WWFILABR 151 to 160

 Chapter 151: Group Buying, Not Even a Dog Would Do

TL: Etude

Zhang Baiqing, who had been overseeing school affairs for many years, had seen all kinds of students. While he couldn’t claim to discern loyalty and deceit at a glance, he did have a fair understanding of human nature.

As he saw Jiang Qin approaching briskly and shaking hands warmly, Zhang Baiqing politely responded, but he couldn’t help but mutter to himself.

This youngster probably has no good intentions; otherwise, why would my eyelids twitch when he smiles?

“Has the light in Room 208 been fixed?”

“It was fixed on the same day, thank you for your concern, Principal.”

Jiang Qin sat down, pulling Feng Nanshu’s small hand out of his pocket.

He indeed had a request, but it certainly wasn’t with ill intentions. Exaggerating his behavior slightly was just to make Zhang Baiqing realize he needed a favor, mentally preparing him in advance.

Negotiating with a principal is different from dealing with businessmen outside. Since there’s no binding interest between them, one shouldn’t be too abrupt.

Simply put, Zhang Baiqing wouldn’t benefit from helping him, nor would he lose anything by refusing.

Therefore, whether to help or not depended entirely on his mood. In such situations, attitude and sincerity were most important.

Previously, Jiang Qin had initiated the entrepreneurial support scam, but now, the situation had reversed, necessitating caution.

Jiang Qin didn’t rush to speak. He sat down and surveyed the bustling crowd.

The first row was occupied by judges and school leaders. To sit behind the school leaders, one generally had to be a significant figure, like the president of the student union.

Among these people were some from the eastern campus and others from this one. Some he recognized, and others he didn’t, as they greeted each other.

“Hello, I’m the vice-chair of the Literature Department, here to support our contestants.”

“Oh, I’m the vice director of the Broadcasting Department.”

“And you?”

“I’m the president of the Debating Society and also the deputy head of the Discipline Inspection Department of the Self-Discipline Committee. The second debater on the opposition is my good friend.”

After exchanging impressive greetings, their curious gazes turned to Jiang Qin, sitting in the center.

The central auditorium’s dim environment was designed for a quiet atmosphere, so even though Jiang Qin had appeared in the newspapers, no one recognized him at the moment. But sitting behind Zhang Baiqing, they figured he must also be an important figure.

“I’m the vice-chair of the Software Engineering Department, Kuang Rui. You seem a bit unfamiliar, classmate.”

“Hello, Mr. Kuang, I’m Jiang Qin, the first ‘Star of Learning’ from Linchuan University.”

“?????”

After speaking, Jiang Qin inwardly grumbled, thinking how lucky he was to have won an award to flaunt. Otherwise, wouldn’t he have seemed inferior?

Kuang Rui looked puzzled, wondering what exactly a ‘Star of Learning’ was. It sounded impressive, though.

“And who might this be…?”

“The boss lady, Feng Nanshu.”

Feng Nanshu announced her favorite title with a rather aloof tone.

She was not very comfortable in crowded settings and felt a bit anxious. But soon, Jiang Qin held her hand a bit tighter, and she miraculously calmed down.

Soon, the audience for the debate competition was almost complete, and the auditorium quieted down a bit. Jiang Qin felt it was the right time to broach a topic with Zhang Baiqing.

“Principal Zhang, look, that banner is quite red.”

Jiang Qin pointed upwards.

“? ”

Zhang Baiqing glanced at the sponsorship banner of Zhihu Forum, wondering if this was a blatant request for praise.

Before he could speak, Jiang Qin’s voice came from behind again.

“I heard from the school maintenance staff that he also took on the electrical repair work of the pedestrian street. Does our university not restrict the external employment of its janitorial staff?”

“Except for teachers, Linchuan University doesn’t have many restrictions on other staff’s careers. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I’ve started a new project and would like to hire some of the dormitory caretakers from our school for part-time work.”

Jiang Qin spoke honestly, without beating around the bush, emphasizing his sincerity.

Zhang Baiqing turned to look at him, “You want to hire away our dormitory caretakers? Who will manage the dorms then, you?”

“Not hiring them away. They would still stay in the dorms, just helping me out a bit, managing the pickup and order cancellation processes.”

“Why specifically hire dormitory caretakers? Aren’t part-time students enough?”

“My project involves online retail. Every day, delivery personnel bring goods to the dorms for students who placed orders. But since pickup times vary and part-time students can’t be there all day, the best candidates are the dormitory caretakers.”

Jiang Qin deliberately avoided the term ‘group buying’, fearing that it might lead Zhang Baiqing to associate it with Ye Ziqing.

Judging by Director Hu from the University of Science and Technology’s reaction, the shadow Ye Ziqing cast over the top four universities was significant. It was best not to bring up the concept of group buying if possible.

“Explain this online retail to me. I don’t quite understand.”

Zhang Baiqing pondered for a while before speaking.

“It’s about shifting product selection online, removing the constraints of time and location, enhancing shopping efficiency and volume. It leverages substantial purchasing power for profit conversion. Orders are consolidated and delivered to the doorsteps, allowing purchases without leaving home. It’s a new business model I’ve developed.”

Jiang Qin broke down the concept of group buying, blurred the process, and spoke at length.

After listening, Zhang Baiqing felt it sounded familiar but couldn’t put his finger it.

“University students’ entrepreneurship should be supported, especially since your forum is doing well and benefits the school. You can make requests regarding financial and material resources, but I can’t agree to human resources. People have their own thoughts, and that can lead to disputes.”

Jiang Qin straightened his back, “Principal, my forum has been operational for three months, involving over forty part-time university students from Linchuan University, and we haven’t had a single dispute.”

Zhang Baiqing remained silent for a while, “Students and adults are still different.”

“Let me try for a while. If there are any issues, you can stop it anytime.”

“Alright, come by tomorrow afternoon with your project and plan. I’ll take a closer look and consult with Professor Yan.”

Jiang Qin coughed, “Principal, I don’t have time.”

Zhang Baiqing frowned slightly, “I, as the principal, can find the time, and you can’t?”

“It’s not that I don’t have time. It’s that the project is going live tomorrow. All our materials are ready, deals with merchants are done, and funds have been invested. It’s a do-or-die situation for me. I’ve already ‘broken the cauldrons and sunk the boats’. The only missing piece is the dormitory caretakers.”

“…”

Zhang Baiqing turned fully towards him, “You mean to say, if I don’t agree, your project will fail?”

“Definitely. If I can’t recirculate the funds, the forum can’t continue. Linchuan Youth Daily might even interview me again, using me as a negative example. Also, our student work-study program will fall through. I won’t be able to pay the wages, and the financially challenged students won’t accept that. They might even protest at the school, and I’ll have to hide, given my naturally timid nature.”

Zhang Baiqing widened his eyes in astonishment, “This scenario sounds eerily familiar. Such a strong sense of déjà vu!”

Jiang Qin knew Zhang was about to recall Ye Ziqing and quickly changed the topic, “Trust me this time, Principal. I’ll sign a third-party agreement with the caretakers. Any disputes will be on me.”

“Hold on, your project isn’t group buying, is it?” Zhang Baiqing suddenly looked alarmed.

“No, absolutely not. Only a fool would do group buying. This is online retail!”

“Really?”

“I swear, anyone who does group buying will surely fail their exams!”

Zhang Baiqing eyed him skeptically, “Why do I feel like there’s a huge, deep pit in front of me?”

Jiang Qin sensed Zhang’s hesitation and pressed his advantage, “Principal, I’m confident I can turn this project into a star example of university student entrepreneurship.”

“That sounds a bit boastful.”

“Do it best or not at all.”

After a moment of silence, Zhang Baiqing nodded, “Then go ahead and give it a try.”

Jiang Qin immediately slapped his thigh in excitement, “Thank you, Principal!”

“Are you sure it’s not group buying?” Zhang Baiqing asked again for confirmation.

The corner of Jiang Qin’s mouth lifted into a cold smile, “Group buying? Not even a dog would do it.”

“…”

Having settled things with Zhang Baiqing, Jiang Qin finally relaxed, leaning back in his chair and letting out a long breath.

Truth be told, it was a bit of a gamble.

By bringing up Ye Ziqing’s entrepreneurial failure, he had already implied a threat. Fortunately, Principal Zhang was not one to take offense easily; otherwise, the project would have been doomed from the start.

Each step he had taken before was careful and calculated. This time, it was the boldest yet.

But as the saying goes, fortune favors the bold.

Jiang Qin didn’t have many interactions with Zhang Baiqing and couldn’t accurately predict his reactions, but thankfully, his gamble paid off.

Meanwhile, the curtains in the auditorium slowly opened, revealing a female university student in an evening gown, apparently the host of the debate competition.

Her gown had a unique design, with a high-low hemline that showcased her long legs. Under the spotlight, her legs shone, attracting much attention from the male audience.

Jiang Qin couldn’t help but murmur in appreciation of her legs, which earned him a long stare from Feng Nanshu.

“What’s the matter?”

“Do you really like legs that much, Jiang Qin?”

He was taken aback for a moment, “Well… they’re alright, I guess.”

“But you used to like feet, remember?”

“Feng Nanshu, don’t slander me.”

“Jiang Qin, you’re a bad guy,” Feng Nanshu said seriously.

At that moment, the host’s voice came through the speakers. She introduced the two competing teams and invited them onto the stage. After reading a string of words related to the debate topic, the competition began.

Jiang Qin suddenly became serious, leaning back in his chair, watching the proceedings on the stage, as the debate segment commenced.

Chapter 152: Affection or Major Deductions!

“Each of us is born into this world, and death is the inevitable end. Does this mean that loving life and enjoying our time here is meaningless?”

“I disagree with the example given by the opposing debater. We don’t have the right to choose to come into this world, but today’s debate topic grants us the right to choose. If the outcome of something is destined to be bad, why waste our limited lives on something fruitless?”

“I’d like to remind the opposition that the ‘if’ in the topic is a non-definitive term. Since the word ‘if’ is used, it means the outcome isn’t necessarily bad.”

“Following the logic of the proposition, a good outcome must be a rare event. Don’t we need to estimate the probability of success when we do something? If the likelihood of success is very low, does the proposition still stubbornly proceed?”

“If you don’t even dare to try, then a good outcome will never exist, and you’ll never see the beauty along the way.”

After the opening statements and questioning, both sides had built up enough frustration to start clashing in the free debate section.

This was the decisive point of the debate.

It was like a quarrel between market women, unrestrained by earlier rules, and the debaters were speaking incessantly.

The audience in the auditorium was emotionally engaged, sitting up straighter without even realizing it.

In fact, Jiang Qin had been waiting for this moment.

He saw the proposition debater as an angel in white clothing, with small wings and a halo over their head.

The opposition debater, on the other hand, seemed like a little demon in black clothing, with horns on their head.

Just like in cartoons, they continuously presented opposing views, directly challenging the intentions of the one who set the topic.

“The outcome is most important!”

“The process is also beautiful!”

“Choosing is more important than effort. We shouldn’t do things with a low chance of success when there are higher probability options available.”

“Failure is the mother of success. Cowards are those who don’t dare to try. There are many things in this world that don’t guarantee success, but each failure contributes to growth.”

Sitting below, Jiang Qin touched his nose, thinking the proposition’s third speaker was even resorting to insults, calling people cowards.

That must result in a major deduction!

“I think today’s topic can be exemplified with love. Many campus relationships end after graduation. I once met an alumnus who deeply regretted his unhesitant commitment back then.”

“The example from the opposition is good. Most of us understand that graduation season is often break-up season, but most of us here probably have partners, right? This shows the process is still worth it!”

“If the success rate of campus romances is so low, why not spend the time studying?”

“If you truly fall in love with someone, how can you give up the warmth of the moment for an uncertain future? Could you bear to do that?”

Jiang Qin’s eyes widened, wondering what was going on with the proposition side. Insulting was one thing, but now they were spouting inappropriate innuendos.

