Chapter 350 — Cooperation Talks
Years of Heartflutter · Page 2 of 5
Now, seeing that this Xu Yan was very courteous, Bao Lin naturally found him not too distasteful, and shook his hand: "You're the one Section Chief Yan recommended?" "Your humble servant Xu Yan, manager of the Songjiang office of the Haicheng Jiangyan Group," Xu Yan said with reverent nervousness. "This time, I come on behalf of the Jiangyan Group to discuss cooperation with President Bao."
"Oh?" Bao Lin was taken aback. The Haicheng Jiangyan Group—he had heard of it. It was a highly renowned large conglomerate within the province, with a history of more than twenty years, involved in a complex range of businesses, from real estate to general retail. But its most famous enterprise, perhaps, was its bank money transport service—and Bao Lin, being in the security line himself, naturally knew this well.
Now, hearing that Xu Yan was from the Jiangyan Group, Bao Lin was rather surprised! The Jiangyan Group was far larger than his own Mingyang Security Company and Mingyang Entertainment combined; even the Mingyang Heavy Industries under Yang Ce's father could not match Jiangyan!
A representative of such a colossus surely had not come to scrounge a free meal—his own little enterprise meant nothing in the eyes of the Jiangyan Group. Could the man truly be here to discuss cooperation?
"President Xu, hello—I have long heard the great name of the Jiangyan Group!" Having learned Xu Yan's origins, Bao Lin grew polite as well. Although Xu Yan was only an office manager, the group behind him was powerful, placing him on roughly the same level as Bao Lin himself, and Bao Lin could not help but take him seriously.
"Ha, what 'President Xu'? President Bao can just call me Little Xu." Xu Yan was somewhat overwhelmed by the favor, though in his heart he understood that Bao Lin's respect was not for him but for the Jiangyan Group behind him.
"No, no—we are here to discuss cooperation, so formality is in order." Bao Lin smiled, then introduced the woman beside him: "This is Vice President Jing Yu, my deputy and the company's first executive vice president."
"Oh?" Hearing Bao Lin's introduction, Xu Yan was slightly startled! He had not expected this girl who had entered with Bao Lin—excessively young and excessively pretty—to be the company's executive vice president! And the first vice president at that.
Xu Yan was instantly astonished. When Bao Lin first brought Jing Yu in, Xu Yan had taken her for a secretary or assistant and thought nothing of it; only now, after Bao Lin's introduction, did he look Jing Yu over anew.
Still, Jing Yu was simply too young. Look as he might, Xu Yan did not think Jing Yu could be over twenty—that such a girl should be a company's vice president was, to say the least, surprising.
Of course, this was not an age where people judged ability by years. This era produced talents in abundance—take his own Liu family's Liu Huamei, who was only nineteen and already seated in the position of the company's finance director.
True, she was Old Master Liu's direct granddaughter, but without ability, how could she have been appointed to such a post? Though Old Master Liu no longer concerned himself much with company affairs, that did not mean he had grown muddled with age!
A company's finance director is a position of paramount importance; appoint a fool to it and the company's development could well suffer. "Vice President Jing, hello!" Xu Yan hurriedly extended his hand to shake with Jing Yu.
Jing Yu's hand barely touched his before withdrawing, and she smiled faintly: "President Xu, there's no need for such courtesy. We may all become partners in the future, so let's not stand on ceremony—shall we take our seats?" "Yes, yes, let's sit!" Xu Yan nodded hurriedly. "I've forgotten the business at hand—what are we doing standing at the door! Better to sit down and talk over the meal."
The three took their seats in turn. Xu Yan had already ordered the dishes and told the waiter, "You may serve now."