Living in a small county town, earning a million a year

Chapter 142 Happy to receive a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra
"Xiao Mu, you're so good to me. I feel like I owe you more and more." Bai Xue hugged Xu Mu's neck and said softly, "Are you going to take care of me?"

Giving money and giving away houses, to be honest, it's no different from being kept by a sugar daddy.

Moreover, Xu Mu even gave himself a raise in an unconventional way. To be honest, Bai Xue didn't know how to thank Xu Mu anymore. She could only do her best to make Xu Mu happy and make the most of her unique abilities!
Of course, if we had to put a price tag on it, to be honest, even if Bai Xue spent all her time with Xu Mu, according to the market rate, she probably wouldn't be able to pay it back in three years! But Xu Mu didn't care about that at all. Money was just a number to Xu Mu, but he hoped that the woman beside him could have a better future.

It's not just about being dependent on him.

"By the way, how's Uncle Bai's shop coming along?"

We plan to open for business during the National Day holiday!

"Oh?" Xu Mu raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly somewhat surprised. "Then it'll be soon?"

"Yeah, will you come when it opens?"

Xu Mu thought for a moment and then said, "Sure, I'll join in the fun! Can I get free lobster then?"

"Of course, you can eat as much as you want. You're a shareholder on the first day of opening, so everything has to be arranged!"

"Ha ha!"

After chatting for a while, Xu Mu gently patted Bai Xue's firm, perky buttocks and said, "When you have time, go take a look at houses near Yangjiashan, or pick a house you like and I'll transfer three million to you. It would be best to buy a larger one."

"It will be convenient for me to stay there in the future!"

"I understand!" Bai Xue ultimately did not refuse Xu Mu, because she knew that if she refused, Xu Mu would definitely find a way to buy her a house and let her move in. She was Xu Mu's first woman and someone who had watched Xu Mu rise to prominence.

She also understands Xu Mu's personality very well.

Money had long since lost its value to Xu Mu; it was nothing more than a string of numbers.

But for her, those millions would honestly be something she could only earn in her entire life.

Over the next two hours, Bai Xue was even more passionate than before. However, despite her recent exercise, she still succumbed to Xu Mu, a man who had undergone system modifications, and was completely powerless against him.

The next morning, Xu Mu did not sleep in.

After Bai Xue got up, Xu Mu also got up. Before leaving, Xu Mu put his arm around Bai Xue's slender waist and pressed her down in front of the sink for a simple morning exercise. However, the morning exercise did not last long, only about an hour.

"You rascal, you're already late for work!"

Bai Xue looked at the work schedule and felt rather helpless.

She also couldn't bear to part with Xu Mu.

After all, it was just one night of intimacy. If Xu Mu went out to work, she didn't know when she would see him again!
"It's alright, I'm a shareholder!"

Xu Mu watched as Bai Xue put on her business suit, picked up the LV bag he had given her, and left home.

Bai Xue hurriedly clocked in at the company and went to her office.

When her colleague saw that Bai Xue was unusually late, she immediately asked curiously, "Sister Bai Xue, what's wrong? You rarely come late."

"Something came up at home and I was delayed!"

Bai Xue gave an embarrassed smile; she couldn't very well say that she had let that scoundrel Xu Mu bully her for another hour.

If she hadn't been in a hurry to get to work, Xu Mu definitely wouldn't have let her off so easily.

"Oh, I see... But Sister Baixue, you look great today! I've noticed you've been looking downcast for a while now, like you have something on your mind, but you seem quite happy today!"

"Huh?" Bai Xue was taken aback and asked doubtfully, "Really? I don't see any difference?"

"Perhaps he's been blessed with love," my colleague said with a chuckle.

"Don't talk nonsense." Bai Xue blushed immediately.

"Oh my, Sister Bai Xue is shy."

"Who doesn't know that Sister Bai Xue is the top dog in our company and the future chairman successor? Sister Bai Xue, your salary is getting higher and higher, and you've even gotten a new phone and a Mercedes C-Class. You're really getting further and further away from us!"

"Come on, let's still be best friends!"

Bai Xue rolled her eyes, then stood up and said, "I'm going to President Tang's office!"

