A good life starts with blind date

Chapter 295 Boss, can I borrow your car?

A fierce wind howled, and yellow sand filled the sky, plunging the world into darkness.

The Middle East's specialties are not only oil, but also sandstorms.

The plane circled in the air for half an hour before making a dramatic landing.

The crew members all breathed a long sigh of relief, putting their minds at ease.

Landing in this kind of weather is no joke; the risks are too great.

Only Jiang Ning remained calm throughout, showing no concern whatsoever.

Even if the plane crashes from 10,000 meters, he will be fine.

This is my second time visiting Yading, and I feel that this seaside town is becoming increasingly dilapidated.

Upon exiting the airport, Karen, the head of the negotiation team, came to greet them.

After getting in the car and heading to the hotel, Jiang Ning asked about the situation.

Jiang Ning asked, "Has the intention been conveyed?"

"That's clear," said Kren.

Kren said, "The other party has softened their stance, but the price is still not sincere. They can only lower it by $20 billion."

Jiang Ning asked, "Besides us, is there anyone else who is interested in buying?"

Kren shook his head: "No, that island has no resources. Its geographical location seems important, but it's actually not very valuable unless the Middle East is peaceful and the political situation is stable, which is impossible. I think even 100 billion is too much."

Jiang Ning said, "The value of a commodity depends on the needs of both parties. Just like the increase in gold prices in recent years, for people who don't need it, even 100 billion for that broken island is too expensive, but I think it's worth 10 billion."

Kren nodded: "We will do our best to complete the mission."

Jiang Ning said, "Let's make another appointment. I'll go take a look too."

Kren agreed and immediately made the call.

The negotiations dragged on for three months with little progress.

After resting for one night, we met the next day.

The Yemeni government consisted of a dozen or so people, led by a minister named Muhawad.

There were six of them, including Jiang Ning, sitting across the long conference table from each other.

This is the third meeting, and there has been some progress, but not much.

It involves the sale of territory, not just buying a bottle of mineral water; it's not that easy.

Moreover, since it was a private purchase, the Yemeni government was afraid of being stood up and making a fool of itself internationally.

It takes several rounds of negotiation to ascertain the buyer's true intentions.

The buyer's background has been investigated, which is why they softened their stance slightly.

Muhawad was very curious: "I would like to ask, what is your purpose in purchasing Socotra Island?"

Jiang Ning was quite frank, saying, "I have more money than I can spend, so I want to buy a piece of land as my private territory."

The group of poor Yemenis were dumbfounded.

So much money I can't spend it all...

Why does that sound so infuriating!

Jiang Ning got straight to the point: "This isn't our first meeting. You must have gotten to know me quite well by now. I'm interested in making a purchase, so please show some sincerity and let's have a proper discussion."

The group of officials exchanged glances.

Muhawad nodded and said, "Okay, Socotra Island has abundant natural scenery and..."

"Stop, stop, stop."

Jiang Ning interrupted rudely: "I know all that. I've been to that island, and I know the situation very well. Minister, please don't go into details. Let's talk about the price instead, so we can save some time."

Muhawad wasn't angry. Being interrupted by such a powerful client wasn't something he couldn't tolerate. He cleared his throat and said, "980 billion US dollars, that's our bottom line. Socotra Island is worth that price."

Jiang Ning remained unmoved: "That island isn't worth that price."

Muhawad continued his interrupted speech: "Socotra Island boasts abundant natural landscapes and geographical advantages. Located at a crucial juncture in international shipping routes, it possesses immense strategic value..."

Jiang Ning was getting drowsy listening to the other party. After the other party finished speaking, he cleared his throat and said, "First, natural landscapes can be found everywhere, and the natural landscapes of Somalia are not worth a hundred billion. Second, strategic value is not equivalent to US dollars. Unless the Middle East is peaceful and the pirates in Somalia are wiped out, that island has no value. So, Minister, you should show some sincerity!"

Muhawad remained unmoved: "Why don't you name a price?"

Jiang Ning said, "I think eight billion US dollars is quite reasonable."

"No no no..."

Muhawad shook his head repeatedly: "That's impossible."

Jiang Ning said, "Greenland is over 200 square kilometers, more than 60 times the size of Socotra. Greenland has abundant oil and gas resources, and America is offering $14 billion for it. What do you think Socotra has to offer?"

Muhawad retorted without mincing words: "You are not from America either."

Jiang Ning nodded: "That's why I'm willing to offer 80 billion, which is already a very sincere offer."