What was this about affection? That definitely warranted major deductions!

“Persisting without considering success rates is irresponsible!”

“Only considering success rates leads to perpetual mediocrity!”

“If the proposition loses today, will you still enjoy the process?”

“And if the opposition loses, does that mean you wouldn’t even dare to show up today?”

Neither side gave in, and the time for the free debate was rapidly running out.

In such evenly matched circumstances, many debaters would resort to challenging questions to break their opponents’ defense, like the opposition’s third speaker, a girl who fixed her gaze on the proposition’s third speaker.

“Do you have someone you like?”

“What?”

“You’re interested in a girl but don’t consider whether you can offer her a future, only caring about the moment. That’s not love… it’s just lust. You just gave a very inappropriate example.”

The opposition debater stood up, flipping her braid, and pointed directly at the proposition’s third speaker who had mentioned the word “affection.”

The proposition debater was momentarily stunned by the accusation of being lecherous. By the time they recovered to retort, the judge had already rung the bell.

“The free debate section is now over.”

“Next, please, both sides present your closing statements.”

After a fierce battle of words, the debaters began to summarize their arguments. The judges’ score sheets were collected and tallied on the spot.

The audience in the auditorium, recovering from the intense exchange, let out a long sigh and relaxed back into their seats.

After the conclusion of the summaries, the host, having received the final scores, announced the results of the competition. Both sides shook hands, creating a harmonious atmosphere in the hall.

“Did you recommend this debate topic?” Zhang Baiqing suddenly turned and asked.

Jiang Qin nodded: “Yes, there are some things I couldn’t figure out on my own, so I wanted to use everyone’s brains to think about it.”

Zhang Baiqing looked at him: “Are you satisfied with the outcome?”

“I don’t know.”

“If you think the chances of success are low, my advice is not to do it. Your forum is doing well; there’s no need to branch out unnecessarily.”

Zhang Baiqing thought he chose this debate topic for his entrepreneurial efforts and kindly advised him.

“Okay, Principal, I will seriously consider it.”

Jiang Qin sincerely agreed, and then left the auditorium with Feng Nanshu.

However, as they were about to step out, a sudden exclamation came from outside, as if something unexpected had happened.

Curious, they went out and saw a heavy snowfall blanketing the night sky. In just a moment, the entire campus was covered in a vast white expanse.

Such heavy snow was rare even in northern cities. The security guard guiding traffic quickly became covered in snow.

“Jiang Qin, is it snowing?”

Feng Nanshu extended her hand to catch a snowflake and held it up to Jiang Qin.

Jiang Qin glanced at it and involuntarily looked up at the sky, watching the snowflakes fluttering down, his expression somewhat lost.

He regretted not driving there, wondering why he had insisted on walking.

“Let’s call Uncle Gong to pick us up, this snow doesn’t look like it will stop anytime soon.”

“Okay.”

Feng Nanshu took out her phone and called Uncle Gong.

She really listened to everything Jiang Qin said, without any hesitation.

Meanwhile, a figure rushed out from the dispersing crowd, quickly making her way to Jiang Qin.

“Junior, can I publish my serialized novel on your forum?”

Yao Yanling, the domineering senior from the literature club, now lowered her stance, almost pleading as she asked this question.

“Forget it, Senior. I’m a layman, I don’t understand your noble literature.”

“That was said in anger, I’m sorry.”

“I accept your apology, but as I said before, your novel doesn’t meet our website’s requirements. I’m a businessman, not a literature enthusiast. I need works that drive traffic.”

Jiang Qin outright refused her request.

“Then is Miaomiao’s novel suitable? Is her story more valuable than mine?” Yao Yanling asked through gritted teeth.

“It’s not for me to judge. It’s the answer given by the whole school. Just look at the popularity of ‘You Are the Colors of Human Life’. The entire school, teachers and students alike, love it.”

Yao Yanling took a deep breath: “I don’t need a fee, just give me a chance to prove myself!”

Jiang Qin sighed, “Senior, didn’t you watch the debate just now? The opposition won. If the outcome is destined to be bad, it’s better not to start at all to avoid getting hurt and sinking into despair.”

“So what? I have confidence. My work will definitely be better than Shi Miao Miao’s. If you don’t accept it, I’ll publish it myself. You’ll see, everyone will rave about my ‘Lonely City’!”

“That would be great. I look forward to that moment. After all, if you become popular, I’ll make money. Go for it, Senior, and prove it to me.”

As Jiang Qin spoke, a black Bentley pulled up at the entrance of the auditorium. Uncle Gong lowered the window and called out to the young master and miss.

Thus, under the astonished gazes of the onlookers, Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu got into the car and slowly drove away into the snowy night, leaving only their dashing figures to those watching the snow.

“Damn, who was that leaving in the Bentley just now?”

“That’s Jiang Qin, the first-ever Star Student of Linchuan University!”

“Star Student? What’s that? I’ve never heard of it.”

“I don’t know, but it sounds impressive.”

“And that girl, she’s so beautiful. I didn’t see her clearly inside. She’s absolutely stunning.”

“That’s the boss lady, Feng Nanshu.”

“Whose boss lady?”

“How would I know? I only heard six words.”

Meanwhile, in the back seat of the Bentley, Jiang Qin leaned against the car door, his gaze constantly drifting to the snow-covered outside, silent for a long time.

Feng Nanshu also silently clasped her hands together, her gaze cold, indistinguishable from the typical rich and privileged young lady.

She didn’t know what tonight’s debate meant to Jiang Qin, only feeling that he seemed a bit unhappy, so she was unhappy too.

After a long time, the slow-moving Bentley finally returned to Linchuan University. The campus, blanketed in the first snow of 2008, was bustling with people. Some were catching snowflakes, others playfully throwing snowballs.

Especially those from the south, like Zhou Chao, were thrilled at the sight of snow, wildly enjoying themselves in the snowy grounds in front of the dormitory building.

“Brother Jiang, over here!”

“Excited over a little snow?”

Zhou Chao formed a snowball, “I rarely see it, you know. By the way, where did you go?”

Jiang Qin found a spot sheltered from the snow and squatted down, brushing snowflakes off his shoulder, “I went to watch a debate.”

“You have such refined tastes?”

“The topic is something I’ve been pondering over. I couldn’t decide on my own, so I wanted to crowdsource an answer,” Jiang Qin said, his eyes deep.

Zhou Chao, not quite understanding, didn’t ask further, “So, do you have an answer now?”

“Yeah, I got an answer.”

“Let’s hear it?”

“Debates are all fucking bullshit, not to be trusted!”

Chapter 153: Group Buying in the Snow Goes Online

After a flurry of heavy snowfall, the essence of winter immediately intensified. Temperatures in Linchuan plummeted, and many students who still had classes wished they could leave their homes wrapped in their blankets.

Those without classes, after opening their windows to let in the cold air, quickly abandoned any thoughts of going out.

Even Cao, known for his expertise in romance, curled up in his dorm, hesitating to step outside after being berated by Ding Xue that morning, who had exclaimed, “It’s so cold, and you still want to date? Do you want to freeze me to death!”

It was on this snowy day that Jiang Qin’s group buying platform launched precisely at 7:00 AM, opening both registration and ordering portals and integrating with the Zhihu forum, occupying half of the homepage with its advertisement.

Instantly, the forum’s usual sky-blue homepage transformed into a bright yellow, matching the theme of the group buying platform. This sudden change in color scheme was striking.

Everyone was accustomed to the sky-blue forum, so logging in to find the homepage’s color changed definitely sparked curiosity. The prominently displayed group buying platform easily caught everyone’s attention, serving as a basic method of drawing in traffic.

“Guys, it’s too cold outside, and I don’t have classes today. I don’t even want to leave my bed. I’m going to order food through the group buying platform and stay in tonight!”

“Damn, one blanket is clearly not enough. Am I going to freeze to death tonight? I’ll buy another one from the group buying platform, and there’s even a 20% discount!”

“It’s my girlfriend’s birthday today, and I didn’t have time to order a cake. I just placed an order through the group buying platform!”

“It’s too cold. I’ll buy some cotton shoes on the group buying platform.”

“The group buying platform delivers at 8 AM, 12 PM, and 8 PM every day. Guys, hurry up and place your orders. Don’t miss out!”

“New users get a 20% discount. Holy shit, they even deliver to the dormitory building. That’s so convenient!”

Inside Startup Base 208, the sound of keyboards clattered continuously.

The content team, organized by Lu Feiyu, drained their creative juices, using different accounts to constantly boost the presence of the group buying platform on the forum.

Since the group buying delivery service had been previously hyped, forum users were easily drawn into the discussion.

“Is the group buying platform finally launching? So soon?”

“They deliver to the dormitory? Really?”

“In this cold weather, I don’t have a partner, so why go out? I’ll order lunch and give it a try!”

“I just registered, and there’s a coat in the mall that I had seen before. It’s discounted by 100 yuan. Is this for real?”

“Can I buy sanitary pads too? Our dorm is too far from the supermarket. This is a lifesaver!”

“Really, they deliver? And there are discounts? Sounds a bit unbelievable.”

“Let’s order some instant noodles and give it a try!”

As the marketing efforts continued, the number of registrations on the group buying platform’s backend began to climb rapidly.

Su Nai, on the other side, constantly refreshed the backend data, reporting the traffic situation to everyone in 208.

Everyone in the office was bustling with activity. This sight also stirred a sense of excitement in Cao Xinyue, Hong Yan, and Tang Lin, who were there for different reasons.

They had come to 208 partly to “ride on the coattails” of the buzz and partly to work on a PowerPoint presentation, unrelated to the group buying project.

Aside from being somewhat nervous due to the others’ influence, they were also curious.

“Will people really be willing to try online shopping?”

“In this kind of weather, I guess many would be willing to give it a try.”

“That’s true. I didn’t even want to get out of bed this morning. If food can be delivered to my door, I’d be willing to try it too.”

Tang Lin whispered, then seriously began working on the PowerPoint presentation. However, she couldn’t resist for long and sneakily opened the group buying website in the background.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qin stood by the window, looking out at the snow-covered campus. Although he wasn’t as excited as the people in 208, his mood was slightly fluctuating.

Ye Ziqing’s approach to group buying was to let college students select a recommended product en masse, using the large purchasing volume to negotiate prices.

Jiang Qin, on the other hand, considered the pedestrian street, the college supermarket, and the Wanzhong Mall as a unified whole. Regardless of what you bought, everything was consolidated into one order based on the region, with the merchants preparing the stock and delivering it through couriers.

Under this sales model, purchasing and delivery could not yet be compared to the real-time delivery services of the future.

Immediate, on-demand delivery was not feasible.

Therefore, Jiang Qin set three delivery times: 8 AM, 12 PM, and 8 PM, to coincide with meal times.

Orders placed from the previous day up until 7:30 AM were prepared by the college supermarket and pedestrian street vendors. Couriers would then collect and check the orders, ultimately handing them over to the dormitory supervisors.

The process for other time slots was similar, with deliveries made within half an hour after the end of the current time slot.

Moreover, the Wanzhong Mall, being further away, only arranged for one delivery per day at 8 PM, handled by the mall’s logistics department.

Under this model, Jiang Qin significantly reduced the number of couriers needed, increasing efficiency.

This community group buying operation relied on the natural advantages of the university town.

“Boss, we’ve got orders!”

“Mm, keep an eye on it, I’m stepping out for a bit.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Qin left 208 and checked the snow accumulation at the entrance of the startup base.

The snow wasn’t deep, so delivery shouldn’t be a problem, and his worries began to ease slightly.

He had chosen this time deliberately to take advantage of the inconvenience caused by the heavy snow, forcing college students to try online shopping, combined with various opening day discounts, to achieve a synergy greater than the sum of its parts.

Wasn’t this a case of perfect timing, location, and human harmony?

A snowy day in a college town where no one wanted to go out – could there be a better time to launch?

