“The higher-ups at Homer’s headquarter talked to me on the phone and said they wanted to meet you, Mr. Laine, and turn your relationship from one of enemies into one of friendship.”
Rowan said with a smile. There might not be many people in the world who could make Homer, a proud automobile company, how its head.
“I have some business to take care of in Swallow Capital for the time being and I can‘t leave. Plus, we don’t have any big grudges with Homer, so you can just talk to them. In the meantime, you can just run Lane Automotive without worries. If something goes wrong, I’ll back you up,” Jasper said in a flat tone.
“Okay, Mr. Laine, I’m relieved now that I have your word,” Rowan said with a smile on the other side of the phone.
After a brief conversation, Jasper hung up the phone. At this moment, Dean came back with a pot of fine tea. “Here, Mr. Laine, please enjoy.”
“Thanks.” Jasper took the dragon-patterned teacup and said suspiciously, “I remember that you didn’t like tea before.”
“Sigh, I don’t know why, but ever since grandpa passed, I started gaining an interest in tea. Maybe… I have been with my grandfather for a very long time and I’ve been influenced by him into liking tea.”
When Gale was alive, he liked to drink tea the most. Every time he talked to Jasper, he would always make two cups of tea. When Dean saw the tea, he would think of Gale. After all, he was not emotionless.
“I asked someone to buy this tea for me. Although it is very valuable, it is still far worse than the tea leaves that the old master collected. Even if it is the same leaves, the taste is always different.” Dean lowered his head to make the tea, his face looking like he was fondly recalling the past.
“Tea leaves absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, so they contain the essence of the sun and the moon. They are exposed to the Wind and the sun every day. After they are picked, they would be roasted. When drinking tea, you are not only tasting it, you also need to savor it and deliberate the taste over. and over again. Inside this little teacup are other things besides the sophistication of the world.”
Jasper looked down meaningfully at the tea leaves that had spread in the cup.
“Once upon a time, I also drank tea with Old Master Hurlbutt, but things are different now. The person who is drinking tea with me right now is you,” Jasper sighed and decided to not continue with this heavy topic.
Dean chuckled and his smile was laced with some sentiment. It was unknown whether he was missing Old Master Hurlbutt or if it was something else.
At this moment, a yell sliced the air and broke the silence in the room. “Open the door!”
Dean calmly went to open the door.
Outside the door were the experienced old foxes from Haddock Chamber of Commerce.
“Dean, how is it? Have you considered it thoroughly?”
The person in the lead was Rio Potter, who was in the lumber business. He was 58 years old, so he was considered the more experienced one in Haddock Chamber of Commerce.
Other than that, there were two more people behind him. One of those two was called Dio Potter, who was Rio’s brother. He was also in the lumber business.
The other man was named Jethro Meister, and he was in the tea business.
Back then, Rio had some authority in the Haddock Chamber of Commerce, but because he was scared of Old Master Hurlbutt, he rarely showed his face. However, after Gale passed away, Rio united his friends in the Haddock Chamber of Commerce and started getting restless. Come to think of it, Gale’s position in Haddock was unshakable. When he was alive, no one inside Haddock dared to cause trouble. However, the problems within Haddock were now exposed.
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