Reborn in 08, Public Enemy of Competitors

At the Rose Garden cafeteria, long queues formed at every window.

Du Manqing carried a plate containing boiled shrimp, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and bok choy with shiitake mushrooms, following closely behind Ye Xiao and the others.

The four of them quickly found seats, and as soon as they sat down, Liu Xin couldn't help but ask a question.

"Manqing, Shen Mo... what did he say?"

He said, "Let's stop here, it would be impolite to say any more, but thank you anyway."

Du Manqing tried her best to keep her tone tactful and avoid hurting people.

"Thank me?"

Liu Xin said, finding it hard to accept, "Is that how he thanked me?"

Huang Jiajia protested, "Exactly! How could Shen Mo do this? It's just a website, what's so special about it?"

Du Manqing glanced at her, her gaze as calm as a still pond.

Feeling a little guilty under her gaze, Huang Jiajia shrank back, muttering, "That's how it is..."

"Does he really intend to become a stranger to me?"

Liu Xin gripped her chopsticks and stabbed them hard into the rice.

Actually, she wasn't reluctant to part with him, but rather unwilling to accept that she could dislike Shen Mo, but Shen Mo couldn't dislike her.

Especially in front of her roommate, she actually called her a scumbag!

At that moment, I felt that the "goddess filter" I had carefully crafted had shattered into pieces.

"Sigh, stop thinking about it."

Du Manqing sighed and said, "You two should part amicably and wish each other well. Shen Mo is not the same Shen Mo as before. In his world, there can no longer be only you."

Liu Xin's expression changed. "What? Has he fallen for someone else?"

Du Manqing was completely baffled by her train of thought and didn't want to say anything more, lest she cause trouble for Shen Mo.

Picking up a boiled shrimp, he slowly peeled off the shell, when he suddenly noticed that Huang Jiajia was secretly watching him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing... I just really wanted the shrimp you peeled."

"Here you go, hurry up and eat!"

Du Manqing dipped the shrimp in soy sauce and handed it over.

Because of Liu Xin, the meal was rather dull.

When the four of them get together, they always have endless topics to talk about, from the latest gossip in the entertainment industry to the newest songs in the Chinese music scene...

Today was unusually quiet, and it was the same when I got back to my dorm.

Du Manqing took out the "Summer Vacation On-Campus Accommodation Application Form" from her handbag, flattened the paper, and filled it out carefully.

Huang Jiajia leaned closer, resting her head on the back of the chair, and let out a soft "Hmm?", "Manqing, are you staying at school?"

Du Manqing nodded, "I plan to take advantage of this holiday to set up a Taobao store and sell clothes that I design myself."

"Why so suddenly?"

A thought flashed through Huang Jiajia's mind, "Could this suggestion be from Shen..."

Du Manqing stretched out her finger and pressed it against Huang Jiajia's lips, glancing in Liu Xin's direction.

Huang Jiajia understood and shut her mouth, but couldn't help asking in a low voice, "Manqing, what's going on between you and Shen Mo?"

"How should I put it? He told me a lot about the ins and outs of Taobao and kept encouraging me."

Du Manqing paused, pen in hand, lost in thought.

"You guys wouldn't happen to be...?"

Huang Jiajia tried her best to keep her voice down.

Du Manqing rolled her eyes. "What are you thinking? Read less romance novels in the future."

Huang Jiajia scratched her head and said, "No, don't you think your relationship is a little abnormal?"

"That's normal, perfectly normal."

Du Manqing thought for a moment before realizing what she meant, and her expression immediately turned serious.

"There's nothing abnormal about it! Shen Mo and I are completely innocent, and I have a clear conscience!"

………………

Since last year, the authorities have pointed out that they should "promote employment through entrepreneurship", especially encouraging college students to start their own businesses.

A number of universities in Zhejiang Province responded enthusiastically, with Jiangsu-Zhejiang University of Science and Technology being the most proactive among them.

They also yearn to produce a Jack Ma like Hangzhou Normal University, but to this day, they haven't even produced a single outstanding entrepreneurial star.

More than a year later, more than half of the startup park is empty, with most of the businesses limited to Taobao stores, fruit shops, and game studios.

Small-scale operations, nothing significant.

Over time, the greater the hopes the school leaders had for the startup park, the more disappointed they became.

The instructors in charge of this area gradually lost their passion and became "salted fish" who spent their days drinking tea and reading newspapers.

Besides perfunctorily organizing students to open online stores, conducting regular training sessions based on PPT slides, and reciting content that they themselves have said countless times.

If starting a business were that easy, I wouldn't be a teacher at all!

He quit his job and went into business long ago!

