Chapter 193: Marrying There Will End in Tears
TL: Etude
Jiang Qin originally planned to leave early in the morning, but He Yijun made a special call, explaining that their reform plan had encountered numerous problems and sought to consult with him in person.
Of course, being helpful wasnt in Jiang Qins nature.
Apart from Jiang Zhihua, no one had ever taken advantage of him.
However, there was no choice this time. He Yijun offered so much that it was like directly throwing money to hire him as a consultant for the malls reform. After some thought, Jiang Qin concluded that not making money when the opportunity presented itself was not his style.
Old Guo, wait for me at the school gate. Ill come to pick you up, and well go take care of some business at noon before heading back to Jizhou in the afternoon.
While driving, Jiang Qin called Guo Zihang.
Old Guo shouted his thanks to his godfather and then hurried down the stairs, dragging his suitcase.
Five minutes later, a black Audi arrived at the entrance of the Science and Technology University. Guo Zihang boarded the car, calling Jiang Qin his godfather, and displaying utmost politeness before settling into the back seat, rubbing his hands together to warm up.
Why is there a trophy here?
Its the Star of Learning. I took it to make my mom happy.
Guo Zihang held the trophy in his hands, examining it before looking at the passenger seat. Eh? Isnt Feng going back?
Her personal driver rented a place in the opposite neighborhood. Hes available on call and took the little rich lady home this morning.
Guo Zihangs scalp tingled as he sat in the back seat. Brother Jiang, the Feng familys power is too great. Its scary just to hear about it. If you marry into their family, youll be bullied to tears!
?!
Really, let me tell you about my cousin who married into a womans family.
Jiang Qin unemotionally rolled down the rear window, chilling him like a silly dog. You seem a bit out of it. Let me cool you down a bit. Blow some sense into your dog brain.
Guo Zihang shivered instantly. Damn, its too cold. I was wrong, godfather.
Where did you go wrong?
Guo Zihang tightened his down jacket. Even if you marry into their family, youll be strong and definitely wont cry.
Jiang Qin was left speechless by his logic and finally spoke after a long pause. Old Guo, Ive realized youre truly incredible.
Close it, please. Im freezing to death.
Jiang Qin closed the rear window. I heard youre doing well in the group buying. All the dormitory aunties at the Science and Technology University are dizzy with admiration for you. You even got a nickname Treasure of the Aunties, outdoing my Star of Learning?
They have some misunderstandings about me. I prefer the more mature kind, not dormitory aunties.
Guo Zihang defended his innocence.
Then why did I hear from Qiaona that you often have a good time chatting with the aunties in the dormitory, at least an hour each time?
Thats all for your business. Otherwise, I wouldnt go there even if I died.
Damn, what a level. You even talk back to me with the same hardness.
Jiang Qin spat at him, showing disdain as he stepped on the gas pedal and drove out of the Science and Technology University, heading towards Wanzhong.
Upon reaching the parking lot, Jiang Qin called He Yijun, who didnt answer initially and called back a minute later.
Wanzhong Mall was large in scale, with a wide range of influences and a deep impact.
Once the decision to transform was made, it would affect everything connected to it. It wasnt just about the mall itself; suppliers and partners also needed an explanation. So He Yijun was busy meeting with several important partners and couldnt get away.
Mr. Jiang, please go directly to the conference room on the fifth floor. Several managers of the mall are there. You can preside over the meeting.
Im getting paid as a consultant, not to run meetings.
Damn, Jiang, youre really pushing it, arent you?!
No, no, just kidding. Leave the meeting to me.
Jiang Qin hung up, took Guo Zihang to the fifth floor, and arrived at the conference room at the end of the hallway.
This was where Zhihu and Wanzhong first discussed cooperation, so he was quite familiar with the place.
Upon entering, the first thing that caught Jiang Qins eye was the round conference table, surrounded by five managers, including Yue Zhu, two men and three women in total.
Some were smoking, others were lounging with their legs crossed, and a few were engrossed in their smartphones. It seemed they were waiting for He Yijun, and judging by their bored expressions, they had been waiting for quite a while.
As Jiang Qin walked in, about to assertively announce the start of the meeting, he was unexpectedly interrupted by Zhao Zuchang, who was smoking.
Go get me a glass of water, make sure its cold.
?
Jiang Qin took the glass with a moment of surprise and then headed towards the water cooler in the corner to fill it up.
I want one too, warm water, not too hot or too cold.
Following that, Bao Wenping, the manager of the administrative department, handed over her glass, her request even more specific than Zhao Zuchangs.
Jiang Qin had no choice but to fill her glass as well.
Before he even finished pouring the water, someone else called him to go downstairs and buy two cups of coffee.
It was only at this moment that Yue Zhu noticed Jiang Qins arrival and that he was being treated like a waiter. She was about to speak up when Jiang Qin stopped her with a look and a shake of his head.
Jiang Qin delivered the water to Bao Wenping, then walked over to the chair at the head of the table, the one usually occupied by He Yijun.
Everyone is here, right?
He Yijun is meeting with suppliers and cant get away. Have some water and listen to me briefly.
Sitting down, Jiang Qin slowly started speaking as his gaze swept over everyone.
Zhao Zuchang was startled, his cigarette dropping from his fingertips and burning a small hole in his pants, prompting him to stand up hurriedly to pat it out.
