The liveliness in Night Tokyo continued, the air inside thick with the smells of food, alcohol, and burning tobacco.
Glasses clinked amid President Fan's laughter. He drank with gusto, downing a small cup of baijiu in one gulp without even making the face most people did after drinking it. He was clearly a seasoned veteran tested by alcohol.
"Oh, I truly never thought I'd one day be eating and drinking with President Wang of Good Fortune."
"President Fan, I'm a straightforward person. You've been flattering me all this time. Let me make this clear first: you make clothing, and you say I'm someone you want to learn from. Then you should understand that my clothing business starts with buying cotton at the source and runs all the way through direct sales of finished garments. I've opened up the entire industrial chain.
"I can't use your knitting mill for production, nor can I stock my direct-sale stores with your goods. We're here to eat, drink, and make friends. You're not asking anything of me, so it's better for everyone to relax."
"President Wang is so frank and straightforward. No wonder your business has grown so large."
"President Fan is flattering me again." Wang Yan shook his head with a smile. "I only became frank and straightforward after my business got big."
President Fan paused for a moment, then burst out laughing. "President Wang really is straightforward. Small factories like ours from little places have to beg and plead, squeeze through every door we can find, and seek out business. Of course we have to flatter people. Come, come, President Wang. Let me toast you again."
Wang Yan smiled, raised his glass, and drank with him.
There was no doubt that President Fan was a good businessman. He put interests first, then