Chapter 143 - 114: An Acquaintance
Chapter 143: Chapter 114: An Acquaintance
Ning He said as she unceremoniously sat down on the sofa, casually taking in the newly renovated conference room that had finally shed its shabby look.
Setting aside everything else, just the holographic 3D audio-visual projection equipment displaying a map on the table in front of Macken and Johnny had to be worth a small fortune.
Macken didn’t respond to her. Instead, he studied Wade closely for a few moments.
"What’s your name?" Macken asked.
Wade glanced up at him in surprise. Although the man’s appearance wasn’t particularly striking, he exuded an aura that made him impossible to ignore.
"Wade. Wade Bentley."
"Is Gul Bentley your father?"
Wade was taken aback again. "How did you know?"
Macken gave him a deep look, a flash of nostalgia crossing his eyes. "You look a lot like your mother."
Wade froze. Before he could speak, the other man continued.
"How is your father doing?"
Wade’s expression darkened. "He’s sick."
Macken seemed somewhat surprised. After a moment, he said softly, "I’m sorry." He didn’t press further, shifting the topic back to business.
"The first guest list has been finalized, and the time is tentatively set for next Monday. Do you have any issues on your end?"
Ning He had been wondering what kind of relationship Macken had with Wade’s parents. Hearing his question, she blanked for a second before snapping back to reality.
"No problem. I’ve prepared all the ingredients on my side. I’ve also written down a list of things you need to prepare. Take a look. If it’s too difficult, I can make some adjustments. But for the sake of the show’s effect, it would be best to have everything."
Macken took the piece of paper Ning He pulled from her pocket. He unfolded it, glanced over the contents, and nodded. "Don’t worry. It’ll be taken care of."
"One more thing," he continued. "Hansha and Uncle Miao won’t be joining the tour group; they have other arrangements. Watson will also be busy with security, so it would be best if you brought your own assistant."
Ning He clicked her tongue. "This isn’t exactly a job just anyone would dare to take. Can you guarantee their safety?" In a dangerous dense forest, an extra person meant an extra burden. They had to think this through carefully.
"Having one more person won’t be an issue, though it would obviously be ideal if they had some ability to protect themselves. Mental fortitude is also crucial so they don’t panic when things go south," Macken said.
"It’s really not that hard to find someone," Johnny chimed in from the side. "If you pay enough, there will definitely be people willing to do it."
Ning He stroked her chin. "Alright, I’ll look around once I get back. Is there anything else?"
"After this out-of-city tour concludes, our online slot auction will begin. The starting bid will be 5,000. If the total amount exceeds 100,000, you get forty percent."
"Forty percent?"
Ning He paused for a moment before realizing Macken’s intention. If this gourmet challenge really blew up and the auction prices skyrocketed, then as the head chef, she would become the most critical link in the chain. Forty percent was exactly what she deserved. Even Johnny didn’t show any reluctance this time. After all, the initial flood of inquiries had already been a pleasant surprise for him, and the ensuing hype was easy to imagine.
"Alright, since you’re being so straightforward, Mr. Macken, I won’t stand on ceremony."
Macken smiled and brought out the newly drafted contract, which both parties then signed.
With everything settled, Ning He and Wade got into a car heading back into the city.
On the way, Ning He carefully considered potential candidates she could bring along as her assistant. Right now, she had quite a few capable people by her side. Youzhen, Vance, and Ding Wang could all hold their own, not to mention Connie and Ah Huai.
However, the latter two already worked hard enough on a daily basis and had younger siblings to take care of. Ning He didn’t want to trouble them further. Youzhen and the other boys were worth considering, but she wasn’t sure if they had the guts for it. They were only seventeen or eighteen years old, after all. If they got too nervous out there, it would only backfire, and their families might not agree to it anyway.
"I can go."
Wade’s voice reached her ears.
Ning He looked up in surprise. "What?"
Wade pursed his lips. "Going out of the city. I can go."
Ning He stroked her chin, humming thoughtfully. This guy actually seemed like a pretty good fit. He had good mental fortitude, long legs for running fast, and decent fighting skills. Lately, under her instruction, he had also mastered basic food prep techniques. But...
"Will Uncle Gull agree?"
Wade lowered his eyes. "...I’ll convince him."
Ning He thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright. If your dad has no objections, I’ll agree to it. But leaving the city always carries risks, so the compensation for this will be calculated separately. I’ll give you a thousand bucks a trip. How does that sound?"
Wade’s lips moved, but in the end, he didn’t refuse.
Upon entering the Fourth Ring, Ning He told Wade to head back to Anle House first to discuss it with Guer.
***
Wade stood at the door to his room. His hand gripped the doorknob, yet he hesitated to turn it.
Suddenly, the door opened on its own. Guer stood behind it. The moment he saw Wade, his slightly furrowed brows instantly smoothed out, and a kindly smile spread across his lips.