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

Outside the roller shutter, the city lights were still flashing in the dead of night, but Chen Xun knew that the real battle had just begun.

For the next week, the four of them were extremely busy.

The success of the "Nostalgic Graduation Ceremony" trial operation was like a shot in the arm, but the official opening couldn't rely solely on nostalgia. Lin Xinyue checked the equipment purchase list three times, Li Qian revised the marketing plan again and again, and Yang Xiaotao dragged the design company to meticulously craft every detail of the interactive elements at the opening ceremony.

Chen Xun wasn't idle either. Through Zhou Wenbin's connections, he sent invitations to the mall's management and several local food bloggers, and also contacted suppliers he had previously worked with to come and show their support. In the system, the return on investment curve for the "Xunwei Instant Noodles" MixC World store kept rising, but his unease didn't subside; instead, it intensified because of Zhou Wenbin's continued "quietness."

Li Qian mentioned to Chen Xun privately once: "There's been no movement from Zhou Wenbin lately. I asked him about the opening ceremony arrangements twice, and he said, 'You decide, I'll cooperate,' but after I sent him the specific time and location, he didn't reply."

Chen Xun was looking at the newly customized employee uniform samples at the time, and didn't even look up: "Maybe he's busy. He's just the landlord; it's a favor if he comes, and it's his right not to."

Li Qian looked at him for two seconds and then said nothing more.

Before we knew it, the opening day arrived.

In the atrium of MixC World shopping mall, directly opposite the entrance of the new "Xunwei Instant Noodles" store on the first floor, a small ceremony platform has been set up. The backdrop is a huge "nostalgic campus style" themed painting with the words "Xunwei Instant Noodles MixC World Store Grand Opening" written on it.

The time is set for 10:18 a.m. on Saturday.

Before 10 a.m., a large crowd had already gathered in the atrium. There were customers from the mall itself, young people attracted by the online pre-event promotion, and media and supplier representatives invited by Chen Xun. Yang Xiaotao, dressed in a specially made store uniform with some school uniform elements and with her hair in a high ponytail, moved between the various guest check-in points, her smile so sweet it could kill. She greeted everyone and gave them a small opening gift—a custom-made soap shaped like an eraser.

Lin Xinyue stood to the side of the ceremony stage, holding a program sheet and a walkie-talkie. She would occasionally glance at her watch or exchange a few words with the sound engineer. She was also wearing a different uniform today, and her hair was tied up, making her look much more capable.

Li Qian stood a little further away, closer to the mall aisle, arms crossed, her gaze slowly sweeping across the entire space. She paid particular attention to the empty seats reserved for VIPs—one of which was for Zhou Wenbin. It was still empty.

Chen Xun stood at the store entrance, exchanging pleasantries with several early-arriving suppliers. He was dressed in a simple shirt and trousers today, without a tie, and looked quite sharp.

Ten past ten.

Li Qian walked to Chen Xun's side and whispered, "Zhou Wenbin didn't arrive. I called him, but his phone was off."

Chen Xun's smile remained unchanged. He nodded to the supplier in front of him, then turned his head and said in a voice only Li Qian could hear, "Understood. The procedure remains the same."

10:15.

The host came on stage to warm up the audience, music started playing, and the atmosphere became lively.

Chen Xun was led to the waiting area near the stage. He glanced at the audience; the guest seats were almost full, and the cameras in the media area were lit up. Zhou Wenbin's seat remained conspicuously empty.

10:18 AM.

The host enthusiastically announced the start of the opening ceremony, introduced the brand and the concept of the themed store, and then invited Chen Xun to the stage to give a speech.

Chen Xun walked onto the stage and took the microphone. The audience quieted down a bit.

"Thank you all for coming today," Chen Xun said, his voice clear and steady as it carried through the speakers. "The fact that 'Xunwei Instant Noodles' has come this far and opened its second store wouldn't have been possible without the support of many people, especially my team."

He looked at Lin Xinyue, Li Qian, and Yang Xiaotao below the stage. The three women were also looking at him.

"With this new store, we wanted to do something different. It's not just about eating a bowl of noodles, but about rekindling a feeling from childhood." Chen Xun paused, "Of course, the noodles have to be delicious too. We've always been confident in that."

A burst of laughter and applause erupted from the audience.

【Ding! 】

[The system has detected that the host's series of investments in the "Seeking Flavors Instant Noodles" brand upgrade (theme transformation, marketing activities, team building, etc.) have all been implemented and have generated market effects.]

[Brand value and differentiated competitiveness have significantly improved.]

[Triggered comprehensive project rebate calculation...]

[Calculation of 10x base rebate in progress...]

[Due to the market validation of its innovative "nostalgic school" theme, additional factors have been added...]

[Critical hit triggered!]

Final rebate amount: 100,000,000 yuan.

[The money has arrived.]

Twelve million.

Chen Xun's fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around the microphone. The notification sound of the money arriving in his account was exceptionally clear in his mind, but the people below the stage couldn't hear it.

