readease Chapter 144 Connections are more important than ability
Chapter 144 Connections are more important than ability
Chapter 144 Connections are more important than ability
The morning sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled shadows on the walnut dining table.
The air was filled with the aroma of freshly ground coffee and the fat of roasted bacon, and the crisp sound of cutlery clinking together was like a lively musical note.
The Arlington family's breakfast is somewhat different from the commonly known American breakfast; the scene of each person having a glass of milk in the TV series would never happen in the Arlington family.
Apart from the pure white liquid in the carved glass in front of Lilysa, everyone else's cups contained either dark brown coffee or clear mineral water.
"I hate it." Lilysa pouted her pink lips, her eyes filled with disgust for the milk in front of her.
Her slender fingers tapped lightly on the glass, making a tinkling sound, as if venting her inner dissatisfaction.
"You can't hate it, you have to drink it all." Sherry's voice was like the bass key of a piano, steady and serious, exuding an unquestionable authority.
That's just how kids are. Maybe Lilysa doesn't actually dislike milk, it's just that nobody else drinks it, so she doesn't want to drink it either, and gradually that's how she developed her rebellious and defiant attitude.
Ernst, sitting opposite Lilisa, put down his silver coffee spoon, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
Many people don't know that milk doesn't actually offer many health benefits for adults.
Scientific research has shown that after childhood, about one-third of the world's population gradually loses the ability to digest milk.
90% of people worldwide have some degree of lactose intolerance, but most people experience mild symptoms that are not easily noticed in daily life.
If you eat a whole cream cake at once, or drink five or six cups of milk in a day, most people will experience gastrointestinal discomfort, ranging from mild bloating and diarrhea to severe vomiting.
The claims that milk can make people taller and live longer are a complete hoax, and even the Japanese who started these claims have come forward to debunk them.
But who will report it? Capital simply won't allow anyone to report it.
For adults, milk is not necessarily good for health; in fact, it may cause a burden on the digestive system.
Therefore, members of the Arlington family usually have coffee and water for breakfast, and rarely drink milk or juice.
Because of Sisley's influence, Ernst had never seen what milk looked like for breakfast after graduating from elementary school.
Lilysa tried to resist, but then a series of urgent barks came from the doorway.
A moment later, Tom walked in. "Boss, someone's looking for you at the door. They say they're from Wells Fargo."
A knowing glint flashed in Ernst's eyes; he knew that the gift he had prepared for Lilisa had arrived.
He looked at Lilisa, who was still sulking, and teased her by deliberately drawing out his words, "Little one, your gift is at the door, but you won't get it if you don't finish your breakfast."
The word "gift!" seemed to possess a magical power, instantly making Lilysa's eyes light up.
She stopped resisting, opened her little mouth, and gulped down the milk in the cup in two big mouthfuls, her movements as quick as a nimble little squirrel.
After finishing her milk, before anyone could react, she nimbly jumped off her chair, crawled under the table, and threw herself into Ernst's arms, her little face full of anticipation.
"Lilisa," Sherry snapped angrily, her brows furrowing slightly.
In her opinion, Lilysa's actions were both inelegant and impolite.
Lilisa was clearly still a little afraid of her mother. She nestled in Ernst's arms, her little head buried low, not daring to even breathe, like a frightened little rabbit.
"Alright, it's not like we're in front of strangers," Nathan stepped in to defend his daughter, turning to look at her with loving eyes. "Our Lilya definitely won't do that again next time, right?"
Lilysa immediately turned her head and nodded vigorously, as if afraid that Sherry wouldn't see her sincerity.
Seeing that Sherry didn't speak again, Lilysa secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then put on a bright smile, looked up at Ernst, and asked, "Can I see my gift now?"
Before Ernst could answer, Sherry's voice came again, "Lilisa, Ernst hasn't finished breakfast yet, you can't do this."
Her tone remained serious, never forgetting to teach her daughter to respect others.
Ernst smiled nonchalantly, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and then picked Lilisa up in his arms. "Come on, let's go see our gifts."
The two people, one big and one small, walked slowly towards the door, and Nathan, as the father, naturally followed.
Sherry was worried, hesitated for a moment, but still followed him out.
Following closely behind, Kyle, Rodrigo, and several other young people couldn't contain their curiosity and followed after them, eager to see what this mysterious gift was.
At the entrance to the farm, a Lincoln sedan and a Ford pickup truck were blocking the way on either side.
The Lincoln sedan's body gleamed, reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight, while the pickup truck exuded power, its rugged lines outlining a wild and untamed nature.
As Ernst and the others came out, a man got out of the Lincoln.
He was dressed in a dark gray suit, his hair was neatly combed, revealing a clean forehead, a typical elite person's attire.
Ernst saw who it was, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
He had seen this man once before; he was Jamal Murray, one of the deputy managers in the credit department of Wells Fargo.
He was the one who spearheaded the loan process for Ernst's "The Hunger Games," so he could be considered someone who helped Ernst.
