When I suggested using Jian Wei’s resources to build a PR team, Mi Cai obviously hesitated, but this hesitation was absolutely not due to doubting the resources Jian Wei possessed; rather, it stemmed from the awkward relationship between the two.
Of course, I didn’t want to pressure Mi Cai regarding such a matter, so I quickly said, “I’m just giving you a suggestion. If you think it’s inappropriate, you don’t have to consider it.”
After another moment of silence, Mi Cai said to me, “This is just a purely business collaboration, and I shouldn’t mix in personal emotions. Later, send me some PR cases they’ve worked on, and I’ll review them before giving you a response.”
“Okay, no problem.”
After ending the conversation with Mi Cai, my mood gradually became heavier, and I felt even more worried about Zuo Mei’s future. I deeply understood how important Zuo Mei was to Mi Cai, which was why she had chosen to cooperate with Jian Wei in this crisis. In reality, the PR resources Jian Wei possessed were indeed incomparable to those of other PR companies. I truly hoped that this historic collaboration between Jian Wei and Mi Cai would achieve unexpected results.
…
After exiting the “Seaview Café,” I unexpectedly found Zhou Zhaokun still sitting in his car without leaving. He patiently waited for me. After making an apologetic gesture toward him, I sat in the front passenger seat of his car.
The rising car door gradually closed, and Zhou Zhaokun asked me, “You should be very familiar with Suzhou, right? Where shall we go for drinks?”
“I’ll take you to a very artistic and stylish bar.”
Zhou Zhaokun said enthusiastically, “Sounds good. You lead the way.”
I nodded, and he then started the car, driving toward the “Fifth Season Bar” following my directions.
Shortly after, we entered the bar. CC happened to be performing there tonight. Upon suddenly seeing me, she was very surprised and immediately put down her guitar and came over, asking, “Why are you in Suzhou again?”
“I have some urgent matters to handle.” After saying that, I turned to Zhou Zhaokun and said, “This is Miss Ye Beini. She’s a friend of mine. You should have met her at Ah Feng’s bar.”
Before Zhou Zhaokun could speak, CC pinched my arm and said, “Zhaoyang, are you annoying or what? I told you not to call me Ye Beini!”
In pain, I quickly corrected myself and called her CC. Zhou Zhaokun smiled, then looked around the bar and said to me, “This bar really fits your style. It must have something to do with you, right?”
CC answered for me, “Your insight is very sharp. The theme of the ‘Fifth Season’ for this bar was proposed by him.”
Zhou Zhaokun gave me a thumbs-up to show his praise and then asked, “Then you must be the owner of this bar?”
I shook my head and said, “No, the bar is owned by Leyao. However, her acting career is thriving now, so she has no interest in managing the bar and is considering selling it.” I then said to CC, “Sis, go get us some beer and put it on my tab.”
“I’ll treat you,” CC said generously before turning to call over a waiter to bring us some beer and then returned to the stage to continue singing and playing her guitar.
I clinked my opened beer bottle with Zhou Zhaokun’s before sinking into my own thoughts, pondering what kind of PR crisis Mi Zhongde might create to affect Zuo Mei’s brand image.
Zhou Zhaokun seemed very enthusiastic about drinking and only spoke again after finishing a bottle of beer, saying, “The style of this bar is really great. I’m interested in taking it over. Can you help me connect with Leyao?”
I looked at Zhou Zhaokun in confusion and asked, “Aren’t you going back to Shanxi? Taking over this bar now doesn’t seem very practical, does it?”
Zhou Zhaokun smiled and replied, “Just like the inn, you can take it over and operate it for me. Since you proposed the theme for this bar, I believe you can definitely manage it well.”
I honestly told Zhou Zhaokun, “Actually, I do plan to take over this bar, but I currently don’t have enough funds. Also, I have my own ideas regarding its future development.”
“So you’re saying Leyao definitely won’t sell it to me?”
“Not necessarily!”
“Then can we talk about your ideas for the bar’s future development?”
I nodded and said, “To be precise, in my development plan, this bar is only a part of it. I hope to integrate the bar with a restaurant and the inn, and then set up branches in various famous tourist cities across the country, ultimately forming a network filled with artistic elements across China’s map. I call it the ‘Artistic Journey.'”
“Artistic Journey?”
“Yes, that’s the goal I will put into practice in the coming years.”
Zhou Zhaokun nodded thoughtfully and then said, “I indeed see the artistic aspect in the bar and the inn, but what about the restaurant? Are you currently involved in the restaurant business?”
I looked at CC who was singing on stage and then said, “If you’re free tomorrow, I’ll take you to a restaurant. That’s the real place where art is taken to the extreme.”
“Great, I’m looking forward to it!” Zhou Zhaokun said, then clinked his glass with mine again.
…
That night, although I really wanted to drink, I didn’t get myself drunk, because I still needed to meet Jian Wei later to discuss the cooperation with Mi Cai.
First, I brought Zhou Zhaokun to the old house where Mi Cai and I were staying, offered him my room to stay in, and after settling him down, I called Jian Wei. A short while later, she answered the phone, with the same surprised tone as Mi Cai had just now, asking me, “Why are you calling me so late?”
“I want to talk to you about something. Are you available now?”
“Sure, I just got off work and am sitting by the moat having a breeze.”
“Then I’ll come find you now.”
“Come on… Oh, bring me some oden. I haven’t had dinner yet.”
“Besides oden, do you want anything else?”
“If you still remember what I like to eat, bring whatever you want. I’ll accept anything!”
“Accept anything?… You must be really hungry!”
Jian Wei just laughed and hung up the phone. It seemed that she now disliked bantering with me…
I put the phone back into my pocket and immediately started thinking about what she liked to eat, but then I felt that those past preferences were too distant now. Who knew if she still liked them? Therefore, I took the initiative to buy a proper nutritious meal, not even buying the oden she asked for, because that stuff was too unhealthy and unhygienic.
…
Half an hour later, I arrived at the riverside. True enough, I saw Jian Wei’s car parked there, but a large patch of paint on the front had been scraped off, indicating that it must have recently collided with another vehicle. This was definitely related to her overexertion at work. Sometimes, not only Ah Chen but even I couldn’t quite understand why she insisted on exhausting her youth in endless work! In fact, if she wanted, she could easily be a carefree young lady living comfortably or even a full-time housewife!
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