Chapter 640: Gao Wenhui’s Journey to Jizhou

The implementation of the one-year rent reduction program simplified the merchant recruitment for Joy City, but almost no top-tier brands moved in. Instead, several second-tier brands flocked there, attracted by the cheaper rents.

It was like Hungry Yet? burning cash wildly, bringing in a host of unlicensed stores.

There was a quantity, but the quality was hard to gauge.

The success of a complex mall depends significantly on whether there are enough popular brands to attract customers. These second-tier brands simply aren’t enough to sustain a high-end mall’s ecosystem.

They desired anchor tenants like River Hotpot, Sichuan Peppercorn Fish, and Western BBQ—even if it meant lowering their rents.

Otherwise, what could they use to compete with Wanzhong Mall for traffic?

Should they, like cutting rents, subsidize daily?

Given that Joy City was modeled after Wanzhong Mall, why would customers switch from a place bustling with popular brands to Joy City?

After the first phase of merchant recruitment, Joy City’s project team divided into six groups, each targeting a specific popular brand.

Xitian’s confession marketing was a nationwide sensation recently, so naturally, the recruitment team targeted them.

Interestingly, initial investigations revealed that although this milk tea brand was registered in Linchuan, it was not part of the Linchuan Business Group.

But as the investigation deepened, the team gradually fell silent.

The data showed that although the milk tea was not a strategic partner of the Linchuan Business Group, it belonged to the enterprise owned by the lady boss of Group-Buy.

“President Feng, Xitian was a gift from President Jiang to Mrs. Jiang.”

“Although Xitian did not join the Linchuan Business Group, it has a high priority in their strategic cooperation plan.”

“Based on the brand’s initial development, it seems to be a campus brand, just like Group-Buy.”

“We spoke with several students from Linchuan; they all said Xitian and Group-Buy are ‘couple enterprises.’”

“Look at this milk tea card. The two little figures under the tree are said to be President Jiang of Group-Buy and his miss.”

Feng Shihua was incredulous upon learning this, repeatedly reviewing the investigation materials before falling silent.

Just like Duan Ying thought later, he didn’t expect his introverted daughter to own a national brand.

The news shocked him, almost as much as learning his son-in-law was the president of Group-Buy.

Even though a milk tea brand differs from internet or real estate businesses—with lower risk tolerance, a straightforward operational model, and a valuation cap at ten billion—it’s not liquidatable.

Yet, he never imagined Xitian was merely a gift received by his daughter.

Later, Feng Shihua made an excuse to visit Jizhou, saw his daughter, presented a graduation gift, and……met Jiang Qin’s parents in their humble three-room apartment for dinner.

Jiang Qin’s family was truly ordinary, not even dual-income.

Yuan Youqin worked at a governmental guesthouse without a formal position, essentially just a high-level waitress.

Jiang Zhenghong was a typical small-town citizen, not as impressive as imagined.

Yet, his daughter was very close to them, even calling them mom and dad now.

He saw family portraits and graduation photos filling the apartment.

That evening, the sky blazed with a sunset that stretched endlessly, slowly scattering and fading into the night.

To this day, Feng Shihua recalls that dinner feeling very restrained.

Dressed formally, he sat in Jiang Qin’s living room, struggling to find topics that interested his in-laws; business, no—daughter, barely knew.

He sensed Jiang’s parents’ hospitality was merely due to kinship, not genuine welcome.

Feng Shihua complimented Jiang Qin as a great son raised by them.

But unbeknownst to him, complimenting their “dog son” wasn’t as valued as praising Feng Nanshu in Yuan Youqin and Jiang Zhenghong’s eyes.

When he left Hongrong Homes late that night, Feng Nanshu came down to see him off.

Many in the neighborhood greeted his daughter, asking about her holidays and inviting her for peanuts and dumplings.

As she waved back, her bracelet clinked noisily.

“Do you like wearing bracelets? This one’s quality isn’t great. Doesn’t suit Mrs. Jiang. I’ll get your stepmom to pick out a fine Emperor Green jade bracelet for you to wear when you go out with Jiang Qin.”

“This is Jiang Qin’s family heirloom.”

“……”

From the apartment entrance to the community gate, the father and daughter were like strangers.

Feng Shihua wasn’t naïve. During his time in China, he gradually realized his daughter’s life under Duan Ying’s care probably wasn’t happy.

Otherwise, the Linchuan Business Group wouldn’t completely reject cooperating with Joy City.

