Chapter 249: Connections in the City
by xennovelXu Chen mulled over his thoughts quietly, keeping a straight face as he politely escorted Nie Fei and Chen Xinyi to the elevator hall and headed down with them.
He thought for a moment, then half-jokingly said:
“Fei Jie, you were already the director for Nike in Greater China—why not start your own brand?”
Nie Fei smiled:
“Sports brands might seem easy to produce, but they demand massive capital and resources—especially for a new one.”
“Nike, Adidas, and others pour huge sums into promotions each year, with endorsements from NBA stars, Champions League athletes, and sponsorships for various events.”
“Here in China, just advertising on CCTV alone costs a fortune every year…”
“Then there’s the nationwide network of company-owned stores and distribution channels—those are heavy investments that most businesses can’t afford…”
“The domestic brands like Li Ning and Anta succeeded because they started early.”
“Back in the eighties and nineties, those sportswear brands caught a break before foreign ones entered the market, giving them a chance to grow.”
“If they had to start from scratch now…”
“Li Ning might still pull it off, thanks to that world champion endorsement, but the others wouldn’t stand a chance…”
Xu Chen listened quietly, his mind still turning over ideas.
He had already considered the issues Nie Fei mentioned.
Still, the approach for Ran Bing Sports needed more thought.
Regardless, learning that Nie Fei had a “super network” was a huge surprise.
He’d have to figure out how to collaborate or bring her on board later.
……
Xu Chen walked them straight to the ground floor where a black van waited in the parking lot.
They exchanged polite goodbyes, and Xu Chen watched the car pull away before heading back upstairs.
……
……
Not long after, Fang Jun returned with a few people.
Besides Zhao Feng and Fang Tao, there were some workers hauling in tables and cabinets on a cart for installation.
Fang Jun explained, “This is for your office.”
Xu Chen glanced at it; the color scheme matched the outer office area—simple, deep tones.
“Thanks, Fang Jun.”
Fang Jun: “The chair will take a couple of days. Since you’ll be sitting a lot, I ordered an ergonomic one for you.”
Xu Chen: “You’re the best, Fang Jun!”
Fang Jun: “Take me out for drinks tonight.”
Xu Chen: “I’ll take you for some classic Shanghai wine.”
Fang Jun: “What’s that?”
Xu Chen: “Yellow wine…”
He added, “If you’re not used to it, you might find the taste a bit off.”
Fang Jun: “I’ll give it a try.”
……
“Xu Chen!” Zhao Feng walked in, grinning.
Xu Chen turned and saw a man behind Zhao Feng who looked similar to him—big and burly.
Zhao Feng introduced, “This is my cousin, Zhao Kai…”
Xu Chen smiled and shook his hand:
“Nice to meet you, I’m Xu Chen.”
“Hey, Xu Chen!”
Zhao Kai followed Zhao Feng’s lead, calling him that in a deep, gruff voice.
Zhao Feng said with a smile:
“My cousin drives a taxi in Shanghai and has a group of buddies here.”
“If you ever run into trouble in Shanghai and need help, just reach out to him.”
Zhao Kai chuckled and pulled a business card from his pocket, handing it over.
Xu Chen took it—it was a contact card for a taxi driver.
Zhao Kai said, “If you need anything, Xu Chen, just call me. I’m just a taxi driver, but I’ve got a bunch of mates around.”
“If something comes up, I can round them up to help out.”
Xu Chen felt touched and said:
“Thanks to you both!”
Xu Chen didn’t expect to need “backup” in Shanghai, but he was grateful to Zhao Feng and Zhao Kai.
But he appreciated their gesture.
Zhao Kai gave a simple, honest smile:
“My brother said you and President Xu have looked out for him…”
“So, if anything happens in Shanghai, treat me like a brother.”
Xu Chen replied:
“Are you free tonight? Let’s grab a drink.”
Zhao Kai looked a bit embarrassed and scratched his head.
Zhao Feng: “My brother has to work tonight…”
“I brought him over since I’m leaving tomorrow, so you two could meet first.”
Xu Chen smiled: “We’re all in Shanghai, and I’m at Tonghai University. We can catch up another time.”
Zhao Kai: “No problem, Xu Chen!”
Xu Chen glanced at Zhao Feng, feeling grateful, and patted his shoulder.
Bing Ge’s brother really treated him like one of their own.
……
Xu Chen and Zhao Feng saw Zhao Kai downstairs.
Zhao Kai felt awkward and kept saying, “No need to walk me out.”
Xu Chen asked them to wait a moment, then went to a nearby store, bought two packs of cigarettes, and handed them to Zhao Kai:
“I should have brought some from home, but they don’t sell them here.”
Zhao Kai grinned sheepishly but hesitated to take them.
Zhao Feng took them for him:
“Go on, bro, take what Xu Chen got you.”
Zhao Kai finally said, “Thanks, Xu Chen!”
……
……
In the evening, two workers carried up two mattress pads to the 8th-floor office.
Fang Jun directed them to put them in the meeting room first.
Seeing Xu Chen’s confusion, Fang Jun explained:
“Your dad arranged this. He said the school’s pads and bedding aren’t comfortable, so he asked me to get you a proper mattress.”
“It’s a 1.5-meter one—I checked, that’s the size for your dormitory…”
Xu Chen still looked puzzled:
“Why two?”
Fang Jun: “One’s for Bing Ge too. Your dad wanted that bought as well.”
“I figured it’s the same size, so buying two saved four hundred yuan…”
“……”
“Thanks a lot, Fang Jun—you’re a lifesaver!” Xu Chen said with a grin, looking as innocent as could be.
He squeezed the mattresses—they weren’t overly soft but had good support:
“Bing Ge won’t be in Shanghai until late September after the competition, so I’ll get someone to deliver hers then…”
“Now, take me for that drink.”
“……”
……
Xu Chen found a seafood barbecue spot on Quyang Road near the school—perfect for drinking.
He ordered half a dozen local Shanghai beers and set them in front of Zhao Feng and Fang Tao.
These two clearly preferred beer.
He also got a bottle of Shukumen old wine just because Fang Jun wanted to try it.
Sure enough, after one sip, she frowned and said:
“This tastes like horse piss!”
Xu Chen just shook his head and passed the “horse piss” to Zhao Feng and Fang Tao.
The guys seemed to like it and shared it.
Fang Jun looked annoyed and eyed the beers on the table.
Xu Chen rummaged in his bag and pulled out a bottle of Guojiao he’d bought earlier, placing it in front of Fang Jun.
Fang Jun licked her lips, her face lighting up with delight.