Chapter 19 Turning Hostile

Chapter 19: A Falling Out

Was Jiang Luo afraid?

No.

He had everything planned.

So, after leaving the train station with Boss Zhang, Jiang Luo readily agreed to Boss Zhang's subsequent arrangements:

When Boss Zhang took him back to the factory office, Jiang Luo sat by the tea table, sipping tea and chatting casually with him.

When Boss Zhang suggested a tour of the workshop, Jiang Luo rose and followed.

When Boss Zhang said, "Let's go to the bathhouse," Jiang Luo consented without hesitation.

At the bathhouse, they were joined by Boss Li from the lighting factory.

Before entering the men's baths, Boss Li pulled Zhang Zhiqiang aside: "Hey, weren't you supposed to ship the goods today? Did he settle the bill?"

Zhang Zhiqiang frowned at the mention of it: "Don’t even ask. At the train station, I'd already handed the goods over, but he insisted he would only pay after the shipment was dispatched. And that Wang fellow is nowhere to be found."

Boss Li was taken aback and immediately asked, "Is this Young Master Jiang reliable?"

Zhang Zhiqiang replied grimly, "Who knows? But I’m not letting him go back to the Crown Hotel today. I can’t risk him running off."

"He has to stay under my watch tonight. Tomorrow, once the goods are on the tracks and dispatched, if he still doesn’t pay, he’ll regret it!"

Boss Li also frowned, growing concerned: "Damn, I’ve been producing lights for him, and my costs are much higher than your dolls."

"I’d better stop production now, or I might end up with a big loss."

Boss Li skipped the bath and hurried off to find a landline phone.

And so, Boss Li and Zhang Zhiqiang entered the bathhouse together, ostensibly to bathe, but in reality, to keep an eye on Jiang Luo.

Jiang Luo saw right through their intentions but played along.

He stripped naked, sat casually in the pool, and soaked.

After his bath, he wrapped a large towel around his waist and went for a back scrub.

Boss Li and Zhang Zhiqiang followed Jiang Luo the entire time—when he soaked in the pool, they soaked too; when he went for a scrub, they did the same.

After scrubbing, washing, drying off, and changing into the bathhouse’s clothes, the three of them went for foot massages.

Seeing Jiang Luo thoroughly enjoying himself—lying back eating fruit and reading newspapers while an elderly masseur worked on his feet—Boss Li and Zhang Zhiqiang grew uneasy again.

Boss Li’s eyes questioned: Does he look like someone who can’t pay?

Zhang Zhiqiang’s eyes responded: Who knows?

Boss Li: Maybe you’re overthinking it?

Zhang Zhiqiang: Better safe than sorry!

Jiang Luo, lying there flipping through the newspaper, suddenly asked, "Boss Li, will you meet the production deadline?"

"Absolutely, absolutely," Boss Li replied politely.

Soon after, Boss Li slipped away from the massage bed to make another phone call, instructing the factory to resume production and speed up the making of those European-style table lamps to avoid missing the delivery deadline.

Jiang Luo watched Boss Li sneak away out of the corner of his eye.

He said nothing, showed no reaction, and merely curled the corners of his lips slightly.

That night, Boss Li and Zhang Zhiqiang stayed with Jiang Luo, sleeping on the massage beds at the bathhouse.

Boss Li slept soundly, snoring soon after closing his eyes.

Jiang Luo also slept quietly.

Zhang Zhiqiang couldn’t sleep—he was wide awake.

First, because the massage beds at the bathhouse weren’t as comfortable as his bed at home;

Second, because he was worried Jiang Luo might not settle the payment on time.

He tossed and turned restlessly.

But seeing Jiang Luo sleeping so peacefully, with no sign of trying to escape, Zhang Zhiqiang comforted himself: It should be fine, right? Just wait, wait until tomorrow. Yes, just wait a little longer.

There were many business owners in Wencheng, and bathhouses in those days were open 24 hours.

