Jian Hang was flattered. Not just anyone could go to the R&D center. They might already be developing new products for next year, and these products had to be kept absolutely confidential before they were launched.

She was a layman to begin with, so of course she would take the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of every aspect of Lemeng products.

Ji Xianggu waited for her at the door. He wasn’t in a hurry. He was looking down at his phone, adding her name to his contacts.

All eyes in the conference room were fixed on her, their expressions varied.

If she left with Mr. Ji, it would be a slap in the face of her boss, Qin Moling. The consequences of leaving a meeting at the boss’s expense, disregarding his feelings, were something most people could not afford.

Unless, like Ji Xianggu, he was a company veteran who has made significant contributions to the company and was also an elder.

Jian Hang knew how to distinguish between occasions and would never act recklessly in a meeting of this level.

She asked Qin Moling for his opinion, “President Qin, may I go with Mr. Ji to the R&D center?”

Qin Moling stared at her silently, his eyes unfathomable.

Vice President Wu was worried for Jian Hang, or more precisely, worried for their marriage. Since Jian Hang joined the Fourth Division, every action she took pushed against Qin Moling’s limits.

Jian Hang, still holding her laptop, asked, “President Qin?”

Qin Moling nodded. “Go ahead. It’ll be a good opportunity for Elder Ji to show you the data from the R&D center, so you’ll realize just how unrealistic your ideas are.”

He stood up and instructed Vice President Wu, “You guys continue.”

Qin Moling grabbed his water glass and strode out of the meeting room.

Jian Hang put the laptop into her laptop bag; his figure swept past her forcefully without stopping.

… …

After Qin Moling left, she packed her things as quickly as possible, grabbed her laptop bag, and left.

Once inside the elevator, only she and Ji Xianggu were there. Ji Xianggu laughed and said, “This time, you and I have completely offended Qin Moling.”

Jian Hang smiled and said, “Whether I leave or not, I’ve already offended him.”

She apologized again, “I’m sorry to have implicated you.” 

Qin Moling’s words, ‘It’s a good opportunity to let Elder Ji show you the data from the R&D center, so you’ll know how unrealistic your ideas are,’ were actually meant for Ji Xianggu, to warn him not to let her challenge his bottom line.

Because Mr. Ji was an elder, Qin Moling said it very tactfully.

Ji Xianggu waved his hand and said, “What do you mean by ‘implicate’? This is only because I’m willing.”

After getting off the elevator, Ji Xianggu took out sunglasses from his bag and put them on. He had been carrying the ecobag in his hand, but now he slung it over one shoulder.

Jian Hang looked him over and smiled, “Mr. Ji, you’ve suddenly become very fashionable.”

“Clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse.” Ji Xianggu walked briskly down the steps. “I bet you’ll have to redesign the packaging.”

“We have to change the packaging, otherwise how can it be ‘stylish’?”

The driver had already brought the car over, and the two of them sat in the back seat.

After closing the car door, Ji Xiang Gu turned to her and asked, “You’ve never worked in the fast-moving consumer goods industry before, have you?

“No wonder.” He reached out his hand. “I saw you looking at documents the whole time. Let me take a look.”

“My information lacks precise supporting data.” Jian Hang was embarrassed to show off her limited knowledge in front of Ji Xianggu. She didn’t have access to the specific data from the R&D center and could only piece together some scattered data she had. That’s why she didn’t project the data model she had on screen today but only three large words.

Ji Xianggu nodded, “There aren’t many experts around me. It’s alright.”

Jian Hang handed him the materials, saying, “They’re all theoretical.”

Ji Xianggu took off his sunglasses, put on his reading glasses, and carefully flipped through the document. When he got to the third page, he handed the document back to her. The data wasn’t very convincing. “It was wise of you not to present it at the meeting,” he said.

Jian Hang folded the documents and stuffed them into the compartment of her laptop bag. “The other Division general managers are probably novices in this area, but Vice President Wu is a true expert.”

Ji Xianggu agreed, “He has been in charge of Lemeng for over 20 years. So when you proposed the solution, his first thought was the bottle pressure issue, something no one else would have considered.”

