Chapter 350 — Cooperation Talks

"That's good, then." Yang Yu nodded. "Are you getting used to living here?"

"Yeah, not bad—pretty much like my old courtyard." Fang Tian was evidently rather satisfied with it. "Dong Jun came by yesterday, brought me some rice and flour and whatnot, so you don't need to worry." You're always so thorough, my good senior brother." Yang Yu nodded. "If there's nothing else, I'll head back first." "Go on. Oh, right—someone's been looking for you these past few days." Something seemed to occur to Fang Tian, and he spoke to Yang Yanzhou. "Looking for me? Who?" Yang Mo asked Fang Tian, puzzled. "No idea," Fang Tian shook his head. "…" Yang Yongjin had no idea what to say. "An old man. Didn't leave a name." Fang Tian shrugged. "And you didn't ask him?" Yang Min was at a loss over Fang Tian's conduct—he truly did not know what to say. "I asked," said Fang Tian. "But he wouldn't say."

Hearing this, Yang Shuoxuan did not take it to heart. If the man was looking for him, he would surely come looking again; if he stopped, that would prove he had no business worth worrying about, and Yang Shuoxuan need not give it another thought. At that same moment, at the Songjiang International Hotel, Bao Lin arrived with Jing Yu before the door of a private room.

That the other party should be hosting here of all places left Bao Lin both amused and exasperated. This was his own territory—there was no fear of the other side pulling any tricks.

The waiter knocked on the door, and a man's voice came from within: "Please come in."

The man was Xu Yan, and he had come representing Liu Yan. Xu Yan was excited—this was the first time he had met Bao Lin, the legendary figure of Songjiang, a man who had risen from street thug to the straight path and built the city's largest security services company.

Xu Yan was not so arrogant as Liu Yan. For Bao Lin to have come this far, he must have qualities beyond the ordinary; and besides, Xu Yan was here to cooperate, so he would never put on that insufferable, lofty air.

He did not believe that one phone call from Section Chief Yan could make Bao Lin dance to his tune! Bao Lin was merely doing Section Chief Yan a favor. And if anyone tried to claim Bao Lin had no backing or patrons in Songjiang, Xu Yan would not believe it for a second! Without such backing, Bao Lin could never have made his security company flourish so—every hotel and residential compound in the city now employed guards from the Mingyang Security Company, and that alone showed how great Bao Lin's influence in Songjiang was. Such a thing was impossible without official support.

So for Bao Lin to come to this dinner at all was already a face-saving gesture to Xu Yan; ordinarily, one could not even get a glimpse of him. Xu Yan treasured this chance exceedingly—it was the turning point that would decide whether he soared to prominence hereafter. If he seized it, he might in one bound become manager of a Liu family branch company; if he failed, he would go on muddling through in his position of eating without earning.

Seeing Bao Lin enter the private room with a beautiful young woman, Xu Yan did not dare put on airs. He hurried to his feet and came forward humbly: "President Bao, that you would come in person fills me with inexpressible delight!"

Everyone lifts a sedan when it is carried—if you give face, Bao Lin would naturally not be too cold. On the way over, Bao Lin had already discussed matters with Jing Yu. If this man introduced by Section Chief Yan knew the rules and did not reach too far, Bao Lin would naturally sell Section Chief Yan a favor; so long as his appetite was not too great, Bao Lin would satisfy him as far as possible.

But if the man was haughty and arrogant, then Bao Lin was not afraid of offending Section Chief Yan either—with his connections to Chen Fei, Bao Lin feared no one.

Now, seeing that this Xu Yan was very courteous, Bao Lin naturally found him not too distasteful, and shook his hand: "You're the one Section Chief Yan recommended?" "Your humble servant Xu Yan, manager of the Songjiang office of the Haicheng Jiangyan Group," Xu Yan said with reverent nervousness. "This time, I come on behalf of the Jiangyan Group to discuss cooperation with President Bao."

"Oh?" Bao Lin was taken aback. The Haicheng Jiangyan Group—he had heard of it. It was a highly renowned large conglomerate within the province, with a history of more than twenty years, involved in a complex range of businesses, from real estate to general retail. But its most famous enterprise, perhaps, was its bank money transport service—and Bao Lin, being in the security line himself, naturally knew this well.

Now, hearing that Xu Yan was from the Jiangyan Group, Bao Lin was rather surprised! The Jiangyan Group was far larger than his own Mingyang Security Company and Mingyang Entertainment combined; even the Mingyang Heavy Industries under Yang Ce's father could not match Jiangyan!

A representative of such a colossus surely had not come to scrounge a free meal—his own little enterprise meant nothing in the eyes of the Jiangyan Group. Could the man truly be here to discuss cooperation?

"President Xu, hello—I have long heard the great name of the Jiangyan Group!" Having learned Xu Yan's origins, Bao Lin grew polite as well. Although Xu Yan was only an office manager, the group behind him was powerful, placing him on roughly the same level as Bao Lin himself, and Bao Lin could not help but take him seriously.

"Ha, what 'President Xu'? President Bao can just call me Little Xu." Xu Yan was somewhat overwhelmed by the favor, though in his heart he understood that Bao Lin's respect was not for him but for the Jiangyan Group behind him.

"No, no—we are here to discuss cooperation, so formality is in order." Bao Lin smiled, then introduced the woman beside him: "This is Vice President Jing Yu, my deputy and the company's first executive vice president."

"Oh?" Hearing Bao Lin's introduction, Xu Yan was slightly startled! He had not expected this girl who had entered with Bao Lin—excessively young and excessively pretty—to be the company's executive vice president! And the first vice president at that.

Xu Yan was instantly astonished. When Bao Lin first brought Jing Yu in, Xu Yan had taken her for a secretary or assistant and thought nothing of it; only now, after Bao Lin's introduction, did he look Jing Yu over anew.

Still, Jing Yu was simply too young. Look as he might, Xu Yan did not think Jing Yu could be over twenty—that such a girl should be a company's vice president was, to say the least, surprising.

Of course, this was not an age where people judged ability by years. This era produced talents in abundance—take his own Liu family's Liu Huamei, who was only nineteen and already seated in the position of the company's finance director.

True, she was Old Master Liu's direct granddaughter, but without ability, how could she have been appointed to such a post? Though Old Master Liu no longer concerned himself much with company affairs, that did not mean he had grown muddled with age!

A company's finance director is a position of paramount importance; appoint a fool to it and the company's development could well suffer. "Vice President Jing, hello!" Xu Yan hurriedly extended his hand to shake with Jing Yu.

Jing Yu's hand barely touched his before withdrawing, and she smiled faintly: "President Xu, there's no need for such courtesy. We may all become partners in the future, so let's not stand on ceremony—shall we take our seats?" "Yes, yes, let's sit!" Xu Yan nodded hurriedly. "I've forgotten the business at hand—what are we doing standing at the door! Better to sit down and talk over the meal."

The three took their seats in turn. Xu Yan had already ordered the dishes and told the waiter, "You may serve now."