Chapter 408: Mid-Autumn Festival

The next morning, on Mid-Autumn Festival, this year had not yet merged with the National Day, making it a distinct and significant holiday with its own three-day break.

Compared to the future Mid-Autumn that becomes an appendage to the National Day, it was like night and day.

However, for some students who lived too far from home, a three-day break wasn’t enough to go back, but the festive spirit was still celebrated, so the campus was lively.

Early in the morning, the Academy supermarket introduced beautifully packaged mooncake gift boxes, filling the shelves with vibrant colors.

It must be said, Jiang Zhihua truly had a knack for business. Her mooncakes, sold individually in exquisite packages, were pricey, much like Christmas Eve’s peace apples.

Additionally, some of the less popular food stalls in the cafeteria took the opportunity to promote their mooncakes by offering one free with each meal ordered.

Business was everywhere.

Jiang Qin got up from bed, dressed, and was about to leave when Zhou Chao called out to him.

“Jiang bro, where are you headed?”

“I’m off to a meeting in town.”

Chao scratched his head, “Remember to come back early in the afternoon. Let’s gather at the sports field for a feast of beer and mooncakes.”

Jiang Qin gave an OK gesture, “Don’t start without me.”

“Of course not.”

Jiang Qin left, heading to the cafeteria for breakfast where he also received a free mooncake that surprisingly tasted quite good.

After leaving the cafeteria, Jiang Qin drove slowly along the campus roads but hadn’t reached the gate when he spotted familiar figures setting up a small stall selling mooncakes.

Jiang Qin pulled his car over and lowered the window to ask, “What are you guys doing?”

“Doing business,” Zhuang Chen said proudly, chest puffed out.

“Selling mooncakes?”

Zhuang gave him a look, “If you’re not buying, don’t ask.”

Jian Chun couldn’t help but glance at him, “Do you even know how to talk properly?”

“Chun Chun, I was being polite. Look at his big car blocking our stall, how can we sell anything?”

Jiang Qin leaned on the car window and peered out. Behind Zhuang Chen stood five large boxes full of mooncakes.

You wouldn’t believe it, but the variety was impressive.

“Did you do any market research before starting this business?”

Zhuang slightly raised the corners of his mouth, “There are three supermarkets in the school selling mooncakes, just fancier packaging but expensive as hell. Mine are affordable, obviously people will choose mine.”

Jiang Qin shifted his gaze to Song Qingqing, Jian Chun, and Jiang Tian standing aside, “Did you all invest as well?”

“No, we didn’t. Zhuang Chen bought all these mooncakes, we’re just here for fun.”

“Brother Chen, did you have breakfast this morning?”

Hearing the concerned question, Zhuang was momentarily confused, not sure what Jiang Qin was implying.

Suddenly, Jiang Qin flashed a brilliant smile, “Then you surely don’t know about the free mooncakes at the cafeteria.”

Zhuang’s face fell, “Free? There wasn’t such a thing last year.”

“That’s why I told you to do your market research. Linchuan is only so big, how can your charged mooncakes compete with free ones?”

“Jiang Qin, are you just trying to crush my spirit?” Zhuang’s expression darkened.

Jiang Qin waved a hand, “Just a word of advice, if you can back out, do it fast.”

Zhuang was defiant, “The supermarket is charging double my price not offering freebies, and they were busy all night.”

“Supermarket mooncakes are for gifting, not eating. Can yours be gifted? And let’s be honest, mooncakes are more a formality than anything. After one, you’re fed up. Why would I buy yours if the canteen is offering them for free?”

“…”

“For gifting, yours can’t be used. For eating, they don’t compete with free ones. What’s your market positioning? Unless you can sell them on your looks like me?”

“?????”

As Jiang Qin rolled up his window to leave, Jiang Tian suddenly said, “Jiang Qin, we’re planning a gathering on the sports field this afternoon, does your dorm want to join?”

“Our dorm might be there too. Check with Zhou Chao, we can join together for more fun.”

