Chapter 383: New Friends
Chapter 383: New Friends
After the four men finished their game, they returned to find Shi Xinyu giggling. Tao Yong walked over, putting his arm around her and asking curiously, "What are you ladies chatting about that has you so merry?"
Nie Zhan wiped the sweat from his body and hands before sitting down next to Lu Jiaxin.
Shi Xinyu explained with a smile, "Meitong was telling us about a boy who had a crush on her in middle school. He wrote her a love letter, but accidentally gave it to her deskmate. Surprisingly, the wrong delivery ended up bringing the two of them together."
Fu Ye's eyebrows twitched, and he pulled Yu Meitong closer as he smiled, "Such a funny story, why haven't you ever told me about it?"
Yu Meitong fed him a piece of watermelon and giggled, "It happened so long ago. I only remembered it when Jiaxin and I were chatting about our school days."
Fu Ye thought that Lu Jiaxin was only eighteen, so this topic suited her well.
They had lunch right there at the golf course, chatting as they ate. The men discussed stocks, economics, and international affairs while Lu Jiaxin listened attentively beside them.
After lunch, everyone prepared to leave. Zong Shimeng said, "Jiaxin, let's get together again when we have time."
Lu Jiaxin agreed with a smile and extended an invitation, "When I move into my new place, I'll invite you all over."
Regarding the garden villa she had purchased, Lu Jiaxin had redesigned the master bathroom and walk-in closet to match her preferred style. She had also rearranged the furniture to her liking. With most of the work done, she planned to move in during the holidays. However, since this was her own home, she intended to consult a Feng Shui master to choose an auspicious date for the move.
Both Zong Shimeng and Yu Meitong readily accepted the invitation.
Shi Xinyu teased, "Jiaxin, I read in the newspaper that it's a mansion with a huge backyard full of roses. Is that true?"
Lu Jiaxin laughed, "Tabloids always sensationalize things. How can you believe what they write? But yes, I do have a lot of flowers in my backyard—roses, peonies, monthlies, and camellias, to name a few. You're all welcome to come and see them when they're in bloom next year."
She had already purchased the adjacent land and, following Nie Zhan's previous suggestion, set aside a portion to build an annex while leaving the rest for gardening.
Zong Shimeng sounded wistful as she said, "It will be so beautiful when all the flowers are in bloom next year."
Her family also had a backyard, but her great-grandmother favored sunflowers while her grandmother preferred chrysanthemums, so that's what they grew. She liked roses, but there was no room for them.
After saying their goodbyes, the group parted ways. Once they were in the car, Nie Zhan pulled Lu Jiaxin close and asked, "How was today? They didn't bully you, did they?"
Lu Jiaxin smiled, "Of course not. They were very considerate and even shared stories about their middle school and college days so that I wouldn't feel left out."
Seeing the smile on her face, Nie Zhan said, "If you enjoyed it, we should get together more often."
Lu Jiaxin nodded, "I'll invite them over when I move into my new place. By the way, Meitong said she wants to create her own jewelry brand. I recall you mentioning that her family is in the jewelry business."
Nie Zhan confirmed, "Yes, the Yu family deals in jewelry, but they usually pass the business down to their sons. While they may provide a startup fund for their sons' entrepreneurial ventures, daughters only receive a dowry. Miss Yu has a strong personality and wants to establish her own brand, but Fu Ye doesn't support her in this."
"Why not?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
"She graduated with a master's degree last year and joined her family's jewelry design department," Nie Zhan explained. "But she quit after less than a month. Without any management experience, she's unlikely to succeed in business."
Lu Jiaxin sighed in resignation. It was unrealistic to expect success in business without experience or funding.
Nie Zhan asked, "Has she invited you to partner with her?"
Lu Jiaxin nodded, "She's a jewelry designer herself, and her family is in the jewelry business. With sufficient experience, it would be a good investment. But given the current situation, it's best to hold off."
Nie Zhan was surprised by Lu Jiaxin's interest in the jewelry business, "It's a highly competitive industry, and not an easy one to succeed in."
Lu Jiaxin shared her thoughts, "People in Hong Kong City love buying gold ornaments, and it's no different in the mainland. In the past, people in the mainland couldn't afford it due to economic constraints, and the government had strict controls over gold. That's why wearing jewelry wasn't common. But with policies opening up, people's economic situations will improve, and the demand for gold jewelry will surge."
Nie Zhan understood, "So you're thinking of establishing a brand in Hong Kong City, but your target market is the mainland."
Lu Jiaxin smiled, "Exactly. People in the mainland perceive products from Hong Kong City as superior. Once they know that this brand is popular in Hong Kong City, they'll definitely choose us."
Nie Zhan knew that Lu Jiaxin had her eyes on the mainland market. He had also been observing the situation over the past two years and noticed the rapid development of the special economic zone. If the mainland fully opened up, the market potential would be enormous.
Nie Zhan was a decisive man. He said, "Since you're so confident, let's create our own jewelry brand."
Lu Jiaxin looked at him intently.
Nie Zhan continued, "We can invest together, with you holding the majority stake. I'll manage the company. If you ever get inspired, you can help design some new jewelry styles, and we'll definitely take the market by storm."
Lu Jiaxin was naturally eager to take up the offer, but she was also concerned about burdening Nie Zhan.
Nie Zhan smiled, "We'll just hire an experienced and capable manager, so we won't have to do everything ourselves. By the way, didn't you want to create your own fashion brand? You can follow a similar path with that as well. You can focus solely on the design aspect and leave the rest to the management team."
After thinking about it, he felt that this approach might still be challenging, as inspiration couldn't be forced. "Forget it," he said. "Let's wait until after you graduate."
Lu Jiaxin smiled, "Yes, we'll do it when the time is right."
Nie Zhan nodded, then brought up Shi Xinyu, "This Miss Shi has four uncles and eleven male cousins. She's the only girl of her generation in the family, so she's quite spoiled and a bit naive when it comes to worldly matters. If she says anything offensive, don't take it to heart. If you don't like it, just reduce contact with her in the future."
During their conversation, Lu Jiaxin had already noticed Shi Xinyu's naivety, "It's fine. She's straightforward and easy to get along with."
Yu Meitong was a good person, but she had a simplistic view of starting a business. Even with money, a lack of experience and capable helpers would lead to losses.
Hearing Lu Jiaxin's mature words, Nie Zhan burst out laughing. "She's 23 this year, five years older than you. Someone who hasn't met you might think you're in your thirties or forties, judging by the way you speak."
Lu Jiaxin secretly thought that she was indeed in her thirties, and her relationship with Nie Zhan could be likened to an old bull chewing on young grass.
(End of Chapter)
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