In the morning, Jiang Luo woke up, and Zhang Zhiqiang and Boss Li accompanied him as the three had breakfast at the bathhouse.

After breakfast, they changed and left the bathhouse, and Jiang Luo was taken back to the factory.

In the office, Zhang Zhiqiang, who hadn’t rested well overnight, made tea and sighed to Jiang Luo: "You see, running a factory means worrying 24 hours a day."

Then, with a sincere and earnest tone, he added, "Young Master Jiang, just pay me for the first batch of goods early. That way, you’ll be at ease, and so will I."

Jiang Luo replied, "Boss Zhang, we had an agreement."

"I’ll pay as soon as the goods are dispatched."

Boss Zhang sipped his tea, shaking his head and sighing: "A half-day sooner or later makes no difference. I’m not holding back your goods."

He left unsaid: But you’re withholding my money.

"What’s wrong?" Jiang Luo looked at Zhang Zhiqiang calmly. "Don’t you trust me, Boss Zhang?"

Zhang Zhiqiang, feeling unwell and groggy from lack of sleep, lost his usual patience and politeness. He sighed and spoke bluntly: "Trust depends on money, doesn’t it?"

Jiang Luo’s expression tightened slightly. He didn’t smile or scowl but said coolly, "If that’s how Boss Zhang sees it, then this business might be hard to discuss."

Discuss, discuss, discuss—what was there to discuss?

Zhang Zhiqiang was impatient.

He wanted money! Money! The payment!

Jiang Luo noticed Zhang Zhiqiang's frustration and irritation, and calmly said, "In that case, after this batch of ten-thousand-yuan worth of goods is shipped, I won’t trouble Boss Zhang anymore."

With that, he stood up.

Thinking Jiang Luo was about to leave on his own, Zhang Zhiqiang snapped, "Where are you going?!" His expression was grim.

"No need to be so harsh."

Jiang Luo looked at him. "I’m going to the train station to check on the shipment."

Zhang Zhiqiang stood up, having reached his limit. He no longer bothered to hide his irritation.

With a stern face, he impatiently jerked his hand at Jiang Luo, "Let’s go."

Jiang Luo remarked coolly, "Is Boss Zhang so easily unsettled?"

Zhang Zhiqiang knew he shouldn’t show his irritation—it wasn’t the right time to show impatience.

But after a night in the bathhouse, he hadn’t rested well. His head was throbbing, and he had no patience left.

He waved his hand irritably again. "Enough talking. Let’s go, to the train station."

Bluntly, without sparing anyone’s feelings, he added, "Money is what matters. Everything else is just noise."

Jiang Luo let out an ambiguous, quiet hum but said nothing more.

So they got into the car. On the way to the train station, neither Zhang Zhiqiang nor Jiang Luo spoke. There were no more polite exchanges or friendly chats between them.

Zhang Zhiqiang couldn’t even be bothered to pretend anymore.

At the train station, Zhang Zhiqiang went to inquire about the shipment while Jiang Luo stood to the side.

Zhang Zhiqiang was told by the station staff that their goods would be dispatched at 2 p.m.

He turned to Jiang Luo and said, "Two o’clock. The goods ship at two. Will you pay at two?"

Jiang Luo replied calmly, "Boss Zhang, watch your tone. I’m here to do business with you, not because I owe you money."

"If you don’t want to do business anymore, just say so."

"Let’s finish this transaction and part on good terms."

"There’s no need to make things so unpleasant."

Hearing this, Zhang Zhiqiang held back his anger.

He found a seat and sat down, waiting for 2 p.m., waiting for the shipment.

It was already noon, and Zhang Zhiqiang clearly had no intention of taking Jiang Luo to eat.

Jiang Luo paid him no mind. Seeing someone selling corn and tea eggs in the waiting hall, he bought some and sat back down to eat by himself.

