Wang Xiaoliang had expected settling the final accounts with Li Lanxiang to be a tough battle, but it went surprisingly smoothly.
It was the same restaurant downstairs, in the same private room.
Li Lanxiang's mother hadn't come.
Wang Xiaoliang received his final share of the profits, over 180,000 after tax.
He also specifically asked the accountant to calculate Kong Xiuyun's and Huang Xueli's shares.
Kong Xiuyun's was transferred directly to her after tax.
Huang Xueli's was transferred to him.
All the employees were paid a full month's wages.
Li Lanxiang didn't waste a single word. She could see the transactions clearly in the accounts, and Huang Xueli had also told her how Wang Xiaoliang had led everyone in working flat out over those final seven days.
With all the money settled, Li Lanxiang ordered several nice dishes.
What they hadn't expected was that the laptop for making the transfers wasn't the only thing Li Lanxiang had brought in her handbag.
She now took out a bottle of Wuliangye as well.
She handed it to Huang Xueli and asked him to open it.
"Today marks a perfect ending. We have to celebrate."
Wang Xiaoliang felt uncomfortable all over. This woman was acting far too out of character today.
When the food arrived, Li Lanxiang raised her tea in place of liquor and said, "Xiaoliang, you deserve the most credit for these three supermarkets. After Zhou Qiang's accident, I became impatient and may have offended you. Please forgive me. Zijin and I are like sisters, and I don't want a rift between us to put her in a difficult position."
"That won't happen." Wang Xiaoliang didn't know how to respond.
"Dahuang, I'm sorry, and thank you for all your earnest advice. It helped me a great deal."
"Oh, Lanxiang, what are you