Chapter 11: Jiang Ruan
Zhongxing Mercedes-Benz 4S Store.
Jiang Ruan stood in front of the coffee machine in the breakroom, a worried expression creeping onto her face as she looked at the credit card bill reminder for the month, just sent from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.
"Sigh..."
’When will days like this ever end?’
Jiang Ruan picked up her coffee cup and walked to the window. Gazing out at the bright, sunny weather, she let out a soft sigh.
"Jiang Ruan?"
"Where did Jiang Ruan go?"
She had barely taken two sips of her coffee when her manager’s voice echoed from a distance.
"Coming!"
Hearing the slightly irritable tone in her manager’s voice, Jiang Ruan had no choice but to quickly put down her coffee cup and hurry over, her high heels clicking as she half-ran.
"Manager Guo, I’m here."
Jiang Ruan hurried to the main entrance. As she looked at the middle-aged man in the blue suit before her, a flash of disgust flickered in the depths of her eyes.
"Jiang Ruan, President Zhao just called. We have a distinguished guest arriving soon."
Guo Ziming ordered with a cold expression, "You’ll be in charge of receiving them."
"Understood."
Hearing that this was business referred by President Zhao, Jiang Ruan knew it would be another thankless, arduous task.
If the deal went through, she wouldn’t get the credit.
If it didn’t, she would probably get the blame.
How many times had this happened in the past two months?
Jiang Ruan couldn’t quite remember.
Two months ago, at a company team-building dinner.
Guo Ziming, emboldened by alcohol, had tried to get handsy with her. She had thrown a glass of wine in his face, causing him to lose all face in front of everyone.
Ever since then, Guo Ziming had used his authority to make things difficult for her in every possible way.
"From now on, during work hours, don’t keep running off to the breakroom for no reason."
"The company pays you a salary, but not for you to drink tea all day."
Guo Ziming continued to berate her with a stony face, "If you have time, spend it maintaining client relationships. Don’t you know what your sales figures are for this month?"
"Understood."
Jiang Ruan replied, her face expressionless.
"Hmph..."
Seeing Jiang Ruan’s reaction, Guo Ziming felt as if he had punched a wad of cotton. He snorted lightly, then ordered the other available salespeople to line up in advance to welcome the distinguished guest.
Jiang Ruan stood at the very front, waiting for nearly twenty minutes.
When she saw a million-yuan Reelfa minivan slowly pull up to the main entrance of their 4S store, she knew that the person inside was most likely the distinguished guest their boss had mentioned.
BEEP—
The electric door slid open smoothly, revealing a young man who stepped out. He was dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt and black shorts, giving off a clean and refreshing vibe.
At the same time, a beautiful woman who looked to be dressed as a secretary followed him out of the Reelfa minivan.
’So young...’
Jiang Ruan marveled silently. At the same time, she found him vaguely familiar, feeling as though she had seen him somewhere before.
"You must be President Gu!"
"I’m Guo Ziming, the manager of the Zhongxing Mercedes-Benz 4S Store!"
"President Zhao called and instructed me to be sure to give you the best possible reception!"
Guo Ziming, who had just been acting so imperious in front of his sales staff, was now acting exceptionally sycophantic, his face wrinkled with a fawning smile.
"Hello, Manager Guo."
Gu Heng smiled at Guo Ziming. "Do you have a Maybach GLS 600 in stock?"
"Yes, yes, we do."
Guo Ziming nodded repeatedly, then turned and called to Jiang Ruan, "Jiang Ruan, President Gu wants to see the Maybach GLS 600. Quickly take him over to have a look, and be sure to give him a thorough introduction."
"President Gu, hello."
"I’m Jiang Ruan, a salesperson at the Zhongxing Mercedes-Benz 4S Store. It’s a pleasure to assist you."
Jiang Ruan walked up quickly and gave Gu Heng a slight bow in greeting.
’Hm?’
