Satisfactory Results and Unexpected Threats

As soon as Cao Shuli spoke, Xia Xiang was secretly amazed. This young lady was quite impressive; despite her young age, her mind worked fast. But then, he thought about it and felt relieved. After all, she had grown up in a high-ranking official's household, seen a lot of social interactions, and whether intentionally or not, she could always see the crux of the matter. Li Hongjiang was competent at his job. Apart from being overly enthusiastic about promotions, he didn't have many other flaws. People obsessed with climbing the ranks were often calculating, and they liked to overthink things. So, when he heard Cao Shuli's casual question, he was both surprised and delighted. He jumped up from the sofa, assuming a posture as if he were reporting to a superior. Then, realizing his mistake, he awkwardly sat back down, rubbing his hands and said, "There was a minor quality issue, so I ordered them to stop work for rectification. A hundred-year plan must prioritize quality; there can be no negligence. But I think they've found the problem now, and I'll get them to start working again, speeding up the construction progress." Cao Shuli smiled and asked Xia Xiang, "After the construction starts, should we go up and take another look?" Xia Xiang shook his head. "No need to trouble Manager Li. We'll be heading back soon. Oh, Li Hongjiang, Shuli was just asking casually. Don't take it to heart, and don't rush to start work. The schedule is important, but quality is paramount." "Right, right," Li Hongjiang's face lit up, showing a look of understanding. "Xia Xiang is indeed a top student, hitting the nail on the head with just one sentence." Cao Shuli checked her watch and looked outside. "Xia Xiang, it's getting late. We should head back, or Dad will be unhappy. He worries about everything, remembers everything clearly, and is very strict. If I'm even a minute late, he'll criticize me for being unpunctual." The speaker had no intention, but the listener took it to heart. Li Hongjiang seemed to have received some sort of signal and leaped up from the sofa. "I'll go supervise the start of work personally. We can't delay the project any further." Feng Xuguang and Xia Xiang saw him off at the door, watching as Li Hongjiang ran towards the construction site like a man on fire. The two exchanged a smile. Xia Xiang signaled Feng Xuguang to step away a bit, maintaining a distance from the office. Seeing that the workers on the site had already started to get busy, he squatted in a shady spot, pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket, and handed it to Feng Xuguang. "Director Feng, you must think that the way I helped you solve your current problem was by using Director Cao's influence to pressure Li Hongjiang into starting work, right?" Feng Xuguang was taken aback by Xia Xiang's directness. "No matter what method, as long as you help me, I will transfer 10% of the shares to you. I keep my word."

"Good, straightforward." Xia Xiang could see a hint of displeasure in Feng Xuguang's expression. He understood Feng Xuguang's underestimation of him and didn't intend to beat around the bush. Feng Xuguang was a friend worth having, and he might need his help in the future. True friendship lies in mutual understanding, especially now when he was still in the early stages of development. He gently tapped the paper in Feng Xuguang's hand. "What just happened is an extra gift. The method I mentioned, which is worth 10% of the shares, is written on this paper."

Feng Xuguang looked at the paper with a mix of skepticism and curiosity. After a few glances, his face became serious, then gradually relaxed. By the end, he slapped his thigh, grinning widely. "When I first met you, I thought you were confident and not the type to rely on others. To be honest, I did look down on you a bit just now, but now I realize this is your true skill... I think there's an 80% chance this will work."

He clapped Xia Xiang on the shoulder, warmly saying, "How about coming to work for me as a deputy manager? I heard you studied architecture, but you also have a good head for business. Impressive, for someone so young, you have a sharper and more accurate eye than I do."

Xia Xiang felt a bit embarrassed by the praise but was also happy for Feng Xuguang's straightforwardness. He knew he had made a good friend. "Director Feng..."

"Don't call me Director Feng. If you don't mind, call me Brother. I'll call you Brother too!" Feng Xuguang read the paper again, as if it were a treasure. "Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Why didn't I think of this? It's worth it, those 10% of the shares are well worth it. And with what just happened, I can't let you go without proper thanks. Honestly, I own 72% of the company. How about I give you 12%?"

