Great, it's a scalper, we're saved!

As soon as Zheng Fan entered the building, before he even started looking for his room number, he saw Jiang Sishan peeking halfway out of a door and waving at him with a look of delight.

"I thought you weren't coming."

As Jiang Sishan led Zheng Fan into the house, she spoke with some delight.

"I have considered it."

Zheng Fan said, looking around the room.

This is a standard two-bedroom apartment, and the total area is not large.

The living room was rather empty, with nothing else besides a sofa and a dining table.

However, it was cleaned very well; looking out from the entrance hall, the floor was so clean it was almost reflective.

"Huh? Why?"

Jiang Sishan tentatively asked.

She wasn't curious about the specific answer; she was just inexplicably afraid and didn't want to hear the reason she had guessed.

"It's too far."

Zheng Fan shrugged and said this.

This trip is indeed quite far.

Although both are in Penang, it took more than half an hour to drive there.

This was on a Saturday. If it were a weekday, with traffic jams, it would take at least an hour.

Upon hearing this answer, Jiang Sishan breathed a sigh of relief and then smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

"Thank you for your hard work!"

"As compensation, you're allowed to eat all the food today!"

But the next second, as if she had thought of something, Jiang Sishan immediately lowered her voice, pointed to the bedroom next door, and whispered, "I forgot to tell you, I share an apartment with someone else. My roommate is resting, so it's best if we keep our voices down."

"I don't think I've ever had a loud voice."

Zheng Fan looked in the direction Jiang Sishan was pointing and nodded thoughtfully.

He has a very sensitive nose; he could smell something odor in the room as soon as he entered. He was a little curious, but out of politeness, he didn't ask.

"Um...! I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going to cook."

"Isn't it ready yet?"

"There's one more dish that hasn't been cooked yet; it'll be ready in about ten minutes."

After saying that, Jiang Sishan went into the kitchen, and soon after, a metallic clanging sound came from inside.

Zheng Fan paced back and forth in the living room for a moment, then went into the kitchen after thinking for a while.

If Jiang Sishan lived alone, then he could wait outside with peace of mind.

But the thought of other people in the room made him feel uneasy.

"How did you get in here? It's so smoky in there."

Jiang Sishan was stirring the food in the pan with a spatula when she saw Zheng Fan push the door open and asked.

The range hood in the rented room wasn't very effective. Even though it was running at its highest setting, cooking fumes kept billowing out of the pot and filling the room.

"It's nothing, I'm just looking around."

A hint of surprise flashed in Zheng Fan's eyes.

He really hadn't expected that Jiang Sishan's cooking skills seemed... to be quite impressive.

Stir-frying is a real test of a chef's skills, and judging from Jiang Sishan's practiced movements, he certainly has some skill.

Are you hungry?

"no."

"Why are you being so polite? If you're hungry, you can eat what's ready first."

Several plates of cooked dishes were placed on the table next to the refrigerator. Zheng Fan looked at them and was somewhat surprised.

Stir-fried beef with scallions, braised pork ribs, and dry-fried potato slices.

It unexpectedly suited my taste preferences.

"Let's eat after you finish cooking."

Zheng Fan shook his head and said this.

"So you're really hungry?"

"..."

Annoyed lines appeared on Zheng Fan's forehead.

Today he witnessed firsthand that Jiang Sishan not only liked to reply randomly after reading messages, but also knew how to pick and choose which ones to reply to.

I ignore any answer that doesn't meet my expectations.

"I'm really not hungry..."

Before she finished speaking, Jiang Sishan took a creamy yellow cookie from the refrigerator and stuffed it directly into Zheng Fan's mouth.

Take a small bite, and it's crunchy and has a great texture, plus a hint of almond aroma.

"Is it delicious?"

"It's quite delicious."

"Hehe, I made them myself, almond cookies."

"You can bake too?"

"Of course! I dried the almonds myself; I picked them on my way to work."

"The apricot trees in the green belt?"

"Mmm."

"That one you can't pick..."

"It's ready! Bring the plate!"

"..."

Zheng Fan took a plate out of the cupboard, utterly speechless.

He was now certain that Jiang Sishan's random read replies were definitely intentional.

The last dish was stir-fried squid, fresh out of the wok and still steaming. Zheng Fan took a sniff and his eyes lit up.

"Oh, you brought something with you?"

As Jiang Sishan carried the dishes out, she suddenly noticed a red plastic bag on the side.

"We can't come empty-handed."

