Chapter 374 - 372: Hitting It Off

Jasmine nodded in understanding. She had been feeling a bit timid, but Manager Tate’s words had considerably firmed up her resolve.

At the very least, his words confirmed that the collapse of Cleansweep had created a gap in the housekeeping industry—the perfect opportunity for her to make her move.

"Jasmine, are you sure you want to get into this line of work?"

Jasmine met his gaze but didn’t answer right away.

To be honest, her interest in the housekeeping industry wasn’t born from passion. It was because she felt confident she could do it well.

When it comes to starting a business, personal preference doesn’t matter much. The market and the opportunity are what’s most crucial.

Besides, there weren’t many things she was truly passionate about. Or perhaps, she didn’t even know what she liked.

She had no degree and limited experience. Compared to other industries that were completely foreign to her, housekeeping was something she understood, giving her a better chance of success.

’She wasn’t even thinking about building a powerful company or capturing a huge market share. She just wanted to give it a try. Ultimately, she just wanted something to do, something that would make her feel fulfilled.’

"Manager Tate, why don’t you come and help me?" Jasmine said abruptly.

Felix Tate looked stunned. "Huh?"

"Honestly, even though I was at Cleansweep for a few days, that barely counts as experience. You know much more, and you’re more professional. The fact that I asked you here today to hear your opinion proves I trust you."

At this, Jasmine smiled sheepishly. "I won’t be embarrassed to admit it: I don’t know the first thing about any of this. If you’re willing to help me, I can offer you a satisfactory compensation package. Besides, you’re looking for a new job right now, aren’t you?"

Her words were completely candid. This was how Jasmine dealt with people—with sincerity.

Just then, the waiter began to bring their food to the table.

Jasmine gestured toward the food. "Here, let’s eat first. Think about my offer, but don’t feel pressured. It’s okay whether you say yes or no. What you’ve told me today has already helped me so much, so please, enjoy this meal without any reservations!"

Felix Tate, recovering from his surprise, smiled and nodded. "Okay. Thank you, Jasmine."

"What else do I need to know? Please, keep going. I want to hear it all."

"Oh, well, then there’s the different business models within the industry. It’s a long topic, so I’ll take my time explaining..."

Throughout the meal, Felix Tate’s mouth never stopped moving—he was either eating or talking. Jasmine ate little, but she listened with rapt attention.

’If Felix Tate hadn’t shared this professional knowledge with her, she would have ended up making so many unnecessary mistakes.’

"Manager Tate, thank you for coming today. In the future, if I run into anything I don’t understand, I’ll definitely still need to bother you."

After dinner, they left the restaurant. As they were about to part ways, Jasmine made sure to give him a heads-up.

But just then, Felix Tate looked at Jasmine with a serious expression and said, "Jasmine, I’ve thought it over. I’m in!"

"Really?" Jasmine’s face lit up, pleasantly surprised. "I was afraid you’d turn down a woman who doesn’t know the first thing about business!"

"Don’t say that, Jasmine. If you knew everything, what would you need me for? You wouldn’t have invited me to dinner today!" With that, Felix Tate let out a deep sigh. "You know Cleansweep owes me several months of back pay. I’m interviewing constantly, but there’s no guarantee I’ll find a good job anytime soon. I have a wife and kids to support. I really can’t afford to keep waiting."

"Jasmine, you need me, and frankly, I need you. We need each other."

Felix Tate’s words were music to Jasmine’s ears. They made her feel at ease and reinforced her belief that she hadn’t misjudged him.

"So, I guess we have a deal?" Jasmine said with a smile.

Felix Tate nodded emphatically. "Absolutely! But we need to move fast. I’ll go home tonight and draft a preliminary business plan. We can discuss it once I’m done. The sooner we nail down the important details, the sooner we can start the preparations."

"Then I’m putting you on the payroll starting today!"

With Felix Tate joining her, Jasmine’s confidence soared, and a fire was lit within her.

「The next day.」

After washing up, Ethan Sterling came downstairs and heard his mother in the kitchen, humming a little tune as she made breakfast.

He watched her for a moment before he couldn’t help but ask, "Mom, you’re in a great mood this early. What’s the good news?"

Jasmine turned to her son with a small smile. "Of course there is!"

"What is it?" Ethan leaned in, studying his mother’s face, then ventured a guess. "Did you start dating someone?"

"Tsk!" Jasmine shot him a glare. "Don’t be ridiculous!"

As soon as he heard it wasn’t about her love life, Ethan’s interest vanished. "I was excited for nothing."

The words had barely left his mouth when Jasmine’s phone, sitting on the dining table, started ringing. Ethan walked over, picked it up, and saw it was a WhatsApp video call from his aunt.

He answered it.

"Auntie Yvonne!"

"Ethan! You haven’t left for school yet?"

"Not yet. It’s close by, just a ten-minute bike ride, so there’s no rush."

He handed the phone to his mother. Looking at her sister on the screen, Jasmine asked casually, "Aren’t you busy right now? Is this urgent?"

"It’s nothing major. Sarah has a Flight Internship in a couple of days—the Wyvernstone route—and she was hoping to visit you guys."

Hearing that her niece was coming, Jasmine immediately agreed. "Of course she can come! Send me her schedule, and I’ll go pick her up."

"Do you have room for her?"

"Oh, please! Your whole family could come, and you’d each get your own room. Of course there’s space for one person. Just have her message me directly. I miss her!"

Yvonne laughed. "Alright, then. I’ll have her get in touch with you. And don’t you go spoiling her with a bunch of gifts! She’s still young; we can’t let her develop a habit of wasting money!"

"You stay out of it. My niece is coming to visit me. How could I possibly let her go back empty-handed?"

Before her sister could go on, Jasmine cut her off. "Alright, you get back to work. It looks like you’re getting busy. We’ll talk later."

After she hung up, Ethan sidled over again. "Mom, is my cousin Sarah coming to visit?"

"They said her internship has her on the Wyvernstone route. Stop being so nosy. Hurry up and eat so you can get to school."

After getting her son’s breakfast ready, Jasmine went straight upstairs to get ready herself. She was heading out soon to meet with Manager Tate again and discuss the initial steps of setting up the company.

Now that she had made her decision, she felt an even greater sense of urgency. ’I need to get the company registered and find a location before the end of the month.’