Chapter 258: Chapter 249 I Have a Friend_1
In the evening, Tong Yitong, dressed to impress, stood at the entrance of the restaurant where Yan Xing had arranged to meet her.
Her thoughts were a tangled mess.
The boss asked me out tonight to discuss the company’s overseas projects. Is it really just about the project?
Tong Yitong recalled some of the unwritten workplace rules she’d heard: a girl who wanted to climb the ladder quickly always had to sacrifice something.
She had once imagined that if faced with such a situation, she would scold her boss righteously, just like a heroine in a TV drama, and then quit without a second glance.
But now that it was actually happening, she hesitated.
Opportunities like this didn’t come along often.
If she missed it, she might never reach such heights in her entire life.
Tong Yitong gazed at her reflection in the restaurant’s glass door.
After work, she had made a special trip to a luxury boutique and spent her savings on a red, dip-dyed dress with hand-painted floral designs in silk and cotton.
She put on black stockings and crystal high heels.
Then, she spent over an hour meticulously applying exquisite evening makeup.
Her reflection in the glass door showed a youthful, radiant woman, full of life—hardly inferior to any celebrity or socialite.
Her boss was so young, yet he handled such significant business. He was handsome and dignified, just like an overbearing CEO from a novel.
If... if...
Thinking about what might happen tonight, Tong Yitong’s face couldn’t help but flush.
"Yitong? What are you doing here?"
A voice interrupted Tong Yitong’s reverie. She quickly turned and, upon seeing the man behind her, stammered, "Manager... Manager Chen, good evening. I... I’m waiting for President Yan. He asked me to meet him here tonight to discuss work."
The newcomer was Chen Shi. He looked Tong Yitong up and down, then chuckled. "Dressed like this to discuss work? You look like you’re heading to a film shoot... Oh..."
Chen Shi helped Yan Xing sell agarwood and Earl red wine, so he often visited Eternal Commerce and Trade, seeing Tong Yitong even more frequently than Yan Xing. He knew Yitong wasn’t usually one to dress up so extravagantly, so her appearance tonight surprised him. Then, a knowing smile spread across his face.
Tong Yitong hurriedly explained, "Manager Chen, it’s not what you think. President Yan and I are really just here to discuss work..."
Tong Yitong’s voice trailed off; even she didn’t quite believe her own words.
Chen Shi chuckled. "I don’t know what work you and your boss are discussing, but he also asked me to meet him here. Come on, I’ve already booked a private room, and President Yan should be here soon. Let’s go in and order first."
"Ah! President Yan invited you too?"
Seeing Chen Shi walk into the restaurant, Tong Yitong quickly followed.
To shake off any potential tails, Yan Xing took a deliberately roundabout route to the restaurant where he was meeting Tong Yitong and Chen Shi.
By the time he entered the private room, Chen Shi had already ordered a table laden with food and drinks.
"Yitong, you look beautiful tonight! Do you have a date after dinner?" Yan Xing said, placing a stack of documents on the table as he addressed the stunning young woman beside him.
"Ah!" Tong Yitong, suddenly unsure if her boss’s intentions were what she’d imagined, stammered, "No, no, no... I don’t... I don’t have a date tonight."
"Oh... Well then, let’s eat. We can fill our stomachs before we discuss business."
Yan Xing encouraged Chen Shi and Tong Yitong to eat. During the meal, he discussed the sales of agarwood and Earl wine with Chen Shi.
Both were high-end items coveted by the elite.
Some people even traveled great distances to Zhehai City just to purchase a piece of top-grade agarwood.
The Earl red wine, with its outstanding quality and air of mystery, had also become a new favorite at various private parties. Although Chen Shi publicly claimed that only one thousand bottles were sold annually, sales had already far exceeded that number, and demand still outstripped supply.
There were also many overseas buyers.
"A while ago, a member of a European royal family came to Zhehai City specifically asking about this Earl red wine," Chen Shi said, his voice animated. He downed the baijiu in his glass in one gulp before continuing, "They even wanted to meet you and your friend. I refused. It seems their royal lineage isn’t as authentic or distinguished as your friend’s."
"Someone who chooses a reclusive life naturally preserves many fine things," Yan Xing remarked casually before changing the subject. "Do you know anyone who owns a private island? Preferably a large one, with fresh water, suitable for tourism development."
"A private island! That’s not something just anyone can afford to play around with. Why do you ask? Are you looking to buy one?"
Yan Xing picked at his food as he spoke. "I have a lucrative project that needs to be developed on a private island. I’m considering buying one... but I haven’t found anything suitable. All the good, privately-owned islands available for sale have been snapped up. If you know anyone who owns such an island, perhaps you could arrange a meeting for us to discuss this project."
Chen Shi gave Yan Xing a peculiar look. "People who own such islands bought them for pleasure; they’re not short on cash. It’s highly unlikely they’d be willing to give up their island."
Yan Xing said, "I’m just asking if you know of any. Just give me a straight answer."
"Yes, yes, yes..." Noticing Yan Xing’s tone turn stern, Chen Shi quickly replied, "The Zhao Family owns a private island that fits your description. Our company held its annual meeting there last year. It’s warm in winter and cool in summer, and the water is so clear it’s like it’s not even there. It’s a truly fantastic place."