Chapter 594 - 624: Too Smart to be Fooled
Chapter 594: Chapter 624: Too Smart to be Fooled
Boss Lu was fuming. He still had a shred of rationality, so he didn’t lash out at Qin Jiao, but his expression had already turned foul.
He turned to Lu Jiuan. "Jiuan, say something!"
If they really had to wait for the next batch... even if it was a year from now, the first-mover advantage would be snatched up by others. Plus, the franchise fee and all the other conditions would surely skyrocket by then.
’If only we’d known,’ Boss Lu thought, filled with regret. ’We wouldn’t have hesitated for so long!’
Lu Jiuan lifted his head and looked at Qin Jiao’s radiant face. He suddenly realized she wasn’t just prettier and smarter than Meng Lanlan—she was even more decisive and bold.
In that respect, she was just like the girl he admired.
Lu Jiuan said gently, "We were the ones who came too late. That’s our fault. But Mr. Qin, is there any way to make up for it? I heard you’ve already transferred the lease for your store near North City University to someone else. Whatever they paid, we’re willing to offer more."
When Boss Lu heard this, he winced at the thought of the cost, but then he reconsidered. ’If we spend a little more, we get a place with an already stable customer base. It might even be more profitable than other locations!’
’Spending a little extra would be worth it!’
Qin Jiao smiled and shook her head. "I’ve already signed a contract with them. In business, you can’t go back on your word. After all, that would ruin my reputation, don’t you agree?"
"But..."
"Besides, business should be conducted honorably. You can’t use dirty tricks behind the scenes. Integrity has to be the foundation. That’s the only way for us to have a good partnership in the future, right?"
Qin Jiao’s lips curled into a smile, but it was a cold one. Lu Jiuan’s heart skipped a beat. He could only nod, then turned and left with his very disgruntled uncle.
As Boss Lu got into the car, he was still fuming. "Jiuan, are we really just going to let it go like this? Besides, didn’t your wife say she and Qin Jiao were high school classmates? That she could get us a discount?"
"It’s possible Qin Jiao found out about the anonymous report." Lu Jiuan gripped the steering wheel, his lips pursed as he recalled the look on her face just now—a slight smile, but with an incredibly sharp gaze.
’A woman like that is so captivating.’
’But it’s because she’s too smart, too capable, that she’s hard to fool.’
Boss Lu, however, didn’t understand. "But the report was anonymous. How could she possibly know? The people at the quality inspection bureau wouldn’t have told her."
Lu Jiuan started the car. "She probably guessed."
"Guessed?"
"Yes. But don’t worry, Uncle. We’ll figure something else out. If the noodle shop doesn’t work, we can always open something else."
"Sigh, how can I not be worried? My little restaurant is losing money every day. It’s stressing me out!"
Lu Jiuan started the car calmly, but a dark glint shone in the depths of his eyes.
’What’s been going on lately? Why isn’t anything going smoothly?’
**
The Jiuyi Clothing Factory’s new autumn collection was finally ready, and the advertisements had started running. Even though it was still the middle of a scorching summer, the fashion industry always operates one season ahead of everyone else.
Jiang Xiaoyue had pulled several all-nighters in a row and was completely exhausted. She went to ask Qin Jiao for some time off, planning to use some of her saved vacation days to go home and rest.
Qin Jiao said, "I’ll approve two days off for you. Get some good rest. And if you have the time, go on a blind date while you’re at it. Try to get yourself married off this year."
Jiang Xiaoyue was speechless. "I swear, you married women are the worst, always nagging people to get married early. Even that Meng Lanlan has been on my case about it. Oh, right, Meng Lanlan asked me to dinner. I have no idea what for. But if she’s trying to set me up with Lin Nian, I’m definitely not going."