Chapter 783
Cousin
In the elevator, Chen Xiao received a message from Zhao Xiangjun: "Chen Xiao, come home for dinner tonight. Your cousin is here!"
cousin?
Did Chen Xiao know who Xiang Jun was talking about? It was Shen Jun's nephew, her sister's son—Zhang Yi! He was more than ten years older than Chen Xiao, and was now middle-aged, with his child almost in college.
This cousin went to visit his aunt, Chen, in Laiwu at the beginning of the year. Zhao Xiangjun was home at the time, and that's how they met.
As Shen Yun's only nephew, she felt very sorry for him. She even called Chen Xiao separately to ask him to help him.
However, compared to Zhang Yi, Chen Xiao was closer to Chen Long. Firstly, they were both members of the Chen family, and secondly, Chen Xiao had more contact with Chen Long when he was younger.
Shen Yun wasn't originally from Hanjiang; after marrying Chen Tao, she settled in Laiwu. Her sister, on the other hand, stayed in their hometown. Living in different provinces, they rarely saw each other, maybe twice a year at most. And Chen Xiao wasn't always there when they met.
Unlike with Chen Long, Chen Xiao not only lent him money but also helped him plan his business. Chen Long's seafood buffet is now rapidly expanding within Junxiao Business Management's system. At the current rate, achieving annual revenue of over 300 billion yuan in two years is not difficult.
But things were different for Zhang Yi. Chen Xiao had prepared 5 million yuan for him. That's right, he lent him 5 million yuan. In his heart, he didn't intend for Zhang Yi to pay it back. He wasn't short of money, and he wanted to give these relatives some small support.
But the small amount of support he felt was anything but small for Zhang Yi. Zhang Yi almost fainted with happiness at that moment. 5 million yuan! That's enough to earn interest in a bank account, since Chen Xiao didn't charge interest on the money he gave him.
Shen Jun was startled at the time, but considering the wealth his son now possessed, 5 million yuan was probably not much money to him.
Shen Yun was very satisfied with this support; if her son hadn't been away, she would have given him at least five thumbs up. She understood Chen Xiao's intentions, so she instructed Zhang Yi to use the 500 million yuan for legitimate business, and not to use the Junxiao Group's name. She knew Chen Xiao was only willing to give money, not to put in the effort, and therefore didn't want Zhang Yi to cause Chen Xiao any more trouble.
Seeing that her mother-in-law wanted to help her nephew but was also worried about the impact on her son, Zhao Xiangjun said to Zhang Yi's wife, "Sister-in-law, if you need any help later, you can contact me!"
Zhang Yi and his wife were unaware of Zhao Xiangjun's power, but Shen Yun was overjoyed!
This daughter-in-law is a good person, has plenty of time, and is incredibly meticulous. With Xiangjun's help, her assistance will be even more effective than Chen Xiao's.
Zhao Xiangjun had mentioned this once, but Chen Xiao hadn't taken it seriously at all. Unexpectedly, this cousin of his came to Xishan Linyu today.
He replied to Xiangjun, saying he would go home early in the afternoon.
The lounge on the second floor was filled with a lazy, warm atmosphere and low background music. Zhang Ziqian and Qiu Qiaoqiao sat listlessly on a sofa in the corner, trying to suppress their yawns. Men in bathrobes frequently cast admiring or covetous glances their way, and some even went so far as to approach them directly. The two were already used to this kind of harassment.
Zhang Ziqian's gaze remained fixed on the direction of the elevator, her phone screen still lit up, displaying a message from Chen Xiaogang: "Get ready to come down." Qiu Qiaoqiao, on the other hand, lowered her eyelashes, as if everything around her was irrelevant, radiating a cold and aloof aura that kept everyone at arm's length.
Just then, a young man wearing a brand-new disposable bathrobe, his hair still wet, with what he thought was his most charming smile on his face, struck a dashing pose and walked up to them:
"Hey, you two beauties!"
He deliberately softened his voice, his gaze shifting between Zhang Ziqian and Qiu Qiaoqiao before finally settling on Zhang Ziqian's face, who seemed "more approachable."
"Is this seat taken?" He pointed to the empty seat next to the sofa.
Qiu Qiaoqiao didn't even lift her eyelids, as if there was only a wisp of air in front of her.
Zhang Ziqian happened to look at the elevator again, and her eyes lit up instantly—Chen Xiao's figure finally appeared at the elevator entrance!