Muhawad said, "That's impossible."

"Then you should reconsider."

"No need to think about it!"

After the meeting, Jiang Ning returned to her hotel.

He convened a meeting with the negotiation team and then flew back to his hometown.

Business deals are negotiated, and this kind of big deal is different from buying land. It's considered fast if it can be negotiated in two or three years, but it's not uncommon for it to drag on for decades without a result. Jiang Ning didn't expect to reach an agreement after just one meeting.

It would be best to reach an agreement with him before he turns thirty.

If we can't reach an agreement, then we shouldn't pursue it.

Fly to the city.

"I don't have any travel plans recently. You can go home or go on a trip. Call me if you need anything."

Jiang Ning gave instructions to the crew and then returned to Bei'an.

The crew members did not follow him to Bei'an and went home.

When they arrived at the farm villa, Feng Yu was dancing.

I projected my phone screen onto the TV and learned by watching videos.

My daughter also started twisting and turning.

I like the warm and cozy feel of the scene.

Feng Xue was cooking in the kitchen. It wasn't that Feng Yu didn't want to help, but rather that she was making things worse. When Feng Yu went to help, her daughter wanted to come along, so she simply took the little one to dance to prevent her from causing trouble in the kitchen.

"Sweetie, look who's here."

As Jiang Ning entered, Feng Yu did not stop either.

I gestured to my daughter.

The little guy turned his head to look around, but didn't stop.

She continued to stare at the TV screen and twisted along with her mother.

Jiang Ning picked her up in one go, but the little one was unhappy.

"Ah ah ah..."

Jiang Tiantian twisted her little body in protest, wanting to get down on the ground and dance.

Jiang Ning kissed her cheeks a few times before putting her down.

The little guy kept twisting and turning, having a blast.

Jiang Ning then observed his wife's dance steps and gave her a thumbs up: "You danced well, much better than before."

Feng Yu stopped dancing and asked, "Have you finished your business?"

Jiang Ning said, "Everything's fine for now. I'll go to Europe next month."

"Hey, I've discovered something."

"what's up?"

"Have you noticed that you're getting fairer and fairer?"

"It seems so, he's almost become a gigolo."

"White spots are good, white spots are handsome."

"I don't make a living based on my looks."

"what……"

Feng Yu laughed, but was also quite puzzled: "Hey, you're exposed to the wind and sun every day, how come you don't get tanned, and you're even getting fairer?"

Jiang Ning didn't answer, but asked, "Where's my sister?"

Feng Yu said, "While I'm cooking, you watch Tian Tian play. I'll go check on things in the kitchen."

Jiang Ning nodded, but her daughter was not happy.

"Mother……"

Seeing that his mother was about to leave, the little guy stopped wriggling.

He immediately turned his head to look over.

"Sweetie, play with Daddy for a while, Mommy will go help Aunt Xue cook."

"Mother……"

Jiang Ning quickly coaxed, "Be good, Daddy will dance with you, okay?"

The little guy looked up and seemed to be considering something.

Jiang Ning quickly started dancing: "Come on, Daddy will dance with you."

Feng Yu almost burst out laughing and quickly turned around and went to the kitchen.

The little guy saw his dad jump and started jumping too.

I'm not looking for my mom anymore.

After a while, the dishes were ready.

Feng Yu brought out a plate of mutton and placed it on the dining table. Seeing her husband's dancing, she couldn't help but laugh again.

It's not like I've never seen a man dance before.

My husband's temperament is really not suited for dancing.

It's so jarring.

Despite exuding masculinity, his dance moves are incredibly alluring.

It feels hard to the touch, but when you jump, it's so soft it's like it has no bones.

She's no worse than a professional dancer.

It has a strong visual impact.

It makes me want to laugh just looking at it.

I danced with my daughter for a while, and then dinner was ready.

Put the little one in the high chair to eat.

They chatted about family matters.

Feng Yu said, "My brother has started growing vegetables in his greenhouse. I went to check it out yesterday."

Jiang Ning said, "It's meaningless."

Feng Yu said, "I also think it's pointless. When Ziwen goes to kindergarten, my brother and sister-in-law will definitely have to go too. After all their children are away, they can't stay at home to grow vegetables. They even have ranches in Australia."

Jiang Ning said, "It was arranged for his brother-in-law."

Feng Yu was taken aback: "Brother-in-law?"

