Chapter Twenty-Seven: Instruction

The next morning.

Qin Yang rose early. Gao Xiaolan had gone to Yang Yaxin’s home. Under Cao Long’s command were all men—though there were plenty of hostesses, he dared not lay a hand on Yang Yaxin, so he could only take her back to his own house. Naturally, it was Gao Xiaolan who looked after her. As for Long Qiuhu, after being knocked out cold by Cao Long’s men, no one spared him another thought.

After stepping out, Qin Yang first headed to the nearby breakfast shop. The owner seemed to have anticipated his arrival and had already prepared over a dozen baskets of steamed buns, beaming with delight as Qin Yang devoured them—after all, the more he ate, the more profit for the owner.

At exactly six ten, he appeared downstairs at Liu Molan’s building. It was puzzling that Liu Molan, who owned a high-end villa, chose instead to live in an ordinary residential complex. Yet, upon reflection, it made sense; this prominent boss clearly wished to rely on her own abilities to manage Tianfeng Mall, avoiding any reliance on others. As Qin Yang drove toward the mall, Liu Molan produced pen and paper. “Qin Yang, the only time I can study is in the car. Let’s begin now.”

Qin Yang was taken aback but nodded. “All right. Why don’t you start by telling me your thoughts on the relationship between work and life?”

“Work and life are public and private matters,” Liu Molan replied. “I can use my personal time to work, but I will never use work time for private affairs. I formulated this principle based on the circumstances here in China. After all, in America, the boundary between public and private is strictly observed.”

Qin Yang smiled. “But this is China. The first thing to learn about managing relationships here is how to say no.”

“Saying no?” Liu Molan frowned. “What do you mean?”

“To refuse unreasonable demands,” Qin Yang explained. “In this country, people often bring the authority of work into their personal lives, creating a subtle network of relationships. Frequently, they will use work as leverage to ask for personal favors—like Wang Zhen last night. If you hadn’t been so decisive, the negotiation would likely have been settled over drinks at dinner. But I digress. Refusing is an advanced art. Here, saving face matters immensely. If you reject someone’s proposal, it can easily cause workplace friction. But if you never say no, you risk overextending yourself, biting off more than you can chew, and damaging your reputation in business.”

“How to refuse is the first lesson you must learn. You need to recognize your own value. Wang Zhen wants to expand his brand in Haitian City, and you want to attract more well-known brands to make Tianfeng Mall famous, bringing in more customers and profits. But remember, in all of Haitian City, Tianfeng Mall is unique. If Wang Zhen wants to report impressive results to his boss and gain greater benefits, his best choice is your mall. For that reason alone, you can easily decline pointless social gatherings like last night’s—it was a waste of time.”

Faced with Qin Yang’s words, Liu Molan nodded in agreement. Indeed, last night’s event had been lacking in substance.

Qin Yang continued, “Of course, social gatherings are a way to build relationships, and long-term development requires maintaining good relations. However, you must remember you’re the host: how you arrange such events is entirely up to you. Last night, you could have brought along a few senior managers from the mall—not only to help you fend off drinks, but also to show your team that you value them, thereby strengthening your rapport with your subordinates. Naturally, if the other party isn’t particularly important, you needn’t attend at all—just send someone of comparable status. The other party isn’t foolish; they know their own standing and won’t be offended, while your subordinates will welcome the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. Of course, occasionally attending such events yourself can raise your standing and image in their eyes.”

“As for relationships with your subordinates, you studied business management—so you know more about that than I do. I’ll just share some advice about managing relationships on equal footing.”

Liu Molan diligently took notes, pausing from time to time to ponder his words, gaining new insights.

Watching her in the rearview mirror, Qin Yang smiled. As an orphan, he had always been a small figure, working any job he could find. He’d become adept at navigating relationships to survive—one could call him a seasoned hand, a necessity brought on by circumstance. These experiences, so common among ordinary people, were precisely what Liu Molan lacked. One willing to teach, the other eager to learn—it was a perfect match.

Arriving at Tianfeng Mall, Liu Molan returned to her office to fetch some documents, then hurried off to attend a meeting at the Investment Promotion Bureau.

By then, the bureau’s parking lot was already full. Liu Molan glanced around. “Pick me up at ten,” she said.

“All right.” Qin Yang parked by the roadside. As she got out, he was about to drive off when he heard Wang Zhibing’s flamboyant voice: “Miss Liu, ha! You’re here for the meeting too?”

“Manager Wang.” Liu Molan nodded lightly. “With the Investment Bureau’s expanded conference, I suppose your group stands to benefit most.”

Qin Yang, still in the car, chuckled. Liu Molan was learning quickly. Wang Zhibing was pleased as well, though he replied, “That just means the pressure’s on. I can’t let my boss down, after all. Will you have time after the meeting, Manager Liu? I’d like to discuss leasing the seventh-floor shops in your mall.”

“Certainly.” After a moment’s thought, Liu Molan turned to Qin Yang in the car. “Qin Yang, reserve a room at the Hailong Hotel.”

As soon as she said it, Liu Molan froze, realizing she’d forgotten that Wang Zhibing was the general manager of Hailong Hotel. She chided herself for such a slip. But then she recalled Qin Yang’s earlier words: “When you inevitably make a small mistake, don’t try to cover it up—doing so only lowers your standing in the other’s eyes.”

“How careless of me to forget your position, Manager Wang. Please excuse me,” Liu Molan said, her composure unshaken.

But at that moment, Wang Zhibing could scarcely focus on her words. Catching sight of Qin Yang in the driver’s seat nearly made him jump out of his skin. Why was his own young master working as a chauffeur? Yet, when he looked at Liu Molan’s charming face, other thoughts stirred. Smiling, he said, “Miss Liu, you flatter me. Allow me to arrange the rooms. This time, it’s I who need your favor; how could I let you be the host?”

Liu Molan nodded, quietly satisfied. It seemed Qin Yang’s guidance was proving effective.

As Qin Yang drove off, he shot Wang Zhibing a meaningful glance, ensuring that Wang Zhibing wouldn’t dare show Liu Molan the slightest disrespect.