Today, Gao Lüxing's attire was strikingly unconventional, yet it radiated a charm uniquely his own. Clad in a tailored maroon-brown suit paired with a patterned shirt—two buttons deliberately undone—he sported platinum earrings about three centimeters long. His distinctive beard completed the look, making him the spitting image of Mad Dog Guan from the Japanese drama *Shinjuku Swan*.
Upon learning that Yan Qingqing had spent four million on acquiring that plot of land, Gao's heart bloomed with delight. The land was bound to be a financial sinkhole—once it failed, the board would undoubtedly oust her, and he, the brother-in-law, would be perfectly positioned to seize the chairman's seat.
From the morning meeting onward, Gao led his loyal lieutenants from the project, investment, business, and PR departments in a coordinated offensive against Yan Qingqing. The pressure from multiple department heads had already left her visibly flustered. When Gao demanded to know her intentions for the land, she replied that it would be developed into a shopping mall—yet she couldn't field any further questions with confidence.
Just as Gao was grinning with bared teeth in smug delight, the door to the meeting room swung open. A staff member entered, nodded apologetically to Yan Qingqing, and whispered,
"President Yan, Han Qian and Su Liang have arrived."
At last, they were here. Yan Qingqing exhaled a breath of relief, though her heart still fluttered with anxiety. Should Han Qian fail, she'd have no way to salvage the situation. A twinge of regret for her impulsiveness flickered through her, along with a sense of helpless resignation.
As Han Qian stepped into the meeting room, he glanced around at the assembled executives of Glory Group, his gaze pausing briefly in surprise upon seeing Gao Lüxing—this man was... strikingly handsome. Despite being thirty-five, Gao's flamboyant style exuded a roguish charm tinged with an unconventional elegance.
Gao greeted Han Qian with a smile. Han Qian returned it. To Yan Qingqing, the exchange was enough to turn her stomach. Gao Lüxing was a despicable man, and Han Qian was *absolutely not* a despicable man—but somehow, the chemistry between the two suggested a mutual admiration, or so she imagined.
"Han Qian, stop dawdling. Present your plan so we can decide quickly. I'm curious to see whether this plot will bleed money or turn a profit."
Han Qian smiled and nodded, gesturing for Su Liang to connect the laptop to the projector. Then he turned to Yan Qingqing with a reassuring grin.
"President Yan, rest assured. Your foresight is keen—this venture will not incur a loss."
Yan said nothing, but Gao Lüxing leaned back in his chair, two legs raised off the floor, and smirked.
"Confident young man, aren't you? No need to show me any flashy renderings—cut the theatrics. Let's hear your preliminary plan."
Han Qian furrowed his brow slightly. Before he could speak, Yan Qingqing encouraged him to go ahead and present to Vice President Gao. Only then did Han realize this quirky, charismatic gentleman was the very 'VP Gao' Yang Lan had mentioned. Han grinned sheepishly and scratched his head.
"I'm still new here and haven't memorized everyone's names and faces. Hope you don't mind, Vice President Gao?"
"Not at all. I detest pointless formalities. I appreciate capable youth."
"Then I hope you'll offer guidance where I fall short. My initial proposal is to construct a high-end building materials mall. The revenue model is lease-based. Our research shows there's a market gap in our city—affluent customers looking to splurge on quality materials have nowhere to go. I believe this presents an excellent opportunity."
Han Qian laid out his idea with a smile. Gao chuckled in response.
"Interesting thought. But what you can imagine, others can too. That land is directly opposite the Decor City. Competing with a well-established business isn't exactly easy. Also, Decor City is just two stories tall—your mall will need more vertical space to project luxury. Ever heard of 'sensory impact'?"
All eyes in the room were fixed on the two men. Yan Qingqing and Yang Lan were both visibly tense. Neither had expected Gao to be so well-versed on the property. But Han Qian remained unfazed, smiling as he replied:
"You raise valid concerns, Vice President. We've looked into Decor City. Their customer base leans lower to middle income, their layout is disorganized, and both service and ambiance are subpar. Our strategy involves partnering with Fenghua Decor in the early phase to ensure a steady stream of clientele. As for building height, since vertical expansion is limited, we'll excavate downward. The central atrium will be open to the basement, creating a bright and spacious impression."
Gao stood and stretched, then frowned slightly.
"What about airplane noise?"
"Only the restrooms and fire exits will have windows—the structure will be otherwise sealed to minimize noise."
"Artificial lighting, then?"
"We'll install tempered glass skylights at the atrium's apex. Daylight will penetrate from the third floor to the basement, providing natural illumination. This will also increase foot traffic along the inner corridors—stores there will be more valuable. We'll ban all seating, signs, and promotional obstructions in the walkways. No soliciting, either."
"Tenant acquisition?"
"We've already spread the word and reached a verbal agreement with Fenghua Decor. This alerts them to the opportunity. I've considered this: chefs run restaurants, stylists open salons, drivers launch taxi services—building material stores, too, should be operated by those who understand the trade. Many decorators will refer friends and relatives. Some struggling firms might pivot. Securing a distributorship is enough to open shop. We'll need the marketing team's support, of course. As an incentive, early tenants will receive complimentary ad space during construction."
"Projected cash flow?"
"Each floor will host around fifty shops. Premium locations—about twenty—can yield roughly one million annually. With four floors, we estimate land costs recovered within a year. Smaller stores will recoup construction costs within two. If operations run smoothly, we'll recover investment and generate surplus within two years."
"Permits?"
"The land is at Yamenkou. The authorities don't want it lying idle. Glory also owes them a favor—time to return it."
Though Gao maintained a smile, his mind was in turmoil. Who was this Han Qian, and how had he surfaced from Yan Qingqing's comprehensive department? This young man had upended Gao's strategy and handed Yan Qingqing a path to redemption.
The plan was sound—undeniably so in front of the full executive team. Gao could no longer pick it apart without drawing suspicion from the board. Even his family ties wouldn't protect him then.
Suddenly, Sun Ya from PR interjected.
"Han Qian, you're all theory. Reality won't be so simple."
Han Qian replied evenly, "President Sun, when you pursue PR deals, can you guarantee success every time? Results depend on effort. With Glory's influence and reputation, I believe we'll make it work."
To everyone's surprise, the typically timid Yang Lan backed Han Qian, targeting Sun Ya directly. The market department head voiced support, as did the head of business operations, pledging full assistance to bring the plan to life.
The business department head, a capable woman in her thirties surnamed Bai, even tossed Han Qian a playful wink. He quickly lowered his gaze—Yan Qingqing alone was already more than he could handle.
Seeing the tide had turned, Gao decided to ride the current and extend a friendly hand.
"Very impressive. Glory needs talents like you. If there are no objections, Supervisor Yang, have your department refine the proposal and forward it to the planning division. Once finalized, President Yan and I will sign off. Excellent. Truly excellent."
The final words were delivered with noticeable weight.
After the meeting adjourned, Han Qian was packing up when Yan Qingqing suddenly rushed over and sank her teeth into his forehead. Han yelped in pain, while Su Liang stood frozen in disbelief.
Was that… President Yan's kiss of approval?