Bai Xue dared not tell Tang Mochen that she was with Xu Mu. Tang Mochen had asked her twice before, but Bai Xue denied it both times. After all, Tang Ruobing and Xu Mu still had a complicated relationship, and Bai Xue still felt somewhat inferior when facing Tang Ruobing.

After all, Tang Ruobing comes from a good family and is wealthy; she's definitely a rich heiress. Bai Xue, on the other hand, is just an ordinary girl who's pretty. But in reality, it's very difficult to achieve upward social mobility based solely on looks.

Marrying a rich second-generation heir?
Isn't that what happens when many women marry rich second-generation heirs?

They have no status or human rights at home!
Therefore, Bai Xue never thought about marrying into a wealthy family to change her social class; she simply worked hard to change her social class herself.

After Bai Xue left, her colleagues whispered among themselves, "Do you think Sister Bai Xue is being kept by someone?"

"She used to worry about family matters all the time, but now that those matters are resolved, she's even bought a new car and a new phone. I think there's a high probability that a super-rich guy is taking care of Sister Bai Xue!"

"I think so too. I once saw Sister Bai Xue's car parked in the underground garage, but she was nowhere to be seen. I guess she left in the boss's car!"

"I saw Bai Xue with a handsome guy in Zhexi Old Street before. He was really good-looking. I guess his family is rich and he's keeping Bai Xue as a mistress!"

Even if Bai Xue denies it, it won't make a difference. Her obvious changes in her life are enough to make her colleagues speculate. After all, the president's office assistant who used to borrow money from online loans has suddenly paid off all her debts and even got a raise and a new car.

You said it's impossible for there to be no change.

Bai Xue herself doesn't have the ability to change this situation; the only one who can say that is the man standing behind Bai Xue!
……

Xu Mu left Bai Xue's house and took a taxi to the high-speed rail station.

On the way, Xu Mu sent Zhang Xinnan a WeChat message: "I'm on my way to the high-speed rail station now."

"Are you up yet? I'm waiting for you at the high-speed rail station!"

The car has arrived at the delivery center, so Xu Mu isn't in a hurry. As long as everything can be completed today, that's fine.

"He's up, already packing his things!"

"Then Brother Xu Mu, please wait for me for a moment!"

"Ok!"

As Xu Mu waited in the waiting room, he pondered what kind of house Bai Xue would buy.

To be honest, there aren't many options for houses in Tianji County, but three million is enough to buy a large apartment. Xu Mu had considered buying a house for Bai Xue before, but he thought that Bai Xue had her own self-respect, so he never brought it up. But what Xu Mu didn't expect was that he transferred three million to Bai Xue last night, and she still silently accepted it.

"It seems that Sister Bai Xue still understands me."

Xu Mu couldn't help but smile.

He naturally couldn't possibly think that Bai Xue was after the three million; he would only think that Bai Xue understood his intentions.

With so much money now, to be honest, Xu Mu really doesn't know what to do with it. You might ask, buy a house? Xu Mu already has so many houses, he really can't live in them all. You might ask, invest in a business? Xu Mu doesn't lack investment projects at all right now.

In the future, the balance in Xu Mu's account will only increase, and it is impossible for it to decrease. With 80,000 yuan arriving in his account every day, it would be difficult for Xu Mu to spend 10,000 yuan a day... Of course, today he may have to spend more money, as Xu Mu has to spend more than 600,000 yuan to buy Ultra.

"Logically speaking, there should be quite a few orders transferred from Ultra, so why is my order still so slow!"

When the YU7 was released, Thunderobot opened the channel for order transfers. Many people changed their orders from SU7 and SU7 Ultra to YU7. In theory, the Ultra should have been able to speed up, but unfortunately, the speed was only increased by one month.

The number of orders that are transferred may not be as high as one might imagine.

However, Xu Mu didn't care. He didn't lack cars at all. He only wanted to experience what it was like for a car worth 500,000 yuan to have 1,500 horsepower.

Xu Mu didn't have to wait long before Zhang Xinnan and Huang Fei entered the venue with their suitcases after having their tickets checked.

Xu Mu bought a high-speed rail ticket for 10 o'clock, and the others bought tickets around the same time. The three of them were on the same train, but they might not be in the same carriage. Moreover, Xu Mu got off one stop earlier than them.

