Chapter 32: I Would Like You to Come and See

Jiang Mian had not been awake for long, her mind still hazy, when her phone began to ring.

She turned on her side, reached out to hook the phone from the nightstand, and curled back into her quilt, feeling somewhat weary.

"Xiao Li, what’s wrong?"

The voice on the other end of the line was slightly upbeat: "Sister Mianmian, President Jiang would like you to come over today. He says it’s regarding those design drafts from before."

Her eyes widened in an instant, and Jiang Mian felt her brain clear up.

She braced her arms to sit up in bed, raised a hand to rub her temples, and spoke with the hoarseness of someone who had just woken up. "Did he specify anything more detailed?"

Xiao Li shook her head. "Not really. He just said he hoped you could come by today, to their headquarters."

"Alright, I understand."

After hanging up, Jiang Mian casually tousled her hair, climbed out of bed, and headed to the bathroom to wash up.

Jiang Zhimu was a man of his word; it was unlikely that there was a problem with the design drafts, especially since they had already been verified and the transaction was long settled. Although she had some lingering questions, she decided to wait until she got there to find out.

The Jiang Group headquarters was not far from the central office building. She drove there, parked in the basement, and walked around to the main entrance.

This was Jiang Mian’s first time stepping inside, though she had passed by the entrance several times before.

She approached the front desk, and the young woman there quickly noticed her. "Hello?"

"Hello, I am Jiang Mian. President Jiang said..."

Before she could finish, the receptionist interrupted with a smile: "Ms. Jiang, please come this way. President Jiang has already instructed me. You can just head straight up."

"Thank you."

Since he was the one who had asked her to come, it was only natural that he had notified the front desk in advance.

She took the elevator directly to the thirty-second floor, where the executive offices were located. As the elevator doors opened, the space was bright and spacious, with a floor-to-ceiling window on the right offering a clear view of the scenery outside.

The office staff seemed not to notice her arrival, continuing to focus on their own work. However, the woman sitting closest to the elevator looked up and stood up immediately.

"You must be Ms. Jiang, please follow me."

The layout of the floor was quite straightforward; the row of doors to the left was clearly marked with "Guest Room" and "President’s Office." The woman led her into the guest room and thoughtfully poured her a glass of water.

Jiang Mian sat on the sofa, placed the glass on the coffee table, and gave the woman a slight nod of thanks. The woman left and headed toward the president's office next door.

A moment later, footsteps approached. Jiang Zhimu walked in, and the woman who had been following him discreetly closed the door behind him.

Jiang Mian stood up, but before she could say anything, Jiang Zhimu waved his hand. "No need for formalities, Ms. Jiang. Please, have a seat."

Not knowing what Jiang Zhimu was up to, Jiang Mian felt a bit uneasy. Perhaps sensing her tension, Jiang Zhimu sat on a nearby armchair and smiled at her softly.

He had achieved success at a young age, and now, holding his current position, he was only three years older than Jiang Mian. When he smiled, he still carried the air of a youth. Jiang Mian couldn't help but take an extra look before slowly averting her gaze.

"President Jiang, what is it that you needed me for?" She didn't want to beat around the bush and asked directly.

Jiang Zhimu raised an eyebrow, pressed his lips together, and maintained a playful smile. "The design drafts you provided were truly excellent. I quickly had craftsmen create several versions using different materials."

"However, since you are the designer, I wanted to invite you to take a look."

Jiang Mian glanced at him, puzzled. "Is that all?"

When she had drafted those designs, she had already specified the optimal materials for the structures and desired effects. Besides, the designs already belonged to the Jiang Group; what happened afterward had nothing to do with her. Wasn't the choice of production materials entirely up to the Jiang Group's judgment?

Her confusion was evident, but Jiang Zhimu offered no explanation, simply rubbing his slightly sore wrists. "Are you free today, Ms. Jiang? Would you do me the honor of taking a look?"

How could Jiang Mian refuse a request phrased like that by a man of his status? She nodded in agreement and left the guest room with him.

"Qi Su, let’s go," Jiang Zhimu called out. The man who had been sitting near the president's office stood up immediately. It was the same assistant who had signed the contract with her last time.

The assistant drove, and Jiang Zhimu and Jiang Mian sat in the back. Although she desperately wanted to ask if there was truly nothing else he wanted her for, she knew that for people in such high positions, nothing was more annoying than others being curious about their business. It was a taboo, and one should never try to second-guess their motives.

The journey passed in silence; Jiang Mian simply played the part of a docile puppet.

The Jiang family had their own production plant in the suburbs of the capital, so there was no need to seek out other contract manufacturers. The reason they had managed to thrive without declining was due to the strength of their foundation.

"First time here, Ms. Jiang?" Jiang Zhimu stepped out of the car and stretched.

Jiang Mian nodded. "Indeed. I have long heard of the high quality of the Jiang Group's production lines, and today I am fortunate enough to see them."

The man beside her yawned with an indifferent expression. Those rumors were just for people who hadn't seen the reality; in truth, he felt it was quite mediocre. If they were even more powerful, they should be mining their own raw materials rather than buying them from others. On this point, Jiang Zhimu felt he should strive to be more like Wen Jinhuai.

"Let's go." He brushed off his clothes, raised an eyebrow, and headed inside.

Qi Su led the way, swiping his security card to guide them deep into the facility. Jiang Mian looked around; the scale of the Jiang Group’s plant was significant, featuring several factory buildings and ample space for extensive landscaping. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to guess that this place could support over five hundred people.

They walked to the furthest factory building, took an elevator on the left to the third floor, and found themselves in what looked like a sophisticated laboratory, with staff in work uniforms moving about. Through the glass windows of the corridor, she could see design sketches and structural breakdowns pinned to mobile whiteboards.

This didn't feel like luxury goods manufacturing anymore; it felt more like scientific research.

Someone approached them: "President Jiang, Assistant Qi."

"The President wants to show Ms. Jiang the new products," Qi Su said, gesturing toward Jiang Mian.

The man understood immediately, nodded with a smile, and led the way.