After Divorce, My Ex-Wife Became My Creditor - Chapter 22 - So You Can Hold Your Liquor Too

Back in the General Affairs Department, Yang Lan was handing out bonuses while Yang Jia animatedly recounted the icy-hot showdown between General Manager Yan and Han Qian in the office. Just as she reached the climax of her tale, fate grabbed her by the scruff of the neck.

“Yang Jia, should I tell General Manager Yan that you’re quite idle?”

The voice struck Yang Jia’s ears like the call of the Grim Reaper, and the hand on her pale neck felt like the Reaper’s scythe. As she slowly turned her head, tears welled up in her eyes, and she whimpered softly, “Qian-Ge, I was wrong, wah…”

Crying again? This time Han Qian wasn’t falling for it. He chuckled, and seeing the situation turn against her, Yang Jia shouted she was about to wet her pants and dashed off. Watching the little girl’s retreating figure, Han Qian shook his head with a smile.

Even after receiving bonuses, the General Affairs Department’s hostility towards Han Qian hadn’t diminished much, though he wasn’t particularly interested in engaging with them either.

They were the privileged sons and daughters of wealthy families, while he was merely scraping by.

Han Qian’s assumption was correct; most who ended up in the General Affairs Department weren’t ordinary characters, most of them anyway.

He walked over and patted Su Liang’s shoulder, speaking softly, “Pack up, we’re heading out soon.”

Su Liang stood up, ready with his suit jacket, but Liu Jiulong overheard the conversation clearly. Hearing Han Qian was heading out again, he grabbed Han Qian’s arm and shouted angrily, “Are you trying to escape? Han Qian, are you even here to work? Late yesterday, absent this morning, what are you doing this afternoon? I’m a deputy supervisor, and I’m not as busy as you!”

Han Qian’s face showed a hint of embarrassment, and Yang Lan approached, frowning as she asked, “You’re heading out again? With Liang?”

Han Qian nodded awkwardly, speaking softly, “I need to discuss the planning proposal… and, um… Yang-Jie, you might have to pull an all-nighter at the office tonight.”

Yang Lan’s frown deepened, and she stepped closer, asking quietly, “The planning proposal? Don’t tell me you’ve finished it. An all-nighter is fine, but Beibei is home alone…”

“I’ll do it! Lan, you go home, I’ll cover for you.”

Liu Jiulong wouldn’t miss any chance to curry favor, and Yang Lan seemed slightly moved, but she continued, “Is this General Manager Yan’s decision? Deputy Supervisor Liu, he…”

Han Qian shook his head, speaking seriously, “No, tonight you’re staying to ensure I don’t run off. You need to attend the executive meeting tomorrow morning… I also need to discuss some matters with you tonight. Deputy Supervisor Liu… is a bit small.”

Initially, Liu Jiulong didn’t pay attention, but when he heard those last three words, he nearly threw a chair at Han Qian. How could this brat say anything? And Yang Lan really smelled nice, Liu Jiulong edged closer to her, causing Yang Lan to lean back to avoid him, frowning at Han Qian, “Since it’s General Manager Yan’s orders, you two don’t need to rush, I’ll go with you.”

At this moment, Su Liang reached out and caught Deputy Supervisor Liu’s big head, laughing, “Liu-Ge, did you sleep wrong? Look, you’re squashing Yang-Jie.”

The room erupted in laughter, Liu Jiulong blushed slightly, scratching his head awkwardly, then insisted he would keep an eye on Han Qian and Su Liang, but Yang Lan disagreed, telling him to stay in the General Affairs Department to prepare for work.

Twenty minutes later, a white Volkswagen Bora slowly drove out of the underground parking lot of Rongyao. Initially, Su Liang wanted to drive for Yang Lan, but Han Qian refused.

“Don’t drive, Su Liang. Call the manager of the largest renovation company in our city and say that Rongyao Group wants to discuss a collaboration. Oh, we need to go back; I forgot to ask General Manager Yan for money. We need to eat, you know. Yang-Jie, could you please turn around?”

Yang Lan shook her head seriously and said softly, “No need, I brought money. Han Qian, tell me what kind of planning proposal you’re working on that makes General Manager Yan so indulgent towards you. Honestly, I’m a bit envious.”

Yang Lan, having left the General Affairs Department, was dressed very urbanely. A white chiffon blouse paired with a blue blazer, a white pencil skirt with nude stockings, and her hair was pinned up, revealing her fair neck. No wonder Liu Jiulong was so eager to please; Yang Lan was quite a beauty. If she were a few years younger, she’d easily score over eighty.

Fortunately, Han Qian had lost any romantic notions about women. He reclined in the back seat, eyes closed, and lazily said, “It’s about the plot of land at the airport, Yang-Jie. You should know about it. I’m planning to build a mall there, but this mall is a bit special. We need to discuss some renovation knowledge with the renovation company. I’ll explain more tonight. For now, I need you two to help me put on a show. I’m sorry, Yang-Jie, but you’ll have to play my secretary, and Liang will be my assistant. Nowadays, people judge by appearances. I didn’t sleep at all last night, so I’ll take a nap. Whatever you spend, I’ll get General Manager Yan to reimburse you.”

Yang Lan listened, feeling confused. When she wanted to ask more, she found Han Qian already asleep. Helpless, she turned to Su Liang, who explained it was a high-end building materials mall. Yang Lan’s eyes lit up; this seemed feasible. She realized Han Qian was planning to bluff today. She booked a room at the Huatai Hotel, keeping the food and drinks under three thousand. Rongyao Group discussing business with a renovation company, three thousand was already quite generous.

When Han Qian was sleeping so soundly that drool was coming out, Su Liang gently slapped him awake. Standing outside the car with a mischievous grin, Su Liang said, “Mr. Han, time to get off.”

