Riverside Avenue Talks
Meanwhile, within the apartment.
Si Chen was carelessly sitting down on the sofa, with one of his hands the back of his head, while the other on his phone. His casual posture gave him an air of undeniable elegance, rather than sloppiness.
As he heard the door click, along with the incoming footsteps, Si Chen tilted his head, "Why didn't you return with them?"
"Why would I return for?" Yang Ran lightly scoffed and made her way to her room.
"So that you don't clog up this apartment." Si Chen casually responded without turning his gaze from his phone.
Yang Ran paused for a moment, before she gritted her teeth and silently walk into her room.
As the sound of a door loudly closing echoed throughout the room, his phone abruptly rang.
It was Yang Deng.
"Boss Si, the owner of the shop at Riverside Avenue has informed me that she would host a meeting with the interested parties tonight."
"Send me the address."
"Okay."
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At around 7pm, Si Chen told her sister to buy her own food back, while he dressed himself into the black western suit and left towards the venue.
Taking a cab, he reached there in about 30 minutes.
They were meeting up in a restaurant. It was slightly fancy, but not too glamorous.
He went to the second story, where a group of people had already taken their seats.
A well-dressed lady was sitting at the middle, while at the left side sat Yang Deng, and the right side sat a suave youth accompanied by an elder.
As Si Chen walked his way towards their table, Yang Deng who saw him approaching, sat up and greeted, "Boss Si."
"Yang Deng." Si Chen slightly nodded his head back, and took his seat on the left side of the table.
Looking at the lady in the middle, Yang Deng immediately introduced both sides to each other, "Boss Si, she is Xun Ying, the owner of the store. Xun Ying, he is Si Chen, the boss of the Hui Yuan Drink Store."
"It's nice to meet you." Si Chen politely smiled.
On the other hand, Xun Ying was rather surprised, as she exclaimed in wonderment, "Yang Deng has told me that the real boss of the Hui Yuan Drink Store, which recently got popular, was under a young man's name. I didn't expect for you to actually be so young. Really a young talent indeed."
"You're exaggerating. I just put in a more hard work and effort than others." Si Chen humbly replied, not forgetting to add, "and unimaginable luck' within his mind.
"For someone to build up Hui Yuan Drink Store into a famous brand is nothing something that anybody can achieve. There is no need to be so humble." Xun Ying lightly chuckled in response.
The youth on the other side of the table looked at Si Chen with deepening eyes as he praised, "Looks like the boss of the Hui Yuan drink store is really capable indeed. To build up such a small drink store to its current success at such an age really leaves me in awe."
"And you are?" Si Chen eyed the youth as he asked.
He looked around 18, but possessed a statue and composure that those his age were unable to replicate.
This was no simple character.
"I am Chen Huang. The boss of the WaterLake store is my father, and I am here to discuss the negotiations on his behalf." The youth briefly introduced himself.
WaterLake? Si Chen slightly narrowed his eyes. The WaterLake brand was similar to the Hui Yuan Drink Store, and they both sold drinks.
The WaterLake has its roots within the D district of the city, with around a few years of history and reputation. It was comparatively stronger than his Hui Yuan Drink Store.
Although its popularity could not compare to the Hui Yuan Drink Store's, however it scale and size was bigger than his.
Si Chen lightly nodded his head back in reply.
Chen Huang then shifted the topic, "This is the famed specialty of this restaurant, Xun Ying, how about you give it a try?"
He pointed towards a plate of dish that was recently placed there by a waiter.
"Thanks, Chen Huang." Xun Ying then turned her head towards the youth, and began to dig into the food.
Glancing down at the variety of dishes that were already ordered and placed on the table, Si Chen was not polite, as he started to eat too.
While they were consuming their food, they exchanged some words and slight laugher, and although they talked quite a bit, all of them easily maneuvered past the topic of the rent.
After a while, Si Chen wiped off his mouth with the restaurants provided cloth, and he turned to Xun Ying and directly said, "Now that the food is done, can we get on with the renting issue?"
"Of course we can." Xun Ying started to say, as she continued to maintain her warm smile.
"You should know the details of my store at the Riverside Avenue, so there is no need talk much in detail about this. I have requested for $8000 in monthly rent, but because there is two parties that are interested in my store, I will leave it up to you to decide who to rent it out too." Xun Ying took a step back as she continued to say.
As her words landed, Si Chen and Chen Huang both stared at each other in the eyes, with faint sparks lighting up the atmosphere between their gazes.
"I can do $8100 for this place." Si Chen took the initiative to speak as he raised the price a tad higher.
He had calculated his limit to be $10000. If the price was any higher than that, then he would take a step back and find other areas to rent instead.
"$8200" Chen Huang easily followed up the price.
A pause of silence continued for a while, before Si Chen stepped it up yet again, "$8300."
"$8400."
Si Chen studied Chen Huang for quite some time, as an uncomfortable silence enveloped the entire place.
"$8500". Si Chen spoke up in a clear and crisp voice.
His fingers lightly tapped on the table a few times.
"I hope that Brother Chen will be able to step back, and help me this once. Of course, if you would like to continue on, I will not take it to heart either." Si Chen lips rose up into an amiable smile.
His underlying meaning was clear. You step back, and I owe you a favor.
Even though his limit was $10000, he didn't want to reach such a point.
If he could lower the rent down, and save more money, why wouldn't he?
Chen Huang and the elder beside him exchanged glances with each other, before the elder took out his phone, walked to a corner and started to call someone, while Chen Huang smilingly replied, "Brother Si, I have no authority to make such a decision on this matter. Let me ask my father for his choice before I get back to you."
Si Chen nodded his head in acknowledgement.
A few minutes later, the elder came back with the same expressionless face, and told Chen Huang of the contents of the call.
Chen Huang turned his head back to look at Si Chen, "My father has known of this matter, and has told me that he will give this piece of land to you. And I hope that we will be able to interact with each other in the future."
"Of course, I hope for that too." A warm smile appeared on Si Chen's face.
Then, Chen Huang and the elder both stood up, preparing to leave since they had voluntarily exited the negotiations, while Si Chen amiably shook hands with them before they left.