After rebirth, I became a great master

Chapter 386 It's Good to Become Your Apprentice

These days, the market for old-style houses hasn't taken off yet.

There are occasional transactions, but they are all made by foreigners.

Wealthy people in China tend to avoid older houses that have been resold seven, eight, or even more than ten times. Wouldn't it be better to buy a newly built villa in Pudong or Hongqiao for the same price?
Once the market for old-style houses picks up, it will be very difficult to buy one.

Now is the time for Zhou Haoran to enter the market while policies are relaxed.

"This house is quite nice."

Ji Yingyang also took a liking to this place.

Zhou Haoran drove her away, smiling as he asked, "How about moving in here?"

"Let's forget it?" Ji Yingyang was somewhat hesitant about this. "We probably can't control it, can we?"

Zhou Haoran chuckled and said, "Are you afraid of evil spirits?"

Ji Yingyang said, "You saw the property information just now, didn't you? This house originally belonged to the director of the American Concession Municipal Council, almost a hundred years ago. During that period of concession, they were doing opium business, and those foreigners had countless lives on their hands."

"If that's the case, who would dare to stay at the Peace Hotel? The presidential suite on the top floor costs over ten thousand a day."

Zhou Haoran felt she was too sensitive.

Ji Yingyang rolled her eyes at him. "I don't believe you'll move in."

Zhou Haoran chuckled. "So, you want to build a Red Mansion Teahouse... By the way, if I really buy this place and rename it 'Zhou Mansion,' what do you think?"

"Not good at all!" Ji Yingyang said decisively. "You dare to steal the name of 'Zhou Mansion'?"

Zhou Haoran scoffed, "In a harbor like this, what 'Zhou Mansion' still exists? The Zhou Mansion on Huangpu Beach used to be Zhou Fohai's home. Does such a traitor deserve to be called 'Lord Zhou'?"

"He's not good enough, but you are?"

"Aren't you being a bit disrespectful?"

"There was a person who lived in Mei Lanfang's former residence for a period of time during the peace talks between the two parties. Nowadays, Mei Lanfang's former residence is called 'Zhou Enlai's Residence.' Can you guess who this person is?"

Ji Yingyang's expression was mocking.

Zhou Haoran laughed and avoided the topic, "The campus card order plan has been finalized. 1.2 cards and 80 card readers. Approximately how much will it cost?"

Ji Yingyang blurted out, "300 million."

"Why don't you go and grab it?"

Zhou Haoran widened his eyes.

Ji Yingyang said, puzzled, "Isn't this how it is when doing business with the government?"

"Then you should go for something similar." Zhou Haoran was too embarrassed to take such a drastic measure against the school. "About how much would it cost?"

Ji Yingyang said, "It must be over 100 million. The card readers all have to be imported, which is very expensive. Add in tariffs, value-added tax, income tax, and the costs of transportation, warehousing, losses, and after-sales service. All in all, I can't make much profit."

"This digital infrastructure development is really expensive!"

Zhou Haoran had many feelings about this.

We will purchase 1000 computers, of which 500 will be used to improve the server room and the other 500 will be used for office purposes.

That would cost tens of millions.

The campus card project will cost several million more.

The campus network project would be even bigger, potentially requiring the entire campus to be dug up to lay fiber optic cables, costing tens of millions of yuan.

That's why we need to promote Project 985.

We must select a group of key universities for focused support, otherwise the funding simply won't be enough.

Ji Yingyang analyzed, "Fudan is your school, so you can't ask for too low a price. Once the campus card is promoted at Fudan, other schools will follow suit, and their procurement quotes will definitely take Fudan's orders as a reference."

Zhou Haoran suddenly said, "Sister Yangyang, you're so outstanding, what kind of man could tame you?"

"Ok?"

Ji Yingyang opened his eyes wide.

Zhou Haoran said very seriously, "This is what I think: a stable relationship between a man and a woman requires a degree of dependence. This dependence is not only based on physiological needs, but also on emotional comfort and security. For women, moderate dependence on men is actually a strategy to enhance feelings and promote the development of the relationship. This dependence is not a sign of weakness, but rather an investment in harmonious love..."

"Alright, alright," Ji Yingyang interrupted him, both amused and exasperated. "What's wrong with you?"

Zhou Haoran said, "I think, someone as outstanding as you, what kind of outstanding man would be worthy of your dependence?"

Ji Yingyang rolled her eyes and said reproachfully, "After all that theory, it boils down to one sentence: you want to sleep with me."

"Ahem, I don't deny that." Zhou Haoran was also thick-skinned. "But I think there's a theoretical basis to it. If you just go along with any man, it's not only irresponsible to yourself, but also a mockery of me."

Ji Yingyang laughed uncontrollably.

Don't even say it.

As long as she doesn't talk about work, her gender characteristics are still very obvious; she's very feminine.

"Have you heard something?"

Ji Yingyang pursed her lips, looking at him with a half-smile.

Zhou Haoran readily admitted, "I heard that you've been getting quite close to a guy from the drama center lately?"

Ji Yingyang tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "That's true."

Zhou Haoran turned and glanced at her. "Don't you want to explain?"

"There's nothing to explain; the innocent will clear themselves."

