Chapter Fifty-Three

Chapter Fifty-Three

But Jiang Yiyan didn't have the time to think too much about it. After giving herself a day off, she went straight back into her study when she returned home.

She loved her current job, so she cherished this opportunity even more.

Two days later, Jiang Yiyan suddenly received a call from Yu Wenlai. Thinking that today wasn't the submission date, perhaps there was an issue with the batch of sketches she had previously submitted? With this thought in mind, Jiang Yiyan immediately answered the phone with a tense expression.

"Is there a problem with my sketches?" Because she cared deeply about her work, all her thoughts were focused on it, so Jiang Yiyan didn't bother with pleasantries and asked directly.

After several interactions, they were now business partners... Jiang Yiyan considered Yu Wenlai a friend now.

Since they were friends and business partners, calling each other "Mr. Yu" and "Miss Jiang" seemed inappropriate. So, they had long since changed their way of addressing each other.

On the other end of the line, Yu Wenlai smiled upon hearing her voice. "You're too nervous; it's not about the sketches." He then praised her, "Your sketches are excellent. The qipaos made according to your designs are very popular among both new and old customers." Thanks to Jiang Yiyan's help, the number of customers had increased, and the shop had received many orders from new clients recently.

Hearing this, Jiang Yiyan instantly relaxed.

"You scared me. I thought there was a problem with the sketches when you called." After the false alarm, she asked, "So what is it? If it's not important, you wouldn't have called specifically." Indeed, if it weren't important, Yu Wenlai would usually just send a message on WeChat and wait for Jiang Yiyan to reply when she had the time.

Perhaps he was also trying not to disturb her while she worked.

"Do you remember the qipaos you ordered here before? They're ready. I called to ask when you can come by to try them on. If anything doesn't fit, we can make adjustments."

Jiang Yiyan initially wanted to say that since they were ready, she could have Fang Fang pick them up. But upon hearing that she needed to try them on, she held back her words.

Considering the time left until the submission date, a few hours wouldn't make a difference, so Jiang Yiyan agreed.

"Are you at the shop now?" Jiang Yiyan asked.

On the other end, Yu Wenlai smiled and replied, "When am I not at the shop?"

"Alright," Jiang Yiyan said, "I'll come over now."

"Great, see you soon."

Now that Jiang Yiyan had a car, going anywhere was convenient. After ending the call with Yu Wenlai, she grabbed her bag and headed out.

.

Regarding Shu Yao joining the Jiang family's company, Jiang Cheng agreed, and Jiang Xu wholeheartedly supported it.

Jiang Cheng had stepped back from active management but still held the position of chairman and the largest share. However, he gradually stopped involving himself in the company's affairs. All major decisions were now handled by his son, Jiang Xu.

He only appeared at board meetings for significant decisions. For something as minor as Shu Yao joining the company, he didn't interfere and let his son handle it.

He believed that although Yiyan might have some reservations about Wenqing and her daughter, Jiang Xu had never targeted them. Therefore, he trusted Jiang Xu to treat Yao Yao well.

Jiang Xu naturally wouldn't mistreat Shu Yao; instead, he would take extra care of her.

For example, he spent considerable effort arranging her position. Although Shu Yao had returned from studying abroad, she lacked work experience. Moreover, the company wasn't solely owned by the Jiang family, and there were many shareholders on the board who would want to place their people in key positions.

If Jiang Xu wanted to give Shu Yao a good position, he would need to be strategic.

The position hadn't been finalized yet, but to win her favor, Jiang Xu put considerable effort into another matter.

Previously, at a class reunion, Jiang Yiyan had attended as a guest. After the dinner, a photographer took a group photo, which most classmates posted on social media with comments. Even though Shu Yao reluctantly shared the photo, it naturally caught Jiang Xu's attention.

At the event, Shu Yao dressed modestly, while Jiang Yiyan stood out in her qipao. Jiang Xu attributed this to the qipao Jiang Yiyan wore.

He privately believed that if Shu Yao wore a similarly elegant qipao, she could outshine Jiang Yiyan. Since then, Jiang Xu began paying attention to this aspect.

Fortunately, one of his secretaries, who enjoyed wearing qipaos and had various styles, provided him with information. After learning about a qipao shop in Shenzhen, Jiang Xu decided to bring Shu Yao there.

The shop was located on an old street and was quite inconspicuous. Initially, he thought it was just the location, but upon arrival, he realized the shop itself wasn't impressive either.

If the secretary hadn't been loyal and diligent for seven or eight years, Jiang Xu would have suspected she was lying.

Yu Wenlai was in the shop, sitting behind the counter working on designs. Since Jiang Yiyan was coming to try on qipaos shortly, the finished ones were hung on the wall outside.