Jiang Ning said, "Isn't it obvious? He won't let Jiang Ze and Jiang Wei invest, but he drags his brother-in-law into everything he does. I bet his sister-in-law has been whispering in his ear a lot. I bet it was his sister-in-law who persuaded him to buy the land."

Feng Yu was quite surprised, but quickly came to terms with it: "That's normal. After all, we're siblings. Our family has everything we need now, so a sister-in-law will definitely help her brother. If I had brothers, I would definitely ask you to help me out too."

……

At the Xincheng Hotel, Jiang Wei was having dinner with a few of his cronies.

Suddenly, I received a phone call: "Brother Wei, the boss is back."

"Okay, thanks! Let's have dinner together sometime!"

Jiang Wei hung up the phone and urged, "Hurry up, we have important business to attend to after dinner."

A friend asked, "Who made the call?"

Jiang Wei said, "The farm driver, the boss is back."

My friend asked in surprise, "Seriously? You need a driver to tip you off?"

Jiang Wei said, "Nonsense, I can't call Jiang Ning every day to ask where you are and when you're coming back. Even his own brother would get annoyed if he asked too many times. Why waste emotions when it can be done with a little money?"

"Makes sense."

Several friends nodded in agreement; they were all adults.

The logic here is crystal clear.

We ate lunch quickly and didn't drink any more alcohol.

As Jiang Wei went downstairs, he made a phone call to Jiang Ning.

"Viagra." "You're back?"

"How did you know?"

Jiang Ning was so surprised; he hadn't told anyone he was coming back.

Even his brother doesn't know!

Jiang Wei said, "I heard it from the people at the farm."

Jiang Ning didn't think much of it; Jiang Lao Er had friends all over Bei'an.

He knows more people than he does, so it's not surprising that he has connections with farm workers.

Several young women in the office building call him "brother," so it's normal for someone to tip him off.

"What's the matter?"

Where are you? Come out and sit for a while.

"It's time to eat."

"I'll come to the farm to find you."

"Ah."

Jiang Ning hung up the phone.

Feng Yu asked, "Did Brother Wei want to see you about something?"

Jiang Ning said, "It's probably about selling cattle."

Feng Yu knew about this, but Jiang Ning hadn't told her; she'd heard it from her cousin-in-law. She asked, "Are you really going to withdraw your shares from the second factory?"

Jiang Ning nodded: "If our views are not on the same wavelength, keeping them in the way of others is pointless. We don't have the time or energy to worry about them anyway, so why make them a thorn in our side? It's better to step aside and let them do what they want."

Feng Yu didn't care about these things, so she didn't ask any more questions.

I just finished cleaning up after lunch.

Jiang Wei and Jiang Ze then arrived.

Feng Xue brewed some tea, but Jiang Ning didn't intend to speak inside the room.

The little guy wanted lunch, so he brought out a table and chairs.

I placed it by the pool in the backyard and grabbed another case of beer.

The three brothers sat by the pool, drinking beer and chatting.

Feng Yu and Feng Xue played with their daughter for a while before going upstairs for a nap.

Jiang Wei asked, "Do you plan to withdraw all your shares, or just a portion?"

Jiang Ning said, "Withdraw completely, leave not a single share."

Jiang Wei sighed, "If you all withdraw, will you still be able to survive those two matches?"

Jiang Ning said, "That's not my concern."

Jiang Wei and Jiang Ze exchanged glances, both understanding each other without saying a word.

Some things don't need to be said; we all know what's going on.

If Jiang Ning really doesn't care, then what's the point of playing the second game?

Jiang Ze asked, "When are you going to withdraw your shares?"

Jiang Ning said, "Sell the cattle and then leave."

The two brothers instantly realized that this special seedling had clearly been a trap set up in advance.

They were just waiting to evacuate before preparing to bury people.

Jiang Wei was curious: "How much can the shares in the second venue be sold for?"

Jiang Ning said, "At least five billion, but I don't plan to take the money."

The two were taken aback. Jiang Ze asked, "Why?"

Jiang Ning said, "If I withdraw, the second farm will be wiped out, and who knows what kind of trouble will ensue. I just need to get back the capital I invested in building the farm, and I won't take a single penny more. Whatever happens then has nothing to do with me."

The two brothers felt a chill run down their spines.

Just think about those companies that lease pastureland, and you'll get a chill down your spine.

Jiang Ning said, "Don't talk nonsense outside, or you'll be stuck with these cattle!"

The two nodded quickly; they dared not say anything out of line.

