My minimum living allowance is credited to my account every day with 1000 million yuan

Chapter 498 Gathering at the Ino Group
While some are happy, others are sad. JOY, due to its strong partnership with Jiexun Sports, plans to open over 35 high-end stores alone. Annual sales are projected to be around 8-10 billion RMB, and this is based on normal sales figures.

To expand their success, JOY proactively contacted Luffy, offering him promotional rebates to support his promotional activities and increase sales. This coincided with Xu Jun's plan, and Junxiao Commercial Management would certainly provide strong support as well, with ample online promotion and offline consumer vouchers. The sales figures should exceed JOY's expectations.

At the Inno Group in Shanghai, the cleaning staff cleaned the office building inside and out until it was spotless. The supervisor was still worried and personally checked it several times. He heard that an important person was coming today and that there couldn't be any mistakes.

At 10:00 a.m., a Guanghui 009 minivan entered the gate of Yinuo Group and drove all the way to the office building. An assistant got out from one side and quickly walked to the other side. The automatic door opened, and a long, straight leg stretched out, with a pair of Guuci sneakers on the sole, stylish yet casual.

You can tell she's a great beauty just by looking at her legs; you could admire them for a year straight.

"Wow, isn't that the big star Meng Ziyi?"

"Yes, she came once before. Isn't she the company's contracted spokesperson now? Oh, so she's the VIP today. But last time was her first time here, and it wasn't this grand."

"I'm not sure, but the cooperation must have been quite pleasant, so the company has paid more attention to it?"

"Oh my, look, the chairman himself came down to greet us. This is too grand! In the past, it was always the vice president of planning who came down to greet us. Now that the company is so powerful, does the chairman still need to come down to welcome us? Even if Meng Ziyi is a big star, there is no need for this."

Meng Ziyi also saw Zhang Shijie and sensed that the welcoming party today seemed a bit grand, but she quickly realized why. It must be because of her and Chen Xiao—the people below must have guessed it, or rather, they would rather guess wrong than let it go, in case they neglected a certain "Empress," which would not be good.

Meng Ziyi is here today to shoot print and TV commercials for "Xingque". Additionally, "Xingque" brand products will be featured in the urban drama she will be starring in soon.

They will also attend brand launches and fashion shows later. Similarly, Xiao Yuting and Li Zhien will soon be doing the same as Meng Ziyi.

"Star Palace" has already started renovations, which is a test for Li Man's team, because normally the renovation of a luxury brand takes at least 6 months, and soft furnishings and adjustments take another 1-2 months. However, General Manager Chen disagrees and demands 5 months, meaning it must open before the National Day holiday.

Li Man knows what's important, so she's keeping a close eye on the progress of this store every day. As for the company's other business, she'll let it be delayed a bit.

Unlike the store renovations of ordinary brands, which can be rushed, "Starry Night" is positioned as a high-end luxury brand with extremely high standards for materials and craftsmanship. It uses top-quality materials such as natural marble, solid wood carvings, and metal plating in many places, resulting in a long procurement cycle, with some stones potentially taking 3-6 months to procure.

Therefore, Li Man wanted to coordinate with these suppliers, but fortunately Chen Xiao spoke up. She could make her requests in advance for those she couldn't handle and ask President Xu to help her coordinate. With Junxiao Group's current prestige and the many companies that Junxiao Capital has invested in, it's easy to imagine how influential they are. Coordinating these things is a piece of cake.

As Zhang Shijie accompanied Meng Ziyi upstairs, he whispered, "President Chen will be here soon. I'll take you upstairs and then go down to meet him."

"Thank you~", Meng Ziyi had been here before and was familiar with everything. But when she came last time, Zhang Shijie was still the CEO, now he was the chairman, and the office had changed.

The cleaning staff on the first floor, seeing that the distinguished guests had arrived, thought there was nothing more to clean and were just about to leave when they saw a stretched Rolls-Royce Phantom parked in front of the office building.

"Wow, this is the real big shot."

"Look, the chairman is running over here, he's running so fast."

Indeed, it's just like when he flew across the grass back then—

Ignoring the company employees watching, Zhang Shijie rushed to the car and luckily made it in time to open the door for General Manager Chen.