Upon entering, Shu Yao immediately noticed one.

Shu Yao didn't like imitating others, so initially, she approached the visit with a dismissive attitude. She planned to go along with Jiang Xu's enthusiasm and then claim she couldn't find anything she liked.

However, she unexpectedly found one she liked right away.

This qipao's design style was entirely different from the one Jiang Yiyan wore. Jiang Yiyan's qipao was opulent and luxurious, like a rich peony. In contrast, this one was fresh and elegant, resembling a morning jasmine.

Following Shu Yao's gaze, Jiang Xu smiled and turned to the shop owner. "Can we try this one on?"

Yu Wenlai, seeing where Jiang Xu pointed, refused directly: "I'm sorry, but this one is reserved for another customer who will be picking it up shortly." To prevent them from choosing the adjacent ones, he added, "The two next to it are also reserved. Perhaps you could look at other options?"

Hearing this, disappointment flashed in Shu Yao's eyes. Scanning the other qipaos, she shook her head gently.

Seeing her disappointed expression, Jiang Xu felt his heart break.

Jiang Xu wasn't known for his patience. Having held a high position for years, surrounded by sycophants, he had developed a domineering personality. Whatever he desired, he usually got.

In the company, in business dealings, and certainly in Yu Wenlai's shop, he acted the same way.

"How much did the customer pay? I'll double it," Jiang Xu declared, showing his wealth.

But Yu Wenlai wasn't impressed by money. Many of his customers were wealthier than Jiang Xu. Moreover, Yu Wenlai had his principles and pride, so Jiang Xu's behavior only made him less impressed.

He simply shook his head and refused, saying, "I'm afraid that won't be possible, sir."

Yu Wenlai's indifferent attitude irritated Jiang Xu, and for a moment, his competitive spirit flared up.

"How about three times the price?" Seeing that Yu Wenlai remained unmoved, he continued, "Five times? Ten times?"

"If it were a hundred times the price, I might consider it," came Jiang Yiyan's voice from outside the door.

Jiang Yiyan had actually been there for a while. Seeing Jiang Xu and Shu Yao inside, she hadn't entered immediately but instead hid outside to eavesdrop.

Noticing Jiang Xu's temper rising, she feared Yu Wenlai wouldn't be able to handle it, so she quickly revealed herself.

Jiang Yiyan's words drew the attention of the three people in the store. Upon seeing her, Jiang Xu couldn't hide his disgust. He also guessed that the qipao must have been reserved by her.

However, Yu Wenlai wasn't as troubled or afraid as Jiang Yiyan had imagined. He remained composed.

Seeing Jiang Yiyan arrive, he ignored Jiang Xu and Shu Yao and approached Jiang Yiyan, saying, "Your three qipaos are all displayed. Why don't you try them on first?"

"No rush." Jiang Yiyan suddenly thought of a good way to squeeze more money out of Jiang Xu.

And she knew very well that the amount of money didn't matter much to Jiang Xu. To win a lady's favor, he would gladly spend lavishly.

The qipao itself wasn't important to her; what mattered most was the money.

"What do you think? If it's a hundred times the price?" Jiang Yiyan remained calm and collected. "Don't make things difficult for the shop owner. They need to keep their word in business. He can't afford to offend you, nor can he afford to offend me. I've already paid the deposit for these qipaos, so I am the rightful owner. If you want them, you'll have to buy them from me. Are you willing?"

Shu Yao, seeing another argument brewing between the siblings, quickly pulled Jiang Xu aside, saying, "Forget it. I'm not really fond of it anyway. Let's not get it."

But Jiang Yiyan looked at Shu Yao and said, "But this one really suits you. Don't you want it?" She added, "If it were just for you, I'd give it to you without hesitation. But since he wants it, I won't let him have it. However, as a favor to you, I can offer a fifty percent discount on the hundred times the price." It was her way of extending an olive branch to Shu Yao.

She could avoid Jiang Xu forever, but there was no need to make an enemy of Shu Yao. Offering her a small favor would show goodwill. Regardless of whether Shu Yao appreciated it, she could rest easy knowing she had done her part.

But Shu Yao felt awkward, especially after learning that the qipao was originally reserved by Jiang Yiyan. She had her own pride and didn't want something that was someone else's cast-off.

However, Jiang Xu seemed to misunderstand her. All he knew was that if she wanted something, he would get it for her, no matter the effort or cost.

"Fine, Jiang Yiyan, I'll buy this qipao." Jiang Xu's eyes were cold, as if he wanted to freeze her with his gaze.

Hearing him say this, Shu Yao gave up any resistance and remained silent.