Chapter 396: Never Visit Without a Reason

Chapter 396: Chapter 396: Never Visit Without a Reason

The others laughed at Ye Feng’s words.

At a time like this, talking about money was too tacky.

What could possibly compare to the camaraderie of soldiers?

After a few drinks with his old army buddies, Chen Yupeng’s mood had improved significantly. He’d sorted through a lot in his mind and felt like he had a new handle on what was important in life.

Han Xiaorui was also very happy about Yao Yulan’s arrival.

Yao Yulan was a great help, able to take a lot of work off her shoulders.

She had thought the days she wasn’t out at sea would drag on, but it turned out there was plenty to do on shore. Han Xiaorui was never idle.

「Before she knew it, it was June.」

Yao Ziqian and Wu Lingling came over to visit, bringing fruit.

Yao Ziqian pulled a stack of blueprints from his briefcase. "Here are the latest designs for the large Fengshui urns. The first six are tailored to the Japanese aesthetic, and the back six are for the Southeast Asian market. Take a look and tell me what you think."

Han Xiaorui took the blueprints and flipped through them. Even as mere drawings, they showed how Yao Ziqian had perfectly blended a sense of cultural depth with the mystique of the metaphysical.

Han Xiaorui nodded. "These are great. You can go ahead and send them."

"That’s great," Yao Ziqian said, pleased that his efforts were appreciated. "Lingling and I will be out of Shanghai for the next two weeks. If you need anything, give me a call, but I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to answer."

Han Xiaorui asked curiously, "Where are you two going?"

Yao Ziqian’s eyes danced with excitement. "I’m going back to Yue Province. The Dragon Boat Festival is coming up, and I’m going back to train for the dragon boat races. Lingling has also arranged her work here. She’s going to meet with my sister and finalize the autumn clothing line."

"Dragon boat racing?" Han Xiaorui’s eyes lit up. "Do they have it every year?"

"Yes, almost every year," Yao Ziqian replied. "It’s tiring, but a lot of fun. If you weren’t pregnant, I’d invite you and the kids to come experience the lively atmosphere of our southern dragon boat races."

Han Xiaorui patted her belly. "I can’t go this year, but maybe I’ll visit the south next year. When you go back, say hello to your master for me."

"Okay," Yao Ziqian smiled. "My master’s business is booming because of your ornamental fish and Fengshui Fish. He even said that with these two shops, his retirement is set."

"The old master is being too modest. As if he needs to worry about retirement!" Han Xiaorui laughed. "If you come across any good ornamental fish or Fengshui Fish, bring some back for me."

Yao Ziqian agreed, "You got it."

Wu Lingling put down a bag of clothes for Pingping and An’an. "Sister Xiao Rui, thank you so much."

"Don’t thank me. You’ve achieved this through your own hard work," Han Xiaorui said encouragingly. "I think you should bring Uncle Wu and Aunt Wu with you this time. They can check out the situation, and if there are no issues with Ziqian’s family, your marriage can proceed naturally."

Yao Ziqian’s eyes lit up. "Exactly! Lingling, don’t just bring your parents, invite Sister Cuicui too."

"My parents can come, but Minmin has school, and my sister has two young kids. She can’t get away at all," Wu Lingling shook her head. "And if I bring my parents, we can’t take a plane."

"If your sister can’t come, having your uncle and aunt is great too," Yao Ziqian said agreeably. "The train might not be as fast as a plane, but it’s steady. It’ll be a perfect opportunity for me to prove myself along the way."

"It’s the perfect chance for your aunt and uncle to see my hometown, to prove I’m not lying and that my intentions are sincere. Once we have their blessing, I’ll ask my parents to come and arrange the engagement. We might even get married this year!"

Wu Lingling’s face reddened slightly. "Okay!"

Just as they were about to leave, Kuno Hiroo’s car pulled up to the door.

Seeing Yao Ziqian, Kuno Hiroo asked eagerly, "Mr. Yao, are there new designs for the large Fengshui urns specifically for the Japanese market?"

Yao Ziqian nodded. "Yes, would Mr. Kuno like to see them?"

"Please, I’d appreciate it." Kuno Hiroo’s eyes lit up with anticipation. The previous batch had been incredibly popular back home in Japan.

Many families in Japan live in detached homes with courtyards. Planting a few stalks of bamboo and placing a large Fengshui urn with a winding water feature creates a very artistic and tranquil atmosphere.

Almost everyone who saw them would find a way to order a set.

All sorts of Fengshui Fish, koi, and goldfish had become extremely popular as ornamental pets.

The most recent batch of Douyu he’d received was absolutely beautiful.

He had spent half an hour just watching the beautiful fish swim back and forth.

Yao Ziqian handed the designs to Kuno Hiroo. "You’re Japanese, see if these match your aesthetic sensibilities."

Kuno Hiroo was stunned as he examined the patterns. His gaze shifted to Yao Ziqian. "Mr. Yao, you seem to know Japan very well."

Yao Ziqian smiled. "If I want to make money from you, I have to understand you. Just as Japan understands China, no?"

Kuno Hiroo gave an awkward laugh. "Indeed, Mr. Yao. Your designs are excellent. I’ve actually come today to place a larger order for high-end ornamental and Fengshui Fish. The large Fengshui urns are selling splendidly."

"That’s wonderful," Yao Ziqian replied. "If they keep selling well, I’ll create new designs."

"I appreciate your hard work," Kuno Hiroo said.

"It’s no trouble when you’re getting paid," Yao Ziqian said modestly. "Please, continue your conversation. We have to get going."

"Farewell!" Kuno Hiroo said politely, giving Yao Ziqian a look that was full of meaning.

After Yao Ziqian and Wu Lingling left, Kuno Hiroo’s gaze turned to Han Xiaorui.

Han Xiaorui raised an eyebrow and smiled. "To order ornamental fish and Fengshui Fish, you can just send a fax and wire the money. You don’t need to make a special trip."

Kuno Hiroo smiled. "I wouldn’t trouble you for no reason. I need a rather large quantity of your mid-to-high-end ornamental fish, and I absolutely must have them. My business back home is doing incredibly well."

Han Xiaorui was surprised. "I thought you said your economy was in a downturn?"

"Even if it’s ’not good,’ that’s only relative to how it was before," Kuno Hiroo replied. "Besides, even in the poorest of times, there are always rich people. And we’re not poor, just a bit worse off than before. We’re still the world’s second-largest economy after the United States. There are plenty of wealthy people. If you want to earn more US Dollars, you’ll do your best to meet my requirements."

Han Xiaorui had to admit that her biggest client for ornamental fish was Kuno Hiroo. Plus, he was good at promotion, and sales in Japan were climbing steadily.

"Alright. Our production has increased, so I can give you more," Han Xiaorui agreed. The latest batch of ornamental and Fengshui Fish was larger and could meet his needs.

Kuno Hiroo was surprised. "Really? My order is double the previous amount. Is that still okay?"

Han Xiaorui nodded. "Yes, it is. Production is up. When money comes knocking, there’s no reason to turn it away. We’ve expanded our breeding operations."

"Give me more of the Douyu. The new varieties are very popular," Kuno Hiroo said. "Also, I have one more very important request. I must insist that you agree to it."

Han Xiaorui grew suspicious. ’What kind of special request could Kuno Hiroo possibly have now?’