After a moment's thought, Ning Wangshu finally spoke. "Two million. If you agree, I can go meet the big shot you mentioned."
"Whether or not we reach an agreement, you'll need to pay me two million for my time and travel expenses."
"If you don't agree, then forget it..."
Ning Wangshu still had a little over one million left, but if he only charged the one million Zhang Yong had suggested, things would be pretty tight.
It might not be enough.
Or it might be, but only just.
After all, besides planning to buy another house in Jiangnan City, he also needed to set aside some money for future expenses.
As for what had happened to the big shot Zhang Yong mentioned, that was still unclear. Whether they could reach an agreement was an unknown, too.
So Ning Wangshu had asked for two million upfront as his fee.
That way, he'd have at least three million on hand. It would be more than enough to buy a small or medium-sized apartment near Jiangnan University, and he'd still have some money left over.
Hearing Ning Wangshu's price, Zhang Yong agreed without hesitation. "All right! Brother Ning, we'll do it your way. As long as you're willing to meet that big shot, I'll pay you two million for your time and travel expenses, no matter how your conversation goes!"
"Also..."
Zhang Yong paused before continuing. "I also owe you a favor, Brother Ning. If you ever need anything from me, as long as it's within my abilities, just say the word!"
Zhang Yong thumped his chest.
Two million was a lot of money to him.
But the benefits he stood to gain from using this opportunity to get closer to that big shot couldn't be measured by a mere two million.
Even if Ning Wangshu couldn't reach an agreement with the man, at least Zhang Yong would have done his best to help with the big shot's problem and left him with a good impression.
There was no way he'd lose out!
If Ning Wangshu could reach an agreement with the big shot, or even really help him out, then Zhang Yong's standing in the man's eyes would naturally be different.
As for owing Ning Wangshu a favor... Zhang Yong didn't think someone like him would ever need much help from a person like Zhang Yong.
More than anything, it was a way to show his sincerity and get closer to Ning Wangshu.
Of course, if Ning Wangshu really needed his help, Zhang Yong would be more than happy to do him this favor. After all, wouldn't that bring them even closer?
If he ever needed to ask Ning Wangshu for help again, it would be easier to bring up, wouldn't it?
Ning Wangshu naturally saw through Zhang Yong's little schemes, but he didn't call him out. After all, he'd be heading off to university in a couple of months, while his younger sister still had another year of senior high school to finish in Linchuan.
There might come a time when his sister ran into a small problem and needed help.
Having someone he could call on here would be convenient. That way, he wouldn't have to make a special trip back over every little thing. Or his sister might think something was too minor to bother him with and decide not to tell him.
She might even put up with being wronged.
With Zhang Yong around, things would be much easier. He could introduce Zhang Yong to his sister and have them exchange contact information.
If his sister ran into a minor problem in the future that Zhang Yong could take care of, Ning Wangshu wouldn't have to make a special trip back.
And even if she didn't want to trouble him, she could go straight to Zhang Yong.
That way, Ning Wangshu wouldn't have to come back in person every time something came up, and he could worry less...
Ning Wangshu gave Zhang Yong a small nod. "All right, then. Let's do that. Set up a time with the big shot. Once you know when and where I'm supposed to meet him, just let me know."
"Sure, sure! Thanks, Brother Ning! I'll bring it up with him shortly. Once everything's confirmed, I'll let you know."
Zhang Yong answered at once.
After a pause, he added, "By the way, would you mind giving me your contact information? That way, I can get in touch with you directly."
Ning Wangshu nodded. "Sure. Write down my phone number..."
"Okay, okay!"
Zhang Yong was delighted and quickly pulled out his phone.
Ning Wangshu soon gave him his number.
After saving it, Zhang Yong called him to make sure it went through, then said, "Brother Ning, this is my private number. If you ever need anything from me, just call this number!"
"Mm."
Ning Wangshu gave a brief reply, then asked, "Do you know exactly what the big shot is looking for an expert to help him with?"
Zhang Yong shook his head. "I'm not too sure. I tried asking him about it before, but he didn't say."
"I see..."
Ning Wangshu understood. "All right, Manager Zhang. If there's nothing else, we'll leave it at that for now."
Ning Wangshu had already seen him to the door, so Zhang Yong got up at once. "All right, Brother Ning. I won't take up any more of your time. I'll be going."
"Mm!"
After Zhang Yong left, Ning Wangshu let out a quiet breath and murmured, "I still don't know what the big shot he mentioned needs help with, but at least I'll be getting two million."
"Once I enroll at Jiangnan University, I can buy a house near campus."
After a pause, Ning Wangshu thought, Money is just a worldly possession to me. But living in ordinary society really does come with plenty of expenses.
Even if I can get by with less, since I can afford it, I can't let Ruoxuan go without. I should do everything I can to give her the best life possible!
His younger sister was now Ning Wangshu's only family. And with what had happened to their mother, he felt deeply guilty and indebted to her.
As her older brother, he hoped to make it up to her as best he could.
He'd promised at his mother's grave that he would take good care of his sister and never let her suffer another grievance. He hadn't said those words lightly.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yong left with a delighted look on his face.
"Now that I've convinced Brother Ning, all that's left is to find Manager Song and arrange a time for them to meet. If Brother Ning can really help Manager Song, then that two million will have been money well spent!"
"As long as I can get properly connected with Manager Song and build a little rapport, even a tiny bit that slips through his fingers will be enough for me to live comfortably!"
"In fact, once I've got that connection, not many people will dare to push me around—not just in Linchuan, but across Jiangnan Province! Manager Song is one of the biggest names in the whole province..."
"Besides, I've managed to build at least some sort of connection with Brother Ning this time, even if we can't call it a friendship yet. If I need his help again in the future, maybe he'll be willing to put in a word for me..."
Thinking about all this, Zhang Yong climbed happily into his Mercedes-Benz.