However, since the weather forecast couldn’t precisely predict the snowfall, Jiang Qin had spent 60% of the previous night worrying whether the snow would be too heavy and hinder delivery.

Fortunately, the current level of snowfall didn’t pose a significant challenge to delivery.

But this wasn’t without cost.

To motivate couriers in adverse weather, Jiang Qin had Wei Lanlan distribute an opening bonus to them in advance.

The money itself wasn’t important. Getting through this day was the key to a brighter future.

The first launch of group buying, the first delivery, the first cash-on-delivery, the first of everything interconnected…

Jiang Qin took a deep breath, grabbed a handful of snow, formed a snowball, and forcefully threw it onto the road, creating a burst of flying snowflakes.

Time flew by, and at 11 AM, the alarm rang.

Tian Xiangjia, a part-time college student from the Construction Engineering Department, arrived at the pedestrian street, parked his tricycle, and stood under the awning, lost in thought.

He came from a poor mountainous area, with an older sister and a younger brother still in elementary school.

To gather tuition and living expenses, he had been working part-time near the school since his freshman year.

He had distributed flyers, worked as a server in the school cafeteria, and even moved goods in the city center during holidays. He would do anything to earn money.

However, with the increasingly cold weather, it was harder to find odd jobs. He had planned to take a break, reward himself with a sleep-in, and read some novels. But then he came across the job posting for a part-time courier offering good pay. Just today’s bonus alone equaled his weekly living expenses.

Moreover, apart from the cold, the job was relatively easy.

He just needed to collect and check goods according to the order list and then deliver them to the three dormitories he was responsible for. It was much more comfortable than the manual labor he had done.

But would people really be willing to shop online?

Tian Xiangjia couldn’t be sure and could only wait and see.

Buzz—

Half an hour later, he received a long text message on his phone, listing various goods and quantities.

Tian Xiangjia immediately perked up, donned a thick woolen hat, covered it with a yellow baseball cap, and wobbled into the street on his tricycle.

There were a dozen others similarly equipped, and they couldn’t help but greet each other when they met.

After passing by the target stores, Tian Xiangjia loudly announced the pickup code sent with the text message. The store owners promptly handed over the packaged goods, and after verifying the contents, the first part of the process was completed.

In Building 7, six quilts, eight blankets, thirteen pairs of cotton slippers…

In Building 8, three quilts, one blanket, eight pairs of cotton slippers, and twenty pairs of thick cotton socks…

Tian Xiangjia mumbled these details to himself, and after reciting them, he tucked his phone into his pocket and left the daily goods store, quickly heading to the next stop.

Meanwhile, inside the college supermarket.

Jiang Zhihua watched as three part-time students in hats came in and left with bag after bag of goods. Her gaze became extremely complex.

From her many years of experience in business, she knew that business was usually poor during heavy snowfalls, as few college students were willing to venture out in the cold weather.

But today, when she received the delivery list, she was genuinely shocked.

Instant noodles, cola, cigarettes, lighters, ham sausages…

Especially the newly stocked hand warmers – they were taken away before she even had a chance to display them, with the delivery guys in yellow hats moving entire boxes.

Although these goods were sold at cost price, making her only a small profit, the scene opened her eyes to infinite possibilities.

People are becoming increasingly lazy, and once they experience convenience, they’re likely to become dependent on it.

Some say technology changes life, but in reality, technology caters to laziness. It’s human laziness that truly changes life.

If shopping obstacles related to time and space are reduced, and one can get what they want just by lifting a finger, it’s not just a change in the sales model, but also a potential exponential increase in sales volume.

“I got played by Jiang Qin, but it doesn’t seem like a loss…”

“Are there so many people wanting to drink cola on a snowy day?”

“The instant noodles are almost out of stock, I need to call and restock immediately.”

Jiang Zhihua mumbled to herself, her expression turning even more complex when she passed by the milk tea bar and saw a stack of cups bearing Jiang Qin’s name.

Chapter 154: The Lady Boss Buys, Buys, Buys

TL: Etude

“Let’s go, it’s delivery time. Let’s go out and take a look.”

Jiang Qin returned from the entrance of the Entrepreneurship Center, waving to the office. Everyone in Room 208 immediately put on their coats and walked to Academy Road with umbrellas in hand.

Witnessing the deliverymen with little yellow hats entering the school was a romance unique to them in Room 208.

As everyone gradually left, Cao Xinyue, Hong Yan, and Tang Lin couldn’t help but follow, treading on the soft snowy ground and heading north.

The snowfall had lessened by then. The branches, rooftops, and roads were all covered in a layer of silver. On the small path through the woods, there were shallow, covered plum blossom footprints.

The cold wind blew against their faces, but it couldn’t dampen their excitement at all.

“Look, there are so many people over there.”

Passing by the dormitory area, Wen Jinrui suddenly raised his hand and pointed towards what seemed to be a female dormitory of the Medical Department.

Indeed, many people were gathered at the dormitory entrance, each holding a phone, waiting.

It was their first time ordering online. Some were worried about being tricked, others were curious about group buying, and some were just there for the excitement. All of them were crowded at the entrance, waiting.

Lu Xuemei had already adjusted her camera settings, aiming the lens towards the school gate, ready to capture the moment.

As time ticked by, everyone grew a bit anxious. Suddenly, a splash of bright yellow appeared at the school gate, followed by two, three…

Finally, more than twenty group-buying deliverymen on tricycles slowly came into view.

The scene was like a moving line of yellow in the snowy day, spreading from the main entrance of Academy Road in all directions.

“This is really thrilling,” Su Nai couldn’t help but clench her fists.

Jiang Qin turned to look at Lu Xuemei, “Xuemei, quick, take pictures. Use the skills you used to sneak photos of me. I want to use these photos for the project’s promotional brochure.”

“When did I ever sneak photos of you?” Lu Xuemei questioned while pressing the shutter.

“Didn’t you sneak photos of me climbing the marriage tree? If you don’t take good pictures today, I’ll hang you on the marriage tree.”

Jiang Qin said cheerfully, continuing to enjoy the sight of the deliverymen riding tricycles into the school. It somehow reminded him of the opening scene of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” where countless people were distributing flyers on little red bikes.

Such scenes filled an entrepreneur with deep satisfaction.

“What’s going on downstairs? Are they volunteers clearing snow?”

“No, Director, it seems to be Jiang Qin from our department. He recently set up a group-buying website. You can order online and have it delivered directly to the dormitory. Those are his deliverymen.”

“Wow, that’s quite a scene. This Jiang Qin… quite interesting…”

The director of the academic office of the Finance Department watched from the window, noticing how the group of little yellow hats on the pure white snow moved like ants. As they passed each crossroad, one to three people would leave the group. Although it wasn’t a rehearsed performance, there was an orderly beauty to it.

The surrounding teachers also gathered around, marveling at the scene.

They still vividly remembered the large billboards from the campus beauty contest and were surprised that Jiang Qin had managed to pull off another big event in such a short time.

Soon, the deliverymen in little yellow hats had all dispersed, leaving the main road and entering the dormitory paths.

Seeing this, whether they had ordered something or were just there for the fun, everyone stepped forward a few steps, standing below the steps of the dormitory entrance.

“Here they come, is it the group-buying?”

“Definitely, doesn’t it say so on the hats?

“I ordered a quilt this morning, oh wow, I’ll be cozy in my dorm now!”

“Damn, it’s really delivered right to the pedestrian street, without taking a single step?”

“The key is it’s cheaper. I bought slippers at the supermarket on the pedestrian street last time, twelve yuan a pair. After the discount on the group-buying website, it’s only nine yuan, saving three yuan!”

“Look, why is that little yellow hat pedaling so slowly?”

Hearing this, everyone looked up and saw that indeed, one of the deliverymen on a tricycle had been left far behind by the others.

This wasn’t due to a lack of enthusiasm on his part. Rather, for some reason, his load was exceptionally large, mostly comprising orders from the girls’ dormitory of the Finance Department. He was effectively doing the work of three.

“Damn, this can’t go on.”

He decided that after today, he must suggest to his superiors that he be assigned a different area.

“I need to buy a little more…”

Feng Nanshu, dressed in a white down jacket, stood at the bottom of her dormitory. Her pure and stunning face was nestled in the thick fur collar of her hood, her eyes clear and bright. She exhaled misty breaths while tapping on her phone.

Her slender fingers, red from the cold, did not hinder her from adding items to her shopping cart.

“Feng Nanshu, I know the group buying is Jiang Qin’s venture, but you can’t keep buying. Our dorm doesn’t have any more space.”

Gao Wenhui sneakily reached out from behind and swiftly snatched the phone, eliciting a puzzled look.

“Wenhui, give me back my phone. I’ll stop after one more purchase.”

The little rich lady had been up since six in the morning, huddled in a corner with her phone, quietly supporting Jiang Qin by frantically buying as soon as the group buying started.

To Gao Wenhui, this behavior was cute, but their dorm room was only so big and couldn’t accommodate much more.

“Didn’t Jiang Qin use a word for this? ‘Squandering’. Right, if you squander any more, I’ll complain to him.”

Feng Nanshu looked up with an aloof expression: “I’m not afraid of him.”

“And what if he stops hanging out with you, stops holding your hand, and forbids people from calling you ‘boss lady’?”

“…”

Struck as if by lightning, Feng Nanshu’s mouth hung open, with wisps of breath escaping.

At that moment, Gao Wenhui heard a buzzing sound and saw a call coming to Feng Nanshu’s phone, displayed as ‘Handsome Bear Stealing Honey from Trees.’

Ah, sweetness everywhere.

That must be Feng Nanshu’s favorite image.

“There’s a call, your husband’s.” Gao Wenhui handed the phone over.

Feng Nanshu spoke coldly: “Jiang Qin, I’m hungry. Take me to lunch.”

Jiang Qin’s voice came through the phone: “Let’s not talk about lunch for now. Why did you buy so much?”

“How do you know?”

“I can see your phone number in the backend!”

Feng Nanshu glanced to the right and whispered, “Those were all bought by Gao Wenhui.”

Jiang Qin didn’t expose her lie: “Whoever it is, stop buying. I’m running a discount promotion, and the more you buy, the more I lose!”

“Then, then I won’t buy anymore.”

“Don’t spend blindly, little rich lady. Why is there an electric shaver in the order? What are you planning, shaving your legs?”

Feng Nanshu was dumbfounded for a moment, her gaze vacant, thinking that Jiang Qin indeed preferred legs over feet.

…

At 12:30 pm, all the goods had been delivered to the dormitories. The dormitory supervisors officially went online, starting to distribute the orders according to pickup numbers, and collected money to close the transactions.

This process wasn’t complicated or highly technical; it just required a bit of care to manage.

Moreover, the job of a dormitory supervisor was essentially a leisurely one. They often found themselves idle, so being engaged in checking invoices and distributing goods, while chatting with students and earning some extra money, was not a burden for them.

“208, two blankets.”

“305, two packs of cola and a box of instant noodles.”

“…”

On the first day of group buying going live, most orders were placed by dormitory units, which eased the distribution workload for the supervisors.

Of course, some clever supervisors simply placed the goods in the management room, letting the students who placed orders pick them up themselves. They would sit on a small stool at the door, taking money and marking orders as complete – earning money while sitting comfortably.

Overall, the first business day of the group buying encountered no significant obstacles and went smoothly.

Half an hour later, Tan Qing, leading the marketing team, arrived to collect the payments and check the order completion status, ensuring there were no missing or unfulfilled orders.

Fortunately, most consumers were experiencing online shopping for the first time and were enthusiastic. They eagerly waited downstairs for their goods and made payments promptly, with no cases of missing or unfulfilled orders.

But the amount spent by the ‘boss lady’ was astonishing.

Over five hundred – that’s like a college student’s monthly living expenses! Tan Qing couldn’t help but marvel at the bills.

