Chapter 42: Xu Rong's "Threat and Calculation"

Even though their fake relationship with Su Keko had been temporarily settled, she didn't feel comfortable bringing up the kiss from that night.

After all, it was an accident, and she had already "punished" him.

Li Weijie started working as Shen Mengli's assistant, learning hairstyling from her and eventually becoming a top hairstylist himself.

During his breaks, he began to explore the industry and stay updated on international trends. Soon, he understood why Xu Rong was worried.

Monienzo, an international chain of hair salons from Europe, had a group of top-level designers who were renowned for their excellent hairstyling skills and customer service. They had consistently earned customers' praise and had conquered consumers from different countries in the East and West, gaining a high reputation in the industry.

This organization posed a threat to "Shijue"!

Monienzo had established chain branches in the world's most affluent cities and had been expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific market in recent years. T

hey had already gained a foothold in places like Japan and Singapore, and the Greater China region was one of their key targets for development.

Monienzo's latest move was to invest in opening a new branch in City A.

Given Monienzo's scale, their investment in City A would undoubtedly directly compete with "Shijue."

Although "Shijue" was currently the leader in City A, it had no other branches.

No matter how powerful they were, how could they compete with such a financially robust international chain?

If Xu Rong only worried about this, then she wouldn't be Xu Rong. She had managed to build her empire within a few years, surpassing other salon brands and expanding "Shijue" to its current size, which naturally showcased her extraordinary courage and ability.

What made her concerned was not just the arrival of Monienzo but also the rumors she had heard.

It was said that Monienzo had already conducted secret investigations into City A's market and conditions, and had made contact with certain individuals.

It was rumored that everything had been prepared behind the scenes, waiting for Monienzo to make the final announcement and open its doors!

This sudden move caught her off guard, and she also worried that Monienzo might have other plans.

Additionally, there was a long-renovated storefront just a few hundred meters away from "Shijue" on Happy Road Pedestrian Street, rumored to be a hair salon. Naturally, this connection made people think that it might be Monienzo's branch.

Considering Monienzo's background, their strategic deployment, and their long-prepared strategies, all of these factors put immense pressure on Xu Rong. She couldn't allow "Shijue" to become second best!

It wasn't because she was overly competitive, but because "Shijue" had worked hard to get to where it was, and she was well aware of the vast difference between being number one and number two.

In fact, in any industry and any situation, there is a significant gap between being first and second. We can easily name many world firsts, but it's rare to know who the world's second-best is.

We all know the richest person in China, Asia, and the world, but few people are aware of the second richest.

Li Weijie only learned about Monienzo's possible investment in City A, but it was Shen Mengli who later informed him about their preparedness behind the scenes.

Shen Mengli was not only the chief stylist of "Shijue" but also a mentor and friend to Xu Rong, naturally providing full support to "Shijue."

After learning the news, Li Weijie became even more cautious.

Although he knew that facing such an international chain alone was not the key issue, Monienzo's brand held great appeal to professionals in the industry.

In this situation, highly skilled and loyal hairstylists were exactly what "Shijue" needed as a solid foundation.

Aside from feeling grateful for being recognized and nurtured, Li Weijie could also see Xu Rong's expectations and trust in him.

This made him even more determined not to be careless and silently resolved to exert his utmost efforts to assist Xu Rong!

That day, Xu Rong called Li Weijie into her office.

"Ajie, can you do me a favor?"

Li Weijie couldn't help but laugh.

"Rong, why are you suddenly being so polite to me?"

Xu Rong smiled faintly. "It's not about being polite. I'm afraid you might not want to do it, so I wanted to discuss it with you."

"What kind of talk is that? If you need me to do something, I'll do it without hesitation, even if it means going through fire and water." Li Weijie said firmly.

Xu Rong couldn't help but burst into laughter at his demeanor.

"Alright, don't make it sound better than singing. Let me tell you, there will be a beauty and hairstyling competition in City H next week, and I've been invited to be one of the judges. Although it's not an international-level competition, the organizer is the Chinese Association of Beauty and Hairstyling, so it still has some influence, and I can't refuse."

Li Weijie's heart sank, and he secretly complained.

Could it be that she wants me to stand in for her?

He thought for a moment and then smiled, saying, "No problem, Rong Jie, go ahead with confidence! I will take care of things at home and make sure nothing is lost."

Xu Rong chuckled and couldn't help but scold him.

"You brat, what are you talking about? Do I need to discuss with you about leaving you in charge? Don't try to hide, you know that I know that you know what I mean!"

Looking at her mischievous smile, Li Weijie could only pretend to be innocent and said, "What do you mean I know... you know... I know? It's a tongue twister!"

"Don't play dumb. I want you to stand in for me as a judge!"

Xu Rong didn't give him a chance and stated it directly.

"Eh... That's a bit difficult..."

Li Weijie touched his nose and said with a bitter face, "My skills and experience are limited. Going out there would only embarrass 'Shijue' and you, Rong Jie. Besides, I'm just an assistant. Asking me to replace you wouldn't give the Chinese Association of Beauty and Hairstyling any face, would it?"

"You've got no way out now! I've already communicated with the Chinese Association, and you will represent 'Shijue' and me. I've already given them your name. If you don't go, hmph... it will be you who offends the Chinese Association." Xu Rong "threatened" with a suppressed smile.

Tricked again! Li Weijie forced a bitter smile. "Rong Jie, I'm feeling guilty and nervous..."

Xu Rong smiled lightly and playfully punched his chest with her small fist. "There's always a first time for everything. Show some courage and act like a man, will you?"

After a brief pause, she said seriously, "You've been learning from A Li for some time now. You must have gained something, right? Remember, don't see yourself as just an assistant. In my eyes, you've always been a top-level designer!"

Her sincere gaze and words warmed Li Weijie's heart, and he suddenly felt full of confidence.

"...And, this is also a relatively quick way to build a reputation in the industry. Make good use of it for yourself."

So she's doing this to give me an opportunity! Li Weijie couldn't help but feel touched, and he no longer had any intention of joking. "Rong Jie..."

"Are you going or not?"

"I'm going!" Li Weijie's tone revealed determination.

Xu Rong pursed her lips and smiled.

"That's right, I remember someone saying before that they would help me on business trips. I didn't think you would go back on your word."

Li Weijie couldn't help but laugh and sigh. It turns out she's using the words I said to her when she was sick as her final trump card.