Chapter 190: Another Woman Who Calls You Brother

It was a warm and clear Saturday morning the sky a boundless azure with hardly a cloud in sight.

Jiang Qin went to the female dormitory to pick up Feng Nanshu planning to take her to He Yijun’s home for a visit.

The little rich girl was exceptionally aloof today dressed all in cool black. Upon seeing Jiang Qin she didn’t show her usual silly demeanor her lips rosy and glossy as if wearing a hint of lipstick.

“Let’s go brother.”

“Why are you calling me brother as soon as we meet? You’re being a bit discourteous today!” Jiang Qin felt exasperated.

Feng Nanshu sat in the passenger seat with a serious strict air emanating coldness: “Brother take me to see the other woman who calls you brother.”

“Shit where did you learn that from?”

“I learned it from Wenhui.” Feng Nanshu was a bit guilty but remained steadfast.

Jiang Qin stared at her for a while then suddenly narrowed his eyes: “When others call me brother are you feeling unhappy?”

Feng Nanshu nodded obediently: “A little sad.”

“Then do you know why you feel sad?”

After asking Jiang Qin immediately held his breath waiting for her answer with some nervousness thinking it better not be jealousy or he’d be screwed.

After a while Feng Nanshu pursed her red lips: “I don’t know anyway I don’t understand anything.”

Jiang Qin breathed a sigh of relief suddenly feeling capable again: “Actually many people are like this it’s nothing special no need to ponder the reason or take it to heart.”

“But the person He Manqi actually wants to meet is you I’m just tagging along. She’s your little fangirl vowing to become someone like you even styling her hair the same.”

Feng Nanshu couldn’t maintain her aloof expression anymore returning to silliness: “Jiang Qin what kind of person am I?”

“A total idiot.”

“I’m not an idiot right…”

“Both an idiot and chuunibyou and going to meet another woman have you been reading weird novels again? I told you not to read them.”

Jiang Qin fastened her seatbelt driving out the school gate. Sitting in the passenger seat the little rich girl became lively again constantly glancing out the window taking in the scenery.

Arriving in a bustling city area Jiang Qin stopped the car finding a tobacco and alcohol shop nearby to buy some gifts.

Meeting for the first time one should bring something or it would seem too impolite.

Professor Yan was right this was the downside of a society based on personal connections despite knowing Old He had ulterior motives still having to bring gifts are there no laws?

Half an hour later the two arrived at Donghu Mountain Villas in the western outskirts of Linchuan.

This was a European style townhouse complex in Linchuan the gate pillars even carved with reliefs of figures from Greek mythology.

This kind of eclectic architecture was very popular in this era as the internet broadened people’s horizons but aesthetics hadn’t caught up leading to many such East-meets-West hybrid buildings.

When people mentioned Europe they thought of nobility so it made sense for villas to have a European flair right?

Jiang Qin drove in from the gate seeing a Belgian Manneken Pis statue in front the boy who saved a whole city by peeing on a bomb.

He steered with one hand covering the little rich girl’s eyes with the other.

It’s just a statue why sculpt it in such detail damn this is blatant obscenity.

Jiang Qin quickly circled around the peeing boy finding No. 506 in the fifth row based on the address.

After ringing the doorbell He Yijun who had changed into home clothes personally came out to greet them.

“Mr. Jiang please come in so this is your girlfriend?” He was a bit surprised by Feng Nanshu’s beauty.

Jiang Qin nodded expressionlessly: “Yes this is my good friend Feng Nanshu.”

“?”

The two entered the living room seeing He Manqi already waiting by the door immediately calling Jiang Qin brother and Nanshu sister her whole being brimming with enthusiasm.

He Yijun had his daughter take Feng Nanshu to look around while he pulled Jiang Qin to sit in the living room.

“Mr. Jiang you guys are about to go on break right?”

“Yeah after final exams the official vacation begins.”

He Yijun poured him a cup of tea: “Where’s your hometown?”

“Jizhou.” Jiang Qin picked up the teacup saying thanks.

“Jizhou is a great place I went a few times when I was young it has nurtured many outstanding people throughout history no wonder it produced a star student like you.”

Jiang Qin hissed starting to pick at his shoe sole with his toes.

The thing with flattery and brown-nosing is you have to find the right way.

Like if I have a bit of literary talent and you praise me as a great writer I’ll definitely be happy because I have it just exaggerated.

But if I’m bald yet you insist on complimenting my hairstyle as wildly stylish and cool that’s akin to flattering a horse’s hoof because I don’t have it feeling very self-conscious.