As he spoke, Ji Xianggu chuckled, “If I hadn’t taken you away in time, what do you think Vice President Wu would have said in response?

“Ah, that’s not really helping. Your line of thinking convinced me.” Jixianggu changed the subject, “Do you know why I’m wearing a bright red T-shirt?”

He answered himself, “Because I’m getting old and don’t have much energy anymore. I want to wear brighter colors. ‘Vibrant,’ ‘Healthty,’ and ‘Stylish’—these three words resonated with me. 

The carbonated drink was the culmination of many years of research and development by my team, and it’s also why I insisted on launching it. You don’t know how many arguments I had with Qin Moling’s Third Uncle over this drink. He has a heart condition, and I guess it was because of me that he got so upset.”

When Ji Xianggu talked about the Fourth Division’s carbonated beverages, he said, “We built a total of six factories and invested over 10 billion yuan over the past few years. The market response was good at first, which meant there was nothing wrong with the product. But then Yuming messed up the market. 

“Earlier you said at the meeting that the product was no good, I…” He couldn’t describe his feelings at that moment.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Ji.”

“It’s okay. Nobody likes to hear unpleasant things, but I can see that you really want to make this drink a success and revive the Fourth Division. The old product has no selling points anymore, and I understand that you want to create new ones. But girl, where will the R&D funds come from? Redesigning the bottle, redesigning the cap—all of that costs money. And even if you invest it, there’s no guarantee that it will work. Nobody can guarantee that your new product will have a market.”

Ji Xianggu prepared her mentally, saying, “As far as I know, the company has even cut the advertising budget for the Fourth Division in half. Your plan involves an investment of hundreds of millions, and Qin Moling and the board of directors will not easily agree to it. Your work ahead will be difficult.”

“It’s alright, I’ve already taken the first step in improving the texture of the bubbles.” Jian Hang said gratefully, “The first step is always the hardest. You’ve given me the opportunity to take that first step. As long as there is support in research and development, I’m not worried. As for dealing with those people on the board, that’s my specialty. I have plenty of ways to handle them.”

Ji Xianggu burst out laughing.

“Mr. Ji,” Jian Hang said solemnly, “I will cover the R&D costs for next year’s new carbonated beverage products.”

“Your Fourth Division is already short of money, and you plan to use it all for R&D, aren’t you neglecting the market?”

“I have authority to raise funds.”

“…” Ji Xianggu gave her a thumbs up. He was very curious, “What did you do before you changed careers?”

“Venture capital.”

“I see it now.”

He didn’t think about it anymore. “Then I’ll get on with the arrangements.” He had originally planned to discuss it with the team first before making a decision, but in just one minute, he made the decision himself.

Ji Xiang Valley suddenly laughed, “I’m so old, and I’m actually starting to rebel. How illogical.”

Jian Hang laughed, “This is called returning to youth.”

“Have you tried any of the products from the Second Division?” Ji Xianggu asked.

Jian Hang nodded, “I have tried all of Lemeng’s products.”

“The reason why mangosteen juice sells well in East China is because the water quality in the factories there is better than the factories in other areas. With the exact same formula, water quality can affect the taste. Sometimes, just a tiny bit of difference makes a noticeable difference in taste. It’s still okay for our beverages, but the impact of water quality on beer is huge.”

Ji Xianggu said, “I can’t guarantee whether the taste of the new product will meet your expectations because time is limited. You want to launch and promote it early next year, right?”

Jian Hang agreed, “Time is indeed a bit tight.”

“We will try our best to achieve the delicate and soft bubbles you mentioned,” Ji Xianggu said. “When the new product is developed, I will let you know when the first round of product testing will take place.”

“How many rounds of testing are there in total?”

“At least three rounds. Some products may not be able to be launched even after four rounds of testing and four rounds of improvement. If consumer feedback is not good, the board of directors will not easily approve it.”

Jian Hang opened her phone to where her progress schedule was displayed. It seemed she needed to speed things up, otherwise the new product wouldn’t be ready for January’s launch.

Marriage First, Love Later translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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