Bao Wenpings reaction was even more interesting. She had just taken a sip of water and managed not to spit it out, but still, a small stream squirted from her mouth.
The entire meeting room fell into an awkward silence, with everyone looking at Jiang Qin in confusion and doubt.
Let me introduce him to everyone. This is Jiang Qin, the reform consultant hired by Mr. He. The project proposal you saw was written by him.
Yue Zhu quickly clarified Jiang Qins identity to prevent further embarrassment.
The room was filled with astonishment.
Zhao Zuchang and Bao Wenping were especially taken aback, thinking how young the consultant looked, barely in his twenties, almost like an intern.
Consultant Jiang, Im really sorry. Youre so young, I thought you were a new intern.
Jiang Qin waved his hand, indicating it was no big deal, then cleared his throat and spoke: Where was I?
Yue Zhu replied, You were about to briefly say something.
Oh, right. Briefly, I reviewed your planning cases last night. Theyre well-written but difficult to implement. One reason is that everyones ideas are too costly, like foot massage parlors and cinemas. It seems as if anything impressive must be done, but these projects not only require significant investment but also take a long time. Theres a risk that we might run out of resources before the reform is even halfway done.
Another point is that we need to ensure a balance between income and expenses during the reform process and make sure we dont run out of funds.
My suggestion is to proceed gradually, making changes bit by bit. First, consider cutting off the cumbersome and low-profit sections and introducing projects that attract more customers but cost less. What are your thoughts?
As Jiang Qin finished speaking, the managers began whispering among themselves, discussing his points.
This was the advantage of having someone to guide their thinking. When a problem is presented, you only need to think of the solution.
Consultant Jiang, I think the apparel section isnt very profitable, but it occupies a large area and requires a lot of staff. The storage and logistics costs are also high. Maybe we should cut this section first?
Lets cut the furniture section. Thats where the storage and logistics costs are highest.
I think the cosmetics and jewelry section should be cut first. If online shopping really takes off, this section will definitely become awkward.
Listening to the discussion, Jiang Qin finally clapped his hands. Ill give you five minutes to summarize your thoughts, and then well go somewhere.
?
Ten minutes later, three cars left the underground parking garage of Wanzhong Mall and headed to the busiest commercial street in the city center.
On the street, there were KTVs, bars, pool halls, milk tea shops, clothing stores, a small commodities market, a food alley, nail salons, beauty shops, and various restaurants, with a cinema and a foot massage parlor at the very end. It was a place where you could find almost anything.
The five managers got out of the car and stood at the entrance of the street, looking puzzled at Jiang Qin.
Mr. Jiang, what are we doing here?
Imagining in a vacuum is difficult. So, your task today is to stroll around. Take note of any business projects you find suitable, inquire about costs, observe customer traffic, and think whether these could be integrated into the mall. A street like this and a mall are not so different.
The managers suddenly understood and began exploring the street.
Meanwhile, Jiang Qin squatted on the curb, playing Snake on his phone.
The business model, projects, and layout of this street had many similarities to the comprehensive malls of the future. Letting these managers wander around was bound to yield insights.
If He Yijun had enough financial muscle, he could simply clone the entire streets business projects into the mall, which would effectively complete the reform.
But he likely lacked both the boldness and the financial resources. After all, cloning the whole setup would mean Wanzhong Mall couldnt operate for at least a year.
Therefore, the safest approach was to start by moving in the lowest-cost, highest-traffic projects.
Jiang Qin had many tricks up his sleeve. He knew the final answer but chose not to reveal it outright.
On one hand, this approach made him appear enigmatic.
On the other hand, he wouldnt be able to earn his consultant fees if he gave away the answer straight away.
The apparel section shouldnt be cut. If Im shopping and try on a nice outfit, I might just wear it out. But the section for middle-aged and elderly clothing can be cut and merged with the cosmetics and jewelry area!
Lets cut both the electronics and furniture sections. I definitely wouldnt impulsively buy a fridge or sofa while shopping!
The traffic at the hotpot restaurant is damn impressive. We must have one. Its too attractive.
If we think out of the box, we could even create a food alley in the mall. It would be convenient to eat right there after shopping.
A cinema is a must for attracting crowds, but as Mr. Jiang said, the initial costs are high. We could save it for the last phase.
The five managers, after their enthusiastic exploration, found their creativity sparked, feeling their previously fanciful ideas starting to take shape.
Before, they felt lost brainstorming in the conference room, but walking around this bustling commercial street, ideas naturally emerged.
Brother Jiang, youre a consultant. Why did you go fetch water for them? Isnt that demeaning?
Guo Zihang bought two grilled sausages from a street vendor and handed one to Jiang Qin.
True, Im a consultant, but Im too young to command respect. Lowering my stance to serve them makes them feel indebted to me, which makes them more receptive to what I say later. After all, Im taking their money, so I should get some real work done.
Jiang Qin bit into the sausage. If you cant find a job after graduation, you could sell these. Call them Golden Crispy Sausages and make a fortune.
Guo Zihang retorted with a grin, With a godfather like you, would I ever need to drift through life?
?
At the same time, Yue Zhu had already returned from her exploration, standing behind and listening to their conversation with a complex expression.
She had been in the workforce for five years, but what Jiang Qin had just done and said were things she could neither do nor even think of.
AN: Today, Im going to take wedding photos and wont be back home until late, so this is the only chapter for now. Still, I dare to ask for monthly tickets.
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