Of course I wanted to do it! It was such a good opportunity.
But... I simply didn't have what it took!
Wang Xiaoliang opened his mouth, but he had no idea what to say.
Zhou Qiang seemed to see through his hesitation. He did not rush him, merely continuing calmly, "Big Huang asked you here for two reasons. First, your character. He trusts you. Second, you've run a supermarket before. You have experience and can get up to speed quickly."
His tone suddenly shifted.
"Of course, you could also call it 'using you.'"
Using me.
The words grated on his ears, but he could not refute them. He could not even feel the slightest offense.
Because Zhou Qiang was telling the truth.
"Business partnerships are fundamentally about using each other, about whether each side has something the other needs. We use your experience and your trustworthy identity, and you use our money and information to earn money you otherwise couldn't and get opportunities you otherwise wouldn't have."
"That's fair."
"Think it over carefully. You don't have to answer me right away."
Zhou Qiang's words were like a cold, precise scalpel, mercilessly cutting through the facade of pride and confusion around Wang Xiaoliang's heart and laying bare the desires and fears at its core.
"To be honest, I do want to do it." Wang Xiaoliang's voice was a little dry. "It's just... I don't know how to go about it. And using your money, Brother Qiang, I... I feel a little bad about it. I'm also a little scared about whether I can bear the consequences."
Zhou Qiang's expression did not change as he nodded.
"Since you're on board too, we'll move in that direction." He leaned back against the sofa. "As for the specifics, let me think."
A brief silence