"Brother Xu Mu, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!"

"We're taking a while to pack up!"

Seeing Xu Mu waiting, Zhang Xinnan stuck out her tongue somewhat embarrassedly and said with a smile, "But there are still ten minutes before the ticket check. Luckily, we don't live far away!"

"It's alright." Xu Mu smiled and took Zhang Xinnan and Huang Fei's suitcases, placing them on a nearby bench. "Sit down, have you had breakfast?"

"no!"

"Then I'll go to the convenience store and buy you some bread."

"We'll have lunch there just as we get there!"

"Brother Xu Mu, are you going to have lunch with us?" Zhang Xinnan asked, her eyes filled with anticipation and hope.

"I have to go pick up my car, so I won't be having lunch with you guys!"

"But after I pick up the car, I'll see if I have time to have dinner with you guys! I also want to try the local flavors of Xin Rong Ji in Taishi."

Xin Rong Ji originated in Taishi, and Xin Rong Ji in the city center was the first local branch. Xu Mu felt that the taste of the first branch must be slightly different, but Xu Mu had never eaten there and did not know what the difference was!

"Shall we make an appointment after you're done with your work?"

"can."

The three people boarded the high-speed train one after another without having to wait long.

Xu Mu's carriage was in first class, while Zhang Xinnan and Huang Fei were in second class.

The main reason for buying a first-class seat was that Xu Mu had never sat in a first-class seat before, and since this was a rare opportunity, he had to experience what it was like!
Once seated in first class, a dedicated flight attendant came over to ask Xu Mu what she wanted to drink or eat. The service was definitely top-notch, and she was wearing a flight attendant uniform with black stockings covering her legs.

The flight attendant serving Xu Mu was wearing black stockings and high-heeled leather shoes, with her skirt just above her knees. She was also quite tall, probably a little over 1.7 meters, but no more than 1.75 meters. Most importantly, she was beautiful, young, and had delicate features!
"Do you have Want Want Milk? I'd like some Want Want Milk, and I'll also have a pineapple bun!"

"Good sir!"

Xu Mu wasn't so lecherous as to have all sorts of thoughts about a flight attendant. After all, there are so many beautiful women in the world, and with Xu Mu's current wealth and abilities, he could honestly have his way with all sorts of girls. It's just that Xu Mu didn't do that.

The flight attendant gave Xu Mu a can of Want Want milk and two pineapple buns before going to serve the other passengers.

Xu Mu's journey was quick. After drinking Want Want milk and eating pineapple buns, he arrived at the first stop, Linhai, which has Ziyang Street and an ancient city. Linhai is only eighteen minutes away from Tianji County by high-speed rail, which is very fast. If Xu Mu had driven himself, it would have taken about an hour. This is the convenience of high-speed rail.

Of course, the whole way was through tunnels, and Xu Mu was completely numb. The network kept lagging, and to be honest, even playing games wasn't smooth.

After stopping in Linhai for about two or three minutes, the high-speed train started again and headed to the next station, Taishi West.

Taishi West is about three kilometers away from the delivery center. Xu Mu sent Zhu Mao a WeChat message: "I'm almost at Taishi West. Come pick me up in the underground parking garage!"

"I'm too lazy to take a taxi!"

"Okay, I'll drive my Ultra over!"

Zhu Mao quickly replied to Xu Mu's message.

Although Xu Mu only bought an Ultra, Zhu Mao had given him several thousand yuan for delivering the car to Shanghai last time. He knew Xu Mu was a very wealthy boss, so Zhu Mao would definitely fulfill any request Xu Mu made, as long as he could!

Who knows what kind of car Xu Mu will buy next?

Upon arriving at Taishi West, Xu Mu went to the underground parking garage and saw a silver Ultra with a hole-punch design parked not far away. As soon as Xu Mu came out, Zhu Mao immediately honked the horn.

Xu Mu smiled, and carrying a Louis Vuitton bag, headed to Ultra.

As soon as Xu Mu sat in the passenger seat, she saw Zhu Mao start the car. "You're not driving a test drive car, are you?"