“Okay, I’ll discuss it with your dorm,” responded Jiang Tian sweetly.

Jiang Qin nodded and turned back to Zhuang, “Brother Chen, pack up thirty mooncakes for me.”

Zhuang almost said no, but then he thought about Jiang Qin’s points. His product positioning wasn’t clear and they might really not sell out, especially since Mid-Autumn is just one day.

Making money isn’t shameful, so he rolled up his sleeves and started packing mooncakes in silence.

After paying, Jiang Qin drove off, while Zhuang sat down without a word.

“Maybe ask if you can return them,” Jian Chun suddenly suggested, noticing Jiang had already said they wouldn’t sell.

Zhuang had thought of returning them too, but hearing the girl he liked treating Jiang Qin’s words as gospel, his spirit sank, “Just because he says they won’t sell, they won’t sell? The market doesn’t revolve around him.”

“…”

Meanwhile, Jiang Qin drove to the Western Suburbs Entrepreneurs Club, had a meeting room prepared, and gathered the bosses involved in the first three rounds of brand marketing for a joint marketing session on group-buying.

The meeting’s theme was about the coordination of Linchuan’s major brands in a series of online and offline activities.

Based on Jiang Qin’s analysis of future trends, the group-buying market would face a downturn by year’s end with some leaving and others consolidating—this gap was an opportunity.

So, Jiang Qin planned the marketing strategies for this period.

“President Jiang, the meeting room is ready, is this setup okay?”

“Bring some plates, I have a bag of mooncakes in the trunk, put one in front of each person.”

“Sure, President Jiang.”

The lead waiter took Jiang’s keys, fetched the mooncakes from the car, and glanced at them, puzzled.

These weren’t a famous brand, nor were they well-packaged, not even as nice as those provided by the club—what was President Jiang thinking bringing these?

Eventually, as per Jiang Qin’s request, the waiter unwrapped the mooncakes, placed them on plates, disposed of the wrapping, and the marketing heads arrived and were seated under Jiang’s coordination.

“Gentlemen, today’s Mid-Autumn Festival, I’ll spare you the festive wishes. I’ve brought some mooncakes for us to try.”

“I’m studying away from home and can’t return for Mid-Autumn, so my mother worries and sent a box anyway. I told her there are mooncakes at school, but she insisted those wouldn’t match the ones from home.”

“They’re not from a renowned brand, nor do they have fancy fillings, but they carry the taste of home. I can’t finish them alone, so I thought we’d share.”

Hearing this, the Linchuan brand heads felt a special kind of honored.

To share his family’s simple mooncakes with them meant more than their monetary value—it was about the sentiment involved.

For someone with nearly a billion in assets like President Jiang, acquiring fine mooncakes and spouting niceties would have been easy, but he chose to share his humble family sentiments instead, making this gesture all the more precious.

The meeting then officially commenced and continued until dusk.

As it covered joint marketing across various sectors including apparel, food, housing, and travel, lots of detailed explanations were needed.

After the meeting, Jiang Qin shook hands and bid farewell to the bosses, planning to return to Linchuan University only to find the class group unusually lively.

“Can’t make it to the sports field, too many clubs doing activities, they’re not letting anyone in.”

“Looks like it’s organized by the school, there’s a bunch of cameras, and a lot of foreigners…”

“No more space there.”

“How about the cafeteria?”

“It’s already full.”

“We had prepared so much, planned to watch the moon together, and now we can’t even find a spot to gather.”

At the same time, Cao Guangyu sent a message saying the school was up to something on the sports field, not letting anyone in, and everyone had pitched in to buy stuff but now there was no place to gather.

Feng Nanshu also messaged, letting him know she wanted to see the moon.

College students didn’t have complicated agendas; they just wanted to get together for some fun since they spend most of their time cooped up in dorms—it was their social time.

Jiang Qin typed in the address of the Entrepreneurs Club in the chat box, “If you really can’t find a place, just come here.”