Fan Jin chuckled, sat down in the admissions and employment guidance office, sipped his tea, enjoyed the air conditioning, and stared at the large "A" displayed on the computer screen.

The price keeps falling, everything is green, so green it's unsettling.

Damn it, no matter what sins you committed in your past life, as long as you speculate in A-shares in this life, you've paid them off!

Just as I was cursing Big A in my heart, a series of knocks sounded on the door.

A man and a woman came into view; the man was unfamiliar, but the woman was recognizable.

Last year, when the school celebrated its 110th anniversary, it mobilized all sectors of society to donate books and other items, and Du Manqing's parents donated a lot.

"Teacher Fan, this student, Shen Mo, wants to apply to move into the startup park."

Du Manqing gave a kind and polite smile.

Fan Jin cleared his throat. "What do you plan to do after entering the startup park?"

"E-commerce".

Shen Mo blurted out.

"E-commerce?"

Fan Jin's eyes darted around. "Opening an online store, huh?"

"Uh, I guess so."

Shen Mo's tone carried a hint of disdain. "Is this the level of instructors at the startup park? Can an online store be equated with e-commerce?"

"Fill out the form first, and once the person in charge of the startup park approves it, you can come and choose an office space."

Fan Jin was uninterested. "Rent is free, but you'll have to cover the costs of renovations, utilities, internet, office supplies, etc..."

"Teacher, since the application has been approved, can the venue and the 'Venue Use Authorization Letter' be issued together?"

Shen Mo picked up his pen and quickly filled out the form.

"What do you need the authorization letter for?"

Fan Jin adjusted his glasses.

"I want to register a company."

Shen Mo said bluntly.

Du Manqing was slightly startled, while Fan Jin's face turned solemn as he carefully examined her.

"You're going to start a company?"

"Isn't the point of moving into a startup park to start a company?"

Shen Mo frowned. "Teacher, is there a problem?"

"No, but I advise you not to be too hasty. Starting a company is no small matter."

Fan Jin was taken aback. Over the years he had been an instructor, he had seen many students apply to join the program, but very few actually started their own companies. It was mostly the wealthy second-generation heirs who did this.

However, starting a business is not something that can be done simply by having money.

Many students from well-off families lose interest quickly and, lacking a sustainable way to make money, eventually give up.

Looking at his well-dressed and composed demeanor, Fan Jin subconsciously labeled him as a "rich second generation".

"I've already made up my mind."

Shen Mo handed over the form. "Teacher, how long will the review take?"

"soon."

Fan Jin took the form without even glancing at it, then pulled a seal from the drawer and breathed heavily on it.

With a "smack," the form was slapped shut, then the person tilted their head back and asked, "How fast is it?"

"Then, the office space and the authorization letter for its use..."

Shen Mo suppressed a laugh. Actually, sometimes, it's not good for a man to be too fast.

"Look, we're in a hurry, let's choose an office first."

Fan Jin put the application form into the drawer. "Do you want the one from the student activity center or the work-study/entrepreneurship center?"

"That doesn't matter, I only have requirements regarding office space."

Shen Mo said, "Ideally, I could have one room of more than 100 square meters, or two rooms of more than 50 square meters each."

"Your requirements are quite high. I can't make decisions on anything over 100 square meters; it requires the approval and signature of school leaders."

"I can give you a 50-square-meter room, but two rooms are impossible; I can only give you one at most."

Fan Jin became increasingly convinced that he was a rich second-generation.

Only those who are rich at home would be so arrogant as to ask for such a large office.

"One room isn't enough, it's too crowded."

Shen Mo secretly made some calculations.

We need to recruit at least six or seven more people, including myself and Yuan Hua, making a total of more than ten people.

"50 square meters is still not enough?"

Fan Jin frowned. "Seven or eight tables would be more than enough. How many people are working here?"

Shen Mo said, "Teacher, my project will have more than a dozen people involved. I'm afraid we won't even be able to fit everyone and their computers in one room."

"A dozen or so people? Are you sure?!"

Fan Jin nearly spat out his tea, his expression turning serious.

"I am absolutely certain that one room is really not enough."

Shen Mo asked, "How about you allocate me another small one? Just 20 or 30 square meters, on the same floor will do."

Fan Jin looked him up and down again, like a ruler, trying to measure how much truth was in his words.

He glanced at Shen Mo, then at Du Manqing, and finally slammed his hand on the table, making his decision.

"Okay, if you can really recruit that many people, I'll give you the two empty 50-square-meter and 30-square-meter rooms on the third floor of the student activity center!"

"But I'm warning you upfront, if the two rooms aren't even full, I'll have to take it back!"

"Thank you, teacher."

Du Manqing stared blankly at Shen Mo's profile.