It was rumored in Room 208 that the ‘boss lady’ was a little rich lady, and this seemed to confirm it.

Truly a little angel who spent money without blinking.

Tan Qing collected the invoices and returned to Room 208, immediately starting to reconcile the accounts with Xu Yu, who was responsible for accounting. They checked the order data and the cash, finally compiling everything together.

“Boss, the total amount collected for the first batch is 6850.5.”

“How much did we lose?”

“We lost 1078 yuan.”

Jiang Qin nodded. The first day’s promotion was aimed at increasing registration and user experience. Discounts were a must. Although the college supermarket and pedestrian street supplied goods at cost price, the red packets and wages for the deliverymen, plus the commission for the dorm supervisors, were all net losses.

Moreover, the wages for the staff of Room 208 hadn’t been included yet.

But for Jiang Qin, this amount of loss was trivial. He could withstand a few more such promotions.

“Everyone get ready for the orders tonight. There are a lot of people observing right now, but with the first batch of customers setting an example, the order volume will definitely increase. We might have a small peak tonight.”

“Okay, boss.”

“Wen Hao, Fei Yu, open a special thread on the forum and invite everyone to share their group buying experiences. Gather some feedback for improvements. The rest of you, as usual, go praise the service in the thread.”

“Got it, boss.”

As Jiang Qin finished speaking, everyone in Room 208 sprang into action, filling the office once again with the clatter of keyboards.

Chapter 155: When the Girlfriend Pays the Bills

TL: Etude

“I feel like drinking the old duck soup from the second cafeteria.”

After completing the noon orders, Jiang Qin smacked his lips, feeling as if he could taste blandness itself. The cold and dry winter air made his lips tighten, intensifying his craving for some nourishing soup.

He took out his phone and called his wealthy girlfriend, arranging to meet her at the second cafeteria.

Stepping out of the startup base, a harsh chill greeted him. The bare tree branches trembled, clinging to their few remaining old leaves, appearing somewhat pitiable in the snowy landscape.

Reaching Academy Road, Jiang Qin noticed that the morning’s snow had been compacted by passersby, turning it hard and slippery, devoid of its earlier softness.

“What if someone slips and breaks their coccyx?”

Thud! As if on cue, a male student across the street fell right in front of two girls who were feeding stray cats.

The girls, kind-hearted as they were, immediately dropped their sausages to help him up, oblivious to the boy’s wish to be ignored at that moment.

Jiang Qin’s mouth twitched. “As a star student, it would be embarrassing to fall like that,” he thought, slowing his pace.

The walk from the startup base to the second cafeteria was long, not as close as the girls’ dormitory. Due to his slow pace, when he arrived, his wealthy girlfriend was already sitting patiently at their usual spot.

Besides her, a girl wrapped up like a bear sat nearby, her face half-hidden in her collar, looking as if she had frozen on the spot.

It was colder than usual, the melting snow bringing lower temperatures than the morning’s snowfall. It was rare to see someone dressed so heavily.

Upon closer inspection, Jiang Qin recognized her. “Isn’t this the famous Gao Wenhui? Why are you out wearing a quilt?”

“Pah, this is a cotton-padded coat my grandmother made for me, stuffed with pure cotton. It’s incredibly warm,” Gao Wenhui replied with a cold smile, tugging at her coat to show the ample cotton.

Jiang Qin examined the fabric and chuckled. “If that’s not made from a quilt cover, I’ll do a handstand right here.”

“It’s normal for the elderly to be frugal. As long as it’s warm. Unlike you youngsters, who choose style over comfort.”

“Let’s not talk about coats. I suddenly feel like drinking old duck soup. How about you? Shall we each have a bowl?”

Gao Wenhui gave him a mysterious smile. “No old duck soup today. We’re not ordering anything.”

Jiang Qin found this odd. “If we’re not ordering, why come to the cafeteria? To watch the cool canteen lady’s shaky hand performance?”

“Ask your wife.”

“Wife? Where is my wife? In a wife cake?”

Hearing Gao Wenhui’s remark, Jiang Qin pretended to search under and above the table as if he’d find his ‘wife’ underfoot. Despite his theatrics, he deliberately avoided looking at Feng Nanshu, causing the wealthy girlfriend to frown slightly.

Gao Wenhui spat at him and pulled up a large plastic bag from beside the table.

“We’re eating this today.”

The bag was half the size of the table, bulging with various colorful items.

“?”

Upon opening it, Jiang Qin saw it was filled with puffed food and some cakes, immediately losing interest.

“In this dead of winter? This will dehydrate me. I came for soup, not snacks.”

Gao Wenhui pointed at Feng Nanshu. “Feng Nanshu bought these snacks to support your business through a group purchase. We still have three big bags in our dorm. This one’s for you to handle, or we’ll be eating them forever.”

Feng Nanshu looked over coolly. “Jiang Qin, eat.”

“Puffed food is full of preservatives. It’s bad for your health. I won’t eat it, and you shouldn’t either.”

“Then who should eat it?” Feng Nanshu seemed lost.

Jiang Qin turned his gaze to Gao Wenhui. “Miss Gao, please do the honors. They’ll keep you eternally youthful. In a few thousand years, you’ll still look as lifelike as ever, as if just unearthed.”

Gao Wenhui laughed, “No way, we three must finish this bag today at lunch. No one is getting out of this!”

“Let’s just give it away,” Jiang Qin suggested lightly.

“That won’t do. It’s all bought with real money. It would be too much of a loss to give it away. Just because we have money doesn’t mean we can waste it like that!”

Gao Wenhui genuinely regarded Feng Nanshu as a close friend and didn’t want her to suffer a loss. The snacks were meant for the close friends in the dorm to appreciate Feng Nanshu’s kindness, and the only other person worthy of them was Jiang Qin, her man. But giving them away to strangers would be a loss, as those not close to you might not appreciate the gesture and might even gossip about you being showy with your wealth.

“In such dry winter weather, eating such a big bag of snacks will definitely cause internal heat, maybe even cause blisters around the mouth. It’s not worth it.”

“What should we do then?”

Jiang Qin thought for a moment, then flattened the bag a bit before speaking, “Let’s just leave it here for now. I’ll take it back to Room 208 later and say it’s a welfare gift from the boss lady.”

Gao Wenhui’s eyes lit up upon hearing this, “That’s a good idea. It could earn Feng Nanshu some goodwill. Should I bring another bag from the dorm?”

“Let’s talk about it after eating. Why tire yourself running back and forth?”

Jiang Qin stood up to order three bowls of clear and rich old duck soup from the window and a basket of freshly fried oil cakes. Their golden, crispy surface glistened under the light, continuously enticing one’s appetite.

Gao Wenhui watched him walk away, then leaned towards Feng Nanshu, “Although Jiang Qin always verbally defines your relationship as friends, in his heart, he surely treats you like a girlfriend.”

“?”

In the lethargy of the cold winter, Feng Nanshu was a bit drowsy, but this statement instantly woke her up.

“Think about it. Room 208 is his effort, but he always wants the staff there to appreciate you, to truly regard you as the boss lady. Such actions are too obvious.”

Gao Wenhui’s demeanor resembled that of an old woman gossiping at the village gate during the New Year. Her mouth moved nonstop as if she was preparing for an important exam.

“But Jiang Qin said that the outcome of being lovers is most likely never to see each other again.”

Gao Wenhui got irritated upon hearing this, “Don’t listen to his nonsense. Although college romances are often illusory, there are still many that end up successful.”

Feng Nanshu, propping her small hands on the table and turning her face towards Gao Wenhui, asked, “Wenhui, what exactly is ‘liking’ someone?”

“This, I… I’m not quite sure.”

Although Gao Wenhui was an expert at shipping couples, she had never actually been in a relationship. Despite appearing less clueless than Feng Nanshu, her understanding of the word ‘like’ was just as vague. She wanted to explain but feared giving the wrong idea, which might confuse Feng Nanshu even more.

Seeing Gao Wenhui not responding, Feng Nanshu turned her head to look at Jiang Qin, who was waiting for his order at the window. Her curled eyelashes trembled slightly.

Before, her world had only consisted of herself, her heart enveloped in a cocoon that kept many external things at bay. But then, suddenly one day, a bear-like figure unreasonably tore a hole in this thick cocoon, letting light in, even touching her feet. Since then, she couldn’t forget him.

Before she was eighteen, her biggest wish was to have a good friend.

During the summer of her eighteenth year, she indeed found a friend, seemingly a gift from heaven.

Naturally, she became very attached to him.

Thus, she often wondered, could it be for a lifetime, could it be for a lifetime?

She wasn’t clear about the difference between a friend and a lover, but she distinctly felt an increase in her desires.

Feng Nanshu yearned to hold his hand, to be close to him, and to have him massage her feet.

She felt anxious when she couldn’t see him, yet acted foolishly when she did.

But… was this what liking someone meant?

While Feng Nanshu was lost in thought, Jiang Qin had already made three trips, bringing back three servings of oil cakes and old duck soup. He handed out chopsticks and passed the food around.

The second cafeteria’s old duck soup was generously served, not just with plenty of broth but also with ample ingredients. Paired with the oil cakes, it was easy to feel full after half a bowl, satisfying Jiang Qin.

Feng Nanshu, having been fed a couple of bites by Jiang Qin, also felt content, barely touching her own bowl.

Since it was mealtime, the cafeteria was crowded, and many acquaintances stopped by to greet them.

Zhuang Siyu, the president of the student council, thanked him for sponsoring the debate competition.

There were also Zhu Feng, the president of the Finance Department, Xu Junli, the head of the External Relations Department, Chen Yong, a part-time worker from the milk tea shop, and Tian Xiangjia, a delivery part-timer.

In addition, there were a few others whose names Jiang Qin couldn’t recall, probably part-timers under his management.

Unknowingly, the team at 208 had expanded several times since its inception.

What started as a modest venture was now gaining a significant structure.

However, even with the increase in numbers, Jiang Qin didn’t worry about encountering issues like Ye Ziqing. This was because, apart from the core staff at 208, all part-timers were affiliated with the part-time society. Any disputes or mix-ups would be the society’s responsibility, not 208’s.

“I’m done eating.”

Jiang Qin pushed his bowl forward and picked up the bag of snacks. “I have things to do this afternoon, so I’ll head off first. Business has been quite busy lately. Feng Nanshu, if you’re bored, you can hang out with Gao Wenhui.”

After listening, Feng Nanshu obediently nodded and turned to Gao Wenhui.

Gao Wenhui, upon hearing this, felt like biting someone in irritation but let it slide, considering the old duck soup’s favor.

Leaving the cafeteria, Jiang Qin returned to 208. He first reviewed the backend data with Su Nai, confirming that the volume of orders was steadily increasing. Then he discussed the forum’s future development with Dong Wenhao.

The launch of the group-buying feature was a new beginning, not an end.

To continue expanding, the traffic from Zhihu needed to grow continuously.

In essence, these two projects complemented each other; neither could afford to fail.

If further detailed, the milk tea shop, the campus beauty contest, the forum, and group-buying were all crucial steps in the expansion plan, none of which could be disregarded before fully penetrating Linchuan.

Chapter 156: Can’t Get Any Deeper

TL: Etude

In the blink of an eye, it was 7 p.m.

Just as Jiang Qin had predicted, once the first round of group purchases was successfully completed, the evening orders began to surge at an astonishing rate, leaving even Su Nai somewhat astounded.

The reason was quite simple.

Winter nights were colder than the days, making it inconvenient and unnecessary to go out.

Moreover, many had seen the little yellow caps in the school and witnessed their roommates and classmates successfully purchasing from the group-buying website, dispelling their fears of being cheated or wasting time.

Most importantly, college students were sensitive to trends and quick to adopt new things.

Home delivery and discounts were irresistible attractions.

So, from noon to seven in the evening, orders accumulated in the backend, were sorted and compiled by the system, and then sent to the merchants and delivery personnel.

