After rebirth, I became a great master

Chapter 487 The famous flower has its owner
Zhou Haoran's speaking is better than his singing.

I'll go find Yangyang right away.

"Haoran, Happy New Year..." Ji Yingyang handed over two boxes of rice cakes. "These are what I bought in the capital. Try them; they're a local specialty."

Zhou Haoran wasn't interested in these tourist snacks. "You went to the capital?"

Ji Yingyang, dressed in a silk shirt, corduroy wide-leg pants, and Martin boots, looked very slender. He nodded and said, "I went to Yabao Road for a look around."

"Yabao Road?"

"It's commonly known as Russian Town, where small merchants and vendors from the north buy goods wholesale and then take them back to their home countries to sell."

"Ah."

Zhou Haoran was not surprised by this.

The light industry there is extremely poor, and there is a severe shortage of clothing, footwear, food, and daily necessities. The country has no production capacity, and the goods in Europe are too expensive to afford, so they are basically supplied from China.

Some are domestic merchants who bring goods over, while others are merchants from other countries who come to purchase goods.

Ji Yingyang said, "You want to sell Antarctic thermal underwear there? That's fine, but you can't scale it up much. The good days are over. Now the Asian financial crisis has also caused the ruble to collapse. It has depreciated by 50% in two months, which has led to the collapse of the entire market. Foreign trade volume has decreased by more than half."

Zhou Haoran said, "This is too fragile."

Ji Yingyang said softly, "Yes, clothes that originally cost only 60 rubles now have a retail price of 300 rubles to maintain a stable profit. Not to mention small merchants and vendors, even those legitimate official transactions have a large amount of unsold goods, causing many customers to be unable to even pay the port redemption fees."

“If we can’t do it, then forget it.” Zhou Haoran nodded. “I was just helping out anyway, and Antarctic isn’t our company.”

Ji Yingyang rolled his eyes at him, "Since you, a senior scholar, have spoken up, we can't let you lose face, can we?"

"Hmm?" Zhou Haoran sensed something. "You have a way?"

Ji Yingyang pursed his lips and said, "We could open a shop on Yabao Road in the capital. Although the business volume would be less, there would still be some business, with monthly sales of several hundred thousand. I've done my research, and thermal underwear is a blank market; it might become popular."

"also."

Zhou Haoran felt that this was a compromise.

The best strategy is definitely to ship the goods directly to Moscow for sale, where the profit margin is highest; a single trip can easily yield two or three times the profit. However, this approach carries risks: aside from gray-area customs clearance, there are also the risk of highway robbery and even armed interceptions of trains.

I'm going to open a shop on Yabao Road.

Selling goods to middlemen may reduce profits, but it offers a stable and carefree lifestyle, and one cannot afford to take risks.

Ji Yingyang said, "I've looked at all the clothes there. They're all outdated goods from China... Those down jackets, cotton coats, leather jackets, and the like are all things that bankrupt state-owned textile factories couldn't sell, so they're sold to foreigners. If you're doing honest business there, don't cheat people, don't sell inferior goods as superior ones, and build a reputation and brand, you'll have a lot of customers."

Zhou Haoran analyzed, "The situation in the north is so chaotic that it won't recover for at least five or six years. For the next few years, the north will still need to rely heavily on domestic suppliers for its light industrial products. The grey market for customs clearance and smuggling will continue to exist in large numbers."

Ji Yingyang's eyes lit up. "How about this? I have a younger sister who lives in the capital. She works at a counter in a shopping mall. I'll tell her, and she can open a shop on Yabao Road selling Nanji Ren thermal underwear and supplying it to resellers. Resellers in China have many sourcing channels, and those Russian resellers mainly go to the Yabao Road market to get their goods."

Zhou Haoran laughed and said, "Sure, of course we should help our own family. You said that business volume on Yabao Road has shrunk significantly, so rent prices must also drop. Take advantage of the economic crisis to buy a shop. Business will be guaranteed for the next five years."

"Okay, I'll tell her right away!"

Ji Yingyang was very motivated, as it provided an additional channel for Nanjiren to ship their goods and also gave his sister a way to make a living.

Zhou Haoran asked, "You have a younger sister?"

"Uh-huh?"

Ji Yingyang raised an eyebrow, becoming wary.

Zhou Haoran said angrily, "What's with that expression?"

Ji Yingyang said angrily, "So what if I have a younger sister? Don't think such nonsense."

"What am I thinking?" Zhou Haoran was a little confused. "I'm not even considering you anymore."

"Really?"

Ji Yingyang looked suspicious.

Zhou Haoran snorted, "Isn't someone pursuing you?"

Ji Yingyang smiled and said, "I don't know where it went a long time ago."