Groggily, Han Qian looked around in confusion before realizing “Mr. Han” referred to him. He chuckled and got out of the car, softly asking if everyone had arrived. Su Liang nodded, confirming that four people had come: two managers, a chief designer, and a supervising engineer.

At this moment, Yang Lan approached, gently smoothing out the creases on Han Qian’s clothes and handed him a men’s watch.

“My ex-husband’s watch has been in the car all along. It’s better to wear it; men tend to notice each other’s attire more than women do.”

Han Qian nodded with a smile. “You’re always so thoughtful, Yang-Jie. Once this is all over, the three of us should get a decent bonus. Thank you for your help today. I’ll visit Beibei afterward. Is it a boy?”

“A girl. Let’s go.”

Mentioning her ex-husband and child visibly darkened Yang Lan’s expression. As Han Qian stepped through the main entrance of Huatai Hotel, his demeanor transformed completely-his face turned cold and expressionless.

Inwardly, Han Qian sincerely thanked Wen Nuan. This demeanor was cultivated during his time with her. To avoid slipping up and to not embarrass Wen Nuan, she had taught him many things. In places like hotels, the old rule of being polite to get what you want no longer applied. The more serious and aloof you appeared, the more seriously they would take you, recognizing you as someone not to be trifled with, and they wouldn’t be able to discern your background.

Wen Nuan’s advice proved true. As Han Qian and his companions entered the hotel, the lobby manager approached with a smile to greet them. Han Qian didn’t even glance at him. Yang Lan, acting as the secretary, softly informed the manager that they were from Rongyao Group and had reserved a room, and that someone should have already arrived.

Han Qian maintained a stern face until he entered the room and saw the people from the renovation company, then allowed a slight smile. After brief introductions, Han Qian was disguised as a manager from a department of Rongyao Group, responsible for expanding the group’s business.

Those in the renovation business had sharp eyes. They noticed that Manager Han’s suit and watch were both expensive. The watch might be around ten thousand, but the Gucci suit he wore wasn’t something just anyone could afford. Moreover, the elegant and poised secretary by his side suggested she held a significant position within Rongyao Group, making it even harder to gauge Manager Han’s status.

With food and drinks ready, Yang Lan was the first to speak, smiling gently. “Thank you all for coming here, and I apologize for taking you away from your work. Here’s my business card. Mr. Han is quite busy, so feel free to contact me for any matters.”

Han Qian’s heart skipped a beat. If Yang-Jie hadn’t brought business cards, he wouldn’t have known what to do. The people from the renovation company took the card and were momentarily stunned by the words on it.

Rongyao Group General Affairs Department Leader.

Yang Lan.

A leader acting as a secretary?

The manager who received the card was visibly nervous. Initially, he thought they were dealing with a minor figure, but now he couldn’t determine the young man’s identity. Trying to maintain composure, he handed a business card to Yang Lan.

“Hello, Mr. Han, and hello, Leader Yang. It’s an honor for our company to collaborate with Rongyao Group. It’s fate that brings us together again. Let me toast to Mr. Han.”

Drinking…

As Su Liang was about to stand up, Yang Lan had already raised her glass, smiling warmly. “Manager Li, I apologize. Our Mr. Han is allergic to alcohol. Please.”

Yang Lan truly played the role of a secretary. Watching her down that small glass of baijiu made Han Qian’s stomach churn, but Yang Lan seemed unfazed. After a few rounds of drinks, Han Qian finally spoke.

“Manager Li, recently there’s been quite a stir between the airport and the residents across from the Building Materials Market. You must have heard about it, right? I won’t beat around the bush-our Rongyao plans to acquire the development rights for that area. There’s significant potential for collaboration between our project and your company.”

“Mr. Han, please go ahead.”

“Alright, I have some friends at the Hejian Estate who want to renovate a few of their homes. They’ve hired some renowned designers, and they’re quite pleased with the design renderings. However, they’ve run into issues when purchasing materials. Take the floor tiles, for example-it’s tough to find desirable ones in our small city, and the prices don’t satisfy my friends either. They’re too cheap, and if someone asks, it’s embarrassing to admit. You understand this issue, don’t you, Manager Li?”

“Mr. Han, you’ve hit the nail on the head. Our Fenghua Decoration designers are well-regarded in the province, largely because of our materials. We renovation companies often collaborate with building materials suppliers, recommending clients and getting kickbacks or discounts. But over the years, clients’ tastes have risen, and many local suppliers can’t meet their needs. When we try to work with suppliers from other cities, the prices don’t drop, and the travel costs aren’t cheap. The biggest issue is not being able to take clients to see the materials. Once or twice is fine, but troublesome clients might go three to five times, and it’s not just the clients who find it inconvenient-our labor can’t afford the delays.”

“Manager Li, you’ve made a good point. I’ve had the market investigated. High-end, expensive materials don’t come in, and low-end ones don’t sell. We’ve looked at the Building Materials Market’s offerings, which mostly cater to mid-to-low-end clients in terms of products and prices. If a high-end brand were to enter the market, it wouldn’t elevate its status; instead, the high prices would hinder sales. As for the outer ring’s building materials market, it’s not worth mentioning-just locally made, unbranded products. It’s not that I look down on carpenters; I admire craftsmen. But as businessmen, we have to consider our clients’ needs, don’t you agree?”

“Mr. Han, you’re truly a kindred spirit.”

Manager Li was partly trying to curry favor, sensing Mr. Han’s intentions, but he genuinely felt that Mr. Han had spoken to his heart. Manager Li raised his glass, and Yang Lan quickly stood up.

This was already the fourth glass.