Chapter 3 - Get Lost!

• Over on the other side, there is a strange silence in the room.
• Without having to look at Javier Zhong's cold and unfriendly expression, Isaac Wen could already feel the low pressure from him.
• In fact, he closed his eyes and prepared to embrace what is to come as his body started to break into a cold sweat!
• Clearly, Isaac Wen knows that if the young master were to throw a temper right now, no one could control him at all!
• And at the end of the day, the person who would have the toughest time could only be him...
• "..."
• It did not take very long for everyone in the room to realise that the temperature has already dropped to its freezing point!
• Even Mr Robertson could not help but question himself if he had made the right decision to bring both parties together.
• However, from a business standpoint, he had no choice as this is the most effective way to negotiate for the best terms in the contract.
• Of course, as a ruthless businessman himself, Javier Zhong is well aware of Mr Robertson's intention behind this move.
• But since it is the first time that this international departmental store has decided to step foot in Asia, it is an important partnership for Zhong Holdings.
• Not only will it help the company reap a huge amount of profits, but its international presence would be increased as well.
• Basically, this partnership is a golden opportunity that he doesn't want to miss out on at all!
• After much consideration, Javier Zhong finally signalled to Isaac Wen. "Hand him the proposal."
• Phew!! What a close shave!
• Isaac Wen secretly heaved a sigh of relief, but just as he was about to place the proposal on the table, Mr Robertson waved his hand at him.
• "No, I'm not interested in your proposal yet. I want to know what's the best profit share percentage that your company can offer to me."
• As a business partner, he is naturally more interested to hear the financial gains of this business deal.
• To him, time is money and if the financial terms are unsatisfactory, there is no point in hearing about the proposal at all.
• "!!..."
• Everyone from Zhong Holdings sucked in their breath as soon as they heard what was spoken. Nobody dared to steal a glance at Javier Zhong's icy face.
• How dare the investor speak to him in this manner?!
• Has he not heard about the horrifying rumours of Javier Zhong yet??... He is a man who could easily crush anyone with just a finger of his!
• Is he really looking for a death wish?!
• But surprisingly, despite these consecutive provocations made by the investor, Javier Zhong still maintained an indifferent look.
• "We are very confident about our proposal and proposed profit share percentage. But if Mr Robertson cannot trust us on this, then you are not the right partner for Zhong Holdings."
• With just two sentences, Javier Zhong had completely turned the tables around!
• Wow! No wonder he is also famously known as the "Business Hegemon!"
• To date, he has never once clinched a business deal that puts him at a disadvantage!
• "Chairman Zhong, we are both businessmen after all. And to me, profit share still takes precedence over any proposal."
• "..."
• But as soon as Mr Robertson finished his sentence, there were three light knocks on the door and it had pretty much helped to ease some tension in the room.
• Except for Javier Zhong, everyone else turned to look at the entrance with curiosity.
• The rare beauty, coupled with her elegant temperament had left everyone feeling completely stunned.
• "!!..."
• "Well, not looking at the proposal and jumping straight to discuss the profit share may not be a wise choice. Who knows what you are getting yourself into?"
• Stephanie Ruan spoke as she strolled gracefully towards the centre of the table.
• With a confident smile, she greeted the investor and passed him a name card. "Hello, nice to meet you! I'm Stephanie, the director of Helix Publishing."
• Initially, Mr Robertson was skeptical about the sudden appearance of Stephanie Ruan, but after hearing her self-introduction, he instantly widened his eyes. "He...Helix Publishing?!"
• Of course, he has heard about her publishing company!
• In fact, his corporation has been on the waiting list for many months just to apply for an advertorial slot on their business magazine!
• On top of that, Stephanie Ruan has always maintained a low profile in the public's eye.
• So to be able to meet the director in person today, he must have hit the jackpot!
• Apart from him, everyone else in the room is also in awe of her presence and some murmurings could be heard.
• Noticing that Javier Zhong is staring indifferently at her, she raised one of her eyebrows and returned an unconcerned look to him.
• Stephanie Ruan is absolutely certain that he would need her help today so thankfully there was no need for her to pretend that she had fallen in love with him just to attract his attention and curry his favour.
• Sadly, no matter how outstanding he is, she has absolutely zero interest in him.
• Meanwhile, Isaac Wen, who is standing at the side had actually caught this scene. He was rendered speechless but at the same time, completely impressed by her.
• Wow! Did he see her expression wrongly?!
• Usually, other women would be busy fawning over his young master and could not wait to impress him but this lady in front of him...
• Not only is she uninterested in Javier Zhong, she even dared to stare back at him!
• Isaac Wen secretly gave her a thumbs up in his heart.
• "Both Zhong Holdings and HG Group are indeed the most outstanding companies in the country. Mr Robertson, I got to applaud you for bringing the right people into this room today."
• Stephanie Ruan paused and gave him a light smile before adding, "However... even though HG Group's profits have seen a sharp increase of at least 8.2% in the recent months, we have to also take into consideration their several months of deficits last year, at around -2.4%."
• "Though Zhong Holdings' profit figure may not be as attractive as HG Group's, they have been enjoying a stable flow of income, with a steady increase of at least 1.25% every month. As a businessman, I trust that you know what these figures mean."
• She then casually shifted her glance to Javier Zhong, "On top of that, Zhong Holdings owns many properties in this country."
• Seeing Javier Zhong's aloof expression, Stephanie Ruan gave a light smirk and turned to look at Mr Robertson.
• "By properties, I'm specifically referring to their popular high-end shopping malls. If you are partnering with them, you can leverage their insightful knowledge on the best locations for your future stores."
• "It's the first time that JC Departmental Store is expanding in Asia, shouldn't you choose to work with the best partner to ensure its success? Why settle for the second-best when you can work with the best?"
• She folded her arms and stood in front of everyone with confidence.
• Given Stephanie Ruan's rich knowledge in the business sector, Mr Robertson had no reason to not heed her professional advice.
• Of course, in this meeting, one party had to leave with disappointment and that could only be HG Group. The two men were unable to rebuke her at all as what she stated were simply facts and nothing less than that.
• After they had taken their leave, the discussion with Zhong Holdings went on for several hours before both parties have finally reached an agreement.
• With the presence of Zhong Holdings' lawyers from the legal department, the signing process was expedited.
• Before leaving the private room, Mr Robertson gave a solid handshake to Javier Zhong, which also signifies the term 'happy collaboration'.
• He then handed out two well-designed invitation cards to Javier Zhong and Stephanie Ruan, "JC Departmental Store is hosting its 20th-anniversary dinner this weekend in Country C. I sincerely hope to see both of you at this special event."
• Mr Robertson could be said to be utterly impressed by Stephanie Ruan's eloquence throughout the entire discussion.
• To be honest, he has never met a lady like her before and he truly felt that such a person could only be a perfect match for Javier Zhong.
• Wait hold on... Are they already a couple??...
• Seemingly able to read his mind, Stephanie Ruan stepped forward and cling her arm with Javier Zhong's.
• "Get lost!!" Though his voice is too soft for anyone else to hear other than Stephanie Ruan, one could surely sense his intimidating aura.
• Ignoring his words and cold glare at her, she threw him an enchanting smile instead and turned to Mr Robertson, "I'll definitely be there as long as Javier brings me along with him."
• "??!!..."