Chapter 3 The Negotiation Concludes
The price was discussed again on the third day. By the afternoon of the fourth day, the quantity, quality, and price were all thoroughly settled.
Things had gone smoothly. Lu Jiaying had even managed to negotiate the price lower than they had anticipated, which meant she could claim credit upon their return. Everyone was quite pleased.
They decided to have a good rest for the night and head back the next day.
Unexpectedly, as they were walking and chatting towards the hotel lobby, they were stopped by a familiar figure.
"Mr. Li, Mr. Wang, Ms. Lu? What a coincidence, what are you all doing here?"
They looked up to find Xu Lei, the Director of Human Resources, dressed in a vibrant Bohemian-style long dress, with exquisite makeup, her hair down, wearing large sunglasses, and carrying a large canvas bag. She had appeared before them as if out of nowhere.
"Director Xu? What are you doing here? And what's with the outfit?"
"Oh dear, I didn't expect to run into you all when I came out. I'm dressed too casually, I'm so sorry."
Xu Lei smiled at them feigning embarrassment and explained.
"The end of the year and the beginning of the year are peak times for our Human Resources department. After months of hard work, things have stabilized recently, and I'm relatively free. I took my annual leave and brought my parents out for a trip."
"We just checked in and didn't expect to see you so soon. So, your business trip brought you here?"
Vice President Li and Vice President Wang nodded.
"Director Xu, you really know how to enjoy yourself. We've been swamped, and you're traveling with your parents. We envy you, truly. Are you planning to take your aunt and uncle out for dinner?"
Xu Lei forced a bitter smile.
"Ah, don't mention it. It's not easy to please them when they're older."
"If I don't take them out, they stay home all day feeling life is meaningless. If I do take them out, they complain about being tired after just a few hours on a plane. They don't want to go out for meals or shopping."
"Even though it's boring to be alone, I thought I couldn't just sleep in the hotel all day, so I came out by myself."
Everyone nodded, and then she changed the subject with a smile.
"Since you've just finished work, you must not have eaten yet. I'm bored being alone anyway, so how about we all go together?"
Although Lu Jiaying didn't like her, they worked in the same company and saw each other frequently, so she had to maintain appearances.
She didn't refuse.
To avoid keeping Xu Lei waiting, they didn't even change their clothes.
They asked the hotel reception for a restaurant with a good reputation, left their luggage at the front desk, and set off.
They took a taxi to the restaurant, booked a private room, ordered their food, and began to chat animatedly.
Xu Lei sat next to Lu Jiaying, acting as if they were close sisters.
They talked at length about how they were recruited into Grey Electric, how they stayed and grew, how they became independent and capable, and how they now handled things with ease.
As they ate and drank, they inadvertently finished a whole bottle of Wuliangye.
Xu Lei sighed, remarking that working in Human Resources was a thankless job and asking for everyone's understanding if she had ever wronged them. She then ordered two more bottles of wine.
One bottle of Feitian Maotai and one bottle of white wine.
On the surface, everything appeared harmonious. In reality, Xu Lei had already laid her groundwork.
While they were out of the hotel, she had inquired with the front desk staff about this particular restaurant and had pre-ordered two bottles of wine.
The wine they were drinking now was the one Xu Lei had prepared in advance.
"Ms. Lu, like them, I have a thick skin and my stomach is used to sorghum liquor. We'll drink the white spirits, and you and Xiao Jiang can have this."
"Regarding what happened last time, I sincerely apologize. This is a white wine from Bordeaux, it's quite expensive and good for the complexion. Please don't refuse me."