Zhou Haoran leaned closer and whispered, "Yangyang, are you still a virgin?"

"Do you think I am? How many times have you asked me?"

Ji Yingyang gritted his teeth.

Zhou Haoran sighed, "So that's what they were waiting for."

"Stop being so vain." Ji Yingyang noticed his gaze was fixed on his thighs, so he got up and walked to the office window, gazing at the Huangpu River in the distance. With his back to him, he asked, "You and Xiao Chen, did you... you know...?"

Zhou Haoran followed and stood by the window, asking in surprise, "You just found out?"

Ji Yingyang gritted his teeth, "How about I become an apprentice first, and we can talk about other things later?"

"Really?"

Zhou Haoran's eyes lit up.

Ji Yingyang pursed his lips tightly, hummed in agreement, and said softly, "I owe everything I am today to you. You taught me how to do business. I... I was originally your apprentice."

"also."

Zhou Haoran then put his arm around her waist.

This time, Ji Yingyang didn't dodge, but instead asked with a half-smile, "What are you doing?"

"what happened?"

Zhou Haoran looked completely innocent.

Ji Yingyang retorted angrily, "Now that you've become my disciple, you have a reason to touch me inappropriately, right? That's how you tricked Hu Xiaochen into bed step by step, isn't it?"

"With my charm, do I need to lie?" Zhou Haoran scoffed. "If I take the initiative, you'll feel better. If I don't, one day you'll have to offer yourself to me, believe it or not?"

Ji Yingyang was quite frank, "It's possible."

Zhou Haoran chuckled and said, "Sister Yangyang, I think I understand now. You're lovesick, aren't you? You're looking for a man, but after searching around, you haven't found anyone better than me, so you might as well just be with me, right?"

"I'm not going to flirt with you." Ji Yingyang found ambiguity boring and acted decisively. "Alright, let's become disciples... I'll offer you a cup of tea, and that'll settle our relationship."

"Isn't this too hasty? Why don't we invite a few more friends over to witness it?"

Zhou Haoran felt this was a major life event.

Ji Yingyang refused, pouting, "I don't want anyone to see me kneeling and kowtowing."

"What's the big deal?" Zhou Haoran said dismissively. "Isn't this how you become an apprentice? It's part of traditional culture."

"I'm sorry."

Ji Yingyang brought him a cup of cool tea and handed it to him.

Zhou Haoran wasn't ready yet.

Ji Yingyang was already kneeling at his feet, kowtowing three times with a "bang bang bang" sound, and said quickly, "Disciple Ji Yingyang greets Master."

Then, he stood up.

"Okay, it's settled."

Ji Yingyang bent down, patted the dust off his knees, and did so with a carefree and decisive air.

Zhou Haoran was stunned. "That's it?"

Ji Yingyang looked at him strangely, "Yeah, what else do you want?"

Zhou Haoran was both amused and exasperated. "This is too farcical! Becoming an apprentice is a very serious matter, and you're doing this like it's a joke!"

"You've already kowtowed and called me Master, what more do you want?" Ji Yingyang snorted and ignored him. "Do you expect me to sleep with you before you're serious?" "No..." Zhou Haoran found it absurd. "I haven't even drunk my tea yet."

"Drink it now."

Ji Yingyang's statement was perfectly reasonable.

"you……"

Zhou Haoran felt that this apprenticeship ceremony was too frivolous.

"Anyway, I've already kowtowed and become your disciple." Ji Yingyang didn't care. "Now that my status is settled, I'm your disciple. It's perfectly legitimate for me to move into your house."

Zhou Haoran was taken aback. "You did this for?"

"Otherwise what?" Ji Yingyang snorted. "What other status would I have living in your house? A fully furnished new house, two bedrooms and a living room, more than 80 square meters, and you don't even have to pay rent... If I don't have a definite title, people will think I'm your kept canary."

Zhou Haoran chuckled and said, "You're overthinking it. I bought a lot of ready-built houses this time and lent them to quite a few friends, including Qiao Hai."

Ji Yingyang said calmly, "I don't care about others. Anyway, I don't accept undeserved benefits. What worker can live in the boss's house for free? Now that we're master and apprentice, I'm living in your house, and I have a clear conscience."

"So you can say you have a clear conscience?"

"Did I kowtow for nothing?"

“That makes sense.” Zhou Haoran thought it made sense, and pointed to the ground. “Then come over here again. It’s the New Year, come and wish us a Happy New Year.”

Ji Yingyang blinked and asked in surprise, "Is there a red envelope?"

"Yes, I have!"

Zhou Haoran had more than a dozen red envelopes in his pocket, which were prepared in advance.

