Chapter 587: Kick Scooter Girl

Group buys and takeout both fundamentally share traits, relying heavily on local businesses and resource integration.

However, following the group buy model won’t really work for developing the takeout sector.

Jiang Qin worries his team might underestimate their upcoming competitors due to their success in group buying, so he has made detailed plans across all departments.

“Like the early days of group buying, we aim for top-tier cities.”

“The original group-buying divisions will be reassigned; renovate your takeout business departments within a month. These will be the focus later on.”

“Aside from community group buying and supply chain operations, all later station activities should focus on establishing a takeout division.”

“Once the division is set up, I have already chosen a few people to lead.”

“Ye Ziqing will oversee Shanghai, Guan Shen in Kyoto, Xing Xiangming in Shanghai, and Dai Zhitao in Guangzhou.”

“Group buying and takeout should cooperate, with the tech and marketing departments providing strong support. However, their operations should remain independent without interference.”

“Our group buying business is mature, with few issues. It’s overseen by Wei Lanlan and Tan Qing.”

“For the takeout business, the leaders from the four major cities will report directly to me.”

“Additionally, transfer some technicians from Shanghai to bolster our tech teams at the four major stations.”

“Tonight’s Headlines and Zhihu will assign a few PR teams there for support.”

“Li Minghui, in charge of ground promotions, prepare for top-tier cities with King and Glorious ranks. Diamond and Platinum will take care of second-tier cities. Gold and Silver will handle the markets surrounding these cities.”

“After this month, the market will peak, and we’ll enter on that surge.”

“Steal riders, grab users. Tech and operations must be ready to address any issues immediately while Tonight’s Headlines and Zhihu’s PR teams create challenges for our competitors.”

“Xuemei, produce more competitor work badges for the ground promotion teams to use. These old tricks still work wonderfully.”

“Moreover, have the advertising department coordinate with stations to run appropriate ads and sponsorships.”

“Wen Jinrui, compile all arrangements into tasks, disseminate through our internal system, and have departments confirm them.”

Jiang Qin, in his executive chair, made all these departmental tasks clear.

Some newly promoted staff in Group-Buy, always working at the satellite stations, rarely visit the headquarters. They may not feel much, but the core employees of Room 208 feel as if even their DNA has shifted.

The boss is taking charge again, using them like bullets, pointing where to strike.

This is typical of our Group-Buy approach.

Listening to the boss, we just need to charge forward. He can’t be wrong; if he is, then it’s the world that’s mistaken.

Ye Ziqing, just appointed as the person in charge of the Shanghai takeout market, looks at Jiang Qin, a slight smile playing at her lips.

Zhou Zhenhao used to love holding management meetings like this when we were just doing casual group buys.

But his most frequent remarks were about immediate resolution of issues, or else don’t bother coming in tomorrow!

Looking at Jiang Qin’s targeted, sharp style, the contrast is incredibly stark.

Following him, you at least know why you’re doing what you’re doing and where it’s ultimately going.

“When do you think the boss started planning for takeout?”

“Probably before the new year.”

“I felt it was even earlier.”

Guan Shen glanced at Ye Ziqing. “Why?”

Ye Ziqing looked at Guan Shen. “After the cutthroat group buy battles, the stations technically became obsolete. But they were never disbanded, which I always found weird.”

Originally, Group-Buy’s stations were created to seize market share. As the market stabilized, all promotions moved online, and the operations of these stations, whether field or online, became redundant.

Internet companies over-hire to expand quickly, even if it’s not strictly necessary.

Once the competition is over and the dust settles, layoffs are inevitable.

We never had enough managers before. But after stabilizing, even two managers seem too many.

In other words, without monsters to fight, maintaining an Ultraman army seems pointless.

But Jiang Qin never dissolved the stations or laid off staff. Ye Ziqing was always puzzled, not understanding why he kept so many people.

If it were for community group buying or supply chain establishment, well, operations in the major cities have already started.

Only tonight, when he directed the stations to transition personnel to form new takeout teams, did she vaguely realize that keeping the stations after the group buying wars was paving the way for today.

The people at these stations know the local business landscape and have connections with many merchants.

Their business skills are well-honed from experience.

Now, just changing the branding puts them in a strong position to topple many competitors.

“You think he planned to enter the takeout sector right after the group buying wars?”

“You mean, he was laying the groundwork for the takeout operations while he was still ramping up group buying, just waiting for the market to catch fire and then striking when the time was right?”

“Yep, this way, the money to burn through the market and to cultivate user habits wouldn’t have to come from our pockets.”

