"Hello, Mr. Li."
Lin Weiwei walked up to Li Chonglou and bowed deeply, her face filled with gratitude.
Before coming, Xiao Yun had already introduced Li Chonglou's identity to her.
Her sworn younger brother.
For this reason alone, Lin Weiwei felt she had to look up to him.
Coupled with the bonus Li Chonglou had given her last time, and the vast, limitless future ahead, any one of these was enough to unsettle her.
"Just call me Brother Li from now on. Don't be so formal," Li Chonglou nodded with a smile and corrected her.
He was going into the antique business, not real estate. Lin Weiwei's business-like demeanor felt a bit out of place.
But it was okay; he valued Lin Weiwei's character and had plenty of time to give her opportunities to grow.
"Okay, Brother Li, please come in." Lin Weiwei, showing great perceptiveness, immediately changed her address and led the group into Han Palace.
Watching Li Chonglou walk ahead, she stared at his back, her eyes distant.
This man, around the same age as her, could command influence and become a person of status.
Yet, he had no airs and was as approachable as an elder brother next door.
Even Miss Xiao seemed to admire him greatly.
Indeed, people's destinies were so different.
If she hadn't met Li Chonglou, her best outcome in life would probably have been to become a manager at a real estate sales office.
And then to live out her days until retirement in a daze.
She couldn't bring herself to attach herself to wealthy bosses and become a gilded bird or a pretty vase for the sake of her future.
But things were different now.
After being personally summoned by Xiao Yun to Han Palace and learning that Li Chonglou wanted to hire her, she realized her destiny would change completely from then on.
The group arrived at a private room, and Xiao Yun arranged for food and drinks.
She then set aside other matters to chat and confide in Li Chonglou.
Hearing that Zeng Wang had allocated twelve hundred square meters on the first floor of Ginza to Li Chonglou, Xiao Yun couldn't help but playfully chide him, "If you needed a place, couldn't you have come to me?"
"You didn't let me know at all. What's so great about Ginza that you wouldn't look for me?"
The Xiao family had been reunified, and she had been in high spirits these past two days.
She had been thinking of doing something to repay Li Chonglou, but unexpectedly, Li Chonglou hadn't approached her at all.
If it weren't for Lin Weiwei, that young girl, being her subordinate, she probably wouldn't have even known about the plan to open a store.
"Sister, I'll need your help with many things later," Li Chonglou naturally saw that Xiao Yun genuinely wanted to help him.
He said gratefully, "Once the store opens, and we establish our network, I'll rely on you to introduce clients from the upper echelons."
This was the truth.
He was new to the area and unfamiliar with the people.
If he could get the help of the Xiao family, the speed of building his network would increase a hundredfold.
Before long, he would become known in Yong'an.
A person's reputation precedes them. Once recognized by mainstream society, someone like Mr. Huang would have to think twice before trying to harm him.
"This is my responsibility," Xiao Yun replied enthusiastically.
Lin Weiwei, watching from the side, felt a surge of emotion, her beautiful eyes shimmering with hidden admiration.
She had thought Li Chonglou was relying on the Xiao family.
That was why he had recognized Xiao Yun as his sworn sister.
Now, it seemed she had guessed wrong entirely. The head of the Xiao family, the most renowned strong woman in all of Yong'an, was actually seeking favor from Li Chonglou.
She had sold enough properties to have some insight.
The only explanation for this situation was that Li Chonglou's own value far surpassed what was apparent.
He was actually at a level that would make the Xiao family actively seek his favor.
At this age, to possess such capability.
What would he be like in ten or twenty years?
For a moment, Lin Weiwei's heart was filled with a tumultuous sea of thoughts, her imagination running wild. She felt that by staying by Li Chonglou's side, she would witness a different future.
Li Chonglou had no idea of the complex inner world of a young woman. He didn't say much during the meal.
Later, he mostly just watched Ning Lang and Xiao Yun talk.
The banquet ended at half past nine.
Lin Weiwei didn't have a car, and Xiao Yun couldn't drive as she had been drinking. Moreover, there were still matters at Han Palace, so she wouldn't be leaving immediately.
Li Chonglou had to ask Zheng Rui to drive Lin Weiwei back.
"Tomorrow, you go directly to Ginza and take charge of the renovation. Your salary will start from tomorrow," Li Chonglou instructed Lin Weiwei after dropping her off at her apartment building. "As for your salary, it's tentatively set at twenty thousand per month."
"Think about anything else you might need, consider it carefully tonight, and tell me tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Lin Weiwei's eyes widened in disbelief. "Brother Li... This... Twenty thousand already?"
"Isn't that a bit too much?"
Although as a real estate agent, she could sometimes earn that much with good performance, that was based on commission, not her regular income.
Her normal salary was only a little over three thousand per month.
Li Chonglou had given her an almost six-fold increase. How could a young girl remain calm with such a generous gesture?
"Hmm? I haven't misjudged you. If you think the money is too much, that's fine. Just try to put more thought into it for me. I'm new to business," Li Chonglou said with a wry smile.
Lin Weiwei was indeed a girl of good character. In today's society, where comparison was rampant and people were judged by their wealth rather than their morals, her resolute refusal of twenty thousand yuan in benefits was telling.
She was untainted by the mud.
Such a person was valuable regardless of their ability.