"What's inside?"

"Jujube cake".

"It smells so good!"

Jiang Sishan sat opposite Zheng Fan, sniffing the bag with a look of pure bliss.

"Why don't you try some?"

Zheng Fan said with a smile.

Jiang Sishan nodded and carefully took out a piece.

She took a small bite, then immediately closed her eyes, as if savoring the taste, before opening them again after a while.

"Where did you buy this?"

Jiang Sishan asked in surprise.

"Liuyunzhai".

"What kind of place is that? I've never heard of it before?"

"Uh... a food stall at a night market."

"They sell jujube cake at a street food stall?!"

"Who knows?"

Zheng Fan shook his head, feigning helplessness.

He wasn't deliberately hiding it; it was simply too troublesome to explain.

"How much is this one?"

"They didn't charge me; they gave it to me for free."

"Huh? Why am I giving this to you?"

"Uh... because I invested in that food stall."

Zheng Fan's lips twitched slightly.

Receiving a gift from a roadside food stall sounds rather absurd.

Fortunately, I wasn't lying about everything.

"I see."

Jiang Sishan nodded in sudden realization, then looked at Zheng Fan with a serious expression.

"You must treat their boss well."

Why?

"They put a lot of effort into it. Based on my years of baking experience, the cost of this jujube cake is definitely not low. It's made purely from top-quality red dates mashed into a paste. The ones sold in ordinary bakeries use technology and rudimentary techniques."

Jiang Sishan held the jujube cake in her palm, carefully examining it repeatedly with her eyes, her tone very confident.

"Let's eat, let's eat."

Zheng Fan wiped away his cold sweat and changed the subject.

I didn't expect this little thing to be able to tell so much from just one bite. It seems her cooking skills are really good. If I let her continue analyzing, who knows how complicated it would be to explain.

Jiang Sishan nodded and carefully put the jujube cake back into the bag.

Four dishes weren't many, but each one was very elaborate in flavor. Zheng Fan ate them one by one, and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

We must find a way to get Jiang Sishan to move to a place near our home!

Eating her cooking every day is definitely much better than ordering takeout!

However, since her workplace is nearby, it seems a bit inappropriate to ask her to move out so abruptly.

Why don't we find her a job?

Suddenly, Zheng Fan remembered the message he received that morning.

The title of Factory Director Jiang sounds pretty good, doesn't it?

No, it's Deputy Factory Director Jiang.

There was no more conversation; only the clatter of bowls and chopsticks filled the dining table. Zheng Fan continued eating, lost in thought, completely disregarding any semblance of decorum.

Jiang Sishan had finished eating early, but she didn't leave her seat. She sat quietly opposite him, resting her chin on her hands, watching Zheng Fan, who was making a fuss.

"I'm full!"

Zheng Fan put down his chopsticks, pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth, and patted his stomach with satisfaction.

In pursuit of health, he usually eats until he is 80% full, but now he has unconsciously eaten so much.

Jiang Sishan is indeed a skilled cook!

We absolutely have to take over that factory!

"I'll go wash the dishes!"

Upon seeing the clean plates and bowls, Jiang Sishan couldn't help but smile.

Even on her way to wash the dishes, she couldn't help but hum a little tune.

Outside the window, the sky remained overcast, and it seemed as if a light drizzle had begun to fall.

Zheng Fan stood on the balcony, gazing out the window, feeling relaxed and earnestly began to consider his earlier idea.

He had roughly learned about Penang Jianjun Electronics Factory when he received the order; it was a small factory with only a handful of employees.

Moreover, the factory's performance was not good, and a single instance of inventory buildup almost led to its bankruptcy.

Zheng Fan estimated that, based on Penang's land prices, the factory could definitely be acquired for around seven million.

"If it's just for Jiang Sishan, taking over a factory wouldn't be a big deal, but it's a bit too extravagant."

"But now..."

"I even have a spot for rent that I'm looking for."

Looking down at his T-shirt, Zheng Fan instantly made up his mind.

Using your own popularity to discredit other brands is never a good strategy.

The only way to maximize profits is to kill yourself.

However, although I have invested a lot, it's all been dividends. I've never owned a business that's entirely my own.

Jianjun Electronics Factory is a good option right now.

"To be able to have your own business."

"And someone can help take care of it."

"It can also solve the problem of three meals a day."

"Killing three birds with one stone!"

Zheng Fan muttered to himself, having made up his mind.

"Do you still want some of those almond cookies? There are still several left."