’It’s her?’
The moment Gu Heng saw Jiang Ruan, he froze for a second.
Because the young woman before him, Jiang Ruan, was the very same one from the Lion Fitness Center who had left such a deep impression on him not long ago.
Compared to her yoga attire that day, today she was wearing a business suit: a black women’s blazer over a white top, paired with form-fitting black trousers that accentuated the shape of her legs, and a pair of black patent leather high heels.
The outfit made her, already quite tall, look even more elegant and sophisticated.
To use a popular phrase, those legs were longer than Gu Heng’s lifespan.
"Hello."
Gu Heng looked into her clear eyes and knew instantly that she had no memory of him at all.
He wasn’t broken up about it.
After all, beautiful women always have an endless stream of men buzzing around them, especially a great beauty like Jiang Ruan. It was perfectly normal for her not to remember a man she had only met once.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Gu Heng was welcomed inside by the group.
Then, with Jiang Ruan leading the way, they arrived in front of the Maybach GLS 600.
Under the sunlight, the three-pointed Mercedes-Benz star on the hood gleamed brightly.
The waterfall-style grille, the expensive Obsidian Black paint job, the geometric multibeam headlights, the 23-inch multi-spoke forged wheels, the exclusive Maybach badge on the D-pillar...
Noble!
Luxurious!
Seeing this car again after several months.
Gu Heng’s mindset had undergone a heaven-and-earth-shattering change.
Before, it was completely out of reach.
Now, it was within his grasp.
"President Gu, the Maybach GLS 600 you’re looking at now is the latest 2023 ’Li Shang’ edition. The paint is Obsidian Black, and the interior is a two-tone Crystal White and Pearlescent Silver Grey."
"As the top-of-the-line trim for the 2023 Maybach GLS 600, the ’Li Shang’ edition boasts the highest specifications of any vehicle in the entire Mercedes-Benz lineup to date. It’s equipped with a 4.0T V8 twin-turbo engine and a 48V mild-hybrid system, producing a maximum of 553 horsepower. The chassis features an air suspension and the Magic Body Control system..."
Jiang Ruan stood before Gu Heng, her professional knowledge exceptionally solid. She listed the car’s many features as if she knew them by heart.
Luo Xiwen stood to Gu Heng’s left and slightly behind, her hands folded over her stomach.
Two great beauties, each with a different temperament, flanking him from front and back—the sight made the other men in the store so envious their teeth ached.
"President Gu, please have a seat inside and experience it."
Jiang Ruan opened the driver’s side door and invited him in.
"Alright."
Gu Heng nodded, stepped on the electric running board, and sat down in the driver’s seat.
To make it easier to continue her explanation, Jiang Ruan walked around and sat in the passenger seat.
THUD...
Once both soft-close doors were shut, the excellent soundproofing instantly sealed off all external noise.
"President Gu, this ’Li Shang’ edition Maybach GLS 600 has a four-seat layout. The second row consists of independent executive seats equipped with leg rests, multi-angle power adjustments, heating, ventilation, and massage functions, giving you an experience comparable to a first-class airplane cabin."
"It also comes with a 64-color ambient lighting system, a 26-speaker high-end Burmester sound system, an exclusive fragrance system, a heads-up display, and many other top-tier features to give you the best possible riding and driving experience..."
As Gu Heng listened to Jiang Ruan’s explanation, his gaze unavoidably started to drift down from her exquisite, beautiful, and coolly aloof face.
The already form-fitting black trousers inevitably grew tauter after she sat down, creating an exceptionally graceful and beautiful curve between her waist and hips.
And then there were her gorgeous legs, pressed tightly together and angled toward him, complemented by those slender high heels. The sight was truly a feast for the eyes.
As she was explaining, Jiang Ruan could naturally feel Gu Heng’s gaze roaming over her body. Looking at his handsome, youthful face, her heart couldn’t help but beat a little faster...