Winter items from the pedestrian street were selling like hotcakes on this snowy day.

Items like quilts for sleeping, blankets for studying or gaming, fluffy cotton slippers, thick cotton socks, and thick leggings were almost must-have items.

Additionally, food and beverages from the supermarket were selling exceptionally fast, second only to hand warmers.

However, there were no orders from the Wanzhong Shopping Center, which was a bit disappointing for Jiang Qin.

This was partly due to the high prices of the mall’s goods and partly because they only delivered at 8 p.m. each day, both of which deterred customers.

“…”

“Look, the group purchase delivery person is here again.”

“Ah, is it already 7 p.m.?”

“Yes, it’s the last delivery for today. I ordered some fruits, after all, it’s winter now, and the weather is too dry.”

“I also bought some hand warmers to stock up. They were very cheap.”

Under the cold snowy night, delivery personnel with little yellow caps, breathing out cold air, returned fully loaded and once again entered the school under the orange-yellow street lights, attracting the attention of many students with their chic caps.

Even though the compacted snow slowed down the delivery and delayed arrival times, most people were understanding.

With the cold and slippery conditions, many students in the school had fallen, and even the official website had issued a safety notice. Therefore, people didn’t mind a few minutes’ delay in delivery.

After delivering to the last building, the delivery person Tian Xiangjia even received a bottle of water from a student, feeling an unexpected warmth in this cold night.

He left the dormitory area, parked his tricycle somewhere unobtrusive, then took out his phone, opened the calculator app, and started calculating his earnings for the day.

He was shocked by the amount.

Even after excluding the initial bonus, his earnings were equivalent to what he would make in two full days of part-time work.

He heard the boss was a freshman from the finance department. Damn impressive!

[Sis, I’ve switched to a new job, a long-term one. You don’t have to work so hard out there anymore. Maybe I can even earn enough for our little brother’s tuition fees!]

Tian Xiangjia sent a message to his sister, who was working in a first-tier city, then hummed a song and rode his tricycle southward.

Every person born into this world was struggling against fate, hoping for a better future.

“…”

“Boss, the last delivery for today is done.”

“Okay, thanks for everyone’s hard work. I’ve booked a table at Shiwei Tian. Go and eat first. There’s one last wave tonight; it might be a bit more work.”

In the brightly lit Room 208, Jiang Qin waved his hand, letting everyone go for dinner.

The successful launch on the first day was worth celebrating. Even a minimum standard like Shiwei Tian was deserved. Losing money was strangely satisfying.

Jiang Qin let go of the mouse, stretched, and looked at the wall clock.

Although the last delivery of the day was over, new orders would continue to come in tonight, accumulating until tomorrow morning’s delivery slot.

So, the real marketing challenge wasn’t over at eight. For Jiang Qin, maintaining the momentum until the next day was crucial.

As he pondered, everyone in Room 208 put on their coats, moved their hands and feet, and headed out of the entrepreneurship center.

Seeing this, Tang Lin, responsible for the project presentation PPT, couldn’t help feeling a bit envious.

Tang Lin’s envy wasn’t just about going to Shiwei Tian for dinner. It was more about the sense of unity, the excitement of working with full vigor, and the feeling of achievement in creating a new consumer method.

And the source of all this was that enigmatic man.

“Senior Sister Cao, Hong Yan, Tang Lin, you should join us too.”

“Ah? Can we go as well?” Tang Lin’s eyes lit up.

Jiang Qin nodded naturally: “Everyone is working hard for the same project. It wouldn’t be fair if only they get to eat and you don’t. Go ahead, eat a lot.”

Cao Xinyue gave a thumbs up after hearing this: “Not bad, little junior. I’ve been here so long and finally heard something reasonable. I won’t be polite then. Just don’t complain that I eat too much.”

“Don’t be polite, eat all you want. Best if you get so fat that your boyfriend dumps you, then you can come work part-time for me.”

“Pfft, don’t jinx it. Our relationship is going strong!”

Cao Xinyue put on her coat with a smile, leading Hong Yan and Tang Lin out of the office.

At this moment, Tang Lin saw an infinite charm in Jiang Qin, shining brightly in the cold snowy night.

“Everyone, go have dinner. I’ve booked a table.”

Damn, that sounded like something a domineering CEO from a novel would say. No wonder so many campus beauties secretly admired him.

A young face with the demeanor of a mature man, unflappable and composed, it was almost lethal.

Tang Lin felt that even she couldn’t help but be charmed by such a man.

No, not just a man, but a god!

However, she knew her own looks weren’t enough to catch the attention of such a radiant man. Perhaps her best friend had a chance, though!

Thinking this, Tang Lin suddenly envisioned a beautiful, aloof face.

Well, the chances might be slim, but they weren’t zero.

“Hong Yan, are you still thinking of pursuing Jiang Qin? I support you!” Tang Lin suddenly blurted out.

Hong Yan stumbled at the words, nearly falling at the doorstep: “What are you talking about? Didn’t we agree not to mention this?”

Cao Xinyue turned around in surprise. She wasn’t aware of the previous corridor incident: “Yan Yan, you pursued Jiang Qin? I had no idea.”

“Well, sort of…”

“Eh, I never heard about it.”

“It wasn’t recent, it was back at the beginning of the semester,” Hong Yan admitted openly.

Cao Xinyue’s eyes widened in surprise: “And now?”

“There was a mountain I couldn’t climb over. And I heard, even that mountain couldn’t crush Jiang Qin.”

Hong Yan tightened her down jacket and looked at the dim streetlights in the cold night, feeling a bit melancholic.

She always thought the saying ‘lovers don’t talk about love’ was a joke. Who wouldn’t want a sweet romance in college?

It wasn’t until she learned about Jiang Qin and Chu Siqi’s story that she realized he truly didn’t believe in love.

Empty words are useless, right?

But having experienced Chu Siqi’s suffocating tactics, she understood where Jiang Qin’s pain lay.

Love was a waste of time for him.

Otherwise, with Feng Jiejie’s beauty and figure, she would have already turned Jiang Qin upside down.

So, it’s better not to pursue such low-success endeavors. Better not to get too deep, only to end up with a bad outcome.

“What’s wrong with a mountain? I’ve heard of the Foolish Old Man who moved mountains since I was a child!”

Tang Lin suddenly sounded defiant.

“What do you mean?”

A flicker of confusion passed through Hong Yan’s eyes.

“In novels, isn’t there always that kind of male lead who doesn’t fall for the stunningly beautiful rich girl but instead likes Cinderella? And Hong Yan, you’re several levels above Cinderella!”

Tang Lin emphasized the word “levels” heavily.

“But as you said, that’s in novels, not reality.”

Hong Yan smiled faintly, choosing not to respond further.

She had high emotional intelligence, so she didn’t let her emotions cloud her judgment. In plain terms, she was very rational.

Her rational analysis told her that pursuing this further was futile and would likely lead to a bad ending.

So, she started to suppress those feelings.

This was where she differed from Tang Lin.

Tang Lin was too impulsive, daring to venture into uncertain endeavors, often ending up hurt in the process.

Hong Yan had advised her many times to think things through and proceed only when there was a reasonable chance of success. But it seemed her words had fallen on deaf ears.

“Wait, who’s this ‘mountain’?” Cao Xinyue suddenly asked.

Tang Lin waved her hand, “It’s Feng Nanshu. Her face looks like she bribed God. Haven’t you seen her, senior?”

“Oh, Feng Nanshu. I’ve seen her many times. Aren’t she and Jiang Qin together?”

“No, although people in the office call her the ‘boss lady,’ Xue Mei sister said Jiang Qin always maintains they are just good friends.”

Cao Xinyue, busy with her work at the general office and her relationship with her boyfriend from another school, had little time for gossip.

Only now did she realize that Feng Nanshu and Jiang Qin hadn’t officially confirmed their relationship.

Wow, resisting ordinary girls was one thing, but even resisting someone like Feng Nanshu?

Jiang Qin really took to heart that statement he wrote in his startup application form.

“Jiang Qin is indeed a very strange person.”

“Yes, it feels like he thinks a lot and sees things with a sharp and detached perspective.”

“But surely, one can’t go their whole life without falling in love, right?”

“I don’t know, but it always seems like he’s chasing something and at the same time, afraid of something.”

Chapter 157: Refusing to Meet Ding Xue

TL: Etude

Taking advantage of the time when the employees went to Shiwei Tian for lunch, Jiang Qin drove back to the dormitory, planning to change his clothes.

Although winter didn’t have the sweatiness of summer, one naturally sweated due to the heavy clothing and staying indoors for a prolonged period.

The boiler room of Linchuan University had been supplying ample heat these past few days. The heating was so intense that it was scalding to the touch. As soon as Jiang Qin entered the dormitory, he felt a warmth like spring, a stark contrast to the temperature in Room 208.

Of course, the stuffy smell was indeed unpleasant, but that’s just how a proper boys’ dormitory smelled.

He wondered what the dormitory of the little rich lady smelled like. Perhaps it was as fragrant as her?

No, not necessarily.

Gao Wenhui was drying socks on the heater. The dormitory’s smell couldn’t be that pleasant, but Feng Nanshu’s quilt must surely be fragrant, of that there was no doubt.

“?”

“I must be really tired today.”

“Heh, thinking about all these things I’m totally not interested in.”

Jiang Qin patted his head and walked into Dorm 302 expressionlessly, closing the door behind him.

Zhou Chao was sitting at the desk reading a novel, Ren Ziqiang was pondering life with a cigarette in his mouth, and Cao Guangyu was curled up in his blanket, chatting away, transferring his romantic feelings from offline to online.

The three maintained absolute silence, each engrossed in their own worlds, not disturbing each other.

The best part of university life, in fact, is moments like these. A group of people huddled in a warm room, not worrying about tomorrow, frivolously spending their youth. Even without interaction, a shout would always get a response.

“Don’t keep the window closed all the time. Let some air in. I can even smell kimchi now!”

Jiang Qin walked in, grabbed the mop lying on the floor, and propped it up in the corner.

Zhou Chao got up, opened a crack in the window, and said with a grin, “Jiang, your group buying is awesome. It saved my dinner.”

Jiang Qin gave a thumbs-up: “Thanks for spending your precious living expenses to support my business.”

“Jiang, I used it too, for both lunch and dinner!” Ren Ziqiang immediately chimed in.

“You’re awesome too. It would be even better if you didn’t use the discount next time. Buy at full price and I’ll call you ‘Brother Qiang’.”

After changing his clothes and shoes, Jiang Qin suddenly saw Cao Guangyu looking up from his bed, his eyes bright: “Old Jiang, can we discuss something? I’ve already asked Ding Xue and her dorm mates out for dinner. Can you come with me?”

“No, women only slow down my money-making. Just take Old Ren.”

Jiang Qin, tying his shoelaces, casually refused, his eyes cold as if he were some impressive figure.

“Old Ren won’t do. He can’t handle the situation. Ding Xue’s dorm has two girls who are always arrogant and speak sarcastically. I just want to deflate their arrogance!”

Cao Guangyu stretched out an arm, making a “deflating” gesture, his arm surprisingly white.

“Although I admit I’m incredibly handsome, I don’t think I can deflate the girls’ arrogance.”

Old Cao excitedly climbed out of his blanket, his expression particularly animated: “Not you, but your girl. I want them to see what a real goddess is like, so they stop acting so high and mighty!”

Jiang Qin grinned: “Old Cao, I have no idea who you’re talking about.”

“I saw you holding hands the other day, sweeter than Ding Xue and me. I, drenched in the stench of love, could even smell it on you.”

“Are you a sniffer dog?”

Jiang Qin spat at him, thinking to himself that even in love, Old Cao hadn’t lost his bad habit of showing off.

During the student union’s new member selection, Old Cao had used his appearance to show off. Later, he plagiarized Jiang Qin’s life story on a forum, almost getting a reality check from fans.

