Pretty and charming, dressed in the 90s, she's good at everything from making money to causing

Lin Ting received a lesson on rejecting romantic fantasies and had no doubts about the central idea, but she still couldn't help but have doubts and curiosity about the details.

She hesitated, unsure how to begin.

Mr. Jiang glanced at her and smiled: "I want to ask why Old Master Zhong asked me to marry Zhong Jiaqing instead of recognizing her as my sister?"

Lin Ting nodded.

I really want to know.

“Because the Zhong family was on its last legs at that time, anyone could have torn a piece of flesh from them,” said Jiang’s father. “At that time, most of the Jiang family had moved back to Shanghai. If they recognized her as their sister, the Zhong family might be safe for a year or two, but eventually the favor would be exhausted.”

Lin understood immediately when he said that.

What Mr. Zhong meant was: I'll give you all my remaining possessions in exchange for your guarantee that my daughter will live a peaceful and worry-free life.

The Zhong family's downfall is clearly not something that can be reversed in a year or two. If Zhong Jiaqing keeps seeking help from the Jiang family, even the emperor would find her annoying.

Marriage changes everything; would Jiang's father not protect his own interests then?

He knew his own daughter well. It was probably because Mr. Zhong had no hope that Zhong Jiaqing could revitalize the family business that he chose to settle for second best and ensure his daughter's smooth life.

There was an element of gambling involved, but for the Zhong family at that time, there was no better option.

Lin Ting had a slight toothache.

She suddenly understood another deeper meaning behind the fact that no one in the Jiang family stopped Jiang Zong from lavishly arranging things for Jiang Bao—to save face for Zhong Jiaqing.

In fact, many places have a rule that children who die young should not have a grand funeral, but the Jiang family not only did not follow this rule, but instead held a grand funeral.

Is it because they're short of that little bit of money for the wedding gift?

of course not.

The message is to tell outsiders that it wasn't Miss Zhong who lost the child, but Mrs. Jiang.

Mr. Jiang was not surprised at all that Zhong Jiaqing wanted to return to Hong Kong, probably because he had already guessed that she would make this choice.

If Chung Ka-ching were to return to Hong Kong quietly, she would inevitably be the subject of all sorts of rumors, and anyone would dare to take a jab at her.

Mr. Jiang still had no love for Zhong Jiaqing, but he kept his promise and protected her.

Suddenly, Jiang's father asked Lin Ting, "Tingting, if you were me, what would you do?"

Lin Ting pondered for a moment, but remained steadfast in her conviction: "I will not use marriage as a bargaining chip."

Mr. Jiang looked at Lin Ting intently, waiting for her to finish speaking.

Lin Ting: "But we can recognize her as our daughter."

Jiang's father: "...?"

such……

Even if Dr. Zhong could be saved, wouldn't he be so angry that he would die?

Mr. Jiang was stunned for a long time, then suddenly laughed.

He laughed for a while, then raised his hand to wipe the excess expression from his face, and changed the subject, asking, "By the way, I heard that your new business is human trafficking?"

He had forgotten where he heard the news, but he was shocked.

Lin Ting instantly felt wronged: "What do you mean by trafficking people? I clearly said sending highly skilled talents to major capitalist countries."

Mr. Jiang pondered for three seconds, then hesitated slightly: "How about offering study abroad training?"

"It's still you, Master, who understands me best!" Lin Ting clapped vigorously.

Mr. Jiang nodded in affirmation: "Nowadays, people in their thirties are studying stocks, and people in their twenties are thinking about going abroad. It's a project with great potential."

He then asked, "Does it require investment?"

"Not yet," Lin Ting said with a smile. "It's the initial stage, so I don't plan to make it too big. Let's try it out first."

"Let me know if you need any help," Mr. Jiang said, praising, "I'm very interested in your project."

"Hehe, thank you, Master."

……

Sixteen hours before leaving Shanghai, Lin Ting held a meeting with the Sweet Honey Milk Tea project team, who had returned to Shanghai two weeks prior.

Their work is progressing well; they have already selected twelve store locations.

From Huaihai Road to various universities, the site selection is not bold, but it is very prudent.

The milk supplier has been negotiated, and the price is very reasonable.

If Lin Ting doesn't come to Shanghai, they will have to send someone back to report to him.

Lin Ting went through all the documents, crossed out the two shops at the Stock Exchange and the Import and Export Building, and then said while writing a check:

"The other ten are fine. You can go and negotiate. The decoration plan can refer to the Sweet Honey in Shenyang. Finally, we will agree on an opening date and buy a newspaper advertisement."

She pushed the check to the person in charge and asked, "Is there a problem?"

The team leader is Sun Haidao, a middle-aged fat man with a naturally smiling face and a deceptively charming appearance.

He said honestly, "I think the two stores you crossed out also have great potential. The people who frequent these two places are all wealthy and influential, which is a great opportunity to enter the high-end market."

“Unlikely.” Lin Ting shook his head. “Businessmen in Shanghai are very particular about style. They prefer coffee and cigars to milk tea.”

“The milk tea industry is indeed appealing to younger consumers, which is evident from our customer base. However, I believe it is necessary to open stores in these two locations, not just for the sake of making a profit.”

Sun Haidao also had his own considerations and did not give up his ideas just because Lin Tingti rejected them.

“I understand what you mean,” Lin Ting nodded, “but now is not the time to seize market share.”

For chain brands, opening stores in certain locations is not solely for profit; market layout considerations also play a role.

However, for the current Sweethearts, that time is still far off.

"Okay, I understand what you mean."

"Okay, let's leave it at that for now, take it slow." Lin Ting closed the documents. "You can start recruiting now. Once we've recruited enough people, I'll have someone come and train them."

"Ok."

Sun Haidao closed his notebook and, seeing that Lin Ting had no intention of leaving, said, "Miss Lin, where should we choose for the next city? I can send a colleague in charge of the market to conduct research first."

This small team of ten has a clear division of responsibilities, and each member is capable of handling things independently.

"Does Mr. Sun have any suggestions?" Lin asked instead of answering.

Sun Haidao didn't mince words, stating directly, "I have four alternatives. The first is Beijing. There's not much to say about it; whether it's the number of universities and young people, or the economic level, Beijing is a very good market. However, the costs in Beijing are correspondingly much higher."

"Secondly, there's Shenzhen. Countless people flock to Shenzhen every day, mostly young people. However, the problem is that Shenzhen's dietary habits differ greatly from those in the north, posing some market risks."

"Thirdly, Bincheng (City of Coastal Development) and fourthly, Hangzhou. Both cities have good economies and excellent tourism resources. If you want to open a shop in either of these cities, I suggest focusing on scenic spots, such as West Lake or the seaside, in addition to locations near universities."

Sun Haidao had clearly considered these cities for a long time, and he spoke of them with great familiarity, analyzing the advantages and disadvantages clearly and thoroughly.

Lin Ting was very satisfied with what he heard. After clapping his hands, he said, "The differences in taste in Shenzhen will take some time to adjust. For now, let's put it on hold and consider Binzhou and Hangzhou first, and control the costs."

These two cities also have another advantage—they are close to Shanghai and Shenyang, making them easier to manage.

"Ok."

Sun Haidao nodded in agreement, seemingly unsurprised, as if he had the same idea.