"It really is a test drive vehicle! After all, my own car doesn't match Mr. Xu's high-end status, so I can only drive the Ultra from the store. I just said I wanted to take it for a test drive, no problem! It's only three kilometers, about ten minutes, I can get back quickly!"

As Zhu Mao spoke, he drove the Ultra back to the store.

"Do you have an Ultra track version? The one that costs around 800,000?" Xu Mu asked Zhu Mao, sitting in the passenger seat and feeling the surging power of the Ultra.

"There are only ten of those cars this year, and almost all of them are in the hands of scalpers, with markups starting at 300,000 yuan! Some scalpers won't sell even if the price is lower!"

"Isn't this just plain crazy? Why would they steal cars that are already on the track? Just because they're scarce?"

"The prototype car from the Nürburgring has had its rear seats modified into brackets and bucket seats. It's mainly about its rarity! What's up, Mr. Xu, are you interested in this thing too? To be honest, a regular ultra is fine for casual driving. This kind of track car is okay for fun, but imagine using it as a normal family car – it'd be a nightmare. The suspension has been changed to coilovers, making it extremely bumpy!"

"The rear seats are also missing!"

"It's really useless after I bought it!"

Zhu Mao is very honest. Although he is a test drive member at the delivery center and a Xiaomi employee, Zhu Mao's main characteristic is honesty. For professionals like him, isn't limiting the number of units to ten nationwide just a form of scarcity marketing?
They said they put out a hundred units, but only ten were put out this year. Doesn't that mean the remaining ninety units will be put out for next year?

"Trying to show off?"

"Bro, do you still need to show off?" Zhu Mao was dumbfounded. "Honestly, your Porsche 911 GT3 is pretty powerful, the last hope for gasoline cars! Although the Ultra came in third at the Nürburgring, I think electric cars are normal. The GT3 is cool, that big frog is awesome!"

“That’s true!” Xu Mu smiled. He also really liked his Porsche 911 GT3, but he was still a little unwilling to give up without buying a track version. He still wanted to try it out on the track.

"Just asking!"

"If you don't have one, that's fine. But if you do, get me one to play with!"

"And if that's the case, I can try to negotiate the price down!"

"I estimate they're sold out now. Scalpers sell these limited editions very quickly, and there's no shortage of buyers all over the country. Ten cars can be cleared out in no time! Of course, I don't think there'll be any markup on the used car market now, since these cars take a lot of wear and tear after track use!"

"If you ask me, you should wait and wait until next year when the new car is released to grab one. You can buy it at the original price then, and after you're done, you can sell it as a new car and make some money!"

"Oh?" Xu Mu's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "Okay, whatever you say!"

Xu Mu is the kind of person who listens to advice!
Upon arriving at Xiaomi's delivery center, Xu Mu followed Zhu Mao inside.

"Mr. Xu, the car is right behind us. I'll have Hu Kai take you there to see it."

"Then if there are no problems, just complete the formalities!"

"I still need to take someone there for a test drive!"

Even though the Ultra has been out for six months, there are still people test driving it, and there's a steady stream of people coming to test drive it. Of course, the most popular one right now is the YU7, which is always fully booked, with orders already booked for a year and a half ahead.

That's just ridiculous.

"Okay!" Xu Mu replied, and then went to the delivery center at the back. Hu Kai was already waiting there. After Xu Mu introduced himself, Hu Kai led Xu Mu to the parking area at the back, where several Ultra cars were parked.

One of them is Xu Mu's silver perforated carbon fiber Ultra in its original color.

There's also the silver one with the hole cutout and the original color.

Of course, one of the black cars with a hole in it caught Xu Mu's attention, so he stopped to take a look.

So incredibly handsome!
Moreover, this black is obsidian black. Carbon fiber doesn't need to be selected in its original color; it can only be the color of carbon, giving it a deep and heavy feel!

"Damn it, I think I made a mistake choosing silver! I don't know why silver looks a bit ugly!"

Of course, that's what they say, but when Xu Mu got closer, the car's flowing light and the carbon fiber cutouts in the middle were still very impressive, especially the large carbon fiber rear wing, which was incredibly cool!

"Mr. Xu, please inspect the car!"

