Super Rich: It all started when I met a young woman in a sleeper car.

The warehouse lights cast long shadows of the four people.

"A nostalgic school campus..." Yang Xiaotao's eyes lit up like light bulbs. "I know that like the back of my hand! We can replace all the desks and chairs with those double desks with drawers! We can cover the walls with certificates of merit, and make a blackboard bulletin board with a different theme every week!"

She got more and more excited as she talked, gesturing wildly: "It would be best if we could also get a few sets of modified school uniforms, JK style would be fine, retro sportswear would be fine too, to put in the store for customers to change into and take photos! It's an absolute traffic magnet! Then when you scroll through Xiaohongshu and Douyin, it'll be all photos of our store, and that bubble tea shop next door will be nothing!"

Lin Xinyue had already pulled out her phone calculator, her fingers clicking rapidly: "Customized desks... blackboard wall stickers... school uniform purchase and cleaning... wall decorations... preliminary estimate, the hardware renovation plus the first batch of props will cost at least 50,000. This doesn't even include the construction period that might affect business operations."

She looked up at Chen Xun: "Our new store has enough cash flow to stay afloat. But what about the payback period? How much higher will the daily revenue of the themed store be compared to our current regular store? Twenty percent? Thirty percent? How long will it take to break even?"

Li Qian leaned against the shelf and added calmly, "A set design alone isn't enough. There also needs to be interaction to increase repeat purchases. For example, the menu could be designed like an exam paper, and ordering could be called 'Submitting the Paper.' Customers who spend a certain amount could play 'classroom games,' enter a lucky draw for 'Excellent Student Certificate' vouchers, or receive limited-edition 'Don't Leave After School' desserts. This way, customers will have something to take pictures of, something to play, and will want to come back."

Chen Xun listened, his mind racing.

Yang Xiaotao's creativity, Lin Xinyue's accounting, and Li Qian's ideas.

He nodded: "Okay. The desks, dining tables, and blackboard will be the core set design, the school uniform experience will be a highlight to attract customers, and interactive games will increase engagement. As Xinyue suggested, the budget will be kept around 50,000 yuan initially, starting with the soft furnishings, and we'll try to shorten the construction period as much as possible."

As soon as he finished speaking, a familiar "ding" sound rang in his mind.

[The host has been detected to have initially planned a "differentiated investment" project: a themed renovation of the Xunwei Instant Noodles (MixC World Store)]

[Project Focus: Nostalgic Campus Theme Experience Store]

[Preliminary assessment: In line with the principle of "differentiated investment", it is expected to improve store recognition and average order value]

[Preliminary assessment passed]

[Once the investment is officially made and the project is launched, rebates and potential bonuses will be settled based on the actual amount invested, the execution results, and the level of teamwork.]

Please refine the plan and proceed with its execution.

The system's preliminary assessment arrived, and it clearly pointed to "differentiated investment." Chen Xun felt even more confident. This system truly encouraged innovation and in-depth research.

"The system thinks this has potential," Chen Xun said to the three women. "Then let's go in this direction and come up with a concrete plan first. Xiao Tao, you're in charge of collecting detailed reference images of the set design and props, the more detailed the better. Xin Yue, you need to refine the budget further, dividing it into several tiers. Li Qian, you need to figure out the rules and prize settings for the interactive games, making sure they're fun and the costs are controllable."

"Understood!" the three women replied in unison.

"Tomorrow," Chen Xun continued, "I'll take a preliminary design sketch and plan to talk to Zhou Wenbin."

Yang Xiaotao was taken aback: "Looking for Brother Zhou? The landlord?"

"Hmm." Chen Xun nodded. "A themed renovation would increase the value of his shop. If he can support it, even if it's just agreeing to the renovation or being flexible with the rent, it would be a huge benefit for us. Let's give it a try."

The next afternoon, Chen Xun arranged to meet Zhou Wenbin at a teahouse near the mall.

Chen Xun pushed the several sketches that he and Yang Xiaotao had worked on overnight, along with the budget outline that Lin Xinyue had drawn up, in front of Zhou Wenbin.

"Brother Zhou, take a look. We want to give that store in MixC World a themed upgrade, turning it into a 'nostalgic campus style'." Chen Xun briefly introduced his idea.

Zhou Wenbin held the sketch, looked it over for a long time, then looked at the budget sheet, stroking his chin.

"That's interesting." Zhou Wenbin laughed. "You young people are quick-witted. If done well, this can definitely attract attention and make it different from the shops next door."

Chen Xun felt relieved; there was hope.

But Zhou Wenbin's next words made him breathe a sigh of relief again.

