novelraw Chapter 291 The Growth of Three People
Chapter 291 The Growth of Three People
As the grand finale of the new product showcase drew to a close, the hustle and bustle of the banquet hall had not yet completely subsided, while in another more private and luxurious restaurant at the Ritz Hotel, the atmosphere was still lively.
When Lin Yan pushed open the door and entered, Tang Liuqian, Li Wenbin, Zheng Jiaming, and the core designers and marketing team members who were talking all stopped their conversation and turned their eyes to him, their eyes filled with curiosity and amazement.
Tang Liuqian immediately stood up with a smile, faced everyone, and introduced in a loud voice: "Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to solemnly introduce Mr. Lin Yan, the silent but most important cornerstone of Libre de Soi—the company's largest individual investor."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the team members present who had participated in the show's planning but were only now meeting the core behind-the-scenes figures. With a hint of teasing, but also with undeniable pride, he added, "At the same time, tonight's show, which has moved everyone and the entire city of Paris, from its touching storyline to the final presentation concept, all the core creative ideas and scripts came from Mr. Lin!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yan rolled his eyes at Tang Liuqian, as if blaming him for his "meddlesomeness." But he immediately raised the champagne glass that the waiter had already poured, his posture composed and humble, facing the entire room:
"Brother Liu Qian is exaggerating." His voice was clear and steady, drawing everyone's attention. "Tonight's success is by no means the work of one person alone. I may have provided the framework of the story, but what made it flesh out and shine so brightly was the sincere cooperation of everyone present—the designers who turned sketches into beautiful garments, the marketing team who made the story touch people's hearts, and the hard work and wisdom of every person behind the scenes."
He gently swirled the golden liquid in his glass, his gaze sweeping over each expectant face, offering the most practical affirmation: "I'm not usually based in France, so for the company's specific operations, you'll still need to contact General Manager Tang, General Manager Li, and General Manager Zheng." His tone shifted, becoming exceptionally sincere and warm, "However, tonight we've created an absolutely perfect beginning together. To express my gratitude, I will personally fund a special bonus for every colleague in the company."
Amidst the instant brightening of everyone's eyes and soft cheers, he smiled and announced, "I will hand the checks over to President Tang later, and he will be responsible for ensuring that they are distributed to every meritorious contributor."
"Now," Lin Yan raised his glass even higher and said loudly, "let's raise a glass together!"
The atmosphere in the private room was instantly ignited. Everyone stood up in unison, the clinking of glasses producing a crisp and pleasant sound, mixed with excited and joyful conversation, bringing this Parisian night to a perfect close.
The noise of the celebration banquet was shut out behind them by the heavy oak doors. Lin Yan and Tang Liuqian stood by the pillars at the corner of the restaurant, where they could see the lights of Concorde Square.
"This is a bonus for the team." Lin Yan took out a checkbook from his suit pocket, smoothly signed his name, and handed the blank check to Tang Liuqian. "You decide the exact amount. The design team gets an extra 30%; they deserve it."
Tang Liuqian's fingertips trembled slightly as he accepted the check. This was no ordinary bonus distribution; it was a blatant act of trust.
"Xiao Yan, this..."
"Remember three principles," Lin Yan interrupted him, lightly tapping the marble column with his fingertips. "First, make everyone feel that working with you is a promising career. Second, make the core team understand their value. Third—" He leaned slightly forward, lowering his voice even further, "make those who have taken the money more worried than you are about the project failing."
Tang Liuqian suddenly felt the check in his palm burning hot. He saw the cold light flash in Lin Yan's eyes, a look that was not that of an eighteen-year-old boy, but rather that of a trader who had spent half his life fighting on Wall Street.
"I'll take care of it right away." Tang Liuqian solemnly put the check into his inner pocket, his movements as careful as if he were storing the Imperial Seal of the State.
Lin Yan nodded, his trench coat hem tracing a clean arc as he turned. He walked towards the elevator, no longer glancing back at the boisterous celebration party. Tonight's show was over; now it was time for money to take center stage.
Lin Yan had just changed out of his tuxedo and was leaning on the sofa flipping through today's fashion edition of Le Figaro when there was a loud knock on the door. As soon as Lin opened the door, Tom, Mike, and Daniel rushed in like a gust of wind, their faces still showing the fatigue of backstage work, but their eyes were surprisingly bright.
"Lin! Guess what?" Tom's voice trembled with excitement, "Our team leader just paid us our wages! And bonuses too!"
Before Lin Yan could even put down the newspaper, Mike eagerly announced, "2500 francs! A full 2500 francs! That's about 500 US dollars!"
Daniel remained calm, but his fingers trembled slightly as he adjusted his glasses, clearly unable to hide his excitement: "This is equivalent to three months' salary working at the library."
"We're planning to go to the Champs-Élysées tomorrow!" Tom was already making plans. "We'll buy Sean a suit for the ball."
"I want to buy Mom a bottle of real French perfume, Amy a doll, and my little brother a toy," Mike said defiantly.
Lin Yan couldn't help but smile as he watched his three friends ecstatic over their first substantial reward. He recalled the blank check he had just handed to Tang Liuqian, and realized that this pure joy before him was perhaps the most precious reward of the night.
"It seems you've all been corrupted by capitalism." He deliberately put on a stern face, but a smile lurked in his eyes. "However, the feeling of earning a lot of money with your own hands for the first time is certainly worth celebrating."
Lin Yan asked them with a smile, "Have you gained anything these past two days?"
Tom immediately straightened up, his face still flushed with excitement: "Backstage is like a precision instrument! I'm in charge of assisting the lighting technicians, and they can remember exactly when every light goes on, and even what light to use when a model walks into which tile gap."
Mike eagerly added, gesturing wildly, "I was assigned to iron those dresses. Good heavens, Lin! The fabrics were amazing! Especially that shimmering dress; the iron had to be set at just the right temperature for the steam to rise—any degree more and it would ruin the shine." He exaggeratedly wiped away imaginary sweat. "My hands were shaking with nervousness!"
Daniel adjusted his glasses, his tone calm but his eyes shining: "I've compiled the client data. The most interesting thing is that orders from the Middle East are particularly focused on headwear, while American buyers are more concerned with the social aspect of clothing. This reminds me of what you said before about 'understanding the needs of different markets.'"
"Most importantly," Tom suddenly became serious, "we witnessed a dress come undone at the last minute, and the entire team rushed to fix it like a well-trained army. The designer sewed it up himself, the PR manager immediately adjusted the order of appearance, and no one complained, only solutions were provided."
Mike nodded vigorously: "That's right! And we've found that every position is indispensable. Even the girl who's responsible for handing water to the models knows who's allergic to which drinks."
Daniel concluded with unprecedented certainty: "I used to think fashion was just about pretty clothes, but now I understand that it's actually a precise science about details, discipline, and teamwork."
The gentle glow of Parisian lights streamed into the room through the window, and for the first time, the three teenagers truly understood the weight behind the glamorous stage. Lin Yan, however, saw something more precious than salary in their eyes—a perspective of growth.