Now, he was even more audacious, trying to use the power of the little rich lady to deal with his girlfriend’s roommates. What a sly move!

He felt that such matters were neither here nor there, not rising to the level of moral principles, nor debatable in terms of right or wrong. However, he absolutely refused to let Feng Nanshu have any further contact with Ding Xue.

The little rich lady Nanshu, was as pristine as a blank sheet of paper, yet after just one meal with Ding Xue, she had learned to call someone “brother” in a cutesy voice.

Another time?

Impossible, even Tang Seng wouldn’t be able to stand it.

Back then, when the Queen of the Women’s Kingdom called him “Imperial Younger Brother,” even Tang Seng couldn’t resist responding with “If there’s a next life.”

That Tang Seng was quite wicked, really. He was ostensibly on a journey to achieve Buddhahood, yet he fantasized about “if there’s a next life,” clearly breaking his vows.

“Old Jiang, this time it’s not for me!”

Cao Guangyu wrapped a blanket around himself, his expression suddenly becoming serious: “Ding Xue’s roommate speaks very unpleasantly. She said that a girl as ordinary as Ding Xue can only barely find someone like me. Could you tolerate that?”

After hearing this, Jiang Qin frowned: “Are relationships in the girls’ dormitory really that bad?”

“It varies from person to person. Ding Xue has a volatile temper, so it’s normal for her to be treated sarcastically. But she definitely doesn’t have a bad heart. Think about it, she’s my girlfriend. I don’t want others to speak about her like that.”

“Does Ding Xue know about this?”

Jiang Qin found it strange. With Ding Xue’s explosive temperament, even the Bull Demon King would have to plow two li of land and hand over his nose ring when leaving.

If she heard it, she surely wouldn’t just let it go.

“Ding Xue definitely doesn’t know. If she did, she would have slapped them already. College is not like high school; getting physical has serious consequences. I dare not tell her, but as a man, I can’t let them badmouth her behind her back. After much thought, I still need to ask Feng Nanshu for help. She doesn’t even need to speak; her presence alone will crush them!”

Cao Guangyu appeared both cowardly and reasonable.

“Old Cao, you’re a good man, and you’ve matured. I’m relieved.”

Jiang Qin affirmed his approach: “If you want me to bring the little rich lady, I can, but you have to promise me one thing.”

Cao Guangyu immediately perked up, eager for a solution: “Tell me, Old Jiang. I’ll agree to anything.”

“Don’t let Ding Xue use that cutesy voice, don’t let her call you ‘brother,’ and don’t deliberately show off your love in front of me and Feng Nanshu. It would be best if Ding Xue gave you a few beatings for satisfaction.”

“Old Jiang, you’re twisted, liking this sort of thing?” Cao Guangyu was appalled.

Jiang Qin sneered: “If you don’t agree, forget it. No need to babble.”

“I agree, as long as you can come, I’ll make sure everything is arranged in advance!” Cao Guangyu said, pounding his chest confidently.

“Fine, when?”

“Let’s see when the sun comes out. With this lousy weather, Ding Xue doesn’t even want to go out. I’ll call you when I confirm the time.”

After finishing, Cao Guangyu lay back down on the bed in his cocooned posture.

Jiang Qin turned and left the dormitory, driving back to Room 208.

By this time, those who had gone to Shiwei Tian for lunch had all gradually returned, full and energized.

Thus, the night’s marketing officially began.

The main gimmick of this marketing wave was a countdown to the first day’s discount event, urging users who hadn’t enjoyed the discount to get on board immediately.

“Don’t miss this opportunity, act fast, no waiting, it’s the middle of winter, aren’t you stocking up?”

Lu Feiyu’s keyboard clacked away, effortlessly spinning various marketing phrases, creating a sense of urgency that the event was about to end.

Jiang Qin watched from behind, laughing heartily, thinking to himself that this young guy was really a marketing genius.

Looking at this soft-selling article and its stirring power, who would have thought he was the same guy who insisted on writing elegantly for Liu Yiyi during the campus beauty contest, refusing persuasion and claiming that a journalism student must respect objective facts.

“Boss, isn’t this a bit exaggerated?”

“Not at all exaggerated. If I were younger, I’d definitely be taken in by your spiel.”

Lu Feiyu was momentarily stunned, unable to discern whether this was a compliment or a criticism.

Meanwhile, Su Nai was coordinating with Lu Feiyu’s marketing efforts, launching a countdown for the first-day discount event on the website’s homepage.

Several maneuvers later, at ten o’clock in the evening, they indeed experienced a peak in traffic, particularly in new registrations, which had surpassed the total for the entire day.

“Boss, I’ve exported today’s data report.”

As the marketing campaign neared its end, Su Nai handed over a report detailing today’s registration and consumption figures.

The Zhihu forum now had over forty thousand daily active users. Excluding half from the University of Science of Technology, there were still over twenty thousand active users.

However, the actual number of new registrations on the first day of the group-buying platform was just around three thousand, and among these registrants, less than 60% had made any purchases.

Therefore, after the first-day discount event, the marketing campaign needed to continue but couldn’t offer such significant discounts again.

Jiang Qin was running a B2C platform, which required not just consumers but also merchants. For those merchants who had to bear rent and utility costs, selling at cost price was akin to making a loss.

An occasional promotion was feasible, but if it continued for an extended period, even if he could sustain it, the merchants might not be able to.

Thus, when the first-day discount event officially ended, products had to return to their original prices before undergoing further discount promotions, but a margin of profit had to be left for the merchants.

“Does it look promising?”

Jiang Qin took a sip of tea: “Reasonably promising, I guess.”

Dong Wenhao, sitting nearby, was momentarily startled, then scratched his head: “So, not very promising, then?”

“Where did you get the idea it’s not promising?”

“Boss, if it were really promising, your smile would be reaching your eyebrows by now.”

Jiang Qin smiled calmly: “My optimism is only in relation to the first day. We are still far from the final goal, so my smile remains moderate, and everyone should keep their cool.”

Hearing this, the entire staff of Room 208 immediately straightened up: “Understood!”

“Good, you’ve all worked hard. Go back and get under your blankets!”

Witnessing this scene, Tang Lin’s eyes couldn’t help but glaze over in confusion. It was really killing her – he seemed even more handsome. Was it because he changed his clothes? How could someone get more handsome day by day? Was there no law against this?

Chapter 158: A Billion Little Marketing Tactics

TL: Etude

The next morning, Jiang Qin was woken up by his alarm clock, his dormant spirit softly roused by a loud exclamation.

The warmth and softness of the winter bed made it difficult to get up, even for Jiang Qin.

Being the boss and still having to rise early seemed so unjust. Gritting his teeth, he mustered his willpower to get out of bed. After freshening up, he called out to his three roommates, inviting them for breakfast.

“No need, Brother Jiang, I already reserved breakfast in a group order last night,” Zhou Chao said proudly.

Ren Ziqiang chimed in with some English: “me too.”

“…”

“Well, technology changes life, doesn’t it?”

Jiang Qin left the dormitory alone and had a quick breakfast at the cafeteria. By the time he came out, the group’s morning deliveries had already begun.

A swarm of couriers in yellow hats entered the campus under the bright sunlight, weaving between buildings, delivering and checking orders.

Thanks to last night’s countdown marketing campaign, there was a substantial number of orders that morning. Each tricycle was almost full, and a rough estimate showed that these orders constituted about seventy percent of the previous day’s total.

After the deliveries were completed, the couriers quickly dispersed. The bright yellow hats disappeared as swiftly as they had arrived, as if nothing had happened.

Yet, unseen to the eye, the first round of monetary exchanges had already taken place.

Jiang Qin stood on the college road, watching until the last yellow hat vanished from sight, then turned and headed to the Entrepreneurship Center.

“Good morning, boss.”

“Good morning. Have you all had breakfast?”

“We have.”

“Great. The key to the day lies in the morning. Let’s get to work. I can’t wait to start making money!”

Jiang Qin sat back in his chair with a contented smile, briefly lost in thought, then washed his face again to fully shake off the morning drowsiness.

He then asked Lu Xuemei to pause her current work and create a banner for the group buying homepage to report the first day’s sales to the entire school.

This data-driven presentation was also a brilliant form of advertising. Precise numbers were more reliable to the audience than flamboyant words. The ultimate decision to buy still depended on past sales data.

The most impactful data-driven marketing Jiang Qin had seen was Xiang Piao Piao’s claim of selling seven hundred million cups a year, enough to circle the globe. Later, Red Can Herbal Tea slightly imitated this approach, both achieving remarkable results.

“Let’s celebrate the successful launch of our group buying platform, with over 5,000 orders!”

“Missed a zero, right?” Jiang Qin quietly interjected from behind Lu Xuemei.

“?”

Lu Xuemei turned around, her ponytail swishing: “I didn’t miss anything. These are the numbers Su Nai gave me. I’ve followed them to the letter, not a single discrepancy.”

Jiang Qin stared at the computer screen for a while before coughing: “Change a few words. Add a zero. Change 5,000 orders to 50,000 in sales. That sounds more exciting.”

“Ah? Isn’t that deceiving people?”

Jiang Qin crossed his arms and spoke softly, “Count each can of cola as an order, each pack of instant noodles as an order, each slipper as an order, and the other slipper as another. It should add up to 50,000 in sales. It’s not really deceiving, just a little marketing tactic to blur the lines between sales and order numbers.”

Lu Xuemei pouted: “Boss, the road you’ve traveled is full of pits. If you don’t get rich, who will?”

“That adorable sarcasm is irresistible. I’m almost tempted to dock your pay.”

“Ah? No, I refuse!” Lu Xuemei quickly changed the number from 5,000 to 50,000.

Jiang Qin sat beside her: “Have you seen instant noodle ads? A big chunk of beef duang falls into the bowl, but when you open the package, you can’t even find a hair.”

“Aha…”

“Xuemei, you should attend an advertising class when you have time. The true purpose of advertising is not to convey the truth, but to increase sales. Don’t confuse the two concepts.”

Lu Xuemei nodded thoughtfully, then quickly finished the banner and sent it to Su Nai, who replaced the homepage of the group buying website with it.

Meanwhile, Dong Wenhao’s order sharing campaign officially began.

Simply put, it called for those who had made purchases through the group buying platform the previous day to share photos if possible, or their user experiences if not.

This served two purposes: to attract more unregistered users and to gather customer feedback for further optimization.

“Boss, the enthusiasm for sharing orders is not very high.”

“Try awarding them titles. Give those with a high number of shared orders the title of ‘Group Buying Expert’. For even more shares, ‘Group Buying Rich Second Generation’, and for the most, ‘Group Buying Tycoon’!”

“Would that work?”

“It will definitely work for some people.”

Su Nai and the tech team had already developed a reputation system and distributed various titles, which could now be utilized.

Subsequently, a user named ‘Unremarkable Young Master Cao’ boldly declared on the forum, “I’m rich, so I’ll go first,” and started several order sharing posts.

With his lead, the group buying sharing page suddenly became active.

Jiang Qin, impressed, thought to himself that his unremarkable Cao had indeed arrived, drawn by the scent, and his influence was incredible.

Stretching, Jiang Qin turned back to his chair, looking over at Professor Yan sitting opposite him.

Professor Yan had come early in the morning to join the buzz, silently reading his newspaper, barely noticeable.

“Professor, what tea are you drinking?”

“Maojian.”

“Maojian is a green tea, right? Green tea is good for reducing internal heat. I’ve been feeling a bit overheated these past few days.”

Jiang Qin picked up the teapot, refilled Professor Yan’s cup, and also poured himself one.

The dry winter air made it easy to get thirsty, and a cup of tea was just the thing to quench it.

Professor Yan also picked up his cup, sipping the tea while observing Jiang Qin, his eyes narrowed.

He had previously thought that Jiang Qin and Ye Ziqing were similar—bold and energetic, with many common traits despite their gender differences. That’s why he had taken a particular liking to Jiang Qin’s project, helping him solve the office problem and even writing an introduction letter for him.