"You can get in the car and experience it, and then you can feel the car's functions!" "No need, let's just go through the procedures!" Xu Mu shook his head. Getting in the car to experience it would take too much time. It would be better to just pick up the car and have plenty of time to experience it.

The ultra-long car is five meters long, and although it no longer has a front trunk, it can hold more.

However, the previous public opinion storm still had some impact, causing the price of the Ultra to plummet, but it didn't affect Xu Mu's liking for the car.

Ultra is still very handsome.

The procedures were quick, taking only about half an hour. However, Xu Mu had to choose the green certificate and license plate himself, so the car still had to be driven to the nearby vehicle management office for license plate registration and then the green certificate would be issued.

Xu Mu finished at exactly 11:30, just in time to get the green license plate.

Otherwise, if we wait until the afternoon, it will be past 2 p.m., and queuing is a hassle.

After picking up the car, Xu Mu drove his new car out the door.

Of course, after picking up his Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, Xu Mu still took a picture of himself picking up the car and holding the steering wheel, and posted it on his WeChat Moments.

Picking up the car should be a happy experience.

Of course, once the post was shared on WeChat Moments, Xu Mu's female confidantes and some of her former classmates all came to like it.

Besides these, there are also customers who sell turtles.

However, Xu Mu hardly sells turtles anymore. Sometimes they would ask Xu Mu if he had any in stock, and Xu Mu would just pass the WeChat message to Wang Qiang and let Wang Qiang handle the communication.

The farm has now grown in scale, business is getting better and better, and it only does wholesale, so there is basically no after-sales service.

Previously, when Xu Mu was in the retail business, there were many after-sales issues. He often encountered unreasonable people who would curse him for selling diseased turtles, which would eventually affect his reputation. However, now all retail work has been handed over to Wang Qiang, who will handle the related after-sales issues.

how to say?

The one who got scolded was now Wang Qiang!

In this kind of business, where you make hundreds of millions or tens of millions of retail sales a year, it's impossible to get 100% positive reviews. Moreover, you never know what kind of customer you'll encounter—whether they have a twisted mentality or are deliberately trying to disgust you.

After all, the barrier to entry in this circle is still very low, and who knows if someone might deliberately try to mess with you or annoy you.

There are many cases of conjunctivitis.

After posting on WeChat Moments, Xu Mu ignored the comments and drove to Xinrongji Restaurant for a meal!
Upon arriving at Xinrongji, Xu Mu retrieved his shareholder card. Although he didn't have a number yet, a table was specially arranged for him since he was a shareholder.

"Mr. Xu, our boss is on the second floor. He said he'd like you to come up and have dinner with him!"

"Okay!"

Xu Mu glanced at the dishes she had ordered and said, "Then could you take these dishes upstairs for me?"

Following the waiter to the private room on the second floor, Xu Mu pushed open the door and went in, where he saw Zhang Yong, who was almost sixty years old, sitting in the middle seat.

"Oh, Mr. Xu, I've finally met you in person!"

"I've heard so much about you!"

Because Xu Mu's acquisition of Xinrongji was arranged by the system, Xu Mu didn't even show up in person. Zhang Yong only knew that the acquisition was done by a young man.

He originally didn't want to sell, but Xu Mu offered too much, and given the poor economy these past two years, he also wanted to expand, so he accepted Xu Mu's terms. After all, Xu Mu wouldn't be involved in management; he just wanted free meals.

How much does a meal cost?
"Mr. Zhang, you're truly amazing! You created the Xinrongji brand!"

"Come, come, come!" Zhang Yong pulled Xu Mu to sit down, then looked at the other four people in the private room and said, "This is President Xu Mu, whom I often tell you about. He is the second largest shareholder of Xinrongji at such a young age!"

"Mr. Xu, these are some local brand owners from Taishi. We were just having lunch with them today. I didn't expect you to come over for lunch today!"

"We have been poor in our hospitality!"

"Hello everyone!" Xu Mu shook hands with each of them, then smiled and looked at Zhang Yong, saying, "I came to the Xiaomi delivery center to pick up a car. I just bought a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, and I picked it up today. After picking it up, I was thinking I had no food to eat, so I came to Xinrongji!"

"After all, it's our own brand, so the taste is pretty good."

"Mr. Xu, you've picked up another car? You've picked up quite a few now, haven't you?"