If those companies that leased the pasture knew that Boss Jiang was going to withdraw his investment, they would be in an uproar. Nobody is stupid. Even if they didn't know that the two pastures would die after Jiang Ning left, the withdrawal of capital by the major shareholder is no small matter.

At least those who want to enter the market should wait and see for a while before making a decision.

Don't even think about selling your cattle for a high price by transferring pasture.

They'll only be able to sell them cheaply to cattle dealers.

Nearly three thousand cattle, that's tens of millions.

Which cattle dealer has that kind of ability? It's not something that can be sold in a short time.

Unless it's sold to other ranches at a rock-bottom price.

Jiang Ning asked, "How's the contact going? Has anyone wanted it?"

Jiang Wei said, "There are many people who want it; they all want to claim the pasture. We're still negotiating!"

"how's the price?"

"Everyone wants to get a good deal, with the highest offer being 4200 million."

How many are you looking to sell them for?

Jiang Ze continued, "It should be at least 4500 million."

Jiang Ning asked, "How much has been invested?"

Jiang Wei said, "We've poured in 2700 million yuan in total, and we're almost at our breaking point. If we don't see any return on our investment, the school cafeteria won't be allowed to operate anymore. If that happens, I'll really have to go begging."

"Would you like me to get you a broken bowl?"

Stop talking nonsense!

Jiang Ze said, "The cost of feed for a cow is three thousand yuan a year. We've been raising them for over a year, and we've only made enough to cover the feed costs. If we sell them for 4500 million, we can make 1800 million. But the rest of us don't make much money."

Jiang Wei was already rubbing his hands together: "I'll sell the cow and buy a Panamera instead."

Jiang Ning glanced sideways and gave a thumbs up: "Brother Wei really knows how to live life to the fullest. He enjoys himself while he has money."

Jiang Wei felt a sense of urgency: "I'm thirty-three. If I don't get a better car soon, my life will be over."

Jiang Ze said, "What do you plan to do after selling the cow? Stop eating and drinking?"

Jiang Wei, returning to reality, looked at Jiang Ning: "If I sell the cow, I'll really be unemployed. Find me some work!"

Jiang Ning took a swig of beer and said, "What you want to do, the key question is, what can you do?"

Jiang Wei said, "Could you get me some construction work? Isn't Qize building a site?"

Jiang Ning said, "Don't even think about it. Engineering isn't suitable for you. The prices here are low and the profits aren't high. Even Boss Zhou lost money doing this and still hasn't learned his lesson? Even if you finish the job carefully, you don't have the equipment. In the end, you'll only earn some worthless scrap metal. Do you really want to do engineering for the rest of your life? Look at those engineering bosses, how many of them actually have any money left in their pockets after all the debts they have?"

Jiang Wei thought for a while, then gave up the idea and said, "Then you have to find me something to do."

Jiang Ning said, "Let's continue running the restaurant. It's better to stick to what you know than what you don't."

Jiang Wei shook his head: "No way. I've had enough of the catering business after seven or eight years. Can you get me a mine? Get me a gold mine in Africa, and I'll go with you to mine for gold."

Jiang Ning glanced at him again: "Selling the cow will only net you a few million. What can you do with that little bit of money?"

Jiang Wei immediately pulled someone aside: "Boss, how about we go head-to-head?"

Jiang Ze, being cautious, asked Jiang Ning, "Can you get your hands on a gold mine?"

Jiang Ning held the beer bottle and pondered. Business hadn't been good these past two years. Jiang Ze's clothing store was also struggling, barely making a little pocket money, and it was about to close down. After selling the cow, both of them were facing unemployment.

We should still help them if we can.

Jiang Ning said, "There are gold mines, but things outside are not like back home. Africa is not peaceful, so you should think it over."

Jiang Wei took a sip of beer and said, "With you here, I'm not afraid."

Jiang Ning said, "Anything can happen in a place without order. I've been shot in the back before. And in Africa, you could lose your life from a mosquito bite. Think it over. If you want to go, I'll get you a mine."

Jiang Wei was startled: "Is it really that dangerous?"

Jiang Ning wasn't joking, and nodded, "Of course!"

Jiang Ze hesitated for a moment: "I need to think about it carefully. Let's talk about it after the New Year!"

Jiang Ning nodded, "That's for the best."

Think it through carefully; you can't make decisions on a whim.

Jiang Wei suddenly remembered something: "Did you guys see the rotten meat incident at that school?"

Jiang Ze said, "I saw it."

Jiang Ning hadn't heard of it and asked, "What rotten meat incident?"