"Wow, the chairman turned into a doorman in an instant! Who has such a big influence?"

The Rolls-Royce Phantom's signature coach doors slowly unfold, like a stage curtain being drawn back. The chrome trim along the door edges draws a cool arc in the sunlight, and the interior exudes a luxurious atmosphere of cedar wood and top-grade leather.

Chen Xiao's Oxford shoes lightly touched the edge of the red carpet, the toes gleaming with a matte obsidian-like texture. He leaned slightly forward as he stepped out of the car, the sharp-cut midnight blue shirt revealing subtle patterns with his movement.

The moment he straightened up, the phantom's suspended air rose silently, as if even the steel behemoth bowed down to him.

Zhang Shijie bowed and said, "Greetings, Mr. Chen!"

Chen Xiao nodded slightly. "Lead the way. Has Ziyi arrived yet?"

"We've arrived. We're resting upstairs and waiting for you to go to the exhibition hall together."

"OK."

The surroundings fell silent. The employees stared blankly at the scene, surprised that the chairman was so humble in front of this person. But when they glanced at the extended Phantom, they realized that it was a moving symbol of power.

"That man is so young, but so imposing."

"Is that girl he's with his assistant? She's so pretty, she's just as beautiful as Meng Ziyi. They each have their own unique charm."

"Oh, don't even think about it. We don't understand the affairs of wealthy people."

It's been a while since I've seen Meng Ziyi. Who can blame me, this little flower is currently very popular and is always flying around. This time it's because she came to Shanghai to participate in the filming of the "Starry Night" advertisement, and she sent a message to Chen Xiao to ask if he had time.

Chen Xiao had been planning to come anyway, so he brought Zhang Ziqian with him. Tonight, Meng Ziyi would naturally stay at the Junxiao Hotel with him.

The moment Chen Xiao saw Meng Ziyi, an image flashed through his mind of her hands bracing against the windowsill, her whole body glowing white. After being nourished by him, she was even more beautiful.

Chen Xiao noticed that it wasn't just her; it seemed like all his women's skin was getting better and better. He seriously suspected that his constitution, number 118, might have some kind of beauty-enhancing effect. Moreover, they had hardly ever gotten sick since being with him. When He Qing injured her forehead last time, she recovered quickly without leaving a single scar.

Sitting next to Meng Ziyi, Zhang Shijie's secretary had already brought over the prepared tea. "President Chen, the Xingque project has already started renovations."

He hummed in agreement; of course he knew the news and understood that Zhang Shijie wanted to know if he wanted to go to the site. It wasn't certain yet; Xu Jun and Liu Pinhua were currently in the final stages of their acquisition negotiations with Hengyuan Plaza, making this matter even more important. He could look at the renovations of "Star Palace" whenever he wanted.

After checking the time, Chen Xiao stood up. "Let's go take a look at the exhibition hall."

The design of the "Starry Night" brand showroom is a fusion of minimalism and luxury.

With minimalism as its foundation, the space uses black, white, and gold as its main colors, creating an understated yet noble atmosphere. The walls are covered with Italian snowflake white marble, the texture of which resembles flowing clouds and mist. Paired with recessed warm lighting, the light is softly and precisely projected onto the exhibits, making each piece seem like a work of art.

Stepping into the exhibition hall, you'll find a custom-made cedar and amber aromatherapy diffuser, its coolness tinged with warmth, symbolizing the cosmic romance of "Starry Palace." The ethereal melody of double bass and electronic synthesizers creates an immersive experience akin to "interstellar travel."

Chen Xiao nodded, indicating his agreement, "I do have some feeling about it."

The ceiling features a starry dome design with LED light strips simulating the flow of the Milky Way, echoing the brand name "Star Palace" and symbolizing the concept of a "star palace." The floor is paved with natural jade stone mosaic flooring, which feels warm and smooth to the touch when walked on barefoot. The display cases are custom-made ebony display cases with 24K gold lines inlaid on the edges, and the cabinet surfaces are made of anti-glare glass to ensure that the exhibits are clearly visible.