An antique shop's primary asset was its reputation. Furthermore, it would eventually house various rare items he had sourced, which might even be priceless.
He couldn't be at the shop all the time. If he hired incompetent people, the losses would be immeasurable.
Nowadays, there were too many people who made empty promises, and countless bosses who drew big plans.
Money wasn't important; quickly establishing trust was.
Giving her a monthly salary of twenty thousand was to let her know that she would never suffer a loss by following him.
"Thank you, Brother Li." The young girl's eyes welled up with tears of excitement.
"Go back," Li Chonglou said, preparing to get into the car to leave.
Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway, followed by a sharp reprimand: "Weiwei, you ungrateful child, why are you only coming back now?"
"I've been waiting here for you for ages. If you weren't coming back, you should have at least sent a message!"
A woman in a floral plaid jacket ran down the stairs.
Her face was heavily made up, and she looked around forty years old. Her face was full of displeasure, her anger evident.
"Auntie, why are you here?"
After Li Chonglou got into the car, he heard Lin Weiwei's surprised voice, "Why didn't you call me in advance?"
"Call... Call what? I lost my phone and didn't save your number." The woman stammered for a moment, but then quickly changed the subject, "I've come to ask you for money!"
"Your cousin is getting married soon, and he's short a million for a house. I know you have money, so give us some."
Lin Weiwei's expression froze, her delicate brows furrowed, and her face was filled with grievance. "A million? Auntie, where would I get that much money?"
"I've been working in Yong'an for so many years, and I've only saved less than five hundred thousand..."
"Besides, you haven't returned the three hundred thousand I lent you last time..."
Ning Lang, sitting in the car, saw this and prepared to urge Zheng Rui to drive away.
He had no interest in such trivial family matters.
But Li Chonglou stopped him: "Wait a moment."
At that moment, he heard the woman's exaggerated shout from outside the car: "You want me to pay you back?"
"Lin Weiwei, do you have any conscience? Don't you remember who persuaded your parents to let you study when you were little?"
"Who made delicious food for you."
"Now your cousin is getting married, so tell me, are you giving the money or not!"
"Auntie, can we go inside and talk?" Seeing her aunt deliberately raising her voice, Lin Weiwei didn't want to argue in the hallway and reached out to lead her upstairs.
However, she was unexpectedly pushed away by the woman.
Her voice, instead, grew even louder: "Why go inside? If you don't agree to give the money, I'm not leaving today."
She looked defiant, her eyes cast upward as if Lin Weiwei owed her something.
"But... but I really don't have it now. I only have a little over two hundred thousand on me," Lin Weiwei explained anxiously, a fine sheen of sweat breaking out on her forehead.
But the woman scoffed dismissively, "Hmph, how is that possible."
"Other girls who come to the city for three years can save millions by finding a few men. You've been selling houses, haven't bought a house or a car, so where did your money go?"
"If you don't have money, then ask a man for it."
"Isn't that man next to you? Don't think I don't know, that car must be very expensive, right?"
"His money will eventually be yours anyway."
She said this, pointing to the Hongqi car next to them.
Li Chonglou had gotten out of the car to speak with Lin Weiwei, which allowed her to see him.
She thought he was her boyfriend picking her up.
This was a perfect opportunity to extort some money, and the funds for her son's wedding would be secured.
"Auntie, don't talk nonsense. He's my boss... not my boyfriend!" Lin Weiwei's pretty face flushed crimson with embarrassment as she explained, "Besides, even if he were my boyfriend, I wouldn't ask him for money."
"Let's go upstairs, Auntie, I'll give you all the money I have on my card, okay?"
"Don't cause trouble here..."
She knew her aunt's temper too well; she would do anything for money.
Last time, when she came to ask for that three hundred thousand, she had cried, made a scene, and threatened to hang herself, forcing her hand to give the money obediently.
In reality, her aunt hadn't lost her phone at all; she had simply blocked Lin Weiwei to avoid being pursued for debts and now couldn't find her number.
If her aunt continued to make such a scene, no one in the entire building would be able to sleep.
And Li Chonglou would see her as a laughingstock.
"Give this kind of person not a single cent."
Just then, the car door opened, and Li Chonglou got out again. He looked at the woman and said calmly, "Give a man a bit of grain, and you raise a dependent; give him a peck, and you breed a foe."
"If you don't want your relatives to turn against each other, stop lending her money from now on."
"Greed knows no bounds; you can't fill such a bottomless pit!"
Li Chonglou wasn't one to meddle in other people's affairs. If someone else encountered such a situation, he wouldn't even bother to ask.
But Lin Weiwei was his employee, the store manager.
She was supposed to be in charge of the store's renovation plans starting tomorrow, and seeing her being pressured by relatives for money, yet appearing clearly wronged and ready to comply, he couldn't stand it.
This girl was too soft-hearted; she would only be bullied.
"Who are you? What makes you think you can interfere? Am I talking to my niece, and it's your place to butt in?" The woman exploded like a firecracker at Li Chonglou's words. She started scolding him and then began to feign loud weeping, shouting, "Hurry, everyone, come and see..."
"Lin Weiwei is colluding with a wild man to bully her aunt! This country girl is ungrateful!"
Rustle...
With this yell, many windows in the nearby buildings immediately opened, and people poked their heads out.
They loved to watch a good spectacle.
Seeing this, the woman's feigned tears revealed a triumphant glint in her eyes.