The Charismatic Charlie Wade

Lydia might not be an expert on tea, but he sure understands the unique sentiment that Maria holds for the Mother of Pu’er.

In his view, the Mother of Pu’er stands as a sort of spiritual nourishment for Maria, a centuries-spanning emotional anchor. And so, he grasps why Maria’s heart longs to recapture the essence of the Mother of Pu’er’s flavor.

With conviction, he tells Maria, “Once Erlang Mountain transitions, you can make this place your nurturing ground. With your expertise, let’s see if we can nurture even finer tea strains.”

Maria, with a wry smile, voices her concerns, “Breeding’s a vexing endeavor. My grasp of technological techniques is limited, and as for artificial propagation, it’s a decade-long commitment at the very least.”

Lydia breathes a sigh of relief, replying, “No worries. Should you succeed, your achievement will be cherished by tea enthusiasts. And even if cultivation evades us, remember, the taste of the Mother of Pu’er has etched itself forever in your memory.”

Maria’s lips curve into a smile, “Young Master speaks the truth.”

As they talk, Lydia steers them back to Celestial Group’s production hub nestled at the foot of Erlang Mountain.

Though the factory has shuttered for the day, by the entrance stands a mild-mannered, bespectacled middle-aged man, his anxious demeanor betrays the waiting game. Standing alongside him is the security guard who previously had a tête-à-tête with Mandra.

The security guard gazes at the middle-aged man with skepticism and queries, “Director Garza, who’s got you waiting? Is the chairman headed here for an inspection?”

Addressed as Director Garza, the middle-aged man is Nicolas Garza, the man running this processing plant.

Taken aback by the security guard’s words, Nicolas motions dismissively, “I’m anticipating the arrival of two esteemed guests.”

Eric, of course, is a man of significance to Nicolas.

ventures reign supreme, the crafting and commerce of Pu’er tea. While Eric oversees the latter, Nicolas shoulders the responsibility for the former. A few years past, in his quest for Nicolas’s loyalty, Eric granted

Banks Group aims to acquire Celestial Group in its entirety. This deal means that not only can Eric divest himself, but all equity holders have a chance to cash in on this transaction. That said, Eric already shared with Nicolas the impending buyout by Banks Group. Needless to say, Nicolas’s spirits are

for Celestial Group to go public – a moment that

repeated failure to go public dashed his hopes time and again. The years passed with Nicolas no longer viewing these three shares as a tangible asset.

stay

of the shares dimmed, the steady income from his wages and bonuses was satisfactory

of elation nearly swept him off his feet. Those three shares, pegged at 700 million, translated into a pre-tax valuation of 21 million. Once the 20% personal income tax was

Group were en route. Nicolas’s task? Treat

hesitation, Nicolas hastened to the factory gates, prepared to provide

Nicolas’s eyes capture the license plate, confirming the

chiding, “Young man, why the return? Didn’t I emphasize that an appointment

conversation’s nature. That the security guard is familiar with Lydia strikes him as

Mandra, “Greetings! Are you the experts

to Maria beside him and jests, “I might not be, but this

security guard inquires, “When did you

you must extend due courtesy to a VIP. They’re here to oversee the inspection. Open the

the security guard follows the factory manager’s lead, allowing the

large and small here fall under my domain.

place for us

blurts, “No problem at all! Follow