The clothing display area also showcases the ultimate in luxurious craftsmanship, using suspended hangers to make the clothes appear to float in the air, reducing wrinkles and displaying smooth lines.

She casually picked up a black silk dress; the cuffs and collar were embroidered with star trail patterns in gold thread, shimmering under the light.

"Ziqian, this suits you quite well."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shijie quickly remembered it and was determined to arrange it for Secretary Zhang. He certainly had the insight to do so.

The "Galaxy" collection evening gowns, limited to only 100 pieces worldwide, are displayed in a separate glass showcase. Adorned with Swarovski crystals, they simulate a shimmering starry sky. A documentary about the designer's creation plays on the backdrop, allowing customers to learn about the craftsmanship behind each piece.

The initial SKUs were not many, mainly clothing and bags. Chen Xiao looked at the bags on display and said to Meng Ziyi, "You can replace your Chanel and LV with these in the future."

The "Star Trail" handbag: crafted from crocodile skin with platinum hardware, the bag features an embossed constellation pattern and a luxurious silk lining. The "Moon Phase" chain bag: features a rotating flap inlaid with natural black onyx, symbolizing the phases of the moon, combining functionality and artistry. There is also a VIP customization area with a private space and a catalog of rare leather samples (such as Himalayan crocodile and ostrich leather), allowing customers to freely choose colors, hardware, and even have personal symbols engraved.

The "Star Palace" store design also incorporates a lot of technologically advanced luxury. For example, there is an AR virtual fitting mirror: customers can stand in front of the mirror and change all the clothing styles in the showroom with one click, and adjust the lighting scenes (such as banquets, daytime social events, etc.).

There is also a material touch wall: it displays samples of genuine leather, silk, rare velvet and other fabrics, which customers can touch and feel the subtle differences between the different materials.

"Not bad. I approve of the fact that the first version can achieve this level."

Zhang Shijie breathed a sigh of relief. Meng Ziyi and Zhang Ziqian looked at the dazzling array of products in the exhibition hall. For Meng Ziyi, this was no longer just a brand she endorsed; it was also her man's business. The level of investment she had made was incomparable to the last time she came.

Buzz~ Chen Xiao received a text message. He glanced at it and said to Zhang Ziqian, "Yu Ting is here. Go down and greet her."

Zhang Shijie certainly wouldn't let Zhang Ziqian go down to pick up the person alone, so he quickly arranged for his secretary to accompany her. Wu Ting was a woman with high emotional intelligence; she had deliberately tried to get closer to Zhang Ziqian during her last visit. Don't be fooled by her position as the chairman's assistant at Yinuo Group; she may seem powerful and imposing, but compared to Zhang Ziqian, she was far inferior. Didn't you see Zhang Shijie always smiling obsequiously in front of her?

Xiao Yuting and Zhang Ruier arrived in Shanghai a few days earlier. As contracted models for Junxing Motors, their schedules were very tight, and they didn't have much time to stay in Jiangzhou. Especially after Zhang Ruier was mistakenly taken in by Chen Xiao last time, although she didn't blame her and even felt a little guilty, Xiao Yuting still felt a little sorry for her friend.

I accompanied her to Shanghai and even bought her a Chanel bag as a gift. A few days ago, Zhang Ziqian contacted me, saying that she had prepared a 289-square-meter garden villa for both her and Zhang Ruier at Jindi Xiushan Yin, so they wouldn't need to stay in a hotel next time they returned to Jiangzhou.

As they got into the Cullinan, Zhang Ruier, sitting in the passenger seat, had already asked several times. Xiao Yuting replied helplessly, "I've already said, he's here, he's here, he's here."

Zhang Ruier blushed slightly. Thinking back to that time, she felt ashamed; she had been so caught up in the moment that she forgot to refuse—what a terrible thing to do! So now, she felt both anticipation and embarrassment about seeing Chen Xiao.

As her friend, Xiao Yuting understood her conflicted feelings and shook her head, saying, "People carry too heavy a psychological burden."

