The Birth of Shanghai's First Conglomerate

The last few days of June.

The urban villages are no longer as bustling as they were in the middle of the month, mainly because many people don't receive their wages until the 15th.

By the end of the month, most of my monthly salary was gone.

For the rest of the days when there was no money, he could only stay put and honestly work in the factory tightening screws.

Worry-Free Restaurant opened here just over ten days ago.

Chen Pingsheng still acts like a leisurely old chef, his daily work consisting of taking his daughter to work and then coming home.

I also wandered around the neighborhood in between.

After getting to know the stall owners, even Chen An'an quite liked this kind of life.

She no longer resists it, and spends her days wandering around with her hands behind her back.

At the end of June, the sun is blazing, and many shops will turn off their air conditioners when there are fewer customers in the afternoon.

He doesn't know how, so there's no need to save money.

Therefore, many people like to come here to cool off.

This includes Ah Qiang, who only sets up his stall at 3 PM, and he sets up his stall from 3 PM to 2 or 3 AM.

Ah Qiang was holding a newly bought iPhone X in his arms. This was a special edition phone released by Apple to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the iPhone.

He wouldn't buy it for himself, but his girlfriend said one word and he happily bought it for her.

"Master Chen, do you think she'll be very happy if I give her this phone later?"

"I'm glad it won't happen."

Chen Pingsheng was wearing a chef's uniform, and the locals liked to call him Master Chen.

"You've spoiled her all these years. She's graduated from university now, so why don't you let her come and live with you?"

“I already told you, she wants to find a job in the city, so she wants to rent a place in the city.”

Well... this reason is unbelievable, and there are actually people who believe it.

A female college graduate from a rural area rented an apartment in downtown Shanghai before even finding a job after graduation.

Even the smallest single room starts at one or two thousand.

Chen Pingsheng had given A-Qiang a piece of advice, but he didn't listen, so he wouldn't say anything more after that.

Chen An'an, however, didn't care about that and jumped up to scold, "Brother Qiang, she just graduated from an ordinary university. You've supported her for so many years. After graduation, she should at least come and live with you!"

No one in the world understands him.

Ah Qiang just smiled and didn't say anything.

After he left, Chen An'an wanted to chase after him and persuade him.

Chen Pingsheng stopped her in her tracks with just one look. No matter how outrageous something was, if the other person was willing, they had no reason to say too much.

Besides, the stall owners here have been cursing him for two years, and he hasn't changed at all.

What else is there to say?

Before long, they had guests.

It was the same migrant worker's college student son; he wore thick glasses and his eyes were lifeless.

He was also holding a computer science book in his hand.

His professional skills are actually quite good, but he is too taciturn and his eyes dart around when he looks at people.

This gives the impression of extreme inferiority and a lack of self-confidence.

Which big company would want someone like that? Let alone big companies, even HR departments of small businesses would shake their heads at the sight of him.

He was having trouble finding a job, so he didn't even eat breakfast or lunch.

I'm just here to grab a quick 12-yuan fried rice to tide me over.

Guo Shuai can only chat with a few familiar people in the neighborhood at most, and his father's excitement has faded.

If he can't find a job, his migrant worker father will probably be very puzzled.

How come a college graduate, whom we've painstakingly nurtured for decades, can't find a decent job?
After he finished eating and left, Chen An'an came over and asked him, "Dad, is it hard to find a job?"

"In school, you rely on your grades; after graduation, you rely on your parents. It's easy to find a regular job, like screwing screws in a factory. But it's hard to find a job that matches your major and is also respectable."

Chen Pingsheng ignored it; in fact, there were far too many people like that.

A monthly salary of 3,000 yuan is definitely not enough to attract migrant workers, but it can attract a large number of college graduates.

Guo Shuai already wants to work in the factory.

Of course, he definitely wouldn't go into the nearby factory, for fear that his father would be disappointed.

Ordinary people often experience nine out of ten hardships and sorrows, but most of these can be resolved with money.

Chen An'an only realized how extravagant her monthly allowance of hundreds of thousands of yuan was after she arrived here. The digital watch she casually wore represented savings that many people couldn't achieve even after a lifetime of hard work.