He then called Wei Lanlan, asking her to head to Linchuang to pick up his little rich girl, bringing along Dong Wenhao and Lu Feiyu, so they could all spend Mid-Autumn together.

Old He was still busy with his project in Shanghai, and He Manqi probably didn’t have anywhere to spend Mid-Autumn either. As an uncle, he felt it his duty to check in, so he sent her a text.

Receiving the message, students started taking taxis to the Western Suburbs, along with friends and friends of friends. Except for those who lived close and went home, about thirty others showed up to join the fun.

When they arrived at the entrance of the Entrepreneurs Club, there was an air of hesitation among them.

Whether it was the endless length of the surrounding wall, the solemn architectural style, vast green lawns, or the glittering gold letters of the Entrepreneurs Club, they all felt a bit out of their element.

Just then, a white BMW slowly approached. Through the half-open window, many saw a stunningly beautiful profile.

Cool and aloof, yet more enchanting than the moonlight tonight.

Soon, everyone made their way inside and followed Wei Lanlan to the lakeside terrace area.

“We’re just borrowing the space, don’t wander around. And don’t litter.”

“Also, I’ve prepared some ingredients and barbecue tools. Those who are good at cooking might want to try their hand.”

“Watch the moon on the left, watch a movie on the right. Don’t drink too much, and definitely no starting conflicts, or there will be fines.”

“For those interested in romance, there’s a bamboo-fringed corridor nearby, a perfect spot I’ve arranged.”

“Today is Mid-Autumn Festival, wish everyone a badass Mid-Autumn.”

Jiang Qin stood on the terrace, softly speaking under the dim light of the lamp posts, as handsome as Daniel Wu.

Not only members of the financial class three were present, but also many from other classes or those who were friends with class three students.

They had seen Jiang Qin speak at the freshman assembly and watched his interviews in the cafeteria, but seeing him stand at the Entrepreneurs Club now, the impression was completely different.

It felt similar to when Zhuang Chen and the others were queuing at the airport and Jiang led them into the VIP lounge.

It was a stark contrast in status. In school, Jiang Qin might be just another student, but once outside, he arranged places they might never have the chance to enter.

Cao Guangyu was instantly overwhelmed, thinking, “Fine, fine, fine, you win me over again. Next time, let me do the talking, or at least let me stand by you when you speak!”

Below the terrace, Zhuang Chen stood with a handful of unsold mooncakes, feeling sour enough to turn into a lemon on the spot.

This place was really nice, and he probably would never have the chance to come here on his own.

But that didn’t matter. Not getting in didn’t bother him.

What did upset him was seeing Jian Chun all made up.

He had been squatting in the front square selling mooncakes since morning till afternoon, managing to sell about thirty.

He knew Jiang Qin was right. He couldn’t compete with the Academy supermarket in terms of aesthetics, nor with the cafeteria’s free offerings in terms of value. The thirty he sold were thanks to friends’ support.

For the first time venturing into business, I did not anticipate the market to be fraught with dangers, leading to a collapse midway, incurring a loss of over eight hundred.

But Zhuang Chen consoled himself, although he didn’t make any money, spending a day with Jian Chun made those eight hundred worth it.

Unexpectedly for him, Jian Chun didn’t stick around for long, she left soon. The next time they met was when Jiang Qin sent out the address. By then, Jian Chun had worn an enchanting makeup, a style he had never seen on her before, and her hair was done differently too, in a way he hadn’t seen before.

“Old Jiang, do you always hang out here comfortably? Why not bring me along?”

“You’re not a businessman.”

Cao Guangyu couldn’t stand it and retorted, “But I’m a rich second generation!”

Jiang Qin glanced at him and replied, “Then your dad can come.”

Ding Xue slapped Cao Guangyu lightly, “Stop flaunting your rich second-generation status, it’s too ostentatious. Let’s just watch a movie, what are we watching today?”

“Fierce Bull.”

“What’s that about?”

Nearby, Feng Nanshu’s eyes sparkled as she thought, ‘The task management system is really useful, gotta set up some more tasks for Big Bear next time.’