But now, he realized his initial impression was wrong.

When Ye Ziqing made decisions, her expression was serious, and she was resolute and efficient, appearing very professional. However, many of her actions were too presumptive and out of touch with reality.

Jiang Qin, on the other hand, seemed frivolous, but each of his decisions had a deeper meaning.

The ability to articulate the reason behind your actions is crucial. If you can explain it clearly, it means you firmly control the direction of the endeavor without deviation.

But if you can’t, it means even you are lost.

When a leader is directionless, just trying to take it one step at a time, the fate of the flock becomes quite predictable.

Before he started visiting the hotspots, Professor Yan had occasionally stopped by Room 208 and found Jiang Qin’s team extremely efficient, hitting the target with every strategy and task. He considered it Jiang Qin’s good fortune.

But when he became a regular in Room 208, and observed Jiang Qin’s various arrangements, he understood that the team’s high efficiency was just an auxiliary factor. The core of the team and the project had always been Jiang Qin’s precise decision-making.

Using the dormitory aunties as delivery stations and coordinating with the first snowfall, the plan was watertight.

He heard that Jiang Qin had even considered the possibility of no orders on the first day, still ensuring the delivery staff received adequate wages, instructing them to make rounds even without orders.

Was it a coincidence that everything aligned so perfectly? No, it was orchestrated.

But to orchestrate such a feat, one must have the vision to see through the interplay of heaven, earth, and humanity.

If Ye Ziqing had even a quarter, no, even a third of Jiang Qin’s acumen, Juihui Group Buying might not have suffered such a crushing defeat.

“The gap is too wide…”

Professor Yan sighed quietly, his attention returning to his newspaper.

At eleven in the morning, the cold wind outside intensified.

None in Room 208 wanted to go out for lunch, so they collectively decided to experience the group buying delivery service.

Jiang Qin ordered a Golden Soup Fatty Beef for himself and Professor Yan. The slurping sounds in the office were incessant and cheerful.

Everyone’s faces were flushed, some even sweating from the heat of the meal.

Having experienced loneliness while working and living alone in Shenzhen in his past life, Jiang Qin cherished the communal dining atmosphere, finding it particularly satisfying.

“Once this marketing peak is over, we could place a big electric pot in Room 207. Regularly having hot pot in the office would be nice.”

Professor Yan frowned: “You cannot misuse public resources!”

Jiang Qin was taken aback: “It’s just a suggestion, Professor. By the way, do you prefer oil or sauce with your hot pot?”

“Sauce, I suppose.”

“Lanlan, take note. Professor Yan likes sauce. Prepare the tastiest sauce for him when we have hot pot in Room 207!”

Professor Yan: “…”

Jiang Qin turned again: “Professor, can you eat spicy food?”

“No, it causes internal heat.”

“Lanlan, another note. When buying the pot, make sure it’s a yuanyang (dual-flavor) pot. The Professor can’t eat spicy, so prepare the freshest broth for him!”

Wei Lanlan immediately nodded: “Got it, boss. It’s in the memo!”

After a moment of silence, Professor Yan coughed: “I am, after all, the supervisor of the Entrepreneurship Center. You should tone it down a bit, Jiang Qin.”

Jiang Qin chuckled and turned to Dong Wenhao: “Old Dong, I remember you have a special homemade sauce that even Wen Jinrui couldn’t stop raving about?”

Professor Yan’s throat moved slightly: “…”

“Boss, Old Dong’s homemade sauce is indeed amazing, incredibly fragrant.”

“Professor, care to try Dong’s special sauce?”

Professor Yan didn’t agree, but he didn’t refuse either. He simply lifted his newspaper, silently continuing to read.

Chapter 159: Let’s Take a Bath Together

TL: Etude

“You guys carry on, I’m off to class.”

On a mild and sunny afternoon, Jiang Qin suddenly pushed back from his desk chair, put on his coat, and strutted out of Room 208, as if going to class was a decision of great importance.

Professor Yan couldn’t fathom how Jiang Qin had the nerve to say that, advising the others in Room 208 not to follow his example.

Ten minutes later, Jiang Qin arrived at the university’s sports hall to practice the 24-form Tai Chi.

Since physical education in the first year was a compulsory subject, Jiang Qin occasionally showed up to mark his presence.

As the class time approached, a slightly balding substitute teacher arrived.

Movements like “Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane” and “White Crane Spreads Its Wings” flowed smoothly, full of rhythm. However, Jiang Qin’s mind was bizarrely preoccupied with thoughts of Teacher Ma’s “Lightning Pinecone Cannon” and other fanciful notions.

“This is just too damn abstract…”

Jiang Qin turned to the person beside him, realizing that his classmates, too, looked as lost as zombies in a Plants vs. Zombies game, genuinely struggling to keep up.

What should have been graceful and fluid exercise movements had turned into a chaotic scene reminiscent of the five factions besieging the Bright Peak in martial arts tales, with a few pretending to be half-paralyzed to muddle along.

“Shit, my hands are completely out of control!”

“Give it up, it’s hopeless.”

“Give up? Then I’d be like Yang Guo. I prefer Zhang Wuji – he’s got more luck with the ladies.”

“You? You’re at best a Fireworker Tuo!”

Listening to a few strangers banter, Jiang Qin felt reassured about the class.

He wasn’t the only one slacking off; most of the students were the same. The teacher had to consider the fail rate, which naturally meant the exam would be easier.

The sports classes at Linchuan University were notoriously complex, with not only first-year students but also upperclassmen who hadn’t earned their credits in previous years. Choosing Tai Chi was an attempt to conserve energy and barely pass for the credit.

What kind of diligent students would have such a mindset?

Moreover, other sports subjects were too strenuous, ending with everyone drenched in sweat, which seemed unnecessary.

After the teacher took attendance, Jiang Qin half-heartedly practiced “Twin Peaks Piercing the Ears” before sneaking off to the badminton court’s spectator seats to catch up on sleep.

Having returned from Room 208 the night before, he had stayed up late planning his next promotional strategy, so his sleep had been far from sufficient. The drowsiness of a winter afternoon made it all too natural to want a nap.

Why choose the badminton court for a nap?

“No particular reason.” Muttered Jiang Qin as his gaze fell on a little rich lady playing badminton. She was practicing with Gao Wenhui, bouncing and leaping around, her ponytail swishing back and forth, radiating purity and vivacity.

Her black and white sports outfit didn’t overly accentuate her figure, but her tall stature and stunning features were unmistakable.

Moreover, this young lady had a natural talent for sports, with crisp and clean movements.

After several games, Feng Nanshu’s fair face was flushed, and a light sweat formed on her forehead, adding a touch of delicate beauty to her usual look.

A few boys in sports attire deliberately gathered near the court, some stroking their hair, others wiping sweat from their foreheads, and some pretending to warm up in what they thought were charismatic poses, believing they captivated everyone.

However, Feng Nanshu paid no attention to their antics, not even turning her head until Gao Wenhui spotted a lazy figure sprawled in the spectator seats.

“Feng Nanshu, your beloved Jiang Qin is here.”

Feng Nanshu squinted unhappily, “You’re tricking me again. I’m not that gullible.”

“It’s true this time, just turn around and look,” Gao Wenhui pointed towards the spectator seats.

“?”

With a flick of her ponytail, the little rich lady turned and saw Jiang Qin dozing against the wall. She immediately dropped her racket and ran over to him, her footsteps echoing rapidly.

The sight of Feng Nanshu running towards Jiang Qin immediately dimmed the spirits of the other male students, who had been releasing a surge of testosterone. They dispersed, sighing in disappointment.

“What a coincidence to run into you here,” Jiang Qin said, feigning surprise with a convincingly astonished expression. This was a skill he had honed while meeting clients, where he had to pretend to bump into them by chance.

Feng Nanshu, oblivious to his act, thought it was a genuine coincidence. “I’m playing badminton with Gao Wenhui over there. What about you?”

“I came to learn Tai Chi. Got tired and decided to take a nap.”

After saying this, Jiang Qin suddenly asked, “little rich lady, do you like hot pot?”

Feng Nanshu tried to maintain her cool demeanor but couldn’t hide her eagerness, “Jiang Qin, I want to eat hot pot.”

“Not now, I haven’t even bought a pot yet. I’ll call you when I have. Of course, if you’re too busy, then never mind.”

“I’m not busy, I have nothing to do, I want to eat hot pot.”

“Alright, then it’s settled.”

Jiang Qin adjusted his position, “I’m going to sleep a bit more. Keep an eye on me so no senior sister gets any ideas and runs off with me.”

Feng Nanshu pursed her lips and stretched out her hand to shield him from a streak of sunlight.

However, the uncomfortable position meant Jiang Qin couldn’t sleep for long. After about twenty minutes, he opened his eyes to find Feng Nanshu sitting beside him, chatting with Gao Wenhui.

He shifted in his seat, causing it to creak.

“Why did you choose to sleep here?” Gao Wenhui asked, hearing his movement.

Yawning and with sleepy eyes, Jiang Qin replied, “Came for a class, just didn’t sleep well last night, so took the opportunity to nap.”

“The sun must be rising from the west for you to actually attend class,” she teased.

Jiang Qin opened his half-closed eyes, “What are you talking about? I’m a student, aren’t students supposed to attend classes?”

“Ha, student indeed. I bet you don’t even know where your student ID and campus card are,” Gao Wenhui hit the nail on the head.

“Miss Gao, I really dislike your so-called sense of humor.”

Gao Wenhui offered a badminton racket, “Do you want to play a game with Feng Nanshu?”

Jiang Qin waved his hand, “If I had the energy, I’d be practicing Tai Chi. At least that way I can earn some credits.”

“Why are you so tired?”

“Waking up earlier than chickens, sleeping later than dogs, working tirelessly to make money. Even an iron man would feel tired.”

Jiang Qin stretched lazily, whispered something into Feng Nanshu’s ear, and then got up and walked out of the sports hall.

A flicker of joy appeared in Feng Nanshu’s eyes as she also gathered her things to leave.

“What did Jiang Qin say to you?”

Feng Nanshu slung her racket over her shoulder, “He said he’s going to take me to bathe later.”

Gao Wenhui pouted, “I was planning to ask you to join me, but he beat me to it. Nanshu, who do you choose, him or me?”

“Wenhui, I don’t want to make a choice. I’ll go with him this time, and next time I’ll go with you.”

“…”

After changing clothes in the dorm, Jiang Qin went to pick up Feng Nanshu from the women’s dormitory of the Finance Department. They headed to Linchuan University’s public baths.

Of course, they were the kind where men and women bathe separately.

Feng Nanshu carried a small bag and followed Jiang Qin into the lobby. He helped her off with her down jacket, revealing her slender figure outlined by her sweater and her pale neck. Her gaze was cool, her expression stoic.

Linchuan University’s bathhouse provided communal slippers, but unlike the disposable ones in hotels, most students preferred not to use them. In summer, people usually wore their own slippers directly to the bathhouse, avoiding the need to change back and forth. However, with the recent cold weather, everyone had grown accustomed to carrying their slippers in a bag.

“Jiang Qin, help me take off my shoes,” Feng Nanshu requested.

“Sit down.”

Feng Nanshu sat on a chair and watched as Jiang Qin removed her boots and cotton socks, revealing her small, plump, and rosy feet. She then slipped into her slippers, stepping lightly, her eyes sparkling with life.

“We’ll meet up there after our baths. Don’t go outside without drying your hair properly,” Jiang Qin instructed, pointing to the area where people queued to dry their hair. He was serious, as Feng Nanshu had a history of rushing out without drying her hair properly.

“You too, don’t wander off and make me search for you,” Feng Nanshu advised him in return.

Jiang Qin looked up at her, “Nonsense, when have I ever wandered off?”

“You did last time. I had to search for you for a long time until a mysterious phone call helped me find you.”

“That was you getting lost, and I had to call you back. Stop playing the victim.”

