Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten-Chapter 137: Jiang Jingshi’s Proposal

As the car drove on, Lin Zhengran asked where they were headed.

Jiang Jingshi replied, "I know a great French restaurant. Their food is excellent. How about I take you there to try it?"

Lin Zhengran found this a bit excessive.

"No need, Sister Jiang. I came out today to discuss business, not for a fancy meal. Besides, I have to head back in the evening. We can just find a casual place to talk."

Jiang Jingshi gazed at him warmly. "But last time, we agreed that we still owe each other a meal."

"True, but a high-end French restaurant like you mentioned must be really expensive. I don’t know when I’d be able to pay you back. You already treated me last time."

She chuckled. "Do we really need to be so particular about that?" Then, an idea came to her. "Alright, let me ask you this—what did you have for dinner last night, Zhengran?"

Lin Zhengran wasn’t sure what she was getting at. "Tomato and scrambled eggs. The school cafeteria made it."

"Was it good?"

He shrugged. "Not really. It’s cafeteria food—what do you expect?"

Jiang Jingshi covered her mouth with the back of her hand, laughing. "I figured. How about this? Forget the fancy restaurant. Tonight, I’ll personally cook you some homemade tomato and scrambled eggs. Let’s just go to my music team’s office instead."

The driver, who had been silent the whole ride, was visibly surprised. In all the years he had worked for her, he had never seen Jiang Jingshi cook for anyone before.

She casually found an excuse for it. "Cooking is a hobby of mine anyway. And I make a great tomato and scrambled eggs dish. It’s simple and affordable. Of course, if you feel bad about me covering all the costs, why don’t you buy the tomatoes and eggs?"

Lin Zhengran smiled. He honestly didn’t care much about what they ate. "Alright then, that works. Thanks for the trouble, Sister Jiang."

"It’s no trouble at all." She turned to the driver. "Take us to the mall."

"Understood, President Jiang," the driver responded.

The car changed direction toward the mall, and the two of them—somewhat absurdly—ended up buying just a few tomatoes and eggs.

Afterward, they headed to Jiang Jingshi’s music studio.

Upon arrival, the studio was bustling with singers practicing and rehearsing. The moment they saw Jiang Jingshi, many stood up to greet her.

"Good afternoon, President Jiang!"

"Hello, President Jiang!"

Jiang Jingshi simply nodded in acknowledgment.

Walking alongside her, Lin Zhengran took in the layout of the music studio. Compared to the one Jiang Xueli trained at, this place was on a whole different level.

For starters, it was at least twice the size.

It spanned three floors, with elevators and circular staircases on either side. There were personal rest areas, a lounge, and a tea room—everything was sleek and well-designed.

Despite being filled with singers, the soundproofing was excellent.

Back at Jiang Xueli’s studio, Lin Zhengran could easily hear people practicing even from outside the rooms. While wearing headphones helped to keep sessions from interfering with each other, the noise still bled through.

Here, as he passed by the rehearsal rooms and observed through the glass walls, he realized he could barely hear a thing unless he listened carefully.

The difference between a well-funded company and a struggling one is really night and day.

Noticing his reaction, Jiang Jingshi gave a slightly embarrassed smile.

"I’ve invested a lot more money into this music studio than my taekwondo ventures. The music industry demands a lot of resources… but even so, one New Star Ranking was enough to expose our flaws. We’re still lacking that final edge."

Lin Zhengran offered an honest opinion. "I wouldn’t say that. Your music team is still top-tier—compared to other studios, they’re practically unbeatable."

Jiang Jingshi raised a brow. "And yet, they still lost to you?"

Lin Zhengran simply chuckled.

"Just lucky, I guess."

Jiang Jingshi smirked. She didn’t believe in luck. Strength is strength.

They entered her office, and Lin Zhengran was surprised to find it quite simple.

Aside from a water dispenser, a sofa, a desk, and a filing cabinet, there wasn’t much else.

Before closing the door, Jiang Jingshi gave instructions to her staff. This time, she made sure to emphasize it.

"Unless it’s something urgent, don’t disturb me. And knock before coming in."

Her employees thought to themselves, As if we’d ever dare not to knock…

Still, they nodded in acknowledgment.

After shutting the door and drawing the curtains, Jiang Jingshi gracefully retrieved a file from her desk and sat beside Lin Zhengran.

"I’ve almost finished investigating everything over the past couple of days. Take a look."

Lin Zhengran accepted the file and flipped through it.

It contained information on a company called Pan Cheng Electronics.

Jiang Jingshi explained, "Pan Cheng Electronics has been making a big name for itself in the internet industry over the past two years. They've been in competition with our Jiang Group multiple times. However, since our company is well-established with a solid base of loyal clients, they’ve faced repeated setbacks."

"Of course, no one wins all the time. They’ve scored a few victories here and there, but overall, they haven't gained much from competing with us."

Lin Zhengran continued flipping through the pages, stopping when he saw photos of some musicians and former New Star Music contestants.

His brows furrowed slightly as he processed the information.

"You mean Pan Cheng Electronics was behind the previous music competition incident?"

Jiang Jingshi nodded. "That’s right. New Star Music, along with Jiang Cheng—the singer under my team—both took money from Pan Cheng Electronics. Their company has a new product launch coming up, so they likely used the competition to generate publicity and divert attention toward their brand."

She added, "Of course, all of this is happening behind the scenes. There's no concrete evidence proving they orchestrated it. But aside from them, who else would dare pull something like this? One of Pan Cheng Electronics' vice presidents is known for shady tactics like this. And since their plan failed last time, I’ve heard they’ve now set their sights on the New Star Ranking. They’re probably about to make a move soon."