While she was thinking, Jiang Sishan finished cleaning the kitchen and came out carrying a plate of cookies.

However, no sooner had he finished speaking than the doorbell rang.

Ding-dong-

Jiang Sishan casually opened the noodle, and the next second, she couldn't help but take a few steps back.

"Who are you?"

Standing in front of me was a man in his early thirties, with a neatly combed back hairstyle, the hair wax making it reflect light.

He wore a floral shirt with the chest open, and there was a strong, pungent smell of perfume on him.

He doesn't seem like a good person at all.

"Oh, you're the Jiang Sishan that Wu Lili has been telling me about, right?"

Du Renrui stood at the door, looking in surprise at the figure inside.

"Oh, are you Lily's friend?"

Jiang Sishan frowned and asked, a look of disgust appearing on her face.

The man in front of her had a very aggressive gaze, looking her up and down like a hungry wolf, which made her very uncomfortable.

"Brother Du! What brings you here!"

Before Du Renrui could respond, Wu Lili came out of the bedroom and said with feigned surprise.

Then, with an apologetic expression, he introduced, "Sishan, this is my manager, Du Renrui."

"Brother Du, this is Jiang Sishan, whom I've been telling you about. What do you think? Isn't she beautiful?"

She continued her introduction without paying any attention to Zheng Fan in the living room.

Du Renrui, as if they were old friends, walked directly into the room, glanced at Zheng Fan, and then turned back to look at Jiang Sishan.

"She's really pretty, like the girl next door."

Du Renrui said with a smile, his gaze still fixed on Jiang Sishan.

"Brother Du, why didn't you say anything before you came?"

Wu Lili feigned confusion and asked.

"I've always heard you say that your roommate is really good at taking photos. Our company has a few new models who need photoshoots, and I thought, since we'll definitely have to pay for the photos anyway, why not just give them to your roommate instead of paying an outside photographer?"

"After all, it's better to keep the good stuff in the family, right?"

Du Renrui said this.

"Brother Du is so kind-hearted."

Wu Lili feigned a sigh and looked at Jiang Sishan: "Sishan, Brother Du has always taken good care of me. I didn't expect that he would think of you so much just because I mentioned you once."

Hearing this conversation, Jiang Sishan's expression gradually softened.

She had always known that Wu Lili's work was somewhat questionable. And as the manager, Du Renrui's attire wasn't surprising.

"Thank you, Sister Lily."

Out of politeness, Jiang Sishan forced a smile and said this.

After saying that, he went directly to Zheng Fan's side and hid slightly behind Zheng Fan.

"Sishan, are you free this afternoon? Go take some photos with Brother Du."

Wu Lili asked.

"I……"

Jiang Sishan hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to agree.

Since they started living together, Wu Lili has been very kind to her, like a caring older sister.

So she wasn't worried about encountering any bad things; she simply didn't quite like Du Renrui.

"Sishan, you can't let me come all this way for nothing. I've already talked to the boss, and I'll bring the photographer over later."

Du Renrui put his hands together and said with a sincere expression.

"Is our boss here too? Oh dear, if this doesn't work out, you're going to get a scolding."

Wu Lili, standing to the side, added fuel to the fire, looking at Jiang Sishan with a worried expression, and said, "Sishan, just do your sister a favor, Brother Du is a really nice guy..."

They had discussed it before they came.

The photo shoot is definitely real. Anyway, there are so many models at the mall, it's not difficult to just grab a few people for a photo shoot.

The primary objective is to buy time.

Take some photos of the models to kill time in the afternoon. After that, invite Jiang Sishan to stay for a meal, have a few drinks, and things will be easier afterwards.

For Du Renrui, Jiang Sishan, a female college student who had just entered society, was too easy to control. As long as he made the deed into a fait accompli, and then casually threw in some gold coins, he could easily win her over.

"I almost forgot, Sishen has some friends here. Does she have something to do this afternoon?"

Seeing Jiang Sishan hesitate, Du Renrui seemed to have just realized Zheng Fan's presence and said with sudden realization.

However, when Du Renrui looked at Zheng Fan, he couldn't help but frown.

The man in front of her was indeed very handsome. As the manager of Shang K, he also had a group of male models under his command, but Zheng Fan's appearance was absolutely superior to theirs.

However, what made Du Renrui frown was that Zheng Fan narrowed his eyes slightly and gave him a look that seemed to be... looking at an idiot?

Why is this kid putting on an act?!