He remained calm, said a few more words of thanks, and then invited the ribbon-cutting guests to the stage.

According to the procedure, in addition to Chen Xun himself, the ribbon-cutting guests should include a vice president of the shopping mall, a director of the local food association, and... the landlord Zhou Wenbin.

The mall's vice president and the food director had already stood up with smiles on their faces.

Zhou Wenbin's seat remains empty.

The host clearly noticed this as well, paused for a moment, and turned his gaze to Lin Xinyue in the audience.

Lin Xinyue immediately picked up the walkie-talkie and whispered a few words, then gestured for the host to continue.

The host quickly responded: "Now, please welcome Mr. Chen Xun, the founder of 'Xunwei Instant Noodles,' Mr. Wang, the deputy general manager of the shopping mall, Mr. Zhang, the director of the Food Association, and outstanding representatives of our team to the stage for the ribbon-cutting ceremony!"

Chen Xun remained expressionless and nodded to Lin Xinyue.

Lin Xinyue immediately looked at Li Qian and Yang Xiaotao. Li Qian quickly walked towards the ceremony stage, while Yang Xiaotao turned to face the guests and media present, smiling brightly as she began to guide everyone to prepare for taking photos to record "this historic moment".

Li Qian took Zhou Wenbin's place at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. She was also wearing a uniform today, her purple hair neatly combed back, and she stood next to Chen Xun with a calm expression.

The hostesses carried ribbons tied with red flowers and scissors onto the stage.

The music reached its climax.

The host loudly counted down: "Three, two, one! Ribbon cutting!"

Chen Xun, Vice President Wang, Director Zhang, and Li Qian all cut the ribbon at the same time.

The audience erupted in applause, and the media area was ablaze with flashes.

Just as the applause and flashes of light were at their peak, four or five people suddenly walked out of the passageway leading from the atrium to the mall's office area.

They were all wearing dark blue uniforms with badges on their shoulders.

The leader was a man in his forties, with a serious expression and a folder in his hand. They walked straight toward the ceremonial platform.

The applause and music hadn't completely stopped when these people appeared, like a block of ice thrown into boiling water.

The astute media at the scene immediately turned their cameras in that direction.

The guests noticed this and began to whisper among themselves.

"What's going on? There's another part to it?"

"From the Industry and Commerce Bureau? That uniform..."

"Coming for an inspection after opening?"

Chen Xun had just put down the scissors when he turned around and saw this group of people. His eyes narrowed slightly.

Li Qian stood next to him and whispered, "The business administration guy. He really knows how to pick his timing."

Lin Xinyue had already walked quickly over from the side of the stage. Yang Xiaotao's smile froze for a moment, but she quickly recovered and continued to face the media and guests, raising her voice and trying to use a more enthusiastic tone to introduce the upcoming in-store experience activities, hoping to drown out the sudden commotion.

But it was no use. Everyone's attention was drawn to the uniformed officers.

The uniformed team walked to the front of the platform. The man at the head looked up at Chen Xun on the platform and opened the folder in his hand.

"Excuse me, who is the person in charge of the 'Seeking Flavors Instant Noodles' store in MixC World?" The man's voice wasn't loud, but it carried throughout half of the atrium through the microphone that was still on.

Chen Xun took a step forward and picked up the spare microphone from the host next to him: "Yes, this is me. What can I do for you?"

The man flashed his badge: "We're from the Market Supervision Section of the District Administration for Industry and Commerce. We received a report with a real name, alleging that your store has substandard fire safety facilities and hygiene hazards in the kitchen. We now need to conduct an on-site inspection in accordance with the law. Please cooperate."

The scene erupted with a loud "buzz".

"report?"

"Fire safety and hygiene issues? Really?"

"Coming to inspect on opening day? Isn't that just causing trouble?"

The cameras in the media area were all pointed at Chen Xun and the business personnel, and the shutters kept clicking.

Chen Xun's face remained expressionless. He glanced at the audience; Lin Xinyue was already quietly instructing the shop assistants to maintain order and guide non-essential personnel through the walkie-talkie. Li Qian then stepped down from the stage and approached the business administration personnel.

"Hello, I'm Li Qian, the operations manager of the store." Li Qian's voice was clear and calm. "Cooperating with the inspection is our duty. However, today is our opening ceremony, and there are quite a few guests and media present. Could you please wait a moment while we quickly wrap things up and then guide you into the store for inspection? This way, it won't disrupt the order on site."

Her words were impeccable, demonstrating her willingness to cooperate while also highlighting the awkwardness of the other party's timing, and giving both sides a way out.

The man from the Industry and Commerce Bureau glanced at Li Qian, then at Chen Xun silently watching him from the stage, and at the increasing number of cameras around them, and nodded: "Okay. Please hurry."

"Thank you for understanding." Li Qian turned around and nodded quickly to Chen Xun and Lin Xinyue.

Chen Xun picked up the microphone and faced the audience: "Distinguished guests and friends, this is just a small incident. We fully cooperate with the government's routine inspections and welcome their supervision. This is a good opportunity for everyone to see for yourselves whether the kitchen and fire safety at 'Xunwei Instant Noodles' are really as bad as the whistleblower's letter claims."

