Chapter 5 — Unforgettable Taste

“How much, how much?”

"Two hundred tons. Tomorrow the legal department will send you the contract, the money will be transferred within seven days."

To Niem stood up and brushed the dust off his pants. The supplier returned to his senses and chased after him: "That... are you?" To Niem gave a business card. The supplier bowed his head and looked at — Founder of Niem Chi Vi Food Technology Co., Ltd. — To Niem. His legs were weak. On the third day of arriving in Hangzhou, To Niem received a phone call. Not Luc Chinh's. It was a strange number she had never saved.

“Hello Ms. To, I am Co Dien, founding partner of Huaqing Capital.”

To Niem leaned against the balcony railing, the sunset shining on her face.

“Hello General Co.”

"Please allow me to interrupt, there is something I want to discuss directly. We are extremely interested in Niem Chi Vi's round C capital call."

“I haven't started round C yet.”

"I know. That's why I wanted to talk first."

To Niem burst out laughing: "Mr. Co. really did his homework early."

"If you don't invest first, it's too late." The other person's voice was neither fast nor slow, carrying a hint of laughter. "If it's convenient, how about coming on the evening of the second? I'm in Hangzhou."

"Okay. The location I choose."

"Of course."

She hung up the phone and flipped through documents about Co Dien. Hoa Thanh Investment Fund, managing assets of 20 billion yuan. Core fields: Consumer goods and food. Co Dien, thirty-four years old, an international student returning home, once invested in seven unicorn projects, known in the industry as "Consumer Goods Hunter". She closed the phone and mentally calculated the valuation and capital raising plan. As for Luc Chinh - There was no longer any space in her mind for this person. Luc Chinh's days are getting worse and worse. The impact of Niem Chi Vi's capital withdrawal continued to ferment. A rumor began to spread in the industry — "Customers who cooperate with Luc Chinh, even top brands like Niem Chi Vi cannot keep it, proving that his service has problems." Within a week, he lost two more customers. Boss Chau called him in to talk once. The door was closed, but the office's soundproofing was not good, so colleagues outside could still hear a few key sentences —

“I really have to put a big question mark on your customer management ability right now.”

"Your current state is not suitable to continue leading the team. I am considering transferring you to the logistics department to do research."

“Think it over for yourself.”

When Luc Chinh walked out of Boss Chau's office, his face was pale. Tien Vi stood at the door of the tea room, glanced at him, then turned and left. She never stepped forward to comfort him. Don't even look one more time. At lunch, Luc Chinh sat alone in the fast food restaurant downstairs from the company. He suddenly remembered that To Niem used to bring him lunch. Not food from outside, but a bento she made herself. On top of the rice, seaweed will be cut into a smiley face shape. At that time, he felt so childish, he never gave a single compliment. One time, To Niem asked him if the food was delicious, he nonchalantly said, "Normal." She smiled and changed the menu the next day. His chopsticks stopped in mid-air, suddenly unable to swallow anymore. When I got home that night, Tien Vi was not home. He called for her, no one answered the phone. Sent WeChat, forty minutes later replied: "Overtime." He glanced at the clock, ten o'clock at night. He opened Niem Chi Vi's official social media account and scrolled through recent posts. There is a video — “Founder Niem Chiwei appeared at Hangzhou baking ingredients exhibition.” He clicked to see. The video frame is slightly shaky, seemingly filmed by a passerby. From a distance, a woman wearing a white T-shirt was squatting in front of a pile of flour bags, her hair tied in a loose ponytail. It's To Niem. The comments section is full of things like —

"Is this the founder of Niem Chi Vi? It's too simple."

"People have assets of hundreds of millions, yet they squat at the raw material market to choose their own flour. These are the people who really work."

“Oh my god, she's so beautiful.”

Luc Chinh watched the video three times. Until the screen goes black. He suddenly realized that in the past three years he had never seriously looked closely at To Niem's face. Co Dien arranged to meet To Niem at a restaurant in Hangzhou. Location chosen by To Niem. Not the kind of high-end restaurant that averages two thousand yuan per person, but a long-standing restaurant located in a residential area, averaging eighty yuan per person. When Co Dien arrived, To Niem was already waiting inside. In front of us are two dishes - one part Tay Ho Vinegar Fish, one part Long Tinh Shrimp.

“General To's style of choosing a restaurant is exactly the same as the way of creating a brand - extremely popular and practical.” Co Dien sat down.

To Niem looked up at him.