Zhang Yong looked at Xu Mu and said with a smile.

Although he is almost sixty years old, he is still at the forefront of fashion. To be able to achieve this level in the catering industry is, to be honest, quite impressive.

Xin Rong Ji is a restaurant brand with its own brand identity, and it hasn't changed at all over the years. To be honest, Xu Mu admires it. Even a top-notch restaurant company like Haidilao will have some public opinion, but Xin Rong Ji focuses on being high-end.

No one has tried to stage an accident to extort money in all these years!
On the contrary, in the process of continuously developing and expanding his branch stores, Zhang Yong also met many like-minded people.

The restaurant industry must constantly innovate and change!
"Not much, not much! I really like Xiaomi's car, so I've been waiting for it until now!"

Xu Mu said with a smile.

"Mr. Xu, would you like some drinks at noon?"

"I won't drink anymore. I have other things to do this afternoon. It's just a coincidence that I met with Mr. Zhang today. Come, come, I'll toast everyone with tea instead of wine!"

Xu Mu, holding his teacup, smiled at Zhang Yong and the other restaurant owners from Taishi who were dining with him, and said with a smile, "Let's get together more often in the future!"

Xu Mu was free in the afternoon, but he didn't like to get involved in these kinds of drinking parties. To be honest, they were meaningless, and there were no opportunities for cooperation among them. Besides, Xu Mu didn't have any ideas about investing in the catering industry right now, unless... he was interested in the kind of catering investment that skirted the edges of reality.

Recently, Xu Mu saw a roadside barbecue stall in Hangzhou where you could pay 200 yuan to have a JK (high school girl) dance. Of course, you could also pay more to invite the JK girl to eat at the same table. This is a new type of barbecue culture.

The key to running a restaurant now is to seek breakthroughs and make some external changes to the original content. In fact, there's not much to it than just minor adjustments to barbecue. But nowadays, businesses are all about gimmicks; without them, it's hard to survive.

"That's great, Mr. Xu is truly accomplished at such a young age. Last time I went to Shanghai for dinner, I heard that Mr. Xu also bought the Magnolia Plaza? A full acquisition?"

"These are all small-scale operations. I think buying 40% of Xinrongji's shares is the best choice I could make. New catering models are emerging, but consumers' expectations for food haven't changed at all. So I think Xinrongji still has great potential!" Xu Mu waved his hand, not wanting to be too high-profile or show off.

Xu Mu is still keeping a low profile, even though his business strategy is anything but low-key; he tries his best to stay behind the scenes.

Now Xu Mu tries his best to bring out the front-desk management team. Xu Mu doesn't like to show his face. Of course, if Director Jin is present like last time, Xu Mu has no choice but to participate. Under normal circumstances, Xu Mu will ignore him.

"Mr. Xu, you're being too discreet!"

Zhang Yong looked at Xu Mu and said, "Mr. Xu, you're so young, have you ever thought about joining any associations?"

"What association?" Xu Mu raised an eyebrow and asked in confusion.

"For example, the food association in Taichung allows those of us in the catering industry to exchange ideas and collaborate. Another example is the more official organizations, such as the CPPCC and the NPC."

"Mr. Xu, you could consider moving in that direction. After all, in business, you need some backing! If you're interested, I can help you get in touch with these organizations; it will be beneficial for your future development!"

"Furthermore, I've heard that Mr. Xu is now an investor in the financial industry. He could join some circles to expand his network!"

Zhang Yong looked at Xu Mu and introduced him one by one.

To put it bluntly, it's about pushing Xu Mu out.

After all, he knew that Xu Mu was incredibly low-key. Despite being so rich, powerful, and promising at such a young age, he was unlike other young people who were flamboyant and high-profile. Instead, he kept a low profile as much as possible. It wasn't until today that Zhang Yong met Xu Mu in person. All the contracts and procedures related to the acquisition were arranged by Xu Mu, and Xu Mu himself never showed up.

This left Zhang Yong speechless, and he was also filled with curiosity about this young man, Xu Mu.

"Sure." Xu Mu thought for a moment, but didn't refuse Zhang Yong's offer. Instead, she smiled and nodded in agreement. "As for the association, Mr. Zhang, you can decide how to handle it. However, I'm quite interested in the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. I wonder what qualifications are needed to get in?"

