Reborn in 72, I hunt to support my family and spoil my younger sister rotten.

In the afternoon, Tian Guoqiang dialed Lin Yajing's number.

"Ya Jing, it's me, Tian Guoqiang."

"Guoqiang?" Lin Yajing's voice sounded somewhat surprised. "Is there something wrong?"

"I'd like to discuss with you in detail about Hualian's plans to expand in East China," Tian Guoqiang said, trying to sound very businesslike. "Director Chen mentioned last time that orders were doubling; we need to prepare in advance."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone: "This definitely requires detailed discussion. But Guoqiang, I'd like to ask, what are Mr. Li's thoughts on this expanded cooperation?"

“He attaches great importance to it,” Tian Guoqiang said. “After all, this is the first major project in our tripartite cooperation, and its success will benefit everyone.”

"Okay, I'm free tomorrow afternoon. Let's arrange a place to talk."

"Okay, same old place, that teahouse."

After hanging up the phone, Tian Guoqiang let out a long sigh of relief. Li Xiangyang observed his expression from the side, secretly shaking his head. This Tian Guoqiang still had feelings for Lin Yajing; you could tell just from the change in his tone when he answered the phone.

The following afternoon, Tian Guoqiang and Lin Yajing met at a teahouse. Li Xiangyang did not go with them, but instead handled other matters at the hotel.

“Ya Jing, you look a little tired,” Tian Guoqiang said with concern.

“The work pressure has been quite high lately,” Lin Yajing said, picking up her teacup and taking a small sip. “Hualian is preparing to fully enter the East China market, and our purchasing department’s workload has almost doubled.”

"That's a good thing; it shows that Hualian is developing well."

Lin Yajing gave a wry smile: "The development is good, but most of the benefits have gone to the upper management. We middle managers have seen our workload increase, but our compensation hasn't changed much."

Tian Guoqiang's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "What specific requirements do you have for this increase in orders?"

"The main concerns are quality stability and timely delivery." Lin Yajing took out a folder. "This is a detailed list of requirements I've compiled. Please take a look."

Tian Guoqiang flipped through the documents, his mind preoccupied with Lin Yajing's words. It seemed she was indeed somewhat dissatisfied with Hualian.

"Ya Jing, I have a question for you." Tian Guoqiang put down the documents. "If there were a better opportunity for development, would you consider it?"

Lin Yajing was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

"I mean, hypothetically," Tian Guoqiang quickly added, "If there were a platform that would give you more room to grow and higher income, would you be interested?"

Lin Yajing was silent for a moment, then said, "Guoqiang, is there something you want to say?"

"No, I was just asking," Tian Guoqiang quickly changed the subject. "Let's talk about work."

But Lin Yajing clearly wasn't going to let the topic go easily: "Guoqiang, we've known each other for so many years, I can guess some of what you're thinking. If Tianrun has any plans, just say so."

Tian Guoqiang was somewhat embarrassed, not expecting Lin Yajing to be so perceptive. He hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to probe: "Actually, Mr. Li mentioned that Tianrun might need a senior executive with retail industry experience in the future."

"Oh?" Lin Yajing's eyes lit up. "What kind of position?"

"The specifics haven't been finalized yet, but it will definitely be senior management," Tian Guoqiang said cautiously. "Of course, this is just a preliminary idea; there are no concrete plans yet."

Lin Yajing fell into deep thought. Although Hualian was a large platform, she had been there for several years, and her room for advancement was indeed limited. Moreover, the internal struggles within the company had been fierce recently, and she was caught in the middle, which made her very uncomfortable.

“If such an opportunity were to arise, I would certainly be interested in learning more,” Lin Yajing finally said. “However, I need to see the specific development plan and compensation package.”

“That’s understandable.” Tian Guoqiang was overjoyed, but remained outwardly calm. “However, this is still just an idea; a concrete plan will take time to develop.”

“Then I’ll wait for your news.” Lin Yajing put away the documents. “However, Guoqiang, there’s one thing I need to make clear. If we really want to cooperate, I hope we can maintain a purely working relationship.”

Tian Guoqiang looked somewhat embarrassed: "Ya Jing, I..."

"I know you still have feelings for me, but we're already married," Lin Yajing said firmly. "Let bygones be bygones. Now we can only be work partners."

Tian Guoqiang was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "I understand."

Back at the hotel, Tian Guoqiang reported the conversation to Li Xiangyang.

"Is she interested in changing jobs?" Li Xiangyang asked.

“She’s interested, but cautious,” Tian Guoqiang said. “She asked to see the specific development plan and compensation package.”

“That’s normal,” Li Xiangyang nodded. “Any experienced professional manager would make that request.”

"Mr. Li, what do you think we should do?"

Li Xiangyang stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the street scene outside. Guangzhou's night was bustling, with flashing neon lights and a constant flow of traffic.

"Mr. Tian, ​​I have a question for you." Li Xiangyang turned around, "If Lin Yajing really joins Tianrun, can you guarantee that everything will be handled completely impartially?"

Tian Guoqiang nodded without hesitation: "I can guarantee it."

“Making a promise is one thing, delivering on it is another,” Li Xiangyang said earnestly. “Human emotions are complex and cannot be completely controlled by willpower alone.”

"Mr. Li, you don't agree to her joining?" Tian Guoqiang asked nervously.

“I didn’t say I disagreed,” Li Xiangyang sat down again, “but we need to establish some rules to avoid problems in the future.”

"What rules?"

“First, if Lin Yajing joins Tianrun, she must completely sever business ties with Hualian to avoid a conflict of interest,” Li Xiangyang said, counting on his fingers. “Second, she reports to me, not you. Third, she only has the right to advise on major company decisions, not the right to make them.”

After hearing this, Tian Guoqiang felt somewhat uncomfortable: "Mr. Li, wouldn't that mean her power is too limited?"

“President Tian, ​​you need to understand one thing,” Li Xiangyang’s tone became serious, “Tianrun is currently in a critical period of development, and I cannot allow any factors to affect the company’s progress. If Lin Yajing can accept these conditions, it means she genuinely wants to develop the business here. If she cannot accept them, it means her motives are not pure.”

Tian Guoqiang was silent for a moment, then nodded: "I understand. So what's our next step?"

“First, we’ll develop a detailed talent recruitment plan,” Li Xiangyang said. “This will include job descriptions, salary and benefits, and career prospects. Then we’ll give her a month to consider it carefully and make a decision.”

"A month? Isn't that too long?"

“Not long.” Li Xiangyang shook his head. “An important career decision deserves a month to consider. Besides, it allows us to observe her decision-making ability and determination.”