C13 Nandou Tianliang Star

Upon learning that salespeople weren't required to stay at the office all day, Jiang Yan left the company in high spirits.

He couldn't stand being confined. The thought of being stuck at a desk for eight hours was sheer torture to him.

Mounting his electric scooter, he set off for the Elizabeth Arden Company, armed with the address and details provided by Wu Guang.

In stark contrast to the fledgling Vast Culture Limited, the Elizabeth Arden Company exuded sophistication and class.

A multinational cosmetics giant, it employed hundreds and had taken over three floors of an office building in Yunzhou's bustling business district.

The Elizabeth Arden Company's reception was staffed by five ladies who were not only striking in appearance but also sported exquisitely applied makeup that was a feast for the eyes.

Jiang Yan approached with a friendly smile and said, "Hello, I'd like to meet with Manager Zhao Ya from the marketing department, please."

"Do you have an appointment?"

One of the receptionists gave Jiang Yan a once-over. The receptionists at Elizabeth Arden Company were known for their keen perception, able to gauge a person's status by their attire and demeanor.

Jiang Yan, devoid of any designer labels, seemed to have failed to impress her.

"If you don't have an appointment, you'll need to schedule one. Please leave your name, phone number, and the purpose of your visit with Manager Zhao. She will arrange for someone to contact you when she's available," she said, sliding a form across the desk to Jiang Yan before resuming her conversation with the other receptionists.

"Hey, Xiao Yan, did you hear? Our company has chosen Han Xuening as the face of this year's new skincare line. She'll be visiting our offices in a few days."

"Really? I adore her! She's not only gorgeous, but she's also a talented actress and singer. I'm definitely going to ask for her autograph when she comes."

"Why settle for an autograph? I'm aiming for a selfie with her. Imagine posting that on WeChat Moments – my friends will be green with envy!"

Jiang Yan was busy filling out a form, half-listening to the chatter of the receptionists at the front desk.

He was struck by a sudden memory: during a movie they'd watched, Xu Fengqiu had mentioned her fondness for Han Xuening. He knew that meeting Xuening would thrill her to no end.

Having completed the form, Jiang Yan inquired, "I've finished the form. When might Manager Zhao Ya be available to meet with me?"

The receptionist, disinterested, waved him off without a glance.

"Just leave the form here and wait for us to contact you."

"Alright!"

Jiang Yan wasn't pressed for time. Wu Guang had said there was no rush, as long as they secured the Elizabeth Arden advertisement by month's end—and that was still a good ten days away.

His job at Wu Guang's company was merely a gesture to appease his mother-in-law; he had no intention of grinding away like a typical office drone.

After Jiang Yan departed, a receptionist picked up the form and snickered.

"Pfft, I knew there was something off about his outfit. It's from that tiny outfit, Vast Culture. Some guy named Wu Guang, claiming to be their general manager, even tried to ask me out to dinner."

"He's been pestering us daily for an appointment with Manager Zhao Ya, hoping to snag our company's advertising contract for the year. But his fledgling company doesn't stand a chance in the competition—it was an outright 'no' from Manager Zhao Ya. And yet, here they are, sending another rep."

Another receptionist laughed, "These small firms have it tough. Our advertising contracts start in the millions; they're lucrative deals. Everyone wants a slice, but with the big agencies also in the hunt, these little players don't stand a chance."

The receptionist, Xiao Yan, crumpled Jiang Yan's carefully filled-out form and tossed it into the bin.

"No point in wasting time on a lost cause. I don't need another lecture from Manager Zhao Ya—she's notoriously unforgiving."

...

Stepping out of the Elizabeth Arden Company, Jiang Yan pondered where to go next. His days were usually spent tending to household chores, leaving him little opportunity to enjoy time out and about.

Now that I'm at work, I've actually found myself with some downtime.

Just then, my phone started ringing out of the blue.

It was Xu Fengqiu calling, so I picked up right away.

"Hey, honey?"

"Hey, are you at work right now?"

"Yeah, I'm on the job. The manager has me out handling some business. What's up?"

Xu Fengqiu's voice was brimming with barely contained happiness. She said cheerfully, "Oh, nothing much. I was just wondering how work is going for you. Keep your nose to the grindstone, okay? Being a salesperson is tough, but the commissions are good. If you put in the effort, it'll pay off, I promise."

"Sure, I'll give it my all."

"Also, don't bother picking me up after work tonight. Head straight to the Dragon River Hotel. I'll be waiting for you there."

I already knew about Xu Fengqiu's promotion, but I played dumb and asked, "What for?"

"Just come early after you finish work. I've got some good news to share with you then."

"Alright, I'm on it."

Hanging up, I couldn't help but feel a whole lot better.

It hit me then that my family owns stakes in numerous international companies, and it looks like Elizabeth Arden is one of the Chiang family's holdings.

Landing Elizabeth Arden as my first deal and with Xu Fengqiu urging me to excel, I knew nailing this deal and the commission that came with it would make her even happier.

So, I dialed up the Chiang family's internal line.

"Hello, this is Chiang Yan."

"Good day, young master Chiang Yan. How may I assist you?"

"And you are? Your voice doesn't ring a bell."

"I'm Wei Hai, the family's newly appointed Foreign Affairs Director. I've been in the role for over a year now. My predecessor, Elder Hong, retired due to age."

Having been out of touch with the Chiang family for three years, I was out of the loop on the internal staff changes.

But Wei Hai must be pretty skilled to have secured the role of Foreign Affairs Director.

"Manager Wei, could you check for me whether the Elizabeth Arden Company is under the Chiang family's control?"

"Just a moment, Young Master..."

Shortly after, Wei Hai responded, "Young Master Chiang Yan, our family indeed holds a stake in Elizabeth Arden Company—63% ownership."

Jiang Yan broke into a smile and inquired, "Excellent. Who oversees Yunzhou?"

"Yunzhou falls within the southern region of Huaxia, governed by Nandou. The specific individual in charge is Star Lord Ma Huayun of Nandou's Heavenly Liang Star. He orchestrated the bankruptcy of the Dahua Real Estate Group you requested the day before yesterday."

"Really? He handled things well last time. Have him get in touch with me; I need to discuss something with him."

A short time later, Jiang Yan received a call from an unknown number.

"Hello, is this Young Master Chiang Yan? This is Ma Huayun speaking."

The voice on the line was exceedingly deferential, even quivering slightly.

"Yes, speaking."

Ma Huayun spoke with palpable excitement, "Young Master Yan, it's a privilege to have you visit my jurisdiction. May I know if you have any directives?"

"There's nothing at the moment. Should I need anything, I'll reach out to you."

"Young Master Yan, would you do me the honor of joining me for a meal, as a gesture of my hospitality?"

"That sounds fine, but I'm unavailable this evening. Let's plan for tomorrow."