Ji Yingyang raised her chin slightly, looking quite arrogant. Zhou Haoran nodded, "But women's hearts are all soft, Sister Yangyang. I probably understand women better than you do. Even if you don't have any feelings for him now, if he keeps pestering you for a year or two... honestly, even a heart of stone can be melted. It's like sales; persistent persuasion is the surest way to win someone over."

Ji Yingyang teased, "You've been begging and pleading with me for so long, and I still haven't let you succeed?"

Zhou Haoran snorted, "I'm doing this out of respect for you, because I don't want to bully you. If I just went to a bar with you, coaxed you to have a few drinks, and then we went to a hotel together, wouldn't I have won you over by now?"

Ji Yingyang stared blankly, "You're very experienced!"

Zhou Haoran asked, "Is the place you're living in now also rented?"

"Ah."

"The Southeast Asian economic crisis is so severe right now, it'll probably spread to China soon. When that happens, domestic property prices will definitely plummet. I'll buy more properties and give you one."

"Keeping a mistress in a golden house, huh?"

“Yes!” Zhou Haoran said with a strong sense of responsibility. “It’s not just you, Xiao Chen and Nuonuo, they have them too.”

Ji Yingyang was silent for a moment, then sighed softly, "Haoran, I've actually considered it. With your abilities, it would be good for me to become your apprentice and stay by your side."

Zhou Haoran's eyes lit up. "Then what are you waiting for?"

Ji Yingyang said decisively, "But I don't want to sleep with you. You're a womanizer, and I don't like that kind of thing, playing with my body."

“Oh dear…” Zhou Haoran couldn’t help but criticize her, “Sister Yangyang, your vision is too narrow.”

Ji Yingyang glanced at him.

At this moment, her cell phone rang.

These days, it's still analog signal, and even though they're not the big mobile phones anymore, handheld phones are still quite bulky.

"Brother Liu, this isn't necessary... I'm not at the company, you should go back now... Please don't do this, I don't need it, I have everything I need... You're going to spend too much... Okay, okay, I'll be back right away..."

Ji Yingyang's tone was full of helplessness.

Zhou Haoran understood immediately, "Still bothering you?"

Ji Yingyang grunted and complained, "There's a new leader at the drama center. I didn't know him at first. I met him at a former colleague's wedding and he's been bothering me ever since."

Zhou Haoran advised, "That's easy. After a while, I'll just say you're my kept mistress, and he'll definitely never bother you again."

Ji Yingyang was both annoyed and amused. "Then I won't have to face my former colleagues anymore."

I went to Pudong.

Park your car in front of the company building.

I searched all over but couldn't find anyone.

"What about people?"

"I don't know, he said he did, and he brought me two boxes of lychees..."

"Is that it?"

Zhou Haoran saw a red Happiness brand three-wheeled motorcycle speeding towards him in the distance.

These days, motorcycles aren't banned in harbors.

These three-wheeled motorcycles are a very cheap mode of transportation. The driver rides the motorcycle in front, and the passengers sit in the back of the vehicle.

Ji Yingyang turned his head and was amused. "Yes, it's him."

A three-wheeled motorcycle came along.

Her hair was blown around like it was in a music video.

That's really impressive!

Ji Yingyang suppressed a laugh and walked over. "Brother Liu, why are you bringing me things again? I don't need anything, I have everything."

Brother Liu across the street nimbly jumped off the motorcycle, unloaded two styrofoam boxes, and earnestly instructed, "When managing a company, you must treat your employees well. This is chilled lychees, look... there's even ice in these styrofoam boxes. Go back and distribute them to your employees, and I guarantee it will win their hearts!"

"Okay, thank you, Brother Liu."

Ji Yingyang couldn't very well refuse.

"Come on, I'll help you carry it up..." Brother Liu saw a young man behind her and assumed he was one of her employees, so he waved him over, "Come here, help your boss carry things!"

Zhou Haoran saw him early in the morning.

I was quite surprised.

He knew this Brother Liu!

Isn't that Liu Guoqiang, the deputy director of the general channel's editing department?

I've seen him before at Editor-in-Chief Lin's dance party!

Why did he go to the drama center?
The drama center and Red Star TV are both affiliated with Red Star Media, and this is an internal job transfer. However, being transferred from the TV station to the drama center is clearly a demotion.

Could this be a personnel adjustment made after Zhan Yushan was promoted to deputy director and put in charge of the general channel?
Zhou Haoran walked over.

Liu Guoqiang seemed to recognize him too. "Huh? You...you're that salesman, Zhou...Zhou Haoran?"

Zhou Haoran smiled and said, "Director Liu, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I've come to deliver something to General Manager Ji..." Liu Guoqiang coughed lightly, quite curious, "You know General Manager Ji?"

Zhou Haoran didn't mince words, "Yes, we've known each other for many years, we're very good... well, good friends. President Ji came to our company today to discuss cooperation, and I came here specifically to see her off."

Liu Guoqiang glanced at the Xiali car behind him, feeling a pang of sadness. He pretended to be generous and said, "I'm working at the drama center now, not on the main channel anymore. It's perfect that you're here. Let's carry these two boxes of lychees upstairs for Director Ji!"

(End of this chapter)