Xia Xiang shook his head, his expression calm. "I said, what just happened doesn't count as my contribution. If you really want to thank someone, remember Director Cao's kindness. I only need 10%."

Seeing Xia Xiang's firm resolve, Feng Xuguang knew his mind was made up and nodded vigorously. "I'll remember this!"

The idea Xia Xiang gave Feng Xuguang wasn't new, even a few years later. In the future, supermarkets would develop rapidly, and controlling the terminal market meant controlling the manufacturers' lifelines. All the goods in the supermarkets were supplied by the manufacturers, who then paid for shelf space, plus a reasonable profit, firmly holding the upper hand. But at the initial stage, many supermarkets hadn't yet realized this, so they couldn't be as assertive during negotiations.

Xia Xiang suggested that Feng Xuguang sell the usage rights for the best sections in the supermarket, such as the fresh produce, fruit, and vegetable areas, for a year. In a supermarket, location directly determined sales volume and profits. Selling the rights at a lower price in advance, but only for a year, and getting the money upfront, was a win-win solution.

As the future CEO of Yan City's largest supermarket chain, Xia Xiang believed Feng Xuguang had the foresight. He just hadn't thought of it due to limited experience. Sure enough, once it was pointed out, Feng Xuguang understood the trick. How to implement it and negotiate with merchants was something Feng Xuguang could handle, and Xia Xiang didn't need to worry about it.

After bidding farewell to Feng Xuguang, Xia Xiang declined Li Hongjiang's enthusiastic invitation. With a disappointed look, Li Hongjiang watched Xia Xiang and Cao Shuli get into the Audi. As soon as they got in, Cao Shuli whispered to Xia Xiang, "How was my performance today? Pretty good, right?"

Xia Xiang sincerely praised her, "Very unexpected, much better than I imagined. By the way, why did you ask Li Hongjiang about the construction site?"

Xia Xiang didn't believe Cao Shuli had just asked casually; she must have noticed something.

Cao Shuli leaned against the car door, supporting her head, and looked at Xia Xiang sideways. "I just thought, with such good weather, why stop work? I was curious, so I asked. I didn't expect that Manager Li was so responsible, actually taking advice and following it. Not bad at all."

Xia Xiang scrutinized Cao Shuli, trying to see if she was pretending. After a few moments, she blushed, turned her face away, and avoided his gaze. Xia Xiang shook his head. She was a smart girl, clearly helping him but acting like she didn't know.

For some reason, Xia Xiang felt a slight tug at his heart.

When the car reached the intersection of Mountain Road and Friend Street, Xia Xiang asked Li Jiefu to stop. He was going back to the company from here. He exchanged a few pleasantries with Li Jiefu, and as he got out, he noticed Cao Shuli following him.

She held out her small hand, offering a pen. "Write your pager number for me. I have something to ask you for in a few days."

Xia Xiang glanced at the notebook in her other hand. "You have a notebook, why write it on your hand?"

Cao Shuli kicked him lightly. "Just write it!"

Cao Shuli's hand was slightly damp, soft and smooth in his grasp. Xia Xiang wrote slowly, taking a while to finish. He handed the pen back and asked, "What's the favor? Can you give me a hint, so I can prepare mentally?"

"Not telling, you'll have to guess," Cao Shuli's voice dropped, and she fidgeted, drawing circles on the ground with her feet. "Or, how about coming to my house for dinner tonight? I have more questions to ask you."

Xia Xiang didn't dare to go to her house again. Director Cao had already shown great trust by letting him accompany Cao Shuli. He couldn't push his luck. Going to the Cao family's house in the evening would be overstepping and might cause annoyance, as their relationship wasn't close enough for such frequent visits.

Gently declining Cao Shuli's invitation, he was about to wave goodbye when she suddenly leaned in and whispered in his ear, "If I call you on your pager, you have three minutes to reply. Otherwise, I'll tell my dad that you peeked under my skirt!"

Even after the Audi drove away, Xia Xiang stood there, a bitter smile on his face. Cao Shuli was a quirky and clever girl. She understood everything, and he needed to be careful in the future. He couldn't underestimate her, or he might be outsmarted without even realizing it.