She looked away, then at the greasy-smiling man in front of her, she felt nothing but annoyance and impatience. She simply waved her hand, her tone as indifferent as if shooing away a fly:
"Someone's there! Someone's there!"
The smile on the man's face froze instantly!
He hadn't expected the other person to be so rude! Based on his past experience, even if he refused, the other person would politely say something like, "Sorry, I'm waiting for someone." This direct waving and dismissal was a huge insult to his charm!
He had just been promoted to head of purchasing fresh produce at Junxiao Supermarket, a time when he was riding high and being fawned over wherever he went. He had never experienced such cold treatment before. A surge of anger and a strong desire to conquer welled up inside him!
Face? What's face worth? In front of a beauty of this caliber, face is something to be thrown away!
He quickly adjusted his mindset, shamelessly continued to pester her, and forced an even more "sincere" smile onto his face:
"The person hasn't arrived yet, right? Look, this seat is empty anyway, so I'll just sit here for a little while?"
He pointed to the single sofa next to him, his tone slightly ingratiating:
"I'll leave as soon as your friends arrive! I definitely won't bother you!"
"I'm here, you can leave now!"
No sooner had the man finished speaking than a slightly displeased voice sounded behind him. He turned around and saw Chen Xiao looking annoyed.
"Who are you?" He looked at Chen Xiao, then turned to Zhang Ziqian: "Is this your boyfriend?"
Before Zhang Ziqian could answer, Chen Xiao lazily replied, "Otherwise, would I have brought her here?"
The man was speechless, gave an awkward laugh, but his heart was bleeding: "What a pity! What a real pity!"
His gaze swept greedily over Zhang Ziqian and Qiu Qiaoqiao again, unwilling to slink away like that. A plan formed in his mind—since he had no chance with the beautiful woman, why not try to outshine this "boyfriend" in front of her and get some revenge?
He puffed out his chest, his face regaining that professionally superior smile, and looked at Chen Xiao, striking up a conversation in a tone of "like-mindedness":
"Hey bro, where are you working?"
He was trying to create an atmosphere of "everyone's out having fun, let's chat."
Chen Xiao didn't want to pay him any attention; he just wanted him to get lost. But since the man was blocking the way, Chen Xiao frowned and casually replied:
"Start a small business."
His tone was flat and emotionless.
"Small business?"
Upon hearing those three words, the hidden contempt in the man's eyes instantly transformed into blatant superiority!
Running a small business?
He understands this group all too well! With the current economic downturn, small business owners are among the most miserable groups! They work from dawn till dusk, worry and toil, bear huge risks, and in the end, they might not even earn as much as their employees! The key is, they have absolutely no freedom; they have to think about business 24 hours a day! They're practically slaves to the title of "boss"!
Look at yourself again?
Junxiao Supermarket! A renowned retail giant in Jiangzhou and even nationwide! Backed by the towering Junxiao Group! Guaranteed income regardless of circumstances, excellent benefits! I'm also the category manager of the core purchasing department! Holding real power, a limitless future!
A strong sense of superiority made him straighten his back, and the smile on his face became reserved and arrogant. "Oh! Being a boss is great!" He deliberately dragged out the words, making it sound like a compliment, but the undisguised condescending expression on his face completely exposed his true thoughts—sympathy, and a hint of barely perceptible contempt.
“Freedom! You decide for yourself!” he added, as if comforting a poor person struggling on the verge of bankruptcy.
Chen Xiao didn't even bother to lift his eyelids; he had no interest in such low-level showing off and just wanted to get past him.
But the man clearly didn't want to miss this opportunity to "show off his strength" in front of the beautiful woman! He had to get back at her!
He stepped forward, slightly turning to block Chen Xiao's path, a smile he thought was very "street smart" plastered on his face, and raised his voice a few decibels to ensure that Zhang Ziqian and Qiu Qiaoqiao beside him could hear him clearly:
"Hey bro, let's get acquainted!"
He cleared his throat and announced his identity in a firm and resounding voice, every word filled with pride:
"I'm the purchasing manager for fresh produce at Junxiao Supermarket!"
After speaking, he slightly raised his chin, his face bearing a reserved smile that conveyed a mixture of surprise and envy, as he glanced between Chen Xiao and the two beautiful women.
In Jiangzhou, the name "Junxiao" is a golden brand! It's a symbol of status and prestige!
He's so young to have risen to the position of category manager in the core procurement department. He's definitely one of the best among his peers and a synonym for "life winner"!