Ye Ziqing took a deep breath, remembering the rush back then to launch our casual group buy website and push it in Shanghai—speed seemed like it was the only strategy, now it almost feels like a jest.

Dusk falls as Jiang Qin leaves headquarters and returns to the school.

Finance Class 3 gathers for a barbecue outside school. The skewers are all served, but no one starts eating until Jiang Qin arrives.

“Jiang, where have you been? I’m starving.”

“Sorry, was out changing the world, got a bit held up.”

Jiang Qin loosens his suit jacket and sits down at the barbecue, taking a skewer of chicken wings handed to him by Jian Chun.

During senior year, many are interning, and those from well-off families are even scouting projects to start businesses.

Probably influenced by Jiang Qin, the entrepreneurial spirit at Linchuan University has always been vibrant.

Some think, if Jiang Qin could start a business in his freshman year, going public on NASDAQ by graduation seems like just another fun thing to do.

“Huang Yue has been interning at a securities investment firm in Linchuan for months. We might see less and less of each other.”

Jiang Qin puzzled: “Who’s Huang Yue? Is she in our class?”

Jiang Tian glanced at Jiang Qin: “Yeah, she’s also our dorm mate.”

“Oh, right.”

“Boss, it’s been over three years, don’t tell me you still can’t recognize everyone in our class?”

Jiang Qin: “…”

Song Qingqing held her breath, leaning forward: “My idol, you do know my name, right?”

“I just forget names, not a fool.”

Jiang Qin picked a skewer of lamb, eyeing everyone: “Where’s Zhuang Chen? Haven’t seen him.”

Jian Chun put down his drink and swallowed: “He’s looking into starting a business.”

“Really starting a business?”

“Hard to say. I haven’t seen him in a while. Just got his texts.”

Song Qingqing spoke up: “His text wasn’t short at all, about 800 words long, sent in several parts.”

Zhang Guangfa couldn’t help his curiosity: “Did he write an essay? That many words?”

“Pretty much…”

Last spring, not wanting to hold Zhuang Chen back, Jian Chun began keeping her distance, even turning down his milk tea offerings.

Since then, Zhuang Chen’s desire to start his own business has been burning hot.

Recently, as Spring Festival approached, Zhuang Chen spent several nights drinking with wealthy second-generation friends, bragging a bit, and finally decided to take action.

Though unsure what to pursue, Zhuang Chen’s first step in entrepreneurship was penning a short essay, starting with reminiscing about past times, fantasizing about future possibilities, and ending with a promise to pick her up riding a mystical cloud.

It was heartfelt—the tears flowed as he wrote.

The young master only regretted not handwriting it; if he had, she could’ve seen his teardrops on the paper!

Unbeknownst to him, Jian Chun’s first reaction to his message was its length.

Seeing that Zhuang Chen mentioned starting a business, she stopped reading.

“Jian Chun, show us Zhuang Chen’s essay, will you?”

“Yeah, show us what he wrote in such a long farewell letter!”

The table erupts in laughter, faces alight with schadenfreude.

Jiang Qin turns to them, frowning slightly: “Why bother? Write your own if you’re so curious.”

“Exactly, ever heard of privacy?”

Cao Guangyu bellowed with borrowed authority, handing over a skewer of grilled garlic: “Here Jiang, have some. It’s quite fragrant.”

Jiang Qin waved it off: “No, gives me a bad breath.”

“Why? Just brush your teeth when back at the dorm.”

Jiang Qin scoffed, thinking there’s more on his agenda before returning to the dorm!

Over the Spring Festival, he found himself constantly kissing a close friend at home.

Sometimes while cooking, their friendship would suddenly overflow, prompting them to hug and kiss or cuddle up to watch TV.

As long as their parents didn’t see, kissing became quite a common pastime.

Having gotten used to it, abruptly stopping just didn’t seem right.

“Care for a shot of liquor?”

“A small one’s fine.”

“How about chives or oysters?”

“…”

After a while, the gathering winds down, and everyone heads back to school chattering and laughing.

Feng Nanshu still pondered over that kiss, sitting by the campus supermarket under dim lights. Her pretty face drew many passersby to stop and stare.

Girls are beautiful, indeed. Especially such stunning ones always draw lingering glances.

Soon, Jiang Qin caught up with his classmates at the finance school. From afar, Feng Nanshu spotted him and ran over.

“I was at a barbecue tonight. Cao Guangyu insisted I try grilled garlic. He even knelt down, saying he’d acknowledge me as his dad if I did. I held back from trying it.”

“Cao Guangyu’s a bad guy.”