Chen Lishu turned and quietly approached the office door again.
The door was not fully closed, and the conversation inside drifted clearly into her ears.
“The customers who come to me are very picky. When you begged me back then, considering your brand’s domestic recognition was indeed good, I agreed, but…”
Tan Yongcheng considered his words and said, “Our designs have always struggled to innovate. Even with new styles, market feedback has been poor. Your brand’s sales have been at the bottom for two consecutive quarters. Of course, if I were the sole proprietor of this mall, I would definitely give you another chance.”
The man said, “We’ve really fallen short in design, but it’s genuinely hard to find good designers now. There are few professionals, and even fewer outstanding ones. We’ve been trying our best. We’ve persisted in the high-end market for so long. Could you possibly give us another chance?”
Tan Yongcheng looked at the money placed on the side of the table, his smile fading slightly. “Mr. Liu, what do you mean by this?”
The man replied, “A small token of my appreciation. Please help us out again.”
Tan Yongcheng didn’t even glance at the money pushed towards him. “Mr. Liu, if you have this thought, you’d be better off putting more effort into your brand’s design. If the opportunity arises, we can cooperate again.”
The man looked crestfallen.
Feeling she had heard enough, Chen Lishu and Nan Haitao retreated further, standing near the stairwell.
Not long after, the man emerged with a worried expression.
Chen Lishu knew the matter hadn’t been settled.
As the man passed Chen Lishu and Nan Haitao, he paused for a moment, then descended the stairs without looking back.
Seeing him leave, Chen Lishu and Nan Haitao re-entered Tan Yongcheng’s office.
“You guys…”
Before Tan Yongcheng could speak, Chen Lishu said quickly, “Manager Tan, please give me ten minutes. If I finish and you still disagree, we’ll leave immediately and never bother you again.”
Tan Yongcheng asked, “What if I insist?”
“Then I’ll definitely come every day. I have confidence in our brand, and I absolutely don’t want you to suffer any losses.”
The man chuckled lightly. “You have quite a bit of confidence.”
Chen Lishu knew he had agreed.
She quickly took the bag from Nan Haitao, opened it, and took out a shirt, unfolding it.
“I’ve already shown you the suits. This shirt is the latest model from our factory. The fabric…”
As Chen Lishu explained, Tan Yongcheng’s attitude gradually changed. His previously casual posture unconsciously straightened.
“And this matching set, with embroidery added at the collar and hem. Embroidery has always been a traditional craft in our country. Our products not only use the finest materials but also embody distinct national culture. Our brand is more than just a brand; I hope it can become a representation, a calling card, recognized and understood by more people, both domestically and internationally.”
The man remained silent for a long time after hearing her words.
“You lived abroad for many years. You must have seen many grand occasions. I thought developing there would surely be better than returning home, but you came back immediately. I believe it was out of patriotism. Do you know what I heard most often when I first visited this mall? That domestic clothing and design are garbage. They kept talking about foreign brands and how great they are. I want to create our own brand to make them open their eyes.”
The man’s expression began to soften at this moment.
Before Chen Lishu could feel any joy, she heard him ask, “How did you know I stayed abroad?”
Chen Lishu gave a wry smile. “For someone to open such a large mall, we were quite curious, so we inquired a bit.”
The man didn’t pursue the matter.
“Alright, there happens to be an empty spot right now, so I’ll give you a chance. But let’s be clear from the start: you’ll only have a one-quarter evaluation period. If your brand’s sales are at the bottom, you’ll have to withdraw from the mall.”
Chen Lishu and Nan Haitao exchanged a look and said excitedly, “No problem.”
When it came to discussing the specifics of the cooperation, Nan Haitao proved his worth.
He was very familiar with mall operations, such as entry fees and commission rates. His reasoned arguments impressed Tan Yongcheng.
Finally, both parties reached an agreement. Once the previous tenant vacated their space, their brand, Shu Se, could officially move in.
With the matter in Shanghai concluded, the three of them departed for Kyoto.
As it was for work, after settling into the hotel, Chen Lishu took gifts to the He family.
Rui Rui was playing at the entrance of the alley. He seemed to freeze for a moment upon seeing Chen Lishu, but quickly ran over with joy. “Mom!”
“Slow down, be careful you don’t fall,” Chen Lishu said, freeing one hand to take out a handkerchief and wipe the sweat from his forehead.
After not seeing him for a while, Rui Rui seemed to have grown a little taller. He was tanned, but he looked sturdier than before.
“Zhao Yang, this is my mom. I won’t play with you anymore since she’s here.” After waving goodbye to his friend, mother and son walked home together.
“Have you been making Grandpa and Grandma angry during this time?”
“No,” Rui Rui shook his head. “My uncle said I was weak and insisted on taking me to the military district to train. I only came back two days ago, and Grandpa and Grandma are still angry, saying they’ll sever ties with my uncle.”
No wonder the child looked much darker, but his gaze seemed more determined than before. It seemed he had grown a lot this time.
As Chen Lishu and Rui Rui entered, Grandpa He and his wife were arguing about something. However, from the looks of it, Madam He seemed to have the upper hand.
Grandpa He could only stand aside, puffing his chest and glaring.
“Godfather, Godmother,” Chen Lishu called out.
“Lishu is here?” Madam He turned around and, upon seeing her, was very happy. She dropped the vegetables in her hands and hurried over.
“Why did you come so suddenly without even a word? I could have prepared in advance. We only have celery and meat right now, and I was planning to make dumplings for dinner. Dumplings are too simple; I’ll go buy some more dishes.”
Chen Lishu quickly stopped her. “Godmother, please don’t trouble yourself. Dumplings are wonderful. As the saying goes, arriving early is not as good as arriving at the right time; I’m fortunate to be here for a treat.”
“I said we should make braised pork, but your mother insisted otherwise. If you had listened to me, Lishu wouldn’t have to eat dumplings when she arrived,” Grandpa He grumbled.
It turned out the elders were bickering over dinner.
“Don’t you know your own condition? High blood pressure is very sensitive to rich foods. Celery lowers blood pressure. I’m doing this for your own good.”
Grandpa He’s tone softened, but he still stubbornly argued, “I was just thinking of nourishing Rui Rui’s body.”
Chen Lishu put down the gifts she had brought. “Godmother, I’ll go wash my hands and help you.”
Madam He nodded happily. “Yes, yes.”
Mother and son went into the kitchen together.
For dinner, Chen Lishu ate celery and meat dumplings with Rui Rui and the elders. After staying at the He family’s for a night, Chen Lishu began to attend to her proper business.