He believed that once this identity was revealed, the guy in front of him who ran a "small business" would definitely feel ashamed! And the two beautiful women next to him, even if they didn't immediately throw themselves at him, would at least look at him with new respect!
The air seemed to freeze at that moment.
Zhang Ziqian, who was adjusting the hem of her clothes, suddenly stopped when she heard the words "Junxiao Supermarket" and "person in charge of fresh produce procurement"!
She slowly raised her head, and a strange look of astonishment flashed in her beautiful eyes, as if she had heard the most absurd joke in the world. Then, the astonishment quickly transformed into an indescribable look, full of amusement and... pity.
She looked at Chen Xiao, a barely perceptible smile even curving her lips, as if to say, "Boss, your own 'soldier' has run into the line of fire."
Qiu Qiaoqiao also unusually looked up from her own world, her cold gaze falling on the arrogant man, then at the expressionless Chen Xiao, her eyes filled with inquiry and a hint of... sympathy?
Chen Xiao finally looked directly at the "purchasing manager" who was blocking his way and showing off.
His face showed no sign of being "intimidated," but rather was as calm as a deep pool. Only in his deep eyes flashed a cold, mocking look, as if he were looking at a clown.
He tilted his head slightly, as if confirming something, and then said in an extremely calm tone:
"Oh? From Junxiao Supermarket?"
He paused, a slight smile playing on his lips:
"I understand, go have fun."
The smile on the man's face froze instantly. Did this young man even know what Junxiao Supermarket represented?
"Brother, what kind of small business do you run? Many of the people I work with now are in the fresh food business, and just from working with me, their annual revenue is no less than 500 million."
He remained arrogant! I bet Chen Xiao wasn't shocked!
Chen Xiao waved his hand dismissively: "Can't you understand what I'm saying? It's not easy to become a purchasing manager. Keep a low profile; that way you'll last longer."
Oh, so you dare to lecture yourself?
The man glanced at Chen Xiao disdainfully, about to make a few sarcastic remarks. Suddenly, Chen Xiao's phone rang.
Chen Xiao took out his phone, as he was standing right next to the man. The man glanced at Chen Xiao's phone and the name displayed made him gasp.
Han Xue~!
The caller ID on this young man's phone showed that the person shared the same name as the chairman of Junxiao Supermarket.
A chill suddenly ran through him.
How could the chairman of the board be connected with someone who runs a small business? It's probably just a coincidence, or maybe they share the same name?
However, even so, the man's legs are still shaking a little!
Chen Xiao casually swiped to answer the phone: "Xiaoxue, are you home?"
Han Xue returned from a business trip, and Shen Jun had originally planned for her to come home for dinner that evening.
"Yes, Mom asked me to ask you when you'll be home."
Boom!
Although the man couldn't hear clearly what was being said on the other end of the phone, he could make out the general tone of the voice, which was exactly the same as the voice of President Han that he had heard at the company meeting!
The background music in the lounge was still playing softly, but in this small corner, the air was as cold as a polar winter.
While Chen Xiao was on the phone, the man quietly slipped away!
He recalled what Chen Xiao had just said: "It's not easy to become a procurement manager. Keep a low profile, and you'll last longer."
My back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.
Damn, this is like walking through hell. I just had one foot in the grave, thankfully I didn't do anything rash.
Chen Xiao certainly wouldn't stoop to his level. Someone like him, so young, holding a position within the Junxiao Group was something to be proud of. It was normal for him to have a bit of a personality, and it was normal for him to go out and chase girls.
"Let's go, Ziqian."
Chen Xiao led the two away, and at the same time arranged for Zhang Ziqian to investigate the situation of the project owner.
He had technician number 8 ask for the boss's name, partly as a precaution. The legal representative registered for these projects is usually not the actual owner. Having Zhang Ziqian investigate was a two-pronged approach.
In the quiet of the woods, Han Xue put down her phone and replied to Shen Yun, who was sitting on the sofa, "Mom, Chen Xiao is on his way back."
After saying that, he glanced at Zhang Yi, who was sitting next to Shen Jun and trying to make the old lady happy. Chen Xiao's cousin had a sweet tongue, making the old lady laugh repeatedly.
Hearing Han Xue speak, Zhang Yi glanced at his beautiful sister-in-law, then at Zhao Xiangjun not far away, and thought to himself, "Cousin, you're really lucky with the ladies!" (End of Chapter)