Jiang Wei then provided some information about the recent scandal involving a school cafeteria.

The online debate is raging, and the negative public opinion impact is extremely bad.

Jiang Ning had no reaction to this: "What's so special about this? School cafeterias in Bei'an have also had scandals before. If the guy who contracted the No. 1 Middle School cafeteria hadn't been sent to prison by Lao Lu, you wouldn't have had the chance to contract the No. 1 Middle School cafeteria."

Jiang Wei felt heavy-hearted: "Sigh, schools these days are unpredictable. I heard that the school cafeteria is charging a contract fee again, and the food isn't very good anymore. There are so many other upsetting things. I'm thinking of sending my son to school elsewhere."

Jiang Ning said, "Getting out is easy, but what about after that?"

Jiang Wei said, "Come back after you finish university!"

Jiang Ning said, "You're just making things up. Different countries have different circumstances. Once you get used to life abroad, it's hard to adapt to the rules of your hometown when you come back. Unless you're a local official who can arrange things clearly, it's all nonsense."

Jiang Wei thought about it and agreed, so he gave up the idea.

Jiang Ze asked, "What's Boss Lu doing now? Have you seen him?"

Jiang Ning said, "I've seen him, he's doing charity work!"

Jiang Ze sighed, "What a pity. It's rare to find such a good local official. He only served for three years before leaving. By the way, what kind of charity work did Boss Lu do?"

Jiang Ning said, "The farm has established a charitable foundation to help children who have contracted rare diseases but whose families are unable to afford medical expenses. Lao Lu is in charge of the foundation's daily operations."

Jiang Ze was surprised: "Boss Lu is working for you?"

"That's not the case."

Jiang Ning said, "Charitable foundations are non-profit organizations, so Lao Lu isn't exactly working for me."

Jiang Wei said, "These days, charitable foundations do everything except good deeds. It's reassuring to have Boss Lu in charge. At least he won't use your money to buy Rolls-Royces and Maybachs. It's hard to say what would happen if it were someone else."

"That's right."

Jiang Ning deeply agreed, which was also the opinion of Lao Lu.

If it were someone else, he would definitely be keeping an eye on the finances.

After chatting for an hour, Jiang Wei and Jiang Ze left.

Jiang Ning went to the office building before her daughter woke up.

After sitting with Lao Yang for a while, the old man assigned him a task: "This year's annual meeting should be held properly. Each department has already started preparing programs. You also need to prepare a program, preferably with Feng Yu on stage."

"no problem."

Jiang Ning is a young person and enjoys participating in such activities.

But why only Feng Yu...?

Jiang Ning asked, "Is Feng Xue not suitable?"

"Uh……"

The old man was a little stunned: "Of course it's possible, but can Feng Xue perform a talent show?"

Jiang Ning decisively corrected his misconception: "Who said that you can't perform if you can't speak? That's prejudice. Feng Xue can play the piano. She can sing a duet with me and Feng Yu, and Feng Xue can play the piano for us. I can also be her backup dancer. Wouldn't that be great?"

The old man chuckled, "That would be best. The main thing is to make it lively, not too serious. You guys decide how to prepare, but it can't be too shabby either. We'll invite people from the county and employees of the Xincheng Hotel to come and watch."

Jiang Ning readily agreed and also mentioned something: "You should look into this. Traveling abroad is too expensive. There's not much to do in the winter, so we could organize employees on rotation to travel domestically, to places like Sanya, Suzhou, and Hangzhou. They can bring their families, and they can take turns going twice a year. It won't cost much, and I think it's more economical than going abroad."

Old Yang nodded: "There's not much to do abroad. I went once and never wanted to go again. It's just so-so. At most, it's something new to do. Actually, it's not as good as domestic travel. You can join a tour group to the south for a week and it only costs a few thousand yuan."

Jiang Ning said, "Only parents, wives, and children are allowed; others are not permitted."

Old Yang readily agreed: "Don't worry, it's nothing, I'll arrange it later."

The two chatted for half an hour and also discussed the year-end bonus.

As usual this year, I will receive twenty months' salary.

We can't pay more because the basic salary has increased again.

Inflation has been so severe in the past two years that the central bank has been printing money like crazy.

Prices are rising, and wages should rise accordingly.

Jiang Ning got up to leave, but Kong Fangfei heard the noise and chased after her.

"Boss, can I borrow your car for a moment?"

"what?"

Kong Fangfei said, "My cousin is getting married, so I need to borrow your sports car."

Jiang Ning: "..."

(End of this chapter)