Zhang Ziqian had already asked Wu Ting to notify the security guards on the first floor about the license plate number, so the Cullinan drove directly into the gate of the Yinuo Group headquarters. Inside the security booth, several security guards were discussing what day it was. Usually, they only saw cars like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi, but today, there was a Rolls-Royce Phantom limousine and a Cullinan. Even the chairman hadn't ridden in such a nice car.

Xiao Yuting parked her car, and just then, a man and a woman got out of an Audi A6L next door. Surprisingly, they were both people she knew.

Last time in Shanghai, Xiao Yuting treated Chen Xiao to dinner, and that's when we ran into Wang Lun. Then we ran into these two. I remember one was Li Yan, the planning general manager of Yinuo Group, and the other was Xing'er, a relatively well-known car model. Xiao Yuting and Xing'er aren't the same kind of people. Xing'er likes to post suggestive selfies online, so they're on different wavelengths and can't work together.

She was puzzled to see these two again. Hadn't Chen Xiao been quite unhappy about Li Yan's job last time? Why were they at the Yinuo Group? Then she realized he probably hadn't called to make arrangements and had forgotten about it. He hadn't brought his assistant that day, so naturally no one had reminded him.

Li Yan and Xing'er glanced at the Cullinan again. This kind of luxury car would attract a lot of attention wherever it went. Because of the privacy glass, they didn't see Xiao Yuting and Zhang Ruier sitting inside the car. The two walked side by side towards the headquarters building.

Zhang Ruier also saw them and asked in surprise, "Isn't that Xing'er? What's she doing here?"

Xiao Yuting sent Chen Xiao a message to let him know she had arrived. Since it was her first time here, she needed someone to show her around, so she waited in the car for someone to pick her up. When she heard Zhang Ruier's words, she casually replied, "We're here to discuss cooperation, right? Otherwise, what are you doing at Yinuo Group?"

"Her? A collaboration? Could it be 'Star Palace'?"

"How could that be? Do you think Chen Xiao is blind? Let's go, get out of the car, I see Ziqian coming."

She turned off the engine and got out of the car. As she pushed open the passenger door, Zhang Ruier wondered—isn't Chen Xiao blind? How could he have accidentally wandered in like that?

"Ziqian".

"Yu Ting—and who is this?"

"Zhang Ruier, my best friend."

Zhang Ziqian introduced Wu Ting to the two of them. Seeing how polite Zhang Ziqian was to Xiao Yuting, and how beautiful Xiao Yuting was, and considering that it was President Chen who arranged for the two of them to come down, Wu Ting couldn't help but think about the relationship between Xiao Yuting and President Chen.

The group arrived at the "Star Palace" exhibition hall together. Chen Xiao waved to Xiao Yuting and said, "Come on, Yuting, what do you think of our design?" Then he smiled and nodded at Zhang Ruier. He had become thick-skinned now and felt no remorse for what had happened.

Zhang Ruier was on tenterhooks the whole way, imagining many scenarios of meeting him. She never expected him to act so nonchalantly. But that was fine too, it was a natural transition, and Zhang Ruier's nervousness disappeared in an instant.

Just as Xiao Yuting arrived, Chen Xiao remembered something and said to Zhang Shijie, "They just arrived. Have Wu Lulu take their measurements later. From now on, all their clothes will be custom-made here."

Me too? Zhang Ruier glanced at Chen Xiao secretly—it turns out he treats me quite well, in some ways he's treating me the same as Yu Ting.

Zhang Shijie made arrangements immediately, not daring to delay for a second. Xiao Yuting and Zhang Ruier, like Meng Ziyi, were here to film a promotional video. Chen Xiao had been watching for a while and said to the group, "I'm going to talk to President Zhang about something else. Ziqian can come with me. Yuting, you guys wait for Wu Lulu to come and take your measurements. Ziyi, you can decide for yourself whether to rest for a while or stay here. If you need anything, just ask Wu Ting."

Company personnel would occasionally come into this exhibition hall, but it was cleared out because of Chen Xiao and his group. Once Chen Xiao left, things returned to normal, so Meng Ziyi didn't stay there anymore; celebrities shouldn't be in crowded places.

In Zhang Shijie's office, Chen Xiao sat down on the sofa, and Zhang Ziqian sat down next to him.