"Alright then." Ji Yingyang knelt down again. "Disciple Yangyang wishes his master a Happy New Year and hopes for a prosperous and successful year ahead. Here's the red envelope!"

"You really are..."

Zhou Haoran was both amused and exasperated. He took out a red envelope and placed it on her outstretched, fair hands.

Ji Yingyang took the red envelope, stood up, and found 200 yuan inside. He said happily, "No wonder Xiao Chen was so eager to become an apprentice. It's really nice to have a master; it makes me feel very safe."

Zhou Haoran said, "You feel safe now, but I have an added responsibility on my shoulders."

"What responsibility?"

"It's my responsibility to pamper you."

"I don't need your pampering..."

Ji Yingyang felt the atmosphere had become ambiguous again, and he felt a little uncomfortable.

"Alright, put on your coat. Let's go to Nanji Ren and talk to General Manager Zhang. Nanji Ren has a bright future and can become a top-tier company in China. It's worth paying close attention to."

Zhou Haoran wasn't after shares in Nanji Ren or trying to get their money.

Ji Yingyang put on her gray-white H-shaped wool coat, picked up a pair of warm gloves, and was about to go out.

"Wait a moment."

Zhou Haoran walked over and started working on it right away.

Her wool coat was open, unbuttoned.

He went over and stood in front of her, buttoning up her coat one button at a time, complaining, "In the dead of winter, if you don't dress properly, the wind will blow in as soon as you step outside..."

"I will do it myself."

Ji Yingyang was a little unaccustomed to it.

"okay."

Zhou Haoran was much more assertive this time, not giving her a chance to dodge.

When I tied it around my chest, I accidentally bumped it twice.

Ji Yingyang retorted angrily, "Zhou Haoran, are you doing this on purpose? Taking this opportunity to molest me."

"Cut the nonsense!"

Zhou Haoran glared at her, then took her hand and they went out together.

"Alas..."

Ji Yingyang couldn't take it anymore, her face flushed red, and she tried to break free.

Zhou Haoran remained unmoved and even intertwined his fingers with mine. "You've already become my apprentice, why are you still being so formal with me? Let everyone in the company see that you're already taken. Let those who can't see this step back."

Ji Yingyang was on the verge of collapse, but she couldn't refuse, so she could only grit her teeth and raise her head. When she saw the strange looks from the other people in the company, her face darkened, and she scolded, "What are you looking at? Get back to work!"

I drove to Nanji Ren (a car rental company).

I met with Mr. Zhang Yongxiang and wanted to talk about opening a store.

"Sir, I was just looking for you!"

Zhang Yongxiang was in a hurry.

Zhou Haoran walked all the way with his arm around Yangyang's waist. At first glance, they didn't look like master and apprentice at all, but more like a big boss and his mistress.

Zhang Yongxiang was not surprised by this, and said anxiously, "Sir, someone is framing the Antarctic Man!"

"Who is it?" Zhou Haoran immediately realized something. "Could it be the TV station?"

Zhang Yongxiang said bitterly, "Yes, it's the TV station!"

"what happened?"

Zhou Haoran looked serious, pulled Ji Yingyang to sit down, and put one hand on her shoulder.

This caused Ji Yingyang immense distress.

They were starting to regret becoming his apprentices.

Before becoming an apprentice, he would only try to take advantage of others verbally, saying ambiguous things, but his actions were always proper. After becoming an apprentice, everything changed; he started getting handsy... The saying goes, "a flower already has a master," and he's now treating himself as that "master"!
But I kowtowed and called him "Master".

It's like putting an invisible shackle on yourself.

He asked Ji Yingyang to refuse as he had done before, but the words just wouldn't come out.

Zhang Yongxiang didn't care about relationships between men and women. He said in a deep voice, "The entertainment channel has a program called 'Consumer Frontier.' During the Spring Festival, they reported on several segments related to Antarctic people."

Zhou Haoran narrowed his eyes. "What did you say?"

Zhang Yongxiang said, "The program said that Antarctic people's thermal underwear is so suffocating."

"What?"

Zhou Haoran was stunned, as if it were a fantasy.

Zhang Yongxiang was furious and said through gritted teeth, "The program said that the reason our thermal underwear is so warm is because there is a layer of plastic film inside. This plastic film is not breathable and suffocates people."

"Isn't that nonsense?"

Zhou Haoran didn't even need to know the specifics; he knew it must be fake.

Thermal underwear isn't covering a person's mouth and nose.

"Yes, it's all a lie. They're just using the death incident to spread rumors and smear the Antarctic people!"

Zhang Yongxiang was filled with righteous indignation.

Zhou Haoran understood and was surprised, "Someone really died?"

(End of this chapter)