Mr. Pantalone has no crazy plans today.

Instead, they acted as if they were really there to eat, enthusiastically ordering a large table of dishes.

This made Sandonne suspect that the other party was deliberately trying to make fun of him, as if the Pantalone who always talked about grand plans had disappeared and transformed into an ordinary person.

But the other party's words seemed so natural that even she couldn't tell whether Pantalone was acting or not, which made her wonder what Pantalone was really up to.

Suppressing his thoughts, Sandonne glanced at the glass of flammable water that the other person had handed him and said to Pantalone.

"Is this part of your plan? If you're trying to get me drunk, let me tell you, it won't work on me at all."

"Anything can be part of a plan if you are willing to put your mind to it. Never be fooled by appearances. Learn to see beyond appearances to understand problems. This is a fundamental principle for an executive."

Pantalone leaned back in his chair, swirled the wine in his glass, and took a sip of the molten water.

Just as he was about to maintain his composure and say a few more mysterious words, Pantalone suddenly felt as if his throat was on fire. The intense burning sensation caused him to lose control and start coughing incessantly.

"Cough cough! Is this stuff really that harsh on the throat?! Cough cough...!!"

"..."

Chapter 8: I'll treat you to a meal; this is also part of the plan.

"Ha~ I'm alive again."

Pantalone picked up a cup of hot tea, blew on it gently, and as the warm tea entered his mouth, the refreshing warmth made him let out a pleasant sound.

The tea brewed from the finest tea leaves imported from Liyue instantly soothed his throat, which had been burned by the fire and water.

As a Liyue native, he said that tea suits him better.

"Compared to the strong liquor of winter, the people of Liyue prefer tea. It is refreshing, sweet and mellow, and truly the finest nectar."

"...Isn't this because you insisted on drinking it?"

Sandoni's scrutinizing gaze made Pantalone clear his throat to hide his embarrassment.

"I've never tried it before, after all, it's a rare opportunity."

Sure enough, sometimes she simply couldn't keep up with this guy's thought process.

Executives rarely communicate in private, and aside from official business, they seldom interact. For Sandone, Pantalone's invitation was exceptionally rare.

This was also the first time she had seen the ninth seat of the Fools' Executive in private, but Pantalone's behavior was completely different from what she usually knew.

Is it possible that Pantalone is just too good at disguising herself?

Or is he just pretending to lower her guard?

Which of these two masks is the real him?

If Pantalone's behavior was all an act, then she could only say that Pantalone's disguise was too good; even now, she hadn't been able to see through Pantalone's hidden thoughts.

It seemed, just as he said, that he was simply inviting her to dinner as a colleague to foster camaraderie between them.

But the idea of ​​fostering camaraderie among colleagues was a joke to the Fools; she couldn't believe Pantalone was that kind of person.

This shrewd businesswoman must be thinking about something she doesn't know, but clearly, she hasn't discovered what Pantalone is thinking about yet.

Pantalone's voice interrupted her thoughts as she pushed a bowl of red soup in front of her.

"Don't think too much about it. Since we're going out to eat, we should naturally think about happy things."

Pantalone placed his hands on the table, a warm smile on his face.

"Try this winter's special borscht. You should know that this borscht has quite a history. It is made with fermented bread, oxalis, and borscht as the main ingredients, and is cooked with potatoes, beef, cream and other seasonings. It can be eaten hot or cold. In the Winter Country, everyone from eighty-year-old elders to children under ten years old loves to eat it. As a classic winter specialty, it is a must-try."

"..."

How many of these so-called winter specialties do you actually have?

First it was kerosene, now it's borscht, what's next?

Looking at the introduction that Pantalone had copied from who-knows-where, even though she wasn't a native of Zhidong, she knew that this guy was just spouting nonsense.

Sandonne asked, putting those thoughts aside for the moment.

"So, what exactly did you call me out for, or is this part of the plan?"

“Of course it is! I’m treating you to a meal; it’s part of the plan,” Pantalone said with a smile.

Ever since he discovered how useful the phrase "this is part of the plan" was, he found that he could use it to answer whatever he did.

As an executive, this was all he said after he stated it was part of the plan.

Then no one will question what the contents of his plan actually are.

This phrase is effective even when speaking to fellow executives. After all, every executive has a different plan, so even if the other party suspects he is just talking nonsense, it is undeniable that it is part of the plan.

on the other hand.

Although Pantalone is only the ninth seat, his status and control over the crucial economic and Northland Bank operations during the winter give him a special position that allows him to interfere in the affairs of others.

For Zhi Dong, great strength is not irreplaceable.

However, the importance of the economy and wealth is self-evident.

Faced with Pantalone's answer, Sandonne realized that whatever she asked was no matter what.