“President He I didn’t come today to freeload right? Where’s the food?” Jiang Qin changed the subject.

“Still on the way it’ll be delivered soon. To be honest I’m not good at cooking so I ordered a table from Juxian Building.”

The corner of Jiang Qin’s mouth twitched: “Getting restaurant takeout for a home meal this is the first time I’ve seen such an operation.”

“No choice I’m divorced.” He Yijun said breezily.

Normally when a conversation reaches this point it should end it’d be impolite to ask further but not Jiang Qin he excitedly patted the sofa calling for the little rich girl to come out and hear the story.

However the little rich girl had been pulled upstairs by He Manqi probably unable to hear Jiang Qin’s warm summons.

“Mr. Jiang you’re being a bit rude.”

“President He don’t beat around the bush with me you can’t even cook yet invited me over for a meal what’s your real purpose?”

Hearing him say this He Yijun also stopped being evasive directly voicing his concerns about the retail industry and desire to reform in order to respond to the changing times seeking a transformation in the era of online shopping.

To put it simply he wanted to change the mall’s current sales model to adapt to future developments in internet shopping to survive.

But after much thought he couldn’t find a direction so planned to consult Jiang Qin.

Yes the boss of a large pure sales mall used the word “consult” with an unknown university student.

After hearing this Jiang Qin directly exclaimed “holy shit” in his heart.

Honestly as someone reborn being able to see through the future is very normal how could I not know what life I personally experienced would become.

But for President He as an insider to not be lost and quickly smell the scent of danger really surprised him somewhat.

Why?

Because people’s reactions are usually slow you definitely won’t know pain if the whip doesn’t strike your body.

The businessmen of the older generation who struggled up from hardship that innate sense of crisis is truly not to be underestimated.

“Mr. Jiang enlighten me.” He Yijun’s expression was solemn.

Jiang Qin showed a Feng Nanshu-esque silly face: “Actually I don’t know either President He I’m just an ordinary university student!”

“Too modest I don’t like you being so modest there are no outsiders at home be more arrogant!”

“Actually if you use inherent boss thinking to ponder this issue it’s easy to overcomplicate it why not consider it from a consumer perspective? The internet always has its own limitations and blind spots just like peeing consumers can’t pee online too right?”

After hearing this He Yijun’s brows even stood up: “You mean I should turn Wanzhong into a public toilet?”

Jiang Qin put down his teacup: “I mean put yourself in a consumer’s shoes think what things one must do in person that may be a very good direction for reform.”

“Things one must do in person…”

He Yijun’s scalp suddenly started tingling feeling like he grasped something.

“What’s the layout of Wanzhong now?”

“The first floor is daily goods and clothing second floor cosmetics and jewelry third floor household appliances fourth floor furniture fifth floor offices.”

Jiang Qin looked at He Yijun: “In the future all these things can be bought online the price will definitely be lower than yours with more freebies you indeed have no advantage and are about to go under.”

He Yijun suddenly seemed to grasp something: “Only things that can’t be bought online can continue to survive in malls?”

“Exactly like dining cinema lifestyle services if you want to gather with friends watch a movie take kids out to play get a massage haircut manicure it can’t all be done online right? My suggestion is to cut a large part of the cumbersome retail business re-plan the mall layout shift from pure sales to services you have to give people a reason to want to come for malls to survive.”

“…”

As soon as he finished speaking the doorbell rang again.

The Juxian Building delivery staff pushed the cart in and began placing dishes on the table. Although not homemade the sea cucumbers abalone and such showed ample sincerity.

He Yijun ate a few bites simply his mind seeming to activate with something not even considering the guests’ thoughts before running to the study after eating half the meal.

“Uncle Jiang do you drink? I’ll pour you a drink.”

“When you came in just now weren’t you still calling me brother how come you suddenly called me uncle?”

After saying this Jiang Qin subconsciously glanced at the little rich girl sitting beside him.

Feng Nanshu picked up a glass of water to drink innocently looking at him with lively eyes ripples seeming to dance in her pupils.

“My dad said he’s your peer so calling you brother is impolite.”

“But as far as I know you never listen to your dad right?” Jiang Qin was a bit suspicious.

He Manqi coughed: “I listen now oh right Uncle can you praise Nanshu-jie more for me to hear?”

Jiang Qin put down his chopsticks looking at her: “Is it you who wants to hear or someone else who wants to eavesdrop?”

“…”

The little rich girl was grabbing peanuts hearing this sentence the peanut on her chopsticks fell with a plop.