My father says he has a carefree dream, but in reality, he never makes a move easily.

It's been almost half a month, and I haven't seen him make a single move.

No matter who it is, anyone who gets his help can easily cross social classes.

Having the ability but not misusing it is, to some extent, a way of preserving one's fundamentals.

Chen An'an kept having wild thoughts.

At five o'clock in the afternoon, Dad started cooking again.

No one in the urban village realized that the legendary big boss of Tengying Group was actually working as a cook here in obscurity.

As for whether they have any worries, the answer is yes, they do.

That's because the deputy store manager, Jiang Peiyao, is too beautiful. As long as she stands there, people come to pursue her in an endless stream.

Some people wear Rolex watches from Guangdong Station West Road and use hair gel to show off their unique style.

Some people deliberately tried to be humorous, while others wanted to show off their good looks in front of her.

The most hilarious thing is the boy with the "ghost fire" motorcycle; when he rides his motorcycle, he's the coolest guy on the street.

Chen An'an laughed heartily, feeling that these people were just clowns; Aunt Pei Yao was someone they couldn't possibly win over.

Jiang Peiyao was embarrassed; she was constantly pursued by suitors wherever she went, which was something she couldn't help.

"An'an, please stop laughing, or I'll feel embarrassed."

"I can't help but laugh, I just can't help it."

Chen An'an chuckled, and the little girl imitated her, putting her hands on her hips and laughing along.

Jiang Peiyao ignored her and went to greet the guests herself, while also cleaning up the table that had just left.

A short while later, Li Qian arrived.

She's still very presentable. It seems she's taking a day off today and brought two friends here for dinner.

One of them even looked disgusted, clearly looking down on the environment of the urban village.

Chen An'an had a pretty good impression of her, and quickly went to greet her, "Sister Qian, what would you like to eat today?"

"An'an, just make two of your dad's best Hunan dishes."

"Okay, do you want to drink today?"

"No need for the wine, I haven't even drunk the bottle you gave me last time."

“Okay, then let’s have braised carp and stir-fried pork with chili.”

Zhang Qian is quite simple; she's not too particular about food.

It was because of her colleagues at the company that she had certain requirements for her clothing.

"Tengying Group has bought more than 1,000 acres of commercial and residential land in Jinshan and plans to invest more than 20 billion yuan to build a high-end ecological community for its employees. Our leaders have held a three-day meeting about this matter, saying that they want to win a part of the design plan there. I'm afraid he's going to have another wild idea this time."

"Everyone in the industry knows Zhang Sitong, the proposer of the Tengying Future Forest City plan. She is related to the Tengying Group. It would be a pipe dream for us to compete with her."

Speaking of Zhang Sitong, she's been making waves in Shanghai's design scene lately. Before, she was about on par with Zhang Qian.

Heaven knows where she got in touch with Tencent Film Studio, and she rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming invisible to her peers.

It would be a lie for Zhang Qian to say she wasn't envious; it's just that everyone has their own opportunities in life.

Who can say for sure?

"I found out secretly that the boss's wife of Tengying Group is nine months pregnant and is expected to give birth in August. When she gives birth, we might as well go and do her laundry and mop the floor like beasts of burden."

"You're kidding me. With her status, you'd have to wait ten years to serve her."

Quite helplessly, everyone outwardly complained that Zhang Sitong was racking her brains and was a petty person.

Secretly, however, they all wanted to be like her.

Unfortunately, there's no such way.

Tengying has grown bigger and bigger in Shanghai over the years, and in terms of investment, it is definitely one of the best among private enterprises.

Outsiders might not know, but how could those of them who work in the CBD office buildings not know?
If we can get on the Tencent Film and Television Network, our future will be soaring, if not meteoric.

"The fish are here!"

Chen An'an carried a plate of fish and handed it to them on the table.

It looks alright, and overall it tastes pretty good too.

While she can't compare to the family's top chef, her father's culinary skills are still quite impressive in his spare time.

(End of this chapter)