"You've already arranged the two shops on the Champs-Élysées in Paris and Rue Rodeo in Seoul. 400 square meters will be carved out from the existing locations, which is enough for 'Starry Night's' current SKU count. Have someone go with Burberry as soon as possible to finalize the dimensions and cutting plan, and get the design in place quickly. If the first store opens well, we'll open all the Junxiaocheng projects by the end of this year. Adding the Hengyuan Plaza we're about to acquire, plus one each in Paris and Seoul, that'll be a total of 20 'Starry Night' shops, which will immediately open up the market."

Because Wu Ting was with Meng Ziyi, Zhang Shijie's other secretary was taking notes. Zhang Ziqian was also taking notes; this was something President Chen had instructed her to monitor Zhang Shijie's progress according to the timeline.

Zhang Shijie's target monthly sales for the first "Xingque" store is 3000 million yuan, which he considers a success. Of course, this is for the first month of operation; if sales stabilize, he believes that exceeding 1500 million yuan per month would be considered a success.

Because LV's highest monthly sales in Junxiao City reached 3.2 million yuan, but that was during a promotional month; their normal sales are only around 1.5 million yuan. However, LV's store area is over 2000 square meters. Therefore, with only 500 square meters of space, fewer SKUs, and less established brand awareness, achieving 3000 million yuan in sales in the first month is still a bit challenging for "Xingque."

If this effect can be achieved, the brand will have made a name for itself and will definitely have a place in China's high-end luxury brand circle.

Imagine if each store's average monthly sales reached 1500 million yuan. Once all 20 Junxiaocheng stores were opened, the annual sales would be approximately 40 billion yuan, roughly half of the current annual sales of the Yinuo Group. Moreover, the gross profit margin of luxury brands is astonishing, and the profit could far exceed the current situation of the Yinuo Group.

This is only the early stage of development. Once the first version of the store is successful, other categories can be added later, such as: fine jewelry, watch series; decorations, furniture, beauty and perfume, etc. These can be gradually added in the next generation of upgraded stores. The first step to do now is to do a good job in men's and women's ready-to-wear, leather goods and bags, and men's and women's shoes.

You have to take things one step at a time. You need to build consumer trust in the brand first before you can gradually add other product categories.

The opening is still several months away, but we need to start planning the events for the opening days now. Chen Xiao asked who is in charge of this part.

After asking the question, he said self-deprecatingly, "Even if you told me, I wouldn't know the answer."

Even if he didn't know him, Zhang Shijie still had to answer. "He's Li Yan, the general manager of our planning department. He's a relative of one of our former major shareholders. Later, their shares were basically acquired by General Manager Zhao's side."

Li Yan? Chen Xiao felt that the name sounded familiar, but he couldn't remember it. In the end, he was too lazy to rack his brains. He guessed that he had read too many historical novels when he was a child, and the story of Li Yan and Hong Xiannu had influenced him.

Zhang Shijie added, "I personally reviewed all the proposals he provided."

Chen Xiao nodded. That was for sure. There were some specific matters to consider; he, as the chairman, couldn't be running around outside every day.

"Li Yan recently contacted some influential celebrities and internet influencers, and will invite them to visit the store when 'Xingque' opens. I also contacted some project managers who will attend the opening ceremony. However, most of the business tycoons were invited by President Xu Jun."

Zhang Shijie's Yinuo Group is indeed very strong, but it is insignificant in the eyes of those top business tycoons. They only recognize those who value luxury brands, and it is difficult for Zhang Shijie to have any interaction with them normally.

She then reported to Chen Xiao on the revenue of the Yinuo Group last month. Zhang Ziqian had already reported this data in advance, but Chen Xiao did not want to dampen her enthusiasm. After listening to her report, he encouraged her a few times and then said, "Let's go eat later. Ziqian, go and call Yuting and the others."

Because the headquarters of the Inno Group is an office building and factory built by itself on land purchased in the development zone, and there are no special restaurants nearby, Chen Xiao was unwilling to go too far, so he chose the small restaurant in the canteen. Chen Xiao had been there once before and the taste was okay.

(End of this chapter)