Feng Nanshu pursed her cherry-red lips and watched him enter the men’s bath with a full gaze before heading to the women’s side.

Linchuan University’s bathrooms were single-person cubicles. You insert your campus card to start the water flow. Jiang Qin entered one of the vacant cubicles, undressed, and locked his and Feng Nanshu’s down jackets in a cabinet. The cascading water relaxed him as he contemplated the growing exhaustion from his efforts to launch the group-buying venture. Frequent hot showers helped ease his fatigue and soothe his tense nerves.

The group-buying registration numbers were still insufficient, and Wanzhong Mall had yet to receive any orders. These issues needed resolving within Linchuan University’s market to establish a mature set of strategies before proceeding with the promotion plan at the University of Science of Technology. Thus, Jiang Qin’s concerns were due to overthinking.

After bathing, Jiang Qin changed into fresh clothes and checked his appearance in the mirror.

“Damn, I always feel like I look better than Daniel Wu after a bath.” (actor)

He played a few rounds of Snake on his phone while waiting for Feng Nanshu.

Eventually, Feng Nanshu emerged from the bathroom, her long hair slightly damp, her cheeks a dewy pink, her skin glowing. She looked ethereally beautiful yet carried an innocent charm.

“Jiang Qin, I’m done.”

“Come here, I’ll dry your hair.”

Jiang Qin picked up the hairdryer and gently ran his fingers through her damp hair, drying it to a slightly moist state.

Feng Nanshu puffed her cheeks, her eyes shining with pleasure, resembling a cat being petted contentedly.

“Your expressions seem richer than before?”

Jiang Qin observed her in the mirror, curious about her suddenly adorable demeanor.

“Because before, one expression was enough.”

Feng Nanshu took the comb he handed her and brushed her hair a few times.

Chapter 160: Swiftly Arrive to Impress

TL: Etude

After leaving the bathhouse, Jiang Qin received a phone call from Cao Guangyu.

“Old Jiang, dinner time hurry over and show off!”

Jiang Qin still felt a bit uneasy and repeatedly confirmed if Cao Guangyu had made sure with Ding Xue. If she still called him ‘big brother’ and acted coy, he definitely wouldn’t bring the little rich lady with him.

It’s easy to learn bad habits quickly, especially for someone like Feng Nanshu, a genius girl known for her scholarship.

Moreover, she had started using these tactics on him.

“?”

Feng Nanshu seemed to catch a keyword, slightly lifted her head, and appeared to be eavesdropping.

On the phone, Cao Guangyu assured him with certainty, “Don’t worry about my arrangements. Today, Ding Xue definitely won’t call ‘big brother’.”

“Alright, go ahead and order. We’ll be there soon.”

As the sun set, the warmth in Linchuan faded, plunging back into cold, intensified by the blustering westerly winds.

Night quickly fell, compelling people both inside and outside the campus to wrap themselves tighter in their clothes.

Meanwhile, in the private room on the second floor of Shiwei Tian, Ding Xue left Cao Guangyu to order downstairs. Sitting opposite him were Ding Xue’s two roommates, Qu Yating and Cui Min.

These girls were heavily made-up and fashionably dressed. Seeing Ding Xue step out, their subtle, sarcastic remarks began to surface again.

“Ding Xue’s outfit today is a bit outdated.”

“Cao Guangyu, you should persuade her to change her style. She’s just an average girl. Without putting effort into her clothes and makeup, she really lacks any highlights.”

It’s normal for tensions to build up over time in girls’ dormitories. This kind of insincere friendship is common, not amounting to deep enmity, but merely serving as a way to voice petty opinions.

For them, this subtle sense of superiority was quite addictive.

They wouldn’t dare say these things to Ding Xue’s face, knowing she could get violent, but they had no problem saying them to Cao Guangyu.

If Cao Guangyu got annoyed, they could easily retort, “Hey, you’re a grown man, why lower yourself to argue with girls?”

However, Cao Guangyu was unusually relaxed today, simply agreeing, which left Qu Yating and Cui Min somewhat confused.

It felt like punching into cotton, without any solid impact.

“Actually, aren’t you also just average girls? I haven’t seen anything remarkable about you either.”

Qu Yating and Cui Min were taken aback, then sneered, ready to criticize Cao Guangyu’s lack of taste, but then the door of the private room opened.

The next second, Jiang Qin walked in with Feng Nanshu.

The little rich lady’s beauty was truly flawless from every angle, paired with her expressionless, aloof demeanor, creating an imposing presence.

Unaware that she was being used as a weapon, she sat quietly, her eyebrows faintly knitted, her hand still tucked in Jiang Qin’s pocket, reluctant to come out.

“Let me introduce my roommate and his girlfriend.”

Cao Guangyu smirked confidently, “Where were we? Oh right, you’re just average girls, aren’t you?”

“…”

Qu Yating and Cui Min’s expressions changed. Faced with Feng Nanshu’s stunning appearance, their confidence swiftly crumbled to insignificance.

When they finally realized, they understood that Cao Guangyu’s earlier remark about “average girls” was a delayed tactic, waiting for this moment to strike them in the face.

Girls wear makeup to look beautiful, but if their made-up faces are still less attractive than someone else’s natural beauty, it’s a psychological blow.

Such a vicious move!

“I’ll go see if Ding Xue has finished ordering. Cui Min, you stay and chat with them.”

“Hey, I just remembered I want to order something too. Wait for me.”

As they watched the two leave on these pretexts, Cao Guangyu burst into laughter, his heart swelling with immense satisfaction.

It felt incredibly gratifying, almost euphoric.

“People fight for a breath of dignity, and monks for a stick of incense,” thought Cao Guangyu, reveling in the pleasure that reached deep into his heart.

Jiang Qin looked at him as if he were watching a fool, thinking to himself how bizarrely simple Cao Guangyu’s happiness was.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Before you guys arrived, those two girls were being really snide, saying Ding Xue is just an average girl with outdated fashion sense. I told them they were average too. They wanted to retort, but then you guys walked in, and they immediately shut up.”

After hearing this, Jiang Qin clicked his tongue, “That’s it? This makes you happy?”

“I bet from today onwards, they won’t be so confident. I hate their condescending attitude towards Ding Xue. Just because they know how to put on makeup? My Ding Xue is naturally beautiful, okay? Now, whenever they think of calling someone an average girl, they’ll remember today and keep quiet.”

Cao Guangyu, after laughing for a while, suddenly felt a bit melancholic, “Old Jiang, you get to impress like this every day. I’m quite envious.”

Jiang Qin spat back, “If you’re so annoyed by them, why invite them to eat? Got too much money to spend?”

“They treated us when they had boyfriends. If Ding Xue and I didn’t reciprocate after getting together, they’d probably be even more sarcastic.”

“Wow, Cao, you really live for these face-offs.”

Jiang Qin remarked admiringly, then turned to Feng Nanshu, “You too, with your pretty face, scared them away.”

“?”

Feng Nanshu looked puzzled for a moment, not understanding the situation, and then hummed and fumbled in his pocket.

When Qu Yating and Cui Min returned after ordering, they were noticeably more subdued, eating quietly and occasionally chatting with Ding Xue. Their earlier arrogance had vanished entirely.

Such is the nature of verbal superiority – once challenged, previous arrogance transforms into awkwardness.

Cao Guangyu understood this well, using it more maturely than most.

Like at the beginning of the semester, he said Jiang Qin was plain and couldn’t win Song Qingqing, but then numerous campus beauties appeared, all experiences forged through blood and tears.

Unexpectedly, the door of the private room opened again.

A slick-haired young man with a silver necklace, evidently a fashion-forward guy, walked in and greeted warmly.

“Brother, you’re here!”

Feng Nanshu’s eyes lit up, and she turned to look at Jiang Qin.

Jiang Qin’s face darkened, and he quietly sipped his water, thinking to himself.

Why does everyone call their boyfriend ‘big brother’? Why not something more endearing like ‘puppy’ or ‘dummy’?

“This is my boyfriend, Liu Tiange, from the University of Science of Technology, a junior.”

Qu Yating wrapped her arm around the newcomer, casting a cold glance at Cao Guangyu, instantly regaining her confidence.

The competitive nature of girls can be quite straightforward. If you bring a celestial beauty to implicitly mock us as average, and we can’t compete, then so be it.

But if we can’t win in our own right, we’ll compete with our partners. They had to regain their footing, or the frustration would be unbearable.

“I just went to wash my car, sorry for being late.”

Liu Tiange took off his jacket, his gaze casually sweeping the room. When he saw Feng Nanshu, he was visibly stunned, taking a long moment to recover.

Snap—

At that moment, Jiang Qin casually tossed a pair of chopsticks towards Liu Tiange, hitting him: “Buddy, must be tough juggling a part-time car wash job and making time for your girlfriend. Eat more, you’ll need the energy for work.”

Liu Tiange, snapping out of his daze, looked annoyed: “I went to wash my own car at the car wash!”

“Oh, you should’ve been clearer then. I thought you were washing cars for others.” Jiang Qin casually fed Feng Nanshu a peanut.

“What, never seen someone drive to school?”

“Never seen that, though I’ve seen plenty of part-timers.” Jiang Qin modestly shook his head.

Unable to resist joining in, Cui Min asked, “Yating, your boyfriend bought a car before graduating?”

Qu Yating smiled sweetly: “It’s a birthday gift from his dad. We even went for a drive yesterday.”

“It’s just a car worth tens of thousands, nothing much to talk about.”

Liu Tiange casually pulled out a Volkswagen key, tossing it onto the table nonchalantly: “Having a car isn’t great, friends always ask for rides. I’m too nice to refuse, so I end up washing it every other day.”

Cui Min nudged Qu Yating: “Then take us for a drive too!”

“There’s not enough room for everyone. Why don’t you buy one too? We could go on a road trip together. I know a great spot for a drive.”

“Hey, Ding Xue, ask your boyfriend Cao Guangyu to buy a car, then we can all go on a road trip together!”

Ding Xue, sensing the underlying tone, immediately bristled: “You paying for it? With all your ‘buy buy buy’, if you’re not eating, get lost. Enough with the nonsense.”

Cui Min, intimidated, mumbled: “I didn’t say anything about being rich second-generation.”

After hearing this, Jiang Qin looked up: “So owning a car worth a hundred thousand makes someone a rich second-generation now? Why’s the bar so low?”

Qu Yating suddenly laughed.

“What are you laughing at?”

Qu Yating shrugged: “Not laughing, a bug just flew past my face.”

Just then, the last dish was brought to their room, not by a waiter, but by the portly owner of Shiwei Tian, the man with the BMW 5 Series.

He had been watching Jiang Qin since he came upstairs and came over to deliver the dish himself, though his expression was somewhat smug, as if holding back a laugh.

“Jiang Qin, changed cars, huh? Hehe!”

The room suddenly went quiet.

Jiang Qin glanced at him: “Change what car? No.”

“I saw you arrive. What happened to the Bentley you had before? Now it’s an Audi A6!”

“Oh, you’re still holding a grudge? Can’t I switch cars from my family’s collection?”

“From Bentley to Audi, that’s quite a drop. Come on, admit it, was that Bentley borrowed?” The owner of Shiwei Tian winked, seemingly having figured out the truth.

“I’m driving an Audi, same level as your BMW. Why are you so happy about it?”

“…”

Jiang Qin grinned: “The cheapest car I drive is an A6. That’s already quite impressive. Wait till I drive a beat-up Volkswagen, then you can mock me for being poor.”

The owner’s face changed, thinking to himself that Jiang Qin had a point. His worst car was an A6, and his best was only a 5 Series. Why did he rush over here?

Jiang Qin turned back to the table: “What were you saying earlier? About driving around? Tell me more, I’ve never experienced it. I’m all ears.”

Liu Tiange silently reached out, pocketing his car keys, the words ‘beat-up Volkswagen’ still echoing in his mind.