Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Let’s Talk About a Business Deal
Chapter 165: Let’s Talk About a Business Deal
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Ji Chi chuckled lightly and sipped his tea, quietly watching him. Jiang Junlin was the most suited person he had ever seen for wearing a suit. The well-tailored suit hugged a sexy physique that was pleasing to the eye. This blend of sensuality and elegance, different from the typical youthful figure, was a body that any man would envy.
“What are you looking at?” Jiang Junlin frowned.
“Chairman Jiang, this outfit of yours is truly sexy!”
Jiang Junlin’s expression darkened, “Ji Chi, I’m here to discuss important matters with you.”
Ji Chi’s eyes sparkled mischievously as he licked his lips, “Discussing business and appreciating beauty aren’t mutually exclusive.”
“You’re almost drooling.”
Ji Chi remained silent.
After a moment of quiet atmosphere, Ji Chi, unusually not angry, even smiled. Jiang Junlin frowned, clutching his abdomen. Ji Chi suppressed his smile, rummaged through a medicine box, and poured a cup of warm water. “This is the price you pay for being a picky eater.”
Jiang Junlin had a mild stomach issue. When he was hungry, he experienced some discomfort.
Ji Chi made a call to urge the seafood congee restaurant owner, “Is your seafood congee delivered by air? It’s been half an hour and it’s not here yet.
ii
The owner, who had seen grand occasions before, replied, “Sir, let me check and get it delivered to you right away.”
“Hurry up.” Ji Chi frowned. Seeing that Jiang Junlin wasn’t taking his medicine, Ji Chi went to the kitchen and glanced at the pot of soup. “Such a hassle!”
He heated a cup of milk and handed it to Jiang Junlin. “Drink this.”
Jiang Junlin only drank milk from a specific brand, his eyes filled with disdain. Ji Chi said, “If I were your father, with this picky eating habit of yours, I would have broken your leg long ago.”
Jiang Junlin lifted the milk, silently drinking it, his expression subtly complicated. He had some peculiar eating preferences, and he knew he wasn’t easy to cater to. Ji Chi complained every time, his tone harsh, and he criticized everything, yet every time he still indulged him.
“Which brand of milk do you drink?”
Jiang Junlin remained silent.
He mentioned two brands of milk, both of which Ji Chi had tried. Furrowing his brows, Ji Chi said, “They’re both fresh milk. What’s the real difference? Aren’t the tastes the same?”
“The processing methods are different.”
Ji Chi was speechless, “Your excuses for being picky are truly one-of-a-kind.”
After drinking the warm milk, the pain eased. Jiang Junlin hadn’t seen this brand of stomach medicine before, so he didn’t take it without caution. Ji Chi said, “Carry some stomach medicine with you.”
The head of the security team has some; they are downstairs.
Jiang Junlin suddenly had a stomach ailment, interrupting their conversation. Ji Chi poured out the tea, and Jiang Junlin leaned back on the couch. Ji Chi glanced at the room temperature, set it one degree higher, and maintained the flow.
Jiang Junlin looked at him rummaging through the medicine box, his brow slightly furrowed. “Do you have a stomach issue?”
“I’m fine.”
“Why do you keep so many medicines at home?”
Ji Chi looked up from the medicine box. “In China, there are a lot of social gatherings where I end up drinking a lot of alcohol. So, I keep some gastrointestinal medicine handy.”
He grew up abroad, and though his meals weren’t on a regular schedule, he didn’t have any stomach problems. Even after joining Black Hawk, he continued handling business abroad, where he was busy but had assistants and security personnel reminding him to eat on time. He once worked non-stop for three days without sleep, and his body held up. If he got hungry, meals were prepared for him. However, after returning to China, he had a whole new experience.
“I made a commitment. Within a year, I’ll secure the position of the Black Hawk Asia Division’s president. During this time, I’ve been working on projects and traveling a lot, attending many social drinking events in China.” Ji Chi couldn’t find medicine that Jiang Junlin could take and gave up. He continued, “1 really don’t understand why the depth of relationships is tied to alcohol. If I don’t drink, I’m disrespecting others, and cooperation becomes impossible.”
Ji Chi drank a lot of red wine, and now it’s mixed with white wine. For a period, his stomach couldn’t handle it.
Jiang Junlin looked at Ji Chi’s profile. When Ji Chi was this age, he was still pursuing his Ph.D., while Jiang Junlin had already carved out a place in the turbulent world of Black Hawk.
Black Hawk had nine regional presidents; the vice president position wasn’t valuable. While Ji Chi had secured a position, if he wanted to firmly take the seat of the president, he had to eliminate one of them.
These people had been managing for years, intricately connected. If he wanted to rise, he had to pay the price.
“Has Chairman Jiang ever been tricked into drinking?” Ji Chi brought a cup of warm water over and placed it in front of him.
Jiang Junlin recalled some unpleasant memories, his thoughts drifting away. “Why don’t you guess?”
“Hualan Bank is a leading financial institution in China. You were born with a silver spoon, living in the clouds, not needing to descend.” Ji Chi remembered the evaluations of Jiang Junlin in the financial world during this time.
Decisive methods, calm and composed, added a word: arrogant.
