Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Trusted Subordinates

Translator: GravityTales  Editor: GravityTales

At a Starbucks Café…

Tang Xiu and Kang Xia were sitting and facing each other. Both of them didn’t speak and only observed each other. Tang Xiu didn’t drink coffee, so he was holding a cup of water whilst watching Kang Xia, who was leisurely stirring her coffee with a spoon. Then, Tang Xiu turned his head and looked outside through the window.

Kang Xia’s hand that stirred the coffee abruptly stopped. Her brows slightly slanted, although she was quickly back to her usual self in a flash. She just found that she couldn’t see through Tang Xiu. It was a baffling feeling and was almost inconceivable to her.

She entered the society in her early years and had been struggling in the business circle for 7 or 8 years already. She had met and read countless people, and only a few amongst them she couldn’t see through. And those few were either the elites of the business circle’s elites or amazing people from rich families.

“Tang Xiu!” Finally, Kang Xia couldn’t help but call.

Tang Xiu turned his head and calmly said, “I thought Miss Kang Xia wouldn’t rush the thousands of miles distance to this Star City, only to get addicted to looking at me!”

“Pfft…”

Kang Xia couldn’t help but laugh. She shook her head and replied, “You! You’re a very interesting young man. I could tell that there are more amusing things for me to come. To be honest, I do want to know more about you.”

Tang Xiu said with a smile, “Ah, you’re a young woman. Please don’t look at me with such kind of looks. I’ll advise you in advance, don’t develop any interest toward me or you will regret it later.”

Kang Xia got her moment of surprise and then asked with curiosity, “Why will I regret it?”

Tang Xiu answered with a smile, “There is such hearsay, that once a woman develops interest in a man, she wouldn’t be far away from falling into the man’s lap and taking care of his household. I don’t want you to fall in love with me. The only hope I have is just for you to be very good in making money for me after you’re recruited.”

“Pfft, Hahaha…”

Kang Xia couldn’t help laughing, to the point where even tears almost fell.

“This is so damn interesting! Tang Xiu, even if we can’t reach a deal to cooperate today, I will make you my friend.”

Friend?

The happy expression on Tang Xiu’s face vanished without a trace as a gloomy expression surfaced. If it were not because the trust he gave to his friends in the Immortal World, he wouldn’t have ended up with such miserable fate. With a complexion full of detached expression, he said, “I don’t need friends. What I need are subordinates only. If you have this intention, I advise to put it away and go back.”

The smile on Kang Xia’s face froze. She looked at Tang Xiu with a strange expression in her eyes. Only after quite a while did she speak to him, “Fine! I accept your advice. Now let’s have the talk. What capital do you have in recruiting me as your subordinate?”

Tang Xiu replied straightforwardly, “Three things! First, I give you a free reign. Second, I have the skills. Third, I can help you achieve your ambition if you’re able to make money for me!”

These were her soft ribs and Kang Xia’s weaknesses. Those were the aspects even Kang Xia was unable to refuse. However, she was a hard-to-compromise person. She stared deeply at Tang Xiu and asked, “As far as I know, Mr. Tang has yet to register the company, and I have yet to verify the end products’ test results.”

Tang Xiu took 2 small porcelain bottles from his pocket and placed them on the tabletop in front of Kang Xia. Then, he calmly replied, “This one is the Skin Care Lotion and the other one is the Scar Removal Cream. Take and test them when you get back. I believe the result will come out in a week. As for the company registration, I indeed have yet to register one. If you need it, I will have it completed in a few days.”

Kang Xia straightly took the two porcelains and asked, “How much funds do you want to invest?”

Tang Xiu shook his head and said, “I have no money with me right now.”

Kang Xia couldn’t help looking at Tang Xiu straightly and said, “Are you joking with me? You want to register a company without money? And you even boast to help me achieve my lofty ambition?”

Tang Xiu said, “I can’t say that I’m penniless though. I already sold 5% of the shares for 20 million yuan. But I want you to register the company as well as be responsible for managing the operation later.”

5% of the shares, sold for 20 million?

Kang Xia was dumbfounded. She suddenly felt that she just heard a massive joke. The company had yet to register, and the stock was already able to be sold? And at a sky-high priced at that?

“Mr. Tang, if you don’t have any sincerity, I don’t think we can continue this talk. What I need is a _real_ Boss, not the one who plays with words and talks big.”

Tang Xiu was silent for a moment before he took his phone and dialed Long Zhengyu’s number.

“Brother Tang, what’s up?”

Long Zhengyu’s voice transmitted through the phone.

Tang Xiu said, “I need that 20 million investment funds from you in half an hour. If you can, send the money to the Starbucks Café near my school. I promise you to sell the shares, else I will have to look for other shareholders.”

“OK!”

Long Zhengyu directly hung up the phone.

Kang Xia looked at Tang Xiu with an astonished expression. Sending over 20 millions in half an hour? Was he joking?

Tang Xiu knew Long Zhengyu’s capital. Let alone sending 20 million in half an hour, if he were to say 10 minutes to him, he would probably be able to deliver it. But, the person who sent the money was likely his closest aide.

