Chapter 639: A Visit
Chapter 639: A Visit
As soon as Nie Zhan got home from work, he asked Lu Jiaxin, "Did your sister-in-law mention to you that she wants to open a beauty salon?"
Lu Jiaxin asked, "She came by today specifically to discuss this with me and even asked me to invest. I refused at first, but she insisted, and in the end, I reluctantly agreed to invest 20%. Does Hu Zhifeng disagree?"
Nie Zhan shook his head. "No, Brother Hu supports her. I was thinking that since your new product is about to launch, you could collaborate with your sister-in-law."
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "The improved skincare products are targeted at white-collar workers and positioned in the mid-range market. The beauty salon your sister-in-law wants to open caters to her wealthy friends, so it's not a good fit. But today she mentioned that she wants me to supply her with Yu Jigao and other skincare products, and I agreed."
Nie Zhan had heard about the Yu Jigao products from her; they were highly effective but had a very short shelf life. Using alternative materials reduced costs, and employing advanced technology extended the shelf life, but the effectiveness decreased significantly. However, this was a technical challenge that needed to be addressed by experts.
"Jiaxin, I want to list Wufu Jewelry on the stock market next year."
Lu Jiaxin, of course, had no objections. Among their industries, only Xin Xin Property was not intended to go public; the rest were all slated for IPOs. Even Wanjia Film and Television, which had initially been the least profitable and treated as a hobby, now shone with new life, and Tian Pengyu also hoped for an IPO, so his enthusiasm was high.
"Sure, I'll give my full support."
Nie Zhan then brought up Nie Jingting, "Grandfather called him today and asked him to come back."
"It's been three years since he agreed to go for a year. It's time for him to come back."
Seeing that Lu Jiaxin didn't respond, he smiled and said, "Wanjia Film and Television is short-staffed. Let him sign with them and start from the bottom."
"He's been acting in the mainland for over two years now, so his acting skills should have improved. He doesn't need to start as an extra. Let's give him some supporting roles first, and if he does well, we can gradually promote him." Lu Jiaxin knew that Nie Jingting genuinely loved acting, and with his looks, he would eventually land leading roles as long as his acting skills improved.
With this in mind, Lu Jiaxin said, "If his acting skills gain recognition from industry bigwigs, I can tailor a screenplay for him in the future."
Tailoring a screenplay was not a problem, but whether it would become a huge hit depended on fate. There was a saying in the entertainment industry of the later generations: minor celebrities are made, major celebrities are destined. Sometimes it could be quite mystical.
A smile appeared on Nie Zhan's face. "Jingting will definitely be thrilled to hear this."
"It's enough that you know about this. Don't mention it to him or your grandfather. I don't want to be rushed for the manuscript."
Nie Zhan laughed heartily. "Who would dare rush you for a manuscript? Write when you're inspired, and don't worry if you're not. It's not like you depend on writing for a living."
When Lu Jiaxin was inspired, she would only write outlines and then convey some of her ideas to the screenwriters. Afterward, she would review the scripts. And any film or television series she was involved in always performed well.
During their walk, the two of them discussed the engagement banquet five days later.
Lu Jiaxin had chosen the wedding planning company and made the final decisions on the engagement procedures. As for the guests and the banquet, Nie's eldest sister-in-law was in charge. However, they couldn't leave everything to her, so Lu Jiaxin planned to take care of the company matters tomorrow and then focus on the engagement preparations.
"What about your cosmetics company?"
The cosmetics company could wait for a while. They had already waited for three years, so a few more days wouldn't make a difference. The engagement banquet wasn't as important as a wedding, but Lu Jiaxin still wanted to create a beautiful memory and didn't want it to turn into a mess.
The Hong Kong City government was planning to build a large housing estate, and Wansheng Real Estate was participating in the bidding.
Nie Zhan had also built housing estates after taking over the company, but not on such a large scale. If this project was successful, it would not only increase the company's reputation but also enhance his standing in the industry. Therefore, Lu Jiaxin didn't let him worry about the engagement banquet. After all, she held 21% of the shares in Wansheng Real Estate, and the better the company performed, the more she would benefit.
Holding Lu Jiaxin's hand, Nie Zhan smiled and said, "You've worked hard. When we get married, I'll take care of the wedding arrangements."
Lu Jiaxin laughed out loud. "By the time we get married, who knows if you'll have another big project? Let's not make promises we can't keep. If it happens too often, I won't be able to trust you."
Just like how he had broken his promises too many times when it came to traveling, Lu Jiaxin now saw him as a habitual canceller, to the point that she no longer included him in her travel plans.
Nie Zhan looked intently at Lu Jiaxin and asked, "I'm already 31 this year. Jiaxin, can we get married before we turn 35?"
Lu Jiaxin refused to be manipulated. "It depends on your performance. If you perform well and satisfy me, then I'll marry you when I turn 25."
So far, Nie Zhan's performance had been quite satisfying. However, she was only 21 this year and didn't want to rush into marriage. If he could maintain this level of performance for the next four years, she would definitely marry him.
The next day, Zong Shimeng took Hu Zhifeng to the hospital to visit Lu Hongjun. Originally, she had planned to go alone, but Hu Zhifeng insisted on joining her when he found out. As a close brother of Nie Zhan for many years, he felt it was only right to visit his future father-in-law in the hospital.
Hu Zhifeng was a people person, and he got along swimmingly with Lu Hongjun. Meanwhile, Zong Shimeng quietly sat by, even peeling an apple for Lu Hongjun to eat.
After chatting for over half an hour, it was time for Lu Hongjun's rehabilitation therapy, so the couple took their leave.
At noon, Nie Jingwen called Nie Zhan and asked, "Ah Zhan, I heard from your eldest sister-in-law that your father-in-law is currently at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital? What happened? Why is he in the hospital instead of preparing for the wedding?"
Nie Zhan laughed as he explained, "There's nothing wrong with his health. He's just recovering from surgery a bit slowly, so Jiaxin sent him to Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital for rehabilitation treatment."
Nie Jingwen was relieved to hear that it wouldn't affect the engagement banquet. "Grandfather plans to visit your father-in-law at the hospital this afternoon, and I'll go with him. Since we didn't pay a formal visit to discuss the marriage earlier, we should at least apologize properly this time."
Nie Zhan asked about their schedule. "Give me a call when you're about to leave, and we can meet at the hospital entrance."
In the afternoon, Grandpa Nie apologized to Lu Hongjun for his grandson's failure to uphold the traditional rituals passed down through the generations, instead choosing to follow his own whims.
In fact, Grandpa Nie had insisted on sending Nie Zhan to propose to Lu Jiaxin's family in person when he heard that they had set the engagement date themselves. However, Lu Jiaxin had dismissed the need for such a visit, and the matter was dropped. While he could scold his grandson, he couldn't say the same to his granddaughter-in-law.
Initially, Lu Hongjun had been somewhat displeased, but upon learning that it was Lu Jiaxin's decision, he let it go. When he met Nie Zhan, he liked him instantly. This was the son-in-law of his dreams!
Lu Hongjun smiled and said, "We can't blame Ah Zhan for this. It's all Jiaxin's fault. Ah Zhan grew up studying abroad and isn't familiar with our domestic customs, but Jiaxin knows about them."
Nie Jingwen thought to himself that his sister-in-law would probably get angry if she heard this.
Grandpa Nie deftly changed the subject and began discussing the domestic reforms and economic development. This was a topic that Lu Hongjun enjoyed, and the two men chatted happily. It wasn't until it was time for Lu Hongjun's rehabilitation therapy that Grandpa Nie took his leave with Nie Jingwen.
(End of Chapter)
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