His tone was calm, even slightly amused: "Now, the ceremony will continue. Next is the in-store experience segment. We've prepared a special 'nostalgic set meal' for everyone, as well as game vouchers for the interactive area. Every guest will receive one. Xiao Tao?"

Yang Xiaotao immediately chimed in, her voice full of energy: "That's right! Fellow alumni and students, this way please! Let's bypass the checkpoint and enter the store through the side door! Take a photo in front of the blackboard, post it on WeChat Moments, and get extra gifts for likes!"

As she spoke, she deftly guided the guests toward the side entrance of the shop. Many guests, though still glancing back at the group from the Industry and Commerce Bureau, were drawn in by Yang Xiaotao's enthusiasm and the gifts she offered.

Lin Xinyue quickly directed the store staff and the etiquette team to dismantle the backdrop of the ceremony stage, clean the atrium, and make way for the business personnel. At the same time, she whispered to the kitchen staff: "The inspection team will be here soon. Those who should be on duty should be on duty, and those who should maintain order should maintain order. Just do what you normally do. Don't panic."

Chen Xun stepped off the stage and approached the group from the Industry and Commerce Bureau: "Let's go, I'll take you inside. Where would you like to see something?"

The man in the lead closed the folder: "The report mainly focused on fire exits, fire extinguisher availability, and hygiene in the kitchen's food storage and processing areas. Let's look at these first."

"Okay." Chen Xun nodded and walked into the store first.

Li Qian naturally followed him. After arranging things outside, Lin Xinyue quickly followed him inside.

Inside the shop, the "nostalgic classroom" themed environment surprised several business personnel for a moment, but they quickly resumed their businesslike expressions.

Chen Xun led them to inspect the fire hydrants and fire extinguisher boxes. Each location was equipped to the highest standards of the shopping mall, and regular inspection record cards were posted next to them, with recent dates.

I also checked the emergency exits; they were unobstructed and the indicator lights were in good working order.

Then I went into the kitchen.

The stainless steel worktable gleamed, the cutting boards were clearly categorized by color, and the freezers separated raw and cooked ingredients. All the employees were wearing masks and hats. Lin Xinyue had already prepared copies of the relevant permits and employee health certificates in a folder, which she then handed over.

The business administration personnel carefully examined the documents, opened the freezer to check the temperature records, inspected the disinfection cabinet's work logs, and even touched some corners to check for oil stains.

It took almost twenty minutes to check.

Inside the store, Yang Xiaotao had calmed most of the guests down, and laughter and exclamations filled the interactive game area again. Outside, although the media weren't allowed to film the inspection process, they didn't leave either, all waiting for the results.

Several business administration personnel huddled together and exchanged a few words in hushed tones.

The man in the lead turned to Chen Xun: "Based on the current inspection, the fire safety facilities meet the requirements, and the kitchen hygiene management is also relatively standardized. We have not found the problems mentioned in the complaint."

Chen Xun: "So there's no problem?"

The man nodded: "No problems were found during the on-site inspection. However, we will file the complaint. We should continue to maintain this approach in the future."

"Of course," Chen Xun said. "You're welcome to supervise me at any time."

The man glanced at Chen Xun, then at Li Qian and Lin Xinyue beside him, who remained calm. A flicker of something else crossed his eyes, but he said nothing more: "Then I won't disturb your business any longer. Goodbye."

"Take care." Chen Xun saw them to the shop entrance.

As he watched the figures in dark blue uniforms disappear into the mall corridor, the calm on Chen Xun's face slowly faded.

Li Qian stood beside him and whispered, "The report was made under my real name. When they were checking just now, I glanced at the folder, and the signature field for the whistleblower read 'Zhou Wenbin'."

Chen Xun suddenly turned to look at her.

Li Qian's eyes were cold: "It's him. I recognize the handwriting; I saw it when we signed the lease agreement before."

Lin Xinyue also came over, and upon hearing the second half of the sentence, she gasped: "Zhou Wenbin? He reported us? Why? He's always..."

"Always helping us?" Chen Xun sneered. "He helped us deal with Jiang Tianxiong because Jiang Tianxiong was also his enemy. Now that Jiang Tianxiong has stepped down and our shop is thriving, maybe he feels he didn't charge enough rent? Or perhaps someone else gave him even greater benefits, making him turn around and bite us?"

The music and laughter inside the store continued, and the lively atmosphere of the opening seemed to have been largely unaffected.

But Chen Xun knew that some things had changed.

"Let's get the opening going first," Chen Xun said to Li Qian and Lin Xinyue. "There are still so many customers and media outside. You two go and help out Xiao Tao, interact with her, and give out coupons. Today has to be a success."

"And what about you?" Lin Xinyue asked.

"Me?" Chen Xun glanced towards the mall aisle, his eyes turning cold. "I'll make a call. Then, we need to think carefully about how to 'thank' Boss Zhou for this 'grand opening gift'."