"It's about contributing to society to some extent, but with your current capabilities, it shouldn't be a problem. Just talk about how much performance you've generated and how much revenue you've made! You can also participate in some project evaluations, create some buzz as an emerging youth, basically all sorts of fancy titles and gimmicks!"

"Look at you, you're only twenty-five! There's so much potential for you in this area!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Xu Mu nodded repeatedly, holding his teacup and looking at Zhang Yong, "Then I'll trouble Mr. Zhang to help me with the process. I'm not particularly interested in these things; after all, money in my pocket is what really matters, and everything else is just empty talk to me!"

"You're too kind, too kind!" Zhang Yong took a sip of strong liquor and continued, "You're just too damn modest!"

"Really, young people should still have the flamboyance they deserve."

"There are people outside the world, and there is heaven outside the world!"

Xu Mu said with a smile, "My goal is to surpass Thor. For now, all I can do is lie low and focus on building my business!"

"Keep a low profile! Keep a low profile!"

"Thor has the protagonist's script, his life is like a cheat code, and I think you are still better than Thor at this stage, so it will be very easy for you to surpass Thor in time!"

"Thank you, Mr. Zhang!"

This meal was still meaningful. At least Xu Mu learned about another past, not just the single path of being a businessman. There are other paths Xu Mu could also take, just like Tang San and Jiang Shengnan in the online novel circle, who eventually went to the CPPCC and the National People's Congress!

Ultimately, it all comes down to having social status!

Of course, Xu Mu didn't think this was a big problem!
Zhang Yong can handle anything for himself.

Besides, Xu Mu had already joined the Party while at school, so he could easily get into either the National People's Congress or the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

After finishing his meal, Zhang Yong secretly sent Xu Mu a WeChat message, asking him to wait a moment and stay for a bit.

Xu Mu thought about it and agreed.

After seeing off the restaurateurs at noon, Xu Mu met Zhang Yong in a tea room.

"Mr. Zhang, have you had too much to drink?" Xu Mu asked Zhang Yong with a smile.

"I had no choice but to attend the dinner!" Zhang Yong waved his hand helplessly. "That's why I'm so envious of you now. You're so young and you don't even touch alcohol. To be honest, I'm really envious! I'm getting old. Back when I was your age, I drank every day, but now that I'm older, I can't do it anymore!"

"So you're pretty good, kid. You're disciplined, talented at a young age, and incredibly low-key!"

"You should really think about what I'm telling you. Both the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference will be helpful to you in the future. And you can really explore the financial sector. It's a great place to expand your business later on!"

"Have you ever thought about Xinrongji going public?" Zhang Yong asked Xu Mu.

"That depends on Mr. Zhang, doesn't it?" Xu Mu didn't answer directly, but instead threw the question to Zhang Yong.

“I’m getting old. Now that you’ve acquired Xin Rong Ji, I’d like to hear your thoughts.”

"There aren't many catering companies listed yet, and Xinrongji's valuation isn't as high as you might imagine. But I do have this idea; it's up to you whether you're willing to scale it up!"

"..."

Xu Mu pondered for a moment, then asked, "Does President Zhang mean he intends to open up franchising?"

"I have that idea!"

"Xin Rong Ji's signboard is easily ruined!"

The cost of opening up franchising is that it creates a mixed bag of good and bad franchisees. These franchisees are impossible to control, and problems can easily arise once there is any public opinion.

“Once it goes public, we’ll cash out!” Zhang Yong looked at Xu Mu with a half-smile and said, “Don’t you want to cash out?”

"Cashing out is an option, but I'd rather a brand continue to thrive. Honestly, the money I make in the stock market isn't as good as the money I'd make by building a successful business. Besides, I'm not short of money, and I haven't reached the point where I need to go public with Xinrongji to cash out!"

Zhang Yong was surprised that Xu Mu would give such an answer.

However, Xu Mu is not wrong. Xu Mu is not short of money at all. Xin Rong Ji is a store with a good reputation and brand effect. It has also won the Michelin title and has the most Michelin stars among all restaurants in the country. Under such circumstances, there is no need for Xin Rong Ji to go public.