When Jiang Junlin initially took over Hualan Bank, he was difficult to get an appointment with. He disregarded the relationships of the older generation and recognized only strength, not sentiment. His style was worlds apart from the modest and gentle Jiang Minghua. Yet, it had propelled Hualan Bank to greater heights, firmly establishing its position as the premier investment bank in China.
Jiang Junlin’s facial expression didn’t reveal any emotions. Some emotions were suppressed in his eyes. “Do you want to switch?”
“What?”
‘Til live your life, and you’ll live mine.”
Ji Chi burst into laughter. “No need for that. Chairman Jiang, you even insist on drinking a specific brand of milk. You should stay in the clouds and not descend.”
Jiang Junlin smiled faintly. Ji Chi stared at him, supporting his chin, revealing a section of his fair wrist. His gaze was like a hook, as if trying to hook someone’s heart.
Jiang Junlin had an aristocratic face that rarely showed a smile. He spoke in a double entendre, “What a waste.”
This handsome appearance, a single smile could easily captivate numerous hearts.
Jiang Junlin’s stomach discomfort eased, and he redirected the conversation. “Chen Rushi’s surgery was performed by Cici. Who will he assign to monitor Ziyu and my family?”
Ji Chi leaned back a bit, looking at Jiang Junlin with a half-smile that seemed like a smile. “Chairman Jiang, when it comes to intelligence, do you think you might need to pay a little price?”
He licked his lips. “My intelligence doesn’t come for free.”
Jiang Junlin narrowed his eyes dangerously, using the situation to his advantage. He let out a cold chuckle. “Speak!”
Ji Chi’s eyes lit up, playfully asking, “Are you sure?”
The two of them stared at each other across the couch. Jiang Junlin remained silent, and Ji Chi’s mood improved. “Postponing the meeting and discussing a big deal with you, Chairman Jiang, was truly worth it.”
Downstairs, Jiang Junlin’s security team sat in their cars, waiting monotonously.
The head of the security team was named Zhang Qiang. He checked his watch several times. It was already 1 AM. One of the bodyguards reminded him, “Boss, should we call the master?”
Jiang Junlin had entered at 9 PM, and now it was already 1 AM. Was he planning to stay overnight?
Though Zhang Qiang was anxious, he remained composed. “Don’t concern yourself with the master’s matters.”
“We’re worried.”
Zhang Qiang glanced at his watch. If Jiang Junlin didn’t come out by 2 AM, he would call and check on him. After another hour of waiting, it was already 2 AM. Zhang Qiang, under everyone’s watchful eyes, called Jiang Junlin’s phone. However, there was no answer.
Everyone exchanged uncertain glances, tense all over.
“The master must be in trouble!”
Zhang Qiang frowned. He called again, and this time, Jiang Junlin picked up. His voice sounded slightly hoarse. “What is it?”
Zhang Qiang sensed Jiang Junlin’s annoyance and hastily said, “Boss, it’s already 2 AM. You should go back home.”
On the other end of the phone, came a muffled sound. Zhang Qiang’s heart raced, and he asked anxiously, “Boss, what happened to you?”
A sound like something heavy falling reached their ears, along with a mocking laugh. Jiang Junlin’s slightly tired voice came through his hoarseness. “I’m fine, just some stomach pain.”
“1’11 get you the medicine right away.”
“No need!” Jiang Junlin cut through the confusion. “I’m leaving right now.”
“Understood!”
When Jiang Junlin said “right now,” it took another forty minutes before Zhang
Qiang finally saw him. Jiang Junlin got into the car with his usual expression, calmly saying, “Let’s go.”
“Understood!”
Hualan Bank and Black Hawk had cooperated before. Their two bosses frequently met; this wasn’t a secret. However, to discuss business until 3 AM was somewhat exaggerated.
The boss really was a workaholic.
As the car passed a speed bump, the road was quiet at night. Zhang Qiang was driving a bit faster than usual, causing a slight bump. Jiang Junlin frowned. “Drive steadily.”
“Understood!”
Zhang Qiang glanced at Jiang Junlin through the rearview mirror. He was resting his eyes, his shirt buttoned all the way up, maintaining his usual restrained and aloof appearance. There seemed to be no difference.
But Zhang Qiang couldn’t shake the feeling of something being off, though he couldn’t pinpoint what it was. As they drove halfway, Zhang Qiang’s phone vibrated. One of the bodyguards sent him a text.
Boss, did the master change his clothes?
Zhang Qiang finally realized what was wrong. Jiang Junlin had come out wearing a different outfit. His shirt had been white, but now he was wearing a black one.
While Jiang Junlin was resting his eyes, Zhang Qiang replied with a text.
Don’t concern yourself with what you shouldn’t be concerned with!
Jiang Junlin’s phone rang, and he glanced at the caller ID before answering with a cold tone tinged with impatience. “Ji Chi, didn’t you have enough? What now?”
Ji Chi’s light laughter echoed, “Chairman Jiang, don’t be so easily provoked. I’m just kindly reminding you. We have a meeting at 8 AM. How about announcing the project we just discussed in the morning meeting? After all, the night is long, and we tend to dream.”
Jiang Junlin fell silent. “Understood.”
Ji Chi sighed. “In five hours, we’ll have the early meeting. Why bother going home again? I…”
He hadn’t finished his sentence when Jiang Junlin hung up the phone..