However, subsequent events proved that this investment brought Jamal Murray a substantial return.
Not only Ernst himself, but also Google borrowed a large sum of money from Wells Fargo.
Ernst handed Lilisa to Nathan, who was standing to the side, then stepped forward and gave Jamal Murray a warm hug.
"I didn't expect you to come in person, it really surprises me."
Jamal Murray's smile widened, his tone carrying a hint of flattery: "You are my biggest client, and serving you is my most important job."
Ernst clearly didn't believe his story. He pursed his lips slightly and said bluntly, "Just tell me what's wrong. If there's anything I can do to help, I'll do my best."
After all, the other party had helped him before, so Ernst was happy to help with small favors.
Jamal Murray was neither embarrassed by Ernst's directness nor did he try to hide anything.
He was well aware that when dealing with someone of Ernst's stature, sincerity was the best way to communicate.
At their level, everyone feels they can control everything and that the progress of any situation is under their control. Concealing information will only make the other party feel disrespected, and it is the most unwise way to communicate.
"Thor is getting a promotion," Jamal Murray said slowly, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness.
Ernst frowned slightly; he didn't recognize the name.
Upon seeing this, Jamal Murray immediately explained, "Thor is my direct supervisor, the manager of the credit department. After he gets promoted, the position he leaves behind will be contested by several of us vice presidents."
"At this time, everyone is busy stabilizing their existing customers while also trying to attract new customers, hoping to gain an advantage in the competition."
I understand. It's the same for banks all over the world. A position isn't ranked by ability, but by how many customers and business you can bring to the bank.
Although they sound similar, they are not the same thing at all.
Ernst reassured him, "Don't worry, I have your absolute support."
Ernst knew that talking wouldn't do any good at this point; the other party had come in person to solicit business.
"How about this, I can offer you another $300 million loan."
The expansion into Asia is about to begin. Even if the other party doesn't come today, Ernst will still be handling loan business with major banks.
Ernst wanted more, but that would be beyond Jamal Murray's authority, and even Wells Fargo would have to consider it.
After all, Ernst has a considerable amount of loans in Wells Fargo. Google is very valuable, but it's not publicly listed, so no one knows what will happen in the future. What if?
In order to control risk, banks cannot recklessly extend loans to Ernst.
Jamal's face instantly lit up with joy. He hadn't expected Ernst to be so generous, offering a loan of three hundred million dollars right off the bat.
As expected of their number one client, Jamal Murray's initial expectation for this business deal was three to five hundred million dollars, but he didn't expect Ernst to achieve his KPI on the very first stop.
Saying thank you repeatedly is just empty talk; adults should show their true colors in action.
Jamal Murray composed himself, then smiled and loudly introduced the horse to Ernst and the others, "Come and see the horse I've chosen for you. It has pure champion genes; its parents have won three Group 1 international races and seven Group 2 international races."
"Don't underestimate this horse just because it's not top-class. It definitely has the potential to be a racehorse. It cost me over six hundred thousand US dollars."
After Jamal Murray finished speaking, the crowd that followed him couldn't help but gasp in surprise.
A horse costing over six hundred thousand US dollars was clearly beyond the imagination of many of them.
They never expected Ernst to give Lilisa such a valuable gift. For a moment, everyone looked at Lilisa with envy.
What made them even more envious was that the horse was actually given to Ernst for free by Jamal Murray.
I wonder how they would react if they knew that Ernst had just taken out a loan of three hundred million dollars in a matter of minutes.
Looking at Lilisa, whose eyes were shining as she gazed at the pony on the trailer behind the Ford, Jamal Murray felt like a kind elder, saying, "Since it's our first meeting, I don't know what gift to give, so I'll just consider this horse a gift for our little princess."
"This is too precious," Nathan said, looking at Ernst. He knew that the other man's kindness was all because of Ernst; otherwise, who would know who he was?
"It's alright," Ernst smiled, then looked at Lilysa. "Why don't you thank Uncle Jamal?"
Jamal Murray would receive at least a million dollars in compensation for his $300 million loan, so he wouldn't lose out, and Ernst would accept the gift with a clear conscience.
After Lilisa and her family expressed their gratitude, Jamal Murray smiled and told them they were welcome, then turned to say goodbye to Ernst and the others.
"We're going rabbit hunting later, do you want to come along?"
Jamal Murray was tempted by Ernst's request, as building a relationship with this newly minted American tycoon would greatly benefit his future career.
However, he ultimately declined with a wry smile, saying, "You know, I still have to visit other major clients."
With Ernst providing such a significant boost, he had even less reason not to take the general manager position left by Thor.
"Okay, then let's make another appointment when we have time."
Ernst didn't try to stop them, and the other party didn't seem to care either.
They came and went in a hurry, briefly explained things to the people in the Ford, and then drove off first in their Lincoln.
Lilysa was already excitedly circling around the pony that was a little timid in its new environment.