Lin Zhengran carefully examined the profiles of Jiang Xueli and their small-town music studio in the documents.

"A move... You mean, they’re planning to take over our studio?"

Jiang Jingshi smiled and nodded. "Most likely. Even though you've already beaten me twice, the truth is—I’ve never lost this badly before meeting you. You don’t have any major resources backing you, but I have both money and connections. Yet, I still lost. So, if my team was shocked by the outcome, I bet every other company watching this is just as stunned."

Lin Zhengran sighed. "It’s just that you’re too fair, Sister Jiang. If you really wanted to win, you probably had plenty of ways to make it happen. But clearly, you don’t resort to those kinds of tactics."

Jiang Jingshi couldn’t hold back a laugh.

"Zhengran, you’re really giving me too much credit. The world isn’t like it used to be—things on the internet are much more transparent now. No matter how big the Jiang Group is, we’re still just the largest enterprise in this city, not some all-powerful force that can do whatever it pleases. Winning by unfair means is the same as losing. And honestly, before I met you, I never thought a team I invested so many resources into could lose like this."

She paused, then smiled wryly. "I’m getting off track."

Regaining her composure, she continued, "Anyway, Pan Cheng Electronics isn’t stupid. They’ll definitely recognize Jiang Xueli’s talent. And considering that your studio has no strong backing, taking over a small independent music studio like yours would be ridiculously easy. They’re watching the ranking closely, and I’d say it’s only a matter of time before they take action."

Lin Zhengran closed the file in his hands.

"Yeah, and our studio’s owner would never agree to a buyout. She’s a dreamer—she’s been dedicated to discovering and nurturing new talent for years. Even though her team has never been wildly successful, she’s never given up. If Pan Cheng Electronics can’t poach Jiang Xueli directly, they’ll probably resort to other methods to pressure the studio into handing her over."

"Exactly."

Jiang Jingshi then added, "There’s one thing I haven’t told you before. A while ago, I actually approached your studio’s owner about a buyout, too. I even made an offer to acquire Jiang Xueli."

Lin Zhengran looked at her in surprise.

She gave him a meaningful look. "Why are you so surprised? My thinking was simple—if I could recruit Jiang Xueli, then you'd likely follow as well. In the end, it’s you that I truly want, Zhengran."

Their eyes met, and for a moment, the air between them seemed to shift.

A slight flush crept onto Jiang Jingshi’s cheeks as she admitted, "Of course, my recruitment plan failed. Your studio’s owner had no interest in selling. She turned me down outright. And that tells me one thing—if I couldn’t poach her, then there’s no way Pan Cheng Electronics can, either. But unlike me, they won’t be as gentle about it."

"So, the studio is bound to run into trouble," Lin Zhengran concluded.

"Not necessarily," Jiang Jingshi replied, leaning back on the couch and crossing her legs. "But it’s very likely. Fortunately, now that we know their intentions in advance, we can take precautions. However, let me be blunt—no matter how this turns out, that small studio simply doesn’t have the means to support someone as talented as Jiang Xueli in the long run."

Her voice suddenly softened as she looked at him. "And you won’t stay there forever, will you? I had someone look into Jiang Xueli’s contract—leaving the studio wouldn’t be difficult for her."

Lin Zhengran chuckled. "I get what you’re saying, Sister Jiang. You still want me and Jiang Xueli to join you, don’t you?"

To his surprise, Jiang Jingshi shook her head and smiled brightly.

"No. I already asked you about this once, and you turned me down. I’m not going to be pushy about it. Instead, I have a different idea—if you trust me, why don’t we start a studio together?"

Lin Zhengran raised an eyebrow. "You and me?"

She nodded seriously, pointing at herself and then at him.

"I’ll be the vice president, and you’ll be the president. I’ll support you. You may still be young, but with my guidance, I’m sure you’ll pick up the ropes quickly. We can put both our names as responsible parties. Or, if you’re worried about risk, we can just put my name on the paperwork for now. Later, whenever you feel ready to take full charge, we’ll draft a contract to add your name at any time. You’ll have the majority share, and I’ll take a smaller cut. No tricks—this is my genuine offer."

She exhaled slowly, as if worried he might refuse. "I know that starting a business together requires complete trust, and without that, there’s always a risk. That’s why, for now, I’ll provide the funding, and you’ll contribute your skills. Even if things go south, you won’t lose anything. But honestly, I believe that if we work together, we won’t just succeed—we’ll thrive. Because what we’re investing in isn’t just a business—it’s people."

Her gaze softened, filled with sincerity.

"Think about it, Zhengran. Jiang Xueli and He Qing may be young, but their talents are already shining through. Their growth will only accelerate. Without a solid backing, they’ll face obstacles down the road. But if you have your own company, things will be different. They won’t have to be at anyone’s mercy. And you can count on me—I’ll do everything I can to support you."

Lin Zhengran was genuinely taken aback by her proposal.

Especially since, from her explanation, there seemed to be no downsides for him at all.

Jiang Jingshi took the file from his hands and smiled.

"I know you’re probably wondering why I’m doing this. The truth? Other than gaining you as a partner, there’s really no other benefit for me. But… if I’m being honest, I think it’s worth it. Maybe this is what they call admiration for talent."

Of course, there might be other emotions mixed in as well.

Just as she finished speaking, a sudden knock came from the door.

"President Jiang, urgent matter!"

Jiang Jingshi turned toward the door. "What is it? Just say it."

The person outside hesitated for only a moment before responding, "It’s the studio you asked us to keep an eye on… Something’s happened!"

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