Nor would Jiang Qin overtly sabotage his initiative, directly striking down Meal Point.

But life isn’t a drama; for him, the world was never just black or white.

No one can stay ignorant, then suddenly act justly, orchestrating a grand happy ending.

Andy is already grown, his only son; and he had developed feelings for Duan Ying. What good would confronting bring?

Was he supposed to divorce Duan Ying, leaving Andy without a mother again?

So he acted oblivious, never asking about Feng Nanshu’s feelings or digging into past events.

For him, the ideal solution was for everyone to tacitly pretend the past didn’t exist, reconcile, and enjoy a united family life without bringing it up.

He would try hard to compensate his daughter, making up for past deficits and even giving more than lost.

But on the drive when Feng Nanshu was seeing him off, she hardly spoke, never saying “stepmom treats me poorly, I hope dad can make it right.”

Her mind, busy with other memories, didn’t dwell on the past—filled with wandering thoughts of big pandas.

“Your dad is a real piece of work.”

“?”

After reviewing a report worn out, Feng Nanshu heard Gao Wenhui grumble.

Gao Wenhui was sitting on her bed, legs crossed, immensely frustrated.

She felt Feng Shihua’s attitude was like an emperor in novels, wrongly executing loyal subjects but pretending ignorance until forced by the protagonist to overturn the verdict.

“Nanshu, where shall we go tomorrow?”

“You haven’t finished your report.”

“Why are you two so alike? I really don’t want to be a regional manager; being Mrs. Jiang’s best friend would suffice!

Feng Nanshu rubbed her eyes: “Using me as an excuse? My brother will spank me.”

Gao Wenhui glanced at her: “Isn’t that a reward?”

“You’re a bad person.”

Gao Wenhui chuckled, then sighed and opened her laptop to start typing, soon changing from reading reports to writing words.

Today, having visited Jizhou and the “friendship sites” she’d heard about, her inspiration soared uncontrollably, much like a boy needing a restroom—impossible to hold back.

Little Rich Girl then heard a relentless clatter, curiously got up to check, and wasn’t sleepy anymore.

Click—a story she followed, “In the Name of Friends, I Love You,” unexpectedly updated after a month’s break.

“Damn, the author’s resurrected?”

“Holy crap, even the work team’s donkey wouldn’t rest like that!”

“Hurry up, I’m living off this sweetness during my holiday.”

Gao Wenhui, delighted by her new chapter, noticed the ID “Jiang Yanzu” in the comments: “Nonsense in full paper, send me the drafts; let’s see how outrageous the rest is!”

“Tch!”

Ms. Gao almost spat on her laptop screen.

Over the next few days, she noticed reduced paperwork, less frequent demands for analytical reports from Fang Xiaoxuan, but she suddenly encountered numerous old accounts urging updates.

Gao Wenhui updated forty thousand words in a week. Although her hands were tired and sleep eluded her, it was far more enjoyable than reviewing financial and development reports for Xitian.

She typed by day and cuddled the soft and fragrant Little Rich Girl at night, blissfully content.

Could this be the divine lifestyle Jiang Qin might live in the future? Gao Wenhui envied him so much she couldn’t help but pinch, which got her smacked by Little Rich Girl.

“We’re both girls; can’t I touch?”

“This belongs to my brother.”

“?”

Then Wang Haini arrived, without needing directions, heading straight to Hongrong Homes, Building 7, Unit 502, on Golden Phoebe Street, Jizhou City—a place she knew as well as her own home.

Feng Nanshu talked about her family address so often, Wang Haini had it memorized.

“Why are you here too?”

“Hiding.”

“?”

Wang Haini entered Jiang Qin’s home, flopped like a starfish onto Feng Nanshu’s bed: “I interned at a company for a week, befriended a manager, but he wanted to date!”

Gao Wenhui was stunned: “You weren’t idle even during your internship?”

“Have you ever seen me idle for a day during university?”

“So you quit?”

Wang Haini pursed her lips: “I quit. He was annoying me daily. I just wanted a cuddly friend, not a relationship!”

Feng Nanshu stupefied for a while: “A good friend is for life.”

“Yeah, a good friend lasts a lifetime, but it’s not time yet.”

Talking about blankets, Wang Haini sat upright: “Where am I sleeping tonight? Jiang’s room? I’ll stay in his room!”

Feng Nanshu looked at her warily: “You can sleep on the street.”