Is this a scheme to raise money?

This will only make their reputation worse!
After all, capitalism is a predatory industry!

"Expansion is possible. I invested so much money in franchising and equity investment precisely to continuously expand Xinrongji's stores. Moreover, I require them to be directly operated. If they are directly operated stores, there will be no problem with our listing. Everything is under control."

“We personally select and train the managers of each store to ensure zero negative publicity. Under these circumstances, it’s possible to stay stable for two or three years and ring the bell at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. But I think it’s inappropriate to open up franchising. Building a good reputation is not easy, but once it collapses, it’s all over!”

Xu Mu's analysis makes sense.

For Xu Mu, he didn't like being a capitalist. Capitalists are people who devour others without shedding blood; they're only after money. But Xu Mu wanted to have some humanity, so he had been hesitant to enter this circle, even though he is now an investor!

But he still refused to get involved.

"Makes sense!"

The two spent the entire afternoon chatting in the tea room.

Zhang Yong also witnessed Xu Mu's temperament, as well as his insights and views on the future.

In summary, Xu Mu believes that for a capital firm to succeed, it must win the hearts and minds of the people.

Whether it's Thor or others, why do Alibaba and Tencent get criticized while Xiaomi easily gets support? Although Xu Mu isn't a Xiaomi fanboy, he simply remembers how the Redmi and Xiaomi phones brought down smartphone prices back then, allowing even a poor guy like Xu Mu to own a smartphone! The Xiaomi 1s was the lowest-end smartphone at the time, and compared to those expensive phones costing three or four thousand, or even five or six thousand, Xu Mu genuinely felt the value for money!
Tencent's gaming and Alibaba's online lending platforms may have changed users' shopping habits in the past, but its later actions ultimately backfired.

Therefore, Xu Mu felt that he had no problem being a capitalist, but he couldn't be too greedy. Making money was fine, but he couldn't make disgusting money!

"Okay, if that's the case, then I'll do it your way!"

"Open directly operated stores and train store managers!"

Xu Mu left the teahouse. What Zhang Yong did was not really Xu Mu's business, since he was still the major shareholder. However, Zhang Yong was probably talking to Xu Mu about these things because he didn't know what to do. The impact of the new catering industry was still having some effect on established catering companies like theirs.

Of course, Xin Rong Ji has always focused on the high-end market, but now it is seeking to change.

Although the theater is still packed every day, there are limits to what can be achieved.

Therefore, the only way to increase revenue is to open branch stores.

After leaving the tea room, Xu Mu sent a WeChat message to Zhang Xinnan.

"Where are you? I'm coming to pick you up!"

"I've talked to my parents about this! They're not really in favor of me going out to work."

"The atmosphere is a bit tense right now." Zhang Xinnan replied quickly, followed by her location.

"Come pick me up, Brother Xu!"

"You have to explain things to them clearly, otherwise it won't be good if there's discord in the family."

Xu Mu was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected Zhang Xinnan's parents to disagree with her going out to work. However, he could understand. The young girl had lived with her parents in this place for over twenty years and had never left home too far. In the past, going out to travel was just traveling, but now she was going out to work. She was in an unfamiliar place, and what if she encountered some bad people? Wouldn't that be terrible?
It's normal for parents to worry.

“I talked to them nicely, but my mom just wouldn’t agree. My dad, on the other hand, didn’t care. I told him that with Huang Fei by his side, they could go to work together and rent an apartment together, so there definitely wouldn’t be any problems!”

"Please come pick me up, I don't want to stay at home anymore!"

"..."

Xu Mu smiled helplessly and could only drive in the direction indicated by the GPS.

Twenty minutes later, Xu Mu met Zhang Xinnan, who was waiting downstairs.

Zhang Xinnan was wearing her usual white knee-high socks and leather shoes today, but she changed her skirt to a pink JK skirt and a pure white short-sleeved shirt. Xu Mu realized that she really liked JK style. And with her slightly youthful face, who would have thought that this girl was already in her twenties? You would think she was only seventeen or eighteen.

"Brother Xu Mu, is this your new car?"

Zhang Xinnan got into the car, her eyes shining, and exclaimed, "So handsome!"

(End of this chapter)