"However, Brother Chen," Zhou Wenbin took a sip of tea, "the renovation is your idea, so naturally you'll have to pay for it all. That's the first point. Secondly, I've rented the shop to you, and it's your business how you want to decorate it, but the rent... we've already signed the contract, so it's not easy to change. After all, if you renovate it and then decide you don't want to rent it anymore, I'll have a ready-made themed store to take over, right? I can't really lower the rent for you."

Chen Xun's heart skipped a beat. He would pay the full amount himself, without giving a single penny of rent.

That means most of the risks and costs of the renovation will fall on his shoulders. Zhou Wenbin, on the other hand, remains unperturbed, only enjoying the benefits of the increased value of the shop.

The negotiations suddenly stalled.

Chen Xun was silent for a few seconds, then put down his teacup: "Brother Zhou, that's not how it works. We invested money in the renovation to improve the shop. More customers, better reputation, and the value of your shop will increase accordingly. It's a win-win situation. We've borne all the renovation costs and risks, and you haven't offered any support. This cooperation is a bit unbalanced."

Zhou Wenbin chuckled: "The business world is like a battlefield, Brother Chen. These are the terms. If you think it's worthwhile, then change it. If you don't, then continue operating as before. I won't force you."

Chen Xun knew that this was a case of not releasing the hawk until the rabbit was seen.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, changing his approach: "Brother Zhou, let's try a different method. We'll still primarily cover the renovation costs. But after the renovation is completed, within a certain period, say one year, if the shop's average daily revenue from the themed renovation exceeds the previous baseline by a certain percentage, say 30%, we'll share a percentage of the excess profits with you. Essentially, you're using a portion of your future potential revenue to support our current renovation. If the results aren't achieved, you won't lose anything; the rent will still be collected. How does that sound?"

Zhou Wenbin paused, his hand holding the teacup still, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

Chen Xun's plan tied his profits to the actual operational results of the renovated store. Risks were shared, and profits were shared.

"Profit sharing..." Zhou Wenbin pondered, "Well... I need to think about it. After all, my rent is a stable income, but your business operations are uncertain."

"You can take your time to think it over," Chen Xun said calmly. "Take the draft plan and budget first. I'll come back to hear from you in three days. We really want to do this renovation, but we need to make sure it's cost-effective."

Zhou Wenbin glanced at Chen Xun and nodded: "Okay, three days. I'll think about it."

After leaving the teahouse, Chen Xun returned to the MixC World store.

After closing time, the four of them met up again at that small warehouse.

Chen Xun explained the results of his negotiations with Zhou Wenbin.

Yang Xiaotao's face fell: "Huh? You want us to pay for everything, and you won't even lower the rent? Doesn't that mean Brother Zhou is just getting something for nothing?"

Lin Xinyue pulled out her phone calculator again, her brow furrowed: "If we bear the entire cost ourselves, the 50,000 yuan renovation fee, based on the current net profit, will extend the payback period by at least two months. The cash flow pressure will increase."

Li Qian remained calm: "A profit-sharing plan is one idea, but the initiative is in Zhou Wenbin's hands. We can't just wait around. We need to prepare alternative plans. For example, if Zhou Wenbin doesn't agree to the profit-sharing, should we still insist on the renovation? If we do, how will we solve the funding issue? Or, are there any lower-cost 'light theme' renovation plans?"

Chen Xun looked at the three women: Yang Xiaotao's worry, Lin Xinyue's meticulousness, and Li Qian's foresight.

He waved his hand: "Don't panic. The profit-sharing plan is the hook I've thrown out. Whether it works or not, we'll know in three days. In these three days, we'll advance on two fronts."

"Xiaotao, continue to refine the design, especially those points that can achieve results at low cost. Xinyue, accurately calculate the cash flow and see how long we can hold out in the worst-case scenario. Liqian, research alternative solutions, such as whether we can create a 'themed corner' first instead of a complete store renovation, to test the waters."

His tone was calm: "Remember, we're not just starting out now. One store, two stores, a team, a system—these are our foundation. It would be best if we could reach an agreement. If not, we have other options. The key is that I think the thematic approach is the right one."

Chen Xun's words were like a reassuring pill.

Yang Xiaotao breathed a sigh of relief: "I understand, brother. It means having two options and not putting all your eggs in one basket."

Lin Xinyue nodded: "I'll figure it out tonight."

Li Qian nodded slightly: "Understood."

Under the warehouse lights, the four figures drew closer to the sketches once more, and a low murmur of discussion arose.

The neon sign of the beverage shop next door casts a changing light and shadow on the wall through the small window of the warehouse.