Time flew by…

20 minutes had passed in a flash.

Tang Xiu was silent. But, Kang Xia didn’t look anxious and impatient, and instead had an expectation. If someone really was able to send 20 millions of yuan in half an hour, then it proved that Tang Xiu was not talking big. That would also mean that he had the ability.

At this moment…

A well-dressed middle-aged man rushed over into the café. After he looked around, he exclaimed, “Which is Mr. Tang Xiu?”

Tang Xiu raised his hand as he got up and looked at the rushing middle-aged man.

“I am Tang Xiu, Long Zhengyu sent you?”

The middle-aged man replied respectfully, “Yes! Chief Long is in a rush to. He couldn’t catch up within half an hour, so he sent me to deliver the money. Mr. Tang, this is the bankcard with 20 million, and the PIN is behind the bankcard.”

Tang Xiu took the bankcard. After sending away the middle-aged man, he directly placed the bankcard in front of Kang Xia and said lightly, “The money is in this bankcard, you check it.”

Kang Xia quickly took her phone. After a fast inquiry, her expression turned marvelous as an inconceivable and surprised expression was drawn on her face.

After quite a long while, she slowly handed over the bankcard to Tang Xiu and spoke seriously, “Mr. Tang, you have proved your ability. If I’ve tested those two bottles of cosmetics and the products have side effects under the prerequisite, and the effect is very good, I think I will agree to join.”

Tang Xiu didn’t take the bankcard but calmly replied, “I am very confident of my products. I’ll send you a short message for the formula to your mailbox, and you can take this 20 million as your starting fund. If the product’s effect has been tested and proved good, I hope you can stick to your words.”

Kang Xia asked with an astonished tone, “Do you really believe me?”

Tang Xiu said, “I need not to suspect the people who will work with me. This 20 million perhaps is an astronomical figure in the eyes of many people. But in my eyes, it’s only a small amount that is worthwhile for the exchange of your first test.”

Kang Xia raised her thumbs up, praising, “Ah, Ignoring the trivial matters to achieve great achievements. I’m hoping that these two cosmetics truly have the effect as you have said. Such being the case, I can work as your subordinate! Last question, apart from this fund, how much investment funds will you add later?”

Tang Xiu was silent for a moment and slowly said, “I don’t know.”

What? Kang Xia looked at Tang Xiu with a strange look. She suddenly felt that Tang Xiu was like a white wolf in the empty gloves, wasn’t he? After hesitated, she smiled and said, “Since Mr. Tang cannot answer my question, then I will change the question. If… If I said that I finally joined, what kind of treatment will I get?”

Tang Xiu replied without hesitation, “10% shares.”

“Only 10%?” Kang Xia spoke with astonishment.

Tang Xiu tranquilly replied, “Yes, 10% and no more!”

Kang Xia shrugged her shoulders. She smiled and said, “10%, eh? I hope I wouldn’t get kicked out if the company has gotten bigger in the future.”

Tang Xiu said, “Anyways, I don’t have the time to manage the company, so I need other’s strength to do things for me.”

Kang Xia laughed, “Understood. By the way, since everything has been said, I’ll go first.”

Tang Xiu nodded.

Kang Xia then asked with a puzzled tone, “Don’t you have to return to school?”

Tang Xiu smiled lightly and said, “I have long mastered all the subjects I need to learn at school. So it’s kinda boring if I have to stay there. Besides, I wanna take a break and relax.”

Kang Xia lazy smile, “Ah, it seems like that more or less, I’ve helped you in taking the leave of absence, haven’t I?”

“Yup.”

“Hahaha …”

Along with Kang Xia’s departure, Tang Xiu believed that he had won her and she would join. So he can hand the rights and privileges to Kang Xia for registering the company, setting up, manufacturing, etc. All those coupled with Long Zhengyu’s help would make the initial period very smooth. But, the additional investment funds Kang Xia had mentioned before, more or less made him quite depressed.

_“If… if Gong Dalong really can help me get a leave of absence and conceal it from Mum. I might have to leave with him and help Jia Ruidao. If I were to succeed, I could get some money back.”_ Tang Xiu secretly weighing his options.

“Ring ring ring…”

The ringtone abruptly interrupted Tang Xiu’s train of thought.

He took the phone and suddenly got a headache after he saw the caller’s ID. It was Han Qingwu. This was not even half the time requested for the leave before! Was she that afraid that he would run?

Even with vexed thoughts, he chose to answer.

“Hello, Tang Xiu? Your mother came to school, you’d better rush back here quickly.” Han Qingwu’s voice transmitted.

Tang Xiu’s complexion changed as he hastily asked, “Teacher Han, why would my mother go to school?”

Han Qingwu said, “I don’t know about the details, but it seems to be because of the matters with your uncle. In short, you should rush here quickly and see for yourself. And, isn’t Su Xiangfei your cousin? He seems to be very hostile to your mother.”

_“FUCK!”_ Tang Xiu cursed in his mind.

Su Xiangfei hated him and of course, he would be very hostile to his mother. What he really worried was that Su Xiangfei would hurt his mother before he got back.

*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes

*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap