At seven o'clock in the evening, Zhao Chen brought Three Women to the Boiling Memories Hot Pot store.
To him, this is an old place.
This time, he chose a private room.
When the bottom of the pot was brought up, Red Oil was rolling and steaming.
Mao tripe, yellow throat, beef, and shrimp sliders were placed on the table, with dipping bowls forming a circle.
Chen Xi was the first to pick up the chopsticks, picked up a piece of tripe and poured it into the pot:
"It's finally time to get off work! I'm so exhausted!"
Zhang Qingxue rarely wore glasses. He leaned on the back of the chair and looked at the boiling pot with a relaxed smile on his lips:
"Chen Xi, how are you going to get married in the future with your appearance?"
Chen Xi chewed the hairy tripe in his mouth and counterattacked vaguely:
"Sister Qingxue, take care of yourself and worry about me."
Su Wantang smiled and poured drinks for everyone:
"Eat slowly, the pot has just boiled."
Zhao Chen picked up the cup and took a sip. Looking at the state of the three people across from him, a warmth surged in his heart.
This is the rule he has set - as long as we have a private dinner, everyone must put aside their workplace shackles and get along with each other like friends.
Not called "Zhao Zong", not talking about work, not putting on airs.
At this moment, this rule comes into effect.
Chen Xi swallowed the hairy belly in his mouth and suddenly looked at Zhang Qingxue, his eyes shining with gossip:
"Sister Qingxue, how are you and your...?"
Zhang Qingxue paused with his chopsticks.
Zhao Chen raised his eyebrows slightly.
He really didn't know much about the private life of his mother's best friend.
I just remember that she was married, and her husband seemed to be in the system and never said much.
"Still making trouble." Zhang Qingxue said in a calm tone, as if he was talking about someone else's business, "But they should be divorced soon."
Chen Xi put down his chopsticks:
"Zhenli?"
Zhang Qingxue caught a piece of green vegetable:
"How can this be false? He wants a vassal who is as tender as water and obedient to him. I can't do that."
Chen Xi sneered:
"In what age are you still doing this?"
Su Wantang asked softly:
"Where's the child?"
"The child doesn't want to follow him."
Zhang Qingxue said, "He does want children, but he doesn't want to take care of them. If we get divorced, the children will definitely come with me."
Chen Xi sighed:
"Every family has sutras that are difficult to recite."
Zhang Qingxue glanced at her:
"What about you? What happened to you and that person?"
Chen Xi shrugged indifferently:
"It's divided."
The table was quiet for a second.
Zhao Chen is a little surprised:
"When did it happen?"
"Last week." Chen Xi said, "He asked me to resign and go home to be a housewife.
I said no, he said he didn't need me to make money, he could support me. Should I use it to support him? If not, then we'd split it up."
She picked up the wine glass and took a sip:
"Actually, it's a matter of time. What he wants is a wife who stays around the stove, and what I want is someone who can walk side by side. If no one is willing to compromise, then forget it."
Su Wantang patted her hand gently:
"Will find the right one."
Chen Xi smiled:
"Forget it if you can't find it. Now I have a job and income, and I am living a good life."
She suddenly looked at Zhao Chen, her eyes shining with gossip:
"By the way, Zhao Chen, how do you plan to deal with the matter between you and Wantang?"
Zhao Chen was stunned for a moment.
Su Wantang's face turned red instantly.
But before she lowered her head, the expectation in her eyes did not escape anyone's eyes.
Zhang Qingxue was holding the wine glass, with the corners of his mouth raised slightly, looking like he was watching a good show.
Chen Xi blinked, waiting for the answer.
Zhao Chen was silent for two seconds.
The Red Oil in the pot was still rolling, and heat was rising between them.
Then he reached out and took Su Wantang's hand.
Su Wantang raised his head and looked at him.
Zhao Chen met her gaze and spoke slowly:
"If she never leaves her, I will depend on her for life and death."
Su Wantang's eye sockets were slightly red.
Chen Xi said "Wow", and the corners of Zhang Qingxue's mouth curved deeper.
"Is this a confession?" Chen Xi asked.
Zhao Chen smiled:
"Guess."
Chen Xi curled his lips:
"Changing the concept, bad review."
Zhang Qingxue shook his head slightly:
"This is said in a flawless manner. It not only expresses one's position, but also leaves room for leeway."
Su Wantang lowered his head, but could not suppress the smile on his lips.
She didn't speak.
But she held Zhao Chen's hand a little tighter.
Chen Xi picked up a piece of beef, put it into the pot and rinsed it:
"Come on, come on, let's drink to Zhao Zong's wit!"
Westerners clink glasses.
Hot Pot's heat blurred each other's faces, but the warmth was clearly visible.
Zhang Qingxue put down the cup and suddenly said:
"Actually, we all understand the situation of Wantang. But some things cannot be rushed."
Su Wantang nodded:
"I know."
Chen Xi waved his hand:
"Okay, okay, no more gossiping. Eat, eat, the meat will get old!"
The Westerner picked up the chopsticks again.
The topic turned to other places - a drama Chen Xi watched recently, Zhang Qingxue's daughter's incident at school, the new recipe Su Wantang learned, and the embarrassing things Zhao Chen did when he was a child.
No one mentioned work again.
No one mentioned those thrilling Business War again.
There is only laughter and the boiling sound of Hot Pot
In the next few days, the atmosphere on the 28th floor of Henglong Building was completely different from the previous few months.
It is no longer a tense emergency meeting or a thrilling stock price battle.
But proceed in an orderly manner.
A calm and effortless rhythm.
August 18, 10 a. m., Zhao Chen office.
Chen Xi came in with a stack of documents and a smile on his face:
"Three companies have come to inquire about the commercial packages Zhao Zong and Riverbay International."
Zhao Chen raised his head:
"So fast?"
Chen Xi put the document in front of him:
"After we spread the word, many people were interested.
After all, the location is not bad, but the operation failed to keep up before. Now the price is right, and there are plenty of people to take over."
She turned over it:
"The highest offer was 55 million, which was a little higher than our expectation of 50 million."
Zhao Chen nodded:
"Keep talking. Don't worry, whoever offers the higher price will be given."
Chen Xi laughed:
"Understood. Now that we are not short of money, we can slowly choose a buyer."
August 20, 3 pm, Small Meeting Room.
Song Zhongping opened the door and came in with a rare relief on his face:
"Chairman Zhao, someone has taken over the cultural tourism project."
Zhao Chen looked at him:
"So fast?"
Song Zhongping sat down opposite him:
"I am also engaged in cultural tourism, and I happen to want to enter our area.
They think our project is basically okay, but it lacks operations. After they take over, they plan to reposition it as a family resort."
He paused:
"The bid was 180 million. It was a little lower than our book value, but better than expected."
Zhao Chen thought for a while:
"Okay."
Song Zhongping nodded:
"Then I will arrange the next step."
He stood up, walked to the door, and looked back:
"Chairman Zhao, if we had disposed of these assets this time last year, we would have lost at least half. Now..."
He smiled:
"It's nice to have money."
August 22, 11 a. m. Zhang Qingxue office.
Zhang Qingxue put down the phone and looked at Chen Xi opposite:
"Two of the small companies that have been losing money for a long time have already reached an agreement."
Chen Xi's eyes lit up:
"So fast?"
Zhang Qingxue nodded:
"Buyers have been targeting it for a long time. We didn't sell it before, but now we release it and they are rushing to get it."
She flipped through the records:
"One family sold for 30 million, with a book value of 25 million.
One family sold it for 12 million yuan, with a book value of 38 million yuan."
Chen Xi laughed:
"You actually made a profit?"
Zhang Qingxue pushed up his glasses:
"Before, it was a burden to keep, but now it is an asset to sell. This is the difference between being calm and not being calm."
August 25th, afternoon at West Point, Zhao Chen office.
A week has passed.
Chen Xi placed the latest summary table in front of Zhao Chen:
"Zhao Zong, within one week, the inefficient assets of Four Transactions were processed. The funds withdrawn were 120 million, which was about 8 million higher than the book value."
She paused:
"The remaining few transactions are also being negotiated by interested buyers. It is expected that they will all be processed next month--"
Zhao Chen's cell phone suddenly rang.
He glanced at the caller ID and picked up:
"Director Shen."
Chen Xi stopped reporting and waited quietly.
The voice of Shen Jue came from the other end of the phone, as crisp as ever:
"Zhao Chen, are you free this afternoon?"
Zhao Chen glanced at the time:
"What's the matter?"
Shen Jue laughed:
"I'll bring a few people over to visit you."
Zhao Chen raised his eyebrows slightly:
"Who?"
"It belongs to Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development." Shen Jue said, "The specific matter will be kept confidential. You will know when it arrives."
Zhao Chen was silent for a second:
"Okay. What time?"
"Around three o'clock."
"Okay, I'll wait for you."
The phone hangs up.