”