Zhang Zhiqiang had no appetite and was still nursing a headache. He rubbed his temples and glanced at Jiang Luo, his mind racing. With 2 p.m. approaching, Jiang Luo seemed perfectly calm. Could it be that he had misjudged the situation? Maybe Jiang Luo really would pay on time?

Zhang Zhiqiang’s emotions were in turmoil.

Regardless, he kept his focus on one thing: the money.

Finally, as it neared 2 p.m., Zhang Zhiqiang checked his watch and went to ask the staff about the shipment.

The staff member flipped through a ledger and said, "Oh, that batch? It was loaded this morning and already departed at 1:45."

It had shipped!

Zhang Zhiqiang immediately turned back to the bench where Jiang Luo was sitting, pointed at his watch, and said, "It shipped at 1:45! It’s already gone! Pay up! You said you’d pay as soon as the goods shipped!"

Jiang Luo stood up. "Wait—"

As soon as Jiang Luo uttered "wait," Zhang Zhiqiang grabbed him by the collar. "Pay! You said it! Payment!"

"What are you waiting for?"

"We have a contract, black and white!"

"Pay now!"

Jiang Luo didn’t struggle. He raised an eyebrow and looked at the man before him, saying quietly, "Boss Zhang, isn’t this too much?"

Zhang Zhiqiang gritted his teeth. "I’m going too far?"

"You said payment upon shipment, and I agreed."

"Then yesterday you said today, and I agreed."

"Now we’re here, and you want to wait until two, I—"

Suddenly, something flashed by their faces, followed by Wang Chuang’s panting voice: "Luo Ge! The draft!"

Both Zhang Zhiqiang and Jiang Luo turned.

Zhang Zhiqiang slowly released Jiang Luo’s collar, his furious expression lingering, veins still bulging at his temples.

Jiang Luo took the bank draft from Wang Chuang, held it up, and showed it to Zhang Zhiqiang. "Boss Zhang, payment, as agreed."

Zhang Zhiqiang’s expression shifted instantly. He reached out and smoothed the wrinkles he had made on Jiang Luo’s collar, forcing a dry laugh. "Sorry, sorry, I got carried away."

His attitude did a complete 180.

Jiang Luo ignored him, brushing the man’s hand away. His expression remained neutral as he said, "It’s not that Boss Zhang wronged me. It’s that I wronged Boss Zhang."

"If I’d known it would come to this, I should’ve chosen another factory when Boss Zhang asked for a deposit."

Zhang Zhiqiang’s head was clear now, no longer dizzy. He smiled obsequiously. "That's an overstatement, an overstatement. It’s my fault, all my fault. Don’t be angry, Young Master Jiang."

"I took a bath yesterday and didn’t sleep well. I lost my head."

"Really lost my head."

Saying this, he reached for the draft in Jiang Luo’s hand. Seeing it was indeed a bank draft for a full 30,000, he immediately returned it into Jiang Luo’s hand, still smiling ingratiatingly. "Sorry, sorry, I was too worked up."

"I was too impulsive just now. My apologies, truly."

Just as he had turned hostile over money moments earlier, he now apologized for it.

Truly adaptable.

Wang Chuang also looked at him, clueless about what had led up to this.

Jiang Luo stayed cool, his expression and tone both detached, with a hint of arrogance. He sarcastically said, "How could Boss Zhang be wrong? I was the one who made the mistake."

"I was dead wrong. I never should have entered Boss Zhang's factory or discussed orders and business with Boss Zhang."

"No, no, don’t say that."

Zhang Zhiqiang sweet-talked, "It’s my fault. I was wrong. I apologize to you. I’m sorry, so very sorry."

Grinning obsequiously with nods and bows.

Jiang Luo shot him a calm, dismissive look, the corner of his mouth twitching faintly as he let out a low, ambiguous huff.

Wang Chuang watched from the side, taking in Jiang Luo’s demeanor, and thought to himself: Damn, he’s really selling it.

My man Luo's the real deal!

Author's Note: